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Why I’m Letting Go of My Photo Studio (For Now)

I recently heard someone ask on a podcast, “If you could wake up every day & photograph the same thing over & over what would it be?”

And I realized… It wasn’t the photo work I was doing in my studio.

This was a hard decision for me.

I loved shooting in this space. I loved the photos I made there, of the people and clients that I cherish.

The light is gorgeous. It is predictable & consistent. Easy. I loved hosting my wedding clients there for consultations. Being able to walk there from our apartment was fantastic. I was so proud to have my own space. Family and friends were proud of me. It made me feel legit and like I’d “made it”.

But I wasn’t creating my most passionate work there.

I am so inspired by the love in people’s homes and by being outside. It gets my creative juices flowing. It’s always new and different (even when it’s a location I’ve shot at 100 times). Having different spaces to move around and get different angles. (My studio was TINY!) I love exploring different parts of the city. Finding a new park. Enjoying a unique corner of the Pacific Northwest.

I love the challenge of conquering different lighting situations. Whether that was the time day or the weather outside, or access to natural light in peoples’ homes. It makes me pay even more attention to composition & how light is effecting the image. Elements like trees & windows become my puzzle pieces that I get to decide how they fit together.

When I think about my forever clients, my goal is to capture their milestones. Photographing them where they are at this point in their life. If that means you’re bringing your baby home to a little studio apartment in the city, decorated solely with IKEA furniture (guilty!) I want that to be part of your story. I want to photograph your life in an authentic way & a studio doesn’t add to that narrative.

People are so comfortable in their homes and that helps me do my best work. New moms, especially, are at ease because they don’t have to worry about getting themselves put together to leave the house for their newborn session. I come to them! I also love that their pets are more likely to be included! It’s no secret that I LOVE dogs!

My heart is most full when I get to spend an afternoon outside hanging out with my wonderful couples and families, taking joyful photos. Kids can run and play and those are some of my (and my clients!) most favorite images. Truly capturing their spirit and personality.

We feel the sun on our faces, and we watch it dip behind the horizon. I even get giddy about the rain hitting the plastic sleeve covering my camera if it happens to be a particularly classic PNW day. Who doesn’t love stomping in puddles?! I get to photograph these moments for my clients and get to enjoy the outdoors? Win, win. It’s not every job that let’s you go to the beach, or the mountains every other day and for that I am truly thankful. I embrace REI’s campaign #optoutside to it’s fullest extent!

Who knows what the future will hold!

It was always a dream of mine to have my own studio & I am so glad I took the leap. I am so thankful for getting to share this space for the last year with Chandin & Amy. Even though it’s not the right fit for me right now, that doesn’t mean it won’t be again in the future.

One day I may have my own studio space again, but for now I am blessed with a community of photographer friends that share their spaces. Studios are the perfect solution for me for mini session marathons (hint, hint: look out for mommy & me minis in May again this year!) and even other plans I’m currently dreaming up. But for now, it was time to say good bye to this space.

Another chapter in honing in on my brand & identity as a photographer means letting go of a wonderful thing; but I believe that will open more doors for other opportunities that I may otherwise not have know existed. So here’s to the future, whatever it may hold, and the adventures ahead! (But for now enjoy some photos of my amazing clients that I got to capture while I had this space!)

Mommy & Me Minis & Holiday Minis

 

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I believe in all things bright, happy & colorful! Specializing in capturing the JOY of life's greatest adventures!

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