When the Cat's Away...

No, just no.

I am a little annoyed this morning to find out that while focused on my pregnancy concerns and newborn, my kindness has been taken advantage of and it has reflected poorly on our photography here at Akelis Studios.

Why is this such an issue?  Because I love every one of my photos for the story they tell, the success for each model as their portfolio grows, and the happy couple who can share those memories for years. This means when somebody disrespects the subject of a shoot it is a reflection of how they feel about that person, that story, or that couple.

Life is messy and imperfect at times.  We learn from making those mistakes and it makes us better people in the end.  Splashing around in a pond or a pool is the only way to really learn to swim.  Scribbling is how we start learning to draw, even our greatest artists started with just a box of crayons and some free time to color.  

Unfortunately, mistakes in business can ruin chances of working with a great client or getting recommendations for future work.  I will be emailing and calling all impacted by the recent issues personally and take this time to apologize for the behavior and comments of an unprofessional nature.

Finsh What You Started

I have spoken at length about doing limited post work on images to maintain the quality of the photo.  I have also spoken about making sure to share only what you love and what most fit's the client's desire.  While I believe in doing limited "fixing", there is something to be said for making sure the best quality of image is supplied.  I rarely give clients a truly unedited look into an session or shoot. 

Normally I will remove blurry, under-lit, or otherwise poor images and crop some when there is something out of place.  I believe in deleting without mercy when it comes to making the call on what should stay after a shoot with a model.  Their portfolio is what will get them work, and anything that is in the portfolio is a reflection of my thoughts and process.

This is a perfect before and after of images done with a lovely model just last month.  She sat with me after the shoot and we selected out favorites while removing those that did not make the grade. Out of 73 images shot, we had just 23 that made the final selection to see what would be done in editing.  From those 23, 17 made a final debut on the CD emailed to her for adding to the portfolio she worked to compile, and I believe five are currently on display.

I wanted to talk about this because of the recent release of images or the American Olympic Team.  These were taken at an event with a limited amount of time to work with each subject, but I feel that much more could be achieved if simple technique and a little editing was applied.  This is the article from Solstice Visuals that I first viewed when a fellow photographer posted it on a forum for industry professionals and hobbyists.

Outrage Over The Photographs Of The United States Olympic Team

 This "outrage" from the photography industry came from the awkward posing, off putting cropping, poor backdrop choice, and just blogging choices made in posing and details.  When viewing the first collection I believed perhaps this was taken by a student or amateur photographer and displayed without time for editing.  At this time, I believe that there was inexperience and a lack of post work.  There are signs of a dirty lens, poor alignment, poor lighting, and very little care for the backdrop that could have been solved by just pulling down more of the paper roll after ripping became evident.

For comparison I wanted to include this second link, with images from the same person (image #6) other photographers taken at the very same event.  While obviously not all fit the same aesthetic, a huge difference is visible in the lighting quality and time taken to create a finished product.  Even the final image, one that is in a very unfinished format, shows some real promise as a "behind the scenes" moment.

Olympic Portraits, Part I: American Athletes

From this second group I see images that have been polished and finished without an overload of retouching  to remove the quality of the image.  I try to keep a similar quality, but understand the desire to prove that post work is not always needed.  What needs to be focused on is keeping images pleasing and avoiding sloppy work.

Photography as an Art

Hiking purgatory chasm in 2007 while at JWU - taken with my pocket camera by a friend.

I remember being a teen, well some of it.  I remember thinking my parents knew nothing about the world, and that I was always going to be as cool as I was in high school.  And then I grew a brain and moved on.  I was told I could not march with my class at graduation because I had taken too many alternative courses for home schooling and did not meet the number of requirements for a diploma from the high school that had once told my parents I had no hope of ever going to college.

Macro Photography of college landscaping post rainstorm - my "artistic" period in 2005/06.

Three months later I started college and held a 4.0 GPA and a part time job in a huge city.  I relaxed by taking photos with a little P&S (point and shoot) at the school stable.  I excelled in business classes and learned skills that make running the studio much easier, but never really thought much about photography beyond taking some fun images.  I remember thinking that the exhibits in the art school across the street where a joke at times - I still have no idea how a toilet seat with a sledge hammer wedged in it is supposed to make me "feel" something or than confused.

I take my photography seriously only in how it is something that can always be improved upon.  I don't claim it needs to be an expression of the world, just that it should capture something worth a second look.  I certainly don't feel the need to go ruining perfectly good toilets just to make a pretty picture.  

I say this because I think there are some pieces of "art" that are not always worth sharing.  I don't think it is fair to go charging a person hundreds of dollars for images of their family taken with a pocket camera that you claim makes you a professional.  I also feel that there is something to be said for trying to hone your craft before going to charge.  I may not used the most advanced camera out on the market, but I do use advanced lens attachments and take the time to practice with them before using them on paid shoots.

Macro Photography from the New York Botanical Gardens in 2010.
This was taken as part of the test images for my back-up camera.

I enjoy taking photography of the natural world to relax.  On occasion I even sell prints of the rare shots that I am comfortable sharing with others.  I take portraits seriously though.  If I am paying a model, or being paid to make something that a client will hang on their wall, it had better look like it was worth the money they are paying for my time and services. 

