Photo Art by Rebecca

Sela is Three!

2010-04-04T08:23:00.002-07:00

I am a three year old mimi! What a sweet, imaginative, always active, a little bossy, a cell phone guru, that calls me at the perfect time, telling me, "Mimi, I am sooo grumpy today. I kicked my chair over, dumped out the toys, I threw things. Mommy told me I didn't sleep well." Love it!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-23T17:23:00.002-07:00

I must admit that I did have to take this in a couple of shots, but it still was fun to explain to Sela what we wanted her to do. So cute and she loved it, both in taking it and seeing it.

Join Us for Dinner!

2010-01-26T10:07:00.004-07:00

Come and enjoy a wonderful evening of food and music! We would like to share with our family and friends in this new business experience. We are so excited to have a place to call our own.

Click here for reservations!

Riley B.

2009-12-18T10:36:00.004-07:00

This beautiful child is my "muchly" anticipated grandchild of a very good friend of mine. Tracy, her daughter use to watch my kids, seems like yesterday..... Can't say enough about dimples on a baby! He is so beautiful. Congrats families!

Graham E.

2009-11-17T11:03:00.006-07:00

Another beautiful little boy named Graham. It must be the name. A very proud mom and dad and especially Grandma that was ever so patient through this shoot.

Jerome Fam

2009-11-06T12:14:00.001-07:00

Cute Family. So happy to have met them. Beautiful boys.

Sauer Fam

2009-11-06T12:12:00.002-07:00

The Sauer's have been coming every Fall since Olivia was around 6 months old. I enjoy their friendship and seeing how much they have changed from year to year.

Halloween

2009-11-05T14:58:00.003-07:00

This is our new addition to the family. We love Roxy. She is crazy and all dressed up for Halloween!
Rachel did an awesome job on Sela and Graham's costumes. So cute and Sela so proud of hers.

Becca

2009-10-30T06:34:00.002-07:00

Becca is one of my best friends' daughters. All of them..... beautiful. Becca is a "smiler" and hates her pics taken. Why???..... is beyond me. Absolutely a beauty!

Chuncky Monkey Baby Graham

2009-10-21T09:48:00.004-07:00

Graham is now 3 months old. Time flies whether we want it to or not. I know my daughter is much better than me at enjoying the time she has now with them. I love and admire that about her and wish I could go back and do that part over again, if I had the chance. I miss them at that age, love them now, but miss them then.

Lacey/Clay

2009-09-16T06:49:00.003-07:00

Lacey called me for some of her photos from her wedding- I can't believe it has been 3 years! Now she is a beautiful mother. All I remember is how stinkin' freezin' cold it was! I felt sooo bad having them come outside for the family photos- but oh, so worth it. Nothing like beautiful evening light. All if forgivin' when the photos are done. Just thought I would share.

Brittany Loves Jason.....

2009-09-15T19:17:00.003-07:00

Best ever response coming out of the temple! So fitting for this beautiful girl and lucky boy! I don't think they could have laughed, smiled, and loved each other more!

Beautiful Britt

2009-08-27T10:39:00.006-07:00

Brittany is as beautiful as she was the first time I saw her at the age of 5. Funny, sweet, always smiling, and deserving all the best that her marriage will offer her. Lucky man, Jason.

Jonathan & Lindsey

2009-08-19T13:27:00.006-07:00

This is my new "niece-in-law". Jonathan and Lindsey had a beautiful wedding. She did such a great job in planning, the reception was wonderful with many family and friends. Many happy days to follow.

Oktoberfest

2009-08-19T08:23:00.002-07:00

Check out our other blog for dinner to celebrate Oktoberfest!

Our new baby Graham

2009-08-19T07:38:00.005-07:00

My always naked, toe painted, band-aid loving grand-daughter Sela. Absolutely NEVER a dull moment.

Graham was born at home on July 17th. A healthy 8 lbs for being 2 weeks early. He came just four hours before we left on our trip to Oregon. Great timing. He was just over one week old when we took the photos. So alert, beautiful and strong!

Join Us for Dinner!

2009-08-11T06:39:00.007-07:00

My husband is the cook.... I just set up the events and invite family and friends to join us down at the pond in Salem. We use to teach cooking classes to couples for years, but now host these events a few times a year and hope to do more next year. We had a blast last year and would like you to join us. Click here to view the blog and to sign up to join us for a beautiful view, great food...among friends!

Brady and Haylee Big Day

2009-08-11T05:53:00.009-07:00

Haylee planned her wedding to the "T" She did a wonderful job right down to all of the beautiful details. It was beautiful, fun... perfect. Her guests even were dressed to match the occasion! Best of everything! Thanks Tracee for coming and assisting!

Tracee's Pic
Tracee caught this cutie with her....ummmm..we lost count on how many suckers....
Tracee's pic of girls dancing.
Tracee's pic at the end.

rickssmokingrill.blogspot.com

2009-08-07T06:03:00.003-07:00

CHECK OUT OUR NEW BLOG! If you love eating, outside with a beautiful view with friends and family, love seafood, salmon and steak..... come join in the fun!!!

http://rickssmokingrill.blogspot.com/

Lindsey's Bridals

2009-07-02T07:38:00.007-07:00

Lindsey is my "niece-in-law". (Probably not the correct terminology, ummm). Sweet, sweet girl, with a beautiful smile. We dodged a bullet with the weather, when it poured 20 minutes away we got a few sprinkles and a bit of a breeze. I'll take that any day when shooting. Welcome to the fam!

Doug & Katie

2009-06-23T16:01:00.008-07:00

What an awesome couple and wonderful families! Great combo for easy photos. Laughter is always welcome when doing family photos. Friends were added to the mix- lucky couple to have such wonderful people surrounding them.

This photo I used Nic color Efex filters- Paper Toner #7- opasity down to 55% and then I added back a bit of yellow to give it a old feel. Katie was so beautiful in her dress.

Haylee & Brady

2009-06-22T08:19:00.004-07:00

Bridals/Groomals

2009-06-22T08:08:00.006-07:00

I realize that several of the photos are kissing or at a distance, but I was messing with the architecture. The temples and many churches have wonderful lines to work with. It's funny, I have never photographed from the arch going North. (the one above this one). I had to because the temple was actually closed for renovation this day and so there was carpet stacked in the doorway so I turned around and because it was overcast the trees weren't blown out. Nice option. I also like the new door they put in at the Mt. Timp. Temple. Since we were there when there weren't any people present, we could do some more things with it.

Rachel's Belly....

2009-06-03T21:27:00.008-07:00

It is official, I am a grandmother. Rachel is due again at the end of July. I had a hard time wrapping my brain around "Grandma", so my name is Mimi to Sela. My favorite thing now is my phone call almost every morning..."Good morning Mimi! I just woke up! I want to talk to Sassy!" (my youngest daughter Sophie or she loves to talk to Gus the dog.) These are the typical family photos we get of Sela, not one to hold still, but that's okay, that is who she is. Can't wait for Graham to arrive. View Rachel's blog here.

Oh, baby....

2009-06-01T18:14:00.005-07:00

I photographed David and Kallie's wedding a few years ago. What a sweet baby. He never cried once, but so wiggly! So beautiful. Good luck Kallie and David... it goes by soooo quickly!! Love him... hold him everyday.

Janelle and Mike

2009-06-01T14:28:00.009-07:00

What a beautiful couple! Both as individuals and together. Fun, relaxed, "whatever...." . Families were equally wonderful.

Bekah's Pics

2009-06-01T14:21:00.006-07:00

Bekah is a great photographer that stayed for the entire reception. I photographed her wedding a few years ago. She is young, talented and creative. Check out her blog here.

Tracee's Pics

2009-06-01T14:11:00.005-07:00

These are some of Tracee's pics from the wedding. Janelle and Mike were starving and his best man went and picked this up for them to eat before the reception. Tracee caught this shot while he was waiting until I was finished shooting. She always does a great job. View her blog here.

Brady and Haylee

2009-05-25T06:20:00.008-07:00

Haylee has done my hair for almost three years. She is wonderful and I couldn't be more happier for her and Brady. She took me to some places by her home and I only wish there were more of these around. Horses, pretty paths, cool antique place, old cars....a photographers dream! Brady was a trooper, though I KNOW this wasn't his favorite past time.. center of attention! I don't think so. Hang in there.. only two more shoots!

Beautiful, Fun...Sweet....etc.

2009-05-21T14:32:00.005-07:00

I don't photograph Seniors a lot. But I love them! Full of personality, eager for life, maybe a little uncertain, but the laughter continues and photographing two friends was the best! Sophie and Breann are my neighbors and we had a blast! Thanks guys!

Heidi and Sandon

2009-05-20T04:48:00.008-07:00

This was one of those shoots when you leave and you say, "Dang, now that was fun! Tallllll but fun!" Everything is tall to me, being 5'2" (my Fong boxes come everywhere with me! Good thing because when I first walked into the room, seeing them for the first time, was Oh, your tall!) This a dream couple and I have been lucky enough to have several this year. The type, "Whatever you want....how ever long....Yea, we'll do that! Thanks a million! You have no clue how great that is for a photographers creativity. See you on Friday for the real day! (Temple photos were taken early....two weddings, same day...great fun!) Tracee came and shot also. See hers here.

The Coolest Couple...ever

2009-05-20T04:29:00.004-07:00

Ryan

2009-05-17T07:08:00.006-07:00

Ryan's my neighbor and was great to work with even though I know if wasn't his favorite thing to do on a Friday night. Good Luck Ryan with everything you choose to do!

Lauren's Bridal

2009-05-12T07:44:00.003-07:00

The first thing my daughter said when she saw Lauren on the computer was... "She looks just like Demi Lavato!" Now I know that is NOT spelled correctly, but you will know who that is if you have ever watched Disney. I told her she looked like Cheryl Burk from Dancing with the Stars. All in all we know that Lauren is a beautiful girl! Wedding in June, it will be wonderful!

Tracee's Bridal Pics of Lauren

2009-05-12T07:39:00.008-07:00

Tracee has now come with me to shoot weddings, bridals etc. for over a year. She said she needs the "practice". She doesn't need practice....she was great from the beginning! I love her company, especially on long, hot wedding days. She is a great second shooter (and main shooter) and does excellent on her own. These were some of my favorites from Lauren's Bridal last Friday that she took. View her blog here.

Brittany's Senior Pics

2009-05-08T08:26:00.005-07:00

How easy was she to photograph! Such a blast! Thanks Brittany for being so easy going the entire evening!

Katie's Bridals

2009-05-07T19:36:00.003-07:00

Such a beautiful girl! Wishing her and Doug all the happiness in the world.

Lauren and Steven

2009-05-05T12:34:00.006-07:00

Profiling

2009-05-03T08:56:00.004-07:00

Janelle had chosen this as one of her favorites, so I decided to upload it here. This happened to be back-lit, so I had to use my flash. A reflector would also work, but I hate to carry another thing around. If the reflector isn't used right, it sometimes looks more flashy than a flash that is turned down, reflected off of a card or is diffused- I use a plastic ball, by Gary Fong. It looks strange, but I love it. Just a soft light, no hard shadows. Also, make sure the face has a solid surface behind it. She has a beautiful profile and the light in her hair was great. Filter-nik Color Efex Pro 2.0- Ph. Styler CoolIce.

Janelle

2009-05-01T11:02:00.005-07:00

First of all...beautiful girl and her father was so very proud and he should be. I wanted to catch these beautiful eyelashes and shooting above is obviously the easiest. One thing to keep in mind is if the brides shoulders are very narrow, make sure you see her entire torso. Because the head is closest to the camera, it will appear larger, so give as much body in the photo as possible. When I cropped this photo, I cropped off the top of the head. This photo had grass behind her head which was very distracting so I had to add the white. Easiest way is to make sure the train fills in that area instead of having to do work on the computer.
photo filter- nik color Efex Pro 2.0- Ph.Styler Cool Ice.

