Photography Classes, Editing Lessons & Mentoring with Jessica Doffing
Are you looking to mentor with a professional newborn photographer? Are you interested in learning camera settings and studio lighting, safe newborn posing techniques, best business and marketing practices, or Lightroom and Photoshop editing? I have several options to help you learn everything you need to know about the business of newborn photography. Contact me for more information or to book a session.
Full Day Mentoring
A full day of 1-on-1 mentoring with a portion of the time spent with a newborn model (or two). With my direction you will learn the proper way to pose babies safely and photograph them using studio lighting equipment. We will take a lunch break mid-session where we can look through images and critique them as well as discuss business practices and/or editing. The mentoring will be customized to what you need/want to learn. You will be invited to join a private Facebook group for on-going guidance and support. Requirements - a dslr camera with basic understanding of manual camera settings. Sessions are held Monday - Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Price: $1200
‘Fly on the Wall’
Sit in and observe one of my scheduled newborn sessions and be able to ask posing and/or photography questions along the way. Sessions are held Tuesday - Thursday from 10:00am - 2:00pm.
Price: $300
One-on-one Virtual Mentoring
Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and spend an hour with me online chatting about anything and everything newborn photography related. I am happy to share all of the lessons I’ve learned, good and bad. I will openly answer all of your questions about how I run my business and offer suggestions that would be best suited for your particular situation. Topic discussions can include (but are not limited to):
Just getting started - best equipment to use, llc vs sole proprietor, insurance, taxes, book-keeping and CRM (customer relations management), all-inclusive vs IPS (in person sales), how to figure out your pricing and cost of doing business.
Kick it up notch - help with your session workflow, studio layout, best practices for in-home sessions, client prep, baby soothing techniques, posing, lighting & editing critique, social media and website SEO help, tips on dealing with a difficult client.
You will be asked to complete a questionnaire prior to the meeting to outline our topics of discussion. Please be aware that we may not be able to cover everything you need in one session, especially if you are just starting out.
Sessions are one hour long and held in the evening, Monday - Friday. If daytime hours are required, please contact me directly.
Price: On sale now - $50 or 5 sessions for $200 (regularly $75 or 5 sessions for $300)
Sign up for a mentoring session here - Virtual Mentoring Session Sign-Up
One-on-one Online Photoshop and Lightroom Tutoring
We will screen-share and can talk real time as I edit an image of yours or mine and go over anything you want to, from totally beginner basics up to composites and other more complicated edits. The session is recorded so you will be able to download it and refer back to if you’d like. Sessions are one hour long and held in the evening, Monday - Friday. If daytime hours are required, please contact me directly.
Price: On sale now - $50 or 5 sessions for $200 (regularly $75 or 5 sessions for for $300 )
Sign up for a tutoring session here - Online Lightroom and Photoshop Tutoring.
Basic DSLR Camera Operation
Learn all of the fundamentals for shooting in manual mode on your DSLR camera. You will learn the basics of aperture, shutter speed, ISO (exposure triangle), setting white balance, and more. Requirements - a DSLR camera. Sessions are 2 hours long and held Tuesday - Saturday (times vary).
Price: $100
If you would like to share a Basic DSLR class with a friend(s) it would be $75 per person for 2 people, or $50 per person for 3 or more people.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Do you want to take professional-looking portraits of your own kids? Do you have a DSLR camera but only know how to shoot in auto mode? After attending a Basic DSLR Camera Operation Class, sign up for a 2 hour mentorship with your own child/ren. We will meet at a local park and practice what we learned about shooting in manual mode. Get those soft and creamy blurry backgrounds; freeze action to get crisp and sharp details; and get perfectly lit photos every time. You’ll go home with a deeper understanding of shooting in manual mode, beautiful photos, AND happy and tired kiddos. Times and locations vary.
Requirements - DSLR camera and basic knowledge of shooting in manual mode.
Price: $300
If you would like to share this session with a friend it will be $100 extra per person (so $400 for 2 people, $500 for 3 people, etc). Please be aware that the session will still only be 2 hours long so your individualized help will be limited with more attendees.
Testimonials
“Jessica is not only an incredible photographer but an amazing mentor as well. She graciously opened her studio, and her knowledge, to help me grow my skills. This is something you just don’t find very often amongst fellow photographers. She’s truly so genuine about wanting to help you grow and has no judgement or negativity regarding where you’re currently at with your skills or what gear you are using. I can’t wait to do more mentoring sessions with her! I highly recommend her not only as a photographer but as a mentor.”
“ I am a new newborn photographer and had the pleasure of spending the day with Jessica doing 3 sessions. She was gracious and kind, offering lots of tips and tricks as well as information about how she has built her business. It was a huge help to see how she handles her sessions, and seeing the beautiful images she was able to create was a huge inspiration to me. I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a mentor!”
“I worked with Jessica Doffing Photography as a intern when I was attending the Art Institute of Austin (photography major🙋♀️). She was an open book and she pointed out and explained every step she did. I shot along side her and she reviewed every shot to make sure I captured the right angles. She covered everything from posing, styling, lighting, parent prep, editing, sales, marketing and more. She helped me so much to develop the skill set and confidence I was lacking to expand my knowledge and business in that direction. I wanted to include more newborn photography in my repertoire, which she definitely achieved in doing. Jessica is fun, driven and definitely knows her stuff. I got to know quite well when I interned with her and I found her to be very friendly, professional and approachable and I now feel privileged to be able to call her my friend. She gives 100% of herself and I will be forever grateful for all of her expertise and knowledge she has shared with me. Two thumbs up from me!!”