A What to Wear guide for a family session coming up.
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I'm excited this morning! I was reading my daily email from Oh My! Handmade Goodness (OMHG) which is, in their own words "a community for independent children's retailers and the hip parents who support them." This site has a lot of ETSY and marketing information almost every day. As I browsed through the email today with bleary early-morning eyes, I saw one of my sister's images in the post!! Wendi owns Letter Pictures, where she sells prints and words made up of letters she has found and photographed. Like this: And on some of these, I have helped her find the letters, or designed the background templates. So, now I feel like I am rubbing elbows with the rich & famous! LOL!
So, let me wipe some of that stardust out of my eyes...and get back to ETSY. If you are an etsy seller, you have no doubt noticed the changes recently with the searching. Items are now ranked by relevancy, rather that recently listed. That is good news to me, because I can never keep up with the daily relisting to stay at the top of the list. But today's OMHG post gives a lot of good information on making the most of this new opportunity. Boiled down, your title is now the most important resource for getting found with a search...so make sure it is relevant! There are lots more details and tips to know, so take a few minutes to check it out here. Do you have an Etsy site? Share it in the comments I just wanted to share a few photos from a great Etsy seller, Lisa Randell. You may have seen her wares on my Facebook page already. Check out her store filled with adorable hand made hats, mittens, scarves, and more: Frog and Penguin.
I received three hats from her store, and they are all cute as can be! But they are also sturdy and stretchy, which are important factors for baby hats. She even whipped up a sock monkey for me by request. Talk about great service! These make wonderful props for photographers, but would also be super sweet to put on a baby as an everyday hat in winter. Take a look: Another newborn photo session to share. He is so, so sweet and laid back. But he had to take a few "lunch breaks" to keep his tummy full. Here's Wyatt at 7 days new:
It's that time again...another challenge from the ladies over at I Heart Faces. This time, the focus is on props. And seeing as my van is still full of the abundance of props I hauled to my last newborn session, I thought I would share an image from this week. Then, maybe I will go unload the props, to make room for groceries...maybe. This photo is even more "propped up" than my usual work. There is the paper barn-wood floor, for starters. Then the basket (which was, in fact, my very first prop! I took some film photos of my daughter in it ten years ago. *sniff*) And of course blankies. But I also used the digital tag and ribbon here for the "special delivery" note. It's the first time I have added in a digital element that wasn't for fun, or laughs. (You know, the cartoon speech balloon, or crazy body with someone else's head, etc.) I would love to hear what you think. Does the digital tag work?
Also, if anyone is interested, the tag is one of the available FREE downloads from Rita at the Coffeeshop Blog. She is so creative, and so generous. If you have time, look around. I just noticed some other free cut-outs she has posted that I had never seen. Click here to go to the download for the tags. Head over to check out more entries in this week's challenge: Yay! I am excited about the new Portrait Party Playdates. I am going to lay out the basics, but you can get full details by clicking here. Here is how it works: You pick a date and gather some of your friends together (say 5, or so.) We can do this at your place, or my place, or some other fantabulous location that we agree upon. Two hours should be just about right. I will have a theme set up for the day. Extra points for you creative mommas who have a snack, craft or game to match the theme ;) For example, July's theme is the sweet family feet picture you see above. I would set up a black background, and have some skirts and jeans. I will take photos of each child or family one at a time, while the other kiddos are having fun time. As the hostess, you will receive the package or product of the day for free, as a thank-you for having the "party." Your friends can pre-order, or I will send them a proof in the mail. They can choose to order, or not. No pressures, no worries. Also, I would love for your friends to host a playdate of their own. But, if they don't, you don't lose anything. And if you know me, you don't have to worry about me being a super-pushy saleslady. Not every theme will be this detailed or personalized. But I wanted to start this one up while school is out, so Moms can bring all the siblings at once. There will be several choices that each guest can make based on her personal preference or style. Some examples: Sooooo, are you ready for the super-duper incentive? Ok--To get things rolling, the first 2 parties booked will be eligible for a 30% discount for each guest. And, the hostess will receive a $25 gift certificate toward any future purchase.
Recap: You get to have an excuse to get together and have a fun time with your friends. You get to help design your personalized print. You get a complimentary beautiful, custom work of art. You get to offer a great deal to your friends, so they will love you even more. You get an extra twenty-five bucks, too! Quick, grab the phone! 901.830.9813 If you need more information, then sign up here to get the details in an email. (Choose Portrait Party Information) You can also email me directly at sbarberimages@yahoo.com More themes will be coming out soon, so sign up for the newsletter to stay in the know! I had an easy time choosing a photo for today's I Heart Faces challenge. This was a recent shoot for a sweet newborn, Jordyn. I usually don't like bright colors for a baby shoot. I usually even tone down the black and white edits to a more subtle range. Newborn portraits just seem to beg for pastels and soft muted tones. But baby Jordyn had this special blankie that was hot pink. And Mom wanted to line the basket with it for a photo. So, I went along, and we decided to try the basket in the grass outside. When I saw the results, I was no longer wishing for the sweet soft pastels. The vibrant colors looked great, and might be a more fitting portrayal of this spunky little girl!
I hear a lot of questions about maternity portraits. Especially from Mom's who are having a hard pregnancy. They don't all feel like commemmorating the bloating and stretch marks that come with the territory. Perfectly understandable. I remember hiding from the camera when I was expecting...especially when it was baby #3 or #4.
But, looking back, there are some things I do like to remember. I love Rachael de Azevedo's take on the subject on the NAPCP site this week. A mini-session to capture the family just before it evolves is the perfect solution for those who don't want a 2-hour photo session of their bare belly :) Just a little reminder of how things were before baby came...trust me, it will be hard to remember after things get rolling with a new family member! Check out Rachael's personal, casual images here, if you want some inspiration. Looking back to my little family when it was just the two little girls seems a world away from the busy 4-kid household with tweens that we juggle now. Things were a little slower, and a little sweeter. As we approach the teen years, it is nice to reflect back on tea-party days and snuggles. I sometimes need to know that there were some sweet, close times when I was just being a good mommy-and gave them all the attention they needed. It also reminds me that, for better or worse, this too shall pass. And I will look back fondly on today. I read an article recently that had a quote from Facebook:
"The problem with putting God in a box is it leads to trying to squeeze those around you into the same box & if they resist they are labeled as outsiders. Some people find security & the illusion of control inside a box. History has proven at some point many outgrow the box… then often mistake outgrowing the box with resenting the box. I no longer resent the box because it was a necessary part of my spiritual growth. From my friend, Joshua Guild Posted on his Facebook Wall May 25, 2011" I can't say I agree with the entire article, but I certainly had to stop a moment to think. I have experienced this very type of painful experience-outgrowing the box. I think there had to be a grieving period around that for me. I sometimes missed the box, and wished I could climb back in. I wanted to go back to a simple idea of God that I felt comfortable with, and knew the answers to. And there was some anger, well, lots of anger. But now, I can wholeheartedly agree with the last sentence in the quote. "I no longer resent the box because it was a necessary part of my spiritual growth." I suppose in most ways this is the goal-getting from resentment to appreciation. My next question has to be...have I just put God into a bigger sized box? Luckily, I can be ok with that for now, and know that I am exactly where I need to be. New ideas are taking shape! I am so excited to work on the newest idea, it is going to be so fun! (For me, and for you, too:)
Still working out the details, but it will involve all of the above. That is, portraits, parties, and play-dates. And best of all, it will be FREE! I can't wait!!! Wanna get in the know? Wanna be a guinea pig for me to test out my new plans? Just want some more info? I will be sending out some emails as things progress. Hop over and get on the list so I can let you know asap! |
AuthorMother of four. Wife to Steve. On an amazing journey through life, and taking photos along the way. Archives
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