Mommy Photographer Tip #1

So, I get asked by my clients a lot - "How can I take good pictures of my kids when you're not around?" I LOVE this question because I know as a mom you're always feeling like you're going to forget the moment unless you document it with a camera. Like just today, I was sitting in the swing and Emma wanted to sit on my lap while I did this little twirly thing that she loves. And I remember thinking, "remember, remember, remember this moment". But I know I probably won't and that made me a little sad.

So, in the neverending pursuit to make sure that everyone has good everyday pictures of their kids, I decided to start this line of blog comments for moms - okay, dads are allowed as well:) I'll try to post on this topic at least once a week. If I fail to do so, send me a reminder via email and let me know that you're going to send the BPA (blog protection agency) after me if I don't update it fast!

The first topic I'm going to cover is COMPOSITION. I always used to catch myself in my little informal class that I taught for awhile saying, "_______ is the most important thing to learn about photography." I said it about a 1/2 or so topics, but I think this one is really key. So the first few tips we'll start with all have to do with composition - where your camera is in relation to the subject and where the subject is in relation to the background, foreground and other elements.

Mommy Photographer Tip #1: DONT center every shot you take. Yes, your darling little baby is cute (so is mine!), but the human eye and brain needs some variance, somewhere different to look. Even Eva Longoria starts to look boring if every picture has her eyes right smack in the middle of the frame. If you want a rule to follow (I'm not a big believer in rules, but if you are, this one's for you), follow the rule of thirds

Go ahead and look at my galleries and you'll see that very few of the subjects are dead center. You don't have to get completely crazy and cut off your poor son's forehead in every shot, just VARY where their eyes land in the overall composition.

So, take your digital point-and-shoots (yes, these are perfectly fine for taking pictures - I will not call the photography police on you) and take a dozen or so images of little Johnny in which you really change the position of his eyes in the overall composition. Depending on your camera, you may have a problem with focusing since your camera may be doing alot of the thinkng for you. But keep on practicing and email me with some of the images you come up with (yes, that goes for even you lurkers who read my blog and think I wouldn't care who you are - because I DO!)

Til Next Time!
~Karen

Little Mason

I know Mason's mom has been very patient waiting for her sneak preview of Mason's portraits. So, as a reward for her patience (as well as leaving a nice comment on one of my previous blog entry), here are a couple from Mason's session.




I have lots more to show, but you'll have to wait a couple more days for the full slideshow - I promise it'll be there before his birthday party.

~Karen

Availability Update

I've had to write this in emails so many times, I'm finally just putting up on my blog -

July - COMPLETELY BOOKED (the only exception is a couple of slots open for newborn sessions, open only to babies 2 weeks or younger)

August - I have some weekday availability left and a couple of weekend sessions (apparently not too many people want to glisten in the lovely Missouri heat for their portraits:)

September - 4 weekend spots are left for september sessions

October - I currently have 1 session booked each weekend and limit it to 2-3 per weekend

November - open to returning clients now, will be made available to new clients on 8/1

I'll try to actually update this availability notice, but this is really just to let everybody know that if you want to schedule fall portraits, please do not wait. I am trying to not overschedule myself this coming season like I did this past spring. Due to reschedules, I might possibly have availability open up, so email me if you want to book a session and this post is older than 10 minutes;)

A Few of My Own

Wow, I actually took pictures of my own kids, downloaded them and edited them - someone call the press because this never happens! :) And I actually like them!! It's hard to be satisfied with pictures of my own children because I always take these awesome pictures everybody else's children and then wish that I had one just like those of my own. But these came out well and I wanted to share them with the friends, family, clients and visitors that visit my blog.




I teared up when I saw these first two pictures of Emma. She just isn't a baby anymore. Somewhere in the last few months, she lost all of her babyish habits. I guess it just really hit me when I saw these. I felt like she had grown up without me noticing.

Clyde wasn't really in the mood for portraits, but he sat still long enough to capture his brilliant blue eyes.

This one's getting enlarged BIG and hung in our living room (somewhere). I love it!

Holy Cow - they are all looking at the camera and smiling - too bad the lighting and exposure wasn't perfect on this one - I'll have to work on it some more because who know when this will happen again:)

Nolan's almost 10 months old and getting to the point that he walks more than crawls, so I was glad to get a few where he was crawling still. I love barefoot baby feet.


Nolan's on the move and not wasting time to look at me and smile. But he's a Daddy's boy, so Andrew was at least able to get him to giggle once or twice.


And here's Tawny the Turtle - my kids are always asking me what everybody's name is, even for random animals we see. So, I've gotten good at making up names on the spot. Hopefully, it's a girl (do turtles even have a gender? I have no idea).


So, this one just about sums up my kids - Nolan's screaming because he hates being told to stay in one place, Clyde's crying because he's scared of the space below the steps, and Emma's looking at them trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with her brothers. I really love this one because it makes me laugh everytime I see it and it is a TRUE representation of what they normally are like.

And here's Emma comforting Clyde (and looking cute at the same time) - I swear, she is such a little mother Hen. The boys just follow her around like she's the key to their world. And it doesn't seem to bother her in the least. She sings to Nolan when he's screaming in the car, distracts Clyde when he's getting into trouble and helps me do things like cleaning and doing laundry like it's a party everytime. These three are so lucky to have each other to experience life with. And I'm so lucky to have them show me the excitement of seeing a squirrel eat a nut or the magic of getting mail in the mailbox everyday. Have you heard the song in Charlotte's Web called Ordinary Miracle? It sums up seeing life through their eyes everyday. What would I do without these three little humans to show me what life is truly about everyday? Thank you, EC&N for forgiving me of my faults as a mommy, making me laugh at silly things and giving me hugs when I need it the most (and I've needed hugs very much in the last month). I love you more than my words can express.

No Longer a Baby

Well, after 4 portrait sessions and 1 birthday party, little Lauren is technically no longer a baby (I'm sure in her mother's eyes, she'll always be her baby). I've gotten to know this family well after the past year. Not only have I been to their house numerous times, but Lauren's parents have become a sounding board for many of my business ideas and have been with me as my business has grown and changed substantially over the last year. I could not have asked for better clients, and although I know Lauren isn't going away to college or anything (yet), I feel like I do when one of my own has reached a milestone. So, Happy Birthday Lauren! Thanks for a great year.