Today is only the 9th day of the New Year, but I must admit 2012 feels different than what I expected.  The last couple years, I’ve been gung-ho on making new resolutions.  The motivation behind making new resolutions feels like a loud energy.  In the past, the new SOAR! year would start to build with applications in November, growing with anticipation in December, and then exploding into a new beginning in January.  By taking this year off of the SOAR Scholarship, wow, I didn’t realize how much of the holidays we had missed the last couple years.  This year the holidays were rich in rest and quiet.  But I think I still expected myself to be building in energy, especially that  “take charge” energy when January 1st arrived.  Instead, I’ve rolled into this year feeling super quiet.  The quiet is almost unsettling.

It’s uncomfortable to feel something different than what you expected.  Instead of just accepting that I jump to conclusions.  Something must be wrong with me.  I check my pulse.  (Am I alive?  Why am I so quiet?)  I ask Brian if I’m depressed.  As the question rolls off my tongue I start laughing because I know I’m not depressed at all.  Ahhh, I’m already starting the New Year with temptation to feel like a failure!….And off my mind goes, jumping from one silly conclusion to the next.  (Does anyone relate?  It’s like I’ve turned into crazy woman because I feel quiet inside and quiet is not what I expected to feel like.  How does Brian survive me?)

Well, good news.  I decided to go with the quiet. There is a saying that hangs on the wall at the yoga studio; “Start from where you are.”  It’s so simple, but so powerful.  Where am I?  I’m in a quiet place.  This is where I should start.

With camera in hand, I went on a long walk, looking for quiet details.  I wanted to find beauty in the stillness–beauty I often miss because life is moving so fast.

I didn’t expect to find the desires of my heart.  The golden leaves holding on to the burning bush in full splendor.

The bare branches reaching up into the white, blank sky with a fearlessness.

As I finished my walk, I realized I had gone searching for vision.  I didn’t want to miss the beauty in the quietness. I didn’t want to keep jumping to conclusions because I never took a moment to pause with my camera…with myself.  Before I took a single photo of someone else this year, I wanted to make sure I took one for myself–of myself.  The embrace of starting from where I am, capturing what I see today (and not what I think I should see) will be the roots that hold me in the coming year.

So, the photography exercise for the New Year is simple, quiet and possibly necessary for the artist soul.  It is all about starting from where we are.

1.  Carve out 10 minutes of quiet space with a blank sheet of paper and pen.

2. Write down three things you expected to feel in the New Year.  Now write down what you do feel.  Are they the same?  If they are not the same, take note.

3. Take your camera and a small pocket size notebook and go for a 30-45 minute walk.  Walk slow and notice the details surrounding you.  What captures you?  What in nature or surrounding objects reflects the space you find yourself in this New Year?  What can you photograph that symbolizes how this New Year feels.

4.  Pause.  Listen.  Shoot.

5.  For just a minute, write what message is being spoken to you?  What acceptance is available to you that you may not have noticed before?

As 2012 starts, I want to start from where I am–not where I think I should be.  I want to start the year aware of all the riches I hold within me, instead of feeling inadequate.  I want to practice finding truth in what feels unfamiliar.  I want to venture into the unknown, even when it looks completely different than what I expected.  I want to take the next step forward, no matter how small, rather than retreat to what is familiar.  I want to be true to myself, so I can lift up my family and loved ones inspiring them to be true to who they are.  I want to be humble enough to start from where I am, regardless of what outcome I fear or hunger.

I want to reach out from the burning bush and feel my spirit set ablaze.

If you feel inspired to try this exercise this week, I would LOVE to see your photos and hear what you discover.  You can email me or even better, post them on my FB page so we can all find comfort and inspiration in knowing we walk this journey together.

To the most wonderful community, I walk into the mysteries of 2012 with you.

xo,

m

p.s.  My DSLR Settings for the Photos in Today’s Post…Camera: SONY a900 DSLR and the 85mm fixed lens / 100 ISO, f/1.4 Aperture and Shutter Speed at 250th of a second.

p.s.s.  Only a few spots left in Seattle CONFIDENCE Wkshp this month!  CLICK HERE for Details!

As a thank you to the military for all they give, especially the sacrifice to be away from home this time of year, I twittered a call out last week for military families to be my models on Seattle’s morning show, New Day.  My hope was to bring a little more awareness to these special families during the holiday season.

