I got to meet up with Erin last week on a beautiful (and calm) evening.  We hit two great spots, and she brought some awesome colorful outfits.  I always love the way that color pops against the really natural backdrops.  Erin was so much fun and laid back, even when I asked her to try some kind of goofy things.  I love it when I tell my clients just to trust me, and I can tell they actually do!   Doesn’t she have the most natural smile?  Enjoy your sneak peek, Erin! 

Do you look forward to Wednesday as much as I do now?    This week’s totally awesome contribution comes from Rebecca from Rebecca Keeling Studios.  I love all of the great vibrant colors and accessories.  And these outfits would also work beautifully for senior portraits as well.  Here’s what Rebecca has to say:

“engagements are some of my favorite sessions…most couples are up for just about anything i can throw out there, so i love to spread my creative wings!  but, no matter how exciting our location may be, there is nothing that makes the session more personal than the wardrobe.  nothing says young, vibrant, fun, adventurous, LOVE quite like beautiful color.  nope…i don’t mean matchy-matchy…just coordinate a little, in color and in style.  like these snappy combinations below, they each have some sort of loosely tied theme.  maybe start with your favorite color shirt or your go-to jeans.  don’t be afraid to get outside of the box a little…try something new, and FUN!  heck, bring three outfits and we’ll try them all.  and ladies, don’t forget to accessorize your guys.  they might try and pretend that they don’t care, but they want to look good, too.  enjoy!”

shopping guide:

sun & fun girl:
earrings: express, $17
ring: guess, $22
shoes: aldo, $50
dress: boston proper, $159

sun & fun guy:
shoes: piperlime, $60
shirt: express, $60
bracelet: buckle, $13
pants: express, $80

easy-breezy guy:
shoes: skechers, $68
belt: fossil, $30
shirt: lacoste, $89
jeans: buckle, $45

easy-breezy girl:
boots: aldo, $110
earrings: etsy, $54
shirt: arden b, $39
shorts: arden b, $39

urban chic girl:
jacket: arden b, $68
bracelets: guess, $28
earrings: etsy, $74
shirt: arden b, $39
shoes: victorias secret, $55
jeans: buckle, $78

urban chic guy:
hat: buckle, $27
shoes: buckle, $56
shirt: express, $50
sunglasses: armani exchange, $65
jeans: buckle, $53

Feeling inspired?  Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com to schedule your session today!

It’s been awhile since I’ve entered something over at I Heart Faces, but it seems like I’ve barely had a second to breathe!  I knew I couldn’t miss out on this week’s theme – yellow.  I just love this shot from a recent family session.  I re-edited it to add some summer warmth and some texture too.  What a sweet couple!  

For more great entries, go check out I Heart Faces!

We weren’t quite sure if this session was going to happen, as the sky looked like it was going to open up at any moment.  Luckily, the rain miraculously stayed away and we got to take advantage of some great spots in the overcast lighting.  Kathryn is a fellow soccer player at my high school alma mater, and they recently just finished winning back-to-back state championships.  I was so happy for the team (and a little jealous ) when I heard, so it was fun to hear all about the excitement.  She even let me hold her awesome state ring from last year!  Anyways, she brought a couple of great outfits, including some cowboy boots (which I love!).  And it would be an understatement to say that I’m a little envious of her hair too.  I so wish my hair would do that!  I had a great time, Kathryn – good luck starting your summer workouts!

This portrait session had a rocky start thanks to some last minute rescheduling/location changes to try and work around the weather, and then we finally got there ready to go and realized that one of Haley’s dresses had been left at home.   However, she still had some totally awesome ouftits, and we ended up being at the perfect location at the perfect time!  It couldn’t have turned out better.  Haley was so much fun to work with – she was right at home in front of the camera and was totally up for anything.  She had so many great expressions too, it was really hard to pick what I wanted to show.  I loved shooting at the Arboretum too.  I don’t get to very often because their hours don’t typically correspond with very good lighting, but on an overcast day like it was, we were in heaven!   You could seriously shoot out there all day and not run out of great spots.  I had a blast Haley, thanks for being so flexible and enthusiastic!  Enjoy your sneak peek!