I write this today as part of a a warm up to my next post concerning the photography of the American Olympic team that has been covered on Reddit and other major sites.  I will post an analysis that I have been working on later, but this is partially based on those images, and partially on a comment from a friend on her social media about how it seems becoming a "photographer" is the new thing to do.

Directions In Photography

I do not claim to be the world's best photographer. I have spent years learning and teaching others, but I will never claim to know everything about my craft. I shared a blog recently about being humbled and shaken when a peer gave a scathing comment on my request for advice, and I still find myself looking at work sometimes saying “I should have moved just a smidgen to the right” or “I wish I waited just a second longer so his eyes would be slightly more relaxed from the last flash”. These are the worries and thoughts of a typical photographer, and may have been distilled perfectly in a quote a fellow photographer made in a forum I was once reading:

A GOOD DAY FOR ME IS REMEMBERING TO POINT THE CAMERA IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

This is a man who has his work in Vogue, Elle, and a million other places I can just hope to achieve in my lifetime. But his words have more meaning when you think about how a photographer is actually doing their client a service by freezing a moment in time.

Expression is huge, but only lasts a second. Shock and joy on the groom's face as his bride comes into view, or that warm candid moment when the Mother-of-the-Groom gives her son a kiss with tears rolling down her cheeks because he is all grown up; these are all something you can only capture just as they happen. These are true moments of candid photography. I need to be on my toes every moment at a a shoot so that I can capture the perfect image.

Perhaps even more so than weddings, working with children requires almost inhuman speed and attention to detail. I am talking about this because it will be a vital part of my shooting tomorrow and is weighing on my mind. Tomorrow is my son's cake smash sitting. Cake smash photography is a quickly growing avenue for child centered studios because of the honesty and silliness it embodies. To make it simple, a toddler is placed on a bare backdrop with a cake or cupcake in front of them and the photographer documents the following chaos.

I was introduced to the idea while working for a chain studio that absolutely forbid it because they kept a strict policy against food in the camera room. When I moved on the the studio chain, where I was responsible for training newer photographers, it was something very warmly welcomed. Now that my own studio is open, I am more than open to doing this kind of work and will soon begin looking for a local bakery to coordinate our efforts.

My son is a perfect test subject for the studio. He is constantly in my advertising and I have begun to market him out to infant and toddler talent agents because his aptitude for brilliance in the camera room could honestly make him a good deal of money to put aside for college. I also use him to test out new concepts and techniques, something I do often in an attempt to grow as an artist... but as a mother I am facing some worry that I will dislike the results.

What I want to do is really intensify the images tomorrow by choosing a stark white backdrop and a bold shade of blue-green for his cake. Next is where I am reaching my point of tension, because it is a huge risk as well. What I want to do is use a very tight depth of field and play with a slight distortion in focus. My goal is to change how we see the moment and bring out the “dirty” part of the experience.

Unfortunately, cake-smash is the kind of photography where one cannot simply “reset and try again”. The child's reaction will inherently be different because they understand that they have absolute freedom in that moment. As a mother, I want these images to be something my family can cherish just as much as myself. As an artist, I want to take advantage of this ideal opportunity to advance my skills as a photographer.

I will make the executive decision tomorrow as my husband places our boy on the subject mark. Once I can review the images I will post a selection and allow the results to be seen. But for tonight all I can do is take the advice of my photography hero and just hope that “my camera is pointed in the right direction”.

Flashing Is Impolite

I am an odd-duck in the photography community.  I use very strong bright blubs in my camera gear set to flood the room with light but not as a flash.  I use an additional flash when needed, but in general my studio does not require that extra factor.  I do this for two reasons, one personal and one medical, and neither really has baring on the outcome of the images.  I also tend to shoot in my studio with a specific preset group of settings and use auto focus to remove that factor of human error unless is have an experienced model willing to hold the pose carefully.

Showing off a new diffuser I received for the holidays.

I bring this up because recently I asked for feedback from fellow photographers for thoughts on some images while in the selection and editing process.  While most were kind enough to state where they could think of tips for improvement, a few comments were less than kind.  Only one could be really categorized as "trolling" as it told me to give up photography because I knew nothing.  

At first I thought about what he said and wondered if I should put down the camera and go back to working a day job.  At that point I took the time to look through the person's own collections on his website and found nothing much in common in our shooting styles, though he has a wonderful eye for color combinations. So it got me thinking that perhaps the issue was how we do not use the same style of camera, equipment, or shoot at all similarly.

A selection from the shoot in question.

 I took time to get other responses and listen to what was suggested, and find that in general his reaction was a rare moment of trolling even in the eyes of those who were not raving fans of my work.  So I thought about how it was said, and this is where my topic seemed to hang... the person was not offering advice of any kind, just going for a low blow.  There was no effort to advance the skills and this is where I think any answer to a request for a "critique" should be aimed.

I spent several years of my professional life as studio and district trainer.  I would spend hours looking over the portfolios of students and working with them on how to improve their work.  Not every image was a winner, and I had some people who just seemed to let things go in one ear and out the other even when their job was on the line.  But I made a conscious effort to never insult or belittle those that came to me for advice.

The comment I received was based on my asking if I should follow through with a suggestion to buy an additional reflector.  I will share it here, and I have not edited the comment in any way other than taking off the name because it would be unfair to insult a fellow photographer.  

