The Class of 2012 MDP Seniors will soon be graduating from Penfield, Victor, Avon, Penn Yan and Livonia high schools – congrats to you all! I truly had a blast not only photographing you – but getting to know you all as well. I can’t wait to see what your future holds.

Cheers!

 

 

 

As a founder of Wardrobe Wednesday, it’s obvious I’m very passionate about offering my clients helpful information on how to look their very best for a portrait session. And I’m always interested to know how other photographers approach this topic, which is just one of the reasons I’m thrilled to share this week’s guest post from Andee of Crave Photography.

Andee details how she takes charge of her client communication, and she’s also extending a $50 discount off her online photoshop mentoring through May 15th. To take advantage of the offer, just visit www.cravemymentoring.com and use the code WWSALE at checkout!

But before you go, here’s some great insight:

I’m Andee from Crave Photography, a portrait photographer based out of Utah who specializes in senior, child and wedding photography. I picked up my first DSLR three years ago and haven’t slept much since! As much as I love shooting, I am completely obsessed with editing. My real passion is teaching others my simple and straight-forward editing techniques for creating standout imagery. I love spending time with my family outdoors and traveling to new places!

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from other photographers is how do I get my clients to show up dressed so nicely. It’s all about communication — and a dress code!  I have learned from painful experience that if you do not take charge of your correspondence and expectations with your client, your session can be disappointing for you as an artist. We’ve all had the session where everyone shows up wearing matching T-shirts right? Or someone shows up to an engagement session dressed far too casual. To avoid this, I always make sure I inform my clients of my dress code: No baseball hats, no shorts, no flip flops, and no logo-splashed T-shirts. I feel like the client is already making a considerable investment in their photography session, and I personally expect that they will be prepared to come dressed appropriately. By having a dress code, you weed out so many of the problematic clothing disasters! This may seem harsh, but as much as the session is about my clients, it is also about me being happy as an artist and creating imagery and portraits I can be proud of.

Sometimes clients need some guidance, resources and recommendations on what will look nice. Try emailing or mailing a “What to Wear” guide to clients listing and describing what photographs well. For example, in my What to Wear guide, I put:  ”It looks nice when clothing is layered up for more texture (jackets, vests, sweaters, etc.). Also, try selecting several colors and patterns so that everything isn’t perfectly matching.” Most people are visual, so be sure to send blog or website links to show your clients examples of what you feel looks nice. Wardrobe Wednesday is a fantastic resource for photographers to pass on to their clients!  Here is where I get even more straight forward — I personally ask my clients to send me cell phone photos of what they plan to wear. This does two important things for me: 1. It helps me gain a sense of their style (vintage, modern, eclectic, country, urban, etc.),  2. It also showcases the colors they plan to wear which helps me to determine and plan their locations. You would be surprised how helpful this can be!

I often collaborate with clients on a specific idea or theme for a stylized shoot. It may be an idea they had or something crazy I have dreamed up! In this situation, I will typically make clothing suggestions, send links for references, and discuss in detail the entire set up I have envisioned. Clothing choices can really make or break these particular sessions! I always let clients know that I don’t expect them to go out and purchase a whole new wardrobe, but to be selective and thoughtful as they plan out their clothing. I promise I am always very kind and respectful in my approach and dialogue with clients. I’ve evolved over the years to find that my best work comes when I take control of my sessions, and detailed correspondence is an important key to a successful photo shoot!

Below are a few examples of actual cell photos I’ve gotten from clients and a resulting image from their session, as well as a few of my favorite images showcasing great wardrobe collaboration.

Even though I’m actively trying to get back into my non-maternity clothing, this post by Rebecca Keeling has me thinking about picking up a few of these pieces anyway. She’s absolutely right though – you don’t need to break the bank to pull together a great maternity outfit. But really, who deserves a new outfit more than a mom-to-be 🙂

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There’s something about the spring season that just gets me in the baby mood!  I have been photographing lots of mommy’s-to-be lately and it is one of my favorite sessions.  Just to be spending that precious time together with a couple or family getting ready to welcome a new miracle into their lives is such an incredible part of being a photographer!  I love every second of it.  And, the soon-to-be mommy’s are seriously the most beautiful thing ever.  Glowing, radiant, gushing with love for that little one.  Since we haven’t had a maternity wardrobe post in awhile, I thought it would be the perfect timing, and I wanted to be sure to show you how you can have a totally new outfit on a great budget.  All of these outfits are right around $100, so don’t feel like you have to break the bank to get some fabulous new clothes for your upcoming session.  And, I bet you even have some of these pieces already in your closet!  Just pick up some accessories, get your hubby in some jeans, a solid coordinating shirt, casual flip flops or sandals, and you are ready for your close-ups!

maternity wardrobe suggestions

 WHERE TO GET THE GOODS:

Outfit #1

Sleeveless ruffled top | $19.99 | Target

Boot-cut maternity jeans | $27.50 | Old Navy

Scarf wedges | $25.94 | Old Navy

Stone necklace & earring set | $12.99 | Payless

 

Outfit #2

Mossimo cropped cardigan | $15.00 | Target

Gold round gypsy cutout earrings | $12.99 | Target

Ruffled tube top | $19.94 | Old Navy

Maternity capris | $34.94 | Old Navy

Women’s vander band wedge | $24.99 | Payless

 

Outfit #3

Maternity cropped denim jacket | $36.94 | Old Navy

Ruffled jersey tank | $16.94 | Old Navy

Fold-over striped jersey skirt | $19.94 | Old Navy

Mixed-pleated wedges | $29.94 | Old Navy

Enamel bracelets | $10.94 | Old Navy

Striped bead drop earrings | $8.94 | Old Navy

 

Outfit #4

Maternity tie-waist cardigan | $24.00 | Old Navy

Scoop rib-knit tank | $12.94 | Old Navy

Linen-blend shorts | $24.94 | Old Navy

Jeweled t-strap sandals | $19.94 | Old Navy

Silver plated hoop earrings | $19.99 | Target

Even though I do my best to get to know my clients before the shoot, there really is no one who knows you better than your best friend. I can try to think of a million cute or funny things to say or do that might elicit a particular reaction, but one glance or word from your friend can do more in just one second than I can do the entire shoot. These real moments are exactly what we’re looking for – what makes for the best photos.

This is why I’m so excited to announce a new type of senior shoot: MDP Senior Pairs. These sessions allow you and a friend (or two…) to have your senior pictures taken at the same time. This once-in-a-lifetime experience can be done with your best friends with you. And, as an added bonus, you’ll get some fantastic shots of you together. Photos where one of you weren’t holding the camera!

We’ll start by scheduling a pre-session consultation where we can talk about locations, outfits, etc. Since I prefer to pair the location to the clothes, it’s best if we can all meet at the same time. This way, not only can we decide what outfits you’ll wear in each location, but what you can wear when I take your pictures together. The more planning, the better!

On the day of the shoot, we’ll talk about the game plan and get started right away. Most of the session will be me taking solo pictures – rotating who goes when – but there will definitely be some time for shots together. Here are some examples!

 

Happy Monday, everyone! This is just a quick note to thank you all for commenting and entering the Crawler Covers giveaway. We’d also like to thank Laurie, owner of Crawler Covers, for her generous donation of SIX pairs of covers!

And now the winner (chosen by random.org)

is…

AMY

Congratulations! We will be in touch!

 

My son may only be 13 days old, but I’m already thinking about how to dress him (A) in a way that makes changing a diaper as easy as possible, and (B) in a way that makes impromptu photos just a little bit cuter.

A few years ago I stumbled upon BabyLegs, a company that makes stylish leggings that cover a kid’s legs without covering the diaper. I wondered if there might be a local business producing something similar. Via Etsy (isn’t the whole world on Etsy now?), I discovered a mom making something she calls “Crawler Covers”. And turns out, she lives in my neighborhood!

You’ve got a chance to win some free crawler covers… more on that in a moment. First, I want to introduce Laurie Williams of Crawler Covers & More. I asked her to briefly describe what she does – and why! Here’s my little Q&A with Laurie…

How did your business begin?
My business began on a whim. I started making the leg warmers for my daughter, who was 18 months old at the time. A few friends inquired about them and suggested I start selling them. I was pleasantly surprised that the business took off and has lasted the past 5 years. I love my job and all my amazing customers.

