Jen Pierce is a Columbus GA based Wedding and Maternity photographer. In just a few short years she went from hobbyist to 6 figure business that just opened up a studio, and she attributes her success to one thing, Authenticity. Today she shares how she got started, the struggles she faced, and how to be more authentic with your own images.
Become A Premium Member to access to more in-depth questions to help move your growing photo business forward!
In This Episode You'll Learn:
[03:20] Jen shares the story of how she got started in photography.
[06:40] Birth Photography as a major part of her work.
[21:45] Can you describe your editing style?
[26:56] How Jen was able to open her first photography studio in such a short amount of time
[28:34] What advice would you give to a new photographer?
[31:35] How small or big are the changes that you're making to your photography?
[39:00] How to contact Jen
Premium Members Also Learn:
The reason why Jen was able to go from hobby photographers to bringing in 6 figures
Jens Step by step Instagram strategy to booking more clients
What Jen is doing today to market her photography business to attract new clients
Resources:
Did you enjoy this episode? Check out more recent interviews with other great guests!
Full Episode Transcription:
Disclaimer: The transcript was transcribed electronically by Temi.com and may contain errors that do not reflect accurately what the speaker said. Because of this, please do not quote this automated transcript.
Raymond Hatfield: 00:00 I was reading on your website that eight of your friends became pregnant at the same time. And then they asked you to do their maternity photos. And that's kind of how you got started in photography and, and the rest was history. Is that right?
Jen Pierce: 00:15 Yeah. So I have like eight childhood friends that I have kind of just ran with, you know, since I was maybe 10 and they were all, all of my friends got pregnant, like really young. I don't mean like super young, but like, you know, they got married early and I was kind of like the late comer just got married last year. But they, one of them got pregnant and it was like a ripple effect. They all got pregnant within like a year and a half of each other. And so the first person that got pregnant was like, I really want you to do my birth or my maternity. And I was like, dude, no, I know I have a camera, but there is no way, you know, that I could ever do that. And she was just so, you know, bummed about it and we kind of didn't talk about it again.
Jen Pierce: 01:03 And then maybe like a month later I was laying in the bed and I was scrolling through Facebook. And I don't know if you've heard of click and moms. So like there was an ad I'm telling you your phones, listen to you, but there was an ad for like beginners, like birth or not birth, but like maternity and newborn photography. And it was like 60 bucks. And I was like, you know what? I feel like this is a sign. So I took the course and I texted him like, Hey, I'll do it. You know, I'm going to do it for free because I have no idea how good I'm going to be at this, but let's just run with it. And I think at the time I had like a rebel T3, I mean, like the bottom. Yeah. Yeah. And so like right after she became pregnant, another one of our friends announced it, her due date was actually before hers. So I started in July of 2014 and then they all just started getting pregnant. And I was like, Oh my God, my hair is booked. But no, it was awesome to be able to practice and not have like super high expectations and just have people that were thankful for the gift. And you know, that was it.
Raymond Hatfield: 02:07 Of course. Do you happen to remember who the who the teacher was for clicking moms for that?
Jen Pierce: 02:13 I want to say, Oh my God. I can't remember. I want to say, I can't remember her name off the top of my head, but it was the woman who teaches. She owns a company and I think it's called the Milky way. And I cannot remember her name off the top of my head, but I believe she was teaching it.
Raymond Hatfield: 02:29 We've I know that there's been quite a few clicking pros on the show. So I didn't know if maybe there would have been that connection, but obviously you had, as you said, you had that T3. I what was your relationship with photography before, before they had asked you? Why? Like, why did they think, you know what we're going to ask Jack?
Jen Pierce: 02:49 I feel like I've always just been like a creative person. I got, so I own I've have owned multiple businesses and at the time I got the camera cause I a boutique and I just wanted to take like flattering photos of the new inventory we were getting in. And I think they just saw how I was photographing that and just kind of ran with it and was like, this'll be good, but it wasn't good. It was terrible.