Kelly and her two daughters came with a framed photo of dad who is stationed in South Afghanistan.  He’s been gone for four months and has eight more to go.  (To the amazing dad of Lauren and Nicole, thank you so much for all you give.  You should be proud of your girls, they did AMAZING on TV.)  The second family is Capt. Borg, his wife Kristen and their 10 month old baby.  Capt. Borg helps head up the Warrior Transition Battalion, helping soldiers reenter life off the battle field.  It was an honor to personally meet both families and especially have them as my models for Family Photo Tips.  Hope you enjoy the segment, and most of all, a heartfelt thank you to all military families.

Today’s Daily December FB Contest has to do with thanking and honoring the military.  Starts at 10am and last 24 hours!  CLICK HERE to join us!

xo,

m

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Our Favorite Holiday Gift Ideas for the Photo Lovers!

1. The Gift of CONFIDENCE with your Camera!   Tampa CONFIDENCE Workshop  is SOLD OUT!  Only a few spots left for Seattle’s and Orange County/LA CONFIDENCE Workshops!

2. Me Ra’s national bestselling book, “Your Baby in Pictures“, includes forty of her favorite Photo Recipes for capturing your baby and the password to watch ten of the Photo Recipes from Behind the Scenes!  See the trailer here!

3.  Her award winning DVD series, Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box.  FOX News featured these dvds as a Top Ten Holiday Gift!  The DVDs are back in stock for stuffing your stockings!  Orders must be received by Friday, December 16th to guarantee holiday shipping and arrival!

As you gather your kids for a holiday photo this month, as you sigh and lose faith with the ever increasing wildness of your kids (and who can blame them with Christmas around the corner!), take heart from someone who has been there endless times.  If you got squiggly bottoms follow this fun Photo Recipe to make that holiday photo happen!

WHEN:  Plan to do your family photo early in the day.  If you need to, wait until the weekend and get everyone out in the cold, morning air.  Kids are at their best in the morning, and they are a somewhat more calm after breakfast because their tummies are full. (I love that little guy leaning in to his mama.  ADORABLE!  It’s okay if all the kids aren’t looking at the camera.  It’s more important to capture emotion and affection for each other.)

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/500th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

PREP:  Choose their outfits the day before.  What to wear?  Mom, you first find something to wear that you feel beautiful in–no matter how casual or dolled up.  The only thing that matters is you feel super comfy and beautiful.  Once you have your outfit figured out, have everyone else wear something that compliments YOU!  (Court, you are glowing in this photo!  I love it!)

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/500th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

Right after breakfast have the kids run and change into their outfits.  Think of yourself as a ring leader, raise your voice to a higher, fun tone and rally them, getting their energy going while you are the one who is obviously steering this ship.  Make sure you smile a lot and really take the kids by surprise in how excited you are (not stressed) to do this.

Consider your location.  Your backyard will work great, but prep before so there isn’t any distracting objects in the background.  Ask your neighbor to take the photo after you’ve set it up.  If you want to drive to a fun location, make sure it’s within five to ten minutes of your home.  Since this is a holiday photo that you are taking and not a photo shoot that has been set up and paid for, the kids’ motivation to cooperate is going to be shorter.  We want to take advantage of their initial excitement and make this photo happen as fast as possible.

FOR P&S USERS (point and shoot users): Turn off your flash and get down at eye level with the kids so you are shooting straight on.  Set your camera to Continuous Shooting Mode so you can capture ALL the action.

FOR DSLR USERS:  Put your camera in Aperture Priority mode so that you can pick your lowest f-stop (for the most buttery, blurry backgrounds possible) and your DLSR will automatically figure out your shutter speed.  If you are outside, you will have plenty of natural light for a fast enough shutter speed with minimal motion blur.  But if you are getting motion blur you don’t have enough light for your shutter to move fast enough to capture a crisp shot.  Easy fix; raise your ISO one or two notches for my light and sharper photos with action.   Make sure your DSLR is in Continuous Shooting Mode to grab ALL the action, like the ones below.

COMPOSE:  I like to start with everyone looking at the camera because that is what kids expect to do, and this is the photo that grandparents love most for the holidays.  But once we have that done, I have the kids sit close together and ask them to give each other hugs, tickles, and other little prompts to see how their personalities unfold.  Having my camera on Continuous Shooting Mode helps me capture every moment in this fun series!

It starts innocent.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/320th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

But boys will be boys.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/320th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

Here it comes!

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/320th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

And there it is before you know it…

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/320th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

I know mom won’t use this photo as her holiday card, but I still have to shoot it because this will be hilarious to look back on someday–like their wedding reception slideshows!

Reign in all those rascally moves by putting baby sister in there.  I loved how the dynamics instantly changed!

