Ladies, if you went through your camera roll right now, how many photos of yourself would you see? I’ll go first: there are a lot, but I have to go all the way back to May to find a pic with me in it.
This is not uncommon; women over 40—especially moms—tend to disappear from photos. Sure, this is partly because we’re often the ones taking the pics, but it’s also because we worry about how we look in photos. Do I look fat? Can you see my gray hairs? Are those fine lines and wrinkles noticeable?
Would you be in more pics if you knew you would look good in them? A local photographer can make that happen!
Debbie Smith, owner of FiftyLove Photography in Christiansburg, is a photographer on a mission: to make women feel good about themselves and look stunning in pictures. Her entire business in built around that concept.
If you head over to her website https://www.fiftylovephotography.com/ , you will find information on the process, plenty of before and after shots, behind-the-scenes shots, and testimonials from Debbie’s clients. Debbie is not afraid to show her own before and after shots, and is not concerned with showing herself in an unflattering pose in order to demonstrate the correct posing technique.
Debbie understands the concept of transitions, as she has been through several herself. Not long ago, she was busy working a state job in accounting and being a mom to her then 2 teenagers. She got a camera in her hands, and, starting with pictures around her farm (cows!), Debbie progressed to shots of her daughter. This was when Facebook was just becoming popular, and Debbie shared her pics. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with people requesting that she photograph their kids.
Debbie was suddenly busy shooting families, babies, kids, birthday parties, and headshots. This is fun, she thought. Still, she kept her corporate job, even though she felt unfulfilled and occasionally suffered from the “Sunday blahs”.
Inspired by a mentor, Debbie started experimenting with ways to pose “everyday women”; when doing family portraits, she would start with the mom, posing the rest of the family around her. The moms were surprised, because they were used to being treated as an afterthought, putting all the focus on their kids. These shoots became so popular that they led to one-off Saturday events that were routinely booked up. She started getting comments like “These are the best photos I’ve ever had of myself…I actually like myself in these”.
From 2011 to 2018, Debbie kept her corporate job and pursued photography on the side, focusing on outdoor family photo shoots. Then in 2018, she had the opportunity to reclaim a studio she had briefly occupied when she was starting out. It was then that Debbie realized exactly what she wanted; she claimed the studio, left her cubicle for good, and contacted every single client to inform them that she would no longer be doing family/kid/baby photos. She intended to specialize in empowering photos of women. Debbie admits she was “expecting ‘crickets’”, but instead, her business took off.
If you remember Olan Mills portrait studios, or (ugh) Glamour Shots, you might think that FiftyLove Photography is in the same vein, but that is not the case. It’s not a dark studio with a stool in front of a backdrop surrounded by lights. The studio is the opposite: a wide open space with cool white brick walls and filled with natural light from the windows.
Debbie works with her clients from the moment they book a shoot; first, she meets with the client via zoom, and helps them select outfits to bring to the shoot. On the day of, she goes out to meet the client at her car and helps her carry her wardrobe inside. Then, they lay out the clothes and choose outfits. Next, the client is off to hair and makeup, a relaxing, spa-like process that takes an hour and a half. After the client is looking—and feeling—glamorous, the photo shoot starts. But although Debbie is behind the camera, she’s not leaving the client to figure things out on her own; Debbie will first model a pose, then coach the client so that she is able to replicate it. After the first few shots, the client gets to take a peek at the shots on the back of the camera to make sure she is happy with them. If anything is not perfect, Debbie will readjust, repose, and retake the shot.
These shoots are meant to be fun and empowering—and to make the subject feel like a celebrity doing a photo shoot for a magazine. During a typical Glam Session, Debbie will take lots of photos in a variety of poses, while playing upbeat music and interacting with her client (and yes, there are water and bathroom breaks!). Immediately following the shoot, Debbie shows her client a slideshow of 80 to 100 shots to get an idea of which ones to select for her package, which starts at 6 images and goes up to 30.
During a typical Glam Session, Debbie might take some “boudoir” shots if the client chooses, but she stresses that there is no need to disrobe. Boudoir scenes can be achieved by uncovering one shoulder and choosing the correct pose.
FiftyLove Photography also offers Branding Sessions for female business owners. These sessions are designed around the client’s business and how she wants to show herself online. Expect headshots, of course, but also “action” shots of a client “at work”, or doing everyday activities associated with her job. A unique feature of these sessions is the stock photos that Debbie will take of implements that a client typically uses at work. These stock photos can be used to enhance a client’s website or social media.
Debbie is also currently running a 40 Over 40 Movement. This is a special photographic project featuring women over 40, 50, & 60+ celebrating themselves, telling their stories, and empowering all women to love and accept themselves at any age. You can find more about it here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/612d2ce8d0d5896caac5f8dd
Maybe by now you are intrigued by FiftyLove Photography and have even ventured over to the website to get more info and check out the session information. Glam Sessions are a luxury, high level service for women who like high-touch personal services and legacy products, and who value experiences. Debbie doesn’t apologize for her prices, stating that “until I take them [the photos] and the client sees them, she [the client] doesn’t see the value” in them.
Debbie values customer service and the client’s comfort. If a client is not satisfied, she will either offer the client a reshoot or her money back. She has never had to do either.
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