Raymond Hatfield: 03:13 You mean it was terrible looking back on those photos,
Jen Pierce: 03:16 Looking back. Yeah. Like I'm like, Oh my God. Why would you ever hire me?
Raymond Hatfield: 03:21 That's funny. So then tell me about obviously you decided to take this course and start diving into birth photography. And then you did it, right? Like there was no practice before this birth, you just had to jump on in. So tell me what that experience was like.
Jen Pierce: 03:37 Yeah. So like, there's a really weird thing with birth. Like I feel like everyone wants to get into the industry and they're like, I really want to do a workshop for birth. And I'm like, I don't know how we're going to. Yeah. I'm like, I don't know if that we're going to do that because I can only, you know, there's only so many people allowed in the hospital room and there's no way that I can have you come in with me and me teach you. And there's really not a way for me to like reenact it unless we get a mom in there. Who's going to pretend that she's pregnant. But you know, birth is just so unpredictable anyways, that like, whatever I teach, you could never happen again in your career. So like, it would kind of be pointless. I could teach you the basics, but I don't know.
Jen Pierce: 04:15 The first part that I ever shot, like I said, was a friend of mine and I at the time, I guess did no research. And so I showed up as soon as she got to the hospital, beginner's mistake do not ever do that. You will be there for an hour. And so I think I was there for 17 hours. Yeah. Like so long, but you know, everything happens for a reason. And she had her selling on July 22nd and the, on July 23rd, I was leaving for a cruise and I had to leave at 4:00 AM on July 23rd. And so I was like, listen, you have got to make something happen within the next few hours. Or you will not have your birth documented because I got to go and it just kind of worked out or someone's born like an hour later. And I was like, all right. That is amazing. But the first part that shot, like I was terrified, like so scary. Everything is like super chill. And then all of a sudden it's like, all right, good time. Let's do this. Like hurry up. And I honestly wanted to vomit, but now I like live for that thrill. So it doesn't bother me anymore, but I've had some crazy experiences like in the first couple, like births that I shot. It's just weird stuff.
Raymond Hatfield: 05:32 As far as like medical things happening or, or what,
Jen Pierce: 05:35 Yeah. Like, so the first part I shot was a vaginal delivery. So like, okay, cool. Everything. See seen the movies you're in there and you know, it all went great. I think I thought it was going to happen a lot quicker than what it did, but it's a lot of hurry up and wait. But the second birth, I shot for a friend, the one who originally asked to do it with a C-section. So, I mean, you're talking like full hazmat year, like mask, I mean, fully dressed out.
Raymond Hatfield: 06:06 But you were still allowed in the in the, or, huh? Wow.
Jen Pierce: 06:10 Yeah. And it was, it was insane. Like I like both equally, but for different reasons.
Raymond Hatfield: 06:17 Yeah. So it was definitely a trial by fire type type learning experience. Yeah.
Jen Pierce: 06:22 You're just like in there, just like, Hey, put this mask on and like, come in here.
Raymond Hatfield: 06:26 What do you think about that course that you took prepared you best for for those first few sessions, as you said. I mean, obviously there's things that can go wrong, but what do you think, right.
Jen Pierce: 06:39 Honestly like just to be on your toes with everything, kind of go with the flow and use your situation to benefit you. You always have to be thinking on your feet, you know, nothing's ever going to go as planned, even when it's a shoe, you know, just outdoors. And I really like one thing that stuck out in my head was she always kept saying like, when you first start out, take so many photos, overshoot, everything. Cause you don't know what's going to be good.
Raymond Hatfield: 07:06 Yeah. Yeah. That's very true. Do you find that you that maybe over the years now, you've, you've brought that down or that's still kind of your, your philosophy in shooting?
Jen Pierce: 07:15 Nope. Nope. I still overshoot everything. And not like so much, like I think I would overshoot births and have like 1200 images at the end and now I kind of come out with like six or 800, so not as extreme as the beginning, but I still like to take shots that like, I don't know if there'll be good. And then like, I love going through my camera after the fact. And I'm like, Oh my God, that shot is like amazing. And it's not even something that I planned or thought would be great in the moment.
Raymond Hatfield: 07:45 What do you mean, do you have an example? Is this like a compositional thing or a lighting thing or?
Jen Pierce: 07:50 No. So like, I guess like a composition thing. So like birth, you're always looking for that money shot, like when the baby's first delivered, you know? And so like I'm waiting for that moment for the doctor to like, hold the baby up, you know, lion King, like, but, and that's what everybody wants, but so I have this one specific birth that I had last year. It was a natural birth. She had no medicine, so really she could move and do whatever she wanted to do. And after she gave birth, she like was on her knees. Like I'm going to draw a picture right now, but like, you know how the bed sits up and typically your back would be up against it. So she had turned around and was on her knees facing that part. So when her baby was born, they kind of just like, like fed the baby, like through her legs.
Jen Pierce: 08:35 And she's like holding the baby. And as most would think like, okay, this is the moment. Like everything cool has already happened, but she did this like really cool thing. And that light is like coming down behind her head and she's holding this baby. And she like, you know, had been pushing for three hours. She's just exhausted. And she like threw her head back and just like, let out this like big breath. And when she did the way the light was hitting, I mean, she just looked like a goddess. And so like I took this shot and didn't think it would be like, great. But when I was going through an editing, this shot was like my favorite and I posted it. It was, you know, and it's crazy. Cause I feel like I'm still not, you know, the creme Dela creme. But like when I saw that shot, I was like, Oh my God, I have to share this. And it got featured like 22 times in like magazines and different like pot, like not podcasts, but like different like feature pages on Instagram. And that was a shot that I like never would have took on any other birth, but she just looked so cool and like Regal and you know, like fierce. And I was like, we have to share this.
Raymond Hatfield: 09:34 Yeah, yeah. It's funny right before this, I had went through your Instagram to do a little bit of research and you have featured like stories section or whatever. And I look through and you're right. I mean, it was that photo time and time, so many people and you're right. I think that there was something about that photo, which, and I think from like a, from, from a viewer's perspective and maybe, you know, just from like a man's perspective who has two kids, like I was with my wife both times and she's a, she's an OB nurse as well. So it's like, I kind of in that world, like I hear a lot of things that she talks about and how long labors can be. And just looking at that photo, you could see that it was like, Oh, we did it. You know, like, like it was this huge buildup. And then that was the moment that that she was happy for. And, and I think that that's probably why it resonated with so many people. And that's interesting that, you know, sometimes our best shots are just happy accidents. You know what I mean? Like it just happened that way. That's great. Okay.
Jen Pierce: 10:34 And like, all of my shots are like that, like sometimes I'm like, is my tuition off? Like, am I like, just not, I feel like sometimes maybe I'm so in my head and I think something is going to be the money shot. And then when I'm editing, I'm like, this really is not the shot that I thought it was going to be. It's always something different.
Raymond Hatfield: 10:52 Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. Interesting. That's a, I mean, yeah, you're right. I mean, that's something that I go through as well. But I guess just time, we'll see, you know, and we just learn from those things and figure out what it is. But obviously over time, you know, you were doing newborns how did that progress into, into what you're shooting today? Because it's, it's more than just birth photography.
Jen Pierce: 11:13 Yeah. So birth, I mean, I love birth. I think I've always, this is going to sound like super, like creepy, maybe stalker-ish a little bit, but kind of like how people are so obsessed with like crime and like murder, podcasts and stuff. Right now. I am just so obsessed with like pregnant women. Like I feel, I always tell people, I feel like you could be beautiful your whole life, but I feel like you reach like your peak beauty when you're pregnant. Like, I just think you are the most beautiful version of yourself when you're pregnant. And so like, I think that kind of just like pulled me into, you know, maternity and I love doing, you know, motherhood stuff and I kind of gradually just got out of newborn cause I love babies, but I really just love the women. Like that's, that's what I feel like is the most beautiful part about it. So I just, I kind of got away from doing newborn and so birth and maternity and motherhood is really like my little niche and when I feel perfect right now. So
Raymond Hatfield: 12:07 So you also do things like like families and even weddings as well. That's, I'm assuming a smaller portion of kind of your, your main focus.
