Let's Talk about Your Family Photography Portfolio

Hey there, friend!

I hope you are enjoying your summer.

I wanted to talk to you about something very important and that is your portfolio.

There are two main things I want you to focus on when you are preparing your online portfolio.

Your portfolio should be a place where you:

1. Show your best work.

2. Show the work you want to attract.

This can be tricky when you are first starting out or trying to make a shift.

For example, if you want to attract clients who appreciate emotive lifestyle images YOU CAN'T post images that aren't in this fashion. If you have a portfolio full of images of everyone perfectly posed and all looking at the camera then that is what you are going to attract.

Clear as mud?

Okay let me go deeper.

I strongly believe that you should push your portfolio to it's limits. For example, if you check out mine, there are no photos of everyone looking at the camera. Do I take shots like that at every single session? You bet. But I never show those images on my portfolio or online. Why? Because I want to be absolutely sure that the clients I am attracting are connected to my true artistic style.

As I mentioned above, you have to only show your best work. I see so many photographers with super out of date portfolios full of images that are not their best work.

Don't do that.

How can you expect to attract high quality clients if you aren't showing high quality work?

Now I get it. When you are learning your work will change and grow rapidly. So this means that your portfolio needs to reflect that. Go in regularly and remove your subpar work and replace it with your better work.

Your portfolio is where you show off your talents and skills AND where you share your unique style.

Okay, friend. So ask yourself this. 1. Am I showing my best work? & 2. Am I showing what I want to attract?

You got this!

Xoxo,

Elena

Seattle Outdoor Family Photography | Elena S Blair Photography

Family photography matters. In fact, I would say it is essential. When you look back on your life as a family you won't believe how fast it all goes. I want you to have timeless pieces that will remind you exactly what you looked like and exactly how you felt about your family at that exact time. 

Most of my families come to me once a year. My sessions are more of an experience than anything else. Just an hour to celebrate your love for each other. Nothing stiff or uncomfortable. Just exploring one of our incredible locations in Seattle together. 

I hope we get to see you this year! 

Don't Be Afraid to Make a Change | Photography Business Tips

If you are at all familiar with my newborn work you know that it is completely "Lifestyle."

Now the words we use to define our work aren't really important. What is truly important is the feeling behind our work.

My newborn work is family and baby centered. I don't pose my newborns on a beanbag and rarely take them out of their parents arms.

But it didn't used to be that way. Until about four years ago I was still operating as a traditional "posed" newborn photographer. I had the beanbag, brought the heater, and even had the props.

And if you know me you know that this so so NOT me.

But I was believing the lie that in order to make money doing this I had to do it a certain way. I had to pose babies because that is what my families would expect.

After I gave birth to my third daughter I realized that this was so not in align with my artistic vision and my values.

Right then and there I rebranded, took every posed image off my website, and started over.

Guess what happened? My newborn business exploded. Why? Because people can sense when something isn't coming from a place of passion. When something isn't authentic.

So if you are doing something that just doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to make a change. I know it is scary to do that, but I am here to tell you that you can and that you SHOULD.

Hey, if you are curious about Lifestyle Newborn Photography and how to get started or make a change to this type of Newborn Photography in your business, grab my free download "Getting Started With Lifestyle Newborn Photography."

I hope you all are having a fantastic week!

Be you!!

Xoxo,

Elena

My Go-To "Posing" Trick for Newborn Photography

One of my favorite things to do when posing newborns is to use the parents' hands.

Now I use the word "pose" loosely as I do very minimal, newborn led posing.

But I do like to get some shots of the baby alone on the bed, awake or asleep, if the baby is okay with it.

Simply ask the parents to come and hold the baby firmly in the position you desire. This allows you to capture the newborn with their parents loving hands on the baby, which is a beautiful shot, then allows you to capture the newborn alone. The baby is usually very calm after he or she has just been comforted by familiar hands.

Parents' hands:

Calm baby:

Try it out next time you photograph a newborn. Let me know how it goes.

Xoxo,

Elena

Meet Chelsea Macor | ESB Associate Photographer

For the past few years as Elena S Blair Photography has become busier, I've been thinking about bringing on an associate photographer so that we can serve more and more families in Seattle. Over the past month, my assistant and I interviewed and met some amazing family photographers in the area and decided to hire Chelsea! She's funny, sweet and super talented.

Chelsea describes her artistic style as "intimate, romantic, filled with life, love and connection." She loves "light and movement, tenderness and realness." When she told us her drink of choice is a margarita, we knew this was going to be a good fit ;) 

We're excited to have her on the team!