Capturing photos and photo editing is second nature to us as photographers. Creating family films and doing video editing, however, can feel very overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! Just like anything else in life, start small, learn the basics, and give it a try. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Dorte Kjaerulff, a family photographer and filmmaker. Dorte shares how you can get started with video without getting overwhelmed, why you need B-roll footage, and how to select music for your family films. 

Dorte also shares the best business advice she’s received, and her advice for someone just starting out in their photography career. 

What’s in this episode:

• [08:46] How to get started with film (and not be overwhelmed!)
• [15:34] How to move past the feeling of “not good enough” when it comes to family films
• [20:36] The importance of capturing B-roll footage
• [23:37] How to select the right music for your films (and stay legal!)
• [31:02] The best piece of business advice Dorte has received

Tune in to this episode for tips on trying family films without getting overwhelmed.

SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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Resources Mentioned

Musicbed

Triple Scoop Music

Bensound

Splice app

AudioJungle

Meet Dorte 

Dorte Kjaerulff is Danish but lives in the U.K. with her English husband and two boys. She spent over 15 years photographing and filming families in both Denmark and the U.K. Her heart mainly beats for location work and she loves getting mums into the picture. In 2020, she gained associateship in the U.K. Masters Photographers Association and she is Child Photographer of the Year in her region for 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Connect with Dorte

Visit Dorte’s website

Follow Dorte on Instagram

Did this episode inspire you to give family films a try? Check out this episode Family Filmmaking – Documentary-Style Family Films with Anja Poehlmann that offers you even more insight on finding alignment in your business!

Transcript

[00:00:00] Dorte Kjaerulff We are vastly underestimating what we actually are able to offer because we are here comparing ourselves to like the big people who we are really inspired by. But our clients aren’t. They’re not comparing us to them. They probably haven’t had a family film done before. They will just be absolutely blown away by what you can give them. And someone would say, The minute you are depriving them of that opportunity because you’re going, Oh, I’m not good enough to do that. But like I said before, don’t start with a big start with something simple. I think the other thing actually across photographers, because we are typically there with a photographer hat, I’m trying to add film onto it and we’re going, I’m going to miss a shot. I can’t risk this. I can’t. So you’ve got to be fair to yourself and go, I’m just here to make a film. Then I need to set up a scenario where I’m here to prioritize the film because it will feel totally different in you if you’re there knowing I have time here to just film and not worrying about missing the shot, and then it will feel different. 

[00:01:04] Lisa DiGeso Welcome to the Art and Soul Show where we dive into heart opening chats on photography, business, life, and that messy in-between. I’m your host, Lisa DiGeso, a mom, a photographer and entrepreneur, and I’ll be sharing honest conversations and advice for photographers with insight on mindset, entrepreneurship and creativity. The goal of this podcast is for you to be able to gain insights and strategies that will get you real results. Because let’s face it, having a photography business can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. This is the place you can go when you need a boost of encouragement, a kick in the pants and inspiration to pick up your camera. This is the Art and Soul Show. Hello, my beautiful friends. Welcome back to the show today. I’m super excited to dive into today’s conversation with daughter Carol. She’s Danish but lives in the UK with her English husband and two boys. She spent over 15 years photographing and filming families in both Denmark and the U.K. Her heart mainly beats for location work and she loves getting mums into the picture. In 2020, she gained associateship in the U.K. Masters Photographers Association and she is child photographer of the Year in her region for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Welcome. 

[00:02:22] Dorte Kjaerulff Thank you very much, Lisa. I am so grateful to be here. 

[00:02:26] Lisa DiGeso Well, I’m so excited to dive into this conversation. Can you share a little bit about really who you are and what you’re really, really passionate about? 

[00:02:34] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah, I can. So, like you said, I am a photographer. I have been for 15 years. I am a filmmaker as well. But ultimately, I think I’m probably just a mom who is really worried that I’m not a good enough mom. And I worry about all the different stages. And I overcompensate by taking pictures and creating films to reassure myself that actually, I am good enough. It’s all fine, and I kind of love what all of that has brought to me and sort of the business. So I love it for what it brings to my family personally. I love it for what it can do in my business. Like I use it to create marketing materials, real stories. You know what? I can’t get enough video content, can we? And I love how it’s offered me something that I can give to clients. I can offer various formats to my family clients, but also to commercial work. There are so many opportunities for using film in the commercial world, right? Yeah. 

[00:03:25] Lisa DiGeso I love that. How old are your kids? 

