I Heart Faces: week 13

This week it is Dramatic black and whites. I LOOOVE black and white photos so I just have to enter. Here is my entry.

Preston

Number four. Preston is number four for our dear friends Keesha and Aaron. We have been friends with them for so long I can't even remember life without them in it. I wouldn't want to. The most amazing times in our lives have included this family and we are so lucky to call them friends. Keesha is the most amazing mother and I am so happy for their new addition. That makes it 2 boys and 2 girls, what could be better. You two make some beautiful babies...I see why it is hard for you to stop :)
Thank you for inviting me to capture his precious new beginning. Love you!














Isn't his hair just beyond adorable?!!? Love it!

Vegas baby!

Last week I went to WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)in Las Vegas. This is the first year I have gone and it will not be my last! We went to platform classes, the trade show, and also fit in a lighting workshop with the Bui Brothers while we were there. What an amazing experiance it was and I got to meet some of my favorite photographers. It was awesome!!

I'll start with my rommies :) Lacy, Christina, and Suzanne....I wouldn't want to go to WPPI with anyone else. Love you girls!


Christina you are gorgeous!


Suzanne got a few of me and Christina playing with our cameras :)



The first day we were there we had an off camera lighting workshop with the Bui Brothers and I am so glad I did it. They were such a blast! Oh- and I won a new shoot sac cover from them that is totally cute! It goes on the bag I carry my camera and lenses in. Woo Hoo!! Lan is on the left and Vu is on the right.




We worked on headshots.


Then we moved on to the fun lighting stuff! It was really fun to try something different with off camera flash. There are three lights in this set up.



We battled the cold and rain off and on, but man it made for some awesome clouds!!
This was my favorite lighting set up! Only one light was used in this set up and it is coming down on her from the top right side. Very dramatic.

Of course, while other people were using the light set up I put my natural light skills to use. I can't resist :)



Yes, these pictures on the stairs are all natural light. Love it!!



This was the last lighting set up. We moved inside because it was really getting cold and the rain was a pain in the ...:) This was a two light set up coming directly at each other from both sides of her. Very high fashion.


The next day we spent most of our time at the trad show and got to meet some of my very favorite photographers. I felt like I was meeting celebrities....haha :) Thank you for taking these photos Suzanne!!

This is Bobbie+Mike. LOOOOOVE them. Their blog makes me so happy. Every post is so fun. They have such a fun style of photography. Bobbie is completely adorable. When she talked it was like listening to an old friend. She rocks! If you go to their blog right now you will see me in a video singing happy birthday to her mom :)


We also got to sit in for Brianna Graham's presentation at the Miller's booth and she was completely amazing. Christina, Suzanne and I asked her a hundred questions and she gladly answered every single one. Thank you random girl at the trade show for taking this :)


We ended day 2 perfectly with the Jasmine Star platform class and she was so fabulous! 900 people in this room and they still had to turn people away and hold another class the next day. She is amazing and I was so glad Lacy and I could say hi to her before she started speaking and also wish JD a happy birthday. There was no way we could have after, she was surrounded.


The last day we went to Tamera Lackey's platform class and she was so great. I love her contemporary style of shooting. Then off to more trade show, a smug mug group lunch and then it was already time to come home. It was a great trip!!

Ella

What a sweetheart little miss Ella is. We had such fun laughing together and she even let me snuggle her little lamb named lovey. Dark hair and blue eyes...what a doll!!! Mom, grandma, and Aunt Kimi waited in the wings so to not distract her and it really worked in my favor. Thank you very much for that girls. I told Ella she was so great at taking pictures and I asked her who taught her how to be so good at this, she said, "my aunt Kimi". Love it! I get such an amazing new view into the world of a child with every one I photograph. Pam, I am so glad I got to take pictures of beautiful Ella while you were in town. It was so good to see you again. Thank you for having me!


This is Ella telling me she is three years old and counting her fingers...loved this!

Addison

Oh my goodness I just can't get over how completely darling this baby girl is. Isn't she a little beauty?!! I took photos of her this past fall with her 2 brothers and 2 sisters. She was only 2 months old then, so I was so excited to come back and see her again. I think 6 months old has to be my favorite age. They are so full of smiles and personality. Mom says she was not in a very happy mood but if this is grumpy for her...I'll take it! She was such a doll and my favorite thing about this session was mom telling me she just wanted to remember her at this age. Her sweet face, those chubby legs, her bald head, and are you kidding me with those gorgeous eyelashes!?!! What I would give to have them :) Mari, it was a true pleasure to see you and sweet Addison again. Thank you so much for having me!






Those eyelashes!! Oh my!