Find Your Photographer in 3, 2, 1 | PHOTOGRAPHY

'Tis the season! It's time for family pictures, my friends. :) Whether it’s Christmas pictures, or an upcoming graduation or wedding...sooner or later, you might find yourself looking for a photographer. And trust me, you don’t want just any photographer…you want the right fit for your family and/or you. It can be a big decision! After all, you probably don't have pictures taken of yourself every day (eh-umm, unless you're a blogger 🙄) and there's a lot that goes into choosing a picture taker.

So what are the most important things to consider when evaluating photographers? How do you know if a photographer fits your style?

The photo shoot featured in this post is my recent session with the Willbanks Family. They have seven children (yes, SEVEN) and are quite possibly the most well-behaved children I’ve ever worked with. It was an absolute honor and joy to photograph such a beautiful family! I love these pictures and hope you enjoy them too.

“Pictures freeze our moments in time and let us relive the sights and sounds—feelings and emotions—as often as we like—as many times as we wish.”

Read more from my recent photography Q&A: click here!

Find Your Photographer in 3, 2, 1

3.     Pictures

Every photographer has a different style and expression...after all, photography is art! While a professional photographer has the ability to portray multiple styles in a variety of environments, generally speaking, you’ll find that each photographer has a consistent style.

So ask yourself these questions to help get you started when evaluating a photographer’s work:

-       Do you like their photos?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but first things first…if you don’t like their pictures: NEXT!

-       How do the people look in their photos?

Okay, so you like their pictures…great! Now, do you like how the people are portrayed in them? Photographs should look natural and comfortable. A good photographer should capture the best version of a person. Are the photos flattering?

-       Do you like the way the photos are edited?

What kind of pictures are you drawn to? Bright and crispy? Dark and moody? Don’t choose a photographer whose images are melancholy and edgy if you like light and clean.

2.     Price Tag

In searching for our own family photographer year after year, I can honestly tell you what you probably don't want to hear...99% of the time, you get what you pay for. Many photographers actually refer to their pricing as "investment," because ultimately that's what it is.

Every photographer has their own quote based on what they include, but keep in mind that you’re usually not just paying for a sitting fee…on a technical side, you’re paying for gear, shooting prep time, shooting time and post-shooting time, which includes sorting the images, organizing them and editing them. Some photographers may also charge additional fees for prints. On an artistic side, you’re buying into a person’s professional opinion, knowledge, experiences, quality and art.

1.     Process

-       What is the photographer’s work flow like?

-       How do they communicate before, during and after the shoot?

-       Do they have good follow-through?

-       Do they have a well-rounded and easy-to-work with personality?

These are not answers you may have until you’ve worked with someone. However, when you’re reaching out to various photographers on your search, response time and overall warmness in communication will be good indicators to start with.

I hope you’ve found these tips to be helpful! I’m grateful that pictures are becoming more and more of a priority to people, especially through the rise of the social media platforms we share them on.

On a personal level, I’m grateful for the amazing clients who take a chance on me, believe in my ability, and continue to color my pictures with life and love. I feel so honored to capture moments for them to relive as often as they wish.

Much love xo

Jess

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Monday Memories | PHOTOGRAPHY + TRAVEL

Since someone like me would probably be missing California on a day like today, I thought it'd be a good idea to relive my recent West Coast memories with a photo diary. Finally sharing a few pictures that seemingly slipped through the social media cracks.

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Venice Beach

Mom and I (surprisingly) spent an enjoyable amount of time in Venice, an area I've honestly avoided at all costs. Why? Because all I remember from past visits to the area is helicopters swarming over the beach and people dressed in bizarre styles (including costume masks). It just seemed like a confusing place. 😳 

Anyway, this time around, I'm eating my words...largely due to the amazing eats of Venice Beach.

I met up with one of my blogger friends, Jenna (from Visions of Vogue) for lunch at The Butcher's Daughter, which was such a treat...followed by an ice cream treat at Salt & Straw. Mom tried the sea salt caramel and I indulged in lavender honey. Seriously, it's a must.

West Hollywood

West Hollywood is one of my favorite areas in LA. If you missed my Top 5 Instagram Spots in LA, more photos from the neighborhood are featured there!

Malibu

Ahhh, the best for last (in my humble opinion). Malibu is my "grace place," the spot where I inhale rest and exhale LIFE! This is the area I love to stay when I visit LA, because there are oceans and mountains only 45 minutes from the city (not to mention southern California weather). I seem to leave more of my heart there with every visit...it's such a special place to me. I could go on and on, or I could just stop talking and show you my photos.

We stopped off for a late lunch/early 4:30 p.m. dinner at one our favorite Malibu spots. What are the chances of us running into friends from Southern Germany there?? We must've been at the right place at the right time. Then Psalm 37:23 comes to mind: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."