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/3.2, 1/320th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

CAPTURE:  When taking a photo with multiple people, who do you focus on?  I look to who the story is most about.  If the story is about the boys, and they are lined up with each other, I can focus on either one and they will both be in focus.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/4.0, 1/250th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

But if the story is about everyone (being a family), I often step back a little so that everyone will be sharp.  The closer you get, with a low f-stop, the harder it is to get multiple people in focus.  You can raise your f-stop or you can take a few steps back and zoom in with your lens.  For more help with understanding f-stops and getting buttery, blurry backgrounds, check out our Award Winning DVD series!

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I want to thank Court and her beautiful, fun family.  I had the most wonderful time working with your boys.  Your baby girl was such a doll through the whole thing, and your boys kept me on my toes and laughing.  I LOVE the series of photos we did of just the two of them.  I think we captured their personalities pretty well.    Wait till you see all the rest!  They are coming today!

If you have any questions, feel free to post them on my FB page or in the comments of today’s post!  And post your family holiday photos on my FB page!  I would LOVE to see what results you cooked up with this Photo Recipe!!

For 40 more Photo Recipes, check out my bestselling (woohoo!) book, “Your Baby in Pictures”!

xo,

m

p.s.  New Daily Contest on FB starts at 10am today!

p.s.s.  ONE spot left in Tampa CONFIDENCE Workshop for this February, and a few still left for Seattle’s and Orange County/LA CONFIDENCE Workshops!

Wow!  On Friday, I posted the following question on FB for the Daily December contest;  Tell us your BEST photo tip that you will use to get those great December photos!

As of last night, there were SIXTY Photo Tips in the comments!  The photo tips are all across the board from newbies to pros; they are FANTASTIC!

A few of my favorite are;

If forced to use your on camera flash – cover it with a white tissue to diffuse the light.  -april russell

To get little kids to look at you (and the camera), give them a low five. Then pretend to whack yourself in the forehead. Gets them giggling every time. Usually works 5 or 6 times. -stephanie doran

Ask the kids to throw snow up above their heads – I just love the expressions and the bits of snow in the picture! -michelle grady

To read ALL SIXTY photo tips, CLICK HERE and look for Friday’s contest.

It ends right before 10am this morning.  The winner gets an autographed copy of my bestselling (yeah!) book, “Your Baby in Pictures“!

(This was the first day “Your Baby in Pictures” showed up on my doorstep.  I was PRETTY excited!  )

You may want to play today’s new daily contest!  It will be announced at 10am, you know where!

Happy Monday!

xo,

m

Yesterday’s Cyber Monday Workshop Sale was a TOTAL BLAST! Thanks to all the women who spread the news, invited a girlfriend and got signed up!  The energy online was FANTASTIC, happy tears from so many and new friendships made every hour!  I had my own happy tears as I saw names sign up who I know have been wanting to come for three plus years!  Happy Holidays ladies, Brian and I are so happy we could add to your blessings this holiday season!

Today, I’m so excited to share a new Photo Recipe with all of you for a Pregnancy Shoot!  This was a special shoot I did in Central Park (NYC) for a former bride. When you are doing a pregnancy shoot, you’ll soon realize that all your balances are off.  Mom is out of balance with her beautiful tummy, so how do you obtain a sense of balance, peace and flattering points of view?  Let’s walk through it together!

PHOTO RECIPE for PREGNANCY SHOOT in CENTRAL PARK (NYC)

WHEN:  If this is your subject’s first pregnancy, you want to wait until they are 8 months pregnant.  Often, a first time pregnancy doesn’t give us that round belly until the last trimester.  We don’t want the mom-to-be looking chubby–she needs to look pregnant!  By the third trimester, her tummy is a perfectly round subject.  Unless…she is having twins!    If she is pregnant with twins, her tummy may be ready for a shoot at six months!  However, if this is mom’s second, third or fourth pregnancy, her tummy will be looking round as early as four months.  This was a frustrating realization when I was pregnant with Blaze.  By the third month, I was already in my maternity clothes!  My body just let go!    Be sure to ask your mom-to-be what pregnancy this is and how far along she is.  Set yourself up for success by how you calendar the shoot.

PREP:  Choose a spot(s) that has soft backgrounds;  wheat field at sunset or different patterns and textures of green shrubbery, or a bright window behind her to blast out.  We found these beautiful Fall leaves and decided to play here for a few!

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.0, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 4oo ISO

I love the colors with her romantic blouse, but I also loved this black and white one when I caught her by surprise.  There is something so pure and stunning to her expression.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.0, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 4oo ISO

I also have mom-to-be bring wraps, any colors she likes.  And if she doesn’t have any, I bring a few to play with.  The image below is one of my favorites.  The sun had already set, and I wanted all the soft colors to tell the story from her soft tummy to the light green wrap to the blurred flowers and bridge lamp in the background.  Notice how she is leaning in to the camera–to give her body more balance in the photo.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/1.7, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 8oo ISO b/c sun had set and was losing light fast.

