Maternity session Inspiration

Happy Spring from Every Atom Photography! 🌸

Spring is in the air and Sarah and I are filled with excitement here at Every Atom Photography! While we bid farewell to the chilly winter days, we can't help but look back on all the wonderful memories we've captured with our amazing clients.

Winter brought us so many heartwarming opportunities, especially as we witnessed our past brides and grooms embark on their journey into parenthood. The joy of photographing newborns and expecting mothers has truly filled our hearts with positivity and inspiration.

From the amazing "I do" moments to the tentative selection of baby names and beyond, we've been fortunate to be a part of countless families' milestones. As we sit back on this last winter day, we can't help but marvel at the incredible journey we've shared with our clients. Time truly flies, and soon we'll be capturing senior and graduation photos for these little ones!

Life is a beautiful whirlwind of precious moments and we are grateful to be able to freeze these memories in time through our photography. Although we primarily serve the Cincinnati area, if you reside elsewhere and can't book a session with us, we hope our work can serve as inspiration for your future photo sessions with your local photographer.

Without further ado, we present a few of our favorite captures from our last two sessions. 📸✨ Let's embrace the new season and the endless possibilities it holds!

Get everyone together!

Capturing Love in Every Atom: Maternity Sessions

During a maternity session, it's natural to focus on capturing the radiant glow of the mom-to-be. But hey, let's not forget about the other little love bundles eagerly waiting to meet their new sibling! Just like you, they are bursting with joy and anticipation for their upcoming playmate. Including them in the photoshoot will add an extra layer of sweetness and excitement that you'll cherish forever.

Oh, and let's not overlook our furry friends! Pets can bring such warmth and comfort to a maternity session. Their presence reminds us that the arrival of a new baby is a momentous occasion for the whole family, including our beloved four-legged companions.

So, embrace the chaos, the giggles, and the paw prints in your maternity session. Trust us, you won't regret it. These photos will be treasured reminders of the love and anticipation that surrounded the journey to welcoming your newest family member.

Let's delve into the romantic side of things now. Despite the joyous anticipation of starting a family, it's important to cherish the love and passion between you and your special someone that sparked this beautiful journey. Ensure your photographer captures these heartfelt moments and gives dad his well-deserved time in the spotlight during the session. It's all about celebrating love, family, and those tender connections that make your story truly special.

Romantic maternity session in Dayton Ohio

Embracing Winter Vibes!

While some of our clients lean towards cozy studio sessions during winter, others can't resist the allure of the moody, magical outdoor look. Don't shy away from the chill! Bundle up, and let's create unforgettable moments together. You'll love the results, we promise! 📸❄️

Braving the cold for this moody maternity session in Waynesville, Ohio.

Celebrating Our Mom-to-Be

Let's shine the spotlight on our incredible mom-to-be! In the world of maternity sessions, she is truly the star of the show. Capturing her radiance is not only a priority but a joy. It was capturing the beauty of individuals that led me to pursue this career, making this part of the session a personal favorite. And when our mom-to-be arrives in style like Katie with her stunning long green dress, it simply adds that extra touch of magic to the whole experience.

Long Flowing Green Maternity Dress

Effortlessly stylish long green maternity dress for glowing moms-to-be, blending elegance with comfort and natural beauty.

I have found the perfect dress that I absolutely adore on Amazon!

Lifestyle Maternity: Embracing a Casual and Charming Look

Given the scenario of lifestyle maternity photography, the emphasis is on capturing a laid-back and natural aesthetic. The fashion style in this setting leans towards casual outfits that reflect what you would typically wear around the house. This approach adds a unique level of charm and authenticity to the images, embodying a sense of realism and comfort.

Capturing Sweet Beginnings

Infusing your photos with timeless charm is as simple as adding a sprinkle of nostalgia. Props like baby's first shoes, a cuddly teddy bear, a soft blanket, or even an ultrasound photo not only bring delightful pops of color and texture but also weave a heartwarming tale of the beautiful journey that is about to unfold. By incorporating these precious mementos, your images come alive with a touch of sweetness, capturing the essence of a new chapter waiting to be written.

Thank you for checking out our photos and ideas! We hope they bring a smile to your face and give you wonderful memories to cherish for years to come. If you're in our area, Sarah and I would be thrilled to chat with you about planning your next photo session. Just head over to our contact page whenever you're ready. Let us know what type of session catches your eye! God bless and happy spring!

4 tips for perfect getting ready photos

Plan a Calmer Wedding Morning

Mother of the bride zipping up her daughters gorgeous wedding dress!

Hello again! Let’s talk about getting ready for your wedding photos. Over the past 10+ years of doing wedding photography in Ohio and around the country I have done hundreds of weddings and taken getting ready photos with all types of people. Almost every wedding falls victim to the same issue and today I hope to help raise awareness to help you get the most out of your wedding photos.

Great getting ready photos don’t just happen naturally!

If you look online at getting ready photos you will see gorgeous well lit photos of the bridal party before the ceremony. Most people love these photos but don’t take the time to look into what they really love about them. If you notice the little things that make up the photo you will usually see the following. 

The Dream.

• Everyone is mostly dressed and in makeup already.

• The room is well lit, preferably with natural light. 

• The room is clean!

• People are happy and smiling

The Truth. 

• Most everyone is running behind.

• The room is poorly lit due to small windows.

• The room is full of trash from cosmetic wrappers, shoe boxes and half eaten food and coffee cups.

• There is a lack of smiles due to the high tense rushed energy. 

Don’t worry though, with a little planning these issues are simple to eliminate. For starters, everyone should have a decent breakfast! This cuts down on the need to eat during the getting ready phase of the day. This is extremely important as one of the biggest issues with photos is clutter from food wrappers and also cuts down on the time that people are eating instead of focusing on the task at hand, which is make-up, hair and having a great time!

Wedding at Stone Valley Meadows in Franklin, Ohio.

Shot by Every Atom Photography.

I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t take a time out to tell you about a great Ohio wedding venue in Franklin, Ohio. The above photo was shot at Stone Valley Meadows ( Link Below ) This venue offers a great getting ready space in the upstairs loft. Large double doors open to let in tons of natural light and the walls are painted a great shade of white which works with any color scheme. The above photo was taken on their patio which is covered perfectly to provide a well lit space while keeping the photos away from harsh unflattering sunlight. They also provide a great guest house for the guys to get ready which they call “The Guy’s Barn.”

Alright, back to it!

Second, if you have not yet picked a location to get ready I highly recommend, if at all possible, to pick a location with big windows which let in a flood of natural light. It’s very common that we end up doing prep photos in a hotel with everyone crammed into a room with one window. Any photographer worth their salt will bring good lighting equipment so they will make it work as we do, but no amount of flash will compare to natural window light. A nice Air-bnb or a venue with a large bridal suite is a great place to start. Having a space with a nice outdoor area helps as well. That way “weather permitting” your photographer has the option of taking the party outside for photos of the girls in their robes or the first look with the bridesmaids. Also I should mention that most people don’t usually realize that an air-bnb is close to the same price as a hotel when all is said and done.

Thirdly, let’s talk about clutter. Believe it or not the morning of most weddings is a hot mess. Everyone is both excited and busy. Cleaning the bridal suite is not on their radar. The floor will likely be littered with things like catering boxes, shoe boxes, cosmetic cases, and boob tape while the table tops will be covered in used starbucks cups and water bottles. The best solution to this is to first, make everyone aware of your wish to keep the space tidy for photos. Second, designate one or two people to keep an eye out for clutter and periodically go around and tidy up. Don’t feel bad, remember these are your friends and family. They are there to celebrate your love and are eager to help make your day perfect!  

Lastly, let's talk about smiles. I write about stress all the time on this blog as weddings can be stressful for all involved. Like I say all the time “ stress kills creativity” but also stress kills that positive mimosa energy we all want on the morning of our wedding. As always the solution to this is planning and buffer room. However much time you think you will need, add at least an hour. The reason the morning of a wedding can be unpleasant is almost always a time issue. Rushing. Driving home to pick up something that was forgotten, no one had breakfast so everyone needs to eat first, everyone is moving slow ( maybe from a long night. ) The list of things that cause prep to run late is endless and totally unpredictable but leaving buffer time for things to go wrong is incredibly freeing on such a busy day. On your wedding day, time is your best friend! And if everything goes well you end up with extra time to enjoy yourself and relax a bit before the eventful and exciting day ahead. 

I hope this article serves you well in your planning and helps to make your wedding day and wedding photography a little bit better.  

Four Things to Remember

1. Make time for breakfast.

2. Choose a getting-ready space with plenty of natural light.

3. Keep the space tidy, with one or two people helping to clear clutter.

4. Leave extra time in your schedule so you can enjoy the morning.

Sarah and I photograph weddings in Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky, and we also travel. Tell us about your wedding plans if you’d like to talk about working together.

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Find a photographer who you resonate with

Yesterday evening Sarah and I had a phone consultation with a woman who had inquired about wedding photography the night before. She was kind and sweet. Most importantly she had taken the time to look through our portfolio, and like I have talked about many times before on this blog, she made sure she had a connection to our work. 

Something about our work resonated with her and her personal taste. In the middle of the consultation while we were going through the wedding day timeline and discussing first looks and family photos etc.. I stopped the conversation and asked a question. I asked her what about our work made her reach out to us over all of the other wedding photographers in Ohio. She mentioned one session in particular that she described in a very interesting way. She talked about the photographs of Abigail and Peyton. This session takes place mostly in the forest at Timeless Charm in Camden, Ohio. She said that the bride and groom looked beautiful and that the location was great but she said what really stood out to her was the way that the photographs captured how the bride and groom “ interacted with the environment. ” 

Timeless Charm in Camden, Ohio.

What an interesting way to describe what she sees. A description like that is up for interpretation of course. I take that as a serious compliment. It’s a goal that I strive to achieve. Abigail and Peyton look natural and comfortable in the forest. They seem at home there as opposed to looking like a glamorous couple placed in the forest for a photo and then sent back to the ballroom. 

The barebones photography style we use is simple, fun to perform and low stress for the bride and groom. It has always been a goal of ours and over the past 11 years we have it down so well that sometimes we don’t even realize we are using it. In fact, until she had said that I hadn’t realized how well that feeling of simple belonging had soaked into every aspect of our work. When you work as hard as we do and take thousands of photos a year, artistic growth tends to happen without you being conscious of it. Then, when someone points it out to you it brings an unexpected sense of pride and accomplishment. 

This morning that bride and groom officially booked with us for our 2024 wedding season. We are thrilled to have another couple to work with who truly appreciate our vision and we can’t wait to create some beautiful unique wedding photography together.  

You can explore more of our work in the wedding and engagement portfolio below. Thank you for reading!

 Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session tell us about your plans.

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Don't need an engagement session?

If you're reading this it’s likely that you are recently engaged. Congratulations! You're probably in the beginning stages of wedding planning and getting quotes from local photographers. The packages you see when glancing at their pricing sheets often include an engagement session. There are many reasons you might not want to have one but the most common reasons Sarah and I hear from potential clients are as follows.

“We are trying to save money where we can and we think we can do without the engagement.”

“We had engagement photos done already and don’t need another session.”

“We live far away and it is hard to schedule time to make it out for an engagement session.”

   Now these reasons are all valid of course, and sometimes yes when a client insists that we remove an engagement session from their package we will work something out. However I always explain to them what I am about to tell you. An engagement session is much more than just a photo session.

Your engagement session is an opportunity.

