Stop Pressuring Yourself | Photography Tips and Advice | Photography Projects

Hey Friend,

With the new year here and folks talking about all their photography projects I thought this article was something you might want to hear....

Are you feeling guilty because you don't have your camera strapped to you constantly? 

Release the pressure you put on yourself to shoot every day. 

Social media makes it seem like everyone has their camera attached to their hip and that they are taking gorgeous photos of their gorgeous kids in gorgeous outfits in gorgeous light all day. All day! 

Maybe some are.

But I feel like there is this “pressure” to be shooting every moment of our kids days beautifully all while running our own business drinking a frothy latte with a cute messy bun while sitting in bed. 

I mean….. who is with me here?!  

Maybe it’s just me. 

I used to beat myself up because I wasn’t photographing my kids all the time. 

I don’t anymore. I have made peace with it. 

Sometimes I want to give my baby a bath in gorgeous light and simply be present in the beauty of the moment. I want to trust my heart to remember how I felt. Sure, sometimes I photograph these things, but if we are being honest I don’t do it very often. 

When I feel like it I take photos of them. When I don’t, I don’t. 

So friend, if you feel like you should give a 365 a try for the 10th year in a row but you really don’t feel like it, relax. 

You aren’t any less of a photographer, mother, or documenter if you decide to just enjoy the moment rather than photograph it. 

Gacad Family | Seattle Family Photography

I believe that those that come into our live come for a reason. The reasons may never be revealed but I do believe in this. 

I met this family when they were expecting this sweet little angle baby. They laughed easily and clearly enjoyed each others company. It was one of my favorite maternity photo shoots to date. Then, I had the pleasure of capturing their sweet baby girl at home when she was a few weeks old. And it was an absolute pleasure to capture them again when she was just about a year old. When I spend time with this family it feels like I am hanging out with old friends. Nearly every session feels like this for me. This "job" brings beautiful souls into my life and for that I am so grateful. 

I hope your New Year is off to a great start! Thanks for being here, friend! 

Amanatullah Family | Seattle Family Photography

I met this family when they were expecting this sweet baby girl over a year ago. Click HERE to see that precious session. Since then I have done a birth space session, a newborn session, and now a family session. To say I have fallen head over heels in love with this family would be an understatement. They are fairly new to Seattle, transplants form the Los Angeles area. I would say Seattle suites them very well. :)

Parenthood comes easy to them. They love this little girl with all their heart and it is absolutely palpable when you are in their presence. 

We met on a lovely fall evening and the light was warm and cozy. It illuminated their relationship perfectly. 

Enjoy this sweet family. I know I do. 

The Art Of Family Lifestyle Photography Alumni | Elena S Blair Photography Education and Tips

Photography has opened a lot of doors for me. Perhaps the most powerful and meaningful door has been that of being an educator. I have had the absolute honor and privilege of helping thousands of photographers along on their journey. 

But let me tell you a little secret... I learn more from them then they learn from me. I learn about perseverance, dedication, and artistry. It's magic. 

All of my alumni from all of my courses are invited to join a private Facebook group for the course. And those groups are teeming with life. 

Every month in my The Art Of Lifestyle Photography group we have a cover "contest." And by contest I mean love fest. The alumni share a favorite image they have shot recently and we all go in and "like" the images we are most drawn to. But more happens. Everyone jumps in and encourages their peers all while gaining great inspiration. It is really beautiful. 

Below is this months submissions. They really are incredible. I encourage you to take the time to go check out each artists work. There is such talent here. 

Friends, as I have retired this class with Clickinmoms you will no longer be able to sign up for it. BUT I have completely redone this class and you can now find it here!

To see another post with alumni photos, click HERE. They really are inspirational. 

Erin Aasland "This community is so inspiring and has your back when you need help, I love being a part of it."

www.facebook.com/ErinAaslandPortraits | www.instagram.com/eaasland | www.erinaasland.com

Marti Austin "I love having this supportive group to turn to when I need advice about posing a family, editing a photo, or ways I can grow as a photographer. It truly in an invaluable resource to me!"

martiaustinphotography.com | facebook.com/martiaustinphoto | instagram.com/martiaustinphotography

Karra Cappelli "This class pushed my work to a new level when I was just starting out. The thing I loved the most was the editing videos - I loved to watch Elena edit and pick up different tricks (BATCH EDITING 🙌🏻). Thank you!"

www.karralynnphotography.com | www.facebook.com/karralynnphotography | www.instagram.com/karralynnphoto

Kirsty Hamilton "I took this class when I was just starting my business and it was EXACTLY what I needed for that extra confidence boost to keep on going and not give up. I love the community, it feels safe and supportive and I always feel inspired by other people's work and encouragement."

www.kirstyhamiltonphotography.com | www.facebook.com/kirstyhamiltonphotography/ | www.instagram.com/kirstyhamiltonphotography/