[00:03:27] Dorte Kjaerulff They’re ten and 12. So I’m actually I’ve got two boys, which is similar to yours, isn’t it? 

[00:03:31] Lisa DiGeso Yes, my son is 13, almost 14. And I know nobody prepared me for this stage. And like, it was funny because, like, were your children the reason that you initially got into photography? 

[00:03:45] Dorte Kjaerulff That was when you notice turning points away and you went from just something you do on the side to doing it full time. 

[00:03:50] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, I know. I just kind of fell into it too. Like it just happened. 

[00:03:54] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. But I think, you know, when you’re in the early days, everybody’s like, this is tough and you are. You’re just not good enough. Yeah. And you think, Oh, I’ll get better, I will get better. And I’ll grow out of that feeling of I’m not doing this right. I’m not doing it well enough. And then you just hit something else. Like I had two parenting fails today, you know, And I think, Oh, how are they this age? And I’m still failing and I still need this evidence. Yeah. You know, I’m still obsessed with taking pictures with them to kind of give this breadcrumb trail as evidence that, you know, I really tried. I really wanted to be good to you guys. 

[00:04:26] Lisa DiGeso I love you. And, ah, you’re still your kids still cooperative to take photos with you? 

[00:04:30] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. Yeah, I know. It’s not going to last so far. Yeah, they are. In fact, my eldest, he’s coming to a commercial shoot with me be tomorrow because he’s going to model for me. And he does that. He’s very willing. He’s very like, Yeah. Is yours still? 

[00:04:42] Lisa DiGeso No, not at all. Not at all. 

[00:04:46] Dorte Kjaerulff I know. So many people say that, and I’m terrified of that. Terrified.

[00:04:48] Lisa DiGeso It is. It’s you know, it’s so funny. Someone once told me that raising a son is like having the longest breakup of your life. Yeah. And I was like, Oh, like, it is true. There’s, like, less hugs. There’s like, the snuggles are gone and, like, you don’t know the last time you pick up your child is going to be the last time you pick them up, like. And that just kills me. 

[00:05:08] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. Oh, completely. And like my oldest, like I, I to agree in October and he will still, like, on holiday. Suddenly I kind of realize that he’s coming, he’s holding my hand and I like and he just I think he might never do this again. And it is crazy. And I was having this conversation with a friend who has a much older son and he just got married. And we were kind of hoping people stop being in pictures with their kids, you know, when they’re little and cute, we gain. And then this is long phase. And actually sometimes the next picture you get with your son by a photographer is at his wedding. Yeah. And by that time he belongs to someone else. Yeah. 

[00:05:44] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. It’s fascinating. You know, it’s so funny because I was actually looking on social media last night, and I was, like, looking for everyone who had children the same age that I did. And I see no photos of them, but I also see no photos of them with their children or their children. And, you know, people stop putting children online for various reasons, of course, too at this age. But it’s fascinating to me that because I was always behind the camera or in front of the camera with my little and now it’s like, well, I just feel weird posting a selfie. 

[00:06:17] Dorte Kjaerulff Yes. No, but it’s so. So I was doing Instagram training or whatever. And I love and adore the lady I was doing it with. So I’m not saying this in a bad way at all, but she kind said, Oh, post all the babies, all the cute pictures for eight years and over nobody wants to see it. And I know why she was saying it, but I was still like, God, that hurts because there’s equal value in my children and just because they’re older. But it’s like you do scroll and you go, Yeah, they’re just not there. And I appreciate they reach an age where they go, I don’t want to be on that. And we are entering into new territory where you start. I think this is more with girls. You have to worry what you post in case their friends see what you post and they get upset about it and you’re like, This is a minefield. 

[00:06:58] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, it is. It’s crazy. It’s like we’ve never done this before. And even like, even now, I asked my son if I’m going to post something with him online. I say, Am I allowed to post this? Are you okay with this? And I have to ask permission. And it’s funny because I never even thought of that when he was little. Like never. It never even crossed my mind. I was like, he was like he was just an extension of me, know? And now I’m like, Oh my gosh, you are your own person. And like, I really have to respect this. Yeah, it’s just it’s fascinating. 

[00:07:25] Dorte Kjaerulff It’s fascinating. Terrifying. Interesting to like you. Really? Yeah. I think that’s why right now, because they are just on that cusp of growing into teenagers. I know from other people that they will probably go, I’m not doing it anymore. I’m like, I’m in a bit of a desperate kind of phase. If I get all the pictures, I can get all the video I can get now before it’s too late. 

[00:07:45] Lisa DiGeso I know, I know. You’re like, seriously? I said to my husband, I was so funny because I was making a video for my son on his birthday and I was like, Dude, I was like, Why didn’t you take more video when Van was born? Like, I have only from like when he was three on. He’s like Lisa, He’s like, our phones didn’t take video back then. I know. I was like, all the time. I’m giving you crap for something that was beyond your control. 

[00:08:09] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah, but it is also and it does always confirm that what we do for people is so valuable. Because I always say this to the new moms, like they will have 5000 pictures on their phones of their partners and children and none of them. And they will be on holiday or at home. And they always start thinking, oh my God, like they’re so cute over here. Why are you not capturing us? And the husband is just scrolling on his phone, you know, not seeing it. And this is where we come in. So like in my newborn sessions in the studio, and I know it’s not really the done thing, like I make a little keepsake film and the mom might just be sat there feeding the baby and cuddling the baby. Changing the baby is really everyday stuff that nobody is going to capture it for her. 

[00:08:44] Lisa DiGeso I love that. I love that. Now I want to dive in a little bit more about talking about film because I love that you offer family films and I love that idea that you just like. My brain just lit up on fire on that one. So can you share maybe your your advice on how do people get started with them? I’m like, where do even begin? Because it does like when you’re getting started with video, it feels really overwhelming. 

[00:09:06] Dorte Kjaerulff It does, but I think that’s probably the key thing to not let it feel so overwhelming, like just start really small and ease yourself in. And I think women particularly, we have this unless someone comes and grants you permission, preferably with like a stamp. Yes, that’s good enough. 

[00:09:22] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. 

[00:09:23] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. We don’t post it and we just hide and go, I’m not going to do it. My work isn’t the best work anyway I like. I’m not here because I have all the answers. I just think we need more conversation about this and we need more women doing it. And the more of us who can offer it, our families will become used to it. Everybody will talk about it more and it’s so valuable. So I just want to be part of that conversation. I think everybody should just have a go, like, give yourself some slack, have a go. 

[00:09:50] Lisa DiGeso I love that.

[00:09:51] Dorte Kjaerulff And start small because I think we see a big full blown family film and we might go, Oh, right, right, I can do that. But that’s a massive difference between if you go right, I’m going to go with a family all day. They’re going to be three different locations, six different activities versus going, I’m going to go and just film baby having a bath in the sink. Yeah, start with a small activity and then build it up. And obviously I know the editing and same approach, just start so simple. 

[00:10:22] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, I think that’s probably one of the biggest hang ups too with budding photographers is not just like shaky handed video or like not getting things in focus, it’s the editing. So what advice do you have for maybe tiptoeing into like a software where you’re just like, gosh, like I don’t even know where to begin with this? 

[00:10:39] Dorte Kjaerulff And I think that is exactly what people say. They look at like a fully flown family film and they go, I don’t even know where to begin with the editing. Everybody is like, Oh, I can record, I can press that button and I can record, but the editing! And I just think it’s got itself such a bad reputation. I think it sounds a little bit masculine, a little bit technical, and you load the software and you’re like, I have no idea. But what we need to remember is once upon a time we didn’t even know how to use Photoshop, right? And it is not difficult. It is not difficult. And there is a really easy option. We don’t all have to take this massive Hollywood production level approach. We don’t need all that. You see all the 200 dials and all these things you. 

[00:11:25] Lisa DiGeso Just like, Do I need that? No. 

[00:11:27] Dorte Kjaerulff I am not into gear. I’m not into editing. I’m into the final product and I get that with minimal effort. Minimal effort. And the other thing to remember, even though we go, video editing, we’re not coming from this from scratch because we are photographers and we can draw on everything we know from editing pictures and use that, it’s just getting to know a tiny, tiny, tiny bit of the software and then you can build. Yeah, you wouldn’t go and Google how to use Photoshop, you know a little bit. And then you go, How do you use a filter? How do you mask, how do you do a circle? And it’s the same. Just learn the basics, get yourself a good workflow and a little format and then go, Oh, now I know how to do this. I can go on Google, how do I do this? How do I do? You just need to get started. 

[00:12:20] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, I love that. I know I’m a final Cut Pro editor and I think you’re a DaVinci Resolve? Yeah, and it’s so funny because I’ve been trying. I’ve been keep opening DaVinci Resolve and I’m like, Nope, I like, I just keep like, ghosting it. 

