Marvelous Monday: Jay Williams Photography

Happy Marvelous Monday! We have a super talented person to introduce you to today! Jay Williams of Jay Williams Photography is an incredible photographer based in Southern California.

(Heads up, though! He is willing to travel wherever his work takes him... so don't worry if you're not in California. He'll come to you!)

We had Jay answer a few questions for us to help you all get to know him a little bit better. We have had the pleasure of hanging out with Jay and not only is he one of the sweetest, coolest guys in the photography industry, but we also think his work is spectacular! And we are absolutely positive you are all going to agree!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your business! What's your specialty?

I like sushi, kettle corn, listen to lots of music, and love Jesus Christ with all my heart. I am a photographer specializing in weddings and cinema. I would describe my work as clean, vibrant and personal. I provide my clients with individual attention and strive to exceed their expectations.

Tell us about your journey! How did you get to where you are?

My journey began when I took a photography class in high school. My photography teacher believed in me enough to tell me I could possibly make a career out of it. After high school, I saved up for my first DSLR and did just about everything I could do to learn how to use it. While doing that, I was given the opportunity to shoot some weddings with my friend Scott. At first, I thought wedding photography was intimidating and I almost gave up. Thankfully I didn't and began to see how creative I could be, and how important these photographic memories are to the couples. I never pass up an opportunity to learn and observe from other photographers.

What are some of your future plans/goals?

My goal is to continue to grow my business and photograph or film 40+ wedding per year. I would like to have a staff of regular associate photographers and editors.

What are your favorite things about working in your field?

Some of my favorite things about photographing weddings are I get to meet amazing people, I'm able to express my creativity on a regular basis, I get to tell the couple's once in a lifetime story in pictures or cinema, and travel to different locations. Eating the different types of wedding cakes is also a perk of doing weddings.

Not only is Jay an awesome photographer (as you can see!) but he is also a talented videographer. We have been left in tears after seeing some of his work! Grab your tissues and check this video out! 

Learn more about Jay and check out his incredible work by visiting Jaywilliamsphotography.webs.com. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Google+!

Xoxo!

Golden Girls!

If you would like to be featured on a future Marvelous Monday post or if you know a local vendor of photographer we should feature, please send an email to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!

Fab Friday: What's in my bag?

Happy Fab Friday, lovelies! Valerie here! I have to admit, I'm kind of nosy... especially when it comes to camera gear! I always want to know what other photographers use... not so I can compare what I have and get bummed, but just because I love learning about all the cool gadgets that are out there and how other photographers are using them! (That being said, while I may be curious about camera gear, I am so not a gear head! I don't have the time or money to buy every new gadget I learn about.)

Anyway, today's Fab Friday post is going to give you a little glimpse into my camera bag! It's not the most impressive setup but it does get the job done! (Bonus: I didn't have to sell any of my children or my organs to buy any of it!)

70-200 f/2.8L: My lens of choice. See that big hunk of metal on the left? That's my baby. My love. My best friend. I begged and pleaded for this lens for forever until my husband caved and gave the green light. It has pretty much lived on my camera ever since! The compression of this beauty is insane. Everything is crisp and creamy and lovely. (Are you drooling yet? I am.)

Canon 6d: My camera! I love it! It's full frame, has awesome ISO capabilities and Wi-Fi! Say what?! I started out with a Canon Rebel t2i, so when it was time to upgrade, going full frame was my No. 1 priority.

If I am doing your average outdoor portrait session, my camera and my 70-200 are always with me. In fact, I usually get by with just these two. But, if I am doing an indoor or low light session, I also bring the following lenses:

85mm f/1.8: This is my favorite portrait lens. It is super sharp and great in low light! When my 70-200 comes off, this is the one that usually takes its place.

50mm f/1.8: I love this lens for shooting in tight spaces and low light! If you are only shooting with a kit lens, get out there and get the nifty fifty! It's is super affordable, it has a wide aperture, it's awesome!

I have a back-up camera and a few other gadgets, but I really rarely use them. I just wanted to give you guys an idea of the stuff that I can't live without... my go-to gear! Like, I said it's super simple and I love it that way! I shoot in natural light, usually by myself, so the less stuff to mess with, the better!

Now, if you were super nosy, you'd find a few more treasures in my bag.

I always carry the following things with me: a cleaning kit, sunglasses, Purell (I am totally a mom!), my phone, a rad Golden Girls pocket mirror, gum, my beloved Dr. Pepper chapstick, and of course, business cards! I can't count the number of times some stranger has seen me out shooting and asked how they can book me! Be prepared, folks!

