Pretty Pixel Photography

A photo shoot for MY kids!

2012-01-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my little boy turned 6 months old. I had originally planned to go somewhere outdoors and take his pictures, but yesterday I got hit with a nasty cold and didn't feel like doing anything. When I did get a little burst of energy what did I do? I did what every normal mother does, set up a photo shoot for my children! (right?) haha. I always take pictures of my boy on the 19th of every month so I later can make a scrapbook of his first year. I did the same thing with my daughter, but still have yet to finish her scrapbook. Ahh...someday. Anyway...

I had this set up to take pictures of my boy, and was shooting away when my daughter starts to whine that SHE wants to take pictures too! I said, "Okay but you have to get dressed and let me do your hair", and to my surprise she was ALL for that! This never happens. And although she only stayed about 5 minutes in front of the camera, she sure knows how to work it!

haha! I sure LOVE my kids!

I heart Faces: Holiday Bokeh Challenge

2011-12-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

This is my baby boy Max. I took this picture for his 5 months pictures, and thought it would be perfect for this weeks I heart faces challenge. Isn't he the cutest? I LOVE him!

Aguilar Family

2011-12-17T20:48:00.000-08:00

This is the last of my holiday sessions. I'm sad the rush is over, but am so excited for Christmas! This family was so much fun to take pictures of. They are so adorable, which is always a plus ;), and these little boys had me cracking up the whole time! The Groves are also beautiful this time of year. While others may be freezing in snow, we at almost "fall" weather here. I love it! Enjoy!

1 week until Christmas!

One for Me

2011-12-16T13:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just got to take pictures for yourself. I had seen this idea on pinterest a while back and I had been itching to try it. I couldn't be more pleased with how this turned out! I just love it when creative ideas pan out the way you want them too!

Hammond Family

2011-12-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

I love it when families want to be creative with me. This family suggested and brought balloons as props! So fun! I think they are some of my favorite family pictures yet.

Oh my, these kids sure are cute!!!

Not my typical edit, but I think I'm digging it.

Thanks Hammonds! It sure was fun!

Neppl Family

2011-11-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to photograph this adorable family today! They are just too cute, and definitely made my job easy!

Look at this little beauty! I want to hang this in my house, and this isn't even my little girl!

Hilbran Family

2011-11-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Is anyone else as excited for Christmas this year as I am? This family is!

These adorable parents have kids that are just 1 year apart!

(Probably my favorite sibling shot ever!)

Twinam Family

2011-11-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

It's fall here in Arizona, and that means it's perfect weather! It also means that slowly but surely the leaves are starting to change. This location was really beautiful yesterday! I'll have to go back in a couple weeks, it will be so pretty. Yesterday I took this cute little family there to take their pictures. Enjoy!

Oh my gosh these kids are too cute!

Thanks for letting me take your pictures! You are an adorable family!

Brown Family

2011-11-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

This was such a sweet family. The dad is about to go into basic training for the Navy, and they all wanted family pictures before he left. Which reminds me, Happy Veterans Day! Which, I guess was technically yesterday, since it's now after midnight. Anyway, I just love this family and we got such beautiful shots!

Oh my goodness, this picture makes me tear up every time I see it. Just look at the genuine happiness that the parents feel holding their newborn baby. I love it.

Jolley Family

2011-11-09T12:30:00.000-08:00

Another super adorable family! You may recognize Katie from the Katie's Kreations sessions. Now it was her family's turn! We took pictures in this field again, which is quickly becoming my favorite place. It's just so beautiful!

Hicks Family

2011-11-06T00:02:00.000-07:00

It's family picture season, and I'm loving every minute of it! I got to photograph this cute family again today! I took their pictures back in May. Which doesn't seem that long ago, but when you have little ones you have to capture every moment! Little George has grown so much since then. Enjoy!

Oh man, he is just TOO cute!

Sarager Family

2011-11-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

I got to photograph this cute little family today. We had lots of fun playing, posing, and bribing children with fruit snacks :) Plus--I finally got to use my new lens and camera! Fun day for me!

