499: Terri Baskin: Planning the Perfect Photoshoot: From Gear to Location

In this episode of the podcast, I chat with talented wedding and engagement photographer Terri Baskin, whose unique engagement sessions stand out in the photography world. Terri shares exceptional insights from a memorable Las Vegas engagement shoot that required meticulous planning and coordination. She emphasizes the importance of truly understanding and connecting with your clients to capture their personalities and emotions authentically. Throughout our discussion, you'll learn practical techniques to elevate your engagement sessions and foster lasting client relationships. Today you'll learn how you can transform your approach, making your photoshoots more relaxed, enjoyable, and visually stunning for your clients.

THE BIG IDEAS

• Client Connection: Understanding your clients' personalities and preferences is essential for capturing authentic and emotional photos.
• Thoughtful Planning: Meticulous planning ensures that every detail, from locations to outfits, aligns with the couple's vision and the photos' aesthetic.
• Natural Posing: Direct couples into natural, relaxed poses to avoid stiff, posed looks and bring out their genuine connection.
• Versatility in Shots: Providing a variety of poses, angles, and backgrounds keeps the sessions dynamic and ensures the couple has diverse images to cherish.

PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION PLAN

• Engage with Clients: Schedule a pre-shoot meeting to discuss their story, preferences, and vision. Prepare a detailed engagement prep guide to help them feel ready and excited.
• Plan and Scout Locations: Select locations that reflect the couple's personalities and desired theme. Visit the sites in advance to determine the best spots and lighting.
• Natural Directing Techniques: Use prompts and playful activities to help couples relax and interact naturally. Communicate consistently during the session to keep them engaged and comfortable.
• Build a Balanced Portfolio: Capture a mix of wide, medium, and tight shots, both horizontally and vertically. Include diverse poses and locations to showcase your versatility and meet various client needs.

RESOURCES:
Check out Wedding Photographer Terri Baskins Website - 
Follow Terri on Instagram - 

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Transcript

Terri Baskin: 0:00

The kind of like the same standard approach may work for some people. What I really am going for is trying to get the emotion and their personalities on camera. And so that made me asking them questions just kind of like that are a little more intimate to who they are things that they like to do. I'll ask them to describe each other with one word. Sometimes it makes them think a little bit about each other, but ultimately I'm just building their confidence because most of the time my couples have not been in front of the camera professionally for photos. So I'm just trying to get them comfortable. And so a lot of times when I'm asking them questions, I'm shooting through while they're answering. And if I can catch a laugh or, a look or something that kind of speaks to like their chemistry as a couple, that's what I'm looking for.

Raymond Hatfield: 0:48

Hey, hey, welcome to the beginner photography podcast. I'm your host, Raymond Hatfield. And each week I interview one of the world's most interesting photographers to learn. What does it really take to capture beautiful images so that you can start to do the same? In today's rewind episode, we are chatting with wedding photographer, Terry Baskin, about creating high end engagement sessions that connect with couples in a personal way. But first the beginner photography podcast is brought to you by CloudSpot. They got everything that you need to build a thriving photography business. Impress your clients, deliver professional experience and streamline your workflow all in one platform. So grab your free forever account today over at deliverphotos. com and only upgrade when you and your business are ready. Now I can tell you from experience that just starting out as a wedding and engagement photographer can be tough, especially when you really want to make those sessions stand out while also ensuring that your clients feel relaxed and natural. Well, today's guest, Terry Baskin shares how she creates, I mean, uniquely beautiful engagement sessions from the initial planning phase to building strong client relationships that result in these stunning personalized images. If you look at Terry's images, her portfolio, check it out. There's an Instagram link in the show notes here. You're going to see that she really has this amazing way of balancing a high end editorial look with also like a heartfelt connection. It's really great. And today she's going to reveal her secrets on how she makes every couple feel like the star of their own shoot. Lots of stuff here. So with that, let's go ahead and get on into today's interview. Terry, my first question for you is, when did you know that photography was going to play an important role in your life?

Terri Baskin: 2:33

Wow. That's a good question. I started off strong here. So here's the thing. So I didn't, I didn't know photography was going to play an important role in my life. I grew up with a dad who was a wedding photographer. So my dad was a wedding photographer. I was always the friend with the camera. So that was fun. Just taking photos for fun. And when I finished grad school, I bought myself a camera, a professional DSLR for my graduation gift. And from there, just started taking photos of friends. And then that led to me meeting other people and taking their photos. It just, I guess happened accidentally. I don't know it wasn't like a, this magical moment other than, a friend of mine who I had taken photos for had another friend who was getting married. And she asked me to take her engagement photos. I was like, sure, I'll do it. It was back when I was just excited to take any and every type of work that would come my way. And I was like hunting for people to take photos, begging people to take photos with me. And so she asked me to take her engagement photos. I did. We had fun. And she asked me to take her wedding photos. I had never done a wedding before. And I was like, sure, I'll do it. So yeah, so it just, yeah. From there I think the moment that was like, wow, I think I could do this was my dad was my second photographer at her wedding. So we were like a team. So that was cool. So that was low. He was probably more excited, than I was, but, uh, it was a cool moment, that he was with me and then from there he saw, my interest in photography. And it started to try and teach me like how to anticipate moments, how to capture the emotion and some of like the fundamentals that I think are important for when you're looking at a photo. So after the first wedding, I found myself photographing another wedding and then another wedding and I was like, okay, this is the thing. I like it. So let's do it. Let's see where this goes.

