Memories must withstand the test of time

These last couple of weeks have been pretty rough.

My husband's grandfather went in to the hospital unexpectedly. It was a big scare, but we were very excited when he got released to go home.

The afternoon following he was sent right back.

After hearing he had suffered from a stroke we were later happy to hear he would be allowed to leave the hospital and go to a home for recovery.

When I was 7 my mom and I went to visit my great grandmother in a home nearly every day for almost a full year until she passed away.

Being younger, my mom had warned me it was a place that would be full of things I wasn't used to, but to not be scared. We quickly got used to all the people there, understood who they were, their own little things that they did, and a lot of stories we gained from going there still stick with us to this day that make us smile.

Being young, you walk in to a place like that and accept those people for who they are at that very moment.

I went back in to a similar care facility just yesterday to visit my husband's grandfather and the experience was so different.

You would think being older you would have a better grasp on reality, and that would help.

Reality is actually what hurt the most.

As my husband and I sat and talked to his grandparents (who by the way, is appearing to be doing slightly better and is really giving the nurses a run for their money- he's quite the rebel there) I also overheard a little lady, sitting just at the end of the table from us, say over and over again to herself, "I want to go home, I want to go home."

This morning I was telling my mom about it, and as I cried telling her, we talked about how the worst part is, is they used to be so full of life. They had dreams, they had fun.

And that's what I missed when I was 7. Those people weren't always those people. This exact moment that they are in is not what they have worked so hard for. That little lady who kept yelling she needed help to an empty room, I can only imagine, never assumed that this moment is what she was getting up and working towards every day.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to be honest. That flat out sucks. It sucks, it's scary, and it's the truth.

So am I writing to go on and on about how cruel life can be? No.

I'm writing to tell you to make your life count. Now. While you are still at your own home, while your loved ones are still there to help you do it, while you are still capable of making memories for yourself that you can cherish.

I just had a conversation with a client the other day, and we spoke about how, yes, she was getting portraits for now, but she was also getting portraits for her kids to keep, for her grandchildren to keep, and to have something to pass down.

All too often people get wrapped up in the NOW. Right now my kids are misbehaving and this session isn't going to be my dream session. I need to get that disc from you now bc I want to get prints from the local store right now to pass out. I don't really care about an album to have to store, right now I don't have room for it.

So you buy that disc, that in 15 years, you won't be able to use on ANY device, just like your cassettes, just like your soon to be DVDs, bc man just will not stop pushing the newest and coolest things at you.

So you buy that 4x6 that gets crushed in the drawer bc that currently is your storage system.

So you skip out on your session bc your kids aren't at "the right age" and miss that time in your life all together.

Think about WHO you are, WHAT you are about. Think about your family, and who they will be and how they will SO want to know about who you were 50 years from now.

I LOVE looking through the huge box of pictures that my grandma has. And you know what's so cool about that box? Those prints never go out of date. They will forever be able to be viewed by people who can't wait to hear the story behind them (people ask why I don't just sell a disc, this is why!) No disc can tell me the names of the faces, the story of that time, only the time you make to get that box out, over a cup of coffee and sweets can answer those questions.

Above is a print of my great aunt holding my grandpa on their family farm. I snatched it one day from my grandmas. She probably doesn't even know I have it, but I think it's the coolest thing and I'm so thankful someone took the time to capture this exact moment, bc if not, it would never now be a part of my life too, nearly 85 years later.

In the end, all we have to really love and hold on to are memories. That's it. We get stripped of our homes, our money, our cars, our clothes, our jobs, and our titles until we are nothing more than who we are.

Make sure you make time to capture your life every so often, to share with your family as you grow, so they know exactly who you are, who you were, and what your story was, bc as we grow old, even our own memories fade, even if we try to fight it, and you too may even need a visual to remind you of what once was. 

5 BIG reasons why you could be missing out

When I take on a client, I don't just look at them as another person I have to photograph. I look at them as a beautifully bound journal, that holds years and years of tales. I look at them as unique and beautiful pieces of art, just waiting to be captured. I see smiles, I see passion, and above all else I see someone who deserves an amazing experience that's all about them.

