McKinley's Photo Quilt . . .

Since my last post about the baby "quilt" project, I've been thinking.

I've been trying to decide how to do one with my son McKinley even though he is already 2 months old. Well, I figured it out. I went through my archives of pictures of him from around 1 month old and found one of him in a white onesie! Woo hoo!!!! So this morning I set him on a piece of fabric, that I just happened to have laying around, and after taking dozens of pictures, got the perfect one to "mesh" with the one of him at 1 month old so that the angle, lighting, and fabric wripples were right. 1 hour and lots of photoshop attempts later . . . TaDa!

McKinley - 1 month

As you probably have guessed, I'm going to be doing them by months and end up with 12 pictures for his "quilt". And for those of you that don't know, the quilt "thing" happens to be pretty perfect for him. One of my best friends and I took a quilting class together when we were pregnant and both of us made baby quilts for our new baby's room. So I'm thinking a theme for a first birthday party is already in the works.

And for the 2 month picture . . . well, I'm a little late too. But only by a week and a half so I figured I might as well just take a new one rather than try and find one of him in a white onesie. So that's what I did.

McKinley - 2 months

So far, so good. In a few weeks I'll be taking the 3 month one. And I'm just in aw because I cannot believe that he will be three months old already in just 3 weeks! Time is a precious commodity.

Baby "quilt" project . . .

One of my awesome clients, who I also consider a friend, posted this link on her facebook wall. And I just HAD to share it and . . . figure out a way to do it! It is just way too wonderful not to!

Unfortunately for me, McKinley (the baby) is already 2 months old so I missed the first 9 weeks. But maybe I can do it by months instead, or if I can photoshop pictures of him weekly would work too . . . although it'd be a lot of work! We'll see what I come up with.

But then this got me thinking (watch out!) "Can I do something like this for clients?" I already have a few in mind that may be interested who have either just had a baby or will be having one in the near future. So if I can just come up with the right concept, price, package etc. It just might work. I'm sure anyone can do this on their own. But how great would it be for a photographer to do it for you!

So here's what I'm offering . . . $150

• Yearly, weekly, monthly, or daily photos
• Pennet flag garland made from the same fabrics (would be great for 1st birthday!)
• Printed out photos (size depends on amount of photos)
• Photo disc

Please contact me if you are interested in this. I think it will be a really great keepsake for you and your baby throughout their first year(s). I will leave buying the fabric up to you though so you can pick something out yourself that you like or if you have a specific color scheme in mind, you can keep with it!

My start in photography . . .

So it dawned on me this morning (no pun intended) that no where on my site or blog do I have info about how I got into photography. And since I've been doing so many wedding consults lately, its pretty important for people know.

Ok . . . here goes . . .

I started photography when I was 17 working at JCPenny Portrait Studio. One of my friends helped me get the job and I LOVED it!!! I really did. After 2 or so years of that I switched over to Sears Portrait Studio and hated it. Not so much the picture taking aspect of it, but that there were a few women who worked there who had been working there for years and they were set in their ways. Seriously. They were not open to improvising or new poses or ideas. Basically they wanted to do the same old posed, boring pictures that they had been doing for the past 10 years and didn't want to evolve. So it didn't so much work out there.

That brings me to age 20. What happened then? Oh yeah, I got married. Young. I know. But as some of you may know, I grew up really fast from age 17 on. So I like to think that I was actually more mature than my 25 year old fiance. And then at age 21 I was blessed with a baby boy, Madden and then 2 1/2 years later another baby boy, Maxim.

Now through those years of having babies, like any mom, I started taking pictures of them. But UNLIKE any mom, my pictures weren't just snapshots. They looked like a professional had taken them. Some of them were posed, some just candids, but they were fantastic! And people noticed. Friends and family started to ask me to take their children's pictures. And they wanted to pay me . . . BONUS!

So a little over two years ago from now, I started KS Photography. All I did was family and kids. And I started to build clientele. That summer I got asked by family/friends to do a couple small weddings and around fall that year I raise my prices and thought I would go to hell for doing it! lol And the clientele actually grew and grew and pretty soon I had a great following that is still growing today.

So that is how it began. I didn't go to school for photography. I just did it! I'm lucky to be able to work out of my home and make my own schedule. Its really great for me and especially for my, now THREE boys, that mom gets to stay home with them! Which is a huge reason I am able to keep my fees so reasonable. I have barely any overhead costs. I don't pay rent or a mortgage on a studio. Which then means, I don't have to pay bills on a studio either. Other than the wear and tear on my camera, the discs, labels and packaging, I have no extra costs.

Maybe someday I'll have a studio. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have one and it would make life much easier, especially in the winter. I have been looking a little, but you never know what the future might bring.