Also, because I am a genius, I forgot to take a picture of my actual camera bag! In case you're curious, I have a few that I rotate. Right now, I'm mainly rocking this Kelly Moore bag but I am also a super huge fan of all the Jo Totes bags! I have a few and they are all super cute and affordable!

So, there you have it! My gear! If you have any questions, please comment or email hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!

Xoxo!

Valerie

Work It Wednesday: The theme for next week's Work It Wednesday is JOY. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Talk Shop Thursday! Business 101!

Let's talk Business 101.

So you're ready, or at least you think you are ready to start your business! You've mastered your camera and have done some portfolio building (aka free shoots) and now you're ready to take it to the next level! Congratulations! Here are five tips that can help you get started! 

1. Make a Plan! List out all the things you need and create a budget. Research your costs for websites, email addresses, programs, image hosting, products, packaging, taxes, insurance, education, etc.

2. Show your best work! Now is the time to go and create your fabulous website/blog and show the world what you have to offer! We know you have a lot of pictures you're proud of, but here's the thing: ONLY show your BEST images. (You don't need to include all 400 photos from your cousin's senior session!) Narrow it down to only the images that really make you stand out! One more thing, only advertise the images that represent the kind of photography you want to do! If you post a session of a 1st birthday party, but you absolutely do not want to photograph birthday parties, don't show that session! If you already have a website/blog, go back and edit out of your galleries any images that don't represent you and aren't your favorites.

3. Work on your pricing! Now that have your budget, you can decide how much you should charge. Remember to include all your start-up costs, taxes, insurance, etc., but don't forget to pay yourself! A great piece of advice is to set your pricing at the number that is worth getting up and out of bed for. Don't price yourself too low; remember your time is valuable! Yes, this is your passion, but this is also your job. Whether you are full time or part time, you are still away from your family, your friends and reality TV! So, make it worth it.

4. Treat your clients right! You know all that portfolio building you did? Remember that your most important clients are your past clients. Treat them right and they’ll be your best PR people. Get written referrals from customers, add a ‘testimonials’ page to your website. Word of mouth is the best advertising!

5. Create a system! Organization is key to staying sane. Put together your plan from the moment you book a session all the way until you deliver your products and/or images. Systematizing will save time and your life!

We hope these five simple tips can help get you on the right track to starting your business! Remember to check back next week for more!

Stay Golden!

Xoxo!

Golden Girls

If you have a business related topic that you would like us to discuss, email us at hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!

Work it Wednesday!

Welcome to Work it Wednesday, our designated day to show off some awesome work from our fabulous readers! Our theme for the week was Morning!

Huge thanks to all of this week's participants! Please check back on Friday for next week's theme!

Let's talk Tuesday!

Let's Talk Tuesday is our designated day to answer reader submitted questions! Let's get to it!

Dear Golden Girls,

How do you get natural looking poses? What are you saying to your clients?

Sincerely, 

Natural Pose Seeker

Dear Natural Pose Seeker,

      More often than not, our clients are not professional models. They don't know how to pose themselves and they are looking to us for guidance. When I meet my subjects, the first thing I do is try to break the ice and just be real. I'll try to get them relaxed and I'll give them two tips to help with their session:

1. I'll quote Sue Bryce: "Chin forward, down." (I actually renamed it the duck pose!) They watch me do it, we have a laugh at how ridiculous I feel, but then they see my double chin disappear!

2. I tell them to shift their weight to the back leg, again I'm demonstrating all this time and being completely silly! They laugh, tensions release, etc!

I start off by not posing at all, I like let them act completely natural, so that I can study their movements and mannerisms. Once I've got a few ideas, I'll always ask them to mirror me, or watch me do it first. Once in position, that is when I get them to give me that natural expression or look. Posing shouldn't be too dramatic or extreme. The point of photographing this moment is to remember the way this moment was.  I'll explain to them what I want but all the while I'll say "if you don't hear anything from me you are doing it right!"

"The point of photographing this moment is to remember the way this moment was."

Here are some bonus tips to keep in mind!

• Make them laugh, if you're not a comedian, it's OK, just be silly! It doesn't matter if they are laughing at you or with you as long as you get that smile!

• With couples have them just stare are each other, it will immediately create that intimacy when trying to create a real moment. 

• Have your client move! Create motion, walking, talking, tickling, etc. I love to have a client walking away from me and then I'll yell "Turn around!" and BAM! Love it!

• Set them up and leave them be! I love to create the setting but leave the clients. Sometimes, if I feel they are really nervous, I'll say I'll be right back, I need to get a battery. Then, I'll put on my long lens and go hide somewhere! So sneaky! <3 

Hopefully these tips help you out the next time you're out with your clients!

Happy Tuesday! Xoxo!

Golden Girls

If you have a question for us, we'd love to help you out! Please email hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!