Your story matters.
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Hartzell Studios: The MakingI had been waiting for the perfect space to expand my business into for what felt like forever but in actuality it was only about a year. Curating piece after piece that spoke to my creative soul in the hopes that the day was coming soon. It felt fitting that this milestone fell into place on the 5th year of officially being in business, a pretty big high after a wild and unpredictable few years of working to find myself in my business. I don’t talk a lot about the “in between”... and there've been a lot of unexpected, unusual and even unhappy moments to what seems like my overnight success but I think monotonous moments in the everyday experience truly lay the groundwork for a successful business foundation.
If you know me, you probably know I am a sucker for things that have “potential”. When Ryan and I got married, a friend of his offered the use of their property if we were willing to put in the time to get it up to speed… and of course I fell hard for that because I could see what it might just turn into. |
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10 REEL IDEAS FOR CREATIVESI’m sure by now you’ve heard that Instagram is no longer just a photo sharing platform and like a lot of creator’s I’m sure you may have felt some form of dread. As a photographer so much of what I do and what gets me bookings is from sharing my work but I have also seen amazing growth and interaction since starting to use reels. I’ve been making reels on and off but only when time allows but now that we know they're here to stay it's time to jump on board and use it to your businesses advantage. My first reels were painstakingly slow and time consuming but overtime my process and skills have increase, now they take me just a matter of minutes. To help others with the transition I've compiled some ideas for your content making, I hope this helps!
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South Carolina AdventuresI don’t know about you, but this past year has had me aching for wide open spaces and not yet traveled roads. It’s that constant dichotomy about wanting what you don’t have; when you’re constantly shuffling through life on the go you can only dream of the solitude and steadiness of whatever home means to you. Although I love wide open roads I think it’s all too simple to glamorize life out on the open road in my industry to mean success. In my opinion, there is no wrong way to run your business so long as it brings you joy and you find some sense of fulfillment in the work. That being said, I want to talk about travel; it doesn’t always need to mean exotic or far off places. I want to talk about places set right before us that hold a multitude of adventures to be had.
This past month I took on a booking in South Carolina. The wedding took place at a local camp where the couple had originally met. The camp overlooked Table Rock State Park located at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Pickens. Although Pickens is relatively inland, and just barely over the North and South Carolina Border, I was beyond thrilled to book such a sweet couple in a state I’ve come to love. You see, two years ago my husband (Ryan) and I took our Honeymoon on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and I viewed this as a great way to celebrate our second anniversary. |
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5 Takeaways from Attending a Styled Shoot
Get Funky: Styled shoots help take the pressure off from being in front of a paying client, which can sometimes lead to photographer's block (also known as drawing blanks on what to do next for your posing and prompts). This should be a welcoming space to explore new ideas, find new poses that lean into your particular style, all the while giving you the freedom to just find your groove. Don’t be afraid to try something different from the pack, you just might love it. Engage with whoever you’re shooting just like you would any client: Talk it up with the couple or model you’re working with! Photography finds new heights when you build a genuine connection with someone and find out what makes them feel alive, inspired, and excited. If it’s a couple ask how they met, what their favorite thing about their partner is, how they are feeling about modeling it up in front of all of these photographers. If it’s a solo model find out what they like, how they got into their line of work, most importantly make them feel at home with you! |
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2021: Investing in MyselfWhen I decided to go full time into my photography business it took a lot of work, a lot of self control, a lot of alone time to work through my goals, and A LOT OF INVESTMENT. If you're a photographer, designer, planner, or artist of any kind then I am sure you know what I mean. Being in business for yourself is amazingly freeing and amongst many other things it becomes the core of your being, your thoughts, your mindset and habits. Over the last few months I have invested more financially, physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually then I ever imagined I could have. I can’t quit, I won’t fail, and I am betting on myself by investing in every way I know how.
