Sneak Peek: Fall Family Shoot

This was a really fun and casual session where we took photos while strolling around one of the local parks. One of the things I strive to capture in family sessions aside from the group images are the genuine interactions between siblings. I often just let the kids play together, or create a game for them to play and then at the right moment - CLICK!

I pride myself on being a versatile and professional photographer. This means that unlike 'natural light' shooters who rely solely upon the weather to create good images, I can shoot in almost any conditions. This of course is why people pay me to do what I do.

However, that being said ;-) I do not know a photographer out there who is not completely humbled sometimes by the absolute beauty that Nature creates. Sometimes you just thank your stars you were lucky enough to be there and witness the incredible glory of it all. As Ansel Adams once said, "Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."

During this shoot, the late afternoon light, reflections off the lake and a little fill into the shady area where we were shooting combined to create nothing less than some sweet portrait magic...

Senior Spring Thing! Update

Remember when I mentioned here that I was working on a brand new senior program , to launch this spring? I am happy to report that it will be ready to launch at the end of February, just in time for spring senior season!

As I mentioned before, this is NOT your ordinary, run-of-the-mill rep contest. In fact, it's not a senior rep contest at all, and I have not seen a single other studio in the entire KC Metro that offers a program like this.

My philosophy for senior pictures (and life in general) remains: Be Striking. What does that mean?

Being Striking... means celebrating yourself.

Being Striking... is often imitated, but never replicated.

Being Striking... means being brave enough to do something different.

Being Striking... means being kind to others on the journey.*

Being Striking... means setting the trends, not following them.

Being Striking... creates positivity wherever you go!

* hint! hint! about what's to come with my senior spring thing :)

For a true story from my own life about Being Striking, check out this previous post...

And in closing, one of my favorite quotes that inspires me to Be Striking written by Marianne Wilson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

Shine on, friends...

Sneak Peek: What I Went Freezing For...

Couple of neat images I shot for a client the other evening whilst freezing... My poor fingers were numb by the time I finished this series, and I didn't even stay out very long! I shot this with a tripod and a (relatively) long exposure. So each time after I pressed the shutter release, I was hopping around (careful not to shake the tripod), flapping like a chicken trying to keep myself warm. I also had to wait for the giant FedEx truck with its flashing tail lights to MOVE OUT THE WAY PLEEEEZE? right when I had gotten my shot perfectly set up :) Thankfully this was a very speedy and efficient FedEx guy -- good man.

Photographer tip: Be aware that your camera can be sensitive to weather conditions! These days most cameras perform admirably in a variety of conditions, but when going from one extreme to another (say, the nicely toasty 75 degrees F of your home to the frigid 13 degrees F outside an office building), your camera may need a little assistance. Even though my camera body is sealed, I allow at least 15-20 minutes for my camera to adjust to the weather before shooting. I am especially careful when my camera is cold and it hits some warm humid air. The warm humid air hitting the cold glass of your lens can cause condensation issues, which needless to say is a bad thing. The most common way to deal with this problem is to simply keep a large Ziplock bag with you, and before going from cold to warm, pop your camera in there and seal it up. The cold dry air will create a "bubble" around your camera, and allows for a more gradual temperature and humidity adjustment.

Welcome Back!

Hey everyone!

Hope you had wonderful, happy holidays! I have to apologize for being SO behind on my posting - I've got several sessions I want to get up here for you to enjoy, and I still haven't posted the Brazil images either! But it's all good... gives us something to look forward to! *wink*

So were you good little boys and girls this year? Hope Santa left you something good under the tree... I am totally stoked because I found an iPad in my stocking this year!!! WOOT! I am using this cool little toy for all my presentations now, from corporate to weddings to families. It is so great not to have to lug around albums and prints to my consultations! And my clients adore it - it's just so fun to play with, and they get to see way more of my portfolio now :)

January is already filling up with several shoots, so if you are considering booking, please don't hesitate to call today! Don't forget that Valentine's Day is around the corner, so if you are thinking of making a sassy, sexy boudoir album for that special someone, you need to book ASAP! And in other news, I'm also going to launch that special senior promotion I hinted at in the fall this month... keep watching this space for more details to come...

Hope your new year is off to a great start! I am so excited at all the wonderful images just waiting to be created and shared with you this year. Onward and upward!