Why Work with a Mentor? : A Guest Blog Post by Jessi Metzger of Lovebug Photography

I always love opening up our little piece of the internet to guest bloggers, and this week I am so happy to welcome a fellow photographer to the blog!  I first met Jessi Metzger of Lovebug Photography last summer, and today she is sharing her heart on the blog!  

Jessi is a cheerful, colorful, inspiring mama of two; an incredible photographer whose heart is in her lifestyle sessions; and over the past year she has become such a great friend in the industry!

When I asked Jessi if she'd like to write a guest blog post about her mentoring experience last summer, she was all over it!  Actually, she suggested it before her mentoring day had even come to an end last summer.  Throughout the past year, I've loved our FaceTime calls and watching her business evolve to fit her family's lifestyle while feeding her artistic passions, so I am thrilled to share her experience with you today!  Enjoy her post!

**All images in this post are copyright of Lovebug Photography, Rochester, NY.**

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Tell us a little about you and your family.  

I’m Jessi Metzger, the lady behind the lens at Lovebug Photography. I specialize in creating warm, authentic and playful portraiture for babies, kiddos, and families in the Rochester, NY area. Mama bear to my two loves, Clark (4) and Rosie (almost 2!!) and married to my handsome honey, Steve, for almost seven years. Those are my kiddos in the photos below!  I love me some coffee, the ADKs, nerdy novels, playing with my family, watching The Bachelor (haha- don’t judge me!), Children’s ministry and relationship building.  

Tell us about your business, and your favorite types of sessions or client experiences. 

I love my photography business. Deep friendships have been formed because of it. I have been entrusted with journeying through life with precious families. I absolutely adore and treasure my wonderful clients!

Every time I do a session that genre is suddenly ‘my favorite!’ But if I had to step back and choose just one- I’d say lifestyle newborn sessions have my heart. There is something so intimate and precious about capturing a growing family’s first few days home with their beautiful new baby. That sweet time passes so quickly, and I find myself treasuring these sessions. 

What were the key areas in your business you wanted to improve before your mentoring sessions?

Like most, I started my photography business out of a deep love for capturing life’s fleeting moments, and a desire to make that love a profitable income for my family. I remember when I first started building my portfolio I charged $20 a session (yes, seriously…) and felt guilty taking even that. I realize now that $20 barely even paid for the gas to get to and from the session. I slowly started looking around at what other local photographers were charging and priced myself accordingly without really knowing my numbers and cost of doing business.  "$150 for a session? Well, that’s better than $20!"  But I had a horrible wakeup call the first year tax season came around.

All those hours away from my babies? The added stress I added to my family’s schedule? The research, practice, marketing, advertising and countless hours editing? I had barely broken even. Forget about a profitable income- I was donating my time to photograph these sessions.

I felt frustrated and overwhelmed. How could I have worked so hard and have nothing to show for it? I internally battled with myself: no matter how much I loved photography I couldn’t justify the commitment if it wasn’t benefiting my family.  I knew that I needed help in the areas of time management, organization, sales techniques and brand recognition to really allow my business to grow and be beneficial to my family’s day to day life.  That was why I looked into a one-on-one mentoring experience.  

Talk a little about your mentoring experience.

Nicole and I did two mentoring sessions together — first an online mentoring through FaceTime, followed by an in-person mentoring session.  During our first meeting we created a detailed plan of how to jumpstart my business with practical steps to put them in place. I felt confidence for the first time ever since starting my business. I still had a lot to learn, but I suddenly felt as if I had a knowledgeable friend walking along side me, helping to show me the way!

I was blown away by what a skype consultation held, but the in-person mentoring was nothing short of phenomenal. We dove deep into what seemed like every aspect of my business to unearth where I was struggling and why. Nicole was amazingly open about sharing her steps for success, passing along numerous guides, layouts and forms. I didn’t stop scribbling notes the entire time I was with her.  

How has your business & your personal life changed because of what you've been able to implement since your mentoring experience?

My confidence in myself and my business has soared. I know I’m offering my clients a beautiful, high-end experience and confidently stand behind my pricing (which is now done appropriately to account for my cost of doing business!) My branding flows well and my social media presence is much stronger. I feel much more like a successful businesswoman than a mom-with-a-camera-hoping-for-the-best. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m proud of myself. Truly proud of how far I’ve been able to come. 

What advice do you have for photographers who are looking to make some big changes happen in their business, and who are seeking out education opportunities? 

Find a mentor whose style and business model reflects your own. I knew I wanted to offer a full-service, high-end experience to my clients so I sought after a mentor who offered that to her clients. Once you find a mentor you want to work with, GO FOR IT! Nothing has been more encouraging to me than having a business cheerleader who I know has my back and wants to see me succeed. 

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Thank you so much for sharing your heart and telling us a little more about your business, Jessi!  

