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Here you will find all sorts of things: tips and tricks, book reviews, stories of my adventures, client features, and so much more!
The Maliza Family- NMSU Alumni Pond
The Maliza family met me at the New Mexico State University Alumni Pond for their portrait session! It’s such a beautiful, peaceful area, so we were able to spend a lot of time getting great photos and chatting with each other! Mom, Mai, works as a dialysis technician at MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, while Dad, Denmark, is taking a leave of absence from his career maintaining and repairing medical equipment to spend quality time with the kids.
The Gutheinz Family- Alameda Open Space, Albuquerque, NM
The Gutheinz family and I met up a few weeks ago at the Alameda Open Space area in Albuquerque to shoot their portrait session, and it was an absolute blast to work with them! As we walked around the area, they joked and teased each other, making me feel right at home because my family does the exact same thing!
The Fraissinet Family- Private Residence in Los Lunas, NM
Nicole and her family are so precious! When we were discussing places for her portrait session, she sent me a few pics of her backyard, suggesting we use it, and I was sold, so that’s where we met! I love doing in-home (or in-yard!) portrait sessions because everyone is so much more relaxed. It allows me to concentrate on creating a much more personal connection with my clients.
The Prangner Family- NMSU Alumni Pond
I had the honor and the pleasure of capturing Monica and her son during their portrait session at the Fabian Garcia Botanical Gardens and the NMSU Alumni Pond in Las Cruces, New Mexico a few weeks ago! This precious pair were a blast to hang out with, and I couldn’t have asked for better company on that sunny summer morning!
The Harris Family- Los Lunas River Park
I had the honor and pleasure of photographing this gorgeous family a few weeks ago! Kenyatta Sr., Kenyatta Jr., Ashonna, Gloria, and Keyondre were all so relaxed and down for whatever I had in mind. We captured most of their portrait session in the Los Lunas River Park, down in the bosque, but then went to a second location to finish up.
Kimberly Woods, and Family- An Elena Gallegos Open Space Portrait Session
On Monday night, I had the honor of meeting Kimberly, her fiancé Gary, and Kimberly’s family: Jeff, Kari, Bryan, Jesse, Jacob, Kaitlynn, and her dog Charlie! We met at Elena Gallegos Open Space in Albuquerque for their gorgeous summer evening portrait session!
Rebecca Engle, and Family! An ABQ Uptown Family Portrait Session; Albuquerque, NM
I have had the pleasure of photographing Rebecca, Adoli, Nora, and Kyle several times throughout the years, but this is the first time that I’ve met Rebecca’s siblings, their spouses, and their children, and what a fun family! The attempts to get the kiddos to smile were making me crack up!
Copyright Ownership vs. Right to Print
One of the questions that I find myself addressing quite often is, “Will I get copyright of my photos?'“ This is, and isn’t, a simple question to answer, because the answer varies based upon each photographer and how they run their individual business. First, let’s define some terms:
Brent and Victoria Gillespie- An At-Home Family Portrait Session in Albuquerque, NM
his little cutie turned 9 months old at the beginning of February! Sorry, guys! I don’t use children’s names in order to help protect them. His parents, Victoria and Brent wanted to have portraits taken of him and of their family for Valentine’s Day to celebrate how much he’s grown, and to send off prints in their Valentine’s Day cards for their friends and family.
Amateur vs. Pro: What's the Diff?
It’s recently become more and more clear to me that most people don’t know a whole lot about what professional photography is, or what a professional photographer (like me!) does. That’s why I’ve written the last couple of posts, but I wanted to provide you all with some context for this course of education before I go too much further, and y’all think I’ve lost my mind (clearly my children have stolen it and sold it on the black market).
A Family Photo Session in Ruidoso, New Mexico- The Edwards Family
I absolutely love traveling down to Ruidoso for portrait sessions and weddings! The town itself is in the mountains (which I love!), and is just big enough to be comfortable, but completely small enough to be a tight-knit community.
Fall Mini Sessions in Los Lunas, NM
Each year, the Rio Grande River Valley begins to sparkle and shine with bright hues of red, orange, yellow, and even a little green mixed in. That’s how you know it’s October in New Mexico! And, each year around this time, I try to do family mini sessions for my clients. This year, however, I didn’t charge for my time and talent. Instead, I asked each family who signed up to bring in at least one cleaning supply to donate to our local children’s home, El Ranchito de Los Niños.
Alameda Open Space, Albuquerque, NM- Rebecca and Kyle's Family Portraits
After meeting several years ago in what could be termed a ‘Shady Cookie Deal’, I have had the sincere pleasure and honor of getting to know Rebecca, Kyle, and their two daughters.
What You Need to Know About Photography Business Models
I was recently watching a masterclass for photographers, and the speaker- another photographer by the name of Matt Kennedy- was teaching about pricing and business models for photographers. I realized right off that there is A LOT of confusion about business models for photographers, not only among photographers, but for our clients as well! If we can't event figure out what business model we follow, how can we explain it to y'all?! Well, I'm going to try to clear up some of the confusion for you.
How To: Picking a Location for Your Family Portrait Session
One of the current trends that I love in photography is taking family portrait sessions out of the studio and into the community. So much more can be created when you’re outside- especially during the Golden Hour. But, you also need to be mindful of the safety of your location- especially with young kids are around.
How To: Prepping Your Kids for Family Photos
One of the many reasons that I've heard for not getting annual portraits taken of your family is that it's too hard to accomplish with young children. Well, it may seem that way, but it's actually not that hard- you just have to work with your kids instead of against them. Here are my tips for working with your kids and preparing them for family photos:
How To: Planning a Family Portrait Session
Annual family portraits can be a daunting task for many people, especially with young children, but it can be done! Here are my tips for planning your session so that it is an awesome experience for everyone involved.
The Mendez Family- River park, Los Lunas, New Mexico
I met this spunky family last September on a beautiful Fall evening. This sweet family was simply hoping to update their annual portraits, so we chose the lovely Los Lunas River Park for their session.
Jennica and C.J.- An In-Home Family Portrait Session in Los Lunas, New Mexico
I have known Jennica for many years- we were on Swim Team together in High School- so, when her sister, Cara, asked if I had time to do a portrait session for her as a Christmas present, I jumped at the chance to see my old team mate and friend!
Underwood Family Portrait Session- Elena Gallegos Open Space Area, Albuquerque, NM
I first met Nicole when she reached out to me a few months ago, looking for a photographer who could do a family portrait session while the whole family was together over Christmas as a gift to her Mother-in-Law. Luckily, I had availability that met her needs, because this sweet family was coming together from all across the country for the first time in two years!