Please welcome back Arden Prucha Photography, who this time shares a very detailed tutorial: Using Photoshop to achieve the illusion of a baby placed in an usual situation. Arden is known in the photography community for her generous knowledge sharing and we’re thrilled to have her back again. If you haven’t read her previous article featuring newborn pullbacks and tips, check it out and be sure to follow Arden on Facebook.

A few months ago a girl friend let me know she had this awesome scale that would be perfect for a newborn session.  When she brought it over I was thrilled, but unsure exactly how to utilize it properly in a session.

One of the most important tips I can share for newborn sessions is SAFETY.  When I first started out in photography and kept up with photographers, I rarely saw behind the scenes footage leaving all poses up for interpretation.  Is that baby REALLY hanging from a branch?  Look at the baby chillin’ in the hammock, awh it’s all an illusion with lovely Photoshop to cover up the assistant’s hands and true set up.  I think it’s very important to share the tips and knowledge behind certain poses, allowing baby to be put in the safest scenario and to educate other photographers, who may be clueless – to no fault of their own.

I will preface this tutorial by saying this isn’t the ‘ideal’ set up I had in mind, but in the end it proved to work out just fine. If I had my own studio, I would tweak the way some of these things were set up.  The cool thing is that it still worked for me, but Photoshop was definitely necessary to create the ‘look’ I was going for.

During this session my assistant and I were trying to figure out the best way to take this photo.  Luckily my clients had a black headboard so I used this as a simple backdrop and snapped a photo of my assistant holding the scale. (I was fortunate enough to have some black fur, that I placed underneath to add some black all around the scale (proved to be very helpful in Post Processing). Then knowing that the baby weighed 8lbs 9oz at birth I had my assistant press down the scale until it matched baby’s weight and snapped another photo! We ran into a slight problem when we were trying to photograph baby boy in the scoop of the scale, with the assistance and help of my sweet assistant (Shareen Frater). Everytime we slid him in all bundled and protected, he fought it… so I ‘gave up.’  Once home and looking through the images, I decided to ‘try’ something I had never done before… so here we go – let me attempt to explain!

Unsure where to shoot, I tried different walls in the house. Fortunately my client had a black headboard. This provided me with a ‘safe’ background that would be great for post processing!

I had Shareen hold down the scale until we got the baby’s birth weight. (this image is a zoomed in screen shot, so it’s not as clear as the original)

Editing in Photoshop, I use the magnetic lasso tool to bring the ‘weight’ onto the original image.

While using the magnetic lasso tool, go slowly to allow precision.

Once the area is selected duplicate the layer using ‘Command+J.’
I turned off the original layer so I can see my new selected layer.

Using the arrow tool I select that layer and drag it onto my original image. I like to zoom in nice and tight in order to tweak the angle, size and placement of the image. In order to change the sizing and such and keep it from distorting hit: Command+T, hold shift while changing any size and all sides will change.

Now I will erase the edges of the ‘new’ layer so that the scale faces match. Select: Eraser and a soft brush.

Merge layers so that the scale is all one layer. I am now ready to paint the background. I first select a similar color (using the color dropper) to match a chunk of the head board. Then start painting! (choose a nice soft brush). Set the history brush to the ‘merge layers.’ That way if you make a mistake while painting, you can go back to the original non painted image. Zoom in while painting around detailed areas, allowing you to be more precise.

 Using the magnetic lasso tool again , for a precise ‘paint’ job. The final ‘scale’ image is on the right.

 Now, we TRIED and tried to photograph baby N on the scale scoop – as he rested on a pillow with the safety and help of my assistant, but he just wasn’t having it. Oh well, I tried. sigh. After getting home, I realized that I could try another image I had taken that was very simple and could work. So this is where I truly started with this whole tutorial idea.

 Take the rectangular marquee tool and select a small portion of the image, mostly baby…
then duplicate the layer: Command+J

 Turning off the original background, select the new layer and drag onto scale image.

 Once again, hit Command+J, and hold shift to resize baby properly. I bring the opacity of the new layer down to about 75% so that I can see the scale underneath and adjust accordingly. Once resized and placed in the correct place, I then use the erase tool. Choose a soft brush and slowly erase the edges until it looks as though baby is sleeping in the scale. Notice how I even showed some of the scale behind the baby to look as though he is sleeping in there. Merge layers when you are finished. Now… all I have left to do is crop and edit fine-art-edit!

by Liz LaBianca
Please welcome Dallas area photographer, Angela Weedon.  Angela and her husband Matt have been photographing the families of Dallas, TX since 2000. Angela provides amazing insight and advice in this Photographers Who Inspire interview.  Be sure to check out her website and beautiful studio located right next door to their home!

Who was your original inspiration when you started your business? Who inspires you now?
Honestly when we started, there weren’t too many other people doing what we do. Matt and I had just returned back to the states after living overseas — we worked as scuba instructors and dive crew on a live-aboard dive boat in the Pacific, and we supplemented our income with underwater stock photography. We had tons of photo equipment that needed to be put to work! I began taking photos of my nephew and friends’ kids. After taking dark room classes at a community college, I knew I wanted to specialize in black and white fine art photography. In addition to our small client base at the time, I shot for Christine Meeker, a photographer out of Houston, as her Dallas base. She and her husband Mark have a wonderful business, and they priced their work very well. I learned so much from them (and was very inspired by them) in that year. I think right now who inspires me most are Bobbi and Mike, out of Indianapolis. We had our family photographed by them last year. With each blog post I see from them, I am amazed at the emotion and FUN they bring out of their subjects. I really think the rapport and ease a subject has with the photographer makes or breaks an image. Of course, I am also very inspired by Barb Uil….who isn’t? ;)

What was the hardest part of starting your own business? What do you wish you would have known?
The hardest part of starting our business was figuring out that I couldn’t do it all on my own! In the beginning, I was answering the phone, doing the shoots solo, doing the sales, printing everything in the dark room myself, etc. Well that lasted about 3 months. I think I had a total of 5 hours of sleep that whole time. Matt was still marketing his travel photography to magazines and books when I asked him if he could answer the phone and start assisting me at the shoots to change the film and hold the reflector. Well that quickly morphed into him running the entire business, being the most amazing photo assistant/ kid wrangler in history, and having such a great relationship with our clients that we joke he is the most popular therapist in Dallas. These moms tell him everything! ;) Matt had always had is own business. He went to his first tax preparation seminar at age 12 for his lawn business he owned for 10 years! I am a firm believer that if you want your business to actually be successful, it must be run with someone with a business mind. I really don’t have that, so we make a great team.

Tell us about your favorite lens and why it is #1 in your camera bag over your other lenses
That’s really hard because there is not just one. For outdoor shoots, I can for sure say my fav is the Canon 70-200 2.8L. I just got the new version this fall and I really love it. I know there is a lot of buzz in our industry that Nikon is sharper than Canon, especially with that lens, but for me it works great. I just need to make sure to shoot it pretty fast…..like 1/320 as a minimum….and it’s tack sharp and super fast! I think my “look” is achieved by a long lens, and since I work with Matt assisting in sessions, it works for me to have some distance from my subject. I know photographers working solo need to stick with wider lenses for that reason, but I really do not prefer the perspective of 50mm lens with portraits. In studio, I use 3 lenses pretty much equally- I use the 50mm 1.2 when working with a newborn on a bean bag, so I can be very close, the 100 mm macro for close up faces and baby parts, and the 85mm 1.8 for all other studio portraiture.

Manual Focus or Auto Focus
The only time I ever do manual is when I’m having a hard time with close up baby parts in low light. Otherwise, I am always shooting auto focus, center weighted. Then I recompose.

Photoshop or Lightroom – or both. How long does it take for you to get your proofs to your clients?
Both. Our office assistant Amy imports the RAW images into Lightroom, where she does basic color and exposure tweaks. I then come in and fine tune the files in the Lightroom catalog and burn those to jpg. These are then our proofs. All fully edited images — those ordered as portraits or albums by clients or seen on my site or blog — are finished up in Photoshop by our digital guy, James. He is amazing. The proofs are ready about a week after the session.

With the demand for digital images on the rise – Do you sell your Jpegs?
Nope. Since we focus our product line on fine art wall displays and heirloom albums, each ordered image gets a lot of time and care in editing and retouching. We want to have control from beginning to end on the production of each piece because we truly want our client to be receiving and hanging on their wall the best quality possible. We do know that people want digital versions of the images, so we provide social networking/digital frame sized files of every image ordered or house within an album. They are delivered with the final product on these really cute wooden flash drives burned with our logo.

How many photos do you typically take in a full session? How many do you edit and do you ever show your un-edits to clients?
Humm, it depends. In a studio session I might shoot 200-300 images. Outdoors maybe 500. That seems like so many when I type that!!!! I used to keep a shoot to 2 rolls of film, 72 frames max! But since our style has evolved into capturing the emotion, energy and joy of kids and families, I really need to shoot a lot to capture just the right moments. We typically proof about 60-80 frames. I know it’s the cardinal sin of many photographers to proof so much…..but it works for us. Our goal is to make an album from each of our sessions, so we want to present a lot of really wonderful images from which to build the album. Our proofs are color corrected and cropped, but are generally not fully edited and retouched (except for head swaps as needed and retouching that is integral to the image). Our clients do see select fully edited images from their session on my blog and in the recommendations that we give with each proof presentation.

