I’ve seen SO many sessions shot at this beautiful location and I’ve always wanted a chance to photograph a beautiful couple here. Coleman and Sarah, thanks for making my dreams come true at the Virginia House! It just so happens that right when I was shooting this session, I was in the middle of launching our brand new KJ Composition Course. Naturally, my composition radar was on high alert and this setting DID NOT disappoint!!! I can’t wait for you to scroll through the goodness of this session! Another reason I loved this shoot was because Coleman and Sarah are dear friends. Michael was thei ..read more

But one aspect that truly sets the great images apart is the art of composition. In this blog, I’ll take you behind the scenes of a recent family shoot and share the techniques I used to create a truly captivating image. Embracing the Unexpected When I arrived at the location for this family session, I had a clear vision in mind. I knew the specific poses I wanted to capture and the overall aesthetic I was aiming for. However, as any experienced photographer will tell you, the best-laid plans often go awry when working with young children. Within minutes of starting the shoot, it became clear ..read more

However, I’ve learned that even the most seemingly boring locations can be transformed into captivating images with the right approach to composition. Embracing the Challenge When faced with a dull or uninteresting location, it’s natural to feel discouraged. We may be tempted to search for a more visually appealing setting or to simply give up on the shoot altogether. But I’ve found that embracing the challenge can be incredibly rewarding. By pushing ourselves to find the beauty and potential in even the most mundane surroundings, we can develop our skills as photographers and create truly uni ..read more

While we strive to capture the perfect shot in-camera, the reality of a wedding day often presents us with less-than-ideal conditions that require some post-processing magic. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the top 5 editing nightmares I’ve faced and share my proven strategies for overcoming them. Nightmare #1: Distracting Ceilings One of the most common issues I encounter is dealing with distracting ceilings, whether it’s an unsightly pattern, a vibrant color, or a stark contrast against the bride and groom. While we may not have control over the venue’s decor, there are a few tricks ..read more

Thankfully, waiting for the glow worked and we had the most AMAZING light for their Pharsalia Farm family portrait session! I photographed Lance and Colleen’s wedding *almost* a decade ago! WILD! And now they have 7 and 4 year old boys who remind me so much of our own. It was so wonderful to see old friends and get to capture this season of their lives. It really feels like I just shot their wedding 3-4 years ago. I’m not sure how time has flown by so quickly. I left their session with a card full of epic portraits and a full heart. I’m so grateful for KJ Couples who allow me to capture their ..read more

As a professional wedding photographer with over 15 years of experience, I’ve learned a thing or two about getting the most out of Lightroom. While some of these tips may seem obvious to seasoned editors, I guarantee at least one of them will be helpful and could transform your post-processing workflow! From fine-tuning your profile settings to mastering color grading, these Lightroom hacks are sure to take your images to the next level.   Start with a Clean Slate When it comes to editing in Lightroom, the profile settings you choose can make a significant impact on your final results. Ma ..read more

As a wedding photographer, capturing the ceremony can sometimes feel like a challenge, with the couple simply standing at the front and the scene looking the same throughout. However, by having five go-to shots in mind, you can create a more creative and visually interesting gallery for your clients!   The Wide Shot The first shot is the wide shot, which allows you to be more creative and capture the full picture of the ceremony. When taking the wide shot, aim to shoot around 28mm, which allows you to see the composition in a different way. Compose the image so that the couple is in the l ..read more

The good news is that we have finally found a solution that we believe can help you bring more life and vibrancy to your R6 images. The Problem Many R6 users have complained of their raw files appearing flat and lackluster when imported into Lightroom. This is because Lightroom applies the Adobe Standard profile by default, which tends to strip away the vibrancy and pop that you see on the back of your camera.. this is the main problem in why you might be seeing flat R6 images. The Solution To solve this issue, we need to change the raw defaults in Lightroom preferences. Here’s how: Go to Lig ..read more

Many people believe that shooting in manual mode requires managing multiple variables simultaneously, such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. However, I am here to tell you that shooting in manual mode doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can be simplified to make the process more manageable. Simplifying Manual Shooting To demonstrate how manual mode can be simplified, I’m giving you a FREE look at one of the 34 lessons in the KJ Starter Course. This course will help you gain the necessary control to become an amazing professional photographer without feeling overwhelmed!   One V ..read more

    Kelly has been a professional photographer for 13 years. What’s interesting is that for most of those years, she wasn’t involved in any photography networking groups or talking to other photographers. She was just doing her own thing, unaware that what she was doing was considered controversial in the industry! She doesn’t have an associate team, she doesn’t outsource her editing, she is doing it all!! But HOW?! And WHY?! But Kelly’s success wasn’t overnight. She started shooting weddings in 2012, and in her first year, she photographed two weddings. In 2016, Kelly decided to ge ..read more