April 2020 Q+A

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How do you work around the time the sun sets for your session to have enough time with great lighting?

In order to achieve my desired aesthetic, the majority of my work is backlit and the entirety of my work is naturally lit. My favorite source of light to photograph is the sun on a clear and sunny day. I generally shoot at “golden hour” before the sun sets. I use the website timeanddate.com to determine exactly when the sun will set on the date and location I am at. If the sun will set at 7:00 PM, I will plan for the session to end at 6:30 PM. I will likely shoot all the way to the sun setting (or even past it for a blue-hour look), but giving myself a 30 minute buffer gives me enough time in case I lose light early (due to cloud over, tall trees, a mountain range, etc). If it is a one-hour session, we will shoot from 5:30-6:30 PM. A two-hour session would be 4:30-6:30 PM.

What Canon camera body do you recommend for equine portraits?

I shoot Nikon, so I don’t have a Canon body to recommend. You can see what is in my bag here.

As for camera bodies, I think that depends on your goals. If you are shooting indoors or at night you will need an emphasis on low-light capabilities. If you shoot a lot of action, you will need higher frames per second. For commercial work, you might need larger image files.

Which lens is your go-to lens?

My 135m almost never comes off of my camera.

You can see what is in my bag here.

What kind of lens and camera body do you recommend for equine photography?

First and foremost, a long focal length lens to minimize lens distortion on the horse’s head and body. I do not own the 70-200, but it is certainly the most popular lens among equine photographers because of how versatile it is. I choose to use a 135m lens because I like to shoot at a shallower depth of field than the 70-200 allows for.

As for camera bodies, I think that depends on your goals. If you are shooting indoors or at night you will need an emphasis on low-light capabilities. If you shoot a lot of action, you will need higher frames per second. For commercial work, you might need larger image files.

I want to buy a camera but don’t know where to start?

I started with the Nikon kit from Costco and I think that the entry-level cameras from Canon and Nikon are great to start with! I have a post about it here. 

Where did you learn everything you know about photography?

I worked for Arden Prucha Photography while I was in college and I learned so much from her! Since then, I have been predominantly self-taught.

How do you get consistency in photos at every shoot? Your images look so similar.

Thank you! It is difficult to achieve perfect consistency because I do sessions all over the country. Arizona doesn’t look like Ohio, which doesn’t look like Florida.

However, I am first and foremost scouting light and trying to photograph my subjects in similar lighting conditions. I have a course on working with natural light here.

I also edit in a very consistent manner, to achieve a similar aesthetic across all of my images. I have a course on editing here.

If you purchase the courses together, you can save money in the bundle here!

Above all, it takes a lot of practice.

How did you get into photography?

How are you marketing to clients who will actually pay what you’re worth?

First, I’ve spent a lot of time and effort refining a “mission” statement that reflects who I am and the unique service I offer. I have boiled that down into a single sentence that drives my entire marketing strategy.

Second, I have a very clear idea of who my target market is. I’ve spent a significant amount of time learning exactly where she spends her time.

Third, I put the two together to get my brand’s message in front of her in as many ways as I can.

Need help with your marketing? I have a marketing course here.

How do we tackle marketing in this whole pandemic crisis?

Personally, I am posting the same amount of content. However, it is a little bit of a change in strategy. Instead of a mix of session sneak peeks, driving traffic to my blog, showing portfolio work, and calls to action… I have zero session sneak peeks and zero calls to action. I am not booking any sessions or planning any travel (my typical calls to action). And I have no fresh work to show because I am not shooting sessions.

Therefore, I am focusing my energy on engaging with my audience, showing portfolio work, and driving traffic to my blog.

How do you control colors? Do you shoot in Kelvin?

I do shoot in Kelvin! I have a consistent editing style, and I try to shoot in similar lighting scenarios.

What are some fun ways to get friends to help you practice and build your portfolio?

Set up styled shoots with “themes.”

Use magazines or Pinterest to create mood boards and collaborate with your friends to create a very specific look for your styled shoot in terms of location, wardrobe, and posing. Make sure that it is a look that resonates with your target client and reflects your brand well in order to use the images for your own marketing and portfolio.

Have you ever done a session that didn’t produce enough deliverable photos for the client (horse was acting up, weather wasn’t good, the posing wasn’t quite right, etc)? Or how would you go about explaining it to the client?

One session definitely comes to mind. There was a chance of storms in the forecast, but the client decided to go forward with the session anyway. Halfway through our shoot, we were under an enormous storm with pounding rain. Because they were local to me, I offered to come back and finish the session another day.

What do you use to edit photos?

Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

What is your favorite shoot ever?

The morning I spent with the Compton Cowboys.

What are some of the first steps you would instruct a new photographer to get started? What is your story on how you started and is there anything you would do differently?

I shared a bit above about how I picked up my first camera. For many months I practiced taking pictures on friendly faces where I could fail in a safe environment. Once I was comfortable shooting in every situation (different lighting conditions, varied locations, naughty horses, awkward humans, etc), I started building my portfolio. Once I had a solid portfolio and felt I could deliver a quality product no matter the conditions, I opened my business in 2013.

The only thing I would do differently is perhaps take my business fulltime sooner. I waited until 2017, but I think I could’ve safely made that transition years earlier.

How do you set up focus for an action shot? What is your focus setting?

I use back button focus with continuous focus (AF-C) and 9 focal points (D-9).

How do you go about submitting work to magazines and whatnot?

First, I try to get the correct contact within the organizations. Many times that is the editor, but sometimes it isn’t. Next, I do thorough research on the magazine to understand their aesthetic and demographic. What breed(s) of horses do they showcase? What age(s) of riders? Which riding discipline(s)? You can also ask the contact for a description of the images they consider for submission. Some publications have a document with the exact shot list they are in need of for upcoming issues.

I gather images that might be of interest and build a curated gallery specifically for the publication, ensuring the strongest images are at the top, and send the link to my contact.

How do you help your clients style themselves for a session? For example, I dress western but do dressage so I would have no idea what to wear for a session!

I have suggestions for how to put together and style outfits in my welcome magazine, but I also emphasize that I am willing to help as much (or as little) as they need. Sometimes my clients will text me images of all of their thoughts and questions, while other clients do all of the styling themselves. I make myself available for help, but my help certainly isn’t required.

What platform do you use for your website and e-commerce?

I use WordPress and WooCommerce.

How do you travel with your gear?

I go to every single session (near and far) with my ThinkTank Roller Derby and House of Flynn bags.

The ThinkTank Derby Roller Derby CHANGED MY LIFE!!! I travel frequently for sessions and having 4 wheels took sooooooo much weight off of me. Having 4 wheels on all of my suitcases meant I could push multiple bags in one hand and have less fatigue.

ThinkTank has 20% off all bags through 4/30. Check out the sale here. 

Next, when I travel I use my House of Flynn camera bag as my purse/personal item on the plane. That way I don’t need to travel with two smaller bags.

Have more questions?

Head to the COURSES page to see more education or to book a call with me!