You might have had a consultation with your photographer and think you are comfortable enough with them. Or maybe you have only communicated through email. Either way you don’t yet know how they work as an artist. Your engagement session is a time to see them at work, and when you know how they work you begin to learn how to work with them. Most people don’t realize that a portrait photographer doesn’t create a great session alone. Not by far. An amazing session is a collaboration between the photographer and the subject. During the engagement session “even though you might not realize it when it’s happening” you are learning a workflow. By the end of the session you will be picking up your photographer's cues, and hopefully finding that your having a great time! You will also most likely be free of any nervousness you might have had about having your photos done. You will feel more free and less tense. This free and relaxed attitude towards photos will carry over into your wedding day. I will but a link to my Article about how to loosen up for an engagement session below.

Your engagement session is a rehearsal.

Your engagement session is a rehearsal for your wedding day couples photos. You learn poses and the way that your photographer communicates. Again you also know your photographer after the engagement session and they are no longer a stranger to you. What if on your wedding day “this is unfortunately common” You haven’t met your photographer. This stranger shows up on the morning of your busy wedding day and starts pointing a camera at you and your friends and family. I have been this stranger on many occasions over the years and although I am professional and it no longer bothers me too much, I can still pick up on others being uncomfortable. Discomfort is a form of stress and as I always say. Stress kills art. Having a good vibe with your photographer is crucial to a great wedding day and great photographs.

Your engagement session helps make your wedding day. It goes without saying that although it may not seem like a big deal now, your engagement session is a big component to your wedding day. It isn’t something you want to skip out on if you can avoid it and it’s more than worth the cost. If you’re trying to cut back on wedding costs consider other options before forgoing this important piece of your wedding day puzzle.

We look forward to engagement sessions very much! Getting to know our clients personally is an amazing opportunity. They are the heart of our business and we are honored that they chose us and put their trust in us to record this special time in their lives. The engagement session is our first opportunity to earn that trust and form a friendship. It is just as important to us as photographers as it is for you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this article helped you on your wedding planning journey.

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Wedding First Look: Pros and Cons

Hello again! Today I’m excited to talk about a subject that many couples spend months stewing over before finally making up their minds. It seems like it should be simple, but the more it works its way into your head the more it becomes an enormous overblown thing that it really doesn’t need to be. Hopefully this article will help to condense this big knot of mental Christmas lights into a few simple things to consider. After reading this I hope you will be more than a step closer to your decision to have a first look, or to opt for the more traditional route!

So, it's been years now since the idea of the first look hit the wedding scene. It has officially proved itself to be more than a fad and for good reason. It’s romantic, modern and intimate to name a few reasons. Oh, and also the pictures from a first look are precious and beautiful if done right. As photographers, Sarah and I love first looks for a few main reasons.

The Pros.

Goodbye to Nervousness.

First, on a wedding day it can feel like there is a lot of pressure on the bride and groom to keep things running smoothly. Think about this. In a stressful situation who is the one person who makes you feel like you can do anything? I hope you answered your partner! I mean, that’s why you're getting married right? My number one reason I love first looks is that when the bride and groom come together early on a wedding day you can actually feel their tension melt away. Not only the nervousness about seeing each other that was hanging over their heads. But the subconscious feeling of doing this alone vanishes.

Photos done early.

When researching for this article I saw tons of writers saying that couples photos might not be as special to you on the wedding day if you aren’t actually married yet. Well… Fine, that’s fair. However, We aren’t necessarily talking about couples photos. Yes we can do some of those after the first look and we almost always do, but a huge chunk of our couples photos will be done around sunset. Long after the ceremony when the light is right! Now we are talking mainly about family photos and bridal party photos. These photos take a lot of time and when we do them all after the ceremony we often find ourselves trying to squeeze everything in as fast as possible. This is not only stressful for everyone “Stress is the enemy of good wedding vibes” but it cuts into precious couples photos time!

Privacy

If you are anything like me you appreciate your privacy. At my ceremony I felt very on the spot and I was uncomfortable at first. That may sound crazy to you but I bet a ton readers know exactly what I’m talking about. I am glad I had my first look with Sarah because I was able to soak it in in privacy and not during an anxious moment in my life with everyone watching. Social anxiety. Yes, I have it too!

