as you take a look at my portfolio and past blog posts, you may notice that my images have a certain style (ie editing, composition, cropping, exposure, modern, unique and so on). one certain style that seems to confuse a select few of my clients is when I compose my subjects in a way that the top of their head is cropped off. below are images of what i’m talking about…..

now this one, i cropped off their entire head!!! can you believe that? The only reason I did this was because I wanted the viewer to focus on the what they are holding-specifically the bible. of course I took TONS of shots with their heads full attached, but in this shot I wanted to add a uniqueness by trying to show the viewer what they are holding and bringing into their marriage.

Above is a modern crop which is very very different then back in the “golden years,” when in portrait photography they always composed the subject in the middle of the image and about 10 steps back. Fast forward to the year 2010, and photographs get reallll close and crop off the tippy top of the head. the older generation have a harder time accepting this, and i’m only saying this because my parents have walked into my home in the past..looked at my pictures and asked where the top of our heads have gone too? hehehe. Luckily i’ve had a few years to convince them this is the new modern photography, showed them magazines and even watch movies/tv with the top of heads cropped off. they now understand this is acceptable and obviously don’t ask me anymore where the top of our heads have gone too:) i want clients to know, this is acceptable and this is a modern way to compose photography. now back to my photography, this is my style and the reason is because i find it attractive and this is how i want my art to be displayed. i want my super awesome clients to know that unfortunately i don’t change my style of photography to customize my clients likes and dislikes..in the end my work would never be consistant (always changing), I would be a very unhappy artist & my artwork would never be unique and stand out. if you are a traditional person that likes the “golden years” look in their photographs, then please find a photographer who composes the subject right smack in the middle of the photograph and 10 steps back (there are lots of photographers like this, because there isn’t any wrong way to do art). but don’t get my wrong though, i typically make sure that every portrait session has a good few “traditional” photographs for the parents and then more modern style for the younger generation..i just don’t make the entire shoot like this. a good analogy is like asking Picasso or Monet to use certain colors in their paintings, or compose the subject in the middle or not put the horizon line right there. I’m sure Picasso and Monet didn’t get famous by customizing their artwork for each of their clients? Now if you look at Picasso most of his work is crazy, full of weird looking people, weird shaped heads, vibrant colors and off the wall compositions and his style is pretty much consistant through out his art work. and some people purchase his artwork, while others would rather buy a soft Monet painting. clients must take this analogy and use it the same way for photography, because after all photography is art!:)

I hope this blog puts more of a perspective on my photography (aka artwork) for all of my awesome future clients. like I said, i love suggestions (ie poses, location and so on) from clients and i also don’t mind taking less “cropping the tippy top of the head”, but because it’s my style of artwork I can’t eliminate everything that makes my work unique. if anyone has questions about my style and wants specifics please write me at sierra@sierrakphotography.com. i do want to apologize if my post seems a little bold, but i must make sure everyone understands my style and art in general. i can’t count how many times my work has been picked on, criticized and slammed on…a lot of the reason because the person just wasn’t digging my style of art. i’ve learned over the past couple of years that not everyone will like my art and to move on and enjoy the people who do LOVE my work:)!