Picture Perfect Photo Shoot: Amber Zimmerman, Clik Chick Photography

Pam Hillman here. Seekerville is proud to bring you Amber Zimmerman of The Clik Chick Photography. Amber is the official ACFW conference photographer for the 2010 ACFW conference and will be taking appointments for a photo session with authors in Indianapolis.
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I had the privilege of meeting Amber last spring. She is an extremely talented photographer and I felt at ease right off the bat. If you’re looking for some affordable shots for your portfolio, please schedule an appointment with Amber at the ACFW conference.
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Today, Amber shares some tips to make your photo shoot more enjoyable and she will be available throughout the day to answer your questions.
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Here’s a hearty welcome to Amber Zimmerman!!!
.So you’ve finally landed a book contract after months of plotting in your mind over your characters and storylines and one too many coffees.
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What next? Time to market that book and one way of doing that is putting a picture to the voice that your readers will soon love! This is where I can help, after all, your author photo will be married to your book.
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We want it to be memorable, right?
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For good reasons too, not because it was a huge flub! I would like to offer some pointers to assist you when you seek out a photographer for your books/website.
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1. Play up one of your features. If it’s your eyes, then focus on making your eyes stand out. If it’s your lips, then play up your lips.
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2. Choose ONE accessory that makes a bold statement. You don’t want to overwhelm the picture by having a chunky necklace and chunky earrings. This includes scarves and hats, try to keep accessories at a minimum so that you are the focus and not your accessories.
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3. Usually the headshot is the most important image, but full body shots are not a bad thing. Especially if it’s fun and captures the energy of who you are and what kinds of books your write. Keeping this in mind, you will want to keep your clothing pretty basic. Layers with solids and a few patterns mixed in are good.
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4. Most importantly, think carefully about what represents YOU and what you write about. You want a picture that captures who you are, something that connects you with your readers. This is your way of inviting them into your world.
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With Diann Hunt’s permission, I’d like to show an example of a photo that captures Diann’s personality as much as it pertains to what the book is written about (a humorous devotional).
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For fun, here is a link to a website where you DO NOT want to see your author portrait end up! ;-)
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Awkward Family Photos
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Amber has graciously offered a free photo session (a $40.00 value) to one lucky person attending the ACFW conference. To be eligible, you must be registered to attend the 2010 ACFW Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner will be chosen from visitors who comment on Amber's blog post before midnight August 23rd, 2010. Please include an email address where you can be reached.

Thank you, Amber, for visiting Seekerville and giving us the scoop on how to look bea-u-ti-ful in our glamour shots! We hope you have a ton of fun today, and at the ACFW conference in September.