Thursday, December 9, 2010

Round and Round.

I had an INCREDIBLE session at Disneyland the other day with one of my besties, Claire, and her family. I'll blog more images from that session later. But for now, I just wanted to share this one.

When I got my first DSLR, I spent a LOT of time shooting at Disneyland. A LOT. It really helped me hone my skills and define my eye. So it holds a special place in my heart, not only because of the memories it holds for me as a child, or the fun I have there with my own children now, but because it helped me find this passion. So it was a special treat to shoot Claire's family there- because she has been so instrumental in allowing me to do this as well. She always lets me experiment and play, and I've learned so much with her support.

Here's a shot of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party ride (aka the Teacups) on a long exposure.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

A personal touch.

I seriously LOOOVE when clients incorporate personal family items into their sessions with their kids! What better way to tie in past generations to this new life?

This is Mr. R, happily tucked into his grandfather's letterman jacket. I'm sure his grandfather will be so proud to have this image, a great representation of just a couple of his life's great accomplishments. :)

Friday, December 3, 2010

Diamonds in the rough. Sometimes, very rough.

It's true. They're not all gems, folks.

There are so many reasons why a photograph may not work. Maybe the client is uncomfortable or self conscious, maybe what they are wearing isn't working with the background, maybe I'm even off my game and the creative juices just aren't flowing. In fact, it's not uncommon for the first few shots of a session to be unusable. 'Slipper Shots' I call them.

You know how in the 50's, men would come home from a hard day's work in the office, and their little wife, in makeup and heels, would fetch their slippers? Or, was that the Golden Retreiver? I don't know- I've only seen it on old sitcom re-runs. Anyway- the slippers were always this transitional item- sort of symbolic of going from the stiff and respectable 'Work' image to the comfortable, relaxed, 'Home' image. So, sometimes it takes a few 'Slippers' to get into the groove. A forced smile, a stiff hand, a deer-in-headlights look. It's understandable. And kids tend to let go of those insecurities or ideas of forcing a look much easier. Honestly, I have more trouble with adult men! It's normal!

So don't worry if you're feeling awkward when we start out- I'll try to help you relax. (within reason, people. I'm not going to sing the ENTIRE sing library of Yo Gabba Gabba. ..... Okay, I might.) But once you can take a deep breath and just forget about everything else, we'll get some incredible stuff.

And, just for laughs, check out this page of some REALLY awkward photos. Anyone wanna re-create any of these, just to amuse me? Anyone? Okay, fine. :)



Sunday, November 21, 2010

2010 Available Dates

Well, my friends, 2010 is quickly coming to an end. I only have the following dates and times available for sessions, so if you're looking at booking a session, please choose from this list. To book your session, please email: stephanie@intuitiveimagesphotography.com and don't delay!!!

**BLUE= Location date
**RED=Studio date

NOVEMBER
Sunday 28th- 2pm
Monday 29th- 3:30pm
Tuesday 30th- 3:30pm

DECEMBER
Friday 3rd- 3:30pm
Saturday 4th- 10am, 2pm
Sunday 5th- 10am, 2pm, 5pm
Thursday 16th- 3:30pm
Friday 17th- 3:30pm
Sunday 19th- 10am, 2pm, 5pm
Wednesday 29th- 3:30pm


Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Peas in a pod.

Susan and Mike were supposed to have a great little mini-session on the beach. We talked wardrobe, style, worked out details. And then Southern California decided to have a season. The rainy season. So, the beach was not an option.

We rescheduled, and they chose an amazing little community lake, with beautiful houses on the water, each complete with their own docks and boats. And, for our flexibility and patience, Mother Nature rewarded us with the most amazing weather I could have asked for.

These two have been married for almost five years, but if you had asked me at the end of our session, I would have guessed they were newlyweds. You know how sometimes you see a couple, and you just get it? You see why they fit. Yeah. That's these two. They have never had a professional photo session, not even on their wedding, so they figured it was time. I definitely agreed. :)

Enjoy, Susan and Mike! I hope this is just our first session together. You have some catching up to do in the photo department, and I am most happy to oblige!

