Client feature: Colleen Graham
Colleen is an artist based out of Concord, NH, Colleen explores life, grief, emotion, and story through vibrant, abstract paintings. Her work is stunning!
This blog is part of a series of client features by Lynnae Day Photography. For the full series, see ‘Featured Clients'.
Colleen Graham of Colleen Graham Art in Concord, NH.
Every business has a story to tell. It's yours, it's unique, and it deserves a unique experience. Here is Colleen’s!
Colleen found me through a referral from Millyard Studios (thanks, Jodi!) and was instantly a favorite client! An artist based out of Concord, NH, Colleen explores life, grief, emotion, and story through vibrant, abstract paintings. I loved photographing her on-site, in her own studio space.
Check out Colleen’s work on Instagram, and look for upcoming shows she’ll be doing in the area!
It's time to tell your unique story.
Book a discovery call now!
Client feature: Frame Theory in Milford, NH
I first discovered Frame Theory about a year ago, when I decided to enter a few photos in Beaver Brook’s fall art show. I picked out a few of my favorite images, brought them to the storefront in Milford, New Hampshire, and instantly connected with David & Kaylene.
This blog is part of a series of client features by Lynnae Day Photography. For the full series, see ‘Featured Clients'.
David & Kaylene Reiner of Frame Theory in Milford, NH.
Every business has a story to tell. It's yours, it's unique, and it deserves a unique experience. Here is Frame Theory’s!
I first discovered Frame Theory about a year ago, when I entered a few photos in Beaver Brook’s fall art show. I picked out a few of my favorite images, brought them to the storefront in Milford, New Hampshire, and instantly connected with David & Kaylene. They are friendly, thoughtful, masters of their craft, and went above and beyond to make sure my experience was exceptional. I loved working with them! (Fun fact: my family clients have the option of getting their favorite images custom framed by Frame Theory - I love partnering with other local, small businesses).
Kaylene reached out because they were looking to update their website photos. We chatted about the portraits they needed, their overall vision for them, and how they would be used, and figured out the best package for their needs - in their case, my Headshots+ package, which includes three digital images and a half-hour session. When it came time for the session, we had a blast creating images in different sections of their store, collaborating on ideas, and setting up the photos. They only needed a few images, but we ended up with a whole gallery of options to choose from. Want to see which ones they picked? Go check out their website!
If you appreciate beautiful design, the highest-quality materials, and excellent customer service, go visit Frame Theory! While you’re there, ask them how they met - it’s the sweetest story. :)
Thanks for trusting me with photos of your amazing small business, David & Kaylene!
It's time to tell your unique story.
Book a discovery call now!
Client feature: Medrizon Consulting in Hollis, New Hampshire
When I first announced my branding / small business photography services, Dr. Marie Ramas of Medrizon Consulting was also one of the first to reach out. Marie is a friend and neighbor and she’s kicking off a new consulting business this year. She was working on a logo & website and needed some professional photos to go along with it.
This blog is part of a series of client features by Lynnae Day Photography. For the full series, see ‘Featured Clients'.
Dr. Marie Ramas of Medrizon Consulting.
Every business has a story to tell. It's yours, it's unique, and it deserves a unique experience.
When I first announced my branding / small business photography services, Dr. Marie Ramas of Medrizon Consulting was also one of the first to reach out. She was working on new website, booking media appearances, and pursuing speaking engagements, so she needed a library of professional images to support her growing work.
Dr. Ramas' work is multifaceted: she's a physician, DEI consultant, and advocate for better health care options, so she needed a set of images that enabled her to tell all of those stories.
We worked together to plan the types of images she would need, where we would create them, how much time we would need, and what she would wear - all to tell the story she wanted to tell about herself in all of her professional roles.
I'll be honest, this was an intimidating (and exhilarating) first project! Dr. Ramas is a powerhouse - highly successful in her work, active in her community, and she had worked with some extremely talented photographers in the past - I had my work cut out for me!
And can I tell you a secret? These were some of my very first photos EVER using flash (!!). Believe me when I say I did *not* sleep well the night before this session, lol! We worked in low light, mostly-natural light, florescent light, and a combination. Was it challenging? 100%. Was it also really fun and rewarding and successful? 100%!
Rivier University deserves a shout-out here, too, for not just the use of their space, but also for inviting a number of staff, students, and faculty to a few meetings throughout our session, so that we could showcase all of the different facets of Dr. Ramas’ work as a doctor, speaker, and trainer. Thanks so much, Rivier!
It's time to tell your unique story.
Book a discovery call now!
Client feature: Pure Life Fitness in Hollis, NH
When I first announced my branding / small business photography services, Pure Life Fitness of Hollis, New Hampshire, was one of the first to reach out. They were kicking off a rebrand: they designed a new logo, built a new website, and needed some professional photos to go along with it. I was thrilled to jump in!
This blog is part of a series of client features by Lynnae Day Photography. For the full series, see ‘Featured Clients'.
Pure Life Fitness logo on their wall in Hollis, NH. Painted by Caroline Gomez.
Every business has a story to tell. It's yours, it's unique, and it deserves a unique experience.
