Check out Christie’s website, her blog and become a FAN on Facebook.

Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Christie and my husband Chris and I have 2 daughters, Sabrina and Thérèse. I’m 31 and on my third career…well 4th if you count my stint working at a restaurant in Paris when I graduated college. When my visa ran out I came home and worked as a graphic designer in NYC. After a few years I left the fast-paced advertising world for a job as a French teacher. When Sabrina was born I resigned to be home with her and now I’m juggling being a mom and running my photography business. I couldn’t do it without my supportive husband (who cooks dinner most nights), great babysitters and outsourcing.

Where is home?
Ridgewood NJ, about 20 miles outside of Manhattan

some random facts about me
I love peanut butter sandwiches, Anthroplogie, pilates, Dexter, the NPR show “wait, wait, don’t tell me” and Ricky Gervais. Reading US Weekly is my guilty pleasure. I love to travel and, in college, backpacked for a summer in Europe. I can’t believe I waited so long to get an iphone. I love making lists. I love the Twilight series (the books, although I did see both movies).

How would you describe your style?
clean, modern, fresh.
My goal is always to capture real emotion in babies and families and show the simple, perfect essence of newborns. My tagline is “capturing the art in the everyday.” I go into a session with a plan, but I let the baby or family lead the way. If a newborn doesn’t fall asleep then I capture beautiful mom/dad images holding and loving their child. If a toddler doesn’t want to sit still then we run around. Every session is different and that is why I love my job!

What’s in your Camera bag?
canon 5d mark ii
24-70mm 2.8 L
85mm 1.8
50mm 1.4
100mm macro 2.8

If you had to choose one lens, which would it be and why?
This is hard- probably my 85mm but I do use my lenses pretty equally.

What is your most used/favorite photoshop action or set?
Starting out I bought a ridiculous amount of actions before I found my own way. I have made a couple of my own actions to help me streamline my workflow and I find the Totally Rad Action set really useful

Mac or PC?
mac all the way!!!

What do you have your eye on to buy next?
One of these days I’m going to sell my 50mm 1.4 to help fund the 50mm 1.2L

What advice do you have for individuals interested in pursuing a career in photography?
My biggest advice would be to get the technical stuff down before you get to the point where you are charging clients. Do sessions for friends until you know your camera inside and out and produce quality images. Take your time. Be sure you know what you are doing in terms of having a business license, collecting sales tax etc. Realize how much money it takes to even run a legitimate business and don’t undercut the market. Being a professional photographer is about 25% being behind the camera and 75% doing everything else.

List your top 5 photographers that inspire you
There are sooo many incredible photographers I love to follow. Lisa Lucky has such a gift, I absolutely love her work. Nicole Fields I would love to have capture my family. Desiree Hayes is hands down the best boudoir photographer I’ve ever seen and I would LOVE to have a session with her. Jennifer Breton’s work is stunningly beautiful. Kristen Cook is just divine and Mindy from Pastel Photography is a true artist in every way.

What are some of your favorite blogs to read?
In addition to those mentioned in the above answer I love to read http://www.houseofturquoise.com/ because I love decorating and blue is my favorite color.

Latest (or favorite) workshop you attended?
I went to Imaging in January which was a blast and an overload of information. I loved it and definitely will go next year. My first big workshop that was a turning point for me was Jodi Otte’s workshop I went to 2 years ago. She covered newborn posing, lighting, marketing, pricing and it was incredibly eye-opening to me.

I’ve learned the most from…
I’m constantly learning from fellow photographer friends. It means so much to me to have a support network and colleagues. Not to mention people to do swaps with so that I have great photos of my family including ME.
Also, good old trial and error. I’ve learned that what I love to do is to capture newborns and babies and it’s been liberating to say no the kinds of jobs I don’t enjoy. I’m not a jack of all trades.

Something that is overrated?
skinny jeans.

What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
My girls will be 6 and 9 and in school f/t so I hope to control my work hours to be M-F 9-3 and I’d love to have a natural light studio either in a bigger house or a space somewhere in the Ridgewood area.

If you had one wish…
I’d love to skip right over January, February and March and get right to spring!

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Christie!!!

Jaidean Baker Photography | Spokane Photographer
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Tell us a little about yourself…
My name is Jen Williams, I’m 28 years old and married to a wonderful man named Chad. I have one furbaby, a pomeranian named Jinx.

Where is home?
Currently I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada but will be moving to Vancouver, BC Canada (home of the 2010 Olympics) in the fall.