Life happenings may seem to be "random" or "coincidence," but when our days are surrendered to God, He's leading even our smallest decisions. Grateful for His grace to remind us we're right where we're supposed to be, even in our leisurely moments.

Much love xo

Jess

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Q&A with Jessica, the Photographer | PHOTOGRAPHY

Over time, my platform has grown through the variety of my creative expressions. Faith is the foundation of my life. Music is a consistent rhythm for my days. Fashion is an expression of my personality, and photography is the gift by which I’m able to capture life and share it with you.

Taking pictures started out as a hobby that grew into a profession (lifestyle/portrait photography). In more recent days, the camera has turned on me with this blogging adventure. Now that Christmastime is quickly approaching (what am I saying?!), my calendar will fill up with beautiful clients who will make more of a frequent appearance on my blog.

Throughout the season, I’ll help you know how to choose a photographer, how to work well with one, what to wear for a family shoot, and give you some everyday picture-taking tips. If you have any topic ideas you'd like to see added to the lineup, leave me a comment below!

We're kicking things off with a Q&A! Whether you know me as a musician, photographer or blogger, today you can get to know Jessica, the photographer. :) The photos featured in this post are senior portraits for the cutest curly-headed human I’ve ever seen, Alex Norris. Enjoy!

Q: When did you become interested in photography?

A: When I was growing up, my mom had an Olympus film camera that resided in our laundry room closet. Somehow, it always found its way into my hands. In my middle school years, I got my first digital camera (in all of its one-inch display glory). I upgraded to a Nikon D40x (and later purchased a Nikon D300) with the intention of photographing my dad’s ministry trips. But somehow, opportunities to shoot friends’ senior photos and family pictures started popping up.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about pictures?

A: Life flies by at such a fast pace. Photography is the only force strong enough to stop the clock. Pictures freeze our moments in time and let us relive the sights and sounds—feelings and emotions—as often as we like—as many times as we wish.

Q: At what point did you start taking pictures professionally?

A: Professional photography seemed to slowly stumble upon me. I was around 17 years old when I started being paid for shoots and became more serious about my hobby. I never set out to make a career of photography, yet the Lord has used it as a meaningful creative outlet in my life.

Taking a picture feels like such a natural response to beautiful moments in life. I find so much fulfillment in doing that for my family as well as others. I honestly cannot imagine my world without such a gift…I still can’t believe I get paid for it.

Q: What kind of camera do you use?

A: Nikon D750, and my favorite lens is a 50mm 1.4.

Q: What's the best time of day to shoot outdoors?

A: I love taking pictures in the mornings and early evenings, just before sunset. The light is beautiful! I also really enjoy overcast days.

Q: What’s the most satisfying thing about being a portrait photographer?

People seem to associate photo shoots with stress. It’s easy to get caught up in all the challenges…from finding the right photographer, to coordinating busy schedules, to organizing outfits and securing a location. However, there’s nothing more satisfying than when…

1.     people leave a shoot with a smile on their faces, saying they can’t believe it was that easy (and that fun),

2.     they receive their images and have “way too many options to choose from,” and

3.     I receive their Christmas card in the mail or see their photos proudly displayed in their home.

These are the “mission accomplished” moments that I live for!

To see more of my portfolio, CLICK HERE 

For photography pricing and scheduling, CLICK HERE

Much love xo

Jess

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Sunset Stories | Malibu, CA

Now I'm typically not one of those "sunset" people...you know, the ones who are posting them on the daily, snapping them nightly...the ones who incessantly chase sunsets as if they were storms. You're inevitably thinking of someone in your life as described (if you're not the one guilty as charged). They (or you) would likely be proud "labeled" as such--sunset chaser! I've honestly not paid enough attention to sunsets! Sometimes I notice, sometimes I don't. All I know is they happen, whether I'm taking note or not. In terms of photography, I photograph people--generally speaking--so, sunsets just haven't been my thing.

Backing up to college...I commuted all four years of my schooling. My commute involved about 40 minutes of driving straight into the sun, away from my suburban life, into a corner of downtown Dallas. That season of my life taught me many things, but one *bright side* it highlighted was the art of the sunrise. Ever faithful, ever unique, the sun rises...without fail. Unless it was cloudy. Or rainy. But you get the idea. It's a really beautiful concept of God's designing nature on one hand, and steadfastness on the other hand. Two epic handfuls that the human brain will never comprehend...and I'm totally cool with that.

