It's All About Location, Location, Location

Most of my clients are anti studio, anti backdrop kind of people!  Let me say for the record, if you are a studio photographer that is great!  It's just not me or my clients!  For us it is all about a location that will highlight the personality of the clients I am working with therefore, I do not have a studio where I trudge everyday.  That makes it too much like work and the whole point of my photography is to have fun, make money and be able to stay home with my daughter!

So where do you shoot in the winter????  Well, during the colder months there is some creativity required but I am telling you that it is not impossible!!  For newborn shoots I usually go to the home of the client and carry a few things that really make the photos look like they were done in a studio.  I travel fairly light with a basket that carries various material, a boppy, hats, cocoons and a sling!

The photos of these two little cuties were done at my house on my couch and my antique sideboard in my dining room!  So easy and no studio rental to pay!!

OK, I want family shots but it is February and very cold and snowy!  What can we do?  I have found several great indoor locations and they are really cool!  Location number one:  the public library!  Oh, yeah it is really cool especially if you live in a town with an older, quaint library or a very new and modern library!  Both work great!!


This adorable trio was shot at the public library in Charleston, IL.  It worked perfectly and we also got some shots in new kids section of the library!  No library close by?  My new favorite location is Common Grounds, the local coffee house!!  It also helps that a Snickers Latte is my favorite hot drink and shooting there allows me to purchase this wonderful treat!!  Most of you know I have been trying to do the Diva's three year photos here but find myself in need of an assistant to help wrangle my own child!!  LOL!  You can see my feeble attempts here and here!  I also use an old warehouse that has been converted into a youth center for a local church and the new Fine Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University!  The next weekend I will be doing a session with a 9 year old boy in a barn that houses lots of cool old car, trucks and memorabilia!  This is the same little boy that I took to the historic train depot last year!

If your clients are really open minded and willing to try anything go to the laundry mat, during the off hours!  It can be lots of fun to shoot there and different!  So see, all you gotta do is think outside the box and create your own "studio"!!

My business has grown 500% in the first few months of 2010 so I am venturing out a little bit and getting ready to do some OCF (Off Camera Flash) when all my new toys arrive!  Stay tuned for more photo madness!!