Raymond Hatfield: 4:30

Let me ask, what did you go to grad school for?

Terri Baskin: 4:33

So, marketing, got my MBA in marketing.

Raymond Hatfield: 4:36

Okay. Oh, you have an MBA. Okay. So at some point you decided I'm gonna abandon all of that knowledge and that pile of student debt that I have accrued over the years and pursue this photography thing. What led you to that decision? What was it about photography that made you think like, yep, I'm making the right decision?

Terri Baskin: 4:57

So it didn't happen. I wish I had this magical like process, right? I'm going to do step one, step two, step three. I didn't, everything just kind of happened over the course of these past 10 years, things have just happened. So I went to grad school marketing. My dream was to be in corporate America, speaking on stages to audience of like audiences of my coworkers. I mean, I was in pharmaceutical sales, so we would go to these big sales meetings that were elaborate. And so that was always my dream to be on the stage at those meetings. So, the transition happened. I found myself, having to turn down more and more photography work because I was working my nine to five. And so finally made the transition, went full time. So the funny thing is the knowledge I got from business school from undergrad, I still put that into my business today. So I just use it as a way to market my business differently and think of new ways to reach people. So it's kind of cool while I don't use it for that nine to five, I use it in my business.

Raymond Hatfield: 6:04

I definitely have some questions about marketing that we're going to get to. But I still want to stick with that, beginner stage for you because I know that that's where a lot of listeners are right now. You said that your dad was a wedding photographer, which just sounds super cool. But when you picked up the camera and you started learning, like what? What was the most difficult part for you? Was there a technical aspect of photography that was challenging or was your dad always there to be like, Nope, this is what we do. This is how it's done.

Terri Baskin: 6:33

Yeah, no. So my dad wasn't always there. I live in Virginia, he's in North Carolina. And so I've just been pretty much, we would go out and shoot when I was home in North Carolina, but in the early stages, So there's this wealth of education that's available now with like YouTube, courses, podcasts, all of that wasn't around 10 years ago. And so a lot of it, my struggle in the early stages was how do I find consistency in my images? Like I could take photos and at the time couldn't figure out why, one set of photos I liked. Another set I didn't like, although I was doing some of the same things, really I wasn't, so it just came down to, finding, figuring out how to create consistency in my work was probably one of my, earlier, struggles. So just had to, find the courses I could, get involved in those, learn as much as I could from other people, and then trying to apply it to my business.

Raymond Hatfield: 7:28

I know a lot of people right now, like I can name 10 people off the top of my head who are struggling with consistency right now. So what advice do you have for them?

Terri Baskin: 7:37

So for the people that are struggling with consistency, when you're thinking about, for me, the easiest way I was able to create consistency in my work was taking photos at certain times of the day. I shoot a lot on location. So really understanding the location where I was taking photos. So I take photos a lot in the Washington DC area. So I know some of the areas. So to create consistency for me, I had to start with, I need to shoot at these times of the day where the light is the best. So usually like golden hour and I need to know, okay, when golden hour hits this certain location, how does the light affect it? that was probably the first thing, just understanding how light works in a certain area at a certain time of day, and then convince my couples, these are the times of day we have to take photos.

Raymond Hatfield: 8:27

When you say convince your couples, was there pushback or was it just a suggestion?

Terri Baskin: 8:32

That's a good question. So not necessarily. So what tends to happen is I would have couples early on who work Monday through Friday, nine to five. So logically they're thinking Saturday at noon is a great time to take photos. And I'm like, that is absolutely not for me the best time to take photos. So in Washington, DC, it's a super touristy area. Saturdays, a nice day, middle of the day, heck no, can't do it. Cannot do it. And so what I would do was there wasn't necessarily the pushback. It was just there, thinking, Oh, I'm off on Saturday. Let's take photos on Saturday, middle of the day. And so I really had to start to retrain them to, these are the best times of the day to take photos. And I would give them options. These are the best times of the day and the best days of the week, based on the location where you want to take photos.