If you aren't getting that out of your photographer... what else are you missing out on?

Here are my top 5 reasons
to commission a professional photographer
for your portraits

Education:
I don't mean a college degree or a fancy certification. I mean knowledge, experience, and the ability to take what you know and explain that to others clearly.
I am a self taught artist, I have pushed my way through a lot of unknown things over the years. Being at a place where I can HELP my clients is the best part of that whole struggle.
I expect A LOT more out of the companies I deal with now, and I expect A LOT more out of myself. That education leads to better products, better images, and an overall better experience. 
I encourage people to ask questions, there are no secrets here- if you are investing in something, especially memories, you have the right to be properly informed!

Time:
This is HUGE!
On average, I spend about 10 hours on each client, from the beginning of our process to the end. This includes several emails answering questions they may have /  a pre-session consult to form their ideas and build their session / more emails to answer questions and give help and suggestions on wardrobe, location, goodies to bring / shooting / editing and more editing / album viewing and interior design help for orders / designing specialty items / prepping orders for print /  and order display for pick up.
If you are dealing with someone who simply states, "Yeah, I can take your pictures, meet me at this park." and 2 days later presents you with a disc or you spend 15 mins in the studio with a crying baby and then they ask you to come around the corner to purchase your selection... you are truly missing out on a lot of help, details, and opportunities.

Quality:
To add on to being educated- be informed and know what to look for. That adorable smile is great, but is it actually in focus? That iamge is breathtaking but will the photographer size it properly so when you get a 20x30 it's not going to be grainy? That disc is awesome, but are your prints from the grocery store really doing them justice and hold up over time? Will that image eventually warp and bend?
Demand quality, at a minimum, no matter what price, or what level of professionalism you deal with. If they are bold enough to call themselves a business, you can be bold enough to ask them if their images and products are of quality.

Attention to Detail:
This I feel is highly over looked, but when it comes down to it, is just as important as those BIG things you think people might notice. I remember when I first started shooting and my boyfriend (now husband) pointed out that my horizon line was slightly off. I thought- jeez, way to be picky! No- now I understand, being picky helps you grow, trains your eye, and brings every image to a whole new level. Random objects in the background and tilted horizons soon turned in to relaxed looking hands, natural smiles, comfy looking poses. Perfection was never met by over looking those small details, at the same time, it was also never met by dwelling on them. Know when to fix things and also know when to let those things go in order to get the shot!

On A Personal Level:
I love this one. I am a people person. A lot of the clients I have, I am so sad to see them pick up their last print order. Luckily, a lot of them come back again, so I get to see them every few months or every year. We have so much fun together, and we get to know so much about each other, that by the time our session roles around, it's easy, calm, fun, and comfortable. I have also been known to tell people to please come relaxed bc I more than likely will do a lot of ridiculous things to make their child smile... or if a hubby is mildly grumpy we have a lot of good laughs and it goes over well. You're not coming to a stuffy studio where I don't care about you and we just need to click, click, click until the number of shots are complete. I want to know you, I want to have fun, and I want you to feel at home.

What's your story- What's your secret?

More than a month ago I made a very blunt facebook post stating I was no longer interested in "just taking pictures" and I was ready to really push AJBC in to a new direction.

Since then I have photographed a stunningly beautiful child during a stylized shoot, a strong, gorgeous woman during a boudoir shoot in her downtown loft, and also a loving family during a lifestyle shoot in their naturally lit home. Next up is a fashion inspired Senior Session.

Yeah, those are a lot of big words and fancy phrases but what I really mean to say is every Portfolio Session I have booked since making that promise to myself has been SUCH an inspiring experience and it has been by far my best work yet.

Why?

Because it made me feel alive again

.

It got me excited again. And that's when I produce my best work.

So... was that my goal, just to give you better portraits?

No.

And why I am keeping so many secrets? Why won't I just release these pictures and start this new chapter already!?