"You don't need to spend more money on gear but rather put down the camera until you learn to use it better plus a better understanding of light would be a bonus & cost nothing" 

Actually, I am not mad that this person answered as they did.  I found it a teachable moment for my blog because people of all art forms and business types should know what to say and what not to say.  Perhaps I can best rephrase this with an edge to increase the useful information.  That should always be the goal, and so I can think that with what little information he gave me, I would have said something like this:

"Rather than worry about new gear right away, save some money in the long run by doing some research on how  to work with the lights you have.  You might also focus on learning the specific controls on your camera for different settings.  If you are going to make an investment, do it through education in place of gear.  Take an advanced class and you will get more out of what you already have."

While I don't have the time to fix every mistake in a photo, or the energy to feed every troll to their heart's content... I am more than happy to spend my time making others stronger in their skills, even if it is through learning that those of us who intend good things get insulted too.

Why My Answer Is No

In the last few weeks my boudoir photography has taken off and finally had some real response.  Sadly, this has brought on the matching tide of requests from those with a less than wholesome level of intent.  I work very hard to bring out the best in boudoir.  I want to help people understand how it is NOT pornography, and is not something intended to offend.



I keep some basic rules on who I work with and what I shoot because it is part of building a legitimate business.  My models have the right to requests a shot or say no to a pose.  I reserve the right to keep my images about equal with a PG 13 rating.  I agree that the human body is appealing, but also know that not everyone has the same feelings about what is appropriate for public viewing.

I am not a difficult person to work with on a professional level.  I am not a hard person to get along with when you take the time to make conversation before, at, or after a shoot.  I even have a habit of making friends with my models.  So I want it to be known that if I ever tell "you" no about a shoot, a subject, or a request to buy images from my portfolio there is a good reason.

If I choose not to answer a question about my personal life, it is because I have that right.  If you choose not to answer something I ask, I will accept that and move on.  But please don't ever assume that my silence means your suggestive behavior or comments is something I will put up with for long.  This goes for absolutely everyone; models, potential clients, escorts, other photographers, people viewing my portfolio at public events where I market my business.  I want it to be clear that I put up with much, but a lack of professionalism is something that will see you banned from my business. 

Perhaps it is just that I have a clear set of ethics that I use as my guide, but I am not in the boudoir world to cater to creeps.  I get annoyed when my models and my work are viewed as nothing but pornography.  This is not something made for "self gratification", it is a beautiful expression of how every body can be attractive and everybody has the right to enjoy who they are.

Model Behavior

Yes. I called this “model behavior” because this is geared to understanding the rights and needs of our models... even the paid kind.

I'm not shy about the fact that I was a model years ago. I feel that time on the other end of the lens has given me insight that some photographers will just never understand. I also have been uncomfortable with my surroundings, something that every woman can tell you is all too common an occurrence when any form of even mildly sexual topic is involved. It is from this perspective that the following post was written; I am posting it in the “raw and unedited form” that I want you to witness.

In the last few weeks there has been a good deal of chatter between myself and one of my favorite models about the concept of “escorts”. No, not the kind that wealthy business partners pay for while on a trip so they can have arm candy. I'm talking about the kind that are there as an assistant and a bodyguard for the model while they are on location for a shoot. And I am going to be completely clear here... I SUPPORT YOUR RIGHT TO BRING AN ESCORT 100%.

I will ask that they take a seat in my waiting room while shooting any subject 18 and over. This is because I work in a small studio space, and there is a big risk of tripping over equipment cords or distracting the model. I keep parents in the room with children, and if the model is not there for a boudoir shoot or actively changing, the door stays open so there is no feeling of a threat. I usually suggest that the escort be the same gender so they can assist with outfit changes or even hair and make-up application in some cases.

What I do not support, is an escort that is a significant other or highly distracting friend. I will ask anyone with lewd or offensive language and behavior to remove themselves from my studio. I do this because it is my right to keep a clean and welcoming atmosphere for myself, my clients, and my landlord (and fellow renters). I will not allow an escort to sit in on a boudoir shoot because that is a very personal situation that requires the model be able to stay serious in what can often be an uncomfortable situation; but I also take the time to talk to my clients about what they can expect from a session so there is never anything they feel pressured to do.

There are behaviors I will not support from a model or an escort because they are unprofessional and speak to the lack of respect held by that person for the photographer and their business.

I do not support models or escorts who feel it their right to make a mess. I am not your mother. I have my own family to clean up after. If you or your escort want to bring a drink or a snack, that is fine. I just ask that you recycle your bottles and cans, toss your food wrappers in the garbage, and act just as you would on a job interview. Consider me your potential boss, and know that I do not give recommendations lightly. You will need to earn my respect if you want to receive future offers for work when I have paid shoots and need to find a model for hire.

I do not support having an escort come in and babble on their cell phone while in the room. Actually, I require that clients turn their phone to silent or completely off while we are shooting because it is a distraction. I have gone so far as to turn away sittings because a parent refused to turn off their phone or even put the device down. I know that turning away business seems counter intuitive, but I will do it because I believe in running an ethical and focused business.

