Want to know the three main ingredients of a portrait photo taken at Rachel Schneider Studios?
What exactly makes up a Rachel Schneider Studios photo?
That is the question I have been carefully trying to answer for the last year and a half. As a photographer and person, it can be easy to get caught up in the ever-changing trends we see daily on our phones and computers. In the beginning, I spent days trying to figure out what I liked best. What my clients liked best. What was trending? What was going out of style? My head was SPINNING.
Then, one day it just clicked. I asked myself, "What is it that makes me... me?" Once I figured that out, I started incorporating the words I came up with into my photos. Clean. Classic. Cinematic.
Clean
Maybe it's the OCD in me, but I really dislike clutter. My house isn't perfectly neat, but I never feel quite put together when papers are scattered across the table or baskets of clothes are waiting to be put away. I need things to look neat to feel at ease.
The same goes for my photos. I love it when a photo looks clean. Minus the clutter and effects. Minus the hoopla in the vicinity. True colors. Poses that are true to the client. Whether I am shooting in front of a plain backdrop or a busy arcade, I want people to see my work and know exactly where to look and what it is they are looking at without feeling overwhelmed. I want my clients to be the focus.
Classic
Call me cheesy, but I feel like an old soul living in the wrong era. Growing up immersed in the world of entertainment, I have always admired the decades of the past. I grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald scatting through the car speakers during long rides. I loved watching movies, like Gidget starring Sandra Dee. I studied the dance numbers of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers during college and binged John Hughes films on weekends. Oh... and my first car was a VW Beetle. I'm about as classic as it gets.
A part of me feels like I have lived a little of my life in each decade and I love when that part of my heart flows into my photos. I love when I take a photo and think, "Wow. This is giving James Dean vibes." My work is heavily influenced by the constant nostalgia I feel. I want my photos, and my clients, to feel timeless. Never outdated.
Cinematic
Again, I immensely enjoy watching TV shows and movies. During college, I made friends with the Electronic Media Production majors and participated in their short films and movie projects. It taught me a lot about composition and what makes a 'good shot.'
When I am looking through the viewfinder of my camera, I see exactly what I want the photos to look like. My mind sees my clients as the star of a feature film. I see angles, foregrounds, backgrounds, and symmetry that will help convey my client's story. It's so much fun looking at people and seeing 'the good shot.' AND Trust me... I will crawl on the floor or balance on a ledge to do what it takes to get that photo.
And, that is that. Granted, this is my perception of my style and my goals. Observers of my work may think something completely different, and that is okay! In the end, all that matters is that as a client, you choose the photographer that fits your own style best.
In fact, I asked some of my clients to describe my work, and some of their words included "vivid" and "open-mindedness." I love hearing their opinions to see what is working. I still have so much learning and evolving to do. I never plan to stop learning and growing. Styles and techniques will keep on changing and evolving, and I will keep on loving and creating.
What part of yourself would you include in your work?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If you are looking for more photography blogs like this one, follow along for my future posts!
Blog updates are announced on my Instagram @rachelschneiderstudios
Thanks for reading!
#portraitphotography #portraitphotographer #photographytips #creativephotography #betterphotography #phototips #selfportrait #modelshoot #modelportfolio #actorportfolio #familyphotos #brandphotos #headshots #editorialphotos #seniorphotos #northeastohio #NEOhiophotos #pittsburghphotos #clevelandphotos #ohiophotographer #neohiophotographer
#boardman #youngstown #canfield #poland #southrange #howland #warren #austintown #columbiana #northlima #ashtabula #kent
Rachel Schneider is a portrait photographer in Youngstown, Ohio
with experience in Senior, Family, Brand, and Editorial Photography.
Photos that tell a story and promote your success.
Comments