Thanks to those who submitted questions for Q & A January! I love giving back to the photography community with the things I’ve learned about photography. Of course and obviously and I’m jus’ gon’ say it, these answers are just one photographer’s opinion, and are by no means gospel truth. Unless you decide they are.
Do you ever use actions in photoshop? Yes and no. I make actions myself to make workflow go faster, but I’ve never purchased actions. I may experiment with them in the future, but my philosophy is all about what’s natural and real, and I think that’s artistic–so I keep my editing to a minimum and preserve the natural, raw elements of the photo.
Do you use light room or photoshop for work flow? Photoshop entirely–I’m open to learning lightroom, but right now Photoshop meets my post-processing needs. =)What do you like most about photography? Capturing the beauty and authenticity of people and relationships as they really are, in their natural environment.
What do you like least? Going to the post office. Serious. I don’t know what it is, but logistical places like that give me the heebie jeebies.
What is “retouching” when you edit or retouch an image. . . what do you typically do?
I keep it simple. Since I shoot in raw (holy guacamole, if you are not shooting in raw–go change the settings on your camera this instant. Will change your life.) I do a lot of adjustments in camera raw–basic stuff like exposure, fill light, etc. When I open the image in Photoshop I sharpen with unsharp mask, usually just the eyes/face, maybe add a bit of contrast, fix little things like random sun flare, minimal blemishes, and I’m DONE. Life is far too short to spend twenty minutes editing one photo, or even ten! I love shooting, not editing. So I do my best to keep it that way. =)
Do you take your camera everywhere? =) I actually don’t, and I think it oddly keeps me more fresh as an artist. There are definitely times when my adventures take me somewhere unexpected and I wish I had my camera, but I firmly believe in finding balance between just living life and documenting it–something I’m still trying to work out. I do take my camera to unexpected places to challenge myself, and definitely recommend doing that.
Do you share locations? Where is the one of the engagement session for Kirstina & Camon? That is beautiful!!! You did so awesome catching their love and the fall colors!!! I loved the pictures of them standing in the water . .. the light in the trees is great and the yellow reflects in the water! And of course they look so natural together and not posed!
Thanks so much! OF COURSE I share locations. It is absolutely ridiculous not to share locations, in my opinion–if your business is hinging on one great location, you’re toast. We did their engagements in Provo Canyon, at the second park in as you’re coming in–although I can’t for the life of me remember the name!
Why do you like your ice cream a little melty? Hahah. Because it is the only way to really enjoy the flavor instead of gettin yo tongue froze off.What are some tips for posing people when you are out of ideas?
This is such a good question, and something I think all photographers deal with often. When I find myself drawing a blank in the moment, I either stop and talk to the clients (usually moving them to a new location) or I just take a second. I put down my camera and take a deep breath and encourage my clients to do the same. We shake it out, refresh our smiles, and remember why we’re there. By the time I’ve done that, I’m usually fresh and creative again.
What do you do to get clients to relax? This is closely linked to my philosophy–you know, providing clients with an entire experience rather than just images. I spend time talking to them, getting to know them, and taking breaks like I talked about above. If I find clients are particularly stiff, I let them get wrapped up in each other and go far away so they can forget I’m there. It makes for some great shots, besides.
I have a Nikon d70 and I can’t figure out how to shoot manually so the white balance is right! I always seem to be getting really red/yellow pictures and I don’t know what to do! First of all, forget about the preset “settings”–even if you’re in incandescent light, sometimes the fluorescent setting will work better, etc. Keep playing around and don’t be afraid to turn dials and wheels. Also, read your camera’s manual! You can usually find them online for free and search for the issue you’re dealing with.
Love your work! I love how you get cool sun flare in your pictures! How do you do that?! I experiment! I usually use a tree or building or some other element to slightly obscure the sun and see what comes out. I love beautiful light, and sun flare can be so unique to the setting and time of day, I really feel like it tells the story.
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Brooke Schultz is a wedding and lifestyle photographer based in Utah County specializing in maternity sessions, birth stories, weddings, and being a wild child. She photographs fabulous, free-spirited people who love each other ferociously. If you are one of those people, chat with this lady Brooke about photographing your fabulousness. She would be honored.
You can also connect with Brooke on facebook, twitter, pinterest, and formspring. If you’re cool like that, you know.
*photo by Chantel Marie
