Keiki Krate is an online toy store and their philosophy is all about presence over pace, no milestones, no markers. When they approached me to take photos of their products, we wanted to make sure to design a photo shoot that would encompass their values: meaningful moments between parents and their children, and unhurried play. We chose a location that reflected their design aesthetic and we captured their brand with these timeless photos for their website, social media and marketing materials.
Meet the owners of Keiki Krate, Teko and Gabrielle.
Contact me to receive a quote for your photography projects:
I had the pleasure of setting up a headshot photography studio at Nadi Group’s office in downtown Winnipeg to take headshots of their team. I set up studio lights but also mixed in natural light to create more natural, welcoming photos of each person.
Nadi Group is a team of design and research studios specializing in architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture. Seeing as their work is creative, dynamic and connective, I wanted to create headshots of their staff that reflected those values.
Here are some highlights from the photo shoot:
My mobile light studio, set up in my client’s office for their headshot session.
Lindsay was looking for some casual, environmental portraits to update her headshot photos and immediately my head was filling with ideas when she mentioned the Exchange District in downtown Winnipeg as her preferred location. We met up on a warm, summer evening and had fun with lights, angles and lines. Here is a small preview from the photo shoot:
We’re coming up quick to the busiest time of the year for family photos: September! Fall is by far the most popular season for family photography sessions. People love the cooler air, nicer sunlight earlier in the evening, fewer mosquitoes and pretty colours in the trees.
But for a lot of moms (and dads too) the task of planning a photo shoot can be super daunting.
Over the last 15 years of taking family photos for my clients, I’ve found the following planning tips to be really helpful:
1) Determine what type of vibe you want to capture.
Do you want casual, candid portraits?
Do you want formal, posed photos?
Do you want a nature or architectural background?
Do you want photojournalistic, storytelling photos or a more formal and directed shoot?
Do you just need four or five photos to print a Christmas card?
Do you need a well-rounded collection of images to fill frames, print holiday cards and add to your annual family photo album?
Do you need 100+ photos so that you can keep and cherish every little moment from the photo shoot?
Once you know how many photos you need, you can pick a mini session or a full session. If you’re not sure, a mini session or half-session is a good option because you can always order extra photos if you change your mind after you review the gallery of proofs.
This might be THE most stressful part! My best advice is to start early and not leave this to the last minute. Start by picking out an outfit for the hardest person in the group. If there are prints or patterns in this first outfit, make sure the next outfits you add have mostly solid colours in the same colour scheme or tone. At all costs, avoid logos, distracting graphics or really bright colours.
You also want to make sure your outfits fit the location. If you’re wearing really formal wear in a casual park setting where there’s lots of adventuring through the woods or sitting on the ground in tall grass, that dress shirt and tie or cocktail dress might look out of place. In the same way, if you’re wearing really casual athletic wear in a location that has funky architecture or an artistic flare, this might not make sense.
And finally – don’t wear a new article of clothing for the first time at a photo shoot. You may be surprised at how uncomfortable or ill-fitting an outfit feels. If you feel uncomfortable, it’s hard to hide that in your face! I recommend wearing your outfit at least once before so that you are sure that you like how you look and how it makes you feel.
4) Prioritize golden hour, but not at the expense of your kids’ moods.
Yes, you want good light for your outdoor photos (and that’s usually the 2nd hour after sunrise or the 2nd hour before sunset), but if that’s close to bed time for your kids, it’s not worth it! Although brighter parts of the day may not be ideal for photos, I can help find locations that have shade from the sun if you want to make sure the session ends before bedtime. It’s better to have smiles and happy toddlers than gorgeous lighting with cranky kids. Also, parents look and feel their best in photos when their kids are happy. 😉 (I can attest to that personally from my own photo shoots!)
When looking for professional headshots that feel a bit more personal, I always suggest doing an environmental or lifestyle portrait photo session. These types of headshot photography sessions can be done on location, in your office or place of business and I bring portable studio lights to help boost the natural light.
Joan-Dianne is a psychotherapist in Winnipeg and I met up with her in her office space to create a portrait session that is relaxed and casual. Her portrait session was designed for communicating warmth, approachability and connection, which is a true reflection of the qualities she brings to every session she provides for her clients.