"Let them be little"

2011-10-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

This week's I Heart Faces challenge is "Let them be little". I was excited when I heard about this challenge because I knew somewhere in my many many pictures that I take of kids that I would have a winning gem. Maybe. But ultimately I decided I wanted to enter a picture of my daughter and this picture would not leave my mind. While it's not technically perfect, it represents a day that I remember well. It was one of those frustrating days as a mother. Every time I cleaned up a space, she would be there making another mess. She was extremely whiny, and threw a tantrum about everything. I was at my breaking point when I hear "Wook, Mom!" and I turn to see this:

It was at that moment that I burst into laughter. She was so proud of herself for putting on makeup! I could have screamed at her, I could have put her in time out, but at that moment I decided to just let her be little.

I love being a mom!

Rucker Family

2011-10-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

This is the Rucker Family. They took me to the coolest location to take their pictures. This Granpda's house/farm. It was so beautiful! There were so many cool places to take pictures, I could have taken pictures there all day. I filled up my memory card very quickly, and actually had to keep erasing images to be able to take more. They are such an adorable family, and I'm so glad I was able to take their pictures.

Katie's Kreations (part two!)

2011-10-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the second part of the Katie's Kreation shoot. I love that she chose to model her products herself! She is so beautiful! She also brought along her daughter and we got some gorgeous mother daughter shots as well. Excuse the large share on this, this has got to be one of my favorite sessions!And just look at this location! Stunning!

Katie's Kreations

2011-10-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed the cute newborn headbands in the previous posts. They are made by my good friend Katie, and she was an online store, Katie's Kreations. Yesterday we rounded up some super cute models and took pictures of the adorable accesories she sells.

You can visit Katie's shop HERE.

Reese

2011-09-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful newborn baby girl!

All headbands are by Katie's Kreations. Aren't they adorable? Of course, the model makes them even cuter! Congrats Jamie on your beautiful baby girl!

Adia

2011-09-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

This is Adia. Pronounced ay-dee-uh (just like the song). Isn't that such a beautiful name? It means gift.

I just love taking pictures of newborns, and this little one was just the sweetest! This is my friend Jenn's baby and I've been looking forward to meeting this little girl for a long time. I love her!

Congratulations Jenn!

(Rosette bows by Katie's Kreations, steel stamped bracelet by You're Gonna Love This)

Russ and Ben

2011-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

These little cuties are getting baptized on Saturday! I was able to take their pictures yesterday and we sure had a blast! These boys are so photogenic and the light was so beautiful it made me wish I was getting pictures done too.

This is Ben

and this is Russ. (I think, I may have them mixed up)

Together they make the cutest pair of brothers I've ever seen!

Congratulations boys!

Garrison

2011-09-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Today my friend Karyne (who is also a photographer) came over to take some newborn pictures of her new baby boy. It got a little crazy with two newborn nursing babies and a potty training toddler in my house, but I think we made it work. Enjoy!

3 steps to taking better pictures of your kids!

2011-09-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hello again! It's been awhile hasn't it? I think that most of you know that I've taken a bit of a vacation from photography to have a baby. Little Max was born July 19th at 8:43 am weighing in at 7 lbs 9 oz. He is such a cutie, and a wonderful addition to our family. Come to think of it, I never posted his newborn pictures on this blog--I'll have to do that shortly. In the meantime, I thought I would try something new today and write a tutorial. Let me know what you think!

Like many photographers, my interest in photography really peaked when I had my daughter. I wanted every picture of her to be perfect so that I could remember all of those early moments. Today, I'm going to teach you three steps to take better pictures of YOUR kids with YOUR camera. These are steps that everyone can do no matter what camera you have. Try it and see the difference it can make!

Step 1. TURN OFF THAT FLASH!

This picture was taken in my living room with my curtains closed and my camera set to AUTO. The camera automatically popped up the flash and took this awful picture. So I immediately went to my window and opened my curtains and came up with this:

There. That's MUCH better. The key is to figure out your camera's ISO capabilities. ISO controls how sensitive your camera is to light. Even on point and shoots you have the ability to control this, just pop out that manual and look it up! You may not be able to control it in increments like on DSLRs, but most point and shoots will at least have a HIGH ISO setting. There is a downfall though, the higher the ISO the grainier your picture will be. So you have to decide what is more important to you. Personally, I'd take a grainy picture over one with flash any day.

Step 2: Find the light in your home!

Which rooms are the brightest? Where are your windows? Really study where the good light is and do activities in those areas.

Step 3: Get down on their level.

This picture was taken just seconds after the one above, only I laid myself down on the floor to be able to take it. Perspective is everything when taking pictures of kids. See how much more intimate this picture just became?