[00:12:34] Dorte Kjaerulff It’s such a shame because it’s such an easy piece of software. So I use the free version. I really use 1% at a stretch of what that program can do, and I don’t mind like honestly at ease with the fact that I don’t use the other 99%. If I need them one day, then I’ll go and work out how to do those. But if people would just not panic when they opened it, that you just need an hour with someone who will go, These are the only bits you need because actually a lot of this terminology is the same. I recall the footage and then we do that with the stuff that we want to work on. And then a lot of it like the hue and the saturation, the contrast temperature is exactly the same terminology that you just need someone to show you where it is and you’ll go, Oh, I know what that means. And even down to and I think people totally forget, overlook or they don’t know. In Photoshop, we work in layers. Yeah. And it’s the same in video editing. You can stack things so you can put it on top of each other. You can change the capacity. You know, if you put something in with a transparent background, you can change the mode and you’ve got all of those things just as you have in Photoshop. So when you come to it with your photography brain on, it feels more familiar than when you go, Oh, I can’t do color grading, I can’t do video editing. Yeah, just keep it so simple. Yeah. 

[00:13:57] Lisa DiGeso I think that’s so true. And it’s like, you know, when you look at something and you’re just like, brand new. I mean, the first time I open Photoshop and I think this was like Photoshop elements in like 2009, I walked away. 

[00:14:09] Dorte Kjaerulff Me too. I was like this the most not intuitive programmer, never. You know, it is someone to just walk you through and get you up and running, you know? And now you’re like, We don’t even think how to do it, do we? We just do it. 

[00:14:21] Lisa DiGeso No. And even like wrapping your head around layers and then when you finally get it, you’re like, layer. 

[00:14:27] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah, yeah. You know, when we have photographers, we’re so familiar, we have a set workflow, we just go through it and we know exactly what happens. And it’s the same with the video. You just need to get yourself a set little workflow and then that feels familiar and even like get yourself a little, in the early days, a set little format of how you want your video to be. And like I said earlier, don’t start out with a big family film. Go right at my next section, I’m going to record two or three little snippets of video and I’m just going to create myself a little reel. And if you can work out how to put two or three of those clips onto a timeline with two or three final pictures at the end, and maybe you put your logo at the end, maybe you put some answers, contact me at the end. But you go, right, this is my format. I have a little bit of behind the scenes, I have my final pictures and then I have my end slide. That’s all I need. And then you have a format and you know, to look for that format that you go, I just need a couple of clips and in final pictures, my logo, done. Music, you know, whatever. But just keep it so simple. You do not have to calibrate anything if you don’t want to. 

[00:15:32] Lisa DiGeso I love that. Now I love video. I like I love video editing so much. And I’m I actually do all of our promo videos for the Milky Way and for all my own content. But when it comes to doing family films for my clients, I don’t offer it because I still feel like I’m not good enough. So can you share your thoughts on this and maybe how I can start to move past this? 

[00:15:53] Dorte Kjaerulff Don’t you think it’s just fact that we are vastly underestimating what we actually are able to offer because we are here comparing ourselves to like, you know, the big people who we’re really inspired by, but our clients aren’t. They’re not comparing us to them. They probably haven’t had a family film done before. They will just be absolutely blown away by what you can give them. And someone would say, the minute you are depriving them of that opportunity because you’re going, Oh, I’m not good enough to do that. But like I said before, don’t start with a big, start with something simple. I think the other thing actually for us photographers, because we have typically that I would have photographer hat on, trying to add film onto it and we’re going, I’m going to miss the shot. I can’t risk this. I can’t. So you’ve got to be fair to yourself and go, I’m just here to make a film then I need to set up a scenario where I’m here to prioritize the film because it will feel totally different in you if you are there knowing I have time here to just film and not worrying about missing the shot. And then it will feel different. It will feel completely different to try and sneak it in between the pictures and also a little trick if you are trying to do both. There’s definitely a time in a session where something becomes a bit repetitive, you know, like so I have a lot of kids on location. Sometimes if there’s a log that I’m going to jump on my golf timing, jumping back often you think that’s not it? I know I’ve captured this now with stills perhaps. And you go, So I’m going to swap to video because I’m not all worried about missing it because I’ve already done that. They might be tired. They might be snuggling with the mom and not really ready to come back out for more pictures and just swap to video. So those moments where you feel you’ve done it anyway, that’s where I stop doing both. 

[00:17:37] Lisa DiGeso I love that. I love it. I think that’s absolutely right, because it’s I like where I fit this in and I am worried if I take too much time doing this, I’m going to miss something later down the road. And I only have this amount of time. 

[00:17:49] Dorte Kjaerulff So it’s just putting yourself in a completely unrealistic situation because absolutely nobody in the entire world can create a family film during a photo shoot. That’s not what happens. It’s not what happens. And it’s unfair to expect it of ourselves. We have to put ourselves in the right situation. So actually, the other thing, it’s all mind games isn’t it? So a lot of my work, I call it a keepsake film, not a family film, because I feel there’s a lot less pressure on the phrase a keepsake film. It’s more like some little glimpse of memories from your session. It doesn’t have to have this big underlying storyline. It doesn’t have to have a lot of fancy flying. She can literally see in my keepsake films you can see that they were stood in the poses from the pictures. And I’ve just watched and you can see things are gently coming out of those poses and moving away. But the footage lines up with the pictures pretty much bang on. Yeah. Which that’s not what happens in a real family film. But I’m also, you know, as we get a little bit older, do you find this in the early days some a trainer says you must do this in your life. I must do that. And then I get older and I’m a little bit, do what you want. Just because that family film is this. You can do whatever you want. You can call it whatever you want. You can use whatever gear you want. You can like don’t let anybody tell you that you have to do it in a certain way. 

[00:19:11] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, it’s so true. It’s so true. I’ve actually done a family film on an iPhone and it was amazing. 

[00:19:16] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. Oh, I do a lot of stuff, but we on holiday and, well, I do a lot of stuff on the phone and it’s fine. Yeah. Actually, one of the things so because my boys are a little bit older now when we do go on holiday because you know that like some trends now with like transitions and stuff and they’re really into that. So they will bring ideas for transitions. So I think for like those older tweeny, teeny kids, maybe that’s the way they’re more inclined to come and do video with you than pictures because they’ve grown out of that whole sit and look pretty for me. Yeah, but they’ll do cool transitions because they’ve seen them and they’ll help you research them. 

[00:19:54] Lisa DiGeso And I love that because like, I love TikTok, I love TikTok, I love reels, I love like all of the creativity behind it. And that’s actually one thing I haven’t really seen all that much is like that creativity and that transition taken back into our industry in doing those kind of transitions in filmmaking. 

[00:20:13] Dorte Kjaerulff But that’s because at the minute there is a little bit of this underlying tone that a family film is soft and calm and slowed down, and it’s all about being beautiful and it totally is, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t go and do something else. You can do something that’s upbeat and funny, and if that’s the family you’re working with, then do that. And if you want to try and get your own kids in and do that. 

[00:20:34] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, I love that. So fun. So can we talk a little bit about B-roll and why it’s important. 

[00:20:42] Dorte Kjaerulff You know, if you’re new to film and you’re like, B what? It’s seen a little bit as detailed shots of photography. You know, in a wedding you do the flowers and the ribbons and the rings and you do all of that, the environment around. And it’s exactly the same in film, but it just adds so much. Wow. You might have closeup footage of the mom’s hands going through the curls of the hair. You might just have lovely light coming through the foliage or you’ve seen a reflection or shadow or, you know, just the environment is just that extra indulgent, sort of a wow, isn’t it? But it’s beautiful and it’s so helpful when it comes to editing because it will help with transition. Sometimes it’s gorgeous, the opening, sometimes endings, you know, when you’re a child and at school and you go that in your essays, you’re writing, and then this happened. And then this happened. And then this happened. Don’t make your films like that. And then this happened and that this happened and that this happened. So B-roll is stuffed into that and breaks that and sort of allows the viewer to get that emotional. Like the find they like it, but they’re just so engrossed. There’s not even your family and you’re like crying. And it’s because it has that beautiful softness. 

[00:22:01] Lisa DiGeso Yeah. Oh, I love B-roll because I edited all of our videos when they come in for our promo videos. And so when our teachers like, submit B-roll, I get so excited. Give me the B-roll. 

[00:22:15] Dorte Kjaerulff And again, it’s a bit because if you start off just doing little keepsakes from your shoots, then it means that you’re just delighted you got some footage. Yeah. And then you will begin to go, Oh, look at the light coming through here. Oh, the flowers. Oh, look at that little girl having those flowers in her hand. And you will start to see it and pick it up. Yeah, but from day one, there’s no point beating yourself up because you came back and you didn’t have any B-roll. So just gradually build on that. And sometimes if you are somewhere gorgeous, I come back and I hope you all I want what I want. But it’s very indulgent, very indulgent. 