                         




Friday, November 12, 2010

My favorite thing.

I read this article over on Photofocus, and thought I'd throw my two cents in. Photography is such a personal thing to me, and I feel it has many levels, so to pick my one favorite thing about it is pretty daunting. It's sort of like asking Santa Claus who his favorite child is. :)

But I've had quite a few sessions lately where the parents of small kids have been really focused on getting their kids to 'behave' or 'sit still and smile'. And while I totally get it as a parent, as a photographer, it's just not ideal. My favorite photos are those in which the kids are being themselves- playing, laughing, jumping, being rambunctious. And those usually end up being the parents' favorite as well, not just because it's a great moment in time to be able to capture, but because that's how we KNOW them. We play with them every day, we run and jump with them, we tickle them till they laugh and drool. And when they get older, start talking back, dating, and generally growing up, we can sit on the couch while we wait for them to make curfew and look at those photos and remember how it felt to hug them and swing them around in our arms. We can smell the sweet sweat of their little baby neck, feel their soft little chubby hands holding one of our fingers.

So, while it's not necessarily a one-sentence answer, that is probably my most favorite thing about this, as a business and as an art. It's the ability to freeze something so fleeting and so intimate, and the ability to crack open those emotions and memories every time you see an image.




What's your favorite thing???




Thursday, November 11, 2010

Taking a deep breath.

My weekends are full! Yes, that's a good thing.

Okay, It's confession time. Prepare yourself.

On top of pouring my heart and soul into photographs for incredible clients, I also have another job. I have three kids. Under seven. (Yes, thank you for your sympathy.)  :) My kids are beautiful, intelligent, rambunctious, loving, and mostly all smiles. They're my everything. So fitting editing, marketing, client communications, blogging, shooting, ordering prints, learning, and all the other photography things that exist with a business like this into a schedule already packed with bottles, diapers for two little boys, feeding, helping my 10 month old learn to walk, taking my 6 year old to school (getting all 3 in the car at 8 am is a feat of massive proportions), icing down the goose egg on my two year old's forehead from when he jumped off the couch, washing dishes, doing 3 loads of laundry a day.. well, the list is never-ending. The list of sessions that are 3/4 done in the editing process at this time is... 6. I have six sessions that I am in love with, that I am making finishing them, getting out the cds and prints, and sending virtual hugs to all those patient clients a MAJOR priority this next week. Of course, I also have three photoshoots this weekend as well. :)

On my own facebook page, I've been trying to post something every day that I'm thankful for this month. From the ridiculous to the sincere, it's been helping me really live a more grateful life, day to day. So, when I'm trying to finish editing, the kids are hungry, the hubby is playing Call of Duty and tuning out the world, the laundry needs to be folded and put away.. well, I try to remind myself that soon my silly little kids will be in high school and won't even return my phone calls, that we're lucky to have so many clothes to wash and fold, and that even though they're a little whiny right now, my kids have never gone hungry.

I'm thankful for many things in my personal life, but I'm also thankful for my clients. For people who choose me to document their lives. For people who wait patiently for my laundry to be folded and my dishes to be done to get their cds and prints. I'm thankful to be able to do what I absolutely love.

Hope you enjoyed the sappyness. It doesn't happen often, but when it does.... :)

And just because I hate entries with no photo, here's one of my kiddos.



Thanks for listening. Now back to editing......

Monday, November 8, 2010

When love and beauty collide...

A beautiful beach, a beautiful sunset, a beautiful bride....

What more could you ask for?

The clouds parted and a warm orange sunset broke over the ocean just before they kissed as man and wife. I don't know who you have coordinating the weather for your wedding, girl, but they came through. ;)

Congratulations to Michelle and Josh (and Alyssa).
May your marriage be as beautiful as your wedding.








Friday, November 5, 2010

The bee's knees!!!

Announcing our very first.. PIN-UP SPECIAL!!!
Your loved one won't know what hit 'em this Christmas!! ;)

Limited dates available- so book early!!!




Did I mention- MAKEUP AND HAIR IS INCLUDED?!
;)

Monday, November 1, 2010

Nothing constant but change.

As the mom of three small kids, I've come to realize that the title of this blog post is more than truth- it's one of the meanings of life. Change is hard for people, myself included. The unknown can be scary, letting go of things we like and love can stress us out. But change is necessary. Necessary for growth, for love, and to be able to be open to the blessings that life has for us.

With all that spiritual life lesson stuff out of the way, I have a small announcement. There are going to be some minor changes around here starting in 2011. I say minor, because they are. They're nothing earth-shattering, but I thought my clients deserve a heads-up rather than a New Year surprise.

These changes are really all about taking control of this business that has grown by leaps and bounds this year. I couldn't have anticipated the amount of work I've been blessed with, nor could I have expected to meet such incredible people and families. Because I value my clients so much, I need to be able to streamline my business to better meet their needs- more efficiently and more specifically. So each of these changes is about becoming more efficient, more available, and more professional for those who love my work and who continue on this journey with me. 

So here they are- the policy changes that will be effective starting January 1, 2011.

1. Other than a few family friends and those who have already booked me, I will no longer be shooting weddings or events (NOT including dance events- those will remain). I WILL continue to offer engagement photos, couple photos, and bridal portraits. It's just not my passion. I've realized that my absolute best work is portraits, and it's just too painful for me to do my best at an event, hand over perfectly good images, but know that it's not my best work. Weddings and events carry with them a huge amount of time pressure, stressed people, and things that are WAY beyond my control. I hate feeling like I missed an image of something, a candid opportunity, or anything else that occurs organically at events. I know, I know- it's the inner control freak in me, but I want to be able to be in control (to a degree) of the images I produce. And  at weddings, I just can't control so many things. My photographer friends have tried to encourage me to keep shooting them, because of the financial opportunity, but I'll be honest- that's not why I do this. And I am not going to take a large amount of money from a couple, who will ultimately be perfectly satisfied with my work, when I know that it's not my best, and there are other people out there whose passion is wedding photography. If you need a wedding photographer, I know some INCREDIBLE ones (and my standards are high!), so don't hesitate to ask for a referral.


2. The cds. Sessions will now include only web-ready cds, and high resolution print-ready cds will be available for purchase. This one might be hard for you guys. And I get it. So I'll do my best to explain it as much as possible. I spend alot of time editing my portrait images. They are edited with a final product in mind. I want you to be able to display them in a way that we are both proud of. And I've seen some folks get WalMart prints of images that took me hours to create, and they looked awful. Really awful. The same print through my professional lab on professional paper for less than $10 was absolutely beautiful. And it broke my heart to see something I cared about and spent time on look so cheap and worthless. I keep my print prices low for a reason- I want you to take advantage of them and have prints that you are proud to show to people you love. I also want you to be able to share your images online through social media and emails to family- I absolutely understand how important that is. So that's why I'm going to include a web-ready cd with every session. These images will not be suitable for printing. But they will look great online. And they're meant to be shared. If you really, REALLY want to get your own prints somewhere, you can purchase the high-reoslution images on cd separately, which will come with a print-release from Intuitive Images. And if you decide to get your own prints, I hope you have a quick conversation with me about how to get your prints looking their best. I'm more than happy to talk to you about it. So just ask- I want you to be happy, not disappointed! And I can take no responsibility for the print quality of places like WalMart or Target.   

3. The number of final edited images you receive will be limited. This one is tough for me. I do this because I love it. I love meeting you guys, spending time with you, taking your photos, and I love editing them. But I can't edit every one. I just can't. And to be honest, not every one deserves to be edited. Especially when photographing kids, who move at the speed of light, I take way more photos than the ones that deserve to be on your wall. Until now, I've been editing and including every photo I love, even if it means 90 images from one session. I've been doing that because I LOVE WHAT I DO! But it's time consuming, and it's just not realistic. You're not going to put 90 photos in an album. But if I give you 10 AMAZING images, you can do a million things with them. That's my intent- to give you only photos that you can't live without.



