Welcome to the Elm House session for August 22nd! If you haven’t grabbed your spot yet, we still have two spots available here! If you’ve already reserved your spot and have a friend who might be interested, send them our way and help us book those last two! <3

Here’s what to expect:

I will never leave you hanging in front of my camera! I give really strong direction so don’t worry about posing or positioning. You’ll definitely want to show up on time for your session. Because these sessions are back to back, arriving late to your session will cut into your time and limit the amount of images we’re able to take. You can park along the street or in the back driveway, however please make sure you don’t block anyone in. When you arrive, we’ll jump right in! We’ll spend about 10 minutes shooting in your first outfit, take 5 minutes to change, then spend 10 minutes shooting in your second outfit. That will give us 5 minutes of wiggle room and a few minutes to pack up!

Below I’m going to go over what to wear and what to bring but what I need to know from you is: are there any shots you absolutely have to have from this space?

Through this post, you’ll see the famous spiral staircase shot, the dining table shot, coffee in the kitchen, the doorway, working on the living room floor, the front porch, and the entryway table. If any of those really jump out to you and you want to make sure we hit that spot during your session, let me know by Friday so I can make a note. 30 minutes goes by fast so I want to make sure that if there is a specific spot you want to get photos in, that we prioritize that.

Also, in previous rounds, we’ve done a scene in the kitchen chopping fruits and veggies. I don’t think anyone this round does anything with food for their work so I’m not currently planning on bringing produce, but if you feel passionate about cooking shots in your branding shoot, please let me know by Friday so I can plan for that!

What to wear: I’m a big color palette person. As you scroll through these images, you’ll notice how color plays a main role in each one. Denim, beige, blush, neutral tones, pops of mustard, linen texture, accents of brown leather all register really well on camera and don’t distract from the subject. Above is a good example of how a neutral color palette can create a soft, versatile image. Below is a good example of how your eye is immediately drawn to a bright color and how it can shape the overall photo. Neither is better than the other, but when choosing your outfits you should keep in mind how color and texture will shape an image.

What to Bring: I will have notebooks, pens, a laptop that doesn’t work (I encourage you to bring your own if you have one that you like), and a coffee mug. You can bring 1-3 props as well. Please keep in mind that props that need a long time to set up will cut into our time, so try to bring well thought out props. If you’re a photographer, definitely bring your camera! That’s one that communicates what you do while not taking a long time to set up and get ready. Chelsi (below) had several folders in a little basket to sprawl out on the floor and that was also one that communicated what she did and didn’t take long to set/clean up. Below you’ll also see a laptop/notebook as a prop and a cook book which all make for great props!

Grooming: So often, I hear “I should have’s” throughout sessions. “I should have gotten my eyebrows waxed.” or “I should have painted my toenails.” and “I knew I should have put lotion on my arms.” I want you to feel good about yourself and sometimes that means taking an extra hour to do all the little things like exfoliating and brushing with charcoal (those are my things, I don’t know what yours are!) That good feeling is going to translate into your images and the same goes for the opposite. If you feel not quite there, that will also show up in your photos. Which brings me to my last tip…..

Energy: Give yourself plenty of time and don’t leave anything for the last minute. When you arrive flustered and upset that your top was wrinkled and you had to iron it and you forgot your favorite notebook because you meant to look for it the night before but just didn’t get around to it, that flustered energy comes through in the photos. Have everything set and ready so that you have very little to do the morning of. When you arrive 5 minutes early and allow yourself a minute to relax in your car until your session starts, I promise you will have better images than if you’re texting me frantically hitting every red light on the way over. How you arrive matters, so set yourself up for a shoot with great energy!

Two other pro tips: Don’t give yourself the opportunity to spill coffee on yourself on the way over (That has happened before) and take your sunglasses off your face at least 15 minutes before the session to avoid marks on your face because they will show up in your photos (this has also happened before).

You made it to the end! Please email me by Friday and let me know that you read this article and if there are any “must have” images from this space! Can’t wait for Sunday!

Denise Karis is an Arizona photographer who enjoys musicals, Doctor Who and breakfast burritos. IG @denisekaris