Less wedding day pressure

After your first look you tackle those family, and bridal party shots and then you find that your wedding day schedule is suddenly less full, less rushed and more relaxed. That is a key ingredient to a special, fun and romantic wedding day that you remember fondly. Unfortunately over the past 10+ years we have been wedding photographers, we've seen our share of brides and grooms not enjoying their wedding day. Sweating, sour faced, snippy or even arguing… Of course we can’t stand seeing this on someone's special day. When this happens we do everything we possibly can to help. Especially Sarah. She is a master when it comes to wedding planning and positive vibes. There is one commonality between every one of these weddings. The bride and groom had planned too much into a day to not have a first look. Please don’t take that the wrong way. That does not mean that a first look is something you need to do to have an amazing wedding day. Not at all, what it means is if your not doing a first look make sure you're not planning too much after the ceremony. You will most likely find that you didn’t have time to actually enjoy your wedding and the time with the people you love the most on this special day.

Cocktail hour

Speaking of enjoying time with your loved ones. Soon after the ceremony they will all head to your cocktail hour to mingle, laugh, drink and celebrate together. Tradition dictates that the bride and groom aren’t there. But why not? We love when brides and grooms are present for cocktail hour. They have so much fun. Shake off the remaining wedding day jitters and we get to capture some candid photos of them with the guests. The ceremony is still so fresh in everyone’s minds and they are so ready to hug, squeeze and congratulate you!

There is so much more to say but I could literally be here all day and I told you I would make this simple and condensed! Some people prefer the traditional route. I have huge respect for this. Tradition is deep, meaningful and extremely charming. Especially at a formal event like a wedding day. Here are the cons. The reasons you might not want to have a first look.

The cons

Loss of tradition.

Maybe you are a traditionalist, or maybe you highly respect your Mother or Grandmother's opinion and want to take their advice. When you have a first look you are breaking a cultural tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony. I won’t harp on that for too long because I know that you knew that before clicking on this blog!

Ceremony photos less expressive

There is a theory amongst photographers that if you do a first look, the emotions might be less present at the ceremony. This is both true and not untrue. I’ll elaborate. If you opt not to do a first look, you might find yourself very emotional at the ceremony in the way of joyful tears and a deeply romantic vibe. If you go for the first look you will likely have a different experience. With most of the tension gone you will find yourself more relaxed and likely be more outwardly happy and excited. You will have less tears in the audience and more smiles and joyful laughs and an excited energy from your partner. It will be just as emotional but it will be a different flavor of energy, which leads to a different experience. Whichever you prefer is the correct choice for you!

You’re having an early Mass

A common thought is that you're having an early Mass and so you will have a jump start on your wedding day events. Awesome, In these scenarios we agree. A first look doesn’t yield much in the way of wedding schedule efficiency. It does still offer the relief of ceremony pressure. However, I’m betting that if you are having a Mass you are a person who respects tradition and are willing to deal with that to uphold in what you believe in. That is awesome and I love and respect that, but what are you doing reading this! You already know what you want. Stop second guessing yourself and go confidently into your dream wedding!

In closing

All things considered, it’s up to you to choose. I know that probably not what you want to hear but what I offer is advice.

If you are not having a first look, please consider not overcrowding your wedding plans. Leave time in the schedule between each event to get something to drink, a snack, or just take a breather. Leave time to have fun and not be stressed!

If you are having a first look, make sure that you leave some time to have couples photos done later in that golden hour light! Have a great time but please remember, you’re getting photos done later. Don’t party too hard, you have to keep that hair and makeup on point!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I hope this article helped you on your wedding planning journey.

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

The magic of Fall colors

Good morning kind reader! The first day of Fall occurred over the weekend, and I woke this morning with the cool Fall air filling my bedroom. My favorite season is finally here!

