Two finalists in two months

This month, one of my favorite images was fortunate enough to be selected as a finalist in BetterPhoto.com's monthly contest. Over 29,900 photos were entered into the competition; I was honored to have my image selected among the top 400 finalist photos. And, there were only 54 finalists in the category of people. Here is the image, "Ballerina on the move". I know, my titles could use some work.

Last month, the following image received recognition as a finalist:

What happened to Big Wheels?

This is a totally random thought. But, remember big wheels? As I child we loved them. Riding low, peddling fast, and racing down our street. My mom and dad reminded me how we rode them so much that we wore down those hard plastic tires from breaking and spinning out.

I did a quick google (and froogle), and found that the only place I could really find them was at Target, and only online, and in seemingly limited supply and not for sale yet. I'm on the email notification list when the pink one becomes available. This just might be the toy that everyone else *doesn't* have.

But, this doesn't answer my question about their absence in our kids' driveway racetrack. When I think of the toys that are still around: Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake, Transformers... what about big wheels?

Were they declared unsafe somewhere along the line? Did kids decide they just weren't fun? I really want to know whatever happened to big wheels? If you know, please tell me.

April is filling up! Call now!

Holy smokes! I've been getting several calls, and my April is booking up rather quickly. I know a few people out there still want sessions... so I suggest you reserve your session soon, especially if you'd prefer a weekend.

Here's my Saturday availability:
April 5 - afternoon opening only
April 12 - completely booked
April 19 - early morning (8:30am) or after 2:00pm
April 26 - completely booked

I also schedule sessions during the week (mornings and late afternoons). And, I will do Sundays, but I limit these because family time is important to me.

Also, just as a heads up, I'll be on vacation for 2 weeks in May, so if you're thinking of a May session, call now because between Mother's Day weekend and our vacation, there simply aren't enough weekends.

Sweet Baby "V"

Isn't she precious? I swear, this is one beautiful baby! Her mommy was lucky enough to receive a gift certificate as a baby shower gift, and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to photograph this adorable new family. M & M, I had so much fun getting to know you and watching how sweet and tender you are with your adorable baby. Here are two images. The rest should be online soon!

Chicago

Last week I was incredibly lucky to have some of my dearest "chicks" (aka pixel chicks) come to Chicago for a photography workshop. Although, I wasn't permitted to attend the workshop because I live in IL, my friends came in a few days early to see the city and hang out. I had fun chatting, walking, laughing, shopping, eating, and taking pictures with Alli, Candy, and Megan.
We spent Friday exploring Millennium Park. We spent most of the time looking through our lenses, and here's some of the images that I captured:

The "Bean". Here we are... our collective self-portrait.

From the underside of the bean: I'm the tiny speck in the very middle, laying on the ground shooting up into the bean.

Here's Alli:

Here's Candy:

And Megan:

This couple was so cute and all cuddly that I couldn't resist taking this image.

New Tax Rate

Now, this is not a fun blog to post... or to read. But, it's important.

Effective April 1st, sales tax in McHenry county is changing from 6.5% to 7%. Bummer, hugh? So if you're contemplating an order, you might want to make sure you pay before April 1st.

I've created a monster... or an assistant?

After dinner, my daughter down to the basement to fetch a toy. While I accompanied her, I grabbed my camera to take a few shots of a coffee table book for some new marketing materials. My daughter wanted a camera, so I threw my pocket wizard (which triggers the strobes) on my old Canon Rebel, and she was shooting away, exclaiming "I can't believe I'm a real photographer!". So there we were, my 4 year old was taking photos of me. I was cracking up as she ran over and grabbed my hand and said "put your hand here". She was actually posing me! After each shot, she proudly said "great shot!", or "good job!". She even went to go get a hairbrush. I wish I had one nearby, because it could have used a little brushing. Oh well. Here's one that she took of me. (okay, I did crop it and do a little retouching in photoshop)


I love that she loves photography... so guess what she's getting for her birthday? It starts with the letter "c".

Are you a mommy-to-be?

I've had a few inquiries recently for newborn sessions. I know those first weeks of life are a whirlwind... whether you're doing it for the first time, or if this is your fourth baby. Most people don't realize that the best time for newborn photographs is in the first two weeks of life. Yes, that young! That's when they're the tiniest, they sleep the most, and fit in the palm of daddy's hand. Awww, how cute.