Why do you like crawler covers?

I like them because they are so versatile. Not only can babies wear them to protect their knees when crawling, older children can wear them for dance class, soccer, and can be worn as arm warmers for chilly mornings.

Do you do custom orders? What sizes do you sell? Do they fit newborns, or are they better for children a bit older?

I sell the leg warmers in 2 sizes. The itty bitty size is for newborns up to 12 months of age. The toddler size fits most up to the age of 8. The toddler size will fit newborns, and will scrunch up on their legs until they fully grow into them.

Want to win six FREE pairs of Crawler Covers? Here’s how!

Entry 1: Leave a comment below saying you want to win.

Entry 2: Like the Wardrobe Wednesday and Crawler Covers Facebook pages and come back here to say you did so.

Entry 3: Head over to the Crawler Covers Etsy shop and do a little pre-shopping. Leave a comment with a link to the pair you most have your eyes on.

Please note that only separate comments will be counted as individual entries. If you leave all your information in one comment, it will only be counted as one entry. The winner will be chosen via random.org on Monday, April 16th at 9:00 AM EST.

* This contest is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook.
** Crawler Cover photos by Blossom Portraiture Art, Jill Serrano Photography, Jennifer Cusimano and Blink Photography.

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The one kind of how-to post that most people do NOT love is the kind that looks like no one could possibly pull it off! And that is why Kelly’s post is so, so awesome.

You could do this. I could do this. I will do this.

Parents, please make sure you read to the end of this post; there are some very nice fan discounts from various vendors.

Oh, and one more point: I love the tie. LOVE IT!

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My little guy recently turned one, and I couldn’t wait to take his birthday portraits, complete with a cake smash. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, you plunk the birthday boy or girl down for some instant photo fun — just add cake! The results are always messy and memorable once they dig in.

In addition to capturing my son covered in frosting, I also wanted some images of him outside — exploring, reacting to his surroundings for those natural expressions I know and love.

First birthdays are a major milestone and a popular reason for booking a portrait session. But rather than just picking outfits and props randomly, if you give it just a little extra thought, you can plan and style an amazing first birthday session so all of your images (although very different) are coordinated and look amazing when paired together for an album, wall display or however you choose to enjoy them. And because I just went through it myself, I have real examples to illustrate — which always helps, right?

Need another reason to read to the very end? I lined up some awesome deals for you from some very incredible vendors.

Okay, for Evan’s portraits I opted to go with the colors of his nursery because I know I’ll display some of the photos there. (For more on matching your outfits to a room in your home, see this Wardrobe Wednesday post.) Evan’s nursery is filled with light blue, navy and red, so I knew I’d have a ton of options. If you’re interested, check out his room here.

I did a little shopping and came up with a few great outfits and props for outdoor portraits as well as his cake smash in my chosen color palate.

 

 

 

Okay, so how awesome is that giant cupcake cake? Well guess what? I made it! That’s a photo I took in my studio. And you can make one too!

Wait. Just wait. Before you get all, “Yeah, but you’re super creative … I can’t do that” on me, I am the World’s Worst Baker. I ruin just-add-water brownies. (Just ask my family.) But I really, really, really wanted one for Evan’s cake smash photos, so I did a little research online and decided to give it a try.

Here’s what I purchased:

 

 

Yes, you could certainly use your own cake batter recipe, but being the World’s Worst Baker, I decided to keep it simple and leave it to the expert Duncan Heinz. You could keep it even simpler and apply the frosting with a spatula, but I was feeling adventurous, so I went for it. The decorating tools were fairly simple to use, and the little turntable was a minimal investment and really saved the day when it came time to add frosting. My 4-year-old spun it while I applied the vanilla.

In my research process, I checked out a lot of photos of other people’s cupcake cakes and decided I didn’t really care for the bottom half when it was unfrosted or frosted. I thought it either looked unfinished or weird. Then I found this incredible tutorial on how to make a giant cupcake liner using chocolate melts! Brilliant!

I followed the directions exactly and nailed it on the first try. It was super easy and slid right out of the pan. I didn’t even have to trim the sides of the cake for it to fit, just a little off the top. Easy, peasy.

