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Friday, May 31, 2013

Friendly Friday!



Something new I would like to try once a month is a Friendly Friday Share post.  Did you know?  Approximately 370,000 babies are born everyday world wide!  That's plllenty of clients for all of us to share no matter what venue of business we are in. Head to my Facebook page below, add a link to your personal, small, local business & lets support each other!  Have a great weekend!  

Friday, May 24, 2013

Family Portraits Of My Own

Image by Sherry Solara Photography
https://www.facebook.com/Solara11

We haven't had family portraits of our own since my Lucy was 9 months old.  With our newest member nearing 2 years old & having moved into our forever home, we felt it was definitely a good time.  We went with a photographer who inspired me to become a photographer probably about 11 years ago.  One of the 1st lil bugs in my head to put my life in that direction.  As you can see from this image & more you can view from her Facebook page, Sherry gave us many beautiful captures.  I take pics of my kids all the time.  Every day nearly!  But...It is much different being in front of the camera.  I gained a whole new respect for my mama stars!  OMGoodness!  I knew it was a lot of work for my client moms.  Actually, planning everyone's outfit was fun for me.  The boys were simple enough.  I had bought Gavin a really cute fedora from Sunshine Couture that he loved & wore & posed with all day...except for pictures.  For myself I got to buy a cute dress, some jewelry & get a hair cut just for the occasion, and I found the L's adorable antique looking dresses to go along with our 1800's home.  And...everything was on sale so even better!  But...that morning my tummy was flipping.  I am a terrible, terrible blinker.  I have had photographers in the past & even my husband get upset with me for blinking in every shot.  My eyes are just super light sensitive.  And then my baby man has not been willing to do group shots since he was 9 months old.  We don't even have a candid shot of our full family with him even as an infant so these portraits really needed to be done.  To my surprise there were no blinky shots of me & Gavin cooperated for every section except one where he wasn't being bad, but just his silly self & we just couldn't get the shot.  My family loves our new portraits & can't wait to hang them.  It was a fun time & we love Sherry & her work.  But all in all, I prefer being behind the camera. Thank you Sherry!  Love, the Holt family

Friday, May 17, 2013

Photog To Photog Testimonial #3


Image by Johnna LaFaith
Today's shout out is to a photog friend of mine who has always been a mystery.  She disappears for periods of time & then reappears & while always full of kindness & sunshine I am always bummed when she has decided to hide behind the clouds again.  Never the less, she was one of my very first photographer friends.  Bonding over not just photography, but motherhood & the wonder of life itself.  Her work is soft & captures every tiny detail of beauty.  She doesn't miss any of it & while one image may have focus on an adorable face, or a tiny lady bug...there are other softer details framed around the focus.  A complete package of picture perfection.  I don't know where Miss Johnna has gone off to now, but I hope & look forward to her next appearance.  I thank her for her past testimonial & hope life is treating her well.  Since her Facebook page is not active at the moment I attached a link to her beautiful blog.  Have a wonderful weekend!

http://johnnariddellphotography.blogspot.com/

"There is nothing as sweet as the world seen through a mother's eyes... and a photo seen through those eyes is something that will be treasured and cherished forever...
Dawn is one of those women who radiates a light... a light that you can see right through the computer screen. Her talent is made even better by that light and love she carries. Her work shows her dedication to putting her best work out there and her continued desire to improve daily... she inspires me to become better at photography and experiment with more mediums in photography. A great Friend and Great Photographer!!"  ~ Johnna



Friday, May 10, 2013

Your Home Your Gallery


Of course I love photography.  I love capturing moments in time that people keep dear to their hearts.  Something that always takes my breath away & nearly brings tears to my eyes is when I return to a clients home for another session & see my work on their walls.  I don't know why it always surprises me.  I guess that is ultimately why I take the pictures so they can be displayed!  haha!!  Though I must also admit.  I am probably the worst when it comes to printing my own work.  I am constantly taking pictures of my baby loves & adding them to my online galleries.  And my L's will sometimes remind me, "Why aren't there more pictures of me on the wall?"  I never realized it was important to them too!  I guess to them they know I am constantly annoying them with my shutter clicks, but they are not on Facebook to see their pics.  And...Heaven forbid I have 3 pics up of Lily & 2 pics up of Lucy.  Lucy will call me on it & say, "Why does Lily have more pics?!"  Very valid points from them & I've recently tried to be better about building a new shrine to my baby loves in our new home.  But...I am a terrible picture hanger!!  And these 100+ year old walls I'm terrified of hurting.  I've recently been using the 3M products!  If I didn't hang it right the 1st time I have so far been successful in carefully taking them back down without hurting the wall & rehanging.  You just need to be sure to have plenty of the sticky refills.  Honestly, I give myself 2 tries.  If I don't get it right be the 2nd time I just say, "Close enough!!"  haha!!  I have also found countless gallery display ideas on Pinterest & listed a couple examples of such.  I could probably make a whole board of just gallery ideas.  So my helpful points for today:
1)  Print those pics!  It means a lot to your kids.  Displaying their lil faces reminds them that you care to adorn your walls with their precious lil faces.  I can do such for you, though it takes longer to outsource, but they are quality prints!  Support Local!  Mentor has Van's Photo & Dodd's Camera.  Please tell them I referred you!!  :)  And of course there is always Walgreens, Wal-mart,etc... if you are impatient like me!
2)  3M Products are a great way to hang if you are nervous of hurting your walls or don't hang them right the 1st time...like me!
3)  Search Pinterest for tons of gallery ideas
Lastly & most importantly...Happy Happy Mothers Day to all my star mama's.  I know it's always you chica's who are the ones that get everyone ready for pictures, from picking their outfits, dressing them, finding prop ideas that are special & unique to your family & you keep corral you little ones to stay in front of my camera.  All your hard work is appreciated & not taken for granted by your family...& also by your photographer.  {{BIG Hugs & LOTS of love}}      ~ Dawn*

Monday, May 6, 2013

Always Sunshine!

  Hooray!  We finalllly got an outdoor shoot for Miss C!  It only took 18 months!  And even on the cold & rainy day sessions I don't know why whenever I work on her pics all I can think of is happy sunshine!  She had a blast running around & being her cute self as you can clearly see.  I must say I had lots of fun as always too.  : )

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Photog To Photog Testimonial #2

Well, I have come to the realization that when you are a stay at home mommy & your husband works 6 days a week; Friday & Saturday just kind of blend together...& your weekly blog post is a day late.  But better than never!

This weeks photog to photog testimonial came from Makenzie Lee of B&C Photography.  She is a friend whom I've never met, but I feel like as with my dearest friend from Hungary that we have had known each other for years & shared experiences of shopping or going to lunch, etc...even though we never have.  I guess that's just how connected my heart feels to them & I am very grateful.  She has always been a wonderful friend & an amazing mentor.  You may have seen a couple years ago or so on my newsfeed that her families big move from Colorado to England was featured on House Hunters International, but this June B&C Photography will be back in the US - Indiana!!  Her work is stunning.  Not only are the subjects captured perfectly, but always with her style of artistic fun to give it that extra cool edge.  I had a hard time choosing an image for this blog.  Between her fantastic eye for people & places, she also has had her amazing food photography featured in magazines!  So any of my Indiana Facebook friends need a photographer this summer please check out her link & give her a call.  Thank you Makenzie for being such a wonderful photog friend!  https://www.facebook.com/BandCphoto


"I love Dawn! She is just a terrific person and in so encouraging. Her love of photography inspires me. Dawn has been super supportive in my own work. To sum it up, she is one terrific lady and friend! :)"  ~  Makenzie Lee / B&C Photography