Yes, I can definitely tell it is that time of year…where it seems as though I have fallen off the face of the earth.  The only people who get to see me are those who are getting their photos taken.  Ha!  I’m being somewhat sarcastic, but a whole-lot serious.  We are in hard-core, don’t-get-behind mode.  So, there you have it…the reason for such little posting here recently.

We will be leaving soon for a much needed vacation to Colorado.  I will be sure to share some of our travels with you, so check back soon.  Once we return and get settled back into normalcy you will begin to see this place getting back to normal, as well.  In the meantime, this is what we have been up to this summer…besides the obvious.  Thank goodness for our little point-n-shoot…it is about the only thing documenting Gabe and Claire right now.  Oh, and yes, I am wearing the same zip-up in several pics…please disregard my wardrobe.  I could use more variation…someday I will go shopping.

Looking forward to sharing more life, photography, and kiddos soon!  xo

I really should be working right now!  This is one of our craziest months and I have so much to do (and it is getting done!)! However, there are times where we have to stop and smell the roses, right? Well, this is one of those times for me…and it was so very worth it!

I recently found this random hill of black-eyed susans…had to take advantage of them! Hopefully, they will still be in bloom for one of our upcoming sessions. This little place was full of summer-goodness! Enjoy!

She looks way too big for me in this one!

Gabe was more interested in throwing rocks with daddy, so I got this series of Claire.

We were singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” during this one…

I have a slight obsession with this one!

My sweet boy and his missing tooth…

So, what do I recommend?  I recommend wearing something that fits each person’s personality.  Every person is a unique individual…why dress the same when we are not the same?  You are going to remember clothing based on what fit the personality…not because everyone wore the same green shirt.  Secondly, compliment each person…hair color, eyes, figure.  We are all made differently and look different.  I have somewhat of a tendency to buy clothes for Gabe and Claire that I know will compliment their little features.  That alone will make your pictures stand out. I always take individual photos of each child…that is when the outfit they are wearing really makes a difference–the photo is all about them.  And, finally, don’t be afraid to mix and match your pattern scheme.  I actually like seeing different patterns with our families.  In our family photo above (taken by our dear friends, Nate & Amanda), Gabe and I wore solids and Claire and Jeremy wore clothing with patterns.  It allowed variety without being overtaken by the same pattern.  The best part was that I was able to find clothing that complimented each of us individually in regards to our personalities and features.  Once I saw the final images I was able to see the big picture and realized that our family photos were just as they should be…

Hope this helps…now you can book your session!

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Father’s Day, Jeremy!  You are an amazing husband and a wonderful daddy to Gabe and Claire!  I’m pretty sure that this picture sums it up…

Hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating the fathers in your life!

What is it about black and white photos?  I just love them…  They draw your attention to the details of the image that you may overlook if the color was there for you to see. 

Of course, I love color too…   Happy Tuesday!!!

This screen shot shows you what the program looks like.  This is my original image…

First, I cropped the image down so that Gabe and I were the focus.  From there, I brightened the image and added a bit of contrast.  That’s it!  Super easy!

I turned this image to black/white and added some contrast.

I brightened this one up a bit and added some contrast…

The image below imported sideways, so I rotated the image…

…and gave it more of a seventies look…just for fun.

And, a few more examples…I was having some fun in case you couldn’t tell.   This was the original…straight out of the camera.

My thoughts?  I was impressed.  There are times when I think my point-n-shoot image is a bit too flat, so I will open it in Photoshop to give it more pop.  It takes a bit more time and I wasn’t necessarily wanting that much done to it.  This was perfect.  Honestly, I think this is a great tool for point-n-shoot users.  It was easy to import the image, make my changes and I could save a copy to my desktop.  They were easy to upload into facebook, as well.  As for the cost, I don’t know a lot of details, but from what I could see was that it was fairly inexpensive.

You have got to check it out!  Have fun playing with your photos!  Let me know what you think…

So, when you are taking a picture you have to remind yourself, “Will I want this printed as an 8×10?”  If so, you need to make sure you leave extra room around your subject.  If you are a client of ours, you may have noticed extra room above a vertical image or on the sides of a horizontal image.  That is done with intention.  We want to make sure that the images you purchase are photographed in such a way that the subject is not lost when printed as an 8×10.  Now, if I see something that requires a tight crop…it’s ok.  An 8×12 or 16×24 works, as well.

Below are a few examples.  The first one is a 4×6 which required no cropping.  The 5×7 has a bit more than an inch cropped and the 8×10 crops off two inches.

4×6

5×7

8×10

I hope all of you wonderful moms are enjoying the day designed to honor you.  Head on over to CPD’s blog to find out about the giveaway that is taking place.  I would highly recommend participating!  This keepsake could be something your family cherishes for years to come!

I’ve received quite a few questions from some of you and I am anxious to get some of those answered.  Feel free to email me if there is something in particular you would like to learn.

Some of you have asked about the lenses I use.  Honestly, it varies.  For kids, I try and keep it simple.  I focus more on the children and less on my equipment because I realize how much faster I have to move with them.  My lens of choice is the 50mm 1.2.  I loooove that lens.  It does require me to work a lot harder because I am the one zooming in versus the lens being the one that zooms for me.  However, it doesn’t take long to get used to being the one that moves.

Another bonus to the 50mm is the depth of field.  People have asked me how I get the background so blurry.   There are several reasons for the blurred background (it would be a looong post if I shared all the details)…one of them being the fact that the 50mm is a fixed lens vs. a zoom lens like the 24-70mm.  I’m trying to keep the details to a minimum…not wanting to confuse anyone.

Depending on what camera body you use, there are a few other 50mm lenses that are less expensive: the 50mm 1.8 and the 50mm 1.4.  We also have the 50mm 1.4 (Jeremy uses this one on occasion during a wedding) and it is a great lens.  The image above was taken with the 50mm 1.4.  Choosing the right lens for you is based more on your price point and the kind of camera you use than anything else.  These two lenses will do a great job capturing moments for you…it’s just a matter of preference.

I hope this helps…have a happy Monday!

You have heard me say it before and I am going to say it again…Claire does not care for me when I have a camera in front of her face.  I have tried numerous things/people to try and get her to communicate with me in regards to pictures, but for some reason she wants my undivided attention.  I would be lying if I said it didn’t frustrate me…believe me, it does–and I feel awful for letting it bother me.  Here I am…a photographer…and I struggle to get my own daughter to cooperate with me in front of the camera?  Geesh!   Give me any other child and the chances are pretty good that I will get what I need.   My guess is that you have experienced this before, as well, with your own child.

Well, the point of this post was to complain…I mean, be real with you.  As much as I enjoy capturing Gabe and Claire, I know there are times when I need to stop expecting them to cooperate and just let them be.  Sometimes I just need to put the camera down and play with them–sounds contradicting to previous posts, I know.  There are so many thoughts that run through my mind about them growing before my eyes–I have to capture them…I want to remember every expression…I want them to be able to relive their childhood through pictures…the list goes on and on.  However, there are times (especially when I see faces like the one below) when I have to put the camera down.  I have to remind myself that memories aren’t only made in front of the camera.  Memories are stored in your heart, your mind, your soul.  As much as I love to document their childhood, I have to remember to be a part of it.

The one below is an exception.  If I showed you the one I took prior to this one…you would have asked what happened to my daughter.  Yes, she was that mad.   However, I told her to get/hit mommy…this was the result.   It’s a beautiful day today…go and play with your little ones outside.  If you forget your camera…it’s ok.  The memories will still be made.  The camera can come next time.

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