Hey there BP4Uers! I am so excited, as usual, to introduce this weeks Featured Photographer of the week! Get ready to be inspired! I hope you enjoy her work as much as I do! I won’t make you wait any longer, here’s Lisa of LJHolloway Photography!
Hi! Lisa – Mom of 10 awesome kids and farm girl wannabe. I love hiking, camping, archaeology, taking that dirt road on a whim just to see where it goes, living in the mountains, fresh air and wide open spaces, thunder storms, the smell of the desert after a good rain, sunsets, dark star filled night skies, roller coasters, and getting away from it all. I kinda like photography too. 😉
When did you first realize you wanted to be a photographer?
I’ve always loved taking pictures but I decided I officially wanted to be a photographer (as in in business) when my equipment wish list became much larger than I could justify purchasing as a hobbyist.
When and how did you start out in photography?
When my 5th child was a baby, I decided that I wanted to move beyond point and shoot pictures of him. I had seen some amazing professional photographs of babies and children and wanted to learn to do that myself. Thus, my obsession began. 🙂
How would you describe your style?
Rich, soulful and vibrant.
What’s in your gear bag?
Canon 5Dii | Canon 40D | 70-200L II | 85L | 50L | 16-35L II | 100mm macro | 90mm tilt shift | Lensbaby Composer Pro + Double Glass Optic, Edge 80, & Sweet 35 | 580EX II + 2x PWII’s
One lens you can’t live without?
My 70-200L II…I LOVE it for outdoor work!
How did know when the right time to start charging was?
I started charging when I had my business set up legally and I knew that I could consistently put out a full gallery of professional quality photos for every client that hired me.
How much did you charge for your first session and how much are you charging for the same type of session now?
Oh gosh, it’s been so long I really don’t even remember! I *want* to say my session fee started out at $75 and my disc was also $75. (hides in shame) My session fee is now $250 ($200 for seniors) and the disc is $1950 ($1200 for seniors).
How did you market yourself when you started out?
The same way I do now! Facebook and word of mouth.
Name the first person that comes to mind when you think of:
Newborn photographer: Carrie Walker Photography
Wedding photographer: Innamorata Photography by Melody Hood
Lifestyle photographer: Yan Photography (Diana Palmer)
Most inspirational person: My husband!
Did you go to school for photography or were you self- taught?
I’m self taught…what helped me the most was shooting A LOT and experimenting with different and new ideas both in shooting and in post processing.
What has been some of the hardest things to overcome in your business?
Balancing family and business. It’s still a struggle.
Do you have any tips for photographers just starting out?
Practice, practice, practice! Don’t be afraid of trying new things…it will help you learn. Make sure your business is set up legitimately before hanging your ‘open’ sign.
If for some reason you couldn’t be a photographer what do you think you would be?
An archaeologist. Or an astronomer. 😀
What’s the best lesson in photography that you’ve learned so far?
You need to know when to say NO. This kind of goes along with my previous answer of balancing family and business. When you are first starting out, this can be REALLY hard to do. For my own sanity, I’ve had to learn to not take on more obligations and projects than my schedule and family life allow for.
What are your thoughts on props?
I am pretty minimalistic when it comes to using props, though you probably wouldn’t know that by looking at the stash that has overtaken the garage. lol I feel like a little bit goes a long ways, and more often than not, I don’t use the things I drag along to a session ‘just in case I need them.’ I really like my subjects to be the focal point of my images, not a bunch of other superfluous stuff. I’ve seen images where there are so many props in use that you really don’t know what you’re supposed to be looking at. I don’t want that for my photography.
