Amazon Favorites | Travel Chargers that Are Fast!

September 4, 2024 Jaine Kershner

For this month’s September Amazon Favorites, I wanted to share what I’ve purchased for when I travel for destination weddings including the best travel charger for wedding photographers. Let’s jump right in…

The BEST Travel Charger - I have been looking for a small travel charger to bring with me that will charge my Macbook Pro and iPhone at the same time in record time and boy, I think I found it. The MINIX NEO P3 100W Turbo 4-Ports GaN Wall Charger is incredible and will fully re-charge my depleted MacBook in under an HOUR. Yes, I’m not kidding! I love that it has a very small footprint in my travel gear AND I can use it internationally as well. It’s a MUST have in my book!

Travel Electronic Cable Organizer - I finally found a nice-looking travel case to organize my cables, cords, chargers, hard drives, and adapters. This one from FYY on Amazon is perfect for me. I was carrying two pouches before I found this cute little guy online AND it comes in many wonderful colors. Highly Recommend!

The Smallest Sound Machine - Ever since the birth of my daughter, I cannot sleep without a sound machine. I used to use my cellphone throughout the night but worried I’d drain the battery and end up with a dead phone. I saw this Mini Sound Machine from Babelio, I KNEW I instantly had to add it to my cart. It’s wonderful and so tiny! It doesn’t take up any space in my travel kit and is USB-C chargeable. It has 15 different sounds but I prefer the white noise the best.

Best Makeup Remover - I wear waterproof mascara (this one is my fave) every single day. I do not want to have raccoon eyes EVER at the end of a wedding day so waterproof was my solution. I needed a way to take off my makeup without tugging at my undereye skin, which is very sensitive. No Crow’s feet, please! I have been using Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water for the last 4 years and truly cannot use anything else. It’s on my subscribe and save too!

Additional Power Outlets - Ever walk into a hotel room or AirBnB and wish you had more power outlets? yeah, me too! So I decided to bring my own each time I travel now. I love these 3-way Flat Wall Power extender AC adapters. They come in a pack of 3 - which kind of feels like a steal. I keep one in my Travel Electronic Cable Organizer Case at all times.

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2023 Black Friday Deals for Wedding Photographers

November 22, 2023 Jaine Kershner

Black Friday Deals for Wedding Photographers is HERE!

It’s that time of year again when businesses put their best products and services on sale for Black Friday and we get to save BIG! I’ve put together a list of my favorite deals for wedding photographers including our only sale of the year from Tea with Jainé. This list will be regularly updated so be sure to come back and check often!

Submission Support Membership is Open for One-Week Only

Our very own monthly membership, Submission Support is open for enrollment for one week only starting today, Wednesday, November 22nd through Wednesday, November 29th, 2023.

Submission Support is where we decode the submission process for Wedding Photographers and Wedding Planners one section of a wedding day at a time. You can expect to receive between 1-2 emails a month, join our quarterly LIVE calls, get exclusive discounts to work directly with Jainé, and receive exclusive content from our guest contributors throughout your membership.

48 HOUR BONUS: All new members who join within the first 48 Hours will get our exclusive BONUS, a Gallery Review ($150 Value) for FREE! They’ll be able to send in 2-3 wedding galleries for us to quickly review and let them know which one you should submit.

Gallery Reviews will be sent out on a first-come, first-served basis, and they have 90 days from enrollment to use their Gallery Review before it expires.

NO CODE NEEDED - Click HERE to Join Today

The Artist Lawyer - 30% OFF Photography Contract Sale

One of our friends of the Podcast and trusted source for contracts that protect us, The Artists Lawyer is having a 30% OFF sale on all their Wedding and Photography Contracts.

Use Code TEAWITHJAINE to save 15% OFF your entire purchase.

Click HERE to shop and save during their Black Friday Sale.

Social Templates Co. - Annual Membership Discount

Want to create Instagram Reels in minutes? Social Templates Co. is my secret weapon for creating Reels quickly and easily right in the Instagram App.

They are offering $100 OFF their Annual Membership.

Use Code BLK2023 at checkout and use this LINK to save.

You can also try it out for a month for FREE when you use code JAINE at checkout.

Instaproofs - Online Photo Hosting for Photographers

I love Instaproofs and am so happy I switched over several years ago. Every Black Friday they offer incredible Black Friday Deals for new and current users to take advantage of. Here is what they are currently offering this year:

New Sign Ups - 60% Off for Six Months

Subscription Prepayments - 25% Bonus Credit

Annual Subscription Upgrades - 4 Months Free

Referrals - 10GB for You + 5GB for Your Friend

You can use this LINK to sign up and save and you’ll get 5 GB for FREE when you use my Referral Link ;)

Locust Collection Styling Surfaces - 25% OFF Everything

My favorite and ONLY styling surface I will ever use or recommend is Locust Collection. They are simply the BEST out there in my humble opinion. Kate has been on the podcast and is a joy to collaborate with.

Locust Collection is having a great Black Friday Sale.

Save 25% OFF Everything in the shop
30% OFF when you spend $350 or more
40% OFF when you spend $700 or more

Discount Automatically applied at Checkout. NO CODE NEEDED

Use Code JAINE at checkout for bonus savings too!

Brenda Cadman’s Canva Courses are all on sale! You can save 40% OFF her Canva for Beginners, Clean Up My Canva, and Canva for Business, or save 50% OFF when you purchase all three together.

Use the code BLACKFRIDAY to get 40% off individual Canva courses or the code BLACKFRIDAY50 to get 50% off a Canva course bundle of all 3 courses. Click HERE to shop and save.

Save 35% OFF Lauren Fair Presets

My good friend and fellow wedding photographer Lauren Fair is having a HUGE sale on her Lightroom Presets and Profiles. You can also save $600 OFF her signature online course, Lauren Fair Atelier.

Presets are 35% off code BLACKFRIDAY35 at Checkout. Click HERE to shop.

Save up to 35% OFF The Archetype Process Profiles

The Archetype Process Black Friday SALE is live and runs through Tuesday, November 28th!

25% OFF 1 Profile Pack

30% OFF 2 Profile Packs

35% OFF 3 Profile Packs

No CODE Needed. Discount will be applied to the shopping cart.

Shop My Favorites for Photographers on Amazon

Over the years, I have created several posts about my favorite Styling Items, what to wear to a wedding, what gear I love, and so much more but it was hard to find the links for those items in a pinch.

So I created an Amazon Storefront with all of my favorite items and some of them are on deep discount for Black Friday too!

You can visit my Amazon Storefront here.

Favorite Travel Gear for Photographers

May 6, 2020 Jaine Kershner

I wanted to share three items that I have come to love using when I’m traveling. When we visited the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Mojave Desert earlier this year. I brought along my new travel tripod from Peak Design that I had pre-ordered it on their Kickstarter campaign and waited almost 8+ months for it to arrive. You guys, it was WORTH the wait and every single penny! I fell in love HARD for this tripod which made me try out other items from this brand. Safe to say I’m a fan! Below are my three favorite items I am currently loving from Peak Design.

Travel Gear for Photographers - Peak Design Recommendations

1 - Peak Design Travel Tripod - Without a doubt, this tripod is the best ever! It is so well designed it floors me that no one has done this sooner! I purchased the ALUMINUM version (they offer a Carbon version too!) and boy, it’s so light! Weighing only 3.4 lbs it’s incredibly lightweight and well made! The tripod ball head system easily adjusts, pivots and tilts seamlessly. The legs are super easy to set up with a flip of the locks and I LOVE that I don’t have to twist and tighten anything. It also has a built-in smartphone adapter to take your epic selfies which we did at the Grand Canyon. It comes with its own carrying case & hex wrench so you are never without the tools to set up the plates. I love that there is a built-in level and an easy to understand knobs system. I still have a tripod from another brand that I still cannot figure out how to use! For me, this tripod is a MUST HAVE and an excellent investment for any photographer.

2 - Peak Design Leash Camera Strap - As I was using my new tripod, I quickly realized that I wish I had purchased a camera strap to carry it on me when I moved from location to location. Since the travel tripod is so light, I can carry it on my shoulder along with my cameras and not be in pain. I checked out Peak Design’s website and purchased the Leash camera strap in black. It works seamlessly with the travel tripod and it will work with my camera’s while I’m on the go. It arrived when we got home but you can use it in three different ways including around the neck, standard crossbody, and crossbody with easy access to your shutter buttons.

