What to Expect | {Smash Cake Sessions}

Previously, we have covered what to expect for newborn sessions and family/children sessions. Today is all about smash cake sessions. When your little one (or ones) turn, well, one you may want to commemorate the occasion with a smash cake session.

View this little cutie’s session here!

You may choose to have the session indoors with up to 2 studio set ups and 2 outfit changes, or outdoors with 2 outfit changes. These sessions take place in two main parts; some photos of the birthday boy or girl alone, then some of the little one digging into the cake. Photos by Karen does not provide a cake, so you will have to bring one to your session. *For recommendations for bakers or cake/frosting flavors that photograph well, contact me!* Before they get covered in cake, we’ll get some shots of your little one in an outfit of your choosing (usually something that pertains to the theme of their first birthday party). If you chose to have your session with the studio set ups, this will be set up one (unless you choose to have both segments with the same backdrop/floordrop combination). You can bring your own themed props or use some of mine. If you want me to bring any, please be sure to ask before hand! I’m more than happy to pick up a few things if you need them! *I have 2 simple chalkboards that can be customized by me for your session* Next, I will change the set up and photograph the cake while it’s still intact. Then, we switch out the cake for the birthday boy or girl in their 2nd outfit. Lastly, we give the cake to the little one so they can smash it! Don’t panic if they don’t dig in! They might not know what to do or like the texture of the frosting. Sometimes if Mom or Dad help them get the first little bit torn open, they start to get the idea. But for my little one, she barely picked at the pearls on her huge cake! If the session is outdoors, we simply do everything in the same area. We still have shots of the little one alone, then of the cake , then birthday boy or girl in their second outfit, and finally the cake smash itself.

View this little cutie’s session here!

Sessions usually last between 1 and 2 hours. Things will get messy, so come prepared! If you wish to display photos from this session at your little one’s first birthday party, I recommend having the session roughly 2 weeks before the party to allow time for editing and ordering prints.

View my own little cutie’s session here!

Well, that’s about it! Smash cake sessions are a fun way to celebrate your child’s first birthday while capturing the whole thing to share later on!

I look forward to helping your little one dig in to their delicious cake!!

As always, thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Karen

What to Expect | {Family & Children Sessions}

Next in my “What to Expect” line up is Family and Children Sessions. These are probably my favorite sessions to do! From shots of the whole family, to only the children, to some of just mom and dad. I’ve had the honor of photographing MANY families here on the central coast.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

When first inquiring about a session, you’ll probably find yourself asking me where the good locations are. For this info, please refer to my locations posts for Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and places not in our “local” area (although I’m sure we’ve already discussed this).

You can view these cuties’ session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

If you know me personally, you know that I like to take my time with things. Not that I slack off, but I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes. Especially when it comes to my photography. I tend to not put an actual time constraint on sessions because I like to take my time (although,  my current pricing list does have a time limit just in case I need to book more than one session a day). Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll be out shooting for hours on end. On the contrary, most family and children sessions last from about 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, we will be moving about the area to find the best spots for lighting, background, etc.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view these cuties’ session here.

You can view this family’s session here.

If you’re a big prop fanatic, I have absolutely no problem with that! I love personal touches! You can bring your own or let me know if you’d like me to bring something along. I do have quite a few things that can be used upon request (items such as chalkboards, various chairs, blankets, old cameras, etc.). I am also very open to pets being part of these sessions. They are, after all, part of the family too! Just keep in mind that not all locations are pet friendly when choosing the place for your session.

You can view this family’s session here.

You can view these cuties’ session here.

Most importantly of all, though, is to remember to have fun! If you’d like to take time to talk before a session, that’s perfectly fine! Chatting can calm everyone’s nerves and set the mood for the whole shoot. I always strive to make each one a great experience because photo sessions should be a blast and not a hassle for the families being photographed.

As always, thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Karen

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Santa Maria}

Now that I’ve covered Vandenberg AFB and Lompoc, I’ll move on to Santa Maria. I’ll admit first hand that I very much lack experience with shooting in Santa Maria. In fact, the only location I have done so far is the beautiful Waller Park.

-Waller Park- 

Complete with a lake full of ducks and geese, lots of grassy areas, and an abundance of trees, Waller Park is a beautiful place to have a session!

 

When a best friend’s husband returned from deployment, we set off to Waller for some homecoming photos:

  

This little family with their adorable twins loved the park too:

As did this lovely family with their two super cute little girls:

 

 

And of course, I’ve taken my own little adventurous one here for a few shots (our favorite things to do are feed the ducks and pick some flowers! And apparently play in the dirt):

 

 

 

As I’ve said with previous posts, just because I haven’t had a session at a certain location doesn’t mean I’m not up for it! I’m making it my mission for 2015 to branch out to new locations. There are many fabulous parks and areas in Santa Maria just waiting to be photographed! In fact, every time I’m in Santa Maria, I eyeball this little building (it appears to be similar to an old car wash, but I know it isn’t) behind/next to Element Church that has quite a bit of graffiti on it. I NEED to find out who owns it and see if I can get permission to shoot there!

 

Be sure to go back and find my post for on base and Lompoc locations:

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Vandenberg AFB}

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Lompoc}

And stay tuned for my upcoming post:

Location, Location, Location | {Not so Local Areas-Solvang, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, and Others}

 

Thank you and until next time,

Karen

 

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Lompoc}

If you don’t have base access, live in Lompoc or The Village, or you’d just prefer Lompoc for your session’s location, there’s plenty of great options here as well. I’ve only been able to shoot at a couple of these awesome spots, but I definitely have some others that I’d love to some day try out!

-La Purisima Mission-

One favorite by far would have to be La Purisima Mission. Its historical significance adds beauty to any type of session! I’ve had the honor of shooting two weddings and a maternity session here and I would ALWAYS recommend it for a Lompoc location.

This wedding’s venue was just gorgeous:

 

 

I was so excited when a friend and fellow photographer asked me to do her maternity photos:

 

Then, I had the honor of photographing this young couples big day:

                                                                       

 

-Miguelito Park-

Another good Lompoc location is Miguelito Park. Located in the canyon, it’s a beautiful little hideaway not far from town. It has two bridges and lots of grass and trees.

Just look at this little family:

 

And this lovely little family, too:

 

 

And, of course, there’s always Surf Beach and Ocean Beach Park which you can view in my previous post.

Once again, I’m sure there are PLENTY of perfect places in Lompoc that I haven’t shot at yet (and I’m totally up for trying a new place!) but these two are probably my favorite. I’m just itching to find someone who wants to walk the streets and alley ways of this beautiful town and get some great urban setting photos! Titled the “City of Art and Flowers”, Lompoc has a lot of GREAT murals and parks that could make the perfect location for your next photo session!

 

Be sure to go back and find my post for on base locations:

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Vandenberg AFB}

And stay tuned for these upcoming posts:

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Santa Maria}

Location, Location, Location | {Not so Local Areas-Solvang, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, and Others}

 

Thank you and until next time,

Karen

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Vandenberg AFB}

Sometimes it’s hard to choose an outdoor location for your session. Do you want woodsy? Or maybe something a little more urban? I’ve decided to put together some posts to let clients (and even other photogs, if they need it) know where some good locations are. I know there are MANY around here, but I’m going to list some of my favorites with a few samples as well as some suggestions of other locations that I’d like to someday shoot. If you’re going through these locations and find one you love, but aren’t sure how to get there, just let me know! I have no problem with giving directions (and sometimes a detailed map, if you need it). *Locations and sessions are linked so that you may view things in greater detail!*

Let’s start off right at home for me and many of my clients, Vandenberg AFB. If you’re looking for something outdoorsy, I’ve got good news for you! There are quite a few place that are good for sessions, and sometimes one location can give you many options.

-Cocheo Park-

This is one of the easiest locations on base to find and to shoot at. There are so many options in just this one area to make each session unique.

From these adorable siblings:

.

To this lovely grandmother, mother, daughter day:

To this wonderful family:

 

And these beautiful maternity sessions (here and here):

 

Or these too cute Easter babies:

And this beautiful senior:

 

-Wall, Surf, and Minuteman Beaches-

Another popular spot on base is the beach. Although Wall and Minuteman require base access to get to them, Surf Beach is open to civilians. The weather here is a little hit or miss when it comes to these sessions (usually from fog, mist, or very overcast skies) but when a beautiful day presents itself, the beach can be a wonderful spot for just about any occasion!

