kelseyleephoto

Comment “Course” to get on the waitlist for the Scrim Lighting Course! I shoot with a scrim 90% of the time because it’s the easiest way to control the look of studio lighting to look natural/ soft or hard/ graphic. SHOOT THROUGH: Lighting through a scrim creates a shadow that you can either soften or harden based on the distance of the light from it. You are essentially making your own softbox but with the freedom to determine: - Softness / hardness - Length of the shadow - Wrap (allowing you to pull more light forward or back in the scene) BOUNCE INTO: I typically like to bounce from below the scrim when I want to fill the shadows from my main light. Be careful though, this can sometimes cause a double shadow if the power is too high or it is too close to the scrim. Also, the scrim doesn’t have to be from above, sometimes I have it from the side of my subject or even behind me as I’m shooting.

I felt stuck shooting weddings and portrait work (seniors, engagements, family) long after I knew that I needed to move on. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my clients immensely on a personal level but the repetitive nature of these shoots felt like I was having déjà vu. I wanted to have a piece in the CREATION process, not just the CAPTURE process. I knew I wanted to do commercial photography but I only knew how to shoot in natural lighting. Flash forward 5 years and I shoot all of my work with studio lighting that I feel confident on set setting up and shaping it to fit the look I want. I get to work with a collaborative team who all specialize in their own roles and want to spend time making the best image possible. If you shoot wedding / portrait work and feel burnt out, know you are NOT stuck! If anything, look how well equipped you are! You know client relationships, camera settings with your eyes closed, making systems, profit/ loss, editing, etc, etc! But here’s my encouragement to you, there are ways to start moving out of something that’s not serving you anymore. This is not your glass ceiling! If you want to shoot commercial photography, let me help you get there from someone who knows the roadblocks along the way. I’m in your corner, friend! I’m creating a Scrim Lighting Course filled with set up’s that I use on paid client shoot! I’d love to show you how you can too! ✨ Comment “Course” to be updated when it goes live! 💌 #scrimlighting #commercialphotography #studiolighting #strobe #scrim #lightingcourse

My career took off after learning studio lighting with a scrim because I was finally able to capture the images I had in my head and build an elevated portfolio. Commercial clients immediately started noticing my work and reaching out to work with me. I was able to stop booking weddings and portrait clients 5 years ago which at the time I never thought would have been possible. Now all I shoot is commercial photography and out of the 93 shoots I booked last year, 80 of them I shot with a scrim! Why? Because it’s the most versatile and easy-to-perfect lighting modifier I’ve used! Want to learn how you can use a scrims to build confidence and land big commercial photo shoots? Comment “Course” to be added to the waitlist.

What’s cuter than an animal dressed up for Halloween? 🥰🎃 Client: @target Production: @treehouse_mpls @lynnyounglove Creative: @gretagillen @imdlynn @samantha.d.chew Digitech & Retouching: @derekahlbergdigital Stylist: @paulabjerketvedt @elliehaggenmiller Photo Assistant: Brent Larson Animal Wrangler: Barbara O’Brien #Petshoot #doghalloweencostume #petcostume

Halloween shoots with Target are always a treat! See what I did there? 😉🍬🎃 I loved lighting and shooting these sets alongside this team! Creative: @kelsykorm @lucywinterlu @arayajensencreative @raeannanders Production: @treehouse_mpls @lynnyounglove @laiddownthelaw @michelleallenmn Digitech: @notnotbryce Assistants: @aservais4 @birdtownboardcraft Prop Stylist: @tonyvoodoo @schaffernicholas @tiffany_loves_monty Wardrobe Stylist: @annmarshik Hair/ Makeup: @fatimaolivebeauty @angeliamakeup Child Encourager: Brian Page Food Stylist: @taylorsmithinc Seamstress: @carolebrunscouture

👇🏻 Your email list is such a valuable asset! So where do you start? 📍 1) Open up a google doc and write down EVERY business contact you already have with their name, job title, email, and website. 2) Create a second google doc for companies and clients you want to work for but haven’t yet. With this list, you will make an email introduction FIRST and then add them to your newsletter. 3) Organize recent work you are proud of and want to share. 4) Use an email provider to create a layout design. I use @flodesk because I love how easy it is to use and organize my contacts. NOTE: Use as many images / links that direct to your website building more traffic that triggers SEO in your favor. 5) Send out your email quarter with commissioned work, updates, and personal work! ☑️ Save this for later when you are building your next (or first) newsletter!

“What’s your 📸 day rate?” 😬🚫🙈 This question traps a lot of photosphere into being underpaid for projects, all the while overworking in areas they should have outsourced. This could all be avoided by clearly communicating with a potential client that you need more information to create a custom estimate for them on the front end. As an example, a building contractor would NEVER agree to a price without first understanding if you want a tiny home or a 10 bedroom mansion! Let alone all of the small details within that home. That’s why it’s so important to get all of your questions answered upfront. You will either be under or overbidding a project, causing you to resent yourself for a low rate or loose the project entirely. 👇🏻 Before sending an estimate I always… - Research the company. What do they do or sell? How big of a company are they? Who is my point of contact and what is their role? - Outline a list or questions that help me fully understand the project. This is generally between 20-30 questions. - Set up a follow up phone call to go over their responses to my questions. Get into the nitty-gritty and answer any questions they have. - Lastly, send a line item estimate that outlines everyone’s rate, rentals, expenses, and deliverables. Save for later 👉🏻 What other questions do you like to ask new clients? Leave a comment to help the community. We all win together. 💪🏻

👇🏻What is a scrim and is it right for you? Scrims are a translucent piece of fabric that diffuses lighting. It can be used in small product sets or large model shoots. My scrim course is perfect for you if… 1️⃣ You want a step by step proven framework to effortless and high end lighting 2️⃣ You wish there was a light modifier that could create multiple looks with less equipment 3️⃣ You are sick of using the same lighting setup for every shoot 4️⃣ You are a visual learner that wants video walkthroughs to master a skill 5️⃣You feel stuck in the rut of “Why doesn’t my work look like that?” Comment “SCRIM” to get on the waitlist with $50 off when it launches in September!

