Coronavirus update from Jared M. Burns Photography

No one is untouched by the strange global situation. We hope you and your loved ones remain safe, healthy, and positive!

We are happy to report all is well here for the photography business and everything is moving forward as usual. We survived the recession 10 years ago and plan to be here through Coronavirus as well. Here below are a couple of quotes encouraging and guiding us through this time. 

““For God has NOT given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
- 2 Timothy 1:7

”Perfect love casts out all fear.”
- 1 John 4:18”

So what does Coronavirus mean for our clients?

1. It is still possible to photograph safely. We are maintaining health practices and monitoring the situation. At this time, we are still able to travel to our client's homes or business locations as needed. The number of people we work with at a given time is well under the social gathering limitations. We can maintain a safe distance while creating the amazing portraits our clients expect. We can also provide Zoom conferencing for anyone who needs it.

2. Branding imagery may be the only way for our business clients to connect with their customers for the foreseeable future. We have you covered there! Arguably, this may be the most ideal time for a branding photography project that would have otherwise been disruptive to daily work.

3. Does your company have an unusual media need at this time? While we have a few main areas of photography passion, there are many more services we are capable of providing or consulting on. We recognize that you will be looking for creative ways to keep the connection alive with your clients through video, imagery, social engagement, or other media and we are here to help! Let's chat about your needs.

4. We are capable of mobile headshots, meaning we can take our lighting and backdrop equipment to your remote workers and still guarantee a consistent and professional look for every employee that matches the level of your brand. When people see your team on the website, they will think you are operating as normal too! You still want to be in the best possible position when people are ready to move on with life, right?

5. We are mobile when it comes to family portraits. You don't have to venture far at these times if you aren't ready. We will come to you. We can help you locate stunning outdoor locations near your home while maintaining healthy social distancing. Guess, what!! All those popular and crowded places are wide open just for you! Let's make the best of your family being together so much!

6. We will honor the cancellation or postponing needs of our clients. We understand this is a situation unlike any other. We fault no one for being concerned. We will work with each of our clients to reschedule their session dates as we have spots available or refund retainers as needed. Please reach out to us at 206.659.7468 if you have questions.

7. This will not disrupt our senior grad portrait season, but you still have to be on top of your senior grad portraits! Remember how busy it was for you last year when school started up? Well, how busy do you think it will be at the end of this summer when we get the whole world started up again? The bottom line...it isn't too early to plan your senior grad portraits. Don't flirt with the yearbook deadlines at the start of the school year.

We are here to support your family, senior grad, and business imagery needs. Give us a call at 206.659.7468 or visit us online.

Sincerely,

- Jared

Are you living like your house is burning down?

What if I told you your house just burnt down?

The good news is your family members and pets are all safe. You had a great insurance policy in place too. Yet, in that very moment, what is the only other thing in the world you wish you could still go back and save?

So here we are. You don’t need me to convince you of the intrinsic value of photography. Your mind already went there. It wasn't the car, a family heirloom, or a special collection. Am I right? The next thing you value most in life are those are memories of your family. They are irreplaceable. They are priceless.

People all around us are living like their house is burning down and they aren’t even aware. Let me explain. Every week I meet with portrait clients and ask them a very important question.

“When was your last family portrait?”

How would you answer that? How would you guess they answer? Nearly every family tells me the exact same thing…."Oh my goodness, it was back when the kids were really little!"

So what do they have to show for the in-between years? The kids are now grown and all memory saving opportunities since that last portrait are gone. When it comes to protecting their precious, personal moments, it is like their home has been burning for 15 continuous years unnoticed. There isn’t a single portrait from the mid-family stages in life.

You might tell me that this is partly due to photography turning digital; that in the last 15 years, we don't take, share, a enjoy images like we use to. You would be correct. This indeed is a contributing factor but…

…the house is still burning.

Be honest for a moment. When was the last time you printed one of your memories? When was the last time you put a portrait on the wall?

Today, only 1 in 50 people actually print a digital image and display it in their home. Those empty walls all around represent countless missed memories they will never get back. It is like they are willingly living in the home with photo memories that went up in smoke. More accurately, they never existed.

This is the reason we do business differently.

We protect the one-of-a-kind stages in life. We want our client’s memories to come to life, be revisited anytime, and compliment a household of love. This is why we are a full-service photography business that specializes in personalized, emotional art for your home. We are making heirlooms that matter, that enhance family bonds, and that are guaranteed to increase in personal value with each passing year.

Has some life slipped by for you?

Have you lost a few years in there somewhere? We can help! It's never too late to start preserving new memories, but you do have to act today. They will be gone tomorrow.

5 Reasons Summer is the Best Time to Get Your Family Portraits

When was your last family portrait? If you are like most people, you did it when the kids were little, but now years have passed and important stages have been missed. You don't have to let that happen again this summer! Here are 5 reasons that prove this summer is the BEST time for your family portraits!