3 - Peak Design Everyday Sling v2.0 - So what did I carry my gear in when I’m exploring new places and taking photos? I love the Peak Design Everyday Sling v.2 bag in black - size 6L . It comes in a 3L and 10L size too. I prefer the middle size because it can hold my Sony AR7iii and two lenses plus accessories perfectly. When I travel, I tend to travel light with my gear so I only need my mirrorless camera, a tripod, and possibly my film gear depending on where I am going. It’s very comfortable to wear and you can wear it over your shoulder or as the intended sling bag across your chest. I love the fabric and feel of the bag. It also comes with detachable straps so I can hold my travel tripod too!

4 - Peak Design Extra Anchors - I love Peak Designs’ entire anchor system because everything seamlessly connects to one another. My Leash camera strap can easily hook on to my tripod via the Peak Anchors. I can also connect it to their hand strap and other items in their line. It’s always a good idea to have a few extra anchors on hand just in case!

*this post is NOT sponsored by Peak Design but hey, I’d love if they contacted me :)

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Best Camera Gear to Record IGTV Videos

April 30, 2020 Jaine Kershner

Over the last few weeks, I have asked to share what I gear I use to create my IGTV videos. So I put together the blog post for you along with a brand new episode of Tea with Jainé on Instagram. I want to preface this post (and video) by saying you do NOT need a lot of gear to make videos. Your phone is just fine! Hey, that’s how I got started in the first place! I decided to invest in additional lighting so I could film when it’s dark out and I am a wedding photographer, so I’m bound to love gear. Right?! I hope this post is helpful & if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below.

iPhone Setups:

Joby Tripod with Level - I love this bendy flexible tripod for recording with my phone or camera. It has a built in level that is super handy when filming alone.

Manfrotto Table Top Tripod - If you are looking for a smaller table top tripod, I love this Manfrotto one. It’s perfect for sitting on my desk and giving my iPhone a bit of extra height. It’s great for vlogging as well!

Square Jellyfish 360 iPhone Mount - This is my favorite mount for my tripod to easily attach my iPhone. I love this one because of the 360 ability. I can flip from Vertical to Horizontal landscapes in a second and there is no additional piece of equipment required. IGTV is vertical video so this is best for me!

Mirrorless Camera Setups:

Sony AR7III - I wanted to use a great camera for video and Sony is where it is at. The quality is great and it’s super easy to use and setup. I also use this camera as my “personal” camera when I’m not photographing weddings or sessions with my clients. It’s an investment but for me, it was worth it.

Sony 35mm 1.8 Lens - I recently added the 35mm 1.8 Sony lens into my kit because I needed a wider lens. It’s great for recording in a horizontal landscape and then zooming in to edit my videos vertically.

Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II- I don’t personally own this camera but I know it’s awesome for vlogging. It has a built-in swivel screen so you can easily see yourself when you are recording. This feature is SO important if you are doing everything on your own. Trust me! You want to make sure you are in focus!!

SmallHD Focus Screen Kit for Sony - I purchased this additional focusing screen for my Sony camera so I could see myself while I record my videos. The swivel arm allows me to rotate the screen and adjust how I see myself with helpful on-screen markers to let me know when I am out of focus or not!

Manfrotto 190 Go! Aluminum Tripod - This tripod is one of my favorites for a lot of reasons, but the 190 Go! is amazing because the tripod column comes out and re-inserts into the tripod so you can fully have your camera horizontal to record your hands, flat-lays, and more. This is great if you are a crafter, doing DIY’s, or want to record how you style your wedding invitations.

Cheetah Light Stand - One of my favorite light stands because the bottom legs automatically open up thus saving you time for setup.

On Camera Microphone - One of my next purchases will be this Rode VideoMic Pro + Camera Mount Shotgun Microphone because it’s so compact.

Lighting Setups:

Neewer Ring Light Kit - (similar to shown in video) My lighting kit is no longer available but this is a great substitute for your home recording needs. It includes a ring light, diffuser panels, wireless remote, and light stand all in one. It’s a great deal!

Ring Light Kit with Remote & Stand: If the Neewer kit is out of your range, this is a great 10” ring lighting kit that you can attach your iphone too and make videos from anywhere. It’s dimmable with three settings and perfect for Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube videos!

Want more Tea? One-on-One Coaching is now available! Find out more here!

My Photography Gear for Creating Natural Light Photos On Location

March 30, 2020 Jaine Kershner

I was recently interviewed by my friend Sandra Coan all about her course The Missing Link. (watch the interview here) As one of her students, I am always gushing about her course and how it truly changed how I photograph my Newborn and Family sessions on location. The Missing Link was (and remains!) one of the best investments I have made for my business to date because not only was the class easy to follow, but you can also immediately implement Sandra’s techniques into your own style of photography.

