Why I do what I do | Alpharetta Family Photographer

"Mommy, since it's getting to be New Year's--" my son Peter said this evening "Wait. Has New Year's already passed? Well, since I didn't make a new year's resolution, I'm making one. I'm going to sleep on the couch for an entire week!"

So, Peter brought down blanket, pillow, fan, and the ubiquitous Garfield comic book to settle in for the fulfillment of Peter's New Year's Resolution Day 1.

In the middle of reading, Peter said, "Mommy, do we have a picture album?" In the world of cell phones and digital photography, I definitely don't have the volumes my own mom had, but I do have a small album I keep on my desk for snapshots and prints. Some are professional portraits I've done. Others are from camps or other places where we got snapshots. I have a wide collection of silly selfies we need to print for that album!

This latest portrait's going in there too. And on the wall as well.

As we looked through the album, I though about how much photography means to me. With my little guy growing up so fast, I am reminded again and again how important it is to take time to record these small, special moments. Life is so busy and I know I won't remember them if I don't take the time to write and photograph our quirky, funny lives. (By the way, he enjoyed it looking through the album too, for other reasons--memories of favorite stuffed animals.)

I hope you are taking the time to record your special memories with your family. And yes, selfies and Facebook count! But don't forget to print some of those too. Well, now my son's out of "bed" and drawing. I have a feeling this "New Year's Resolution" might not work out exactly like he had planned.

Thanks to Miranda Johnson for manning the shutter and getting this beautiful shot. (It's fun to do some self-portraits after a friend and client's headshot session.)

Here is another of our photography experiments. Time lapse photography with two weeks of laundry to be folded!

Happy National Dog Day!

Dogs are such an important part of my clients' and my own life! I really didn't know how much a pet could love you until I got a dog. Turns out, dogs can teach you a lot about how to live a better life too.

Here's our sweet 3-year-old cockapoo, Jack. Love you, boy!

Friends | Backyard Portrait

Wow, it's HOT this summer, so outdoor shoots are short and sweet, but I made some beautiful portraits this week with these two beauties. And no, you don't need a fancy setting for a beautiful portrait. This was taken at my client's home.

My favorite part about being a photographer is creating pieces that become a part of personal and family history! I hope this image will become one of those special mementos. Enjoy, gals!

And here's a look at my editing process -- before and after. It's pretty subtle because I try to shoot as cleanly as possible, but stray hairs, skin, and some background issues always require some touch up. Oh, and I wanted the coral shirt and necklace to match!

Merry Christmas! | Walk through of our Christmas Card Design and Composite Photography Illustration

 Merry Christmas everyone! I've made a behind-the-scenes/walk-through video of my editing and illustration process for this card. Many thanks to Richard Sturdevant who taught me at the Georgia School of Professional Photography this summer. If you can't get the link to work, try it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFRLdDNYNPk

Enjoy!

Pssst... I'm teaching some photography and a Photoshop class this January. Check it out.

It's Not Too Early to Start Thinking about Christmas Cards | Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton GA Christmas Card Photographer

I know, I know. It's early yet. We haven't even had Halloween, but I'm already booking sessions for October and November. And you know that those portraits are going to end up on Christmas cards (not to mention gorgeous wall portraits and albums). So, it's not too early to think about booking a session and getting those Christmas preparations going so you don't have to stress about it later.

Take a look at one of my favorite designs from last year. All my Christmas cards are custom-designed, press-printed, and available in flat, folded, or die-cut designs on thick, gorgeous paper. If you want portraits (and cards) your family is going to drool over, contact me and we will set up a time to talk about creating something fantastic for you and your family!

First Day of School | Getting great smiles out of your own kids!

Yay! School has started. Like most other moms here (at least by what I've seen on Facebook), I have to take the "first day of school" holding the sign/kid in a backpack picture. However, this time, I thought I'd do at least one good portrait of my kiddo before he got on the bus.

Now, here's the trick: make it a game. My son knows that when the camera comes out, silly/crazy/funny pictures are OKAY! If he wants me to take it, I shoot it, and boy, does that get the smiles going. Then, once we've had some fun, the beautiful smiley pictures are easy because he feels happy. The top portrait was picture #20. I have to admit though, those other ones are keepers too!

Contact me if you are interested in learning more tips about photographing your kids. I teach photography workshops and offer mentoring to cool moms and dads like you who want to learn!

More Christmas Card Pictures: Indoor Family Portraits

Lately, the weather has been okay during the beginning of the week but clouds begin to gather around Thursday, and Friday breaks into rain. Most times, Saturday is clear enough for a photo shoot, but it can be an iffy situation, even the day of the shoot. This Thanksgiving week was no exception.

Knowing this might be the case, my clients and I planned on an indoor location and an outdoor one. When we saw that the rain wouldn't ease up that morning, we went ahead and got some great portraits indoors at grandma and grandpa's house. I'm actually really glad we stayed inside. First of all, my camera gear didn't get wet, and we were able to use some of the really fun painted walls in the house as backdrops. I'm sure Little Miss wouldn't have been as agreeable in the damp weather.

