The NY Life {Batavia NY photographer}

It has been more than a month since our journey back to NY.  Getting back to family couldn't happen fast enough, we have waited nearly 10 years for this to happen.  We put our home on the market and were so very eager to get it sold so that we may start this new chapter in our life and while it felt like a lifetime, I look back now and it went by so fast.  We left behind our life with friends that are so dear to us and while we were gaining our family we were losing people that hold an equal part in our hearts.   Today I sit here relishing the time my kids get to bake cookies and prepare family dinners with their grandparents, run around playing with their cousins and getting to know their aunts and uncles; however there is a hole that life in TN used to fill.  We have since found a new home that we are eagerly awaiting to move into, enrolled our son into school, finding activities to partake in our local community, and just starting fresh.  We are still in "vacation" mode, you know, that feeling you have when you go home to visit your family a few times a year and you are immersed with family all around.  Every day feels like it should be a day off, but it's not.  The one thing that I have learned living away from family, especially starting a family, is that friends never go away, they are there just waiting for the next time you see each other.  

When we left TN the weather was in between 70's and 80's.  We are now in the month of November here in NY and we have already seen our 2nd snowfall (something you may never see in TN and if so, a handful of times).  We freeze day in and day out, but the temp is set to 72 or higher in the house, we definitely have some adjusting to do.  Our son has adjusted so well in school it's as if he was there from day 1. Our little one is savoring the time he gets to spend at home with mommy until hopefully he starts preschool in the Winter.  We have found that living in a small town, that extra activities for the kids is the best way to keep everyone social.  I love to see the kids just so happy and content with their new life, but this new life has not quite started yet.   

Light that makes you smile {Murfreesboro Children's Photographer}

What does it mean when your photographers says "wow look at that yummy light"?  Like we just want to eat it up or something.  The image above is just a small sample of what that means.  This image was taken in the guest bedroom at my house.  It has the BEST afternoon light, when I walk in this room later in the day when the sun is coming down it feels so warm and inviting, the light is so soft and beautiful.  So the next time you get that feeling of warmth and joy as the light streams into your home or when you step outside early morning or late afternoon that is the "yummy" light.  

Cerebral Palsy one day late {Murfreesboro TN}

Yesterday was CP Day and unfortunately I missed my opportunity to wear green so I am reposting an image from the last CP Day.

This little girl is very special to me even though I rarely get to see her.  She is so young, but such an inspiration to me already.  Her mommy is probably the strongest woman I know.  This little lady is only 1 years old and in her 1st year of life has already been faced with so many struggles. Not only will it be difficult for her to live her day to day life, but society does not always have the best response to those with handicaps, but what this girl lacks in her ability to stand and difficulty talking she gains in her beautiful heart and strong family.  I watched as all of her biggest fans shared images with them wearing green for her, it was truly magical to watch all of her fans shine through.  

I may have missed my opportunity to share my green image on CP Day, but I will always be her biggest fan no matter what color I am wearing.  

7 Tips for Photographing your kids {Murfreesboro Children's Photographer}

Murfreesboro TN Children's Photographer offering up advice for the moms and dads out there.  I try so to post encouraging words for the parents out there, it is so important for you as a parent to embrace your kids childhood.  It's going to all be gone one day and faster than you want it to be.   I remember as a child my mom had one of those bags that a quilt comes in full of 4x6 photos, they weren't all professional photos, but I LOVED looking through them.  I didn't care who took the photo or what kind of camera they used, just the memory that came along with them.  Your kids won't care either, whether you have a $2000 camera or $200 camera, capture those moments.  Just because the camera costs more does not mean the output will be better than the cheaper one unless that person truly knows how to use it.  

Tips for mom and dad:

-Get down to their level

-Just because they are not looking doesn't mean it's not photoworthy.

-Capture the moment as it happens not as you want it to be.

-Don't face your kid directly into the sun (no more squinty eyes).

-Put them in some open shade (just because it's more light does not mean it is good light).

-Be patient (any photographer will tell you their hardest client is their own kids).

-Your little ones rarely pose so don't even bother.

You are going to look back at these snapshots just as frequent as those professional photos; they are equally important.

If you have any questions regarding taking snapshots of you kids please feel free to contact you Murfreesboro children's photographer.  Have fun capturing life.

The MOST important ? for your photographer

Any good photographer knows how important lighting and composition is in a photograph, but more importantly they know even if the light and location is perfect if the emotion is not there then a great photo is non existent.  If you are having your family photographed don't forget to ask your photographer why they are so passionate about portrait photography, if their response has anything to do with them (I just love photography and photographing people) please do not choose them to photograph your life.  

So what answer are you looking for?  

The photographer you hire should be more concerned about capturing memories of your family, how to archive your images in the best way possible, they should be excited about the little in between shots that no one expects because they know that is genuine emotion.  Your photographer should care about YOU!!!

This image was taken because my son was laying on the couch playing with his balloon and it was just too darn cute not to capture.  It's not perfect by any means, but for me and something I will pass on to him as he grows it's pure perfection.  

Taking a Minute to Highlight the Hard Work of Others.

I have decided that I peruse the interweb looking for inspiration from other photographers and I am a part of so many forums meeting tons of great talent that I should highlight that amazing work that is out there.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Jeremy Echols from Jeremy Echols Photography.  What really stands out in his work is his landscape work.  He makes the world look like a dream land, straight out of a movie, so bright and vibrant in color and my friends know how much I love color.  

Meet Jeremy and his beautiful wife, the face behind the camera.  

I of course had a few questions for Jeremy because of course I just had to know more about his journey into photography and what inspires him to do what he does.   When you have the opportunity to interview someone who inspires you make it worth your while, learn something from them, learn about them, you never know there might just be a reason behind why their work is so appealing to you.  So here goes.

1. Your landscape work is incredible and it is evident that is where your heart lies in your photography, am I correct to assume that?  If so what is it that really excites you about creating those images and if not where is it that your true passion lies?

Thank you for the compliment!!

Landscape and urban architectural photography is where I got my feet wet in photography, so to speak. As such, it will always have a strong hold on my heart when I think about my photography work (even as I continue expanding my skill set and work). It is really helpful for me that I live in such an incredibly beautiful city. However, even within a city with so much character and beauty it is easy for us to live our lives and pass through it without stopping to examine it's beauty. That's what I like to do - show off the beauty that we simply pass through. There is also something incredibly relaxing for me to toss in a pair of headphones and go out on my own finding my next great shot. 

2. Along with landscape photography you also photograph families, what is it that you love about capturing the lives of your clients?

I do also photograph families, couples, weddings, etc. My favorite thing about capturing the lives of my clients are the moments where they forget that a camera is even present. During those times is when there is the subtle glance with the authentic smile is passed from one person to another. These are the moments in life that we love to experience and by capturing such a moment, it can be cherished forever. These are the times that I hope for in every session because the authenticity goes so much further than any posed shot that I can create.

3. How long have you been a serious photographer and what did you first begin photographing?  

This is an interesting question to answer for me. I bought my first actual camera in May 2012 with the sole purpose being my wife and I could take better pictures of our two daughters. I figured that I should actually learn how to use the camera outside of "Auto Mode" - so I started spending time walking around the city and taking shots playing with various settings and options in the camera. This led me to begin to experiment with long exposure photography to capture the flow of Seattle traffic. In my excitement, I would post various shots online to share with friends and family. Not long after, I started to get orders for various prints of my photography. Maybe I shouldn't call them orders - more like inquiries asking if I would be willing to sell particular images at various sizes. Having no idea what I was actually doing, I began to research where I could get prints made for them. This led me to starting a website to have a wider reach of sharing images. About six months into owning my camera, I was then asked to do some portraits of members of our church to use in the art walk for an upcoming sermon series. Having no idea how to take pictures of people, I said "Why not?" That led to me getting booked for my first family session, then a maternity session, and next a wedding. It was around that time that I realized that I might be onto something! All that to say, I have kind of stumbled into this whole photography world (and am still stumbling for sure)!

4.  A lot of people are often curious (photographers) what other photographers inspire you; I am wonder who or what inspires you?  It's not always another artist that is the inspiration and a lot of times it's not a person at all.

I will state the obvious answer - Ansel Adams. That man was a master of finding beauty in landscapes, for sure. What is often missed is how brilliant he was with his editing in the dark room. I find a lot of inspiration through his burning and dodging work and find myself as of late trying to emulate some of those tricks in my post processing work. There are a ton of other photographers that I look to and am inspired by as well, so I will include them in a quick list: 

Niki Feijen - I am amazed by his adventurous photography and unreal ability to make decaying landscapes look gorgeous.

Jeff Marsh - I am constantly challenged by the simplicity in his portrait work and how it consistently produces incredible results.
Victor Zerga - His lighting work in his wedding photography is simply jaw dropping.

Various "Rooftopping" Photographers (such as: Tom Ryaboi, Joseph Carnevale, and Vadim Makhorov & Vitaly Raskalov) - I am blown away by the work they put into getting the perfect shot. I want to be able to pull off the shots (and stunts) they do!

5. I recently read your post about rooftopping.  Wow, incredible images, but viewing the images brought quite a bit of anxiety to me.  How long did it take you to complete this project? What was your inspiration for it? How many people did it take to accomplish such a large project? What equipment did you use? And finally, how did you feel during the process and seeing the final results?  

This actually wasn't my project. I was doing a similar feature of the work of Tom Ryaboi for that rooftopping blog post. I've done a handful of shots from various rooftops (namely most of my panoramas are from some form of an elevated place)...however "Rooftopping" is different world for sure! 

Jeremy is a Seattle based photographer and he has captured the city beautifully here, below are also a couple samples from his portrait work.

If you wish to view more of his work you can visit his Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Google Plus page. Plenty of places to find his awesome work.

If you love these landscape images you can purchase them here.

How often should your family be photographed??? {Murfreesboro Family Photographer helps answer this question}

Being a photographer I know how important it is to have your families portraits taken or in a photographers case; every new outfit that is purchased, every tooth that falls out, every haircut or nap time, but let's be realistic here, not everyone has the knowledge of a photographer to document all of this.  Here is an idea of how often you should at least have your family photographed.

ONCE A YEAR at minimum.  Your kids on the other hand are another story, they grow so quickly and have many milestones that should be documented, especially when they are really little.

So then how often should my kids be photographed?

Newborn - 1:  I would say 5 times maximum.  So newborn and then every 3 months there after; now obviously I know this may not be feasible for a lot of families so what I recommend is check with your photographer and see if they have what is usually called a milestone collection. Typically this collection will be discounted simply because you are committing your business to them for your child's entire 1st year of growth up front.  Photographers are aware of how quickly your child grows and changes just in that first year and they want to make sure they can document that for you.  If the photographer does not offer this then be on the look out for what is called a mini session, these are quick 15-20 minute sessions that are also offered at an affordable rate and would be great for milestone shots.  

Age 1-2:  For this age I would recommend at least 2 times, one 6 months after their first birthday and then of course their 2nd birthday.  This age your child is still changing quite a bit, but not nearly as much as that first year.  I would then do the same for age 2-3 and 3-4.

Age 4 and up:  This age your child is still growing, but not nearly as quickly as say a baby in their 1st year so for this age I would recommend a minimum of once at that family session.  Other milestones that are wonderful to document are when they are 16 and then again when they are seniors in high school.   

Now that we have established ages and frequency then working out a budget to have them photographed should be easier.  Decide the route you want to take as far as custom portrait photographer or something as simple as going to a big box store.  If you are surfing the internet and looking at custom photographers I would suggest keeping the thought of money in your back pocket.  If your budget is tight try to start your research at least 6 months before you would like to have the portraits taken.  This will allow time for you to put the money aside for the images you will really love.  If you are choosing someone to capture those sweet moments that will be passed on for decades you better damn well like the work.   Look at the photographers portfolio and bookmark the photographers work that really speak to you, find out their prices and don't think about that price as what you are going to spend now, but something you will spend in the future.  

We all know life gets busy and having portraits taken is usually not number one on the list, but it should be.  Write it on your calendar just like those weekly baseball games and play dates, memories should never be put on the back burner.  

Spotlight: Age 6

Challenging yourself is important, you will never advance if you don't try new things.  As a photographer I have chosen to challenge myself in learning new ways to light my subjects to make for a more dramatic outcome.  Lighting plays a huge role when photographing anything, more than you might know.  The light a photographer chooses to use plays a huge role in their signature style.  This challenge is called Spotlight: 0-100, I chose to highlight ages 0-100 to acknowledge that no matter the age, everyone has a purpose.  Technically this has a double challenge for myself because I don't photograph all ages, I specialize in capturing childhood.  This image above is my 6 year old son, he literally just turned 6  within a few days of taking this photograph.  He was laying in my bed on the ipad, I immediately turned off all the lights and this image is lit solely from the light of the ipad, he is whispering something to my younger son who cannot be seen in the image because he was not being directly lit like my 6 year old.  I took a few images but this one really spoke to me because he tends to tell quite a few secrets to his brother.  

If your are interested in seeing the other images that I have so far taken for this challenge you can see them here and here.  I encourage you to try something to challenge yourself.  It doesn't have to be photography related, anything in your life that you have always dreamed to do, but have feared the outcome due to lack of confidence.   

$50 8x10's? Why is custom portrait photography so expensive?

Why is custom photography so expensive?  

For Photographers,

Well for starters, is anything custom cheap? It is something made unique to the personality of the client and cannot be recreated for someone else.  This is a question I see very often and to be honest a really great one. I would be lying if I said I never asked this question before, but now that I am a photographer I understand the answer.  It took quite a bit of education to get there, but now that I am here I wondered why so many people didn't understand why my prices were as so. Then it clicked, why are we as photographers so quick to get frustrated and defensive with a legit question?  Why should we expect our clients to understand something that took us so long to arrive to the answer. All they know is they want their family photographed and if they go to Sears it may only cost them $200 for the session and prints.

What a client sees when booking a custom portrait session?

