Inspired, A Very Special Project | Rachael Boer Photography

Rachael has a gorgeous, clean take on portraiture. I love the fresh feel to her branding and the beautiful, vibrant happy images that pull you in throughout her blog and fan page!

You can find Rachael Boer Photography on Facebook HERE, Her Website HERE, and Blog HERE.

Hi Rachael!

Lets get to know you! How would you describe yourself in three sentences?

I’m a wife, mom to 3 preschoolers, and portrait photographer. I love Jesus, date nights with my hubby, my daily iced coffee, playing with my little ones, meeting new people, and music. I graduated from Juilliard with a degree in viola, and played and taught music for several years before discovering photography.

What sparked your passion for Photography?

My passion for photography was sparked by a chubby, bright-eyed baby boy named Carter. I picked up a DSLR soon after he was born, wanting to capture this amazing little son we’d been blessed with. I quickly realized I had a lot to learn, so I dove in headfirst and haven’t looked back.

Of course I love it because it’s my son and my husband, but check out the awesome tilt, fake sun flare, and weird yellow processing! 🙂 This is circa 2009.

Whats in your camera bag?

Canon 5DMkii, 50mm 1.2, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8, 50mm macro, a couple of speedlights and my trusty expodisc.

What Camera/Equipment did you start out with?

I rocked a Canon Rebel XT with 50mm 1.8 for years.

If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why?

My 50mm 1.2 is almost always on my camera for portrait sessions. For weddings, I love the versatility of the 24-70.

What advice would go give to someone just beginning in photography and hoping to have a business of their own? 

I would advise you not to jump in before you’re ready. Practice, assist, second-shoot, study, practice some more, and once you feel confident that you can deliver solid images in any situation (and have your business legally registered), then you can jump in charging full prices. I recommend against starting out too early with rock-bottom prices, because then you’ll find it very hard to raise prices later without losing all your previous clients.

What was your first official Photographer crush if you had one?

I have always loved Jean Smith’s work. It’s so lively and colorful and creative. www.jeansmithphotography.com

What kind of photos do you like to take for just yourself when not working with clients?

I love photographing my kids. I feel like they’re growing up so fast, and I love to know that I’ll have great images of them to look back on when they are grown.

Describe your style in 3 words.

Modern, simple, joyful

Most embarrassing moment on a session would be?

Once, I ran out of batteries in the middle of a day of mini sessions, and had to have my clients run to Target to buy more for me. Eek!

Any challenges you have had to overcome to be where you are today?

It’s always a challenge building a business while being a full-time mom. My little ones come first, so much of my work is done late at night after they’re in bed.

Favorite time of day to shoot is?

Most of my sessions take place between 10AM and 12PM, so I’ve come to really love shooting in mid-day sun. Some photographers try to avoid that time of day, but for me I love the vibrancy and clarity that comes with that kind of light.

If you had to stop taking photos right now, what would you do instead?

I’d go back to teaching violin and viola. I’ve always loved working with kids, so it’s a great fit for me.

Have you attended college or had any formal education in Photography?

My degree is in classical music. As far as photography, I am self-taught.

What do you do to get your clients to relax with you?

I love people and am a real extrovert, so this part comes easily for me. I just keep up a constant dialogue with them, talking, joking, and encouraging them as we go. I let the kids be kids and don’t expect perfection; I simply try to capture who they are at that moment in time, and to highlight the special relationships in each family I work with.

What are your photography related goals for 2013?

I’ve recently started photographing weddings, which I LOVE, so I hope to do many more of them in the year to come.

How do you push yourself to keep growing and learning?

I give myself goals for each session. A new lighting technique I want to try out, or a new pose idea. I try to keep pushing myself creatively. I also offer coaching for other photographers, and that keeps me sharp.

Biggest Photography related insecurity? 

Like many artists I know, I am my own worst critic. I constantly critique my own work, pinpointing every error and weakness. This is good because it pushes me to be better, but I have to remember that I’m moving forward (no matter how slow it may seem at times) and not be too hard on myself, even though I always want the growth to be faster.

Digital or Prints?

I do offer digital images, but I really emphasize prints and albums. I love for my clients to walk away with gorgeous, professional, tangible products to hold, display, and share. It’s so much more meaningful than some pixels on a disc which may just end up in a drawer somewhere.

How do you set yourself apart from other local photographers?

I think I appeal to my clients because I offer a completely customized experience from beginning to end, with a lot of attention to detail. From the pre-session consultation to the custom-designed products they order after the session, every detail is specific to their needs and desires.

What do you think your next photography related investment will be?

I am getting more interested in off-camera flash, so I’ll probably be adding another flash or softbox to my collection soon.

If you had to recommend ONE thing that a photographer needs in their camera bag what would that be?

An Expodisc or grey card to set a custom white balance. Saves so much time in post-production if you nail that in the camera!

Fun stuff:

Favorite Color: Yellow

Favorite Season: Summer!

Biggest Guilty Pleasure: Iced coffee every day, with real cream

Pet Peeve: The words “pix,” “photog,” and “bloggity”

Favorite Pandora Station: Jillian Edwards

Studio or On location: On location

What did you want to be when you grew up? First an American Girl catalog model, then a gymnast, then a vet, then a violinist

One thing no one knows about you is: I’ve never been bowling, I’ve never broken a bone, and I’ve never been stung by a bee.

Pc or Mac: Mac

Lightroom Or Photoshop: 95% Lightroom, 5% Photoshop

Film or Digital: Digital

Props or No Props: No props, just love

If you could travel anywhere it would be: Australia

Glass Half Empty or Half Full: Half full

Favorite photo ever taken:

Raw or Jpeg: Some of each

Favorite Music to Edit to: I usually edit while listening to the Food Network (Iron Chef is my favorite!)

Most valued material possession: Letters from my husband from when we were dating

Processing Style: Clean, bright, colorful

Coffee or Tea: Coffee. Lots of coffee.

What kind of Camera bag do you rock? I have a Kelly Moore classic bag, and also a Shootsac, which I love for weddings.