[00:22:53] Lisa DiGeso I love B-roll. I love it. It’s funny. I did a I did a home video. My son, he’s like, mom, He’s like, can you make a video of me riding my dirt bike in our yard? And we made the coolest ones. Like I put my camera down and, like, had them, like, scooch by and, like, drive by, like, throw the dirt and stuff and yeah, it’s pretty fun. 

[00:23:13] Dorte Kjaerulff But that’s again, like, get him doing something he likes to do, you know, an activity. So he buys into it a little bit. So our kids are quite into like that’s fine clubs and stuff. And he’s like, how can you take some pictures of me on the new bike? And you’re like, Yeah, I absolutely kind of like that. But you know, the things that they like jump on that. Be on that. 

[00:23:32] Lisa DiGeso It’s so fun because he loves it and he plays it for all of his friends. And I like I set it to like music. And actually that’s my next question is about music. So when it comes to making family films, I think selecting music is probably one of my favorite parts. So do you have any tips on that? But also making sure people stay legal. 

[00:23:51] Dorte Kjaerulff You know? Right. I’m actually quite big on the whole legal thing. I just I think, you know, come on, guys, we are creatives. If someone takes our pictures and goes, Oh, I’m just using on my own little Instagram page, that’s fine. Like, we get upset and likewise. So we’ve got to respect that they are also artists and they deserve recognition and payment for their work. So yeah, I agree. Like the music makes all the difference. And yeah, it’s nice to look like that going straight to sometimes get that because you know, you want to find the exactly the right song and sometimes you’re just like, Wow. And I have a little bit, you know, you try not to use the same song for like another family. And so I spend a lot of time listening to music, but like, I use all of the sites, you know, like Musicbed and Triple Scoop and Bensound and you can get some free stuff. I use an app called Splice when I edit on my phone. So like when I’m doing cool Transitions, I’m hearing, like you say, you’re recording on your iPhone, then I use an iPhone and that comes with a built in music library. But I would never use something that isn’t legal like I always would. But in terms of like tips for using, I think get used to using the filters because you can choose on mood and genre and like the pace you want really fast and don’t always, by default fall into it has to be slowed down and it has to be really slow. And like you said, if you’re doing something with your little boy on a dirt bike, that’s not always. 

[00:25:18] Lisa DiGeso It’s not slow motion. It’s like fast and you like. 

[00:25:20] Dorte Kjaerulff Or speed ramping or, you know, like a mix or yeah, with time you become used to looking at the little sound scopes and you can almost predict what the track’s going to sound like without listening to it. Like it’s it lots of transitions. Will it be really fast paced with it? So yeah, if you’ve got tons of footage, you can do something that changes really fast. And if you’re like, I really don’t have enough footage for this choose something that sort of longer segments and you don’t have to change so fast, perhaps. 

[00:25:48] Lisa DiGeso I love it because we picked it. I picked a piece of like it was a royalty free piece of music I think I got from Audio Jungle. And it was so funny because this one part, it kind of slows down and it’s like burn on, like this rock and guitar. So I slowed down the video and he’s like taking off his helmet and he goes, like, slicks it. It is so cheesy and so fabulous. He loves it.

[00:26:11] Dorte Kjaerulff But it’s also amazing when you find a track that has that variation. So some like fast and then that slow and then you kind of jump back into the action when it builds again. Yeah. Oh, it’s so fun. Again, this is the bit where people shouldn’t go, Oh, I don’t know how to do that. You do not need to do that on day one. You just got to get going and then go, Oh, I have this footage now that would lend itself really well to that. I’m going to work out how to. It’s not hard. It’s pretty much all drag and drop, isn’t it? 

[00:26:43] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, it truly is. It really is. And just figuring out the transitions and how to, like, get the audio to, like, blend in and ramp up to it. Yeah, it’s fun. It’s. I get lost in video editing, honestly. 

[00:26:56] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. Yeah, me too. And I think it’s nice and it can take time when you get lost in it, but it’s a nice kind of way. But it’s just super important for new people to remember. It does not have to be that way. 

[00:27:08] Lisa DiGeso No, it can be easy. It could be simple. And it doesn’t have to. It doesn’t have to feel overwhelming at all. No, no, no. I love that. So are you ready for our lightning round? 

