by Beautiful Evolutions | Aug 10, 2017 | Families
I am lucky enough to travel for some of our sessions… although – truth be told, not nearly as often as I would like. 2018, that’s a goal… travel for more clients. Oklahoma will always have a piece of my heart and we are so lucky that we are brought back to OKC for some clients at least once a year. This time we added a couple of special family sessions on to the end of the day.
Dawn and Big Daddy. He has a name… but we all call him Big Daddy 🙂 Dawn was so excited to have pictures done. She hasn’t ever had pictures before and she knew the importance of them. I think her daughter Brandi may or may not have pushed a little to get them to go ahead and book a session. I’m SO very glad she did. Dawn came over at the end of the day and brought in her options for clothes. She was a little nervous I could tell… but she did a great job hiding it. We chose the outfit that would be best for where we were shooting and I promptly led her over to get started on hair and makeup. She sat down and I could hear her and Lori talking 90 miles an hour. I checked on her a few times, but left Lori to work her magic. Big Daddy waited patiently outside while his love got pampered.
One important thing to know about Big Daddy… he’s the strong silent type – always in overalls. He’s a good ol’ Oklahoma Boy. But my goodness he can clean up when he wants to. He changed into the clothes for the session and I smiled from ear to ear. You see… I’ve NEVER seen Big Daddy in anything other than overalls.
We got started and I gave my usual spiel about how the session would go. The weather was absolutely ridiculously perfect. It was late July for goodness sake and I bet the temperature was in the mid 80s. I couldn’t have been happier as we walked around the property heading to our first little destination.
It was important to me to get some images I knew they would love. Not only had they never had pictures done before…I had a feeling I would be pushing my luck if I thought they would do this very often. Well, I’m pretty stinkin happy to say that they did a fabulous job and I couldn’t be happier with the images we created. I truly hope they cherish this for a lifetime.
All my love Dawn & Big Daddy – thank you for trusting me to be your photographer.
Brooke
by Beautiful Evolutions | Aug 9, 2017 | Headshots
It’s back to school time for the kids… but it’s also the time of year that you are probably thinking about ramping up your business for the 2nd half of the year. Today is the beginning of a 3 part blog series on Head Shots and Personal Branding. Today I am covering whether or not you really need a professional Head Shot. Will that seat belt selfie work? What about that image you just cropped yourself out of? Not sure… check out the article below and then keep an eye out for the other two parts later this week.
Why do I need a professional head shot? How is this different than a selfie, or having your friend take a quick picture?
A head shot is really your visual representation of your business. It’s the first impression that your business is making with your audience. I cannot stress how important it is to have a professional head shot just because you want to portray yourself as a professional, as a legitimate business owner. I see so many photos on Facebook and LinkedIn, where they are selfies or photos that their head has been cut out of group photos and the lighting is bad or it’s blurry and it just doesn’t give a good first impression for your business. I think the importance of having a professional take your picture, have you look presentable with your hair and your makeup and your styling all done in a professional way, sort of distinguishes you from the newbies, or the hobbyist. It’s a way so you can communicate that you are the real deal. A legitimate business owner who is ready to work with you and be an expert in your field.
Why is it important to be the face of your business?
Often times business entrepreneurs hide behind their logos or the websites. It’s so important to build a relationship with your audience. Your industry, much like mine, is probably overly saturated. There’s a thousand photographers, there’s a thousand coaches, a thousand realtors. The best way to make that connection, to build that relationship, is to actually show up and put your face out there. Portray yourself as a professional and also to humanize your business. If you just see a logo or you’re just reading text, you’re not going to get that “know, like, and trust factor”. When you are actually showing a photo, even if it’s a head shot, there’s a spark, or there’s some personality there that people look at and say, “You know, I like her. I want to learn more about her.” We live in a visual world, so people might remember you and even if they’re not in their journey to hire you right now, they might refer you, or when they’re ready, they’ll remember you, because you had that face to your brand.
What is the difference between Head Shots and Personal Branding Images?
Head shots are pretty straight forward. Sometimes you just need a quick head shot session because you have changed your hairstyle or transformed your body. Head Shots can be done in ½ an hour. We will choose your location, talk about what you will wear and give you several image choices to focus primarily on YOU. Personal Branding is very different because these tell a story and give you images that you can use ongoing in your social media. While you still have your traditional head shots – we will also sprinkle in photos to show kind of the behind the scenes, what it is like to work with you, your products and your inspirations. Where you are going, and who you’re working with makes you more authentic, makes you more real. It allows for this daily dialogue that you can have with your audience. f you can’t do Personal Branding photography, which is more of that storytelling, cohesive collection of images, then definitely invest in just a head shot, which is probably going to be at a much lower price point, just because, again, we all need that one professional photo to make sure that we portray ourselves as legitimate and we can use that across the board for our about page, on our website, all of our social media. That just builds awareness and builds our faces, like something memorable that people remember. I would definitely encourage people to invest in — If you can’t do anything else, definitely invest in the head shot.
How do I stand out from my over-saturated market?
A big thing about Personal Branding photography, I would say, is figure out how you are different, and then brainstorm with your photographer. Discuss ways to visualize what sets you apart. At the end of the day, you’re all in these industries that are saturated. It’s just what it is. If we can visually communicate how — Not only what we do, and how it feels, and where we work, but how we’re different, why you would come to me, versus someone else, I think that would be the tipping point for a lot of people. Think outside that box a little bit.
Are you interested in booking a head shot session? Click this link and let’s chat a little bit about what you are looking for. Send me more info on Head Shots and Personal Branding
Part 2
How to prepare for your head shots or personal branding session
Part 3
How to choose the right photographer
by Beautiful Evolutions | Jul 27, 2017 | Couples
These two beautiful ladies are engaged and working hard to plan their upcoming wedding. When Desiree reached out to me about photographing them as a couple, I was excited. Excited because I’ve watched thru FB as their relationship has evolved, how they have grown together and how they have turned a passion for working out into a passion that they can share. Desiree and Aimee met thru BODYJAM™ classes and now they both teach LesMills fitness classes. They have never had pictures done together and both claimed to be awkward. Well, I was on a mission to prove them wrong.
They knew what type of location they wanted to so we chose the beautiful Lost Oak Winery down in Burleson, Texas. This time of year, it’s a spectacular location and has the perfect vineyard for stolen moments.
We started the session just chatting… and honestly, I was killing time hoping the sun would go down just a smidge and cool down… I would have taken just a couple of degrees. Hello Texas Heat. Life Inspired Engagement sessions are some of my favorite, If you have followed along, you know I’m not too big on perfectly posed pictures. I want the smiles, the laughter, the funny faces and the awkward moments. ALL of those things, tell your story. Aimee and Desiree didn’t disappoint in this area. We had a great time. Although it was brutally hot – they did an amazing job and I couldn’t be happier with their session.
Thank you girls for trusting me to be your photographer. You both are beautiful and I absolutely cannot wait to see how your wedding details come together.
All my love
Brooke
by Beautiful Evolutions | Jul 26, 2017 | Seniors
“Fashion says ‘me too’, style says ‘only me’.” -Geraldine Stutz
Remember that time you walked into a room and ten girls were wearing the same outfit? Awkward… Fashion is all about being unique and showing off your own personal style. What makes you different makes you beautiful. Shopping at thrift stores is the best way to get cute, unique clothes for dirt cheap!
While the idea of touching and wearing used clothing may sound unappealing to some, the adventure of searching through junk to find your dream item is worth it. You’ll be more excited about your new dress because of the effort it took to find it! The key to finding great items is to keep an open mind. Some days, you will find a lot of great pieces and other days, you will walk out with nothing.
Clothes are donated for all kinds of reasons like ordering the wrong size, outgrowing them, or just not liking them. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are dirty or out-of-style. It’s not uncommon to find BRAND NEW items, with the tags still on them, at thrift stores so realize that yes, there is a lot of ratty, outworn clothing at thrift stores, but there is also some beautiful and on trend pieces just waiting for you to find them.
When looking at items, plan outfits in your mind to incorporate that piece or find a way to bring new life to older pieces. Distressed mom jeans are super trendy right now but not everyone wants to spend $70+ dollars on them at the mall. You can DIY them yourself with a $5 pair from the thrift store. What a Steal!
Well, what are you waiting for? Hit up your local thrift store today and show the world your unique finds!
by Beautiful Evolutions | Jul 19, 2017 | Seniors
Rompers are “Overall” a Good Idea
Summer is right around the corner, which means unbearably hot days are on their way too. You don’t have time to plan cute outfits that will keep you cool too! You’ve got things to do and people to see! That’s why rompers and overalls are so essential for the season! It is a one-step process! No more struggling to find a cute top and a bottom that pair w
ell. Just throw a romper on and…BOOM, cute outfit achieved. They are so simple and perfect for your busy summer schedule.
Because of their simplicity, accessorizing is key to spicing up a romper or pair of overalls. Try adding a dainty bralette under a romper for a peep of lace. This extra touch adds a classy and romantic vibe to any outfit. Throw on a cute crop top under your overalls to make them more wearable. Crop tops are always a big trend so the options are endless!
Let’s not forget about shoes! The shoes define the entire outfit. They can tone it down for a everyday look or dress up a simple outfit to make it suitable for a more formal occasion. For a more dressy look, add a pair of strappy simple heels to accentuate the legs and make them appear longer.
If you want something more simple and casual, strappy sandals and open-toed booties will add a casual touch that will be your toes cool!
How will you incorporate your own signature style into this summer trend?
