Natalie’s Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to my Photographer’s FAQ Section.
Hi, Friend! If you’ve stumbled across this page then you (like me) are a bit photography obsessed! And that’s a really incredible thing! When I first entered the photography industry, I remember how it felt to have all of these questions and nowhere to turn. I promised myself very early on that as my business continued to grow – I would make an effort to help other new photographers to discover their gifts and pursue their passions just as I had chased after mine.
I hope this page offers a little insight into who I am, what I believe in, and points you in the right direction as you continue on your photographic journey. I’d love to help you in any way that I can, so please don’t hesitate to reach out personally and send me an email!
What’s in my bag?
Lets Start with the Basics –
How did you get started?
I was seventeen when I first held a DSLR in my hands. A simple little camera, with a kit lens attached, that opened my eyes to the beauty of photography. It was my senior year of high school, almost six years ago, when I realized that I wanted needed to be a photographer. From that very moment, I felt this excitement and hunger to learn everything that I could about the camera. Not just how to properly expose images – but how light traveled through three-dimensional space, how we see the outside world, how the visual system works, and how images have the power to change lives.
The following summer before college, I began to second shoot for local photographers in the Chesapeake Area and applied my love of photography to the world of weddings. I then transferred from my state school in Towson to the University of Pennsylvania where I studied Visual Neuroscience and the Psychology of Seeing while finishing my Bachelors Degree. I like to say that I’m half self-taught and half formally educated – with a background in optics, psychology, philosophy, art history, and neuroscience.
What books do you recommend for photographers getting started?
My first photography textbook was “Photography†by London, Stone, and Upton – which gives a very solid overview of understanding exposure and the basic history of creating photographic images.
I absolutely love “On Photography†by Susan Sontag. My photography professor and undergraduate advisor pointed me towards this book and I just fell into it with open arms. Sontag opens by saying, “To collect photographs is to collect the world†– And many of her points have forced me to think more deeply about the institution of image making.
Three Tips for New Photographers
What are the three most important things for a young photographer (or anyone really!) to have in place to present themselves as a legitimate business?
1) A Strong Photographic Portfolio + Style: I believe that the craft always comes first. And if you are young and trying to start your own business, you already have to prove yourself in an industry where many photographers have decades of more experience than you do. So you start with the basics – learning everything you can and developing a strong portfolio that truly sets you apart. I remember meeting with couples that had no idea from my website that I was still a teenager… Judging by the quality of my work, they assumed that I was at least in my mid-twenties and I believe that it was my photographic quality that allowed me to succeed at a very young age.
2) Utilize Social Media Professionally: How much you share and what you say online plays a significant role in a client’s first impression of whether you are trustworthy and professional – never forget that. When most of my friends were posting images of themselves partying in college or speaking openly about divisive topics like politics, I was very careful about maintaining a professional identity online. We work in an industry where your personal page is just as important as your professional one. Be authentic, be professional, and remember that the Internet lives forever!
3) Network, Network, Network: Be positive and supportive of your fellow industry professionals. If you turn competitors into colleagues and work to build genuine friendships – it will do more for your business than divisiveness ever will! The most successful businesses make ties with the communities that they serve! Who you surround yourself with and what you do to support others will say more about you than any tweet or Facebook post ever will!
My Best Advice to New Photographers
Treat others as you want to be treated. It’s the ‘Golden Rule’ after all. Apply this to business, to client relationships, to life, and to the art of making images. Be hungry for knowledge and accept that in the world of photography, you will never stop learning. Hold on to your love of the craft and work like crazy to learn everything that you can… not only on the first day as a professional photographer, but all the way through to your last.
Wedding Styling Kit Ingredients:
1) A Neutral Fabric: This is the first and increasingly necessary of all the items in my kit! How many hotel rooms have you visited that are filled with limited surfaces to photograph the details? (Chairs that clash with the bride’s color palette or side tables that are simply too small for a full display of the invitation suite!? Been there, dealt with that!) Now I carry a yard of neutral fabric just incase we run into a situation like this and my current favorite is this: Heavy Duty Canvas.
If you’d prefer not to carry fabric with you, in the past I’ve also styled invitations and other details on the fabric of a bridesmaids dress! Just be aware that some dresses may leave a slight color cast on your detail photographs, which is why I generally prefer a neutral linen or fabric.
2) Command Hooks: These have been a life saver at a few of my weddings in the past when we have struggled to find a good place to hang the dress! Simply attach, hang the dress, and shoot. Once you’re done, they remove without leaving any damage to the wall so they are perfect for use in hotel rooms and on exterior surfaces! I love these Brushed Nickel Hooks, here!
