Simply You Photos

What a Babe!

2010-04-28T09:12:00.002-04:00

I was reading Prop Insanity (one of my new favorite photography resource sites!) and they were calling for basket pictures. I immediately thought of this first picture, and set out to find it. I was shocked to find out that I had not uploaded these images to my blog (yes, I am terribly behind at updating this site! My main blog, Better in Bulk, keeps me too busy!)

So for Prop Insanity's Basket Prop contest, I am entering this first picture, but I figured I'd show off a few others from the session at the same time.

Despite the fact that this basket is so common, I love the fact that I can use it for so many ages, from newborn to big kids!

Do Not Open Til May 15th - Maternity Photos

2010-04-04T16:38:00.006-04:00

Please forgive the abundance of photos. There were so many shots I loved from this session, and I can't wait to do more maternity shoots!

LOVE

2010-02-13T16:34:00.003-05:00

Mimi's Engagement

2010-02-13T16:10:00.002-05:00

Christmas Card Family Shots

2009-12-13T16:22:00.000-05:00

Tu-Tu Cute

2009-11-30T20:37:00.003-05:00

Here are a few more photos of this one-year old cutie:

What a View!

2009-11-30T16:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas Basket Baby

2009-11-29T21:07:00.004-05:00

I met this little girl back in March when I took newborn pictures of her. She has grown up so much in the last 8 months! She is still just as gorgeous....but she has quite a bit more personality, spunk, and energy now!

I have about 50 other favorites from our session together, but these are just a few of my favorite shots with her red Christmas hair bow.

Can you believe how gorgeous her big, blue eyes are?

My Kids in the Fall

2009-10-25T16:16:00.000-04:00

It Doesn't Get Much Cuter Than This

2009-09-25T16:50:00.006-04:00

Matching Cousins

2009-04-17T23:52:00.001-04:00

Spring Tradition

2009-04-13T23:33:00.000-04:00

Twins @ 11 months

2009-04-13T12:49:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it has been nearly a year since I photographed these boys as newborns. It has been a thrill to watch them grow up. Let me tell you, though...it is a lot tougher to take twin pictures when they are mobile!

Pretty in Pink

2009-04-13T12:16:00.002-04:00

I've gotten behind on posting my current photos, so I'm playing catch-up today. These are some pictures of my kids old babysitter's baby. What fun to see the girl who used to watch my kids as a mother. So sweet!

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms by Early Morning Light

2009-04-11T23:30:00.001-04:00

Harpers Ferry

2009-04-10T23:23:00.001-04:00

Sweet Baby Girl

2009-03-02T22:15:00.004-05:00

Last week, I got to spend the morning with this precious 2 1/2 month old baby girl and her mom.

There is nothing more beautiful than new life, and seeing the wonder in a baby's eyes.

Biggest Brown Eyes Ever!

2009-02-24T21:56:00.007-05:00

I suppose it's a good thing when I have a hard time narrowing down my favorites...right? This week's photo session with these two kids was delightful. These kids have some of the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. Not only are they big and brown, but they are full of life and love! To see more pictures with their Mom, visit my home blog, Life is Sweet.

I was happy to see the results of this make-shift "studio" in my family room, using just the light from the window. I was glad that it worked. :)

His interaction with his suit was adorable to watch. He obviously wanted it off!

Brother and Sister together:

And sister alone:

Sweet Baby J

2009-02-16T11:58:00.002-05:00

This sweet little baby boy was so much fun to photograph!
Look at all of his "bubbly" expressions!

December Wedding

2009-01-06T14:44:00.002-05:00

I was thrilled to be referred by a friend to photograph this December wedding. You'd never know it by the bride's beautiful dress and all of the smiles that it was cold and rainy until the very end of the session. We had to be creative. I am happy with the way these turned out!

The horrible white sky and rain turned out to be a pretty backdrop here.

We headed inside the Visitor's Center for a few warmer, drier pictures.

One of my favorites from the whole day:

I love the fact that we were able to capture the season here. They were married just a few days before Christmas.

Just as we were calling it quits, we noticed that the rain had stopped. We ran outside for a few shots with the temple. What a blessing!

Married!

The Twins' family!

2008-11-10T14:33:00.004-05:00

This was another completely spontaneous photo shoot. The weather was gorgeous, my friend Safire's husband was coming home from work early that day, and we jumped on the chance to get their family photos done. I was jsut stunned by the amazing Fall colors....right in their backyard!

