Family Means Everything | Alpharetta Family Photographer

How long has it been since you had a family portrait made? A year? Two years or more? Never? My family was in the "Never" category for a long time until, and then, we had a beautiful professional portrait taken of the whole family--all seven of us--my last year at home. That picture is one of the reasons I became a photographer. It is literally the only one I have of my entire family in my youth, and it is a precious piece of our family legacy. We have only ever been all together again only twice since then, and you can bet I took our family portraits!

When kids grow older, there are windows of time when family is all together--graduations, holidays, weddings, and holiday breaks. These are the times when I am called to create images of a whole family to preserve both the memory and the legacy of these amazing people. Oh, and dare I mention that it's fun too? 

This family--personal friends as well as clients--had a blast at their portrait session. There was ample goofing around behind the camera, but we came away with beautiful family portraits that will last for generations.

Contact me for more information about family portraits this spring . . . it's getting beautiful out there!

Free Photography Class | Roswell GA Photographer

You are invited to a free 30-minute photography class I have coming up next week at a my church's women's night out. (Sorry guys. It's for women only.) During my presentation, I'll be talking about how to the most common mistakes amateurs make when taking pictures. Here are the details:

Free Photography Class by Marchet Butler

Friday, October 3, 2014

6:30 - 7:00 p.m. sharp!

Roswell LDS Church Meetinghouse

500 Norcross St, Roswell, GA 30075

(no need to bring a camera)

This class is part of our annual women's night out activity called "Friday Night Frenzy." Did I say it was free? There will be classes about makeup and gardening following my presentation as well as crafts, dinner, and lots of fun gals to hang out with and talk to. Please come! Bring a craft  to work on if you want to stay. (And drop me a line that you are coming. I'll save a seat for you!)

Help Me Choose a Metal Wall Art Sample | Atlanta GA Family Photographer

So it's the time of year when I update my sample portrait art for my holiday season clients. This year, I've decided to add a new product to my wall portrait options: metal wall art! This is one of those products you have to see in person. The images are printed on specially-treated aluminum sheets using the dye-sublimation process. They come in super glossy to matte finishes and are mounted and finished with an inset frame. The colors just POP off the print, and because it's printed on metal, it's not going to be subject to normal wear and tear. Oh, and did I say--they are gorgeous!

I'm going to order a 20x24 sample and I need help deciding which portrait I should use. Which one do you think would look best?

Now Booking Spring Sessions | Alpharetta and Roswell GA Photographer

The first of spring is starting to appear . . . buds on trees, bright sunshine, and kids playing outside without jackets. It's so exciting to have this year's winter fading away.

I'm also excited to photograph families, kids, and headshots this spring. It's the perfect time for portraits. Contact me for more information.

The Olivia Act | Please nominate an Alpharetta/Roswell family

Photographs are important, especially when a loved one dies. I was touched by a movement on Facebook called "The Olivia Act." (A big thanks to my friend Linda at Clear Creek Images for sharing this!)

The Olivia Act, named after one of the children killed in Newtown, CT was started by a photographer who wrote this: "Aside from donating and hugging my own kids, there is not a lot I can do. I think about the family of little Olivia, and the fact that they had a family photo shoot not long before she was killed. The parents are so lucky they had that. We go about our daily lives not realizing it could be our last, and we don't always take the time to have photos taken together."

In honor of sweet Olivia, I will be taking nominations for one Alpharetta or Roswell GA family who would not be able to afford a photo session on their own. I will giving a gift of a 30-minute session and $100 worth of portrait products to the family selected. This session must be used by May 2013. The nominations will be collected until December 31, 2012 and will be announced the following week. Please fill out the form below to nominate a family.

Please share this idea with other photographers! It's a great way to give back during the holiday season and a positive way to remember these sweet kiddos and their teachers/administrators. 

Using Props | Roswell GA Children's Photographer

Lately, I've been using props in my shoots, especially with children. Something new like a hat (or hats Dad brought), blocks, or vintage telephone toy captures their interest and helps keep the smiles going through a whole shoot. Since these boys' parents especially wanted portraits of the boys together and alone, I stuffed my photo bag full of props and used them all through the portrait session. I think we got some amazing shots!

Urban Family Portraits in the Cold | Roswell GA Family Photographer

I shoot either in the morning or the afternoon in order to take advantage of the best light. But it's chilly those times, and so I tell my clients to come prepared with warm outfits and coats/blankets to wrap in with in between shots. Such was the case with this shoot. The kids were such good sports, taking on and off coats, wrapping up in the old purple quilt I brought while I shot individual portraits, and jumping up in down to stay warm. The temporary discomfort paid off--we created some amazing portraits that I am super proud of!

Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents | Roswell GA Extended Family Photographer

Every once and a while, I feel like I'm the recipient of miracles -- like the weather for this extended family shoot a couple weeks ago. All week, the weather had been beautiful, but the forecast for Friday (our day of the shoot) was predicted rainy; it fluctuated from a 30% to a 100% chance of rain. We ended up making tentative for a Saturday shoot if we were rained out--though I was running a half marathon Saturday morning and we would have had to be in a separate location that afternoon.

Then, Friday came. The weather was holding, but I knew it would be pushing our luck if we waited until our originally planned time. So, on very short notice, everyone dressed in their coordinating clothes, and I found a babysitter who could take my son at the last minute. We did the shoot. It was a lot of people, a lot of kids. But it worked. And just as I was finishing up the last portrait, we felt the first raindrops falling down. I'm so grateful the heavens held back enough for us to capture these family pictures.

And yes, I did run the next morning, all 13.1 miles. What a weekend for blessings!

 

Hoodies, Deadlines, and Family Pictures | Roswell GA Family Photographer

Life is busy around here. It's my son's birthday party tomorrow. So, we've been baking and decorating, making train-themed art for the walls and anticipating 10 little friends and their parents for a big bash.

Photography-wise, I'm busy too. I've got images to edit from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation event I shot this week. There are several upcoming shoots and a portrait workshop to plan. And of course, I'm working on editing these family's images. But busy is good. When work is going well, my life tends to follow suit.

I think it's the deadlines that help. I generally schedule a sneak peek of a client's shoot a week to a week and a half after our session. Then, in another week and a half, I have the rest of the images done. It keeps things moving. So, yes, I love deadlines and due dates. And I think being responsible to another person or family really helps. Now if only I could get that to work for laundry . . . 

Here are some pictures from last Saturday's shoot. Don't you love that old wall? Can I just say, hoodies are the best. I love how they frame the face! Oh, I think that second picture is so adorable, especially considering sibling pictures are just about the hardest to get. And the reason I chose the last image? Because this kind of shot is nearly impossible to get unless you have a pro photographer who can capture this kind of moment: so beautiful and so real. Gosh, I love my job.

Update: Here are some favorites f more from the rest of the gallery. I love them!

A Real Photographer | Roswell GA Family Photographer

When I was just starting out in photography, I was a little hesitant to tell people as was a real "photographer," not just a mom with a camera. Not that there is anything wrong with being a mom with a camera, especially if you are interested in learning (because I'd love to teach or mentor you). But I wanted to be more

Now, I easily say I'm a photographer, and it's not because I wasn't a good photo-taker when I started. It's because I'm confident in being an entrepreneur and owner of a small business. That's taken a lot of work over the years: the permits, the business license, the insurance, and the taxes that come with it aren't the easiest parts of running Butler Family Photography. Believe me, I'd rather be shooting. But it means a lot to me to be doing this work legally and securely so that my clients can be confident that their portraits are being done by a professional.

Here are some portraits from the fall. I love this family and their boys. What I remember the best from this shoot is how mom and dad were especially glad that I had a boy of my own with the same kind of energy as their oldest. They knew I'd be able to keep up with him!

 

Smiles in Autumn | Roswell GA Family Photography

Back from Thanksgiving and back at editing. This sweet family was really fun to work with, especially their little boy! I don't think I've ever had such an easy time getting smiles out of a child. He was fun and playful and very good with his sister. Little sis was a little harder, but some playing in the leaves got that grin. You can see another image of this sweetie on our Facebook page.

I shoot mostly families, especially those with young children. A few people have asked me how I can manage that. I've found that parents go a long way in setting the stage for the shoot.

Here are my top tips for parents during a family shoot:

• Expect your children to take a little time to warm-up to the photographer. Many kids are shy at first.
• Bring wipes or tissues! Runny noses and drool don't make for good photos.
• Kids may need to take small breaks in between poses. Remember, they are working. Posing for photos isn't easy for a busy child!
• Allow the kids to wander around and explore (with a parent or sibling for safety) while the photographer is shooting others. This keeps them entertained and may provide opportunities for fun candids.
• Don't use harsh words or upset children. Avoid using threats or bribes.
• Let the photographer coax the smile or reaction out of your child. It's their job! (And having multiple people try to make a child smile can confuse him/her.)
• If the photographer asks you to help get a smile, stand directly behind the camera so the child is looking in the right direction when he/she smiles.
• If your child does have a melt down or a crying fit, let it happen, and then let it pass. You'd be surprised how fast kids can be back to normal.
• Expect babies, toddlers (and dare I say it? dads, too) to be "done" after 45 minutes to an hour of shooting.
• Remember, a family shoot is fun, but it's also work (for everyone). It's very appropriate to go out for ice cream or enjoy a treat together after the shoot.

Flying High | Roswell GA Family Photographer

There's nothing better than a family that wants to play while shooting. We took advantage of the high spirits of this little guy and his darling brother for a fun family shoot last week. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Four in the Family | Roswell GA Family and Baby Photographer

When I schedule and coordinate shoots, it's usually the mom I talk to. But this one was put together by the dad--a designer and artist I've admired since I met him a couple years ago. He especially wanted me to capture images of their new baby and some of mom and baby, similar to the ones I took of his older brother when he was a newborn. Of course, I have lots of favorites of everyone in the family. My goal at each shoot is to capture images that a family will look back on for years to come. Enjoy!