Spring Bridals

2009-05-01T10:54:00.011-07:00

Hand positions! Dang, I love this photo, still do, but I wish his hands were either holding her head softly, or on her waist. Oh, well....
Love sun spots. Because it was "milky", I used nik Color Efex Pro 2.0- Solarization BW.
Use the architecture whenever you can. I shot this from below to get the arch in the photo.
The bride's right eye is slightly smaller than her left. I tried as many times as I could to face her right eye closer to the camera and to open her eyes wider than she normally would. It seemed to work quite well.

Jordan's Pics

2009-04-22T09:56:00.006-07:00

Such a beautiful girl with a spunky personality. Love the jewelry, shoes okay, everything. So carefree and easy to photograph! Good Luck Jordan! I wish you the best always!

Sweet Cousins

2009-01-29T16:14:00.003-07:00

I love beautiful names, check these out...Estelle York, Anistyn Bella, Millie Rose. Love these babies.

Beautiful Babies

2009-01-06T09:27:00.003-07:00

When this little family came to me a couple of years ago, I thought "Yea, another baby with blistered lips!" My fav. Then when they came again last week...." Okay, another baby with blistered lips and Sam had grown this luscious blonde curly hair!" Well, these were a few of my fav's.

options

2008-11-21T07:29:00.014-07:00

Background from another canyon taken a month ago.

Background in Same area, taken a month ago.

Original photo taken last week.

Now that everything is dead, but families still need photos taken, it is really hard to find something with any color. I took this family's photo last week, but also had some backgrounds from about a month ago when there was color. I don't make this a habit, but sometimes I find it necessary. The bottom one is the original, the middle one was in the same place but the background was taken a month ago and the top, the background was in another canyon. The photo obviously matches best with the background in the same place, but I was surprised how well it did match with the canyon photo. I still need to do some dodge and burn around the highlighted areas, but there is hope for some color and a better background. All in all, finding a background that doesn't matter what season it is, is better, maybe a cool barn, some great building, anyway, but for now, this is what I did.
In order to do this, I pull the background over the original photo and bring the family back in with a layer mask and the brush tool, toggling back and forth from top to bottom layer. It is like a giant head swap. The thing you have to be most careful with is when the heads are in a highlighted area, like the sky. Digitally, they make "halo's" around the area and that is when it is hard to put them into another background if there are trees and subject matter, this is when it starts to look like- "you put them in". That is when I do the dodge and burn thing to bring shadows and mask the "halloing" (sp?) and make it look as natural as possible. Most people can't even tell when it is printed.

family

2008-11-20T13:35:00.005-07:00

Beth is a great photographer and friend of mine and upon returning a background she loaned me, asked if I would snap a few family shots. How cute are they! Just a few photo tips that I should have caught....maybe in viewing this you might catch them when photographing, I know I will watch a little closer next time. The boy on the left, his hand should have been turned coming off of his dad's shoulder. Dad's left hand I should have hid behind his daughter, and the daughter's (top right) arm should have been relaxed, maybe bent at the elbow coming in front of her. Oh, but what a great family. Thanks Beth, all in all a nice photo, just things I have got to watch for better. Check out Beth's website. She has a beautiful indoor studio at her home. Just to have half that space would be heaven!

Baby Danzer

2008-11-19T13:11:00.005-07:00

Oh, how I love blister lips on a baby and Danzer had them. Just like his dad. What a great baby. I photographed this couples wedding 4 years ago.Beautiful couple then, beautiful parents now- happy day. These were just a few of my favorites.

Christmas Cards for 2008

2008-11-06T04:56:00.011-07:00

Sample 1: Red & Green

Sample 2: Green on Green

Sample 3: Burnt Red

All cards are 4x8.
For those that cannot design the backgrounds, but still are photographers- don't fret! As many as you know, there are still some that don't realize you can still design your own layouts and purchase the backgrounds from companies and put together your own. You need to check with them so make sure you can resale them. I love using Scrapgirls and they do have a commercial use section and they are not that much more in cost.
As soon as this Christmas rush is over, I am going back to designing- since I did it for my whole life- I believe my 2.5 year break is over. I think the bug is back. I don't think back to the painting, but graphic design and stock photography on the side. I believe some may call it- adult ADDDTTT. But I don't call it that- I am just a little wacked out, a change of scene is needed.... something. My daughter took me to a new fabric shop here in town and there went my brain. I designed fabric for 10 years, and wouldn't you know it, the fabric company contacted me just yesterday asking when I would be coming back. Maybe it is time.... Oh, but I did paint my kitchen and living area and got rid of all of the shades of colored walls and went to a beautiful bone color and a gallery of brightly colored photos! Now, that calmed my brains down a bit. So refreshing!

Finally!

2008-10-02T04:35:00.008-07:00

Holiness...I don't know why I struggle soooo much with my own family. If they were all really little, understandable, but geesh! I am sure my son-in-law, was like "man, woman, can we do this in one time!". No, really, he was wonderful, didn't complain, but yes, we did go back twice. I just hate to ask someone to come back. My own kids, yes. Fortunately, this has not happened but one or two times. You will notice some of the clothing change... and no single shot of Sela. What a busy-butt. She was interested in everything, but staying in range of the camera. I am just grateful there is a thing called "head-swapping!" Anyway, the first time we "tried" the arranging was out of wack, my oldest son looked like a giant and Sela was done, so we went back. Now, just to get Sela alone....yea!

Sam

2008-09-20T06:27:00.004-07:00

This is my beautiful new "niece-in-law". Sam forgot her flowers and there was no time to drive back home to retrieve them. I told her to go ahead and come, there were plenty of flowers where we were photographing. It does make it a bit "harder" or lets just say "different" to not be holding a bouquet. It is "weird" as some brides put it to not be holding anything, but we had to do. Since Sam is a "sporty girl", so some of the "girly" things were awkward for her to do. Most of the time she ended up laughing. Hands behind her back seemed to work the best for her. Make sure the bride tries to lower her shoulder closest to you and have her twist enough to expose her waist-line.

Welcome to the family, Sam. My daughter will so love having someone to throw balls with!

Kerry & Sarah

2008-09-18T09:54:00.007-07:00

Oh, I love my job when they forget or don't care about the camera and they just let "life happen". I love Kerry, what a trooper, this fun series was a result of a comment that Sarah's dad made when he came from work to watch for a few minutes. Just snap, but pay attention because I missed a few because I started laughing also.

Photo tips: on the third photo down where they are kissing with the flowers in focus... make sure the bride"s arm is under the groom's. Dang, my eye keeps going there. Also, I wish I would have not had her bouquet in her hand. The color wasn't needed. I still like the photograph. I am so bummed because I couldn't have asked for better color. The evening light was just perfect. At one point though, when we first got there, it was really, kind of yellow. I love it, to walk in, (I sometimes feel I am walking though someone's painting) but to photograph skin tones, it is a little harder. To remove it from the one on the bridge- I went to Hue and Sat and chose yellow in the options and took out, I believe 10, just to get a bit out of the skin. Nice bright overcast days do not need a flash as much. I had mine turned down to 1/125 and also had a bouncer on. If you are not careful, you will notice the background darker and it will look late evening- not so good. Turn off the flash when coming in close to them or doing details of the dress & bouquet.

Lexi

2008-09-17T07:49:00.004-07:00

Some of my favorites from the shoot.

Oh, I forgot one...

2008-09-15T19:15:00.005-07:00

Not many seven year old boys like their photo taken. This one was the exception. What a model. Who wouldn't like those lips anyway?!

My Favorite Farm that I wish I could Claim!

2008-09-15T18:52:00.008-07:00

The little group of little bodies, were actually over a two day period. They are friends full of lots of energy. This place is amazing! It belongs to one of the grandmother's. Who's husband thinks of purchasing an old school bus or old truck for his wife's birthday? This wonderful grandfather! Anyway, here are some of the shots from last week...

I had to have these adorable arms of Addie's- couldn't resist. Mostly because this year she loved having her photo taken. So very proud of her.

HUGE photo tip- if you have a child not responding to absolutely everyone calling her name.... have them leave and talk quietly to her. The baby was soooo much better with just two people and letting her do what she wanted! She relaxed, smiled and was so proud of herself. LESS was definitely more in this situation.

friendships

2008-08-26T12:51:00.005-07:00

I don't like the end of summer, don't get me wrong, I love fall, but it closes another time that seems to be rushing by. This is a small group of friends of my son's (he is the tallest) that are all going separate ways, beginning new chapters in their lives. Some serving missions, going away to school, adventures across the world, new and exciting, but I will miss the laughter, always the laughter. Wish them all well and hope that in a couple of years, experiences will bring them back together again.

sophie's frog

2008-08-26T12:19:00.004-07:00

Sophie about fell, jumping out of the chair when she found out I was headed back down to the lake for another photo shoot. She was in for a real treat this time with something unexpected....a two foot long snake! This was her third frog... the first is somewhere in our van, yipee! and the second one we took to the pond, because her room started to stink and this third little guy, well he stayed at the lake. The snake was interesting, and if her brother hadn't chased it back into the bushes, that would been on her next pet list. I love her adventureous personality, and her girlish giggle. Her blonde hair is fading, which makes me sad, but her freckles will always be there.

Engagement

2008-08-25T12:56:00.005-07:00

Lexie and Logan, what a great couple. I have known Lexie for a few years, being a friend of my oldest daughter and photographing her older sister's wedding, I knew they would be great to photograph, even though they called themselves dorky. My favorite was the top photo, easy and carefree. Lexie the "poser" couldn't do a serious one if she tried, a natural smiler- a word? I don't know, but that comes natural to her. Logan is a great compliment to her and I wish them well.

Sela

2008-08-22T14:13:00.005-07:00

We went down to the lake to advantage of the beautiful scenery, unfortunately as the summer passed away the oder becomes a bit stronger. Sela was in a funny mood and thought she was still in Oregon on the beautiful beaches. The frogs were out and my youngest daughter, Sophie was thrilled. Of course she caught one and lost it in the car on the way home. We searched forever, but could never find it. Lovely. Won't that bring the lake smell right close to home. I sure hope it got out when the doors were open! Oh, by the way, she got another one when she came with me the next night. Yea! how I love that beautiful Tom Boy of mine!

photo tip: remember to turn off the flash and catch the beautiful evening light. Wear clothing that you really don't care about, so you can get down on their level. Don't worry, you will smell like the lake when you are done. It comes with the job.

Sarah and Kerry

2008-08-15T10:08:00.004-07:00

Another fun engagement of a couple that were so fun to shoot. (That really sounds horrible!) Okay, snap shots of. Easy, relaxed, all around great couple. Congrates! Utah Lake is really beautiful if you can get past the smell and really slimmy water. I just tell everyone that I take down there to bring shoes that you don't care about and pretend that you are on the beaches in California, or in Oregon, after seeing my daughters photos from there. Next year, I will experience a real beach.

Grandkids

2008-08-15T09:55:00.006-07:00

I believe every grandparents should proudly hang a photo like this up on their wall of their grandchildren. I told them to just pile in and this is one of several photos taken. What a wonderful, close knit family.

Photo tip- I don't think I really have one, except just to keep shooting, you'll find one that works out. The grandkids, especially like these, and for me, it breaks the ice and the laughter. Nothing better for me than to see and hear the family laughing together.

Mandy's Bridal

2008-07-29T05:09:00.011-07:00

These bridals were taken at Tahitian Noni at the Riverwoods. Beautiful place: only draw back is the timing. 5-7. Both good and bad. I wish they would give you at least until 7:30. But I am grateful it is available. Mandy is beautiful inside and out. Again McKray her son, was only available for 3-4 shots. That was all that he had on his schedule. What a bummer. I have a hard time with digital getting the details on the dress. Sometimes they get blown out, especially in the full length. I will have to take a class or two on that subject.