I do not support models or escorts who feel the need to complain, argue, or generally cause problems when I am giving direction for a pose or an outfit. I have a rough picture in my mind before I ever walk into the studio. I will listen to requests for poses or image types. I will listen to a model who says that pose is uncomfortable or needs help with body placement to achieve the right look. I will never force a model to be nude, pose suggestively, or do something that makes them feel unsafe in some way.

What I will not support is a model that thinks they have the right to make things harder on others. I'll make it very clear right now, if you want to throw a fit and storm out because you are not being pampered, I will not be hiring you on as a model. Divas don't get rich just by behaving badly to those around them, they get rich because they have a look we can sell even if they make others miserable in the process. Models have to understand that the photographer knows what they are doing (or should if they are any good at their job). If we ask you to drop your shoulder, turn your cheek slightly, shift a hand up or down slightly... chances are it is because we see something that doesn't look right. We might need to make a few changes or moves before things come out just right; this means we are doing our job well.

If you want to be taken seriously as a model I suggest you keep the things I covered here in mind. Always ensure that there are specific terms and they are clearly hashed out before you ever agree to a session and/or any money changes hands. You have the right to say “no” when you are asked to do anything that violates your agree upon terms or makes you uncomfortable. You do have the right to bring an escort to private sessions, but in the case of large shoots with a crew you may want to skip it because they will end up being in the way of those working. Both the model and their escort must agree to behave as guests and respect their host's property both physically and verbally. There is much to be said for professional behavior in the modeling business... practice it and you will be far more successful than the self important divas that never took the time to learn the words “please” and “thank you”.

Uphold the Image

Today is yet another blog about editing. You can see I'm on a bit of a kick with this for the next few days. I'll have some mini posts here with more visuals to make up for the heavy things from last week. Right now I want to talk about how we identify unique things about our clients and what can be done to keep true to those features while we edit.


On Saturday I had a lovely sitting with a new model. It was our first time working together and we both had fun. She is a beautiful girl, and has a wonderful complexion with a face full of freckles to complement her red hair – that' right, “a ginger”. The lovely light tones under those cute freckles work perfectly for this lesson, so I'll warn you all right now that nasty comments about ginger kids are not tolerated on this blog.


Her eyes are a lovely light blue, so they catch the flash very well on their own already, meaning there is a chance for red-eye when using flash. In this case, I suggest a brighter setting on a fixed light source to limit blinking and reflection. I have managed to get plenty of practice with blue-eyed models because most babies have blue eyes at the beginning; and they are very prone to blinking under large flash blubs.


I love that she was willing to go very natural, nearly bare faced, for this shoot. Subjects should be proud of their unique characteristics, and freckles are something many women cover up with foundation that ends up looking splotchy or uneven under the bright and unforgiving light of a good flash. Freckles are difficult to keep natural in editing, often looking fake when a fix is applied to hide other flaws. This is where subjects should be coached by the photographer that a limited amount of editing may be the best compromise. Removing some of the larger trouble spots and leaving the integrity of the skin's natural pattern.

To emphasize this fact, I want to share both the original shot, and the finished product. This first image is exactly as it was uploaded from my camera after the shoot. I had the model stand by and go through an initial review of the images to get an idea of what she and I both liked best. We picked a few images that were not worth keeping due to blinking, blurring, and general poor composition. We also found the winners, and in general felt that this was a successful effort.


I picked this head shot as an example because I want the extent of her freckles to be most obvious. Because her make-up was still fresh and this pose allowed her hair to fall naturally, there are only three minor corrections to be made here. Some basic blemish control is used first, I avoid the healing tool in cases like this, rather getting a sample color and using the airbrushing tool on a low opacity level to control blending the areas under the eyes and on the two small marks that are most visible. Next I corrected a small flaw in the backdrop itself where a crease was visible and my perfectionist self cannot stand unwelcome seams. Finally, I brighten the eyes and teeth just a touch and sharpened the edges there while softening the rest of the face to give most attraction to the eyes. This is not a vital edit, but part of my personal style of accentuating natural beauty in place of creating a faux-finish to make a mannequin out of a model.

What I want to point out is not how exactly to do the corrections – my personal method is actually not the most popular, or the fastest. The point here is about selecting the fewest points to edit for the maximum benefit. We want to use our time well as photographers. Shooting is more fun than editing, but we all know which one can take longer. If that can be reduced by using a pattern like the one explained above, why not go for a nearly natural look that can be the best of both worlds? After all, if I can do things like this in five minutes, imagine what can be done with the 30minutes some editors can spend on a single correcting action.

The Art of Seduction (Visual Lesson)

In the words of Jessica Rabbit, “I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way.” I believe that this could perfectly describe the reputation of boudoir work; remember that this is not pornography even though there is an influx of those images. Just as the famous burlesque dancers and performers of old vaudeville are a class above today's topless pole dancers... boudoir is not soft-core, but in a class all of it's own.

Now I will take a moment to talk to the models and brides out there who might be reading this before we go any farther...

Please, please, please... visit every one of the sites I have listed and remember to do your own research before you shoot or pose. As a client, you must be absolutely comfortable with your photographer and your settings. Expressions will not come across the same and shoots will fall apart if there is no flow between photographer and model. Never agree to a session if you feel pressured or have that “creepy” feeling. I say this with love and experience, you must put your emotional and physical safety first, and remember that this is meant to be a fun experience.

