photo credit: Hello Foto Studio (Jen Acosta) Hello everyone!! We're so excited to share another episode of PhotoSpark with you guys. Melissa McClure joins us as a special guest this week while we chat about what it's like to step over to the other side of the lens! It's super important as photographers that we get OUR photos taken every now and then (we suggest at least once a year!) for SO many reasons. The ladies of PhotoSpark have recently stepped in front of the camera for two half-day branding photoshoots, and we realized we learned quite a bit by doing so! Melissa is the perfect guest for this episode too because she's no stranger to getting her photo taken... and she's getting married next year so she brings another level of knowledge to this episode! Here are some of the best things we've learned from being on the other side of the lens! Key Takeaways:

1. The importance of great outfits (and how to pick them!): One of the most common questions we get asked by clients is "what should I wear and how should my family coordinate?" We all typically try to steer them away from the dreaded "matchy-matchy" look of white t-shirts & jeans so that's the first step, but then what do we do after that? We found for our shoots, picking two-three colors and mixing them into different outfits was an easy way to coordinate without looking too stiff or outdated. For Melissa, when she planned her engagement shoot outfits, she started with her own outfit & picked something she really loved for herself & then built her fiancé's outfit around that! It's much easier to give your clients tips on how to coordinate their clothes once you've been on the other side of the lens and can relate to their struggles!
2. A sneak peek into the stress of a shoot: Photoshoots are stressful! They're a lot of money, which means a lot of pressure is put on whoever is booking the shoot to do everything THEY can to get a good result. Picking and coordinating outfits is a tough (and expensive!) job also, and scheduling hair/makeup appointments isn't always an easy task either. Add to that the stress of getting kids ready on time, leaving the house on time, possible traffic en route to the shoot, potential parking nightmares... it's a never-ending list of stressful situations! It's no surprise that a lot of couples get into arguments on the way to their shoot. As photographers, we know if this happens to US, it definitely happens to our clients too! It's awkward when a family or couple shows up to their shoot and they've been bickering, but at least being able to understand the stress of prepping for a shoot will allow us as photographers to try to "disarm" them so to speak, understand it's nothing personal, and do our best to help them relax and have a great time!
3. How to tailor shoots to your couple or family: When Melissa was thinking about what type of theme or location she wanted for her engagement session, she decided to base it on two of her fiancé's favorite things: beer & astronomy. They started their shoot in a brewery & ended with a nighttime shoot under the milky way. The results are absolutely breathtaking AND she achieved the sometimes impossible task of making her fiancé happy with & excited for the shoot! Men aren't always the MOST willing subjects when it comes to couple's or family photos, so picking something that you all vibe with for your shoot is a great first step in the right direction. If a client has questions about what location they should pick, do your best to find out as much as possible about them & their family to help them make the decision that's best for them. The happier the guy is, the happier everyone will be (there's nothing worse than dealing with a grumpy dude during photos!), so taking his interests, style, and hobbies into consideration is a great way to make your shoot more successful!

photo credit: Tim King We have TONS more tips and lessons about what we learned from being on the other side of the lens packed into this special episode, so be sure to tune in to hear more! Relavent Links:

• Melissa McClure Photography
• Ashley DuChene Photography
• Julie Ferneau Photography

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