I had multiple photo sessions over the weekend. My final session late Sunday night truly stuck out. Aside from the family being fantastic to work with, the colors they chose were absolutely perfect! They were muted earth tones that gave off such a warm and comfortable Fall vibe and also gave a sense of adventure and imagination to their happy and energetic children! In Ohio we are blessed with a gorgeous Fall and so much opportunity to capture beautiful timeless images.

However, getting the most out of these Fall photo sessions is not as easy as getting out in nature with a good photographer. A key element, (I can’t stress how important this is) is understanding how to dress! This applies for any type of Fall session, not just family photo sessions but engagement, baby, senior or anything else.

Choosing your colors

You probably understand already because your mother taught you when you were young that your clothes need to match. They don’t have to be the same color, they need to go together! The fall foliage is a set of specific colors that will stand out in your photos. You want to think about coordinating your colors to the foliage. Below I am attaching a Fall color pallet for you to us as a reference when picking your outfits.

Seasonal Color Pallette

Coordinate, don’t match!

Oftentimes people make the mistake of thinking that matching is the way to go. They understand they want Earth tones and the colors look great but they make the mistake of putting both parents in Green sweaters with Khaki pants. It’s really the variety that stands out and is pleasing to the eye.

Outdoor comfort

It’s common that people come to their session with shirts tucked in, shoes shined and just an overall more formal look. There is a time and place for this, but we prefer a more natural look. We want it to look more like we caught you on a hike in the forest or at a family picnic in the mountains rather than a traditional photo session. We prefer a pair of hiking boots over dress shoes. If you have children in your session make sure to dress them in something that is not only warm and Fall colored, but also something they can run around in. Something you don’t mind getting dirty. We like to play a lot at these sessions and take a lot of photos on the ground!

I am including a link to our free style guide below which helps to coordinate your outfits to the season. It is great for family sessions but the advice is relevant to any type of Fall vibe session.

Family Session Style Guide

Choosing the right store!

We live in an age that makes it easy to shop for the specific looks we want to achieve. Take advantage of the internet as it can be your best friend. Pinterest has tons of great articles with lists of stores online. Below is a link to an awesome amazon storefront by Jess Phillips from jessphillipsphotography.com. She has some great links to purchase beautiful Fall clothing!

If you live in our area I highly recommend women check a store called Rose and Remington in Lebanon, Ohio. This shop has a plethora of beautiful dresses with a great color palette and tons of accessories and jewelry to go along with your look.

In closing

It may be stressful when you first start to plan your outfits, but once you start using your color pallet and you find a good store you will start having fun! and in the end you will end up with stunning photos and a new sense of fashion that will serve you for years to come. Happy Fall!

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

The art of having fun.

   If you're reading this I’m going to guess that you, your partner or both of you are at least a little camera shy. If so I have good news! You’re not alone. In my experience most people are uncomfortable in front of the camera. Myself included. Ironic, I know… For the majority of my life I hated my smile. I would see photos of myself smiling and think my face looked fat or my smile caused my eyes to squint. My solution to this was to attempt the stoic “Sexy guy” face. I was happier with that back then but now realize I just looked angry in every photo for 2 decades. It wasn’t until recently that I started to apply the tips I give my client’s (the same tips I’m about to give you) to myself.

HOW MOST COUPLES FEEL!

  Most couples arrive at their engagement session nervous. They usually haven’t met their photographer and if they have it was at a consultation. Sometimes they haven’t ever had professional photos done and have no idea what to expect. They feel awkward and they are sometimes worried that the photographer will be frustrated or upset with their inexperience while posing them. These worries are completely false and totally normal.

WHATS HOLDING YOU BACK?

  The human mind often focuses on the worst case scenario. When I was a young musician I was technically very good, and everything should have sounded amazing… except, I sounded like a robot. It wasn’t until someone said something so simple, so obvious and wise that I was able to get past that stage.

“Let the weight off your shoulders, just relax and know there is no pressure.”

