A Pause…

These past few weeks have been pretty busy. After completing my week 5 photo challenge, I had a handful of photo sessions that I was working on. Once I completed the editing from those sessions, I found myself getting our dog ready to have puppies. Last week our dog, Benelli gave birth to 9 puppies. 2 were stillborn, and 7 are healthy and strong. Watching our dog give birth to her beautiful pups, displayed the beauty and frailty of life.

I say all this to say, with the event of our dog having puppies, this has meant a couple things have had to be put on a short hold. My photo challenge being one of them. My goal this weekend is to work on week 6. The photo challenge for week 6 entails a macro photo of something sweet. I have a fun idea in my head. We shall see if it comes together. Until that challenge is posted, I will leave you with a couple photos of our puppies.

 

Week 5…

I have spent this whole week looking for just that perfect image to complete this weeks photo challenge. I must say, this week was a hard one for me. I had in my head what I wanted to find, and never could find it. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. But today my family and I decided to have an impromptu family day. We went up to Mt. Rainier National Park. I have been there a few times, but never really have been able to explore the Park.

The snow covered trails did not allow us to do much exploring, but we were able to drive around and see all the sights we could. We also spent some time in the Visitor Center at Paradise. To see Mt. Rainier directly in front of you was absolutely breath taking. Staring at it in all its wonder, left me speechless. We live in such a beautiful area!

Here is my week 5 photo challenge image. The requirements were, it needed to be a black and white landscape photo. I have also attached this same photo in color because I love vibrant colors.

Week 4…

Four weeks down, 48 to go. Each week brings a new mission, something fun to look for. This week was an adventure of needing to capture a self portrait of someone other then myself.

On Monday, I met with a young man and his mother at a new location I came across a couple weeks ago. It really does have it all for backgrounds. Everything from train tracks, graffiti walls, beach, woods, grassy fields, and a boardwalk bridge. The caveat to this location, is that there will be some walking involved. However, as long as you don’t mind the walk, you will be able to have a wide variety of backgrounds.

During our times of walking, it gave me a chance to try and get to know this High School Senior who soon will be entering into that change from teenager to adult.  I was able to learn some of his likes, dislikes, and goals that he has for his future. This time was important me. It gave me the ability to learn who he was so that I could capture his personality.

June is just around the corner for this guy when he will turn his tassel and begin a new stage of his life. Heavenly Creations wishes him the best of luck. Without further ado, here is my week four challenge photo.

 

Week 3… A Red Subject

This week for week 3 of my photo challenge, my subject needed to be red. Spring has not hit in full bloom yet, so that automatically ruled out flowers. I suppose I could have photographed the artificial flowers that are in my planter on my front porch, but that just didn’t seem like it would have made for a good subject. Please don’t criticize that I have artificial flowers planted. I do not have a green thumb. Many of the flowers I plant they die within a couple weeks.

I say all that to say, this left myself in a quandary, what would my red subject be? This past weekend I was out of town, and I left hoping I would be able to find that perfect red item to photograph. I DID!! In the heart of downtown Poulsbo, there is an adorable red phone booth. It took a few shots and being at different angles to capture that “sweet spot.” However, I end this week feeling accomplished and excited to share my red subject. 

Week Two…

This weeks challenge was to develop a landscape image that had foreground and also display the sky. The weather today was absolutely amazing. It was a reprieve from the cold rain, and I found myself throughly enjoying those beautiful warm sun rays. With the weather rather remarkable today, this of course meant that many other people were enjoying nature too. Who could blame them? When Washington displays such beauty, we all want to enjoy it.

I have never been down to Commencement Bay in all the 26 years I have lived in Washington. I found what I had been told to be true, it was stunning.  My husband and I  enjoy being near the water. The sound and smell of the salt water is calming and peaceful. I feel as if when I am near the water, that life comes to a halt. All stresses evaporate away. So with my camera in hand, my family by my side, and being down on the water front, it was a moment of heaven on earth. That all being said, here is my week two photo challenge image.

Questions To Ask Before You Hire…

Hiring a photographer can be an overwhelming task. In a quick growing profession, how do you choose a photographer that is going to be a good match for what you are wanting, needing, and looking for? With technology in smart phones on the rise, many cameras at an affordable price, or that friend who owns a camera, this may leave you thinking why even hire a photographer? There are numerous reasons I can think of why not go that route. First off and the most important I could give, photography is an investment. It’s not just a purchase. You are investing your time to create a friendship with your photographer. You are also investing your money in a final result that will leave you with beautiful images to look back on for many years to come with no regrets. Often we think of investments as a possibility of loosing something, but when you invest in photography you loose nothing but gain captured memories. When hiring a family photographer here are a few questions to keep in mind and ask when you are looking to book your next session.

Question #1
What style(s) do you specialize in?

Heavenly Creations Photography specializes in traditional and lifestyle portraiture focusing on elements such as lighting, environment, framing, emotion, and the personality of the subject(s). My goal is always to have the subject(s) feeling comfortable and relaxed.

Question #2
Do you provide props?

Using props can add additional meaning and give a sense of creativity to your images. Personally, I prefer the client to bring props because they would be items that are meaningful to them. However, I do have some assorted items to bring as props such as blankets, stools, and chairs.

Question #3
What type of lighting do you use?

My choice of light to use is natural light. I like using natural light and turning it into beautiful light that illuminates your images. In photography there are two known times of the day called the golden hours. That is the time around sunrise, and sunset. These are the times I like to schedule my photo shoots. However, when dealing with nap schedules, school schedules, and work schedules, this does not always happen. Sometimes sessions have to be scheduled when the sun is at it’s peek of highest harshness. In times like these, I have an assistant that I will bring along and with the use of reflectors we can still achieve gorgeous images.

Question #4
Who chooses the location?

This is a very important question. Ultimately I like to leave the location of the shoot up to the client. My reason for this is because the location helps express their personality. Is it a Urban city vibe you’re wanting, a cozy lush park feel, a country barn look, or a comfy shoot of your family in your own home? Knowing what style of location you’re interested in, from there I can pick a location that matches with what you’re hoping for.

Question #5
When should I expect my images to be ready for viewing?

I will offer a sneak peak that will consist of one to two images within the first three days after the photo shoot. From there you will receive all final gently edited images two weeks after the day of your shoot. All photos will be given on a unique USB flash drive with two formats on your drive, one for printing and the other for sharing your images on the web.

I hope these questions have been informative and will be most helpful to you when you are considering scheduling your next photo shoot.

 

 

Week One…

I have decided to start a 52 week photography photo challenge. Unlike most photo challenges that just give a simple word for each weeks photos, this challenge is more descriptive. It will not only push my skills and knowledge as a photographer, but I am hoping it will allow you to get to know me a little better, and see my creativity through the lens of a camera.

The challenge for week one is a self portrait. This is me, Lisa, photographer of Heavenly Creations Photography. Beyond being a photographer, I am a wife of 12 years, a mother of 3, and a part time teacher. My life does not travel in the slow lane. In fact, most days seem to go at a rate of mock 80. While it does not bother me, and I actually enjoy it, keeping an active daily style of living has taught me to treasure each moment with family and friends. Time is but a vapor. Even though my time is kept busy, it’s not something I take for granted. It’s this reason why I love photographing people. Time is priceless, and to capture those important stages of each persons life is where I find my passion.

If you wish to follow me through the next 52 weeks, you will be able to find each weeks challenge on my Facebook Page, Heavenly Creations Photography LLC. You can also find me on Instagram at hcphotographyllc. 

What to Wear?

Has this ever happened to you? It’s a couple days before your family is going to have a photo shoot, and you think, “What are we going to wear?” I would like to give you a few tips to think about in selecting your wardrobe for that upcoming photo shoot. Did you know that what you wear is just as important as many other details of photography such as lighting, posing, time of day, composition, and location? It is! Here are 6 tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1 Most often I will discourage my clients from all wearing the same thing. The reason for this is because, if everyone is in the same identical shirt in a photo, they will all blend together. So instead, I like to recommend that they select a color palette and go from there. If you are wondering what color pallet to choose, let me suggest that you look throughout your house. Most likely these photos will be hanging on your walls, so look at color choices that will go with the color scheme of your home.

Tip #2 As women we love our bling. With that being said, by all means, accessorize. Accessories can really add to your outfit in a photo. Scarves, necklaces, bracelets, or even ties. However, try to stay away from hats with a bill. They can cause shadows that hide your eyes.

Tip #3 What about patterns? I have been asked this question before. A good rule of thumb is to limit the amount of pattern in your clothing so that it does not distract from the final image.

Tip #4 Once you book your session, start thinking about what your outfits will be. Heavenly Creations Photography has a Pinterest page titled Heavenly Creations Photography LLC. There you will find color pallet ideas, and which styles of clothing flatter your figure the best. If you are scheduling a family portrait photo shoot, I like to recommend that the Mom not only is comfortable in what she is in, but that she feels that she looks like a million bucks in her outfit. A Mom really does set the mood and tone for a family photo session. Because of this, I like to encourage Moms to pick out their outfit first, and then choose what everyone else will be wearing around her.

Tip #5 How many of us have that favorite shirt or hoodie with a huge logo right on the front? I know I have a few, and in fact, I am currently wearing one as I type this out. Just like patterns, characters or logos I strongly suggest that if you can save those for at home or another day, that would be better. Characters and large logos can be very distracting in your photo.

Tip #6 Try to shy away from wearing all white or black. With both color options, its easy to loose detail in your clothing if this is your outfit choice.

Lastly, let me end with this. When you’re selecting what you will be wearing for your next photo shoot, think classic. When you choose chic, classy articles of clothing, it will help give your images a timeless feel to be displayed throughout your home for many years to come.

Just A Monday..

For some folks, mornings like today come and it’s just a Monday. It’s a day that starts the work week and life goes from relaxed to crazy. For my family Mondays are known as Monday Funday. My children do not have school on Mondays, so typically we will spend part of the day getting the house in order for the week and then will spend the last half of the day doing something fun as a family.

Today our family outing consisted of going down to Orting where we walked along the river trail. It’s a beautiful trail that parallels along the Carbon River. The pathway is paved which makes it easy for those with small feet to keep up. As was began our walk, we had to walk by a small dairy farm. There I was able to get up close to one of the cows who did not mind me taking her photo. She was extremely friendly and my youngest who is 5 even got to have his hand licked by her. [ Ewe.. 🙂 ]  Farther down the trial, we saw bikers, other walkers, and runners. It’s a well populated trail with many different types of active individuals.

After walking about a quarter of a mile, we decided to turn onto a gravel trail that would take us back going another route. On this section there were only the 5 of us. It was a time of laughs, taking photos, enjoying the scenery, and the beautiful weather. Because we had gone a different way back, we ended up walking by a small park where I was able to use a cute bench as a photo prop. As a photographer, when you’re outdoors, you learn to look for things around you that can be a charming prop. Here are a few photos from today.

 

 

An Adventure….

Yesterday all across most of Western Washington, local schools were cancelled because of snow. Not only am I a wife, mother, business owner, and photographer, I am also a part time teacher. I am blessed that I can be involved in the educational growth of other children.

With the break of teaching yesterday, my family and I spent majority of the morning and afternoon getting errands done, and enjoying each others company.  As soon as lunch was done, I took my husband’s truck and went on a small road trip. With the snow on the sides of the roads and in the trees, I knew I wanted to get closer to the mountains.

Along the way, I was able to get some photos of the open road, the views of the valleys, and a beautiful little church. My adventure was not only successful as a photographer, but also as a woman who just needed some time in silence.

Here is a photo from my trip that I have captioned with this quote.

“What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” -John Steinbeck-