Jen Pierce: 12:17 Yeah. I mean, I love weddings. I think I'm more of an elopement, smaller wedding, different non-traditional type of guy. And obviously, so you can't ever accept a birth the same month that you accept a wedding. Sure. Cause birth could be so crazy and you know, they could end up delivering on that wedding day. But this year, because of COVID, I've been able to accept more weddings because I can't be in the hospital for birth. So it's kind of taken over my schedule a little bit more this year and I'm booking more, but because birth and maternity are kind of my thing, I really pick and choose who or what type of wedding I feel like is about. Gotcha. My dogs are barking.
Raymond Hatfield: 13:04 Well, I can only imagine what kind of dog it is because it sounds very well.
Jen Pierce: 13:09 She, okay. So she is a lab golden retriever mix and she is the sweetest dog ever. And if you try to pet her, she would run away because she's a scaredy cat, but she sounds like vicious. We have three of them though. So yeah,
Raymond Hatfield: 13:21 I was going to say, I was like, Oh my gosh, there's somebody literally breaking into your house right at this very moment. I'm glad that that's yeah.
Jen Pierce: 13:27 Probably walking down the street and she's just like, Hey
Raymond Hatfield: 13:29 Yeah, she just wants to play, Hey, come on over here. Let's try it. So your main focus is is, is maternity birth and maternity and birth. Those are the two main things. Right. Okay. So one thing that I get the sense of when I look at your Instagram, when I look at your photos is this, this feeling of connection between everybody. And obviously very, very upfront and visually you're a very distinct editing style. So do you want to talk a little bit about first the, the, how you build connection while you're I was going to say onset, but when, when you're, when you're photographing your, your, your maternity couples.
Jen Pierce: 14:15 Yeah. So I think a lot of what I think of in my head is just natural moments. You know, I don't have any kids yet, but I think about how me and my husband interact with each other when we're in their house and when no one else is around and, you know, one thing it's always the little movements, you know, it's always the, you know, like I, I don't know what I was doing last night when my husband like came up and like grabbed my hip and just kind of like kissed me on my head. And that probably doesn't seem like very intimate. But when you are kind of in the setting, when it's just you two, that's kind of like the most intimate moment, you know, and that's what I tell people. I don't ever really post people. I kind of just work on prompts and I'll say, you know, you know, grab her where grab her somewhere that you could pull her in close to you.
Jen Pierce: 15:02 Or, you know, I love to do this pose where I tell the guy to stand maybe, you know, 10 feet behind his wife. And I always say, you know, sneak up behind her and do whatever you would do. She was washing dishes at the sink and you kind of, you know, surprised her at the house. And it's always something like they tickled her, they whisper in her ear and they give her a big hug or they, you know, me and my husband, my whole family has done this my whole life. And it's kind of funny, but my grandpa started this one with me where he would like tell me when I was a kid, like give me a kiss. And I like lean in and give him a kiss to me, like lick the side of my face. And so my husband does that now. And so I have a couple of clients who do that and it just it's so intimate, but it's personal for them. And it just, it kind of works. It's like just, they're kind of the way that they connect and it's funny and you know, their natural selves. That's what I try to do is I try to just give like a prompt that would be, you know, something broad, but maybe super unique to you as a couple.
Raymond Hatfield: 15:59 That makes sense. But and that was, that was a, that was a great answer. I want to know more about maybe when you just have the mom and the photos, because again, looking at your Instagram while a lot of the photos do have, you know, him and her together I feel like a majority of them are more, you know, maternity portraits and just like, they look, they look very strong and very proud. So how do you, how do you bring this feeling up when, you know, as, as, as somebody whose wife has been pregnant twice, I know that they can feel oftentimes insecure about themselves.