Amy Mehlos "Being part of this group has taught me to embrace the quiet, tender moments of sessions."

www.facebook.com/amylouisephotographyseattle | www.instagram.com/amylouisephotography

Lyndsay Mills McNiff "This class and community has meant everything for my business. It validated the type of photography I adore, focusing on a family’s connection and pushed me to try new things with each session to ensure I capture that fleeting moment for my families."

www.lyndsayhannahphotography.com | www.facebook.com/lyndsayhannahphotography | www.instagram.com/lyndsayhannahphotography

Sharon Kenney "This community is such an inspiration to me! I have grown so much creatively and learned to feel confident in my work. The women in this group are incredibly supportive, knowledgeable, and helpful."

http://www.sharonkenney.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/sharonkenneyphotography/ | https://www.instagram.com/sharonkenneyphoto/

Agnes Szlapka "I love the community in this group! It inspires me to make and create images with love, feeling, emotion which I admire. But it also tremendously motivates me to believe in this talent and believe I can make this a successful and respected business! Elena is a born teacher and so helpful!"

http://agnesszlapkaphotography.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/agnesszlapkaphotography/ | https://www.instagram.com/agnesszlapkaphotos/

Emily Lee "This class was a huge game changer for me. It’s helped me feel confident in the work I am doing and to focus on moments over perfection. This community is a constant source of inspiration and knowledge."

www.emilyleephotography.com | www.facebook.com/emilyleephotography | www.instagram.com/emilyleephotography

Lori Seitz Rider "Elena's class was so inspirational for opening my eyes to different ways to approach a session. The community of like-minded photographers that has grown out her classes continues to help me learn and grow, and helps me keep going when this business gets challenging!"

everydayartistryphotography.com | https://www.instagram.com/everydayartistryphotography/ | https://www.facebook.com/everydayartistryphotography/

Amanda Noel "I loved this class because it gave me permission to shoot with my heart and capture what I feel - I literally cried when I watched the first video. We may all be at different points, but we are all on this journey together! Much like Elena, this community supports me, encourages me and inspires me to be the best ME I can be!"

www.facebook.com/amandanoelphoto | www.instagram.com/amandanoelphotos | www.amandanoelphoto.com

Amy Wright "Taking this class and being part of this community has taught me to photograph what I feel and let the viewer feel that too."

www.facebook.com/amywrightphoto | www.instagram.com/amywrightphoto | www.amywrightphoto.com

Emily Cannata "Having such a supportive and positive community is a true gift to my heart, soul, and business. Elena is true champion of community and sharing of knowledge."

www.emilycannataphotography.com | https://www.facebook.com/emilycannataphotography | https://www.instagram.com/emilycannataphotography/

Tasha Boin "I love this community because it's such a supportive and safe place to ask questions, share and grow with one another! Elena is such an amazing leader and inspiration for us all!"

https://www.facebook.com/TashaBoinPhotography | https://www.instagram.com/tashaboinphotography | https://tashaboinphotography.com/ 

Erica Sue "I love seeing how we are all able to consistently create images that are leading to a paradigm shift towards authentic vs posed portraiture."

www.facebook.com/soyoubyericasue | www.instagram.com/soyoubyericasue

Leah Vazquez "[I love] finding the connection and having fun :)"

www.facebook.com/leahvazquezphotog | www.instagram.com/leahvazquezphoto | www.leahvazquez.com

Ann Arménia "Your class was my first CM class and was so helpful!"

www.instagram.com/annferguson643 | www.annfergusonphotography.com

Amanda Bradt "Your class completely inspired me to make the leap into officially starting my business. It's slowly growing now thanks to the confidence your class gave me! Letting go of perfect and concentrating on the emotion helped me so much!"
www.instagram.com/amanda_bradt | www.facebook.com/amandabradtphotography | www.amandabradt.com

Brigitte Reid "This class helped my find my photography people! Knowing that there's a whole community of likeminded photographers looking for meaningful connection in their photography is so inspiring! The best part though is that I realized one of my photography people lives right up the road! ❤️"

granitehillphotography.com | Facebook.com/granitehillphotography | https://www.instagram.com/granitehillphotography/

Julie Branson "I love Elena's passion for supporting other photographers! The knowledge I have gained from her class, combined with the support in this community, has really helped me to grow as a photographer and an artist."

www.juliebranson.com | https://www.instagram.com/juliebranson/ | https://www.facebook.com/Julie-Branson-Photography-388429557996073/

Karen Holden "GBTP has been my bible for family photography. I constantly revisit different sections of it. This thriving community is also great to fall back on. I’ll always get advice no matter how small my question."

https://facebook.com/karenholdenuae/ | https://www.karenholdenphotography.com/ | www.instagram.com/karenholdenphotography/