Then I just laid there and let the kids be themselves.

I did cheat a little and had my camera in Manual mode for those last three pictures (2.8, 1/125) but that's a whole other tutorial and we won't go into that just yet. But these three steps will improve your pictures I promise! So go play with your kids and start shooting away!

Aspen

2011-06-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

I LOVE photographing newborns. I love capturing them in those first few weeks of life when they are still so brand new. I love how precious they are. But let me tell you, they are a lot of WORK! Especially when you're 36 weeks pregnant and can barely move :). Today's session was a tad frustrating, but I'm so glad I was able to get some beautiful shots! Jessica, your baby is so beautiful. Congratulations on becoming a mommy!

Amara

2011-06-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

This shoot was so much fun! Little Amara here is turning one next month, so we wanted to get some pictures of her before I get too big. This little cutie was so fun to photograph. I guess I hadn't taken pictures for awhile because I unknowingly kept them here for almost 2 hours. haha. Sorry Alicia! We were having fun right? Anyway, on to the pictures!

Her mama is expecting baby #2 soon. So we took a few maternity pictures as well. I just love the ones of them together! Congratulations!

Dean Family

2011-06-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Alrighty everyone, as we all know it is now June. Which means that here in the valley it is HOT. That means my outdoor sessions are at an end. I know I previously said that I was only going to do them until the end of April, but we kept getting bouts of wonderful weather. Now it looks like summer is here to stay, and I'm getting bigger and bigger (34 weeks now!) and I think I'm retiring for the summer. It never hurts to ask, but I'm really bad at saying no, so don't :) I WILL still do newborn and indoor sessions until July, so if you're needing pictures in June, that is what we'll do. I should note also, that the indoor studio sessions are really only for individual portraits. I can fit two kids on my backgrounds, but that's about it.

July, for obvious reasons, I'll be taking off. This little guy is scheduled to come on the 19th! I will resume taking pictures in September. Which, isn't too long really, so if you missed your opportunity you only have a few months to wait.

Okay-- enough about me! Here is the Dean Family! Aren't they so adorable?

I just love the colors they chose! Very fitting for summer!

This cutie pie was not wanting to take pictures, but we did get one good one!

...and this little guy was my first newborn session. Time sure does fly!

Thanks for letting me take your pictures!

Ashlynn and Nate

2011-06-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Everyone has someone that inspires them. For me, Shannon Sewell is my inspiration. I think I'd like to be her when I grow up. She always has the most creative backgrounds, and the most fun photo shoots where she just lets kids be kids. So... I took a leap of faith today and tried to do just that. I made a super cute background, and tried to capture these kids in their essence.

You may recognize these kids from this shoot. When I first got my camera, I practiced on these kids. Look how much they've grown in a year! I'd have to say my photography skills have improved since then too :) Anyway...enough jabber, let's get to the pictures!

Cake Smash!

2011-05-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

How do you get a 1 year old to sit still for pictures?

Well, you can give him toys...

or give him his own cake to smash!!

This session was SO much fun! Definitely a fun idea for all you mommies who have babies turning one! Thanks April for letting me try it!

Hicks Family

2011-05-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

I just love taking pictures of families! Especially super cute ones, like these guys!

Probably my favorite father/son picture I've taken!

This last shot is my favorite! Thanks for letting me take pictures of your family!

Delaynee

2011-05-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

This beautiful little girl is turning 8 years old soon. Which means that she'll be getting baptized soon! So we got her in her beautiful dress and celebrated by taking some pictures. Enjoy!

Super Cute Kiddos

2011-05-15T00:02:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, this might just be my favorite session yet. These kids are so darned cute!

It was this little guy's 1st birthday yesterday! So we got together to get some one-year-old pictures of him...

and his adorable sisters as well.

Happy Birthday buddy!

I Heart Faces Challenge: "Motherhood"

2011-05-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

I just love this picture of my friend and her baby. I can't wait to take one like it in just 10 short weeks! It's so sweet, and really shows the love between mother and baby. A perfect fit for this weeks challenge! Hope I win! *fingers crossed*

2 years old

2011-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the cutest little girl I know! I love you Kate!

Ottmann Family

2011-04-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

While I was in Snowflake this weekend, I got to take pictures of this super cute family. It was SO windy, and this little girl just did not want anything to do with taking pictures. But-- as always, we made it work, and I think we got some pretty darned cute ones! Enjoy!

