What to Wear?!?!

Whether it's a family of three or an extended family portrait, I'm often asked, "What do I wear?" I usually answer this question, "anything you feel comfortable in because being comfortable and relaxed is important when you step in front of the camera lens."

Though there was a time in history where rigid and obviously posed portraits were the style, that's not so these days. Being comfortable and relaxed during your portrait session gives you candid, happy, and more natural expressions and body language which come across in photographs as graceful, poised, and gives the emotion of love.

But, that doesn't quite answer the question of, "What do I wear?" now does it?  I get that.  I am the matriarch of a family of five. My husband and I have two different distinct styles. Add in our children  who are comprised of two teenagers with their own picky clothing choices and a pre-tween fashionista diva, well, we're a bit of a mess, to be honest. Trying to find clothing options for portraits that are both comfortable and adhere to everyone's style can be tricky. But it doesn't have to be expensive or painstaking.

Autumn is on its way, whether we like it or not.  (I'm still waiting on summer to arrive!) The fall foliage has started to change.  Temperatures are getting cooler.  Even the berries on my tree are beginning to turn deep red and the acorns are falling all over the yard.  Fall is here. So what do we think of when we think of autumn?  Hot cocoa, bond fires, pumpkin flavored everything, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and of course, switching out our wardrobes. We begin to break out our light coats, flannel shirts, boots, sweaters - oh those glorious, ever-so-soft sweaters, and jeans.

In terms of color, fall brings a plethora of deep oranges, burgundies, browns, and creams to mind. But color doesn't have to be dark fall portraits. Mix in some yellows with a scarf or a chevron skirt. Lavender is another color not often associated with fall but mixes beautiful with other tones and colors that fall brings. And although red is not a color everyone can wear (I sure can't!) and often saved for holiday portraits, subtle hints in a scarf, tie, or shoe photographs beautifully!

I've created a board on Pinterest to provide some examples of fall family portrait wardrobe to draw some inspiration. Take a look and I'm sure you'll find something to wear!! So relax. Have fun! And let's get those family portraits taken care of soon!!

Call or email me for you family's fall portraits. The scenery is beautiful and makes the perfect backdrop for your portraits!!

Holiday Mini Session Prices: November 16, 2013

I've been asked how my pricing works. Let me break it down for you.

When you call to schedule your Holiday Portraits for Saturday, November 16, a $25 non-refundable "deposit" is due. This is payable by cash, money order, or PayPal and saves your appointment time.  The $25 will then be applied to your order. Mini Sessions are shorter therefore have less photos to choose from. So my prices are less than a normal session. I offer three portrait packages: Prints, Cards, and Digital. Packages may be combined for the same sitting for a small discount. Inquire at ordering to receive your discount.

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Say you'd like to order the Print Package and Holiday Card Package. You're total will be $90, less than the $25 deposit, leaving $65 due at ordering time.

I realize that you may need more than what the packages offer, even if combined. You may want to order a canvas for over the fireplace or maybe an extra 8x10 for Aunt Suzy. If you've purchased a package, I have a lovely "A la Carte" menu that you may add to your packages at ordering time. 

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All orders are prepaid to ensure fast delivery. However, you may opt to purchase additional packages and A la Carte items for up to 60 days after your shoot date. Holiday Portraits are being held on Saturday, November 16, 2013. You may make additional purchases up to January 15, 2014! The last date to purchase items for guaranteed Christmas delivery is December 7, 2013.

Ordering Deadlines:

Original Package Purchase Date: 

November 16, 2013

Last day to purchase for guaranteed Christmas Delivery: December 7, 2013

Final Day to order from this mini session: 

January 15, 2014

I hope I've answered your questions. And I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday!

~Bobbi

Holiday Mini Sessions: Saturday, November 16, 2013

The Holidays have arrived!

It has been quite the year here in the midwest.  My family and I have grown rather fond of our "little-big town" of Muncie and its outlying areas.  You are the reason I've enjoyed moving back home after our military adventures! I have oohed and awed over your family's milestones this past year. And I would love the opportunity to provide you with professional photography services for the holidays!

Holiday Mini Sessions

Saturday, November 16, 2013

What are Holiday Mini Sessions, you ask? Holiday Mini Sessions are photo sessions, 30 minutes in length, one wardrobe, on a pre-designed set. It's the perfect opportunity to update your family photos, order holiday cards, or purchase that canvas print present for Grandma!

What should we wear? It's up to you! Your family can come dressed to impress, casual, or even in your pajamas. Hats, scarves, vests and mittens are welcome on this woodsy winter set. And you could even add a little flare by adding hats or reindeer ears! Above all, be comfortable.

So how much is this going to cost you? I know times are hard everywhere, so I am offering three different packages with zero sitting fees in order to help fit your budget.

Print Package $40

48 Die-cut Wallets to include in your holiday cards

2 5x7s

1 8x10

A Facebook "Cover" photo.

Thumb drive of watermarked images to share online.

Card Package $50

25 Creative Edge die-cut in your choice of 3x3, 4x8, or 5x7 sizes, press printed on semi-gloss paper.

(Includes your choice of red, silver, or gold foil envelopes.)

A Facebook "Cover" photo

A thumb drive of watermarked images to share online.

Digital Package $75

3-5 Professionally edited and retouched photos on thumb drive with Print Release.

A Facebook "cover" photo.

Watermarked images to share online.

Just in time for the holidays metal photo ornaments. Perfect gift for the grandparents or your own Christmas tree!

All packages have the option to build onto their order with the A la Carte menu.

Space is limited. Please call (765) 760-5936 or email to book your session:

1:00 pm

1:45 pm

2:30 pm

3:15 pm

4:00 pm

4:45 pm

5:30 pm

I'm so excited to photograph you and your littles this holiday season! See you soon!

(A $25 non-refundable is due at the time of booking and will be applied to your order. Payable via cash, money order, or PayPal.)

See you soon!

What a Great Camera

If I had a penny for every time someone told me, "Wow! Your camera takes amazing photos!" I'd be one rich gal. Though I wish it were just that simple, it's a bit more complicated than that.
With DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Reflex) being quite affordable and attainable, it seems just about anyone can have one these days. And, they do! Unlike film SLR cameras, digital SLRs come fully equipped with features that make taking photographs pretty simple to anyone who would like the look of a professional photograph but haven't the training/knowledge to become one. And that is okay, too!
The challenge comes when switching the camera's dial to M (Manual) from A (auto) or SCN (scene).
When a camera owner switches their camera dial to M the camera no longer makes decisions for the camera operator. It is then up to the camera operator to compute the shutter speed, ISO, aperture. All three of these work hand in hand to make properly exposed, fabulous images in camera.

To the untrained eye landscape and portraiture images made in A or SCN may look fabulous - especially with the amount of amazing editing software available. (Editing software is referred to as a dry darkroom as photographers use this software to develop their RAW digital files just as film photographers use chemicals and papers as one way of developing their film.) To show the best example of this, I've compiled these images of the moon.

The first image is made in SCN Mode (Scene Mode). Scene mode is a setting on the DSLR dial that allows the camera operator to select the closest scene to what they are in. The preset selections may include, "Sports, Sunset, Portrait, and Night" to name a few. I selected "Night Scene" on SCN mode and took this image.

The second image is on Auto. When in Auto, the camera computes the scene you are shooting and develops its own shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and whether or not it thinks the in-camera flash is needed. Obviously it was at night, so the camera decided the flash was needed.

The third photograph is shot in complete manual, as I shoot all of my images. The first step was to set my aperture to as low as it could go. I didn't want a wide aperture (often referred to as shooting wide open - it's not good for a lot of things, including portraiture, but that's for another day!) because I wanted ALL of the moon in focus and because the moon is so far away. So, I set it to 7.1 a happy medium. (The lowest and highest an aperture can be set varies from lens to lens.) The next step was to make sure my ISO was set to the lowest it could go. The lower the ISO the less "noise" I'm going to receive in my final image. I set it to 50, the lowest setting my camera has. The next step I set the shutter speed to make a proper exposure. Too fast and the moon would be too dark. Too slow, the moon would be too bright. Finding the happy medium was key. Luckily knowing exactly where to put your settings is easy on digital SLRs because they have LCD screens. Some DSLRs also show in-camera what the exposure is. And all DSLRs have light meters that will tell  the camera operator if the exposure is properly balanced. (Disclaimer: DSLRs come equipped with TTL light meters which will work in most cases. In this case, it was off. It is always best to have an off-camera light meter for difficult lighting situations.)

