I feel a little like an Oprah producer during this, her final week as I wrote this introduction. I have such an admiration for my feature this week that the words kept coming. Bear with me. You won’t be disappointed!
I am so excited for today’s feature! She’s a woman of endless talent. Joyce Smith of Joyce Smith Photography and Joyce Smith Dogs not only captures priceless, whimsical and honest images of children, families, and dogs, but she is also a savvy business person. She’s the brains behind the brilliant business tools for photographers aptly named, WordSmith for Photographers. I can’t tell you how much time she’s saved me as I crafted my business from the ground up. I love the ease and fluidity with which she writes and it’s evident in the products she offers. For example, whenever I’m struggling with an email I’m writing to a client, I can open up Wordsmith’s {What to Write}, find the appropriate file, and after a few tweaks to personalize it, I’ve succeeded in saying what I need to in a sweet and concise manner. I own every single Wordsmith product and highly recommend them all!
I could go on and on about all the qualities I admire about Joyce Smith, but I know you’re more eager to hear from her than from me. I do have to mention one more thing, though. OK. Two more things.
Joyce offered a mini workshop last month on The Bloom Forum called Be Extraordinary: creating exceptional images and a high-end brand from the most ordinary of circumstances! I attended that workshop and have to mention how generous Joyce was of her experiences, her knowledge, her resources, and her time. She answered each and every one of our questions and replied to each and every one of our comments. She walked us through discovering or rediscovering our “brand” and our vision for our art and business. Joyce is sweet, sincere, smart, and generous. It was one of my favorite workshops to date!
And lastly, she is a magician! I say that because, as I’ve had my eye out for a local studio space, I found out that she recently acquired one of her own. When I saw pictures of the befores and afters, my jaw literally fell to the ground. To take what looked like a dark and dated office space from the early 80s and turn it into a bright, crisp, modern natural light studio, she must have either magic, or an incredible eye for potential. Take a look at the pictures she’s included and see for yourself.
Hi Joyce!
Give us a quick synopsis of Joyce Smith.
Once upon a time I studied 19th-Century British literature (John Ruskin fans, anyone? I didn’t think so!) and thought I would become a professor. I left academia for photographing Philadelphia’s most adorable children (and pets!) and have never looked back. I share my colonial home (that I so desperately want to be mid-century modern) with my husband, almost 7-year-old daughter, an incorrigible Welsh Corgi puppy, and a truculent senior cat who is still plotting her revenge after our ultimate betrayal of acquiring said puppy.
In one of your workshops I took just recently, you walked us through writing our own manifestos. How would you describe yourself as a photographer?
I always feel that, as a photographer, I am a bit shy. Note . . . this does not mean I am above making a complete fool of myself at sessions, though! Whimsical and humorous images are my most favorite. I have some moody moments but I think a lot of my work is fanciful and tongue in cheek. I love unexpected images–like a toddler in a tutu at the bathroom sink–or ones that reveal moments of truth that others might relegate to the “cutting room floor.” One example that comes to mind is the sibling/newborn shot where the sibling looks none too sure about the arrival of this newest, cutest, attention-getter.
When working with children, what is your best tip for getting them to relax and feel comfortable with you?
Besides the aforementioned nutty behavior, I never push babies or kids–ever. I take what they are happy to give me at the time and I wait it out if necessary. If a parent is attempting to “make” the child do something, I always jokingly say “Well, we could force him to sit there but then we wouldn’t really want THAT picture on the wall, right?” It always works. In watching photographers work with children during workshops (ones I have taken in the past, not those I have taught), I’ve seen how results can be hampered when the photographer does not tailor his or her approach to the individual child.
Where do you turn to for inspiration?
I definitely find inspiration all around me–in films, television shows, magazines, and of course in the images of my photographer friends. When decorating my studio I became a design blog addict. Apartment Therapy, Decor8, Design Sponge, and Making it Lovely are just a few of the blogs that inspired me. For shopping I turned to Design Within Reach, High Brow Furniture, Velocity Art and Home Design, Design Public, All Modern, Hive Modern, and local shops.
