The Beginner Photography Podcast

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016: Elise Meader Family and Child Photography

Elise Meader is a lifestyle, family, child photographer, and all around super-woman. Hailing from Central Mass, Elise recounts her epic tale of how she went from passion photographer capturing her kids on their level, to creating wall-mount worthy moments of families'. Elise's laid-back, non-critical path to capturing real moments as opposed to clinically exposed is a big driving force behind her rise to popularity in the central Mass area. 

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016: Elise Meader Family and Child Photography Beginner Photography Podcast

"I put the camera down first, get them to trust me and I talk to them like I would talk to my own kids. Sometimes I shout out the word 'fart!' and it works."

"Do what you would do if I was not here." - on directing families.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • How Elise got started in photography

  • Who gave her the push to go for it

  • How she started shooting automatic and then switched to manual

  • Why she made the switch and who encouraged her to not give up

  • Simple photo projects that Elise did at home that her learn manual

  • How Elise gets kids to interact with her when she pulls the camera

  • How Elise gets the parents to take a deep breath and relax

  • I share how I get couples to relax if they are stressed out during an engagement session

  • How often Elise is shooting with her camera

  • The gear Elise uses and why it shocked us

  • How she utilized the equipment she had to define a style for her

  • How Elise interacts with the families she working with 

  • Why Elise is taking a different approach when it comes to lenses

  • What advice Elise was getting from other photographers when she first started

  • How she found her photography style through the criticism

  • Why we love the approach she took of just shooting however she likes

  • How she try's to make a new world out of the chrildrens imagination  

  • What Elise does with the photos she takes

  • How Elise handles the photos of her own chrildren

  • The old school method of showing off her printed photos

  • Why she prints small photo proofs instead of getting a photo book printed

  • How you can start making family yearbooks at home

  • The fun Photo project Elise does with her family every day

  • How incredibly useful her Project 366 has been to her professional work

  • I ask if she goes to weddings and only photographs kids

  • How Elise got into shooting her first wedding after shooting just kids

  • Why Elise is going her own way when it comes to shooting what she wants to shoot. 

  • Why specializing in one area of photography might not work for you

  • And Elise's favorite compliment to get from parents

 

Links and Resources:

`You should probably mess around in Manual... you know that is a great idea!"