Safire and her boys (Daddy was getting big sister and the family dog rounded up)

Both boys (and big sister, too) are so loved! Safire is a great mom!

Again....the COLORS!

What a cute family! Can you believe how good Soot, their dog, was being in the pictures? Granted, right after this series of shots is when she jumped into the creek....But she was a very good listener here!

One of my favorites--I love the family interaction here!

Aww! Mom and Dad. I think they said it had been YEARS since they'd gotten their pictures taken together.

Butterfly, the 3 year old, loves playing with Daddy.

It won't be long before they won't be able to play like this....they grow up so fast!

I had so much fun with these guys! I had tons more that I loved, but like always, I had to pick only a few to share. :)

Twins @ 6 months

2008-11-09T16:39:00.004-05:00

Remember these little guys? I photographed these twin boys when they were one week old (see here). I can't believe they're already 6 months old now!! This photo shoot was somewhat spontaneous (Mom is a very good friend of mine) but I loved how some of these turned out. I love to see the boys' personalities shining through!

Meet the Pirate: He was a great sport and seemed to be posing for the camera.

Here's the Professor. He was not so keen on posing, but I sure got some cute smiles out of him!

Once I brought the basket down, the boys relaxed and we got some great relationship shots. I love the fact that I used this very same basket in their newborn pictures!

By the end, the twins were SO tired, but they were great sports. I love these little guys!

Stay tuned for the twins' family pictures...coming soon!

Andrea & Dan

2008-10-26T19:40:00.004-04:00

I had a blast taking my sister's family pictures a few weeks ago. I was excited to try out my brand new camera (probably not the smartest idea, before I'd gotten used to it!). We met right at sunrise in downtown Arlington near the river. Gorgeous location!

My first two favorites were sunrise sillouettes. I couldn't believe how lucky we were to get such vibrant colors!

Just up the shore from the river was an unused train track. I love this shot of their little family walking.

Aren't my sister and niece gorgeous? I love the colors in this one (we tried some family shots a few feet down from this location, and you would not believe how bright that newly-risen sun was!)

Next, a change of clothes and a drive down the street for a different feel.

These shots by a purple door are probably my favorites! What a beautiful family!

LOVE this one!!

We had to do a few of Vanessa alone. Don't I have the cutest niece??

By this point in the shoot, Vanessa was NOT wanting to sit still (do you blame her?). She was being silly here, and I lucked out to catch her looking back at me.

Another favorite of Vanessa. I love her little profile, and the steam on the window. I love all of the colors in this part of Arlington!

One last family shot....I love these guys! I'm so glad they live close enough to get together (although most days it's not close enough!!)

"I hope they call me on a Mission!"

2008-09-26T15:09:00.002-04:00

One of the best things about being a photographer (or even a photographer wanna-be!) is being able to participate in milestones in people's lives--births, marriages, graduations....missions! This is the second pre-mission photo shoot I've done, and I must say that it was probably my favorite shoot to date. I had a blast chatting with Caitlin, who has a personality to match her eyes....beautiful! We were freezing cold (very odd September weather!) but just glad to have beat the big rain storm that came just a few hours after we were done.

Caitlin leaves for the Missionary Training Center next week. She'll be a great missionary!

Allie's wedding

2008-09-07T17:01:00.004-04:00

I was delighted to be asked to be the photographer at Allie's wedding last month. I have known Allie and her family for over 10 years (in other words, since Allie was little!) so it was especially fun to be a part of her wedding. The day was gorgeous--not too hot for a mid-August D.C. wedding. I think Allie's dress is one of the prettiest I have EVER seen, and she looked stunning in it! Her new hubbie was looking pretty good himself!

Allie's niece was adorable!

I loved the color of the brides maids' and sisters' dresses. That's a beautiful group of women!

The men were good for a few fun shots. :)

The happy couple, next to the reflecting pool. See what I mean about that dress?!

And the groom....this looks like an ad for GQ!

This is one of my favorite pictures of the two of them.

The entire family (both sides) outside the temple. It was a large group to fit in the frame, and I had to stand with one foot in the flower garden. I tried not to kill any of the flowers!

This is another one of my favorites. The reception was held at a fire station, and the brick walls provided a perfect back drop.

The dancing at the reception was kickin'! I loved it! My kids joined in, too!

My favorite dancing picture:

Yay! So much fun!

Miss A

2008-08-06T12:03:00.004-04:00

My friend and fellow photographer, Melissa, and I had a great time together on this photo shoot with spunky and gorgeous Miss A, and her boyfriend, Mr B. They were so fun to work with!

