utah photography Archives - Page 4 of 5

Great gifts for the photographer in your life

Need some ideas on gifts for the photographer in your life?

Here are a few that would probably make them love you even more than they already do.

1. If they just have a point and shoot or are using their smart phone for pictures, consider getting them a dSLR camera. It will be the BEST investment your family ever makes. I promise that. Well, unless you buy a speed boat. Then that would be the best investment. But a camera would be second. Read here on what kind of camera I recommend.

2. 50mm 1.8 lens or if you really want to go all out, a 50mm 1.4 lens. Click HERE for an explanation on why these lenses are a MUST have for every photographer. These are anywhere from $100 to $350.

3. A camera coat. To keep that camera safe when you don’t want to lug around a huge camera bag because you’re already carrying a million other things (diaper bag, purse, kid, blankie, etc., etc.). Put one of these babies on your camera and you can put it in your diaper bag, stroller, purse and not have to worry about it getting hurt.

photo credit: Camera Coats

4. More SD cards for their camera. I fill my cards up all the time. It’s nice to have extra ones on hand. I recommend not buying anything bigger than 4.0 GB just in case the card fails. Then you don’t lose AS many pictures.

5. Speaking of losing pictures. If you aren’t already backing up your photos, you should be. Buy an external hard drive and maybe consider backing up online as well. Funny how when you ask people if there were a fire in their house, what they would grab. 99% of people would say their photographs. I have no idea what the other 1% would say. (And I completely made up that statistic. But I think most statistics are probably made up so it’s ok.)
Which to me indicates photographs are one of the very most important things in our home. And yet, some of us aren’t backing them up.

6. Buy or make them a custom photo strap. Just google camera strap and tons of options come up. There are also some options to get a camera coat with a matching strap. Or you can find them on Etsy.

7. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. This is the book I read to teach myself how to shoot in manual. It’s great for understanding all those terms that seem so confusing.

8. A portable tripod. These just screw into the bottom of your camera so you can take pictures anywhere. AND, so the mom can stay in the picture!!!

For the iphone camera users, you can get an iStabilizer.

9. Project Life for displaying all the photos they take. This is my newest obsession and an amazing solution to getting all of those photos off of our computers and sharing them with others. You can use 40% off coupons on Michaels or Hobby Lobby to get all the supplies. Seriously, these are AWESOME!!! I’ll be posting more about Project Life and my mission to help people get their photos off their dang computers and out where people can see them!!

You can also get the Project Life APP. Just buy an iTunes card and they can download the app and buy extra kits and do all their photo documenting straight from their phone!

10. A gift card to Persnickety Prints to print all the photos they’re taking!

11. Jewelry or clothing related to photography. If you go to ETSY and search for “photography necklace” or “photography t-shirt” you’ll find all sorts of choices.

12. Photo Editing Software. I recommend Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 or Adobe Photoshop Elements 13

And for some fun, quirky photo ideas, check out Photo Jojo.

The final member of our family

Hey Mike,

Remember how before we even got married we both dreamed of having a boat for our family one day? And how we saved and saved and worked our butts off to buy one? How we drove down the freeway and our hearts ached while we watched other people towing their boats?

All the “one day we’ll….” trips we have planned. The years and years we spent bumming rides on other people’s boats and looked at each other with that look–the “we have to have our own boat” look.

How time and time again one thing or another, or one newborn or another, seemed to eat away at the “boat fund”. (Those babies definitely ate away at the boat fund…)

And how when we finally, finally were ready to buy one and for one reason or another, each boat we thought was ours slipped through our fingertips.

We have big dreams for our family. We worked hard. We sacrificed. We made a goal. And then we talked about it as if there was no question it was going to happen. “When we have a boat” not “If we get a boat”.

And now. Now the longings are over. And the lake is calling. And we get to spend hours and hours and hours trapped in a small space with our four kids. And bonding will happen unlike it happens anywhere else.

Because there’s something magical about the lake. And being together in such a confined space. With the single motive of bonding a family together with love and fun!

I’m proud of us. I’m proud of you.

And I can’t wait to make this newest member of our family (it’s the “kid” we’ve always known needed to be a part of our family) part of our family story.

We did it!

Love,
Me

{Note to readers: No we are not trying to keep up with the Jones’s. A boat isn’t about what people think of us. It’s a means to an end for our family. Annnnd it happens to bring more joy to my husband’s face than anything else on God’s earth. And being on the lake with him is about as close to heaven as I’ll ever get while in a mortal body. And it brings joy to our family. So we will boat. And use it to bond our family together. And use it for the good and blessing of others as well.

And will most assuredly have plenty of days where the boat breaks down in the middle of a sweltering summer day with four crying kids, no drinking water, and a sudden infestation of mosquitoes. Then maybe it won’t be so magical. But still worth it.

My dad used to say “When you can take a $100 dollar bill and flush it down the toilet every day for a month, then you’re ready to buy a boat.”
It’s one of the few things my dad has said I have chosen to ignore. 🙂
Bring on the lake!!!!}

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

I am a “lifestyle” photographer. More casual. No stiff posing. I get some shots with everyone looking (hopefully) but also some more candid shots as well.

My goal in family photography is not to get ONE perfect picture. But instead my goal is a collection of photos that help tell the story of your family relationships and dynamics. That show the personality of each individual member and the personality of the family as a whole.

We have fun at family shoots. I try to make it quick and painless.

Below are some samples of what kind of images you’ll get at a family shoot. I do all my family sessions outdoors at various locations (which we’ll decide on together).

Sessions are generally about an hour depending on ages, size of family, and cooperation of kids (or dads 🙂 ).

Session fee is $425. That includes the time for the session, editing of the best images, and a high-resolution disc with about 50 images in color and black and white.

Family sessions include several shots of all the family together, some of just the kids, some of just the parents, individual pictures of each kid, and whatever other groupings we decide on at the shoot.

(click on arrows to scroll through pictures)

I also offer a few extended family shoots. If you are interested in an extended family shoot, please e-mail me for pricing and info.

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If these kind of family photos makes you sweat, check out my FUNBOOTH sessions. It’s a GREAT alternative to “traditional” family photos.

NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHY

Below is a sample of the pictures I take during a newborn session. I do lifestyle newborn photography. I don’t use props (baskets, trees, wagons, etc.) Sessions are usually in your home, but I can also do them in my home if you prefer.

Sessions generally take about 2-2 1/2 hours.

I like to do them within 2 weeks of the baby being born. They’re generally sleepier and more cooperative.

Session fee is $400. That includes the time for the session, editing of the best images, and a high-resolution disc with about 50 images in color and black and white.

You will get the disc of photos approximately 2 weeks after your session.

FUNBOOTH SESSIONS

I get it. Getting family pictures can be super stressful. Finding the right clothes. Getting everyone ready. Finding a location. Getting there on time. Making sure the kids don’t still have ketchup on their face. Trying to act calm and happy while your kids are being terrors.

I get it. Trust me. I do.

But. Family pictures are SO important. So so important. One of those things you’ll always be glad you have and never regret that you did.

I also realize sometimes the stress is too much. Too overwhelming. And you have a kid that simply will NOT cooperate during family pictures. So you just never get them done. Even though you want to.

Which is why I came up with Funbooth sessions.

They’re fun. They’re FAST. They’re easy. And they work for kids with all different types of personalities.

The point is to be casual. Crazy. Fun. Like a photobooth.

Low stress. No weather elements. Sessions only take about 25 minutes. And you end up with a bunch of photographs with your family, your kids, and their personalities.

FUNBOOTH SESSIONS are $200 and I do them in my in-home studio in Lehi.