But push the boundaries, don’t stop with the beautiful smile.  Photo coach her into a quiet space that allows a deeper expression to come forward.  And if you turn it to black and white, the expression will be that much stronger.  I love the sense of peace and utter contentment in this photo.  I also love how STRONG she looks.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.8, 1/60th of a second Shutter Speed and 4oo ISO

FOR P&S USERS (point and shoot users): Turn off your flash and set your camera to Portrait mode.  Experiment with standing on a curb to get a little height on her (slimming for her neckline).  Encourage her to also lean toward the camera so that her energy comes to you, and you avoid double chins.

FOR DSLR USERS:  Turn off your flash.  Go to Manual mode and set your Aperture (the degree of how blurry you can make your background) to the lowest f-stop possible.  We want to make everything around mom-to-be soft and buttery, blurry to highlight the lines of her tummy even more!  If you can’t go down very low in your f-stop, get closer to your subject and have them stand farther away from their background.  This will also blur your background.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.0, 1/800th of a second Shutter Speed and 25o ISO

COMPOSE:  As you can see, I shot a lot of vertical images.  The vertical composition seems to balance and flatter a mom-to-be even more.  But, that doesn’t mean you can’t do horizontal photos.  Just make sure you find the story before you shoot.  When I’m doing pregnancy shoots, I’m keeping my eyes open for circular patterns to accentuate mama’s belly.  I LOVED the architecture on this famous bridge and used the patterns to pull out even more repetition of circular patterns.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.8, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 64o ISO

I also liked the idea of her sitting in front of the circular pattern.  But I waited until everyone, all the onlookers, were out of the frame before I took the shot.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.8, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 40o ISO

When everyone is either willing to wait or gone, then we take the shot.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/1.7, 1/250th of a second Shutter Speed and 40o ISO

CAPTURE:  You can experiment with your focus as you capture a mom-to-be.  If she is looking down at her tummy, focus on her belly button.  If she is looking at you, focus on her eyes.  If she is looking up to the sky with her eyes closed, I would still focus on her eyes.  And if she is looking out to the city, full of expectation of what is to come, I would focus on her face and all the peace it holds.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/2.8, 1/100th of a second Shutter Speed and 40o ISO

And sometimes, it’s even more powerful to not see the face.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/1.7, 1/400th of a second Shutter Speed and 40o ISO

BONUS:  When you think ALL your natural light is gone, and you simply don’t have enough light to work with–consider what story is waiting to be told.  This was our last shot, long after the sun had set.  I didn’t think I had enough available light to pull it off, but I thought about the story being more about the quiet, almost covered, innocent moment then simply getting a photo that has enough brightness.  Sometimes we are so focused on having bright enough photos, we can miss the beauty of photos that hold their story in the fading light.

My DSLR Setting: Aperture was f/1.4, 1/60th of a second Shutter Speed and 80o ISO

With her blue top, argyle socks, and low-low lighting…this is my favorite of the day!

Shachar, you were a gorgeous bride, and you are even more stunning (how is that possible!) as a mom-to-be!  I’m so glad we got to do this photo shoot for you!  Brian and I are soooooo happy for you and J!  Look for all the rest to come today…have fun choosing which ones to frame! 

Seriously, I love you girl!  Who else does a tree pose with me while pregnant (AND follows Brian around the park, regardless of how many circles we go in! )

xo,

m

p.s. Forty MORE Photo Recipes for Babies!

Check out my book “Your Baby in Pictures” for FORTY Photo Recipes to try with a baby!

p.s.s. Looking for Seattle Military Family for TV Show!

I’ve been invited to share photo tips on one of Seattle’s morning shows.  I thought this would be a great way to honor a couple military families and give them a family photo for the holidays while being on TV.  Any takers?  Your family would have to be available one day this week or next from 9am-11am.  (Looking for a family with kids anywhere from 4-9 years old and a couple who has had their first baby–baby between the ages of 0-6 months old.)

If you haven’t heard of Chase Jarvis, you want to check out his site and ALL the awesome education he offers at creativeLIVE!  Last week, he did a great blog post called “10 Things Every Creative Person (that’s YOU) Must Learn!”  I can’t think of a better way to start the week than to start with this list!  Number 2 and Number 7 are two of my FAVORITES that we often discuss in our CONFIDENCE Workshops.  I’m sure past attendees will recognize a few more on this list.    Be encouraged to go for it this week!

