Tales of My first Professional Portrait Shoot

Nerves were setting in on my drive to the clients house. This was my first professional shoot and it just *had* to be perfect. I spent days looking up poses, checking my camera and equipment, watching videos to make sure I didn't miss a single detail. The shoot went nothing as I had planned it in my mind. It was even more fun and exciting than I had ever expected, with so many twists and turns along the way.

At first, I had picked out a few local parks and gardens where we could meet and take pictures. In my mind, great portraits had to be taken with flowers and gardens and amazing backdrops. The client, Tanya, suggested that I come take photos at their house (they have a nice sized yard with farm vibes) and I agreed, not knowing what to expect from the location. This was hands down the best decision - having the family at home and in their element for the pictures made it more meaningful to them. Not to mention, it was a lot easier with the young kids. They had lollipops on hand, which surely kept a smile on Garrett's face!

The kids were amazing. I went to the shoot with certain poses in mind, but quickly realized that thinking on the fly adds a ton of creativity and spontaniety to the photos. The older boy, Clayton, had so many suggestions for poses we should do. At times when I felt a little unsure of how to pose the family in a creative & fun way, he would shout out a quick idea for the next pose and it was so much fun for him to see his poses come to life. It was fun for me too! I learned small lesson in how to better listen to your clients needs and suggestions during the photo shoot. Yes, his mom was the one who invited me over - but I wanted to make sure he knew I was engaging with him too! We got this awesome rock & roll picture on the stump thanks to his creative mind :)

After the shoot, Tanya and Chris invited me to join them for some ice cream cake. They were so welcoming and appreciative - it was such a wonderful experience. In hindsight I regret saying no to the ice cream cake... Garrett sure made it look good.

This photoshoot was so much fun and it really solidifies my drive to pursue portrait photography in a more serious fashion. I loved every interaction from the creative framing of the pictures, to the family interactions, to making new friends and meeting new people. It was amazing. Thank you to Tanya and Chris for trusting me with the task of capturing their special family moments. And feel free to reach out to me if you are looking for a portrait session of your own!

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