Are you looking to make some big changes happen in your business this year?  I'm now offering 4 unique mentoring opportunities, both online and in-person.  I'd love to chat with you to see if this might be a good fit for your business this year!

4 Essential Props for a Baby Photography Studio

I'm going to let you in on a little secret...  

My prop closet isn't huge.  It isn't overflowing with baskets, crates, and wraps.  Every time I add a new item, it's usually right after I've taken away two or three other items that I just don't use, don't love, or they don't fit the way my style has evolved.

When you're just getting started, you usually think that the very first thing you need to do is get lots of props for your sessions.  I still remember going basket shopping before my very first newborn session almost 5 years ago, thinking that was all I needed to prepare for my session -- haha, boy was I wrong!  We've all been there, thinking that these wraps and this stool and that fancy carriage is going to transform your artwork.  

There are some photographers that have a gorgeous style and produce stunning artwork, and their prop closets are bigger than my bedroom!  That works for some people, and they are so good at what they do!  But if you're just getting started or you're leaning towards a more minimalist style like I do, this blog post will be so helpful for you as you find the essential props for your baby photography studio.

When I moved my studio from Boston to New York last year, I had to carefully choose which items were my absolute favorites and which ones I wanted to use in my new studio.  Narrowing down my props was a blessing in disguise, and it helped me weed out the items that I never used anymore and find new homes for the ones that were too bright and colorful for my style.  I was able to focus on which materials really spoke to me (ALL of the natural wood tones, lace, and hand knit items!) and refine my collection to include just the essentials.  

Looking back at my images from the past year, I notice a few props that I use over and over again in almost every single session.  For me, these are the essential items that every baby photographer should have in their studio because the ways in which you'll use them are truly endless.  Read on for more details!

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A White Bed

I adore how a bed immediately creates portraits that are more relaxed, intimate, and cozy.  Babies are able to roll, crawl, and explore safely on a soft surface.  Families sink into each other and cuddle up even closer than they would if they were standing next to one another.  Toddlers cuddle, jump, and play.  It's the perfect spot for all of your sessions in the studio!  

Add some crisp white bedding (I like this one from Amazon and this one from Target), and it will give you a clean and classic backdrop that reflects so much light back onto your subjects.

Whether you use an air mattress that you can pack away when not in use, or a futon that folds down into a bed during your sessions, both of these are simple & beautiful solutions for your studio!  I've even seen a few photographers place the duvet covers and pillows on the floor for a faux bed.  While it's not as soft and cozy, it still gives you that bedroom look for your images!

A Cream Flokati

Alright, where are all my Savage Seamless fans at?  Bone is my favorite.  I buy it in bulk since I'm always using it my sessions, and I even painted a wall in my studio to match the bone seamless.  

A flokati was one of my very first prop purchases before I even had a studio, and it's still one of my most-used items.  Because I am a bit more minimalistic in the studio, I do not have flokatis in every color of the rainbow (though Luneberry has so many gorgeous colors that are very tempting!).  Occasionally I will change the color in post-processing, but more often than not I just adore the creamy combination of the flokati against the bone seamless for a classic and clean look!

If you're just starting out, Rugs USA often has 70% off sales and you can score a flokati there at a fraction of the price!  They're not as high quality as Luneberry, but they still photograph exceptionally well!

A (few) Wooden Stools

Okay, moment of truth...  Mayyyyybe I have two wooden stools and a few crates that I love to use as a seat for little ones during their sessions.  These are so versatile and I use them indoors and on-location as well.

The curved bench from Mr. & Mrs. and Co was definitely a stool that I had my heart set on for a solid year before purchasing it.  Best prop decision ever!  It can be used for newborns, sitters, toddlers, and preschoolers during their session.  

Then I have a three-legged stool from Hobby Lobby in natural wood tones that I love for a little bit of a "pop" against the flokati or wood wall.  Stools are perfect for first birthday sessions because the babies stay still a little bit longer when they're focusing on their balance, allowing you a few extra seconds to capture the shot before they crawl away from your set-up!  

Plus, if you get a sturdy stool with wide legs or a solid crate, you can flip it upside down and use it as a step stool in newborn sessions to give a big brother or sister a little boost when standing up in the family portraits!

A Wooden Bowl

This is another one that you may collect a few different versions of, but to start you really only need one!  I love using bowls for our newborns to capture them all curled up and snuggly in the bowl.  Then they are perfect for sitters who need a little help to maintain their balance by holding on to the edges.  And when you have a baby on the go, the bowl keeps them in one spot a little bit longer before they crawl away from you!  For safety, be sure to only use bowls that will not break (no plastic or glass around babies!), and check all wooden bowls for splinters, nails, and sharp edges before each session.  

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That's it!  Four essential props for your baby photography studio, and a great start to your prop collection.  Remember, don't get overwhelmed by or envious of the full prop closets that you see in other photographers' studios, and know that you can create gorgeous images with just a few key items in your prop stash.  

What else do you consider essential?  Leave a comment below and let me know!