The Chosen Few: Christina & Kyle

I didn't think Christina could possibly look more beautiful than the day we took her bridal portraits. I was wrong.

On her wedding day, she looked absolutely stunning. After over a year of planning and dreaming and more planning and more dreaming, and even a PowerPoint presentation thrown in there (she swears it only took her 5 minutes), I was so excited to be a part of her big day. Kyle is a good man and he loves her in a special way. He holds a warm place in my heart in part because he was a total trooper who agreed to model for Orchestrated Stylized Shoots' Forevergreen event just so that Christina could enjoy being beautified and doted on, and not many men jump at that chance. But it's pretty clear to anyone in this solar system that Kyle isn't "many men" and will go above and beyond to do anything for Christina and only has eyes for her.

















Kyle & Christina are the poster children for why a First Look can be key to capturing all of those moments you imagine when you think of your wedding day. It was about a bazillion degrees out and the sun was blazing. Planning for a First Look allowed us to scope out the lay of the land beforehand (at the beautiful Nansemond River Golf Club!) and identify the perfect shady spot for their special moment. A perfect shady spot that we wouldn't have had time to escape to after the ceremony. We were able to sneak away, take some quiet moments just the two of them and capture those images that I know they'll come back to for years to come.

Although I confess to getting all giddy when we snapped this one in between family pictures as we rounded up the next group. WIN! :)



Kyle & Christina, you don't need me to wish you many years of love and laughter. I know without a shadow of a doubt that they are yours already. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to know you both, share in your life and I can't wait to see you at the boys' birthday party, Christina (and mama Valerie!!)! Love, love, love a million times over to you and your family.

The Chosen Few: Adrianna & Nick

Adrianna and Nick are a young, fun couple that just radiate good times and general all-around happy. Toss that with a good dose of humor and sarcasm (and maybe a little devilish prankster), and you've pretty much got my perfect client. I'm so thrilled to include them in my 2013 family and can't wait for their August wedding at The Chamberlin.



I require a portrait session for all of my wedding clients so that we have an opportunity to get to know each other better, practice a bit and develop our approach. I ask them to consider what makes them unique as a couple and how we might tell their story. And then I force them to make a Pinterest board. Ha. No, seriously, I do. Can we just say a collective "Thank God for Pinterest!!" here? "THANK YOU TINY BABY JESUS FOR PINTEREST!!!!!" The reason I push for this particular piece of the creative puzzle is that it helps me to visually understand my client's hearts. It gives me insight to their daydreams, unique style and unexpressed desires when it comes to envisioning their wedding day. Let's be honest, sometimes answering the question "How would you describe your personal style?" is beyond impossible. And...sometimes what we think it is verbally, it isn't visually. Thus, Pinterest is the bridge across the communication chasm that can exist between our mouths and our hearts.

Clearly, Adrianna and Nick were looking to have a good time. And he is, well, obsessed, with soccer. So...we decided to head to York County Sports Complex and hit up the soccer fields. Before we got to the down and dirty practice time, we used the woods at the edge of the fields for some fancier shots.





And then we played soccer. Or pretended to...ha. In the blazing heat.











And then, we took out the water bottles to cool down.

BEFORE.



And I should have seen this coming...AFTER.



And thus, the water fight was born.









Adrianna and Nick, I can't wait for your big day! You are one special couple and looking through your images, I am warmed by how genuine and deliriously happy you are together. You make what I do especially fun. And for that, I thank you!!




See more images from their session, leave them some guest book love and order prints here: http://kbsimplephoto.pass.us/adriannaandnick

Bridal Portraits: All Your Own

For a good long while, bridal portraits weren't something that came up often in conversation with my clients and if they did or I suggested them, they were usually casually brushed off or simply overlooked with non-interest. There was some sort of stigma attached that purposed them as a dated cliche of the past, old photographs hanging on old walls in old houses, something only your grandma wants.

And then female portraiture made a resurgence, with artists like Somer Anne with her Modern Femme series, and with renewed classic and elegant boudoir making a comeback, we found ourselves appreciating the opportunity to celebrate our own beauty as females and approach bridal sessions from a more personal, romantic angle instead of from a lackluster stock image perspective. And so I found myself with a lot more opportunities to photograph brides in this especially creative way. And I love it.



