The Scholtens Family

I had a great time interacting with the Scholtens family this past Sunday! Yes, I interact with all my clients but it was a little different this time.  I've been taking a wonderful class by Brooke Snow and have been learning some great practices! One of which, is the role my interaction with my subjects plays in eliciting authentic laughs and smiles. It's easy to get caught up in setting up a shot, getting the right camera settings and even getting that "camera smile" from my subjects. I am learning that that camera smile is good, but I want better. I want that raw emotion.  But to elevate my photography to that level, I need to help my clients feel comfortable in front of the camera so that authenticity shines through.  I've found I'm not at a point where that is second nature while I am shooting. I can interact and have fun all day, if that's all I have to focus on.  The challenge for me is to hone this so it becomes automatic amongst all the other things I am thinking about during a session.

These photos were taken using some of the "invites" and games I've learned about. I still have a lot of practice to do, but I sure like the results so far!