What being a photographer means to me.

An image should speak to YOU the audience. It should delight, or make you sad... perhaps, even make you laugh.  An image should reflect an emotion for the viewer. This is what makes a photographer... showing emotion.. love, sadness, joy and in the moment... It's why we do the things we do.Every image I put out there is with my love, my passion, my heart. Every image is hand edited to give you the best in what I can offer and I don't like using any presets or actions. I've been trained in various editing techniques and it would be a sin to waste all this training by running an action. I spend hours among hours weekly learning my camera and bettering myself.My colors are vibrant, soft, dreamy and my posing is very relaxed and casual. I want to capture the true self at heart. I do tone it down a bit for family photos, but still add my flavor to them.  Everything else, in terms of the edit... depends on the light, the articles of clothing, props, time of year.

What An Image Means to a Photographer: Top 3 Reasons

As a photographer, an image holds immense significance and serves as a powerful medium of artistic expression and communication. Here are the top three reasons why an image means so much to those behind the lens:

1. Visual Storytelling: An image is a photographer's narrative captured in a frame. It represents their unique perspective, emotions, and experiences at a specific moment in time. Through composition, lighting, and subject matter, photographers weave compelling stories that resonate with viewers on a deep, emotional level. Each image is a visual testament to the photographer's ability to convey a message or evoke a specific mood, making it a profoundly personal and meaningful creation.

2. Artistic Fulfillment: For a photographer, an image is a tangible manifestation of their artistic vision and creative prowess. It is the culmination of their technical skills, aesthetic sensibilities, and conceptual ideas. Every aspect of image-making, from the initial concept to the final post-processing, reflects the photographer's devotion to their craft. The satisfaction derived from producing a visually stunning and thought-provoking image fuels their passion and drives them to continually refine their skills, seeking new ways to convey their artistic voice through photography.

3. Memorable Moments and Connections: Photographers cherish images as enduring reminders of significant moments, both personal and collective. Whether capturing a breathtaking landscape, a candid portrait, or a historical event, each image symbolizes a unique connection between the photographer and the subject. These photographic mementos serve as a testament to the fleeting nature of time, preserving otherwise ephemeral moments for posterity. Moreover, photographers often form deep bonds with their subjects, and the images taken become a testament to those relationships, fostering a sense of nostalgia and connection with the past.

In conclusion, an image holds profound significance for a photographer, representing their ability to tell stories, fulfill their artistic aspirations, and immortalize meaningful moments. It is a medium through which they share their perspective, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting imprint on the world.

Each image, has their own special sauce as you see and isn't like what you see out there.In moving forward with this photography business, I am cutting back a bit and have decided to go down to part time. I was going it at full time for a bit and it completely wiped me out. I will now reducing my sessions down to about 4-6 sessions a month to give myself a life and to also give 100% to my customers. Btw, I gave 100% to my last spree and it put me in the hospital! My body is telling me to slow down and I will now be listening to it!

As a photographer, I am realizing you can't always be the best... There are others who are better out there, who make more money and charge more, who have more experience... and then there are others just getting into the business and starting from scratch... maybe they're learning the insides and outs to their camera and starting manual.What I am getting at is, I am not the best.. I will never be the best and realizing I can only be the best I can be. As photographers, we see others' works out there and feel we can't live up, that we'll never be good enough and we feel like giving up. This whole field is about learning and growing! Don't give it up! Learn to just be you and do your thang!

Don't worry about what others are doing!! Once you do this and let that go, you will grow as an artist.And.... What I am telling you, my potential customers, is that I will do MY BEST for you! I will go above and beyond and always keep upping my game. I will keep investing in education and in workshops to be a better photographer for YOU. After all, it is YOU that helps to pay for this education, gear and workshops!!! It is you that has kept me in business for almost a year now... and it is YOU who motivates me to do better as I move forward!I want my images to speak to my clients!I have a game plan going forward and am now starting to head in the direction that I always envisioned!  Watch out South Jersey! Here I come!!

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee