It is a great question. I see it written on blogs and from photographers. In most cases it states something like this:

“INSERT PHOTOGRAPHER NAME HERE: is a natural-light photographer based out of Utah. After graduating from INSERT SCHOOL OF CHOICE HERE with a bachelors of Business Administration she decided to turn her passion for photography into her full-time career and created INSERT CATCHY PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS NAME HERE. As a self-taught photographer the first few years were full of hard work, patience and practice. PHOTOGRAPHERS NAME HERE is ever-evolving and ever-learning, strives to capture each moment for her clients in the “best light” and absolutely loves what she does! “

What it really told my client was, “You don’t know what you are doing, and you have no idea how to capture the best light!”  The word “Flash” is a dirty word for most “Natural Light Photographers”. The very word flash scares most of them.

Light is where all the magic happens! Why anyone would claim to be a photographer and turn down an opportunity to light up their subject is not something I want to go into great lengths to explain other than stating the obvious… I am a Natural-Light Photographer because I shoot auto-mode and use my presets to capture my subjects!. DON’T BE NATURAL-LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER! Be better, study the game, practice and the reward is that the imagery will reflect it and clients will learn to recognize the difference and appreciate the photography with repeat business.

If you are like me, you will find that the true art of photography is … light.

Above: Melissa Newell fitness shoot. Two light setup, softbox, 60′ umbrella, 32′ reflector

Above: Professional Shooter Kimberly Grimes with her horse Vegas. One light setup, SB-600, 27′ umbrella.

A little about Kim:

Horses:
Kim’s trained and competed with horses for 15 years. Since the age of ten, she’s spent most of her time horseback.

Early Accomplishments include placing 20th overall at the State 4-H Horse Show in her 3rd year riding horses. The next year she won the whole thing. Out of over 100 competitors, she went home as the State 4-H Intermediate Age Group High Point All-Around. Before the State show she sat 1st Place in her County, won 1st in all 3 judged events and placed 2nd and 3rd in poles and barrels.

She holds several Rodeo Queen Titles, including Great American West Jr. Rodeo Queen and Hooper Tomato Days Jr. Rodeo Queen.

She won the National Barrel Horse Assoc. 2D Winter series in 2001.

Aside from competition, Kim is an avid back-country trail rider. She is blessed to have ridden deep into the Uintahs, Red Castles, Sawtooths, and other western mountain ranges.

Her love for the horse and competition landed her in Cowboy Mounted Shooting. Her first shoot proved a hook and she vowed to hone a new set of skills.
After 3 years in the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Assoc., she’s climbed through the ranks. Accomplishments include 2011 L3 Western United States Champion, and Limited Eliminator Champion, 2011 Utah State Overall Cowgirl, 2010 L3 Reserve World Champion, 2010 L3 Western United States Champion, 2008 L2 World Champion & National High Point Winner.

It is important for a photographer to learn how to quickly build trust when working with clients.  It requires being able to adapt, listen and understand someone in a very short period of time. How I approach each client is different; but the goal is the same… develop chemistry.

My number one priority when working with anyone is to develop chemistry. I can’t expect anyone that I just met to have that level of trust without first letting them know upfront my intentions, ideas and vision for a shoot. If I can get my clients to laugh,  I know they will be relaxed. Putting people at ease and spending time talking about their interests helps them quickly warm up to the lens. Photo sessions come to life and clients quickly become friends.

I love what I do because of the relationships I develop. I am blessed to meet so many beautiful people inside and out. And I get to share it all with you!

Sarah flew in from Seattle, WA for a quick shoot.  Here is a look at a few portraits from our time in the studio last evening. As I work through the sets I will be sure to post an update with a gallery link so that you can check out the rest.

Let’s meet!  Call me so we can talk about your photo session and the ideas that you have.

Newborn shoots are a challenge.  Here are a few tips when photographing infants (thanks Tracy Callahan):

1. Keep the baby warm:

Newborns have a difficult time regulating their own body temperature. To keep them comfortable with no clothing on it is important that you keep your studio warm. If you choose to use a heater fan be sure to keep it far away from the baby so you don’t hurt their sensitive skin.  If you are sweating during your session then you have it nice and warm for the baby and he/she will likely sleep more soundly.

2. Make it noisy:

The sounds in the womb are very loud. Newborns will sleep more soundly if there is white noise in the room. I not only find it helpful for the baby but it also relaxes me as well as the parents. Being relaxed is key since babies will pick up on your energy. It also helps me relax. There are several iPhone apps out there that create white noise.

