I have so much to share!  It was a freezing cold day, but we headed to Carolina Beach to capture this sweet couples engagement pictures at fort fisher.   We questioned if we should wait until it go warmer, and my thought was this “it will help you to laugh, we will build memories and so if you are oaky..let’s go with it” and that is what we did.  In less than 30 degree weather!  But I am so glad we did!  Chris and Katy are the sweetest couple.  I’m so excited about capturing their special day.

If you are reader of this blog, then you will know Katy…she is one of my fabulous make up artists and hair stylist.  She works so much with our Expectant Mothers for maternity pictures and also for our Teen Shoots (which are SO popular)

I adore Katy and I can see why Chris does too.  She is the most thoughtful and encouraging person…always thinking about those she comes in contact with and truly wants to encourage those around her.  Chris is a perfect match for her…and their love is real and just oozed.

As I was working on editing their, and answering a few emails from a recent class that I taught, I realized that I needed to share a few things that I feel make my images stand out..just small things….but things people always as me about….

1.  Composition:  You will see in so many of my images, I really incorporate composition fundamentals in the images.  Things like leading lines, rules of thirds, vantage points and filling the frame.  These are all important aspects of design that help take what could be just a good photograph to a true piece of art.  They are simple, but when you combine them in one image, they are powerful.  Because I have been shooting for a long time, I feel that technically I am pretty confident in any situation.  But where I challenge myself on a daily basis is that of composition and doing that in camera.  I truly think about how this will look on a wall BIG with every shot.  I move around so that I can get the compositions that I want.  I’m not satisfied with just standing and shooting.  My clients will tell you that I’m in the water, up to my eyeballs in pricker bushes, on my stomach and even in trees in order to make the composition interesting.
2. Depth:  So this is a big one!  So many times I see beautiful images that people take, but I think…”if you had just had them step back 3 feet so that they were in the middle of the grass and not on the grass edge…then that image would have been WOW”  or if you use branches to frame (again composition) the subject, then your image would “sing”  or if you had moved the subject away from the wall and put some distance in between…it would make so much more interesting.  We as professionals, need to take charge of the shot.  You cant be afraid to have your client lay down in the middle of brush or have them step back into the “woods”  They are trusting you to get the beautiful image and if they trust you enough to hire you, then they will trust you to get the shot and sometimes that means taking just the extra step to ask them to do something that is out of the ordinary.
3. Light:  Use the light to your advantage.  It’s a dance and we need to be the one in control, not to let it control us.  Master the light and how to use to help enhance your images.  Sun flares and dreamy light are very popular right now, but use the light to create mood and shadows too.
4. Tell A Story:  Don’t just take one shot and move to another location.  Take several so that you are getting different shots in that same location.  This will help to tell a story as you capture different moments.  Make sure your clients are fluid…engage them in conversation, encourage them to talk with each other.  Have them share fun moments, have them tell each other why they are having fun or why they are not…this will help to get them to loosen up and you will be able to “tell a story”

Chris and Katy…I adore you!  I love your pictures and I feel they truly capture the essence of your love!  Hugs!

talk about creating a moment…here Chris was telling Katy how much he was going to “get” her for making him freeze to death…but just look at this moment!  It’s priceless!

Depth!  Vantage points..so important!

I loved this tree!

Do you see the heart?  So crazy…never saw when shooting!  But super cool!

Is she not just gorgeous…Chris at this time is thinking “okay Sara-Anne…you need to leave for a few moments LOL”