Raymond Hatfield: 9:23

Okay. I gotcha. That's a good clarification. Absolutely. Okay. I'm right there with you. And it, kind of stinks because it's like, if you're shooting on a Saturday at noon, like that really limits the amount of sessions that you can take. Whereas obviously if you got the whole week, you can shoot a whole lot more, but let's stick with these engagement sessions because that's one reason why I reached out to you because looking at your engagement sessions, they are. A whole nother level. And I think when most photographers, think to themselves, Oh, an engagement session, it's you, it's the couple, maybe a local park, an outdoor area. You just walk around for an hour and see what you can come up with your engagement sessions. Well, I saw you just recently went out to Las Vegas for an engagement session. You're behind the scenes video. Tell me about what that entailed because it wasn't just you and the couple walking around for an hour to see what you can create. What was that like?

Terri Baskin: 10:14

Oh, gosh. Let's see. I don't even know where to start with that particular engagement session. First of all, it was fun. We had a blast, but, this particular client is getting married in the D. C. area, but they didn't want any photos. that looked like typical DC. When you think Washington DC, you think big white columns, marble monuments, those things, she wanted something different. And so basically I threw out a bunch of locations to her and was like, you know what, would you be willing to go somewhere else and take photos? And she was now I cannot get every couple to do something like that, but she was the right couple that was open. And I think the biggest thing with that was she trusted me to come up with something different for her and we did. So I went out to Vegas a few years ago for WPPI. So the big photography conference that happens every year out there. And when I was out there a few years ago, a few friends of mine. And I went out to this area called the Valley of Fire State Park just to take photos. And so it wasn't a planned shoot. We were just out there because we heard about this big park with, the rock formations that was really pretty and we just saw it. And so that place has always been in the back of my mind of wanting to shoot there, wanting to take a couple there. And I've been trying. I had an, almost a chance to do it a few years ago. It fell through. And so when she was open to going anywhere, I threw out the idea and she was there. She was like, let's go, let's do

Raymond Hatfield: 11:48

it. That's perfect. But looking at your behind the scenes video, I mean, It wasn't just you and the couple. There was like, no, it was not. It was like hair and makeup. There was like multiple dresses. So that's what I'm saying. Like, this isn't just you and the couple walking through this national park. It's a bigger production. What all goes into the planning of this?

Terri Baskin: 13:09

Yeah, so it was, so we brought, so for that particular shoot, we had obviously the couple, the wedding planner came, the video, the videographer came, the makeup artist came, and the hairstylist. So basically her entire, production crew glam squad for the wedding all went out to Vegas. She wanted that. So, we first obviously had to check everyone's schedule and find a day that actually worked for everyone. So on, this particular weekend in Vegas, it just made more sense for us to go out over the weekend and then shoot on a Saturday because that was everybody's availability. And so we coordinated travel arrangements where we were going to stay. I mapped out the location and so what I asked her to do was, show me what you wanna wear. Show me the things you're thinking. And so she sent me five different dresses, so she wanted everything to be glam. So she sent me about five different dresses and I said, well, based on, the Red Rock out there, the pink rock out there, I just showed her photos of the area where we were gonna shoot, and, told her which outfits would look best in those locations. And so it was a lot. Now, I guess it seemed easy. The wedding planner also helped coordinate some of that as well. some of the back and forth, but the actual shoot, the idea and the concept, I directed that part of it. But their wedding planner directed part of the logistics of getting there, but yeah, so we all coordinated schedules and made the trip happen. It was fun. And I keep saying that, but it was. We did it. She's happy. So it was awesome.

Raymond Hatfield: 14:43

That's all that matters. Now, when I think I want to know about you said that you had been there before you had taken a few photos, you liked it, but you're not an expert on this location. So when it comes to the photos themselves, you said that the bride wanted glam. What does that mean to you as a photographer? Like, how is that going to dictate the photos Yeah,

Terri Baskin: 15:05

so one of the things that I like to try and capture in my photos is a couple in a space. But while we're in this big space, no matter how grand it is, I still want the couple to be the focal point. So that's just that one of the ways I try and define my style of photography. So I would just tell any beginning photographer, see what you're drawn to. Like when you're looking at photos, when you're out and about, what kind of things are you drawn to? And I'm drawn to nature. I'm drawn to architecture, just big structures. And how can I place my couple in that space. So it feels like they're the only ones there that they have this entire space to themselves. So that's kind of like the thought process that went into it. When she said glam, I was like, okay, that's awesome. Let's do glam in the desert because it's essentially desert out there. So when I went out there a few years ago, I always thought I would want to do take photos of a wedding couple out there, but this just happened to work. And it was something that I hadn't seen before. And so I just try and get my couples to think what is something that we can do differently? And a lot of that comes with. They have to trust me on this. But what is something that we can do differently in a space that really speaks to who we are as a couple. So every couple doesn't have to do glam. They wanted to do glam, but, I try and take their unique personalities, their style and what's important to them and then turn that into a photo. And that may look like showing them visually. I can explain it, but sometimes people really need to see what's in my head and, taking that and just basically telling them what we can do in those spaces to make it work.

Raymond Hatfield: 16:45

You had said that she had picked out five dresses and then you had told her like this dress will work best here. This dress will work best here. How did you know? How did you decide? Cause when I'm thinking of it, I think just lots of rocks. How, how do you decide which dress is going to look better in front of

Terri Baskin: 17:02

this rock versus that rock? Lots of rocks. So out in Vegas at the Valley of fire park, there are some red rocks. There are some brown rocks, there are pink rock formations. And so each, they're the, gosh, first of all, the park is so huge. And so as you're driving through, you can see all these different formations. You can see them online as well. And so you can see like the tones in the rocks. So I really wanted her to have colors that complemented the tones in the rocks. So that just kind of comes from how do I understand or study the color wheel and what colors like complement one another, which colors kind of play opposite one another. And so one of the, formations where we started was kind of more like the reddish rocks. I love, I was like, well, let's go green on this area. And then some of the, you know, softer tone like pinkish colored rocks. We decided to go bold with a black dress. So we had to one had to narrow her down because she wanted to wear all five dresses and I was like, oh, yeah no, we can't do that. I can't make that happen only because we only had so much time out there and so of the five, I picked the two that I thought would work best in the locations.

Raymond Hatfield: 18:08

Typically when I do an engagement session, I go out with a couple and typically what I do is like, I'll find, just a spot. I'll find some good light. I'll put the couple there. And then I kind of only have like just a very minimal set of poses and then focus heavily on the interaction that they're going to have with each other. And that's through, you know, asking them questions or whatever. Thinking of essentially doing five complete engagement sessions with a couple like back to back to back to back. How do you deal with the issue of posing and making them look unique in each photo?

Terri Baskin: 18:41

I actually have a similar approach to you and I told them like, Hey, I'm going to get in your business, meaning I'm going to ask you a lot of questions about who you are as a couple. While the kind of like the same standard approach may work for some people. What I really am going for is trying to get the emotion and their personalities on camera. And so that made me asking them questions just kind of like that are a little more intimate to who they are, things that they like to do. I'll ask them to describe each other with one word. so that just to kind of see, I'll ask what's your favorite part? What's your favorite part about her, or what's your favorite thing about her or him or her and her or him and him. Sometimes it makes them think a little bit about each other, but ultimately I'm just building their confidence because most of the time, my couples have not been in front of the camera professionally for photos. So I'm just trying to get them comfortable. And so a lot of times when I'm asking them questions, I'm shooting through while they're answering. And if I can catch a laugh or, a look or something that kind of speaks to like their chemistry as a couple, that's what I'm looking for. But yeah, the same approach you have when I feel like we have the shots in a particular area and then I'm like, okay, we're good here. Let's go and do something else somewhere else.

Raymond Hatfield: 19:59

I love that because, it's all about getting, as you said, a, client comfortable in front of the camera. And if I'm being totally honest, 99 percent of the couples who come in front of my camera say the same thing. They're like, oh, we're not comfortable in front of the camera. We're not used to doing this. But when I look at your photos, I think to myself, oh, these couples have definitely done this before, like they're looking fantastic. They look magazine ready. They look like they're on the cover of Vogue right now. So how do you unlock that from them? Is that just purely direction of, hey, you know, put the hand here. Let's turn like this. Or is that once again, just trying to pull out those emotions and letting them, not stumble, but letting them, move into those poses themselves.

Terri Baskin: 20:42

So what I'm doing when I'm trying to move them into poses is one, I'm trying to find whatever's most flattering for them, whatever's natural, and I don't want the photos to look too posed, obviously I'm going to get some pose photos because that's what the family likes. I like more of the photos that show the emotion, but when I'm putting them into a pose if I tell them, Hey, if this doesn't feel comfortable, if this doesn't feel like something you will do change or make the adjustment. Many times, I'll have a couple out. One of the things that's really helped me was I'll start them in a pose and I'll tell them this is the final pose we want to get but it doesn't have to be perfect and then I'll break them apart and I'll say walk into that pose. So I'll have them walk into it and then they end up doing whatever they would naturally do. Or I'll give them some type of command or you have that cinematography background. So I love when you can just give them the the action or whatever the motivation is for the shot. All right, break apart. Y'all walk into end up in that pose and then they'll do whatever's natural for them.

Raymond Hatfield: 21:41

I've never heard that before, but that makes total sense. That makes total sense. You know, I can't think of how many photos I've taken that, the couple starts to look a little stale and maybe they've been sitting there for a minute or two, but that is such a fresh way to get them how you want them to look. I love that.

Terri Baskin: 21:55

Yeah. And I do tell them that like, Hey, I don't want to keep you on a post too long because then it'll start to look fake. And so I'll just say break apart or I'll say break apart or take a break and then I'll have them reset and then do something else.

Raymond Hatfield: 22:06

Now obviously I know that this trip out to Vegas was an exception, but how long is the typical engagement session for you? How long does that last?

Terri Baskin: 22:13

So I usually spend about two hours with my couples on the engagement session. It's not necessarily two hours of shooting because most of the time they would wear two outfits and they were talking. So shooting wise, it may be about an hour and a half. if that long, but that, that's, multiple locations, multiple outfits, talking, walking.

Raymond Hatfield: 22:33

Now, I want to know, like, what do you need to get to consider a session of success? What elements?

Terri Baskin: 22:41

I need the couple to relax. Everybody has those jitters or those nerves when they first show up because of the prep that they put into it. So one of the things that I do is I send all of my couples an engagement prep guide, and it's basically things that they need to think about when they're planning out their session. So I'll tell them things like, Hey, you may have seen a couple of my portfolio that had this certain attire on or took photos in this certain location, but if that's not who you are, don't feel like you have to do that. All right. So to feel like I am successful in a session. We've had fun. They're relaxed. We have a variety of different poses, angles, locations. Now we're not all over the city. What I'll try and do is find a location that has multiple different backgrounds or levels or layers to it. So it gives us variety when they're looking through their gallery. But yeah, mostly I want them to enjoy it. I don't want them to feel like it was all this pressure and all this work or I don't ever want them to walk away and feel like they did something wrong. So if they say they have fun or if they say they enjoyed it, then I feel like that was successful.

Raymond Hatfield: 23:53

That's beautiful. The idea right for a session I want to know. Let's go back to the glam idea real quick Okay, when she said that she wanted glam we're gonna talk a little bit about gear does that dictate the type of gear that you're bringing cameras lenses, flash, reflect like anything like that, or do you have a pretty standard kit and then just work off of that?

Terri Baskin: 24:14

Yeah. So I have a pretty standard kit that I work with. So unless we're doing, an engagement session, that's inside either like in a museum and a hotel and a building, then I typically don't bring lights with me. I try and travel as light as possible, just based on where I take photos. So because I'm in the DC area. And there's so much movement and activity in and around DC. I just try and be as inconspicuous as possible with the amount of gear that I travel with for safety reasons. And also because we're walking quite a bit, it's just easier easier to travel with one bag. And so for every session, I typically have certain lenses with me. So I'll carry my 35 millimeter, my 50 millimeter, my 85 millimeter. And then I'll also carry my 70 to 200. So it sounds like a lot of gear But, usually when I'm thinking of using either my 35 or my 50, I'm trying to capture the big space, the big picture. If I'm using my 85, I'm trying to do more of like the portraits. That's really just focusing on them and maybe not so much the background. And if I'm using my 70 to 200, I'm really trying to get them in a space, but then also use that compression from the 70 to 200 to bring whatever the background is closer to them. So those are my go to for lenses. Usually every session I try and shoot, wide, then medium, and then tight in every area that we're in. And then also vertical and horizontal. So that gives them variety right there. So I think if any photographer's ever stuck about what to do, that's kind of been my go to. Start wide, then go medium and then go tight, meaning big picture. And then going a little bit closer on the couple and then going super close if you want to create intimate moments with a couple, then I'll go in super close and I'll let them know one of the things that helps them to relax is just to tell them what I'm doing. Hey, this is what I'll be doing. This is what we're doing in a session. I may get close or I'll tell them I'm coming in close. So they'll know. And then I'm still talking to them the entire time. I think one of the things that makes a couple get stiff or nervous is if they don't know what you're doing. So yeah, so that's my approach

Raymond Hatfield: 26:32

I'm right there with you. Sometimes I will get really excited about it. Like, you know something behind the camera like oh, this thing is really good or something and naturally I just want to like shoot through it and get it. But I remember once I had a couple They looked over and they're like, are you good? Do you need us to do anything else? And I realized, I was like, oh, they probably want to know exactly what I'm doing. Like, because I was hiding behind a bush, to use the bush's composition or whatever. It looked all weird, but yeah, talking them through that is really important. This may be a weird question, but do you find that there's a balance of telling them too much or just simply saying, I'm going to walk over here and try to get a wide shot. Is that enough? Or do you need to explain it a little more for them to feel more comfortable?

Terri Baskin: 27:11

No, I don't tell them too much. If I'm going wide and I need to back up. So if I'm using like a 70 to 200 millimeter, I usually back up so that I could pull it in for the compression. And so I'll tell them, Hey, I'm coming over here. I'm backing up, to get the shot. I need to keep them focused on each other doing something. If they're not looking at my camera while I'm fine with, shots of them looking at my camera, I'm really trying to get the shots where they are interacting with each other in a space. And so I don't like every single time I press the shutter, I'm not talking to them, but I'll tell them kind of whatever it is, I'm still talking to keep them engaged, with each other until I get my shot. So I, you know, it's not like I've been places where the photographer is like, amazing, great, awesome, good. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I mean, you know, and I'm like, no, that's, that's

Raymond Hatfield: 28:04

Yeah, there's a fine line between like giving them some, confidence and freaking them out from going all crazy. Yeah, that's totally. But when we get

Terri Baskin: 28:13

the shot, we do celebrate, I do celebrate getting the shot. So

Raymond Hatfield: 28:16

yeah,

Terri Baskin: 28:17

but not

Raymond Hatfield: 28:18

through the photo, but not

Terri Baskin: 28:19

through. Yeah.

