Photo birthday parties

A few months ago I started offering birthday Photo Parties at the studio. They've been so much fun, I thought I'd post a little "how-to". Because it really is a simple idea that anyone could implement at home. If you're interested in creating your own little "Glam Girl" party, start with the invitations. Let people know what you're doing, and what to expect. It's up to you, but I'd limit the number of guests from 6-10. This will preserve your sanity, and also make sure there's enough time for everyone. You can purchase or use your own dress up clothes, or have guests bring their own outfits. Then grab a couple friends to help you with makeup and hair. When the girls are all dolled up, it's time for their little Glam session. You can shoot against a bare wall (like I did in the photo above), or purchase a backdrop. If you don't have a soft box, just place it near a bright window, and shoot away! The little divas have so much fun posing and playing! Then afterwards, you could either print photos for your guests as a party favor. Or, upload them to a site like Shutterfly so they can order and print whatever images they'd like. You can also assemble them into a book at Blurb, so you'll have a permanent keepsake. This photo was taken at my daughter Emily's party. They had a blast, and I love that I have so many fun photos from the day. 

What about you? Do you have any photos of the little divas in your life? 

Looking Down

I was recently hired by my mother-in-law to shoot our own family photos. In addition to the large group photos of the entire family, we wanted some photos of just my nieces and nephews as well. My goal was to get some fun, unique shots of the kids because that's who they are to me. They are fun, goofy, sweet kids and are always up for anything. So when I asked them to lay on the ground on their backs, they were totally game. And, you can clearly see by Paul's face (bottom right) that laying on the ground with his cousins is hilarious.

Sometimes taking group photos of kids (especially younger ones) can be a challenge. It's often difficult to get them all together without someone wandering off. And sometimes they get distracted and look away from the camera. But what better way to contain those little bodies and hold their attention than laying them on the ground and shooting from above?

A couple of tips to master this pose...

A shot like this may require a wide andle lens and it helps if you are tall or have a chair to stand on. I try to shoot the photo from directly above the subjects. That way, the photo can be rotated in any direction and still look great. And lastly, try to place your subjects in open shade, such as under a tree or in the shadow of a building. That way, the light that falls on their faces isn't harsh sunlight. This will also keep them from squinting.

But don't limit this trick to large groups or just kids. This angle can work great for one or two people as well! And as a bonus, when you have people looking up toward the sky this way, it creates that great light in the eyes that we all love some much.

Have you attempted a shot like this before? If not, give it a try and show us the results!

Water Play

 

Growing up, my family had a love affair with water. Summers found us engaged in the most persistent and ruckus water fights on the block. Perhaps the entire city! I have fond memories of long summer days at the outdoor pool, water parks, canoe trips, water skiing and the perennial favorite of kids everywhere – sprinklers and slip and sides. Now that I'm “all growed up” and have two tots, our family has been making water-fun memories of our own.

We live in the diverse and beautiful northwest and we've made Portland, OR our home. For six summers, our family has toured the area fountains, making it an adventure to find another gem tucked into a neighborhood park or the incongruous feature of a busy urban street. When the temperature soars, as it recently did with a week of 100-degree weather, the fountains bring together families seeking play and cool water. Our passion for the many and varied water features started when my son was just a year old and in a swim diapers. It was Father's Day, mild and warm. The fountain we chose was near an ice cream shop and so another summertime tradition was born. As I look back over my son's first years these are some of my favorite photographs. Golden sun on pink cheeks, water reflected in baby-blue eyes and chubby loveliness!

We now have a series of photographs documenting the changes in our family and each of our two children's growth – mama sitting in the shade breastfeeding the new member of the family, big brother protectively hovering over an unsteady toddler, and this summer, two silly and shrieking children chasing each other in cascades of water. Also documented in the photos is my emerging sense of myself as a photographer. The first years were a frenzy of picture taking to preserve the new and wonderful experience of being a parent. Pictures that were pleasing to the eye were a fortunate accident. One that I was grateful for but that I felt no personal responsibility in creating! The last several months have been another kind of adventure – one with camera in hand, seeking images seen in my mind's eye and delighting in the process of creating them.

 

Every child believes that they are an artist – they draw and create with the same reckless and confident abandon as they play. I'm grateful to be rediscovering my inner child in photography – and for a community of women and mamas doing the same!

Pictures and words courtesy of guest blogger / honorary sister Heather of Mama Mutterings.

Eight is Great

Today is my youngest's birthday. He's eight; old enough to conduct an intelligent and interesting conversation. Young enough to still make me smile with his questionable sense of humor and incredibly innocent approach to life.

Of all the photos you take of your kids, I love the ones that embody exactly where they are at a particular age and stage of development. Here, he's still silly, while his older sister plays like a grown-up girl with a baby on her hip and no time anymore for leaf hats on rainy days and other kinds of foolishness.

Do you have a photo that seems to reflects the essence of an age? A picture that reminds you time is flying and this precious moment will pass?

memories of childhood

I spent my childhood living in a house on the southeastern corner of the Caribbean island of Trinidad, about 1 block from Mayaro beach. The village we lived in was very small, and I remember at a very young age walking about the 1/4 mile distance to and from school every moning, usually taking the beach, since it was the most direct route.

I remember that sometimes, on pretty days, the American schoolmaster of that very small school would sometimes cancel class, and take the entire student body -- all 50 of us -- for long walks on the beach.

I remember sometimes being on the beach at the same time the fishermen were pulling in their seines filled with silver, flopping fish -- and sometimes a shark or a stingray or two. I remember sometimes joining the men and helping them pull the nets.

I remember sometimes digging for chip-chip, and bringing them home so that we could cook them and eat them with cocktail sauce that my dad would make.

I remember racing live sand dollars on the beach with my friends.

Today, please share a photo that reminds you of your childhood.  We'd love to read about it.

Cross-posted at Chookooloonks.