Not only is Kristen one of the best photographers to work with, but she's also one of the most pleasant, fun, energetic, and passionate people I have ever encountered - so much so, that it actually shows through in the quality of the photos she... produces. You know how a person who doesn't take pride in their work or hates their job produces sloppy results? Well take a look at even the worst of Kristen's photos and you can still see so much energy and life and "in the moment-ness" in every single shot (and good luck finding a bad one because this is one seriously talented lady!)
CLEARLY she loves what she does and takes great pride in producing quality shots!
When my fiancee and myself had our photo session with Kristen, we went into it thinking "okay, this won't take too long, she'll probably have us do some generic poses to get it over and done with and it'll be great" but I was wrong! Kristen understands how to take a good photo and if you're like me, you can never seem to pose for a photo and have it come out not looking awkward. Well, Kristen has it all figured out and every shot she took of me and my fiancee is full of life - not stiff and dead.
I have to admit, before my fiancee and I arrived to our photo session, I was nervous, all I could think is, "Oh gosh, I don't know how to pose without looking like an idiot who's trying too hard," but Kristen guided us and had dozens and dozens of ideas for different poses and scenery, though sadly we were limited by the snow on the ground and the fading daylight, but still we shot until the sun had actually gone down - and I loved how Kristen tried to squeeze in another few photos every opportunity she had while we were with her.
After working with Kristen and seeing the results she produced, capturing the energy and chemistry between myself and my fiancee in a way that I never imagined could be possible in a photo, I've learned a very important lesson that I will never forget from this day forward when someone takes my photo. I always thought that if myself or a friend took a photo of me and it turned out poorly (despite a careful pose, hours of painstakingly applied makeup, an immaculate outfit, and not a single stray hair), that the problem was ME. That I was unphotogenic, but I learned from working with Kristen that it's just NOT true! It's 110% the photographer who controls whether or not you look good in the photo. It doesn't matter if you're fat, skinny, a super model, a mere mortal, young, or old. I can't stress this enough!
And yes, while other photographers in the area may be cheaper and not charge as much, or make the photo sessions shorter (for those of you who don't enjoy being in front of a camera for extended periods of time like I do), nobody can match Kristen's level of expertise. Not everyone who owns a camera is a photographer, so don't fall for the ones who aren't, but believe that they are just because they have an expensive camera and then give you super low rates so you'll give them business instead of a truly talented pro like Kristen. I know that it might be tempting to save yourself some money by going to your friend or a less-talented photographer, but when it comes to important life events like your engagement, wedding, etc, isn't it worth it to pay the extra money for the photos that you'll treasure for the rest of your life to be the best they possibly can be?
Think on that.