Raymond Hatfield: 28:21

I did that once because I have this couple who I felt just needed to break out of their shell just a little bit. Uh huh. If I go heavy on the confidence, they're gonna feel real good about themselves And that's what I did and unfortunately, after the fact, they really weren't fans of the photos. They thought that they wanted more, yeah, they wanted more like mostly camera aware photos where they were looking at the camera and I wanted more connection between the two. Ultimately, like that's on me. I should have talked to them about that and figure that out. But for me to be like, yes, you guys are doing so good. This is wonderful. This looks beautiful. And then for them to get the photos and have that feeling, I thought, Oh, there's a big disconnect there. Yeah. And maybe I shouldn't have had that much confidence going into it. And just let them explore it and figure it out on their own. Does that make sense? Well,

Terri Baskin: 29:07

no, I think you were right with the level of confidence. I think a lot of times that's when I'm mentoring photographers, that's kind of one of the things that I see that's lacking somewhat, or could use a little boost is the confidence. And so I've had that exact same situation that you've had before. And, and I'm like, Oh man, like this session was awesome. Like I did it and they were kind of like, uh, we want it more. And so that was just a learning lesson. I think a lot of times when you're looking back at your photos or you're interacting with your clients, I'm thinking to myself, like, okay, what could I have done differently? And, make the adjustments from there for the next time. So yeah, one of the things I do ask is, what things are important to them for the photos. I asked them things like, what do you have like a favorite side? Some ladies have like a favorite side based on maybe how they wear their hair or things like that. And so I try and know as much as I can before we start. So that once we get into it, they feel comfortable and then they like the end result. But yeah, it's just a learning experience. I think maybe most of us have been there. If not all of us,

Raymond Hatfield: 30:53

I man, I would hope that everybody's been there because honestly, I feel like that's one of the biggest teachers, and that is going to build that confidence of knowing like, once you start asking those questions and learning from your couples of exactly what they want, then that lets you know that you're on the right path when you're actually shooting, which I guess, kind of brings me to my next question, which is that the engagement sessions of the magnitude that you're shooting them are probably not just going to end up on Instagram and Facebook. What are your couples doing with these photos aside from posting them online?

Terri Baskin: 31:22

So the couples are so creative now. They use the photos a lot for say the date announcement. So to send out to their guests, and I'll tell them if they are planning to use their photos for the same, the date use, uh, the location and the attire and those things to set the tone for the guests so they can kind of know what type of wedding you all are planning. So I have some couples that do really like elaborate, formal weddings. And so I asked them to kind of pick an outfit that kind of speaks to the style of their wedding. They use them for the wedding websites now. I've had some couples that actually use them in the invitation. They'll use the photos in the invitation. And then I've even had couples that use the photos from the engagement session, for the thank you card. So a lot of times they'll pick a photo from the wedding day for the thank you card, but I've also gotten thank you cards that has one of the engagement photos on it.

Raymond Hatfield: 32:17

Okay.

Terri Baskin: 32:17

And, and I've even had, sorry, there's more. Wait, but wait, there's more. I had one couple that had a wedding and their reception was set up like an art gallery. So they had, big blown up framed photos from their engagement session on like these walls, like around the reception. I was blown away. Mine was blown. Like when I walked in, I was like, wait, then I was like, there's my photo. I took that photo. Uh, but yeah, they do all types of productions with the photos and I love it. I don't think it's too much. It's not everybody's. Um, I love that I have such a diverse group of clients that some of them are more minimalistic and then some of them are over the top. It works.

Raymond Hatfield: 33:01

Is that something that you asked them beforehand? Like what they plan on doing with the photos? And if so, does that change the type of images that you're gonna, capture?

Terri Baskin: 33:10

Well, yeah, so I do ask them what they're doing with the photos. So specifically for composition reasons. Recently I had an engagement session where the couple is using the photo on the save the date, so they're doing these velvet, like booklets, the full booklets. And so one side of the booklet is the invitation and the other side is the photo of them. So I knew from there when they showed me the photo, it was going to be a vertical five by seven. So I knew they needed few nice vertical photos of them camera aware to choose from for that particular thing. But yeah, so blown up. Oh yeah. I'll usually ask them, but my goal is to give them enough variety that no matter, uh, what they have something to choose from no matter how they're going to use it Yeah