Danielle LaChance "I love this community so much. I love that we can bounce ideas off each other and ask for advice. We all have so many different perspectives, it's so helpful to have such a great network. I've taken a few classes through ClickinMoms but I find I come back to Elena's class the most often. She taught me to embrace my own vision and trust in myself and my abilities. <3"

www.daniellelachancephotography.com | www.facebook.com/daniellelachancephotography | www.instagram.com/dlachancephoto

Amanda Naor "Sometimes you just let life happen. Sometimes you gently guide it. Either way, the outcome is always beautiful."

www.amandanaor.com | www.facebook.com/amandanaorphotography.com | www.instagram.com/_amandanaor_

Jocelyn Miller "This class helped solidify what I wanted to create when I entered a family session and provided me with the confidence to do what makes my heart sing."

www.yellowroomphoto.com | www.instagram.com/yellowroomphoto | www.facebook.com/yellowroomphotography 

Vanessa Welch "Taking this class gave me the courage and the tools to capture for clients the moments that mean the most. My work is that much more fulfilling and joyful now and I can never go back!"

www.vanessawelchphotography.com | www.instagram.com/vanessawelchphoto | https://www.facebook.com/Vanessa-Welch-Photography-126916621257501/

Alex Vo Ko "This class opened my eyes that shooting the way I want, makes my clients more happy and I am able to do what I love! Since I took this class I do not question my style at all! I am in sync with what I do, and this gives me strength, personally and in my art- thank you Elena Sanchez Blair! I love this little community here as it gives me the possibility to ask questions, never feeling there is a question that cannot be asked- thank you all for this!"

glowingtribe.com | https://www.instagram.com/glowingtribe/ 

Nadia Singh-Kowlasar "I love our community as this group is very supportive in questions or concerns that I have. They are here to help and listen which is so needed. Elena is wonderful she is personal and it shows, and she truly cares ❤️"

https://www.facebook.com/supermodels417/

Jenny Grimm "I absolutely adore the sense of community you get with people that follow Elena. It’s the reason I’m drinking her kool-aid and signed up for her upcoming retreat in April in Napa!! Elena you have such a huge heart and passion for what you do, and it’s infectious. Thank you for all of your support and time you spend with us. I appreciate you!!"

www.facebook.com/jennygrimmphotography | www.instagram.com/jenny.grimm

Natalie Marotta "Elena's class helped me realize that this is my art and to show it proudly! Elena and this community have empowered me to be who I am as an artist and Elena has given me some of the greatest tools and knowledge along my journey. Her teaching style is infectious and I continue to enjoy each and every community or hers I am a part of. Thank you!"

nataliemarotta.com | https://www.instagram.com/marotta_style/

Hali Resney Tomczak "[Elena's] classes have given me confidence to shoot what I love, connection and joy. She empowers you with knowledge and is your own personal cheerleader, so inspiring! The community she builds around her classes are so supportive and inspiring too💛"

https://facebook.com/sweetlivphotography/ | www.sweetlivphotography.com | www.instagram.com/sweetlivphotography

Kellie Pecoraro "This community is so inspiring... I love seeing everyone's work and how supportive everyone is of each other. Elena's class has given me the confidence and permission to shoot the way I see a family. Elena is personally so giving of her time, energy and knowledge... she is the reason this community is such a positive place to be!"

https://www.facebook.com/KelliePecoraroPhotography | www.kelliepecoraro.com | www.instagram.com/kelliepecorarophotography

How To Get Your Clients To Stop Looking At The Camera | Photography Tips

 

Hey friend,

Are you sick of families who have been trained to look right smack at your lens with the cheesiest grin you have ever seen? Me too. 

But here is the thing... my clients rarely do that anymore and I am going to share with you my secret. 
It's because I have educated them BEFORE they ever get in front of my camera. They know what to do before we ever actually meet in person. 

Here is how I do it. 

1. I don't ever post photos of families looking right at the camera anywhere. Not on my portfolio (especially not on my portfolio,) not on social media, and rarely on my blog (but I will there *sometimes*.) 

Your ideal client doesn't know they need lifestyle photos until you tell them they do.

Clear as mudd? Let me explain...
Take clothing companies. I haven't worn overalls since 1995, but all of the sudden I am seeing overalls all over the place and suddenly I *need* them. Like now. I am not a fashion expert so when I see a trend I trust it 100%.

But I *am* a photography expert. So I put my work out to the world and when a potential client lands on my page and sees an image like the one below they suddenly think "I want that to be my family. I want that." Bam. They aren't expecting to look at the camera. They are expecting to look like my art. 

 

2. I literally educate my clients once they book. In my welcome guide I explain exactly how their session will go and I tell them that I won't be asking them to look at the camera. I explain that I want them to simply interact with their family and that I will guide them how to do so. I position myself as the expert immediately and they trust me 100% because of it. 

So getting your families to stop looking at you starts before your session even begins. Believe in yourself and that you are an expert and your families will too. 

Have a great week! Fee free to share this with a pal who you  know would appreciate the tips. ;) 

Xoxo,
Elena