What Makes Our Photographs Different Than All The Rest

I believe studio portraiture has nearly became a lost art form. More and more “photographers” are opting to NOT learn “studio lighting” at all because it's difficult to do and equipment is expensive. Indoor photography is far different from outdoor and there's a certain amount of expertise required to bring your photographs to life. When preparing for a session, there's a lot of things going through my mind. I'm always thinking about getting light in the eyes along with natural shadows as well as having a relaxed subject to work with. Your images will turn out GREAT and that's why I stand behind my work so strongly. Here's a few things I do in the studio that separate my work from all the others.

• I always have light coming from behind the senior so they are separated from the background.
• I use a soft-box on my flash to create a soft, flatting light with soft shadows.
• A spotlight is used sometimes to create an old Hollywood or vintage look.
• A ring light is a fun light that creates a shadowless light and looks glamorous.
• A parabolic reflector gives a beautiful light with harder shadows for an edgier look.
• Sometimes I just use the modeling lights on the flash to match the light coming from candles or chandelier.
• I try to use as many of these sources of light in each session as I can for the most variety.
• Most photographers don't even have a studio and can't provide any indoor portraits.
• I have hundreds of backgrounds and scenes to match almost any outfit.

Outdoor lighting is much bigger challenge than in the studio because it's difficult to control the sun. In full sun, the subject will have dark circles under the eyes. One of the things to watch for if you're looking for a photographer is to find a one who gets beautiful light into your eyes. It's the most important thing to look for in an outdoor portrait. There's an old saying, "The Eyes are the Window to the Soul". With no light in the eyes there's just a "dead" look that is impossible to overcome with cool clothes or a great pose. Outdoors in full sun, you need to have great lighting to get a great image. With the proper techniques, you can make the images look 3 dimensional on a 2 dimensional medium. The biggest thing that separates my studio from all the rest is the lighting I use in for outdoor portraits. In the past, I tried to stay out of the bright sun as it creates too much contrast and puts dark circles under people’s eyes and you'll have hot-spots in your hair. You can use flash on the camera to balance this but that makes the photograph look flat and boring. I invested in some new technology that allows me use the flash off-camera and balance it with the sun perfectly! Here's a few other things I do to create exceptional outdoor portraits.

• I use shade as much as possible to keep contrast to a minimum.
• I use backlighting to create depth and dimension.
• If we're out in the open sun, I use special tools to keep the sun off your head and face.
• Unlike many photographers, I do not use flash on my camera.
• I use off-camera flash that creates beautiful soft light.
• I have many sets and props outside to match any outfit and mood.
• There's a beach, a barn/rustic area, vintage area, a couple of bridges, a front porch set, an abandoned house, even a piano outside!