In terms of photography, I was definitely inspired by Audrey Woulard when starting out and apply some of her business advice to this day. I’ve always been inspired by the perfection of Carrie Sandoval’s work and Jesh De Rox has taught me as much about life as about photography. I’m always inspired by Stephanie Rausser, Sharon Montrose, Elizabeth Messina, Mark Tucker, Anna Kuperberg, and Jose Villa. And of course the work of my lovely photographer friends such as Daveen Lindley, Lisa Maksoudian, Lisa Slotsve, Rebecca Mudrick, Cheryl Muhr, Stacey Woods, and Patti Schmidt is ever-inspiring! I could name a hundred more.
Recently you acquired your own studio space so you can shoot both on location and in the studio. Walk us through the process from idea to finished product. And what criteria did you have when looking for a space?
A studio had been in the back of my mind for quite some time, as it is for many of us I’m sure, even though I am known as an on-location photographer and still love shooting in client homes. I reached the point, though, where I just could not take on more clients than I already was and continue to drive all over creation for each session. Or maybe I should say I reached the point where I did not want to do this any longer! Being able to have a place to shoot at least some sessions where some of the variables–of distance, of light, of decor–could become constants was the driving force behind finally making the leap. I also wanted a place to meet with clients before the session if they wish and for ordering if they prefer (though I am still all online for ordering, the option is there). Finally, I wanted to free myself from the “have beanbag, will travel” routine for newborns! Now I do indeed still have my beanbag, but it most definitely opts not to travel. Clients have the choice of studio or home for newborn sessions, but know that they will bring babies to me if they’d like that curled up, naked look. My space heaters are ready and they too no longer travel!
Shopping, shopping, and more shopping! It was so fun to choose the decor and make decisions unilaterally with no husbands and little practicality to consider. I wanted the space to be child-friendly, but it didn’t need to be ready for daily living, in other words. I love a good research project and went a little crazy, as I am wont to do, obsessing over all the details. The studio is still not 100% where I want it to be, but I’m sure that will be a never-ending process.
The space I choose, while it had many things going for it (hence the choice), also had numerous issues that needed to be worked around. It was truly hideous when I leased it and had some problems that could not be completely solved (such as unsightly baseboard heaters, which I definitely do not want to appear in any images!). Because I wanted a space that I could maximize shooting options in and because I do not use traditional backdrops, it was a challenge to hide certain things and yet still have a functional space. Little things continue to challenge me . . . like office workers next door who take cigarette breaks in front of my windows–oy!–but I maintain that the only difference between this studio and others I might have leased is that I didn’t know all the problems that came with those spaces yet! Nevertheless, I love having the studio and was at a point where I was determined to try it out, come what may. I just signed another year’s lease in February and so far so good. The space I chose, in short, needed to have sufficient natural light, needed to be in a neighborhood that could be “Anystreet, USA,” needed to have parking (it’s at a premium in the area), and needed to be pet-friendly.
Studio lights or natural light?
Natural light! I did recently use a Spider-lite on a very dark day for a newborn who could not be rescheduled, however. I know how to use a flash as well as a strobe and the continuous lighting, but no image you’ve seen of mine has used any of these. I wanted to learn, of course, but in the end preferred natural light 100%.
Your business has also expanded into pet photography. How did that come about?
I’ve always loved pets and have incorporated them into family shoots as often as possible–from a series with three cats, “the firstborns,” at a maternity shoot to getting Fido in the master bedroom with everyone else. While my pet photography market and children’s market truly have not intersected–the pets ARE the children in my pet shoots–I did start with friends of my portrait client families and it took off from there. I just love it!
What has been the funniest experience with your pet photography so far?