How did you get interested in Photography?
During my wedding planning, I had a ton of DIY projects, so once the wedding was over I needed a new hobby. I picked up a dSLR in September 08 and fell head over heels in love. Photography has been such an amazing outlet for me, and never dreamt I could create the images I do.

What is your primary focus (weddings, children, etc)?
Weddings and boudoir pay my bills! They are both so dynamically different, challenging and FUN!

What’s in your camera bag?
Canon 5dmkII (x2),
35 1.4L – my current fave!
50 1.4
85 1.8 – my second fave
100mm 2.8 macro
24-70 2.8L – retired/backup
70-200 2.8L

If you could use just one lens for the next year, what would it be?
I bought my 35L with the intention of using it for groups and wider shots at weddings. Since it was quite the investment I forced myself to use it during portrait sessions and it hasn’t left my camera since. I’ve used it exclusively on my last 3 sessions.

Describe your style:
My style is real. Real emotion, real smiles, real tears, real moments. The purpose of my images is to show a moment in time that will evoke emotion in the viewer.

In my boudoir imagery, my goal is to make my subject feel beautiful. It takes a lot of guts to get in front of a camera in your skivvies. Most women don’t realize how beautiful they really are and it makes me feel good to show that to them. Being able to give someone that confidence is the best part of my job.

What is your dream for your business?
To be able to continue to do what I love, make people happy and travel the world. I want to find the balance and kick some serious butt!

List your top 5 photographers that inspire you?
Jennifer Skog
Critsey Rowe
Jamie Delaine
Jesh De Rox
Jerry Ghionis

What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
I would love to be traveling the world and taking photos of our adventures. There are so many places I want to see and things I want to do. My ultimate goal would be to finance our travels by selling fine art prints of things we photograph while traveling.

Mac or PC?
Mac! I love Mac so much that I’ve forgotten how to use a PC.

What is your favorite product you offer?
I love big canvases. They come ready to hang and the image wraps around the side. It’s a very unique and classy look.

What advice would you give to someone who is just looking into becoming a wedding and/or boudoir photographer?
For weddings, get ready to work! Weddings can be stressful if you let them. Be prepared for things to go wrong and always make sure the bride is happy.

Shooting boudoir is not just about taking pretty pictures of pretty girls. I find myself playing the role of photographer, stylist, director, and psychologist all in one session. Understanding women and the way we think is essential, as is tact and honesty. Earning your clients’ trust is key to having a fun and relaxed session.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Just one?! I just can’t give up Starbucks. I gave up sugar, bread and processed food, yet I can’t give up the bux. I can’t explain it.

If your not at a session, what might we find you doing?
Cuddling with my hubby and my furbaby Jinx. I recently took up knitting as well!

Best vacation you have taken?
I haven’t taken a ton of vacations but I’d have to say my destination wedding/honeymoon in Maui. It was magical. All our loved ones were there and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

If you had one wish…
I would live on the beach! I have had enough of Canadian winters! I seriously envy those SoCal photogs, being able to shoot every day in gorgeous weather makes me so jealous.

Thank you so much, Jen!

Jaidean Baker Photography | Spokane Family Photographer

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Check out Ashley’s blog here: Ashley’s Blog And follow her on Twitter here: Follow Ashley on Twitter

Tell us a little about yourself… I am 34 I have been married for 4 years and I have a 3 year old son named Nicholas. I started my photography business in January 2008 and I LOVE my job.

How did you get interested in Photography? I first became interested in photography when I was in high school. I was a yearbook photographer my senior year and headed to college thinking that I would be a full time photographer one day. In college I ended up going another direction and didn’t really come back to photography until I was married in 2005.

What is your primary focus (weddings, children, etc)? Weddings are my passion

What’s in your camera bag? Canon 5D MII Canon 5D 50 mm 1.2 85mm 1.8 24-70 2.8 70-200 2.8 100mm macro Canon 580 EXII speedlight 3 Supack 383 flashes Pocket wizards

If you could use just one lens for the next year, what would it be?

This is a really tough question…I think I would have to say my 50mm 1.2

What is your dream for your business?

My dream for my business is simple: I want to shoot weddings and thrill my clients with their images.

List your top 5 photographers that inspire you?

Sara and Mel with Whitebox Photography

Jose Villa

Bobbi + Mike

Jerry Ghionis

Jeremy Cowart

What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?

I would love to have added another child to our family in 5 years…maybe even two more! I would like to still be shooting weddings and possibly have a small studio space in our downtown area.

