The Top 10 Best Things About Being a Photographer. | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

There seems to be an underlying negativity rumbling lately within the industry. Maybe it's just end of the season burn-out. Maybe some of us just had one too many Uncle Bob's to contend with this summer. Maybe getting undercut is getting old. Who knows what it is...but I'm guilty of having the grumblies too, believe me. So, I thought I'd put together a positive spin on things....The BEST parts of my job. Why we get up early every Saturday and put in the long hours documenting the big days, why we stay up until 2 AM finishing up that last bit of editing. What keeps us driven?

There are hundreds out there clutching their new SLRs just WAITING to get into the game. Do I blame them? Honestly, no! My job rocks. And here is why......

1. My Word is Law.
Ok, being self-employed DOES have its negative points: I don't have a bookkeeper on staff to figure out all that fancy schmancy tax stuff (though I do have the best accountant in the world who has let me know that although I color coded my spreadsheets for the end of the year, it's not nearly as helpful as I thought it would be). If a problem arises, I can't just say "Hey, the CEO will deal with it. I'm just the help". Nope....it's on me.

But this is a POSITIVE. I make the rules. I run the business the way I want to. If I don't feel like taking a job, I don't. If I want to take 35 weddings in one year, I do. It's up to me to make it what I want it to be. It's a TON of work...I think people sometimes underestimate the amount of work...but it's incredibly gratifying and worthwhile. At the end of the day, I can look at what I've done and say "I did that".

2. That Certain Appeal.
People are gonna laugh at this, but it's true. People. Love. Photographers. If you're a working photographer, people are interested in this. They want to know more. They want to see your work. It's an interesting job that appeals to people. More so then say....insurance contract specialist (shudder.)No one ever asked to see the latest insurance contract I wrote. I would tell people what I did and literally watch their eyes glaze over. No offense to the poor sap that has my old job now : )

3. Meet Market.
The amount of people you will meet and befriend in this line of work is astonishing. It's truly awesome, because unlike a lot of other jobs...the people you meet become invested in you as much as you are invested in them. You learn about their relationships, their tastes, what they find funny and all about their connections to their friends. I've gained new friends and it's a priceless part of this job.

4. Creative License.
When you're self-employed and a photographer, the sky is kind of the limit creatively. Which is awesome, especially coming from the corporate world where creativity is not necessarily an asset in most cases.

5. Food.
Ok, I may be an anomoly here, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: I actually really like wedding food. I've had some awesome wedding meals this season. And the CAKE. What other job is there where you regularly get CAKE at the end of the shift??

6. Down. Time.
If you play your cards right, and work it out correctly...you can have a nice bit of downtime in the off season, enough to work on fun things like marketing, rebranding, or sleeping.

Yes, summers are nuts. Straight up hectic city. But it's worth it when in the dead of winter you have a nice span of time where you don't have to drag your tired butt out of bed at 6AM when it's still pitch black and fight morning traffic to get to the office. (Though you probably still will to jump on DWF or edit those Christmas sessions...because you're obsessed and a bonafide workaholic)

Being self-employed and working mostly weekends and evenings also affords me time to stay home with my daughter, which I love and am extremely grateful for.

7. But I NEEEED it.
Because I do it for a living, I can totally justify all camera-related purchases. Because I NEEEDED it. I did. I swear.

8. Web Surfing.
Surfing the web and Facebooking during work hours can be considered market research or networking. Not only would I encourage it, it's completely necessary.

9. Geek Love.
Being a geek is an asset. Staying on top of pop culture, art, new technology....this is a must. I don't have to apologize for being a complete geek. I can use it to my advantage. And the best part? The industry is FULL of geeks. Just like me. Embrace the inner geek, folks....it can only help your work! Geek is not a bad thing. Being a geek for our craft leads to great work....and constant improvement.

Deep geek respect.

