I bought a new lens for my camera…finally! After practicing photography for over a year; figuring out my camera settings, learning how to use lighting, etc. I decided that I knew enough to expand the capacity of my camera and … Continue reading
As a military spouse and a hobby photographer, I have been on both ends of the lens. I hired photographers for both of my husband’s homecoming and have photographed even more homecomings for my friends and referrals.
My husband and I’s first homecoming – Afghanistan 2011
My friend Heather’s homecoming – May 2013
I shot a homecoming very last minute on Friday for a friend of a friend. The woman had been talking to my friend (the red-head featured above) about how she didn’t have a photographer for her upcoming homecoming…the next day! My friend referred her to me and thankfully the timing worked out and I actually have the day off from work and no plans.
When I got to the homecoming and we were waiting around for her and her friend’s husbands to come through, there was a sweet family next to us waiting as well. She had a toddler and a newborn with her, and no friends or photographer to capture the moment. Her husband came though in the first wave (not everyone arrived at the same time) and their reunion was beautiful! I couldn’t help myself and I snapped a few photos and asked for her email before I left so I could send them to her.
Homecomings are such a beautiful and emotional moment in life. How could you not want to capture it?!
How could you want to miss out on having these memories forever?!
My client and her friend were both experiencing their first homecomings, and I was glad to be able to get some shots of both of them. You will want to have photos of this moment! There is no downside to hiring a photographer, IMO
I’ve had some people ask me if it’s awkward to have a photographer at homecoming. To have someone up in your business during such an intimate moment. As a photographer, I try to blend in. There are so many people at homecoming; photographers, friends, family. There will be people taking photos left and right, you won’t notice if they are taking photos of you or someone else. At both of my homecomings I barely noticed the photographer, I was way too wrapped up in seeing my husband for the first time in 7 months!
So the answer to the question of “should I hire a photographer for my homecoming?” is always YES!
Speaking of photography (since I don’t want to make a whole other post), here are some highlight of the other shoot I did this weekend, a maternity shoot for my friend. Can’t wait to take her newborn pictures in a few weeks!
As I shared in a previous post, I am a hobby photographer.
I have a HUGE collection of photography ideas on my Pinterest and I am always reading blogs about how to improve my work. I am stronger in the creative side of photography (composition, posing, etc.), but I am still trying to perfect my technical side (camera settings, lighting, etc.) so that the photo I have in my head matches the one that I take.
I don’t consider myself a professional and there is A LOT that I still need to learn, but I love doing shoots for my friends and family.
I’ve recently gotten a lot of business! Every time I post one of my shoots on my FB page, another one of my friends asks me to do a shoot. I started out having to convince my BFF from back home to pose for me, and now I have multiple requests a month! I am so flattered and excited for all of the practicing I get to do.
I decided to share some of my highlights, since I don’t ever really talk about my own hobbies on this blog lol
My first photo shoot with my best friend from back home and her husband, they were so silly and difficult to pose lol
My second photo shoot at Del Mar Beach on Camp Pendleton, CA
My friend Katie asked me to take newborn photos and I LOVED it! Newborn photography might be my favorite, even though babies are not good at posing haha
And lastly, the maternity shoot I did yesterday for another friend.
I currently have a homecoming lined up next month and a couples shoot in 2 weeks with my friend who promised that her husband would wear his military uniform (yay!). And today I got a FB message from one of my friend’s friend who saw the pictures on FB and wants a shoot too, my first non-friend/family client!
look beyond the imperfections 