Long before I was a photographer, I worked as a model. On one occasion while I was in college, I took some paid work doing photos for a company promoting a new night club opening up near the school. Thankfully the shots were clothed and had a good group of models and assistants. But there was one particular assistant photographer that gave off that unsettling vibe. Everything was professional and perfect, but I would never have stayed to shoot if it had been a smaller crew or a private session with him.

All of the photographers I listed in this posting have a record of professionalism, and so do most of those who continue to get work. You should look for a studio or a person with good reviews and who is willing to communicate with you before the session so that you can get a feel for them and their business. And remember that you always have the right to say no.

Boudoir Photography has an undeservedly bad reputation thanks to the common mixture of explicit poses and obvious pornography that are often passed off under that label. For this reason I am going out of my normal pattern by using images found through a search on Google simply using the key words “boudoir photography poses”. Here again I state that this is an adult topic and should not be shown to those under age because of the suggestive nature of some of the images.

Each image has a credit to the photographer and a link directly to their site for those interested in their work. I am not affiliated with any of these sites or photographers, and have made all effort to credit them under the requirements of fair use. Remember that doing your own research on each of them is highly encouraged because no photographer knows everything, but we can learn much from the work of others. I have only included images that are clothed or implied nudity, but remember that this is all about seductive pose and tasteful expression.

Blinkabella

Notice the lovely lines and curves in this pose. Though the model's face is not included, the whole image just flows with seduction. This studio actually has a lovely comment about making sure that shots are not completely contrived, but rather have a bedroom feeling through the thought put into backdrop and the use of natural window light. Visit them in San Diego, I would if I could!

Persimmon Images

Here I find that color and flow are just lovely. This pose lets the eye find points of sharp focus on the beautiful blue eyes of the model even while the brilliant red draws you deep into the frame. Bravo for a lovely outfit selection on this entire set, but this red works wonderfully to get the point across even while being beyond the focus point. This studio is located in the Seattle, Washington area; look them up for weddings, portraits, and boudoir!

Simply Bloom Photography (Blog)

I adore the classy feeling of leg and shoe images and this blog is rife with them. The use of space and spread are wonderful in these shots. Again I must complement the lighting and angles, wonderfully creative while clearly done without contortion acts on the photographer's part. I suggest their services to anyone in the Savannah, Georgia area and their blog to everyone who adores beautifully shot photography. These are some masterful works.

Raw Photo Design

As I have said many times, nobody knows everything, but I wish I had even half the talent and color knowledge that appears in some of the fantastic work on this blog. If you are in the Hartford, Connecticut area, these are the people you want shooting your scintillating sessions. The image above is one of my favorites, not for color, but because it is just a perfect example of the flirty feeling that can be captured when model and photographer have that moment of perfection and coordination.

I know there are just a tiny sample of studios and poses here, but to place everything I love on this blog would take a year. Do your own searches and remember that there is no substitute for experimentation. Thanks to all of the studios listed here for having been an inspiration for some of my work, and for their contributions to the artistic world as a whole.

How Much Is Too Much (Visual Lesson)

Well darlings, it is time for our second lesson on editing. I am sorry it was posted a little late tonight, I had social obligations that were just too much fun to pull myself away. I hope you can forgive me. Just have a cold drink and a long read...

To edit things well is a skill I do not lay claim to in the least. I am fairly good at smoothing skin tone when redness appears. I can brighten, balance lighting, and fix backdrop issues. I can even clone out problem spots and heavy make-up lines when there was no way to pose around the problem. But I also know when to call in a professional.

When it comes to large shoots and orders I will often select a few items that I feel are the strongest candidates for making a real dazzling image with a little technical TLC. Even with weddings, I don't edit every image, I just ensure that I take out the ones that have no business in an album and make sure there are some true gems for the bride and groom (and family) to display. The rest get a once over to make sure they are not too dark, too light, or too blurry to be of any use.

Why am I pointing these things out? Because the very first rule of editing well is this:

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

The worst thing you can ever do as a professional is promise perfection. Those creamy skinned models with the pouty lips and big dark lashed eyes, they don't even look like that with full make-up and hair. There is a massive amount of work put into the ads we see, and a massive falsehood behind those same ads. As photographers, we should not be trying to feed into those visual lies; it only makes our jobs harder.

If you are good with lighting and poses but not always fantastic with editing, that is alright. There is a huge sub-industry of digital editing gurus willing to help reduce your time spent on each shot, and who have honed their skills to perform the final touch-ups. I suggest finding a good retoucher as a fall back for when you are in a seasonal crunch or have a large order to complete. Weddings are something I use outside assistance for, and I do not feel it detracts from the work I do even in the slightest. Clients receive their proofs or prints faster, I am free to shoot more sessions in the following weeks, and my business sees benefits rather than costs.

This cost/ benefit portion can be seen in the next rule as well, though in a slightly different area:

UNDERSTAND HOW TO SAY NO

I am a people pleasing kind of person. I go out of my way to make others comfortable with my studio, my work, and do everything I can to ensure they get the outcome they want... everything within reason, anyway...