10. Cheeseball.
I'm going to be cheesy, but it's completely true. Finishing a wedding or a portrait package and delivering it to the client is extremely satisfying. When you're proud of the work that you do, and you respect the craft, it shows. When I get an email from a bride, groom, or parent saying how much they LOVE their pictures, it makes my day. It really does. It's not very often that you get that kind of instant feedback from work. When I worked a desk job, I would get a quarterly performance review. Yawn. Not the same effect. Even if they tried to make it fun by giving me the company equivalent of "Schrute Bucks" if I did a good enough job.

So, take heed other photogs. It's not all doom and gloom. As we wear down from the busy summer season, let's remember how much we love this job. How lucky we are. And how fun it really is.

Avoiding the Trap of Looking Ridiculous.| Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

As the wedding photographer, its my job to make recommendations if a location, pose, look, whatever is just NOT working. However, nervous brides (or bridesmaids...or even sometimes grooms) can sometimes make fashion, location, or timing decisions in the heat of the moment that can send things a bit out-o-wack. Here's a few tips for making sure your day runs smoothly...and your pictures turn out how you envisioned.

1. Orange is for Carrots. And Oompa Loompas. And Muppets.

Picture courtesy of Ron Schwartzman

We all want to glow on our wedding days. But "glow" is not the same as "day-glo". Put the fake tan spray down and step away slowly. Tell your bridesmaids to do the same. If you're ALL orange, then I guess you have a bit of "Willy Wonka" uniformity. However, if everyone abstains from the spray tan except for one gal, you run the risk of playing "One of these things is not like the other" in every picture. And fixing the "one chick sprayed while the others did not" problem is not a quick click in Photoshop.

2. If the Dress Fits.....

picture:http://steelturman.typepad.com

Part of growing up and coming into our own is realizing who we are...inside and out. And embracing that. So, find a dress that fits your body type and you're bound to look STUNNING. Whether you're a size 1 or 21.
Its hard to get you to relax and feel comfortable if you're yanking up a strapless dress all day that just doesn't fit. Or, if you have straps but they keep falling down.
Remember, classy...elegant...and timeless should always trump...well...hoochie. Someone should have probably had a little chat with the poor soul in the picture above. I can probably guess her photographer didn't attempt the super-popular "everybody jump!" shot.

3. And While We're on the Subject of Posing.....
The same poses get recycled over and over and over because brides read bridal magazines...and blogs...and see other people's pictures and want to emulate them. How else can you explain the popularity of a Charlie's Angel's pose with bouquets? I'm guilty of embracing the cheese (or the go-to poses) sometimes as well. I'll admit it. But at the same time, you want your pictures to reflect YOU...your group...not some person you saw in a magazine. If you're a complete introvert, a picture of you being all crazy and jumping up and down says nothing about you, or your relationship. Plus, if you're just faking it...the camera can tell. It knows all : )

4. Be Kind to Your Girls.

Photo: Something Blue Designs

These are REALLY REALLY good friends. Really good. If you got your gal-pals to wear something like this and be PHOTOGRAPHED?! Hang on to those girls!

Keep in mind the words "tasteful" and "not fug" when shopping for your wedding party. Also keep in mind they may not all be the same size or body type. These pictures are going to be around for a long long time.

5. Above All? CHILL OUT.

Photo: http://etiquette-blog.com/2009/01/bridezillas-and-etiquette/

If you freak and try to micro-manage every move, style, look, whatever...of your day something will, inevitably, go wrong. Soak it in. RELAX. Let the professionals help and guide you. It's our job to make sure you don't look stupid. And if you go all Bridezilla on us, well....it doesn't bode well for you to do so with the person charged with making you look like a calm, collected, beautiful blushing bride. There's only so much I can fix in post-processing....crazy is not one of them. If you're overwhelmed...mad...annoyed...whatever, its GOING to come through. Not only in pictures but with your guests. Once the wheels of the day are set in motion there really isn't much left to manage but your attitude. Just chill...and take it for what it is, even if there are snafus. It happens. Remain your lovely, glowing, wonderful self and it'll all be okay!

How To Take Better Shots Of Your Rugrat. | Wisconsin Family Photographer.

