Enjoy this beautiful story and thanks for stopping by!
Wow. Just wow. Bring together stunning weather, fall color and picturesque landscapes around an amazing couple and you have a wedding you will never forget. Oh my goodness! What a day! I was so lucky to tell this story. The Glasbern Country Inn is a expansive setting with never ending beautiful sprawling landscape that has it all.
This is an entire campus of rustic, beautifully appointed buildings and relaxed landscaping for a country setting packed with so much charm and a ceremony site that is sun drenched with a view that few could rival. Put that together with beautifully and perfectly personalized wedding it was a jaw dropping feast for the eyes. But the love of family and friends and for each other knocked this one out of the park. And when I say family and friends I mean all family and friends. Their beloved beagle was a bridesmaid. Yes, a member of the wedding party, with a collar of flowers to boot to match her fellow bridesmaids in attendance. I could not get enough of the amazing moments this day had to offer.
The campus setting of the Glasbern Country Inn allows the bride and groom to get ready for the big moment separately without sacrificing the beauty and benefits of their chosen location – no one has to be sent off to a nearby hotel. It can all happen in one magical place. By simplifying the logistics of your day you have more time to enjoy it. This venue is not only a beautiful place to host your wedding but it was planned to be your everything. From the ceremony site to the reception venue to top notch accommodations and farm to table cuisine, you don’t have to worry about a thing. Just think of all the beautiful and personal detail you want to bring to your day to personalize it in a meaningful way and simply enjoy. This was a true celebration of love for this couple and the expanse of the Glasbern Inn was the perfect place to let it flourish for the best reason possible – their wedding day.
I loved telling this wedding story. Thanks for stopping by.
“Where the sky meets water.” That’s what the name of the sprawling estate in Chester County PA stands for. I know this location well as it is also home to the Green Valley Association, an environmental group that conducts many education programs on the grounds. I was a little sad when the forecast for the day was not a good one. The sun fills the hills and gardens with glistening splendor. And the ceremony overlooking the meadow and pond cannot even be compared to the indoor alternative.
But what happened was the better than a beautiful weather forecast. Renee and Jordan brought the sun from the inside. They were just giddy. They carried on without a care in the world and only had eyes for each other. So much so that Mother Nature cooperated and allowed for a few moments of pictures and ceremony outside. Thank goodness. Autumnal inspired bouquets make me weak in the knees and these were over the top. The florist spent a long time in the spitting rain outfitting the arch in front of which they would exchange their vows it would have been tragic not to be able to use it. I think it was the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen. While the constant threat, and sometimes spitting rain kept us from roaming this sprawling estate, the love and connection and joy this couple shared with each other and the intimate guests overflowed into every frame of this day that was captured from beginning to end. In the end, it’s all you ever want. Is it nice when the sun shines? Yes. But it does not mean you cannot have your dream wedding without it. When the love you share and now commit to each other from this day forward is so strong no one will notice the weather. They will just notice the love and joy that you are wearing. And that is the most beautiful part of a wedding day for sure. Oh and the groom brewed all of the beer himself. Just another amazing part of this day. See for yourself.
I am lucky enough to live very close to Welkinweir. If you are planning your wedding here, I am offering special rates for this location. Contact me today! I would love to tell your Welkinweir Wedding story.
