Portrait Photography with My Photography Group

I love portrait photography. I am planning out my studio for when we move up near Seattle in a year. We are purchasing lighting and making decisions on what cameras we want, etc. Business plans and all that junk. I spend way too much time at the local camera shop or online with B&H Photo. I sleep with my camera like a stuffed teddy bear.

I constantly read about other photographers studios and what they have done... I steal their ideas.

I'm simple.

I like mostly natural light. So I have to have windows.

I also like "different' and "funky" so I am working out my style.

I really like this planning part and tearing out magazine pictures...scheming. Yes. My laboratory will be a creation of epic proportions. Or just a corner of my bathroom. Either way, it will be all mine.

Just in case you've been out of the planet for a while and didn't know... on Earth...photographers are a dime a dozen. It's a very saturated field and my piece of the pie will be a teeny, tiny sliver, really. I will be in a new town... starting out as an "older photographer".

I may be perceived as a has been before I am even a wanna be. I do have quite a lot of experience...and spunk! But I have been mostly freelance and free.

Free being the key word. I am way too free with being free. I want my sliver of pie and make it chocolate, please.

When I power walk with Madley in our local mall...we walk past 3 Three...yes 3 photography studios. In one mall. How do they survive? If I owned a studio in a mall I would never be in my studio. I would be shopping and eating pretzel bites with butter and Panda Express and drinking my Jamba Juice power carrot orange juice and getting a total makeover at the Egyptian Miracle Magic New Face Kiosk.

When we're tired...we like to stop and watch through the big window of a studio as the 12 year old photographer makes goofy faces at the adorable child in the poofy dress and the hair bows bigger than her head... trying to get her to smile...instead of scream...while the parents are standing behind the photographer doing the same thing. I'm sure the kid thinks she has been transported to another planet so she is screaming because obviously her parents have been brainwashed by this alien with that mind melting machine.  Madley usually goes and gets popcorn and chairs and we make it a date.

I kid you not...once we were walking by the big window of one of the studios and a distressed mommy was actually changing her little darling's poopy diaper right there in the big window... where you usually see the cute kids being tortured, um...their picture taken...how's that for reality TV? Smell-a-Vision!

More about me...

I am a persistent little woman. Once I feel secure...I can work my magic and make portraits that aren't from a mall...or smell funny. I try not to make average, everyday portraits...I like them funky. So my clientele will have to be kind of funky too. Just not smelly. Please.

"So what the heck does all of this have to do with your photo club Miss Funky?" you ask.

Nothing at all...so I guess I'll tell you something that has to do with them if you insist...pull up a comfy Jedi chair and sit while I blather on...

We have our group activity Saturday morning. I will try to teach them a bit about light and portraits! It will be fun. I like to watch them as they "see" what I see.I love my little group...they inspire me!

I am "teaching" my photo group how to take better pictures! Just the basics, really.

I have a great mix of point and shooters and DSLR shooters. We balance our time between the two types of cameras and they are learning to use their cameras as they should be used. 

My Mantra: "Please Read Your Camera Owner's Manual."

You see...I know the technical side of photography inside and out. But when it comes to knowing which buttons to push on all the different, new fangled digital cameras... I have not studied every manual out there. Plus they read like stereo instructions and they use new words that they made up that I have never, ever heard in all my photography lessons. So I leave it up to the group to figure out their own cameras.

By the way, have you ever been to Best Buy or Wal*Mart and seen how many cameras there are for sale? It boggles the mind. I like my simple Nikon. When I get my new cameras they will be Nikons that will only have a couple of new buttons for me to learn.

I also own a small Fujifilm point and shoot. I am still learning how to use it after 3 years. I usually give up and put it on video. I haven't read my manual.

Saturday... I am hoping my young Padawans have studied their manuals and we can get past the "Uh...how do I turn this thing on?" stage and get some decent photos. I'm kidding of course.

But really, they are all doing so well...I think soon my Mantra will change to "Get that camera out of my face." uh...I mean...  "More Funky!"

Maybe I should name my studio "Funky Town"...

Good night...now where is my binky?