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In the spring of 2020.. right before the pandemic began shutting everything down.. I drove from Dayton to Chicago to mentor with the amazing Kelly Brown. {So if you don't know who she is.. she is one of the best newborn photographers in the world!} I was so excited to learn in person with her for two days, and I walked away with some fantastic information about the world of newborn photography. I could probably write all day, so I've decided to share my top 3 things I learned during my time with her.
1 - The first thing I learned was how important it is to be learning from someone IN PERSON. I have taken a ton of online courses. I'm always taking them, because I want to continually evolve as a photographer. I can't do that without continually learning. However.. being in the room, just feet away, to an amazing photographer was so powerful. Watching her every move, and being able to ask questions was something I didn't realize I was missing. However, probably more important than that.. having her there to help make corrections to what I was doing to make my photos even better. That was the best thing I walked away with. I was able to take what I learned, tweak it to my style, and have her opinion right there to make it the best photo possible. I can't wait to do another in person mentorship.
2 - The second thing I learned was how everyone has hurdles they need to overcome. Even the best of the best have bad days, or in this case, a fussy baby. As a new photographer.. when you have a bad day.. you assume it's you. You assume it isn't like this for the "professionals" that have been in business forever. It was so nice to watch Kelly work with a baby who didn't want to fall right asleep. I loved having it reinforced that EVERYONE has days/babies that are perfect.
3 - The last thing I am going to share with you today is how I learned to work with what is available. She had come into someone else's studio for this mentorship {she is from Australia}, and she was limited to the few items she brought with her and what they had in their studio. Watching her brainstorm and get creative with items was so fantastic to watch. It made me re-think not only the number of items in my studio, but also what type of items they are. I am excited to continue to get creative with the items I use in my studio {both in your photos and behind the scenes}!
I learned so much more than just these 3 things, but I thought it was important to share these. This doesn't get into the nitty-gritty of working with a baby, editing, or marketing {all of which I also learned}. However, these 3 tips can help you, even if you aren't a newborn photographer. Hell.. even if you aren't a photographer.
The next time you are in a situation to learn from someone.. make sure you are also looking for things you can transfer to other parts of your life. What is the number one thing you have learned from a mentor in your life?
Learn more about my newborn photography here.
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