When I first announced my branding / small business photography services, Pure Life Fitness of Hollis, New Hampshire, was one of the first to reach out. They were kicking off a rebrand: they designed a new logo, built a new website, and needed a gallery of professional photos to go along with it.
I was thrilled to jump in. We chatted about their goals and created a must-have images list. Because they’re close by and I was brand new at this, I went and tested out the lighting a couple of times during classes to make sure I was set up to get the images they’d need. They had the new logo painted on their wall, and I came the next day for the official session, taking photos during and between two classes.
(For the photographers reading this post, let’s just say the lighting was not ideal! Flash is amazing, and there was a lot of color editing done here to make the whites pop and everyone look their best. The space is perfect for it’s function but not easy to photograph for a first-time flash user, that’s for sure! It was a really fun challenge, though, and I’m so glad PLF took a chance on me!)
Not only did we get great photos, but I got an insider’s perspective on the awesome community here. They take their fitness seriously and have a lot of fun together while they’re at it. I felt like I was with family!
It's time to tell your unique story.
Book a discovery call now!
Why professional photos matter for your business
In our increasingly digitally-connected world, professional photography is invaluable for businesses of all shapes and sizes, whether brand new or multi-national, local or global. At the same time, affordable digital cameras get better and better every year - even your mobile phone, for example, likely takes some pretty good images - and DIY resources abound for doing your own photos. How do you decide which route to take?
Dr. Marie Ramas in Nashua, NH
I recently read an article - 6 Benefits of Professional Photography for your Small Business - and was inspired to write my own take on it.
In our increasingly digitally-connected world, professional photography is invaluable for businesses of all shapes and sizes, whether brand new or multi-national, local or global. At the same time, affordable digital cameras get better and better every year - even your mobile phone, for example, likely takes some pretty good images - and DIY resources abound for doing your own photos. How do you decide which route to take?
What you get when you take your own photos
If you prefer the DIY route, American Express has a great article on how to get great photos for your business. As I mentioned above, it’s definitely getting easier and easier technology-wise to get decent photos. Taking your own isn’t outside the realm of possibility, and certainly has its benefits!
When you take your own photos, you get images for your business on a budget, on your timeline, and a DIY feel to your brand. You’re 100% in control of the planning, photographing, culling, editing, and publishing. And while you’ll definitely have to invest in some equipment & software, you get to be in the driver’s seat about how much you’ll spend.
If you think DIY is for you, here’s what you’ll need to get started:
A camera. At a bare minimum, you’ll need a camera and you’ll need to know how to use it - how to take photos, how to get them off your camera and into editing software, and then how to edit them so they are visually appealing.
Good lighting. Unless you’re reading to invest in lighting equipment & the time required to learn how to use it, you’ll need to plan on taking photos when there’s good, even light available to you. Smartphones and most entry-level DSLRs only get good, clear images when there’s ample daylight, whether you’re indoors or outdoors.
Editing software. There are some free apps out there like Pixlr, paid apps like Adobe Lightroom (my fav!), and then, of course, Photoshop, all with their own learning curves, but using editing software is key to getting a consistent look & feel in your images.
Time. You’ll need time to learn & practice how to use your equipment and how to compose & edit your photos, time to set up & take your photos, and time to cull & edit the best ones. And even if you decide to go the stock route and skip taking your own, you’re still investing time in searching for just the right images (not to mention losing out on the possibility of telling your unique story, instead of someone else’s!).
It’s certainly feasible to DIY your small business photography. If it’s something you’re interested in and enjoy and have time for, more power to you! But if it’s just a headache? Or you don’t have the time? Keep reading.
What you get when you hire a professional photographer
Hiring a professional photographer for your small business images has a number of benefits. When you work with the right photographer, you’ll get a library of consistent, professional images that tell your brand story clearly, simply, and in a compelling way. You get to redirect your precious time away from DIY-ing it and back into your business. You get to communicate to your customers that you care about quality - what could that say about how seriously you take the quality of your service or product?
Most importantly? You get to save money! Think for a moment about how much time you’re could spend learning how to take your own photos. Now multiply that by your hourly rate. I bet it’s WAY more than working with a professional photographer, AND you get all that time back. And if you’re new in business and not making money quite yet, think about how much time you’ll save if you don’t have to develop your own library of images.
The bottom line
At the end of the day, you’re the business owner and you get to decide what works best for your business (that’s the best part of owning your own, right?). Check out my portfolio here and, if you’re ready to elevate your brand and tell your story simply, clearly, and consistently, let’s chat!
How to prepare for your next headshot - Nashua, New Hampshire photographer
Getting headshots taken? Do these 5 things today!
Getting headshots taken? Do these 5 things!
If you’re a business professional or small business owner in Southern New Hampshire, chances are you need a headshot! Here are some key things you can do to help prepare for your session and get the most out of your investment.
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The number one thing you can do to prepare for your headshot session is to get adequate rest the night before. You want to look your best, and getting enough sleep the night before is an excellent first step. Allow yourself extra time before the session to perfect your wardrobe, style yourself, and travel.
