High School Senior Photos

Its that time for Graduating High School Seniors in Parkersburg, WV will be thinking about senior photos. When choosing a photographer its important to find someone who will work with your children.  Its very important to find someone who will listen to the needs of the senior. By listening to what the teens want it will bring more business.  I always have the seniors fill out a questionnaire. This will help gather information on the interests of the student.  From that point I customize a location and props to the questionnaire.

Its not only gathering the information.  Putting a plan together that will not only make the client happy but deliver an amazing photo shoot is important.  I like to offer both indoor and outdoor photo options. It is a great way to get seniors interested in the process and excited about their photos. Having a good selection of props and backdrops will also ensure a successful shoot.  Seniors like to have lots of options.

A helpful tip to get children to take good photos.

Today I found myself wondering how I would be able to get a 2 year old client to take good photos. The best photos are not always the posed ones. The natural photos when kids are playing or naturally moving around can be the best.  I deal with a large number of newborns and children, so I am always trying to see what will work to get a good photo.  Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world.  Children can be difficult to photograph, especially at the age of 2.  They want to move around constantly. Getting a child to sit or stand for more than a second can be extremely difficult.  The little girl I had today was just precious. She mainly wanted to sit on my lap and give me hugs lol. Which is cute but doesn't get the parents who are paying there prized photos they are wanting.  The challenge was to get her to the photo area.  Once she was there I needed her to stay there for at least a minute or two to snap a few photos.

I had a small gumball machine that she found.  One tip for working with children put everything up and out of reach and eye sight. If they can see it they will get it.  Remember to get on their eye level.   I figured we should just use the gumballs to entice her to take some photos since she was showing some interest in them.  After getting the parents okay for the gumballs, I placed a few pieces in my hand.   I told her that if she did a few photos she could have one piece of gum.  She was super excited. She ran over sat in the chair.  After quickly grabbing my camera I was able to grab a few really great shots. I made her do one more time then gave her the reward. This went off and on for about the full hour.  You never know what will work for a child. Today the gumballs were the key to a successful children's photo shoot.  My best advice is to see what the kids are focused on and used that to get the best photos possible.  Have a stash of candy or gum close.

Valentines Day Childrens Photos

One of my favorite parts of being a photographer is doing themed photos.  I just love to do photos with a special theme.  The large number of holidays throughout the year helps to keep a steady amount of work for the studio.  For Valentines Day photos this year I thought I would try to do something that would work good for girls or boys .  My backdrop is a mix of pink, red, and white hearts.  I also tried to get a large number of props for these. I have a small mailbox with valentines day cards.  I also have some sparkly hearts that I sprinkled around on the floor. I use the hearts in a few photos then take them out for the remaining few photos.  What I have learned is the props with glitter can be very aggrevating. The glitter get all over the kids and is very hard to sweep up in between other sessions.  For future sessions I will not be buying any props with glitter. 

For seating I purchased a cheap chair at an antique store.  I painted it pink and then placed a piece of pink fur over the seat.  I also purchased a red rocking chair for the boys. I had another white stool that I used in the older kids.  

By having a large number of props the sessions went quick. We could rotate out photography props throughout the 30 minute session.  Having a good number of props helped to keep the kids attentions for some wonderful pictures.  It also gave the parents a number of different poses to choose from.

How to make your clients feel comfortable when shooting boudoir photos.

With Valentines Day just around the corner. I have been booking an increased number of boudoir photo sessions.  I just had a client drive an hour and a half to my studio in Vienna, WV. Women are very eager to do a private photo shoot for their husbands or significant others for the holiday.  Many women are afraid to take the initial steps to book the the appointment.  I assure all my clients that photos will be kept personal and private.  I also go over all of items that they should bring.

It is very important to do a few things to make your client feel completely comfortable before, during, and after their session.  I like to start by forming a good relationship with my client before the shoot. A phone conversation and several messages back and forth about the shoot will help easy any anxiety for you and the client. I like to go ahead and set and expectation with the client how the shoot will go.  I also give them a timeline of the process and what to expect at their photo session.  During the photo shoot I kept telling my client how wonderful they are doing repeatedly throughout the session.  This helps to build up confidence and make them feel more at ease.  I also keep music playing during the full session.

When we were done I was pleased that the client was so excited to see her pics.  She commented that she had a great time and was even talking about booking future sessions.  By putting in a little bit of time with her I was able to make her feel comfortable.  It's very important to have fun when doing these sessions. It just helps to lighten the mood and calm every ones nerves.  After our successful shoot I gained a new client and definitely some future business.


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Preparing your child at 5 month for a photos shoot.

Today I had a great 5 month old photo shoot. I attribute a portion of the success to the mother.  If the mother and child are ready and prepared for the shoot it will go smoothly. 

To prepare, the mother arrived with three outfits and a few other accessories.  I always say bring more than you need. Its better to have a variety of options.  The child was very alert and happy for the entire shoot. A photographers dream really.  The mother booked the appointment at a time she new would be good for her daughter.  It was a time of day that she was normally awake. The daughter had a nap before her photo shoot. The mother also brought her mom with her to help with the baby.  Its always a nice idea to bring someone to help if possible.  Bringing extra formula and snacks depending on the child's age is also a good idea. .  Halfway through the shoot we took a small break to feed the baby.  After a few minutes of rest and some food the baby was ready to go again.

Today was a great day.  Having a child that is ready to go for a photos shoot will make the shoot more enjoyable for everyone involved.  The resulting photo was just fabulous. Childrens and newborn photos would have to be some of my favorite.

A little bit about myself and my company.

Welcome to my blog. Here is a little background information on myself and my company.  I am a photographer in the Vienna and Parkersburg, WV area.  I have had a love for photography for several years.  I recently decided to take my passion to the next level and turn it into my business. Luckily, I have a husband who shares in my same love and passion for photos. We starting taking courses to better our skills and further our understanding of professional photography.  The more I learned the more my love for photography grew deeper.

 Eventually, I decided it was time to quit my job and start my own company. This was probably one of the best things I have ever done.  To be able to make money doing that I truly love is very rewarding.  It has not been an easy road.  I have spent lots of long days shooting photos, editing, and learning. There have been many nights I stay up late burning the midnight oil editing photos. Many weekends are spent in the studio working.

I specialize in maternity, newborn, children's, and senior photography.  My work has been featured in a number of children's magazine such as Child Model, Gladys, La Reve, and Model Magazine. I have also photographed a number of pageant children.  Recently, we were just awarded the Chamber of Commerce New Business of Year award.

Check out my work and give us a facebook like at  www.facebook.com/amandabuckleyimaging  and www.amandabuckleyimaging.com