 

Like these fun senior sessions:

 

    

 

This wonderful little family’s session:

  

 

These lovely maternity session (here and here):

  

 

Another beautiful family here:

  

 

And this fierce fasionista:

   

 

-Washington Avenue-

Now, if you want to go a little more into the woods than Cocheo Park has to offer, I highly recommend a little ATV/ORV trail off Washington Avenue. I just love the way the eucalyptus trees look along the trail. Of course, there are many similar trails on base, but this one is fairly easy to find/get to.

Just look at this beautiful family’s session:

 

 

Another part of this guy’s senior session:

 

 

 

Also, some “family photos” we did with some close friends (that’s me and my husband in the first photo and a couple of our best friends in the second!):

 

And some quick Christmas photos of my sweet little one:

 

 

Another location that I’ve shot at is Missile V and the Memorial Grounds, like this little family:

 

 

Or this beautiful family:

 

 

One last location I’ve been to is Chapel 1. Next to the chapel there’s a bridge, a beautiful willow tree, and a nice little shady area.

This sweet couple had their gender reveal session here:

                                                                      

And this amazing couple was married here:

 

 

And some I look forward to doing sessions at:

The running trail behind the gym

The lake on Lake Canyon Road (when it’s not in a drought and all dried up)

 

I know that this was a long post so thank you so much for staying until the end!

 

Please also view:

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Lompoc}

Location, Location, Location | {Local Areas-Santa Maria}

And stay tuned for:

Location, Location, Location | {Not so Local Areas-Solvang, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, and Others}

 

Once again thank you! And until next time,

Karen

What to Expect | {Newborn Sessions}

Today, I’m going to start sharing with you a series of “What to Expect” posts for my photo sessions. I want my clients to be a little more informed about, well, what to expect! I’ll go a little in depth about what I do for sessions, although, each session will be unique. I just want you to have a general understanding of what your session will be like.

Baby S | {8 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Baby S | {8 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Newborn sessions are not what most people expect. Some think that when I come in (I can do newborn sessions in home, which I’ll get into later this post) or when you come to me, I set up, start snapping away, then it’s over in an hour or so. This isn’t the case at all. Newborn sessions take around 3 hours, sometimes a little more. Babies will be babies and they know when something is different. But have no fear! It’s perfectly normal! I have moms (and dads!) tell me constantly how sorry they are that it’s taking time to settle baby down, or that they have to feed them a little more, or that they just plain don’t know what’s wrong. Like I said, it’s normal!

 

Baby M | {12 days new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Baby S | {8 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Typically, newborn sessions are best scheduled for when baby is between 5 & 14 days old. This is because they haven’t lost their sleepiness yet. They’ve gotten into a little bit of a schedule which makes it easier to plan photos without disrupting them too much. Sometimes it’s better for parents to choose their home for the session so that baby can be more comfortable since the environment is familiar. If this is what you choose, make sure to feed baby before my arrival. This ensures that they are nice and full and can drift off into their deep baby sleep. There’s no need to change anything about your baby’s schedule to “prepare” for photos, either. I like to plan the session around their sleepy time. The less they have changed about their day, the better. Having baby down to nothing but his or her diaper (while wrapped warmly in a blanket) will also help when moving them from their comfy napping area to the setup area. If you choose to come to my home studio, the experience will be very similar. While I finish getting little things set up for your session, you can feed your baby and get them down to their diaper. They may need rocked/held until they fall asleep better before the session begins. Once they’re in a deep sleep, we can start your session.

Baby M | {3 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Baby M | {3 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

Personal items are encouraged to be brought out and used for your baby’s session. Hats, toys, something from a grandpa who has passed away, something from Mommy’s military uniform.  All of these are great examples of what can be used! I would like to know beforehand anything you want to use, though, so I can bring props of my own to go along with them. If you’re not really feeling anything, don’t fret! I have tons of baby props to use! Hats, baskets, blankets, wraps, headbands, you name it!

Baby M | {3 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

So, to put all pointers into one place:

• Typical newborn sessions happen when baby is between 5 & 14 days old
• Sessions can take anywhere from 3-4 hours
• Plan the session for a time baby is normally most sleepy/calm
• Feed baby before the session is set to start or upon arrival to my studio
• Loosen their diaper and have them in no clothing, but wrapped snugly in a blanket
• Keep the room warm (if we’re doing an in home session)
• Typically, these sessions have 3-4 setups (backgrounds, blankets, baskets/props) but I do not charge extra for additional setups or props
• Personal items are encouraged to be used as props because they bring a touch of sentiment and uniqueness to each session

Baby M | {3 weeks new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

***The above guidelines are mostly for posed newborn sessions. If you’d like a lifestyle session, things will be a little more relaxed. It’s still a newborn session, so it will still take some time. Instead of props and backdrops, baby and family will be photographed in home doing everyday activities; sitting in the nursery, with mom and dad in bed, alone in their crib, etc. Lifestyle sessions are very personal and capture special moments for your family.***

Baby S | {5 days new} You can view this sweet little one’s album here on my Facebook page!

 

As always, thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more “What to Expect” posts!

Until next time,

Karen

Nice to See You Again!

It’s been, well, a while since my last post and for that, I’m truly sorry. I’ve been quite busy since dipping my toe in the local photography scene and as everyone knows, a photog’s blog is the first thing to be ignored!

That will be changing (for now at least!) I have been trying to keep up with updating my Facebook page by adding to my ever growing online portfolio! Since I last graced your computer/mobile device screens, I’ve done quite a few sessions. From weddings, to maternity, to family and more! If you head on over to Facebook, you can check them out until I get some posts up for said sessions.

Until then, I leave you with a photo of a sea turtle from Sea World San Diego!

Thanks again!

Karen

Families | {D}

 

 

Recently, I decided to offer “portfolio builder” sessions to those interested as a way to get my name out there and to build my portfolio. It’s a blast taking pictures for family and friends, but there’s only so many photos of Little K that I can use as example work! Along with opening myself up more to more opportunities, I’ve been working on creating a brand for myself. Which is going quite nicely, if I do say so myself!

This sweet little family was first after I started offering these sessions. Mom wanted family photos and some head shots of her beautiful daughter, so we made sure to get those in there, too. She was so excited to have photos done and was more than willing to help spread word of what I’m doing! Amazing! She’s the first of my clients to receive my new “refer a friend” coupons and I can’t wait to see them in action.

These new coupons will allow the referrer to get 10% off a session for every friend (up to 10 friends) they refer to have photos done by me. Which means, if they refer 10 friends that all book a session will me, the referrer gets a free session of their choice! Like I said before, I do what I love and I don’t do it for the money. I love helping people! And I hope these coupons are a big hit!

 

Now, because I’ve been working on a new brand, I’ve also started rearranging my Facebook page. I will start posting full albums of photos there so that I can cut back on storage space on my blog. With that being said, each post will have a link to the album so that you may view it easily!

To view the photos for  this session, please click here!

Thanks for reading!

 

Until next time,

Karen

Dogs Are Not Our Whole Life | {But They Make Our Lives Whole}

Title quote by Roger Caras

 

 

 

A tale of two doggies

 

I don’t think I’ve gone a single day in my life without having a dog right beside me. My first dog, Bubba, was my best friend. He was only a few months younger than I was, so from birth we were inseparable! From playing outside to going fishing, we did everything together. So it was no question when J and I started dating that we were going to have a dog. That’s when Scrappy Doo came into our lives.

Let me start off by telling you her breed; she’s a chiweenie. What on Earth is a chiweenie you ask? It’s a “hybrid breed” of dog that is a mix of Chihuahua and Dachshund. When we first met Scrappy, she was a wee 7 months old. All ears, no lie. She was actually owned by my neighbor, who wasn’t supposed to have her due to my apartment owner’s rules. He tried to get rid of her, but no one was interested. He even tried to dump her on the side of the road, but just couldn’t bring himself to do so. Terrible situation, I know. But J and I knew we wanted the little furball, so we took her in. Now here we are, 7 years later and she’s still my little baby. We knew we wanted to get her a playmate after we were stationed here in California, so we went on a hunt. I’m not one for buying a dog, so we were searching at local shelters. That’s when we found Honey.

 

 

Honey is the sweetest old Basset Hound you could ever meet! I always joke around about how she makes a terrible guard dog and would probably just lick someone to death. When we adopted Honey, she was 7 years old. She’s now 9. But you could never tell by the way she plays! She’s so full of energy and excitement! And she LOVES the fact that we have a toddler in the house. That’s because said toddler sneaks her snacks, throws her ball for her, and makes she she gets all her necessary pets throughout the day. We know very little about Honey’s past, but we believe she may have been mistreated. We’re just glad we could give her a loving home and family that she can spend the rest of her days with.

 

 

Do you have a family pet that you rescued? Thinking about getting a pet of your own? Rescue dogs might not be that cute, spry little puppy you think you’re looking for, but they make amazing family pets! Puppies and kittens are only puppies and kittens for a short time. Don’t get them only to lose interest when they lose their little-ness. I’ve seen too many cases where people BUY a puppy (for their toddler, mind you) only to chain the dog up outside all day everyday when it got older. Also keep in mind the type of dog (if you’re looking for a dog) that would best suit your/your family’s lifestyle before fully committing to one. Large breed dogs don’t do well in small apartments just as much as hyper/easily excitable dogs may not be very good for a family with small children. (Where personalities can vary breed by breed, they also vary dog by dog. Just something else to keep in mind.)

 

I was very happy to share my wonderful fur babies with you!

 

Until next time,

Karen

My Little Family | {Our Adventures}

This post is going to be a little bit different. I want to let you look into the life of my little family and see the things we like to do together. I’m sure it’s not much different than what your family might do. Here’s some visuals for you to enjoy.

Oh, and before I forget, check me out on Facebook at facebook.com/photosbykaren2010. Likes and shares are greatly appreciated!!

 

 

Little K and I like to “window paint”. I found it on Pinterest (of course) but I couldn’t tell you who from. There’s probably hundreds of tutorials/posts about doing this. Like this one. Or this one (who got it from this one).She was showing me the smiley’s eye and then her eye! How adorable is my little one??

 

Remember how I said I like the outdoors? Well so does K, A LOT! She loved feeding and petting the donkeys at La Purisima Mission in Lompoc, CA.

 

Donkeys aren’t the only animals she feeds. Well, actually, she’ll feed just about ANY animal… Anywho, we love spending time together at the duck park!

 

And we’re always up for a trip to the Ty Warner Sea Center in Santa Barbara, CA! It’s fun, interactive, educational, and let’s not forget inexpensive! K absolutely loves playing with the “shish” (fish). She also likes to splash in the water because she knows she’s not supposed to…

 

And splash in the water when she IS supposed to! I have a little shish of my own!

 

Oh how we love to spend time at the beach! Even though most of the time we’re dressed for a blizzard, there are a few days that are wonderful to play in the sand or go watch the sunset.

 

These are two separate trips, but see what I mean about K feeding animals? She likes to sneak her nacks (snacks) to our basset hound, Honey, any chance she can get! So of course she was all for feeding goats at the Santa Barbara Zoo!

 

What can I say, we like going to the Sea Center! She really does love to splash, and get everything soaking wet…. But you should always let littles be little!

 

Until next time,

Karen

My Little Princess | {Miss K}

“I’m going to go get my daddy!”

 

So, I lied. This post isn’t going to be about sunsets and whatnot. Instead, I want to show off my adorable daughter and give a shout out to an amazing photographer here in Cali. Her husband is also in the Air Force.

Others on base had raved about Melissa online and when it came time to find a photographer for predeployment pictures (J left us for the better part of a year and during a crucial time in K’s development) I knew who I wanted to take them. They were awesome! And Melissa is so sweet! She allowed me encouraged me to bring my own camera to her studio and K’s smash cake session so that I could learn some things. She’s the only photographer on base that’s showed any interest in allowing me to job shadow (which I still need to do). And for that, I would like to say thank you! If you ever need an experienced and awesome photographer here on the California central coast, call Melissa!

You can look at her work on her Facebook page at facebook.com/FolksPhotography

The first set of photos here are of K when she was a wee 7 months old. Melissa invited me over for a playdate/photo lesson. It was fun and I really learned a lot! The second set is from K’s smash cake session, which Melissa also encouraged me bring my camera. And I’m glad I did! Of course, my photos weren’t nearly as great as her’s, but I got some cute ones, too!

Crown and tutu made by yours truly, cake made by my friend Katie with Sweet Retreat ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Retreat/123920771138539 )

 

We were doing a “Daddy’s Favorites” themed shoot. Daddy’s high school baseball warm up shirt, a St. Louis Cardinals hat (we’re from Missouri, if you remember), and Daddy’s baseball and glove.

She’s such a cutie! (If I do say so myself!)

And so chunkie!

 

 

 

 

And then she had a birthday!

You Can Find Me | {At The Zoo}

 

I’ve been slacking with my posts because of the weekend, but here’s a peek into some of my interests.

If you were to get to know me, you’d quickly find out that I love going places. Especially places that involve nature. I LOVE zoos and aquariums and such. Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to go to quite a few. I have TONS of photos from such excursions, but that would take way too long to even bother looking at. So, I’ve compiled a small batch of some of my favorites. These locations include San Antonio, TX; Monterey, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Santa Barbara, CA.

These are just from (somewhat) recent adventures. Like I said, I have more. But for now, enjoy some animals! My next post might be about landscapes/sunsets/evening skies. I haven’t determined if that’s what I want to do next, so just check back in later this week to find out!

 

Until next time,

Karen

 

Dolphins at Sea World San Antonio, San Antonio, TX

 

     

Fish and Jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA

 

Koalas and Meerkat at Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, CA

 

  

Lion, Gorilla, Penguin, Elephant, and Parrots at Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara, CA

199 Days | {Welcome Home}

199 days, 7 holidays, & 2 anniversaries later we FINALLY get our 2nd first kiss

It’s never a good feeling to find out a friend or loved one is deploying. You may know what they signed up, what others have told you, but you truly have no idea what it’s like until it happens to you. Everyone’s experience is different, as well. For some it’s over in a flash and for others it drags on and on. Or they could have the feeling of both at different times of the deployment. I had no idea what to say to Stacie when walked through her front door. She was distraught. All I could do was hug her and try not to cry.

Flash forward to last summer. The happy couple was reunited! I was lucky enough to be there as Stacie waited for Joe to get off the bus, running and jumping into his arms. Of course I had my camera ready, but somewhere throughout all the planning for his arrival, I had forgotten to empty my primary SD card. Word of advice: don’t trust a brand new SD card for a very important job, no matter how many times you’ve formatted it to your camera. I specifically remember looking at pictures while I was taking them that night. But somehow, they disappeared. I was SO upset. Stacie ad trusted me with this very special moment and something went wrong. The ONLY picture from the night came from my phone. I don’t even remember why I decided to take one, but I did. Of course Stacie told me (multiple times) that it’s okay and these things happen. After I finally finished being frustrated at that stupid card, we went out and did some homecoming pictures.

This photo shoot was a blast! These two are so cute and so in love! The very first time I was able to do photos for them was their wedding day (I’ll have those posted sometime) and they were a blast then, too. They always make taking pictures so much fun and I’m excited to also be their family photographer.

 

Until next time,

Karen

 

 My ONE photo of the night

 

 

***Photos have been moved here! Why? Visit this post to find out!***

Our House Will Be Growing | {By 2 Feet}

Friends are always the best models

When I first met Chelsea, I was pregnant. I went with to pick her up from the airport. I believe the first thing she said to me was, “You must be Karen, because you’re the pregnant one.” I guess so. We then spent the entire hour long car ride home making sure she knew how much California (where we are) isn’t always the sunny, warm, wonderful place everyone makes it out to be. We basically told her the weather here sucked. Because it does. But when we aren’t being bombarded by fog or high winds, we might actually get some sun and kind of warmth. Which is what I love taking advantage of.

Fast forward about a year. I get the “guess what” text from Chels. Of course it was that they were pregnant! And I was so excited for them! We immediately decided to take some quick announcement pictures so the happy couple could share with the world their wonderful news. We got some boots and shoes shots and put ’em all in a collage titled, “Our house will be growing by 2 feet in 2014.” Downright adorable.

As her due date grew nearer (and Chels finally started to show) we knew we needed to take some maternity photos. I loved this part! Deciding where she wanted them done, going to take them, and then hearing her response when they were finished. We settled on some beach photos (since we’re literally 5-10 minutes away) and some woodsy ones. I’m a bit of a sucker for the great outdoors. Although daddy didn’t want to appear in them, we got some wonderful shots of momma and I couldn’t be happier with the way they turned out! I absolutely love working with Chelsea and getting to be the “family photographer” for them.

I’ll make sure to get photos up later of sweet Baby B. He was such a stinker to get any done, even with extra hands from everyone! But we still managed to get some great shots!

 

Until next time,

Karen

 

 

***Photos have been moved to here! Why? Visit this post to find out!***

 

This Just In | {Adorableness}

I love what I do

You know how it’s said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life? I believe it wholeheartedly. And here’s a prime example.

