The Family Photo Shoot day at the DC Confidence Workshop was a total blast!  We had super fun families who allowed us all to be creative!  And creative these ladies were!  Wow!  I am so impressed at the sampling of the images from them below.  Even though we were shooting the same families from the same angles…the eyes behind the cameras were so varied!  I loved looking through all your images.

Before we start with the fabulous images, here is a pic of the wonderful DC group!

Sharon Clauhs, the lighting on this little munchkin is absolute perfection!  This should be a large canvas on their wall!

I love this shot by Noelle!  It is so darn cute and the railing adds so much to the composition of the image!  Yay!

Molly Lynch captured this little girl with such a sweet expression on her face.  I bet if we ask the mom, she would say “That is her look”!  (Molly!  You’re finally not a model for a workshop, but showing offer your own talents!  Yeah!  :))

I didn’t see anyone else with images in these pink flowers and Lori Pohlman had so many wonderfully creative shots here, that it was hard to choose a favorite.  I love that Lori stood back and just “shot” away while this little girl explored.  That is when we get the best images sometimes!

Lizzy Slade, I just had to choose this image.  It makes me laugh everytime I look at it.  What a great stage in this little girl’s life to document!  The early stages of walking.  How fun!

Lisa Whipple also had a bunch of shots of this guy and his brother that were awesome portrait images.  Crisp, clear and just natural!

Could Leslie Chang have caught a more sweeter moment for this family?!  I love that she was lower than them, looking up into the expression of love!  Beautiful!

I can just hear the laughter when I look at this image by Leslie Rottner.  So adorable…and it happened so fast!  Leslie, I am so glad you were there to capture this moment of a dad with his daughters!

You all know it…this is one of our SOAR! recipients Ali Anderson and her family.  Kim Myers, what a lovely family portrait you gave them.  I love the rich colors of the building, stairs and ivy.

Oh my goodness, I just want to squeeze her.  I am so drawn into the little girl by how Kate DeBow framed this shot, that I don’t even really notice the cars in the background.  Love it!

Jill Anderson, this is a true moment of tenderness!  It is so pure and candid.  WOW!  I wish we could give all moms and dads images like this.

The next two images are both of Ali and her daughters.  I wanted to show them right after one another because even if you are in one space with a family shooting little ones, you have so many different options of posing in front of you.  The first one, by Jenn Johnston is more from a posed shot on the stairs.  And the second shot, from Claudia Landis shows a lot of motion as all the girls are grabbing each other for a big hug.  Don’t worry about being confined in a small space when shooting.  If you move around, the options could be endless.  Push yourself when you are out on a session next to do 10 differently posed images all within 20 feet of another.  It can be done with wonderful results.

Jen Tilley, I love how you are leading us right to this little girl with the cement sidewalk on the bottom of this image.  Great use of the “rule of thirds”!

Greta got in really close on this girl with a lower aperture.   You can tell this because the focal point was on the eyes and it dropped off so quick that the little girls ears are already blurry.   You would not even know that is a cement sidewalk behind her.  Fantastic clear eyes Greta!

Just completely amazing Erin Yeh!  I love that the boy is looking straight at you and the dad is admiring his own son!  I can feel the proudness in this image.  YES!

Claudia Muir, yet another stunning composed image!  And your black and white conversion is nice and crisp.  Super!

Breanna Schumacher was in the same place that Sharon Clauhs was for her shot, yet they look totally different.  I love that the cars in the background were so blurry but the windows on the cars are adding that sparkle in the background!  Lovely!

Sweet sisters!  It was hard to slow these two down to get them in the same image.  Way to go Becky Talbert!  You did it!

Breathtaking, simply breathtaking Ania!  I don’t know what else to say, it is simply that good.  So proud of you!

Allison Laster, look at how the little girl is adoring her mommy!  Isn’t it like “The Holidays” when you find these images on your card after the shoot!  Awesome!

Again, I am not sure who took this image, but I had to include it.  You all know that your kiddos looked just like this when they first started to walk, but I think the best thing about this image is the mom’s expression!

Elaine Heintz has an image here of just pure happiness.  I love that Elaine positioned herself in this image, so she could get dad’s face also.  An exceptional non-posed, non-traditional family portrait!

Weren’t those images FABULOUS!  I am so proud of all of you!
I have just a few behind the scenes of us that weekend.

I loved this next image because it shows you how incredibly busy the location was that we were shooting in. You couldn’t tell hardly at all from the images!

Happy Holidays Everyone!  And to all the DC ladies, Brian and I want to thank you so much for a wonderful, rich weekend.  I LOVE that you are all still in touch on Facebook, supporting each other to go for all that you are meant to do!

xoxo,
Me Ra

*New Beginnings Photo Contest Update!

For all of you who entered your AMAZING, INSPIRING photos to the New Beginnings Photo Contest, I was told yesterday that the panel of judges decided on the winners and called them yesterday with the good news.  I plan to post the winners on my blog soon, so we can all be inspired!  I’m super proud of everyone who entered.  I think the most wonderful part was reading some of the emails you sent about how entering the contest–picking your best shots–was scary and empowering at the same time.  Kind of like deciding to come out of the dark with your passion.  This photo contest was so much fun that we are going to have a new one start in early January with some new categories that will make you smile!  Stay tuned for more details!

*Give your wife the gift of CONFIDENCE with her camera in 2012!  Need help being convinced?  Here are the Top 12 Reasons a Husband Should Send His Wife to CONFIDENCE.     We have limited spots left in our Seattle and Orange County/LA, CA Winter workshops.  Women only (sorry guys!).  Tampa, FL is SOLD OUT!  CLICK HERE for Seattle Details and Orange Country/LA Details!