How Will You Celebrate Your Mom?

Did you know Mother's Day is observed by over 40 countries in the world?  Mother's Day is May 8th--how are you going to celebrate Mom?

Pro Photographer Quick Tips: 6 Simple Tips for Prepping for your Portrait with Kids or Animals

It's no simple task to gather the family, make them look presentable and keep them happy so that you can record the moments forever.  I only have one kid and one dog, but I totally get it.

Here are my favorite 5 tips for making the most of your portrait time:

1.  Prep AHEAD of time.  Let's talk about anything you'd like to include in your portrait or the clothing ahead of time.  Get everything cleaned, pressed and ready ahead of time.  Now, put it somewhere safe where it can wait for your appointment time.  Get hair cut a week before, drink lots of water, eat healthy and get some sleep in the days before. For your animals, groom them ahead as much as possible.

2.  Plan a mellow day the day of your appointment if possible, or at least a couple hours before your appointment, so there is time to relax.  Rushing around just before a session often leads to arguments and tension (I've seen that happen!)  so keep the hours before the session as relaxed as possible.

3.  Sometimes optimal light time for photography falls during meal times.  If it's not conducive to have a meal, at least have snacks.  Some healthy ones--not sugar filled ones!  So kids (and adults) aren't grumpy or hangry!

4.  Know that it's totally okay to love the images where the subjects aren't looking at the camera--the ones where they're interacting and having a good time and forgetting that I'm there recording the moment.

5. Be patient.  Sometimes it takes a little time for everyone to relax into the session.  Animals don't always cooperate and kids, well, they can be kids!  I have lots of patience and I'm there for you.  It'll happen, it often just takes a bit of extra patience and a little extra time.

6. Treats.  I'd like to believe that I make sessions with kids so fun that we don't need treats for kids, but particularly with animals, bring their favorite treats as incentive.  As in the very best, their very favorite.  Perhaps the treat isn't even edible, but a favorite squeaky toy, ball or whatever it is, make sure it's available for the session.  I'll also bring treats.  (Sometimes I feel like I'm the pied piper because my treats are different than usual--it makes me very popular!)

Have more questions about your session?  Contact me!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Portraits on Location: Equine Photography

What is it about loving horses?  I’ve never met anyone who outgrew their love of horses, myself included.  The relationship between Dolly and Michelle is a very special one and their connection is palatable.

I’ve known the two of them for a while now and Michelle and I have long been planning to create a gorgeous portrait of the two of them, but life got in the way, as it sometimes does, and our plans had to change.  Dolly currently has limited mobility, so our session took place in her stall.  

Creating portraits in a stall could have been confining--and stalls aren't always the prettiest of places (and you definitely have to watch your step(!), but I focused on their connection and just let things happen organically. It didn’t always work—horses are basically really big lap dogs that don’t always do what you need them to do.  

Every time I changed position, Dolly left Michelle to come over to see what I was up to. 

I think the in between moments came shining through.  Michelle and I hope that soon, Dolly will be able to walk further into a nearby field and we can continue our session, but until then, I hope these portraits demonstrate the very special love between these two.

How to Care for your Printed Images

Last week, I delivered print images to a corporate client.  How cool is that?  Normally, when I'm working for corporate clients I'm delivering digital files (along with licensing terms).  This particular client wanted to do something special for it's employees and offered a print of their favorite image to keep or give to a loved one, which in some cases, was not the same image chosen for their professional image.

I always work with my portrait clients to create custom images that they can live with everyday, whether on the wall or in an album and discuss how to care for their images when they receive them, but it's rare that I am talking about it with corporate clients!

I'm a big believer in living with your images and I work with professional lab partners to produce the highest quality archival images possible on photographic paper, art paper, photographic albums, canvas and metal prints.  Here's a quick primer on caring for your printed images--with proper care and handling, your printed photographs should last a lifetime and beyond.

Images that I create for my clients are printed with archival quality inks and on mediums that are chemically stable and will not deteriorate quickly. My images are printed on high quality archival papers, canvas or metal.  Images 5x7 and larger printed on photographic paper and all canvases will have a protective coating applied to the surface.  Album pages also have a protective coating applied.  This will help prevent fingerprints as well as provide some protection against UV light.  Exceptions would include images printed on photographic art papers or fuji's deep matte paper.

Most damage to photographic prints is often caused by acidic materials (like non-archival matts, backings or tapes), temperature changes, humidity, UV light and physical damage. Avoiding these will go a long way to preserving printed images.

Handle photographs with care to avoid bending, denting or scratching their surface.  Avoid touching photographic surfaces with your fingers.

Don't write on the back of your photographs, as inks from pens can penetrate the surface and cause damage.  Label the outside packaging with a soft pencil.

The images I deliver to you will have a protective coating applied to the surface, but can be protected further by framing them behind glass with Acid free matting or glass spacers and acid free backings. Archival quality mounts should be used to attach the photographs.  Canvas and metal prints will be delivered ready to hang on your wall.

Don't laminate photographs as this can cause permanent damage to the emulsion layer.


Display images in an area that is cool, low light and dry.  Avoid direct sunlight or rooms with high humidity.

Avoid contact with water or liquids.  Here's a really helpful tip:  if the photograph is framed, clean the glass by putting glass cleaner on a soft cloth first, then cleaning the glass so that liquid does not come in contact with the photograph.

Canvas prints may be dusted with a soft, dry cloth.

Metal prints are the exception and are very durable and maybe wiped with a damp cloth to clean the surface.  Use caution with a metal print with sharp corners--they are extremely sharp!  Infused onto thin aluminum, the metal print while durable, can be dented if dropped.

Do you have more questions about how to care for your images?  Drop me an email--I'd love to help!