1. How long does it take for you to edit images and prepare a blog post?
I am usually pretty excited to get the preview posts up for clients shortly after their sessions, so it is not uncommon for me to come straight home and download the images to my computer and get to work. As I am starting to sort through the images from their session, I'll pick the few that stick out to me and edit those. Since every session is different, the first few edits are a bit slower as I learn what needs to be corrected or boosted to complete an image. Once I've edited and web-resized my images for the blog post, it only take about half an hour to write and post the entry. From the time I sit down and get around to posting the blog, it can take about 4 hours. All while watching Parks and Rec on the monitor next to me - that may distract me a bit =)
2. What is the reasoning behind putting your logo on the images on your blog and Facebook?
There are a few reasons I do this - the biggest reason is so that clients don't attempt to print these images without my consent or without paying for them. We could get into all the legal hoopla, but just because you pay a photographer to take your images does not mean you own the images they take. Believe it or not, people will try and print these low-resolution files - I have colleagues that have had this problem and I wanted to prevent it as best I could. Another reason I add my logo to my images is advertising! Clients often share my images on Facebook (a great, awesome marketing tool!) which leads people to my blog or professional Facebook page. Lastly, there are some sad people that take images from other photographers and try to pass them off as their own or images they've taken. With my logo embedded onto each file, I try to make it harder for any of these things to happen.
3. Do you think it is better to specialize in one area of photography? What do you consider your specialization?
I think that is a personal decision of a photographer. A decision that can be based on natural talent in one area, an ability to be fulfilled in one area of photography, a market for a narrow field/artistic vision... A lot of variables. I don't know what I specialize in - I feel like I am one of those photographers that can do a little bit of everything. Weddings are just engagements on crack. Family portraits are engagements with kids... They're all related so I find it easy to flip between session types and it keeps my creativity evolving.
I will be honest however and say I do not think my specialty is infant/newborn photography! Much of the infant photography you see out there right now is full of backdrops, blankets, props, cute little hats, and contortionist like poses. I find it very difficult to set up these shots and have them come out the way I'd like. Me <---- Perfectionist. I would get very down on myself looking at other photographers amazing studio work.
Because of that, I decided to give up "prop newborn photography" and focus on a more candid lifestyle approach. No props, no fancy bean bags - just the baby on a bed on a soft blanket. Mom and Dad snuggling with baby on the sofa. I've given up trying to be like the photographers I see on Facebook and instead just being me - a natural-light, lifestyle documentary photographer.
4. What happens to your business in the winter months?
Like bears, photographers also hibernate for the winter. Well, that was my cute way of saying it, but it's not too far off. Since I work completely outdoors with the exception of newborn/children work, most of my winter is quiet. Clients don't usually want to shoot in the winter because of the cold and the unpredictability of the weather. It's hard to schedule and commit to dates when snow and sleet enters the equation! Until things resume in the spring when it warms up, I enjoy a break and focus on indoor sessions.
5. You said you have a big announcement or something on your Facebook. Are you pregnant? Are you going international? Are you going to be on Ellen? What's the deal?
I know! I didn't mean to keep you in suspense, but I have to make sure all my ducks are in a row before I let everyone else in on something new coming to Kelli Brewer Photography - and no, it's not another baby. =)
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