Meghan: Tampa Bay Portrait Photographer

I took a few quick shots of my friend Meghan this afternoon after our religious meeting. It is soo cold down here in ("sunny") Florida! But she looks so cute doesn't she? I'm excited because tomorrow we're throwing our tea party...new pics to come soon :)

Quinceanera: St. Petersburg Event Photographer

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Nyarid and some of her family this night! I've known her mom for quite a few years (she was my middle school Spanish teacher, turned colleague after 7 years loL) anywho, Nyarid is such a beautiful young woman and sooo personable! I didn't know anything about Quinceanera's but I now understand it is a public declaration of the young "girl" transforming into a young "woman" and as far as I am concerned, this young woman is quite mature for her age. I wish her much happiness in her life. I am so happy I was able to get to know her a little better :) 

To view a full slide show click ----> here <----

Tea Time: Day 1

My mom and aunt are hosting an afternoon tea party next week! I wanted to decorate the dessert buffet ( I think while I'm at it, I'll make a tea buffet too). For the next few days I'll post pictures and links so you can be inspired to throw your own themed party. Oh, and just keepin it real - this is a good 'ol, down home, southern hospitality house (tea) party. Just a few close friends coming to our home :)

I hope mom doesn't think I'm trying to take over loL but she bought all these really cool (but very different) tea pots. Some are oriental, some are country styled, some are classic, and some are Victorian. I was thinking if we come up with a color scheme we'll be able to incorporate everything she bought so far. What do you guys think of Lavender, Green and Yellow? Mom loves lavender and we have a bunch of soft green and yellow candles and decor already (keepin it real and cost effective ;-) )

Inspirations:

I Used To Love Him

A few weeks ago I ran into my 10th grade English teacher, Ms. Hansen. We spoke briefly and then went on our way. As I walked away I remember how life altering her class was for me. I know that sounds so much bigger than it should doesn't it, "life altering"? Really Nina? It was just a sophomore English Honors course. Yes it was LIFE ALTERING for me. She made us write journals. The last time I had written in a journal was, I want to say at 10 yrs old and then I threw it away because it wasn't "cool to have a diary"! We read "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom and after reading the story we had to write in these journals. I had no choice but to do the weekly assignment because we were being graded on it!

I had no idea what to write about in my first entry so I wrote a few class notes (loL) I confessed my love for the two guys I liked at the time (wow loL!!!) and finally about how hungry I was getting and ready for the lunch bell to ring! I got so used to writing x amount of pages per week that once we finished the assignment at the end of the semester, I just continued to write - about more significant things now (but still confessing my love for crushes loL)! It was such an outlet for me, I enjoyed it. I would sit in my room for hours, literally, and write in my journal. I would continually go to walmart and buy 2 or 3 composition notebooks at a time so if ran out of space in one I would just continue in the next. I continued writing regularly throughout high school and my first year of college (I believe I have about 14 or 15 volumes).

Starting my second year of college I didn't write as often, partly because I didn't have the time and when I did I just didn't feel like spending my free time writing the other reason was because I didn't need a journal to be my outlet anymore. I had someone in my life who was there for me. To listen to me. Someone other than my family members. Someone I cared for deeply. I expressed my thoughts and feelings through my voice, not my pen anymore. The problem with that is, all that time is lost. The lessons I learned, the adventures I faced, the things said...all are gone. I don't remember all of them and neither does that person. When I write things down I have a record, something I can come back to and see my improvements (or lack of improvements, I can see what I need to work on). I also realize that "person" whoever that person my be at the time for me...or you! may not always be there. Whether it be on purpose or accidental - I think I want to start writing again. I miss writing. It was healthy for me. 

Good night all.

DJ: Tampa Portrait Photographer

Let me introduce you to my best friend, Derrick! Isn't he cute?! loL {I have to admit, I have a little bit of a crush on him ;-) } Just look at that smile! Ok, ok seriously...he called me a few weeks back asking for a portrait session, mainly because he wanted to support me and my photography endeavors but he also wanted some up to date pictures of himself. We went downtown and had a little fun. He was pretty relaxed infront of the camera and a great model to work with. I just wanted to share a few pics...

Have a great rest of the week ya'll (and stay warm!)

Angelia and Dee: Tampa Bay Engagement Photographer

It was 6 years ago when I met Angelia, this red head with braces. She was pretty quiet - only for the first week of class - but really nice. It was freshmen year and we were in the same Arts Magnet program, PCCA for Musical Theater. We didn't really click until Junior year, but we'd been friends ever since we met. She'd met Dee freshmen year and they hit it off fairly quickly. They both were newbies to Florida. She, moving with her family from Pennsylvania and he, coming back to the states from Vietnam. He was a year ahead of us and had the prettiest hair I'd ever seen on a guy, long and wavy!  (he since cut it)

Today they celebrate being together and in love for 6 years...Angel is a model (well, duh! Look at her, Fabulous and Fierce) and will soon be working in Paris, France! I'm so excited for her, I wanted to shoot with she and Dee before she left. We had a lot of fun laughing and catching up while I observed a different kind of love. They are so sweet - they truly love one another - I hope they see it as much as these pictures show it! Love you guys :)

College Days

So I know this is a Photography blog, but it is also MY blog and I can write what I want loL. I'm sitting at home right now, preparing for my orientation (I will be transferring to the University of South Florida) I am in my 3rd year majoring in Computer Science. I'm going a little crazy right now because I feel there is so much I need to get done, but in reality there isn't that much that needs to be done. Honestly, I just need to be better organized. So much is going on with school - registration, class schedules, joining organizations, fees, etc. - n~grace photography - every weekend for the past 6 weeks I have had a photo shoot, which I LOVE but because I'm not as organized as I should or could be, pictures seem to be piling up right now, so many pictures to edit in so little time. I want to edit and get the CDs out to my clients in a timely manner but I will not rush because, in my opinion, I would be sacrificing quality for time. Of course this is me editing each picture which omg! what the heck is wrong with  me?! I really need to look into "lightroom" and/or an editor (out sourcing) ugh! Or should I? Is it worth the money and effort? Does anyone reading this know about either lightroom or some editor, like "Photographer's Edit"?

Anyway! loL There are so many blog posts I'd like to write but simply don't have the time at the moment. I'm excited for the winter break coming soon because I have a lot I want to share...In the meantime, here is a sneak peek for future posts :)

 ~Couples: Angel and Dee

 ~Weddings: Amanda and Dan

 ~Portraits: Derrick

  ~Events: Christine and Craig

Sneak Peek: DJ Anytime

I really wish I could write more, but this is just a sneak peek of pictures I took of my best friend DJ. More to come in the next week or two

Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of what's to come in a future post :)

Who's got your back?

Ever since the creation of my photography website I've been getting a lot more phone calls asking for my services. I'm sure as many self-employed professionals would suggest, a website creates a since of professionalism. I always feel so honored when someone asks me to take pictures of them (or refers me to take pictures for someone else) the support I've received from so many of my dearest family and friends, and a few strangers is just...so touching to me. It means so much to me that people appreciate what I love to do and actually enjoy my work. I know years from now - even if photography doesn't work out for me - I can look back on this experience and remember how enjoyable this was for me and how it has helped me grow and learn as an artist AND as a human being.

Today my best friend called me on his lunch break and we talked for a little while then I told him about a phone call I got earlier in the day from someone asking if I would take pictures for them at an upcoming event. His voice changed a little as he responded and I could tell he was smiling :) loL..."Nina, I am so happy for you! You really are doing your thing....and who's got your back?" I just laughed and said YOU...and the rest of my loving family and friends.

This post is for YOU! All of you who have supported me for the past year. If you advised me, promoted me, financially supported me, congratulated or complimented me, was photographed by me, anything...

I THANK YOU 

Jasmine Star and Branding

For the past few days I've been enticed by my new favorite photographer's blogsite, Jasmine Star, a world renowned Wedding Photographer based in the OC (orange county, Cali). Not only have a I drawn inspiration from her regarding my photography skills but also regarding starting a business. I mean after all that is my goal, I do want to start a business - I'm just amazed that she was able to grow hers practically over night - in a matter of 3 or 4 yrs she is BOOMIN!

What really stuck out to me over the past few days of exploring her posts was that she is such an advocator of branding your business and helping others - her philosophy: help others and help is bound to come your way! {Note: I know this "philosophy" is nothing new loL and many people advocate for this way of thinking as well, but I'm not talking about those wonderful people right now, I'm talking about Jasmine ;-) } I like to think of myself as a giving and helpful person, but I'm sure many people would like to think of themselves this way - I know I have a lot to work on.

My first thought was: 

do I genuinely care about people (i.e. clients/potential clients/people in general)? Of course I do! I love making people happy. I don't always go out of my way to help someone (this is only if I know they aren't in need) but I think that has a lot to do with trying to keep my sanity and partly because people have taken advantage of my kindness.

Second thought:

is it possible that I can stay optimistic about the path I currently am taking? YES! I've learned this from my best friend DJ. He is the most positive person I've ever met and he encourages me to look at the positive over negative always (I love him for that)...I tend to worry about not looking professional - I don't have a "pro" camera nor do I own the $2000 lenses that I want loL..but the fact of the matter is...I'm not a  professional (then again, what actually classifies you as being a professional? loL) I would call myself...well, I was going to say photo enthusiast but I think I've passed that phase...so I actually don't know what I would call myself, but its not professional yet. I am constantly growing, learning and practicing and to get eventually where I want to be I know it will take time =) so as my dad always says (particularly when I was learning how to drive) "Patience is Key"

Third thought: How can I brand myself and my future business? 