Cutest Little Cowboy

2011-04-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

This is Chance. When I first had my camera, and decided photography was something I really wanted to learn, I took some practice pictures of him here. What a difference a year makes! He's so grown up now, and makes the cutest little cowboy I've ever seen.

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE taking pictures of kids? 18 month olds certainly have a mind of their own, and although Chance wouldn't do a THING we said, it's so rewarding when you get shots like this:

Love it.

Baby Crue

2011-04-20T20:25:00.000-07:00

This sweet little boy made my job so easy today. He slept the whole time, and didn't dirty any of my props :) Plus, he's such a sweetheart!

This next one just melts my heart. I can't wait for my little boy to be here!

Congratulations on your newest bundle of joy Michelle!

Vesely Family

2011-04-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

This cute little family was so much fun to shoot. Just look at how cute those kids are!

I love how the little boy is looking up at his daddy in this one. Melts my heart!

It was so nice to meet you guys! I loved taking your pictures!

Cutest Family Ever

2011-04-16T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the large share on this one, but this family is just so darned adorable! There were way too many cute pictures, and I had a lot of favorites!

Sarah + Nate

2011-04-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

This was my first ever engagement session. I'm used to doing families and young children, so it was so fun to take pictures of people who actually listen! It was so fun, and these two make such an adorable couple.

Thanks for letting me taking your pictures! Congratulations on your wedding next week!

Kensley

2011-04-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to practice my studio lighting on this cute baby girl. This is the same little girl I did newborn pictures of not that long ago! They grow so fast don't they?

Nothing cuter than babies blowing bubbles!

Take Two

2011-03-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Yes. I love taking pictures of my daughter. Yes, I do think she's the cutest thing in the world! LOVING my studio lights!

Studio Lights!

2011-03-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY have the adapter I needed to make my studio lights work. These pictures of my daughter are just a first attempt, but I am so excited to practice and get better! This is an EXCELLENT alternative to that horrible summer heat. Speaking of which, I am taking the summer OFF of taking outdoor pictures. If you don't know already I am pregnant! I'm 22 weeks now, which means that in a couple months I will just be too big and pregnant to be outside in the heat. I will be taking appointments through the end of April. After that I will only be doing newborns, and other shoots that I can do indoors (with air conditioning!). So, here is your alternative! It is so fun for me, I can't wait to practice some more!!

Davies Family

2011-03-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

This adorable little family was one of my giveaway winners! They made my job so easy yesterday. Just look how adorable they are!

And my goodness, these girls are so precious!

I had a blast yesterday guys, I hope you enjoy these pictures!

Selfie

2011-02-22T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry for the lack of posts, it's just been really slow lately! So slow in fact, that I resorted to taking pictures of myself! haha. I'm never one to like pictures of myself, but I'm really pleased with how these turned out! It's amazing what good lighting and photoshop can do!

If you're interested in a session, please book now! This wonderful weather won't last forever!

Now offering...

2011-02-02T15:18:00.000-08:00

Professional Prints!

"Why professional prints? Why would I print through you when other places are cheaper?"

Professional prints are printed with highest quality professional printers, they use only the best paper to ensure a true representation of of skin tone and colors. All prints are archival quality, which means the color will never fade, no matter how long you have them. Professional prints are always inspected by REAL people to make sure it meets the lab's standards. Non-professional labs and one-hour kiosks are great for shapshots, but they DO NOT accurately display the time and energy I put into making your images beautiful. They are based on volume, not quality, and therefore their prints are very inconsistent. Please treasure your images and my standard of work enough to print through professional labs.

Print Prices

Printed on professional quality E-surface paper. Accurate color, realistic saturation, excellent neutral flesh reproduction, and greater intensity are just a few of the benefits of E-Surface paper. Also printed with a slight linen texture.

4x6 $1.50

5x7 $3

8x10 $5

11x14 $15

16x20 $25

20x 24 $40

Wallets (set of 20) $10

Want it Metallic? Metallic paper uses a patented combination of film and laminate layers resulting in striking three-dimensional images. Its unique pearlescent surface, resistance to tearing and curling, and ultra-bright backgrounds make it an exceptional paper.

--Add $.50 per print 8x10's and under. 11x14 and up add $3. Trust me, it's worth it! This is my favorite paper!