Happy Monday!

xo,

m

By Chase on October 11, 2011

Here is a list of 10 things I’ve learned the hard way that every photographer, designer, creative–hell, every creative person–should know.

1. Experts aren’t the answer.
The blogs, the teachers, the mentors, the seminars aren’t the answer. They’re not there to tell you exactly what you need to know. If they’re good, then they are there to give you some ideas, some guidelines, or some rules to learn and subsequently break. This isn’t about the expert, it’s about you. In creative pursuits especially…what’s going on inside you is where the answers can be found. Hear what experts say, but don’t always listen to them.

2. Clients cannot tell you what they need.
Clients hire you because they have a problem. They need a great visual representation of something, a solution. They think they know the best way to photograph something, but they don’t really. That’s why they hire you. Take their suggestions to heart, because they definitely know their brand, product, their vision–perhaps even shoot a few versions of the images they THINK they want to see first–but then go nuts with own vision. Add value. Show them something they didn’t expect. Don’t be a monkey with a finger. Remember why you got hired…that YOU are the badass image maker. If you are good enough to get selected for the job, you should be good enough to drive the photographic vision.

3. Don’t aim for ‘better’, aim for ‘different’.
It’s funny how related “better” and “different” are. If you aim for ‘better’ that usually means you’re walking in the footsteps of someone else. There will often be someone better than you, someone making those footsteps you’re following… But if you target being different–thinking in new ways, creating new things–then you are blazing your own trail. And in blazing your own trail, making your own footprints, you are far more likely to find yourself being ‘better’ without even trying. Better becomes easy because it’s really just different. You can’t stand out from the crowd by just being better. You have to be different.

4. Big challenges create the best work.
If you get assignments that are pushing your vision, your skills, then awesome. Kudos to you, keep getting those assignments. If you’re not getting those assignments, then you need to be self-assigning that challenging work. Give yourself tough deadlines and tougher creative challenges. You do your best work where there is a challenge that is clearly present and 10 feet taller than you think you can handle.

Click Chase’s Blog to read the other six!

p.s.

Winter CONFIDENCE Workshops are happening on East and West Coast! Early Bird Registration and our Payment Plan is going on now!  (Christmas is looking REAL GOOD for some special ladies! )   CLICK HERE to find the city nearest you and get ALL the juicy details!

Meet the Seattle Fall CONFIDENCE Workshop, a beautiful group of women who flew in from all over the country!  On Day Two, we start the morning with unpacking metering so that we can be shooting in Manual Mode by the time the Family Shoot happens that same afternoon.  Women are always a bit nervous, especially the beginners, that they will not be able to make it happen.  But you are about to see twenty photos that prove they not only made it happen, but they knocked it out of the park!

Some of these ladies have blogs and website, we’ve hyperlinked their names if they do!  Be sure to check out more of their work.  And if you have a few moments, leave a comment of celebration or encouragement b/c they all worked so hard and really pushed their limitations for two days.  Super proud of these ladies!

We start the family shoot with me “thinking outloud” as I walk through setting up my camera and the family for a holiday photo, and then what other poses/set ups, tricks to help them relax, after we’ve got the holiday photo done.

Here is the holiday family photo “set up” that I walked the group through (and maybe the ladies will remember ALL the subtle adjustments we made until it felt right).  Photography is a collection of subtle shifts–little shift here, little shift there, another little shift for the best rim light, another shift to have mom’s face lit even, and on you go until VOILA!  You see it! Now you are ready to lift the camera up and grab the photo!  Challenge for YOU:  Before you snap your photo, check to  make sure there aren’t any other subtle shifts you could make that would draw the emotion and light out that much more.

(this family is our neighbors, and i LOVE them so much!  just had to say that!  )

What a fun image of this little guy, taken by Amaris Michelle Espinosa.  The slight vignette that she put on this image draws us right into his happy face!  For those of you who have my book “Your Baby in Pictures”, this is the SAME little boy who was the crying baby for the photo recipe “Tiny Cries”!  How do they grow THIS FAST!

 Amy Swank caught Amanda and her husband without their little ones running around them, or they might have been and we don’t even know it.  I love to take at least a couple images of the parents together during a family session.  They always sell because they probably haven’t had any professional images done of them since their wedding:)  Amanda…you look marvelous!  (Amanda came to our CONFIDENCE Workshop four years ago! One of my favorite parts of the shoots is seeing ladies from past workshops and how their families have grown!)

I always try to position (pose) a family in a great spot with awesome light.  Then I will tell them to just talk to each other for a second while I get ready (I’m really ready and actually snapping shots already).  This is a great way to relax a family, especially a family with more than 2 kiddos (and you get the most “candid” images), like Carrie caught.  Very nice!

 Christy Cowan also captured an awesome, relaxed portrait of this family.  Remember, not all need to be looking at the camera.  Trying to engage them with eachother will most likely yield genuine emotion.  Awesome job Christy!

Oh my goodness, I just love the Mom and Dad in this image.  We had a fun time setting this shot up with the couple’s help and the group working together.  Knowing little tricks to help people relax in front of the camera make ALL the difference.  Don’t they look completely in love?  And the sweet little girls are watching them from the back.  Mmmmm, goodness.  Way to go Gargi!  This gorgeous mom is Tonya Todd, a wonderful photographer in our area!

Genny Kothari  really caught the emotion of this mother and daughter’s bond.  The coloring is magnificent!

Another shot that I just love.  You can almost tell what their faces look like by looking at the movement of their feet.  Innocent happiness.  Great view Jacki!

Jill Ulander knew what she was composing when she took this image.  I really like the natural lines that the railing fence and stairs make.  Really nice and crisp with a buttery background.

 Julie Wray…another image of an amazing family, relaxing and just having fun!  Look at the smile on Dad’s face.  It doesn’t get more “real” than that.

Karyn surely shot this is at a low aperture.  The tree leaves are glistening almost like holiday lights!  Keeping your aperture low while shooting portraits, really makes your subjects “stand out”.  Fantastic!

I can totally feel how safe this little girl feels in Daddy’s arms.  Katie, such a tender moment you captured.

I love this pose that Krista caught.  Putting the children up front and the parents blurred out in the back (with big smiles) is always a winner.  For this shot, since the two girls are not exactly on the same plane, I would have shot this between 2.8 and 4.0, depending on which lens is used.   And the emotion on the older girls face is an added bonus here.

It’s okay to cut heads off sometimes.  It really works in the “Rule of Thirds” composition that Kristy choose to go with here.  Kristy, this is adorable!  Awesome job!

Look at his face!  Maria, you really caught him in his element!  Absolutely darling!

 Danielle Kindelberger captured this tender moment between mom and her boys.  I love the simple black and white tone that you applied here.  Just perfect.

This looks like a magazine image.  Wow… Michaela Hundahl!  It is hard to shoot with such a strong backlight and  girl, you took your meter and knocked it out of the park!

Neyssa Lee worked her magic with this little girl.  The slight camera tilt adds a little more texture by bringing in the door frame.  Precious Neyssa, your little guy is going to have the BEST photos as he grows up!

Robyn…I hope they put this image on their wall!  What a super family portrait!

Every one of these women took their camera, creative spirit, courage and WENT FOR IT!  Not only did they capture awesome photos, but we had a BLAST in the process!

Thank you so much ladies for a wonderful, WONDERFUL weekend!  One of my favorite moments was when Danielle introduced herself and said she didn’t know who I was but was just surfing for a weekend getaway and figured Hotel Murano was a great place to spend it!  LOL!  Brian and I still laugh about that moment!  We hope Danielle, and all the rest of you, got that weekend away that filled you up and nourished your creative spirits to move forward with confidence!  You have all that it takes to go for it!

Is Danielle glad she came? Was the weekend the break she needed?

THANK YOU so much to all the families for being our models!  What would we do with out YOU!!  We appreciate you so much!!  And I know you are going to LOVE all the photos these ladies captured!

xoxo,
m

p.s.  We have a Seattle CONFIDENCE Workshop in January!  More Winter CONFIDENCE Workshops are happening on East and West Coast! Early Bird Registration and our Payment Plan is going on now!  (Christmas is looking REAL GOOD for some special ladies! )   CLICK HERE to find the city nearest you and get ALL the juicy details!

We leave DC today after a wonderful week of adventure with the kids and powerful workshop with the DC CONFIDENCE ladies.  Every time Brian and I walk in to the workshop room the morning of Day One, to meet all these beautiful women for the first time, I wonder what magic will happen.  What stories will unfold?  What glass ceilings will be shattered?  And what will transformation look like for each of them on the other side of the weekend.  Each workshop unfolds in its own way.  I can’t help but think this is too amazing to happen again.  But it does happen, and I know it’s because of the fact that powerful transformation comes when women come together wanting more for themselves.  Yes, they are all nervous the beginning of Day One.  Whether she is a beginner-beginner with her camera or charging money to beginning clients, each woman is nervous because she has chosen to do something very courageous.  She has chosen to say “I want more.  I know there is more to learn.  I know there is more for me.  And I want it not only for myself but every woman here.”  Vulnerability mixed with courage equals transformation that is inescapable.