When an older customer (and even some younger ones) come in I always try to get an understanding of how they would like to look. As I said before, I am no expert when it comes to editing, but I also know that there is a line that does need to be drawn. You need to understand that saying no does not make you unreasonable; rather, it makes your clients have to question what it is they imagine themselves looking like in the end.

A client once had me do a sitting for her and requested I shoot her posed at a specific angle and in an unflattering outfit. She was not an unattractive woman, but she did have some extra weight and was a had a noted jowl-line. She also explained that she had to see everything before I edited or deleted “the best ones”. After expressing my concern at how the images might not turn out to her liking or that I would only delete items not at all suited to framing or printing, I was told in very firm terms that those were the things she wanted. Because this was one of my first sittings as a self-employed photographer and money was a driving factor, I took the shots. To this day, I am not proud of that session. After uploading everything, fixing the problems from poor lighting, and cleaning up the edges of some shots it was time to show her the preliminary results so she could choose what she wanted. She insulted every one and complained that I had made her look fat and old. I took the abuse, spent almost four hours editing her choices down to show a slender (which she was not) woman with just a few scant laugh lines and a light weight to the jaw to show she was aging well. Even after all that work, she called me to complain that she looked old and ugly. I am sure now that nothing short of removing 20 years or so would have pleased her. When I brought her prints out to her home to drop them off I did notice a very telling little sign; all her other photos only showed her prior to being married or having children. From her comments in our consultation, she had been widowed after nearly thirty years and had three grown children living scattered around the country and was sending these prints to both them and her college aged grand-children.

I still have the photos from that session stored on my back-up drives. I keep them to remind myself that there are limits, and then there are impossibilities. I also keep them to remind myself that there are times we need to remember to say no.

No, I will not give you blond hair and blue eyes if you are a brunette with browns. No, I will not inflate your chest to supermodel proportion if you are under age and cannot supply a very good reason. No, I will not use my non-existent magic wand to make you into a person that is not real. No, I am not a therapist; but I will do everything in my power to make you like or even love who you are and how you look without having to resort to a computer-age lie. Yes, I believe that honesty in photography is best.. and that there is such thing as “beautiful ugly”.

This brings us to the last point I will make tonight.  And yes, this is the one with pictures:

STAY TRUE TO YOUR STYLE

I am not a fan of overly enhanced eyes. This is a trend lately in magazines and popular photography that I just cannot find it in myself to like. For this reason, my style does not show intense eye colors. I have dabbled in this style, done a bunch of training and some testing, but I think the results are just not up to par with what clients have come to expect from me.

I work very well with unique lighting and color contrasts. Years of painting, working with stained glass, and sketching with oil pastels finally paid off when I became a photographer. I learned how to pair bold and muted colors with specific skin tones for an exotic look. I used a blend of light and bright hues to help play tricks on the eye to tailor a shape for seduction. I figured out hundreds of fun ways to work a single remnant of patterned silk into newborn photos that captured just the right combination of warmth without being over-powering. I even learned how to fake my way around a horrible fake tan and turn it into a summery bronze glow.

I also know when something should remain untouched. This last skill to far longer to learn, and involved many failures along the way. It is a simple fact that on rare occasion, perfect in already there, and all we need to do in snap the photo. In those moments, I feel most like an “artist”, and less like a photographer. Nowhere is this more obvious, than in the photos I take of my own family, most of all... my son when he was a newborn.

How Much Is Too Much?

Today I want to discuss digital editing limits.

Before we get deep into the issue and I run the risk of this becoming a rant, I'd like to make my thoughts on the topic very clear; I believe that who we are is not just how we look. That may be why it is a little difficult for me as a photographer when clients want to look twenty years younger and three stone** lighter. I believe there is a limit to what is reasonable, and there is a line that I will not cross with my editing. In this rare case, the client is not going to always be pleased by my feelings. It is a risk, but one I am willing to admit to and take the full consequences like a big girl.

In the interest of full disclosure, I do indeed lightly edit some images of myself. I am proud of the fact that I have laugh lines at just twenty-seven... they are my proof of a life well lived. That said, there are parts of my body I am less proud of showing off. I am on a diet and exercise plan to loose the weight I gained while pregnant, and so I am not as happy with shots showing the squishy belly that my son left behind. This means that I pose to hide much of that, choose clothes to help mask my less attractive curves, and sometimes edit things a little if there is an offending muffin top when I bend or move in my post-pregnancy jeans.

I am not saying that there should never be any editing done. Marketing requires editing for images, though what they try not to tell you is that it often adds as much to the figure as it subjects. I can assure you that many of those models in your favorite lingerie advertisements do not actually have gravity defying anatomy of that proportion. But I can tell you that the web is full of videos on how to use some impressive visual math and give anyone a model figure with creative addition and subtraction.

To see where the general consensus on the topic would land, I posted a pole to the fans and friends on my facebook page. This gives me the chance to understand what people think, while also offering a little advertising as it goes viral. It has also given me the chance to see that a little bit of editing appears to go a long way for many people, something that makes me happy. There are some common editing points I would like to suggest that every photographer learn as they take new clients with higher expectations through the wonders of “photoshop”.

Those points will be the subject of tomorrows visual update (I'm fighting with the formatting tonight). Until then, think about what you like or dislike about your own face or photos and remember to check back to see if this is covered by our quick fixes.

