September 20, 2024
Pismo Beach Magic with Eliana—Bright Lights and Big Smiles
- Senior Session
BASED OUT OF LOMPOC, CALIFORNIA
 
 
Welcome to Elm Photography, where your smiles are captured by yours truly—Erin, the gal behind the lens! Hi, I'm the one coaxing you into those hilarious poses and cracking the awkward jokes that make you giggle just right for the shot. Yes, that's my superpower!
Hailing from Lompoc, California, I'm your go-to natural-light portrait photographer, ready to trek across our stunning Central Coast to freeze your precious moments in time.
Whether it's senior portraits that pop, couple shots that ooze romance, or family photos brimming with joy, I'm here to make it happen. Let's create some magic together—awkward jokes included at no extra charge!
First things first, please send me an inquiry so we can connect! Your message will come directly to my inbox, allowing us to chat one-on-one. This will help me understand exactly what you're looking for. I look forward to hearing from you!
When planning your photo session, the first step is to choose a date. I typically take photos during the golden hour, which is two hours before sunset, so the date is more important than the time. If the golden hour doesn't work for your schedule, we can adjust accordingly. Once you finalize your date, I'll send you a confirmation booking email.
**It's crucial to complete this to secure your date. Until then, the date remains open to other clients.
Consider the atmosphere or vibe you want to showcase when deciding on a location. This will help you narrow your options and choose a location that fits your vision.
Remember that you may need certain permissions or permits before using a particular location. It's important to leave enough time to handle these tasks to avoid scrambling at the last minute.
I recommend checking out my locations page if you're struggling to decide on a location.
I get it; dressing yourself in the morning is hard enough when you don’t have to stand in front of a camera. It’s normal to want to shop for new fancy clothes to wear to a photoshoot. And that’s fine if you want to glam up. But usually, the best route is to go with something that you know is comfy and fits well.
Don’t be afraid to bring a few outfits. You’ll be amazed at how an outfit change can change the entire vibe of a photo session and add a ton of variety.
There's no need to worry about coming up with poses or knowing what to do. As we move through the session, I'm scouting spots to position you, direct your poses, and plan how to capture you best. If you notice me scanning the area with a focused gaze, no need to be concerned; my mind is hard at work. You might be asked to walk, move, skip, squat, sit, lay, or do something unexpected. It's all about capturing that perfect moment.
If you have any creative ideas or suggestions, please share them with me. I want the session to reflect your vision as well. I bring various ideas to the table, which may differ from your own. By combining ideas, photos, and brainstorming, we can enhance the outcome of your session.
I am here to ensure your session is perfect in every way. A few days before the session, I will reach out to confirm the exact start time, and you'll receive session reminders in your inbox. I closely monitor the weather starting days before your session to choose the best time for optimal light. If there's a chance of cloud cover, I may move the session to an earlier time.
**If rain is forecasted, we will reschedule for a time that works for both of us.
First and foremost, being on time is essential. And I say this not because of my time but because we are on the sun's time. Because I schedule it around sunset, even a few minutes late can cut into your golden hour lighting and time to photograph.
Try to be there at least 15 minutes early. So, if you hit traffic or a delay, it won't cut into your time.
Be ready to walk, sit, stand, move, and move quickly. I like to keep sessions moving pretty quickly so I don't lose people's interest, especially the little ones. So, be ready to keep moving. And let me know if you have any issues with lots of walking and moving prior to the session to help me plan better.
After your session, I'll share sneak peeks on social media that night, so be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook so you see your photos at the same time everyone else does. Feel free to share them wherever you'd like from there.
If you are not comfortable having your images on social media, that is completely okay; just let me know.
I take great care in sorting through and editing your final gallery, which takes me about 2-3 weeks, depending on the time of year. I'll email you the link and password to your gallery. There, you can easily download, share, and print all your high-resolution digital images.
"Erin is AMAZING! She was so patient with my two-year-old and gave such a calming presence. She captured our family so perfectly! I’m so in love with the photos, I will have so much trouble choosing which one to hang on the wall! My son asked if we could take family portraits with her every year! We absolutely will!!"
"Working with Erin was an absolute joy and breeze. She was able to capture the exact vision my girls had for their graduation photos! Her editing style is fresh and authentic, not to mention she got them done efficiently. I cannot wait to book again with her in the future for more sessions."
"We have taken photos at four installations now and Erin at Elm Photography was by far the best experience we have had. She was very patient and creative with keeping our toddler's attention and the poses/locations she planned for us were great. We couldn't be happier with how our family photos turned out. 10/10."
"The experience with Erin was easy and enjoyable. I was the mother looking in and I loved how easy it was to work with her. The final pics were absolutely stunning. We were very pleased with the results. I highly recommend Erin, she is excellent and planning on booking her again for Family pictures."
"Erin is just lovely! We have done many shoots with her now and the pictures always turn out the exact way I want them. Can’t wait to get more done!"
"We had a great family session with Erin! She was friendly, approachable, and accommodating of all the extended family members we wanted to have in our photos. She kept the group moving and energized! We were all pleased with the final photos and amazed she got smiles out of everyone, even the littlest family members. We will certainly use her services in the future and would recommend her to anyone."
