Now that I understand the importance of using social media as a means to reach clients, I am making an effort to increase my presence online.  I am active on Instagram and Facebook.  I also use Twitter and Behance, in addition to my blog.

My ideal customers would be Entrepreneurs that are looking for headshots to promote themselves and/or their business.  I enjoy portrait photography and feel that headshots would be a good starting point.  I want to be able to produce images that are both professional and flattering for my clients.

My mission statement is that I want to use social media to showcase my ability to use photography to capture each person’s unique personality.

Sometimes it takes a lot of planning and prep work to capture a creative shot.  Lately, I have been experimenting with different objects that can be used on my lens to create a frame around my subject. I decided to document one of my experiments by making a short “how to” video showing what I did and how my photo turned out.  I had been taking photos of my son playing outside and I wanted to showcase the fact that it’s winter, however, the snow is melting and is mostly ice right now.  I found a piece of Styrofoam in my house and used it to create a snow effect.  I want people to keep in mind that sometimes you have to experiment and be creative to produce fun photos!

If you want to see how I did it, click on the link below to check out my video!

Landscape photography can be defined as “outdoor images without any humans or animals in the photo” (https://www.landscape2art.com/what-is-landscape-photography.html). The idea is to “capture an image that embodies the spirit of the outdoors” (https://photographylife.com/landscapes/what-is-landscape-photography). 

I love to look at landscape photographs, however, I personally find them difficult to take.  I often find myself admiring the beauty of different landscapes as I drive, but when I pull over and try to capture the essence of what I am seeing, I fall flat. I feel that landscape photography is a skill that needs to be perfected.  The more I research about landscape photography, the more I realize how time consuming it can be to capture that perfect shot.  You may not require a lot of equipment, but it could take hours to try to photograph a perfect sunset and you can still not accomplish what you were hoping for if the weather/lighting conditions are not what you had expected.  I found an interesting article from National Geographic that provide tips for landscape photography.

You can check it out here:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/landscape-photography-tips/#close

There are many landscape photographers that you can pull inspiration from.  Ansel Adams is said to be “the most important landscape photographer of the 20th century”. He is known for his black and white images of the American West.  He was an environmentalist and he used his work to promote the conservation of wilderness https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ansel-Adams-American-photographer). 

Here is an example of his work:

Another amazing landscape photographer that I came across is Nadav Kander.  His work is very different from Ansel Adams.  Nadav has said, “My landscapes are not about nature. They’re about man and how we exist.” His photographs can be eerie and often show destruction caused by man.  Here is an example of Nadav’s work.  The photo was taken at a missile and nuclear testing site in Kazakhstan.

February is here and I have a case of the Winter blues. I decided to shoot some portraits with this theme in mind. All of the photos were shot using a blue gel. For some, I used a flash and covered the flash with the gel. For a couple, I used the blue gel to cover my light source. I also played around with a fog machine to create a smoke effect. To me, this time of year is cold and dark and I wanted my images to project this.

I recently created a Facebook page for my Photography business.  I feel there are many benefits to having a Facebook page and I am optimistic that it will help me boost my business.  

I think that Facebook provides a great opportunity to interact directly with potential clients.  I like that once people follow my Facebook page they will be notified when I post new content.  I also like that I can ask for feedback from my followers and respond directly on Facebook posts. Another good feature that Facebook offers is a direct message option.  If someone wants to connect with me, they can easily send me a message.

When I get “likes” and comments on my posts this gives me valuable insight into what type of photographs people are responding to and what I should post more of.  

Facebook insights is another amazing feature as it provides a lot of great information that I can access easily.  It is doing all of the work for me, so I don’t have to go through and check each post to see how many views it got.

Facebook is also a great way that I can share articles or videos that my Facebook fans may also find interesting.  I hope that this will allow me to connect with my followers on a more personal level.  

My goal is to become a Family Photographer and I feel that my primary demographic likely uses Facebook so having a Facebook page gives me a better chance to reach potential clients.

Overall, I feel it is beneficial for me to have a Facebook page.

Please visit my new Facebook page for Chrissy James Photography:

https://www.facebook.com/Chrissy-James-Photography-114455480103691/

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved taking photographs.  There is something inspiring about being behind a camera and capturing that perfect shot.  The world looks different to me when I am looking through the viewfinder.  I see more beauty when I am holding a camera. I look at things from different angles and notice the way the light interacts with objects. 

I never actually taught myself how to properly use a camera, so I was taking photographs using the automatic mode on my camera.  I realized that if I really wanted to turn this passion into a career, I needed to step up my game.  I splurged on a Canon 5D Mark IV and am now studying Photography at Durham College. I’m finally learning to use my camera to its full potential and I’m understanding the importance of lighting in creating a stunning image.

I want to tell a story with each photograph I take and capture the true essence of the person that I am photographing.  I love taking candid photos as I feel these look the most natural.  

My goal is to make people really feel something when they look at my work and for my clients to love the finished product. I feel that having photographs are the best way to keep memories alive.  They can be cherished forever and passed down to loved ones.   So, here I am, starting my first blog.  This is my way of introducing you to who I really am.  I hope you enjoy my work and I look forward to using this blog to track my own growth as a photographer.  Feel free to comment and provide feedback as I am always looking for a fresh perspective. I would love the opportunity to tell your story. Please send me an email or give me a call and we can plan a photo session.