Lenses, Laughter & Love

Lenses Laughter & Love
By CharMaine Beleele

After a recent baby photography session, I realized I needed inspiration. The photo session had not gone badly, but I realized that I had been using the same poses and prompts for at least five years. For inspiration, there is nothing quite like the invigorating vitality of a face-to-face seminar. Such was my mindset when I caught up with Sandy (aka “Sam,”) Puc´, on the road with her “Bellies and Babies” tour.

As I entered the packed Oklahoma City conference room, I knew immediately that this would be no ordinary workshop. The lights were dimmed to a golden glow and the floor glittered with a confetti of tiny stickers. As I perused Sam’s book, I smelled a delicious aroma that I could not identify at first. Then I realized it was the scent of sweet home-baked sugar cookies filling the air. I was in “Sam’s World.” At my seat, I found a lavish booklet that detailed some of the highlights of her program—a courteous and impressive gift for
workshop attendees.

Sam not only gained notoriety with her enchanting portraits of babies, but also her commitment to the charity, Now I Lay Me down To Sleep (www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org), an organization she co-founded that assists families suffering from the heartbreaking loss of a newborn. Sam recruits volunteer photographers to go to hospitals and create “intimate black-and-white” imagery for these families. The foundation proves that “there is no foot too small, that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.”

Bellies, Babies and Beginnings
Sam’s studio has defied the business axiom that a photographer must choose between high volume and the carriage trade. Expressions Studio is the most expensive studio in her town, and her staple 8 x 10 portrait is priced at about $150. In spite of this, her Expressions Studio supports 28 employees, including six photographers. Sam explained, “We run two or three teams and on average, we have 15–25 sessions per day in our busy season.”

Over the course of nine years, her business has evolved from one run out of her tiny master bedroom studio. Today her studio occupies a 5000 square-foot facility. Sam acknowledged that she made “every possible mistake” but education from sources like WPPI saved her.

A turning point in Sam’s business came when sessions in her studio fell 48% in the days immediately after 9/11. In the middle of her depression, as she exhausted her savings and barely met her payroll, came a memorable session with a tiny baby—“an angel child.” The experience and the images left her breathless with joy, as she realized, “This is why I do what I do.” Her epiphany resulted in the realization that she could create a boutique studio identity that people would perceive as “better for my baby” than the “big box” studios. Thus, the core values of Expressions Studio were born. 

Much to my delight, Sam invited me backstage for an interview at the halfway point of her presentation. She gave photographers who were in the beginning stages of their business three hints. First, take education one bite at a time. Second, however tempting it might be, do not go into debt. Third, be aware of your passion. Do not let it die.
Backstage, I met the accomplished photographer Dave Junion, who said, “Sam’s teaching is about life as well as photography. She has a magic method of sharing her knowledge in a passionate way.”

Instruments, Inspiration, Innovation
Sam shoots with the Canon EOS-1D and 1Ds Mark III cameras. She has a unique setup in her studio. Sam has mounted her laptop computer as well as her camera on a Tallyn Titan Studio Camera Stand. This allows her to shoot hands-free and to move between clients and shutter quickly. She has a WiFi transmitter hooked up so images are instantly downloaded. She deletes outtakes as she shoots, saving editing time. She attains her signature soft backgrounds through her choice of lenses. Her current favorite is the Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8 lens.

Sam organized many of our lessons by taking us through a baby’s developing cycle of life and shared some important tips. It all begins with the pregnant mother whom Sam brings into the studio for consultation.
Session One—Maternity: In a pre session, the expectant mother and Sam discuss clothing for the session. “I usually start with the traditional shots. These are the fully clothed images of mom for the client to share with friends and family. After that, the session can become more intimate depending on mom’s comfort zone.” Sam’s Tip: “I always order my backdrops extra long so I can cut a full length piece to wrap, mummy-style around the mother. This results in a beautiful, timeless color tonality.”
She demonstrated her variety of lighting techniques. She uses a two light setup, lighting the mother’s face and belly. In addition to her 4 x 5-foot Larson Soff Box, she showed us how to use the Larson 10 x 36-inch Soff Box for its short fall-off of light.