Old favorites, revisited

2008-07-23T12:11:00.003-04:00

I was recently looking through some older photos, and found this picture of newborn Mason, which I fell in love with all over again. Now, a couple of months afterwards, I think that this picture is my favorite of him.

This is a slightly older photo that I took at my Grandma's funeral. Someone alerted me to the fact that they were getting ready to release doves, and I turned around just in time to capture this inspirational shot (well, to me at least!). I have had the opportunity to be a photographer at two funerals in the last few years, and strangely enough, I love it. There is something special about the cross-roads of life--birth, weddings, and funerals. Despite the sadness that surrounds most funerals, I have found the emotions and reunions and memories that surround funerals to be touching and priceless.

Beautiful Lexi

2008-07-04T06:09:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my sister, Andrea, who is a much better photographer than me (she is my inspiration, and why I'm trying to be better!)....I figured out how to make my images appear larger on my blog! Yipee! Now I can show off Lexi's cuteness with more bang!

These pictures are not really from a photo shoot. Lexi's mom and I are trying to practice and become better photographers. Lexi was just so fun to practice on (you might see more of her in the future!)

Beautiful Lexi, drool and all!

Favorite babysitter

2008-07-02T14:03:00.002-04:00

When I took Reta's graduation pictures (previous post), I also took a few with the family that she has babysat for several years. They love her -- you can tell by the interactions that I got of Reta and the kids together.

I think this next picture is my favorite of the day. The kids' mom has taught them sign language, and here is number 5 saying "Thank you."

The baby of the family is a hoot! She may be the smallest, but she has tons of spirit!

The Happy Grad

2008-06-29T23:20:00.003-04:00

It only took me a month to get these pictures of Reta up on the blog! Sorry I've been so slow to add new pictures! I've got a lot more that I'm working on getting ready to share. I had so much fun taking Reta's graduation pictures. She was a great sport, always a ham, and beautiful to boot! Congratulations, Reta!!

My five little monkeys

2008-06-14T08:54:00.002-04:00

Here's the picture I decided to print for Father's Day. It isn't perfect, but neither are my kids! ;-)

Father's Day gift!

2008-05-29T13:18:00.001-04:00

My husband started a new job in November, and was recently complaining that he didn't have any current pictures of the kids in his office. I set out to take a group picture of the kids to frame for him as a surprise on Father's Day. All I can say is it's tough to get five restless kids to sit still AND look AND smile all at the same time. Of course, I knew this already. I am not quite done with deciding which group shot I'm going to use, but until then, here are a few pictures of the kids...individually! I think I might frame some of these for the house.

Not a baby anymore!

2008-05-18T20:34:00.000-04:00

My little boy turned three today, and I've been snapping pictures of him all weekend. Why is it so much harder for parents to get those perfect pictures of their own children? I swear Andrew doesn't want to listen OR sit still lately. I got a few shots that I'm relatively happy with, though. Happy birthday, Little Buddy!

Brother and Sister

2008-05-12T21:39:00.000-04:00

After working with several newborns, it was a fun challenge to take these pictures of bigger kids, ages 1 1/2 and 4 1/2. They have some of the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever seen!

Mason

2008-05-12T21:31:00.001-04:00

Mason was precious to work with, but my favorite part of our newborn session was watching the interactions between Mom and Dad and their new son. I left their home with warm fuzzy feelings!

This might not be a perfect picture, but I just love the fact that Dad was willing to pose for this feet shot. It puts things into perspective!

Close to home

2008-05-12T21:24:00.000-04:00

I had to share a few of my recent favorite pictures of my kids. The three youngest tend to be much more willing to be followed around with a camera!

The Twins

2008-05-12T21:03:00.003-04:00

As soon as I heard that my friend was pregnant with twin boys, I got excited about taking their newborn photos. What an opportunity! These 6-lb, 7-day-old twins were a joy to photograph. What a miracle!

Brooklyn

2008-05-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

This was my very first newborn photo session. I planned to meet with Brooklyn and her mom just a week after she was born to catch some drowsy newborn shots. Not Brooklyn! She was wide awake and interactive. I loved all of her expressions! What a beauty!

Pricing

2008-05-12T20:40:00.005-04:00

If you haven't already, please see custom photography and what to expect for more information about what I offer.

Note: I am usually able to customize a session to fit within your needs as well--just ask!

