I cannot put into words how excited we, at BP4U Photography Guides, are to be featuring Lindsey Scholz Photography. Lindsey’s work is absolutely breath-taking. The emotion that she captures in her photos is inspiring!
Hi! I’m Lindsey! I’m a Natural light photographer based in Columbus, Ohio. I’m a lover of the Lord. I’m a wife to a hottie, Matt, and a Momma to an almost 3 year old little boy named Kreuz. I specialize in Births, Newborns, and Families. Births being my favorite. I have a major sweet tooth.
I LOVE Jeni’s ice cream, funky mugs, Mountain Dew, and I am pretty sure it is accessible via IV in Heaven. I love to antique shop, and find vintage things! Buckeye season, hoodies, picking for apples, baking pumpkin bread, and CHRISTMAS are what I look forward to every year. Oh and I might like photography a smidge. “I just like to smile, smilings my favorite.”-Elf
When did you first realize you wanted to be a photographer? When my son was born (September 2010). Yeah I know, that’s so cliche. But seeing the miracle of life happening right in front of my eyes ROCKED my world. However I purchased my first camera in 2007 shortly after getting engaged. I took photos here and there for people. I would see a pretty flower and take a shot. Using my handy dandy kit lens of course.
Then on our honeymoon I got really into it (get your dirty minds outta the gutter). I realized that I loved just taking different angles and learning different ways to make something that was already pretty, prettier.
When I had Kreuz I just knew what I needed to do. I just had to figure out how to make it happen. I went back to work after 12 weeks for a whopping 9 hours a week until March of 2011 when I took a leap of faith, held my breath, and I’m still holding it.
When and how did you start out in photography? I started by shooting anything and everything I could. I have a huge family, so that helped. Everyone reproduces in my family. That benefited me BIG time. I used a kit lens probably for the first year. Yeah, cringe. I upgraded from my D60 to a D7000.
Then I bought a 50 mm 1.8 and a 35 mm 1.8. Blew my ever-loving mind at the time. But then finally after what seemed like forever I upgraded to my D700, and I love it. We have a very fond relationship with one another, her and I. She is fabulous. She tries to be boss sometimes but I tell her what’s up.
How would you describe your style? I’m really bad at this. I would say that my style is intimate (and I totally asked my fan base to help a sister out, this was the first response I received). I photograph probably the most raw and real moments of peoples lives.
So I am totally in agreement that it is a very personal moment. I love that I am able to take a moment that means SO much to someone and forever honor it with a simple click of my shutter. Intimate and timeless. I also only use natural light. I love the shadows it creates and I believe shadows capture mood.
My goal at the end of the day is to stop a moment in time that is true and do it to the best of my ability so that when they see their images they completely re-live the event that I captured, which for the most part is births.
What’s in your gear bag?
Nikon D700
50mm 1.4
35mm 1.4
90mm 2.8
One lens you can’t live without? 35mm 1.4! My friends raved about it and I seriously thought, how awesome can it be? They were right, I was less right. It’s incredible. And here is a little tidbit, I use the Sigma version.
How much did you charge for your first session and how much are you charging for the same type of session now? When I first began charging, I was a shoot and burner. I charged $50 and worked my butt off to give as many images as I could. I bragged about having 3 sessions in a day. Little did I know that began my dive into almost giving up. It was too much. I was working so hard and giving so much of me for so little.
I would be stay at home mom during the day ( and let me tell you, it’s the hardest job ever!) and then stay up until the wee hours in the morning editing, wake up to nurse, put him back to sleep and keep chugging on, just to do it all again the next day. I began to resent it all. I finally slowly increased my prices. Some stuck with me and some left.
But I finally learned to value myself and the time away from my family. It was such a learning curve. I now charge $200 as my session fee. But then you have the option of purchasing prints or the digital files. It has been so great. I have learned that quality (out of your photographer and the images) is so much better than quantity.
How did you market yourself when you first started out? My family. My friends. My amazing hairdressers station and Facebook. Facebook, like for most, has been a Godsend. A free marketing tool. Tagging people totally helps you reach the masses! People gripe about Facebook and changes they make all the time, but hey, it’s FREE and it’s rad.
Who is the first person you think of when you hear….
Newborn Photographer: Rachel Vanoven & Amy Cook
Wedding Photographer: Jasmine Star
Lifestyle Photographer: Emily Tesnow Photography
Most Inspirational Person: God. 🙂 He is my rock.
Did you go to school for photography or were you self- taught? I didn’t go to school for photography. I am self taught, but with that being said I did reach out for help. I used youtube ALOT. A few friends helped me slowly understand how to shoot manually. A long time is an understatement for how long it took me to “get it.” I just couldn’t grasp it.
My dear friend Amy Cook (I didn’t even know her at the time) allowed me to assist her at her newborn workshop (FABULOUS btw) and it totally introduced me into the world of newborns and how to do it safely. Little did I know at the time that she would become one of my dearest friends.
Her little leap of faith to help me (which also helped her because I was assisting) turned into something SO MUCH MORE. I also purchased Rachel Vanoven’s Newborn e-workshop. While that was mostly about newborns, it taught me other things such as shooting in Kelvin and angles to try that I had never thought of before.
These things combined as well as the internet completely paved my way to where I am today. I have many people asking me how I learned to shoot births. This I am completely self taught on. I even have people who ask if I will mentor them in birth photography. I really don’t ever know what to say, because I shoot from what I see.
I don’t really have a technique, I just shoot what I think is beautiful and what I think will help my client remember the BEST day of their life. In my mind it isn’t your wedding day, it is the day you become a parent. It’s the small details that make up the whole day. Capturing the love that just happens naturally when you welcome life into this world never gets old.
What have been some of the hardest things to overcome in your business? NEVER shoot for free (even family). And if you don’t listen to that advice, ALWAYS have a contract. The hardest thing for me to overcome honestly is how much people take advantage of you.
Everyone wants something extra, something for free. I still struggle with it. The nice person in me wants so badly to help someone out, but then when it isn’t done their way, they use it against you. It can negatively affect your business.
If for some reason you couldn’t be a photographer what do you think you would be? A Labor and Delivery nurse. I LOVE welcoming life.
What’s the best lesson in photography that you’ve learned so far? You will only be as good as you push yourself to be. If you don’t have this burning passion for it, it will reflect in your work. If you are burnt out, it will reflect in your work. Find your passion, shoot it and everyone will see what you truly love.
What are your thoughts on lifestyle photography? It is the truest form of photography. It’s real life happening in front of a lens. It isn’t forced. It’s life. It’s raw, it’s intimate, it documents you. In one of my little guy’s favorite movies the main quote is “Why be you, when you can be new.”
When people plan for a portrait session they buy all new clothes, shoes, get their hair done, nails painted, shave, spend tons of money on things NEW. Forced smiles happen, uncomfortable posing (usually Mom has tons of Pinterest ideas for you), husband is annoyed (probably because of some fight that took place on the way to or while getting ready) and it usually results in some kid crying. It’s forced. So I changed it just a little. Why try to represent brand new when you can simply be you. That is what lifestyle photography is. Documenting You.
Lindsey Scholz Photography | Facebook
If you have any questions or comments for Lindsey, please feel free to place them in the comment section below!