When you have a bride with a sleeveless gown, sometimes the dress tends to "gap" at the top. I had Mandy twist towards me so it wouldn't be so noticable. You will see on this last photo I didn't have her twist. I was more concerned making sure it was sharp because I was across the pool, and my "escort" of Tahitian Noni was waiting for us to be done. It was 7:02 p.m. Two minutes past our time. She so wanted this shot and it really turned out better than I thought. I just wish I would had remembered to have her turn slightly. It still has a beautiful reflection. One thing to watch for is what is reflecting close to their head. The step in the bottom of the pool was really close. You as the photographer need to adjust for that.

One thing I learned from a portrait class was making sure the bride dipps her wrist. Have her bend it in towards her. It will appear smaller and not to grip the flowers, but to relax the hand. Make sure the arm has a slight bend in it. It relaxes her. Those are for the shots that she holds the bouquet down along the side of her. When shooting above the bride, make sure you watch what you are shooting down "into". I had Mandy raise her flowers, just to the top of her dress. Mandy tends to wrinkle her forehead. If she smiles naturally, her forehead relaxed. Don't be afraid to remind them and get them to laugh a bit. The photos aren't so stiff.

Make sure the bride relaxes her shoulders and lowers them. This will elongate her neck. Placing the weight on the back leg, when standing, the shoulder closest to you will drop, giving you a longer line and a happier bride. (Take a look at the difference between the center large photo and the small photo just above it with her son and see the difference between her shoulder lowered and the the one with it raised. Now, I realize I was at a different angle, but I was paying too much attention to McKray and not her shoulder. I definitely would have had her drop her shoulder and rolled it back!) They really need to stand or sit taller, especially right through the lower back. This gives them a longer body and beautiful lines. Oh.... Always learning.

Mandy Casey and McKray

2008-07-29T04:56:00.004-07:00

This is a little family that is getting married next Thursday. McKray is your average active 3 year old that would only participate in literally 3-4 shots. He would rather play with his new Grandpa. It is always better to do what you can in photographing a child that doesn't want to sit still. Crying, arching, ect. will only make everyone frustrated. Get what you can, even if they are candids, sometimes the best anyway.

Mountains in Utah

2008-06-24T06:06:00.009-07:00

I was asked to photograph this family for a cover of a magazine for a company. When they told me who it was, I said, "I would rather not." I have known Virginia Dixon for many years as a well-known photographer and nervous?, paranoid?...yes, but.... I was honored to meet this humble, happy, and grateful family. The mountains were stunning and the evening sky was cool, clear...perfect.

Photo Tip-wished I would have bent the little boys other leg. Feels a little to "leggy" in the one spot. Also, his right arm should have been pulled back, maybe in his lap. Watch the little things. Other then that, good.

Sunrays

2008-06-24T06:02:00.006-07:00

This was a bridal I shot over the week-end. I was messing with the sun and really got it heavy on this one. I don't even know if I intended to use it...it was the first one, but I thought it might work with a filter on it. You can see that the original was really washed out and quite milky, but after the filter- "color toner" it worked, or at least worked better.

Photo Tip- I wished the bouquet was in her other hand, bummer. I didn't leave enough room around the photo to crop it more at an angle, but then again it was just a shot to see how strong the sun rays were. Next time.

mom and me

2008-06-18T07:20:00.006-07:00

Hard age....keep going and put your camera on multiple shots. (right now my mind just went blank on the correct name)... in-between the crying you will eventually get a grin. It is exhausting, but worth it. Nik Color Efex Pro- Old Color filter-opacity to 70% and erased on the skin at 10% opacity. The fonts I used were Thirsty for Souls and James Fajardo. You can find them on freefonts.com. I used to use a font and a texture brush and erase tool to get the same effect. This is much easier!

Beautiful Maddie

2008-06-05T11:57:00.005-07:00

This beautiful child's mother is from Peru and her father's side is Hawaiian and Italian. Awesome genes! If you are photographing a child around 10 months to one year....always have another person along to help get the child's attention. Betsy brought her mother, which was very helpful. Their attention is only a split second, it seems and with the grass and rocks to grab, we were all exhausted when we were done. Happy Birthday Maddie!

Kaitlyn & Kyle

2008-06-02T11:08:00.008-07:00

Oh, how I love "smilie eyes" and a future groom that is crazy about his future bride. She had some great places to photograph around her home which resulted in some fun shots. These filters are from Nik Color Efex Pro. The following were just a few of my favorites.

Kylie Babe

2008-05-22T09:23:00.004-07:00

Literally, almost all 200 of the photos that I snapped of this beautiful girl turned out. Beautiful girl, awesome lighting, white balance was great, with the exception of a few. Be careful what is around you that would reflect back at the subject. There is one place that a shoot quite often, and there is orange stucco walls on both sides and once in a while, it casts a strange coloring on their faces. Sometimes a lot of green will reflect back, giving a slightly nasty greenish-yellow haze to the skin. That is a real bummer. I have to bring my reflector more often to block off the color reflecting on the skin. Most of the time I don't have an assistant to help, so I don't bother, but it really would help. Correcting the problems before the shoot begins, results in much less time at the computer. Otherwise, a great shoot.

Blissful JOY

2008-05-19T15:54:00.004-07:00

NIK Color Efex Pro

2008-05-18T13:50:00.007-07:00

All three of these photos were done in different variations in Old Photo, in Nik Color Efex. It will show one color variation, then you click on the arrow and 5 color choices will appear. Try them all. What may not look good on one, will look good on another. Oh, how I love the options. So will your customers. If you still have Photoshop CS and are having a hard time trying to find 2.0, go to ebay. You still can purchase it there. I contacted NIK directly and they only have the upgraded version. If you have any questions with their product, they are great at answering questions and walking you through the process. Try the trial version for 30 days and see if you like it. It really is fun to see what you come up with. OH, Happy Birthday, Rach!

