What to Wear: Blue and Orange

This would be a cute outfit to wear to a senior or engagement session. Even a family photo shoot would look great with this blue and orange color combo. Other family members could wear clothing in various prints or solids of blue or orange.

What to Wear: Family

This is a great example of a casual style to dress your family in for a portrait session. Keri Russell and her family are wearing similar collared shirts and pants but they are all different colors that coordinate together (blue, white, and black). A classy and timeless style.

What to Wear: Color Schemes

Clients often ask me what they should wear to a photo shoot. I like to tell them to dress their family in a color scheme that has 2-3 colors in it. That way everyone won't be too matchy-matchy. Here's a helpful color clothes chart I saw on Pinterest to help you pick out a good color scheme for your session. Click on the image to zoom in.

Shutterbug Photography Workshop

I am going to teach another Shutterbug photography workshop on Sept. 24 at my studio in Bogart, GA. It will be geared towards beginner to intermediate photographers who are interested in learning how to make the most of the camera they have (especially DSLR cameras). We will learn more about basic manual camera functions, natural lighting, making any location into a great background, engaging the subject, and capturing the moment. At the end of class we will practice what we've learned, so bring your camera!

During the last photography workshop one of my students said about the workshop, "It was great- the small number of people and informal setting to ask questions was perfect. Not intimidating for a beginner like me!"

($30 per person. To sign up e-mail Shutterstitch@gmail.com )

Tie Pillows

I'm working on 13 pillows for a client made out of his grandfather's neckties. Isn't that a great way to preserve his memory? He's going to give them to his relatives for Christmas. I wish I could be in the room when he does that. I bet they will love them!

Williams Family

I want to commend the beautiful Williams family for not only being troopers in the hot Georgia summer weather, but they also did a great job paying attention to my What to Wear blog post. They are all wearing summer blues that coordinate well and aren't too matchy-matchy. One of their son's shirts even matches his brother's shoes! How awesome is that!? A+ :)

What to Wear: Old Navy

Are you looking for some ideas for what to wear for your next family photo shoot? Here are two different ideas I put together for some summer fun. Each ensemble is made entirely of Old Navy clothing, shoes, and accessories.

A few things to keep in mind when choosing outfits for a family session:

1. Pick a color scheme. (Such as yellow/green or blue/orange as seen in the examples). Not every family member has to wear both colors, but your family will look more cohesive if everyone wears at least one or two of those colors. You can always throw in some neutrals to your color scheme like white or khaki.

2. Mix it up! Not everyone has to wear blue shirts. Mom can wear a blue skirt, Dad can wear a blue shirt, and your son could have blue stripes in his shirt.

3. Play with patterns. Not everyone should wear a pattern but one or two polka dots or stripes in the family would make the photos more interesting than all solid colors.

4. Avoid clothing with words, characters, and pictures on it. These things distract from your beautiful faces!

Featured!

I was excited to see my portrait of the little fella with the mustache shirt by Two Lollidots featured on Hugghins Photography's blog. They put together this fabulous collection of clothes to give you an idea of what to wear for your next portrait session.

Bolen Family: Sneak Peek

The Bolen family was quick to take advantage of my Summer Special. I think Rev. Bolen called me up as soon as he heard about it. What a smart guy! :) His family and I met on North Campus at the University of Georgia for a family portrait session. I love the old architecture and beautifully landscaped lawns there. Everyone was a good sport despite the fact it was 95 degrees outside. (You gotta love these Georgia summers!) P.S. The last photo is the family's reaction to the fact that their daughter had a hot date later that evening. So silly. :)

Photography Workshop!

