And Breathe...

Longest week ever! I did have some really great shoots though. I only have half of one more to edit and I'll be completely caught up. And tomorrow is my big beauty/glamor shoot! I'm super excited. I just spent the last 2 hours ironing out my two backdrops (because they never stay unwrinkled). But I think I'm ready. Anyway here's some of what I've worked on since last time.

First, I got to do a really great family maternity shoot. I love bellies. 

Isn't she just so pretty?

Not to talk myself up, but isn't this picture great?! I love the expression, it's so real.

Next shoot was a couples shoot. I've actually haven't gotten to do too many just couple shoots, I get a lot of families and maternity were I get to shoot couples though. 

I found a new place thanks to this shoot. There is a pond and this awesome rock wall and beautiful trails. There is this crazy excitement I get from finding new places to do shoots. I wanted to pose them everywhere (I re-framed).

Who's kinda busy? This girl!

So my days for taking pictures are numbered. Not only are they numbered but we are at the horrible transition period between the beautiful fall weather and the beautiful snow (which I'm praying I can find some totally awesome troopers who want to take pictures in the snow...hint hint). But anyway, I'm still doing them outside for the moment and I got to tell you, I'm really liking them.

These are from two different shoots from this weekend (I had four this weekend. Explains the title, huh?)

I've also ventured into making Christmas cards. I think they are looking pretty cool, I'm going to try out some different designs when I find some time.

So on top of all of these great people letting me take their pictures, I have Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping, and my big glamor shoot (which I'm really stoked about) all next week. I'm also participating in a year long photo journal here: http://www.facebook.com/militaryspouse365.

I know some pretty cute girls

After weeks of looking for a Christmas background everywhere I decided I wasn't going to do Holiday pictures. Partly because it's my first Christmas as a photographer and I thought that it would be too much for me at this point and partly because I couldn't find a background that worked for me. I don't like backgrounds that have an actual picture on it and choosing between a red, gold, green or white vintage type of wallpaper background was a never ending battle.
So here I was decided on not doing them all together until I saw this on Pintrest (gotta love Pintrest): http://pinterest.com/pin/92394229824866322/
I did want to spread the lights out a little and I wanted it to kinda still look like Christmas lights and of course I'd never want to completely steal someone else's idea so I tweaked it.

And then I was like, "Hey, you know what would be cute? Ornaments and candy canes!" I was talking to myself of course....

 So I called up these two pretty girls moms' (who happen to be my awesome friends and neighbors) and forced them to let me use their kids. I love how it turned out.

Mad Mad Skills

So here's a little about my mad photography skills:

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• I keep my camera on manual unless it is a quick random photo. I wouldn't show up to a shoot with my camera on AUTO. I have a vision in my head and that vision can't be created with my camera on auto settings. It took me a long time to understand every setting (I'm of course I'm still learning) so I take pride in this. I also shoot in RAW which isn't a big deal if you have no idea what I'm talking about, but I love it so....
• I prefer shooting outdoors but I'm trying to expand and do more casual indoors photos. I do dream of one day owning my own studio with HUGE windows so I can still work with mostly natural light. 
• I'm learning how to pose people better. I do like to tell people to sit down and see how they feel comfortable before I get really bossy and more them around until they hate me. I haven't quite got the whole doing all of the sitting poses at one time and doing all the standing at one time so there is a bunch of sitting, standing, sitting, standing going on during a shoot with me.
• I LOVE editing! I love playing and changing, not as much as I love actually taking the pictures but it comes close. I love doing it all myself, so I kinda loathe actions. 

I didn't feel like I said too much about how I operate so now you know.

It's all in the belly

I finished editing one of my best shoots I've done so far. Well that's my opinion and in this point in my "career" my opinion is really important. I feel like the people I take pictures for are a little bias, if they look good in the picture they are going to love the picture. This isn't a bad thing and I'm not looking down on anyone for this; one of my favorite pictures of me is kinda blurry and my eyes are closed but I look SO skinny (hence why I love that picture). And I have some great friends, but I don't think they'd tell me if my pictures were sucky. My husband is the closest to a "real" opinion and he's not much better. Of course he loves everything I do but he does give his opinion if he doesn't like something (even though he doesn't know much about the technical stuff). So yes, I get the say so if this shoot was one of my best.