Sweet Location

2008-05-17T21:01:00.006-07:00

This is at the Eldredge Manor in Bountiful. I attended a wedding there when I was still in Junior High, and I loved it then. Wow, they added on to it and the garden is wonderful. If the couple is having a civil wedding, I highly encourage the groom to come to the bridals so they have more photos. It is so difficult to take photos inbetween the ceremony and the reception with everything going on. This also gives them a chance to have photos of both of them to display at the reception. If you are creating an album, it helps immensely with variety. The bride is much more "giggly" if the groom is around. Just all around better.

Filters

2008-05-17T05:30:00.005-07:00

The filter I used on this photo is from NIK Color Efex Pro 2.0. (They have a later version, but I still have Photoshop CS and am too cheap to upgrade at this time) The filter is called Old Photo. When I was still shooting film, by favorite was 3200 speed. It was really grainy and LOVED what it did for some of the photos. This is the closest I could find to replicate that feeling. I wish her arm was a bit more relaxed, but the kiss..... it worked. (I don't think Steph cared about where her arm was at that moment...) Anyway, this will be my gift for Steph and NIck. They deserve all of the happiness that will be coming their way.

Danica

2008-05-16T08:31:00.003-07:00

What a cute girl. Always try some laughing photos. Sometimes it's hard for them to laugh and others are a breeze to get to show that emotion. "How do I get them to laugh?" It is really silly, but I just say, "Laugh". It kind of catches them off guard and they laugh right off the bat.

I personally love it when they laugh away from the camera, the shy laugh when they are a little uncomfortable and look at whom-ever they came with. So sweet and nice to have those candid shots and most of the time it is their mother's favorite. What a wonderful age.

2008-05-14T21:57:00.001-07:00

So Glad I Was A Part of This Day

2008-05-14T21:47:00.003-07:00

What a wonderful couple. Stephanie and Nick make photography look easy. We went to this beautiful little farm in Lindon, which I had passed several times, just down the street from another family farm, which so graciously allows photographers to use. The beautiful places are getting fewer and far between, which makes my heart ache. I applaud the families that are keeping the farms alive. I just wish my name was on one of these beautiful pieces of land. Someday....

2008-04-10T10:07:00.001-07:00

One Year

2008-04-10T10:02:00.004-07:00

Rachel has been planning this birthday for Sela for months and did a wonderful job. I felt so bad that the weather was soooo chilly for lemon custard, but it sure looked wonderful. She made all of the cakes, with the "Lemony Curd" being my favorite.

One Year

2008-04-01T12:54:00.003-07:00

Sela is one and now I am an official "mimi" of one year. Rachel gave me that name when grandma was just a bit more than I could handle. What a beautiful child, both Rachel and Sela. Rachel is a beautiful mother as I watch her with Sela every Wednesday when they come to visit. I enjoy it very much. I don't get much done, but it really is just fine. I spent too many days years ago working and "getting things done", that this is just fine and very rewarding. Rachel has her blog up and it is beautiful. I am so glad she can have a place to write and share with others. Please visit.

Senior

2008-02-25T13:15:00.004-07:00

This young man was not thrilled to do these photos. Not on his top ten list of things to do (this was mom's idea). He wanted to be riding his horses. I tried to make it as painless as possible. We went where he wanted to go, he wanted his dog in the photo and this boy came alive with his dog. His smile was so natural when his dog was running around, not being the best model, I might add. We went where he felt comfortable- he wore what he wanted- and most important, we did not spend alot of time. I got what I needed in 30 minutes and he was gone in his truck- roping. Great kid.

Yummy Soup

2008-01-08T09:32:00.001-07:00

About a year ago I started photographing my husbands food in hopes to get a recipe book done, looking into an online cookbook. He is an excellent chef, taught cooking classes for couples for a few years, now does seasonal catering and takes weekly phone calls asking for his recipes especially this dressing recipe. Would love to host the couples again. That was a great idea and miss having them over.

This is a yummy Cabbage and Bratwurst soup with a touch of cream. Fennel seeds added a great twist to the flavor. Perfect in the winter, so the foot of snow in our not-taken-care-of-garden from the fall worked great. It added some nice texture.

So if your into food with a bold flavor-watch in the next couple of weeks and I will add some recipes.

Alexa

2008-01-07T09:40:00.001-07:00

You don't have to go to a million places to get some different looks. In the winter it is cold and when they only want a few shots, mess with actions or the menu in your layers palette. I love high contrast, even when flipping them into black and white, gives them a great variety. Don't forget the full view, sometimes I get caught up in the close-ups, take advantage of the old doors, it adds great texture.

Children that just won't sit

2008-01-07T09:32:00.001-07:00

This has happened a couple of times to me and believe me, SOMETIMES it is worth it. Sam was not going to sit for nothing and working with 4 under 4 years of age, I choose my battles. After taking the photos of the girls, we got Sam to sit for two shots, with only one that worked. I left the chairs where they were and had the girls get out of the shot. I just put him in. The kid isn't crying, mom isn't about to loose it and I still had a voice after the session. I try not to make this a habit, but sometimes....

Adding Trees to a Drab Background

2008-01-04T14:57:00.001-07:00

If you find that the autumn leaves are gone, you can still add them. I have a whole file of "Autumn Trees". For two years now, I have gone out and photographed trees at their peak. All of them are taken on the "perfect" overcast days because I photograph families in open shade and they can be put in the photograph pretty easily. If I have a spot that I photograph most of my families at, I take photos of the trees at their peak at different angles and it works great! Lighting is essential when doing this, they have to match the scene or it doesn't work very well.

It is kind of like a head swap- it is just a tree swap. 1. Lasso the tree out of the one photo, drag it onto the photo. 2. Adjust the size. 3. Create a layer mask on the tree layer. 4. Use the brush tool and smooth out the edges. Layering trees works well also.

Civil Ceremonies

2008-01-04T08:08:00.001-07:00

This was such a good example of a civil wedding and what you should do, that I didn't. This ceremony I believed was clocked at less than 4 minutes from the time the Mayor (I believe that is who it was) first spoke until they were walking back down the isle. I knew I was in trouble right when he said, "Well, lets do this... Eamonn, do you..." I thought, well, I won't say what I thought, I just quickly tried to get from one side to other as quickly as possible.

I usually find the person that is going to do the ceremony, ask him how long he plans on taking, ask him to slow it down in order to get more than 10 shots total. If the person knows at least the bride or groom, there is usually some advice, etc. But I have found if they don't, it goes quite quick. I prefer at least 10 minutes. Again, I couldn't have been more grateful that I had Tracee with me and she got some of the family during the ceremony and some from the front while they were walking up the isle. I have had my husband with me on several civil ceremonies, and it is great to have the other angle and someone else's height advantage!

Ask when the rehearsal is. Sometimes it is the night before at a dinner and they are a little harder to go to, ( I have done them before, my husband catered the dinner for one and I was really glad I was there for that because it was a little different) but if you get the chance, it really is helpful to see what will be happening, so there are no surprises for you as the photographer. Most of the time, mine have been approx. 30 minutes before the actual ceremony. This gives me the chance to talk with the people in the line. Show them where you would like them to slow down, smile, walk a bit slower etc. Getting them to pause in the same area helps if it is inside and a flash is being used. The range is the same and the lighting is even for everyone.

Talk with the Father. Make him aware of the moment he is giving his daughter away, pause, take a moment. This is an important photo for the daughter and the father. Make sure you are watching for this. It lasts just a moment and I have missed it when somebody stood up, I was at the wrong angle, or it was so quick I didn't react fast enough. If you are using a flash for inside or back lit, make sure your flash is charged. Don't try to take 3-4 shots of the back of them walking down the isle, take one and make sure you are ready for the important shot between father and daughter.

Just a thought.

Weddings in the Snow

2008-01-04T07:29:00.001-07:00

Stacie and Eamonn were real troopers when I asked them during their wedding dinner to come outside for some photos. A mis-communication on time for the family photos, left me with no photos of the bride and groom. Not good. Because I knew it was quite cold outside and I was about 20 minutes from one of Utah's largest snow storms, I had to think quickly. I first went outside and chose 3 spots to take some photos. I looked at the angles I could use, pictured them in my head, literally in my head, ran inside and got the bride and groom. Because the snow was starting to fall, I told them where to stand and what to do. Not my idea of the greatest photo shoot, but I had to work quickly. I was so glad Stacie's dress did not have a train, this saved sooo much time. If your bride has a train in this situation, hook it up in the back to avoid it getting really wet and you having to "arrange it" in every photo. This was a "slam bam, thank you mam" kind of situation, but we did finish just as the snow was really coming down. We left when we could hardly see the car in front of us.

I turned my flash almost all the way down to avoid catching the falling snow. The flash will sometimes brighten the snow flakes and make it more obvious. Take several shots of the same thing, you won't see the falling snow on their faces until you bring them up on your computer and most likely they are right through the eye. I did several looking at eachother so it wouldn't matter as much. I let Tracee (my partner in crime) take the candids so I could make sure I got the "basics" done. (She had the fun part). If you have someone that you can bring along, either who is learning photography or would just like to come- bring them!!! In this situation, I could not have done both. We really had 8-10 minutes before the snow storm hit and she was freezing!

Battery tips in the cold- batteries hate the cold! Bring extras and put them in your front pockets to keep warm until you need them!! I have had a couple of times when the batteries "Zapped" out just after a few photos.

Avoid snow on the lens- In situations like this or in the rain- check your lens- regularly. Make it a habit. You cannot see the spots on your lens when looking through the view finder and sometimes your working so quickly you don't notice. Use a long lens hood that is made for your lens so when you zoom out it doesn't leave a shadow around the outside edge. The hood will really protect the rain and snow from falling on your lens. (don't leave it sitting in a parade of homes-home like I did- it was 80.00 to replace!)

The last shot was my favorite! Stacie and Eamonn- thanks for being such good sports coming out into the cold! Many happy, warm days ahead!!

Prices for Sittings

2007-12-21T19:49:00.002-07:00

***Click on image for viewing at full size.

Photographing in the Snow...

2007-12-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

The snow... It is kind of a "Love-Hate" relationship. It always brings back the lovely day of photographing a wedding in a blizzard, 17 degrees, the bride wearing sandals, and the father saying, "Who chose this date"! The snow is also very beautiful, but when taking family photos the best advice I can tell you is purchase some hand warmers, give them to your customers, they are great in their back pockets for keeping buns warm and for younger kids in their pockets to keep their hands warm. Once they get cold, your pretty much done. They are also great for keeping noses from going red. Put some in your pockets to keep your hands from "stiffening" up (whether that is a real word or not...).

Ask the family to relax their shoulders. That is one thing that makes them look cold. Really sensitive eyes...some people eyes water (like mine) and they squint excessively. Have them shield their eyes and you may have to count for them so they can relax their eyes right when you are going to take them. That is the hardest thing for me to work with.

Make sure it is fresh, fallen snow. Nothing is worse than "old" blotchy snow. The best is the day after a good snow storm. The day is usually a little bit warmer. Ask the family to walk around the area that you are taking them in, so right in front of them isn't all trampled down with foot prints.

Oh, so bright sunny day...

2007-12-15T07:35:00.001-07:00

I don't think I remember a more sunnier day and of course, I had issues with my flash and I forgot my reflector. I even had an assistant, Tracee, who is taking such wonderful photos herself, who could have held my reflector. What to do? Most of the photos were candid, shot from the hip, I am not kidding. (I was just checking my "not working" flash and shot without looking; this is the photo on the left), or take some looking at eachother and doing the spin thing. One bonus...a beautiful dark blue sky! I did use the "soft light" located in the layers palette for some contrast and some different angles to help with the composition. This couple was beautiful and many happy days for them to come.

Cool, Crisp, Beautiful....

2007-12-11T04:31:00.000-07:00

I don't usually shoot into the sun, but on this particular photo I didn't have much of a choice. It didn't matter where I stood the sun was directly in my lens. I went ahead and shot using the sun and sun spots and the result was fabulous. I have to give the credit to the sun and the couple. It was a bit chilly, but well worth it.

Oh, my favoirite part! This photo really allows for some fun filters to use. I love using some higher contrast when the photo allows for it. Here we go... Once your photo is up, create a new layer; then go over to the layers palette on the right side. Under the layers tab there is a "thing" (lost for words right at the moment...) that says "normal", click on the arrows and a new menu will appear. Scroll half way down and you will see "soft light". You will then need to flatten the layer if you like what you see. Once in a while the skin will go quite red, so I will use the "hue and saturation" on red and take some of that out. I also used an action called "Swift Skin". I don't necessarily use it for skin. I love what it does to the whites in a photo. It has a real soft "airy" feel. Anyway, I used the "low" action on this photo. As I look at the info on the disk, I can't see a web site specifically for the "swift skin". His site, Jim Chamberlain is www.chamberlainphoto.com and maybe he has something on the website. It was a good class, just like any other class, I always come away with something useful.

Baby Sister

2007-11-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

These are the photos taken a couple of years ago when Lexi was just a few weeks old. The most recent photos were posted a couple of days ago. These were taken on my living room floor again with window light. I just put them both on the floor on top of a sheep skin rug and shot above them. The rugs are great for babies. It keeps them warm and they tend to sleep really well on them. I found small rugs up to IKEA in Salt Lake (my favorite new, organized, clean place to spend a few hours, to shop...and eat the cookies filled with jam, hang-out) They are around 20.00 and perfect for a newborn. Go through them and find one a little bit more round"ish".

One of the photos is obviously more sepia than the other one. I always add about "5" of red and "3" of yellow to my black and whites to get rid of the digital bluish tone. "Sepia", around 15 and 12 on the red and yellow. To give it a bit of glow, I go to filter, down to distort and over to Diffuse Glow. It will then open to another window. Graininess- mess with that and see what you like, but Glow Amount at 1 or 2. and Clear amount 15. This all depends on the photo, just be careful not to blow it way out, then it will really look funny.

Baby B

2007-11-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

This beautiful baby boy was so simple to photograph, mostly because he slept the entire session. His mother tried and tried to get him to wake up and no such luck. But while they are asleep, this is the best time to do any hand and feet detail photos.

Again, just very simple in a natural lit window. My window faces west, so I only have the morning light until around 2p.m. I keep my Fstop at 2.8 because we are just in my living room and this helps in blurring out anything you may see in the background. You don't need a fancy studio to take good photos. Just a good eye for beautiful soft light. Allow plenty of time to take infant photos. I always plan for at least 90 minutes. I use the mother to cradle the infant. I believe it looks a little bit more natural than trying to "prop" them up against something. If your just starting, don't have them bring any clothing. It is just distracting. Start simple and just focus on the baby and the available light and making beautiful photos.

Keep your room warm and the house quiet while photographing an infant. Keep them bundled and held snug to avoid the "julting" that may startle the baby.

If the baby starts to stir, try rubbing the baby right between the eyes and small circular motion and they usually fall right back asleep. Just be patient. It's worth it.

Keeley and Lexi

2007-11-25T06:14:00.001-07:00

I have photographed Keeley and Lexi for several years. Beautiful girls. It's pretty obvious that Keeley loves the camera, and Lexi, well, she's two. It was a quick shoot to get this Christmas Card for her mom. You don't have to stick to the famous "red and green" theme. Mix it up!! The brushes of the swirls are from twopeasinabucket are some of my favorites to use. The designer's name is Rhonda. Just play with them. They are a bit tricky to use, but give it a minute, they really are fun.

This was window light in my customers living room, using the white foam boards on the bottom, back and one on the side. I have used them for reflectors before but not as backgrounds. I got this from Nicole Hills photo class, great tip. It beats trying to straighten up white fabric during the photo shoot. They are only really good for one or two small children and really are okay when they get dinged up. You won't notice the dings, especially if you use a low F stop. Fun shoot. Thanks, Raylene for sharing your beautiful girls with me year after year.

Tomorrow, I am going to post Lexi's newborn photos. I had photographed them almost two years ago, but they were some of my favorites. I thought I would share to show you some different ways of putting them with an older sibling. I also used some filters that might get you to try some new things with your photographs.

Peter Meyer Concert

2007-10-25T13:35:00.001-07:00

If you want to be a part of a wonderful concert, come to this concert in December. A crazy friend of mine went on line and has booked Peter Meyer's Band for the 3rd time!!!!! It is some of the best music and entertainment I have heard. I have now bought almost all of his CD's and my husband and I have the opportunity in catering dinner for his band every time they have come. If you are not familiar with Peter Meyer, he is Jimmy Buffets main guitar player and has written several of his songs. The instrumentals are soooo great. Can I say more? If you are interested...The dates are December 4th and 5th in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. For more information: Cynthia McKee- chmckee@gmail.com, cell 427-3216, $15.00 each. It makes a great gift and it so worth it!!! Tell anyone you think of that might like to come!

Wedding Album

2007-10-25T13:11:00.001-07:00

I will add some more designs for some albums, but for now here is one of the most recent albums from a wedding I photographed in September of John and Maegan. My daughter, Rachel designs my albums now which helps me so much. She does a great job and is now doing them for other people! I will add her blog in a few days once she has it up and running!

Dana's Bridal

2007-10-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Fun shoot last night! Dana is obviously a beautiful person who has a sweet spirit about her. The evening was calm and quiet other than the whistles coming from the passing cars. Well deserved!

Photo Assignment

2007-10-25T08:05:00.001-07:00

These photos were part of an assignment for natural and open shade lighting. I LOVE gourds, especially when all of the natural elements are still in tact. This gave me some ideas for some posters I would love to design. Take advantage of any classes offered, even if you have shot for years. I ALWAYS get several smaller ideas that may help tremendously in shooting. Thanks, Nicole! Great class. Also, to everyone in the class that I also learned from, thanks for sharing!

Album Styles

2007-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

"CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE!"

Pricing for Enlargements

2007-10-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

**CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW AT FULL SIZE!

Pricing for Weddings

2007-10-17T06:07:00.000-07:00

**PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW FULL SIZE!