So, a few weeks ago I asked for suggestions on Facebook on topics I could cover (photography related or otherwise) on the blog. One suggestion was discussing how everyday folks (who don't shoot for cash) can take better pictures of their own kids. I thought, hey....good idea!

Now, this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of "do's" and "don'ts"...just helpful hints that will lead you to better captures.

1. Sometimes...it IS the camera.
Now, I'm the first person who cannot stand when someone says "Awesome picture! What kind of camera do you have?". It's not a compliment, really. What that says is, people believe the camera does all the work. Not true. If you know what you're doing....how to use light well...how to time things well...how to compose a shot, you can take awesome images with any old camera.

HOWEVER, a caveat to that. Kids are fast. Very fast. And sometimes a point-n-shoot just ain't gonna cut it. They're slow to respond, you're gonna get blur...that's a given. They're grainy...and well, after using an SLR for so long, I find them to be simply inadequate for kids pics...even snapshots.
Sometimes you can get lucky, but entry level DSLR's are getting more affordable by the day. And hell...seems like everyone and their mother has one now anyway. Why not jump on board?

2. Stop...pose....say cheese. Um...No.
If your kid is anything like mine, getting them to actually sit still and do exactly what you have in your head as an "artistic vision" is near impossible. So, you're better off for your sanity and the sake of your kid's mood to kind of let them do their thing and follow them. You'll get better captures, more natural reactions...and you won't have to contend with the "fake smile", which while funny....never really turns out to be frame-able art.

Here is what I think about your "artistic vision"

3. Don't Stand...Don't Stand So...Don't Stand So Close to Me.
I've found just by watching people take pictures at weddings and family gatherings that they have this inate fear of getting CLOSE. I watched a woman recently take a picture of her daughter and another person. She carefully posed them by a backdrop she liked, then stood CLEAR ACROSS THE ROOM to snap the shot. What the.....why??? Why are you people so afraid to get up close and personal with your subjects? Get in there! Even if you just have a point and shoot! I often tell people "I'm gonna be all up in your grill for a few seconds. I apologize in advance if I'm bursting your personal bubble"

Get that stupid camera out of my face.

4. Take it slow on the "fancy edits"
One mark of an overzealous "mom-tographer" (as we call you behind your backs) is when they get a hold of some online "editing software" (normally free) and abuse it until its black and blue (or pink and sparkly with inspirational quotes). Now, far be it for me to say your editing style is tacky (ok...I'll say it...its tacky)...but if you're trying to rescue less-than-stellar shots by selectively coloring the eyes so your kids resemble characters from Avatar, you're not fooling anyone. Sure, your friends and family may politely say "Awww...what an awesome shot!". What they're really thinking it "why do her pictures look so funky and weird?" And not in a cool, avant garde way. In a "step away from the free editing software" way.

Now, I know how exciting it can be to actually figure out WHAT you can do to effectively screw up a picture beyond recognition. I myself had a little problem with PS brushes that I needed to seek help for. 12 steps later and I've made ammends and broke the habit.

A great shot doesn't need a quote from some country song....or sparkles...or selective color....or a hazy blue border with swirlies in it. All that distracts from the focus of the image. If you want to scrapbook the bejesus out of your pictures, do it in an actual scrapbook. But, great pictures of your kids should be able to stand on their own.

What did I EVER do to you?

5. Light!
This is probably, to me, one of the single most important things that separates a ho-hum snapshot from a great image. Great. LIGHT.
What you want to do is take your pictures during the best time of day for wonderful, warm light. In the summer, if you wait until dusk...around 6:30-7pm, you'll have some wonderful light. Same with sunrise (if you want to get up that early).
Midday light is not ideal for portraits. Overhead sun creates raccoon eye, and if you're not adept with an external flash for "fill", it can be not so great.

And while we're on the subject of flash...I'm in favor of taking a ball-peen hammer to the pop up flash mechanism on any DSLR. The light is god-awful. Learning how to effectively use external lighting can really change the look and feel of your pictures. Check out www.strobist.com for great tips. Direct flash pop up flash is almost never flattering. Break the pop up flash addiction!

