I am incredibly stoked to be photographing Tim and Kristin’s wedding in a couple of weeks (winter weddings are a fav of mine)!  They are beautiful people with fabulous personalities. I had a blast shooting their engagement session in Sun Valley over Thanksgiving weekend - we seriously laughed and played the whole time, started at my studio and ended up at Trail Creek….

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 (:

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SERIOUSLY — how cute are these kids?!?!?  The last 2 weeks have been a fabulous opportunity for me photographing kids (learned more patience and better bribes) and to meet new wonderful families! All I can say is –  “I am super stoked” on the response for the mini-sessions!! I will be offering some openings during the first week of December for clients who could not get in — so please give me a call, because it’s first come basis and fills up fast this time of year!   Have a wonderful weekend — XOXO

Okay — this post is super random — but I’d thought I would share some recent purchases I have made and LOVE!

First is 1crown3tiaras shop on Esty,  here are Presly and Rowan modeling her Fall line  (purple has become a new favorite color of mine)….

I have been really busy with gift print orders the last 2 weeks. I ordered some new tape for my packaging that I think is FUN and adds new personal touch from me….

I get more compliments on my camera bag that is super functional and looks so high-fashion! My bags come from Jill E Designs.  I own 2 of the bags and just bought her new rolling camera travel case for my destination weddings coming up this year…

I just bought a framed piece from Coulson Macleod to go in my studio next to the wedding photos — totally makes me happy (:

If I had a boy I would photograph him in these adorable and stylish ties!! I just bout 3 for the studio — they are having incredible sales right now! Check them out over at Esty…..

how cute for father and son portraits?!?!   they also do custom wedding requests….

XOXO

Hi moms, here is a small sneak peek of this weeks mini-sessions of your beautiful kids!!!

Have a wonderful weekend! and I will post more later, I promise  — XOXO