Getting two pugs to sit still on a white leather bench is certainly pretty humorous. :) I remember one of my earliest experiences photographing a cat other than my own, the maternity session I mentioned above, featured one kitty who was NOT happy to see me. As I approached the windowsill where all three cats perched, he let out a low growl that told me he meant business. At that moment I wished that my 85mm were on the camera rather than my 50mm!
When I first started out, I bought all kinds of actions and workshops and textures and marketing materials and wasted lots of money in the process. Since then I have refined my photography must-have list, thrown out the things I will never use and covet the products that I love. Among my must-haves are your Wordsmith products. They have been invaluable to me in creating and maintaining a professional business and in saving me countless hours creating everything from scratch. What is your latest product and are there others in the works?
Thank you so much!! The positive feedback I’ve received over the years has been incredibly gratifying and humbling. When a photographer writes to say how invaluable the guides have been, how sales have risen, or how time has been saved and offers a heartfelt “thank you” to me, all I can think is “Thank YOU for supporting WordSmith!”
The two latest offerings are Session Stories: Volume One and More {What to Write}. The former is unlike anything I’ve seen, a hybrid of sorts between a posing/inspiration guide, a magazine interview, and a behind-the-scenes instructional look at two real client sessions. More {What to Write} is just that . . . anyone who ever written to ask, “Do you have an e-mail response to this???” will find their question answered here and much more.
Two big WordSmith projects will be released in June. One is still under wraps, but I can tell you that the other will be The Hello Guide, my detailed, elegant studio book.
What are your top five photography must-haves?
Camera that works well in high ISO situations. Fast prime lenses. Photoshop. A clear vision of your brand. Kindness to all.
If you could take a portrait of another photographer, who would it be?
I will choose my lovely friend Lisa Maksoudian, who claims not to be photogenic. I would like to disprove this theory.
Aside from photography, what else are you passionate about, or at least very interested in?
Music, literature, design, religion, nutrition . . . not happy unless I have something to research and analyze!
If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?
All signs point to English teacher.
What’s your best tip for balancing work and family?
You presume I have balance. Silly Wendy! To be fair, I do have a bit more balance than I used to. Now that my daughter is in school, I make it a point not to be at the computer after she comes home. I will confess to sneaking in here or there but I literally will TELL myself to get up and leave. Cat’s in the Cradle and all that jazz. :)
With that said, I do work a lot. A lot. As in, most of the time. As in, when I go to the grocery store on a Tuesday or try to organize the playroom it feels like a break or mini-vacation to me. Part of the reason my trip this summer (see below) is so important to me is that it will ensure that I forgo work for at least three weeks. I have found that nothing ensures that I will say NO more than a non-refundable airline ticket somewhere, and my family deserves that dedicated time and I do too!
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
I must go with Christmas, although religiously speaking Easter is more important to me.
Something that’s overrated…
Egotism. Not confidence, egotism.
What’s the last movie you saw in the theater?
Rio, on Saturday. : )
Where can we find you on a typical Saturday night?
Sitting at home with my husband enjoying some TV.
What would your ideal vacation look like?
I’m taking it this August! I’ve rented a flat and I’ll be going with my daughter to London for most of August. Our goal is to live like a Londoner and enjoy the city and we’ll be joined by my husband at the very end. I’m trying to start a tradition of doing this each August and even have my wish list in the works (2012, Paris; 2013, Tokyo; 2014, Sydney). I did not go overseas until I was in graduate school and really want to offer this experience to my daughter. Counting the days!
What quote best describes you at this moment?
“I love the mornings! I clap my hands every morning and say, ‘This is gonna be a great day!‘ “–Dicky Fox, Jerry Maguire’s mentor in Jerry Maguire
Even on days when I feel tired or uninspired, I say this to jolt myself out of it. True story! I clap my hands and say it, I laugh, my husband laughs, and then I go shoot my session. :)
See what I mean??? She’s one of my favorite people.
You can find Joyce’s work HERE.
Thanks, Joyce!!!