Mac or PC?

Mac!

What is your favorite product you offer?

I love my flush mount albums for weddings but I think my favorite products are Standouts. They come ready to hang so you don’t have to frame them. I have 3 20×20 images in my living room on Standouts and I would love to have more all over my house. What advice would you give to someone who is just looking into becoming a wedding photographer?

Take your time and learn your skills before you agree to do someone’s wedding. Second shoot for a while so you can get the hang of it. It helps a ton to have that experience.

If you not photographing a wedding, what might we find you doing?

Hanging out with my family or friends. In the summer, Nicholas and I spend a lot of time at the park and the pool.

Last movie you saw?

Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Squeakquel.

If you had one wish…

World Peace…But seriously, I just wish we would all take care of each other.

Thank you so much, Ashley!!!

Jaidean Baker Photography, Spokane Photographer

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You can see her site and full portfolio here: http://memoriesthatrprecious.com/.
Visit her blog here: http://memoriesthatrprecious.com/Blog/

Where is home?
Cincinnati, Ohio

How did you get interested in Photography?
I have always been interested in photography since I was a little girl. I used to take my mom’s film camera and shoot anything I could. As I got older I was always the one with the camera at parties and events even if it was just a disposable. I loved to make scrapbooks and albums with my photographs. Then going digital I got into making signatures for online forums and would plan out pictures to take for my own signatures. My interest in photography has just kept growing!

What is your primary focus (weddings, children, etc)?
Newborns, Children, and families. I’m also beginning to take on more birth photography now that my youngest son is able to stay at home with daddy for longer periods of time. I really love it and feel as though it is something I was meant to do!

What’s in your camera bag?
I am a Canon shooter. I shoot with the Canon 5D and always have a few different lenses in my bag. My favorites are the 24-70L and my 15mm Fisheye.

If you could use just one lens for the next year, what would it be?
I would have to say the 24-70L It’s become a favorite of mine and rarely leaves my camera!

What is your dream for your business?
I would really love to focus more on birth photography and newborns. I really feel drawn towards birth photography and have worked with some really awesome midwifes in my area. Kathy McClish from Women’s Care Specialists is among them she also delivered my two younger boys Nevin and Nolan.

List your top 5 photographers that inspire you?
Life in Motion Photography
Nicole Fields Photography
Jinky Art
Captured by Carrie
Beth Jansen Photography

3 words that describe your style:
Natural, Timeless, Emotive.

What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
I would like to be doing photography still. Maybe have a studio for newborns and lots of land to shoot on!

Mac or PC?
PC

What is your favorite product you offer?
I love Gallery mounts! I have quite a few for my home and each time a client orders one I get excited because they always turn out fantastic!

Last movie you saw?
“PS. I love you.” I watch that movie over and over and never get tired of it!

If you had one wish…
I’d love to be able to build my dream home, or maybe win the lotto!

Jessica also has an Etsy site with the most adorable knit hats and diaper covers (shown in picture below)! Check it out here: Jessica’s Etsy Site

Thanks so much, Jessica! I’m so happy to have you featured on my blog!

Jaidean Baker Photography

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So it is with great pleasure to introduce to you Stephanie Fisher of Stephanie Fisher Photography for this month’s Photographer Spotlight. You can become a Fan on Facebook by clicking here.

1. Tell us about yourself… Hi! I’m Stephanie Fisher and I live in Birmingham, Alabama with my husband, 3 year old little girl, Hannah. I grew up in Enterprise, Alabama with my great grandparents and we actually go down there to visit just about every other weekend!

What type of photography do you specialize in? I specialize in newborn and child photography though I have been known to shoot a couple of weddings per year.

How long have you been in business? I have been in business for 2 and a half years now and full-time for almost a year now!

What’s in your camera bag? I’m a Nikon girl… my Nikon D700, Sigma 50mm 1.4, Nikon 28-70 2.8 and 85mm 1.8

What lens could you not live without? Hands down my 50! I use it 95% of the time! I looooove it.

Are you self taught or did you take classes? Self taught. Well, I did take a darkroom class a few years ago but that was to learn how to develop film and unfortunately that doesn’t help me since I’m 100% digital now! I did love the experience though. I’ve just read tons online and practiced, practiced, practiced!! (heck, and still practicing!)

Mac or PC? Mac! Love my MacbookPro. I’m a total convert to Mac now and will never ever go back!