Speaking from my own journey, I was looking for a way to photograph my on location in-home family sessions using more film and NOT having to be dependent on the available light at my client's home. Being a Family Photographer in NYC, most new york city apartments are small and having enough light to use film, is usually challenging but NOT anymore.

After I watched The Missing Link, I immediately did an audit of my gear and decided that purchasing a few new items was going to be a good investment for me to accomplish my goal of shooting more film during my family sessions. I also needed a photography kit that was extremely portable that I could easily carry.

I wanted to share with you what I use and bring with me to every single newborn and family session that is on-location whether it’s a New York City apartment, home in the Hamptons or update New York. I love that I am always prepared and I hope this helps you too!

Listen to my Podcast interview with Sandra Coan here

To see my work using this setup - Visit my blog posts here, here and here.

The Missing Link - This course truly reshaped my family photography in new york city. I have watched this over and over again and each time, I pick up new tips to use. I 100% recommend this course to every single person who asks me "if they should buy it?” and my answer is always “YES!” buy it! I have already made back all of the money I used to invest in the course and my additional photography gear. It’s SO worth it!

Photography Gear

Profoto B2 250 AirTTL to-go Kit (one light): This incredibly powerful little light is amazing. I love how small and portable it is. You can use this kit anywhere in the home because the battery pack does not need to be plugged in. I also love this kit because the light has a builtin receiver and does not require me to purchase another piece of equipment to get it to sync with my camera. The light comes in a crossbody bag that I carry and inside I add my universal remote, diffuser, and extra batteries too!

I purchase the one light kit but I wish I purchased the two light kit just to have a backup handy.

Profoto B2 250 AirTTL to-go Kit (two lights)

Profoto Air Universal Remote: I love this universal remote! It’s easy to use and can be connected to ANY camera that has a hot-shoe. So I can use it on my Nikon D850 or my film camera bodies the Contax 645 or Nikon F100. If I wanted to use a Hasselblad with a leaf shutter, I would just need a sync cord to make it work.

Westcott 7’ Parabolic Umbrella - Black and White - I’m so glad Sandra recommends these huge parabolic umbrella’s late last year. They are incredible and completely affordable!

Westcott Diffuser: you’ll need this to pair with your umbrella

Westcott 43” Deep Umbrella - This is another smaller umbrella option from Westcott that does pretty much the same thing as the larger 7ft umbrella. For my smaller NYC apartments, I bring this umbrella so I’m not knocking into any furniture during the session.

Westcott 43” Diffuser: you’ll need this to pair with your umbrella

Light Meter - I have a Sekonic L-358 Flash Master Light Meter. I purchased this several years ago and use it all the time. It’s a workhorse and easy to use. If you want to create pretty photos, you are going to have to invest in a good light meter.

Cheetah Stand - C8: I have been using Cheetah Stands for a very very long time in my wedding photography business. So I pack one up in my tripod case, along with my umbrella, so everything is in one bag.

Manfrotto Tripod Carrying Case: You can use any carrying case to hold your gear. For me, I just used what I already owned which was this Manfrotto Tripod case.

Kamrette Lyra Camera Backpack - I’ve already gushed about how much I love the Lyra Camera Backpack from Kamrette. It’s functional and pretty which for me (I know completely vain!) are super important.

Westcott 6-1 Reflector Kit: If you want to bring in a little more light into a dark situation, having a set of reflectors is going to be your new best friend. I use the white reflector the most and it’s light enough to carry when I’m traveling to a session.

Want more Tea? One-on-One Coaching is now available! Find out more here!

How to Travel Light with Your Photography Gear

February 20, 2020 Jaine Kershner

I’m so excited that our Instagram IGTV series is officially back! Today I’m sharing all about my favorite travel items that I use to travel as lightly as possible with my photography gear. I NEVER want to check my bag (especially with my lenses!!) because they will surely be destroyed in transit, so I’m always looking for the best and lightest way to travel for a destination wedding or for personal travel.

I’m heading to California in a few weeks to speak at The Hybrid Co. so I thought it would be a great time to share some of my favorite photography gear that helps me travel as light as possible! Be sure to check out my full-length IGTV video for a more in-depth review of each of these items. I hope they are helpful for you too!

