What to Wear

She says:

Guys – for the love of all that’s holy, keep your clothes on unless you have a good reason for them to be off. Relaxed pic at the beach, you get a pass, bathroom selfie with your shirt pulled up, NO. You might as well kiss your biceps while you’re at it (actually if you manage to do that ironically you get a pass, too. Maybe.) This rule might or might not apply if you are looking for a casual hookup but even then…at least don’t make it your first pic. Ladies – does it really matter? We all know you will get a few gross messages and unwanted pics of his lil’ friend even if you wear a snuggie. What applies for both: wear what you would normally wear. If you are dressed up to the nines for your dating profile and the first date but are generally more at home in a hoodie and jeans, then there’s no point hiding that and vice versa. And if you have different styles and like to mix it up, show it in a range of pics!

He says:

Girls, how you dress is how you want to be treated. Us boys love it when you show off your looks, but show to much and it says something about you. Conversely, if all your pics are of you in large hooded sweaters that come across as a bit too reserved. And ladies, if you see a topless guy pic swipe right or left. Whichever way it is you swipe to say no f**ng way.
Fellas, nothing wrong with a t-shirt and shorts if that is who you are. But maybe add one of you dressed somewhat well to show girls that you can clean up.

Less Is More But Too Little is Worse

She says:

You should have at least 3-4 pictures in different scenarios. One where your face is clearly visible and the focus, one where your full body is visible, and a couple more can’t hurt. If you have more than six pictures I would probably get the impression that you REALLY like looking at yourself.

He says:

Yes, show a fill length. I went out on a date once with a girl that had only headshots for her profile. When we met in person, I found out why she only had face pics. We didn’t have a second date. I’ve had some great relationships with girls who had some shape to them, but by hiding it in a profile picture, it is just a turn-off. Big and proud, skinny and pretty, it doesn’t matter people, just be who you are and be happy about it.

To Smile, or Not to Smile

She says:

Guys – absolutely do smile, at least in your first picture, you can do the smoulder in the later ones. Dark, brooding and mysterious might get the girl in books and on TV, but in real life we are worried about being murdered on a first date (yes, really), and a nice open smile can go a long way to making you look less murdery. It should be a natural smile though – if the best you can do is a toothy grimace that does not reach your eyes, you will look MORE like a serial killer, not less.

He says:

Just be natural. That is why you are hiring us, we will get you to relax and look your best. Smile or no smile. What we do best is relaxed and natural!

Group Photos

She says:

The wooooooorst! “Hey I’m talking to this guy online, wanna see a picture?” “Sure – which one is he?” “Not sure but I hope the one on the right!” Worst case scenario here, obviously: you are NOT the one on the right.

Group pics are fine, but again, it should not be your first picture so it’s clear which one are you (and also if it’s one of those unfortunate pics where everyone else looks like they still have it somewhat together but you look close to falling over, pick a different one.) Also, avoid pictures with your ex (we already compare ourselves to others, we don’t want to start before we even meet you), and even worse, pictures where you have clearly cut your ex out of the pic and a lonely arm is still snuggled up to you out of nowhere…no matter how good you looked in that rented tux at the wedding you attended together, that just makes you look sad and like you’re not over them – if you were, you’d have newer pictures!

 

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He says:

Always start with a pic of just you. Too many pictures of you and your friends say, that you are trying too hard to show how fun you are and how many friends you have. We know you have friends, everyone does. We can meet your friends as the relationship progresses. And yes, instant turn off is when I see a dating profile of a girl with pics of her and a person who looks like an ex-boyfriend. I know that you were in relationships before me and pictures of you with the ex just make me think you are still into the guy.

Selfies

She says:

I suppose they are kind of unavoidable if you have no friends who can take a decent picture of you but, ugh. At least don’t take it in the bathroom? And does anybody still does the duckface thing – if yes, please don’t, it’s called duckface for a reason, and have you ever looked at a duck and thought “I’d tap that”? (By the way, if the answer to this question is “yes” then you might reconsider online dating, and your life choices.) See above for “to smile or not to smile”.

He says:

Whenever I walk down the street and see someone with a selfie stick I want to smack it out of there hands. Just hand your phone to someone. Or, even better, put it away and look at the world around you with your own eyes. When I see selfies on profile pictures I just think “someone obsessed with themselves. “Look at me! No really LOOK AT ME!”

So what SHOULD I do?

She says:

I can’t speak for everyone but here’s what would appeal to me:

• 1^st pic: a picture where I can clearly see the face, with a non-creepy smile, not blurry, not half-covered, clear and open and RECENT. I have gone on dates where there was a clear age difference between the pictures and the owner of said pictures. Spoiler alert: there was no second date. Dishonesty is not cute.
• With the following pics the order is not important.
• Picture that shows you in full and again, recent. Yes, we are a bit shallow. Might as well be honest about it. Goes for both sides, I have found that I got a lot more responses if I included a full-body picture on my dating profile. Don’t show just your torso with your head cut off, it makes us think there’s something wrong with it.
• Anything that shows a hobby is a bonus! Love skiing? Great, show me that picture! (Also great for lazy people like me who know instantly I would only waste your time.) Play in a band? Fab, include a picture of a gig. Have no hobbies? Yes you do. I have never, never ever ever, met anyone who is not interesting in some way/has something they like. If you are reading or knitting or cooking or watching TV or playing video games, those are all hobbies, and chances are there is someone out there who likes exactly that – that’s kinda the point of online shopping dating
• Have a pet? SHOW ME. First of all, it weeds out the dog/cat/guinea pig/rat haters, and you and your best pal don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. Second, nothing says “not a serial killer” than someone snuggling a Labrador, especially if you happen to be a big hairy axe murdery looking dude.

He says:

Yep, that sounds about right.

The post 6 Tips For Your Dating Profile Pictures appeared first on D Studios Photography.

If you are a musician and looking to get some great images to add to your website and show off your talent, let me know. Just keep in mind I might try to talk you into playing a tune or two.

On a side note: Anthony’s website looks pretty good with my pictures on it.

The post Headshot Photographs For Musicians Introduces Me To More Music appeared first on D Studios Photography.

Check them out and support a small business https://nobudgetfilmmakers.com/shop/

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For anyone who came to the door can attest the location didn’t have the best curb appeal. Often clients of mine would have to walk past smelly garbage bins and people doing drugs or sleeping near the door. After entering the space people would often see a messy entrance, dirty kitchen, and the business downstairs using the shared space as storage. There were also electrical problems with the breaker often switching off because of the poor wiring in the building. The space was also very cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

Inside the studio, there were other issues such as a leak in the roof I was constantly arguing with the property manager to fix. He would occasionally get someone on the roof to patch it, but the patch usually wouldn’t last long and the leak would begin again, leaving the carpet in the studio soaking wet. Not the best place for kids to be crawling around. This lead to the main reason I decided not to renew the lease. I subleased from Banaman the business downstairs and we would constantly be at odds because of the lack of maintenance on the building.

My new space on Malpas is smaller but still provides a good space for headshots. For larger families and groups I will use a few of the other photography studios in Dublin City center thanks to the great network of photographers within the city.

To my clients, the important thing is that you will continue to receive the same high-quality service and photography you have become accustomed, which has resulted in D Studios Photography is one of the top photography studios serving Dublin for over 10 years.

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Hi Mom and Dad, I know that having a photography session with the little ones can be stressful. You take the time before the session to get everyone ready, put on nice clothes, fix the hair and eventually get everyone out of the house. And, you still have to get everyone to the photography studio without messing up the cute outfits or hair. But once you are at the session, relax and let the photographer do his or her thing. And don’t worry about the hair, we have a nice makeup and changing area to fix that.

Relax

Our children often look to us for how to behave, so if they see the adults relaxed, they will relax. Often when parents begin to get stressed and tense, the children will pick up on that. A recent comment we received on Facebook was, “Great photographer, can make anyone feel fabulous and relaxed in front of the camera.” and who am I to argue. One of the consistent items of feedback we receive here is how relaxed we are. So, feel free to relax with us.

When you arrive at the studio, the first thing we do is sit down with you, before the lights are on and the camera is clicking to discuss what you want out of the photography session. These conversion plant ideas in my head on how to arrange people during the photography session. It is also for the purpose of letting the children get accustomed to the environment and the new face. We have a nice box of toys out that they are more than welcome to start digging into.

Stop looking at your children

When we are doing a larger family picture, often I will see mom and dad looking at the kids instead of towards the camera. It is fine and sometimes fun to have photos of people looking at each other or off in the distance. But the looking at the kids’ picture isn’t necessarily the best one because you are looking to them to make sure they are looking at me, which then has you not looking relaxed or having fun. We are often so worried about what our children are doing we end up not paying attention to what we are doing. But remember, you have me! The reason professional photographers are better than most is we know how to get the kids attention. So, don’t worry about it.

During the family photography session the photographer (aka me), we can work together as a team to bring out the beautiful personalities.

Don’t try to force your child to pose

I’ve found that often parents will tell their kids “you need to be good” before or during a photography session. For many kids that puts pressure on them and stresses them. On top of being told to perform, keep in mind they are in a new environment with a person they have never seen before and standing in front of a bunch of lights. Parents wanting their cute little monkey to dance for the photographer might find the child isn’t as into dancing as they want them to be.

Something that is a good idea for children is to bring along some favorite toys. These are comfort items for the child and having the ability to bring that and get their favorite teddy’s photograph with them will help them relax. If you forget, don’t worry, in our studio, we have a nice big box of toys for the little ones to play with. Often if we can see they are nervous or unsure, we might get mom and dad in front of the camera and let the little ones relax a bit and play for a while to get comfortable in the space. If the kids don’t want to sit and smile, don’t try to force them. Let them run around and be kids. Play with them, make it fun. Let your photographer decide when to start taking the photographs and lead the flow of the session.

Part of what makes a family photography session a worthwhile experience is that you don’t need to worry about having the kids posing. By letting them be themselves, it allows for each session to be unique to you and your family. Yes, I have some set poses in mind depending on our initial conversation. But, it is also fun on occasion to let the kids do their thing and maybe snap a picture that is unique to them, and show off who they are.

Have Fun!

How do you have fun in this crazy new environment with a photographer standing before you and a camera in their hand? Play with the toys as well with your kid. During your session give your children, husband, or wife some tickles. Make funny faces at them, give them big hugs, and joke around. Follow the photographers lead. One of the best things about being a photographer is the fun we get to have meeting new people and playing with the kids. So play along and don’t stress about getting the perfect shot.

A professional photography session is an experience that you don’t have regularly. Often this will be your first time in a photography studio so enjoy the experience. They are only children for a short time. And all of this is why, when it comes to family photography D Studios Photography is the best choice when looking for a photographer for your family.

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When Olga came in and told me about her book, it was great to find someone working to keep the Irish language alive, and not just keep it alive, but present it in a way that people can understand. Very few people I know speak the language. Personally, I tend to find the language irritating when driving and I have to read signs in both English and Irish. And, the extent of my knowledge of the Irish langauge is the word “sláinte”. But, I know through my friends how much pride they take in Irish history and culture, and I can appreciate it when they tell me the value of the language and why it is worth keeping it alive.

With all the above said, check out the book “Ireland as Gaeilge: A User-Friendly Guide to the Irish Language” You will support a local (Indie) author and learn a bit about the language at the same time. A win-win!

“Ireland as Gaeilge tells the story of the Irish language in a popular and engaging way, combining historical and linguistic facts with a light tone”

I’ve known Felipe for around three years now, and his enthusiasm and energy for what he does has always impressed me. Felipe is an expert in personal branding and social media influencing. Recently he wrote a book on “Advanced LinkedIn” to share some of his knowledge on the subject of LinkedIn. The book contains useful information on not just using LinkedIn as an online CV, but also a platform to expand your circle of influence and your brand.

Back in 2014 we did one for Denis Sampson. The booked titled “The Found Voice: Writers’ Beginnings, uses the means of literary biography and criticism to do something rarely attempted–to understand how a key creative period establishes the authoritative voice of a unique artist.”

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During the session we talked camera drones (he has the one I want), we discussed life in the city and towards the end of the session, as he was leaving we talked about travel to Cuba. This leads to him pulling out a lovely Cuban cigar to show me. I don’t recall which one of us suggested it, but we couldn’t let an opportunity to snap a couple of pictures with this fantastic bit of flair go past. And literally, that is what we did. I set him down, set the lights, and snapped two pictures with this being one of the two.

Thanks for letting me post this picture and hope you enjoyed your visit to the park on that oddly nice day to sample that fine tobacco. Another joy of living in Europe is that they don’t have the ban on Cuban cigars that the US has.

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People often think that pictures have to be perfect or posed in some way, everyone looking at the camera, but that is not always the case. Some of the more fun ones and the ones that tell a story are those ones where we have fun and do hugs or other random things to get a laugh. It doesn’t work for everyone. In some families people are a bit more reserved and that is okay as well. Once I figure that out about them, the pictures I take lean more towards the more formal ones that they are looking for. In the case of these two girls that was not the situation, as you can see from this picture taken after I said the words, “give your sister a kiss on the cheek.” Sooo, great.

I also had the opportunity to play with different lighting and props and these two wonderful girls were plenty happy to play along.

Best Wishes!

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