A bridal portrait session serves a couple of purposes for me. In its simplest form, it provides me a body of work that relieves some pressure from the wedding day portraits, but most importantly, it provides me with some quality one-on-one time with my brides (and in this case, her bestie and her mama - yay for helpers willing to lug props, hold reflectors and be all around awesome in their assistance!). We get to know each other a bit more, laugh and joke, amp up their confidence with some good, ole' fashioned practice on how to be photographed and get comfortable in front of the camera. It's really just a lot of fun. No rush of a wedding timeline to fluster or shortchange our creative efforts, lots of sun, chit chat and general good times just relaxing and celebrating beauty.





The only bad thing? I get to be totally inspired at these sessions, walking away creatively juiced up and lovin' my clients even more than I did before...and then I get to sit on the photos and not share a single one until after the wedding day. It's pure torture.



Christina was no exception. She's beautiful in that easy, breezy kind of way that just makes me smile, because she has no idea how insanely gorgeous she is and those are my very favorite kind of people. She loves to laugh, she's fiercely loyal and she's got some feisty running thick in that spirit of hers.









As I write this, I get to think of how amazing her wedding day will be. But as you read this, she is now officially a Mrs. and I know she's entering into the very best years of her life. Congratulations, pretty girl. I love you!


Makeup: Kristine Marie Makeup Artistry
Hair: Kristen Snider
Dress: Jim Hjelm Blush from Pure English

Bella, Bella

As I continue my love/hate relationship with my 85mm lens, I'm happy to report this little mini sesh was ALL LOVE.

Let's be honest, Bella makes it pretty easy with that natural beauty that just radiates from within. She's my step-sister, so maybe I'm a bit partial to her awesomeness, and when she got all giddy when I mentioned wanting to play with my 85mm, I jumped at the chance to take her out. Yes, please!

Things I'm learning about my Sigma 85mm 1.4. It's a sensitive little puppy. I have to be super careful with my depth of field. I am a stickler for super sharp eyes and if I'm not careful with my aperture, what I could normally pull off with my 50mm, I cannot pull off with my 85mm. I find myself hovering around f/4 to achieve the results I'm looking for. I think as my comfort level grows with more use, I'll inch that f-stop wider open.

But for now, practice makes perfect and here's the lady of the hour. I pushed the lens to get as intimate and tight as I could, in order to really test the depth of field and develop my sweet spot. After this session, I know I'm one step closer to falling head over heels for this puppy. I can say one thing with certainty, there is nothing about this lens that reeks of off-brand. It works hard and can hold its own like a champ.

'Tis the Season!

I don't normally shoot maternity, newborn or kiddo portraits, purely because life doesn't afford me enough time to. BUT...I have a special love for my past brides and clients, now friends, so it's hard to resist when they ask me to capture their special moments with their little ones. And I'm happy to do it, because simply put, it makes my heart burst to see how blissfully happy they are and I feel beyond blessed to share in that.

Spring (Did we have Spring? Is this Summer? What's up, Virginia?!) is in the air, which means 'tis the season. Babies, kiddos, everywhere! Here are a few faves from recent sessions.

You'll remember Nichole and Daniel from their million and one posts (LOVE YOU GUYS!!!), their most recent being Nichole's maternity photos. And now, here we are welcoming Braylen to the world! He is the sweetest, cutest, tiniest little bundle of perfection and I adore him. And he will be my little men's bestest friend. It's a done deal.









And of course you'll remember Carla from her maternity session. Can you believe Jackson is a year old?! Time flies is probably the biggest understatement ever. Probably because it's reminding me right now that if Jackson is one, then holy cow, my boys are almost two years old! We had play time at Hunt Club Farm recently and captured Jackson and Mama lovin' on each other and having fun.

Me and my Besties: 50, 85, D700, LR3

I get asked lots of questions from my Shutterbugs learners, clients, friends and family about how I do what I do. What tools do I use? What do I edit with? The list goes on. I'm flattered by the questions and in truth, I am perfectly comfortable sharing whatever knowledge I have and encouraging others in their journey where I am able. I'm a big believer that my business can only continue to thrive when I continue to serve others and that no business will stand that thwarts other learners and dreamers or succeeds at the expense of other people in general. Ya know?

So here are a few of the most common questions I hear:

"What camera body do you use? What camera should I get?"

