It’s hard to believe that 2019 marks DA Photography’s 10 year anniversary! We are celebrating now being a Canadian based photography studio, following many more years across the world.

This past decade has provided a huge learning curve for me and seen amazing growth. As a studio, we discovered what did, and sometimes didn’t work. Hey, to stay creative and fresh, you have to experiment and step out of your comfort zone! Above all, I have been privileged to work with some incredible families and couples who have let me into their lives to document their journeys. Thousands of you have heard my famous ‘Helloooo’ and helped me in evolving my style as technology and needs change.

Today, I am excited to share with my past and future clients the new changes you can expect to see in 2019. I will break them down over a series of blogs allowing for more in-depth understanding. Most importantly, I look forward to your feedback. To give me a chance to focus on what I do best, I have decided to add some services, and retire others. You will discover below in my first topic in a series of 5.

1/5 | Lifestyle Coverage

The most important change that will slowly be implemented throughout the year, is my focus to an exclusive lifestyle coverage. My family and children sessions will no longer be offered in the studio; instead we will work on location. You always have the option of outdoors or indoors. However, a familiar space or one with room to explore, will allow everyone to feel more comfortable and create more realistic portraits.

Lifestyle coverage is just one of the changes we will see in 2019

Having the chance to photograph clients from engagement through to documenting their children growing up has been such a beautiful journey. That being said, I have decided to no longer offer maternity or newborn portrait sessions to any new clients. Although they will no longer be advertised on my website, please reach out if you are a previous client so I can honour our relationship.

Many photographers offer the classic cocoon wrapped newborn, or hands encasing the baby shots. My focus is rather on incorporating the baby via a family session with my lifestyle coverage. The idea of presenting a snapshot of what life is with the baby in its surroundings, to me, offers a better reflection of day to day life, vs staged imagery. On a personal level, I found the newborn shoots very stressful because I was so dependant on the baby cooperating. There is no guarantee that a one-week old baby will comply with the session. Meanwhile, the parents were also understandably upset and tired. I would feel a sense of failure when I couldn’t get the perfect shots that I wanted for the family! Most importantly, I want my client’s to be extremely satisfied with their experience. Lifestyle photography takes away the stress of having to perform for the camera.

Find out why I am shifting my focus towards environmental business portraits  in 2019

Lastly, my corporate sessions will remain in the studio. However, the ultimate goal is to re-focus these to my favourite lifestyle coverage or environmental portrait style. Applying this style of work to a corporate session means showcasing the client’s personality vs a stiff and generic image. Environmental portraits are a great way for business owners to offer their clients a glimpse into their world. In other words, they would be taken on-site in an environment pertinent to their business. Think a logistics CEO in the warehouse, a psychotherapist in his office or an all-natural skincare line, immersed in nature.

 

 

In conclusion, change at DA Photography will always be to enhance the outcome for my client, as your satisfaction is of great importance to me. These changes will allow me to focus on what I love doing, not have to do. I look forward to starting off 2019 the way I mean to go on!