Photographing The Blues

I've been told by MANY clients that the biggest stress of their session was picking out what their family should wear. I get it...clothing can make or break a photo. Yes I do agree that accessories, color and coordinating outfits can add lots of character to photographs, but they are not necessarily what "makes" the photo. If you are one to feel pressure when dressing your family, let me make a suggestion to ease your mind, SIMPLICITY WORKS! Choose one color along with neutral colors and let the photographer do the rest. Remember the main purpose of these photos is to capture your family, not necessarily make you look like you read Vogue magazine cover to cover.

The graphic artist within me loves situations where I am forced to use a critical design eye to find backgrounds that contrast and/or blend with a color palette to enhance the overall imagery.

Here are some photos from a recent family session in Old Town Tustin that demonstrate how a simple color palette can work in your favor. This should keep your blood pressure out of the danger zone next time you have to pick out clothing for your session.

 

The Setting Sun

 

There's a reason why the hour between when the sun is placed high in the sky to sneaking beyond the horizon is called the "Golden Hour." The warmth of the sun makes everything glow and, in my opinion, this light produces an aura of timelessness.

The setting sun could be used as a metaphor for the later years of childhood where our children have that perfect balance of innocence with understanding. I know that I will look back fondly on these days where my kids can have fun interacting with us and then cuddle on the couch at the end of the day. Maybe even call them the "Golden Years" of parenting. It seems as though we fight the clock approaching those teen years where that innocence of a child gets lost. Time can't be frozen, but it can be captured. 

My hope when taking these photos was to capture a mom and her daughters as they navigate through this "Golden Age."

 

Born to be you

Some might consider this a sly way of showing off something that I am super proud of, and to be honest, it kinda is!

I recently completed a thorough re-do of my boys' bedrooms. I am forever stating...revealing the individual PERSONALITY is a must in everything I create, capture and design...which was my ultimate goal with each room. I wanted to make a statement about the person who would inhibit it.

The quest began with a consultation and brainstorming session with my boys, in which two were quick to choose a theme. My son who is full of "out of the box" ideas took some time to reel in. After a few days of back and forth discussions on some rather interesting room ideas, he finally settled on one that was more realistic.

With a little paint, furniture and accessories, these ideas went from concepts to finished rooms. Each room is unique, which is very fitting for three brothers who are different in so many ways.

Okay, now this is where I bring this blog full circle..we all have interests and personality traits that make us who we are. I enjoy figuring out ways to express this uniqueness; capturing it in photographs and design, as well as other aspects in my family's everyday life.

The Writer/Designer

 The English Premier League Man U Addict

 The Out of the Box, Very Random, Gadget Enthusiast