Raymond Hatfield: 34:01

That's something that I struggled with for a long time. In the beginning when I first got started. I made my job so hard on myself because I would take a couple and I would find some good light and I'd put them there and I'd find like one pose. I'd take the photo and be like, great. Now we have to go somewhere else. We have to find another spot because I've already taken this photo. Like you can't share multiple photos of this set up. So then we'd have to go find another spot. And that was just so mentally draining. But yeah, so now obviously I sit in a spot. I kind of move myself around, you know, we live and learn. but yeah, still doing different orientations, doing different distances away from the couple. That's something that I always need to work on. It's a difficult thing. But speaking of kind of those mistakes, I guess, those learning things, I know that you work with a lot of photographers as well, help them grow their skills. And I want to know, like, when you look at another photographer's work or, somebody who's relatively new in a wedding and engagement photography in terms of. images, where do you think the gap is to get to say where you are? Is it in their posing? Is it in composition? Is it in their lighting? Is it something else?

Terri Baskin: 35:07

O h gosh. It could be within all of those. And I, first of all, let me say, I still have a level that I'm trying to get to. So I'm not perfect. But when I am mentoring newer photographers, In terms of like creating consistency sometimes it's the lighting. Because again, like they're not aware that they can help control when they take the photos. So the lighting sometimes it's the editing. was mentoring a photographer recently who said they edit based on how they feel that day. And so the edits when I looked through their portfolio were all different. And so, my question was like, well, how does your client know which edit, like which version of you they're going to get. So again, the editing consistency, sometimes it's posing when people just don't look engaged with one another, they just don't look like they like each other. Sometimes that's pretty important. to look like you like each other. Even if you want to look fierce, uh, as people say, still look like there's the connection. So I think it just depends. I think understanding, what angles look best for some people and some people will know their angles, not everyone, but just kind of knowing some of those things to help them look more flattering on camera, sometimes I noticed that too.

Raymond Hatfield: 36:21

You said in the beginning, there's still a level that you want to reach that you're not there yet. Where's that gap for you? What do you need to work on to get there?

Terri Baskin: 36:31

So my style, I like clean, romantic, fun images. If they're not being, intimate or romantic, and that doesn't, always been kissing for me. It just means having a moment where you can look at the photo and feel like, oh, these two really enjoy each other or see their connection. I'm trying to create that, but then also I'm trying to get them to have fun. Like some of my favorite photos are when the couple is just being carefree and having fun in front of my camera. And then we just capture that moment of like wow, this is it. But the level that I'm trying to get to, gosh, I aspire to just get more editorial in my work. I feel like that looks a little bit different than what I do now. So I don't know that I want to change my style completely, but just a little bit more editorial, still taking those locations that we're in and then making those mean something to the couple is still my goal, but just elevating that way.

Raymond Hatfield: 37:26

I got a question about, marketing now. We're gonna get to that question here. And that is, when it comes to the marketing side of things, I want to know cause I struggle with this when I go to market for weddings, I think to myself, I'm going to post wedding photos. I want people to get excited about their wedding. Obviously that's what it is that they're going to pay for. But I've had a series of brides come forward and be like, it was actually your engagement photos that got us most excited because that part was closest to where we are in the wedding planning process, I suppose. So I want to know, for you, when you go to market yourself, the material, the things on social media, the things that you say, is it more focused on the wedding day itself, like the longterm, or is it more focused on the engagement session and how that's going to build that connection or show off that connection between the couple?

Terri Baskin: 38:14

Yeah. Oh, wow. That's interesting. That's a good question. So I am about half and half. So if you're looking at my work, you're probably going to see a variety. You're going to see engagement sessions, weddings. I tend to bounce back and forth. So it's not too heavy on one side or the other. But mostly I'm looking for people to see like a connection that I have with my couples. So what I do is while I'm showing their photos, I'm also talking about things that they said after their session. I'm sharing their testimonials. I call it client love. I'm sharing what they said about working with me is my approach to marketing because it's coming from them, not necessarily from me. So I want them to see the photos, the end results, but I also want future couples to see the connection that I have in the passion that I have for what I do, the interest that I have in getting to know them. I do get some couples that only hire me for engagement photos or only hire me for the wedding but I love it when couples do both their engagement photos and their wedding photos with me because that just makes our connection stronger. The engagement session is where we get to know each other. The wedding day is kind of where we just continue that relationship and they're already comfortable with me. But yeah marketing wise if anything, it's whatever shows the connection that I had with my clients, but then also, the best work that I had when making that connection. If that makes sense. I don't know. Did that answer your question?

Raymond Hatfield: 39:36

It does. Yeah, absolutely. And I think really what it comes down to, and I think my question was just, it was just a poorly phrased question, you know, like, Oh, do you show wedding photos or engagement? of course you're going to show both. But I think really what it comes down to and what you said there is look, a lot of this in this world of Wedding and engagement photos, they have to have a connection with me because that's how I'm going to produce the best work for them. And it's a connection that we all build together. We're working as a team to create, to be able to capture those memories that they're gonna have to have forever in a fun and artistic way I guess right like these are post photos. They're gonna want to print those photos. So I appreciate that. Now, let me not switch gears, but let me go a little bit deeper. This will be my last question here for you because I know that we're coming to the end of our time. When it comes to sales and getting people to contact you. What is one of the best things that you have done to get those inquiries coming in?

