Why Hire A Professional Photographer?
There are several reasons why someone might hire a professional photographer, including:
Quality: Professional photographers have the skills, equipment, and experience to take high-quality photos that capture important moments and memories.
Creativity: Professional photographers have the ability to create unique and artistic images that stand out from snapshots taken by amateur photographers.
Time-saving: Hiring a professional photographer saves time and effort as it eliminates the need for setting up, composing, and taking the photo.
Memory preservation: A professional photographer can help preserve memories that would otherwise be lost, such as the special moments from a wedding or the growth of a child through a portrait session.
Branding: Professional photographers are hired for commercial photography, for product branding, catalogs, websites, brochures and other marketing materials.
Hiring a professional photographer isn’t about the money spent…
It’s about having a passionate artist capturing and documenting your special moments of life.
I Love, Love!
For the past 3 years, I have been photographing weddings. Having the opportunity to be a part of a couples life story is such an honor and a responsibility I take extremely personally.
One of the things that always brings me joy is the progression of my couples from “we are so shy and awkward” to absolute model couples in a matter of minutes. Very few people are in front of a professional photographer on a daily basis so making them feel comfortable in front of the camera is a huge step in the right direction. The best part of our time together is that I don’t want my couples to feel like I am a vendor but rather a part of the wedding party. My number one thing for achieving this is giving my couples direction for their images and assuring them that who they are is who I want to capture. On a wedding day, it’s about the moments between the couple and the story of the day that are most important and my goal is to tell the best story possible!
~Daryl
Stay Up To Date!
In the everyday hustle and bustle, something is bound to slip the mind. Do I have milk at home? When is the oil in the car due to be changed? Did I give my kid lunch money this morning? It happens! But one of the most common things that we overlook in the professional world is our digital handshake. Our headshot!
A headshot is just as important as anything else in the professional world. It’s the one thing that speaks for you long before someone has a chance to meet you and can convey so much. Are your approachable? Are you confident? Likable? So much can be said with this critical business tool yet we forget that as we grow and change our headshot needs to do the same.
One thing I’ve always prided myself on in my headshot sessions is that we have fun! It’s absolutely essential. Your headshot has to present you as you are outside of my studio or in front of my camera. Simply put, we can’t fake this! But how do we achieve this? How do we get the most authentic you into the image? Conversation.
Most people don’t take a headshot regularly enough to feel 100 percent comfortable in front of the camera during their session. So what’s the secret Daryl? Well, we remove the camera. Not physically of course. The goal is to make it the smallest thing in the room. And how do we do that? Right back to conversation. A good conversation is way that people connect, how they open up and are themselves. It’s a base at all my sessions that we start with conversation before you step in front of my camera. A genuine connection puts you at ease and also helps me know how I can bring out the best in you. Love dad joke? I’ll find out and have a whole book full of them! Love living in Chicago? Let’s talk about it. There are many points of connection in conversation and it’s honestly the core piece of the client experience…and the secret sauce!
Family Matters!
As the weather cools and the leave change, one thing is for certain…family matters!
It’s around this time of year that we photographers see our fair share of family session. There is no better time with the autumn colors and upcoming family traditions to capture the moment and joy of family.
My favorite thing about this time, is seeing the love that my clients have for each other. In every laugh, hug, kiss and exchange it’s so amazing to document these moments for them. My greatest joy is when they send me the Christmas cards and photos of these moments proudly displayed around their homes.
This time of year is a great time to take a step back and admire how far we have come. It’s also a great time to look to the amazing things we plan to do. Documenting these special memories is priceless and the time spent creating and sharing these memories can’t be overstated!
Always remember…family matters!
In Front Of The Lens
As a photographer, I direct my clients in whatever way is necessary to get the best image(s) possible. Over the years, I have picked up so many techniques and skill to make this happen. But the question I was wondering was, “Can I follow my own directions?”
One thing that is extremely tough for any photographer is to step in front of the camera. It is a test of all that you know how to do and now you have to make it happen!
I’ve always loved the self portrait genre in photography and I have found my self taking my own portrait more and more. The pandemic forced a lot of us creatives to try and do something different. That thing for me was self portrait photography. It’s made me think more about my work and reflect on how I can continue to improve.