This little one’s momma came to me this past weekend for an Easter shoot. I was touched when she chose me knowing that there’s a lot of “big name” type photogs here on base. A little before the actual time we decided on, I loaded up my gear, told J and little K bye bye, and headed out to set up. I chose a wooded area near our park because I thought it would make for a perfect backdrop, great lighting, and I could set up two “scenes” in one area (that way, we just moved from one to the other without the need to switch things out).

Now, I have a little girl that (not too long ago) was this age. I know how little ones work. Either they’re perfect and smile and laugh and giggle. Or they act like K… She loves to be out and about but it’s almost impossible to get her fidgety butt to sit still long enough to take a set of pictures. And now that she’s 18 months old, I have to call for backup! Anywho. Little R here was an angel! She made my job the EASIEST in the world! From the moment her momma set her down, she was all smiles. She loved the stuffed animals, the sign, and especially the plastic eggs!

It was an absolute joy to photograph her (and her gorgeous momma!) and I hope to be able to do more soon!

 

Until next time,

Karen

 

 

***Photos have been moved here! Why? Visit this post to find out!***

My World

 

Let me get started by first introducing myself. My name is Karen. I’m 21 years old and currently live on the central coast of California. Why did I say “currently” you ask? Well, my husband is enlisted in the Air Force which means he and I, and our daughter and doggies, will move around more than the average family.

When I was in 8th grade, I met my husband (we’ll call him “J”) for the first time. I won’t get into too many details, but after getting to know each other over a period of months, we fell in love. Sweet, innocent, young love. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to spend my life with. We continued our relationship into high school where we both started to form our own passions and interests, supporting each other in whatever the other chose. For J it was a career in the military. For me, it was the hopes to one day turn a love of photography into something more than just a hobby. J enlisted in the Air Force when we were just 16 years old. It was a hard decision but one we both knew would be wonderful for our future. So on our 4th anniversary at the age of 18, we went down to our tiny town’s tiny courthouse, in front of our parents and two of our best friends, and signed our marriage license. We graduated high school a few months later and exactly one month after that, J left for Air Force Basic Training. This 5 month span to myself gave me the opportunity to invest in my blooming photography career. Or so I thought.

I decided not to enroll in college yet since J didn’t know where we’d be stationed until he was in Tech School. We had hoped we’d get a base somewhere in California since we were from a little town in the Ozarks of Missouri, aka the middle of scenic nowhere. Well, I shouldn’t say that. We do have some pretty cool scenery, but not much in the way of entertainment unless you’re into beer drinking, rafting, bon fires, backroad ridin’….you catch my drift… Anywho. We got our base, packed our stuff and our doggie, and ventured half way across the country to start our new life. Not too long after our arrival to the Golden State, we were excited to find out we were expecting a little one! This is when our daughter helped push back (yet again) me enrolling in classes. Not saying that’s a bad thing! As of right now, I’m happy to be a stay at home mommy to our wonderful 18 month old (we’ll call her “K”). She helps me to grow more and more each passing day!

One thing you’ll soon figure out is that I tend to go crazy with photos (and I suck in the writing department, I’m sure that rant will come soon). But hey, I did say photography was a passion! And I have the BEST subjects to use; my family and friends! I absolutely love to be a part of their lives and to help document all the important (and not so important) things going on. Just in the last 2 years, I’ve been able to make friends with 2 AMAZING couples and do various photo related things for them. For the first couple, I was able to help them with their wedding (photos and more, I like to be crafty. But that’s a whole other story…) and when he deployed, I was able to photograph not only his return but some adorable homecoming shots after they were settled back into a routine. For the other couple, I was incredibly honored to be there for the announcement of their little one as well as maternity and newborn photos, including a birth story. I love love LOVE that we all have become such close friends family and I love even more so that they allow me to record the memories they make.

I’m not the average photographer. I’ll tell you straight up that I don’t see myself as a “pro”. I’ll be the first to say that just because you have an expensive camera, it doesn’t make you a professional. I’m the one who will say that if you don’t like what you see, you don’t need to pay for it. I’m still learning. I’m going to make mistakes, I’m not perfect. Not that I believe ANYONE is, but still.

Through this blog, I hope to learn and teach and share to my little heart’s content. I hope to one day turn my hobby, my passion, into something more. I don’t “do it for the money”. I’m proud of what I do and who I can help. I hope you join me in my journey.

Until next time (which I’m sure will be quite soon),

Karen