** In an effort to help expand the world's vocabulary, I used a less common British term and have included a link here for those not familiar with that word.

Consultation Topics

Consultations.

These little meetings or phone conversations can honestly make or break your whole business. It is through a consultation that you begin to understand how a child's personality can best shine or a teen wants to celebrate their high school years.

I have become a broken record when it comes to drilling the idea of “thinking beyond the same three poses”. What I want to do now is drill into you how vital it is to ask questions of your clients. Find out what they want out of their session. Never worry that you will appear insecure; you are the artist but they are the ones that will buy or not.

For years I worked for retail studios that never really had consultations. We would call the day before a session to confirm that the client was going to actually show up, get a few snips of information so we could fill out all the corporate regulated forms, and maybe even ask them what cheesy holiday props they wanted to include in their very canned sitting. As you can most likely guess, I felt these calls and the following session often ended up impersonal. The same six poses showed up in every album, and after a while I felt like there was nothing lovely about my photos which would otherwise be “good” technically.

While a good photographer will ask many questions, there are some points where you can advise in a consultation and it is those points I want to cover right now:

Clothing choices:

I know that we have all had those clients who just have to get a shot with all the kids in those massive holiday knits that grandma made last year. I always feel a twinge of pity for the kids as the melt under studio lights and layers of itchy wool. I also remind parents that layering is great because we can take the required “thank you for the itchy gift” shots and follow up with a few things that can be displayed year round.

When clients ask about color choices or clothing styles I always suggest a simple pair of jeans and solid black or brown long sleeve shirt. These colors work with all skin tones and hair colors as well as translating perfectly for color edited images. Jeans are relaxed, and the warm shades of brown can be a great way to make an impression without letting color dominate the image.

Something with a scoop neck is most flattering to women, and an Oxford style button-up in white or black is wonderful for men. Women who are pregnant should try the white or black oxford as it can be used to full advantage for flattering displays of the belly.

Make-up: Less is More:

Never underestimate the power of bad make-up.

If the Jersey Shore has taught us anything, it is that beauty is completely in the eyes of the beholder... and not in the eyes of the spray tanner. I know that some people feel that an orange glow is an expression of health, but it rarely translates well without digital editing. Find a tactful way to let your clients know, brides especially, if their tanning is not captured well. Massive charges to the time spent fixing lighting are never a client wants to see, and working to tone down their bronze glow is something you will have to take in stride.

Next to fake tanner, make-up can honestly pose a massive problem because of “bleeds” from red lipsticks, mascara smudging, and glitter explosions under the flash. In this situation, you can always talk about going for a natural look. Clear gloss, matte finishes on eye shadow and powders, and using browns in place of black for the eyeliner and mascara can make a huge difference. Using some pageant world tricks like a touch of vaseline across the teeth to repel lipstick stains and encourage smiles can really make a difference.

Hair:

Big hair went out with the 80's... unless you are in child beauty pageants. Remember that the client's individual style should always come through, but hair should be kept simple if they are not doing something for a special event. You will want to check for curls and fly-away strands each time you change pose, so keep a comb or soft baby brush handy.

Braids and ponytails can be great, but try not to have everything pulled too tightly. Better still, let the hair fall freely and brush it out to catch some silky texture and gloss. Fans are wonderful for models with long hair moving freely, but letting a small section fall over the shoulder or across one eye can make for truly a sultry look.

Either a smooth wave or spiked tips look best if they are all “moving” the same way. Angle and direction is important, so just keep it flowy when the look is soft. If you have a “hard” look, like spiked hair, you'll want to ensure that gel is not gobbed on making visible shifts in color and texture.

Bling is NOT Everything:

Finally, talk to the girls and women coming in about jewelry.

Less is more here as well. Massive earrings and mounds of chunky necklaces can be a big problem because they block facial features if the model does not hold the pose just right. A simple, sleek look will work best here because it cannot take away from the natural grace of the neck, or block the face from poor placement like some things can.

Rings, bracelets, watches, and necklace latches should all be checked carefully so they are not a problem. Just as hands can be a problem because they will detract from a wonderful face, jewelry can pose the same problem from catching the flash at the wrong time.

As with everything... there are times you need to break the rules and go for the jewelry. In general, you must get shots of the rings for engagement, wedding, and anniversary albums, They are the visible centerpiece of an event. There are hundreds of ways to show rings while getting the personality of the bride and groom into the shot. A great way to do something different is to have the rings placed on a newborn's toes if the parents are both coming in for infant sittings.

Now In Technicolor

Now that the Easter and Passover holidays are behind us, many photographers are gearing up for the wedding season crunch. In warmer areas there may already be outdoor events set for the coming weeks, making the use of white balance and other tools are must. But this week is not about those shoots - not directly at least - though some of the tricks used for boudoir and maternity work can also be put to use on a wedding day.

First I want to cover color theory. What I mean here is how to work with props, subjects, and backdrops to create interest through color. For this to work we will forgo the usual break between written lesson and a follow-up of visual aids and skip directly to a visual lesson. Once again we see some Google results to spice things up, complete with links to even more information on how to use color without having to rely on retouching to do all the work.