{Blan Family}: Family Photography

Its been a week of records with how many photos I've been putting on discs. I thought it was amazing that I put 72 on Clara's, but now I just finished with 102 for this one!!!!

I met the Blan family last year when they volunteered their adorable little girls to model for a photo shoot for 2tu amour and Larky Park clothing and accessories. Can you believe it . . . they have TWO sets of twin girls! How fabulous is that? Well, since then I have photographed the two younger twins another time for their second birthday pictures and then when Tammy contacted me about doing one giant family session for all of them, I was thrilled, so much that I booked two shoots in one day just so I would be able to photograph them all!

The pictures I choose to share on the blog are more of the candids that I took along the way in between all the large group shots, but I do think they all turned out beautiful and I hope they will be happy with them!

Baby faces . . .

You know how sometimes you burn pictures onto a disc and then you don't write what is on the disc? Well, I do that . . . . A LOT! So the past couple days I've been going through all my "unknown" discs and cataloging the ones I want to keep and throwing out the ones I don't.

Well, in my little quest, I happened upon a disc that contained images I took of my first born, Madden as a 4 day old. I had forgotten about these. He is now 5 years old! Now, back then, I didn't edit as much. Maybe the occasional blemish remover but that is about it. I also had a point and shoot Kodak camera that was nothing near the photo taking quality of my Nikon. But the pictures are still wonderful. Maybe I'm bias since they are my first little boy's pictures, but I do think they are pretty great.

So I threw them into photoshop to do some quick little editing on them and "WALA!"

I'm totally in the mood to do something like this with a client. I think its really great to have as a keepsake to see all the little expressions of your infant. So be prepared to see something similar like this in the weeks to come!

KS Photography Wedding Contract . . .

I have another wedding consult today. Normally its not big deal, just an opportunity to meet and greet the bride/groom before the wedding and to hand over my wedding contract for them sign. But I had a thought. If I put it on here, people can read it ahead of time so they aren't caught off guard and possibly agree to something that they didn't want to. And if nothing else, it might help an aspiring photographer (like I was a couple years ago) write up their own contract.

Vintage Event inspiration board . . .

This is NOT my work. So as much as I would love to take the credit for this amazing photography and decor, I sadly cannot. Although, a good friend of mine is getting married in September and this is right up her alley . . . and if she is reading this, she is nodding and smiling right now so I might be photographing my own recreation of this in the coming months.

Photo Sources (L to R): Jill Thomas Photography on Style Me Pretty; Photography by Jaclyn Simpson and Jennifer Kathryn on SMP; Oncewed.com; Alders Photography on SMP; SewnNatural on Sweetestoccasion.com; Leslee Mitchell Photography on SMP; Anda Marie Photography on SMP; Abigail Seymour Photography on SMP; Peter Izzard on SMP;Easytogrowblubs.com; Jackie Wonders on SMP; April Smith Photography on SMP

My reason behind posting this is that anyone planning a wedding, shower, engagement party or even just a "fancy smancy" dinner party NEEDS to think out of the box! Seriously people. You don't always need to go to a florist and get the same ol' roses and cali lilly bouquet. And sorry to say it, but the floating flower candles are old news. And don't even get me started on the bridesmaid dresses . . . trust me, you'll have a much happier wedding party if you just let your girls choose their own dress in the style they feel comfortable in. Matchy matchy is not matching the trends these days!

So if you ARE planning an event . . . ask someone in the event industry for help. And I don't mean hire them, unless of course you want to and have the money to do so, I just mean, if you are lucky enough to have a friend who IS in fact a photographer, caterer, etc., ask them what they have been seeing. What they like or don't like. What works well for photos and what doesn't. It will help tremendously to make your event stand out from the rest and make it an even more memorable experience. And if you HAVE in fact hired me for your wedding already, I will help you! Even though I haven't photographed 100 weddings like the photographer in my last post, I know what I'm talking about and do know a thing or two about party planning. (I know several of you will vouch for that!) So please please please do not hesitate to ask me for opinions or ideas!

And remember . . . sometimes, the best things to use for an event are things that are just lying around your house. And so you know what I am talking about, I've made a short list.

Everyday things make an event . . .

• Old wooden ladder - use for candles or in place of the "gift table"
• Your grandparents suitcases - different heights add depth and interest to any tablescape
• Canning jars - use for candles, drinking glasses, silverware storage, etc.
• Buttons - the new "old" confetti, or string them for garland
• Hard cover books - another item to use for depth and interest
• Firewood - stick it anywhere! Seriously, a great filler for around candles or flowers, etc.
• Vintage ANYTHING - cameras, phones, table fans, doors, door knobs, key holes, trunks, crystal, dining plates and serving platters, the list is endless but all are wonderful!
• Empty Picture Frames - lay them flat on table, layer them against a wall, hang them
• Print out food labels - so simple but makes any event look classy and sophisticated
• Branches - hang from ceiling, use in place of flowers, even just lay them across tables

100 Lessons in Weddings . . .

Everyone these days is on Facebook right? Well, most everyone is. About a week and a half ago my friend, and very talented photographer, Kim Klein shared this link with her facebook friends. And I very much enjoyed it so I thought I'd share it with you!