Fast forward to my recent travels...I've found myself obsessed with catching sunsets! Like, what is the deal? The first time I remember being absolutely enthralled with photographing a sunset was my recent trip to Sarasota, Florida (see the post here). Locals claim their sunsets are the best in the world, and I can't say I'd disagree. Since then, I've observed that not only does the sun's art vary from day to day...but state to state multiplies the variety by 1,000,000. So you've seen my east coast sunsets from Sarasota...I included a Scottsdale sunset in this post...now I'm adding west coast vibes to the fun.

The first two photos were my first, "OH YEA, I LOVE SUNSETS" moment on our Malibu trip. This view is only a few miles from where we stayed. As we were headed back from dinner, the sun was just beginning to set (and I was already taking pictures out the car window). Mom's not much of a "thrill seeker," so the winding cliffs of Malibu don't necessarily light her fire. We got her home safe and sound, and just as soon as we did, I begged Dad to go back out with me...maybe we could catch this guy (sunset) in time.

The next night--same time, same place. (Pictured below)

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I mentioned my love for Point Dume (in this post), but here's the rest of the sunset photos! My parents were total troopers, cause it was a cold and rainy evening. I kept asking, "Can I get just one more shot?" (If you follow me on Snapchat ((👻juslikejess)), then you know what I mean. 😉) I can hardly wait to have some of these printed!

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Below is a photo taken from a turnout one late afternoon. The fog was rolling in, but the sun was still shining bright behind the clouds...

Now that I'd seen several amazing sunsets in Malibu, I was convinced...there must be an ideaaaal place to watch a Malibu sunset. Where is it?! I literally Googled, "best place to watch the sun set in Malibu." Na-da. (Since when does Google not have the answer?!) I looked on Yelp, TripAdvisor...nothing.

The next day would be our last night's stay in Malibu. After that, we'd drive up the coast to land in Pebble Beach.

I have a Malibu Airbnb wishlist that's constantly being updated (are you surprised?). I had my eye on a few lodging places for future stays and thought it'd be worthwhile to scope the areas out, since Airbnb won't release the exact street address until after you confirm a booking, for privacy reasons. But sometimes you can use process of elimination by having the street name and some pictures. :) So we were out driving around after dinner, in a part of Malibu we'd never explored before. It was literally up in the clouds...the drive...the views...it was all a bit over-the-edge for Mom's liking. It was a rather gloomy hour with the way the fog had rolled in...sunset surprisingly never having crossed my mind. All of a sudden, we rounded a corner and there she was. Whoa. "Dad, pull over!" Of course, there's hardly shoulder room in Malibu, but he found a makeshift spot for me to jump out and take my camera with me. I shot the below two images through a fence. I'm surprised the silver metal didn't show up!

After I grabbed the images I wanted, I hopped back in the car and excitedly asked if we could keep driving. I was thinking there'd be a more ideal spot up ahead. But at this point, I didn't want to miss it! We rounded several more corners and pulled up to a turnout where a few cars were parked and a few photographers were perched. Yep, this was it...the most ideal spot in all of Malibu to watch the sunset. It could've taken me a million sunsets to find, had I been looking for it! And we somehow stumbled onto it without ever searching.

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Remember how I said pictures are like the sixth love language to me (see post here)? This was quite honestly God showing such interest in my life and paying such attention to detail...down to the minute...that He'd lead us to this exact place at this exact minute, just so I could see the sun set from the most ideal spot in all of Malibu...on our last night to see a sunset there. Wow. These are the images I captured. It felt as if we'd stepped out of California and into Iceland...or some far off land where clouds hover over treetops and colors are painted behind the mountains in the most unreal ombre design. Wow. He must care a lot about me.

Much love xo

Jess

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Carmel-by-the-Sea | Photo Diaries

Part one of our California vacation was spent in Malibu (click here to see). Part two was spent in Pebble Beach, but there are so many cute towns surrounding the area, that I'll start with Carmel-by-the-Sea...one of my favorite California spots...and one of the most picturesque towns in America. Cozy and dreamy--about 6 hours north of LA--2 hours south of San Francisco. It feels as though you step out of reality and into an English storybook...one that's inevitably full of talking animals that live in cottages and frolick along to Frank Sinatra all the day long. But seriously, if you've never visited, be sure it's at the top of your list!

On to the outfit! This wide-brim fedora is my absolute FAVORITE this summer (also talked about it here)! I'm shocked it's still in stock at $24.90. Perfect dusty pink color that matches everything (pretend it's a neutral and roll with it).

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Get the look...

Top: Forever 21 (wearing size small) | Kimono: Forever 21 (similar here) | Wide-Brim Fedora: Forever 21 | Flares: Similar (and here, but also here) | Shoes: Melissa Shoes (similar here) | Necklace: Kendra Scott (mine came in my Rocksbox set -- try a free month of unlimited designer jewelry with my code JESSICASHEPPARDXOXO) | Lipstick: Bite Beauty

^^Don't mind me, I'll just be here mesmerized by these succulents...