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If we're creating headshots that have more of a lifestyle or branding feel to them than formal headshots, think about whether there are any props/visual elements that help tell your story. Some examples include your own laptop, paper planner if you use one, a favorite mug or pen or plant, etc.
I'll have a couple of very basic things with me in our minimalistic, white office, but if there are things you use on a daily basis or brand elements that help tell your story, bring them along! And feel free to send me ideas/ask questions about this one, too.
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It's also important to think carefully about what you plan to wear for your headshots. My Number One rule is to wear something that fits well and flatters your face, but here are some additional questions to consider:
If you’re a business owner, what are your brand colors? Can you work them into your outfits?
What neutrals do you naturally rock? White? Gray? Khaki? Brown? Black? Pick at least one and work it in to help bring balance to your images.
Do you need to hire a hair and/or makeup artist, or are you comfortable doing your own?
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Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early for your headshots; I often have these sessions scheduled back-to-back, and any missed time unfortunately can't be rescheduled.
Once you arrive, we'll chat for a few minutes, and then get to work. We'll start with your most important photos and then have some fun.
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Headshot photos turn out the best when you are yourself. It’s important to remember: just because there is a camera pointing at you, you don’t always have to look at it. Sometimes the most meaningful images are when you’re enjoying a moment instead of posing.
If you find it easier to relax with a friend around, consider booking a double session! Or invite them along for yours and they'll just be out of the frame. Either way, I'll be prompting you throughout to talk about yourself, your work, your hobbies, anything to help you relax and get those natural expressions coming through.
Headshot sessions don’t have to be intimidating. Schedule yours today!
2021 in Review
The end of one year and the beginning of the next always makes me reflective. And while I haven’t officially been in business for a full year yet (just 8 months!), I made it through my first busy season and into the second month of the New Year (!!), so it feels like a good time to pause and look back on 2021.
The end of one year and the beginning of the next always makes me reflective. And while I haven’t officially been in business for a full year yet (just 8 months!), I made it through my first busy season and into the second month of the New Year (!!), so it feels like a good time to pause and look back on 2021. (Yes, I know - I’m at least 5 weeks too late on this. But I don’t care. I’m doing things at my pace and this is when I’m getting around to it!)
One year ago, I still didn’t know I was going to start this business. I knew I wanted to, but I had a few personal hangups to sort through and some courage to find before I could take the plunge. What if turning my hobby into a business took all the joy away? What if starting a business was selfish? (I spent 10 years in non-profit international development organizations, so the global responsibility runs deep over here!) What if the market was too saturated and I invested more money in this hobby of mine and it didn’t pan out?
Turns out I have a super supportive husband, family, and friends, and a great therapist. And I love starting new things! Between all of that, a few excellent photography classes through Illuminate Classes, and some wonderful business coaching through the NH SBDC, I got started. I built a website. Designed a logo. Registered a business. Put the word out. And started doing sessions (including some headshots & a branding session!).
I have to say, I seriously have the BEST friends, both local & in the Boston area. You know you who are: over half of my sessions were with you and your families and I could not be more appreciative. More than all the classes, prep, and cheerleading, your willingness to pay to get your family photos taken with a very new photographer has made the difference between an ok start and an exceptional one. You’ve given me confidence, helped me work out the kinks, and established a solid foundation from which to grow in 2022. Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sharing your families’ time, moments, and connection this year. It’s been an honor and I am SO excited to see what (the rest of) 2022 has in store!
Client Feature: True Blue Wellness in Manchester, NH
What story do you and your space (physical or virtual) tell your clients? What do you want them to understand?
Late last year, I had the pleasure of taking a few photos for Jazmine Jade of True Blue Wellness in Manchester, NH. Jazmine and I met over a year ago through the Women’s Business Circle of Southern NH - a small-but-mighty and supportive networking group we’re both part of. She’s been practicing CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and Reiki since 2019 and just added Massage Therapy to her list of offerings. I had the immense privilege of a few practice massages while she was going through her training and let me just say, they were the most relaxing massages I’ve ever had. I highly recommend her work!
We initially set out to do a custom headshot session, with traditional posed portraits along with some action shots. This was my first session like this, so I was game to try anything!
I spent about an hour with Jazmine, taking headshots throughout the art studio (located at the lovely Studio 550 Art Center in Manchester - what a cool, multi-purpose space!) and photos of her at work in her space. Both Jazmine and her space exude a quiet, welcoming calm, so I made to sure to capture that in the images I took.
What we ended up with was essentially a branding session - images that Jazmine can use on her website, social media, and promotional materials to communicate what it’s like to work with her. And a bonus for me: I learned that working with small business owners to create images they can use is fun, rewarding, and something I want to do more of in 2022!
So what about you? What story do you and your space (physical or virtual) tell your clients? What do you want them to understand? Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer; I can help you figure that out and then we’ll work together to create photos that help tell that story. Interested in learning more? Let’s chat!
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Hello there!
I’m a Hollis, NH, photographer capturing light & loveliness for families & small businesses simply, honestly, and naturally.
Here on the blog, you’ll find recent client features, favorite images, and other photography-related content. I’m glad you’re here!