Joshua Tree Engagement

On the 2nd day of Heck Yeah Photo Camp, Ben Sasso and his team set up some incredible styled shoots for us to photograph.  There were three real couples and four editorial models.

Shootouts can often be overwhelming for me as they usually consist of groups of photographers shooting their subjects at the same time.  In this situation, everyone has to be really nice and willing to take turns working with the models, OR you have to super aggressive and willing to jump in and take over for a few minutes.

As an introvert, its tough for me to jump in.  I like having time to get to know my couples and time to work with my angles and the light without feeling like I’m stepping on other’s toes.  However, knowing this about myself, I made it a point to do a mixture of both.  I approached each rotation slowly, took in the situation, thought about what I wanted to accomplish, then waited till I had a good opportunity to jump in and direct for a few minutes.

I mainly focused on the couples during this time, giving myself extra time to spend with each of them, and only photographed one of the editorial models for about 5 minutes (stay tuned for those shots).  I treated my time with the couples I photographed like a Joshua Tree Engagement shoot, focusing on my style and my brand, while also incorporating a few techniques I’d learned from my instructors for the week.  Each couple had a unique connection and personal style and I love how each set of images turned out.

Kirsten + Kyle had quiet and intense chemistry and I love how Kirsten’s coat just pops in the desert.
John and Kate were full of energy and laughter and brought their adorable dog Olive to the shoot.Michelle and John just moved to Fort Collins, CO.  They actually live just a few minutes from Ashley, which is just crazy!  Candice and I had the chance to work with them right up until the gorgeous red sunset.
Stay tuned for our final photographic projects, tackled on Day 3!