I've had several organized mothers call and schedule sessions even before their baby is born. The benefit to this is you can look at birth announcements in advance, and you can amaze your friends and family with announcements in their mailbox in record time. Of course, we all know that babies don't always arrive when they're "due". But, if you let me know in advance, I will make sure that I reserve some time for this very important photo session.

A moment with my littlest photographers

Today, my daughter told me that when she grows up, she wants to be a photographer. For the past month, her career of choice has been an opera singer. She's quite artistic. Today, she informed me that when she gets older, she can borrow my camera. Hmmm. Much older. Much much older.

We installed a new floor in the camera area of my studio this weekend. I was playing around this evening, and nobody wanted to pose for me. So, I took some lovely shots of the cabbage patch kid who always smiles, always sits still, never blinks, and most importantly, has a very long attention span. Though, unfortunately, she's not nearly as charming or adorable as real children. So, I offered my daughter to take a photo of me, hoping to entice some participation. They ran over, and each of them took turns taking photos of each other. My daughter did quite well for the age of four (going on 14). She held the camera, and even pressed the shutter to take the photo. It was an endearing moment for me as the first time I get to share my passion with her. I'll always remember the mental image of sitting in my lap with her curious little hands wrapped around my big, heavy camera. She was so excited to look through the lens, and press the shutter at precisely the right moment, and then to see the image that she made. She loved capturing my son's joyful expression. I loved that she loved it. Here's one she made:

My son required a little more assistance. His little fingers couldn't support the camera and reach the shutter at the same time, so I held it for him. He looked through my lens, and pressed the button. He did well, but we'll have to do a little work on his composition. Here's one image he made:

When I downloaded the image, I laughed out loud. It still makes me smile to see this. Isn't that what a photograph is supposed to do? Isn't that why we buy images of our children? Because they make us smile and remember how little, how curious, how silly, how tender, and how tiny they are. And I know that in the blink of an eye, my daughter will be old enough to borrow my camera.

Moments like these mean so much.

New (and Good) Eats in Cary

I live in Cary, IL. It's a great place to live and raise a family. Unfortunately, it's not the greatest place to eat. If you exclude fast food, there are only a few restaurants to select from. So, I was super excited to hear that we were getting a new upscale sports bar and grill, Wool Street Grill. I watched it go up, and it looked like the kind of restaurant that Cary needs.

It opened three weeks ago, and we had the chance to eat there last night. We were impressed. Pete had a blue cheese burger with waffle fries. Mmmmm, those fries were good with that special dipping sauce. I had a pulled pork sandwich that was very tasty. Even the side salad was good and the dressing was homemade and delish. And, the beer selection is great. The place was crowded at 7:30 on a Wednesday night.

I've never advertised my business before. So far, wonderful word of mouth has kept my plate full enough (sometimes fuller than my family would like). But when my friend, Teri, told me about an advertising opportunity at Wool Street, I couldn't resist. So, I've signed up to have my business card printed on their placemats for the next 6 months.

Here's the card I'm starting with:


This little cutie is one of my recent favorites. Isn't she just a doll? It's too bad the card is printed in b&w because she has the most beautiful blue eyes!

I'll be changing the photo on the card every few months. So, your image may be the next one. Wouldn't it be cool if you went to dine and saw your little one's portrait on the table?

Dinner Party

I LOVE entertaining. But, with two little tornados running around, we haven't done very much of it recently. Sadly, I miss it. I miss the creative element of the menu selection and the table design. I miss the fun we have when we have a cozy dinner party with dear friends.

So... last Saturday we hosted a casual dinner party for some of our closest friends who we don't see nearly enough. The menu was simple and intended to warm our wintery spirits: gourmet chili (a unique version with dill and lemon), homemade cornbread, sausage stuffed french loaves, and salad. The chili was delish - so much that a friend took home a doggy bag. I hope he's not too embarrased if he reads this!