  Being the subject of a photograph is no different. Get out of your head and just have fun. With modern photography styles like ours, we don’t want a perfectly posed photograph that looks stiff and rigid. We want to photograph you enjoying yourself and enjoying your partner. We are trying to capture your love! Here are a few tips to help you ease into this state of mind.

DON’T BE EMBARRASSED.

  Maybe you're not a publicly affectionate couple, and that's fine but you're not in public here. It’s just you and the photographer. And just like your Doctor, they don’t judge you! It’s your photographer's profession and you're not doing anything they haven’t seen hundreds of times. To see a couple who has mastered the art of chill in front of the camera check out the gallery below!

Zach & Karen

Engagement session at Ault Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. A dark moody fun and playful session. Having fun is how we get natural unposed candid photos.

TALKING, TEASING & TICKLING.

  Talking, teasing and even tickling are fantastic ways to break you out of that stiff nervous zone. If your photographer poses you that doesn’t mean you have to be a statue. You are free to talk and enjoy each other. Joking back and forth is great or saying something loving. If your partner is nervous, whisper something funny into their ear. And if they are extra nervous give them a tickle. The laugh will be a great release of tension and makes for a really cute photo!

DANCING.

  Dancing is also a great way to loosen up. Any type of dancing you like is perfectly fine. Bringing a Bluetooth speaker is an option or just dancing in silence. Can’t dance? Even better. Do it anyway!

PLAN FOR SOMEWHERE SECLUDED!

  If you or your partner is camera shy you should consider planning your session somewhere private and away from crowds. The feeling of being gawked at doesn’t help when you're being romantic. Give yourself a place where you can feel secluded and for goodness sake do not invite your friends or family! Believe it or not, people do this thinking it’s going to help. IT DOESN’T.

  Your engagement session is more than just a photo session. It is an opportunity to rehearse for your wedding day photos. You get to know your photographer, develop a working groove and flow and learn to chill out on camera. If you're nervous, that's absolutely fine and normal. Just know that your fears are all in your head. I assure you. Before you know it the session will be over and you will be surprised at how much fun you had! Afterword, go out to dinner with your fiancé and you can both have a laugh about how nervous you were!

  Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Why you should always do your photos at sunset!

Family photo session in Springboro, Ohio

So you’re excited to have family photos done. You have gone through all the steps. You picked the right photographer and you are ready to book. You ask for their availability and they send you a list of dates and times. But all of the available times are so late! It conflicts with dinner time, your kids are supposed to be getting ready for bed at this time. It’s just so inconvenient. As photographers we understand. It’s not ideal for us either, but it’s essential for the results we achieve. Here is why your photographer is so insistent on doing your session close to sunset.

What is golden hour?

Golden hour is the last hour of daylight before sunset. It is the time of day when the sun dips low and the light becomes soft and gives off a warm hue. It offers a ton of advantages for photos and gives off those amazing lens flares and golden bursts of light you see so often in photographers’ portfolios. Often people say they want an earlier time of day because the light flares aren’t important to them. What they don’t realize is that there are many other reasons for shooting at this time.

If your ideal time is 1pm and you manage to talk your photographer into this time of day, don’t be surprised when you get photos back and see yourself looking more wrinkly than usual. Or notice everyone is squinting and you can’t see anyone’s eyes. The harsh light of the sun causes shadows under the eyes making them look sunken or sick. The bright highlights can blow out parts of the photo making them nothing more than white blobs. The color of light the sun produces is also different. You probably never noticed before but the light earlier in the day is more blue and this can make skin look off in photographs.

These issues are no big deal when taking a snapshot but when you have professional photos done you expect professional results. We have been talked into earlier shoots many times. We explain the reasons for a late shoot and give out the proper warnings but still some clients insist.

I suggest for just one night you make an exception to your routine. Make it fun. Use it as an excuse to let the kids stay up late. Take the family out to dinner or ice cream afterwords! Your family photos are important and will last forever. It’s worth it to go the extra mile. Take your photographer’s professional advice. That is why you hired them right? Trust the expert and you won’t be disappointed with the results!

Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

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Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson