Professional portraits are timeless.  Rediscover the moments that shaped your story.....those unexpected special memories that took your breath away.  Photograph your grandchildren often for your children.

Helpful hints:

1. Clean and Pressed Clothing: Ensure all clothing is clean and pressed to avoid noticeable wrinkles and stains in high-quality photos.
2. Up-to-Date Logos and Colors: If wearing company-branded clothing, ensure logos and colors are current.
3. Avoid Distracting Patterns: Solid colors photograph better than busy patterns. Keep patterns subtle and not overly distracting.
4. Simple Accessories: Keep accessories minimal and professional to maintain focus on the face.
5. Comfort is Important: Ensure everyone feels comfortable in their clothing to avoid awkward expressions and poses.
6. Professional Hair and Makeup: Consider hiring a professional hair and makeup artist for even minimal touch-ups.
7. Communicate Expectations: Clearly communicate the dress code and specific requirements to the team well in advance. Providing a visual guide or examples can help ensure everyone is on the same page. A Pinterest board is a great way to organize your ideas into something visual thats easy to share with the team.
By planning ahead and ensuring consistency in wardrobe choices, you can create professional, cohesive images that reflect your companys brand and values. Remember, these photos are often the first impression potential clients will have of your team, so making sure they look their best is essential.

Fall.....what a great season!  Plan ahead with Holiday prep work.  Start a to do list.  Make new memories.  Spread Holiday cheer.   Give meaningful gifts:  portraits, frames, albums, ornaments, portrait sessions.  Take a deep breath!  Take time for yourself, too.  What makes you happy?  Decorate, bake, listen to your favorite music, feel the magic, believe!  Enjoy it all!  Thank you so much for letting us capture your story!

Time to plan your holiday portrait!  Coordination is key.  Bring out your eyes and skin tones.  Compliment you and your family.  Wear what you love!  If mom looks good, everyone looks good.  Go with warm,  neutral earthy tones, dark and deep saturations or simply classic. You can always add a pop of color with lipstick and shoes.  Layers, textures, accessories all count  Jeans for outside, dress pants in the studio.  With GAP, Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic and Levi you never go wrong! 

Think about a color theme and what best suites your style.  Studio or location.  Casual or sophisticated.  As in paintings, colors are important.  Classic:  neutral base, but include a bold color.  Thoughtful, pleasant expressions.  Not trendy.  Baroque:  Clothing merges into background.  Deep tones.  Extravagant, ornate, intense.  Faces center of interest.  Rich, dramatic, elegant. Monochromatic:  Closely related colors.  Light and mid-tones of the same color.  Simple, light, delicate but not boring.  Examples:  pink, red, maroon or grayscale.  What says you best?

We recommend simple, classic clothing in mid tone colors. Neutrals like cream, sage, khakis and grays are great choices.  If you use solid black or solid white be sure it is in a texture as textures always photograph well.

Keep the focus on your child's beautiful face.  Avoid logos and trendy characters unless it is a theme for dress up or Halloween.  Flower girl dresses are lovely. Check out GAP kids, Old Navy, H&M, Nordstrom.

Women wear what you love!  Men and women take a look at the classy, timeless French wardrobe.  Neutral colors.   Ladies add a pop of color in your shoes and lips.  Not over dressed.

Make up - Moisturize then use a light layer of foundation and concealer.  Always cover blemishes.  A light touch of blush on cheeks, temples and nose is pleasing.  Brush brows natural, don't over fill.  Nude eye shadow is better.  Go light on lashes but curl them.  Use soft liner to bring attention to eyes.  Exfoliate and soften lips with balm then add lip stain and you are good to go for a great photo session.  Not over done, just complimenting your beauty.

A time for joy, tradition, giving, baking, connecting with friends and loved ones. Celebrate and believe in the magic!  Wishing you only good things this season!  Merry Christmas from my home to yours!

Taking Artful Travel Photos

Found on Snapfish.com  This is a basic, but helpful, list of suggestions for taking artful travel photos.
How to take vacation photos with your digital camera that you will be proud to hang.
Play with different angles
Even recognizable or frequently photographed locations can be even more eye-catching when you capture them from a fresh perspective. For example, shoot buildings looking up rather than straight on.

Position your subject
To create more powerful photos, place the subject off-center and leave the rest of the frame empty. Imagine the shot divided into three sections (like a tick-tack-toe game).

Use silhouettes
Put your subject between you and the setting or rising sun to create dramatic silhouettes-perfect for framing.

Capture color
Look for the vibrant and unique colors. You can find them anywhere-shop displays, graffiti, even in farmers markets. Here, a storefront full of bags and scarves becomes a striking photo.

Try black and white
The contrast of black and white accentuates lines, textures, and edges, making it a good choice for turning snapshots into dramatic photos.

Snap signs and symbols
Landmarks, signs, and memorabilia can make for fun, creative photos. Look for opportunities to capture the flavor of your destinations-great for scrapbooking too.

Display your memories
Show off your most memorable travel photos, and turn your home or office into a beautiful art gallery in the process.
It's always nice to return from a trip and have photos to share with friends and family while you tell stories and relive moments of your time away.

One of my favs!