I am so excited that you have chosen me to photograph you and your lovey! I am humbled and thrilled to capture these precious memories for you. Please know that my approach is very unscripted, sometimes a bit of high energy, and usually a tad goofy. I am not a huge fan of too posed images. Yes, I will get good, smiling at the camera shots, but I love to also capture emotion, laughter, details, snuggling, and so forth. I will guide your poses.
Let's talk about location- I have several spots that I love to shoot at. First we need to narrow it down by the look you like. When you look through my images, is there something that stands out? Mossy trees with mowed grass? Tall, weedy field? Beach? Manicured landscape? City/urban/downtown? Flower garden? Let me know what you like, or if a particular image in my portfolio stands out to you. Then we will pick our spot that is perfect for you! Here's a link to some of my most frequented spots. Please know that flowers and trees bloom at different times of the year, and tall grass is usually more brown in the cooler months and green in the warmer months: https://www.brendaandersonphotography.com/locations
Time is of the essence: I am so very picky about the time of my sessions. I only shoot outdoor sessions at sunrise, and about 1 hour prior to sunset. This can change a tad, depending on the location we use, but this is the ballpark. Spring and Summer sessions can start as late as 7-7:30 p.m. Fall and Winter sessions can sometimes be as early as 4:00-4:30 p.m.
What to wear: Wardrobe can be so fun, and it can be so stressful. Please ask me any and all questions about wardrobe. Truly, what you wear will make a huge impact on the look of your images. If we are in a field with tall weeds, soft colors are perfect (white, cream, neutrals). Soft colors and pastels are great at the beach. For flower gardens, neutrals, navy, blues, blush are great. Please avoid anything fluorescent or super bright. These colors can cause color casts on the skin and are pretty impossible to edit to bring the skin back to a normal color. Also, please, please, please do not wear all white matching polos, or all black matching polos with jeans. That used to be very popular, but I like to create timeless images, so let's stray from old fads. The main thing, be comfortable. These are all my styling opinions. Of course, you don't have to follow any of them, because these are your images and I want you to love them, so please dress comfortably, but please also keep in mind that wardrobe can greatly affect the look of your images.
Ladies: Start with your outfit. Wear something that you feel like a million bucks in. Then build the wardrobe around that. Imagine the two of you being a complete piece of artwork. Each of you will bring together a feeling of formality and coordination.
Click here to view wardrobe inspiration
I recommend these sites for women's dresses:
Tips and tricks: When walking, walk like you're on a tightrope. When laughing, laugh like a fake, pretty laugh. Keep good posture, bottom out, and try to keep your chin up and out a bit. When standing, keep your weight on one leg to relax the other leg. These tips allow for the most flattering images. Of course, relax between images!
Props: I am not a proppy person. I usually don't even bring a blanket/quilt unless requested by my client. So if you want me to bring something, please let me know. And, if you are bringing anything, please let me know as well.
Please feel free to email me with any questions you have. I look forward to working with you and creating timeless images for you to proudly display.
Warmly,
Brenda