Beloved is the “missing piece” in photography

 

 

If you want your images to have more genuine emotion, Beloved is your answer.

If you want to never have to worry about being funny and having the perfect joke to get a laughing shot, Beloved is your answer..

If you want to have a way to move quickly through the awkwardness of being photographed, Beloved is your answer.

If you want to feel renewed by shooting instead of drained, Beloved is your answer.

If you want to feel like the work you do makes a difference in people’s lives, Beloved is your answer.

 

 

It doesn’t replace the need for good technical and compositional skills, but if you build that basic foundation, the Beloved technique is the missing piece that makes magic happen. Its like The Decisive Moment on steroids.  Great composition mixed with authentic emotion, creating moving works of true art.

And just like the other skills that take time to strengthen, I’ve certainly found that Beloved is a practiced skill as well.

This session marks my 6th full Beloved shoot.  It was monumental for me.  Even though there is so many incredible things about Beloved, I felt in some ways that when I started I went backwards a bit in my craft.  I was nervous.  I was more reluctant to move around and vary my perspective and shots.

This shoot was a break through for me.  I finally felt comfortable enough with everything that I began to bring back the “artistic” side of my perspective. I moved around more. I changed lenses. I changed locations. I finally felt a balance between the “craft of photography” and the execution of using the Beloved approach at the same time.  It took time to get to this point and it makes me so excited for what is possible now.

Does the cute girl below look like me?  It’s my lovely sister and her husband.  I don’t think Lindsey quite prepared him for what he was in for, but by the looks of it, I think he didn’t mind 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brooke Snow is a Lifestyle photographer in Cache Valley, Utah.  Beloved has changed her life and photography forever. It has brought a meaningful purpose to everything she creates and she can’t help but share it with the world.

Brooke teaches inspiring online photography classes that bring you confidence in your skills and creativity.

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26 Responses

  1. I love these! Your original blog post in August was the reason I took the plunge and purchased the Beloved web seminar, which was a big risk for me at the time, with only a week remaining to complete the seminar before it went “off line” and with it costing $500 (a lot of money for someone who had not yet even started charging for sessions!). Beloved has opened up so much to me, and I feel has changed the way I approach ALL of my sessions and my photography and life in general (not just my couples sessions). As I move forward this week with unveiling my website and officially “opening for business,” I am so glad that I was introduced to Beloved. Thank you.

    1. Sara! Congratulations on your upcoming website release! That is so exciting! And I’m so happy that you discovered beloved for yourself! You will be so much further ahead of the game to start out with that already under your belt!

  2. Ok, so now the question is, will you be offering Beloved sessions in 2012 to all of us eagerly awaiting the news? I’ve made my hubby look through a few sessions to see if he would be on board and he thinks it’s a great idea too! I’m dreaming of an amazing wall art display in my bedroom now :)(as a side note, I had a friend grab a quick picture of my hubby and I — after I had set up the camera and composition, you know how that goes — and instead of making me really happy it just felt like blah. Like, I don’t need another fake smiley picture of the hubby and I — even if we do look all dressed up nice and cute in it. I want a picture of our love, just like I’m able to capture of my children interacting with my spouse. I want that but of ME and my hubby 🙂

    1. Marcie! I will open for Beloved Sessions in 2012 🙂 I’d be honored to photograph the two of you! We can get you the coveted wall display for your bedroom 🙂 You both will love everything about it! 🙂

  3. I don’t know the right venue for asking this, but I missed the Beloved web seminar (and don’t see an option for taking it), but I do see the Beloved Field Guide…what do you think?

    1. Great resource! I use it in every session I do! The class was most helpful in gaining a bit more context on how to execute the whole session, but I’m sure that another class will pop up soon 🙂

  4. Misti, I think the field guide does make more sense if you heard the seminar, but you can definitely derive benefit even without the classes… especially if you have another photographer interested in Beloved to help guide you through its purpose, the goal of Beloved, etc. I would love to talk with you if you’d like! Feel free to email me at sara@saraarrigoniphotography.com if you have questions or would like to chat (or friend me on Facebook: Sara Arrigoni). A couple more experienced Beloved photographers offered this to me when I first was investigating Beloved, and I’d love to do the same for you.

