Archive for the ‘For Photographers’ Category

3 Ways To Shake Up Your Marketing Today

March 26

Fellow wedding photographers, this post is alllll for YOU.

Last year, right before Aaron and I got married, he lost his job. In the middle of all the stress and uncertainty that brought us, we found the pearl–we had a free pass to move wherever we wanted. Since I work from home and he was between jobs, we had nothing tying us down to Dallas.

So we packed our earthly possessions and moved. To Austin. Our favorite city in Texas.

I’m an eternal optimist, to a fault, and the thought of how I would build a clientele in Austin never worried me. The answer was the same as always: I would work with with care, creativity, and intelligence…and a great deal of faith. Life is too short not to jump every now and then.

One of the strategies I used to break into this new market was particularly helpful: vendor boxes. Ever since I blogged about sending my vendor boxes, I’ve had people asking me what they are, what I put in them, and how I best used them. The vendor boxes are just one of the three simple marketing topics covered in my new little iBook. I’m super excited to share these little gems with you! You can download the free PDF file here. I’d love your feedback because I’ll be making it available on the iTunes store very, very soon. :)

A few screenshots: 

So what are you waiting for? Download the full PDF version here. And then leave a comment and let me know what you think! I’m counting on you guys for feedback–I want this to be an awesome little resource.

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers, Personal | 11 Comments »
Southern Weddings Styled Shoot Part II

February 24

I can’t get enough of our Southern Valentine shoot from our January workshop! Enjoy even MORE gorgeous images from our styled shoot, and definitely put it on your to-do list to check out our feature on Southern Weddings. :)

 

Posted in For Photographers, Weddings | No Comments »
Kelly Moore Bag “Posey” | Review

February 22

Well, friends, it looks like I got my birthday present a month early! :)

Say hello to the Kelly Moore Posey bag! This is my second Kelly Moore Bag (I also have the b-hobo bag), and I’m so happy to welcome it into my life. I chose the Posey bag because my shooting style has evolved recently, and I’ve simplified the equipment I carry with me down to a minimum. Let’s face it, I’m also a lightweight girl who has no interest in lugging around tons of equipment while shooting. :) So I was looking for a smaller bag that would still provide plenty of storage. The Posey bag was the perfect match.

This is the kind of gear bag that I’d take to a portrait session, or wear at a wedding, while keeping my ThinkTank with all of my gear stashed in a central location. I can fit lots into this bag, but the two most typical combinations are:

-5d mkii body + battery grip + 50mm 1.2

-50mm 1.2 + 24-70mm 2.8 + bottle of water

It also doubles as a professional, chic clutch for meetings. Simply remove the strap, fold down the handles, and remove the padded dividers–it’s transformed into a sexy little iPad-perfect clutch. It’s also ideal for traveling, and all my carry-on essentials–iPad, scarf, bottled water, and journal–fit in nicely.

The outer material is soft, supple, and most importantly, durable. I never feel like I need to be gentle with this bag–yet it’s so pretty! The amount of padding is perfect, keeping your gear fully protected (even on the bottom and sides), without the bulk. I chose the grey color because I shoot weddings in black dresses, and wanted something that would coordinate. :)

I feel that I could just go on and on about this bag. Kelly’s bag designs always blow me away because they are so well thought out. It’s a complete joy to shoot with, and it really lacks nothing in my book. The best thing about this bag? Besides all the cool features, the style of the bag is just so me. :)

 

 

I LOVE organization, and this bag sings my song. Here’s a quick tour of the many pockets, and how I use them to stay organized, pictured above:

1. Built-in CF card pockets | Gone are the days of using anthropologie gift card pouches as my cf card holders. Simply face the cards up if they are empty, and down if they are full for an at-a-glance update. :)

2. Flat pocket | That little blur is my iPhone sticking out.

3. Envelope pocket | Perfect size for my business journal & client notes OR a hard drive.

4. Business card pockets | Never again will you have to go digging through your bottomless bag when someone asks for a card. Happy thought.

5. Zipper pocket | Yes, ANOTHER pocket! Great for lip balm, keys, lotion, and other essentials.

6. iPad pocket | PERFECT to have with you if you do same-day slideshows at weddings. Which, you should. :)

Check out more details about the Posey bag on Kelly’s website.