The last photograph, on the right, is the same as the third photograph, but it is edited with Photoshop and cropped. (The key to photoshop - a wise, non-photographer friend told me once - is that it doesn't LOOK photoshopped. But again, that's for another day.) I shoot in RAW files. RAW files are minimally processed by the camera, so that I may process it myself, and provides more data than a jpg. (When a camera operator shoots in jpg, they are allowing the camera to process the files as it sees it needs.)  So, I added some clarity and slapped an unsharp mask on it, to bring out the details in the moon. I then cropped the image. My largest lens is a 300mm which may seem like it's a huge zoom lens. But, when shooting the moon, it still makes it look tiny within the frame. So, I cropped the image so we can see more of the detail.

Old Friends

Imagine my excitement when one of my mother's oldest friends sends me an email asking for prices on pictures. I was ecstatic. As I mentioned before, I am always flattered and humbled when family and friends choose me to capture their beauty. It means they trust me. It means they like my work. It means they support me. It almost always brings a tear to my eye to hear them say, "have seen her work and she is Awesome!!" It makes this all worth while. It makes following my passion and dreams easier.

Robert & Becky

Meet Robert and Becky. Becky and my mother went to high school together. Can you believe it? She used to babysit me. And I, in turn, babysat her children. And here I am, all grown up making portraits for her and her husband.

Sunday morning Robert and Becky, my son and I headed out to explore a new location I scouted out. It was perfect!! The sun was bright but there was plenty of shade. It was so nice to walk, click, talk, and catch up.

Ms. Becky

Through our catching up we discovered that we have family in common. Nevermind the fact this woman has caught me picking my nose as a toddler - it doesn't really get much more family than that - but we are now related by marriage, sort of. As my cousins have grown, started relationships, and had children, they've intertwined Becky's family with my own. My cousin is now her great nephew. How cool is that?

Mr. Robert

I was happy to have been able to count on my son for his help as my assistant. It also my makes my heart warm to be able to share my passion with him.  Beside their grandson's second birthday party, they haven't had the chance to meet my son as an almost grown up. I think the last time they may have met him he was still in diapers!! Imagine that.

Thank you Robert and Becky!

All in all, it was a fabulous session in beautiful weather with great conversation with fantastic life-long friends. I do hope I get the chance of photographing their Harleys next time. ;) That. Would be. Amazing!

Jake & Laurissa

My family from Pennsylvania came out for a visit this week. They're staying with my mother but they made sure to contact me for portraits while in town. I, of course, happily obliged. I love it when my family asks me for my photography services. I'm always flattered when someone contacts me for their professional portraits anyway. Family makes it all the sweeter!  It not only makes me feel special that they value my work, but it makes it personal, for both of us. 

Meet Jake and Laurissa, my two little cousins. Laurissa is a whole lot like my own daughter. She loves Taylor Swift, giggles infectiously, and adored being in front of my camera. Nyla and Laurissa are like two peas in a pod. It's almost scary how close their mannerisms are!  Jake. Well, Jake is shy. So shy he doesn't like to talk to anyone minus a few people in his inner circle. But, I love that about him! 

Though both munchkins are my cousins, we've only seen each other on a handful of occasions.  Spending the last 15 years as a military family has been a fantastic experience for myself and kiddos, however, it does have its drawbacks. This happens to be one of them. Because I haven't a permanent fixture in Jake's life, it was hard for me to get him to look at me let alone get a smile from him. But I understood and accepted this from him. He's shy. And we can't all be busy social butterflies now can we?

I may have bribed him with the promise of an ice cream cone. I'll never tell!! (Besides, I can take my cousins out for ice cream, right?!) By the end of the session, I think we had an understanding and he really came out of his shell for me. 

I like for kids to be themselves. It enables me to capture who they are. I almost always declare "Goofy Time" so they can be silly and make faces. 

Jake covering Laurissa's mouth during "goofy time."

True. Mom and Dad probably won't purchase the silly faced images. That's A-Okay. Allowing the kiddos to be themselves means they are comfortable with me pointing my camera at them. It means they can relax and I can make that amazing photo for their family to hang proudly in their home.