I am going to teach a photography workshop on July 9 at my studio in Bogart, GA. It will be geared towards beginner to intermediate photographers who are interested in learning how to make the most of the camera they have (especially DSLR cameras). We will learn more about basic manual camera functions, natural lighting, making any location into a great background, engaging the subject, and capturing the moment. If we have time we'll practice what we've learned, so bring your camera! ($30 per person. To sign up e-mail Shutterstitch@gmail.com )

Summer Special: Free CD with session

Hooray! Summer is here! Let's kick it off right by giving you some fresh, new family portraits to hang up in the house. During June and July only, when you book a portrait session you will also receive a free cd of your session images. (Normally digital images are $50 each.)

Not sure what to wear or do? Relax. This will be fun and stress-free! I will customize this session to fit your family's unique personality including the location for the session and even wardrobe consultation if desired! Your portrait session may be used for newborns, babies, children, maternity, families, seniors, and couples.

The session fee is $200 and it includes a one hour session in the location of your choice plus 40 high resolution digital images. Prints are not included. The session fee is due at the time of booking. Sessions must take place between June 1-July 31.

Favorite Artist of the Week: Angie Dunlap

I love whimsical children's art so when I saw the illustrations and murals made by Angie Dunlap I was really excited. Wouldn't they look great in your child's bedroom or playroom? See her entire portfolio on her website here.

Photo Restoration

A good friend of mine's father-in-law passed away very suddenly and she asked me to restore an old picture of him from the 1960's. Here are the results. Pretty nice huh? I hope that it will help the family keep his memory alive.

Baby Shower Quilt

Pretty soon I'm going to start offering a new product: Baby Shower Quilt Kits. This will be a fun and meaningful activity for mothers-to-be at a baby shower which becomes a great keepsake for baby. I made this one for Julia. You can see us making it at her shower here.

Basically in your kit you will receive:

• pre-cut quilt squares in the color scheme of your choice
  
• stencils to trace (such as animals, flowers, food, etc)
• fabric to cut out the animals, flowers, food, etc.

During the baby shower guests can choose a quilt square, trace a stencil design onto fabric (or make up their own), cut it out, and pin it together. This can be done during the snacks/ mingling of the party or as a separate activity time. After the party is over, send the pinned together quilt squares to me and I will sew it all together! Wouldn't this be a wonderful way to remember loved ones throughout the years and give the baby and mother something to cuddle up with?

I can also just make a quilt like this for you too, no baby shower needed!

Contact me for more information at shutterstitch@gmail.com

1st Birthday

My little cutie pie turned one recently. I was stoked to use his new cute felt applique shirts and birthday crown from Two Lollidots. They have some really neat little clothes for kids. (You may recognize their product photographer on their blog too.) :)

1st Birthday on the Farm

Recently we celebrated my son's first birthday with a party on our relative's cattle farm. I made some delicious barnyard cupcakes. The cows and chicks were vanilla cake with white icing and the pigs were strawberry. You can get the full recipe from the Disney Family Fun website.


These super cute animal balloons were bought at the Joy Shoppe in Commerce, Georgia. We had a whole farm of chickens, ducks, cows, dogs, horses, and pigs! All of the children took them home as favors.


I bought these cute animal plates at the grocery store. Silverware was stowed in pots for plants.


I tried to keep the menu farm-y so we had: bunny food (carrots and peppers with dip), fresh fruit, deviled eggs, moo-tastic meatballs, chips and fresh salsa, chickpea hummus, farm animal cupcakes, and I meant to also do pigs in a blanket but just didn't get around to it!


I made little tags for the food out of scrapbook paper.


I made a coordinating banner out of scrapbook paper, string, and die-cut letters. Thank goodness for being a teacher and having the die-cut machine handy!


When it came time for the birthday boy to blow out the candles, I took off his cute birthday shirt so it wouldn't get cake on it. The little girl in the red dress exclaimed, "The baby is getting naked!"


We gave him plain strawberry cupcake (no candy on top) and he was like, "What the heck is this?" He hadn't really had any sweets up to that point.


"Mommy it may taste funny to me, but it's fun to smash up!"


My two favorite guys in the whole world!




Everyone wanted some lovin' from the birthday boy!