Great light can make all the difference! This picture was taken at about 7:00 pm in the summer

6. Learn your gear.
If you have a DSLR camera, it's important to really learn what those knobs and buttons and dials DO. Yes, you can just switch your little dial to the icon of the person's head and hope that means "awesome portraits"...but, if you have no idea how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO work in tandem with one another, you won't know WHY something did or did not turn out. Once you learn how those three factors weigh in on how a picture is formed, you will be able to venture away from your "auto" settings and shoot in manual (scary I know!)...which will afford you greater control over your results.

The first thing I suggest to any new camera owner is read your manual. YES, I know...it's the size of War & Peace...but you bought this new camera for a reason? Right? Don't you want to know how to use it correctly?



Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. Taking pictures of kids is no small feat. They're fast, crabby, and stubborn! That's what's so great about digital. You can shoot a bazillion pictures and a few are bound to turn out awesome. No worries, you're not wasting film! Don't be afraid to shoot, shoot, shoot.
Also, if your kid starts to have a major WWIII- level meltdown...time to put the camera away.

Why Do I Need an Album? | Milwaukee Wedding Photographer.

So, for this week's wedding related topic, I've decided to broach the subject of albums. We are a generation that highly favors technology, digital this and that....and getting it NOW, manipulating it NOW, and using it any way we can. Whatever that "it" may be.

Now, I've discussed on here before how I'm a bit slow to rush into new media and technology. My husband is still bugging me to get my own iPod, as I consistently tell him most of the music on his is pretty lame (I can only stomach so much Dream Theater). I don't text. I'm not big on cell phones as a whole, though I do realize they serve a much-needed purpose when I'm out and about.

I do love digital photography though, and I think with weddings in particular it really serves a great purpose. Its efficient, cost-effective, and Photoshop, when used correctly, can be a good friend (but watch her, she can turn on you).

So, with that in mind, why do I think something as archaic as a physical album is a must-have?

It all goes back to childhood. Don't most strongly held "beliefs"? When I was a kid, I loved my grandparent's house. It was quintessential "grandma's place" with that nice smell of coffee and outdated furniture that just felt cozy and warm. And at grandma's place there was a huge built-in chock full of albums. Albums that had been meticulously put together by my Gramps, labeled, and arranged chronologically.

I adored these albums. I would spend HOURS thumbing through them, asking questions, learning about my ancestors. Hearing hilarious stories about my dad when he was a kid or Grandma during the Depression.


Now, as hard as I try....I just can't see curling up with Grams on the couch, popping open the laptop, and scrolling through digital files having the same affect.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE digital files. I think having access to your files is very important...but it's not long-lasting. It's not history making. It's not archival. DVDs get scratched, lost, ....I dunno...breathed on wrong (which is why I remind people....make back ups of those things and store them away!!)

But an album. A leather bound, archival album. There, you're contributing to your family history. You're opening up the lines of dialogue that will come about 20-30-40 or 50 years down the road when your grandkid says "Hey Grams, can I see that album up there?" and then curls up on the couch with you to thumb through it.
I spoke to a well-known, well-established photographer once who told me that he tells his Brides this same scenario and I even teared up as he was telling me....because family connections are what MATTER. And connections are made through sharing history (thank you Paul, for that advice!).

So, why are albums important? Because they never go out of style. My Grandparents married in the 1940s and their album is just as relevant today as it was the day it was put together. It was an investment in their family history then, and it remains so much more valuable today.

So, consider an album when booking your wedding. A small investment now will really pay off some day down the line!

A Girl Named Ava.

Isolation pulled you past a tunnel
To a bright world where you can make a place to stay
But everybody's scared of this place, they're staying away
Your little house on Memory Lane
The mayor's name is fear
His force patrols the pier
From a mountain of cliche
That advances every day
The doctor spoke a cloud
He rained out loud
You'll keep your doors and windows shut
And swear you'll never show a soul again
But isolation pushes you 'til every muscle aches
Down the only road it ever takes
But everybody's scared of this place, they're staying away
Your little house on Memory Lane
-Elliott Smith

One of the photographers I most admire is a woman named Sheye Rosemeyer . She was one of the people who inspired me to venture into this crazy world of photography. Even though we've never met.

Three years ago, Ms. Rosemeyer lost her beautiful daughter Ava to a tragic accident. Since this dark time, Sheye has opened up her blog and her life to the memory and celebration of Ava's life. The way she writes about her children and her true, raw thoughts makes you remember that capturing memories for yourself, and for others, is such a fabulous way to make a living....but making memories is infinately more important.

I hope Sheye doesn't mind me writing about Ava here. She is in my thoughts this week as it comes upon 3 years. If you would like to light a candle for Ava, that can be done here.

And please check out Ava's Rule, regarding Always locking your car, Verifying that your children know never to go into the car unsupervised and Actively seeking out sheltered locations for your vehicle. Read it and pass it along.

Sheye, you are in my thoughts this week and I send you lots of love and peace to you and your family as you come upon another year without Ava. Just know you have a community of people worldwide that you have touched with your words and your strength, and your story.

Rain Rain Go Away

What a weekend! The storms were awful...so awful in fact our cable and internet got knocked out...so if you couldn't get ahold of me that's why.

But, I'm back up and running and sharing my latest shoot!

This family was just great, and their home was beautiful! The rain actually cleared just long enough to get some great outdoor shots of E and S and their new little guy.

Just look at those blue eyes! Amazingly beautiful.

The whole happy family!

Goin' to the Zoo

Our zoo visit yesterday couldn't have been better. The weather was lovely (Betty and I even got a bit of sun!). We visited the Milwaukee County Zoo with Betty's cousin Owen and Jon's Mom and Aunt Julie. We saw some goats (very popular), some beautiful peacocks, and had a very relaxed and fun day!

At the end of the day Betty was completely tuckered! Here's Peanut with her new hat and her new monkey!
Betty and Owen REALLY loved the goats! Look at Betty's determined little face!

A beautiful peacock up in a tree

My mother in law and Aunt Julie pushing the babies

I have a pretty busy weekend ahead. Saturday I'm seeing the Sex and the City movie (YAY!) and Sunday I have an engagement session that I'm hoping the weather will hold out for. I'll be sure to post some pictures from that sitting as soon as they're done!

She's Got Bette Davis Eyes

Yes, I'm still here! I've been SUPER busy this week helping out at my daughter's daycare. I have to say that I have a strong appreciation for our nation's childcare workers. Whatever they are making it's not enough. I've never been so exhausted!

On the Type A Images front, things are really going well. Bookings are filling up. I have a family shoot this weekend that I promise to post a few shots from once I'm done. It's supposed to be beautiful this weekend so this should make for some great pictures for my client.

I ordered some pretty teal proof boxes and can't wait to fill them up with pictures!


And, because no blog entry should be without a picture, here are some shots I took today of Miss Betty. Enjoy!

Red Trees

Having a little fun with good light and flare. Enjoy!

Went a little ridiculous with the Photoshop brushes!

Betty's new "big girl" carseat!

Studying Angles

I spent part of my night in my hallway playing with ISO and working with some different angles. Also, capturing a newly crawling Peanut.

Walks and Mr. Wright

With the weather being absolutely wonderful yesterday (and having convinced my husband to start on the office) Betty and I decided to take a walk down to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Greek Orthodox church near our home.

First, Betty had to have a snack

The church is really pretty, especially in the summer when everything around it is blooming

We met some buddies, who were surpringly calm and didn't seem to mind having their picture taken

"All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey"

In other "news", I bit the bullet and put an ad on Craigslist to try and get some photography work. I had applied for a part time position with a local country club for an event photography position but they apparently filled it...all without having seen my portfolio. I was kind of bummed about that, but moving on.

Who knows if I'll even get any bites, but I love taking pictures and I really want to try and make a go of it, even if it's just completely on the side.