1. Best Weather!

This is when the Northwest is at its very best with the lush green of the land and vibrant blue skies and water.  You don't have to worry about the winds and rain that can ruin hair and clothes any other time of year.

2. Best Creative Potential!

When the weather is so good, you have options for more diverse locations. You get to take advantage of the amazing outdoor lighting. You can build sessions around summer themes or activities your family identifies with. From the mountains to the water, all the parks and natural areas have been manicured and are waiting for you. 

3. Best Flexibility!

You already know it's hard to get the family together the rest of the year, but summer is a time when everyone's schedules open up and life slows down just a little. It's easier to take time off work during the week. The days are longer meaning families can still do portraits after work in the beautiful golden light of evening.

4. Best Moments!

Yes, the best moments happen in summer. Everyone is more relaxed, the days come a little easier. The family is together more and creating quality memories that last a lifetime. Portraits can persevere and commemorate this unique stage in your family.

5. Best time is before it's too late!

One thing I have learned in photography is that summer is the easiest season to let slip past you. People start with dreams like "This will be the year we finally get the family portrait done!" but, year after year the summer BBQ's, kids sports, travel, yard projects, and big work events steal every last bit of your time...and the family is yet another year older with nothing to show.

The best time is now. Once summer slips away everyone else will be calling us frantically, saying, "Oh my goodness, where did the season go? Is there any way you can STILL fit me in!?" 

700 Clients Served!

Today we hit a big milestone in business and I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has brought us this far! When we started out on this journey, we never imagined it would go this far. Now we can't imagine life with out photography. We deeply appreciate your continued business and support and look forward to doing so for years to come!

- JMB

Series: Top 10 things that KILL Summer Photos #6

Your life and memories deserve to be amazing! This series focuses on the 10 biggest mistakes that kill your summer family photos and how you can fix them.

MISTAKE #6:  Disregard For Your Own Children, Photographically Speaking

Parents often act as though their perspective is the only perspective...let me explain. Millions of vacation photos each year are ruined by adults taking photos from above, looking down the children.  No matter how special the moment was, there’s nothing significant about seeing the tops of heads.

SOLUTION:  Consider who you are photographing

Consider their perspective. How can you make a photo that tells their story? It is easy, just get down to their level and try to see the world as they view it when you take the picture.  There's nothing more special than seeing it through their eyes.

Read about the other mistakes...

• MISTAKE #10 - Having everyone stand there and smile all the time

• MISTAKE #9 - Taking photos in direct sunlight

• MISTAKE #8 - Using those faux-filters in apps

• MISTAKE #7 - Leaving the camera in the hotel

• MISTAKE #6 - Disregard for your own children

• MISTAKE #5 - Never appearing in your own family photos

• MISTAKE #4 - Not getting close enough to the moment

• MISTAKE #3 - You didn't have a backup plan

• MISTAKE #2 - You didn't put much effort into it

• MISTAKE #1 - Using Only Your Smartphone Camera

-JMB

Going to CreativeLIVE

June 8th-9th I have the privilege of attending the live audience at CreativeLIVE for Skip Cohen's "Marketing for Photographers" workshop!  Among the photographic community, Skip is recognized as the godfather of photography and marketing from his long and successful career in the industry.  His more notable experience includes WPPI, Hasselblad, Rangefinder Magazine, SkipCohenUniversity, and Going Pro.

This workshop is designed for the professional photographer who has already refined their craft and quality, yet is still struggling to connect with the right audience.  Skip will get into the nitty-gritty details of networking, marketing plans, web portfolios, and creating brand awareness.  I recognize my own need for development in these areas, I see this class as a critical piece to reaching the viable business dream.

You can join us online June 8th-9th at www.creativelive.com/live from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Best of all, enrolling in this class is free!

I can't wait to learn!  I can't wait to be challenged!  I especially can't wait to see where Skip is going to take me next!

-JMB

10 Tips to Improve Your Mother's Day Photos

This is the secret gift Mom REALLY wants for Mother’s Day!  It is so simple…photographs of the ones she loves and cares for most.  Unlike flowers, kitchen gadgets, home knickknacks, or even a card, photography is the one thing she is guaranteed to revisit for the rest of her life.  If you will be providing the photos for this years family Mother’s Day gathering, here are 10 excellent tips to make them shine!

1. Instead of asking everyone to look at the camera, let things flow naturally as though you are an observer documenting the visual story of her special day.

2. Don’t always try to get everything in one shot. By focusing in on the minor details or smaller groups of people at a time you will actually achieve a more complete “big picture” of the day.

3. Remember that heads usually don’t belong in the dead center of the frame. Instead, try and move the frame of the camera so the heads are a little off center and include just a little more of the environment.

4. Turn your camera on its side. We tend to default to landscape orientation because it’s what feels most natural with the way we hold the camera or view TV. To add new variety to your photos, try frequently turning the camera on its side for portrait orientation. This is especially great when photographing people.