Suede Hard Cover Books

A timeless way to display 20 of your images, customized with foil stamping.

5x5 $35

8x8 $45

10x10 $45

8.5x11 $45

Canvas Gallery Wraps:

An elegant and stunning way to exhibit your photos.

8x10 $70

11x14 $90

16x20 $110

20x24 $130

And the winner is....

2011-01-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Heidi! You've won a photo shoot, a disc with 10 images, and a free 8x10! I'm so excited! Contact me soon to set up your shoot!

And just for fun, I decided to throw in a RUNNER UP! This person will receive her session for 50% off! And that person is...

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and just because I love you all so much I'll throw in a bonus gift for anyone who entered: a free 8x10 with your session! Contact me soon to book your sessions, this wonderful Arizona weather won't last long! Lets take advantage of it while we still can!

I Heart Faces Challenge: "Smile"

2011-01-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

This weeks I Heart Faces challenge is "smile" so I thought I would enter this picture of cute little Kendall I took awhile back. It's one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken, and I thought it was a perfect fit for this challenge. Keep your fingers crossed! Hope I win!

Excited for 2011!

2011-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

I had an awesome Christmas break, but now I'm ready to get back behind the camera! I'm so excited for this new year and for all the changes it will bring. One of my main goals this year is to become a better photographer! I learn something new everyday with this hobby and I just LOVE it. This year I will be getting some studio lights and backdrops! So keep your eye out for that, because I will be needing some models to practice on. I'm very excited for this because not only will it improve my newborn shoots, but it will be an excellent alternative for those scorching summer months! Also, this year I will be offering prints! You can still purchase a cd with your images on it, but if you're wanting high quality professional prints from your sessions, I'll now be a one stop shop for you! Prices for prints to be posted soon.

So... to kick everything off, I thought I'd start this year out with my very first......(drumroll)....

.....

.....

.....

GIVEAWAY!

This giveaway will include one 30 minute to 1 hour session, a cd with 10 professionally edited images, and a free 8x10 print!

Wanna win? There are 5 ways you can enter! The more things you do, the more entries you get!

1. leave a comment here!

2. Post about this giveaway (with a link back here) in your facebook status. Leave a comment telling
me you did so.

3. Blog about this (with a link here) giveaway. Leave a comment here telling me you did so.

4. Become a follower of this blog! Leave a comment telling me that you are a follower.

5. And for an extra 3 entries....book a session with me! (Serious inquires only please. I don't want people booking for the extra entries and then canceling...not cool.)

There you go! You have the opportunity to get a whopping 8 entries! This giveaway is for those that live here in the valley, and just for fun I'll include those that live in the Gila Valley and in the White Mountains, Snowflake area. I have family there I need to visit anyway :)

This giveaway applies to a children, family, maternity, senior pictures, or engagment session--but not newborn, weddings (I don't do weddings yet anyway), or large groups. I will, however, give you a big discount on a newborn session if you win and this is what you're needing.

I'll leave the entries open for two weeks and will pick the winner on Saturday, January 22nd!

Good luck!!

Kensley (part two!)

2010-12-22T16:04:00.000-08:00

You may remember the maternity pictures I did for my friend Kendra a while back, well little Kensley was finally born last week! Here are a few from her session today.

Isn't she so beautiful?!? Congratulations Kendra!

Just my own daughter...

2010-12-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

I learned a new style of editing yesterday, and I took my daughter out for some pictures to test it out on. I have to say, I think I'm really digging it!

What do you think?

Hilbran Family

2010-12-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

This was my second to last shoot of the Christmas season. If any of you are needing sessions, I am now taking booking for JANUARY!

This family was so adorable, and there little girl is the cutest thing ever! Enjoy!

Armijio Family

2010-12-04T22:59:00.000-08:00

This was the easiest session I have ever done. This family is so photogenic, and all smiles! And not to mention BEAUTIFUL! We were done in only about 20 minutes. It threw me off a little bit! On the drive home I was wondering if I had taken enough pictures, and of course I did, and they are all so cute! Enjoy!

Yarn Family

2010-12-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

This beautiful family was so fun to shoot! Just look at how pretty those little girls are! I had a hard time getting the younger one to smile,

but we made it work. And this one...

what a model she is!

The sunset shots are always my favorite!

William

2010-11-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

This was my first official newborn shoot. Before this I had only taken a few pictures of my niece when she was a newborn. I was really nervous, the baby didn't want to cooperate, and my props got pooped and peed on :) But it was totally worth it! I remained patient, and after about 3 1/2 hours, I finally achieved "the pose". You won't want to miss it!

Congratulations Cami on your newest bundle of joy!

Kensley

2010-11-18T21:55:00.000-08:00

I've known Kendra since we were beauty students at cosmetology school. We became good friends there, and now she's my neighbor. I love this girl and I couldn't be more excited for her to have her little girl!

and my favorite...

You're going to be an awesome mom Kendra!

Scrogham Family

2010-11-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

This family had so many cute pictures, it was hard to pick my favorites!

Beautiful Family

2010-11-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you have incredibly good looking parents?

Incredibly cute kids! These boys made my job so easy today. I've never seen such smiley kids!

All together they make one beautiful family!

I had so much fun today guys! I hope you enjoy these!

College Grad

2010-10-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

I was really nervous about this session because up until now, I had really only taken pictures of kids. But, I think I did really well. This was a session for this guy:

He's graduating from University of Phoenix on November 6th (Congrats!), and needed pictures for graduation announcements.

Of course, we took a few family shots as well!

Isn't this such a gorgeous family?

Congratulations you guys!!!

A few more favorites...

2010-10-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

I think this is my favorite!

I hope you enjoyed them as much as I do!

Kendall

2010-10-07T22:31:00.000-07:00

Kellan and Caleb

2010-10-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

It's this little guy's 1st birthday in a few weeks...

so his mom wanted his pictures taken. I was afraid it was going to rain on us, but we ended up having beautiful lighting! Isn't he so adorable?

His brother Caleb came along too!

He's going to be a heartbreaker!

These boys did well with their individual pictures, but getting them to take a picture together was a struggle!

Awww.

Ellie

2010-09-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

This started out as a photo shoot for Ellie.

But quickly turned into a shoot with her beautiful mama too.

Photographing toddlers sure is a challenge, but it's worth it!

Sisters

2010-09-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today I did an impromptu photo shoot with my sister-in-laws. I learned two things today:

--The lighting is very bad at 11:30

--I need a leash for my little girl

I guess I've kept Kate trapped in the house all summer, because she was running around everywhere! She was in the rocks, in the dirt, and in the water. What started as a white shirt, now is varying shades of brown. But enough about her. Meet my sisters:

This is Lacie:

This is Sherice:

These two girls are two of my favorites in the world. When Dustin and I were first dating and he took me home to meet "the family", I knew I was a goner. I loved his family so much, that it's probably 80% of the reason I agreed to marry him :).

Who wouldn't want to be a part of this?!?

Anyway...this shoot was more of just a fun shoot for me, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to post some before and after pictures, to try to convince ya'll why you need me :)

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I can even take a boring black and white:

and turn it into something amazing!

Thanks for modeling for me today girls! I love you!

A few more...

2010-08-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

Austin

2010-08-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

I think I've finally gotten the hang of transforming my guest room into a natural light studio! I'm very pleased with how these turned out! If anybody is looking to get pictures of their little ones done, this is a nice alternative to battling the heat!

This little boy was so fun to photograph. He's adorable, he's smiley, and he was cooperative! Here are some of my faves from the session today.

Are you ready?

I found this little bow tie at hobby lobby for $3! SO CUTE!

This last one is my favorite!

Emmalyn

2010-08-02T20:38:00.000-07:00

It's about time for a post!

This is my first ever newborn session. This adorable little baby is my new niece Emmalyn! She is so cute, and while the session was challenging (baby girl did NOT want to cooperate) I feel like I still got some good shots. Enjoy!

I'm a winner!

2010-07-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

My picture of Evie made it into the top 10 pictures! I'm so excited!

Go HERE to check it out!

I + faces--"Over my head"

2010-07-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge is "Over my head". I thought this little pic of Evie would be perfect!

iheartfaces.com

"Poor Man's Macro"

2010-07-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

I learned something AMAZING today!

I was just browsing on my favorite photography site, clickinmoms.com, when I saw a post entitled the "Poor Man's Macro". I was intrigued, so I read the forum. I'm so glad I did! It turns out that you can take a normal lens and turn it into a macro lens by holding it BACKWARDS! I would have never thought of that on my own! So....here are my first attempts at macro photography. These are SOOC (straight out of camera) expect for my watermark.