How do you handle Family and close friends who want to hire you? Do you offer any discounts?
Ugh. That’s so hard. I love gifting our family and friends with what we do. I absolutely hate to exchange money with them though. We try to trade services a lot so we don’t have to do that. As an example, one of our best friends is an attorney, and he set up our will for us years ago. So whenever we photograph their family, we do it as a gift and know that he will help us out with his expertise as needed. Another friend of ours is great at videography, so he just videoed a session that we did and is working on a promo video in exchange for portraits of his own family. If there is really nothing to trade, I typically do the session without a fee for friends and family and give them discounted prices (25 to 50%, depending on the product), or just make gift prints that I like and give them. It’s just yucky doing business with those you love and sadly I cannot accommodate their holiday sessions because there is just not enough time in the day.

How do you break the ice in the beginning of the session and get families to loosen up?
Matt and I like to start each session photographing the kids without the parents. We get down to their level, playing and joking around a lot before we ever bust out the camera. Matt is a total nut and kids love him, so it typically does not take very long at all. When the parents see their kids having such a blast, they are already loosened up before we ever put them in front of the camera.

Ok – I admit it, before a shoot I take photos on my camera of inspirational poses so that if I am on a shoot and get “stuck” I know that the first 10 images will quickly get me out of my rut. Do you have any tricks or tips that you want to share with us?That is such a good idea! I’ll have to try that. Whenever I am in a rut in a session, I like to just change my lens and shoot as if I were shooting for me and not the client. Not thinking too hard is liberating.

We have all had the hard clients. Can you share a story of a difficult shoot and how you handled it?
Well I can honestly say that our clients are really great and I don’t have any horror stories or anything like that. But a couple years ago we were hired to do a family session in Aspen. Not bad, huh? The problem was that the kids were 4 month old twins. We had decided on 2 sessions while there, one with the immediate family and one with the extended family. OK, well the day of the first session the parents decided that they did not want to be in any of the images. And the babies of course were not even sitting up yet. And the client insisted that we do the session right after their morning nap, at 11:30 am. OK, so 2 babies at high noon who don’t sit up, outside. Hard but I guess doable because we brought a bunch of buckets and things to put the babies in. But then the client decided at the last minute to include the 2 year old and 3 month old cousins in the the images as well. Oh my. So there we were in a forest (needed the shade due to the time of day….no Aspen mountain vistas in those images) with 3 crying babies and a restless toddler in baskets and laying on blankets. What a mess. It was a good lesson for us to remember to call the shots for our sessions, even if the client seemingly has the upper hand. I think about what kind of images could have been made from that session had we insisted on different circumstances, and it makes me sad. :(

If you weren’t a photographer, what would be your dream profession?
Running scuba diving charters with Matt around the world, or having a b and b on a beach somewhere.

Who helps you out behind the scenes? Do you have an assistant or a special family member?
Oh man, I have so much help! Of course, my husband Matt runs the show. He handles all things business, accounting, client relations, ordering, etc. He also assists in sessions. He is Mr. Everything. Then we have the amazing Amy, who works in our office with Matt. She starts the proofing process for all our sessions, packages orders, begins card and album design, and is there to help pick up our kids from carpool when I am tied up in a session. And we also have James, who has been with us for 10 YEARS!!! I cannot believe that! We hired him originally to take over for me in the dark room when we wanted to get pregnant. When we switched to digital in 2006, he then switched to doing all the file preparation and retouch. What so cool about James is that he moved to Thailand 4 years ago! He, his wife Oiy, and son Liam live in Bangkok. We share all our files via iDisk, and he clocks between 40-50 hours a week working exclusively for us.

You just won the jackpot ..what is in your dream camera bag?
Well I guess I don’t need to win the jackpot for this, but I’d like to get a little 35mm 1.8 lens for my 7D that I keep in the house. Dreaming big here! ;)

Have you ever taken a Workshop? Which one and was it worth it?
When I first started 12 years ago there weren’t workshops like now, so I lived on ilovephotography.com for a while. A few years ago, I decided to take a couple. I went to one of the first Kelley Ryden/Tracey Raver workshops in Nebraska. I learned so much from them, even though I had been photographing newborns for lots of years. They were so awesome and my sales from our newborn sessions actually doubled after shooting using their techniques.

Name one person who you would love to photograph
More Operation Smile kids. I got to accompany an OpSmile medical mission to Honduras in 2007, and it was a life changing experience. Photographing the transformation of the children before and after a surgery that gives them a smile puts all of our blessings into perspective. I’d love to witness it again.

What was your original gear and when did you start upgrading your equipment.
We started out with Nikon 35mm equipment and a gorgeous Contax 645 medium format system. We just sold the Contax stuff last year. :( We switched to Canon after one miserable year shooting the Nikon D2X when we went digital. It was a bad camera. Bad, bad. Since then we have used the Canon 5D, and now I’m onto our second 5D Mark II. I am so not a gear girl….if it works, that’s great. I’m never chasing down the latest and greatest. We are still using the same Photogenic lights in the studio we have had for a decade.

