Heather Hortman + The Story Behind

Upon re-posting this image from Heather Hortman to our Bloom Community feed, we knew right away it would resonate loudly with our followers. And boy, did it! Heather proves when you match together freckles, snazzy shades and a post-swim snack, with a small guest feature from the photographer herself, you’ve got yourself a FUN photograph! With all the layers of story that she managed to fold in here, we had to know the details that led up to one of our favorite photographs of the summer.

IG Handle:.
@heather_hortman

Where was this photo taken?
Clearwater Beach, Florida

DSLR, iphone, instant or film?
Nikon D7200 + my 35mm

What were your camera settings for this image?
ISO 250 f/1.8 1/8000 sec

How did the location add or hinder to your image?
It was taken in the morning, but the sun was still super bright. So I put her under an umbrella to soften the light a bit.

Can you tell us “The Story Behind” this shot?
I originally dove in to capture Juliette’s sun-kissed freckles, which I am currently obsessed with photographing. I honestly didn’t even realize her brand new sunglasses were reflective, until I moved closer with my lens. However, when I noticed the reflection, I knew this was an opportunity for a creative look. She loves the camera so much, it only took a couple of snaps and I was done. I was able to capture those gorgeous freckles and the reflection!

What speaks to you about this image? What specifically made you press the shutter?
I love expressions and faces. You can find a story through these raw vivid details. I wanted to capture the simplicity and joy of a child on the beach. Wet hair, eating a snack, wearing her new sunglasses, and not having a care in the world.

What was your composition technique with this shot?
The Rule of Thirds and Framing were definitely in my mind!

Was this photo happenstance or did you visualize it prior? If so, how did you envision the image and set up for it?
It was definitely a shoot from the hip kind of moment!

Did you have any lighting challenges/How did you light the image?
It was taken in the morning, but the sun was still super bright. So I put her under an umbrella to soften the light a bit.

Did you use a preset to edit this image, your own selective edits or a combination of both?
At the time I used VSCO A6, and of course added my own selective edits as well. I only recently started editing in Lightroom, and it is a game changer for sure!

Why is your craft important to you?
We all have a story to tell. This is how we connect. I love that I have found photography to tell my story. I hope people feel connected to it.

Heather Hortman of Birmingham, Alabama can be found at the following spots:
SITE // INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK