Sarah and George | Engagement Sneak Peek

Yesterday my hubby and I drove out to Seaside.  My camera was charged, lens rented, and energy revved to do Sarah and George's long-awaited engagement session.

Lucky for us, the weather was amazing.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Quite literally.

This shoot was so much fun.  Sarah and George are gorgeous together, a perfect match.  I am so lucky I got the chance to photograph them, and can't wait for their wedding this July!

Here is a little sneak peek of the session.
Then entire preview will come, soon!

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 30 | Self-Portrait

What a month.
My camera feels the love.  That's for sure!

I got myself human looking today, all ready to attempt that "self-portrait" once again.  My hair was fighting me, my makeup hated me, and my clothes... Okay, I am whining.  The point is: I was far from excited to be taking a photo of myself.

I think doing self-portraiture is a very, very good thing for a photographer to do.
It reminds you just how self-conscience and nervous a client can be!

As soon as I got my tripod set up and my camera set, my boys decided they wanted to get in on this photo taking action.  At first they were content with pretending they were taking each shot.  (I even set up a second tripod with a toy camera on it, so they could both be the photographer.  Aw...)

Then they couldn't resist and jumped in for some shots with mommy.

They have been my models off and on all month.  How great it is to wrap this challenge up with them as well?

This is my self-portrait.
I am an author.
A blogger.
A photographer.
An avid reader.
A dreamer.  A goofball.  A friend, a wife, a sister, a daughter.

But at the end of every day.  At the start of every morning.  What I do day in and day out.  What I love, could never live without, what I am... I am mommy.  And I love my self-portrait.

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 29 | Black and White

I adore animals.  Especially dogs.  There is something about them that just makes me melt.  Someday I plan on owning pets (once this apartment stage of my life is over) and cooing over them at all hours.

That being said, I really haven't photographed animals much.  Like children... it is hard!

Tonight we celebrated my father-in-law's 50th birthday.  (Happy Birthday Brian!)  My sister-in-law brought up her new little puppy, Shy, to join in the family fun.  What a cutie!  She is a black and white husky, and truly lives up to her name.  I love this puppy.  *gets all mushy over puppy dog*

I decided to snap some photos of her.  Which proved to be hard.  She is very very very shy, and especially likes to hide from my camera.  Unlike a human, I can't just offer a bribe.  All I was pretty much left with was sniper shots, puppy stalking, and waiting... lots of waiting.

Still, I loved it.  I need to snag her from her mama again soon and practice animal photography even more.
What a great little model!

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 28 | Flowers

Flowers are pretty enough to photograph any day.  Especially now that it is spring and everything is blooming into life.

Today I was given the chance to photograph a very gorgeous young lady.  The last time I photographed her was almost two years ago, back for her senior photos.  In that time, I have been given the chance to literally watch this young girl bloom into the remarkable woman she is today.  She is absolutely stunning inside and out. How lucky am I to be given a chance to capture that true beauty?

While on her shoot, I of course had to use her for my flower challenge.  We ended the shoot with her laying in the field, the sun bright and flowers in her hair.  Absolutely beautiful.

This is something I love about photography.
When you are given the chance to photograph return clients.

You can see how they have grown.  Changed.  Blossomed into a stunning flower that you now have the chance to pluck for that moment of time and remember in a photograph.  Each moment is special.  Each smile, tear, sigh is precious.  Each year is a new leaf turned.

I cannot wait to see how this flower blossoms next spring.

Thank you Makenzie for letting me capture your beauty once again!

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 27 | From a Distance

Kids are pretty much impervious to rain.  Did you know that?
I decided to take my kiddos to the park today.  Both to get them out of our small apartment, and also to try and get my shot for the day.  Just after we got to the park (which is only across the street mind you) it started to drizzle.  Then rain.  I asked my kids if they wanted to go home, but I don't think they even heard me.  They were having the time of their lives.

Due to the rain though, I barely got any photos.  

What did I learn today?
Well, for one: Don't challenge the weather forecast.

And two:  My kit lens has lost its appeal.  True story.

I have been using solely my kit lens (18-55mm) this entire last year.  It does a good job and can capture some amazing photos.  Then a little bit back, I bought my nifty fifty.  And that was the end of that.  What a pretty little prime lens.  What a wonder...

I decided to use my kit lens today solely because I knew how much my kids move and wanted the chance to zoom when needed.  Taking the time to frame the 50mm with my two boys, no one else there helping me maintain them, in the semi rain sounded like a bad idea.

Now, looking back on it, I wish I had just tried.  While I do love the shots I managed to snap before I hid my camera from the rain, I know my 50mm could have gotten such a better final product.

Man, I cannot wait to order my 24-70mm.  I drool just at the thought of it.

Still, it was fun.
Reminding myself over and over to get that "from the distance" shot helped me view my kiddos in a different light.  I wasn't in their faces, fighting for that cute smile or up-close moment.  I just stood back and let them be.

And look what I managed to capture.  My two boys take a juice break, happy as can be.

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 26 | Close-Up

Today was the first day of the Early Childhood Development Music class I am taking my youngest to.  He loves music.  And I am loving this chance to spend one on one time with just him.  I honestly can't say how often that has happened, and this chance to just focus on him is amazing.  Not to mention I love to see him boogie.

For today's challenge, I could have gone all macro.  What is more close up than an awesome macro shot?

Then I went to class, saw how this little kid of mine reacted to the music around him, and knew I had to take some photos.  As I was going through them once we got home, I decided I wanted to use one of the shots from class as my close-up shot.

It isn't macro.  It is just his little hands, dirty finger nails and all, exploring a new instrument.
Honestly, that is close-up to me.  It is a moment.  A memory.  A snapshot of a first.

I love music.  I grew up being a part of choirs.  Training in musical theatre.  Taking private voice and piano lessons.  My Dad and I have fun making up random songs together with no purpose, singing the words as they come to mind.  I always have a song in my head.  Always.

Seeing how much my son is already embracing music... It means so much to me.
Seeing him boogie... makes my day.

30 Day Photography Challenge: Day 25 | Something Pink

Pink.  This is a color that pretty much does not exist in my home.  I have two little boys, are very very much boy.  My home is littered with blues and greens, spaceships and race cars.  My only smidge of pink that exists here is the few shirts and pieces of jewelry I might own in that shade.

Pink doesn't exist in the world of boy.

So for today, I enlisted my friend Heidi's cute little girl.  We dolled her in pink, head to toe.  Oh my, so much pink!  It has been raining off and on, so I took her outside in rain boots and equipped with an umbrella... and we had fun!  I treated this very much like a lifestyle shoot, and let the little lady lead the shoot.  We had tons of fun jumping in puddles, running around, screaming and giggling.  I was exhausted by the end. But beaming.

Goodness.  I love my little boys.  Don't get me wrong.  But how I want a daughter...

This was a great exercise (literally...) in photographing a child.  You can't just ask them to sit and smile nice.  All that gets is either A) a forced CHEESE or more often B) anger, screaming, and pure camera avoidance.  With kids, you have to get into the shot.  You have to play around, be a fool, and literally exhaust yourself.

Boy, is it fun!
I love this entire impromptu shoot I did today.  In fact, I will be posting a full preview album for it on my Facebook page... soon.  This little lady was a perfect model in the rain puddles.  Especially in that pink.

(Again...I want a girl...)