Seeing so many photographers burn out and quit their business – how do you avoid falling into that trap?
-Don’t try to do everything yourself.
-Outsource or hire an assistant.
-Stay away from too many forums. I think the veil of the computer screen is dangerous and people just act too unkindly in our industry. It’s such an energy suck!
-Charge what you are worth!! Do a cost analysis of your business and make sure you are making a decent wage for your family. The prices that some photographers charge are just crazy town….and when they give all the files on disk, assuming that they are all retouched and edited….I just cannot imagine how buried the photographer must feel. It’s no wonder photographers are “retiring” after 2 years in business.

What has been your proudest moment in your business?
Photographing kids this fall that are taller than me, that we had photographed as newborns. The trust and loyalty that our clients have shown us through the years makes us very proud.

What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I am scared of the moon and all things celestial. I cannot explain it, and I know it is very odd. ;)

What is on your Bucket list?
Spending a month or so in Palau with our kids. That is where Matt and I worked for 3 years in the western Pacific, and we’d love to live it again through our kids’ eyes.

Hi and thanks for giving me the opportunity to share here!  My husband Matt and I are a husband and wife photo team celebrating our twelfth year of photographing the most beautiful and fun families of Dallas, Texas. We specialize in showcasing the love and joy of families in beautiful wall portraits and heirloom albums.  We have two really great kids ourselves…Ava is  8 and Cal is 5. Our studio is located right next door to our home, so we can spend as much time with them as possible.  In our former lives, Matt and I worked as scuba instructors and traveled around the world photographing tropical imagery for magazines and books.  These days our travel takes us around the country photographing families that have grown up with our art on their walls.  It’s a real blessing.

In addition to photographing families, our passion is giving back. Our studio has proudly supported Operation Smile since 2005. Since then, we have been able to provide the funds to help save over 200 smiles!

Congratulations to Heather Witt, the #30 entrant for our giveaway from GradyBug Designs.  Heather, send us an email and we will provide instructions for claiming your templates!! Thanks to everyone who entered and be sure to head over to GradyBug Designs for their HUGE 3rd birthday celebration giveaway.

More giveaways coming up soon on IMB, so be sure to subscribe!

Ciara Hammonds Photography shared this session inspired by her 4yr old’s imagination. The timing couldn’t be better. We often talk about how important styling is and the extra effort that was taken in creating this story makes this an inspiring session. You gotta love the bow tie and knitted aviator helmet! Read more about the details of this session below.

{Love is in the Air}

Message Body:
We all know that kids LOVE playing with boxes, they can take a box and imagine a million different toys or settings! If only I had the same imagination as my 4yr old, I would never struggle to come up with new, different ideas for session! This Valentines set-up was combining my child’s imagination with mine!

// Ciara Hammonds Photography //

With ice and snow just getting started in the northern hemisphere, here’s a brief reminder of the sweetness and warmth of a lovely New England summer session. Stacy Canzonieri is a New Jersey (NJ) based lifestyle photographer with a great website and blog you’ll want to follow.  I love the bright eyes of this one-year-old. Stacy captures the beautiful surroundings, adjacent colors and spaces waiting to be filled with summer memories. As you strengthen your business over the winter months, what summer plans are you making? Please leave your thoughts and feedback below.

Message from Stacy Mae Photography:

This is one of my all time favorite sessions. When I arrived at the location I knew it was going to be good. We shot at the client’s childhood home which was a gorgeous property on a lake complete with a boat house! So many great spots to shoot. I was super nervous because the session took place right after the little girl’s first birthday party. I knew she would be tired after a full day with family and friends around. She was such a trooper though. It took her a few minutes to warm up but once she did the shoot went smoothly. I am always looking for unique locations and this one definitely takes the cake so far.

//  www.stacymaephotography.com  //
//  facebook.com/stacymaephotography  //

Thank you all so much for sharing your “best of 2011″ images and thanks for your patience as we worked to get them all online for you.  This is a beautiful collection of images and memories. Please read what each photographer wrote and feel free to leave your feedback below. We’re honored and delighted to celebrate the work that you do and we wish you all the best success for 2012.

Simplee Photography

As newborn photographers, we love posing our subjects. To set our little beauties up in beautiful light with the most adorable props we can get our hands on. This sweet boy reminded me that the best images are from that of life itself — when life is allowed to shine through without our interference…and rock :)

Lily Bloom Photography

There are moments which are so sweet you can't miss capturing them! This moment was one of them.

Micah Folsom Photography

This was one of my favorite shots because of the yummy light that just set the stage for gina and dustin who were head over heels for each other. A simple love note goes a long way, even after all the wedding day hustle and bustle is over with. I think we all need a little reminder of that here and there and this shot just did that for me.

HM+Photography

This image is of my sweet nephew at 2 weeks old. I LOVE the image because of the vintage vanity seat, how precious he looks sleeping, and the contrast of the B&W!

Jamie Rubeis Photography

I found it hard to narrow it down to my one favorite. The one that really just stands out to me, the one I keep going back to time and time again is this image. It draws me in every time. The connection between these two inspires emotion and brings back that feeling of young love.

Dandelion Lipsticks Photography

The "heir to the throne" finally came after 3 sisters.

ShinyBlackApple Photography

I absolutely love this picture of our daughter Sophie. She has been our inspiration into this photography journey. This picture portrays so well her personality – she loves posing in her gown and throws a cheeky smile. Just look at that sparkle in her eyes! Adorable!

Sabrina Louise Photography

This is my favorite photo of 2011 because as I showed the clients the slideshow from this session, I teared up. Watching how happy the parents were and taking a moment to enjoy the photos, made me realize how much my work has improved this year. Everything about this photo makes me smile!

Photography by Asiya

I love this photograph because it captures a timeless moment, a child playing with leaves on a beautiful autumn afternoon. This family wanted to capture the excitement of their newest addition to their family; a black lab puppy named Coal. I think this photograph captures this excitement perfectly.

Tinkerwiththis Photography

I love this photo because of her intent stare and the soft background lights. It has a very fairytale feeling to it, and it's perfect for the Christmas cards.

10Photography

Over the last year I've photographed many adorable children. However this picture is especially dear to me, as this is a portrait of my little son.

Lauren Sanderson Photography

Sadie wasn’t even two yet, and I was nervous that she wouldn’t like it. And while she did have trouble concentrating on it at times, there was a single moment where she leaned over the railing and just looked at everything going on around her with just sheer amazement. I love the little grin on her face, the rim lighting around her hair, and the vibrant color of the photo.

Mariah Hechler Photography

This was one of my most favorite sessions, I've ever done. It was a miracle to how nature can create such a blessing. It was so beautiful to see the bond these girls already have with each other.

Third Avenue Photography

What I love about this image is that I feel it's close to where I want to be as a photographer. I still have so far to go, but I want to tell a story, not just snap a nice posed family picture. I love the sun shining through the tree, the processing, the joy on the faces and the real emotions.

Lori Zornes Photography

I consider this my best of 2011 because this is my daughter who had just given birth to my first grandson and it's the first time I've ever shot a birth. I teared up when I opened this to edit.

Jennifer Wilcox Photography

1. I wanted to offer my clients premium quality portraits of their new little babies. I signed on for the best workshops available, and poured over any kind of learning material I could get my hands on working to develop my skills enough to set myself apart from the scores of other newborn photographers. It wasn’t until Abby’s session that I had that aha moment where I felt I had broken through to another level. I have always loved this picture because it brings back that feeling of success. 2. I was so excited this year to become skilled enough that I felt like my services had great value. I have enjoyed being able to give back with my new found talents. This little angel is the daughter of my daughter’s 6th grade teacher. 3. In order to distinguish my self a bit from my competition I have sought diligently to find unique props. I hand carried this basket, much to the chagrin of every airport and airline employee along the way, home from France.

Jen Gagliardi Photography

This was one of my favorite maternity sessions I did. I love her belly peeking out, her red shoes and the 2 huge Great Danes! These 2 dogs were her babies before the new "baby" was here.

Danielle Fox Photography

I have suffered a long, painful creative block called resistance. I broke through realizing when I photographed these twins that I am blessed that my twins ever lived. I simply adore connection of love and this image just reminds me of what love is, and what I can do to document it.

Wee Bit Photography

I really enjoyed doing this photo session – Miss Z has become quite the character! I set up the portable studio in her mom and dad's garage for this shoot.

Ridge Meadows Photography

This is a photo of my best friend's 7 month old daughter "charlee". My friend had brought the hat for herself to wear in some portraits but we decided it might look cute on her little one too…:) She would not keep it on so I am glad I snapped this shot.

Brooke Ashley Photography

I chose this image b.c it shows just how beautiful each sister is in her own way. I love love love the look on all of their faces and how different they each are.

Photography by Alisha Brown

I think this photo shows a lot of emotion including family togetherness, love, and happiness. You can see the joy in the mothers face and in the daughters face as she smiles at her parents! I just adore this photo!!!

Erica Lynn Photography

This newborn picture makes me smile every time I see it. I love that she is sweetly smiling and fits so perfectly in that little doll crib. It's also my favorite because it's unique and outside which is different for a newborn shoot.

Christine Lewis Photography

This is my favorite image of 2011, because anything vintage Coca-Cola is just iconic. Little Emma just settled right into the Coke cooler and fit like a glove. She was so content to sleep there I just hated to move her!

Kelly Garvey Photography

Although this may not be my "best" picture, it is one of my favorite for sure because it portrays what I want to do more of in 2012. Things I like about this image: the lifestyle feel, the moment is candid & unposed, the outfits are coordinating but not matchy; I like the clean colors in their home & the light coming in behind them. I'd love to do more "lifestyle," fun, candid, "real life" shoots in 2012 because it is what I am all about so for that reason, I love this image.

Creative Clicks Photography

I love this image because of her soft smile, the beautiful light, and the framing with the bridge above her. If you can, imagine this image without the bridge on top- it just wouldn't have the same impact.