[00:27:19] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. Go. 

[00:27:20] Lisa DiGeso Okay. What do you like to cook the most? If you like to cook. 

[00:27:24] Dorte Kjaerulff I’m probably quite into the whole pasta thing. Yeah. 

[00:27:28] Lisa DiGeso Like homemade pasta? 

[00:27:29] Dorte Kjaerulff No, just like. Well, actually, yeah, I did do the whole pasta making course. And we do sometimes make it. We do our best to make it. But no, I just like stuff that tastes really nice but doesn’t take a lot of effort. Yeah. 

[00:27:41] Lisa DiGeso Like that. Best gift you’ve ever received. 

[00:27:44] Dorte Kjaerulff This is not very impressive, but it was my birthday in December, and, you know, you come down and all the presents are there ready, and I pulled my chair out, and that was a present on my chair. And I could tell by the look on my husband’s face, he was like, I have no idea what this is. And the boys have gone off all by themselves to the little village shop with their own money and brought me one of those big Toblerone and wrapped it and done a card without anybody knowing. And I just thought I was so sweet. 

[00:28:11] Lisa DiGeso That is so sweet. 

[00:28:13] Dorte Kjaerulff So not very grand, but I remember it. 

[00:28:16] Lisa DiGeso Oh, that’s so touching. I love that. What’s your favorite comfort food? 

[00:28:20] Dorte Kjaerulff Oh, chocolate cake. Anything with chocolate is so rare. So bad. 

[00:28:28] Lisa DiGeso Favorite movie. 

[00:28:29] Dorte Kjaerulff Oh, we’re going to be cheesy stuff like Legends of the Fall or The Greatest Showman. 

[00:28:35] Lisa DiGeso Oh, yes, I love that. I love me a rom com. What did you want to be when you were a kid? 

[00:28:42] Dorte Kjaerulff I was one of those kids, you know, I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I think I just wanted to be good at something. I just. Yeah, I could be good at. Is that really bad? 

[00:28:51] Lisa DiGeso No, I love that. Go to song that lifts you up when you’re down. 

[00:28:56] Dorte Kjaerulff We’ve got to get back into cheesy stuff. I don’t know, like Roar by Katy Perry or back into The Greatest Showman stuff. Yeah.

[00:29:05] Lisa DiGeso Oh this is me.  

[00:29:05] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, if I can watch the video at the same time. Even better. Yes. 

[00:29:11] Lisa DiGeso Okay, Here’s a hilarious story. So we were on vacation at Moon Palace in Mexico a few years ago, and it was right before Christmas. And they had everything decorated and we were wandering around and all of a sudden it looked like there was this great big event that was dressed up like a circus. And so we’re thinking this is just an event for all of the people at the resort. So we wander in and like it’s like they got circus performers everywhere, like trapeze people. Like it was done up. And all of us there was this center area where there was a stage and all these couches around it, but no one was sitting on the couches and we couldn’t figure out why. We’re like, there’s probably about 500 people here like it is packed party. So we got our drinks. We sit down on the couch, all this and this lady in this costume comes over and she starts talking to us. All of a sudden the music starts. All of a sudden, there’s this flash mob of people singing to This is Me. In circus performance. We had like the first VIP section. We had crashed a company’s Christmas party. We didn’t know, and we were stuck there like. 

[00:30:17] Dorte Kjaerulff Oh, I love that you just went for front row as well. Like. 

[00:30:20] Lisa DiGeso Yeah, we were just like, We’ll sit here. That’s fine. 

[00:30:24] Dorte Kjaerulff Oh, I love that. 

[00:30:25] Lisa DiGeso So but oh, good. I have it on video on my phone. They probably had at least like $20,000 worth of fireworks that they lit off. It was insane. It was insane. It was so cool. 

[00:30:37] Dorte Kjaerulff You were really meant to be there. 

[00:30:40] Lisa DiGeso That’s what I thought. 

[00:30:41] Dorte Kjaerulff Oh. Oh, that’s a good story. That is so funny. I love it. 

[00:30:46] Lisa DiGeso Oceans or mountains. And why? 

[00:30:49] Dorte Kjaerulff Do you know what? I just like anything with a spectacular view. I don’t even mind if it’s mountains or lakes. I just like that feeling of vast space and calm. And no people. I love it. 

[00:31:02] Lisa DiGeso What has been the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given? 

[00:31:06] Dorte Kjaerulff I don’t know if this is the best piece of advice, but something that I’ve heard recently that kind of lingers a little bit is when someone said it’s okay for people to see that you’re trying. I think sometimes we have this feeling that everything that we output has to look like we have it all together and it has to be so perfect and tried and tested and actually it’s okay to go, I’m going to try this. Is anybody interested in this? Or go, I don’t like this. I’m not going to do it any more. Or try different content on Instagram. And if we don’t like it, then change it again because I think it’s so true. No one is okay with seeing that we’re trying. And I feel like perhaps no one should see us trying. It should look effortless. 

[00:31:43] Lisa DiGeso When I see someone do something that I think is brave, I never think like, Oh, what an idiot. Like, I know, think. Wow. Like, you just impressed me so much. I am so on your team rooting for you. Yeah. 

[00:31:58] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah. 

[00:31:59] Lisa DiGeso And so why do we assume that other people are like, Oh, you look stupid? Like, No, I don’t like people don’t say that. If they do, why do you care what they think? 

[00:32:08] Dorte Kjaerulff Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So I’ll kind of taken that on board a little bit, just going, yeah, it’s okay to try stuff. It’s okay. 

[00:32:17] Lisa DiGeso I love that. What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out? 

[00:32:23] Dorte Kjaerulff Knowing that absolutely all of us find it really hard to enter a new arena and take up space in there. So all of those feelings of not good enough, looking for permission, we all have those. So just know that it’s not just you. It’s absolutely everybody. And I think find a really good group of like business besties. It doesn’t have to be photographers. It’s just other local real world business people who will listen to you and bounce ideas. And when you guys this is tough. Hey, they’ll go, Yeah, I know. A little bit like your mom crowd when you’ve got that newborn baby. Yeah. You just need people who are in the same arena with you. Yeah, that’s what I would find. A good crowd would drive. 

[00:33:04] Lisa DiGeso I love that. So where can our listeners learn more from you? 

[00:33:08] Dorte Kjaerulff So my party is mainly on Instagram. It’s not really a party. It’s more like hot chocolate marshmallows, I think. But I’m more on Instagram than anywhere else. And like, if anybody is interested in getting going with video, whether that’s in how to record or anything, then you know, I have an online course on that and I do 1 to 1 and I just make it so simple. I can just get going with what you’ve got and I can get you editing in like an hour. I love simple. 

[00:33:37] Lisa DiGeso Yes. I love to end my interviews just with this last question. And it is what are you currently curious about or artistically curious about? 

[00:33:46] Dorte Kjaerulff So this might be a little bit too cold and business-y, but I am a little bit curious at the minute about different types of collaborations or the whole brand ambassador sort of area. I feel everybody says, Oh, you should network with other local businesses. And I do. I have great relationships with them, but I’m just wondering if there’s other things. So I have a customer who I’ve probably photographed for six, seven years and I’ve just done her third baby. And in that time she’s set up a business which has a really big following. And we did a film for her to use some of that footage on her own account, like she just took a few of the snippets out and put some of her own wording on and it had like 850,000 views. And I was thinking, that’s more than just one person. I hear that. So I’m thinking like, I think that I think there’s a space for different collaborations or brand ambassadors in this video space because I think so much of the content is those beautiful, calm video clips. And actually you don’t have to really edit it into a film if you’re just doing the little clips. So I have I don’t have the answers. I don’t know why I’m going with this, but that’s where my curiosity takes a minute. And I took a couple of those collaborations to test out. I’m doing the first one on Tuesday, so. Cool. Well. 

[00:35:04] Lisa DiGeso Fine. I love that. Well, thank you for joining with me today and chatting with me. This has been fun. 

[00:35:11] Dorte Kjaerulff Thanks for having me. Absolutely delighted. 

[00:35:14] Lisa DiGeso Oh, my beautiful friends, I hope you have loved this conversation just as much as I have. I am sending you so much of my light and my love today and every single day. We will see you next time. Hey, friend. You know what the worst is? Just being mid-session and completely freezing. You start to feel awkward. Your clients start looking at you for direction, and your brain feels like you’ve just hit a wall. Now, believe me, you are not alone. And that’s why we created the Storytellers Toolkit. It’s an emotive prompt guide to help sessions stay free flowing and fun. And best of all right now, it’s totally free. It’s full of prompts for parents, motherhood, family, siblings and couples, and even a sure fire smile prompts. We’ve put together over 200 prompts for you, so you’ll never be at a loss for an idea again. Grab your copy at themilkyway.ca/toolkit.