What is it for you that pushes you? What challenges you to continue to grow?
Child Photography...Why I Do It.
Not everyone photographs children. Here’s why I do.
Isaiah / 2021
When I started my journey into photography, families and kids were where I started. For me, it was the love of capturing the emotion and love of families and the joy of children. Photographing the step in the journey of life was my mission. The hope was that my children would have something to look back on and remember the important memories. And even better yet, have something to show their children and to tell them the story behind the images.
My mission is to bring the same energy into every client session I photograph. One of my favorite to photograph is children’s portraiture. Allowing the child to be the center of image is what I love to capture. Their innocence, personality and character are always on full display! Mostly, I love to see the parents reactions to the images as they immediately connect to them. Their expression of knowing exactly who their children are in a single image makes it all worthwhile.
Trevor / 2021
Photography with Purpose - Michael Airhart & Taste For The Homeless
Michael Airhart & Taste for the Homeless / 2021
Photography should always serve a purpose. And when you are blessed to find that purpose, it is truly inspiring.
Earlier this year, I had the amazing opportunity to photograph an amazing portrait session with Michael Airhart of Taste for the Homeless and Social Works. In late 2020, Michael invited me out to document his Taste for the Homeless mission in Uptown Chicago. I wasn’t sure what to expect but after photographing the session I can honestly say that I was blessed on many levels to see and document the pure love that Michael and his group have for the homeless community of Chicago. During our time, I witnessed someone who from his heart gave to those who were in need the most basic human necessities and treated them with dignity.
When Michael reached out and wanted to photograph his new product line, I was honored to have the opportunity! It was an amazing session and we created so great images for his mission.
Having the chance to photography passion and purpose is so special. Being able to freeze the amazing moments in time is something I cherish.
More Than A Photograph
Isaiah | 2021
One thing that I love about photography is the ability to freeze time. A great image is a mile marker in life. It can be looked back on and seen as a celebration of a moment or an opportunity to enjoy the journey of life.
This image is so special to me because it is my amazing son, Isaiah. Isaiah is full of personality! He loves living life to the fullest and there is never a dull moment with this guy. Even through quarantine he has found so many ways to find the joy in an otherwise boring situation. The number of forts we have built and dinosaur adventures we have gone on are endless.
We took this headshot because he is wanted to possibly get into modeling. He was so excited to get in front of the camera! I asked him to show me his personality so that the people we were sending the images to would know all about him. And what can I say, he absolutely nailed it!
Smile More!
Tatsu / 2020
One thing that everyone can do more of these days is smile! A smile is a great expression of joy but it’s also a workout for your facial muscles too. The importance of smiling can never be understated. It’s essential to our mental health and well being.
In this image, I was so captured by the expression of joy on Tatsu’s face that it naturally made me smile when I was reviewing it. This shot was taken between two other posed frames when both Tatsu and I realized we were capturing some truly great images.
I always enjoy working with Tatsu because she has so many different looks and her emotions are always real and raw! I almost never have to coach her to give me something genuine because she is always genuine and flawlessly moves through a shoot.
So take a moment today and find a memory that means so much to you that you can’t help but smile!
For The Love of Portraiture
Madison Evans / 2020
Since I first started photographing images when I was young, I’ve always loved portraits. There has always been a fascination with telling the story of a person. Revealing the complex nature of the subject in one shot has been my drive in portrait photography. In 2020, I made a more conscious effort to take photos that told a story, sparked a question, or conveyed the emotion of my subject at that given time.
This image of Madison quickly became one of my favorite photos of 2020. A year that would be marked by pandemic, tragedy, and isolation. Our session came together out of chance and I really wanted to make the most of the opportunity.
Our inspiration was music and the attitude that it brings to the surface. Capturing the raw emotion in a portrait is always the goal in any shoot I do. Whether it’s a wedding, portraits, or families; I’m always looking for the moments that happen in between that help to tell the story.
The main reason I love this portrait is the expression on Madison’s face. I asked her to sum up 2020 in one facial expression and I feel like she gave me two. On one side, she plays to the shock of how 2020 just kept outdoing itself. And on the other, she played more into the tired and frustrated feeling that many of us felt this year. In all, a full gambit of emotions can be taken from this image and that is why I love this shot so much.