Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. ~Socrates

Every professional needs to continuously learn in order to grow, hone their craft and hold themselves accountable to the clients they serve.  That is why every year I set aside time to take continuing education classes. I always learn something new and am able to improve on some aspect of my photography or business.  The awesome thing about our industry is although our creative vision differs across the board so, all of us photographers can walk out of the class with completely different ways to execute our creative vision in our artwork.

This year, I took a fun workshop with Roxanne Bryant on Color Theory and was very privileged to attend The Baby Summit 2016 at the Marriot Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia.  I loved learning from the absolute world’s best – Kelly Brown, Luisa Dunn, Heidi Hope, Sue Bryce, Ana Brandt etc…  Amazing women and photographers! I walked out of each class feeling inspired and so blessed that all our gracious instructors took the time to share the expertise they’ve spent years perfecting with us! I was also able to forge relationships with new vendors to bring consistent, high quality props to my clients.  Overall, a beautiful and totally worthwhile experience! Most of all, I was able to carry this dazzling energy, burning passion and better photography home to all my clients.

At a time when holiday photoshoot inquiries are on the rise, here are a few questions for clients to ask when searching for a professional custom boutique baby portraiture photographer:

• Does the photographer set aside time to attend continuing education classes, workshops or conferences? This is especially important for safety when posing newborns!
• Does the photographer belong to a reputable professional photography association and are they in good standing?
• Does the photographer pay taxes and are they licensed in their geographic area of business?
• Does the photographer routinely clean their props and maintain good hygiene/health for their baby clients? Are they up to date on their yearly shots?
• Can the photographer provide client testimonials that span at least a year to show credibility?