Sometimes I wonder why I chose a profession that forces me to wake up at 5:30 a.m. on a weekend. True, I’m a morning person, but six days a week of groggy mornings a bit much for anyone. So why do I keep doing it Saturday after Saturday? Because that’s what it takes to make a gorgeous photograph – and that’s my job – (and I’m sure I subconsciously love it?)

Early rising is about catching the right light. The first and foremost important factor in all of my shoots is working with great light, and if we’ve booked an outdoor session that means I’ve probably scheduled it before 9 a.m. or directly before the sun sets.

Good light, or at least the light that works for my style of shooting, is soft and even and makes things look interesting when it hits the earth — that happens in the wee hours of the day (or under overcast skies) so it can’t be wasted!

So naturally, I’m up super early and a stickler for being on time. When I’m behind the camera lens the hours zip by at incredible speeds, making that small window of good light super precious.

When discussing schedules, some clients will look at me like I’m nuts. Why on earth would I want to meet them at 8 a.m.? Because I want to make you or your family gorgeous. Because, while a midday session will work with the right lighting tools, I’d rather open up more possibilities with those post-dawn/pre-dusk time frames.

Timing is also important during those hours when I’m not fact to face with my clients. Some people ask if I get paid $200 an hour. Ha! I wish! The majority of costs associated with photo shoots aren’t incurred when I’m behind the camera – they happen when I’m in front of the computer post-processing, billing, backing up and organizing. I’m seriously considereing compiling a video to show everything that goes on behind the scenes of just one session.

Timing is everything. The lack of enough time is a photographer’s worst enemy but the right timing of a shoot is a photographer’s best friend!