The real downside to this is, it's really hard to keep the camera and lens (held in my hand) steady. So...these are WAY more blurry than I would like them to be. I did find out that I can actually purchase a reverse mount for about $12.00 on amazon. I will be buying that shortly!

This one is super super blurry, but I still love it for some reason. It's.....soothing? Maybe?

This last one is my favorite. It's the most in focus, and I just think it's beautiful!

So...if any of you are curious, this is how I did it.

-I set my aperture to 4.0 before removing my lens. I think my shutter was around 1/80. **Next time I'll do this with more light! My shutter speed definitely needed to be a lot higher.**
-I picked a flower from outside and set it on a blue piece of paper.
-I set my camera on the table, and held my lens backwards right next to it.
-I moved the camera forwards/backwards to focus.
-I snapped the shot.

Is this the "correct" way? Probably not. But I will definitely be learning more about this!

Evie

2010-06-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for this? There is some serious adorableness (what? it's a word!) ahead.

I got a new lens. It's friggin awesome.

See? So adorable! If any of you are interested in a July session, I will be offering a $10 discount to the first 5 people that book. So book fast!

Taryn

2010-06-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

This little girl was so much fun to photograph. She LOVED the camera, and would listen to what I said. It was amazing! Isn't she so beautiful?

I hope my little girl loves the camera this much in a few years!

Duda Family

2010-06-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

You may recognize these little cuties from an earlier post. Their mom loved the pictures so much, we decided to do a family shoot. It was my first time shooting a family. I think I did all right!

i + faces --Celebrating Teens

2010-06-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

Let's have another go at this! Here's my entry for this week's photo challenge:

iheartfaces.blogspot.com

This is my little sister Jennifer. She's had an incredible talent for drawing ever since she was a little girl. Her room is covered in her original artwork. She is now 17 years old. I love you Jen!

to see more of jen- click HERE

Ashlynn & Nate

2010-06-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

This shoot was a tricky one! This ADORABLE little girl had just learned how to walk. So-- I spent most of my time chasing her around trying to take a picture, which left little time to think about composition. I hope they still turned out okay!

Warning: Cuteness overload!

See? Told ya.

This is her big brother Nate.

Put them together, and you've got yourselves quite a handful!

No matter how hard we tried, we could not get these two to look at the camera!

Jeanette- let me know if you want to see any of these pictures with different edits. Also let me know if you want to do a re-shoot. Maybe we can get some better ones of them together!

Jennifer

2010-06-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was in Snowflake visiting my family. Of course I couldn't resist taking some pictures of my sister! Isn't she beautiful?

My little sister is a very talented artist. I hope that these next pictures capture that.

This one is my favorite.

And here is a picture of all my younger siblings. Well almost, one is at BYU.

Next week, I Heart Faces challenge is "Celebrating Teens". Which one of these pictures should I enter?

I + Faces entry

2010-06-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

I recently found this site called I Heart Faces Photography. Each week they sponsor a photo contest. This week's challenge was "All about babies". Since I just did a session with Chance, I thought that I would submit this picture.

Wish me luck!!

iheartfaces.blogspot.com

Scott + Sherice -Emmalyn

2010-06-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is my sister-in-law Sherice and her husband Scott. They were brave and let me do a maternity shoot for them. This was my most difficult shoot yet. It was very bright outside, and it was really challenging to find good lighting. It was good practice, and I did my best. I hope you enjoy them!

This one is my favorite of the shoot. Here are three edits of the same picture:

This one is a close second!

Congratulations you guys! I CANNOT WAIT until little Emmalyn is here!

More of sweet Chance...

2010-06-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to do another photo shoot with this cutie pie. I challenged myself to do an indoor photo shoot, and I think they turned out pretty good.

Jamie- I did all clean edits of these, but if you want to see other versions of an image (black and white, sepia, etc) just let me know!

Chance

2010-06-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I finally had a new model to practice on! His name is Chance, and he's just about the cutest thing ever! I'm hoping to do another session with him soon, so stay tuned!

We just couldn't keep his tie out of his mouth!

He's making a weird face in this shot, but I LOVE how she's pulling on his tie to try to get him to kiss her!

This last one is my favorite of the shoot.

