Albums

Printing photos is becoming a lost art.  Remember the days of anticipating your kodak roll and praying those photos came out the way you hoped and imagined?  Everything is now instantaneous- posting photos a day later almost feels “late”!

But I think it is SO important to still print your photos!  Technology changes, computers crash, and internet companies go out of business; all putting those digital files at risk of getting lost in cyber world.  Not to mention the importance of preserving those photos for generations to see- and who knows what technology will look like 50 years from now!   Think of it this way: how often do you break out the slide projector to see those state of the art “slides” your parents and/or grandparents were so proud of?  Yep, things change.

So here are three of my favorite album companies to preserve those memories; from least expensive to high end.

BLURB

I love blurb.  They offer a lot of room for customization (which I value) and integrate right into Lightroom, where I do all my photo editing.  The quality is great with a range of options to make it as inexpensive or as fancy as you want.  I use Blurb for my “year in review” book that I print annually to capture my favorite photos from across the year.  (and yes, these books get bigger each year!)  But it’s worth it to preserve the memories and look back at year after year!  I keep it as my coffee table book.

ARTIFACT UPRISING

These guys offer a lot of options from little instagram books printed right from your phone; to pretty, layflat albums.  I love their tagline “inspired by the disappearing beauty of the tangible.”  I’ve used them to print my favorite instagram running photos, as well as a more affordable yet elegant wedding album.  This is great if you are looking to put together your own wedding album and want a nice lay flat option!

 

How cute are these little albums?? So easy- just made on my iphone!

KISS

These books are beauuuuuuutiful!  They can be on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for.  Lots of size options, but check out the thickness of these pages!  They come in leather or linen, and are printed on professional photographic paper that will stand the test of time.  The site is for professional photographers, so if you are looking for a KISS book, I’m happy to help put one together for you!

The linen album:

 

The leather album:

Questions about printing or albums?  Happy to lend my thoughts!  Or if the idea of putting one of these together is incredibly overwhelming, I’m here to help in the quest to print those photos!

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What to Wear: Family Sessions

A very popular (and important) questions when it comes to family portraits is...what to wear??So here goes...my top suggestions when planning out your family portrait fashion!

1. Compliment each other, don't matchy-match.    Think about colors and patterns that compliment each other.

2. Start with the kids- they are focal point- you want them to "pop!"  Bold colors or patterns work well.

3. Find a color that brings out the color of their eyes

4. Layers, textures, accessories all play really well on camera.  Sweater texture, ruffles, ribbons, hats, scarves, boots, tights, etc.  Use some bold jewelry to accent your main colors.

5.

That's the basics! If you have specific questions about YOUR family or location, please don't hesitate to ask!

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The Lifestyle Newborn Session

Did you know there are 2 types of newborn shoots?  Those sleepy, naked newborn shots with blankets and hats are incredibly sweet and adorable.  They make look easy, but as you read here, they require a lot of time and patience!

Sometimes it’s not possible to get a session in that 2 week sweet spot for the naked newborns, or maybe there’s just waaaaaay too much going on after your little one arrives and a photo session is overwhelming!

Take heart, there is another option: the lifestyle newborn session.

This can be done at any age- ideally 0-3 months (a much larger window!).  Since the baby is older, they are more awake to see those pretty eyes, and have developed more into “themselves” - you have a few more clues into their little personality and some of their features and expressions are more developed.

The photos are more documentary style and show the baby and you together.  Sometimes the baby falls asleep so we get some awake and asleep photos- just not completely naked and posed!  It’s much more natural and laid back without the pressure of getting them into a sound sleep to pose!

These are still done at your home using natural light, so it’s a comfortable and safe environment with all of baby’s needs nearby!  The bedroom often works as a great place to get photos of the baby and the family together.

I personally find these sessions a bit more unique and interesting!  While those sleepy newborn photos are adorable, these bring out the personality of the baby and your family.  It’s also an excuse to try all those cute outfits that you've collected from friends and family that are usually too big when they are first born!

Reach out if you have questions on either type of session and I’m happy to answer!