David H. Smiths Blog

Thinking About Starting a Portfolio?

You can show up to a photo shoot with all of your equipment, fueled by a cup o’ Joe and a good night sleep, but when it comes to the first photo shoot with someone, it takes a little something more to ensure things go right.

Kristen came to me in search of the perfect shots for starting her portfolio. I wanted her first foray into the venture to be a successful one so, based on Kristen’s look and personality, I came up with the concept of shooting a sort of “boho-chic” theme.

Wouldn’t ya know it, Kristen happened to have an amazing wardrobe of her own that perfectly complemented the idea. I simply added a headscarf and colorful parasol from Cost Plus, and there you have it, the stars aligned. Check out the evidence (samples from a test shoot):

Kristen

Krsiten

Kristen

Krsiten

Afterwards, when I asked Kristen for feedback on the shoot, she mentioned she felt extremely comfortable and at ease and appreciated my help along the way, from providing the props to suggesting the theme idea. I have to say I enjoyed the shoot as much as Kristen apparently did and think she’s off to a great start on compiling a successful portfolio that will hopefully lead to some dreams come true. A big THANKS to her Mother & boyfriend for their assistance on the photo shoot.

Kristen

The Camera Knows What You’re Thinking—It’s True!   Everyone gets nervous about how they’ll look in a photo. Everyone. Yes, yes, believe it, even those seemingly flawless models and dressed-to-the-hilt actresses gracing the grocery store magazine stands have their moments. It’s true! It’s totally normal to have the jitters or just worry in general about wanting to look your best in your photos—whether they’re for high school portraits or a career portfolio. Those of you with a history in theater who are used to being on stage have a leg up in terms of really knowing how to ham it up for the camera. But a background in drama certainly isn’t necessary for a great shot. Look at Jonalyn, the high school student I photographed at Smeeks candy shop. I couldn’t believe Jonalyn wasn’t in drama or theater. She’s an athlete, a soccer  and volleyball player. So why did her photos turn out so well? Yes, the location was great, but Jonalyn was a natural in front of the camera. As soon as I turned it on, her confidence came out and she just moved—posed, changed her facial expressions, grabbed nearby props and most of all, just had fun. Yes, having an experienced photographer with the right equipment who can guide you through a photo shoot is half the battle. And if you can throw worry to the wind, well, the rest will shine through in the photos.Think about it. What’s your favorite photograph of yourself? Was it one you prepared for? Or was it a more candid shot? What were you thinking at the time? Tell me about it—I bet it had nothing to do with the jitters!

Arizona Professional Photographers of America just had their state convention last weekend. As part of the convention, members may enter images and albums for print critique by a panel of judges. I submitted a high school senior album which was created for Lauren DeBlaey and it placed first in the Non-Event Album Open Division.  THANK YOU to Lauren and her mom, Julie DeBlaey for being awesome to work with and for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of your very special year!

Thought I would share a few photographs from a Canon Workshop I did with Bruce Dorn in Sedona, AZ. We had some great models that really worked hard and enabled all of us to work with them individually. This always works out better in a group situation. You are able to give direction and get some unique shots.  Briana & Hanna are represented by Wilhelmina Models in Los Angeles, New York & Miami. It was great working with Bruce Dorn. He has been working in Cinema-photography and it was great to get some of his insight on that as it relates to stills. Canon also brought some of their goodies for us to play with, so it was basically a photo geek fest. The afternoon turned overcast so conditions weren’t ideal but working with Bruce, Canon and the professional models made it a great day. And hey we were in Sedona, who doesn’t love the red rocks of Sedona. Here is a link for the Canon Workshops.