By Dominique Sabins, Special to the Blog.
Sandra Coan has been redefining photography for over 20 years, and it all started in her Greenwood studio.
Sandra is a PhinneyWood local whose photography career started in the 90’s when she snapped some photos of her friend who was pregnant at the time. She didn’t know it then, but that photoshoot would ignite a passion for maternity and family photography that eventually grew into a multifaceted career. Over the years, Sandra has crafted her own unique style of photography that harnesses artificial strobes and lights to create a natural finish.
What sets Sandra apart
Despite the advancements of digital photography, Sandra chose to stay true to her film roots. Her interest in photography started as a kid when she first got exposure to the film process. Her parents had a dark room at home where they’d manually process film and Sandra remembers orchestrated photoshoots around the house. Today, she continues to use Kodak film, along with a Rolleiflex and Hasselblad in her daily work.
When Sandra set out to become a professional photographer, she knew film was a better fit for her than digital, but she encountered some challenges. The main hurdle was lighting. When she secured her studio on 85th and 3rd, she struggled with the lack of natural light in the studio that hindered her photos.
This challenge set Sandra on a journey to figure out how to combine film photography with modern artificial lighting to create a natural finish. Eventually, she figured out how to hook up lighting equipment to her film camera and integrate white umbrellas to achieve the best light. At the time, Sandra was simply trying to fix her lighting problem, but it eventually sprouted new opportunities in her career and gained her national recognition for her distinct technique.
Sandra’s approach to baby-led photoshoots
Sandra specializes in maternity, newborn, and family photography, but similar to her approach to film and lighting, she distinguishes herself with a specific philosophy. She practices baby-led photoshoots, which means she follows the newborns’ natural movements to ensure they’re comfortable and safe. She’ll never force a pose that doesn’t come naturally for you and your baby.
As one of life’s major milestones, Sandra brings the demonstrated experience and empathetic care to your family or maternity shoot. You can get away from the chaos of home and set aside the task of prepping for your shoot by coming into her Greenwood studio. Once there, Sandra cultivates a calm and inviting environment so you and your family can sink into the shoot and feel comfortable.
Discover her work beyond photography as an industry educator and author
Over the years, Sandra’s career evolved outside the studio, thanks to her distinct film and lighting technique. While she still works as a photographer, she’s gained national attention for her ability to create a natural finish using artificial lighting equipment and film. Once the broader industry caught wind of her technique, she got pulled into public events to demonstrate her style and process. Now, this is a foundational part of her business as she travels to conferences nationwide to teach other photographers how to create natural lighting in spaces where it may not come easily.
Her public speaking eventually snowballed into two bestselling books on crafting natural light and a complete guide to family photography. You can find her books on her Amazon shop or order a copy from an local independent bookstore.
But perhaps her biggest project is her certificate program that aims to provide aspiring photographers the framework to build a sustainable business. This project developed as she looked back over her career and saw all the challenges of building a successful photography business, and noticed a lack of guidance for aspiring photographers. She saw a need for practical education to help folks develop their craft and grow their business.
The Sandra Coan Certificate Program is a one-year program that takes you all the way from the basics of photography to running a successful business. Here are a few things you’ll take away from Sandra’s certification program:
- Photography basics like lighting, posing, and equipment
- Structured feedback from Sandra to hone your style
- Access to high-quality equipment
- System management to run your business efficiently
- Proven roadmaps to build a sustainable photography business
- Marketing strategies to promote your business
- Lifetime access to mentorship with previous students
After 4 years, Sandra has helped hundreds of photographers gain the education and expert guidance to become skilled photographers and maintain a sustainable business model. It’s one of the only certificate programs for professional photographers and is an investment that stays with you for a lifetime.
Sandra attributes much of her success to a combination of determination, creative problem solving, and our enthusiastic PhinneyWood community that continually rallies alongside her. After running her business here for over 20 years, she knows most of the faces of other business owners and enjoys the camaraderie of leaning on one another for support.
Visit her shop for your own shoot, pick up one of her books to learn about her lighting technique, or plunge into your next career adventure with her certificate program.
