Clothing Options...

Proper clothing allows the face to dominate the portrait, with all other elements being secondary. Bare shoulders or tops with “spaghetti straps” often make the subject look heavier and take the eye away from the face… especially bright colors such as red, orange, or pink, will ruin a portrait because their intensity overwhelms the face. Stripes, plaids, checks, and bold prints also draw the eye away from the face and do not photograph well…. unless you’re trying to make a fashion statement… then it’s perfectly fine! Just keep in mind what your ultimate goal is
Proper clothing allows the face to dominate the portrait, with all other elements being secondary. Bare shoulders or tops with “spaghetti straps” often make the subject look heavier and take the eye away from the face… especially bright colors such as red, orange, or pink, will ruin a portrait because their intensity overwhelms the face. Stripes, plaids, checks, and bold prints also draw the eye away from the face and do not photograph well…. unless you’re trying to make a fashion statement… then it’s perfectly fine! Just keep in mind what your ultimate goal is for the session. It’s always good to include some “fun” shots but also include those “timeless” outfits for portraits you intend to display for many years!
Something else to think about in planning your session is your hair and makeup. Don’t try a new hairstyle just for your session, and have your hair cut around a week before your session is scheduled. Makeup can affect the way your portrait looks. While both fresh, natural makeup or “evening” makeup photograph well, stay away from glittery makeup or eyeshadow. This creates a problem with glare and can even show up as blemishes in your portraits.
You’ll also want to be careful about sunburn and tan lines… while these issues can be taken care of with retouching, it can get very costly.
And for the guys… a fresh shave is a MUST. If you have a beard or mustache, make sure it is trimmed to your lik the session. It’s always good to include some “fun” shots but also include those “timeless” outfits for portraits you intend to display for many years!
Something else to think about in planning your session is your hair and makeup. Don’t try a new hairstyle just for your session, and have your hair cut around a week before your session is scheduled. Makeup can affect the way your portrait looks. While both fresh, natural makeup or “evening” makeup photograph well, stay away from glittery makeup or eyeshadow. This creates a problem with glare and can even show up as blemishes in your portraits.
You’ll also want to be careful about sunburn and tan lines… while these issues can be taken care of with retouching, it can get very costly.
And for the guys… a fresh shave is a MUST. If you have a beard or mustache, make sure it is trimmed to your liking.

The M Family...

I have had the privilege to photograph these beautiful little girls for two years now and hope to continue for years to come! How much these two have changed over the year.

Happy Birthday Girls...

How to Make a Canister Bow Holder

Posted by THBC Blogger 

 

We understand that you get annoyed when you have all of your bows thrown in a drawer, that's just no way to live! Plus bows are so cute, you need to have them on display! Since we are the source of all the bow clutter, I feel that it is our duty to provide you with a variety of bow and clip storage solutions.

 

The first storage idea is probably one of the easiest ones out there! We're going to call it the Canister Bow Holder, for lack of creativity! I used an old oatmeal canister, though you could you a coffee can or anything similar. (Just be sure there are no sharp edges!!)

 

First, grab your canister and some fun paper. I used wrapping paper since I happened to have this cute solid lime paper on hand. You can use scrapbook paper if you want, there are tons of cheap options out there!

 

 

Gather some coordinating ribbon. Since we recently aquired a company called House of Ribbon, I had a ton of options at my disposal. But I honestly believe you could use scraps, a variety of our solid grosgrain ribbon, or something from the $1 bin at your local craft store. The flowers and bows are what is going to make this canister adorable.

 

Wrap your canister in paper. Don't worry about the seam, you can cover that with a piece of ribbon.

 

Line the wrapped canister with a few pieces of ribbon, adding a dab of glue at the top and bottom to hold it in place. I didn't worry too much about how the top looked since I planned to wrap a ribbon around it, and I tucked the bottom under the canister so that edge was hidden. I also decided to wrap one piece of ribbon around the middle of the canister since I thought it might help hold down the vertical ribbons... plus I thought it was cute! This is what I came up with.

 

   

 

That took me about 15 minutes. Not bad, huh? I also cut a circle out of scrapbook paper and stuck it under the lid to make it even cuter. You could cut a little slit in the lid and slide a flower clip in to make an interchangeable topper instead!

 

So now what? Well you can fill the insides with hair ties, bobby pins, or a brush. Wrap headbands around the body of the canister and clip bows and flowers on the ribbins. Voila!

 

 

 

Put a couple on there, or cover it completely. The more the better, in our opinion!

 

This project was super easy and only took about 20 minutes to make. If this isn't really your style, no worries. We will have more bow storage ideas in the future!

Capturing the innocence of childhood is what I just love… and working with you to create an incredible image that you’ll want to display proudly in your home.  Why decorate your home with anything other than your own beautiful children?

Everyone Loves to Create Memories

There are so many parents that have their children photographed when they are at a young age and once they start coming home with the preschool pictures, sports pictures and all the other occasions arise for a quick photo opportunity these beautiful children aren’t photographed as much…. in an adorable setting that is, complete with a very fun story telling theme!

I LOVE working with children... It’s awesome to see their personalities come out, they have so much fun, they forget about the fact that they are even getting pictures taken. This is also that aweful time when so many children have been coached to “say cheese” or “smile” or parents can be heard saying “don’t give me that fake smile” … the lists goes on and on.

I know it’s getting really HOT outside now but sometimes it’s not too bad in the evening so give me a call to discuss your session. What parent wouldn’t want a beautiful portrait of their somewhat “older” child. With these sessions, you are NEVER rushed and I promise not to squeeze you into a 15 or 20 minute time slot so I can move on to the next group in line.

All of my clients are very special and I like to make sure they are treated that way!

Watermelons Mini Sessions -

I love photographing kids and families so much that I am holding this FABULOUS special celebrating the deliciousness of watermelons and all that they stand for!  This special is $20 for individuals or Groups! Each session will ONLY be 20 minutes long and will be scheduled every 30 minutes.

You will get at least 5-10 images on a CD that’s yours to print whatever you like and for any of you who know me that really means you’ll get LOTS more shots because I ALWAYS get carried away and shoot way too much! This is great for boys OR girls and it does not matter to me if mom and/or dad even jump in for a few shots with the kiddos.  If you opt for the group session, I can photograph the kids separately and together if you like… it all just depends on how much we can fit in the 20 minute session. 

The sessions will be done outside so you’ll want to dress cool!  The special is on Saturday, July 28th starting at 9 am and going all day till about 7 pm.

Call or text me at 814-590-9242 to reserve your time. There’s a $10 deposit required to reserve your space. You’re welcome to bring your own props if you’d like to personalize your session so it’s not the same as all the others.