Terri Baskin: 40:28

One of the best things that I've done is just build the relationship. Just building a relationship with my couple so that they're talking about me to their friends and family. And now that I'm showing like more of the behind the scenes, I'm realizing people would love to see the process. They love to see the fun, but then it's like, Oh, wow. They still have fun and they still were able to get these photos too. So, behind the scenes. But as far as, my approach to any client relationship is one, I'm excited that they hired me and I want them to make sure they understand that I appreciate them hiring me. Well, I try and approach it as if it's exciting for me, because this is their special day, their special moment, if it's the engagement photos, this is their, how they're going to announce. Obviously, like they've probably already done it, but how they're going to formally announce through photos that they're engaged, and that's exciting for me, because this is their one big thing that they're doing, in relationship to like the grand scheme of things, this is one part of their journey, and so I want to be excited about their part of the journey. And so that's how I approach when I'm meeting them for the engagement session, I want to get them ready. I want them to feel prepared. I want to prepare them as much as much as possible by showing them locations, showing them guides, reviewing their outfits to make sure I'm pre planning their session properly. So that's as far as building their connection. And then on a wedding day, I know we're talking about engagement sessions, but if there are photographers that are thinking of new ways to approach a wedding day, I smile at everybody. I try and speak to everybody. I'm not even a very extroverted person but I have to be on wedding days. And so I want everyone to feel like, oh, wow, she cares about what she does. And so that could just be taking a photo of a couple that's dressed nicely, for them to have later. It'll go in the couple's gallery, cause I do online galleries. so to go in the couple's gallery and they just have a good representation of everybody that's at their wedding. Just being nice to everybody. And a lot of times when couples see how I treat their guests, that also makes them speak highly of me. And so nothing's a gimmick. it's just been my approach. It's just what I think is authentic to who I am as a person and how I would want someone to treat me or my family or my friends, if they were working with me.

Raymond Hatfield: 42:46

I don't know how to end it any better than that building connections is cheaper than Facebook ads. That is for sure.

Terri Baskin: 42:52

It is. It is absolutely.

Raymond Hatfield: 42:54

Oh, man. Terry, I feel like, we could have 10 more podcasts. I would love to talk more about your whole process because I think that it is so human, which I think, you know, in today's, uh, you know, world of online education, that can get kind of lost, especially in photography, where it's a pretty mathematical, technical skill to learn. And you brought a lot of that human element back to that. So I appreciate that. And I really enjoyed this episode with you. I like, I like talking with you, before I let you go. Of course, before I let you go, I know that there's going to be listeners who are going to check out the show notes, see some of your work, but if they want to dive deeper into that, where can they find you online?

Terri Baskin: 43:28

Oh, sure. So, my website is terribaskin. com and my Instagram is where I spend a lot of my time and where you can see the behind the scenes is at terribaskin. So that's T E R R I B A S K I N.

Raymond Hatfield: 43:44

Alright, let's go ahead and recap what we have learned today. First, you have to plan meticulously if you really want a unique session. You know, thorough planning, including location choice, outfit coordination, theme integration to create a memorable photo session is a must. So talk to your clients about what theme maybe they're going for or if they have any specific ideas in mind. Next, It's kind of your job to coordinate all the logistical details like well in advance, including travel plans, schedules, outfits, of course, and your camera gear, to ensure for a smooth and stress free shoot. Next connect and engage with your clients, build strong relationships with your clients by getting to know your couples intimately. Find out what makes them tick because that's going to help you in capturing their personalities and styles authentically in each photo. So create a list of things that you would like to know about each client that might help you during a shoot and then write them down. I love to know small things like, do you like sweet or salty snacks? Do you like beer or wine? What's your favorite date night activity or restaurant? Now, not only do we have something to connect with, but I also have all of the info on how to spoil them when they recommend one of their friends to me in the future. And lastly, utilize strategic posing techniques. What does that mean? You got to strike the right balance between, giving direction and spontaneity, to avoid these like stiff pose looks, if you want your photos to be genuine and show off that connection and emotion, try to use gentle prompts like, you know, in your sexiest voice, whisper in their ear, what is your favorite veggie, and actions like, walk towards me, but keep those hips glued together when you're walking. That's going to introduce something new and exciting and just silly and it's gonna make them, authentically interact with each other. And that'll help you to direct these couples into more natural looking poses for their images. Lots of great stuff to take from this one. So that is it for today. Until next week, remember, the more that you shoot today, the better of a photographer you will be tomorrow. Talk soon!