It's a challenge that I love... I'll walk into a reception just before guests are allowed in, the staff is hurriedly setting out glasses, the coordinator is lighting candles, and I have T-minus-five-minutes to capture it all... Call me crazy, but I get a rush...
As the holiday season quickly approaches, many photographers find themselves wrapped up in planning mini-sessions for those holiday cards, but what about all those clients you already have - the ones you've already photographed? Each year, we do a special sale for...
I’m reading Start with Why by Simon Sinek. If you haven’t read this book yet, I don’t even want you to finish reading this post. Just go read the book. Now. As soon as you start reading this classic, you’ll know why I love it. I have PAGES of quotes from the book...
Remember that seriously cute children's book, Are You My Mother? The one where the lost baby bird wanders around asking everybody - and EVERYTHING - if they’re his mama? "Are you my mother???” he asks on every illustrated page. He asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, a...
I don't have amazing skin. AT ALL. In fact, I didn't get acne until AFTER high school. I turned 18, went to my first semester of college, and my face turned into a 15 year old's acne nightmare. So as a adult-acne survivor, I LOVE seeing my not-so-perfect skin...
Does anyone remember JNCO jeans? Growing up in small town Idaho in the late 90's, super baggy, wide leg skater punk jeans were the COOLEST. The wider your jeans (like 32" or MORE), the cooler you were. And a pair of JNCOs were the most sought after item...
There’s nothing better than a stress-free wedding day when everything runs on time, people are ready to take pictures when you need them, and you have creative freedom to do your job well. Can I get a ‘fo-sho’ from my wedding peeps out there? And you...
Jeff and I had to make a hard decision recently with one of our associate wedding brands. (In case you didn't know, we own three different wedding photography studios in San Diego.) Wedding bookings kept going down and down and down for this brand, which meant that...
Is your social media less of a 'strategy' and more like wadding up wet paper towels and throwing them against a wall to see what sticks? I've soooo been there... But when you know WHO you're going after - your beloved Dreamies - and WHY you're going...
When it comes to lighting, wedding days are totally against us as wedding photographers, especially if you do a LOT of First Looks, like Jeff and I do. Because we're shooting First Looks before the ceremony, we're also shooting the wedding party and family...
Connecting with your Dreamies on your Instagram feed is like you're hosting a dinner party at your house. (Stick with me here...) For example, when you invite friends over for dinner, you decide that you’re going to make Italian food. That’s your vision for your...
A while back, I wrote a post about how to bring out authentic emotion in your couples. In that post, I introduced the concept of Emotional Grounding, the idea of slowing down your couples to help them remember the moment. It’s something Jeff and I have...