The last tip I found that really made things simple was how much batter to put in each side of the pan. After you’ve coated both sides with cooking spray and lightly dusted them with flour, fill the portion that will become the top half of the cake with 2½ cups of batter. Fill the bottom half with 3½ cups of batter. No more, no less and both sides will bake evenly. Bake at 225 degrees for one hour.

Let your cake cool, trim, place inside your kickin’ chocolate liner and decorate!

* * * * *

And here are a few of the final results with my birthday boy. Even though the images are very different, they still coordinate! Can’t wait to design his mini albums to pass out to family.

 

 

Where to shop

OUTDOOR PORTRAITS

Tie: $17.95, Trendy Ties

White button down: $14.94, Old Navy

Jeans: $16.94, Old Navy

Plaid hat: $6.99 (on sale), Gymboree

Headphones T-shirt: $12.99, Old Navy

Navy pants: $14.94 Old Navy

 

INDOOR PORTRAITS

Pennant: $32, Blue Moon Studios on Etsy

Personalized name shirt: $18, Three Lulus on Etsy

Diaper cover: $5.99, Amazon

Tie and jeans (see above)

 

CAKE SMASH GOODIES*

Wilton cake pan: $22.94, Amazon

Jumbo confetti sprinkles: $0.99 per ounce (I purchased 2 ounces) Shop Bakers Nook

#1 candle: $1.29, Amazon

Two boxes of store-bought cake mix, two containers of store-bought vanilla frosting

One package of chocolate melts, $2.99 at craft stores

Cake decorating turntable: $14.99, Shop Bakers Nook

18-inch decorating bag: $8.14, Amazon

Large cake decorating tip coupler: $4.56, Amazon

Large decorating tip: $3, Amazon

 

* If you’d prefer to avoid shipping fees, I purchased all of the cake-decorating items — including the pan — at Michael’s Craft Store

 

What’s that? You need one more great reason to shop? Done. Here is a discount code from a few vendors featured in this post exclusively for my clients and Wardrobe Wednesday fans! Enjoy!

 

 

Last week a Wardrobe Wednesday fan posted a note asking for advice on pairing outfits with military ACUs (Army Combat Uniforms). To help us out, we decided to enlist military wife and photographer Rachel of Rachel Brenke Photography. She brought her unique perspective and came up with outfits for a couple as well as an entire family. They did a fantastic job!

Thank you so much, Rachel!

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As a military spouse, working intimately with clients who are going through deployments/homecomings can be really emotional. Getting ready for a homecoming or deployment session is completely different than one of family portraits that are done yearly. There’s always the real possibility this may be their last; at the very least, this is one of the things that will help the family get through the rough separation. Being in a military community, the majority of my clients are military, even if they prefer to shoot not in uniform.  My biggest goal with getting ready for a session — especially one that is during or before a deployment — is to ensure that they have FUN because you are essentially taking up their limited time together and want to make it more than a session. Make it a memory. Of course the goal is for ALL clients to feel this, but with military it just seems to have that air of privilege that you get to be the one to document.

I chose the colors for the styled outfits because they are reminiscent of the yellow and blues that are often associated with the United States Military and flag. I avoided reds because red is not flattering on many individuals. The use of cooler tones helped tie this patriotic theme together, but also is more flattering for most body types and skin tones.

outfit ideas for a military photo shoot outfits to match military green uniforms

SHOPPING GUIDE

Army Couple:

Dress – Old Navy– $35.00
Shoes – Target – $29.99
Necklace – Old Navy – $16.94
Bracelet – Old Navy – $10.94


Army Family:

Mom top – Old Navy – $18
Mom capris – Old Navy – $29.94
Mom sandals – Target – $14.99
Boys shirt – Target – 10.99
Boys Jeans – Crazy 8 – $19.95
Boys shoes – Target – $19.99
Girls Dress – Target – $17.99
Girls sandals – Payless – $9.99

Rachel Brenke Photography is a Texas-based Wedding & Senior Photographer, as well as a business consultant for photographers. She offers online and in-person workshops for all levels of photographers to aid in establishing and growing of their business.

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