Baby Bliss Photography

On September 22nd, 2010 I did my first photo shoot with my new born son Jack. Little did I know then, that it would not only launch a new photography company for me, Baby Bliss Photography, but it would lead me to take a picture of Jack every month, for a year. This year, without knowing it, on September 22nd (a year to the day that I did my first photo of him) I took this image while his grandpa picked apples.

Studiofour13

bella is beyond beautiful inside and out. she was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and the family has taken it very hard. This picture not only captures her beauty but her calm and graceful personality.

A Million Sighs Photography

I saw my photography business grow by leaps and bounds this year, but it wasn’t difficult to choose this shot of my grandma at Krispy Kreme as my #1 shot of 2011. She delights in the simple pleasures of life. Though it It doesn’t look like much more than a snapshot, my heart will always smile as I think back to the moment this shot was taken.

Melissa Treen Photography

This image was selected due to the overwhelming response from facebook fans, emails and blog comments. In this image, we used the pop of color from a little tutu to provide a gorgeous backdrop for this little love! : )

Giggles Photography

My gorgeous boy just happened to be born this year – and I adore this photo of him.

Jude Wood Photography

This image is my favourite from 2011! It was the first in-home lifestyle session I did for a client. I got to follow this little cutie around and capture her in her world. I'm very excited to be moving in this direction for 2012!

Beauty Seen Photography

I love how you can see the individual snowflakes on her hair and coat. They say no two snowflakes are alike which I find intriguing. There is beauty in being like no one else.

Jen Tuttle Loveographer

There is nothing sweeter then a girly girl with tiny little pearly toes.

Sarah Marshall

A warm summer at dusk in Portland is blissful. After so many portrait sessions for other people, this was one of the first photos I had taken in awhile that was just for me and it was also one of the first photos I ever printed for display on my wall. When thinking of my favorite photos from this year, this one came to my mind first.

The Portrait Cottage-Photography by Caroline McGath

This was one of my favorite images of the year because it was the first time I felt it all came together for me in a session. The workshops paid off!! Woohoo!!

Meghan Wiesman Photography

A vision of children playing in the sunlight. One of those moments where you sit back with a cup of coffee and watch your beautiful children play as if nothing else existed outside of that very moment. A moment of peace and serenity.

Amory Anderson Photography

My three year old is becoming a big boy before my very eyes. Each time I look at this image, it reminds me of warm summer nights of playing at the boardwalk.

Michaela Wickman Photography

9 months is my favorite age to photograph babies. They can usually sit up by themselves and are so very expressive. They can be giggly one second and so focused the next.

Kristen Reed Photography

This has to be one of my favorites this year. I think it's because of the simplicity, the newness, the love, the peacefulness. Just a beautiful mama and her beautiful baby boy.

Liz LaBianca Photography

I loved everything about this image. I love the movement, the colors, the life. I stepped outside of my comfort zone in 2011 by starting my business – I stepped outside of my comfort zone again and traveled with my camera to CA to do photo shoots. This image will be my reminder in 2012 that good things happen when you simply believe in yourself.

Esther Mathieu Photography

Somehow, I just keep coming back to this one image. It just embodies a moment I love…a foggy morning by the beach, and the innocence of a child taking it all in…

Photography by Nealy

This image stands out as one of my favorites from 2011. I love how it captures the gorgeous mama's round shape, the vibrant colors of the sunset, as well as the love between the parents-to-be.

Jen Sherrick Photography

This mom's first baby was really her dog. Her beloved St. Bernard was so heartbroken to be outdoors during the newborn session. She couldn't understand why this baby changed everything! So she appeared in our session through the living room window to get her point across.

Jessica Marchetti Photography

This was our one year olds first "offiical" summer. Ice cream, popsicles, sprinklers, and super hot fun outside. Also the first time we *had* to cut his hair. Cheap mom, scissors in hand, bad hair cut. Little man gets popsicle out of the deal. The result was so organic and pure and sweet. I'll cherish this photo forever.

McFadden Studios

Nicole Ramsay Photography

Why I love this photograph stems from who it’s of. My boy. He really is beautiful beyond my wildest dreams. I can't help wondering how I made something so 'pretty'

Amber Fox Photography

I love photographing Seniors because I get to show them how beautiful they are. This session was set on a sailboat just off the coast of Long Beach. I especially love this photo, because it points towards all the fabulous styling, perfect timing of light and incredible balance I had to achieve as I tried to get the perfect shot on a 20 foot sailboat while in motion.

bellasaluti

I love capturing tiny baby details!

Niña.Cecilia {creative spark}

Sometimes as photographers you take so much time photographing other family/kids that you don't have time to actually do a themed photo shoot of your own kids. This is our favorite picture because this is a picture of our own kids with the vintage theme we had in mind.

McGaffick Photography

I love this image, because it is just so entirely sweet! Two beautiful little ladies (cousins) enjoying each other, and the lovely August weather we were afforded during their family shoot.

Kristen Duke Photography

This is one of my most favorite images of 2011 because it shows family togetherness and happiness. The little guy was trying a cupcake for the first time and the family was just delighted to watch his every move and expression on his face as he did so. Capturing the joy in family love is one of my main goals in a session, and this exemplifies all that I dream for in my own family as well as others.

Tout Petit Pixel

This image is exactly what I want to capture as a family photographer. It’s joyful, carefree, with a bit of craziness. It’s full of personality, it’s authentic and real, and most of all… It puts a huge smile on my face.

Jewels Photography

I love this image…The girl is stunning….The light is yummy, and the outfit perfect! Her love for God shines thru her eyes!

Startinphoto

i love this photo because gage and i have really tried to make reading more of a priority. i'm homeschooling him this next year and want to instill in him a love of books.

by Liz LaBianca

Prepare to be inspired!  No props, no poses …just  the authentic  beauty in the simplest and purest of forms. Inspire Me Baby is excited to give you a glimpse into the quiet brilliance of Meg Bitton Photography.

Who was your original inspiration when you started your business? Who inspires you now?
My first daughter was my original inspiration and continues to be my greatest source of inspiration, followed by my sons. Watching them grow and learn and change everyday has to be the most amazing thing I have ever experienced and to be able to document it is a gift beyond comprehension.

What was the hardest part of starting your own business? What do you wish you would have known?
I guess learning to show people that no one can do what I do was the hardest thing for me. Making people understand that every photographer has a special something to offer, and my potential clients want MINE. I wish I had known when I started that there is no finish line, that this journey is ever evolving.

Tell us about your favorite lens and why it is #1 in your camera bag over your other lenses.
My favorite lens is my 135mm f2. I prefer to work with longer focal lengths with children. I like to sit far away and speak softly. I myself prefer a lot of personal space, so I like to give that to everyone else. I am not a jump up and down, in your face photographer. The results from the 135 aesthetically are unparalleled, like an oil painting.

Manual Focus or Auto Focus
It depends. Usually AF, however I have a 50mm 1.2 that is MF, that may be the sharpest lens I have ever owned.

Photoshop or Lightroom – or both. How long does it take for you to get your proofs to your clients?
Both. It depends very much on the job itself how long it takes. I like to not go longer than 3 weeks.

With the demand for digital images on the rise – Do you sell your Jpegs?
I do sell .jpegs by the single file and then full collection.

How many photos do you typically take in a full session? How many do you edit and do you ever show your un-edits to clients?
I try to keep it around 200. I have evolved to shooting purposefully, not just snapping in the hopes that I get something. I edit between 20-30 and I NEVER show unedited images.

How do you handle Family and close friends who want to hire you? Do you offer any discounts?
I don’t have a large family so I have never run into that. All clients are treated equally whether they are friends or not.

How do you break the ice in the beginning of the session and get families to loosen up?
I dont. I let families interact with each other how they are used to. I am not a silly photographer and I am not a playmate for children. I am here to direct and do a job.

Do you have any tricks or tips that you want to share with us?
I just remember that whoever I am shooting has hired ME and for that reason I can provide them with what they want. The confidence comes from within. It has to.

If you weren’t a photographer – What would be your dream profession?
A labor and delivery nurse.

Seeing so many photographers burn out and quit their business – how do you avoid falling into that trap?
I love what I do. It is deep within my soul and I love to share it.

What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I am an avid knitter. I collect handmade dolls.

For more inspiration and information about Meg, her workshops and her work, visit her Facebook page and Meg Bitton Photography.

Sometimes we see a photo session and the subject seems out of place in the environment. In this session, Jess Elysse has pulled it off magnificently. A naked pregnant mama in a field seems perfectly natural because we’re struck only be the beauty and simplicity of an expectant mother. I love how this session crosses the genre boundaries of traditional portraiture, photojournalism, even boudoir photography. Be sure to check out Jess’s website for more inspiration and please leave feedback below.

Message from Jess Elysse:

Ramineh’s Maternity Session

We started the shoot at Ramineh’s house with a silly picture of her eating icecream.  It set the mood for the shoot.  We hurried over to a field to catch the beautiful setting sun.  It was perfect.  I would always recommend bringing something for your subject to sit on if you are going to be shooting outside.  It doesn’t have to show up in the picture.  The blanket she brought belonged to her grandma so it was perfect for the shoot and matched the warm tones of Ramineh’s skin and the sunset.  We moved through the shots we had previously discussed (Thank you Pinterest!) before the shoot, then we just started having fun!  I think it’s important to show off the changes in a woman’s body when she is pregnant.

www.JessElysse.com

by Liz LaBianca
Continuing with one of our most popular features, Photographers Who Inspire, this week Liz interviews Salt Lake City portrait photographer Angie Monson.

Who was your original inspiration when you started your business? Who inspires you now?
Brianna Graham & Audrey Woulard

What was the hardest part of starting your own business? What do you wish you would have known?
Just getting my name out there… but really at the time I started there wasn’t an influx of children’s photographers so it wasn’t as hard as it is now. I wish I would have taken more control over my sessions the first few years. I really let the client be in control… which made the photos suffer.

Tell us about your favorite lens and why it is #1 in your camera bag over your other lenses.
85mm 1.4 hands down. I love the creamy bokeh, plain and simple. I like how compressed the images are so it really focuses on your subject instead of the background.

Photoshop or Lightroom – or both. How long does it take for you to get your proofs to your clients?
I use both. It takes me 2 weeks, 3 weeks in the busy season, I really stay true to my word and follow through with this. People will re-book on just that alone.

With the demand for digital images on the rise – Do you sell your Jpegs?
Yes. I have to in Utah, everyone does and for super cheap here. I priced mine quite a bit higher but I feel that it is worth it to me so I go with the times.

How many photos do you typically take in a full session? How many do you edit and do you ever show your un-edits to clients?
I am a major overshooter!! Especially on family sessions, I shoot around 800. I show 30 for a children’s session and 40 for a family session. I only show unedited if it’s a friend or family or sometimes photographers (I let them choose if they plan on purchasing the CD, only because I know they can visualize the end product).

How do you handle Family and close friends who want to hire you? Do you offer any discounts?
I shoot my immediate family for free or trade. Friends or extended family is 20% off.

How do you break the ice in the beginning of the session and get families to loosen up?
I just act like myself. I am a major goof ball. I really just act like a large child, it’s somewhat embarrassing but it gets people to let their guard down!!

Do you have any tricks or tips that you want to share with us?
I really just feel out the family the first 10-15 minutes and I can gather who they are and shoot for their personalities. Some people are more traditional so I shoot more “safe” shots of everyone looking at the camera. Others are more artsy and fun and I just have fun with these clients. I really have 2-3 poses that I start out with and then I try to change it up with every family, but it’s hard to be creative sometimes when kids are being nuts… so I just have to roll with it!! That is what having an assistant is for!! It has made the biggest difference in my sessions.

We have all had the hard clients – Can you share a story of a difficult shoot and how you handled it.
Oh gosh!! I have had a few. Once I had maternity client that brought about 8 different changes of clothing… we ended up shooting for 4 hours even though I told her my sessions last 1.5 hours. It was so insane and it got worse… I learned a lot of lessons from this particular session so I changed my business up and made sure I drew my boundaries loud and clear before people booked.

If you weren’t a photographer – What would be your dream profession?
Starting a kids clothing line. I am obsessed with kids clothes. Although, this dream profession is coming true and I will have a boys line out within the next month. I cannot wait to photograph it.

Who helps you out behind the scenes? Do you have an assistant or a special family member?
I have an assistant that books all my sessions, takes payments, and books mentoring. It’s awesome. I also have an assistant that comes on my family sessions with me. Love these ladies!!

You just won the jackpot ..what is in your dream camera bag?
Nikon D3, 85mm1.4, 70-200 2.8, 35mm 1.4, 50mm 1.4, Fisheye lens as well.

Have you ever taken a Workshop? Which one and was it worth it?
Yes, a few. Brianna Graham’s was really worth it to me because I was new to photoshop (switched from film). One light & Rock OCF were great to learn lighting.

Name one person who you would love to photograph.
Kristin Wiig. I seriously love her, mostly would like to hang out with her but I would love to photograph her.

What was your original gear and when did you start upgrading your equipment.
Pentax film camera (had it when I was 13). I cannot remember the model.

Seeing so many photographers burn out and quit their business – how do you avoid falling into that trap?
I really feel like I was born to do this. I think people burn out because they think it will be really fun and exciting. That excitement wears off when they don’t make any money at it and have 2 year olds crying and throwing things at their camera!! haha. Sorry, but it’s really true. I think if you are truly passionate about something it will always be a part of your life. Photography is a major fad right now and I can see why!! It’s such a fun, creative way to express yourself! The people that make it through the fad are serious about making the passion a reality.

Aside from this wonderful Inspire Me Baby Interview, What has been your proudest moment in your business?
ha! Really nothing more exciting than this!! Proudest moment in my business was when I realized I could make it happen. I realized I was good enough to just go for it and prove all the people wrong that said I couldn’t do it! I really do love my job and I think it all has been so worth the journey.

What would we be surprised to find out about you?
I dunno. Ummm… I used to play the guitar and sing and daydream about being a singer/songwriter. So I wasn’t that great, but at the time I thought I was!

What is on your Bucket list?
Travel a lot more. I would love to take my kids to Greece within the next few years and stay the whole summer. I want to experience great things. I don’t like routine, so I am always up for something new.

Name 2 Photographers that you would like Inspire Me Baby To Interview.
Meg Borders, Michelle Huesgen

Thank you Angie!

//  Angie Monson  //

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