Teach Me. Lead Me. Inspire Me.: Capture it- Guest Post Elaine Gates Photography

What do you shoot with? What’s in your bag? What would you like to be in your bag?

I shoot with a Nikon D700 & D300

Nikon 70-200 2.8

Nikon 24-70 2.8

Nikon 50mm 1.4

Nikon 60mm 2.8 (macro)

Nikor 10.5 fisheye

Sb900

Pocketwizards

Sb600

How long you have been shooting?

4 years

How long you have been in business?

Officially 2 years

What inspires you?

Love inspires me most, relationships, beautiful light

How long do your sessions last?

Senior sessions are based on packages but normally 30min-2hrs. Family sessions are normally around an hour. Newborn sessions can take up to 3 hours depending on how easily we can get the baby to sleep and stay asleep.

What pre-planning do you do with your clients?

Usually once someone books a session I ask them what sort of session speaks to them, do they want to see themselves having fun in green grass, a large field, a cool urban setting. Its important to get the location right so that the wall portraits work well in their home and with their style.

Any lighting besides natural light?

You bet, I have some studio lighting for the studio work, I use speedlights for weddings and some portraits.

Do you use Photoshop? Lightroom?

Both!

How did you learn photography?

I just picked it up and learned along the way, photographing my own family gave me the push to do this for others.

Have you found any great places to shoot sessions? Any new dream locations you are dying to bring clients to?

Yeah, I am always looking for new places that speak to me, which no one else is using. I still love the tried and true locations that everyone loves, I just like to shoot them differently with my own style.

How would you describe your style?

I love beauty and art. I like beautiful pictures that are well composed and perfect technically.

When you aren’t taking pictures, or editing, what are you doing?

Spending time with my family, knitting, reading…

What was the turning point that made you want to want to “do this.”?

I think one day I realized that this was my passion and I couldn’t change it… I spent a good year telling myself that I only wanted to do it for fun and to get out of the house and it snowballed into this amazing business that I am so passionate about. I feel this is my gift, what I was meant to do.

Can you share a story about your funniest photography shoot?

Weddings are always interesting; there usually is always a guest who keeps me entertained with their crazy antics. Once there was a best man speech that made me laugh out loud for days every time I thought about it…

I love being the fly on the wall watching peoples special days unfold; Documenting it so when they open their album they can relive it.

I think photographing my own children is borderline hilarious. I am so cool and collected with everyone else’s children but photographing my own makes me into one of those moms…. My girls have grown to love it, my oldest loves the time I spend with her, she loves seeing herself and I think she is growing a passion for photography. She always has fun ideas, and outfits! I spent about 4 months planning my holiday card portraits, my poor husband has to put up with all of my stress with coming up with a concept, and helping me build props for it…

What advice do you have for people searching for a photographer?

I think the best thing for people to do is find someone who you love their work, and especially with weddings you need to “click” with your photographer. If you don’t love me when you meet me, then there is another photographer out there for you. I want my clients to be 110% happy from start to finish; my goal is to make you not only my client for life, but a friend as well. The thing I love the most is building relationships! That right there is my passion. I also feel strongly that people shouldn’t settle for a sub-par photographer based on cost, cut corners other places, not on photography. You will never regret the investment!

Anything else you’d like to share with us? You are welcome Elaine!

I am so thrilled for you that you are starting out on this new journey. Thank you so much for interviewing me!! Xoxo

You are welcome Elaine! Wishing you the best in 2011. Here are some samples of her work that she sent over for all of you to view.