photography | Antoinette Photography Studio

Articles Tagged with: photography

My journey in ignorance

Ignorance can help you push through your own boundaries.

Even before I started my photography business, I’d been a photographer for as long as I knew. Not necessarily a good one, but I had a burning desire to be a photographer and by the looks of it (through my own eyes). I wasn’t taking bad photos at all. It took me many years to go from “I want to be a professional photographer” to gathering my guts and finally putting myself out there.

Each shoot I did was an amazing experience for me. I had to learn so much, I was determined and motivated to succeed. I watched many professionals doing what they do best, learning and practicing every bit of information I could get for free. Soon that was not enough and I started paying for quality education to take me to the next level. To this very day I am still learning, making sure I learn about all aspects of my business, not just posing.

I am grateful for my ignorance.

When I started I believed I was an amazing photographer. In a way I was right, at that very moment I was the best I could be. When I look at those images now I cringe. I wasn’t as good as I had imagined myself to be, but I had to go through that to move to where I am now. Today I know I’m not the best photographer ever, but I’m the best photographer I can be right now.

In the past 8 years I’ve had highs and lows. I remember 3 distinct times where I was ready to close my business and walk away. There were so many of these moments, where I just wanted to give up. But somehow I manage to just keep going. Sometime it was an image that I captured that would save me and remind me why I loved photography so much. To not give up.

Reflection brings about healing.

If I knew then what I knew now things would have been different right. But I had to learn, I had to grow, I had to feel pain and pleasure. I only hope to learn from my experience and grow in character as I go forward.

May you enjoy this journey with me.

Before and After Photos

Don’t get me wrong, I am so very proud of all these images but there is quite a difference as you can see. I cannot wait to get even better in the next few years.

Newborn, Personal Journey

My clients are simply the most important focus of my photos

As I look back at the past 7 years of running my photography business, one word has dominated my brand. SIMPLICITY. No matter what I end up photographing, my clients are always the most important subject in my images.

I love clean, simplistic images, that draws your eyes to the baby and not the decor, props or outfits. If I look at an image and I think about how amazing the decor is and not the baby, I feel that I have failed my client in so many ways.

This word simplicity also guides my personal life. I try to keep it simple where I can. The more I add to my list of things to do, the more I end up not doing it. I loose my will to do anything at all. If I keep it simple, if simplicity guides me, I do it more enthusiastically, with passion and love.

Most of all simplicity keeps my mind clear, focusing on what truly is important. In my business it is my clients and in my personal life it is my family. Keeping it simple means I don’t have a thousand things occupying my mind, helping think clearly and purposefully. Simply said, simplicity keeps me sane!

It can be so easy to fall in to the trap of wanting what everyone else has. I used to be at the forefront of stalking other photographers work, finding what props they used to create their beautiful images. The only reward I got was disappointment as my work didn’t look the same.

I quickly realized that I was never going to be happy if I kept looking at other photographers work. I had to make a decision to be a follower or a creator. I immediately stopped looking at photographers work and started working on my own style. Again simplicity was my most valued companion in finding what worked for me.

The same could be said in posing a baby or my clients. My clients are simply the most important focus of my photos not my props or backgrounds. I found complicated poses for newborn babies just wasn’t worth the time or stress for my clients or myself. I keep it simple, so that my clients would enjoy their session and walk away with happy memories, hence the reason I get so many return clients.

To me simplicity is such a rewarding strategy. My clients are satisfied with the service and their images, I am pleased that they walk away with beautiful images that focuses solely on them.

Birthday Event, Cake Smash

Cake Smashing

Siyabonga was a sweet heart at his first birthday party. However he did not care much for his cake, never the less we got some great shots of him exploring the studio.

Headshot

Head Shots Sivantos

Sivantos Group companies serve hearing care professionals globally, and have built up market-leading positions in many countries.

Michelle and Irma run the South African division and taking their head shots was an absolute pleasure.

Visit his website: https://www.sivantos.co.za/

Family

The Veloza Family Shoot

Each family is unique and beautiful in their own way. I have yet to come across a family that I didn’t like. Everyone has their own flavour. Their smiles, their expressions and how they love each other makes each session completely different even if you try the same poses.

Commercial, Headshot

Wilhelm from Mango Fusion

I had the privilege of meeting Wilhelm Steyn this week and took his first ever professional headshot.

The end result really speaks for itself. Wilhelm is a friendly, kind and very intelligent individual who knows everything about building websites from scratch.

His is the owner and web designer for Mango Fusion situated in Rand en Dal, Krugersdorp.

Visit his website: www.mangofusion.co.za
He may just be the person you’ve been looking for to design your very own website.

Baby Stages, Family

Sitter Session

I have many clients asking me what the sitter session is all about. I thought I would create a video to show a few images of this type of shoot and then also just explain a little bit here. Typically a sitter session is booked as a family session. Depending on the age of your child we will create a few setups to show your child’s milestone. This could be one or a few of the following:

Laying on Back – Tummy Time – Sitting – Crawling – Standing with Support

For the most part though this session is a family session. Clients bring their own clothing for the family images, but for the sitter session I supply the props with baskets and even the outfit.