Hey BP4Uers!! Happy Thursday! I’m excited to introduce you to Stephanie, from Lemonade Stand Photography this week! I hope you enjoy her work and getting to know her. I mean, she likes Pitch Perfect! (: Enjoy!
Hi, I’m Stephanie – mom, wife, sister, friend, daughter, photographer extraordinaire (: I have three crazy kiddos who keep me going nonstop, which is why I am also a coffee addict. I used to be a teacher and I have always been in love with children and babies – getting to snuggle and chase them for work is my heaven! I am a night owl and most nights edit pictures while listening to the movie Pitch Perfect in the background – I’m kind of obsessed. I love my job, my family, my friends – I’m a lucky girl.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a photographer?
It’s always been something that I had in the back of my mind as somewhat of a “secret dream”. I’ve always been a picture person – taking tons and tons myself, having my kids’ pictures taken professionally a bazillion times, and just always valuing the profession. I never realized I could actually do it until I started taking classes to learn how to use my camera and fell in love with what I could get my camera to do!! After much encouraging and coaxing from family and friends, I took the plunge and everything kind of fell into place.
When and how did you start out in photography?
After my second daughter was born, I got my very first DLSR. I didn’t have a clue how to use it though, and honestly, I never really learned that one! Once I got my second one though, the itch to really be able to do what I wanted to with my photos got stronger, and I started taking classes. My business officially started in November 2011 but I practiced by taking lots and lots of pictures of my kiddos, family, friends, and really just getting as much practice as I could. Once I officially launched my Facebook business page (Nov 2011), things really took off from there.
How would you describe your style?
I like to keep my newborn images simple with the focus on the baby, although I do like fun vintage props with a fun vintage/shabby chic/boho feel. I love using props to give that kind of feel to my images, but I always want the focus to be on the baby. I try to keep my edits very natural with a dreamy/airy feel. For my outdoor images, I love hazy, glowy light – my favorite time to shoot is early evening, when the sun is down in the sky. I always try to mix in fun, candid poses with ones where everyone is looking and smiling at the camera in a naturally posed way – I find that most of my clients love having that mixture. So, in a few words, my style is natural, light, airy, dreamy, fun.
What’s in your gear bag?
Nikon D700 body, 50mm f/1.4 lens, 85mm f/1.4 lens, random lens filters, micro fiber clothes, gum, chapstick, and business cards
One lens you can’t live without?
Hmm…that’s a tough one. I absolutely love love my 85mm for my outdoor shots. I love to shoot wide open, and the sharpness and bokeh of the 85 is unbelievable. But I don’t have enough room for my 85 inside, so I love my 50mm for newborns. I’ve really got my eye on the 35mm f/1.4 though, I’m drooling over it actually! Plus, I need to add a macro to my collection as well – lots on the wish list!
How did know when the right time to start charging was?
This is something I really struggled with and still don’t know if I did it right. J I think the right time to start charging is when you feel confident you can give your clients a full session’s worth of high quality images. That along with when people are actively seeking out your business. This is what I tried to go by, but it’s not an exact science, of course.
How much did you charge for your first session and how much are you charging for the same type of session now?
My very first sessions were priced at a $100 intro rate. For that same type of session, I’m now charging $275 with additional packages and session options built into my pricing structure. Pricing is one of the hardest parts of the business for me, and I will be making some more changes to my pricing in the upcoming months.
How did you market yourself when you started out?
My main marketing tool has always been Facebook and social media. Tagging clients in pictures where their family and friends can then see them is the greatest way to get the word out. When I first started, I made sure I included multiple business cards with every CD, I tacked one up in my daughter’s preschool, etc, but I found that word of mouth and social media are by far the best way to generate clients!
Name the first person that comes to mind when you think of:
Newborn photographer: Keri Meyers
Wedding photographer: Soda Fountain Photography
Lifestyle photographer: Rachael Meyers
Most inspiration person: Meg Bitton‘s images are the most inspirational. In my daily reality, moms who balance everything well – teach me please!!
Did you go to school for photography or were you self- taught?
Self-taught. The internet is a beautiful thing 😉 There are so many posing guides, online workshops, photography groups, etc. I am constantly studying images that I love, and trying to apply it in my own work – analyzing angles, light sources in relation to the subjects, poses, etc. I read up on so many different techniques and google is my best friend when I don’t know something. That, and tons of practice, practice, practice. I took in person classes before I went pro, but since going professional, I have been all self-taught. What has helped me the most is to be able to bounce ideas off of other photographers in the industry – whether in person or on the phone with my photog BFF, or in groups on Facebook. It can be a lonely industry being in business by yourself, so surrounding yourself with other people who share your passion is so helpful! I have been very lucky to have made some great friends in the industry and I love learning from them.
What has been some of the hardest things to overcome in your business?
Knowing that I’m never going to please everybody and being confident with my style and my quality of work. I don’t think it will ever be easy knowing someone doesn’t love what I have poured my heart and soul, time, energy and effort into, and it can be a huge blow to the confidence level. The whole pricing thing is also really tough for me as well as finding the balance between work and home. I have a hard time saying no, and tend to put too much on my plate – I’m sure many people can relate to that! I feel the pull of work and my kids and it’s hard to balance and do both things as well as I could. I’m sure I’ll be working on that for a long time!
Do you have any tips for photographers just starting out?
Practice, practice, practice…I think one of the most important things is truly knowing your camera inside and out and being technically sound. There are many different artistic styles and interpretations to photography; however images need to be properly exposed and focused – seeing blurry, overexposed images on the pages of professional photographers gives a bad name to the biz. Make sure to perfect the technical aspect before going pro! I also think taking your time to truly find your post processing style and not over-editing your images is really important. There are so many styles out there, and while many people are similar, each photographer is unique and different in his/her own way. Don’t hesitate to try and practice different things, but really make sure you find your own true style.
If for some reason you couldn’t be a photographer what do you think you would be?
Teacher – that’s my job by degree. Though I haven’t been in the classroom for a long time, it’s still something I’m very passionate about. I have always loved children, and always gravitated toward jobs where I was around them. I love, love, love my career now and the interactions I get to have with kids and their families. Plus, I keep a schedule that allows me to be involved in my own children’s daily lives in a way I couldn’t when teaching full time. Someday I would love for my career to involve both photography and teaching, that would be my ultimate dream. Workshops are my big 2014 goal, so hopefully that will be coming soon!
What’s the best lesson in photography that you’ve learned so far?
Try not to compare yourself to others, which can be very, very hard to do. The quote “One reason we struggle with insecurity: we’re comparing our behind the scenes to everyone else’s highlight reel” is a pretty common one, but it’s so true. It’s hard not to look at all of the beautiful images on Facebook and second guess yourself, but be confident in your own work and be your own artist! We all start out somewhere, and to quote another popular photography meme, “The only photographer you should compare yourself to is the one you used to be.” It’s so hard, hard, hard to do, but it’s so important! v
What are your thoughts on pricing?
This is a very, very tricky part of the business, and I know of so many other photographers who are always questioning their pricing. We are all constantly adjusting and tweaking our own pricing structures as it’s hard to find that balance of charging the right amount for your value as well as maintaining a steady client flow. Plus, the digital era has brought a whole new element to the pricing discussion, and the print vs. digital dilemma is one we are all faced with now. Personally, I will always offer digital files to my clients, as that is something I looked for when I was a client out there. However, I know there are people who feel it brings down the industry – it’s such a sticky situation. I think it will continue to evolve and hopefully I will personally find a structure I’m happy with soon!