-The photographer they contacted has emailed/called them back and booked a session          

-The photographer photographed them                                                                                      

-The photos were shared with us via online gallery or in person

-Another photographer can do it for a cheaper price 

This to your client looks like a few hours of work, so of course that 100/200/300 dollar session fee makes sense.  What clients are confused about is that they don't get the images until they have purchased the disc and/or products after their session and why does an 8x10 cost 30/40/50 dollars when I can get it for $2?  There's no denying that before you were a photographer or knew anything about business you wondered why that price was as so, right? Your guilty of that exact same question.  EDUCATE THEM!!!  Give them a reason to work with you.  Below might help get you started. You MUST respect a person's budget and yes maybe they can't afford you even after you educate them on why your prices are higher than the photographer down the street.  Find out what they are looking for and refer them to someone who can fulfill their needs and still remain in the budget.

Each photographer has a different price point, why?  

They all offer a different type of service and experience.  The benefit to asking what their price covers is you might realize you are willing to pay the extra price for the extra service.  Another thing to keep in mind is the longer the photographer has been in business the higher chance their prices will reflect that.  

The reality of it all.

For Clients & Photographers (a list of what our overhead is)

-props cost money                                                                                              

-website                                                                                                                                            

-gallery host                                                                                                                                      

-insurance for equipment                                                                                                  

-insurance for their business                                                                                                            

-promo material (business cards, catalogs, studio samples, direct mailers, displays for advertising, etc)                                                                                                                              

-depreciation of gear                                                                                                                    

-new camera gear                                                                                                                            

-education                                                                                                                                        

-editing software                                                                                                                              

-computer(s)                                                                                                                              

-phone                                                                                                                                              

-some may have a studio                                                                                                                  

-backdrops/floordrops/reflectors/lighting equipment                                                                      

-client gift                                                                                                                                          

-product packaging                                                                                                                        

-coffee/meals purchased for you during consultations                                                                    

-furniture for studio space                                                                                                                

-sd cards                                                                                                                                          

-hard drives                                                                                                                                      

-gas/travel                                                                                                                                        

-venue fees (depending on where the location is)                                                                          

-taxes                                                                                                                                                

-The ability to provide you with professional grade products (psst, Walgreens is not on this list)

-oh and we have to pay ourselves (we have families to provide for as well) 

-most important, TIME!!!

Time is free that is evident, but your time should be valued by you and by your clients.  So how much time does a photographer typically spend on one session?  Well the answer to this question varies on what type of service your photographer provides.  I can tell you I spend up to 20 hours per client depending on what they are looking for.  So divide that by my session fee of $100, that does not cut it.  Wow, that was an eye opener, I knew I spent a lot of time for my clients, but wowzers, your welcome :).

List of where my time goes per session:

 -pre-consultation/booking: 1 hour                                                                                                  

-drive to and from session: up to 2 hours                                                                                         

-session time: 1-2 hours                                                                                                                      

-culling photos: 1 hour                                                                                                                        

-editing photos: 4-5 hours                                                                                                                

-loading your images into gallery: 1-2 hours                                                                                      

-post-consultation: 1-2 hours                                                                                                              

-if purchasing a custom designed album: up to 4 hours to design                                                  

-loading and ordering your products: 30 min                                                                                  

-packing up your images/thank you card/client gift/hand delivery: up to 2 hours 

So do you still think your time is not valuable?

Your session fee covers a very small portion of what your photographer actually needs to break even.  I know that when I started out as a photographer I was just as confused, I thought wow I already have a camera and all I have to do is take some photos, edit, and hand over a disc.  I was getting almost 100% profit. 

I booked a wedding 2 years ago before I put my son into football and so I was not sure how his schedule was going to be.  I ended up having to leave his game early to shoot the wedding and I missed his very first touchdown, ever.  This is why it is so important to value your time, because you will never get that moment back.  

This list above is the reason why photographers charge more for their products than you can get them for, the session fee essentially is a "deposit" toward the entire experience.  Having your photos done is a must, any photographer will agree with that, but having a custom photography experience is a luxury and so it is not required.

Custom portrait photography vs. Big box stores

Each session is unique.  I know for my business I make it a point to really understand my clients and their kids before ever shoving a camera in their face.  Your photographer is not on a time crunch to get you in and out of the door, the time is yours and will be until the photographers gets what you have requested and what they need to fill a gallery for you.  A custom portrait photographer walks you through the entire process from booking to best products to purchase that fit your budget and your family. Your photographer will make you feel like no one else exists, your session is the most important at that time.  We want to know your family on a personal level, isn't that what photography is about, freezing time?  We want you to remember who your family was then and the only way to accomplish this is to photograph the reality, your life as it is (lifestyle),  a location that reflects you and props that no one else will ever use (your heirlooms).  I remember awhile back when my family had their first and last portrait session done at portrait innovations, we walked in all dressed up and ready to go, or were we?  We had to wait behind a list of families that were before us, my son at the time was about 2 and what 2 year old wants to sit and wait.  I mentioned that I would like to have just the plain white backdrop and their response was "well if it's available when your turn comes then you can have it", REALLY?!  It was finally our turn and of course we did not get the white background, my son kept trying to run out of the scene and so of course I had to follow to bring him back, the photographer just kind of stood there with an annoyed look on her face, and guess what????  I didn't get to choose anything I wanted, not even the photographer.  This is what sets custom photography a part from the big box stores. 

The real question is, how would you feel if we asked for you to do your job for free or at a discounted rate?  Here's to photographers being able to relate to clients and clients being able to relate to professional photographers.                                                                                                                        

Murfreesboro Child's portrait- pucker up!!!

It has been pretty slow around here and so of course to keep my spirits up my kids fill my time.  This is my 2 year old son who will do anything for food.  Exhibit A. I really was looking for that gq look with his fist under his chin, it took a few tries to get it just right.  Of all the images this was my favorite because his lips were all puckered up and he looks just so sweet.  My secret to getting him to sit still and follow my direction was waiving a sucker by the lens and reminding him repeatedly that if he did what mommy was doing he would get that sucker.   Oh the things we do to get that shot. 

Featured Photographer

I had the honor of interviewing such an amazing photographer, I found her work some time ago and when I look at her work I have to remind myself to pick my tongue up off the floor and put it back in my mouth.  She was a joy to interview and her passion for photography is evident.  

I think one of the things I connect most with Anelle Richardson Photography work is not the obvious, it's beautiful no question, but she specializes in the same type portraits as I and her approach to photographing kids and families is just like me, so when it came to asking her a few questions I knew exactly where to start.  

Me:  You do a beautiful job with everyone you photograph from sweet little newborns to stunning head shots. If you had to photograph just one particular niche, what would it be?    

Anelle: " What a lovely compliment, Marie.   I think it would have to be families.   I love photographing families, whether they  are brand-new families with itty-bitty newborns or families where kids are already growing like weeds.   I always remind moms that they should get out from behind the camera and in front of it – these photos are for us, but also for the generations to come."

Me: How long have you been a photographer and what in your life has inspired you to be a photographer and to then do it as a means of income?

Anelle: "  I hate to use the whole since-I-was-a-child but My dad is a serious nature photography hobbyist and he fostered my passion for this beautiful and diverse form of art early on in life.   
After school I studied journalism with photography as one of my majors.   Those were the days of film and darkroom.  I wish I could reminisce with the old timers about "the good old days" but truthfully, I don't miss the chemicals, the wait or the smell.  I love digitalWhen I had kids my focus obviously changed and I started dabbling in photography again.  I must admit that getting used to digital was hard in the beginning.   Moving from hobbiest, to serious hobbiest, to business was kind of a natural progression.   I’m very grateful for those photographers who took the time to teach me and show me that there is now need to rush into business:  To make sure that you’ve got the basics covered, to get your business ducks in a row, and then to GO FOR IT!"

Me: Every photographer has a different approach to how they handle photographing families and kids, especially when it comes to small children.   How would you describe what it's like to be photographed by you?

Anelle: "A photo session is supposed to be fun!  I aim for no-one to ever feel stressed.  I have a lovely young assistant who helps me out with my family sessions.  The antics, puppets and our singing (it is terrible  but we get real laughter) all help for a relaxed experience.   I want kids to run and play.  I love dad’s swinging their kids up high, mom’s cuddling and tickling.  I love brothers and sisters laughing together.   These sessions are all about memories – capturing them, but especially making them."

Me:   I really love your studio sessions, the light is so clean and the main focus is in the subject rather than all the props, the one thing I struggle with in my natural light studio is the ever changing light, do you use artificial light or natural light in studio and can you elaborate on your lighting choice (why do you like natural over artificial or vice versa)? 

Anelle: "  Thank you!   I’m fairly new to studio work.  And I’ve always been a bit of a “natural light snob” but I’m actually loving studio lighting.  It is easy and reliable and I love that I can move it where I want it to be.   The sun doesn’t obey me!   I shoot with an AB400 in a Westcott 50x50 Softbox.   I’ve been playing with more dramatic maternity and I am thinking of adding some kind of hairlight in the mix."

Me: Going back to becoming a photographer, how long did you shoot before you actually started to charge and what is the best advice you can give to anyone looking to get into portrait photography. 

Anelle: " I probably shot for a good 2 years once I started shooting again, before I started charging.  In those days I was on a forum called I Love Photography and there was a huge emphasis on having decent technical skill, artistic vision and business basics in place before charging.  I’m very glad I went that route.  I believe that photography is a symbiotic relationship:  Shooting from the heart and solid technical skills.  One without the other is simply not complete!"

Me: Of course the question everyone always wants to know, what's in your camera bag and if you only had one lens to use which would it be?

Anelle: "   Canon 5D markiii, a 85mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 28-70mm 2.8, a speedlight, some lens hoods, batteries, lots of memory cards, and a partridge in a pear tree….   I’m looking at getting the 135mm, but I’m a little undecided.  If I could choose only one lens, I don’t think I’d be able to.  I use my 50mm most in studio for newborns, and my 85mm outdoors."

Me: Marketing your business for every photographer is always a challenge, whether it be lack of funds, lack of confidence, or just lack of know how.  What has been the best marketing strategy for you business?

Anelle: "  Definitely word of mouth and then Google.   I also a few marketing strategies planned for 2014, I’ll let you know how it goes!"

If you would like to learn more about Anelle Richardson Photography you can visit her website here.  Follow her on Facebook here, check out what she is pinning here, and see what she has to say on Google+  here.

Photographers Unite!!! {In Murfreesboro TN}

I have been very busy lately and trying to keep this a secret has been the hardest part of the whole thing.  I am proud to be a part of such a giving photography community.  I have seen so many photographers step up to help each other out, a perfect example is last year when wedding photographer Marvell "Vell" Smith was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident, you can see his story here.  Something happened in the photography community that just blew me a way. Given the abrupt nature of his death the weddings he had booked prior would be without a photographer, but I watched so many photographers step up to the plate to help complete the remaining weddings he had booked for the year.  

Or when Amazing Abby found out she had terminal cancer, the photography community followed her story, heard her words of wisdom, and prayed for her during her battle.  You can find her story here.

It is our turn to give back to a photographer in need, this story is not nearly as sad as the others I mentioned, but the thought of my family losing our photographer is sad for me, there are other photographers out there, but she is the one for us and I am sure her other clients feel just the same.  Christina Campbell from Eternal Treasures Photography has been robbed.  All the equipment that helped capture these happy families, beautiful smiles, and sweet kisses is now gone, but you can't steal talent so we are working together to help get all that equipment back. Thanks Kalli Pavon from  Kalimana Birth Stories for creating yet another wonderful film.

You can view part 1 of this story here. 

If you are interested in donating and/or signing up to join this event, you can do so here.

Murfreesboro Children's Photographer Spotlight Challenge: 0-100, Age 2.

Why is it that finding the light seems to be so much harder when you have a specific goal in mind?  Here is yet another image for my Spotlight: 0-100 challenge, this is age 2.  I tried so hard to accomplish an image while he was awake, however given he is 2 meant I had two options.  Play extra hard, be super animated, lots of patience and continuous shooting ooooooor I could wait until bedtime and take one shot, you can see below the route I chose.

If you would like to see more about my challenge you can view it here.

Murfreesboro Children's sleeping portrait.

Murfreesboro Children's Photographer editing style

9 SIMPLE STEPS TO EDITING YOUR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS.

When starting photography, editing was not my strong point.  Over the years I have read a few books, watched a lot of workshops, and my share of youtube videos (each one about 100 times). Yet somehow I really still only know the basics. The reason for this post is simply because I have been asked to share some of my editing workflow and so of course I was flattered, so here goes.

Murfreesboro Children's portrait:  This is an image of my son, he was testing out my backdrop for me so of course skittles were in order.  This image is straight out of camera.  I did not alter it in anyway, YET!!

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 1:

I start of by running one of my favorite actions by Greater Than Gatsby called One Click Perfect Color.  You can find their facebook page here. I am not sure if this specific action is still available, but if so did I mention IT'S FREE!!!

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 2:

I change my image to black and white as you can see above.  Not really much more to explain about that.

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 3:

I adjust my contrast to my liking, just remember to not overdue it.  I usually do it just enough to see a little pop.  

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 4:

I then open the levels tab.  There is so much more that you can do with this tab, but I don't have enough time to share, actually a video would be much easier to see how creative you can get with levels.  It involves quite a few layers and an image that is much more interesting than this one.  

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 5:

I have circled three tabs here.  This image shows the settings I chose so note the numbers are not all as they started.  The black tab on the left controls your shadows, the gray tab in the middle controls your midtones, and the white tab to the right is your highlights.  I again drag these to my liking and hit okay.  Don't be afraid to experiment with the tabs, move them around, test them out if you don't like it just hit cancel, no harm not foul.  I do recommend creating a background layer which I discuss below before just playing around though.  You want to keep the original as organic as possible so as to not ruin any pixels in the process.

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 6:

Here I do just a little skin smoothing, nothing crazy, just a hint.  This is where I create a background copy by simply hitting command (mac) or ctrl (pc) J.  I then choose filter> Blur > Surface Blur.

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 7:

As you can see here I have just added a hint of blur, this help smooth the skin out a little, I don't usually use this on kids, but in this case to make it appear softer I did.  

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 8:

Next up I add a mask to my background layer, this essentially allows you to erase off the blur where you don't want it on your subject. Be sure the white box is selected to do the next step.  The box will have a box around it, that is how you know it is selected.

