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Five Things I Wish I’d Known…

Photography became a part of my life almost seven years ago and January 1 will be the beginning of my fifth year in business (Where does the time ago?).  In that time, there’s been a lot of joy and more good things than I can count but there’s also been a lot of struggle and a lot of mistakes.  Here are a few things that I wish I’d realized from the start.  I hope that they help someone.

Being in business is a lot of work. Don’t rush in. Find Balance.

I’ll be the first to admit that I probably went into business before I should have. I got caught up. Everyone seemed to be getting a logo, a website, portfolio building and it seemed like the logical next step. I wanted to be in the same place and to stay at the same level as my peers. I was a stay home mom and photography seemed like a good way to help support my family and fund my photography addiction. What I didn’t think about was the fact that I knew nothing about running a business and couldn’t begin to imagine what would actually be involved and the stress it would cause. My life swung out of balance and it wasn’t something I was easily able to fix. Today, I know that the most important things in my life are my faith, marriage, family, friends and then my photography business. When photography starts to come before any of those other things, I may make more money (or not) but I also start to lose the joy and if you’re not happy, what’s the point?

These are the most important people in my world.

Sarah Phillips Photography

There’s no magic bullet. More stuff won’t make you a better photographer.
When I think about the money that I spent on actions, digital products, books, props, gear and other “stuff” that I never used, I have a lot of regret. I purchased things that other people raved about thinking it would make my work look like theirs. It never did. Rather than buying actions, learn how to get correct white balance and do a clean edit on your own, then develop your processing style. Actions can be wonderful tools, but you don’t need every set that is out there. The same can be said for just about everything else out there. Don’t take a workshop with the goal of learning to shoot like the instructor, chances are you’ll be disappointed. If you don’t know why you need a new camera, you probably don’t need a new camera. Buying an entire store of digital products for $100 is only a good deal if you use them.

Boston Newborn Photographer
Learn how to use your speedlight. Now.
I thought being able to say that I shot only with natural light was some sort of a badge of honor. That was foolish. I missed a lot of everyday moments and have a lot of blurry images b/c maxing out my camera’s ISO capabilities and shooting wide open didn’t get me to a high enough shutter speed. My speedlight allows me to create a window wherever I want and I can emulate natural light with it. I love natural light and shoot with it most of the time, but I can’t tell you how freeing it is to know that I can shoot anywhere, at anytime of the day and get a beautifully lit shot. It took a lot of practice, but it’s easier than you may think.

Sarah Phillips Workshop

It’s not a race. Don’t compare your journey to others.
A few years ago, I stopped following other people’s blogs because too often, I found myself feeling jealous rather than inspired. I’m not a jealous person and it was a new and unwelcome feeling for me. Focus on yourself. Work hard. Figure out what you love. Worrying about what other people are doing will only slow you down.

Sarah Phillips Photography

You can’t be anyone but you very well.

Be you. Shoot what’s in your heart. The best personal story  I can share with you is that four or five years ago, everyone was shooting faux studio. I bought a piece of plexi glass, fake wood floor and a background stand so that I could take similar pictures. I’d show you some examples, but I don’t actually have any. Nothing could be further from who I am and last year, I sold that background stand (that had been under my couch for three years) for half of what I paid for it. If you don’t like hats on babies, you don’t have to shoot them (and if you love hats on babies, put hats on babies). While I think it’s very important to know how to shoot in all kinds of light, if you love bright and airy, you don’t have to shoot moody and dark or backlit images. Shoot posed. Shoot lifestyle. Be you, you’re awesome at it.

jump900(Image Courtesy of Kristina Young)

 

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On-Camera Flash for Beginners | Register Today!

Sometimes wonderful moments happen in beautiful light, but very often they don’t. Regardless of how great your camera’s high ISO capabilities are or how good you are at working in low light, there are times when there just isn’t enough light to get the shot you want. No home has perfect light in every room at every hour of the day and some homes have no light in every room at every hour of the day (mine!).

If you’ve ever found yourself wishing that you could knock out a wall and create a window or move to a house that has better light, this workshop is for you. If you’re a professional photographer who worries about arriving at a client’s home only to find that the only room with any light is the master bath, this workshop is for you too. With on-camera, TTL flash you can create a window wherever you want (and it’s easier than you think).  Knowing that you can create beautiful light and take wonderful images wherever you are will give you confidence and take your photography to the next level.

When

September 23-October 20

This four week course will take place in a private online classroom that will be open to you 24/7.

What will be covered

*flash modes with a focus on TTL
*metering modes
*white balance
*getting perfect exposure with flash
*balancing flash with ambient light to create natural looking light
*focusing with flash
*bounce techniques
*using flash modifiers
*using on camera flash outside both as fill and the main light
*high sync speed

What you get

*a weekly PDF with a lesson and an assignment/exercise
*detailed and personalized instruction and critique from me
*teaching assistants  (Jessica Gwozdz and Dana Tate), will also give you feedback on your assignment each week
*access to a virtual classroom where you can post questions and I will answer them as soon as possible.
*share ideas and questions with other participants.  See their homework and read my thoughts on their work to learn even more.
*2 group video chat sessions with me (up to one hour each). The sessions will be recorded so that if you cannot attend, you can watch it later.  These sessions will take place after week 2 and after week 4.

What you need

In order to get the most out of this class, you must have a mastery of technical basics (exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc..). You will need a DSLR camera, lens and a speedlight that has TTL capabilities (Canon or Nikon is recommended) and can swivel and tilt. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments before signing up.

What people are saying

I am no longer afraid of my speedlight!  Sarah explained on camera flash in a simple and easy to understand way with perfect examples in the PDF’s!  Sarah taught us that you can use your speedlight to create a window ANYWHERE!  Thanks for a wonderful class! – Katie

I had my speedlight for four years before I took Sarah’s class. I had taken another workshop and I had read a few books, but I never really knew what I was doing with it. Sometimes my photos came out ok, but most of the time they didn’t. In the very first week I learned so much. A new world unfolded with each week’s lesson. Even though the information was quite technical, Sarah broke it down and made it so understandable. By the end of the four weeks I understood exactly how to use my flash to achieve correct exposure in just about any situation. Sarah is an excellent teacher.  Her presence in the Q&A and Picture Share threads was outstanding. More than any other workshop I’ve ever taken, Sarah was available and extremely forthcoming with information. The exchanges in those threads were almost as valuable and enlightening as the information in the PDFs. I use my flash quite often now, and confidently, and it is thanks to Sarah and this class. -Diana

Love natural light but hate when there isn’t enough? This workshop will set you free from that frustration as Sarah patiently teaches how to use on camera flash to supplement available light or even provide all the light, if needed. Sarah’s effective teaching style along with the weekly lessons and assignments , build basic lighting concepts and skills in a non-intimidating and achievable manner for speedlight newbies. If you need an kick start to understanding on camera flash lighting and using it effectively to supplement your natural light shooting, this is the class for you!- Janet

Cost

$300 for Active Participation. Active Participants will have all of the benefits listed under “What you Get”.
$150 for Silent Participation. Silent Participants will be able to view the forum and download materials. They will not be able to ask questions or submit assignments for critique and cannot participate in the video chat sessions. They will be able to see the question and answer forum, Active Participant’s assignments and critiques and watch the recorded video chat sessions.

Registration

Within 24 hours of paying for the workshop you will receive an email from me with a link to set up your workshop account.  You will receive another email the week before the workshop opens directing you the the virtual classroom where the workshop will take place.

The workshop registration fee is not refundable.

Your workshop registration is only for you!  Materials and virtual classroom access may not be shared.


Sign up here




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On Camera Flash Workshop

Many people have asked when my On Camera Flash Workshop will be offered again. I don’t have an exact date but I promise you will see it again in the near future! If you can’t or don’t want to wait, I do offer on line mentoring. If you’re local to me, we can get together. Please email me if you have any questions or want to schedule something (sarah@sarahphillipsphoto.com).

What people are saying:

“It wasn’t until very recently in my photography journey that I decided I needed to take my knowledge of flash to the next level. I had heard through various online forums and mentoring groups that Sarah was to the go-to flash guru, so I contacted her about an in-person mentoring session. Sarah was very informative without being overwhelming and taught me so many “tricks and tips” in a short amount of time. Since we were working within the confines of an actual shoot I was booked for, Sarah had to adjust her “typical” materials to the situation. She let me take the lead with my client, while standing by to offer suggestions and reminding of what we had discussed. It was a very hands-on experience and I was able to see the results of her teachings right there on the back of my camera. Like everything, it will take some practice for these techniques to become second-nature to me, but Sarah was able to give me a great foundation for introducing a hint of supplemental light into my photography when necessary, while also making me feel comfortable and have fun!” – Rebekah

“Being a natural light photographer I have always had a preference to shoot without flash. It wasn’t until recently that I was introduced to the use of flash with a natural look! Sarah showed me a way of using flash that doesn’t look ‘flashy’ or more importantly in a way that doesn’t take away from my subjects. Being a visual learner it was very difficult for me to learn by reading online or just picking up a book. Having Sarah right next to me showing me the immediate results of what we were discussing made all the difference in the world. Her humor, knowledge and personality made this otherwise intimidating experience so amazing and has shifted my mindset completely. Now that I understand how to correctly use this tool, it has opened up so many doors and expanded my creativity. If you are debating how to learn flash and you want material that will actually teach you with a teacher who is accessible, this is for you! She will without a doubt shift your vision. This investment was one of the best ones I’ve made for my business and my photography. I am so grateful for this opportunity – If you have any question about learning flash Sarah is your girl — You will not be disappointed!” – Keri

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