So anyway the shoot...
It was only my second full maternity shoot. I think maternity shoots are one of my favorite genres (I don't know if that is what you'd call it, but let's say it is). Especially when it is the couples first baby, not that having kids involved in the shoot isn't adorable, but because it is a very important moment in the parents to be life. I love capturing that time in their life where they are excited and scared and anxious to meet their new baby. I love those intimate moments between the couple that don't ever seem posed because they are just so happy.

This soon-to-be mommy was great. She came in with some of her own ideas but she also let me get my ideas out. They were both excited to be getting these pictures and that is so important to me. If you are stoked to be there, I'm way stoked to be there with you taking your pictures.
I was also very very lucky because it was the last pretty day of fall (at least I'm pretty sure because this week has been really ugly). I like getting to do the classic black background maternity pictures but the pictures we took outside have that cool factor, ya know?

I never got pictures done while I was pregnant. Actually I think I have a total of 6 pictures while I was pregnant, most taken by me in a very Myspace type manner and one taken by my mom. I regret it so much because my pregnancy was one of the very most important times in my life and I wish I had that time captured better.

Okay, I'll leave you with just a few more. Can you tell I had a lot to choose from?!

Belly sash made by: Oo As Cute As A Button oO

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oo-Cute-As-A-Button-oO/275676042446064?ref=ts

She does AMAZING custom orders :)

The Newborn and the Bulldog

I just got done editing a family session with their beautiful newborn daughter and their awesome dog.

This session really made me want to get a dog. Me and my husband have been having the English Bulldog vs. French Bulldog argument since forever. It is still ongoing...
This was my second time working with dogs. They are challenging but fun and I think I'm starting to get how to more.
I love shooting newborns (I know, sounds bad, whatev) but I feel like it is what I need to improve on the most. I try to tell them what to do but they never listen. Pff, babies always doing what they want. But seriously.

I heart fall

There is this park downtown that I love! In the summer there is a huge fountain and a beautiful garden and in the fall ALL the leaves change colors and are all over the ground. See this is a big deal to me because I grew up in South Texas. Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful where I'm from but fall just doesn't look like fall there. The leaves just turn brown and it doesn't really snow...so all the prettiness is in the spring and summer. But here, well the leaves are gold and orange and red and yellow, and that is what fall always looked like in books and in movies and I couldn't be more grateful.

I got the pleasure of taking some wonder fall family pictures last week.

I know throwing leaves is kinda cliche but I can't help it, I walk outside and I kick the leaves just to watch them fall again. So yes when I get the chance to tell people to throw leaves, I'm gonna take it.

Don't you love the colors? Awe I kinda wish it'd stay fall. Wait, no, I'm too excited about taking snow pictures...

300?! What?!

So today I hit 300 fans on my facebook photography page! That seems insane to me. There are at least 300  people who have looked at my pictures and said to themselves, "Hey, that's not half bad." I'm kinda stoked so, as someone who admires people who have blogs, I decided to start my own.

First a little about me:
I grew up in a tiny town (about 300 people) in Texas.
I'm married and I have a four year old boy, Hans. These two boys are what matter the most to me.

I'm living in Germany thanks to the Army.

I love food.

I don't like listing random facts about myself...hmmm...

And I trying to become a professional photographer, but I have a long way to go.

So here's a little about my photography:

I've kinda had a thing for cameras and pictures forever. I love capturing moments and colors and memories. Why do you want to be a portrait photographer you ask? *Okay just pretend you asked* It's kinda cheesy but I want to take pictures for the future. I want adults to look at the pictures I took and think "Man, my mom was so pretty" or "Awe look how in love my parents look in this picture" or "I was kinda funny looking as a kid" (just kidding, all the kids I take pictures of are beautiful). I stride to take pictures that people can look at remember that time in their life. Which is kinda important because for most of my clients they are living is a beautiful new place, with new experiences that they will want to remember. I'm so blessed to be trying to start my business in a place as beautiful as Germany.  

So this blog is going to be about me and my adventures with photography. 

So, thanks for reading all of this ramble. I'm looking forward to rambling more to all of you often!