Mom and I talked about whether or not to have her daughter wear her new glasses. My suggestion was to do some of both. When my son had to wear a helmet to correct plagiocephaly like the kids in these photos, I made sure to take lots of pictures of him wearing his helmet. After all, I wanted to remember what he looked like everyday. That was my reason for suggesting this to mom, and she seemed to agree. And don't those little glasses look cute?

Besides the beautiful family portrait at the top of the post, I really love the second one with Little Miss peering outside. I love how you can see her reflection in the glass. The kid-level portrait with mom and dad's legs was a special request from mom. It turned out to be quite a task to persuade Little Miss to pose for that one. Finally, that Santa hat just begged to be in a spot color photo.

Last of the Fall Leaves

Say goodbye to fall. It is cold and that means winter! Incidentally, I'm having trouble keeping my wireless keyboard working lately. I think it doesn't sense my keystrokes when my fingers get cold. Weird, huh? Has anyone else heard of that?

I took a few photos of the last of the autumn leaves in Newton Park. It has been such a wonderful fall, I'm sad it see it go. Jacob is a fabulous nature photographer,and I've been trying to learn how to take better close-up leaf photos. Here's my response to his advice to "keep tryin.'"

Autumn Photography: Alpharetta and Roswell

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been itching to take photos of the gorgeous autumn leaves this season. Georgia is just bursting with fall colors this autumn, and I've invested a bit of time documenting some of my favorite fall finds. Enjoy!

Hembree Park
Roswell, GA

Martin Road
Roswell, GA


And a quick spot color of that tree because it's so gorgeous!

A little rain in the morning wasn't going to stop me from taking pictures!

Webb Bridge Road and Winward Lake Drive
Alpharetta, GA

I love the leading lines of the trees and the wall, and it looks so great in black and white.

Fall Leaves: Brothers Portraits

I've been aching to take pictures in this beautiful fall foliage, especially since I know it won't last very long (and also because I've been stuck at home with a sick kiddo). So, I was delighted when the mother of these handsome boys called me for a last minute shoot. "It's just so beautiful. God has made such an amazing world," she said as we planned a portrait shoot for the next day!

I'm glad we jumped at the chance to take the photos early in the week. After a few days, the reds and oranges at Rock Mill Park have disappeared, but those smiles and amazing colors have been preserved on camera. I know Mom's going to love getting some prints of these for Christmas cards or even posting some on her blog. Meanwhile, there's still a lot of beautiful fall beauty to photograph, so watch for a post about that this week. (There, if I write that on my blog, then I'll actually make the time to do it!)

Family Candids by an Old Barn

This has got to be one of my fastest "sneak peeks" ever! It's raining today, so I'm stuck inside and that means . . . photo processing! We took these photos on Wednesday night and I had a ball getting these 10 images ready to post today. When it comes to making selections from the many pictures I take during a shoot, I've learned to wait at least a day or so before looking at them. I've found that a little time helps me look at the photos more objectively. Another reason I wait is because (on the day of the shoot) I'm apt to throw out a good picture if it isn't exactly what I was working towards. Just chalk that up to artistic perfectionism. Now though, I'm very pleased. These are some of the best photos I've ever done.

Preparing for this shoot was a bit of work on my part and on the part of the client. The mom of the family is also a photographer and blogger, so we also talked a lot about light, clothing choices, poses, and inspiration from other photographers. That's one of the things I really love about my business: I have the chance to offer a totally personalized photo shoot for each client.

Mom had a good idea of what kind of background she wanted in the photos. At first, she wanted a spot with fall leaves and warm autumn colors. But it's still mostly green here in Alpharetta, so the day before the shoot (yikes!) we changed locations (thanks to a little location scouting on my client's part) and got permission from the owner to shoot next to this fabulous old barn.

It's sometimes hard to strike a balance between a nice posed family shot and a totally candid shot. I find that most clients want something that looks candid, but is not a purely unposed shot. Here, we worked to set up opportunities for candid shots like the black and white walking picture and the second photo where they aren't looking into the lens. (They were smiling at Jacob who did a 360 degree spin for them. How fun!)

Finally, a word about my favorites. The shot of mom and baby (a classic Marchet Butler photo if you've seen the work from my Early Motherhood Project) is one of my favorites. I love lens flare shots, but haven't had a lot of experience creating them. Then, there is the black and white photo of Dad and the boys checking out the tools and gadgets inside the barn. (I could tell Dad is a pro at getting kids in position for a picture.) Finally, I love how the colors just "pop" on the color photos. That red barn is certainly an eye-catcher, and the kids and parents really stand out, not to mention that romantic dip! Enjoy these, guys. No need to have worried, we had a great time, and it looks like you did too!