We walk through many exercises together.  As many of you know, on Day One we bring in baby models and work with indoor lighting as we push ourselves to get out of our own creative box and try set ups we may have never thought of.

To celebrate the courage our Seattle women have, to acknowledge the confidence they gained and the many shifts that happened for them over our weekend, I want to show you some of their beautiful photo results.  But these wonderful photos are only the tip of the iceberg for what happened internally.  I wish I could share ALL their stories with you.  For now, you will probably see their stories reflected in the magical photos they captured.  (And I say magical because these were all shot in the hotel lobby and restaurant…but you’d NEVER guess it!)

Robyn…this is pure parenthood bliss that you captured!  I LOVE mom’s expression!  Simply beautiful!

When you find great light and your exposure is spot-on, you can get really crisp images like this one that Neyssa Lee caught!  I love the catch light in his eyes.

The next two images are fantastic “tiny toes” shots with so much more!  Take a look at how different the eyes of Michaela Hundahl and Maria were on this shot.  Compositionally, oh so different, but both so lovely.

Kristy H. was able to capture this little guy feeling safe and secure in his father’s arms.  Sometimes we can get caught into thinking we always need to say everyone’s faces, but having the hint of their presence can often make dad or mom’s presence that much more powerful.

I love the composition on this image.  Mom is looking gorgeous in this very tight shot with the light just pouring in on to baby’s face.  What a great moment Krista!

Katie, your image is very similar to Krista’s.  I am digging how sharp this little baby’s face is with mom slightly blurred out in the background…all up against a very simple colored wall.  That type of simple background really makes us focus on the little boy!

Babies over the mom’s shoulders are just a great way to start a baby shoot!  The mom is probably feeling a little self-conscious, so turning her away from the camera, putting her at ease, while getting the amazing shoulder line always works.  Great shot Karyn!

What wonderful composition this image has to it!  Great job Julie Wray!  Mom looks beautiful in this shot!  Baby isn’t in focus, as it should be because the story is so powerfully about mom’s joy.

Wow, Jill Ulander, you found some really even, perfect light by this big window.  I also love that we can see mom totally smiling in the background.

This is the same set up but a different perspective!  Amaris, GORGEOUS!

Jacki, I am so impressed that you turned the baby’s face toward the light.  That is awesome!  The plain wall really makes us feel the love mom has for her little girl.  Very nice!

The warmth of this image really draws me in.  The warm tone and the warmth of the emotion from both parents as they play with their little guy.  Again, just pure joy is displayed on their faces.  What a wonderful moment Genny Kothari caught.

What a sweet portrait of this little girl!  I love how Gargi placed herself a perfect distance away, yet still keeping that nice, even light on the little gals face.  That, my friend, is “Finding the Light”!  I’m thinking your weekly photo sessions with your own baby are a different story now. 

You can’t go wrong with fingers and toes.  Christy Cowan, your focal point of the finger grabbing the toes is spot-on!  I just want to eat those toes up!!!

I’m really proud of this photo because an orange couch with brown wall can be tricky with white balance.  But the group unpacked this set up and look!  Just priceless!  Look at the fabulous catch lights that Carrie caught in her eyes!  Yeah Carrie!

Danielle Kindelberger, this is such an amazing shot of sleeping baby.  I love how sharp the tiny fingers are!  Just precious!  You would NEVER guess what the setting was of this shot–the hotel lobby!!  It looks like you did this in a studio, love those prepared “black backgrounds”. 

The tenderness and security exudes from this image that Amy Swank captured.  It is so peaceful. Love!

Here are some more of my favorite Behind-the-Scene moments from Day One!

And I LOVE this shot because Brian is a walking manual for EVERY camera out there, regardless of what brand the camera is!  Every time I turn around he is trouble shooting technical glitches on some of the cameras, and the relief on women’s faces when that glitch is finally gone is PURE ECSTATIC JOY!!!  That’s what I need to take a photo of next!

To all the Seattle CONFIDENCE Ladies from September…I LOVED our weekend together!  I still find myself laughing when I remember Gargi’s introduction!  Thank you for bringing all of yourselves to the workshop, for pushing your limitations and going after confidence with everything inside you.  It was an amazing weekend, and I can’t wait to show everyone what Day Two looked like.  So proud of all of you!

And a VERY BIG THANK YOU to all the mama’s and their gorgeous babies!  We appreciate you so much!!  I can’t wait for you to see the dozens and dozens of amazing photos these ladies captured of your babies!!!

xoxo,

m

p.s.  Winter CONFIDENCE Workshops have started the Early Bird Registration and are filling!  Christmas is looking REAL GOOD for some special ladies!     CLICK HERE to find the city nearest you!