  5. I have the same question as Misti… and don’t really know how to ask. I’ve looked at Jesh’s website and haven’t even found as much as Misti has (where’s the field guide?) Do you have any information? My email is bmatcsmith@gmail.com

  6. I was confused at first because I thought that was you in the photos. But I knew it couldn’t be you since you took the photos. So I’m glad you explained that it was your sister. haha! I haven’t been able to afford any of Jesh’s workshops, webinars, or the Field Guide. But he did a little freebie intro webinar a few months ago and I soaked in every word he said because I think the Beloved movement is amazing!!! I’ve attempted it myself on 2 shoots so far and loved the results. But since I don’t have the field guide, I only have a few ideas for experiencial invites. A few that he gave during the free webinar and a couple I came up with on my own. I hope that some day I can take a workshop or maybe come up with some more ideas on my own.

    1. Rayleigh, thats wonderful that you have already incorporated Beloved on your own with just a bit of insight! Way to go! You can totally create your own invites! So glad that to hear that you are already doing so!

  7. Okay. Everyone thinks we look alike, which I generally disagree, but the picture of you on the sidebar lined up just perfectly with the first picture of me…and goodness. We have the same smile.

  8. Brooke,

    I like to think of myself as a reasonably resilient, macho Aussie male, but engaging with many of these images almost made me cry… no hang on, that was actually a tear I wiped away!

    I think this in itself is a testimony to how much potential this movement has to impact the relationships of even the most ‘familiar’ couples; to break down even the most time tested barriers.

    I can’t wait to encourage one of our local photographers to involve themsleves in this movement so Elke and I can have images like this to remind us of just how special we are to each other and how much love we still have to give (with everthing else that happens in a family with little kids reminders are always helpful).

    You said, “I finally felt a balance between the “craft of photography” and the execution of using the Beloved approach at the same time.”

    I was just thinking about this as I prepare for my first ever couples shoot as ordered by you in assignment 3 :). Meshing together the standard posing kind of advice with the Beloved approach. I think, for me, in the intial stages of learning this, planning (in terms of shot lists, invitations and exercises, general poses, camera angles and focal lengths etc) is so essential and is the single most important thing I have learned so far from the Advanced Pro course. Can’t wait to see what comes of it next week! …though I am totally prepared to embrace complete and utter failure as a learning experience 😛

    Thanks again… Love your work!

    1. Pete! I still think you’re totally a macho masculine male, even if you shed a tear 😉 ! I do hope you and Elke can have this opportunity! It is truly so meaningful and such a great gift to each other as well as your kids! I think its so important for our children to also know how much their parents love each other 🙂

      Can’t wait to see your assignment! Good luck!

  9. I am always so inspired by your Beloved posts. I am a mama and hobbyist photographer. When I saw your original post in August I went and listed to the 2hour lecture and thought, “Yes! this is what I want for my work.” However I’m not at a place with time or money to jump in just yet. Your posts so often inspire me–Beloved or not–and I’ve often considered signing up for one of your courses someday. I know that Beloved has greatly inspired all of your work and I am curious how that has translated into your course content and teaching. Thanks again for continually sharing your journey here!

    1. Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much! I do introduce the concept of Beloved in my Advanced Pro course and show a video clip from a Beloved Session, though the broad scope of the class covers other topics as well. It would be enough to give someone a general idea, though an entire course just for beloved would be the most ideal 🙂 (its in the works).

  10. These are wonderful as always! After taking your Advanced Pro class, I bought the field guide and can’t wait to try it out! The one problem I am facing is how to incorporate Beloved into family shoots. I have found a family photographer who is using Beloved on family sessions and I am trying to pick up some tips from her (http://www.elizabethhalford.com/2011/11/09/session-wrap-up-family-session-using-the-beloved-concept/) but I hope to see some Beloved family shoots from you too! 🙂

    1. Hi Rebecca! Thank you! And congrats to you on getting the field guide! I’m excited for you to try it out! I loved Elizabeth’s shoot! I have most certainly used Beloved in a family session, and have a post coming about that next week! Stay tuned!

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