An Aside: Clients allergic to my studio!

Image credit: thecatzine.com

I never expected anything like this: Both of my clients on Saturday had allergic reactions to what I can only guess are my dogs and cat! My studio is in my basement, and while my pets aren't allowed down there, poor Mike and especially young Tyler were coughing, sneezing and having trouble breathing by the second hour into the shoot. I felt so bad, and I had no idea what to do.

Because of my own allergies and recently diagnosed asthma, I vacuum nearly every day during my pets shedding season, and I keep my medicine cabinet stocked with Claritin and Advair. Tyler was doing much better after a quick puff on his Advair, but I ended up cutting Mike's time in studio down before he had a full blown attack.

Thank goodness the last part of their shoot is scheduled to be outdoors on location. It boggles my mind that after two years of shooting in studio in my home, this is the first time I've ever had this situation happen. From now on, I will have to make it a normal part of my consultation to find out if potential clients may be allergic to my pets, because it definitely puts a terrible damper on their photo session experience. If you have pets, knowing how your clients will react to their dander is an important thing to consider! My client's mother is pleased with the shots, but that situation could have gone south very quickly! Pet owners, plan ahead!

Get Connected: Home Studio Session

Last night I had several photography friends over for a shoot in my home studio. Unfortunately, our model didn't show. But that didn't stop Christine Tydingco, Sean Donnelly, and Jeffrey Bennett. Instead, we all used each other as models as we experimented with different lighting techniques, trying to duplicate set-ups we read in the book, "Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers." I love this book because it shows diagrams for setting up your lights to achieve affects such as broad, butterfly and high key portrait lighting. It was fun spending time and learning with other photographers in such a cozy setting.

Without the pressure of performance or trying to satisfy a client, I felt freer to experiment. It was OK to make a mistake or try something new even if it didn't work. Photographers, especially those aspiring professionals, semi- and pro photogs, should take the time to shoot for themselves and tap into that spirit of excitement that got us on this path to begin with. I had been wanting to play around with long exposures and lighting with a single candle, and last night was my shot to try it out.