How to Travel Light with Your Photography Gear

Kamertte Lyra Camera Backpack Bag - If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely HATE backpacks. I swore I would never wear one but then both shoulders started to ack from carrying my gear on either side of my body. So I did my research and found the cutest, most stylish, and functional camera bag/backpack I could find. Kamertte was it! I’ve placed the removable velcro dividers in such a way that I can carry a DSLR, two lenses, Contax 645 with two lenses, two inserts, film, and batteries plus more! It does get heavy when it’s fully loaded but it’s great on my back - no more pain! Oh, and I get TONS of compliments on this bag each and every time I wear it!

Peak Design Travel Tripod - I pre-ordered this incredibly lightweight and beyond anything I’ve ever seen travel tripod from Peak Design in the beginning of 2019. It took almost 8 months for it to be delivered and I can tell you it was worth the wait and every single penny I spent!! My new travel tripod is 3.4 lbs which is a dream come true! It can hold up to 20lbs total weight, you can add a weight bag, they have a built-in option for your mobile phone to take photos with this travel tripod. I would highly recommend this tripod and make sure to read all the specifications on their site!

Ruggard Leda Memory Card Case - for Compact Flash - for Micro SD - I always want to ensure that my memory cards are safe, secure, and on my person at all times. I am loving these hard, water-resistant hard cases from Ruggard that are perfect for my needs.

Ruggard Padded Equipment Wrap - 11x11 Black Wrap - 15x15 Black Wrap - 19x19 Black Wrap - sometimes you don’t want to travel with your full gear kit when you are on the road, so I love using these padded equipment wraps to wrap my camera body, lenses, or flash when I’m on the go. It’s just another layer of padded protection to help keep my camera equipment safe inside of my personal tote or camera bag.

Want more Tea? One-on-One Coaching is now available! Find out more here!

The Best 2019 Black Friday Deals for Wedding Photographers

November 26, 2019 Jaine Kershner

I’m sure your inbox is being overrun with “Black Friday Deals” but it IS the best time to save your hard-earned money!! I wanted to create a list to share all of my favorite upcoming Black Friday deals for the Tea with Jainé community.

Please note that some of these sales are happening RIGHT NOW till Cyber Monday, and some do not start till the day AFTER Thanksgiving. Just check the link and see when the sale starts! I hope this is helpful for you!

Client Management Software

17 Hats - Save up to 50% OFF Annual Memberships (this is what I use)

HoneyBook - Save 50% OFF your annual membership with code FUN50

Tavé - Save up to 60% OFF your annual membership

Photo Sorting and Culling Programs:

Photo Mechanic - Save $20 OFF new licenses and $10 OFF upgrades to the best photo culling software out there!

Online Hosting and Proofing Software:

Instaproofs - Save up to 60% OFF your first year - say that I sent you and I’ll get some extra storage space too. Thank YOU!!

Styling Props & Backgrounds

The Mrs. Box - 25% OFF all velvet ring boxes

Locust Collection - Portable Rollable Styling Surfaces are 25% OFF

Lux Bindery - Fine Art Custom Print boxes, USB Drive Presentation Boxes, the prettiest acrylic USB Drives, and much more! they have a bunch of savings codes when you spend a certain amount. See below!

Spend $100 to receive 10% OFF
Spend $250 to receive 15% OFF
Spend $500 to receive 20% OFF

Frou Frou Chic Ribbons - Save up to 20-30% OFF ribbons. Sale items are 50% OFF

Heirloom Bindery - Flat lay stying boards, styling details ribbons and small dishes and more! Save 25% OFF EVERYTHING in the shop! Use code FEAST25 at checkout

Social Media Scheduling Applications

Tailwind - Pinterest Online Scheduler is giving $70 OFF their annual membership on Monday via EMAIL only. Sign up for their emails to get the deal!

Planoly - Save 30% OFF annual subscriptions with code BLKFRIDAY30

Photography Contracts

The Legal Paige Shop is offering 40% OFF photography contracts including wedding photography contracts and clauses, newborn photography, second photographer contracts, and much more!

Blogging Software:

BlogStomp is having a 40% OFF sale

Album Design:

Fundy Software - Save up to $30% OFF - Fundy Designer Suite is how I easily and quickly design my wedding albums.

Photography Equipment

RL Handcrafts - up to 40% OFF camera straps and dual camera harnesses

MagMod - My favorite lighting modifiers are having a HUGE sale that is going on right NOW!