Jen Pierce: 16:33 Right. so typically what I do is, and this is crazy to think of, and I know people probably like, wait, you do what? So sometimes before shoots, I, especially if I've gotten like a new client closet item, like a dress or something, and I haven't seen how it's going to photograph yet, what I will do is I'll put the dress on. And I like make a belly of like you know, pillows or whatever. And I kind of just stand in front of my mirror and kind of, you know, pose myself or pull my hair back or touch, like what would be a belly or like move or kind of move the dress. And what would make me feel comfortable if that's what my body looked like. So when I'm posing them, I'll say, you know, rub your belly or just pull your hair back a couple of times, or my favorite thing that a pregnant woman does. And they don't even think that it's like cool in the moment, but when they're like standing with their profile and holding their belly with one hand, my favorite thing to have them do with their empty hand is to just run their hands through their hair. And it just looks, it just looks like so amazing. You know, they just look so carefree, but like gorgeous in that moment. They're just like messing with their hair. They're holding their bump and it just looks so cool to me.
Raymond Hatfield: 17:40 Oh man. Yeah. I, I I've never been pregnant before obviously, but I can see those photos in my head and I can see me wanting to put those photos of me on the wall. Do you ever take pictures of yourself with the with the pillow underneath the dress?
Jen Pierce: 17:56 I will do like a whole video. Like when I get new client closet stuff, I will like come out and I'm like, you guys, this is, this is the dress I got. If it's maternity to kind of show my clients because they'll see a dress on me and they're like, but you're so tiny. And I'm like, but I bought this dress for maternity. It's going to work, just trust me. So I have to like show them that it's gonna work.
Raymond Hatfield: 18:12 Oh, that's great. I bet that really helps out their their confidence questions. Yeah. So what about now this, this editing style, because as I said, I mean, it's very, these photos are not straight out of camera. Like like work is being done to your images. So can you describe your, your editing style to me?
Jen Pierce: 18:31 You know, I think that I have been a lot of things. But from the start, what I really was drawn to was like the moody, warm photos. I've never been a light and airy person. Like if you asked me how to shoot light and airy, I would come up with nothing. It would probably be overexposed and just washed out and terrible. You know, it, I think I started out a little too dark and now I'm kind of in this weird thing where like, I like it to be moody, but I also enjoy bright whites and like pops of yellow to make it warm. And that's really what I look for. Like, I don't want it to be so dark and moody where it feels, I don't know underexposed, but I liked that type of warmth that makes it, I don't know, intimate. Yeah.
Jen Pierce: 19:26 Just kind of warm and fuzzy inside. And that's kinda just what I wrote with that. I, you know, I address a lot of my clients and even if I don't dress them, I'm like, please wear neutrals or earth tones because they photograph, well, I'm not a bright person. Like if you showed up wearing like fuller fluorescent colors, it just not, it would not work with my vibe. Like, I'd be like, we gotta change you. We got to put something different on you. But everything I tried to do, I really like, I like a lot of grain and that's something that I didn't like, or I guess what I shied away from in the beginning, because I thought grain meant that you weren't great. And I thought, I wasn't clear, but I love, I love grain now. It's so it gives it like a vintage, like authentic, just raw feel. And I love it. I think it's so cool.
Raymond Hatfield: 20:12 [Inaudible] So how does that develop over time? As you said, you know, in the beginning, when you didn't like these things, there's certain things about what you do now. You didn't like, and now you love it. And it's part of, you know, who you are. So how does that, how does that develop over time?
Jen Pierce: 20:28 You know, I think that I was trying to fit myself in a box when I first started out and I was trying to be everything that everyone else wanted. And I was like, ah, I don't love this. And so I just started editing how I liked it. And I was like, if people like it, whatever, but I mean, I still kind of feel like that now. So just shot a wedding this past weekend. And there was this photo that I did of the bride and the groom in front of this vintage car. And the veil was over both of them and the lights were on, on this car and it was just like this really cool, like vintage vibe. And I was like, I really want this just to be like this like yellow hue. And I was kind of scared to post it. Cause I was like, I don't want people to be like, this is so over edited.
