Color: Part III (and some B and W)

And some black and white:

Thanks, A, for letting me take these photos! Have a great day everyone!

Color: Part II

More Color!

The great thing about these photographs is that they (I hope) convey the genuine friendship between these two! I'll post some more tomorrow.

I Heart Faces: Dramatic Black and White

Here's my entry for I Heart Faces this week. The theme is Dramatic Black and White.

My Niece and Nephew

This was such a great shoot--wonderfully fun, relaxed, and colorful! More of these cute guys to come this week.

Asking the Place

Edward Ranney, a pioneer photographer in the West, explains how you begin photographing a new subject in an unfamilar place or landscape, “How do you do it? You just start photographing. The camera finds things—the lens tells you what is important. The key is to get photographing—you can’t just sit still. It is exactly the same now—you move through a site and find the vantage point by making the pictures. You are trying to ask the place what it is about, what is going on here and why is it important. Certain things—specific views or elements—gradually become important through the process of working, and the visual possibilities come to define themselves.”

Enjoy the weekend! See you next week.

Family Portrait Session: Part III

And last but not least, some more vibrant colors. Thanks again guys for giving me the chance to take your pictures!

Family Portrait Session: Part II

Some black and white photographs.

I love this one in color as well:

Family Portrait Session: Part 1

Here are a few of the photographs from a recent family session. Great family, great friends, and great location (despite the crowds).

I'll post once more from this session later in the week.

I Heart Faces: Angles

The theme is angles at I Heart Faces this week. I posted this picture on my blog recently I know, but I think it fits the theme well and I just love little L's face so much.

Check out I Heart Faces for more angles photos.

Sweet Baby Boy

This four month old is such a content little guy! Here's a small sampling from his mini-session. Hope you like these, Ellen.

Photo Collage

And before this turns into L's blog, I'll be posting some session photos tomorrow and during the coming weeks.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, it seems! The weather has been gorgeous the last few days. We can finally venture outside without coats and scarves.

Now, as we anxiously await the blossoms, I think it is fitting to dress L in flowery clothing.

Yes, I enjoy photographing L in front of brick/stucco walls at strip malls. I like the (sub)urban look of the photographs.

And since strawberries seem to be on sale everywhere right now, I highly recommend making this strawberry shortcake cake recipe from Pioneer Woman.

We made it on Saturday to take to our friends' home for dinner. The cake was delicious, as was the dinner:).

Backgrounds

Creating a great portrait depends largely on the background. The photographer must stage the frame in a way that accentuates, and not distracts from, the subject.

So, since I don't always access to a beautiful backdrop like this lovely courtyard garden at the American Art Museum...

...I must create interesting backgrounds.

I unfortunately don't have many painted walls with adequate natural light in my apartment. So, I hung up a piece of Martha Stewart wrapping paper (she has some beautiful patterns and prints). Works pretty well, I think! I can't claim this idea as my own though; I saw another photographer do this on Flickr.

...and not the greatest capture of L (she was quite tired), but it displays the backdrop well.