Month: April 2017

child points at spot on map - documentary family photography

Featured Session – Katie McMenamin

Featured, Featured Session

This session from Katie McMenamin stood out for us, not only because of her beautiful images, but also because of her long standing relationship with the family pictured. Katie says:

“I have been photographing families for almost ten years now and started shooting documentary sessions several years ago. The majority of my work is still lifestyle sessions, but documentary really has my heart. There is nothing like going into a family’s home and capturing all the little moments that they’ll want to remember years from now. I love how it preserves a sliver in time, how it’s about more than just pretty pictures. I firmly believe that the value of these photos will really be felt ten years from now, when life looks very different than it does at the moment.

I have been photographing this family since their oldest of four kids was just one. This Winter was the first opportunity that I’d had to photograph a documentary session for them. Mom home schools their older kids and dad happened to be home that day, so it was a really relaxed, typical day in their home. I photographed a bit of their home schooling, the kids playing with legos, lunch and nap time. The kids’ personalities really shone and I loved watching them interact with each other in this setting where they’re super comfortable. It was by far, my favorite session that I’ve ever had with them.”

You can read more about Katie on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram account.

Our contributors also asked Katie a few questions about this session and her work in general. Below is her Q & A:

child points at spot on map - documentary family photography

Aniya: Hi Katie, I love that you’ve been able to move this family from lifestyle to documentary. How do you see this creeping into your business, and how would you go about marketing these sessions differently from your lifestyle sessions? Also, I see that you aren’t afraid to get close in, and go in some places that some photographers stay away from. Do you ask before, say, going into the bathroom? Did you find this particular documentary session more relaxed since you do know this family particularly well?

I started out shooting weddings about ten years ago, and even then, I was always drawn to the photojournalistic moments over the posed photos. So when I started focusing on family photos, even in a more traditional lifestyle session, I always loved capturing documentary moments. I shot my first fully documentary session almost five years ago, https://www.kmcmenamin.com/r-family-part-1-manayunk-documentary-family-photographer/. I feel like it’s been a slow build since then. At first, I didn’t think I’d be able to sell this sort of session to people, and honestly, I was too scared to even try. Once I had my own kids, I realized the true value of these photos. I have been working harder to show these types of images on my website, blog and social media and to encourage my clients to at least make a portion of their session documentary, which I think gives them a taste of this type of work. I love nothing more than when a client who had a traditional, lifestyle session, tells me that a documentary moment that I captured was their favorite image. Lifestyle images with beautiful light and smiling happy kids sell themselves. I really think it’s harder to see the value in documentary photos unless you see photos of your own family.

Any time I know the client before the session, it is always more relaxed. I also always have my clients fill out a pre-session questionnaire. So even if I don’t know them, I can get a taste for what moments are important to them and who they are as a family. If I am capturing a personal moment and it wasn’t explicitly addressed in the questionnaire, such as breastfeeding or a toddler on the potty, I will usually ask if it’s okay. If a little one is older than a toddler, then I just give them their privacy in the bathroom, unless the door is open and they’re brushing their teeth or washing hands, etc. I am also extra discerning with what I share online. I never want to make my client feel uncomfortable with an image that I share, so if it feels too private or intimate, I will either ask or simply won’t share it. I think it takes a lot of trust for a client to let me into their home to capture everything, the good, bad and ugly, and I really want to respect that trust.

mother and daughter in child's bedroom - documentary family photography

Felicia: How did you convince this family to try your documentary approach or were they intrigued because they have seen the shift to documentary (maybe through your personal work?)? When you shoot for yourself, do you find you always take the documentary or lifestyle route, or both?

This family actually won a contest that I was running to promote this type of session. I love nothing more than a documentary session, so the more interest and excitement I can generate for this type of work, the better. From that contest, I was also able to book a few other clients for documentary sessions as well.

When I am shooting for myself, I definitely take more documentary photos. Looking back at images from when my first daughter was born, four years ago, most of my photos of her tend to be lifestyle. I think that was just out of laziness. For me, it felt easier to set her up in a clutter free zone in a pretty outfit every once in a while than being at the ready with my camera at all times. In the last couple of years, I have found a balance. I keep my camera out all the time and if something cute is happening, I try to grab it. I don’t beat myself up if I miss the moment though and I still take tons of iPhone photos. I do love a posed, genuine smile for the camera photo of my kids too. Just like in my client work, I really feel there is a place for both lifestyle and documentary.

mother tickles child - documentary family photography

Erika: What is one thing you learned from this session and/or is there anything you would have done differently?

I feel like I learn something from every session that I shoot. In this case, I overshot and gave too many images. It’s something that I consistently struggle with and it’s a lesson that I’m constantly trying to absorb. I get emotionally attached to my clients’ images just like I get emotionally attached to personal photos. But just like my personal photos, I know that they won’t all be printed and revisited, so I think it’s really important to be able to give them the best of the best to choose from. I don’t want to leave them feeling overwhelmed.

father and son on couch- documentary family photography

Jessica: What types of moments would you say you are most drawn to as an artist? Do you see light and composition first, or is the moment in the scene which draws you in?

I am definitely drawn to moments first and foremost. When I first started shooting this way, I would stress if a shot weren’t perfectly composed. But now I’ve come to realize that meaningful moments outweigh technical perfection 100% of the time. Sometimes, things are happening fast and getting perfectly into position just isn’t possible. Likewise, I love great light in an image, but when I’m shooting in a documentary style, I just let things unfold and use the light that I have available. If I have the time to compose things thoughtfully, I really love shooting things happening in the foreground and background simultaneously or shooting through things. Dimension always makes photos much more interesting to me, regardless of the light.

child with stuffed animal - documentary family photography

Leslie: What’s your favorite image from this set and why?

I have the hardest time choosing favorites (see above), but if I had to pick, it would be the image with their youngest sucking his fingers and holding his lovey. There are just so many things about that image that seem to capture a moment in time that is fleeting. At one and a half, he is right on that edge between baby and toddler and this image feels like it grabs on to that little bit of baby that is left in him. This session was only a few months ago and who knows if he is still sucking his fingers or toting his lovey around. I also love that you can see the hint of lunch left on his face. Such a real life moment.

mother reaches for books while holding coffee - documentary family photography
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Want information on how you can be a featured artist? Check out our submission page for all the details.

Finding Your Creative Voice

Contributor Articles

In the world of photography, how do we find our own unique voice that will stand out amidst the sea of sameness? I wrestled with this question in the early years of my journey as an artist. I had so much to learn as far as business skills go and certainly technical skills too. So, I soaked up everything I could by looking at other photographers, industry magazines, what was getting the most likes and affirmation. But it all felt empty to me.

I knew what I was looking at was mostly mediocre, and though it might have been pretty it didn’t speak to me in any meaningful way. It wasn’t interesting and full of life. I wanted more than pretty pictures. I knew that I was drawn to something different than what I was seeing in the photography community, but I didn’t quite know how to translate what mattered to me, much less offer it to the world. When I first photographed a baby, I put the baby in a basket. I thought that was what you had to do when you photographed a newborn. But it wasn’t authentically me (or the baby, I might add). Luckily I was able to find a path that was more true to who I am and how I see the world. And now I’m passionate about refining my own creative voice and helping others do the same.

WHO ARE YOU? Matching who you are as an artist with who you are as a person

IN A SENSE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS ARE YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY- DOROTHEA LANGE

In order to understand yourself as an artist, you must first know yourself. This requires some digging deep into your story. These questions are useful tools in the process of self-examination. Grab a few blank pieces of paper and some of your favorite pens for these exercises. Set a timer for 3 minutes for each of these. GO!

  • What are words that people use to describe you? (go ahead, ask them! But I recommend only asking people who really know you, not throwing it out on your social media platforms to the masses. Take it from me) What are words that you use to describe yourself?
  • What are areas of loss, sadness, crisis or tragedy in your life? Write down specific events or general themes that emerge.
  • What are your areas of interest and curiosity? Passions? Write them all down.
  • What are your goals and dreams?

Step back and take a look at these maps. What surprised you? What themes emerged? Where do these maps overlap? Circle the things that you want to explore more or that you feel strongly drawn to. Take some time to write about how these things influence you as an artist and what you might be motivated to do differently. Is there a personal project you might want to pursue based on themes that emerged?

Resources: I highly recommend the book Strengthsfinders. It is a detailed personality inventory that will determine the natural areas of strength in your personality. Focus on those strengths and let go of your weaknesses. You will grow fastest where you are naturally strong.

Another incredibly helpful tool is the book Start with Why. You can watch the TED talk here. This is such an important step for any artist or entrepreneur, or really for any endeavor. Things will become so much more clear if you have a strong sense of WHY you are doing it all in the first place, and then you can communicate that story through your art.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? What you see is what you get!

YOU DON’T MAKE A PHOTOGRAPH JUST WITH A CAMERA. YOU BRING TO THE ACT OF PHOTOGRAPHY ALL THE PICTURES YOU HAVE SEEN, THE BOOKS YOU HAVE READ, THE MUSIC YOU HAVE HEARD, THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE LOVED. – ANSEL ADAMS

I believe that if you focus on becoming a more interesting person, you can’t help but become a more interesting artist. Where are you looking for inspiration? Who are you looking at for comparison? If all your photography heroes are on Instagram, you need new heroes.

  • Take a social media break for at least a week (you won’t die, I promise). You cannot make authentic work if you are copying what everyone else is doing and filling your creative tank with someone else’s vision. Stop looking at peers and following industry blogs. Notice how you feel without all that noise. You absorb what you see and can’t help but reflect that in your own work.
  • Look to the masters of your craft and learn what makes a truly GREAT photograph, not just one that gets a lot of likes. Here’s some ideas of where to start: Magnum contact sheets, photojournalists, Sally Mann, Sam Abell, Annie Leibovitz, Cig Harvey, Jessica Todd Harper, Alan Laboile, Vivian Maeier, Craig Semetko, Robert Frank, LensCulture, Cartier-Bresson, Elliot Erwitt, Nat Geo photographers, Petapixel.com, openculture.com (free art book downloads)
  • Look outside your genre to nourish your creative soul- some things that inspire me are Dutch masters, Caravaggio, Wes Anderson, Chef’s Table series on Netflix, Start with Why- Simon Sinek, Big Magic- Elizabeth Gilbert, The War of Art- Stephen Pressfield, The Artist’s Way- Julia Cameron, Fire Starter Sessions- Danielle LaPorte, Steal Like an Artist-Austin Kleon, The Untethered Soul, Brene Brown, documentaries, Norman Rockwell, erikkim.com, movies, music, nature, FOOD, TED Talks, cookbooks, poetry, podcasts

BE DARING, BE DIFFERENT, BE IMPRACTICAL, BE ANYTHING THAT WILL ASSERT INTEGRITY OF PURPOSE AND IMAGINATIVE VISION AGAINST THE PLAY-IT-SAFERS, THE CREATURES OF THE COMMONPLACE, THE SLAVES OF THE ORDINARY. – CECIL BACON

Finding your unique creative voice is a lifelong journey that will change as you change. You can cultivate and grow your own vision the more you invest in nourishing your soul through this process.

Just as nourishing your body with whole food takes more time and intention than eating convenience food without real nutrition in it, finding your voice takes time and intention, and sifting through a lot of noise. Most of all, remember  “A GOOD PHOTOGRAPHER MUST LOVE LIFE MORE THAN HE DOES PHOTOGRAPHY.” – JOEL STRASSER

IG Community Post- March

Instagram Community Posts

Thank you for all your March submissions in our Instagram Community! We love seeing your documentary photos, so please keep tagging your photos with #shamoftheperfect to share with us. This month’s top honor goes to Mischa Bolton. Be sure to check out her page and the pages of all our Top 5 artists for this month to see more of their wonderful work.

@mischabolton

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@graymis

@thehappygrahams

@brookentodd

@linseydavis05

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To see your photo here next month post your favorite documentary family images using the hashtag #shamoftheperfect for a chance to be featured on IG! Don’t forget to also share your images on our facebook page, too.

The Digital File Dance – Organizing Your Photos

Contributor Articles

Whether you are a professional photographer, a hobbyist, or a parent who simply takes way too many photos of their kids, one thing is certain – you have gazillions of precious pixels living somewhere on your computer and need a easy way of keeping it all organized.

Digital photography is fantastic because you can take as many photos as you wish. Especially with us trigger-happy documentary photographers – it’s completely normal to take a few hundred shots in just one afternoon.

In my opinion, photographers need to be prepared to deal with these images before ever touching the shutter button. Otherwise the thrill of capturing the world as you see it through your lens can quickly become a time-consuming chore.

When I received my very first point and shoot digital camera 13 years ago it didn’t take long to figure out that the files can’t all be copied and stuck into a singular folder because the camera assigns each file the same name by default (eg. IMG_####). So at IMG_9999 the counter resets and you don’t want a duplicate or – heaven forbid – overwrite the original IMG_0001. Besides, when you stick everything into one folder, it is a headache to scroll through so many pictures to find the one or series of photos that you want. (Please don’t put everything in one folder on your desktop. Pretty please.)

Fast forward to today and I can go back to my son’s Kindergarten graduation or our trip to the cottage with friends last summer in an instant.

It’s been a process to implement a reliable system. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this particular structure but I’ve refined a few different ideas and tricks from all over the place until something finally worked for me. Many mistakes were made along the way.  I’ve learned the hard way that folders with random naming conventions containing valuable images of adorable toddlers always end up lost in the shuffle if you don’t have a solid system in place.

Told ya. Insanely adorable toddlers circa 2006.

Fast forward to present day and these two dudes and their little brother need photos for school projects quite often. My overall goal was clear: if someone in our family wanted to find a photo of a particular event or time, I wanted them to be able to find it on our computer without having to ask for my assistance. A logical and simple folder structure is the answer when dealing with a plethora of photos.

There are a number of helpful tools available to achieve photo organization success; I happen to use Lightroom and import my personal images directly into one catalog.

I have all photos sorted in yearly folders within PHOTOGRAPHS at the top of the hierarchy. You can keep the default ‘My Pictures’ or ‘iPhoto’ folder created by your computer, but I like having the PHOTOGRAPHS folder because it is distinct and I know that’s where I have all of my photos. (I use a PC and the default setting is to store photos downloaded from the Internet into that same system-designated My Pictures library. That’s another big reason that I prefer keeping all my personal images separate.)

When you look in folders for each year there is another set of folders broken down into months with a number in front (ie. 02-February). Placing the ’02’ in front of the month name is key because that helps keep it all in chronological order. (Otherwise you have April next to August and that’s when things just get ugly. You may as well just throw in the towel now.)

Once upon a time I did just keep the photos separated by specific date within the monthly folders but it quickly created confusion. (As much as I told myself I was organized, I still couldn’t find what I was looking for in a jiffy, much less have someone else try to find it.) You have no clue what photos are lurking inside when you see ‘2007-07-02’, ‘2007-07-06’, ‘2007-07-13’ and so on.

However, when you name it something more descriptive like ‘Visit to Grandma’s House’, ‘Playing in the Sprinkler’, and ‘Jumping on the Bed’, there is no question what types of photos are awaiting you inside those lovely folders.

Here’s a peek at my system at work in Lightroom: all of my photos within each Year – Month – Description all happily living under the parent folder, PHOTOGRAPHS.

See that — I have more than 130,000 images in my PHOTOGRAPHS folder just from 2009!

NOTE: I’ve seen many suggestions of giving the folder a description + the date, but I feel the extra typing is not necessary because a) I already know the year and month right off the bat by looking at the folder structure, and b) I rename my files with the date so it’s right there when I see the photos. The date is also embedded in the metadata. There’s a point when you hit date-reference overload here folks.  😉

Which brings me to renaming individual photos within Lightroom. People, it is a cinch to rename the files as they’re being imported so failing a good folder system, at the very least please rename your files. I always rename mine using a date_description_sequence convention to ensure that no two files will ever be the same.

Now that I have been successfully using this fool-proof system for at least six years, I can honestly say that I never dread dealing with the thousands of image files that make their way to my hard drives. 

It’s also relatively easy to go back through the archives and implement this folder structure on all of my failures from 2004 and on. Before working your way back, always make a backup copy of everything before attempting to re-organize your older images.

What I’ve noticed is that keeping on top of this system gives me more time to get out and shoot and then do cool things with the data after the upload and edits are complete.

That’s the whole point of this photography thing anyway, right? Whenever I want to make prints or pick images for a photobook, the hardest part is selecting which photos I want to send off to the printer yet barely any time is spent sifting for the actual folder containing the sought-after images.

After all, seeing your photos on the screen is one thing, but bringing them to life is what is most important!