Brittany & Alan Janda Wedding // 10.5.19

We met Brittany & Alan several months ago and were so excited they booked their day with us! It wasn’t long before we did their gorgeous engagement session which not only showcased the car Alan and his family work on, but the beautiful soon to be bride and groom! To this day, it’s a shoot clients still talk to us about and even ask to borrow the car 😂

As the months dwindled down, it was getting close to the day they have been planning for quite sometime! They had decided on their venue and it was the beautiful Cacapon State Park. We knew it was a beautiful wooded area and would make for some gorgeous photos!

We started off by meeting Brittany in their bridal cabin and taking a few detail shots of her stunning dress. On the hanger it was beautiful, on her... it was just amazing! We also went to the reception to take some shots of the details and everything that made their day special. The groomsmen were sipping on whiskey and getting ready and that surely made for some fun and laid back photos! There was a nice corner area in this reception hall that gave off just enough light that we could get a super styled shot of the groom and his whiskey. It didn’t disappoint!

We hustled back to the cabin where Brittany and her bridesmaids were dressing and getting ready. Brittany wanted to do a first look with her dad and of course, that brought on some sweet photos that I know they will both surely treasure.

Brittany and Alan are all about keeping their guests happy and wanted a short cocktail hour, so they had decided on a first look and doing family photos before the ceremony. After her first look with her Dad, we headed straight to pick up her groom and went to this nice nestled spot in the woods with a blanket of yellow leaves on the ground and got him in position. He was nervous and anxious, but in the best way possible! We did the big reveal and his reaction has to be my favorite of any first look we’ve done. He was in awe, complete awe.

I was always on the fence about first looks, but over the years I’ve became such a huge fan of them! In my opinion, they make the bride and groom feel more connected since their nerves aren’t nearly as high in front of one another as there would be with all of their guests. It gives an opportunity to really focus on one another. Either way, sweetest reaction ever! He twirled his bride around with his jaw wide open and they were both so happy. The best part wasn’t even that, it was when he got back in our car and he looked at me and said “I can’t get over how beautiful she is...” 🥰 We went ahead and did their photos and had a nice variety! There was the woods, a bridge and a dock in walking distance of one another. It was a dream!

We were keeping on track with our time and we began the family photos. It was an overcast day and there was a perfect little area for family portraits. They went perfectly! That’s always the toughest part of the day, I think any photographer would agree with me 😂

The ceremony was beautiful and intimate, filled with their own vows that made you laugh and cry, a dip kiss and the perfect way to exit as husband and wife... a flower send off! It made for one of my favorite photos of the day!

After a few more last minute family pictures, it was time to get the wedding party together and head to the lake. The lake was a favorite for all of us and we are so happy the weather and sun cooperated so we could use it! We had to of course bring the mustang out for one of the final images of the night and we loved it!

Jason and I are so happy for Brittany and Alan! They are so in love and everyone knows it. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these two! We wish you both a lifetime of love, laugh, and happiness ❤️

Vendors

Venue | Cacapon State Park

Hair | Amanda Buchanan Guthridge

Dress | Potomac Bridals

Tuxedo | Dana’s Tuxedo

Cake | Snix Snax Shax

Flowers | Flowers Unlimited Designs & Boutique

Danielle & Jared Jewell Wedding // 9.28.19

Jason and I were so honored to be apart of the Jewell wedding! We met this beautiful couple back in March and bonded over beer and Game of Thrones. It was a match made in heaven! They were so excited for their wedding and couldn’t wait to celebrate with their friends and family.

Finally after months and months of planning, it was the day! After a morning rain shower, it geared up to be a nice warm day with the perfect breeze. As we arrived in a family owned barn in the beautiful Middletown, VA we met Danielle with her bridesmaids in the sun room as they sipped mimosas and snacked on some donuts. Danielle was glowing and so radiant! We scooped up her details to capture some beautiful shots in the gorgeous barn. The worn wood detailing just made everything look so beautiful! After capturing some centerpieces, table settings, and the venue... it was time for the fun to begin!

As we were photographing Danielle’s dress we decided to use the sunroom because it had the most beautiful ambient light shining through and it helped highlight her stunning dress. After a few shots, it was time to get ready for everything she had been planning so hard for! As her sweet mother helped zip up her blonde haired baby, I couldn’t help but look over to see Danielle’s soon to be “official” daughter watch and had nonstop smiles. It was a beautiful moment and why it is one of my favorite moments of the day!

Jason and I met Jared and his buddies in the garage with some beer and laughs. His groomsmen were hilarious and they were surely going to amp up this party! Jared’s dad put the boutonnière on his son and Jared did the same for him. Jared also placed the boutonniere on his little boy’s jacket and got a big hug and that was a sweet and special moment for both of them that I know will be a lasting memory.

We had a half an hour until the I do’s and Danielle wanted to do something special for her Dad, a first look. Moments like these without a doubt make my eyes water, I love seeing parents with their kids as they help relieve their nerves and tell them everything before one of the biggest moments of their life. It was filled with tears, smiles, hugs and laughs!

Now it was showtime! My ultimate favorite moment of the day and one of primary jobs as a second shooter is capturing the grooms face as he sees his bride coming down the aisle. And my gosh! Jared was filled with the best smiles and look of disbelief as his best man watched him. I love seeing the emotional side of even the toughest guys, it makes it even better! After their beautiful ceremony, the kiss, and the “I now pronounce..” we were a step closer to letting loose!

The backdrop for the family portraits was a no brainer. The gorgeous farm fence with the animals grazing in the background was without a doubt simplistic and beautiful. Danielle and Jared were finally able to have a little more alone time during their session and it did not disappoint! Check out that super steamy garter picture! 😍 Then it was time to head in to party down. Their first dance was sweet to watch and a little girl blowing bubbles made the vibrant colors in the photo just pop! The parent dances caught the best looks of their Mom and Dad just being so proud of their son and daughter.

After dinner, speeches, lots of thank you’s, and cake cutting - it was time to really party! The barn was cranked with music and lights and the sound of laughter and cheering. It was a long time planning, but I could tell by the way Jared held his bride with one beer in his hand and the way Danielle looks to him that they found their love of a lifetime and we are so happy and honored to be apart of it!

Congratulations Danielle & Jared! We are so excited to see what your future has in store for you! We wish you a lifetime of love, laughs, and happiness ❤️

Vendors

Makeup | Makeup by LZ, LLC

Dress | The Barn Bridal and Formal Wear

DJ | Wright Live

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What is Newborn Lifestyle Photography?

Recently, we’ve had a slew of newborn inquiries and I didn’t realize how many clients were a little confused on the difference of a traditional newborn session and what we like to offer, lifestyle newborn.

Newborn babies literally give me all the super feels (and it isn’t just their adorable toes or cute button noses) and it is something about seeing these new parents or older siblings taking care of such a sweet gift. We used to offer traditional newborn like you see below, but with the endless props, wraps, washings and the time it would take to properly get these cuties set up was a lot of time that was a little much for our schedule.

Within these sessions, we offered a lifestyle newborn session which has became the biggest and newest hit that we fell in love with. Being a mom, the one thing I miss the most is holding my little baby in my arms and the looks he would give me and the simplicity and beauty of it all. I also love seeing Jason rub noses with our son as he admires him just makes my heart throb! That’s exactly what lifestyle newborn is ❤️ It’s capturing those super special moments in a candid setting and not the typical backdrop portrait style session. Don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful, just not our particular style.

We have found with traditional newborn, we need to do everything in our own home studio and though some clients are fine with that - we find many clients prefer to be in their own home with everything they need. If they wish to breastfeed in private or in their rocker, you can do that. If you want it photographed, even better! Parents don’t have the stress of getting bags packed or running low on little fruit snacks to keep their kiddos at bay incase the session runs into hours - which it typically does with the traditional newborn. We also found many clients get quite anxious when their babies won’t calm down for a session or fall asleep for those cutesy poses because they’d much rather be snuggled up with Mom or Dad and who can blame them? During those situations, we would allow Mom or Dad to comfort their baby and shoot a few images (we do shoot away so the baby doesn’t appear to be crying, you wouldn’t know the difference 😉) and our clients ABSOLUTELY LOVED those images and those were the images they wanted canvases and prints of.

So we decided after a lot of back and forth, lifestyle is just a better fit for not only us, but our clients and also provided a much better experience for them and their families! It’s a little less stressful, more intimate, time saving for many reasons and ultimately, comes at a lower cost which we know can be super important for parents on leave.

