Genuine emotion – how can we really get this in our photos?

Even more than that – what exactly is genuine emotion?!

Gen·u·ine 
1) Truly what something is said to be; authentic
2) (of a person, emotion, or action) Sincere

E·mo·tion
1) A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.
2) Any of the particular feelings that characterize such a state of mind, such as joy, anger, love,etc.

I’ve been doing some real soul searching the last few months, trying to decide where I want to go with my business and what I wanted to focus on in the coming year.

Aside from the business side of things, I realized that I really want to spend more time photographing couples and weddings. Don’t worry, I will still offer family photography, it’s something I enjoy doing (and I have to get my baby fix somehow!).
In defining my specialty, I want to strive to constantly capture genuine emotion in the images that I take. Because adding that element will be the difference between simply having a pretty picture, and creating a captivating image.
Eric Laurits, a wedding photographer based out of New England, did an interview where he said that “emotions are not trendy.” As a photographer who’s been working in the industry for over 4 years, I can tell you that it’s very easy to get caught up in what the industry says is “appropriate”. There’s definitely a checklist of images that have to be taken at weddings, and some people are happy with just having those images. However, I believe that we all have our own unique perspective, and it’s a shame to limit ourselves simply because of someone else’s idea of what’s appropriate.

I want to find inspiration in everyday life and be able to carry that over into the time we have together, even if it’s just for an hour. I want to get in close and photograph the 1,000 megawatt smile you’ve got hiding in there. I want to photograph the way your fiancé looks at you as if there were no other women on the planet. I want to photograph that moment when the bride and groom are about to exchange their vows, and they both crack up on the alter.

I want to photograph YOU: as you are, perfectly imperfect.

I don’t know where this journey will lead, but I hope that you’ll come along for the ride. I can guarantee that it will bring lots of laughs, some tender moments, and lots genuine emotion.