My favorite photography sessions are the ones that are the most organic.
I love to give people the freedom to interact as they normally do. I want to provide the space for my clients to connect with one another and then capture that connection with my camera.
I know it’s not always easy to do that in front of a camera and with me saying, Ok, look this way! I know there is some set up involved, but still, I think a session can feel really natural and comfortable in a way that turns out a set of images that are a genuine portrait of a family. Of who they really are.
As I move forward as a photographer, I know that I want people to be able to look through the pictures from our session and see their true selves, even if we are working hard to be sure that the image is the best version of that true self.
In my journey, I am looking for ways to make a photography session even more comfortable and working with clients to produce images that capture a season in time and bring together color and personality.
I asked Bobby and Amy, a couple I know, to pose for these images, because I wanted to have some new examples of these kinds of sessions. Plus a styled shoot is a wonderful creative outlet for me, as it combines my passions in photography, fashion and design.
We spoke ahead of time about what sorts of clothes they might wear and the look we were going for. They pulled some clothes and I went to their home to work through what I thought would work best for the chosen location.
As an additional treat, we planned for Amy to have her hair and makeup done for the shoot. This is certainly not a must-have, but it was a great way for Amy to feel pampered in preparation for the shoot.
We were shooting on Valentine’s Day, so I kept that in mind as I styled the location. I asked the couple a few questions about their favorite things and I also asked them to bring a few personal items to combine with what I had so it would really feel like them.
I think doing a styled shoot like this can end up feeling like a really fun date night.
And then, Bonus! You end up with beautiful images too!
I love shooting couples! I think engagement photos are so much fun, and I love to continue to shoot a couple after they are married. Even when I shoot a family, I try to always get a few shots of the parents. I think it’s so important to have photos as a couple even after children!
We planned for Bobby and Amy’s three little ones to come and be a part of this shoot for about 30 minutes, which was perfect for their ages (3 and under), but also gave them some family photos from the session.
Doing these kinds of sessions are so life-giving to me as a photographer so I am going to start offering a styled session alongside my regular photo sessions for a $150 sitting fee that includes styling and an in home consultation. Just for fun, the first two couples who book a styled photo session with me in March can book for my normal $100 sitting price.
Contact me if you are interested in booking a styled photo session. They are so much fun! Email: whitneyloibner@comcast.net or fill out the Contact form on my website.
