Photo 365 Project

Erin glides into the room as if on air.  She’s stunning and kind, laughs easily and is up for anything.  Was thrilled to work with her to update some headshots and, as you can see, she really has a range of beautiful looking emotions! We really tried to go for some variety, and Erin brought the skills!

A huge thank you to talented makeup artist Jack Zbuska who took time off in between film work to help us achieve some looks! Some of my favorites during our time together…

These two get more adorable BY THE DAY.  You may remember the dynamos from when I photographed them at their newborn shoot or their 6 month mark.  Now, at one year….it’s hard to believe how time flies…or how beautiful they are.  I love their different expressions.  I could watch them interact for hours.  Alas, work had to be done and photographs had to be taken! Here are some of my favorites during our time together…

Anthony busts out with the cutest laugh regularly, and Grace has the most inquisitive facial expressions.  OMG too precious!

We organized a cake smash and I was eager to see what the kids would do…every child is different and it’s all equally hilarious to see how they approach the cake…

So much love and appreciation to their parents, whom I adore with all of my heart and make me forget I’m working! They fill the room with laughter and love and I am so grateful for their friendship.

Nicest guy ever.  Easiest headshot job ever! Have a great weekend everyone!

They say the eyes are the window to the soul.  Perhaps this is why – as photographers – we are obsessed with the eyes.  We light the eyes, make sure they are well composed within the photograph, I’ve even told people to have ’smiling eyes’…but I’ve been captivated lately by the idea of concealing the eyes from the observer…using light to partially hide that gateway to the soul and make the viewer wonder.

I love when parents bring it. Whether it’s ideas, props, colors, and accessories…it’s all appreciated and I love a good collaboration! Little Seleena’s mom buh-ROUGHT it, people! Some favorites from our time together…

She was cracking up at her mom here (below left) and it was possibly the cutest thing I’ve ever seen…

She walks in the room and the place becomes visibly brighter.  I am humbled I got to work with Danielle and excited to display how awesome this talent is.  This superstar singer and performer is a joy to photograph.  Her poses and expressions are killer and she was up for anything! A huge thanks to Linda who handled makeup and did a phenomenal job! Some favorites during our time together:

I wanted to use harsh lighting on Danielle.  It’s not often you can spotlight people and they look amazing, but Danielle pulled it off flawlessly!

I wanted to push the lighting in unique and interesting ways by shadowing the eyes and boosting the emotion and drama.

All makeup: www.makeupbylinda.com

Mistakes, moments of genius, and sleepless nights are typical for any small business owner.  I’m always analyzing (probably way too much) with charts, index cards and post it notes.

I believe to fully embrace faults, talents, ideas…you have to own it.  In public.  So I present my Year In Review: Rights, Wrongs and Changes.

The Rights:

1.) I’m pretty proud of my turnaround time (all shoots edited/sent within 2 weeks).  This is faster than most photographers.

2.) Buying all of my supplies in bulk.

3.) The realization that I need to outsource tasks I don’t enjoy/understand/have time for.  I finally am spending money on a web designer and other help with the business.

I could bore you with more (combining sales tax with all my shoots to simplify pricing, finally getting packaging I wanted) but hey – we all know owning up to my faults/wrongs is ten times more fun! So on with it, yes?

The Wrongs:

1.) I can’t say no to people.  I like to make people happy, but in return, I make myself miserable.  Exhibit A: I don’t do portrait photo shoots during the week because that’s for crucial editing time and shooting obligations with a newspaper.  But there I was, driving into NYC several times last year at 5am to do shoots when I was already overbooked.  Sometimes I worked so much, I lost myself.

2.) Do not be maneuvered into styles that conflict with my own.  Many clients book me and then ask for things I don’t do and haven’t ever done.  (Extreme Photoshopped images, fake landscapes, etc…)  Instead of spending hours trying to please and fit an aesthetic that’s not me, I need to simply find photographers who do this type of work and connect them with clients who would like it! Win-win!

3.) Trying to fit my portable studio into tiny NYC apartments.  Everyone wants me to come to their house out of convenience.  It is just not working.  My photos aren’t improving when I’m spending way too much time trying to fit in lights and equipment (and people) into small spaces that won’t ever create good photos.  No one but yourself to blame, Miss Covey! Shape up and make sure they have enough room!

The Changes in 2012:

1.) Make time to dream, be inspired and finish personal projects.

2.) Create a daily routine, including working out, eating better and going to bed before dawn.  (Looking out my window and seeing the sunrise…not beneficial.)

3.) Pricing.  Despite every living photographer telling me I should charge extra for the cd of images (for portrait clients), for years I refused.  I held onto the idea that if I provided a photo shoot at a good value, clients would buy affordable prints I offer too.  This worked 0% of the time.  HA! Yes you are allowed to laugh at me and my stubbornness…it worked zero times! I simply can’t run a successful business with no print sales year after year while handing over the disk for free too.  After reviewing with a business expert, the option was to either charge a lot more for the sitting fee or just charge for the cd.  (This will be easier/more affordable, however, for you high school senior clients who only need one yearbook photo.  There is a lower sitting fee and not that upfront charge for a disk with a hundred images of basically the same headshot.)

4.) Offering discounts for people who do their portrait session in my own studio.

5.) Accepting that I can’t re-invent the wheel (of running a photography business), no matter how much hard work, kindness or willpower I put into it.  Some traditional systems just work, despite my best efforts to blow them up. Ha ha…

So, 2012…welcome! I plan on having a stellar year, cheers to everyone chasing down dreams, making things happen and publicly owning their mistakes!

I had the privilege of shooting these two stunners last year and they were just as awesome this year! I like the casual and relaxed family portraits we do…really let’s the boys be themselves and run around!

Take a good look.  This is what miracles are made of.  Add a dash of hope, prayer and love, and you get perfect Max: