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    • Crystal JamesCrystal James

    Happy Friday Special Session Share: Lyon Park!

    May 27, 2011 | Posted by Crystal James

    It is always such a joy to photograph a newborn baby, the teeny-tiny fingers and toes, the sweet little sounds they make, and the new baby smell.  But, it’s even MORE wonderful to photograph the newborn baby when his mommy is a friend and a fellow photographer.  Kim Busby suggested that we use my studio to photograph Alice & Kyu Park’s new baby boy: Christian Lyon Park.  Danielle Bryson and Lisa Phillipson joined us as well, and baby Lyon was the picture-perfect model in every way.  The four of us had a wonderful time posing him and ooohing and ahhhhing over his sweetness the whole time.  As I’m sure Alice can attest, it’s very different when it’s YOUR OWN baby that is being photographed, and I think she enjoyed just watching this time (you’ll see proud mommy in the background behind the scenes below).

    It was truly an honor to photograph baby Lyon for my dear friends.  I can’t wait to see the many, many, many pictures as he grows up!  XOXO

    Brianna AndersonBrianna Anderson

    Working against the odds: Family Session Share!

    May 25, 2011 | Posted by Brianna Anderson

    This particular session was such a delight to me because it was a success despite the fact that it literally had the odds stacked against it!  The day of our session – and let me just preface this by saying the weather had been unbelievably beautiful lately, as only Scottsdale would be – within 5 minutes of pulling up to our location, the clouds covered the sky completely. And as if the gray skies weren’t enough, the wind picked up with crazy gusts that were blowing everything around. However, when my clients pulled up in their car, I could tell that they weren’t going to let some gray skies and a little wind affect their pictures. And boy, it didn’t! They posed perfectly together, effortlessly and casual as if it came no naturally to them. They played and laughed and joked around. The boys even wrestled and ran around together. They were exactly… themselves.  The result of their playful manner and joyful attitudes really picked up on camera, and we captured some great shots of them just being the sweet little family that they are. We all knew that there was nothing we could do about the crazy weather, so they decided to have fun with it anyway! And I am so happy that they did!!

    Oh, and did I mention that they have some serious style? Because they do. They really really do. Check out this gorgeous family…..

    The brothers were just cracking me up! They were so funny and playful … boys will be boys :)

    Erika BluntErika Blunt

    The Bravest Boy

    May 23, 2011 | Posted by Erika Blunt

    He is sweet. He is incredibly charming. He is strong. He has the best sense of humor a 13-year-old can have. He has a very special sparkle in his eyes. He is full of life. He wants to be a photographer when he grows up. He loves basketball. He is amazing at spotting all kinds of birds and the tiniest fish in a pond. He is not my son, but he made my mother’s day one of the best days ever. He doesn’t know it, but he taught me to see life in a whole different way, in only 2 hours. He is only 13 and he is the bravest boy I know.

    D and his family have been through a lot. Really, a lot. Back in October, D became ill and after some testing was done he was diagnosed with a rare life-threatening illness. Ever since he was diagnosed, he has undergone some very invasive treatments including 40+ blood transfusions and a couple bone marrow transplants. Both D and his mom have been away from the rest of their family for about 5 months now as they had to temporarily move to Calgary, AB for D to receive treatment at the local Children’s Hospital.

    This session was the most amazing experience for me. I got to meet D and his mom on Mother’s Day. Why would you work on mother’s day instead of spending the day with your own family? You may ask… D’s mom and I tried to schedule a time to do this session for about 2 months, but either D wasn’t well and needed to be in the hospital or the weather was terrible. So finally, we were able to do it on Mother’s Day, and truly, it was a gift to me. I have never met such a cheery boy. So happy, positive and full of live. Watching D interact with his mom was so amazing. They seemed so relaxed and just happy to be together. I had an amazing Mother’s Day with those two. Truly.

    Kristen the designerKristen the designer

    Happy Fridays: Fabric Flower Crafts!

    May 20, 2011 | Posted by Kristen the designer

    One of my absolute favorite new trends perfect for girls of all ages: fabric flower accessories! They have been making a slow steady comeback but they have really exploded this spring! As photographers, I am sure many of you may already have several on hand as props or great accessories for shoot styling. But don’t forget to use them to be stylish yourself :)

    Above I have shown a few different ways they can be used, as well as provided links to the Etsy shops where they can be purchased. Martha Stewart has some great tips if you are interested in creating a few of your own, but let me warn you it can get a little addicting, so stock up on fabric! Here is a recent video tutorial for fabric flowers, as well as a tutorial on making silk poppies! Use them on headbands, belts, purses, shoes…anything and everything!

    To find the above items please visit these Etsy shops:

    1) Purple feather clip from Beautiful Blossoms
    2) Little purple flower from Bambaroos
    3) Yellow sash flower from Martha Stewart
    4) Pink shoe clip flowers from Miss Glory

    Happy crafting and Happy Fridays!

    Stacey WoodsStacey Woods

    A Day at the Beach: Family Session Share!

    May 18, 2011 | Posted by Stacey Woods

    Inspiration: Definitely my clients and their personalities.  I try to have a loose plan before each session, but ultimately, the mood is created by the personalities of the individuals in front of my lens.  This sweet family was fun, outgoing, and loved to laugh and tease each other, so the images were a lot of fun to create.

    Favorite Element: I loved the fact that we held this session at a favorite beach.  We had places for the kids to explore, sand to romp around in, waves to splash in.  The location really allowed the kids (and the parents!) to open up and be themselves, in their element, their happy place.  The light was gorgeous and the temperatures were mild, and everyone was up to their knees in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of the shoot!

    Biggest Challenge: I think by the time kids are seven, eight, and older, they’re so used to smiling when someone turns the camera on them.  Once I got the kids to loosen up a little (i.e. make crazy faces and sounds for me) and told them that it was okay not to look directly at me and smile, I feel like the session went more smoothly.  I always want my clients’ experiences with me to be happy and relaxed, and to feel natural, never forced at all.

    What the Client Said: They absolutely loved the results and ordered every image from the session! I can’t wait to see the large wall gallery that they had custom framed.

    Photographers’ Final Words: Sessions that are truly customized around each family’s dynamic are the most fun for me, personally.  I try to get my clients to open up and chat with me prior to the session, to share the emotion that they want the final images to convey.  Once I know the vibe that they want the session to have, and the personalities of each member of the family, then I feel like we can make a deeper connection at the shoot and really capture their hearts.  I believe that the images are even more meaningful to them when we get to know each other first.  It’s a pleasure for me to have a hand in creating artwork that my families will enjoy for years to come.



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