*** Branding: creating a strong, emotional tie between a company (or in my case, myself) with the client you are connecting/communicating/working with.

I might as well start now, right? I mean ever since my website went live www.ngracephotography.com I've been getting more and more business (yay!), so when I do start my business how do I want it? I notice when I interact with clients during the shoot I try to stay "professional" and {in the most serious tone of voice you can think of} serious, all about business and getting the job done. Cut and Dry. But how BORING! First of all that isn't me at all, I like to laugh and have fun. And second of all, I'm sure the clients find that awkward, annoying, and boring as well.

1) smile.....a LOT :) 

 2) ask the question: what do I do or rather, what do I want to do? I capture a moment in time that evokes a particular emotion or memory - whether if its in my portraiture work or, I call it, "noun" work (pictures of persons, places or things). My goal when photographing people is to get the client as excited about the pictures as I am, not because I took the picture, but because they are seeing themselves in the most flattering way and feel good about themselves.

3) show a genuine interest

I guess I can look at it this way: I don't want to be around anyone who can't stand me or my personality anyway; when you get N~Grace Photography you are getting Nina Grace.

 {start working on that smile Nina ;-)}

 

Photo Credit: Enchanted Forest Photography

Suggestions from Rosie...

The following question was answered by Rosie Hardy {photographer from England} the advice is pretty helpful and something I'd most definitely want to keep in mind when photographing couples who may come off as shy:  

"Rosie, how do you get people to pose for you? Some couples are either brutally awkward or they just don't seem to care enough...I'm lost at times! Thanx!"

From what I've found, 90% of couples don't know too much what to do and for good reason - only p

professional models usually have a good idea! :P The thing I try and steer clear of mostly is cheesiness. Adding to that I think the #1 cheesy thing you can do is have someone doing something that's supposedly natural in an awkward, posed way - usually with the couple looking directly at the camera with uncomfortable smiles plastered on their faces. only a few photographers can pull these poses off and not make it look cheese, i certainly can't, so I'd say go in a different direction completely.

When it comes to poses (we're talking wedding/engagement yes?) first thing you want to do on a wedding is say "i'll make this as quick as possible because i know u guys are dying to get back!" that way they start off on your side. that'll hopefully get them to co-operate more.

Tell them to act like you are not there. Any smiling should be 100% like a natural smile, not a "posed for a photo" smile. By eliminating you as a factor in the shoot (somewhat) you're allowing the moments to be more private and so the pictures will be more intimate and natural.

Tell them to move - it's good to learn a few start of poses in case you get a couple who really are reluctant. I take pictures of a few poses i like and store them on my iphone to interpret on the day - so I'll arrange them into a pose I like, step back, and then tell them to just mess around from there and I'll give direction if I spot something really awesome working. The moment that I like to capture isn't the set pose, but the private moments in between when they're laughing at each other and fixing themselves up. The forgotten moments, if you like ;)

Lastly, an awesome trick I like to use if I'm working with a groom especially who doesn't like photos, is I tell the bride to stand in front of him and close her eyes. Then I tell him that he has to stand behind her and at his digression JUMP on her and let her have no idea when he's going to do it. It usually provokes awesome smiles and laughter and gets some pretty nice, fun pictures:

(Photo credit: Rosie Hardy)

Amanda {Pair} : Chicken soup for the beginner's photographers soul.

All of the following advice was given by Amanda {Pair} a photographer from Alabama. I read it and thought, this is just too good not to pass on (or forget about, for my reference) Thank you so much Amanda for being so open and honest with your readers =)

http://www.amandapair.com/

 

—–

So for those who are just starting out and wondering what the heck to do next, the following is a short list of what I recommend. This is by no means the only way to make things happen. My hope is that it gives you a little insight into what has worked for me.

TEACH yourself to shoot manually. Full manual mode, full time. I remember how hard it was to mentally manage all of the aspects of a session when I first started. The ONE thing that could be controlled for me was my camera. I took advantage of that thinking and my images suffered because of it. Shooting in manual is the only way to have complete control over the final look of your images.

INVEST in a good website. Your website is the world’s first impression of your business and should present your work with it’s best foot forward. Template websites are great when you are just starting, but you can set yourself apart ten-fold with the introduction of a custom site. I use Showit as my website platform which allows you to create and manage your own site easily. I’m not a designer by any stretch of the imagination, so I hired Spilled Milk Designs for my design. The switch from template to custom has been one of the best business decisions I have ever made. So many new photographers get caught up in what lens they should buy next or what equipment should be part of their next upgrade. We all know that professional equipment AIN’T cheap. If you have $1,500 to spend on an L-series lens, then you have $1,500 to put toward the launch of your brand new custom website. Trust me on this one! 