I alluded to this above but this investment goes beyond how much money I spend on gear, or how much time I invest into my business. It’s about creating joy over and over in my business, continuing to grow and challenge myself, finding ways to connect with people like you, and doing what I love. 2020 WAS A LOT… and 2021 is filled with a lot of anticipation but I know what my priorities are and I am going to continue doing the work. |
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How Networking Changed my BusinessI've technically been in business since 2016, but to be frank I don't think I've been truly successful until 2020. So what changed? The short answer is: I did. The creative world is filled with so many talented artists/content creators/videographers and bloggers that it's EXTREMELY overwhelming at times. As a new/young artist and creator I think we all know that it's intimidating, and sometimes it even feels threatening to be venturing out on this path for the first time. I think it's only human nature that we compare ourselves to others, but what if instead of comparing our work to each other we could rally around each other and celebrate our differences? In 2020, that's what changed for me. I decided that yes, I may have my bad days, I may feel overly critical of my work, and play the comparisons game, but I WAS NO LONGER LETTING THAT CONTROL HOW I RAN MY BUSINESS. I actively decided that engaging with other photographers, sharing the insights given to me from my own experience and senior photographers was something that was important to me, and I was ready but even more importantly… I was willing to share it.
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Adventure is Out ThereIt's been one HECKA CRAZY YEAR, there has been a lot of good, and a whole lotta bad but I am thankful for the things this year has put into perspective for me. I'm not sure I would be where I am today if it weren't for the unpredictable circumstances of this year, so I'm thankful. To be honest, it took a complete shut down for me to realize I wasn't happy, I wasn't pursuing my dreams, I was just sitting stagnant. That was a harsh reality to be brought to light, but suddenly I had all this time on my hands to invest in myself, and in my dreams. So I hit the ground running, it's been a journey but definitely one of lives most amazing adventures yet... and that brings me to a little day trip adventure I recently had with some friends.
Confession, sometimes I get stuck in my own head, stuck in this mundane routine of having no energy left for myself, and just following the pattern of eat, sleep, shoot, edit, repeat. It can be a huge challenge to manage my time, let alone dedicate time for myself and things I want to do beyond photography. Photography has shown me many an adventure, yet when I have the free time to go on my own adventure I'm usually very hesitant. |
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10 Reasons To Do a Boudoir SessionOver the last few years I have done A LOT of different kinds of photography, but it wasn't until recently that I ventured into the Boudoir Photography realm. I've had quite a few inquiries about doing boudoir sessions but never had the space or honestly the interest in doing them... until I got mine done. Let me just say, I WANTED TO SHARE MY PHOTOS WITH THE WORLD. I didn't know I could look like that, or that my husband might see me in that way. I saw those photos and I felt inexplicably good, I felt confident, I felt sexy, I felt bold, I felt like I needed to start showing other women they could feel this way too.
I want to clear the air a little before I dive into "THE WHY". I believe Boudoir photos have A LOT of misconceptions about them so I wanted to take a moment and tell you my approach. You only have to show as much as YOU WANT. These photos are tastefully done and catered towards your wants/needs. These photos aren't just about having some sexy photos to show off later on, they are about feeling good and happy in your own skin. I will encourage you, I will pose you, and I will let you know that YOU, my friend, ARE ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. |
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5 Tips for Authentic Maternity PosingIn the last few years I have gotten to photograph many maternity sessions, overall I've found the most important thing to remember while shooting a maternity session is to capture the couples excitement and anticipation about their little one on the way. Maternity sessions are unique because they're about the parent(s), they document the journey the mother has experienced physically, and they're all about setting the tone for someone who is yet to be introduced to the world. If you ask me, they're a perfect storm of emotion, of working towards a common goal to set up a good life for this little one, of being intentional, of sacrifice, and of course of love.
It's easy to get overwhelmed with posing in a maternity session if you're used to working with couples who aren't expecting, if it's your first session, or if it's been a while since you've shot one. My best advice is to keep it simple, focus on how the parent(s) are feeling, showcase those little moments where the gravity of the moment hits them. They are about to bring NEW LIFE into the world. WOW. But if you feel lost or stuck, I've been there, here are few ideas to get the creative juices flowing. |
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Chasing Sunrises - Wellsville, NYI love a good sunset as much as anyone, yet I think sunrises can be even more captivating since it marks new beginnings. It signifies new opportunities for growth, the continuous pursuit of happiness, and even hope for times ahead. I think a good part of the reason sunrises seem to captivate more than sunsets is because I've seen less of them. It's not often I get up before the sun with the intention to dedicate that time to starting my day by being still, simply caught up in the color, and the way the light gradually shifts.
I scouted the location for Emily and Luke's engagement photos the morning before, at the same time I intended to have us setup at our first location. IT WAS GLORIOUS. The sky was simply afire with color, the way it hit the water ignited the river with a flood of light and color, and I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE EPIC. I readily let them know the game plan for the next day, sent over some test shots so they could see where we'd be shooting, and went about my day. |
