For a lot of you, you don’t remember the last time you had professional photos taken. Was when you graduated highschool/college? Maybe it was when your mom dragged you to family photos... As my business grows I realized I needed to ask myself “What is the point for someone to hire me?” So here’s my elevator pitch!

I have heard this comment so many times at the beginning of photoshoots. It makes me giggle, because it’s not your job! Instagram has cultivated a world where everyone thinks they’re “bad” if they don’t know how to model. I tell clients, “The first 15 minute of this shoot is going to be awkward but, we gotta break that ice.” We have to get to know each other, and establish trust and comfort. Posing for couples shoots is simple and intimate; think less vogue, more, hanging out in your living room. I like to ease into posing with simple prompts. As long as you know your rights from lefts, we should be golden! 

Have you ever heard someone use the term golden hour, and felt lost, so you’ve turned to google? “What is golden hour?”, you ask the search engine. Golden Hour is the hour of sunlight before the sun dips below the horizon. The sun is lower, which will minimize shadows, and make you appear more smooth. The golden light flooding in creates colors you normally won’t see during midday sunlight, and brings a new warmth, and coziness. Golden hour has less lighting variables to understand, and manipulate, and less moving parts make for a happy photographer. I personally think golden hour makes every photo look like it was pulled straight from a Nicholas Sparks film, and who doesn’t want to feel like the main character?

If you’re anything like me, the couples shoots you open IG to see, every day, all start to look the same. You start to sit back and think, “How the heck can I make my photo shoot not blend in?” One of my favorite ways to help a shoot be unique is hosting it in the couples’ home! Your home is a reflection of you; what better way is there to showcase your personalities! If you don’t feel like your home meets your aesthetic bar, check Airbnb! In home styled shoots push both the photographer, and you as a couple, to figure out what best displays you guys.

Choosing a location can be tough! You want to find a place that is interesting, and timeless, and representative of you as a couple. For these reasons, and many others, I send you a huge master list of locations that I have created over time.

Being 4 years into the photography business, I tend to forget the “first time photoshoot jitters”. Okay, I definitely made up the name, but photo nerves are a real problem. You’ve never been in front of a camera, besides your mom’s, and you don’t know what to expect.

Curious and/or stressed about styling your shoot? That’s pretty common. There is a fine line of looking too matchy - matchy, and as if a preschooler chose your wardrobe, so for folks who aren’t really about fashion this can feel very high pressure. Do you go out and buy something new? Do you just close your eyes and point, choosing something you have already? Do not worry!

My favorite question to receive from a couple is, “Can we bring our dog?” The answer will always be a “YES!!” Bringing your dog adds an entirely new element to your photoshoot. Dogs are called “man’s best friend” for a purpose, and I love seeing that dynamic play out in front of my camera. So when it comes to bringing your dog, please do.