This post also features photos from my time in Carmel, if you wish to see more!

Much love xo

Jess

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May in Malibu | Photo Diaries

I grew up on the road with my parents...my mom started packing me along for the ride when I was six weeks old! I don't know how she did it...I see girls traveling with babes now and have an even greater admiration for her, and for them (shoutout #mombosses). Needless to say, travel has always been in the blood, but over the past year, you could say I've been "taking advantage of the season."  My best friend and I stayed in a treehouse, a train caboose, an Airstream trailer and a yurt--all within three months' time--just because. Even though I hope travel will always be part of my life, I realize there's no guarantee that every season will always make room for such adventure...so for now, I'm asking myself, "Why not?," checking bucket list items off my list and having lots of fun doing it.

This season of adventure technically began in Malibu in May 2015. I had just finished a major project with work (click here to check it out) and headed to LA for some vaca. I mentioned my best friend up above...meet Blaire (pictured on the right in above photo). She's the one who's riding shotgun. Our plan was to start in an Airstream trailer in Malibu, then spend a few days in the Hollywood Hills, followed by a splurge at Four Seasons Beverly Hills. Well, after a few days in the beloved airstream, we had fallen hard for Malibu. I did some rummaging around on the Internet and found there was a train caboose only a few miles away...and it was available for a few nights during our trip! On a whim, we cancelled our stay at the Four Seasons (SERIOUSLY? How could we?! I know, this explains just how how hard we fell for Malibu.). Telling you this story could unravel literally a series of blog posts with the best travel information, guides and photos! For now, you at least have some context for my Malibu love.

To deepen the love, our family decided to take a two week vacation this summer (one week in Malibu, one week in Pebble Beach). To block our schedules out for such a big block of time is seriously miraculous! I'm now a young single adult, and I'm truly cherishing the time I currently have with my parents...we all realize it won't last forever, so I guess you could say we're "taking advantage of the season." 😉 Our time in Malibu marked one year to the day of me being there for the first time. I guess there's just something special about May in Malibu.

Below are the photo diaries I've not yet shared from our trip! Pebble Beach coming sooooon.

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One of my favorite activities when traveling is hiking. Now I wouldn't call myself an "experienced hiker," but it's a fun way to take in the local views. Backbone Trail is an emormous hiking trail that's probably the most well known hiking in the Malibu area (it spans 68 miles long), but a lot of it is really woodsy. Charmlee Wilderness Park is my favorite hiking in the area because it's wide open spaces...the elevation is high, the views are mountains, valleys AND ocean (which in my opinion, is the recipe for the best hiking EVER). Parking is $4, so take some cash with you! Here's a few photos from our foggy day at Charmlee (and my athletic wear linked below, of course).

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^^Totally casual

I took part in my first ever style linkup while I was in Cali...thanks to my girls Laura and Erin for having me guest host! If you missed the post, click here (shopping links included).

X marks the spot that I fell in love with Malibu. ^^Pointe Dume proudly resides at the top of my "Malibu favorites" list!

^^Meet Kevin, the peacock pet that visited our cabin daily, guarded our gate and watched over the ocean, making our time in Malibu all the more unreal.

If you missed this style post from Malibu Farm, I'm talking brunch and blue hues! Click here to read.

Much love xo

Jess

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Coad Family | Baby Ellie

The Coads aren't new faces to my blog (see their gender reveal party here), but there is one new face in particular! As I mentioned in that post, I've had the joy of photographing the progression of Josh and Rachael's relationship, beginning with their engagement. 5 photo shoot seasons later and we meet Elynia (Ellie) Renee Coad. Born April 15th at 10:46 PM. 21.5 inches. 8 lbs 4 oz. Eeeeks!

With love,

Jess

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Ben Sanders | Senior Shoot

I've photographed every graduating senior in the Sanders home thus far, so Ben (third in line) was no exception and I couldn't be happier about it!

Getting to know Benjamin:

• I am 19 years old
• I can snap with three fingers on my right hand
• I will be attending the University of Alabama to study Computer Science
• I am a bass one section leader in the varsity chorale at Carroll Senior High School
• I have attended the Texas State Solo and Ensemble competition four years in a row
• I sing, play guitar, banjo, bass and drums
• I write songs and I am in a 2-person aggressive indie rock band
• I laughed at ceiling fans a lot as a baby

Much love xo

Jess

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NYC | Photo Diaries 2

Excited to share my 2nd and final photo diary from NYC, featuring our bike rides through Central Park. 😍 Enjoy!

If the travel bug is on your back (me! 🙋), I've got an inspiration board full of treats, just for you. Hopefully these goodies will temporarily satisfy your adventure craving. Enjoy!

Much love xo

Jess

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