(Wizard of Oz, MGM's 1939 Production)

Dorothy had awesome shoes! No, I'm not telling you to run out and buy a pair of ruby slippers, I just wanted to make a comment on how brilliantly those red kicks of hers would work for a shoot. Perhaps it is my own personal bias because I adore shoe-shots... but I think everyone should have a close-up of some sexy stilettos in their portfolio. This goes double for some hot color kitten heels and a nice pair of black stockings.

I would like to point out how the pose I just mentioned can be used as a go-to when working with a shy client making their first attempt at boudoir or modeling. This kind of thing can be done without any nudity and in a very classy way. As an added bonus, it is a very easy way to work with the 1950's revival taking hold in popular culture. Stockings should have a back seam and shoes should be true “pumps” that cover the toe and use a two-inch minimum heel. Pair this with some retro coloring in the final retouch and you have a great salute to classic Americana.

To really understand the colors of the time you have a few options.  But I suggest doing a search for stock photos to get a feel for how color is or was used in the style you are looking for.  In the case of Americana, I suggest use RetroStockPix as they have a great selection.  Please note that you must pay to use those images for any marketing purposes, but that they have a wonderful range of products and places.

Remember that these rules do not just apply to shoes.  Use a great pair of gloves, a fantastic fascinator - alright that was worth a groan for the bad pun - or any other little thing you can think of to get some color.  The only advice I have is to avoid ultra-red lips unless you are willing to work with some serious color bleeding if your lighting is not spot-on.  Use your imagination and never be afraid to experiment!

Now that we have covered choice item coloration with and without retouching I want to discuss the wonders of natural light color photography. Walking through a Victorian rose garden is a fantastic way to appreciate the value of natural beauty. Soft pink buds, gossamer ivory blossoms, and the lush greens of climbing ivy are all a source of inspiration for painters and clothiers. Let them be an inspiration for your photography as well.

There is an inherent beauty in the world, vibrant color can really be seen in weddings. Let the natural light guide you and remember to set your white balance for the unique tones that come from unfiltered sunlight. This is not quite the same as shooting in a studio with light from bay windows, though the need to understand shadows and light sources is still a key factor here. The major difference is in the way that yellows, whites, and pinks will display their strong influence on everything around them.

(Photography Copyright (c) 2010 -  Akelis Studios)

I envy photographers with more exotic tropical locations because they can really put natural colors to use with the help of local flora. If you have a hibiscus blossom in your bride's hair or bouquet you should put it to use. If you have palm trees to pose a model with, let the fantastic texture of their bark to make a statement in your shots. This does not mean your should underestimate the beauty of a New England autumn either; those fiery oranges and reds are a great backdrop for pet, kids, and adults to interact with in every session. Tossing leaves in the air or laying on a pile of them can give a subject the chance to bring out their genuine smile while they release tension and play.

In this situation you will want to keep an eye on your shots, review them often so you can confirm that the white balance remains accurate for shifts in light due to clouds or time of day. Sunset is ideal for outdoor photography because a whole new range of tones will appear as the sun's rays shift and refract off the atmosphere at a greater angle. Be sure to use these colors to you advantage too, perhaps planning a beautiful shot that can capture a bride and groom silhouetted against a blazing sunset or a family walking down a dirt path as leaves let the light dapple the ground. This can be tweaked with retouching, but the truth of the colors will already be there so long as the time of day and the ideal location are paired with a great pose.

Finally, I want to talk about how to play with retouched colors or black and white in a tasteful way. I say the following in all seriousness... “Every photo is not meant to be Black & White just because you can select gray-scale options on your editing panel!” At the risk of sounding like a rant, I want to make it very clear that not every image should be colorless. The over use of sepia and other tone changes has made us less able as artists to really see why color or the lack of color can enhance an already wonderful image.

Don't get me wrong, I love working in black and white when I am just shooting on my own time. Many of the works I enter in competitions are a prime example of that fact. But everything has a place and time when working with retouch options. And thinking that subtraction of color is the best way to fix lighting flaws will only cause an area for improvement to grow into a void that eventually requires massive work to fill.

If you think an image could benefit from color shifts, ask yourself why you think so. Are you looking to match a unique pose to a feeling that cannot be achieved with lighting techniques alone? Perhaps you have the intention of creating some of those beautifully recolored works of art that are making their way back into popularity with the return to 1950's beauty. Consider that toned down shades can look faded if done incorrectly so this will have to be handled with care.

(Photography Copyright (c) 2010 - Akelis Studios)

I made the retouches and recolors to this shot after watching some reruns of The Little Rascals before going into a shoot. Comments have been made that I should have perhaps added a slingshot to the back pocket, but over all I feel that the effect was successful. My model here is very light skinned which made the removal of red pigments less tricky. In general, this was a success, but he has deep blue eyes that did not translate quite as well even with some enhancements. For that reason, I went with complete color removal from the facial features to avoid the zombie-like appearance that can occur from over enhancement of the eyes.

This application of retouching managed to be tasteful and simple if I am allowed to complement my own work.  In general, tasteful application is something highly ignored in the age where everyone with a cellphone can make “great antique photos” through apps the download for a dollar. And it is exactly because of those widely available features that we should all be diligent in using our artistic eye and professional discretion to avoid the temptation to over use an option that can go from tasteful to tacky in just one click.