Hey all!  

I haven't done a blog post like this before, but here I am going to talk directly to you, my audience, and give you the low down on my philosophy on photography.  

As many of you know, I started taking pictures at a very young age and it has carried through my whole life.  I don't think I'm particularly unique, especially now that cell phones have great cameras, but when I grew up, we had actual film and we couldn't see what the picture looked like, until we got the film developed.  Man, have things changed.  I give a lot of the credit for my interest in photography to my grandmother, who had a great eye, and my father, who considered going "pro" before he and my mom got married.  I got into it more formally out of necessity for a job that I had as the Sales and Marketing Manager at Watsonville Coast Produce.  Then I had a baby and it seemed like I never put my camera down (poor Lucy).  

My photography philosophy is as follows:

• Currently shoot on a Canon 5DMarkiii

• I shoot in manual mode with RAW files

• I prefer natural light, to artificial, though I always have a light handy if needed

• Super "posey" pics aren't my favorite (even though Buster Posey is my favorite baseball player)

• I use Adobe Lightroom to edit all photos, but I don't like to photoshop the heck out of pictures. I take a BUNCH of pictures, if there's an unflattering one, I won't use it.  If you're looking for photos that don't look like you, I'm not your gal.  I think you are beautiful, just the way you are.

Let's touch on the Canon vs Nikon debate.  I don't really have a say on that.  I simply use a Canon because that's what I learned on.  Cameras, at the level that I'm using them, have comparable models in both brands.  My next camera purchase will probably be a mirrorless Sony 7aiii.  It has a smaller body than the camera I'm using, they have good lenses available for them now, and they're great for video, which I have some interest in.

RAW files vs JPEG.  RAW has WAY more data...period.  When you shoot in JPEG it's formatting the file for you in the camera, therefore, discarding some of the information in the initial photo and it can't be recovered. I edit all photos in Adobe Lightroom and I like having all the information available.

Natural light.  This is not rocket science. It is how we see the world on a regular basis.  We know how it will look, where it will be shine, and how to manipulate it (like with a tree to create shade or a reflector to bounce light), while still creating something beautiful.  Artificial light can create funky shadows, weird colored light (too blue, too yellow, etc), and yet it's completely necessary.   We may not have the time in our schedule to get the time of day we need for a particular shoot.  In another scenario, we may have that "golden hour" light, but we need it for an hour and a half and we only get it in nature for 30-45 minutes.  Or maybe it's winter and it's raining, but we need to take some pictures.  You get my drift.  Natural light better.  Artificial may be required.

In regards to posing...you all know those studio shots that I'm talking about and look super uncomfortable.  The arm is stiff and you'd never normally put it there, your sitting on your leg funny, or something like that.  In my shoots, I give direction, but I like to see how you all interact with each other.  Some of the best photos in my shoots are the ones where you are all being you! You know the camera is there, so you're still smiling, but you're tossing your son in the air, or laughing at an awkward smile moment...to me...that's where the magic happens.

Lastly, editing.  You've all seen it: the too narrow torso, the legs that aren't really that long, etc.  I don't do that kind of editing.  If you want to look thinner, go to the gym or put the brownie down.  Everyone knows what you look like and it's about showing that in it's best light.  I do fix the zit that decided to show up the morning of the shoot or add a glow or color manipulation to create a style you're looking for.  

That's a lot of reading, but that's my photography philosophy and if you think what you've read here is what you're looking for, reach out!  I'd love to work with you!