The Muse: Bailey Miller, by the Unraveled Academy

muse (noun) a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist

The Muse is our way of bringing inspiration to the creative world. Seeing a photographer for just one picture is not the whole picture… so we are bringing you more, to give you a deeper look into the artists who inspire us and we call, muses.

What was your “muse” or inspiration for this shoot?

This session was so special. This momma is an artist and photographer, she saw a vintage painting session I did earlier this year and booked with me. She said as soon as she saw the photos she knew she had to have some with her family. Originally she had hoped to bring her painting supplies and have a session of her own with her family while she painted, but we were worried about how much time we would have so instead she opted to leave the paints at home and bring along their old station wagon, which of course I was so excited for! Mom dressed everyone herself and it was the most beautiful eclectic mix that she said really suited each member of their family! My plan for this session was to try and capture who this family is together, and really tell their story as someone just peeking into their lives for the day. We of course had to get shots with the station wagon since they all love to ride around in it together, and I just told the kiddos to be themselves. "Whatever you would be doing when you sat back here together is what I want you to do now, pretend I'm not here." to which Lyla their older daughter responded "Well we would be playing rock paper scissors!" and that was that! This family worked so well together to just relax and play with minor interference. I love to interact with my clients and talk to them about life but I don't give a ton of direction, I want things to unfold naturally. For example I would suggest "let's get some laying down shots of you guys snuggling" but then I let everyone pile in as they naturally would and just capture those moments. If something looks silly I will of course direct them to help fix it, and I tell them exactly that: "Just sit or lay however is comfortable and natural, if it looks silly i'll let you know, don't worry." This really helps put clients at ease knowing I have their back and won't let them look ridiculous but they're free to be themselves.

What gear did you use for this shoot?

I used my Canon EOS R and Sigma 35mm 1.4 art for this session! I also played my favorite music on my phone while we shot, which was perfect because it was also all of mom's favorites as well!

How did you edit this session?

I used my Artisinal Preset pack for this session! Backlit images I used "Languid" and images with full sun on my clients I used "song bird".

What advice or best technical tip would you give to new or aspiring photographers?  

My best technical tip would be to learn how to shoot light, practice with clients, practice with your kid's toys, or even with everyday objects. Just get out there and shoot, don't be afraid to make mistakes, we all do. My best advice for storytelling would be to make sure you talk with your clients about the flow of your sessions: "I really want to capture your family as it is, so we can do a few posed photos to start and then I just want you guys to explore, play and snuggle together. Whatever feels natural, that's what I want and if it looks crazy i'll tell you, don't worry! Kids cry-let them, they fall down-comfort them, they want to be held-hold them, this is the season of life you're in right now and that's what we want to capture." It makes a huge difference when clients can learn to let go and just be, to enjoy their family as it is RIGHT NOW even if that looks like temper tantrums, clumsiness and skinned knees. It's all beautiful.

Bailey Miller  | Sparta, Wisconsin
INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

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