How do you find balance between a successful business and home/family, without one taking over the other? Now that I am able to do photography full-time it is easier for me. I was balancing my full-time job as well as my photography for quite a while and it was a huge struggle. Now I try to schedule my time during the day for sessions/proofing while Hannah is in school and do most of my proofing and paperwork at night after she goes to bed.

(This is her beautiful daughter, Hannah)

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own business in photography? I believe someone else had mentioned the business aspect of it and I have to agree. Don’t think it’s just taking pictures and handing them over and you’re done. There is so much more- the taxes, the licenses, the tons of paperwork you handle every day… be sure you are ready and willing to take on this responsibility to have a full legitimate business.
Appreciate the art. Yes, your friends are telling you that you take great pictures but make sure you know how to consistently handle any situation before jumping into business.
Be original. Yes, you’re inspired by other photographers- I am too- but don’t just blatantly copy their work… add your own twist and style to it!

What is your favorite product you offer? Gosh, this is a hard one. I guess right now I’m in love with my client keepsake proof boxes. When a client purchases the digital files from their session, they receive a custom designed keepsake box filled with 5×7 prints from their session! They are goooorgeous!

How many sessions do you average per week? I’d say I average around 3 sessions per week. Some more, some less. It’s especially busy right now with the holiday rush so at this particular time I could say I’m averaging 4-5 sessions per week!

What has been your best form of marketing? Facebook! I have been able to network with so many fabulous people through Facebook.

List your top 5 favorite blogs you stalk
Carrie Sandoval http://capturedbycarrie.com/blog/
Audrey Woulard http://www.audreywoulardblog.com/
Kelley Ryden http://kelleyryden.com/blog/
Jasmine Star http://www.jasminestarblog.com/
Tara Whitney http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/

When you are not at a session and/or editing a session, what are you most likely doing? For me time: catching up on my favorite shows! (thank you DVR!) My current faves are Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Modern Family and The Office. 

Thanks so much for having me! It’s truly an honor!

Thank you so much, Stephanie!!!

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Tell us about yourself… Hi there! I’m Amber and I’m a photographer that specializes in newborns and babies. I have a 2 year old son and feel like the luckiest person in the whole world to be able to do what I love.

Where is home? Northern Virginia, right outside of Washington DC.

How long have you been a photographer? Well I guess my whole life but professionally for almost two years.

Tell us about how you got started in photography? And was there a defining moment(s) where you knew this was what you were meant to do? I’ve always been into photography and photos but nothing serious. After I had my son I realized how quickly he was growing up and changing before my eyes and I wanted to capture every second of it. That peaked my passion for photography even more and I dove into learning how to use my camera in it’s manual settings head first. I started taking lots and lots of photos of my son which turned into taking photos of my friend’s kids and their friend’s kids so I decided to start Little Moon’s website. It started out really just as fun and quickly exploded into a full time business. Within a month of starting I was getting booked solid and it hasn’t slowed down since. I’d say a defining moment for me was realizing that I could not only do something I love and am so passionate about but also get paid for it.

When you were a little what did you want to be when you “grew up?” A veterinarian… until I did my 8th grade day out to work at a vet’s office and saw the freezer where they keep dead animals. I knew I couldn’t handle that sadness.

What’s in your camera bag? I’m a Canon girl so I have: a 5D MKII and a classic 5D for my bodies Lenses: 24-70 2.8L 85 1.2L 135 2.0L 50 1.4 100 2.8 Macro

How would you define your style of photography and what makes you stand out as a photographer? Man this is a hard question but I think my style is very organic and natural with an artistic flare.

What would be one piece of advice you would give someone wanting to start a photography business? You need to LOVE the business aspect. The photography part is only 30% of it so you need to know how to run a business first. That’s where I feel I have a small advantage, I have a degree in Marketing and Management and that business sense and knowledge has come in very handy with being a business owner.

What is your favorite lens and why? 85 1.2L. That lens produces the most amazing, beautiful and smooth bokeh and is laser sharp to boot!

List your 5 top photographers that inspire you
Captured by Carrie
Britt Woodall
Jasmine Starr
Kelley Ryden
Raye Law

How many sessions do you do per month? 12

Mac or PC? MAC!!!!!!! I’m a little obsessed with it.

What is your biggest challenge with having your own business? TIME. I feel like I’m always working

Would you mind showing us a SOOC (straight out of camera) and edited version of a photo and tell us how you got there? Can I be lazy and direct you here? I do FAQ posts every few months where I show sooc shots and how I edit them. http://littlemoonphotography.com/blog/?cat=54

If you had one wish… I wish that everyone can find something they love and be able to turn it into a business. I’ve never in my life felt so complete and fulfilled while doing a job.