Helping my sister register at Crate and Barrel for her wedding inspired me to set a smashing table. I adore the versatility of white dishes. With the help of new linens from Crate and Barrel and placemats from World Market, I was pleased with the result. The contrast of the brown placemats, salad bowls, and dark chairs against the white dinnerware and the mist tablecloth and napkins give me a feeling of balance and peace. If only I had a little more balance and peace in real life.

Oh yeah, here's what I don't like about entertaining. Ironing! It took forever to iron the tablecloth. And each napkin came out of the dryer like a shriveld up raisin. I spent at least an hour ironing. Next time, they go to the cleaners to be pressed.

Fashionable Photographers

I just have to link to this really super cool photograph that my good friend, Laura Stetser, took while we were in New York. She posed us, took the shot, and then did this really cool photoshop effect. I especially love the guy looking on in the distance. She's amazing, isn't she? The gals in the photo are some of my fellow pixel chicks. We're a group of photogs from around the US and UK. Together we learn, teach, laugh, support, and share this fantastic passion for photography.



Just click here to see the photo. From left to right, it's Candy, myself, and Megan.

Better Photo Finalists

I recently received TWO emails from better photo saying:

"Congratulations! You have placed as a finalist in this month's BetterPhotoContest! Over 31300 photos were entered into the competition; it is an honorto have your image selected among the top 363 finalist photos."

What that means is that only 1% of the photos entered were recognized. And I had two. Pretty cool.

Here they are:






The little boy was from a pre-school that I photographed this fall. The crop came as a creative inspiration a while later. The second image was from a session this summer. I had so much fun with this beautiful and really nice model and some fantastic urban locations.

Photo of the Day

When it rains, it pours. I've been quite lucky in my favorite online photo contests. I say luck and mean it. There are a lot of great images that aren't selected. So, I feel very proud, but also very lucky when one of my images is selected. Today, it is this little guy at shutterbugs.biz. Isn't he adorable? I just love a newborn in a tight swaddle, wrapped up all snug, like a little burrito. And, the antique chair shows such perspective. They're not this small for very long, are they? The title of this image is "New life, old chair".

Photo of the Day

I receive an email from a photographer friend yesterday telling me that I had a Photo of the Day on shutterbugs.biz. Whoo hoo! This site has become increasingly competitive, with over 2,000 entries each day competing for a single winner in each of seven categories. I enter the competition quite sporadically, so I very often forget to check the results. Thank goodness for friends who "have my back".

The photograph below is the winner in the People Category for 1/7/08. Hurray! Isn't she beautiful?! It's called "Striking Eyes", because I just can't believe how beautiful her eyes are. This pretty little girl is now a big sister. Her new little brother is less than a week old! Congratulations to the "S" family on your newest addition!

Chistmas is almost here!

And I'm finally coming up for air. Only a few more last minute orders to package and they're ready for pick-up. I'll breathe a big sigh of relief when the last piece of jewelry is delivered in time for Christmas.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph an adorable little 3 month old. He has the cutest rolls and wrinkles. Chubby babies are the best. Here's a sneak peak of his little bum.

New prices and a better value

I know a number of folks out there put booking a session on the back burner during the crazy holiday season. I want to let everyone know that effective January 1st, my new prices will be in effect. I'm still doing the analysis on my business plan and fine tuning some things, so I can't yet lift up the velvet curtain to unveil them.

The good news is that with the new prices, I'm convinced that you'll receive a better value for your investment. Here's just a few ways:

• I'm making some serious upgrades to my studio in the next few weeks. My lighting will be even better. Just wait until you see how good it makes you look!
• I'm investing in some new backgrounds that will add variety and uniqueness to your portraits.
• I've picked out some new props that are perfect for babies and small children.
• A brand new gallery will showcase various products (canvases, framed images, handbags, jewelry) so you can see, touch, feel various items.
• Portrait collections will be available to provide even better value. Don't worry, you can still order a la carte, if that's your thing.
• Wall display options will be included in your proofs, to help you get ideas for hanging your treasured portraits in a way that makes an artistic, decorative, and sentimental statement in your home. No more stressing out about where and how to hang your portraits. I'm here to help.
• For ordering sessions, I purchased a brand new 21" LCD monitor that is top-of-the-line for graphics. What you see on my monitor will be exactly what you get from my lab.

