Workshop Date Announced

After numerous requests I have finally gotten myself organized enough to identify a date for another photography workshop. It is going to Saturday, May 30th starting at 9:30.
Here is a little info on what I cover:
-the camera...I will discuss key settings and functions that will improve your ability to capture your kids. I will not be covering every function of the camera and what they do so it is not a "how to use your new camera" workshop but you will definitely get a much better understanding of how to use your cameras best features.
-the lens...I will make a few recommendations on lenses and how to get the most out of them. Lenses are really the key to improving your standard pictures so this is great information to learn.
-f-stop/shutter speed/ISO...this is where photography gets confusing for most people. I will help you understand the correlation between these and how to use them to improve your ability to take great pictures. I promise the light bulbs will go on and you will be so excited to finally understand it all.
-taking the picture...use of light, angles, etc.
-post-processing...key tips to bump your image up in Elements or Photoshop.
-image/file management...ways to ensure that you don't turn your computer into the old photo shoe box.
-vendors/software...there are great products/vendors/software out there.
And more!!!
Please call or email me to reserve a seat.

The last of the mini sessions brought three more girls who were ready to play. More giggles, piling on each other, more giggles...such a great way to end the day!
I really love the closeness they shared w/ each other in this first image. I hope they will love it for many years to come.

The next two posts have a few things in common. Lots of girls and a gate. The gate leading to my neighbor's backyard has become my favorite new spot. Kids love playing w/ it and the texture and spontinaity it provides I think is to die for. With the mini sessions being back to back and in the same area the gate got a lot of action. I didn't want to inundate the blog w/ the same look but these kids are just too cute w/ it that I have to add a few more.
These little girls started off a little shy but the smiles and giggles soon emerged.

Tears were the trend for starting the sitting during the 5:00 hour. When these kids' mom emerged from her car she looked a little worn out and had a hopeless look on her face. Her oldest had spent an hour adamantly refusing to have pictures taken. I reassured her that I was confident I could turn the tide. And within the first five minutes the first image happened. Her oldest became my biggest cooperator for the whole shoot. I had a ball with these cute kids!

This dad scores big points in my book. He signed up for the Mother's Day mini session as a surprise for his wife. Not only that he did a GREAT job dressing his little girl. Her belt couldn't have been cuter. Right as we were about to start his daughter burst into tears and said she didn't want to play outside. I could tell her dad was thinking to himself, "What have I gotten myself into???" But I took her hand and we went inside for a few minutes and after wiping a few tears she was ready to head out. As the shoot went a long she warmed up more and more. And dad scored more points. He picked her a flower for her and you could see how much she loved it.
Way to go Brook! I hope the surprise is a hit for Mother's Day.

The last of Laos

Every time I go to prepare files to post here I see the last of my Laos images sitting waiting for me to do something. So to finally clear my plate I am going to do one more Laos image dump. The first images are from the last of the hill tribe villages we visited. These are Khamou people. They were so welcoming. Then we headed to the Four Thousand Islands area in southern Laos. Life on the Mekong River offered endless photo opportunities. I had to share a few of and from the ferry we rode across the Mekong on. It was so archaic that we laughed the entire way, only to be interrupted by our wolfing down tasty food that woman were selling. Fishing is the way of life there and every evening the river would fill with men throwing nets from their wooden boats. I don't think I would ever tire of watching the gracefulness of the nets being casted.

As soon as I saw this little guy's eyes light up I knew I was in for a great time. His mom brought some hats along which I wish happened more often during my shoots. These hats were perfect for him. He was full of so many smiles we spent most of the shoot just laughing with him. Check out how adorable he is...