V Flat Word - Save up to $25 OFF the portable V Flats.
Use Code: BFCM19-VFSINGLE - to save $20 a single v flat
Use Code: BFCM19-VFSET to save $25 off a set of two v flats

Custom Gifting

Greetabl - Save 20% on Holiday Shop orders under $100 with code TURKEY20 and 25% on Holiday Shop orders over $100 with code TURKEY25.

Do you have any Black Friday Deals you’d like to add to the list? Please leave a COMMENT below and let the community know! Thank you - Jainé

Want more Tea? One-on-One Coaching is now available! Find out more here!

Stay in the know! Subscribe to our newsletter, podcast, join our facebook group and be sure to follow @jainekershner on Instagram for the latest Tea with Jainé IG TV episode.

Greetabl Discount - Save 20% Greetabl and Greetabl Insider Pro. Use code JKERSHNER at check out.

Interested in collaborating? Please fill out our contact page and say hello!

Newborn Photography Essentials for Photographers

September 18, 2019 Jaine Kershner

Over in our Facebook group, I was asked to share some of my favorite must-have essentials when I photograph my newborn sessions. Be sure to watch our latest IGTV video where I share how I prep my families for their session. I hope my tips help with your next family photography session! xo

Newborn Photoshoot Essentials for Photographers

The Baby Shusher - I could not photograph any newborn session WITHOUT this amazing little device. It does exactly what it says - it creates a “shushing” sound that mimics the sounds that a baby hears inside of the womb. It instantly calms them down and helps any fussy baby start to soothe themselves. It’s a miracle product that after every session, my parents are purchasing for next day delivery from Amazon. I kid you not!

Cat Camera Buddy by Phoxi-Tog - I found this company at WPPI several years ago purchased the Monkey option. That little guy has saved many a photo shoot. You can’t use it for newborns (as they cannot focus or see color after birth) BUT if they have a sibling or siblings that you want to look at the camera, this little guy is going to help you do! I’m going to be getting this cat next - he’s adorable and the bright red is going to be so helpful!

White Swaddles from Aden + Anais - I always recommend to my couples to have white/light/neutral colored swaddles for their sessions. I prefer non-distracting colors so that the baby can really shine in the photos. I love these muslin swaddles from Aden + Anais (a Brooklyn company!). We went through so many of these with my own daughter and they are so comfortable. I recommend keeping a few in your newborn kit so that if the parents forget, you can save the day with your own!

White Baby Bloomers (0-3 Months) - It’s actually very hard to find an all-white diaper. The pampers are white but have a blue line up that changes colors when wet, which, doesn’t make the cutest photo. I recommend white bloomers to my families (some even get them monogrammed, which is adorable!). I keep a pair of white bloomers in my kit (size 0-3) just in case. I love these ruffle butts too!

Portable Heater - I know several newborn photographers who will bring their own portable heater with them to sessions to keep the baby warm. This is such a great idea! I, personally, do not have one only because I don’t have the room in my home/kit but if I had a car, I would just keep in there to come with me to each and every newborn session!

How to Pump On-The-Go and Photograph a Wedding AFTER Baby

August 20, 2019 Jaine Kershner

At the end of my IGTV Instagram video about “How to Photograph a Wedding While Expecting”, I asked if anyone wanted me to record the follow up email sharing my tips about what to do AFTER your baby arrives. I received so many comments and requests for the follow up information and I’m so happy to share my tips with you. You can always watch my latest IGTV video where I go more in-depth on this topic as well. Enjoy!

How to Pump on the Go While Photographing A Wedding After Baby

No - 1 - Figure Out Your Pumping Schedule - I think the biggest tip and most important is to figure out when you need to pump and how long you can go (comfortably) without pumping during the day. You will then need to figure out when you can take your pump breaks during the wedding. Be open and communicate with your couples that you need to take a break x’s per day to pump and let them know you have your second photographer or assistant taking over while you are pumping.