Murfreesboro Child photographer edit Step 9:  

Now grab your brush tool from your sidebar on the left and choose black as your color.  Make sure your mask is still selected and now paint on your subject (only where you don't want the blur).  I painted it off his eyes, eyebrows, and lips.  

Tada, the final image.  Just note that your images may yield different results because even if you follow every step I have here your shooting style, clothing & location choices, and lighting are all probably different. That is what's so great about being able to use someone else's editing style and the outcome is still unique.

Stayed tuned for editing in color.

Every Moment is Important {Murfreesboro Children's Photographer}

As a photographer I spend a lot of time working on my business.  I am so motivated to be successful and capture special moments for my families.  I spend a lot of time on my computer tending to emails, updating my blog, finances, and so on.  I also have a family to care for and a home to keep up with.  There are times I set my camera down and don't pick it up until my next session.  People take photographs for two different reasons, advertising and memory.  We want to freeze time and remember what the world use to be like, we want to remember our kids and their sweet little chubby faces, we want for our children to have images with their grandparents before they pass, and the list goes on.  So from here on out I vow to not let that camera sit until the next session because I will miss more moments that I might never get back later.  

This image below was taken durning my boys bedtime, I happen to be walking passed their room and saw them all snuggled up in bed together, so of course a photo was in order.  Don't forget to photograph your own family.

Don't dwell on the negative, work toward the positives. {Murfreesboro Children's Photographer}

Yet again today I was trying to find something to write about, I looked to my life and community to see what was available and inspirational.  I was going to write about making lists and how if I write something down there is a better chance of completing it or feeling down about my business only for a Michael Jackson to come on the radio and boost my spirits again, about how music can really make or break anyones mood.  Then something happened, I was reading my facebook feed and saw that not only a fellow photog, but friend had been robbed.  This is twice in 9 months.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Earlier today I was slightly depressed about not being booked as much as I had hoped and just overall sad with my place as a business, I wish I could be as busy as them (other photogs in my area).  I wish I was more successful than I am, but the minute I saw this post and I read the feed to determine the full extent of the situation and by doing so I quickly found out that this person was robbed of all of the equipment it took for her to photograph the newborns, kids, and families.  I then read a little further and this was the comment that made my heart drop....."this might just cost me my business."  So quickly you might wonder, why? what about insurance?  well how about that lapse when you are switching and your first payment may or may not have made it.  This got me motivated, what is the first thing I can do to help?  I quickly messaged her offering up any equipment I have so that she can complete sessions she currently has and then gathered a few of the local photographers to do the same if they were willing and available to do so.  So with all that I wrote the lesson learned here for myself and others is don't kick someone when they are down.  This is a terrible way to lose a business and no one should have to deal with this, but it happens and this is another great example why it is a great idea to friend others that offer the same services as you.   Oh and did I mention she is also my families photographer and the one person I looked up to when learning about photography.

Photo credit: Christina Campbell at Eternal Treasures Photography

Murfreesboro Children's Photographer attempts writing, EPIC FAIL!!!

I am drawing a blank..........I do this often as I am sure you do as well. How do I know that what I write about will spark an interest with my readers?  How do I know what you want to hear about?  My blog has a purpose for sure and that is a way to release my thoughts onto someone other than my husband (he rarely listens anyways).  Writing sometimes feels like a one way conversation, the comments come in but it's just not the same as a conversation with a real person.  Sometimes I find myself needing that other person to feed off of. You know what it feels like? That moment you sit in a car with another person (kids don't count, they only talk) and there is silence, nothing, nada.  I find myself having a conversation in my head.  This is what it sounds like; weather is always an obvious one, but I don't want to be that person who states the obvious (the suns out), that is a really nice top (oh great now they probably think I am checking them out).  Then the end of the conversation is about why do I need to talk they aren't saying anything either so maybe they don't want to talk and repeat!!!

My husband says to just keep writing, he promises it will get easier.  Google has held my hand through anything I need to know.   I wouldn't be where I am with my photography if it wasn't for search engines so why not do the same with writing.  Google search: how to blog successfully?  Write about something relatable, have blips of humor, let the purpose of your blog be obvious, be consistent, don't stop and the list goes on.  Even with all that research I still feel lost, do you ever feel that way?

p.s. this took me about 2 hrs to write and this is all I got hehe, oh well, here's to tomorrow.

Spotlight: 0-100

 Every year I see someone post about their 365 project.  I think it is a great project if of course you have a great memory, something new and interesting to photograph everyday, lots of time and dedication, however I do not possess any of these qualities.  Every time I watch a movie, look at magazines, or just my life in general I find myself constantly checking out the lighting situations.  This has encouraged me to do my own project, I wanted to find a way to draw attention to my subjects, but in a different way. It was not going to be bokeh (blurring the foreground and background), leading lines, or using their eyes to draw your attention, it had to be the light.

 I am calling this Spotlight: 0-100.  So what does that mean?  I will be photographing from now until 2015; 101 people starting at newborn all the way to age 100.  Every age is important whether you think so or not, life goes by in a blink of an eye and I want to focus on all of them.  I will only take the photograph for this project if the strongest light is on my subject and deep shadows surrounding the light.   If you would love to join me in this project I would love to see what you come up with.  Every photographer has a different perspective and so I would be curious to see how you would present this project.  Here's to getting to be creative on your own dime.  Here is my first image for my project.  This is my niece who is always willing to model for me day or night, she is 10 years old. One age down 100 to go.

I will be looking for models so if you are interested or know anyone who might be please email me at mariebohnphotography@gmail.com.  

Winter storms 2014 {Murfreesboro TN Photographer}

 As many of my friends and family know we left December 20th to be with our family for the Holidays.  Our flight was scheduled to leave out of Cleveland on Thursday January 2nd.  We were going to drive from Buffalo NY to the Cleveland airport in an effort to save money.  Due to severe winter weather we were banned from traveling thus missing our flight back to Nashville.  Our flight was then rescheduled to leave today January 6th, we planned ahead this time, we booked a hotel and decided to leave a day early.  We had brunch with family and were on our way to pick up our car rental and the airport contacted us canceling our flight yet again.  Here is a little bit of a preview of the weather we are experiencing and a perfect reason to cancel our flight.  There is a traffic light about 1/4 mile up the road which you can typically see from the porch. The snow is blowing like crazy, windchill -25, I didn't want to venture to far out into the chaos and so this image will have to do. I feel like I had to post this because all my TN friends probably think we are just trying to extend our vacation time haha.  As I am writing this I can hear the wind blowing like crazy. My in-laws house is so old I bet the windows are original to the house, every time a gust a wind comes the windows shake and a draft follows.  Hope everyone stays safe and warm, we shall return when the universe allows us. 

You are unique, your business should be too. {Murfreesboro TN Childrens Photographer}

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2 years ago I began my venture into photography and when I say began I mean really started to learn and understand all that is photography.  I really began to learn that just because I owned a nice camera didn't AT ALL qualify me as a photographer.  As I am writing this I think 2 years, wow that is all, but ask me 2 years ago and I probably would say I can't wait to see what my work will look 2 years from now, I will be so much better.  I am just that, so much better, but in no way where I want to be.  Yes I want to be that photographer that others can come to and ask advice, I want to eventually teach my skill one day, I want others to be inspired by me, but the one thing I don't want is to ever be done learning.  I don't want to know every single thing there is to know about photography, I want to be able to go out, shoot, try new things and be surprised with the results that follow.

Becoming a photographer, especially a portrait photographer, doesn't mean that all I have to learn is how to take photos, use my camera, be creative, and just understand all the elements that is photography.   I had to really learn how to run a business and be a business person.  Many might think that being a photographer is going out shooting, coming home and edit and then share with your clients.  I WISH, I am a business owner and with that comes marketing, taxes, budgets, researching, answering emails/phone calls, customer service, sales, and so on.  I really struggled in this area of being a photographer, I am an artist, why in the world would I need to know business.  In order for your business to survive understanding how to run a business is just as if not even more important than being a photographer.  I spend my first year learning how to simply use my camera, find clients, draining myself in post, changing my prices, adjusting my business plan.  Why? because I was terrible at business.  I then began to learn, but not fully understand, I looked at other photographers in my area, what products they offered, what packages if packages at all they offered, do they have a studio, what equipment do they have and so on.  I then worked my price list and my business plan around what everyone else did, so what is wrong with this picture?  My business is no different than the other photographers in my area, why should they come to me over the other photographers in my area?  What sets me apart?  

Be unique, you as an individual are unique, your business is a refection of you and so why should your business be like everyone else.  Don't stop shooting. Instead of researching equipment, looking at other photographers in your area, and finding locations; understand business 101. No matter what kind of business they own, everyone needs to know the basics. Just because you are a photographer doesn't mean your business basics are different then other types of companies. I am currently at the beginning of my 3 year and I am ready, I am offering products that  reflect my personality, at prices I need to make to run my business, my brand is what I like and not something I found on another persons work, my services are what I want to offer not because someone else is.  It's okay to look at your "competition", but not look like your "competition".  The reason I used "" is because I don't see other photographers as my competition rather my colleagues, befriend them, they are not your enemy, YOU are your enemy.

How do you benefit from friending local photographers? Not every photographer offers the same services, if they like you and your work they will refer clients to you, who knows they may even be your client.  Another aspect of business 101 how do you think stores get products?  Vendors from other businesses pay to have their products of their shelves, plenty of businesses work together to advance each other, why would photography be any different?

Get off the other photographers sites, step away from B&H for a few days, let google be your friend, visit your local bookstore, grab a coffee and visit the business section.  You can be successful if you want to be.