I hope this helps to better understand the difference between traditional and lifestyle and why we personally like to do it this way and offer it. That being said, we cannot wait to meet these new babies we will be photographing and the new Moms, Dads and older siblings!

Until next time ❤️

August Before & After

Part 1

Recently, we did a Disney princess stylized shoot which was a lot of fun. For the first step, we have the basic edits completed such as crop, exposure, and color correction. We went with a more darker tone for this image to give it that enchanted feel! Unfortunately, with some shots, you have to sacrifice some more post work to get the image with that specific look and feel you are going for. As you can see above there are quite a few distractions in the image.

Part 2

The first thing we fix are the big obvious distractions in the image, the softbox to the the right and the small garden sign on the lower right. We use photoshop to quickly fix those distractions. Most times you don’t have a problem removing the items, however the multiple textures near the soft box were problematic but just requires a little more time to perfect it.

The final distraction is more of a judgement call. With our editing style, we generally try to line everything up correctly in the camera and not over edit or alter the image. One of our rules on deciding if something should be removed or not is the eye test. If you first look at an image and your eye is immediately drawn to distraction, then we will generally remove it to keep the integrity of the photo. In the middle left is a building in the distance that we couldn’t help but draw our attention to it, so it had to go.

Part 3

Here is the final image! As you can see the simple edits help achieve the mood and feel we were going for, and the removal of the big distractions only help finish the image while keeping from heavily altering it. We hope everyone could take away a little knowledge from this before and after, as well as getting a look at a few of the steps that are behind the scenes of a beautiful image.

The Pros & Cons of Mini Sessions

With our recent Fall Minis announcement and the high amount of interest and bookings, we have been hit with many questions and we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to list some of the pros and cons of minis!

THE PROS

- Especially for those who don’t have a photographer they exclusively use, mini sessions offer a little peek and a chance to work with that photographer to “try them out” and just see how it goes.

- Everything is essentially taken care of, the props and location - you just need to show up!

- If you have kiddos with particularly short attention spans, sometimes mini sessions and the shorter times can be helpful! You get their best attitudes and attention for 20 minutes and they are all done. Of course, this could be a con as some kids need some warm up time (we will talk about that later).

- It fits busier schedules and are usually held on weekends. Weekend schedules for photographers fill up quickly and as long as you can snag a spot in time, you’re good to go!

- They are much cheaper than a photographers regular rate and usually have a theme! Since we can stack multiple sessions back to back, there’s no travel cost so we can eliminate that off the top which makes it a third of the price!

- It’s a great way to keep your family photos updated through the year.

- This one mainly is for photographers, but minis are a great way to build your clientele. Usually once you post one sneak peek of a family from your minis, their family and friends will also see your work and may contact you also!

THE CONS

- They are short! Going back to one of the pros with the kids, if it takes awhile for your child to come out of their shell - it could be tough and a little challenging.

- You won’t receive as many images. Typically, our full sessions yield 60-80 images with a wide variety of looks. With our Minis, you can expect anywhere from 20-30 images.

- Sometimes there’s a limit on the amount of people. With large groups, it can eat up a lot of time posing and swapping out the groups which can decrease the amount of images you will get.

- They aren’t as personalized as full sessions. We really like to give each client their own photo shoot and find ideas they love or even a place that is meaningful to them. Mini sessions don’t allow a lot of time for those fun and more artistic photos, though we do the best we can!

- If you’re late, it will severely cut into your time and the outcome of your shoot. Bouncing off that, we’ve known photographers and heard stories of those who won’t allow you to come if you’re late or won’t refund your money if you can’t make it. It’s important to get that information beforehand so you are at least aware of their policies.

- They are super limited and sometimes fill up before even getting a chance, so keep an eye out if you’re holding off for an event!

Those are the main points of the pros and cons, as you can see much of it deals with time. Jason and I like to be sure mini sessions fit for those potential clients we haven’t worked with so we can be sure you are going to have a great experience in our short time and beautiful images you’ll love. We love Mini Sessions as photographers, sometimes we catch up with the families we work with all the time or we meet new families that end up being fantastic clients and friends! We are so excited to meet our new clients this go around and cannot wait to catch up with our friends ❤️

Popular Photography Copyright Options

What is copyright? A copyright is “the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material, and to authorize others to do the same”. Basically it’s the right to edit, share, or print a designated work.

Who owns the photos? What can or can’t I do with the photos? Who has the copyright? These are some of the more frequent questions that get asked by our clients and if you’re a photographer too, I’m sure it is for you as well. Ultimately, the person who physically takes the picture is the copyright holder to that image, after that is where the options open up. It’s the photographers choice how he/she chooses to assign the copyright after the work has been done. The photographer can keep all the rights, assign just printing rights, or create a variation that fits the clients need.

1. Photographer Owns The Full Copyright

This one is by far the most popular as well as being the most profitable. The photographer is paid a fee (often called a sitting or session fee) which is strictly for the photographers time to come and take the images. Afterwards they will perform edits to the images and the clients would be given those proofs to look through. At this point the client would purchase individual or packed physical prints that they wanted made for their choice of images they liked most. The photographer would print and deliver the images. At any point in the future if the client would want further images, they would just need to contact the photographer and order more prints.

In this method, the photographer chooses to keep all rights to the photos. The client has the ability to choose only their favorites and receive quality prints, while the photographer keeps full artistic control of the work. This option is often viewed as a win win option by giving both people the quality work they want, but in today’s digital environment can become less enticing in a fast paced society. And if not given this information prior could lead to unhappy clients who assumed their sitting or session fee was all they would owe for your services.

2. Photographer Gives a Limited Release

The next method has the photographer giving a limited copyright release to their clients with their purchase. Often a flat price is given including the session, editing, and the limited release all together. This way the photographer can give a no surprise purchase option to the client allowing them to know a price which has everything included. The photographer would then take the pictures, perform the edits on the photos, and return all of the photos or whatever amount they were contracted for. They would then give the client a limited release, which gives a few rights to them. This release isn’t a cookie cutter document and is often different from each photographer based on how they choose to run their business. However, the most common version allows the client to make their own physical prints and the photographer keeps all of the remaining rights to the images.

This is the option we personally use and find it fits exactly what both parties want. We can give our clients a price that they know will not change while also giving them the full value of their session.

3. Photographer Sells The Copyright

The final option is one that most photographers at least offer on their packages. The photographer will perform all of the duties they are contracted fo, but as an option sells off the copyright to the photos at a price. The benefits to owning the copyright is that you could alter, edit, sell, or even advertise your images and have full legal rights to the images. The con to this would be the price, the value changes from person to person based on what they think the value of their pictures would be. By selling the copyright, the photographer relinquishes all value they have to the pictures and as such must charge accordingly.

I hope everyone could take a few things learned from a quick look at these different copyright options that most photographers offer. Of course, there is no definitive option because each photographer must choose which one fits their business and personal choices best. Never be afraid to bring it up while discussing a session with your photographer, a professional will appreciate a client who takes the time to understand just what they’re getting and ask questions about their services. If anyone has any questions on this topic or anything else, just message us and we’d be happy to help!

Planning for your clients shoot and maintaining expectations

There is nothing that Jason and I love more than a perfectly timed candid that we were able to capture! With each of our sessions we shoot, we strive to give a good mix of both portraits and candids. We like to try and shoot two different areas at a location to give another look and switch it up. But with each session, we will plan accordingly so our clients get that personal and unique touch!

We always try to take the clients’ style, the look they are going for and why their reasoning for wanting to book a session in the first place into consideration before even choosing a location. This preparation not only tailors to each client and gives them some freedom to make decisions while also giving your professional input, but it ultimately keeps them from getting the cookie cutter photos at the same location or the same studio with all the SAME backdrops.

Some photographers don’t like the idea of recreating photos they’ve already seen before, which is okay! But in the midst of planning their session, I personally like for clients to share ideas they’ve seen from our work (Pinterest is pretty good with this too!) or certain poses that they like. Even as a photographer, we have our own creative eye but that doesn’t mean that your client can’t assist in inspiration and give some ideas that they really love and you throw your creative twist on it. Ultimately, Jason and I want our clients to be happy with the photos that are received and sending ideas my way gives me a great idea of what they like or what they like most about our style. Of course, the best is when a client sends you an idea and you exceed it a million times over while maintaining their vision, then delivering an incredible image that they never thought could turn out so beautiful!

Now, this is the only issue (and I say issue so very lightly) when it comes to sending those Pinterest ideas - expectations. It’s difficult when a Mom sends this adorable and perfectly timed photo of Dad kissing Moms’ belly while their oldest is sitting perfectly on Dad’s shoulders and is kissing Mom’s cheek while also grinning ear to ear to me that she had found. It’s not that it isn’t an adorable pose, but those poses (and looks) can be tricky! Sometimes come the day of the session, there’s a lot going on and sometimes kids just don’t want to cooperate or it turns out their fear of heights became a huge realization when they are high on their dads shoulders. That’s okay! Sometimes a good bribe works if their old enough or finding/doing anything to get that shot. But, it’s super important that you reel in those expectations before even shooting that day. Most clients are totally understanding that it may not be a true realization, but being prepared could really help with all the above while still providing some amazing images that are truly their own!

Which again brings me back to just preparing for the shoot with a few helpful tips. If you know there are little ones involved, be sure the time you set isn’t disruptive to their nap routine or dinner time. If it looks like it’s going to be extremely hot and humid that day, possibly offer to reschedule or at the very least be sure to bring hydration for everyone and minimize all the walking. We have found all of our clients truly appreciate thinking of their needs before they even have a chance to think about it and it makes their whole experience much more enjoyable and in turn, will surely help give you great sessions with beautiful images that your clients will love while they also enjoy their experience with you!

July Before & After Photo

Recently, we’ve been asked a lot about our editing style and some of the steps it takes to get our images to their finished look. After a little discussion, Katie and I have decided to start a monthly before and after section of our blog discussing just that. Unless we’re shooting for a particular creative session our style is more reserved, as we prefer to showcase our clients for who they are without drastic editing to maintain that personal and authentic feel for each image. We are definitely excited to give a small glimpse into some of our choices and work that goes into each of our images and hope both professionals and clients enjoy this little inside look at editing with Jason & Katie Photography.

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Part 1

For each photo, the very first thing we do is make minor crops and adjust for the proper color temperature. As you can see, we tightened up on the couple and left more negative space above. As a result, the couple has become more pronounced in the photo allowing for more of an “up close” feel and you can see their reactions much better which can easily get lost in those large images. The adjusted crop also lets a wandering eye go to the gorgeous trees above them which allows for that big encompassing feel that puts this couple into a bigger than life look.

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Part 2

The second step is where more of the tiny details com into play which helps the picture pop more. The shadows are boosted just a little to give the wood bark more texture as well as an airy feel to the branches around them. It’s important with encompassing photos to highlight the details of the scenery or it becomes just… blah, for a lack of a better word. Adding some to the highlights also gives the branches a lighter green tone and making sure they don’t disappear into the shadows.

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Part 3

Finally, we make a small adjustment to the overall exposure of the photo making sure that it is completely balanced with all of the previous changes we made. A final small scan of the photo is made to make sure we get rid of any problems, such as the big black soft box to the right! Each of the changes may seem small or unimportant but ultimately, they work together to create that polished image that fits the look you envisioned. Always spend the time to think out a photo even before you snap the button! You will be guaranteed to have a gorgeous image every time.

Catherine & Tyler Henry Wedding 09-22-18

Sept. 22nd couldn’t have been a better day for this couple to exchange their vows. Not only was it the first day of Fall (YAY!!!) but, the weather was absolutely perfect! The overcast day was going to give us the best light in a shade less field and just enough light to capture the mountains. Catherine and Tyler are high school sweethearts and wed in front of a stone rustic fireplace at Skyline Ranch Resort with their family and friends. Jason and I were eager to take detail shots of the tables filled with cakes that Sweet Escapes Home Bakery had created. It was sentimental and special as Catherine is a baker and made these treats for her guests to enjoy.

We love working with local businesses and she always provides us with the the tastiest and photo worthy smash cakes we use in our sessions, just ask our one year old clients! This wedding was filled with lots of hard work from their family and friends and turned out beautifully. From the flowers, cakes and food to the decorations, table pieces and photo booths - it all was fantastic! Seeing Catherine in her stunning one of a kind dress and Tyler’s sleek purple suit, we knew the photos would be nothing short of amazing! We were excited to use a head turning horse drawn white carriage as a main prop for their Bride & Groom session that Shenandoah Carriage Company provided.

Since I have known the Bride for quite sometime, I knew one of her loves and passions is animals so we just had to get a shot of her with one of these gorgeous horses - which led to the black and white photo. One of my personal favorites from the day! Jason and I had such a great time shooting such a special day for this awesome couple and look forward to what the future holds for them!

Congratulations Catherine & Tyler!
We wish you a lifetime of love, laughs, and happiness.

Rachel & Fred Kinder Wedding 09-08-18

Jason and I were so excited for the Kinder’s wedding! Rachel and Fred are so much fun to be around and to work with. Their jokes keep us all laughing and the sheer love between them is a sight that we are honored to photograph. We arrived at the jaw dropping Belle Grove Plantation and it was just spectacular looking at it nestled in the mountains and fields of Middletown, VA. It was a rainy, cloudy and a little cold day but we knew if the rain could just hold off it would only give some AMAZING photos that Fred and Rachel would be sure to love! Jason and I were shooting details of the dress, rings, and bouquet in a window seal of this little cottage that everyone was anxiously getting ready in and was the rain coming down! Sure enough, the rain had stopped just in time. Once leaving the cottage and heading to the ceremony site to check in, there was a gorgeous antique fire truck. After all, the bride and groom were fire fighters! So not only was it stunning with the red and rustic look, it was sentimental to both of them. I couldn’t wait to capture that special moment Fred would see his beautiful bride and her loving father on the truck at the end of the aisle. It’s always my absolute favorite part of the ceremony and it’s one of the reasons I love being a second shooter! The ceremony made you tear up, laugh, and smile - the perfect combination for any wedding! The reception was held at the Millwood Station Reception Hall and we have to say, the center pieces were all different for each table and we knew it took a lot of time and a whole lot of coordination! The party was hopping, which was no surprise considering their family and friends are just a pleasure, fun to be around and always kept you laughing. Everything from start to finish went off without a hitch and my goodness was it a fun time for everyone!

Congratulations Rachel & Fred!
We wish you a lifetime of love, laughs, and happiness.

Danielle & Greg Trivett Wedding 09-01-18

Jason and I had the pleasure of shooting such a beautiful wedding this past weekend. It was at the gorgeous Wollam Gardens in Jeffersonton, Virginia and just about every flower that was there was in full bloom. It made for amazing photos and all the little personal touches and details of the wedding only made it even better. We were so honored to catch the grooms wide-eyed and cheeky smile when he turned around and saw his blushing pregnant bride beaming up at him during their first look. That moment creates the most beautiful candid shots that can possibly be taken. There is no directions needed on how to pose or look and everything is so natural. Those kisses and looks are authentic and you can capture so much in this special moment if you are okay with forgoing the traditional meeting at the altar.

We went straight into shooting their Bride & Groom Private session which allows for more wiggle room and more time since it doesn’t have to be crammed into a cocktail hour along with other family portraits. We were elated that everything worked out the way it did because immediately after their first kiss, special handshake and announcing them as a couple for the first time- you heard a loud clap of thunder. And for the next 45 minutes it was a torrentuous downpour! They say rain is good luck on your wedding, they did get plenty though they surely don’t need any luck. 

Both were content just being in a room as Mr. and Mrs. and just letting the rain fall outside. We were able to get some great family shots on the front porch of this beautiful farmhouse once the rain had lightened a bit. Then it was straight to the party, where they began their first dance to Chris Stapleton’s “More of you”. As they were wrapped up in each other’s arms and singing to one another - you could observe the guests with tears and smiles on their faces and we were delighted to capture and be apart of it all. 

We were able to get some great family shots on the front porch of this beautiful farmhouse once the rain had lightened a bit. Then it was straight to the party, where they began their first dance to Chris Stapleton’s “More of you”. As they were wrapped up in each other’s arms and singing to one another - you could observe the guests with tears and smiles on their faces and we were delighted to capture and be apart of it all.The simple and personal touches were just beautiful and will be remembered by all who attended and was just a photographer’s dream!

Congratulations Danielle & Greg!

We wish you a lifetime of love, laughs, and happiness.

What To Consider When Booking A Mini Session

After finishing a series of successful Spring mini sessions, we wanted to sit down and give a simple list of some of the pros and cons attached with them so that everyone can know what to expect and whether it is a perfect fit for them. Hopefully this list will help you decide if mini sessions are the best option for you.

Pros

- They are short! Generally a mini session will run 30 minutes depending on the type of shoot. Whether it's the fact that you don't want to invest the time in a full session or it's simply just easier on your busy schedule, mini sessions make it a quick and easy option for you when it comes to time.

- Price! Due to the short length, limited amount of photos, and streamlined process we are able to bring down the cost. Add in the fact most mini sessions have intricate themes and props to create amazing and unique images, only adds to the value even more.

- It's a great and affordable way to keep your family photos up to date throughout the year.

- They are a great way to give a photographer you've been considering a "tryout". They give you a hands on approach to a photographers style and just how he/she interacts with and works with your family.

Cons

- They're short! Sometimes something that is a pro can also be a con and this is the case here. Some children can have a hard time warming up to the camera and can take a little longer than others, the shortness of mini sessions can prove to be a challenge in these situations. There is also the fact that due to the short time you just don't quite get the full personalization and creative planning that full length sessions can give you.

- You don't get as many images. Typically our mini sessions range from 20-40 useable images that you get from the session and a full session can easily double those amounts.

- The location is at a set place and time which doesn't give you the opportunity to choose a location that may have a special meaning or a place you just simply love.

- They sell out quickly! Most of the time one day of mini sessions leaves only 8 open spots for that day and they tend to go extremely fast.

- Session sizes can be limited for the amount of people you can have involved. Unfortunately, time is a big restraint and large party sizes can't be accommodated for mini session. 

With that being said we ultimately love shooting and delivering these amazing images to our clients. From the colorful fall sessions to the bright and warm summer ones, we offer options and choices that you can love throughout the year by giving everyone the opportunity to get professional photos at a great price. We love hearing from each of our clients after our shoots on just how much joy these sessions bring to them and their family each time. We hope to see many more new and old faces in the years to come! Keep a watch for more mini sessions coming in the future and make sure to get a spot before they sell out!

The Two Most Popular Photography Business Types

We wanted to discuss some common questions that we receive frequently to help provide a better understanding for everyone who is interested. The first, who owns the photos? To put it simply, as soon as the photographer clicks the button on the camera they own the copyright of the photo. After that, there are a few options that are open to the client.  The photographer can keep the copyright and sell you the prints, they can sell the copyright to you so you can legally own the images yourself, or the photographer can provide a limited release where you are given permission to make as many personal physical copies of the images as you want, but the copyright remains with the photographer. Ultimately it depends on the photographer how he/she wants to go about handling their images on a day to day basis. 

The second, how exactly does this work?  To begin, there is generally two popular ways of selling your photography work now a days. The first and most common is the print model. You would pay a sitting fee to get your pictures taken for a certain time period then the photographer would then take the photos, edit them, and give the clients proofs to choose from. From there the client chooses which images they like and must then purchase them from the photographer in the form of prints or print packages. With this type of business practice, the photographer generally holds all rights to the photos and you must always go to them to purchase your photos. Some will still sell the copyright and a CD of your images, but at a increased price. The second option will be to shoot the images and give the client everything that was shot, unedited, on a CD for a pre-discussed price. More times than not, this method can generate too many choices for the client by having hundreds of photos that can be repetitive and similar to one another without much variety, as well as receiving images that have not been professionally edited. 

JD Photographs uses a hybrid of the two business practices to give our clients the best of both worlds by giving them edited choices at a great prices. When you book with us you will for most sessions, get all the usable images which are professionally edited making sure you get exactly what you want with the high quality workmanship involved. Of course we still send all or our images to our clients digitally which is the fastest method, because who wants to wait for something you're excited for? After that, we provide a limited release to our clients so they can make as many prints of the images they love without putting a lot of restrictions on them. With that being said I always say "The best way someone can compliment your work is to hang it on the wall". Personally I always love when someone makes prints of my work and feel it really gives a finality to the project. Which is why we offer great studio prints at a great price, so that everyone can have that opportunity to hang some amazing prints that will last a lifetime. With this business model, we feel that we can give everything our clients would want. Simplified choices with high quality images, the ability to make their own prints,  prices that are set with no added fees, and professional quality prints as an option if they want it.

Helpful Tips For The Perfect Photoshoot With Your Kid

The picture you see is one I absolutely cherished. I wanted to give a little back story on it! The session lasted all of about 5 minutes and the one picture I got was this one. It was NOT what I had in my mind, i wanted one of us smiling and laughing right in the middle of a field without a care in the world. Yeaaaah, that didn’t happen. But this photo, is the most priceless photo I’ve ever taken. It was honest and what life can be like as a mother and those little arms wrapped around you to help comfort. Something I never want to forget. I kept this all to myself, until now. We have been quite busy these last couple of weeks that have been filled with photographing young children. It is so much fun to photograph and work with these little ones and we have some really beautiful photos to share with their parents and family! Jason and I have had an array of emotions with each shoot; from laughs, smiles, and giggles to tears, screaming, and being shy. Or all of them in one shoot! One theme became apparent and it hit me that I needed to blog about this. Many parents had tons of anxiety about this and even felt that one small meltdown ruined their entire shoot, absolutely not! I wanted to share a few tips to help prepare you and your family and also wanted to be the reassurance you need!

1. Dress for the weather. It seems pretty simple, but extra layers on a warm day or too little clothing mixed with a cool breeze can be the first problem of a shoot that can lead it down a rough path. 

2. Reel in your expectations. We totally understand you booked your session and have a fantastic idea in mind or a pose you so desperately want. We love to do our best to make that happen! But, the more expectation, pressure, and direction we start giving to young ones can easily frustrate them. Especially when in a different environment and having a camera clicking away at you. Give us ideas of things you have seen and would love, we can create situations and place you in positions to be ready to capture those special moments!

3. Don’t freak out if they begin to cry or become fussy. We know you don’t want teary eyed photos, but trust us when we say you definitely don’t want photos of you looking upset or frustrated either. Many times, mom or dad can be consoling their little one and those make some of the best shots. It’s genuine and real, but most importantly it is your life and those little moments are something to certainly treasure years from now. 

4. Plan a day and time that works for your schedule. We try to be as flexible as we can, but if you know nap time is always between 1-3 please don’t schedule an early afternoon session. Even if you feel you can lay them down earlier or later, it almost never works out. Also, keep it relaxed that day. If they had school or events going on, maybe schedule your session for another day when there is less going on. And another big tip, a little snack to avoid that hangriness feeling we all get!

5. Rewards do help. This is totally up to you, but it has worked many times for us. Especially with our own son! We will never say “if you’re good, mommy and daddy will...”. But, if there is a reward you know they will like that could get some cooperation for 10 minutes, we can bounce off of that and it helps! 

6. We will do our best to make your child smile, but we can’t guarantee it. I know as a Mom, I love seeing my son’s smile and I just want that exact smile that I see when I’m driving home and he’s in the backseat without a care in the world just laughing and smiling away mounted right on my wall. As we photograph, we try our best to direct attention to the camera and get those smiling photos for you. We ask for assistance a lot from mom and dad right behind the camera, because who knows what makes your baby laugh more than you do? Even though we have been known to be quite goofy behind the camera ourselves! But unfortunately, sometimes babies and kids know this just isn’t right and they aren’t having it. I was one of those kids! So there is no reason to be flustered because they won’t. Again, it goes hand in hand with reeling in your expectations. This is why we like to do a combination between portraits and lifestyle. With lifestyle, it is much easier to get those genuine reactions and smiles when we are able to stand on the side lines and capture those special moments! Not to mention, they feel the most real and exactly how your life is. 

7. Talk to your kids. Let them know they are getting photos done by us. You can show them our About Me page on our website so they can see our faces, you can show them our logo, or even show them some other photos we took of other kids and their families! Now is also a good time to mention rewards if you choose to do so. We have allowed kids to help us shoot, they love it. Tell them they can help us out for the day. It is amazing to see the little artists at work!

8. Most of all, come to have fun. We have been fortunate enough to photograph many families with children. And like I mentioned earlier, sometimes there is combinations of emotions from hysterical laughs to hysterical crying. Nothing is by the book and cookie cutter, it is simply going with the flow when having young ones. Trust in our ability to make the best out of the situation and create the images you will love and cherish for many years.