Jen Pierce: 21:13 Like, it doesn't even look real. It's too warm. It's too dark. It's too this and I posted it and everyone was like, Oh my God, you did that. And I was like, you guys like this because I, I really thought that this was not going to be a hit. So I don't know. I think just stick to what you like. I, you know, sometimes I edit something that's so super warm and I think that it may be a little bit like kind of teetering having jaundice, but I just like it. But then other times I'll shoot and it's like super foggy and there's no sunlight. And I really liked that like grayish blue color, that the image pools and I'll go with that. So I bounce back and forth between both, but I mean, I just liked the moodiness of it all.
Raymond Hatfield: 21:57 Yeah. Do you think that this is something that happens just by accident, like by, by sliding the wrong slider? Or do you think that it comes from seeing others work in, in, in trying to figure out how you can, how you can do it yourself?
Jen Pierce: 22:13 You know, I pull a lot from other people's work. I would say I have like this I have this album on my phone and it's called just inspo. And so what I do is I pull from every photographer and it may not even be like color and maybe like, I like this because there was grain in it or I like this because it looks soft. Or just something weird like that. And a lot of the people that are in the group, if you ever put their photos on one feed together, nothing would match. It would not be cohesive at all, but there's different things. And I know why like certain things in their photos, but I will say being competent in how warm I was making things, I saw India, Earl's like Instagram feed. And I was like, you know what? She literally does not care. She does whatever she wants, whatever fits the image. And I was like, I'm going to start doing this. I'm just going to, if I feel like it needs to be warm, it'll be warm. And if I feel like it doesn't, then I'll pull it back a little, but it was definitely pulling from other people's stuff and realizing that you don't have to fit into this, you know, box or fill this expectation where everything has to be so cohesive and warm all the time. It could be whatever
Raymond Hatfield: 23:23 I love it. So just to recap there, see something that you like, figure out how you can apply it to your own work. And then it's just yes.
Jen Pierce: 23:30 And check. Yeah, absolutely.
Raymond Hatfield: 23:33 Very cool. Very cool. Switching gears here a little bit on your Instagram, I actually read a post of yours that that you just bought your first photography studio. Is that right? Yeah. Congratulations. That's a, that's a huge accomplishment. You know, it said that you went from taking your photography business to a hobby to six figures in just in just three years. Now that is, that's literally the dream for like so many photographers listening right now. What do you think is the art lane rephrase? What is the one thing that you did that you think contributed most to helping you reach that goal? And, and why do you think so many other photographers fail to reach such a high level that you have?
Mid: 24:19 You are listening to the free version of the beginner photography podcast, where each week you learn how world-class photographer see and capture the world around them. If you want to hear the extended interview with their best business tips, to learn how to make money with your camera and then become a premium member today by heading over to beginner photography, podcast.com and click the premium membership button to join now.
Raymond Hatfield: 24:44 Hm, wow. That's that is something that, again, I haven't dipped my toes into the water too much of a, of Instagram, but kind of how you just shared and broke down how that all worked out for you and obviously the success that you've have with it. I think that it would be ridiculous for me to not give that a try. So thank you again so much for, for sharing all that, that, that was fantastic stuff.
Jen Pierce: 25:09 It's awesome. For,
Raymond Hatfield: 25:11 For those photographers who are, who are still new, they are out there right now. They're, they're wondering how can I get to where Jen is? Right. They, they see you, they follow along with you. And they just got their first camera. What advice would you give to a a new, smart, driven photographer? Who's about to set out on their own creative journey.
Jen Pierce: 25:35 I think it comes with it's a lot. It sounds like a lot, but it's like once you know, it, it was so simple. My first thing would be, you have to know, you know, shutter, ISO and aperture, because I think that's where a lot of people mess up in the beginning, you know, there's misfocused shots. And they think, you know, just for example, I was selling my camera and someone messaged me and said, can you send me some photos at this camera too? And I was like, Hmm, it doesn't really sell the camera though. You know what I'm saying? Like, because it's the lens that was on it that made it look that way. I mean, the camera just can post it all, but it's not like a, I don't know. So I would tell people, like, it's never about the equipment you have.