4. As of right now, my prices won't change. Self-explanatory. There's no need to raise prices just because.

5. There will be a monthly special. Sometimes for families, sometimes for couples, sometimes for newborns, and sometimes for my boudoir line, Intuitive Images {Intimates}. Be a fan on Facebook, and you'll get first notice. :)


Well, that's it for now. I hope you are excited as I am for this holiday season, and for the opportunities that next year will undoubtedly bring. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a fan of my work, a client, a friend, and part of my world.

xoxo-
Stephanie.




And now for something completely different. I mean, awesome.

This month I'm offering something I've never done before. And I'm hoping lots of people take advantage, cause I don't know if I'll do it again! Ha!

Are you ready for it? Ready?

November is.....




A MONTH OF MINIS!!!



That's right- ALL MONTH LONG you can schedule a mini-session. On location (in Orange County) OR in the studio! They're short, they're sweet, and they're HALF THE PRICE!  Mini-Sessions in the month of November will be $125 and will get you 30 minutes of shooting, an online viewing gallery, a cd of your 10 best images, AND a $10 print credit towards any print product, INCLUDING HOLIDAY CARDS!!!!

I honestly don't know how you could pass this up. ;)


Mini Sessions include up to five people, at an approved location of choice, or in the studio, 30 minutes of shooting, a cd of your 10 best images, and a $10 print credit. To receive your photos in time for the holidays, please book your session as early as possible.

to book your session, email stephanie@intuitiveimagesphotography.com





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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

B and A Day!

Haven't done a B and A in so long! Here's a recent shot of my sister, Sarah, taking a photo with her old Canon 35mm. I'm so excited she's getting into photography- she has such an amazing eye. Plus- I get one more person to talk nerdy photo stuff with! Bonus! :)

So for this one, I used a Florabella action- Gypsy from the Luxe collection. I thought it would really work nicely with the red tones in her hair.

I tweaked the layers, turning off the 'Lighten' layer, since it was so bright to begin with. Turned down the warm tone, brought down the Dull Pop layer, darkened a tad, and flattened it.

Then I sharpened the image using MCP's High Definition action. MCP has both a high def sharpening action for full-size images and an action that re-sizes images and sharpens them for the web- both free by the way. I have found that for me, I prefer to run the High Def sharpen action on the full-size image, then run the Web-resizing action, and just turn the sharpening layer off. It seems to be clearer and less grainy when I do it that way.

The results aren't super dramatic, but gives the image just enough 'Ooomph'.


CLICK TO ENLARGE:



P.S.- This was taken at with my 35mm 1.8- which hasn't left my camera since I got it.






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Monday, October 18, 2010

Current Specials

Costumed Cuties Mini-Sessions!
Now through October 31st, 30-minute sessions in studio of up to three kids in their Halloween costume!
$75 gets you a session, cd of up to 10 images, and 8 wallet prints!


2010 Print Special
Now through December 31, 2010, prints for all session attendees are buy one, get one free!
(Up to size 8x10, does not apply to specialty print products)


HOLIDAY CARDS!!!
Customed designed Holiday cards- use a photo from our session or a photo of your own!
25 custom designed double sided photo flat holiday cards on luxury paper with envelopes, for $50
or get 50 cards for $85!
(please allow ample time or design, design approval, and delivery! Don't wait too long!)


(and as always, our Referral Bonus Program is also in full effect- refer a friend, and when they complete their session, you receive a $20 print credit of your very own!)

To book any of these specials, please email stephanie@intuitiveimagesphotography.com

Thank you!!!


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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

The winds, they are a-changing.

As Facebook announced changes to its photo hosting applications, we as photographers must adapt and change with it as well. Facebook now allows you not only to upload high resolution images, but also allows anyone and everyone to download those high resolution images as well. For free. Anywhere, anytime, without our knowledge.

This concerns me for a few reasons.

Not for my clients, as I trust them, I respect them, and I include the high resolution images with every session anyway, for their personal print use. I know my clients have nothing but good intentions. My concern is for other people. People who originally would only be able to right-click and save a web-resolution image can now download a large copy of any photo on my (or anyone else's) Facebook page. This is a huge copyright liability. I will be uploading only web-resolution versions from now on, but my clients DO get the high-res images of their own session, and can essentially upload my high res images to their own page. *GULP!*

I have already had to deal with people using my photos to promote their business without my authorization, now I have to be concerned about strangers all over the inter-web saving my highres images, for any unauthorized use? Yikes!!! I have already heard horror stories of photographers who have seen their images plastered in mall kiosks without their consent, images being hijacked and stolen for promotional use, etc etc. This new change makes me very nervous, Facebook.

So here's my solution. It's based on the honor system. From now on, each and every session will include TWO cds. One will contain the high resolution images, with express language stating that they are for personal print use only. The second cd will include web-resolution images. Clients may use these images on their personal sites, blogs, facebook page, etc. The web-resolution images will be much smaller and not able to be printed without being grainy and fuzzy, but will be the correct size and resolution to look great on the web. This new change means a little more work by me, and a little more work from you, my clients. Because I'm basically trusting you. I'm trusting you to not give away my high resolution photos for free to the world.

After all, you paid for those images. They are as much yours as they are mine. And I hope you feel as protective of them as I do.

Thanks.
Stephanie:)




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Monday, September 20, 2010

The Dance.

I am such a slacker blogger!!! My apologies. Apparently, the busier I get, the more incredible client sessions I have, the harder it is to just sit down and type. Who knew?! :)

So you remember the Lindy Hoppers, Mikey and Nikki? Well, Nikki and her husband also dance together, and have been on a whirlwind cross-country tour of competitions, exhibits, and workshops. Nikki and Shesha own the Atomic Ballroom in Irvine- Orange County's premiere swing dance location, offering events, dances, lessons, and general awesomeness. Nikki and Shesha are both U.S. and World Champions in different styles and categories, and it has been such a pleasure to watch them do their thing. I'm brand new to the swing dance world, and I gotta tell you- it's UNBELIEVABLE. The style, the grace, the strength, the authenticity to the period. And these guys do it on the highest level. If you EVER have a chance to see them or pay a visit to the Atomic Ballroom, don't hesitate. (P.S.- If you're getting married, this is THE place to come for 'first dance' lessons. You'll KILL it at the reception!)

Nikki and Shesha came totally prepared- that's what I love about sessions with dancers. They prepare for performances down to the smallest detail, so they bring that same preparation to their photoshoot. It makes it so easy! These two know what they're doing, and it shows. Thank you, Nikki and Shesha, for being so incredibly prepared, so incredibly kind, and so incredibly fun to work with. Can't wait to do it again!!!


 






This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Intent.

I find it really interesting that the word 'design' is a synonym for the word 'intent'. So many people, especially people involved in the creative arts, seem to believe that happy accidents are a design tactic. They throw every color, pattern, shape, texture, and composition at one space and seem to expect it to look good. These people have never studied art, i'm guessing.

If you look at a Pollock and think, 'I could do that', you may need a few more art classes. If you look at a Dali and think 'this is just a bunch of stuff thrown together', you may want to pick up the museum brochure before you leave. If you watch Baryshnikov leap into the air and think, 'so what- he's just jumping', well, I might personally have to talk to you.

With artists, intent is key. You can have all the passion and drive in the world, but without intent, your work will display a tone of ennui whether you see it or not.

Let's take clothing for an example.

You can put together color combinations and patterns all willy-nilly if you like. 'Hey, this pattern has pink in it, that'll match the pink in THAT one!!!' But what is your intent? Is your intent to come across as a Raggedy Ann doll?  Well then mission accomplished.