👇🏻 Here’s how I transitioned from weddings to commercial photography. 1️⃣ I took on less weddings every year to transition into commercial work without letting go of all of my current income. 2️⃣ I built a separate website so that commercial clients didn’t associate me as a wedding photographer. 4️⃣ I learned studio lighting. I noticed high end commercial photographers were using a Scrim to light their photos because it was the most elevated and percise tool to light with. It gave me the confidence to shoot any lighting look that I envision in my head! 🙌🏻 5️⃣ I did test shoot with scrim lighting! 📸 Within a couple months, my portfolio skyrocketed from looking like cheap studio lighting to high end jobs! I was amazed at how quickly potential clients started to notice too! 🙏🏻 6️⃣ I researched companies on Google and LinkedIn to find their emails to share my work with them along with quarterly newsletters. 7️⃣ I was able to completely stop shooting weddings and 2x what I was making before! 🎉 All while working 5-7 weekdays a month, giving me back my family time and creativity! If you’d like to learn how to learn scrim lighting to transition from weddings into commercial jobs, I’m working on a deep-dive resource created just for you! The Scrim Lighting Course will be your complete guide with video modules showing you the exact lighting set ups I use on every photo shoot including: 👉🏻 What scrim is right for you + set up 👉🏻 The fundamentals of scrim lighting 👉🏻 Multiple step by step lighting set ups 👉🏻 How to manipulate your shadows 👉🏻 How to use 1, 2, 3 lights Scrim lighting allowed me to change my whole career and shoot for brands I love! You can do it too, my friend! Comment “Course” and I’ll send you a DM!

“Nothing can replicate natural light” This is a MYTH! ❌👎🏻🙅🏼‍♀️ Photographers often think this way because they have used soft boxes or umbrellas, so it makes complete scene! I used to think this way too! Those modifiers create ISOLATED and DIRECTIONAL light that, although can be pretty when “feathered”, is a very limited lighting tool. Let’s break this down 👇🏻 These modifiers are not moldable because the light is being determined by these 3 factors: 1. Size of the modifier 2. Distance from the bulb to the diffusion (that you can’t change) 3. If the inside is white or silver (sometimes creating double shadows) The ONLY control you have when using these modifiers is the distance you place it away from your subject. That’s it! How limiting is that!? Scrim lighting on the other hand, YOU are in complete control of all of these factors. 1. You can make your light source as big or as small as you want 2. You can move your light closer or farther away to make it softer or harder from the scrim 3. You can bounce the light or make it super directional Essentially, you are building a CUSTOM soft box to the exact specifications you want your photos to achieve the look you want for your photos! Softboxes and umbrellas just simply cannot do that. I use a scrim on a minimum of 80 shoots per year including clients like People Magazine, Crocs, Target, Ulta Beauty, and Fabletics. Why? Because it allows me to create the look of light I desire every time! Want to learn more about scrim lighting? Comment “COURSE” to be added to the waitlist for my scrim lighting course launching in September!

Your relationships truly are the lifeblood of your photography business! But what if you have great work but no connections? Trust me, I’ve been there. When I transitioned from wedding / portrait photography to commercial work, I had no idea who I should be connecting with in the first place. So who is hiring for big photography jobs within companies or agencies and what do they do? 1) Art Directors focus on the visual execution and design elements of a project. Often times concepting the creative vision for a photoshoot in its entirety, making them personally invested in finding the right photographer for the project. Note: This is also who you would be working alongside on set and receiving feedback from. It’s important that you assist them in their vision and work together for the best end result on a photoshoot. 2. Creative Directors oversee the entire creative process. This encompasses not only the visual elements but also the strategic execution of a project. They oversee the project as a whole and work with their team (art directors, designers, copywriters, marketers) to execute the same goal. 3. Producers play a crucial role in coordinating and organizing logistics of a photoshoot. This includes pulling in a team, budget management, client communication, scheduling, outlining a shot list, and last but not least - problem solving. (They really are the best!) Note: Producers can be in-house with a company/ agency or hired by the company/ agency as a vender. If you’d like me to make a reel on how to find and make these connections, comment “😎” and I’ll share the process if enough people ask for it. Have questions? Let me know. I want to be a resource, friend!

Comment “Course” below to get $50 off when you join the early bird waitlist. The 5 modules course will cover: - What Scrim is right for you - Equipment needed & set up - How to fully control the look of hard to soft shadows - How to light above, behind, in front, and from the side of your subject/ product - How to create that “natural” light look - My go-to lighting set ups when I have 1, 2, or 3 lights available - How to use a scrim in small spaces This course is perfect for photographers who: - Feel like their lighting looks flashy - Are stuck using the same lighting every shoot - Want full control with the look of their lighting and how to manipulate it without stress I am such a big advocate of scrim lighting because you do have FULL control without the hurdles most photographers experience with a soft box or umbrella. These modifiers have a specific look they produce that often looks flashy or dated. Not to mention feels constraining to work with. Once I studied and practiced scrim lighting, I found that it was MUCH more intuitive than other modifiers and allowed me to elevate the look of my photos and overall portfolio! I am so excited to break everything down for you in my course launching late September. To the 160 of you who have already signed up will automatically receive early bird access with the discount when it’s released in September! I got you. 😊 #photographylighting #lightingcourse #scrimlighting