Jen Pierce: 26:27 I think if someone gave me a rebel today, I would still, I could still produce the same quality work that I have right now. The only reason I have the camera I do now is because I like the focal points and, you know, I like new things, but I would definitely say like, learn your camera first, learn how to shoot in manual for sure. Figure out what you think you want your style to be. And it doesn't have to be an exact, you know, you don't have to be there yet, but just have an idea. Like I said, I, I never, I still work on my style every day. I think it changes like every, every three to six months there was something that I don't like about work that I posted, or it doesn't look effortless or, you know, there's something random I don't like about it, but I always knew that I wasn't light and airy.
Jen Pierce: 27:15 So figure out what you know, that you're not and work on the things that you think that you are and then always figure out what your clientele is because everybody's not your clientele. I know a lot of people that I'm friends with will say like, all of your clients are like the same style. They're your vibe. They're like, you know, they dress the same way you do. And I'm like, that's intentional because I know how to photograph them. I know your style. I know what you like. And when it's something else, I feel like I'm pushed up against a wall. I don't know what to do.
Raymond Hatfield: 27:52 Oh, that's really interesting. I hear from so many photographers who kind of go both ways. They're like, you know, photograph a person who's exactly like you, cause you're going to be able to get in their head very well. And other people who are like photograph those who are you know, above you or like whatever you want your ideal client to be I'm definitely in the same, same campus you there where I would rather have somebody very similar to me. It just makes things a whole lot easier to to get along with when it comes to those, you know, the, the developing your style though, I'm a little bit interested into maybe hearing about what it was three or six months ago that that you decided, you know, what, maybe I don't like this, that you, that you decided to change. How, how small are these changes or how big are these changes that you're making to your photography?
Jen Pierce: 28:38 You know, I really loved unposed photos. I love, I think recently I found out that I really love the small details of things and I let go of posing brides and moms. So like traditional and stiff. And it's like, what I like to call and this probably this, I don't know if this will translate to anyone else, but it's like, I call it static posing. It's just stiff. It's, it's very cliche. It's very predictable. And I stopped doing that. Like I, I love when moms are in poses, that it's stuff that they would regularly do. I recently just had a maternity client and I was like, I'm not going to tell you to do anything the entire time we're shooting. All I want you to do is what you would normally do at home. You know, move your hair from side to side, put your hair behind your ear, rub your belly, occasionally, push your shirt back, things like that.
Jen Pierce: 29:36 And so, you know, six months ago I was editing in a way editing and posing in a way that just seemed, it didn't look real. To me, it looked very posed, a little uncomfortable and just stiff. And so now I go into it and I'm like, just keep moving the whole time, moved back and, you know, whatever, just keep moving. And that's when they look the most natural when they're moving or playing with their kids or throwing them in the air or whatever it may be. But then like editing wise, I was doing this thing where I was always moving that clarity slide all the way. Like I wanted it to be so like rich and clear and defined. And now I'm like, I kinda like when it looks hazy and I kinda like when it looks just soft and you know, not so hard, I guess is the word I'm looking for. And so I try to like back away from defining things so much and kind of just making it flowy, not even make sense.
Raymond Hatfield: 30:42 No, it does. It does. That's, that's, that's something that I hear a lot from from new photographers is that that's very hard for them, you know, to, to make people not look as rigid in their poses. So you want to dive a little bit deeper into, you know, when you say, just keep moving and whatnot, the idea of showing up to a session and telling for me a couple, like, I'm not going to tell you what to do. That's terrifying to me. I can only imagine that in their heads. They're thinking, wait, what? Yeah, we're so awkward in front of the camera.
Jen Pierce: 31:14 But you know, the people who say they are awkward in life, look the best on camera when you keep them moving. It's so weird to me. And I'm like, you're not awkward. You're only awkward. When people tell you how to pose, that's not natural to you. That's the only time you look awkward. So I like, I had this couple and they were like, we are so awkward. We are just not coordinated at all. And I was like, I want you to do something for me. We had like craft beer. They each had a craft beer in their hand and they were holding hands. And I was like, I want you to run towards me. And they were like, Oh, we're about to look so silly. So ridiculous. But that was like their favorite photo because they were running. Like they would normally run and they looked so like, they look like they're having fun.