PROVIDE your clients with a great experience. When you are first starting out, it’s easy to doubt that a client base will appear out of thin air. But remember that all it takes is one cool client (or really good friend whose session you shot for free) to recommend her cool friend and now you have two cool clients — yay! Providing good customer service to the clients you do have is extremely important. I won’t lie, there are some clients that I have mentally fired in hopes that don’t call me again. But knowing when to bend over backwards for a client I value is worth it every time. I’d venture to say that 95% of my business comes directly from my current clients in the form of repeat business and referrals. The rest comes from random places like Google (see tip #2) and Facebook. 

ATTEND workshops and seminars. If I compare launching my new website to my discovery of tools, then attending Melissa Jill’s workshop last year sparked my invention of the wheel. Does that even make sense? What I’m saying is the education I received at her workshop and the other I attended last year changed the course of how I manage my business. I learned so many things that put me light years ahead of where I had been in this little journey of photography. It is important to know how to shoot accurately and consistently, but it is even more important to know how to run a successful small business. But BE CAREFUL. There are a lot of photographers out there offering workshops. Make sure that you do your homework and don’t fall into the trap of “celebrity” photographers looking to make a few quick bucks.

REACH OUT to other photographers. The microcosm of the photography world can feel a bit like high school. It is intimidating to reach out to other seemingly-established photographers and ask for advice or try to set up a coffee date. In regards to my business, I have always lived by the you-don’t-know-till-you-try rule. Sure, I’ve been met by the occasionally snobbiness, but more importantly I have made most of my best photography friends through the exchange of e-mails and blind lunch dates. Reaching out to other photographers (especially those in your area) and offering to buy them lunch or assist them is the best way to build those friendships.

Teaser.

Here are just a few shots I took today....I spent the evening with the wonderful Marlene and her niece Joanni :) 

 

My Love

As I've been studying, researching and observing wedding photography I came across LOVE ALA and it is official, I am IN LOVE with her blog (and her introduction video on her website loL)! If I thought I was more interested in wedding photography before, it has increased by 100% after reading her posts and looking at her photos...Of course I know her photos do not define wedding photography, but are her own style, I just  have to say then, I love it! The tone, angles and composition - so inspiring, invigorating, soft, peaceful, engaging, and enjoyable - Just look for yourself:

(all photos taken from www.loveala.net)

 

 

 

She captures intimate details of the day

 

 

HELLO! Talk about a money shot! Now that's what I'm talkin about =) loL I love this! 

LoL it was funny, I read one of her posts. She was talking about a couple she shot and she said something about the woman's outfit....then "are you kidding me with those ouftits?!" loL I thought she was insulting the way her client dressed that day but later realized that was just her expression. As in, are you kidding!? Those are hot!!

Confession

Okay, can I make a confession? Rather, voice my concerns on this post? I am freakin' out! I'm so excited and so nervous at the same time! "N~Grace Photography" is what I call my "business," but by no means do I think I'm professional photographer, sure I've gotten paid to do a few shoots here and there and yes I've actually been the primary photographer at a wedding before - huge mistake at the time - anywho I've gained so much knowledge in the last 6 months and of course still have a lot more to learn, I was talking to a freelancer yesterday at an event I attended and he gave me a lot of great tips about photography in general and how to go about starting my own business.

My concern comes from the fact that in 2 months I am scheduled to shoot another wedding and 2 weeks after the wedding I am scheduled to shoot a Black Tie event! So many people compliment my work (I appreciate it very much) and I know it's said that "you are your worse critic" but these opportunities have a bitter sweet taste to me. I feel like I need to train my eye a bit more and I need better (more) equipment BUT I also need the practice. I can never improve my skills without actually working. And ya know, the more research I do on engagement and wedding photography the more I like it and the more I am becoming interested in that over fashion photography.

Anywho, loL I'm all about lenses - which is most important anyway, right? - So I'll be using the 24-70 f/2.8 as one of the primaries at least that's what I'm thinking as of right now, maybe I'll use the 50mm or 35mm as a primary or 55-200 (I do not own a 70-200mm, it is on my wish-list loL) you know, as I write all of this, a saying a teacher of mine once said comes to mind: 'it is not about the painter's brushes, but about the painter'.........I guess I just need to go in with a confident attitude and relax a bit.

Thanks for listening readers loL
---- N~Grace

You wouldn't believe...

Fashion shoot today with two lovely ladies =) We had so much fun out there today, and I had a lot of fun editing the pics...I used my 35mm for all of these