Professional Product Photos | Saint Charles Photographer | Chelsie Trendley Photography
Professional Product Photos | Saint Charles Photographer |
Chelsie Trendley Photography
If you didn’t know, we recently started offering professional product photography. Having a small online product based business myself, I know the importance of professional product photography and how much it helps showcase my products. I noticed a huge increase in sales since I started updating the mock photos to professional photos myself or my associate photographer Meg took.
We started collaborating with other small businesses and doing photos early this year and wanted to expand and offer more.
Here are a few reasons why you should hire a professional.
1. To show the quality of your products; this is important especially for hand-made businesses, you want to show the great quality and value of your products.
2. Variety, a professional photographer can get a good variety of different views of your products, this will help show off different aspects of your product - think size, shape, style.
3. Stand alone or modeled, would your item be better show cased on a model or stand alone? A professional photographer can do both and create a stunning visual of your product either stand alone or on a model.
Stay tuned on what to look for when hiring a professional photographer!
Here is a product shoot show casing a skirt using both a model and just the product.
Another product shoot showcasing children’s yoga leggings on a model leggings by: Rogue Wanderer Co.
If you have a small business and are looking for product photography, lets chat!
Why Lifestyle | Saint Charles Photographer | Chelsie Trendley Photography
Why lifestyle photography is great for families
Why Lifestyle | Saint Charles Photographer |
Chelsie Trendley Photography
I wanted to write a post on lifestyle photography. I choose to specialize in this because to me this is the best way to get authentic family photos that tell a story. Your family is ever changing, your kids continue to grow and change throughout the years. This is a easy and fun way to show off the whole family and get the best authentic smiles. This is also so much easier on kids and parents. No more yelling for them to stand still and smile, no more saying “say cheese”, I use cues and playing to get genuine smiles. I often time have the parents playing with the kids and then will branch off and have the kids play and the parents to fun cues. I always get a huge variety of “breakdowns” this way and easily create a beautiful photograph story of your family. All the while still getting a couple great options for that “everyone looking and smiling pose”. I get these with family walk, and the family hug cue.
Here is a great example of some cues and playing ideas I use to get great photos of a family.
If you have a session scheduled it doesn’t matter if we are wandering around main street Saint Charles or a beautiful park in Cottleville we will get lots of gorgeous photos of your family! If you haven’t scheduled a session, lets chat!
Dear Mom | Saint Charles Photographer | Chelsie Trendley Photography
Dear Mom | Saint Charles Photographer |
Chelsie Trendley Photography
Dear Mom,
My heartfelt reminder to relax. I’ve been there, I have three children ranging from 2 years old to 7. We get our photos done once a year, and its always a bit stressful. Someone is always cranky and someone is usually crying. But what makes it worse is if I lose my cool, I tend to go with a gentle approach and try to distract them or I ignore them and just start playing with the other kids. Usually they catch on and start having fun.
Let me tell you about my last family photo session, it was our last session in Hawaii, my 2 year old hated her outfit and kept crying, eventually that turned into a hard glare and she looked like she was possessed by a demon, after that my 4 year old would not participate, she was in “statue” mode and just stood there. I know this one, I grabbed her and started playing, eventually her smile couldn’t be hidden and she started having fun, right about then my 7 year old caught the “bug” and would not get in the water, she was LIVID that she was not in a swimsuit and just cried. Meanwhile it’s getting dark and we have maybe 2 photos where everyone looks like they are having fun, so I’m literally completely in the water with my 2 year old on one hip and the 4 year old on the other, my husband grabs the Amelia (the 7 year old) and drags her in the water, she was crying but also smiling. At this point it was pure protest and she was being stubborn to make her point.
I know if I had yelled or been demanding my children would have not had a good time and half the photos I would have looked like a crazy angry person. So I used what I knew would help each child and it helped, was it perfect, no; but neither are we, all in all we loved the photos and they accurately showed life with 3 kids 7 and younger.
So Mom, don’t apologize, just use what you know will help your kid(s) be in a good mood. Trust me, it will look a lot better then photos of you yelling at them or stuffing skittles in their mouth. If it’s not working, take a minute and walk away, I have a few tricks I use to help kids get in good moods for sessions.
xoxo
Chelsie
Photo of two of my kiddos for a lifestyle brand shoot of Rogue Wanderer Co
Pets are WELCOME | Saint Charles Photographer | Chelsie Trendley Photography
Pets are part of your family and always welcome at your session.
Pets are WELCOME | Saint Charles Photographer |
Chelsie Trendley Photography
Dear Human,
Do you remember the day you met your pet? The look in their eyes when you picked each other. All the days they loved on you and sat by your side? Every time you come home and they excitedly run to you and smother you in love. Those pets are your family, it doesn’t matter if you’re single, just married, or have 17 kids, that pet one is part of the family too and should be included in your session.
Trust me when I say it doesn’t matter how “crazy” or “wild” they are, they are welcome in your session. I always ask you bring treats or their favorite toy to help them listen and fell comfortable. Just like a child, please don’t yell at them to behave, let them be themselves. That’s why you love them, right.
xoxo
Chelsie
Here is the perfect example of a couple session with their dog Charles.
Here is another session of a couple with their beautiful German Shepherd dog
This couple brought their two dogs to their holiday session for some splashing!
If you’re wanting to do a pet session or a family / couples photo session with your pet in the St.Charles area, give me a call! I love to do pet photography sessions and there are some beautiful pet friendly areas to photograph you and your pet!
Sam's Headshots | Business Sessions | St.Charles Missouri
Small business head shots, city view, lifestyle, fun head shots
Business Sessions | St.Charles Missouri
These kind of sessions have always been a lot of fun for me. It’s probably because I’m an entrepreneur and I love connecting with people.
A few years ago I met this amazing woman. I saw a post in a photo group looking for a photographer because the one she hired could no longer photograph their homecoming. I’ not entirely sure why I reached out because I have a love/hate for photographing them (love the emotion, hate that they can take forever). So I told her I would stop by about 10 minutes before to grab a few shots of them getting ready to leave. I walked in and Izzy instantly chatted me up. Since then we’ve been good friends.So many adventures and photo sessions.
Sam is still in Hawaii, so if you need a photographer, reach out to her, shes amazing and been doing photography for over 5 years.
One day we met up to do these photos and it’s one of my favorite business head shot sessions I’ve done. I love the more giggly fun photos and how they show off Sam’s personality.
If you run a small business and need some fresh new head shots or business photos for your website, send me an email! Hello@ChelsieThompsonPhotography.com
Moving Time Zones | Oahu to Missouri
Moving time zones, life as a Saint Charles Photographer
Moving Time Zones | Oahu to Missouri
Moving my family from the beautiful island of Oahu was difficult, not only because of the whole moving part, but because over the last few years my business has truly flourished into what I love. Adventure, families, women, small businesses, connecting and having fun with people. So moving and starting all over in a community is difficult, plus the water here isn’t salty.
But, like all things in life… well in mine at least, I hold my head high and trek forward. We will be moving into a cute house with an actual yard in St.Charles here in a few weeks. Before that I move into my first LEGIT office, yes I’ve had my own spacious home office for years, but a place that I don’t have to quickly vacuum up gold fish crumbs and throw all the kids toys in their room, holy crap the excitement is UNREAL! Not only that but its a co-working space in Cottleville, it is GORGEOUS. I knew the second I walked in that this was right, from the warm friendly front desk gal to the other friendly people co-working, I felt right at home and hadn’t even signed my lease.
Next I worked on locations, I was able to find a few beautiful green spaces in St.Charles that are perfect for lifestyle family sessions, couples, and women’s sessions. Then down on Main street St.Charles there is beautiful old buildings, brick, cobble stone roads, and this charm that I can’t describe but will show you when I photograph there! It’s perfect for lifestyle families, couples, and small businesses!
I’ve been super lucky and found amazing people to model for location scouting and can’t wait to check out some more spots around St.Charles, St.peters, and Cottleville!
So if you’re looking for a photographer in the area, contact me, I would love to meet and chat about your photo session!
Here’s a slideshow from a recent session with a very amazing dog named Charles!
Professional Head Shots | Saint Charles Photographer | Chelsie Trendley Photography
Professional Head Shots | Saint Charles Photographer |
Chelsie Trendley Photography
Do you run a business, online or in person? Having professional head shots vs. a selfie can really show your clients you’re running a professional business.
While a selfie is obviously a cheap and easy solution it may not look the best to prospective clients. Not having a head shot can be just as bad, you’re clients want to know who they are hiring or purchasing from, having a professional photo can help build trust in your brand and puts real person they can connect with behind the business
.
A few things to consider when hiring a professional photographer to take your head shots.
-Do they specialize in head shots?
Just because they are a photographer does not mean they specialize in what you’re looking for. You can usually find out by looking on their website, or email them.
-Do they offer what you need?
You’re going to want a commercial license to use your head shots on your websites, social media, and marketing material (example: business cards, brochures)
-Can they accommodate to your brand?
If your brand is an outdoorsy business, you may want outdoors photos vs a studio. If you work in an office you may want a studio session, and if you work with clients one on one and meet in local coffee shops you may want a lifestyle head shot session in local coffee shop and would want a lifestyle photographer who specializes in head shots.
-How to pick based off their photos.
Look at the photographers website and decide if you like the look of their photos, every photographers have their own editing style and usually stick with it, its Important to look at the photos and make sure they work with your brand and the look you’re going for.
-Budget!
This is important, a good professional photographer may charge anything from $200-$2000 for head shots. Depending on where you’re located and what exactly you’re looking for.
-How to tell if they are professional vs. just have a camera and looking to make a quick buck.
-Website typically is their business name . com
-Has you sign a contract
-Will have a professional email not a gmail or yahoo or some other free email address.
-How to write a facebook post looking for a photographer:
Make sure you list the following:
-Studio | outdoor | lifestyle
-Commercial license for digital
-Type of edit: Light & Airy | Dark & Moody | Colorful & Vibrant | Not sure and want to see websites to find what you like
-Budget
I always recommend you go with someone you connect with and love their work over just price shopping, you want to love the photos and you want potential clients to see you for you. Often time when people just price shop they don’t end up with photos they love. This is a investment in your business, so treat it like one and do your research.
If you’re in the Saint Charles area and looking for head shots, check out my work and let me know if you’d like more info. I specialize in lifestyle and outdoor head shots! I would love to create amazing photos of you to help connect your customers with you.
