Julie and Kelly {Allen Texas Senior Photography, McKinney Senior Photography}

Kelly is also home from college for the summer, and Karen (like Nan) wanted to get some sibling pics of her two girls before they both head off for college in the Spring.

Like Joshua and Jeremiah who had experienced previous sessions with me, Julie was right at home this time around. We did her Senior pictures late last year. It was fun to see the little sister showing the older sister the photo session ropes.

We photographed this session in old Downtown McKinney. They were having some sort of Art Fair going on, so the place was hopping with people. As I'm sure I would have been if I were on the other side of the camera lens, I think Kelly was a little uncomfortable posing with so many "bystanders" observing the action.

She did just fine though and was a great sport. I think this following picture of her is one of my favorites.

My husband and I had our anniversary pictures taken at this very door you see below (Or, should I say we took turns taking pictures of each other on our anniversary in front of this door.). I think Julie pulled it off much better though! I love this one.

Julie, Congratulations on your graduation. I hope you and Kelly enjoy your summer. It's great to know the two of you will be in the same city when you head off to college - even if you will be attending different schools. I'm sure that brings your parents some comfort knowing you'll have each other nearby while you are away from home.

Karen, I'm thinking any of these would be good picks for above your fireplace - cropped to your specifications, of course!

Aw....I wish I had a sister!

Thanks again, Karen. I really enjoyed my time with you and your girls.

Fantastic Four - Soon to be Five

Bonnie and Homer have four beautiful children, one boy and three girls. I first met Bonnie at Bible study and have grown to love her vivacious spirit and positive outlook on life.  Bonnie ends all her emails with her trademark closing of "Superlove".   Not everyone can pull that off without sounding over-the-top, but it fits Bonnie to a tee.  After reading her emails I always end up feeling just that - super loved.

I've photographed Bonnie and Homer's family on four different occasions now.  From staged Easter Egg Hunts to Bathing Suit Bubble Baths Bonnie has had some of the most fun and creative ideas for their sessions.  I truly have the BEST time when I'm with them - it's a total HOOT! 

Before I show you my top picks from their latest session I thought I'd share one of my favorite images from my very first session with them. You may have seen this in the B&W gallery in my website.  This was taken at Hannah's newborn session just under two years ago.  

It doesn't get any better than this - a totally devoted Daddy loving on his newest baby girl!

That was Hannah then.  Here she is today.  Full of smiles and giggles!

Isn't she precious!

Hannah is soon to be a big sister herself.  Baby #5 will join the family later this summer.  You better believe Hannah's big brother Jesse is looking forward to finally having another boy in the house.  And, with all these fluffy skirts around, I'd say another little man in the house to rough and tumble with is the perfect fit for this growing family.  I can't wait to meet him!

Now, it may just be my wild imagination, but for some reason I think the rain brought the best out in these little ones.  This was the last of my three sessions in the rain from two Saturdays ago.  It was so fun to watch these four walking through the puddles and running through the mist.  I'm just loving the fantastic shots we got of these four beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed blessings.

Here's Jesse.  You may recognize those famous blue eyes of his from the Children's gallery in my website.

After seeing some of Jesse's portraits, Bonnie admitted that she's a little sad to see how grown up he looks.  Kinda tugs on a mommy's heart to see your first baby all grown up.  I know.  My son just "graduated" preschool today.  (This second pose was Homer's idea.  He was going for a staring off in the distance look with the light shining in his eyes. Cool, huh?)

Here's sweet Abbi.  She looks more and more like her mother each time I see her.  

Playing peek-a-boo with Ella and her umbrella.  Hey, I'm a poet and don't even know it...

Thanks again, Bonnie and Homer!  What a fun session!

STAY TUNED FOR SOME FUN PHOTOSHOP ACTIONS FEATURING THE FANTASTIC FOUR IN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.  I'M EVEN GOING TO SHARE A LINK TO SOME FREE ACTION DOWNLOADS.  (I know.  I know.  It's been WAY too long since I've posted any "tips".  The wait is finally over.)

Aubrey, Parker and Piper: Cuteness x3

This first image was taken during my very first session with this family just short of 7 months ago right after Parker and Piper were born.  I love how tenderly their big sister, Aubrey, is holding each of them.  

Now look at them all.  Aubrey is a sweet as ever.  Little Piper is beautiful and simply full of giggles.  Handsome Parker is cutting his first teeth - AND already on the move.  

Mariah hoped the twins would both be sitting up in time for this session.  Who knew our little man Parker would be CRAWLING!  I think they may just have a little athlete on their hands.

This is the fourth time I've photographed this family.  One thing is certain.  They are a family full of love for one another and full of laughter.  They are definitely hands on parents.  I've recently discovered that Mariah does wonderful crafts and fun themed meals for Aubrey to teach her about the world she lives in. I'm certain I'll have to incorporate a few of her ideas with my own children.  Talk about creative!  Who knew a hotdog could double as an octopus?  That sure makes learning about the ocean much more interesting for little minds, doesn't it.  She gave me permission to share the link to her blog, so you can check it our for yourself.

Aren't they a beautiful family?  Mariah, Great job on coordinating all the outfits.  See, you didn't need me after all.  

Can't wait until next time!

Richard, Ashleigh, and Austin

Cindy called me a couple weeks ago wanting to schedule a time to get some updated portraits for her older children.  Richard, 24, Ashleigh, 21, and Austin, 14, are a great group of young adults.

Before my youngest brother was born (the summer before my 8th grade), I grew up sandwiched between two brothers - just like Ashleigh. It was so much fun seeing how the three of them interact.  Sure made me miss all three of my brothers (who all live out of town).

In honor of brothers everywhere (especially mine), I can't end this post without mentioning that tomorrow is Brother's Day - in my family anyway.  We began the holiday the day of my grandmother's funeral - vowing to dedicate one day each year to her memory and to each other. We didn't want to grow apart like some of my uncles had done.  I might add that Sister's Day (I'm important too!) is on May 4th.

So, maybe the rest of you can join in on our little holiday and give your brothers a call today. Let them know how much you care!  Life is short!

Here are a few favorites from Richard, Ashleigh, and Austin's session.  (I am so jealous of their perfect white teeth!)

Color or Black and White?

How do you decide whether to process, print, order, or upload an image in color or black & white?  When showing your clients their proofs, should you show each and every image in both color and black & white, or should you hand select just a few as examples?  Will all images look good converted to black & white?  Are there secrets to making your black & white images more dramatic?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  If you have, you are not alone.  I'll attempt to answer a few of these questions in today's post.  

To a degree, whether or not an image looks better in color or black & white is a matter of personal opinion.  Just like some people prefer modern furniture over more traditional decor, your taste will largely dictate the answer to this question.  

Black & white images tend to have a nostalgic and almost timeless feel. At first glance a black & white image gives you the impression the image was taken in another era.  So, if you are going for a more timeless affect, black & white may be the choice for you.

Some argue that the absence of color also frees the viewer to focus more on the subject matter and the emotion being portrayed.  Others will argue that an image's color is what brings the subject to life.  What do I say? It depends on the image.  To illustrate this I'll show you an example where color works best and then an example where black & white clearly wins out.

While, this is adorable in black & white, you can't help but feel that something is missing. 

Ah, that's much better!   

A color image needs lots of primary colors to make it pop.  In this image above the red of the little girl's lips, the green of the backdrop and in her sparkling eyes, the yellow of the squirt gun, and the blue of the trigger all play along with each other to breathe life and energy into the image.  

With this much going for it as a color image, it would be a shame to print it any other way (in my opinion). This image is all about a little girl having some care-free fun in the sun on a gorgeous, sun-shiny, summer day.  That feeling was completely lost in the black & white version above.  

In this next image, there's too much going on color-wise.  The busy colors overwhelm the senses and take away from the expression on the children's faces.  In color, the shadows that give this image such great dimension are underplayed and lose their dramatic affect.   

Unlike the image above, where the color emphasized and complimented the little girl's energy and enthusiasm, the color in this image seems to be at war with the calm, serious demeanor of the three siblings.  Taking away that visual conflict allows the image to tell the story - the children's eyes and facial expression now demand your full attention and completely draw you in.  The shadows become more evident and add much needed depth and dimension to the image.

So, now that you understand that not all pictures work well in a black & white format, you will understand why I do NOT show my clients every picture from their session in color AND black & white.  Instead, I only highlight the ones that have "the wow factor" once converted to black & white - giving them just a few examples so they know what other creative options are available to them.  

In addition, when a client asks me if they can see a particular file in black & white I also try to warm them before I show them the conversion that not every image works well in that format.  If it does not, then I explain to them why.

What makes a black & white image a success then?  Several things, but first and foremost there must be a wide range of tonality.  If an image contains both light tones, medium tones, and dark tones, it has a better chance of being a successful black & white image. Without a high range of tones, the image will appear flat.  

Black & white images also look best in high contrast situations.  Look for dramatic lighting with deep shadows and bright highlights.  Just make sure to expose properly so you don't lose details in those shadows and highlights.  Underexposing an image causes a loss of detail in the shadows.  Overexposing an image causes a loss of detail in the highlights.  

Sure, you can "fix" the exposure post-process, but you can't regain information that wasn't there to begin with.  The best black and white images have well-defined detail even in the darkest of shadows and the brightest of highlights.  That's why a proper exposure is so key!

