Finding My Style

   I apologize if this isn't the most organized post, as I am just taking down my thoughts, as they come. Finding your style involves a realm of aspects that have to be considered, and as I address each one, they are not approached in any given order. This has been quite a challenge.
   The hardest part about becoming a professional photographer, for me anyway, has been trying to settle on my "style". Style, when describing a photographer, can refer to a vast array of characteristics. The way a photographer shoots, the way they might edit, how they brand themselves and interact with clients.
   For me, finding my style has placed me at the transition intersection of who I am, and who I want to be. I have spent some time researching the things I enjoy about my craft, the kinds of end-products I want to deliver, and the types of clients I want to service.
   One step in developing a brand is to choose a few power words. Words that describe your mission, your objective, your clients, any aspect of the business that's important to you. One of the most important things I want to do with my photography is to teach people to embrace themselves. I want them to know that they are beautiful, and I want that to translate across all hair and eye colors, income levels, body types, all walks of life. You don't have to work in Hollywood to feel like you do. Even if just for a day. I also want clients who want to share that feeling with their friends, to empower people around them to feel good about themselves, too. So, I have talked about what I want to do, and what I want from my clients. The next area is the photographs themselves. I want my images to evoke emotions in viewers. I know that each genre of photography won't have the same reactions from all sorts of people, but I hope to someday be able to draw emotions from, at the very least, the majority of my viewing audience. In regards to my relationship with clients, and in turn, their relationship with my work, my power words would be embrace, empower, and evoke.
   Now, to consider the way I want to shoot. This has been a long process, because before I can decide whether I even want to shoot something or not, I really have to actually shoot it. And then I have to practice the different ways to portray a subject. Then I have to decide what I want my work to say, to look like. 
   For example, I do not like photographing babies. I love babies, don't get me wrong. I just don't have the skill or the studio setup to do a great job. I have seen some photographers who have done some pretty impressive images with babies. I am just not one of them. And, I wouldn't know that if I hadn't tried, failed, and embarrassed myself miserably.
   I love weddings, and I am discovering my role as a wedding photographer. I prefer to shoot lifestyle portraits during a wedding, as opposed to the family portraits where everybody stands around and waits to get posed. I like the real, true to life moments that just kinda happen. I can see more personality shining through from clients when I shoot like this.
   I really enjoy doing contemporary glamour shots, and try to carry a little bit of this style over into corporate headshots, as well as engagement sessions, at least with the ladies.
   Another aspect I have found to be of interest is that I like to shoot outdoors. Now, I haven't had much experience with a studio setting, so it is hard to make a comparison, but I love the laid back feeling of a shoot that involves a bit of walking. I have a chance to get to know my client better, and form a deeper connection. This connection then visually translates through the images we create.
   So, in describing my work, I guess I want it to be contemporary, to show connection, and to feel like lifestyle portraiture, or have a photojournalistic approach. And I know you can feel the hesitation there, but, while I am very sure of the relationship I want to have with my clients, I have not yet settled entirely into a style of shooting. Presumably, this will most likely change a bit at a time over several years, if not throughout my entire career, as I learn and develop new techniques.
  

Tasha

   Last Tuesday, the 26th of March, was the end of a very unproductive weekend-long stretch. After having shoot after shoot get cancelled during my 28 day challenge, I found a girl who was as committed to getting great shots of herself as I was. As part of the 28 day challenge, this post is going to be a bit different than my others. I will be sharing photos of the beautiful Tasha, but I will also be sharing images from behind the scenes, taken by my friend, Jamie Lee. I want to take this opportunity to thank both Tasha and Jamie for their participation, support, and good humor! I had a great time spending the day with both of these amazing women.

   When Tasha first arrived, we sat down for hair and makeup, and partway through her foundation, I remembered to get the before shot. Here it is, along with the afters from last week:

                   After Tasha's makeup was finished, we moved upstairs to style her hair:

 

 

 

After we finished getting Tasha ready, it was time to shoot!

 

 

We had a fabulous time playing with some of the accessories I had on hand, and even used some in Tasha's shoot. This black hat was amazing on her, and she really knew how to work that fringed shawl!

 

Getting some of that diminishing daylight back on Tasha's face.

 

As Tasha was getting ready to leave, she put her first outfit back on, and we were just hanging out on the upstairs balcony. This red scarf caught our eye, and I felt it was too good to pass up. This was one of my favorite series of shots, even if I do need to clean it up a bit. As my mentor says, great expression trumps all, and this is what great expression looks like!

Melissa

  On Saturday, I had the privilege of shooting a wonderful family. This couple

Melissa and Craig

                                          is ushering a new little girl into her life, Kylee was just 2 months old. I love the adorableness of this age.

Next in age, little Alivia. 5 years old, and does that girl ever love pink! It suits her quite well too, don't you think?

            

And next to her, her big brother Zachari, loves to show his edge. Quite a handsome fellow.

 

   I love to see a family that knows how to have fun together, and this bunch definitely has it going on! Some of my favorite shots were the playful moments at the park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Melissa and Craig, for allowing me to spend the day with your family, such a super-fun photo shoot!

Behind the Pens-Professional Portraits of a Writer on WVWC Campus

  This post is extremely overdue, started out to be weeks, now it is months. I am determined to post before it turns a year old. Sharing this experience has been knocked further down the to-do list with every disaster our area has seen recently. Storm damage and financial concerns have taken precedence over doing the things I love for far too long. Time to settle back into routines, and get my nose to the grind.
  A few (now quite a few more) months ago, I had the honor of being commissioned by a writer friend of mine, the amazingly beautiful and ridiculously talented, Marjorie McAtee. She had decided she had reached a point in her career that commanded some new professional portraits. We decided to meet on campus at West Virginia Wesleyan College, right in our hometown, Buckhannon, WV. We nailed it right away.


Marjorie McAtee

                                   
 
  And we even managed to snap off some fun, quirky, and sexy shots as well!

 

                                                     

  She seemed pretty impressed with the post-processing, but she gives me too much credit. As a subject, she made my job very easy and so much fun! Her blog is amazing, and if you want a totally candid, to- the-point perspective on almost anything, check her out. http://www.dontcallmemarge.com/
And you can read more about her experience during our shoot on her post here:  http://www.dontcallmemarge.com/2012/08/photo-shoot-at-wvwc.html
  During the couple afternoons I spent with her, we were able to get some knockout shots, and spend time delving into the depths of memories of High School days gone by. The best part was a healthy corruption of my son's vocabulary (we have taught him worse!), and the gab-sessions on family and careers. It's nice to know that I am not alone in feeling my way through dealing with both. I think I will leave the writing to her, though, as it has taken me forever to figure out how to get a blog going, and adding links and photos...so not the game I started out to play! Slow and steady wins the race though, and here I am, still chugging away at a slow pace.
  If you are looking for ideas on what to do for a professional portrait, I would suggest that women go light and natural on makeup. Don't go overboard on accesories, keep it simple. The same goes for choosing what you will wear. People connect with people, and your future clients want to see you. Loud or flashy clothes can compete with you for their attention. And above all, show some personality. People want to know that you can be relatable. To check out more of Marjorie's photo shoot, or for information on booking one of your own, visit http://wvglitter.wix.com/ldimagery and check out the corporate gallery.

 
  

Hi, my name is...

  I am Leona Davis, and I am a photographer. I am trying to go pro. Today is my first official day as a blogger. I have decided to start a blog as a way to document and reference my beginnings as an artist. I am located in central West Virginia, so I hope to expand my destination shoots to include places like Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. I am trying to get my photography business off the ground, and it has already been such an experience! A long, hard road, for sure.
  I am very technically challenged in my craft, so I have also decided to go to school so I can learn the technical garble much faster. I have been self-teaching for a while, but let's face it...if I want to start making money, and I do, I have to be faster. And smarter. So, I am now college bound. It should prove to be interesting, anyway.
  Along the technical lines, my gear list is growing at about half the rate of my wish list. For every item that I can finally afford, I find two more things I HAVE to have. How does that happen? The biggest, or most important thing anyway, on my wish list right now is off-camera lighting. I would like to get some speed lights. At least two would be perfect. Until that happens, I am using reflectors most of the time.
  On the business end, I have met several goals recently that I am proud of, and such a load off my mind now! First, I have finally decided on a name. Very big deal. This has been holding me back for weeks, and after studying vocabulary, fonts, and sounds, I finally found one that works. I will be announcing this name as soon as it becomes official. Second, I have learned how to build a business model, and not a moment too soon! The hardest thing about this business has been figuring how how to sell it. Now, I know. Third, I have discovered branding. This one will be an ongoing part of my venture for some time, until I figure out who I want to serve, and how. I'm on it, but I have some things I need to put into practice. Fourth, I am looking for a mentor. You can't buy experience, wisdom, and generosity. And finally, again with constantly learning. There are many aspects outside my craft that I didn't realize I needed to hone some skills.
  To wrap things up, thanks for following my progress as I grow, and I will keep posting updates as I change things, add things, and learn new things.