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This couple waited a long time for this day as the demand for such an excellent venue requires it to be so. And it was worth the wait. I have the advantage of a past perspective of weddings here. I attended weddings as a guest in the early 90’s here when the Washington was both a restaurant and event venue. The courtyard was there and the long, inviting porch. But inside the Washington building of old were small rooms with very dark walls. In recent years, the Washington was renovated for event space, opened up and lightened up with charm to be found everywhere. Tori and Patrick took full advantage of all the Washington at Historic Yellow Springs has to offer. There are wonderfully appointed suites for both Bride and Groom to relax with their family and friends and get ready for the big moment. They planned a first look and left lots of time for pictures prior to the ceremony that allowed us to take full advantage of moving around to the many photo worthy spots. Their ceremony took place in the ruins of a revolutionary war hospital. The trace of the stone walls around the guests makes for a truly intimate and special experience to exchange those vows no matter how many guests you may have. Tori and Patrick then invited their guests to enjoy cocktails in the beautiful and sun filled court yard, gardens and porch in and around the Washington Building. The meadow across the street were the perfect location for a few more portraits as the sun set. This was followed by an elegant, fun reception where the Washington and the top-notch caterers support and elevate every beautiful detail. The Bloomin Booth photo studio booth was just the icing on the cake. I laughed out loud so many times looking at those photos when editing. Oh and they are a fan of B +W photos! Double swoon. This can officially be considered an overshare for sure. This wonderful couple poured so many personal touches into their wedding in a location that has it all. They will remember it forever. Maybe you will too. Just have a look. Thanks for stopping by.
If you are a couple planning your wedding at the Washington at Historic Yellow Springs, I am offering a special rate since it is right down the road! I would love to hear from you.
The Anthony Wayne House in Historic Waynesboro did not disappoint either. This venue is so unique and beautiful. It is a sublime setting for an outdoor wedding. The tent design and furnishing will embrace any taste and style a couple can dream up in a relaxed and inviting setting. Steph and Shane took full advantage to make their day so personal. Steph was the most comfortable bride in her BHLDN dress that was stunning. She was ready to enjoy her day and that she did. They all did. I heard so many guests say that this was the best wedding that they ever attended.
When the planning all comes together for the look and feel that you have dreamed about for so long and then mother nature delivers the most beautiful day it is no wonder the energy and vibe of this day was taken to an all new level. The sun did shine down on them on this day and warmed the hearts of all who were there to celebrate with them. As a photographer, it was a beautiful story to tell from beginning to end and I was so truly blessed to be part of it. See for yourself.
Thanks for reading and looking. If you know of anyone in the Philadelphia area getting married, send them my way and I am happy to share my love of the wedding story!
Introducing a new style just for newborns.
Wow. I am so excited to share this little beauty. I am always studying my craft through classes or peer to peer review or exploring something new. I was recently introduced to a very minimalist approach to newborn photography and I was hooked right away. I have very simple tastes to this spoke to me right away. And I love the results. Pure Buds is all about the baby and only the baby. There are no distractions – textures, colors, complicated styling or posing. It’s just beautiful shades of white and relaxed positions so the beauty of these brand new beings just speaks for themselves. In my opinion, they don’t need anything else. Classic. Timeless. Pure.
Bring on the babies! Thanks for reading. I would love to know what you think!
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The girls get ready - always some of most favorite shots of the day.
Her first look with her Dad was a winning moment. So special.
And of course, another winning moment was the first look with her groom. The little lighthouse at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport Maine provided the perfect spot.
Just down the street from the Nonantum is historic St. Anne's Chapel. The ocean view from here does not get much better. This was such a memorable location to exchange those vows! Tony and Krista laughed and smiled all night long. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Pasquarella for entrusting your story to me. I will never forget it! Congratulations again. And thank you.
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Wow. Once again, I am just so excited and humbled by this. I belong to the awesome worldwide organization Clickin Moms Photography forum for women in photography. This truly is a worldwide network of professionals, hobbyists and artists that come together to share and learn in our photography journey. I am inspired and blown away everyday by the work and vision I see here. Each month or so, they propose an exercise in creativity. I try to participate in as many of their exercises and challenges that I can, not for recognition, but just to get better. To be recognized again for anything, I am just speechless. Each challenge and exercise has a specific theme for you to interpret. This time it was breaking the rules so ingrained in our photographic brains.
You have to know what the rules are to effectively be able to break them. This was fun to try to do just that. And I guess especially rewarding to be recognized for doing something wrong, right.
Here is my image that was selected for this theme. What you should try to do is have leading lines into the frame drawing you right to your subject. In this simple image, my daughter is running out of the frame. The sun is reflected in the puddle in the lower left pushing her and this winter OUT of here when we desperately needed it to be gone already.
Breaking the rules has never been so much fun. Here are a couple of other images that do just that.
I have had many conversations with my lovely friend Dorothy Masom, a brilliant painter, about composition. You want to keep anything important out of the center of the painting or likewise, a photograph. Your eyes need a way in, a path to follow. But sometimes it can work to keep things very centered. Here's my daughter. She was playing at Longwood gardens, just on the opposite side of this fence in the Children's Garden. I asked her to stop and look through the fence for me. She is right in the middle, with the fence crossing through the middle of her eyes. It is abrupt visually, and completely changes the nature of where we actually were.
Another thought provoking part of this exercise was to deliberately keep something out of focus. This is harder to do than you think. This is the diner before coffee. The way it probably really looks to me. Yanno, we all need our cup of Joe!
Check out the rest of the Editor's Choice Awards here.
Thanks for reading! - Annmarie
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I am submitting this image for the i heart faces August photo contest.
To see more great entries go to http://www.iheartfaces.com/
YAY! Another TOP 10! So excited because I love this image so much!
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There were some sprinkles and clouds as the start was approaching. But when a session starts like this, you know it's going to be good.
And they brought along the whole family which includes Mom, Dad, their lovely daughter and Pumpkin their pug. Cutest dog ever. I almost her home home. Just look at that face. Well all of those beautiful faces.
I am surprised how camera shy most Dad's can be. But not this Dad. He will always be there to watch over his little girl and now has some special images that say so.
And lots of great Mother-Daughter shots too.
Thanks for reading!
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Wow. I am just so excited and humbled by this. I belong to the Clickin Moms Photography forum for women in photography. This is a worldwide network of professionals, hobbyists and artists that come together to share and learn in our photography journey. I am inspired and blown away everyday by the work and vision I see here. Each month, they propose an exercise in creativity. I try to participate in as many of their exercises and challenges that I can, not for recognition, but just to get better. To be recognized for anything, I am just speechless. Each challenge and exercise has a specific theme for you to interpret. For April, it was a photographic time capsule - an image that would represent a very specific point in time.
Here is my image that was selected. It is a very different image for me since I mostly photograph people these days. And I was totally improvising here to keep the camera still since I did not have a tripod. I edited this image to portray to emotion that I felt looking at it.
For me, this represented a very specific time indeed. I grew up in Toms River, NJ. Very close to the beach and boardwalk at Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. I was a total beach bum. The Coppertone kid. This whole area was decimated by Super Storm Sandy. This is the area where the infamous photo of the roller coaster in the ocean occurred. You could see that pier in the distance from my house. Sadly, just 11 months later, 5 blocks of the boardwalk were destroyed again after just being rebuilt. The storm had corroded wires under the boardwalk that caused an electrical fire. More than 50 businesses were a complete loss. Also lost was the carousel that I went on when I was a child. And I took my children on that same carousel for their first rides. I was visiting just after the fire and went to see the remains. It was a sight that I will never forget. I am just so honored to be recognized for this image.
Thanks for reading! To follow along with blossom-n-bloom, just click here to like my Facebook page.
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It was the perfect night. The rest of the week, not so much. I love it when Mother Nature provides extra kindness for a session. And Springton Manor Farm always provides for a great location. It was indeed meant to be. And so are these two. Off to Italy to get married. Sigh. Be still my romantic heart. Enjoy.
And thanks for reading!
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Last year, I got an email from a client that said something like "just slip the disk under the mat if I'm not home." My reaction, "GASP!"Did she really think I was going to just throw some images on a DVD and toss it in a generic envelope and say thanks? Be still my beating heart. NEVER!
Even though there's an extensive amount of state-of-the-art technology involved (my camera is practically the space shuttle), the technological components really are just tools in what I feel is a very handmade, handcrafted process. From dialing in settings at the time of capture, to handling each selected image with great care during post processing, I put my heart and soul into this process. So, just an envelope under the mat is not going to cut it. I purposefully thought out every detail of my packaging that I deliver to my clients and I wanted it to have a very hand crafted feel. The craft paper box, the craft tape, the flower that I make myself, the Thank You cards that I designed, the tissue paper, the flash drive - it's all part of the experience and something in your hands. I am working on making it better all the time like everything else. Most of all, your story is worth it.
Take a look. Thanks for reading!
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I am submitting this image for the I Heart Faces April photo challenge. The theme is beautiful Black and White. I just love this image of my boy.
To see more great images, go to www.iheartfaces.com
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With Spring just a few days away, Mother Nature did provide a hint of relief to come from the brutal winter of 2014. Yikes. That was a long one. But to get downtown and do a session in the city lifted my spirits for sure. Philadelphia is the first city where they lived together as a couple so we tried to hit as many of the quintessential Philly spots as we could.
Love Park was of course a must.
But we made it to so many other great spots.
The best part, this will be in complete contrast to their wedding day at beautiful Wyebrook Farm. I am counting down the days until then already.
Thanks for reading. And to keep up with everything, just click here to like my Facebook page.
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I am submitting this image for the I Heart Faces March photo challenge. The theme is smile. You would have a big smile on your face too if you had a giant chocolate ice cream cone and chocolate on your face to prove it. :)
To see more great images, go to www.iheartfaces.com
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Baby it was cold outside but all of the hearts were warm for Meghan and Nathan and all who gathered to celebrate their amazing day with them. This was a super special event for me to cover. I have been friends with the Mother-of-the-Bride since like forever! Four decades plus and counting. This was a magical wedding that involved a vast community of friends and family to make it happen. I was lucky to be there in this roll.
Enjoy the show!
If you would like to just browse the gallery, click here!
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I am not new to Photography. But I was new to the business at the beginning of this year. I really did not know what to expect. Would I even get to do anything at all? Well, I feel blessed to have had all the opportunities that I have had over this first year and especially this one. My first wedding. A wonderful couple, beautiful setting, great weather, perfect details and a rockin good time. There was photographic opportunities everywhere. I had such a blast telling, capturing and creating a visual history of this special day that I will never forget. I can't wait to do it again.
2013 has been so exciting. To keep up with everything in 2014 and beyond just click here to like my Facebook page. I only have one slot left for introductory rates for weddings so if you are interested contact me ASAP!
It was impossible to pick some favorites but here it goes. And enjoy the show.
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I am not sure what it is about farmland that just pulls us in. Maybe it’s the rustic beauty. It could be a deep connection to our not so distant ancestral past. And barn light. SWOON. It is always so rich, and creamy and beautiful. I guess it’s good that I don’t have a barn. I would be out there all the time with my camera.
As all local peeps know, Springton Manor Farm is not only a gorgeous farm but it is also a State Park. Every time I am there I wonder why I am not there more often. But I am always glad to visit and especially for a photo session. It never disappoints. Especially these two beauties. Check them out. A beautiful brother and sister pair. Coupled with this awesome location I really could not ask for more.
Now here’s that beautiful barn light that I was talking about.
And just a few more favorites from the session.
There was lots of brother and sister love to go around. Sometimes. Here's a favorite. Thanks for reading!
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Since I was in town for the week, I had the opportunity to do a second session with Meghan and Nathan. This time a streetscape. I love streetscapes. There is so much texture and color. It's a great choice for so many types of sessions. These were taken in Meghan's home town of Johnson City, TN. I loved that it was in complete contrast to the time we spent on Roan Mountain. Click here to see some of those images. I can't wait to return to TN this January to photograph their wedding.
Thanks for reading! And think about taking you next session to the streets!
Thanks for reading!
Enjoy and thanks for reading. If you are new, keep up to date by liking our Facebook page. Just click here.
We were 11 days on the road. A little work but mostly fun. I was able to get out a bit here and there and flex the ole creative muscle again. I hope to be able to do that more and more. I get to try lots of things that I don't normally get to do when I am photographing all the beautiful faces that come my way. This set was taken in Harpers Ferry, WV. If you've never been, I highly recommend.
It was a great trip. But it is always good to be back home. Thanks for reading!
Now more than ever, there are so many print and display options to choose from. I love metal prints. And I especially love the new Luxe design. Below, is a small luxe metal print I just ordered of my daughter.
This is the small and is approximately 8 x 12. There is also a medium size that measures 16 X 11. And a large size that measures 22 X 16. They are very light weight. They can be ordered with a float mount or easel mount seen below.
The easel mount allow you to display on a shelf, desk, table top or mantel. I have mine displayed on a shelf in my living room. The float mount creates the appearance of the prints floating on your wall. It is so light, it can be hung with a couple Command Strips made by 3M. I love these! They do not damage your walls.
This design can beautifully show off a wide variety of subjects - from newborns and children, wedding and engagements or even seniors and families.
I just love this new product! I think you will too!
Thanks for reading. And don't forget to like our Facebook page! You won't miss a thing! Just click here!
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Here are some shots from a recent session at beautiful Marsh Creek State Park located in Downingtown, PA. The lake and park are so beautiful especially this time of year and during that beautiful golden hour of light just before the sun sets. They were a lot of fun and such beautiful blue eyes. Both of them. Chester County folks, think of Marsh Creek for a great location spot. Check out some images from our time there. They are total goofballs together. Just as brother should be.
You will find some more of their portraits in the galleries.
And don't forget to like Blossom-n-Blooms Facebook page to stay up to date! Just click here!
Thanks for reading! Coming soon - Two sisters featuring the look of fine art film editing techniques.
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That is if they are old enough to understand what you're asking. My son loves the bus and everything buses. He was due for a session with Mom. So I asked him where he would like to go. He wanted to go to the bus yard of course. So while you might be thinking beautiful garden or sweeping vista, this may not excite your kids at all. If they can be engaged in the choice, shazam! Magic happens. He was never so into a photo session. Take a look.
We rattled off a few dozen great portraits in just 15 minutes. He was engaged, took direction well but most importantly understood why we were there. That is where age is a big factor. If he was only say 3 years old, he would have just wanted to climb and play all over the buses and not have anything to do with the camera. But at 6, he knew exactly what we were doing there and really wanted to see the results and have one to hang in his room. I also asked the bus company for permission before I started shooting. That is key and needs to be asked before the day of your scheduled session.
These are also edited with film emulsion/toner presets and actions because I swoon over vintage looks. It really enhanced the color of the bus and the color of his shirt which I selected to really stand out from the color of the bus! More on what to wear another day.
Of course funny boy was goofing off too!
There are many ideas for locations everywhere. Your local fire company. Tractors on the farm. At the stable where they ride horses. Maybe the home stadium where they play their favorite sport like Lacrosse or soccer.
I can't wait to order a large print for my bus boy to hang in his room. And can't wait for your ideas!
Thanks for reading!
Don't forget to like my Facebook page by clicking here where you can easily share this post! Sharing is always sexy.
In honor of Father's Day, here are some father/son and father/daughter shots from a recent family photo shoot. I always try to isolate the parents with the kids. Mommy and Me shoots are very popular. The mother child connection is very powerful and makes for a very compelling image. But so does the Daddy and Me shots. And I think there is so much emphasis out there on the Mommy and Me shots that the Dads can get camera shy. I just love these. He is such the proud papa. And totally rocked the shot. So Dads, get in the picture!
Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there. Hope it is a special day for all of them!
Thanks for reading. - Annmarie
This shot is from my niece's college graduation just two weeks ago. They had the graduates enter for the ceremony earlier than expected due to weather concerns so I did not get to see my niece enter. I sent her a text asking where she was sitting. Then I sent her a reply asking her to lean forward and look to her right because I was going to run up the side with my camera to get a shot of her and hope that no one would stop me. No one did and I got this shot. I heart technology! Without that text exchange, not sure this would have happened. And the rain stayed away!
http://iheartfaces.com
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1. The sand! - Dah! This one may seem obvious. Whenever I have my camera on the beach, I make sure it never mixes with the sand. When we are just enjoying our afternoon at the beach, I do not constantly have it in use. And when not in use, I have it go back into an extra large ziploc bag. And I keep it in a bag that my kids are not going to have access to. If your camera is in the bag, it's the easiest and the likeliest that sand could get inside when your kids or spouse reach in to find a snack or the sunscreen and still have sand on their hands. Actually, more often than not, I just take my camera back to wherever we are staying if it is close by so I don't have to worry about it.
2. That brings me to my next point - the heat. I take my camera back to where we are staying so that it stays cool. Never leaver your camera in the car. I am sure the heat inside the car goes above the temperature rating for your camera. This is true for both temperature extremes.
3. Keep your hands clean. Not just clean of sand. The oils and residue from sunscreen and other products can also reek havoc on your camera if it get's inside. And one of the easiest places to get inside is around the shutter button. I always make sure my hands are clean and dry before I handle my camera but especially at the beach and during times of summer fun! I keep some baby wipes and a lint free towel in my beach bag or pool bag to make sure this can happen!
Don't find yourself without a way to record all of your summer fun! Take care of yourself and your camera!
Thanks for reading and happy summer time!
PS - This is a vintage edit with texture overlay to tame to harsh mid-day sun! Works well don't ya think!
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My daughter was born in 2009. Life was beyond crazy during that year - between real estate transactions, renovations, moving and oh yes, a second child, we were beyond capacity. Fast forward until she was about 18 months old and it happened. The blue screen of death. My computer would not boot up. Fatal error. And I of course my first thought was about all of my pictures. I had not backed up my files for two years. That meant her entire life in photos was gone. I felt like someone had died. It made me feel awful. There were only a few photos available that I had uploaded to a share site. It also meant a good chunk of my son's toddlerhood would be missing as well. It was devastating. Fortunately, all of my data was recovered. All of my photos. I got lucky. Now, I don't leave anything to chance. Along with burning DVDs and using external hard drives, I use an online/offsite backup service that automatically backs up all of my files without having to think about it. It is very affordable and worth every penny. If my data would not have been recovered I would have lost the above photo of her. One of my favorites. This is just a casual snapshot just before she was about to fall asleep in her car seat. The light was perfect. Eyes right into the camera. Perfection almost lost. And so many more.
Don't risk your data, especially your images. They are priceless.
Thanks for reading!
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Maybe most folks out there don't know what's wrong with it. I can tell you. My daughter was about 6 weeks old. I had her sitting in a pool of sun light in her boppy pillow to soak up some vitamin D. The light is extremely bright and harsh. There are shadows cast across their faces from the mullions in the windows. The high-lights are blown out in some areas. I did edit this image lightly to correct for some of these things. It was taken with my old camera that did not have the resolution or bit-depth that my current camera has so I was limited with what I could recover. But I love this image. My son just schooched down there for a nano-second. There was not time other than to shoot. I love the expression on his face. It's hanging on my wall.
I took a wine tasting class and there was much discussion about what makes a wine better than another, why some are way more expensive, yada, yada, yada. But I remember he also said at the end, if you like the wine, if it brings you pleasure and enjoyment no matter how much it cost, it's a good wine. I feel the same about images. Sometimes there is no time to set-up for perfection but the emotional content is perfect nonetheless.
Thanks for reading. Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Cheers!
]]>Researching and finding the right camera!
I am always asked about what camera to buy and where to buy it. Oy. Only you have the answers as to which kind of camera is right for you. What do you want to use it for should be your first question. How often would you use it? How complicated do you want it to be? What is your skill level? Or more importantly, are you getting enough out of the camera you may already have?
There is so much information out there and the technology is changing constantly it is hard to keep up. But I do have two sources that I always find very beneficial and can help anyone at any level. Note, I am not affiliated or connected with these providers in any way. This is just purely my opinion.