Session Two—Madonna: This session must take place before the baby’s 6-week birthday. Sam assured us, “There is nothing more precious than a tiny newborn lying on her parent’s warm skin.” She has tube tops as well as black turtleneck tops for mom to use, but she prefers skin on skin for its emotional impact. The entire image is about the relationship the parents share with the new little one. Sam’s Tip: “To avoid repeating, ‘Sit tall,’ ” I explain a “weight line,” so mom sits up straight. That’s photospeak for, ‘You’ll look fat if you slouch.’ ”

My second favorite tip for this session was, “Just hold the baby out and let the baby wet the floor.” This is why Sam’s backdrop sweep stops at the back of the mother’s chair.
Session Three—3 months: This is the session where she photographs the tiny feet and hands and a very close-up view of the face. She includes the parents if possible. Sam said, “At 3 months, the child has usually been smiling for several weeks. He recognizes mom’s voice and responds to her cooing.” Sam’s Tip: “When the baby will not stop sticking out her tongue, have mom rub her finger on the top of the baby’s tongue. The taste will cause the baby to pull in the tongue.”
Bonus Tip: This is a wonderful technique, which I personally utilized as soon as I got home from Sam’s presentation: “As the baby is falling to sleep, hold your finger horizontally and slowly and repeatedly slide it down the bridge of the baby’s nose. This motion will brush your finger over the eyelashes and cause the eyes to get heavy.” This works. I got my sleeping baby shots in between the mother’s strokes.

Session Four—6 months: The baby’s big accomplishment at this point is sitting up. Bring on the toys! Sam suggested the classic sailboat or blocks for boys and flowers or beads for little girls. She added, “The classic nude shot is a must. A baby sitting bare on a blanket or photographed from above creates a fantastic image.”
Sam’s Tip: “Tell mom to keep her thumbs in close to her fingers.” She also told us to design a signature product that matched each of these sessions.

Session Five—One year: Sam loves to schedule this session as soon as the baby can stand but before he can walk. She photographs her wee clients leaning against tricycles, chairs and strollers. She also thinks this is a good time for a series session, matted and framed like a panel. “The simple birthday cake series (destruction of the cake) will add another product to raise your sale profits. Line four to six of the shots up in a panel frame.” At this age, Sam endorses outdoor activities, like taking a little boy fishing or taking a little girl to a tea party in the garden.

Sam has created her success with a seven-step formula. Briefly stated, she began with a commitment to a cutting-edge education, added her specific baby boutique identity and multiplied it with excellent customer service. She then added community exposure to the formula, through mall and hospital displays, and multiplied the results by customer loyalty and unique product lines. You will see proof of this success formula when you visit her website, www.expressionsphotos.com. She also has a 5- by-20 formula for creating a very successful baby session with one or both parents. She teaches that five specific poses with subtle variations plus 20 minutes gives you at least 30 different shots from which your clients can choose. However, I will not reveal them in this article. I want you to have the experience of learning how to stage her cleverly named poses: Bird’s Nest, the Cradle, the Football, the Chest to Chest and the Tilt. The only good way to learn them is from her at one of her workshops. The elegant execution of her poses defies written explanation. So, when her 2010 tour brings her to your area, you owe it to yourself and your clients to learn the meaning beyond this little formula. However, I will reveal Sam’s tip that there is no better studio scent than cookies baking in the oven. This is true. That aroma has created a direct and positive impact on my sales!

If you missed the Bellies and Babies tour, you can purchase the DVD at one of those seminars. You might also register your studio to compete for her National Model’s Search, a golden sales opportunity Sam created just for us. Visit www.sandypuctours.com for more information.

This year Sam Puc’ has continued her life cycle success by naming her new five-hour program “The 2010 Family Tour.” She will be visiting 52 cities in the United States and Canada between January and September. Her passion, energy and enthusiasm now embrace all ages, to include posing, lighting and marketing the entire family group. She will be sharing her secrets for creating unique family heirlooms and keeping client relationships for life.

CharMaine R. Beleele owns a full-time photography studio, www.angelkissedphotography.com, and teaches speech communication at the University of Arkansas, in Fort Smith, AR. She writes for Rangefinder and WPPI Photography Monthly and can be contacted at [email protected].