Last week I had the pleasure of speaking as part of CreativeLive's Photo Week. Part of our adventures were driving up the Pacific Coast and stopping in cities along our way to the Seattle studios. At these stops, we hosted photo shoots and ways for photographers to connect with each other…it was a perfect way to build community in the industry and I was honored to be a part of it.

We stopped in Portland for a photo shoot and I was really excited…until I saw what I didn't have had to work in. The tour bus stopped at a local park, but it was bright, packed with people, and I was confined to shooting at the park. So, yes, while the glorious streets of Portland beckoned to be photographed, I had to stay put.

But this made me think of all the times on a wedding day that I've been relegated to shoot in a small space….and I somehow found a way to make it work. So let's take things up a notch: I limited my shoot space to a ten-foot square (to ensure the 35 photographers also had space to shoot as well). Below you'll see how I produced 10 poses, in a 10-foot square, in 10 minutes (the shoot was 25 minutes in totality, but this was a sampling from the middle of the shoot). Lastly, the shoot was around 1pm at Jamison Park.

Pose One
85mm f/1.2 1/1600 ISO 200

Pose Two
Pose Three

50mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

Pose Four
50mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

Pose Five
Pose Six

50mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

Pose Seven
85mm f/1.2 1/1600 ISO 200

Pose Eight
35mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

Pose Nine
50mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

Pose Ten
50mm f/2.0 1/1000 ISO 200

The key for a photographer is to quickly scope the location, take deep breaths to stay calm (don't forget to smile!), and make the best of what you're given. Because I worked with limited time, I focused wholly on flow posing, ensuring the clients had specific instructions, but also had fun. I hope this offers insight into how I work and gives you confidence on doing the same in a pinch.

If you'd like to check out more of my online photography education, you can CLICK HERE for more info.

To the photographers who joined us in Portland, thanks for making the day so perfect. Also, BIG appreciation to Emily and Nathan for being our model couple…loved them! Oh, and if you're in the Portland area looking for an AMAZING vegetarian/vegan restaurant, definitely check out Laughing Planet Cafe! The food was delicious and I ordered a veggie juice as well because I live life on the edge! 😉