Also, keep in mind that tones are different than colors.  A pastel blue falls in the lighter tonal range.  Navy blue falls into the darker tonal range. Yet, bright colors do NOT mean they are darker in tone.  Take these two pictures as an example.  Pay close attention to the bright neon nail polish.

The nails are what catch your eye in the color version!

They all but disappear in the Black and White.  

This is the perfect example to show your clients.  Bright colors may not provide the punch they're after once the image is converted to black & white.

If you know your client wants a black and white family portrait, but they don't all have the same "color" shirt, simply advise them to pick colors from the same tonal range instead.  Navy and black will look very similar in tonal range once converted to a black & white image.  If you tell them to all where the same color, you can end up with a wide range of tones that can really distract from the faces in a group portrait.  

Here's how it works.  Imagine a picture of a fair skinned child wearing a light hued t-shirt sitting on a faded concrete sidewalk under an overcast sky.  This scenario will most likely NOT make for a great black & white image.  The tonal range is almost non-existent.  Everything is grey and dreary.  All the colors and tones blend together to make an undefined portrait that lacks contrast, interest, and drama.  

In contrast, if you put a dark skinned child on that same lighter toned sidewalk the image is suddenly full of tonal range.  The contrast between the darker tones of the child's skin and the lighter tones of the grey sidewalk introduce shape and form to the image.  Dramatic lighting that casts well-placed shadows or sparkles of light to your image have a similar affect.

This brings me to the last tip.  By paying close attention to the shapes and forms in your image,  and being diligent to include both, you can significantly improve the success of your image.  Learn to imagine the scene before you as if it were black and white already.  Are there enough geometrical elements to make the image work?  Are there enough different tones to make each element in your image distinct from one another?  If you are drawn to the color in a scene, imagine it with the color removed.  Will the scene still work? These are questions to ask yourself (especially in nature photography) when seeking out your next black & white masterpiece.

Now, if you are still struggling with whether or not your image looks better in color or black and white, do what Terry suggests.  Make two 8x10 prints of the same image - one color and one black & white.  Hang both prints on a wall next to each other where you will see it frequently throughout the day.  Whichever one you get tired of looking at first is not the one for you.  Take it off the wall.  The one left hanging is the one you put on your website.  It's the one you show your client.  It's the one that works - for you.  After all, it is still a personal opinion.

I'll leave with two images from a recent session (actually an impromptu session within a session -  if you want to get technical).  

Meet Michael - a very cool guy.  You tell me.  Which one do you like better?  The color image, or the black & white?  Why?

Family Ties

With the birth of the twins, Mariah and her family had a special reason to gather for a reunion of sorts.  It was also her mother's birthday.  You may recall their newborn session I did a couple weeks ago.  After seeing those images, Mariah's dad decided to hire me to take on the whole family clan.  Even her brother flew in as a surprise from New York for his mother's birthday - only to find the surprise was on him: a family photo session.

With four generations on hand from both sides of the family, it was indeed a momentous occasion.  The pressure was on to get some great family portraits.  It was history in the making, so I dug deep in my bag of tricks to make sure everyone was smiling at the same time.  It was my job to get the whole family relaxed and happy, and I was going to do my darnedest to make sure that happened.  

At one point I asked Mariah and her siblings to tell me about the worst vacation their parents had ever dragged them on.  That did the trick. Soon they were all laughing remembering the days gone by.  When it was time to photograph Mariah's parents with her mom's mother, I asked Grandma to tell me about the worst trouble her daughter had ever gotten into.  She didn't go into detail, but boy did it bring out the laughs.

I find that sometimes it helps to usher families down memory lane in order to get them relaxed and in the family spirit.  Great family memories are what create the special bonds that make the best of family portraits.  

Below are my personal favorites from their session.  These images make me feel like I could just step right in and make myself comfortable with this fine group of people.  And isn't that what family is all about?

By the way, don't you just love Grandpa's Alaska suspenders!  

Jacob and Conner

I absolutely had a blast at the new rocket park in town the other day. Holding our session at a local park was the perfect way to take some of the pressure off of Jacob and Conner - and it gave their mommy and me time to catch up.  

I thought it would be helpful to let the boys play a bit before the session started to give them a chance to let off some energy and get comfortable with me before it was time to get down to business. Of course, while they played, I did my best to catch some candid shots as well.

As a parent I was also very comforted to see little Conner carrying around his little lovey, Happy!  (You know, Happy from the movie Happy Feet.) My children have lovies as well!  Advising your clients to bring their child's favorite lovey is a great idea!  Not only do they make wonderful memory-maker images, but they help the child to feel more at ease - which translates into happier little clients.  

I also love how mom allowed the older son to keep his shirt open.  They were dressed the same, but he was still allowed to let his personality shine through.  The result: more natural looking portraits.

Aren't these two guys so stinking handsome!  I'll post pictures from their family session in a couple days.  Then you'll see for yourself where they get their good genes.