When I bought my first DSLR…

When I bought my first DSLR, I was so intimidated by the technicality of it. "Can't I just play & create without worrying about the technical 'stuff'?"

The short answer is yes. Throw on Auto mode & you're ready to go.

The longer answer is: if you want to set yourself apart & truly want to focus on creation, a deep understanding of the technical aspects is important.

It became crucial early on in my pursuit of photography to really understand each element at play in the process. From pouring over every word of my camera manual to watching hours of YouTube tutorials to investing thousands of dollars in continuing education, I aim to never stop learning.

How exactly does that tie into your session? 👀

Before I gained confidence in my technical know-how, I was terrified of shooting in locations I wasn't able to scout in advance, turning down jobs if I wasn't sure about the lighting conditions.

These days, I have the technical pieces dialed in so well I don't even think about making sure your image is properly exposed - it's muscle memory. Always there, present in every session, but more like background noise

I devote my brain power & energy to the creative possibilities & I focus on you, your energy & making sure we stay in the moment together

If we've ever worked together, you can attest to the moments where I get quiet & start looking around our location, when my brain is in full-on *creator* mode & I'm dreaming up all the possibilities. Those moments wouldn't be possible if I was still consumed with technical details

I never would have been able to capture an image like this in my early days - early afternoon, full sun, dappled lighting underneath trees creating a yellowish/green cast over everything

I went immediately to this spot & envisioned this image in my mind, without a second thought about the technical details. I positioned Avery between me & the sun, popped her into a mostly shaded spot & had her come into a lower stance with her body. I got down on the ground & angled the lens up to get the natural flare & well….I think the magick speaks for itself