I cannot begin to put into words how excited BP4U Photography Guides is to be featuring Skye Hardwick Edmonds this week! Her work is absolutely phenomenal.
Hello! I’m Skye. I love my boys (husband + son). I love my job (photographing kids) and love a more country/laid-back lifestyle. Sitcoms from the 90’s are my guilty pleasure. I am totally addicted to Starbucks, red lipstick, and my kindle fire.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a photographer? I first fell in love with photography at the end of eight grade. It was then I made the connection between snapping a picture and capturing the emotions I felt at that time. From then I was hooked, but never thought I could do photography for a living. Well, here I am.
When and how did you start out in photography? I’m in my ninth year of business and began my business in November. Living in bitter cold NE Ohio at the time I was stuck in the house until spring, however, this gave me plenty of time to teach myself about photography (lived in a house with fabulous light) and to practice, so it worked in my favor.
How would you describe your style? I try not to describe it with words, but use my images to tell the story of my style.
What’s in your gear bag? My D700 + 50mm f1.4g + 85mm f1.4g, a bunch of memory cards, extra battery, some tissues, a pen and scratch paper, and bobby pins (for on the go hairstyling of my subjects).
One lens you can’t live without? My nifty fifty, the 50mm f1.4g lens is my go-to lens.
How did you know when the right time to start charging was? I’d like to say when I was consistently good, but that is the advice I give new photographers now. Live and learn.
How much did you charge for your first session and how much are you charging for the same type of session now? I charged $35 session fee with $20 for an 8×10. Now days I charge $395 for a session fee and my 8×0’s are $75.
How did you market yourself when you started out? Word of mouth and I went for displays (or just marketing materials) in local boutiques. Worked well at the time.
We are going to play a game… name the first person that comes to mind when you think of…
· Newborn photographer: SonKissed Photography
· Wedding photographer: Three Nails Photography
·Most inspiration person: Again, back to Three Nails Photography. Have you seen Hunter’s work? Swoon.
Did you go to school for photography or were you self- taught? Self taught. What helped me the most was trial and error and early photography forums.
What have been some of the hardest things to overcome in your business? In the beginning I had a hard time pricing myself for what I thought I was worth verses pricing myself to make sure I had many clients coming in. Many clients, but small orders and most were price shoppers that didn’t value my work.
Once I priced myself for what I knew I was worth (and a few other business changes), my whole clientele changed. I had fewer clients, but they were loyal and my sales were four times or more higher than before.
Do you have any tips for photographers just starting out? Good lighting is everything. I can have the best location, the most amazing props, the most adorable subject, but if the lighting is off or just plain bad, it’s going to mess up your final look.
Not to mention you may spend twice as long trying to fix the bad lighting in post processing. You can spend more time with your family by shooting in the best, most flattering light — cuts my photoshop time way down!
If for some reason you couldn’t be a photographer what do you think you would be? A writer. A writer who lives on a farm with goats and chickens.
What’s the best lesson in photography that you’ve learned so far? Don’t worry so much about what so and so is doing in their business. That will trap you in a vicious cycle of comparison and frustration. Stick to your vision and create the business you are passionate about and you’ll find you attract clients who are just as passionate about what you do.
What are your thoughts on props? I love props, but the key is to use the prop in such a way it doesn’t steal the show from your subject. Size doesn’t necessarily matter as I’ve used large circus props and the subject still was the focus on the scene. It’s about prop placement and the way you approach the shot.
Facebook | Website | Workshops | Workshop Workbook
To join Skye for her final in person Workshop this October in Southern California, just drop her a line at reverie@earthlink.net.