"Erin was great. Loved how the photos came out. Got my boy to smile (anyone that knows him, knows that a task in of itself). She was very flexible and had great ideas but never pressured us to go one way or another. She got back to us with the pics very fast too. Will definitely be using her again for professional photos."
"I’ve been lucky enough to have two recent photo sessions with Erin for my family and we are so obsessed with how they turned out. She captured each moment so perfectly and I will forever be grateful for the memories! Thank you so much Erin!!!!!"
"I highly recommend Elm Photography! We are so incredibly happy with my daughter’s Senior Portraits. The session was such a positive and empowering experience for her. Erin made her feel so relaxed and confident. She took her time and suggested many creative poses and backgrounds which all turned out to be INCREDIBLE photos! I am so grateful that my daughter’s essence was so perfectly captured, to remind me for years to come of who she is today."
"Had the most amazing experience with our photo session. Erin was absolutely wonderful. My granddaughter was not happy about taking pictures but Erin talked with her and was so patient with her. The photos ended up turning out so special, she even got her to smile the whole time. Erin was so fun and engaging we felt like we were all family friend. We love all our photos and it's going to be difficult to choose which ones we want (might have to create a whole feature wall). We had a blast!"
"My daughter had the best experience working with Elm Photography for her senior portraits. My daughter does not like taking pictures but Erin made her feel relaxed and at ease. Afterwards my daughter commented on how fun it was! Every picture turned out beautiful. We are so pleased with how everything turned out. I highly recommend Elm Photography."
"Just put your confidence in Erin and all will be good. Erin is an excellent photographer and also very relaxed to spend time with. The combination of these qualities is wonderful. Erin was particularly good at locating some rather magical backdrops/locations for the shoot, and she has a wonderful eye for capturing unusual and unexpected moments. Erin has a creative mindset and a fantastic eye for detail. As someone who is a bit camera shy, Erin quickly put our daughter at ease with her lovely nature, professionalism, and some clever techniques. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you Erin."
"Our senior session was absolutely perfect. I brought a reluctant and shy teen, who was so unsure about everything and hates her picture taken. Erin was amazing with her and found those little things that got her to smile and engage with the camera. The pictures turned out even more beautiful than I imagined and we are so grateful for Erin capturing this moment. We will be back with her younger sister for her senior portraits in a few years! The price was perfect, communication and timeliness was great, it was a great experience!"
"Erin is such a joy to work with! We used her for our daughter's senior pictures years ago and we were very pleased, so she was the obvious choice for our son's recent session. Our son generally gets impatient taking photos so I was concerned, but Erin made him comfortable and brought out the best in him. I have recommended Erin to several friends and they have been extremely pleased with their experience also. Highly recommended!"
"Photoshoots can often be difficult especially with the more people involved, but there was 7 of us and Erin made us all feel so comfortable. She did such an amazing job capturing my 14 year old, as he is an especially tough age to take pictures of. Most of all she captured such wonderful pictures of our family with our new grandbaby and we will treasure these pictures always!"
"We are so happy that we lucked in to choosing Erin for our large family photo shoot. From the very beginning of the scheduling process to the actual family shoot, she was extremely responsive, completely professional and just a pleasure to deal with! And...the photos turned out FANTASTIC! I cannot say enough good things about her. Highly Recommended! You won't be disappointed."
"My Senior Session with Elm Photography was my first ever time getting professional photos done, so I was quite nervous. Not only did I get beautiful photos that captured my personality and the picture perfect landscape, but I had an amazing experience. I felt like I got just enough directions while in front of the camera to get good shots while still being myself and having fun. Overall, it was a fantastic experience with gorgeous results."
"Erin has taken so many wonderful photos for me and my friends and each time I receive them they are so beautifully done. She has a gift of capturing unforgettable memories through her camera lens. I would highly recommend Elm Photography to anyone who wants to capture the essence of those memorable times."
"Erin was such a joy to work with for our maternity shoot. We aren’t really the photoshoot type of people and were a little nervous, but wanted to document such a special time in our lives. She made us both feel so comfortable from start to finish, guided us through the whole thing. We’re so happy with how the photos turned out and will cherish them forever. Thanks again Erin, can’t wait for our next session as our family continues to grow."
"I'm very happy that I went with Erin, Elm Photography. A friend recommended her. My twins, Cash & Piper, were able to take their Senior pictures at the same time. While having their separate pictures taken, we were able to get pictures of the duo together as well!! The pictures came out gorgeous. Erin was adaptable in where we wanted to go, we chose Los Alamos Ca. The scenery, time of day, made for outstanding pictures. When I showed my twins pictures to people, people asked if my twins were models!! The entire experience was fun, and and relaxing. Erin's expertise is capturing beautiful memories! She will be my GO TO PHOTOGRAPHER!!
"We’ve used Erin for a couple different photo shoots now and she’s great. She knows how to make everyone feel comfortable and have fun. We definitely will be getting future family pictures done with Erin. She is so generous with the amount of pictures you receive with a natural talent for photography. Her photos will forever be up in our home."