Kim Klassen makes the most beautiful textures.  I used her "Coffee Tea or Me" and "Greyday." (My personal favorite so far.)  I have used some of her textures before on some of the photos you may have seen here.  If you like playing with textures, you should join her Texture Lovin' List.  She sends out Friday Freebies, and also puts an example out using the Friday textures to see them in action.  Here's my play with some textures over a little branch with a flower. 

I am working on an idea for Portrait Parties.  The idea is that I offer one mom a free package (8x10, 2 5x7s, and some wallets, maybe.)  She invites 5 kiddos over for a  Portrait Party playdate.  I will set up a spot and take one or two poses for each child in the group, and maybe one of them all together.  I will mail a proof out to the moms the next week, and they can order any prints they would like to have.  Then, hopefully,  at least one of the moms from the playdate will have her own party and invite 5 other friends, and so on.  So far, I have two ideas for set ups.  One involving a fish bowl, and one with feet and names.  Does anyone have any thoughts on another "theme?"  It wouldn't be much fun to have 2 portraits from the same scene if you decided to host your own party...
Would you rather have it at your home, or somewhere else?  What time of day would be best? Is 5 a good number of kids? What activities would you plan to keep everyone busy when it was just play time? Any other ideas?
Also, if anyone reading this would like to volunteer for a guinea-pig session, please let me know!!

This new site has a great giveaway going on.  Several of the prizes involve baby stuff like knit hats, pettiskirts, etc.  Go check them out, and enter to win:
http://throughthelensphotographymagazine.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-giveaways.html

I would love to get some high school senior sessions this year.  But first, I have to get some senior shots in my portfolio.  I only have one :(   So, if anyone out there knows of a senior who would like some custom portraits please pass along my information, or send them here!  Here is the deal I am offering:

What I need:
I need one male, and one female.  I will need a model release signed, which gives me permission to use the photos on my marketing material, website, etc.  I want to get some urban grunge type (graffiti, and metal staircases, etc.) and some typical shots outdoors.  I need to take them soon, a little earlier than the typical "Senior Season."

What you get:
A free 1 to 1.5 hour custom portrait session in an outdoor location.  Bring any outfits or instruments or sports equipment you would like to have in your photos with you!   Feel free to bring a friend to help you out while we "work."  You can purchase any prints or products for half of my regular pricing.  An opportunity to earn credits by referring other seniors. WOW!

First

 

Today, the girls over at I Heart Faces have changed up the routine a little, but we still have a Fix It Friday!  Find it in the community section if you are interested.

So, this is the original SOOC image.  I think it is really cute, but a little too underexposed.  I played around with actions mostly today.  I used MCP's little free action that was just put out- Mini Fusion.  I would looove to get the full version of that one.  It is really versatile.  So, back to editing, I added two of Kim Klassen's textures, which I am just enjoying every day!  I should join her affiliate program, cause I promote her everywhere I go! LOL  Anyway, I put one in overlay, and the other is on soft light blend mode.  On the first texture, I used a gaussian blur on the skin, so it would keep the same color, but lose the texture.  The other was turning her brown, so I just erased it off of the skin altogether.  I also saturated the colors on the background a bit.  And ran a Pioneer Woman "Sharpen This" to get just the face a little more in focus.  Voila! 

Hmmmm...it is actually a little lighter on my blog, so I might bring back a little more on the mid-tones if I were going to use this photo.  Check out some other takes on the same image at I Heart Faces.

I found a new company who makes the curvy routed frames which I love.   It is called the Vintage Crush.  They have all of the cute shapes and designs, and also put little ribbon holes in for decorative hanging.  I am hoping to order a few soon. 

 

Plus, they come in a wide array of colors...I loooove to look through a color palette. 
That is one reason, (of many) that I cannot go to Home Depot and Lowe's....I get lost in the paint department.  Something about that super organized display of colors all grouped together in sections.  But, I digress.  There is a giveaway going on for a $50 gift certificate over at the Photographer's Blog.  Check it out if you are interested.

I have been trying to convince a certain sister of mine *wink, wink*nudge, nudge* to try her hand at making me some of these types of frames.  But, she is busy with her barnwood adventures.  She is recycling old wood from barns in middle Tennessee into frames for her Letter Pictures prints.  Who knew that barnwood was actually made from real barns?!  Ah, the country life.  So, for now, I will have to order a few of the Vintage Crush frames to try.  And probably make a run to the craft store for matching ribbon.  YAY! Can't wait!

If you are a photographer, (or just feeling kind and generous today,) please check out this opportunity to help a family, while getting some cute card templates.  Madilu Designs is generously providing 5 new card templates for a donation of at least $10.  They are a $50 value.  100% of the proceeds goes to help photographer Amy Price, who has recently relocated to Italy to get medical help for two of her children who have been diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease.  Amy has a blog which tells their story, and explains "Livy's Fund."  Having four kids myself, I cannot imagine getting such shocking news about the two youngest ones, not to mention giving up our income to move to another country to stay in a hospital.  Please take a look if you might be able to help.

Just browsing through this book online really moved me.  Moved me to tears, and also reminded me how powerful an image can be.  These photographs tell so much about our culture, and children, and the world.  And, there doesn't seem to be a lot of commentary or preaching about social justice, which just makes it more powerful, I think.  The reality is just presented in photographs of real children, and the places they sleep.