Virtual and On-Location Photography

                                                           📸   Capturing holiday memories is going to be a little different this year …  They'll probably be laid-back but can be magical if you plan for how to adapt.  Part of the mix for capturing your holiday memories can still include professional (or not so selfies) portraits.  A  virtual photoshoot  is an option if you don't want to leave your home. Your remote family members can also have a virtual photoshoot wherever they are to capture this same moment in time for everyone.   Whether you hire a photographer or take the DIY route you can adapt these to virtual or in-person photoshoots.  ✌  Here are some tips for taking your holiday photos. 🗓 Plan your wardrobe.  It makes such a difference to coordinate colors...

Holidays are particularly stressful between gift buying, party going and party hosting. This and next week I'll outline steps that may reduce stress at least around entertaining. Keep in mind that size matters and you'll want to scale these tips to match your vision for the party. Check out other posts on my blog if you want to take better party photos. Some of the tips outlined may sound over the top snooty or expensive. Just pick a few of these ideas. I grew up with parents who loved to entertain.  There was always enough good food, refreshments and fun friends.  I learned a lot from them and over the past 45 years have picked up a few extra tips that I've written about in this email. I hope you find them useful. Planning. Start planning days or even weeks before an event depending on how many people will attend. For me half the fun is the creativity that goes into the menu, decoration, setting the table and anticipating the day of the party. Theme...

What you wear in your photos is important whether you want branding, family or headshots. It should reflect you, your interests, personality and style. The feet in the cover photo belongs to a client who is a dancer and runner. She wanted this image to represent her interests and passion.  Following are the tips that may help in your clothing selections, location and more. Look around on Pinterest where there are a ton of options. Search for words like 'photography' 'color' 'clothes' 'family' for instance. You'll find color palettes and more. Clothing should represent your personal style and the location where the photoshoot will take place. High heels at the rodeo may not be the best way to compliment the location. You get the idea Yes?  Don't be afraid of color. It's your friend. Colors can enhance the style of the shoot - formal, informal, athletic, hobby etc.   It's not necessary for everyone to match in fact I always...

The holidays are upon us and planning the season has kicked in. I took my vampire and witch Halloween 'dolls' out (they will enjoy the light until January 2), we're planning Thanksgiving dinner and hosting a comfort soup party on January 1. Between now and when the activities are in full swing many of us will also be planning holiday cards (hopefully with professional photography but that's a different story), event invitations and more. I'm currently scheduling mini-photo sessions for Saturday November 16 in DC Ranch, North Scottsdale. Get in touch to schedule your session and receive a FREE digital photo optimized for  your holiday cards or wherever you prefer.  There are several companies that do wonderful printing for reasonable prices. The labs I use have good quality paper, fantastic range of designs and great pricing. They're easy to set up - just drag and drop. Add a personal message and you're in good shape for the holidays. Vistapri...

There's always a lot to think about for the professional photographer much less the casual picture 'taker.' Here's one tip that's pretty easy to avoid. The Popsicle! 1. Anytime you 'pose' your photo think about what's growing out of the subject. I call that the popsicle. It's distracting and easy to avoid. 2. I scoured my photos for an example and finally found this ONE. I have taken many photos with things growing out of my clients. I dump them as soon as I notice the problem. 3. You only need to move a couple feet or even inches left or right up or down to avoid the problem. In the case of the sample photo it was even growing out of his ear.  4. You probably will never find actual popsicle sticks in nature growing out of any head but you will photograph something like the sample. Happens ALL the time. Enjoy! Check out my article  15 Tips For Better Headshots I hope that you find this little tidbit helpful.  If you enjoy the ...

The holiday are upon us. It's 114 degrees outside in Arizona so most people aren't thinking about Halloween which is 71 days, Thanksgiving 99 days away or the winter holidays. Family Portrait Portfolio These tips will help you to plan the photoshoot so you're ready when you set an appointment with your photographer. Plan your wardrobe. It make such a difference to coordinate colors and styles. Maybe you want red for Christmas, green for St Patricks day, gold and silver for New Years. Use your imagine and fit the palette to your theme. Find a fun or interesting location that will say something about who you and your mates are in the photo. A baseball field, the Love sculpture in Scottsdale, Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, the bridge in Tempe and one of the many beautiful mountain areas surrounding the valley. Plan the photoshoot during the day at a time where everyone has eaten (you don't want low blood sugar to ruin the event) especially the kids.  ...