3) Wooden Hanger: I ordered a pack of these earlier this year to have “just incase” I arrived to find the gown on a plastic hanger! A gorgeous gown deserves to be displayed beautifully for that heirloom photograph and having a wooden hanger on hand is a great way to ensure you won’t have to worry! Be sure to purchase hangers with small divets and without a wooden bar across the center. Two great options I love: Solid Beech Wooden Coat Hangers (Set of 10) or for a darker finish, the Mahogany Wood Curved Hanger (Set of 5) is a good alternative!
4) Reflector: Because I often use natural light to photograph the bride’s details, I bring a reflector with me for the first portion of the day. Currently, I’m loving this mini reflector for my ring shots that folds down into a tiny disc and whenever I’m in need of something with a wider diameter, I’ll use a white pillow right off the bed to redirect the light onto the bouquet or invitation suite!
5) The Extras: All those little pieces that you don’t need but accumulate just incase the perfect opportunity presents itself! I especially love:  Assorted & Spooled Ribbons to give a beautiful vintage look like this 2″ Raw Muslin Spool or this Natural Edge Cotton Ribbon. I also love collecting a few Vintage Stamps from the Postal Service.
Packaging & Products for Creatives
There are a lot of fantastic options for packaging out there! And depending on your business budget, the amount you’re able to spend may require you to be more DIY in certain categories or splurge a little in others! The most important thing to keep in mind is that your packaging is a tangible representation of your brand and it is often the final impression you leave with your clients.
The Pretty Pieces
Business Cards + Notecards: Â Moo Luxe
USB Drives: Memory Direct (above) or FlashBay
Cardboard USB and DVD Sleeves: Â Kraft and Jute
Cotton Muslin Bags: 5×7″ from Amazon
Glitter Gold Twine:Â Amazon (with a variety!)
Striped Washi Tape:Â Wrapables
Lace Ribbon:Â Party Spin
Envelopes + Other Paper Essentials:Â Paper Presentation
Packaging & Shipping
Shipping Boxes: White Mailers from ULINE
Wood Excelsior: Undyed from ULINE
Shipping Label: Vistaprint Large Labels (4″ x 3″)
Handle with Care Stickers:Â Moo Round Stickers
In addition to the resources above, I’ve really enjoyed working with Design Aglow Templates (like the one I used above for my Welcome Magazine that brides receive when they book!) It’s a fantastic way to showcase my images and share a little preview of the client experience with my couples!
My Favorite Welcome Magazine Templates >>Â
I seriously love starting off the Client Experience with a gorgeous Welcome box and customized Magazine. It really helps my brides and grooms to feel appreciated! Feel free to check out the full Packaging + Products for Photographers post on my blog! I hope it helps you as you craft your own brand experience!
Blogging Calendar + Social Media Scheduling
I’m a huge proponent of EFFICIENCY within your workflow and if you aren’t already pre-scheduling your blog posts and social media messages – Today’s Tech-Talk Tuesday post is for you! Why do I schedule everything in advance? I’m very rarely in the office, my schedule varies from day to day (week to week), I travel constantly, and I simply cannot be tied to a computer while my blog posts are going live, Monday through Friday!
While I was on my honeymoon in Italy, for example, my blog was still actively posting and social media messages were being released to Facebook and Twitter without me ever opening a computer. (And can you believe that I physically left my laptop at home for the entire two week trip? I did… and it was the best decision ever!) I can’t allow my business to stop functioning simply because I’m out of the office, especially during Engagement Season, and therefore I setup scheduling into my workflow as a means of staying connected to my audience regardless of where I am in the world!
CoSchedule is a user friendly, drag-and-drop editorial calendar for WordPress Blogs! The application allows me to schedule blog posts and automatically send messages to my social networks (such as Facebook & Twitter) seamlessly in the blogging process. It’s built right into your Blog Posts and you can access a full calendar for additional scheduling from your WordPress Dashboard or the Co-Schedule website!
The Latest Tech-Talk Tuesday Posts
Recently I’ve started blogging about my Tips + Tricks for Photographers in a little series called Tech Talk Tuesday – It’s my personal way of sharing my business tips with all of you and I hope you find it helpful! If you have a topic you would like to see covered, just send me an email! I’m happy to consider it for an upcoming post! I also recommend signing up for The Newsletter to receive monthly updates + more, straight to your inbox!
*I’m proud to be partnered with the following companies as an affiliate:
Amazon | Design Aglow |  Backblaze  | Co-Schedule
