Brain Dump
What's up y'all. So I have an idea for a new thing I want to do with the business. I need to think it out more, and I need to tell you all about it, so I figured I would do both of those things at the same time. That being said, this blog may be a little chaotic, but just follow me on it. You may help me discover something really cool.
A new direction
So after photographing professionally for 4 years, and actually enjoying the last 2 years of it, I have been paying more attention to what I actually enjoy shooting, and the ways I like to photograph. Through all of this experience, I realized I liked being more loose with my photography. Letting the opportunities present themselves rather than forcing them in poses and such. I like spending time with a client, letting them open up and get comfortable in front of the camera, to press the shutter when they are laughing at a joke or just enjoying themselves. I have found that these are the moments that make the day special, but are rarely documented because they aren't a pose or a prompt. I like these moments. Not only are they easy for the client because they are capturing meaningful images without trying, they are easy for me as well because normally I am in the moment with the client, enjoying myself just as much. I just have a camera in my hand and have learned when to press the button at the point where I know it will matter most.
So, I know what I like to do. I like to hang out with the client, get what they want captured, but also capture the fun in-between moments as well. I know I don't like to focus on poses too much, I like for the session to flow and for the poses to find us rather than us forcing the poses. How do I do more of this? Well, I could actually give my clients an activity to focus on during the session, the camera disappears and isn't the focus, and I can do what I love to do: capture the moments in-between. Enter LittleBear Adventures, my new approach to sessions to shift the focus more to having a good experience rather than worrying about the photos.
The Premise
So let's get into it. What the heck are these "LittleBear Adventures"? To put it shortly, these will be specialized sessions where the focus of the session will be some sort of activity, I capture the activity, and we all just have fun. I will provide an example with the one I am planning now.
As summer is coming up, an activity Becca and I did last year was peach-picking. Last year, I was doing my monthly themed newsletters/photo series and we went on this little adventure ourselves. It was a freaking blast. I knew I liked peaches, but have weirdly never had a freshly picked peach off the tree. Having one of those in the middle of June was heavenly. Anyways, we had a great time peach picking, I got some awesome photos, and it was just a good bonding activity for Becca and I. I want to use my experience last year and provide that for others this year.
So right now I am planning a peach-picking adventure. Clients will be able to book me and the cost of them picking peaches and a small box to put their peaches in to take home, plus a bunch of other goodies, will be included in the price. So they pay me one flat rate, they get the experience, and I am there to photograph them doing so. This is pretty straightforward and simple, but fun.
These are not minis
I want to make it clear that these are not mini sessions. Listen, I think mini sessions are cool, but they just aren't for me right now. See, I get invested in my sessions. I get invested in my clients, and if we are having a good time, I am gonna keep shooting and hanging out because this is just what I do, and it is what I love to do. So I don't want to take away from the experience for the client by having to depart after their allotted time just because I have another one right after, and I also don't want to take away from myself because I like putting all my effort and energy into one session at a time. Having multiple sessions in one day is difficult for me as I get invested in the projects.
So yes, these are not minis. These will be full-blown sessions, and since it is activity-based, the end of the session will most likely be up to the client. I know I wouldn't want to be outside picking peaches in the hot summer sun ALL DAY, so we will play it by ear for now. All I know is that I don't want to give some short time limit on something that is so fun to be a part of. We don't have to rush a good experience, and that allows me to not rush my art.
new look
I am going to touch on this briefly, as I have already made some design changes. With this new way of thinking about sessions, I realize that when I rebranded last year, the new design did not completely resonate with who I was as a photographer. Granted, I don't think I knew completely at the time, and I also know that will continue to evolve over time.
Anyways, last year I tried to give myself a more refined look, more elegant to attract more wedding clients. I now realize that was the wrong move as that is just not who I am. For those who know me or who have booked with me, you know I am casual (hopefully in a good way). I like to have fun in my sessions. I like to play things off as not serious to let the client have fun as well. I realize that this style just isn't for everybody, and I am finally at a place to not only accept that, but embrace that. I am who I am, and know what I like to do when I shoot. I need to be more in tune with that in my brand to attract the right clients so they can resonate with me and I with them.
All that to say, I am stepping away from the elegant look and going for a more bold, fun, and adventurous feel. I think it plays into the whole bear thing as well. So far I am liking the direction I have started to go in, but like I said before, we are all constantly changing and evolving, so we will see if this one sticks.
Sum it up
Alright, let's bring this thing to a close. In this blog I brought up some new things, the main one being LittleBear Adventures. These will be fun specialized sessions focused on the clients doing an activity. Getting those action, candid, and in-between shots are the goal here, as well as just making it a good EXPERIENCE rather than focusing on the photos themselves.
Second, I briefly mentioned a direction change in the look of LittleBear Photography. The more I shoot for myself, and professionally, the more I discover about myself. I will be pursuing a more bold, adventurous look to better resonate with who I am not only as a photographer, but as a person as well.
That about wraps it up. Thank you for making it through the brain dump. These blogs are meant to give you all an insight into what goes on behind the business and my creative process. I am not perfect. I don't know what I am doing most of the time, but one thing that I think matters is that I am having more and more fun figuring it out as I go. I hope it's fun for you as well, as I will never pretend to be an almighty expert. I am person just like you, trying to figure out what I want to make in this world and how I want to share it with you all.