There are color rules for a reason. There are universal goods and bads. Complementary, secondary, tertiary. Why does the Fibonacci sequence occur so often in nature? And why does using it create a more pleasing composition? If you don't know what a Pantone color chart is, but you make and sell things that work with color, then you are an amateur. Do your homework. Learn the rules. If you don't KNOW the rules, you aren't breaking them, you're just making a mess.

This may sound harsh. But it should be. I'm getting so tired of seeing people who think they want to do something, only to flail about without INTENT.

What does this have to do with me?

Well, I said earlier, intent is key. I try on a daily basis to figure out what the intent is. With many of these dance couples I've been shooting lately, my intent is trifold. 1) To make an image influenced by the authentic period of dance that they represent. 2) To make them look good 3) To make the client happy, both with the process and the results. All the technical things have become secondary, and that's intentional. Refer to number 1. When you see old photos of swing dancers doing their thing in little roadhouses and dives, is your first thought, 'wow, great focus!'? Of course not. In fact, in many of the authentic documentations of this style in that era, there was much that was out of focus. Much that was grainy, improperly exposed, secondhand composition. That's because the photographer's intent was to document, to show the energy and life that these dancers were displaying. (not to mention the technical issues with cameras in dark and sweaty roadhouses)

My business is called 'Intuitive Images'. Even that was highly intentional. My goal, with every image I take, is to rely on my own intuition. When you see my photos, I want you to feel something. To see the emotional connection in a tangible way.

When you act with intention, you may not always hit your mark. You may not always get desired results or convey your intent as clearly as you'd like. But to have intent is to be an artist of a higher form. I'm getting there, I have more to learn, but with everything I present, just know, there is INTENT.

A photo of my daughter on her first day of school, displaying the Fibonacci or 'Golden Spiral':






This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Holiday Mini Sessions!!!

Well, since we now have the studio as an option for portraits, I decided to offer TWO different Mini-Session days! One beach day for those who want a casual California-cool setting, and one studio day for those who want a more traditional and formal feel for their family portraits. 

We're doing these in October this year, so you have plenty of time to get your prints and/or cards ordered and mailed. And luckily for us, the beautiful California climate stays beach-worthy long after Halloween!

Not only am I offering two location options, but I'm also offering two package options for each location! There's one basic package that includes the session, an online proofing gallery, and a cd of all your edited images, and there's also a more deluxe package that includes all that PLUS an 8x10 professional print and 25 CUSTOM DESIGNED holiday cards!

Can't wait for these- they're gonna be GORGEOUS. :)


(Beach location will be announced closer to the Session Date.)





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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Patrick and Echo....

These two are so incredible.  I've known Echo for a few years now, since we danced Polynesian together.  She and Patrick have such a comfortable, loving, and honest bond. I was truly honored they asked me to shoot their wedding. Family is the most important thing to these two, and it's apparent. Their family loves and sustains them, and they were all a big part of this day.

Side note- if you've never been to a Samoan wedding, you are seriously missing out. These guys can PARTY. :)

Thanks you two for letting me be there.









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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Swingin'.

I'm trying to catch up here- so bear with me!

So Mikey contacted me to do some dance promo shots. Mikey and his partner, Nikki, have been Lindy Hop partners for a while, and needed some updated shots. Nikki is co-owner of The Atomic Ballroom in Irvine, and she and her husband are deep in the circuit. Nikki and Mikey both teach a variety of dance styles- including wedding first dances- so go look them up if you have ever had the hankerin' to learn.  They are so incredible. They also have a group, Hot Club Stomp, which performs at events and functions, can do private instructions, choreography, the list goes on and on... (check Nikki and Mikey's profile pages on that link for more photos from this session!) Anywhooooo, these two rock. Not only are they an award-winning couple, they are both have award-winning personality. And it shows. :)

Can't wait for our next session- I loved every second of this one.






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Monday, August 9, 2010

Brand New Babies!

If you or anyone you know is expecting a new little addition, check out our Baby Steps Program.  It captures the entire first year of Baby's life, including a maternity session with Mama! (You know, so the new parents can put the camera away and get some sleep...)




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