I’m so excited to show you the first of a handful of Seattle/Tacoma Minis I did a few weeks ago!  As some of you heard, I was driving around the day before to find a new shooting location–looking for some fresh inspiration.  I drove past an antique store that had these fabulous vintage couches out front.  I decided to ask the owner if I could borrow the couches the next day, thinking he’d say no for sure because one was over $1500!  But he totally took me off guard!  Not only did he say “SURE!”, but he even gave me two of his employees to lift the couches for me!  His store is called Rampart Antiques in Tacoma, WA!  Everyone who lives nearby, go!!  Tell him I sent you and that he is the COOLEST guy ever!  Who does that?!  I guess you never know unless you ask!

What do you get when you do a 30 minute Mini Session with a vintage couch, darling mama wearing a felt hat, super cool dad, and an “on-the-go” toddler?  Let me show you!

You can’t help but get a little magic!  This photo is so magical to me!  I love it!

Storytime is a GREAT place to start!

Can’t go wrong with snuggling!

But get ready because at some point a little one just needs to run!

Then we all try to catch him, and the wind comes up just in time!

And holy smokes, can you believe there was a vintage horse outside Rampart Antiques!  Perfect!

Loved capturing mom’s beautiful laugh (and those FABULOUS SHOES!!!)

At some point, all our attempts to distract and outsmart this little guy are over.  And not only are we tired, but he’s pooped!

But still as ADORABLE as EVER!

And regardless of how tired he is, the magic is still there.  How can we not all be in love with him?!

Where is photo number 11?  I saved that one for the preview on the homepage!  Click www.merakoh.com and check it out; it’s of Mama and her little sweetie!

Tresha!  There are SO MANY more!  Wait till you see!  It was SO HARD to narrow them down!  Thank you so much for the honor of doing a Mini Session with you three!!  I loved every bit of our adventure!!

xoxo,

m

p.s.  Winter CONFIDENCE Workshops have started Early Bird Registration!  CLICK HERE to find the city nearest you!

This month the SOAR! Recipients are assigned Engagement Shoots!  So get ready!  Tomorrow through Thursday, you can visit the SOAR! blog to see their photo results from doing an Engagement Shoot or even staging one for practice!  The purpose of the shoot is to capture a couple and show their engagement with each other.

Charisse is one of our lovely SOAR! Recipients this year, and her family happened to be models at our Sacramento CONFIDENCE Workshop.  I decided to demonstrate with Charisse and her husband some favorite photo tips to capturing a couple whether they are newly engaged or have been married for fifteen years.

I started by asking Charisse what she loves about Keith, and then asking Keith what he loves about Charisse.  At one point, Charisse said that she loves the way he makes her laugh.  As a photographer, I know it’s easier for people to start with “loud” photos and then move to a more quiet photo.  Laughing photos are more loud in energy and action.  So I photo coached Charisse on what I wanted her to do–I wanted that great big FAKE LAUGH with lots of leaning into Keith, and I also wanted to use her hands to communicate affection.  I think Keith was so amused by it all that he smiled naturally on his own.    He was such a great sport!  In capturing a couple’s love for one another, we are focusing on all the nuances, subtle gestures with hands, leaning into one another, eyes closed, etc to create a three dimensional image.  These are a few of my favorites!

I LOVE how Charisse’s hand on his chin, a subtle action that happens so fast, and yet communicates so much adoration and tenderness.  (If it happens to fast, I ask her to do it again.  I’m all about “Do Overs”.

I had Charisse rest her hand on her chest.  I think hands communicate TREMENDOUS emotion.  In fact, try doing a photo shoot of a couple in love.  They don’t have to be engaged, it’s more the photo exercise of drawing out their subtle gestures that shows us a story of affection in the photos we capture.

And when they are done doing the loud, animated, laughing shots, and they have tried a hundred different ideas that you’ve given them on what to do with their hands, they get to exhale.  That’s when the quiet shot is most powerful and rich.

Charisse, you and Keith were the most fun, beautiful models!  Thank you for letting me play with all different kinds of ideas!  And thank you for getting silly with me!  Your husband is such a GREAT sport!  I can’t wait to see YOUR engagement photos this week on the SOAR! blog!

And Ali, boy, did she luck out!  She second shot my DC Minis with with me on Friday!  Our last mini was a couple celebrating their third wedding anniversary, and they are SO IN LOVE!  Can’t wait to see her results of a couple engaged!

Happy Monday everyone!  After an incredible DC CONFIDENCE weekend, we are off with the kids to the Smithsonian!

xo,

m