This week’s jam-packed (and very entertaining) post comes from the amazing Morgan of Morgan Dawson Photography.  She has pulled together a great variety of fun ideas for our littlest clients.  I love all of the great colors, and the little knit hats she found totally rock!  I also LOVE Babylegs for little ones – definitely check that out!  Here’s what she has to say:

Some of the most popular portrait sessions are with kids in the newborn-to-two-years-old range, which is why I decided to focus on their clothing needs. Unlike other groups, you really need to dress for the age. So here we go…

Newborns: Less is better, but if you want your baby clothed go for a diaper cover rather than a plain disposable one. They come in all sizes – even newborn – and a wide range of fun colors.

Cake Smash: If you’re not familiar with them, the concept is simple: cake + child + camera = hilarious. This is going to get really messy, really fast – so a colorful diaper cover is all you need!

Bigger Babies and Crawlers: Even though you probably have a closet filled with cute outfits, this might not be the time. Layers and ruffles can spell disaster with a constantly scrunched-up baby. The more time spent tucking in a shirt, moving away a collar ruffle, or pulling down a dress means more missed shots and an annoyed baby. Stick with simple pieces like a fun onesie or diaper cover with some BabyLegs. The other nice thing about these outfits is that they make changing diapers during a shoot a snap. (Again, less fussing = happier baby.)

Walkers: Once your child can walk you can start to consider layers. A skirt or dress with a cardigan, t-shirt with a button down on top, etc. Just make sure you still keep it simple (nothing that needs to be tucked in) and comfortable – these kids will be on the move!

And finally, a quick note about accessories. Hats and headbands are definitely cute, but if your child isn’t a hat-person, then don’t force it. The hat-on hat-off scene is a sure way to upset a baby. If you have something picked out, consider practicing wearing it once in a while before the shoot. The more comfortable your child is, the better the photos will be!

I hope you like the examples I’ve picked out. They might not be for everyone, but I hope you’ll consider showing a little personality (yours AND your babies) in the outfits you pick. And with unpredictable newborns and toddlers, it’s always a smart move to bring a second outfit… so make it a fun one!

The pieces above all come from retailers that may be new to you, but I think you’ll enjoy. Please note that these are just examples; you can find similar items at traditional stores like Old Navy, Gap, etc.

Luvaboos: I think it’s important to support small and local businesses whenever possible. Luvaboos is a natural parenting store and baby boutique that specializes in cloth diapers. Even if you’re a 100% disposable person, their covers are too adorable and totally fit over disposables!
Happy Heinys Pocket Trainer (orange) $15.95
Blueberry Cloth Trainers (green) $15.95
FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper (white) $17.95
Bummi Super Brite Diaper Cover (mixed) $12.25

Kitsel: This is one of my favorite online retailers for fun children’s clothing. Be sure to take a minute and browse their full line of T’s and onesies – they’re hilarious! The “I’m only doing this till my band gets signed” onesie is a personal favorite.
Shabby Baby Hibiscus Dress $42
Felt Blooming Flowers Onesie $29
Headphones Onesie $23 (also comes as a t-shirt)
Chick Magnet T-shirt $22.95
See You Later, Alligator Onesie $28.00 (also as a short-sleeved onesie and t-shirt)

BabyLegs: I don’t have kids yet, but these just seem like the most brilliant item ever. They can be used as leggings in babies and toddlers, or worn on the arms of children (or their parents). A friend swears her baby’s uniform is onesie + BabyLegs.
Go Fish Leg Warmers (UV 50+) $12
Jelly Bean Stripped Leg Warmers $12
Camo Leg Warmers $8

Threadless Kids: They carry a large line of onesies, hoodsies (!) and t-shirts for kids of all ages. The main site is for adults.
Glou-glou T-shirt $9

Mini Boden: I don’t know where I’ve been, but until recently I was out of the Boden loop. Men, women, teens and babies – they’ve got it all!
Skate Cargos $24

Etsy:
Bright & Birdie Beanie Hat $20
Vibrant Giraffe Beanie $20
Turquoise Flower Hair Clip with Lime Green Headband $7.95
Plaid Baby Newsboy Hat $15.00

If you have a little one, make sure to read up about my Milestone Mini Sessions on my website!  And as an extra incentive, if you book a Milestone Mini Session by Tuesday May 25th, you will get a free 5×7!  Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com to schedule today!

I met Maggie and her mom last week on {ANOTHER} windy day out at White Rock Lake.  I tried out a new spot out there, and I was really pleased with how it photographed!  The only downside was the 100+ chigger bites I ended up with, but at least Maggie and her mom were mostly spared!  I didn’t get bitten at all when I scouted the spot, so I was shocked when all of those bites showed up.  I guess that just goes to show that you can’t predict mother nature at all!    As you can see, Maggie has both an awesome smile and a killer “serious” look, both of which go perfectly with those gorgeous blue eyes.  She brought some great colorful outfits too – I was totally digging her white and yellow dress.  For all of you ladies out there, you know that dress you own that when you put it on, it gives you that little bit of extra sassiness and attitude?  I could tell this was that dress for Maggie, and she totally rocked it!   I had such a great time with you Maggie, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

After an initial rain reschedule, I was so excited I got to meet Kaylie on a beautiful evening last weekend for her senior portraits.  We hit two great locations, and she had some awesome outfits!  And, oh my goodness, aren’t her eyes gorgeous?  She has such a great natural smile, and yes, her hair looked that perfect the entire time {jealous}.    Thanks for being such a sport!  I had a blast, and I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

Well, I’ve had this for a couple of weeks now, but I just haven’t had two seconds to step aside and get it posted.  I was so incredibly excited to get a package in the mail and open it up to find my first official published work!    You may recognize Mr. Albert Cheng from the headshots I took of he and author Del Hayes back in February.  I love the shot they chose for the back cover.  A couple of other photos appear within the book as well.  I’m so very proud to have been a part of this project – Mr. Cheng truly has an incredible story.  If you’d like to read about it for yourself, the book is available for purchase on Amazon.   And can I say, that it made me childishly giddy to see my name and information on the copyright page? 

This week’s gorgeous wardrobe comes from guest contributor Jennifer of Mountainpony Photography.  I love how she brought together all of the great colors in these outfits, and I really love the fact that she built it around accessories!   Jennifer says:  ”As a guest contributer this week I decided to put together some outfits that would work for a family session, but that could also be paired up to use in a sibling shoot, as a couple, or any other combinations as well. I started with the necklace which is not the normal place for me to start, but when you find a piece you love this just goes to show you can start anywhere. The colors in the necklace are beautiful and give a lot of a range for the other pieces. For shooting just the couple take out the necklace for more of a focus on the couple and the muted colors in a few shots as well. When the whole family is together the necklace is not the center because of the colors in the girls dress. For the men I stayed very casual for ease and versatility. Thank you to all the amazing photographers who are main contributers to Wardrobe Wednesday for allowing me to put something together this week.”  Thank you, Jennifer, and I look forward to seeing your future contributions too!

WOMAN
Flutter Tank: New York and Co $18.86
Linen Pants: New York and Co $18.86
Stirling cuff: Etsy.com $38.00
Berry beautiful Necklace: Etsy.com $58.00
Shoes: DSW $49.95

MAN
Dark blue polo: Old Navy $15.00
Brown cargo pants: Old Navy $29.50
Men’s slip ons: DSW $39.95

GIRL
Blue flower clip: Etsy.com $3.99
Crochet-back dress: Gap Kids $32.50
Jewel Sandal: Payless $19.99

BOY
Blue polo: 77 Kids $16.50
Plaid Cargo shorts: 77 Kids $ 29.50
Canvas slip ons: Payless $14.99

Feeling inspired?  Contact me at lindsay@lindsayhorn.com to schedule your session today!