The first is Digital Photography Review or www.dpreview.com. They independently evaluate what seems to be every camera out there by every manufacturer. You can compare by camera type. Their reviews can get pretty technical but they also have great summaries and notes from field use. So if it’s a compact or D-SLR you are looking for, this is a great source to see how it measures up to other options in its class. One of the most helpful attributes to this site is you can find out when a camera was first released. This is really helpful to know if it’s the latest and greatest or if it’s been around for some time and soon to be replaced. They also review lenses, printers and software for photography.
Another great source is B&H Photo and Video found at www.bhphotovideo.com. From what I can tell, they carry every camera, every accessory, and everything you could possibly think of related to technology and photography. And I mean everything from the newest compact point and shoot to the most sophisticated cameras and lenses available anywhere. This includes video, film cameras, dark room supplies, lighting – everything. Customer reviews are always helpful. They have live chat online during the week and a superstore in NYC. They typically have the best prices too. That’s where I buy all of my equipment. Amazon and other retailers may have the same prices but I like the fact that this is their specialty.
I hope you find these resources helpful. I know that I always do! Thanks for reading!
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Al little change goes a long way.
Change is good! Especially for a photo session. And it does not have to be a complete wardrobe change from head to toe. Just take this beautiful gal. She simply changed her shirt and came with a bag of different hair pieces, hats and scarves and really changed her look. There are just a few examples from the shoot. There were even more looks. It makes it fun. Is personality driven. And gets you a lot more mileage out of your session. So change it up completely or change it up just a little. No matter what, it will have a big impact!
Thanks for reading!
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Whether it is during a photography session or a snap shot you have captured on your own, putting your kids true selves on their walls takes the cake for children's decor.
Here is a quick snapshot of my daughters room.
It is one of my favorite images of her. She loved that dress so much. It's really girlie. It's really spontaneous. It's really her. I will always remember her beautiful inner spirit. I want her to as well. What better way than making her space all about who she is. I printed this on a foam core mount which is a lot less expensive than framing or canvas so that I don't think that I have to commit to it forever. She will grow and have other interests and passions. I may just add to her wall or replace with something more current. I love the foam core option for that reason. It looks great and gives me time to decide.
Here are some other great examples of personality portraits captured along the way during my sessions.
There are countless ways to be creative here. Maybe it's a soccer goal, a big team celebration shot. With siblings or friends. Music or martial arts. The list is endless. Or just a perfect illustration of their free spirit.
Your kids will love them too and have the coolest rooms ever!
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Maybe it's because we have this in mind.
We are just bombarded with perfect images from print to electronic media. Smiles, eyes to the camera. Like say the cover of Parents Magazine for instance. Or a babyGap ad. But there are so many things that go into that one image that you see. There are professional baby wranglers for one. Yes, that's what they are called. They travel around from shoot to shoot with a tote bag of toys and feather ticklers, used to get the child's attention and draw their eyes to the lens while invoking the desired expression. It's hard work. And here's the clincher. There's always more than one. Especially babies and toddlers. There are at least several selected for the shoot. So the one that is cooperative and allows a rapport to grow with the wrangler, they will get the one winning shot.
So parents don't be so tense. You don't have an extra set of kids in case they have a different idea of what they want to do.
Because sometimes this happens.
Then this happens.
Or this and this.
Then the only thing you can do is turn it upside down.
Until eventually you get this.
The point is not perfect portraits but to perfectly capture who your family is, who your children are, right here, right now with all of their quirks and imperfect splendor. Because that is how you really remember your loves. So just relax. Enjoy the process and the destination will always take care of itself.
Thanks for reading!
]]>Sometimes there are no words, just images to describe an awesome experience. About a month ago, I had the awesome privilege to photograph a birth. It was a small event but an event of unmatched magnitude. Birth photography has gained in popularity but is still a very rare occurrence. Perhaps it should not be because nothing is more transformational than giving life itself. I will always remember this birthday. Welcome to the world.