3. Full belly equals a happy baby:

I always ask the newborn’s parents to try to hold off feeding their baby until they arrive at the studio. I have the parents feed their baby first prior to beginning the session. If the baby is happy when they arrive then I start with the family images and then have them feed their baby while I am setting up. I also stop if needed during the session if the baby needs to eat some more. Babies with a full belly will sleep much better.

4. Keep them awake prior to coming to the studio:

I always ask that parents try to keep their baby awake for 1-2 hours prior to coming in to the studio. A good way to have them do this is by giving their baby a bath. This is a great way for the babies to tire themselves out a bit.

5. Time of day matters:

If at all possible I always schedule my newborn sessions for first thing in the morning. This is a time when most babies sleep more soundly. Afternoons are typically not good and can be quite a nightmare.  Anyone who has kids (I have four) can attest to the fact that kids of all ages tend to not be at their best as late afternoon approaches. It is the same for newborns.

6. Stay calm and relaxed:

Babies are very perceptive and can pick up on our energy. If you are nervous or anxious the baby will sense that and will not settle easily. If the baby’s Mom is anxious this can also affect how the baby does.

7. Get them while they are young:

The best time to photograph a newborn is in the first fourteen days of life. During this time they sleep more soundly and curl up more easily into adorable poses.

Newborn sessions can be quite time consuming so you should plan accordingly and educate the parents. If you are stressed about time the babies will sense that. My typical newborn session lasts at least 2 hours.  It takes time to get newborns comfortably posed and sleeping soundly. It also takes time to perfect the little details like keeping their hands flat and fingers straightened.

9. Be safe:

Remember that although you are an artist and your goal is to capture an amazing image, at the end of the day this is someone’s precious new life that they have entrusted you with.  No portrait is worth putting a baby at risk of getting hurt. Use common sense and always make sure to have someone VERY close by spotting the baby, even if the baby is on a beanbag. Be gentle and NEVER force a newborn into a pose.   Make it a habit to always wash your hands well before starting the session, and make sure that all of your blankets are laundered after each use.

10. Enjoy!

What an amazing experience it is to hold a precious new life in your hands and be able to document all the precious details of these little ones.

Check out my featured gallery HERE .

Thanks Sarah. I look forward to working with you again the future!

One thing I learned is that a camera should always be tethered to a strap or lanyard. A poor woman was a little out of control with a few drinks and fell into me.  In the middle of shooting a set her body came crashing into me sending my D700 to the pavement. Fortunately the damage was minimal to the body and my glass did not take the hit. It could have been worse. The camera body is off to Nikon repair. Always have a back up! The LCD did not stop me from shooting and I continued alternating between both camera bodies.

I had such a great time meeting new people. Thanks for an incredible night!

I have updated www.jaymorrphotography.com.  You can now view the latest and greatest images from both my portrait and  print work that I do in the field.  Be sure to check it out.  You can also get to the site by using www.jaymorr.com.

20 minutes into our first location a burst of wind picked up one of my Alien Bee strobes and launched it into the lake.  The 60in umbrella attached is a parasail and while it provides excellent shoot through or light bouncing opportunities, the down side is it requires constant supervision in windy conditions.  Jason has already taken the brunt of my grief and apologies were accepted with an evil grin.  The situation always gets worse when my portable power is attached to the light stand.  Yeah, it went in the drink as well.

So now what?  A professional, gorgeous model on location ready to be photographed and my equipment is down.  I didn’t even hesitate.  I had backup strobes, power and light modifiers packed in the car and with extra bodies and a little running we were able to get back to shooting in just a few minutes.  Golden light peaking I was ripping a set while my gear was drying.  I can’t emphasize how important it is to have back-up’s available and ready to go in a moments notice.

ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN B! Don’t let equipment failure ruin your important shoots.

Model Sarah Look

Natural Light

***Update, after applying a 50lb bag of rice and a little TLC, I am please to inform you all that my AB800 and Vagabond Mini are working perfectly!  I am glad not having to drop a few bills on lights.

Alien Bee 800, 60 Umbrella bounced

Golden Summertime light fades quickly.  The key to capturing these images is to have locations picked out far in advance.  I pack a small studio in a bag and setup is minimal.  30 minutes with a single strobe, the results…