5. Take a meaningful single portrait of each person Mom loves! Better yet, have each one take a picture individually with Mom!

6. Mom loves to feel emotionally connected to the photos, so move in even closer for the shot! Physically moving in closer reinforces a deeper, more personal connection with the photography subject.

7. Mom wants a shot of everyone together, but large groups take more care. One or two shots of whole group won’t cut it because someone always blinks. A pro secret is to take lots of photos, hoping one will turn out right. If it doesn’t, then simply use an editing program to paint Blinky’s eyes back in from another photo.

8. Avoid the in-camera flash whenever possible. Turn off your camera’s internal flash and turn up the available light in the room. This provides fuller, more natural lighting in your images.

9. Don’t get too caught up in trying to find the perfect photo. What matters most to Mom is that you were there and engaged as a meaningful part of her day!

10. If you are not the photographer type, consider giving Mom the gift of portrait photography. Whether it is an updated portrait of her dearest family, your own family, just the children, or all her grand-babies, she will cherish it forever!

-JMB

15 Tips for Better Holiday Photos - Snohomish Family Photographer

1. Plan ahead! Before you leave for the holiday celebrations, replace your batteries, clear your memory cards, clean your lens, and at least make a mental check list of the events for which you would like to be most prepared. The only reason we ever miss the once-in-a-lifetime moment is because we simply weren't ready when it came.

2. The secret to taking uncomfortable, contrived photos is always saying, "Look over here!" or "Smile for the camera!" Instead, let things flow naturally as though you are an observer documenting a visual story and true reactions. If you desire to see more of your subject's face in the photo, move yourself and get in front of them.

3. Get down on the ground and take the photos of kids opening or playing with new gifts at eye level. You will cherish a photo at their level because it allows you to better relate to how they see and feel the moment. A photo taken at your comfortable standing position of the tops of their heads is one that will never receive a second look.

4. Rather than trying to always get everything in the shot, simplify and seek out the little moments, the minor details, and smaller groups of people at a time. The wonderful irony in focusing on the smaller pieces is that you end up with a more complete picture.

5. Photograph every gift being opened. You never know which gift will have a profound impact on a child’s development until years later. It will be a great family moment someday to rediscover the photo with that one forgotten gift and be flooded with memories of how significant it was.

6. Give the kids a camera and say, "Go take some pictures for me." It will be raw and many could be a waste, but there is something special about finding those glimpses of Christmas moments as seen through a child's own eyes.

7. Don't forget to photograph the preparations. The preparations and traditions we sometimes take for granted are made with great care and help set the scene of for these special memories.

8. Watch the Heads. Unless you are creating a photo dart board, heads usually don’t belong in the dead center of the frame. Instead, try and move the frame of the camera so the heads are a little off center.

9. Turn your camera on its side. We tend to default to landscape orientation because it’s what feels most natural with the way we hold the camera. To add new variety to your photos, try frequently turning the camera on its side for portrait orientation. This is especially great when photographing people.

10. Take a meaningful single portraits of every person celebrating the holidays like it is the last one you will ever take, because you never know how long you have with the ones you love.

11. Move in even closer, but not by using the zoom. I mean, when you think you are close, physically move in even closer for the shot to reinforce a deeper, more personal connection.

12. Large groups take more care. One or two shots of a large group won’t cut it because someone always blinks. A pro secret is to take lots of photos, hoping one will turn out right. If it doesn’t, then simply use an editing program to paint Blinky’s eyes back in from another photo.

13. Overexpose in the snow. This seems weird, but snow scenes trick the camera and make the images appear too dull and dark. Most cameras have a built in snow scene mode you can use. If yours does not, this can also be done by adjusting the exposure compensation settings up to take brighter photos.

14. Avoid the in camera flash whenever possible. Turn off your camera’s internal flash and turn up the available light in the room. This provides fuller, more natural lighting in your images.

15. Don't get too caught up in trying to find the perfect photo. Photography is really about the bonds we share with the ones we love at key moments in our lives. What matters most is that you were there, engaged, and part of the story.

What holiday photo tips do you have?  Leave a comment and tell us about them!

-JMB

Paisley - Snohomish Family Photographer

Meet the beautiful Paisley, a true miracle baby!  It is such a special to privilege to preserve these moments that mark her beginning and very first week of life.  Congratulations Angela and Dave!  Be sure to cherish every moment!

-JMB

Kyle's Senior Portraits - Snohomish Photographer

Senior portraits with Cedarcrest student, Kyle, was one of the most fun sessions I have done.  He has one of those personalities that you warm up to quickly and makes you feel like you are old friends.  Kyle was able to naturally communicate this great quality to the camera.   The other fun thing about this session that we were able to create these portraits around my home town of Carnation, WA.

-JMB