If you're willing to volunteer yourself or your children for me to practice on, let me know ASAP. I will only be doing these FREE sessions for a limited time. You can email me at erin4e@yahoo.com.

2010-05-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

bliss.

2010-05-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

2010-05-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Pricing

2010-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Child or baby photography:
1-2 babies and/or children ages 3 months and up

Includes:
session fee
1 hour session
disc with 10-15 professionally edited images and license to print*

Total: $75

Family Photography
(3 or more people)

Includes:
session fee
1 hour session
disc with 15-20 professionally edited images and license to print*

Total: $100

Newborn Photography
**Results are BEST when taken within the first two weeks of life**

Includes:

session fee

1-3 hour session

disc with 10-15 professionally edited images and license to print*
Total: $85

*Cd's are intended as a backup only. Discs will come with a limited print release that states that pictures must be printed at mpix.com. My images are calibrated to their printers and your pictures are guaranteed to print beautifully. I will upload your images to a gallery that you can sign in and order from*

10 tips for looking your photo best!

2010-04-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

Tips for looking your photo best:

1. Wear about 25% more makeup than you usually do. This will help it translate better on camera

2. Wear colors that flatter your skin tone. Colors that flatter almost everyone are: eggplant, true red, teal, light rose, turquoise, and navy blue.

3. Be false. As in, false eyelashes! I cannot say enough good things about false eyelashes. They will make your eyes pop like crazy, especially on camera. If you have trouble applying a full strip, cut one in half and apply to the outer corners of your eyelids.

4. Highlight your best areas. The easiest, cheapest way to do this is to find the lightest shade of eyeshadow you own. A shimmery neutral beige or white will work the best. Apply lightly to a big foundation or blush brush. Apply to the tops of your cheek bones, the bridge of your nose (if you have a large nose, DON’T do this), the center of your forehead, right above the arch of your eyebrows, and the center of your chin. APPLY LIGHTLY. You don’t want it noticeable, just enough to catch the light in all the right places.

5. Contrast you bad areas. For most people this is your cheeks below the cheekbone, and below your jawbone. For contrast, I usually use a bronzer or a foundation one shade darker than my normal.

6. Wear your hair in a way that you know looks good. Now is not the time to try a new hairstyle. Unless, of course, I do it for you. Have a mentioned that I’m a licensed cosmetologist?

7. Say cheese! I heard from my cousin (who was Miss Orem) that if you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth when you smile, it will help tighten the muscles under your chin, and help eliminate that saggy skin we all hate.

8. Don’t forget your eyebrows! Your eyebrows frame your face. Your eyebrows should always be as dark as your hair or darker. (But not too much!)

9. Pout. To get that full pouty lip, apply your lipstick, then apply a lighter shimmery shade of gloss to only the middle of your lips.

10. It's all about the eyes. You can do your eyes in a million different ways, but make sure you highlight the inner corners, and right below your brow bone. I'll take care of the rest!

Contact Info

2010-04-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Erin, and I'm a natural light photographer living in the Queen Creek Area. I am willing to travel to locations within the Valley, and would love the opportunity to take your pictures! You can contact me by phone (480) 244-3133, or email me at erin4e@yahoo.com.

What got your started in Photography?

I took a photography class in college. I loved it so much that I continued taking it for three semesters! But it wasn't until I had my daughter that my interest in it really peaked. I kept trying to make my point-and-shoot photos the best that I could with photoshop and learning tutorials online. Just before my daughters first birthday, I FINALLY bought the camera I had been eyeing for years. Taking pictures of my daughter eventually turned into taking pictures of others...and now here I am!

What's your favorite aspect of Photography?

I LOVE to learn. I was always the nerdy one in school competing with others to see who could get the highest score on their math test, or the best grade on their English paper. I've always loved to learn and challenging myself to learn new things. So the BEST part of photography is their is ALWAYS something new to learn. I do research daily to keep up on and expand my knowledge.

What's your favorite thing to photograph?

Children. They are definitely a challenge, but that just makes it all the more rewarding when you get that perfect shot. I love their honesty and innocence and that they are just themselves in front of the camera.

Why do you charge so little?

You may have noticed that my prices are definitely on the lower end. The average photographer charges about $175-$300 just for a session fee. I charge less because I've been in business less. As my talent increases I may raise my prices from time to time, but I won't ever charge too high because I feel that everyone deserves custom photography and to have nice pictures hanging in their home.