This photographer is celebrating shooting her 100th wedding! That's quite an accomplishment if you ask me! And after 100 different weddings and most likely 100,000 different experiences from those weddings, she decided to write down 100 Lessons that she has learned about weddings and wedding planning. Now I am no where near 100 weddings . . . heck, I'm barely to 10 after this year, but I know there are lots of people planning weddings right now, it is wedding season after all, so this might do some good for someone who is on the fence about some aspect of their wedding plans . . . and might even help out the photographers, caterers, florists, cake decorators and all the other people involved in the wedding industry!

http://mthreestudioblog.com/celebrating-100-weddings-100-lessons/wedding-planning/

Go Team Orange!!!

One of the great things about being a photographer is you tend to bring you camera everywhere! And you take pictures and pictures and pictures . . . especially of your kids.

My 5 year old Madden had soccer tonight. So I snapped just a few pictures while watching from the sideline . . . 162 to be exact.

From your photographer's view . . .

Yesterday, one of my three shoots was a family shoot of 11 people. I've done sessions with several of them in the past but this time they all came together for a large group picture. And as I am editing the photos taken yesterday, I just thought that I'd like to share a little insight of a large group session from the photographer's point of view.

Group Photos 101:

1. We are not miracle workers: Although, in most cases we are able to heal bumps, bruises and cuts on the face with a click of the mouse, we can't open ones eyes if they are shut in every picture, we unfortunately cannot make "Little Billy" miraculously stop picking his nose and if "Cousin Susie" doesn't smile, she doesn't smile. Please remember this!
2. We are not mind readers: Most photographers are not scary. Or at least, I'm not. So PLEASE do not be scared to be blunt. Tell us what you are thinking and what you want out of your photo session because the more we know about your expectations, the better we will do at fulfilling them!
3. We are not referees: I may be fond of wearing black and white on some occasions, however, I don't ever plan on having to throw on a striped shirt and a whistle for a photo shoot. If someone in your party is reluctant to have their photo taken to the point that they are literally swearing at you under their breath . . . please deal with it. We will try to lighten the mood as best we can, but it makes for a mighty uncomfortable situation.
4. We are not mean: That being said, please don't make us try and force a child to cooperate. Sometimes (many times) there is a screaming child that won't sit, stand or even want to be within the vicinity of the group. We will use every once of compassion and even many times bribery that we know, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. So please understand that you have two options . . . get your entire family photo WITH a screaming child in it . . . or be minus one in the family that day, but everyone in the photo will be smiling. Kids are kids . . . which is what we like that about them.

All of these comments are in no way affiliated with the experience I had with the large family photo yesterday. The session went beautifully (aside from the bunny ears on Grandma's head) and I am very excited to hand over the photos to the client.

{Preston + Co.}: Green Bay Family Photography

Oh how I love this child! And not to mention his very cool parents too! I got to meet Preston about a year and a half ago for some fall pictures. I may have mentioned him to some of you. I liked to refer to him as "the runner" because that is what he did . . . he RAN from me! Not in a scary kinda way, but because we were having so much fun. Needless to say, it was probably my most tiring family shoot. So when his mom, Morgan contacted me about his 6 year pictures, I figured it would be a very exciting shoot once again. And it was!

Did we jump fences . . . yup.

Did we climb on railroad cars . . . yup.

Could we probably have gotten a trespassing ticket . . . Oh yeah.

But the pictures are amazing and that's what really counts . . . right?

{Clara + Co.}: Green Bay Family Photography

If any of you follow me on Facebook, you might recognize this family . . . or at least this couple. That is because I have been blessed to have been able to share in some very important events in their life together. I met Angela and Adam right before photographing their wedding. And I knew instantly that we were going to get along just wonderfully! Then, what comes after a wedding but a BABY! So belly pics and then infant pics and 6 months later, here we are doing Miss Clara's 6 month pictures. What a cutie!

Something a little easier . . .

Well, Hello!

Some of you reading this might know me. Some of you might not.

Well, if you do, you know I've tried the blog thing before. Not for photography. Just life in general. And it got rather overwhelming and I couldn't keep up with my own expectations of myself in posting something every day. So I'm going down a different road . . .

And maybe you'd like to see where I go.