Thank you so much, Amber!!

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So first up is Amy Rogalski of Amy Ro Photography.   Amy is located in Providence, RI and is so talented! Be sure to check out her blog to see for yourself!  And be sure to follow her on twiiter – @AmyRoPhoto

Tell us a little about yourself… Hmmm. I am a lot of different things. First and foremost I am a mommy to two great kids – Nolan is turning four in a few days and Layne is eight months old. I am also married to my hubby, Matt who is in the lovely field of Urogynecology. My loves – chocolate, college football and basketball, the Steelers, sports in general, reading, photography, comfy jeans, crisp fall weather, shopping on Etsy, baking. I have a degree in Psychology and taught high school Spanish for five years in my previous life both of which I think help me be so good at what I do now. I absolutely adore taking photographs of families. Seriously, I cannot believe how lucky I am that this is my job! I have even started to venture into engagements and possibly weddings and love it more. I think the part that gets me about it that I truly love is capturing the emotion of the moments that are unfolding.

Where is home? outside Providence, RI in Cranston

How long have you been a photographer? Professionally? Two years now almost to the day! Before then though, feels like forever

What sparked your interest in photography? I always loved taking pictures, I started with the film cameras when I was really young and always had a camera with me. That eventually went to digital photography and then once my son was born I wanted GOOD pictures. I wanted to learn how to do more than just shoot on Auto.

How would you describe your style? I am definitely an available/natural light portrait photographer with quite a bit of photojournalism thrown in. I love the posed shots for newborns but I love just as much capturing the laughter and natural interaction of a family. It’s all about what it says in my tagline – life, laughter, love, emotion, family

What’s in your Camera bag? Nikon D700, Nikon 50mm 1.4, Tamron 25-78 2.8 and as a last resort Tamron 70-300. Others to come soon! I switched back from Canon about 8 months ago and am slowly rebuilding my lens collection.

If you had to choose one lens, which would it be and why? The 24-70. The versatility is amazing. You can zoom the perfect amount before you physically have to move, the glass is pristine and the colors and bokeh are just to die for when shooting wide open.

What is your most used/favorite photoshop action or set? Aly’s BW. LOVE it. The best part is that is was a free action. I use this for pretty much all of my b&w conversions.

What inspires you? My clients. Sounds corny but it’s true. For one thing, so many people believe that chain store studio photography is the only “true” type of photography that is out there and I set out to prove them wrong. Any time I can make someone gasp with on-location photography, that is a good thing. And the clients themselves. Wanting to snatch these moments between them out of time and memorialize them forever. Every new client shows me something new and beautiful to freeze in time. It makes me want to keep getting better and growing even more.

What advice do you have for individuals interested in pursuing a career in photography? Have patience and take your time. Don’t go too quickly and skip over basics, whether that be basic photography skills or doing things such as getting all of the business structure set up. Don’t let a few people telling you that your work is great go to your head, make sure you are SET before hanging out your shingle. And be prepared to always keep learning and working at what you are doing. You should never reach the point where you think you know it all and can’t get any better.

List your top 5 photographers that inspire you
Amber Scruggs of Little Moon Photography
Tara Whitney
Lyndsay Stradtner of Life in Motion Photography
Nicole Fields of Nicole Fields Photography
Corine Tran of Studio Tran

I’ve learned the most from… trying trying and trying again. And bouncing ideas and thoughts off of other photographers. I am constantly learning. When I think I have mastered something, I discover an aspect of it that I haven’t or a way to take it even further – thus the try try again. And brainstorming with other photogs is key. I learn so much from people who are not so close to the situation. We get so emotionally invested in what we shoot and how we shoot that having fresh eyes look at it is key to changing and growing.

Something that is overrated? Selective color There are about 1 in a million pictures where it works and actually looks good. Other than that, it’s pretty dated and sometimes scary.

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What would you like to be doing 5 years from now? Can I be the biggest and most successful child and family photographer in RI? Because that would be pretty sweet. Hahaha! I hope to still be doing this – I certainly plan to. I’d love to be settled in one location after moving and moving and moving again for my husband’s training and be built up in that location. Probably one more child, maybe a pet again. Pretty simple

If you had one wish… a winning Powerball ticket. And not for a little measly 32 million. I want the $240 million. I have lots of things to buy. But don’t we all???

Thank you so much, Amy!!!

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