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers | 5 Comments »
Branches & Light 2012 | Behind the scenes video

February 14

Happy Valentine’s Day! :) I have TWO super fun things to share with you today!

First, I’m so excited to show you this behind the scenes video from our January workshop! Aaron, my incredibly talented husband, put so much work into creating a video that reflected the Branches & Light experience. You’ll love getting a peek into our classes, our shoot, and our fun. Enjoy!

 

 

Next, I am also so proud to direct you over to the Southern Weddings blog to see our full styled shoot from the workshop. I’m grateful beyond words to Emily Ayer, who was our guest speaker at B&L, for making it possible for our shoot to be featured on Southern Weddings. From the warmest place in my heart, thank you Emily!

 

I hope you have a beautiful Valentine’s day!

Posted in A Day In The Office, For Photographers, Personal | 4 Comments »
Branches & Light Workshop Recap + Behind The Scenes

February 6

Get ready for a SUPER fun post. :)

Nancy and I hosted the Branches & Light Photography Workshop just one week ago in Wake Forest, North Carolina. What an incredible day! This was our THIRD Branches & Light, and we have no intention of stopping there. We’ve already been coming up with fun ideas for next time. Lady photographers, you just might want to start following us on twitter to be the first to know when we announce our next dates (@branches_light).

This year was phenomenal. We hosted the workshop at The Sutherland, invited Emily Ayer (art director of Southern Weddings) to be our guest speaker, and had Erin McLean style our fabulous shoot! As amazing as everything was, it just wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for our absolutely incredible ladies who attended. Our attendees came from all over — Texas, Rhode Island, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, and of course, North Carolina — and we could not have been more honored to spend the day with them.

My proudest moment was when I taught on overcoming fear. What a task it was to reach inside myself and be vulnerable about such a hard topic…but how rewarding it was. One of the quotes from the talk was, “As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.” (Marianne Williamson) What a beautiful thought! As time goes on I realize more and more just how passionate I am about the topic of fear and how to overcome it. I’m not quite sure what it will look like, but I want to embrace it; possibly teach more, possibly write more.

I always wish I could go back and relive workshop days–they are the BEST! Can’t wait til the next one!

 

This was our view when we were teaching. :)

 

Emily Ayer, our guest speaker from Southern Weddings gave the most wonderful talk about how to get published. Nancy and I were in the back of the room, madly scribbling notes ourselves. :) We were thankful beyond measure that Emily could join us. 

 

Our styled shoot was TO DIE FOR. Oh my goodness, I can’t even believe how gorgeous it was! The amazingly talented Erin McLean put together the cutest bride & groom you’ve ever seen and the most stunning guest table & dessert table setup. For now I can only give you a behind-the-scenes look, because the shoot will be featured on Southern Weddings in the next couple of weeks. Make sure to watch the Southern Weddings blog…you’ll swoon when you see it!

 

At the end of the day, we all played in the Photo Booth! How appropriate for a group of photographers. :)

 

To the insanely wonderful ladies pictured above, I love you all so much and I cherish the memories we made last week! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being there, for opening up, for being authentic. Please, please let me know if you are ever in Texas because I will want to make a coffee date with you! :) I’d love it if you’d leave a comment below and share a little about your experience at B&L. xoxo

Posted in For Photographers | 8 Comments »
3 ways to join the creative process with your photographer

January 25

 

This post is for the brides who are passionate about their photography. It’s for those of you who want to feel something when you look back at your photos…not just see what you wore. It’s for those of you who truly embrace the experience of working with a great photographer.  I wholeheartedly understand where you’re coming from because, just a few months ago, I was one of those brides. :) From my combined bride + photographer experience, I found one simple thing that made the defining difference between getting pretty pictures and getting pure, honest images filled with beauty, emotion, and joy:

Communication.

That’s the big secret. :) My first priority with brides is to build a welcoming relationship and encourage open communication. Authentic images hinge on it. I take it on as my responsibility to encourage communication by communicating. A simple phone call to introduce myself, a quick eMail to check in, a double date invitation to dinner, an online questionnaire–a little goes a long way.

Good communication isn’t too hard, but it is a two way street. I encourage my clients to join me in the creative process in three ways:

1. Create a Pinterest board of photos you love. Pin images that give me a feel for your style, and what kind of images you’re hoping to get from your wedding and sessions. Make little notes in the caption section of each pin, like, “Love the pose” or  ”Love the open field setting” or “Love this candid moment” etc. Sharing this pinboard with me starts a dialogue between us, and from there I can chat with you more about how to achieve the look you want and what to expect from your images.

2. Invite me into your social network–It’s one of the easiest ways for us to get to know each other. If you see something on my blog that resounds with you, let me know via a quick comment. If you have a personal blog, share it with me so I can keep up with you. Twitter and Facebook make it super easy for us to get to know each other and start conversations based on retweets, comments, and likes.

3. Schedule an engagement session, if at all possible. An engagement session is the BEST way to join in on the creative process because we’ll get to collaborate on ideas for the shoot. You’ll get a feel for my approach and we’ll have a lot of fun. :) A session also gives you a chance to experience working with me before your wedding day. More than anything, it helps you feel comfortable in front of the camera, and it gives me the opportunity to learn your best features so I can create the best images of you.

I hope this inspires you a little!

xo

Caroline

Posted in For Brides, For Photographers | 5 Comments »
Wedding Family Portraits: My Approach

January 18

I’m a fan of family portraits, and today I want to share with you how I approach them during a wedding. It’s a time of the wedding day that has a tendency to be stressful and chaotic, but there are some very simple solutions that I’ve found that create a calm, organized, pleasant experience for everyone.

1. Preparing before the wedding…

About two to three months before the wedding, I collaborate with the bride to gather information and write up a formal portrait schedule. My suggestion is to only do 6-8 small groupings during family formal time, so we can finish the family portraits in about 20-25 minutes. If family portraits run much longer than that, it quickly becomes unpleasant for everyone involved. My goal is to make family portraits as short and enjoyable as possible, while creating the most stunning photos possible. Doing less groupings makes that possible, because even though I work quickly, I’m not rushing the process.

I eMail this schedule to the bride and encourage her to share it with anyone involved in the portraits (typically her family and wedding party members). But even still, I always bring extras; if people have questions about the timing of the day, I have the chance to show myself prepared, and whip out a schedule that they can keep.

One of the most important things I ask the bride is the names of the immediate family members (parents, siblings, grandparents). I learn their names, so on the wedding day, I can call for people by name. This is one of the best things I’ve ever put into practice. It eliminates confusion and makes the whole experience warm and personal for the family members involved.

 

2. On the wedding day…

Most people assume that the family portraits will be taken at the altar. I actually like to suggest photographing them somewhere else–typically a more neutral background. I look for an outdoor location that’s simple and green, like in front of a cluster of hedges or trees. There are a few reasons I do this: (1) Natural light is more flattering on skin, (2) An indoor altar at a church might have distracting signs or banners, (3) It gives me a chance to get the bride and groom and family away from the crowd of guests.

When I pose each group, I want it to look natural and joyful. I ask everyone to turn their bodies slightly towards the bride and groom, and then squish close. If the mom or grandmother is near the bride, I’ll encourage her to wrap her arm around the bride or hold her arm. For guys, if they are parent/grandparent age, I have them stand with their hands relaxed at their sides. Younger guys, I have stand with their hands in their pockets.

The number one thing that keeps the photos running smoothly is Aaron, my amazing husband and assistant. While I’m photographing one group, he is composing the next group on the schedule. Using this system, we experience no lag time or that awkward “Wait, who’s next? Give us a minute.” moment.

 

3. At the reception…

Every single person I meet at a wedding always gets the same invitation: “Don’t hesitate to come find me if you want any special shots…it’s what I’m here to do!” The reception is the best time to grab Informal Formals of everyone. If I make eye contact and gesture with my camera, most people know what I’m getting at and will pose for a quick photo. You can see just how much more casual they are, yet the incredible emotion in them is so special. :)

 

 

 

Posted in For Brides, For Photographers, Weddings | 9 Comments »
The winner is…

November 14

Friends, thank you so much for celebrating the new brand launch with me! It’s been an exciting time for CJP and I’m so looking forward to what’s coming next!

SO. The winner of the $25 Anthropologie gift card is…Ruthie Allen! Ruthie, eMail me your mailing address, and I’ll send it over! YAY!

Here’s a peek at some of my new paper goods. Letterpress business cards, seed packets, vintage hankies, letterpress kraft CD cases, custom note cards, and lace to make it all pretty. Gorgeous!

 

Posted in For Photographers | 3 Comments »