Hey everyone!  I am off to San Francisco for an engagement session – super cute and fun couple!  I will be in on Monday to share their photos, return emails, and phone calls.

I also want to show a cutie photo of Presly in the bath – I think everyone needs to get photos of their kids in bubbles!

This photo made me pull out some tricks to get her attention away from the adorable ducky and over-load of bubbles!   Here are some of my tricks I still use on Presly and clowning around ideas to get 2 and 4 years to look at me….

First - I always start with peek-a-boo. I do it behind my camera,  or have mom do this behind me at the my level.

I ask them “what color eyes do you have?” after response “Really your eyes look Pink,  no wait,  are they purple?”  I just keep going on until they are bored with my lame questions,  but it works (:

Photographing kids I have become shameless!  and I don’t care anymore what a DORK I can be, the BIGGER the better!  I have the dad or mom pretend to tickle me and I get really loud “stop it” “stop it, I am so ticklish!” and try to squirm away.  The parents put something on my head, or put bunny ears behind me with their fingers, or just mess up my fabulous hair do (:  Kids laugh every time!!

And most important technical advice I have when setting up for a photo — think LIGHTING FIRST!!! Your location 2nd….. no matter how beautiful your background is!  My clients ONLY care about their kids beautiful faces! So I always look for that open shade, at the edge  (no sun spots coming through tress or weird shadows on their faces).  Have FUN shooting and a wonderful weekend!!!

A client of mine had a wonderful idea for her mom — photograph all the grandkid’s in mini-sessions. Then put a layout together with the photographs and display in the kid’s playroom at her home.  So I put together a couple of wall displays that I do for all my clients.  It helps assist them to visualize how ALL my photo collages will look in their homes (I have over 75 ideas)  this can be time-saving and better prepares me in presenting possibilities to clients prior to sales sessions.

Here are some ideas for the six photos I am working with….

Mr. Big Canvas 20×30!

30×30 Canvas Wrap that I can add any colors too, add text,  or fill all the spaces with photographs — possibilities endless (:

some more visual ideas for your home….

and this is a really cool feature,  I can drop in the images on the computer for more inspiration — all sorts of frames and canvas layouts!!

Also an old favorite I thought I’d share again are my Collector’s Vignettes: Far Away Dreams! These make wonderful 12×12 Canvas Gifts or even in your own home if you are looking for some Vintage Vavoom — LOVE this!

Happy Friday and have an AWESOME weekend — XOXO

-  I get this question A LOT,  especially with my spring mini-sessions coming up!  So here are some tips from my personal experience and taste for clothing ideas. When I do a shoot I love it when the client bring a suitcase of clothing to my studio  (shoes, hats, scarves, accessories, bribes of treats, and favorite clothes).  It’s wonderful to see BOLD colors, patterns, layers — I LOVE polka dots and stripes, cheerful, fun, happy!!  Also the simple look too — white tee and jeans barefoot is beautiful to photograph in the summer!

Seriously — here are my “DO NOT’S”…..

I have never been a ‘fashionista’  until my Presly started mixing her stripes and large polka dots, so CUTE!  Just going to the market, she was turning heads and comments — getting me to open my eyes to try and mix n’ match her clothes more darigly,  (also fun to photograph and add depth to the picture!)   So I put together my favorites — first is the incredible Mini-Boden….

I absolutely LOVE Esty — and when I found  1Crown3Tiaras I fell in LOVE with her designs and dresses….

Esty again –  look how flipping CUTE these ties are from the belle and the beau!!

Another FAV…CrewCuts from JCrew! Their new Garden Party line and advertisements has inspired me for some Spring photoshoots (;

I do not even know where to begin how AWESOME this store is on Esty….Vintage Lucy, it’s retro baby/children vintage clothing!!!  You must see for yourself how unique and fabulousness for your kids and even baby shower gifts!   here is just a small taste of outfits I want for Presly….

The TOP-OF-MY-LIST is our local store Tater Tots!!!  Janessa has the most AMAZING style!  If you have a shoot with me, a baby shower to go to, any type of party, need a gift,  — Janessa will style you out!!!  She has moved her store up to Ketchum — please stop in and say Hi!  Also check out her beautiful new spring collections she has in the store!  here are 2 dresses I recently bought for Presly…

Have fun shopping!   “Prints and wild hues make life a little brighter” — XOXO

I get this question A LOT from people “What camera and lenses do you have?” So I felt like sharing a funny cartoon and some of my favorite photography tips that have helped me out.

But first, this is my favorite….

and this one….

Remember that a good camera and photoshop skills help, but it *IS* the photographer and skills behind the camera that matter most!! So practice, practice, practice, — their is no overnight success!  Trust your own ability, don’t compete with others, you have your own eye and talent!   (I need to remind myself this as well)!

Here are some more tips….

I always put the focus on the eyes.

PEZ dispensers make awesome bribes!!! and talk with the kids when photographing them — but don’t ask them to say CHEESE!!!  Sometimes having them say “yes” works for a smile. Play peek a boo behind the camera. And for the parents, they get a big laugh when I tell the kids to say “money” it really makes big smiles, when they expected me to say “cheese”

This one reminds me of myself, Presly and Mark,  of cousre ‘us moms’ are always taking the photos (;

and YES, I take bad pictures too! I only show my BEST work!!  Investing in good equipment helped me, but I also take classes, attended at a bunch of seminars over the years, buy photography books, read forums, and I am still learning photography. Remember PRACTICE, it’s digital…practice, practice, practice, get comfortable — AND ALWAYS HAVE FUN!

XOXO

P.S. this is my slack, and it looks like rain and snow for the rest of the week. So I am trying my best to keep the blog updated until Spring is finally here and start shooting again and share some photography  (:

– here is a quick tip how I get my images to pop.  First. Good lighting! If you don’t get in your camera, it will be impossible to fix in Photoshop. Find some open shade, look for a location with soft, natural light… it’s what I do on every shoot if I can find it.

Post-processing is an individual taste for every photographer, everyone has there own personal style. Here is what works for me and my first steps to get my photo to look the way I like. When I shoot portraits, which is 99%, I like to shoot a little over-exposed; this is how I get nice skin tones and brightness.

Here is a photo of Skylar straight out of the camera. (mini-session for her birthday announcement, super fun session)! I just used pink paper for a back drop and natural window light on the left of Skylar, open exposure compensation in my camera 1 full stop. I always go to my Levels in Photoshop (image/adjustment/level or command L). The levels tool can move and stretch brightness levels in a histogram using three main components: a black point, white point and midtone slider. Images, which do not extend to fill the entire tonal range often look washed out and can lack impact. So I usually slide the black/white points to the edges of the histogram. Please pay attention to your image; it’s all about the look you want. I did only a slight adjustment on this photo, (I used a pink star on the sliders to show you where they are).

Okay, next is the secret to perfect skin. The spot healing brush in your PS tool bar lets you correct imperfections in your photo! Also I always touch up the shadows under the eyes, and I always use burning and dodging to make the image look the way I want, (just like back in the darkroom good ole’days)! Okay, I guess a 4 year old doesn’t need much editing on her perfect skin (:

Next is Curves (command M) to POP the photo. This is one of the first things I learned in Photoshop 10 years ago. Perhaps the most powerful and flexible image transformation, yet it may also be one of the most intimidating. It’s just a simple ‘S’ curve that brings contrast and affects the tones. Tip: press option on your keyboard to reset,  if you want to start over and adjust to your own taste.

Last, if you want more “SAUCE” on your images I use Totally Rad Actions (Oh Snap, Prettyizer, BAMF b&w,  Punch Out!) and Kubota Actions (Warming, X-Process, Clarify Lite, Vignette, Daily Multi Vitamin)  are some favs. I always end my photo using Magic Sharp from Kubota to finish up my photo….(I used Clarify Lite and Daily Multi Vitamin here at about 10% opacity for a little extra something special, no need to go overboard!!)

have fun and keep shooting… XOXO

I wanted to share a recent promo card I put together for the ever-sooooo-fabulous Tater Tots boutique!  Janessa really helped me and moms out styling their little ones for my two week mini-sessions. If you have booked a session with me coming up and want to look picture perfect, this is the best place to be — especially for all those Holiday parties looking CUTE!! Here are some of her new fall line and winter warm clothing…

Okay you moms out there who need a little TLC with your new fancy digital cameras, or will be getting one for Christmas, wink (; wink (; When you take your camera out of the box, don’t just set it on auto (the green square), there are so many ways to control the outcome for a better photo! I can’t explain every option on your new camera – read the manual, it truly helps, but I will share something that will make a difference photographing the family and kiddos at Thanksgiving…

Portrait mode (that shows a face or a head on the dial)…this is great when you want to achieve that focus out of background look. It basically open ups your aperture and blurs everything behind your subject. Use this when you get close to your kids and fill your frame with their face, – I always shoot wide open (my lenses open up to 1.2) and focus on their eyes. (Use the tips from my last post to get them to look into the camera - it WORKS)! - here is a recent photo I shot at f2.8, 200 ISO, on aperture priority, asking “what’s your favorite treat” again be ready for this look!! Presly’s was a chocolate cookie waiting for her at home — again she’s 3 and a half years old and that’s about how many minutes I get to photograph her, with a good bribe,  until…melt down (:

I do 100% of my post-processing in PhotoShop CS3. I would suggest again Photoshop Elements, AMAZING and inexpensive for moms to edit images. Make sure to buy a book from Amazon to learn about using the software for editing portrait photography.

Okay - so now here is a tip for you indoor Holiday photog’s, (if you have a external flash) this is a FUN tip to learn how to control your images using your Manual setting. Turn your flash on auto, turn your camera on ISO 800, shutter speed at 60th and f-stop between 4.0 and 2.8 – take a look at back of your camera to see the best f-stop (the wonderful world of digital)!!!  Take your flash head and instead of pointing at your kids turn it to a white wall to bounce, usually the ceiling is best, (if your not shooting inside a wood cabin). This is what I do 100% when I shoot kids and weddings inside a dark room. It softens the light and brings in ambient light from the fireplace and Christmas lights, it’s really beautiful, warm, light! I will be gone for a week with family — so Happy shooting and Happy Holidays!!

Presly in her new dress from Tater Tots, hat and scarf Anthropologie kids — so cute for when grandma comes to visit tomorrow (:

XOXO

WOW!  I have had such a huge response on the mini photo sessions — it booked up so quickly! So I wanted to share that I do have some recent openings if you called last week and couldn’t get in. I also understand and know times are tough for many, and we have to budget our spending much more than before (believe me, I am feeling the pinch too), so I decided to share some of my best tips to get fabulous photos of your kids for Christmas gifts, holiday cards, and memories of your kids at this moment!

1. Being able to find the best light is my number one way to make a beautiful photograph.  On sunny days make sure the sun is behind your kids so you don’t get squinty eyes, or harsh shadows on the face. When you are inside, use your biggest window and open up the curtains. Make sure it’s not direct sun but open shade, best time here in Sun Valley is early morning or late in the evening.  Or even better go out on a cloudy day!

2. Take your kids somewhere they love outdoors and then you can make some happy and real images. Allow your children to have fun, do something they enjoy; you will capture the best and natural images of them! These are the pictures you will treasure! Some of my favorite photos of kids are the candid ones; getting eye contact is always a struggle.  But, you are still capturing them as they are at this moment, even if they won’t put down their security blanket or favorite toy (:

3. Toddlers – they never stop moving!! Here is one of my ultimate secrets I would love to share that works every time. “Can you tell me the color of the butterfly in my camera?”  (When the camera clicks they see the shutter and think it’s a real butterfly). This only last a couple of times – so be ready!! Or ask for them to look in the lens for their favorite cartoon character. Last put a sticker on your camera of their favorite animal, cartoon, Barbie, etc.  Again be quick and ready!!

My favorite and last resort — have daddy or someone behind you pretend to fart!  Always makes the kids have huge laughs!! — especially when trying to get a group photo of smiles (:

4.  My BIGGEST pet peeve  — No cheese please!  Toddler’s natural expressions are the best.  Try to remember things during the week that made them laugh; whether it be saying a funny word they like or asking them to sing their favorite song, a natural smile is always the best one!!

PLEASE keep photographing your kids, don’t let weeks go by that you don’t snap a few images. Have fun capturing every smile, giggle, step, and birthday your child has (:

of course I have to post a photo — here is miss Scarlet from today’s mini-session

My friend Deida just opened the cutest business here in Sun Valley!!! It’s called Petite Picasso, where your little munchkin can be a Monet — making messy art projects and we moms don’t have the mess at our homes – LOVE it!!!  She offers art workshops for kid’s ages 2-18. Checkout her website here for schedules and classes.  Here are a few photos I took this morning with my Presly, her daughter Skyar, and a couple of our friends…

the every so artistic, creative, and owner — miss Deida

a masterpiece that Presly made using glitter, finger paint, glue, embellish, stamping, everything I would never keep at home. The best part — she had a blast and new ‘beautiful art’ for our refrigerator! THANK YOU Deida and we can’t wait for next Saturday (:   XOXO

For some reason I have gotten a few more emails from other photographers lately than usual. So first off I want you to know when I started as a professional photographer I had tears — A LOT!  It’s been 8 years now and I am always still learning, reading, taking classes, and practicing because…I am never content!

What gear do I shoot with?
I certainly do not recommend going out and buying expensive gear. Sure, expensive gear is better, but it’s not going to give you better results if you don’t know what you’re doing with it, nor does a cheaper camera give you bad photos. It’ s still makes me laugh when people say to me “your camera takes such great photos!” That’s like telling a chef  about his delicious food –  “you must use a great oven!”  I shoot with Canon EOS 5D Mark II Body, but for starting off the Canon EOS Rebel is a great camera for the price. My favorite lens is Canon EF 50mm f/1.2… my workhorse!  But, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 is awesome and A LOT less!!!

How do I get my images to look like yours?
It’s a combination of a lot of things – proper exposure, use of light, (both of these are probably the most important factors) knowing how to make your camera work for you, engaging subjects correctly, composition and post-processing.  Each of those areas can take a long time to learn properly but it’s also about finding something that you love to photograph!!  I NEVER use flash until it’s completely dark outside and then I bounce my flash. My style is to place the subject in open shade or the sun directly behind my subject for 95% of my outdoor shoots. I use actions to make my images have that pop and color, but mainly levels and curves to get a properly correct photo, cropping, and I shoot in AWB setting on my camera always! I LOVE bright and sparkly eyes (not enhanced in Photoshop) – exposure and correct direction of light.

I know this is brief, but I am almost done with my new studio – pictures next week! I will begin some small photography classes later this Fall to help hands on and put some detail tips up soon on the blog (:  I can’t leave without a photo. Here is a picture of my dog Buddy on my new leather couch in the studio. 50 1.2 lens, natural light, curves, levels and dodge tool set to highlights, and finally sharpening — that’s it that I used for Buddy! It’s going to be AMAZING to photograph kids this winter inside – mini sessions soon as well (:

- the winner from last months contest was Karen Stevens! We had their session yesterday, but Michael had a meeting down in Hailey and could not make it. So this is always a wonderful opportunity to glamorize a mother with her beautiful children! (Because we all know ‘we moms’ are mainly the one photographing our husband and kids…and not many with us in any photos)! Here are some photos of Karen with her adorable kids Elliot and Jack….

I LOVE horses : unless you are allergic to them I will seek them out for a shoot  (:

my opinion - one of the best images of kids! Both under the age of 2,  always a challenge to get a shot like this…Exploding with cuteness!!!!!!

if you notice in most of the photos miss Elliott is looking down for something to put in her mouth - understandable, look at the new teeth coming in, drool -  and finally her adorable smile….we got one mom, Ahhhhhh!

Jack is such a BIG love of hugs (:

- this is one of the FUNNIEST moments and sequence for me! Karen is not a horse person - all she cared about at this moment was making Elliott smile for me - what a shocker for Karen and  hilarious photo for the both of us!!!

Karen I look forward to many more photo sessions with your family!  and so HAPPY our kids will be growing up together in beautiful Sun Valley — Jack may even take Presly to the prom someday (;     I was so thrilled and appreciative from every wonderful family and friends who helped me to spread the love about my new blog - THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!

XOXO