I use the Nikon D700. I've been a Nikon gal from the start, but purely out of circumstance, and I don't have a bad word to say about Canon. In truth, I believe both brands are beyond stellar and it's the user that controls the tool to prompt a polished, creative result, not the camera model or brand. I love my D700. I understood the depth of that love most recently when I was forced to rent a body as a backup for a few shoots while my baby was in the shop being cleaned. I figured since I needed to rent, why not try out something new and see what I thought, so I rented the D800 from LensRentals.com. (Mini tangent and shout out! LensRental.com is a fantastic company that provided great service, quality product and timely attention. They saved my booty!)

I didn't like it. At. All. Which felt weird. I was expecting to be wowed and utterly hateful towards my D700 post-borrow and I wasn't. I won't go all technical on you, but it just wasn't a right fit for me. I felt like I had to work harder to get my usual results and it just didn't give me the warm fuzzies. In fact, it made me consider buying another D700 as my backup and pray that my baby returned home ASAP. And when it did, it felt awesome. I immediately shot with it to remind myself that yes, in fact, I did enjoy shooting and this camera was my happy place. It was like slipping on your favorite pair of jeans after trying on stiff, new ones in the store dressing room. There's no better feeling.

As to what camera others should get, honestly, I have no idea. I started with a Nikon D60 and at the time, I loved it. It did me well. Now, I look at it and think "You are such a twinkie. But I love you." It's still my go-to for when I am dragging the kids to the zoo or other places where I'm not willing to tote my Mama Blevo. I'm not familiar with the consumer levels cameras today and honestly, only know what I'm watching on the pro level. My best answer for this is to go to a store and tell them what you're looking for (My kids play soccer and I want to keep up, I enjoy shooting landscapes, I want to play with portraiture) and see what they suggest. Then read up on that camera model on Amazon. Their reviews are typically super technical in the best way and you'll get a clear picture if you're heading in the right direction.

"What editing software do you use?"

I use Adobe Lightroom 3. And...I love it. I've got my workflow down and I can be in and out fast with stellar results. I aim to spend as little time as possible in front of the computer editing, and this program helps me achieve that (along with working hard to get it right in camera). There is an Adobe Lightroom 4, and I test drove it when I had the D800 (against my will!) because LR3 didn't support the D800 Camera Raw images. And...I did not like it. At. All. Ha. I feel like I'm turning into an old geezer with my refusal to welcome new technology in this post. I swear! I'm all for the new and improved. But man oh man, the difference in workflow for me was ugly and some of my pocket go-to tools just weren't there with the same ease that I feel with LR3.

As an aside, I do use Photoshop CS4 on the rare occasion that an image needs a little more heavy editing than Lightroom can provide. Yes, it's an old version, and I haven't updated purely because I don't use it often enough to warrant the added expense. And now with the release of Adobe CC, more than likely, I'll be taking this version to the grave with me. While I know this new release will wow heavy users of Photoshop and the other design programs, I'm just not in the user group that can justify a monthly fee for something I open up once in a blue moon.

"What's your favorite lens?"

My Primes! It used to just be my Nikon 50mm 1.4, but I recently added a new friend to the mix when I got my 85mm 1.4 at WPPI. I have a feeling I'll be adding one or two more prime lenses to my arsenal in the coming months/years as I continue to find myself drawn to the intimacy that they offer.

What does that mean? Well, for me a prime lens is all about movement. With my zoom lens, before I know it, I sometimes find myself rooted to a spot and only focusing in and out as needed to capture the images I'm looking for. There is entirely nothing wrong with this approach of course and it can be quite convenient and necessary in a variety of circumstances. With my primes, however, I'm forced to make the move. For each and every shot. I have to stay on my toes and purposefully place myself where I need to be to get the results that I want. I find it keeps me engaged and focused, and ultimately, more creative. I can't get lazy with a prime lens on. If I stay in one spot, my images all look the same! I'm forced to consider alternatives and approach new angles and concepts. They push me! And...they're a heck of a lot lighter than my zoom lenses. So, bonus. They work for me.

I adore my "nifty 50." It's my go-to ace. I'm still getting comfortable with the 85 and have definitely found that I need to specifically identify my purpose when determining which one I want to use. They're both portrait lenses, but making the assumption that they both "worked" the same was a huge mistake on my part! They are completely different animals. And since I don't quite have that comfort level and naturally extended relationship with my 85 that I have with my 50, it was time for some practice. Bring on the models! A big thanks to my Shutterbug Ashleys and my Emily for being willing guinea pigs. :)