If you book a session in 2007 for Jan., Feb., or Mar., 2008, and keep your original appointment, and place your order within 10 days, I'll guarantee my 2007 pricing. This offer expires Dec. 31, 2007.

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Baby "A"

I haven't done any sneak peaks lately because I'm too busy getting everyone's cards ordered and packaged. But, I can't resist on this little guy. He's adorable, isn't he?

I'm putting together a baby plan for 2008. It will included several sessions spaced for your baby's first year. Email me for details!!!

When I first mentioned to my husband that I was putting together a "baby plan", he got quite nervous! He didn't realize that I was talking about photography and not our own family. Too funny.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't believe that 2007 is nearing the final stretch. Here are some things that I'm thankful for...

- Good health. We take it for granted, but it really is the most important thing we can be fortunate enough to have.
- Family. I love my family dearly, and I'm happy that we all love each other.
- My husband. For his love and support of me and my business. Knowing it takes time away from our family, he's picked up the slack with the children, and fully supported the many, many, many financial investments I've made.
- My friends. I feel so blessed to have so many dear friends.
- Pixel Chicks. To my dear friends who share my passion for photography, who provide technical advice, emotional support, business advice, and laughter.
- To my clients (and friends). Without you, I'd just be a mom with a camera. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to get to know each of you and to share and capture a quickly passing moment in your children's lives.

Moments like this make me feel like I have it all. If only I remember this feeling when the laundry is piled high, the kids are cranky, and there's nothing in the fridge for dinner.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Isn't she sweet?

Before I get back to work, I want to show two pictures from a sweet newborn session. The mom and baby were so sweet. Thanks for bringing baby "I" in. She's such a beauty, even if she didn't sleep much for us. :) I can't wait to see her when she smiles.

Busy at work!

Wow, has it been this long since I've posted? It's a busy time of year here. I've been thrilled to death with everyone I've had the wonderful opportunity to photograph in the past weeks. I feel like I've made so many new friends. :) I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to get to know such kind and fun people.

Enough of my sentimental babbles... Here's what you REALLY care about. I received a very big shipment from my lab, and I'm hopefully getting one more tomorrow, so that means that many of you will be getting emails from me in the next few days saying "your order is here!".

Okay - back to work! I have two sessions more to edit and get online...

November is booked!

I'm officially booked the entire month of November. I have several openings in December, but will not be booking at the same capacity as November. Just as it's important for you to spend time with your family during the holiday season, I'll be focusing on mine during December. Of course, I'll always reserve times for newborns under 2 weeks of age.

The "D" family

What fun I had with these three energetic kids! Because they were so full of energy, I felt like showing some of the more fun shots. I always love photographing this age - their personalities really come out, and we can have some fun. So, thank you! You all did great, and hope you enjoyed your ice cream!

Sneak Peek for the "H" Family

Here's a sneak peak from a recent session. I just have to say how much fun it was to photograph these adorable girls. They were so incredibly cooperative did a wonderful job. I love the outfits the mom picked. Perfect for a fall day in Chicago. And, I'm glad that our original location was closed (due to hunting!). I'd been wanting to come to this site and now I can't wait to go back. Here are 3 from the session. There are so many good ones to choose from!

PhotoPlus EXPO in NY

I'm back from New York. I can honestly say it was one of the best weekends I've ever had! The EXPO was really just an excuse to meet up with some of my favorite photographer friends. Though we'd never met before this weekend, we got along fabulously. We're part of an online group called the "pixelchicks", and we've been emailing daily for over a year. We had a ball chatting, and going out taking photos and seeing how everyone else does it. I'm so honored to be part of such a talented and creative group.

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Kevin Kubota in person. We felt like groupies at a rock concert, and he was so very nice and genuine. He was kind enough to pose for a photo with us. His actions are fabulous (I bought version 2) and it'd be really super to go to his workshop someday. Here we are (from left to right: Megan Peck, Laura Stetser, Denise Snyder, Kevin Kubota, Candy Avera, and me). Too bad Alli Gaulin was not in this photo. :(

The Expo was also great for seeing all the vendors and making sure that the products I'm offering are the best quality and the best value. Keep your eye out for some new products I'll be offering soon!