Well, because. There is A LOT going on behind closed doors and once I get it ALL (and there's a TON of new things I'm exploring) to where I want it to be, where it feels right, I'm crossing that line and never looking back. I want there to be a distinct line that says this is where I came from and this is what I am now.

I basically want to come out of the gate swinging for the fences. 

I want to take no prisoners. 

I want to give you the best damn portrait session you have ever had.

So... what's going to happen?

Most importantly, more time. I love hearing your story, I love learning about you. I want to allow us both more time to dive in to that.

I want the session to not be so timed. I want to shoot until I feel fit. I want to be able to take all the shots that inspire me and not have to look at the clock.

When I edit I want to know every shot was NAILED and not just taken so my client could feel fulfilled by the click of the random shutter. Quality over quantity.

I want you to walk in to your viewing and have a life changing experience. I want it to hit so close to home that you can't believe we created that together. 

I want you to appreciate your life.

I want you to look at those images and realize how lucky you are because we captured YOU, not a fake perception, not a boring version, but YOU!

I want to help you design and decorate. I want to see you take those images and embrace them by showcasing them in your home so when people come over they see who you are and not the cheap sunset painting you bought at Hobby Lobby.

If I wanted this to still be about pictures, I would not be making this change, because I know how to take pictures. I want this to be about the experience.

So... what are my secrets? Besides the amazing images I'm waiting to release, my new pricing structure that I'm thrilled about, my new packages that have new items, my new system to prints and discs, and my desire to tell your story?

I guess I should say what WAS my secret....?

Fear.

I was afraid before. I was afraid that if I made this jump people would leave. That they just wanted a quick fix of pictures. I feared offering a better service because I thought people would say it was not needed and they just needed something easy, and in return, if I fought that they would just go out find that easy quick person somewhere else.

That fear is gone. 

The reason why?

Because- I don't fear those people leaving any more. 

I do not want to be your quick fix. 

Because by me fearing those "quick fix", that was jipping the people out there who are dying to have a personal, beautiful, and unique experience. And that is so so so unfair.

Again- there are lots of people out there taking pictures. But don't you want more than that?

I'm so excited to now be allowed to do that for you.

Let's Tell Your Story.

Together.

365

365.

To some of you those are pointless numbers.

To some, it's a full calendar year.

And to me, for the second time, it's a year long project to push, test, and challenge me.

For those of you who didn't follow me the first time I did this insane project- a 365 is a photographer's fun way of saying- I'm nuts!

A 365 is where I vow to take an image, 1 photo each day, non stop, no cheating, for 1 full year, for 365 days.

I did my first self portrait 365 back in 2010 with my DSLR. It helped me gain a TON of knowledge about portrait work and off camera flash.

I'm revisiting the 365 this year with.... it's true... my iphone.

WAIT! Before you judge me, hear me out!

What does an iphone offer that a DSLR doesn't!?

Ok, so quality is NOT on that list, nor is options- but that's the point for me!

I no longer can rely on crisp details to captivate my audience, I can't edit out mistakes, I can't enhance anything blah. All I can do is take a picture.

Wow. Talk about going back to the basics. My phone (3GS) doesn't even have a flash. All I have is a crappy camera, natural light, and my arm. No timer. No tripod. No tricks. Just me and the camera.

So why a phone and not a camera?

2 reasons. I needed to go back to the basics. I needed to push my creativity and realize what can be done when you don't over think things. Sometimes reverting back to where you started can help you grow and see things. Reason number 2- I am busy. Ridiculously busy. I knew if I had to set aside time each day to set up, pose, photograph, edit, post, I would fail, and.... I've been there, done that. I needed something quick and to the point.

I also wanted to prove- with the right light, the right creativity, you can accomplish great things, even with a phone. Is this a push for people to substitute professional portraits for iphone images? NEVER. I'll be the first to tell you I am SO over the 1 click retro edits that push people to think they are the next big artistic statement, but there's no denying- this is a digital age. People LOVE their camera phones. Why not embrace that. Why not have some fun!

So, here we go. 364 days left to go. Are you with me?

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ajbcphotography

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