Alison MulqueenAlison Mulqueen
April 12, 2012 | Posted by Alison Mulqueen
When photographing children I love to include props to make it fun. Props engage children in pretend play, make them feel comfortable and forget that I am there snapping away. This is the time that I can capture those natural smiles and expressions, the ones parents know and love. No forced or fake smiles, just children having fun and enjoying something new and exciting.
Styling a session like this one takes time. I had found this oar at a garage sale and could instantly see my vision. I then set about finding a rusty wheelbarrow to use as the boat, a tea towel for the sail and a stick and twine for a fishing rod. I had the perfect location in mind and it all came together easily. This little boy really enjoyed pretend fishing. He was quite hesitant when he first arrived but once he started playing he relaxed and fitted into the scene so easily.
My aim is to make the whole experience fun and more like a play date than a photography session and more often than not, we end the session best friends! If a child feels comfortable and relaxed then the end product will be natural photos that you as a parent will love.
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Props Inspiration: Drawers
When my little girl was about 4 months old, I brought her back to visit my hometown. It was in a much...
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Charlotte BiesseCharlotte Biesse
March 13, 2012 | Posted by Charlotte Biesse
Did you know that there is a new trend in the world of baby showers? That’s right, sweet tables are making an entrance in a big way. They’re a great way to display delectable treats and work double duty as a stunning focal point for the event.
A fun idea for shower guests is to enjoy the sweet table goodies as party favours! Guests always love taking home sweet memories at the end of a special day.
Get inspired and find a theme that really speaks to you. The theme can be anything from a reflection of your style and personailty to maybe a colour scheme you love. It always helps to work with an event planner, florist or designer to ensure your vision comes to life.
Hiring a professional photographer for the shower is a great way to ensure the memories are captured. It gives friends and family a chance to really relax and be a part of the fun. You can leave the snapping up to the professional so you all can enjoy and be in the moment.
If you have a baby shower to plan, why not do something especially sweet for the event. A sweet table is not only eye-catching but it will create a unique and memorable experience for the guests.
Vendors
Event Planner: DistinctOccasions.ca
Event Decor: Design2Decor.com
Caterer: MarigoldsAndOnions.com
Cake: PatriciaCakes.com
Annie JonesAnnie Jones
February 2, 2012 | Posted by Annie Jones
A beautiful session for three very special little girls.
Inspiration: These three little girls are extra special to me, as their mother isn’t only a fabulous photographer herself, but a dear friend of mine. The inspiration really came from our love of everything vintage, the gorgeous evening sunlight we get here in Australia and of course the little girls themselves who adore everything pink and girly. Over a few weeks, we discussed the session, props and clothing. We begged, borrowed and baked, until we felt we had everything we needed.
Favourite Element: Being able to document the closeness of the girls, and how truly beautiful they are, has to be my favourite element of this session. The light this particular evening was also devine and of course our gathering of ‘props’ paid off, as when the scene was set, it looked amazing.
Biggest Challenge: Getting that ‘right spot’ for the light to be slightly diffused. In the end we chose under the large tree, as the branches and leaves not only diffused the light, but gave us fabulous sun flare.
What The Client Said: The girls Mum was thrilled with the images, and is still my friend so I think I did ok 
Photographer’s Final Words: For this particular session, preparation was the key element. We both had a ‘vision’, and set to work to ‘make’ it happen. We begged and borrowed props. We visited the location in the evening to assess the light, then finally we put it all together. It was fun for the girls too, and afterwards we all got to eat the cup cakes.
Michelle TippmannMichelle Tippmann
December 15, 2011 | Posted by Michelle Tippmann
Inspiration: This session was a collaboration with DreamSpun, a girl’s clothing boutique based in the Grand Rapids area. We wanted to do something to highlight Korrie’s, the owner, beautiful clothing and accessories, but also be fun and inspiring. Since the school season is well underway we thought it might be fun to do something school inspired to help everyone with their homework woes.
Favorite Element: The weather in Michigan can be pretty unpredictable in the late fall and so we had to make a last minute location change. It actually worked out perfectly. I loved the hints of red on the building in the background. It has this quaint school house feel.
Biggest Challenge: Once again the weather was pretty dull and cloudy. The vibrant color in the clothes, accessories and props helped a lot.
What the Client Said: The two models are Korrie’s daughters. She said, “Hooray! I think the picture of Violet scratching her head and looking like she is stumped on a hard math problem is probably my favorite picture of her ever. The expression is too cute. GREAT job lady!”
Photographers’ Final Words: This session was a lot of fun in large part, because I was allowed so much creative freedom. It is also wonderful to collaborate with someone who has a great sense of style and offers wonderful input. I think it is important to have a balance of pre-planning as well as being open to spontaneous ideas brought on in the moment.
Lynette ReevesLynette Reeves
December 8, 2011 | Posted by Lynette Reeves
Inspiration: This is such a beautiful family, and when I was thinking about their session, I talked with the Mom. We planned on our locations and how the session would go. I loved the old bus, and my favorite locations were the open field with perfectly lined trees, and the perfect sun-setting light. She and I had our ideas of how we wanted the images to end up, and I am so happy with what we got. It is exactly as I had pictured it.
Favorite Element: I loved during the session when we were in the field, the sun was just setting, and I captured the Mom with her daughter. It was not a planned moment at all. Dad was getting big brother dressed, Mom was keeping daughter happy and it was perfect capturing their relationship. I love when I can capture a family with emotions, you can just see the love they share.
Biggest Challenge: I feel like the biggest challenge to this and every family session I do is getting the children to smile all at the same time. Plus add in wanting them to be as natural as possible. My assistant Beki does a wonderful job at doing everything possible to make them happy and smiling. We even have a handful of suckers in my camera bag that everyone gets once the session is over, sometimes one child might end up with 2 or 3!! Whatever it takes to get the cute face!
What the Client Said: One thing the client kept telling me is how stressed out she had been thinking of this session, then getting everyone dressed, worried everyone will be happy. I always try to make my sessions the most relaxed and comfortable that they can be, and fun for the children. In the end she said it was such a fun session, and fell in love with her final images.
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