No. 2 - Create a Portable Pumping Station - The best advice I can give you is to create your own portable pumping station so when you are “On-the-Go” you are 100% self-sufficient and do not require any additional gear. Here’s what I did and purchased:

Medela Pump In Style - I purchased an extra small portable breast pump to fit neatly into my bag. I loved the Medela Pump In Style because it was a great pump and super small, lightweight, and you could purchase the battery pack for this pump.
Medela Pump In Style Battery Pack - I purchased the battery powered Pump In Style battery pack to be 100% self powered on the go. You never know where and when you can pump so if you end up in a bathroom or broom closet (yes!) you might not have access to an outlet which, if you are totally engorged, could be the worst thing possible. You want to be able to pump anywhere on the go, and avoid Mastitis whenever possible. Believe me, it’s so painful!
Swell Insulate Bottle - After you’ve pumped your breastmilk, you are going to need a place to store it so it doesn’t go bad over the next several hours. You probably will NOT have access to a refrigerator, so I got a little creative. I purchased a insulated water bottle or thermos and put my breastmilk in there once I was done. I found that the biggest bottle was able to hold all of my breastmilk for the day but if you are a big producer of milk, you might want to bring another bottle as back up.
Packit Freezable Wine Bag - After I pumped and put my milk in the swell bottle, I put the bottle in a freezable tote bag. This bag is great because the entire bag is insulated with the ice pack material and will keep cool for several hours. This is the single wine bag which is tall enough for the Swell bottle, and they also have a double wine bag for two bottles. In my own research, I found that breastmilk can be outside of the fridge for up to 8 hours so keeping it cool in the insulated bottle along with this cooler bag, I knew it would be still good by the time I got home and put it in the freezer.
Johnson & Johnson Hand and Face Portable Wipes - After you’ve been pumping for a while, you become very fast and proficient in the entire process (isn’t that with everything?) so I would just wipe off my flanges with these antibacterial wipes and get back to photographing the wedding. Once I got home, I’d do a full boiling of my gear to disinfect my breast pumping equipment for the next day.

No. 3 - Outsource and Time Block - I’ve said this before but outsourcing my editing to an professional editor is worth every single penny. After baby, you really have NO time and I couldn’t find the extra 8-10 hours it takes me to edit an entire wedding consecutively. We had a part-time nanny but in those hours she was watching my daughter, I had to get everything else done. So, I would highly recommending looking for outside help where ever you can to help you stay on track and meet your deadlines.

Also, Time Blocking is such a powerful tool that I’m really only NOW getting the hang of. I time block everything I do from editing, blogging, instagram planning, and so much more. Being hyper focused for 1-2 hours has really allowed me to get my photography work done on time as well as keep Tea with Jainé going at full speed.

I hope these tips were helpful and I’d love to hear your favorite tips and takeaways below. Please leave us a comment and share with the community!! xo

Personal Safety Gear for Wedding Photographers

March 21, 2019 Jaine Kershner

I wanted to share a few items that I recently purchased for my own personal and business safety. Being a female wedding photographer can feel a bit ominous at times, especially when I have to walk back to my car at night or when I’m taking the gear out of the trunk to head back to my apartment alone. I don’t like thinking about the “what if’s” but I always like to be prepared. Here are some of my new tools to help me feel a bit safer and track my gear while I’m working on a wedding day!

Again, I love GMA DEALS and highly recommend you guys follow them to score some great deals on items whenever they are posted! xo

Safety Gear for Women Wedding Photographers

The Glammer : Emergency Escape Hammer by Bling Sting - This super cute and very function personal emergency escape hammer is one of those items that the fire department always recommends you have in your car but you never actually purchase it until now. Why? Well, because it’s so darn cute (hello ROSE GOLD!) and it can save your life if you ever need it. You can cut your seat belt and break the windshield to get out of your car as well. I will carry this in the front seat with me just incase I ever need to use it when traveling.

Ahh!-larm! Personal Alarm by Bling Sting - This super cute confetti glitter keychain heart is not only cute to carry but it’s an ear piercing 115 decibel alarm - YIKES!!! It includes an LED safety light that will blink so people know where you are and you can replace the batteries too! This keychain also comes in a bow shape and gem stone so you have a few choices and colors to choose from. I like that it looks cute and can make a bit impact to scare off someone who might be following you. Hey, we all know that walking back to your car late at night (alone!) can be scary so be prepared!

Tile Mate - I mentioned this previously but I forgot to put it in my IGTV video which you can watch here. I love these little Tile Mates because they are small, discreet, and I can put one in each of my gear cases and track their whereabouts while I’m busy photographing a wedding. Also, the new Tile Mates allow you to replace the battery once a year which is great and very environmentally friendly! You can use the Tile App to track your devices and play the tune to find your cases (or keys!) quickly.

Is personal safety something you think about on a wedding day? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments below! xo

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