Before and After

I rarely do before and after reveals. I never like to share my work when it's not "perfect". I never thought of myself as 'Type A' but I am. I'll embrace it now that I've come to the realization. If it's not to my standards, you won't see it. Simple as that. Maybe it's an artist thing? Maybe it's just me? Either way, the struggle is real over here!

In order to break my routine and reach out to help other aspiring photographers, it just has to happen. I must show where my work begins and where it ends.

All of the following images were shot in RAW format. When people hear 'RAW', they typically think this just means the original shot out of the camera before editing. This is not the case. RAW is a specific file type, just like a jpeg, pdf, or gif. When shooting in RAW, an entirely new world of possibilities opens up in editing. To me, it is the difference between molding Play-doh that has sat out over night and molding a fresh, brand new can. If you are wanting more detail on this, please hit up Google. You'll find an endless amount of info written by people who can explain it much better than I can!

I only edit in Lightroom. I own Photoshop, but never touch it. Never. I have no need to use it. I strive to perfect my images in camera (Type A, remember?), and then do simple, soft edits in Lightroom (and sometimes a little booger and drool removal).

Over the years, I have created several one-click presets, as well as a handful of brushes. These tools help me work quickly and efficiently, as well as set my work apart from every other photographer's work. Eventually, I will bundle all of these presets and brushes and sell them to beginning photographers. You'll be the first to know when that day arrives! Until then, enjoy! And please feel free to ask questions!

Cheers!

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit - One Click B&W Matte Edit

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit + Spring Brush - One Click B&W Matte Edit

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit + Soft Matte Brush - One Click B&W Matte Edit

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit + Spring Brush + Sunset Brush - One Click B&W Matte Edit

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit + Sunset Brush - One Click B&W Matte Edit

SOOC RAW - One Click Color Edit + Spring Brush + Sunset Brush - One Click B&W Matte Edit

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Megan

What to wear. And not.

I don't do "styled" sessions often. It's just not really what I've gotten into. Although, I did do this CRAZY amazing Wizard of Oz themed shoot with a local photog friend of mine...future blog post, maybe? Any who, one of the top asked client questions is "what should we wear?". For me, I have this problem putting my visions into words (because I see and think in pictures. Hazard of the job). I often refer people to Pinterest, because you can find everything you've ever thought about doing or wearing here. It's also great for the color matching impaired, as it's a host to SO many possible color combinations. But sometimes you just don't want to scroll through 2,347,029 blog posts looking for the perfect outfit to pair with your son's cute newsboy hat and the only tie your husband owns. So for you, I've found these AWESOME suggestions, and I'm just going to put them all here. All seasons, lots of colors, tons of suggestions for boys, girls, and different ages. Pregnant or not. Teenager or 2 years old. I've got it. Right here.

Now that I've shown you these suggestions, let me also mention the comfort factor. I am a comfortable dresser. If I'm not comfortable, I'm miserable. If my shoes hurt my feet, I look like my shoes hurt my feet. PLEASE DRESS COMFORTABLY FOR YOUR SESSION. I cannot stress this enough!! If you wear something that you don't feel 100% about, then you are going to remember those feelings every time you look at your portraits. Wear something that you love, that's comfortable, and that you feel GREAT in. 

One more great tip... Dress in layers. No matter what season it is, it's super easy to peel layers off, creating an entirely new look! Wear a tank top under your casual shirt, and pair it with a jacket. Tote one change of shoes and a different necklace and you end up with at least 1 more completely different outfit!! Take it one more step and stick a hairband or clip in your pocket. Once you "change" outfits, twist your hair into a messy up-do and your "new" look is complete!

While I don't have many things I discourage from wearing, I will give you that short list while I'm here:

• Don't wear lots of black near your face (Black shirts are great, but maybe break it up with a different colored scarf or sweater so that it doesn't wash out your skin).
• Don't wear a ton of pattern (Larger patterns are better, but keep it simple. When in doubt, go with texture vs. pattern).
• Avoid hot pink and magenta (These colors tend to cast pink shadows onto your skin and the whites of your eyes, which are very difficult to remove during the editing of your images. Try a soft pink, or accessorize with the hot pink instead).
• Dress for the weather (If you planned on a spring session with the thought of warm weather and it ends up being 35 degrees -very possible in Ky - you may want to rethink your outfit. Think COMFORT!).

 I hope this post helps! From now on, this is where I'll be linking clients at booking!