Jen Pierce: 31:54 And the photo was just funny and they look natural. But like another thing I do is when people show up and I've had this happen a couple of times, and it's always with men, the women are usually like, okay, I'll go with the flow. But it's always men who were like, you want me to do what? And I'll get there. And, and they look at me the whole time and I'm like the whole shoot. If I can tell you anything, first thing I'm going to tell you is, do not look at me at all. And they're like, and they come here and they think that, you know, in my head, I always say this two things I always tell my clients is literally like, verbatim. I need a t-shirt that says this. But two things I always say is one. We are not about to 1998, prompose this entire phone sessions.
Jen Pierce: 32:38 Like we're not going to like each other, like a runner away. So, you know, and then two is, I always say, we're not doing Sears photo poses. Like, you know, when your mom would take you to Sears and you sit and you look at the camera the whole time, I'm not going to pose you 17 different ways where you're looking at the camera the entire time. It's just not going to happen. I mean, that's so boring to me. Would you want to look at your album where you maybe in different poses, but everyone is always looking at the camera. And also when you have little kids that's never going to happen. They're never going to look the whole time. So I just tell people, like, when you get to your photo shoot, we're going to have fun. I want you to play with your kids.
Jen Pierce: 33:12 I want you to throw them in the air. I want you to like swing them around by their hands. I want you to laugh at them the whole time, tickle on, make them laugh, throw them in the air, you know, whatever it takes, but don't look at me and they're like, this doesn't make any sense, but okay, I'll go with it. And the first one of my clients say, they're regulars of mine now, but first time we ever shot together, I said, I want you to look at your wife and I want you to get forehead to forehead with her. And he looked at me. He was like, are you trying to make me look stupid and have to, like, I promise I'm not. And then, yeah. And then the second time I shot with him, he was like, I really thought that you were trying to make us look crazy. And then I saw the photo. He was like, and it was like my favorite because we look so intimate. Like we really were in love with each other. And I was like, see, but when you tell people to look at each other, the first thing they do is they like lean back and they just weird chin thing. And I'm like, don't do that. You have spore chins right now. So
Raymond Hatfield: 34:03 That's too funny. I love it. Just continue to move them around, continue to just give them activities to do together. And that should keep them loose enough. Huh?
Jen Pierce: 34:13 Yeah. And you know, it's always that little bitty movement that they do when they think I'm not looking or when I'm looking at my camera, but I, I catch them. And it's always like the dad where he like, you know, squeezes the mom's hand or, you know, pulls her in for a kiss or sometimes he'll tuck her hair back. And I, you know, I always say, Hey, can you do that again really quick? And it kind of gives them confidence cause they're like, wait, what you, when I did, you thought was cool. And I'm like, yeah, can you just like, push your hair pep one more time? Or, you know, they'll like rub her belly. And I say like, you know, Hey, can you do that again? Or I, I love to do jiffs or gifs, whatever people call them apologists. Yeah. I say you know, I'm going to do a closeup if you just rub your mom's belly. So can you just do it like a couple times I'm gonna do like 50 frames and they're like, they don't get it in the moment, but then when I post it and it's just the dad moving his hand up and down, they're like, Oh my God, that was like such an intimate moment for us. And I'm like, that was the point. Yeah.
Raymond Hatfield: 35:08 Yeah. Oh my gosh, Jen I don't know if there's a better way to end this podcast and I don't think that we can top that right there. You know, as I said, that's one of the biggest complaints of many new photographers is that all of their, you know, subjects look very posed. They look very stiff and everything that you just shared there, the last you know, 10 minutes or so is just, is pure gold. And I helped people go back and listen to that for sure. So I have to thank you much for sharing everything that you did today, but before I let you go, can you share with the listeners where they can find you online?
Jen Pierce: 35:44 So I am on Facebook and Instagram as Jen Pierce photography. Pierce's in like Pierce your ears spelled the same exact way. And my website is www dot Jen tears, pics.com.