Session fee -- $180
**Includes up to 3 individuals, or a family photo session without individual portraits (add $15 for each additional person for portraits)
**Session includes up to 2 hours of one-on-one photography time, with time built in for changes of clothes, feeding, getting comfortable, etc.
**The best shots will be hand-edited for color/lighting, blemishes, special effects (B&W, sepia, color isolation, and artistic touches). I used to offer 10 shots per photo session, but am now offering a disk with all the photos that turn out.
**Within 2 weeks, you will receive a photo disk with your high-resolution, hand-edited files, which you can keep-to print, share, whatever! All disks include a copyright release.
**Because of gas prices and babysitting charges for my kids, reasonable travel charges may apply for travel 30 minutes beyond my home area.
**Prices may change, but once you book a sitting your price will be fixed.

**If you'd rather save the trip to the photo counter (or if you know that your prints will never make it off the disk if someone doesn't do it for you!) I can also make quality Kodak prints for you. Prints typically take longer to complete and deliver than photo CDs.

Prints and special products --
4 wallets -- $5
4x6 -- $1 (minimum order of 25 4x6, or with enlargement order)
5x7 -- $10
8x10 -- $20
11x14 -- $40
16X20 (poster) -- $65

other custom sizes available--price will be based on closest standard size (ie--5x5 prints are the same as 5x7 price)

Photo Collages --
(features your choice of 3 to 100 photos in one print)
5x7 -- $18
8x10 -- $25
11x14 -- $48
16x20 -- $75

Other products, such as gallery wrapped canvas (highly recommended!), photo mugs, bags, shirts, and other specialty products are available. Just ask for a quote! If you have something particular in mind, chances are I can do it for you!

What to expect from a session

2008-05-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

My goal is to capture the personality and true self of those I photograph. If that means getting down on the floor and playing with a child, rocking a baby for comfort, chasing after a toddler at the park, or waiting for a feeding or clothes change.... you can be assured that I will do whatever it takes to get those special, relaxed shots (yes, even if it means doing a silly dance!).

I prefer to use natural lighting. This can be done in a well-lit area of your own home, in your yard, or at a favorite park. I find that the familiar, homey settings create even more meaningful portraits for your walls.

Sessions usually last from 30 minutes to up to 2 hours. Sometimes it takes a little while for children to warm up to a strange person with a camera (although as a mother, I promise that I'm NOT scary or intimidating!), and so I like to plan for some time to get aquainted.

What to wear?
.....Think simple! Newborns look best in their birthday suits (clothes don't tend to fit them yet, anyway!). Gather favorite blankets, especially those with texture! Dress children in solid colors (stripes or other geometrical patterns are fine), but avoid busy prints. Families don't all need to dress the same, but it's good to coordinate. For instance, pick a theme: pastels, shades of blue, red-blue (a great combination!), jeans, khakis, etc. I have two suggestions: look for family photos that you like and try to copy their style. Then lay out a bunch of clothes options on a bed and eye what goes well and what stands out too much.

After your session, you can expect an e-mail with your photo gallery. These are not the finished prints, but simply a preview. Choose your favorite shots and any special requests (ie-"Please make image #6 black and white"). Within 2 weeks (and usually much sooner), you will receive a disk with the full-size image files, including a copyright release so that you can make as many prints as you'd like. Please see pricing for further details.

What is custom photography?

2008-05-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

The following experts are from an article by Marianne Drenthe, used with permission:

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience (as in THE experience). Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of the next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio. A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities. Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed. Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think Nordstrom vs. WalMart.

Going to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don’t have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for or the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, "SAY CHEESE" experience. Keep this in mind when selecting a photographer.

Digital technology is brilliant. The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and amazing amounts of control for the photographer, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur. With flexibility comes a price though. Camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its’ lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into all of this.
Even though you pay $1.99 for a print at your local drugstore and paying for film is pretty much a thing of the past (although you still pay for memory) you may be wondering why you may pay upwards of $40, 50, 70, 90 for a custom photography print.

The answer is multifaceted and has a lot to do with the time, aforementioned equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer, expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

For more information on custom photography, please visit http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com/information/

Welcome!

2008-05-12T18:08:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Simply You Photos! I am a custom portrait photographer in Maryland, north of Washington DC. As I mentioned in About Me, I am a mother first. Photography is my love and my hobby, not my full-time job. I hope to be able to enjoy taking photographs of other families and children that will reflect those special and unique family relationships....without disturbing mine too much. :) I am flexible with my time, and can be available Monday thru Saturday, but family always comes first. Thanks for understanding, and for stopping by my blog! Enjoy the site!

Laura