I had the great pleasure of photographing these adorable kids again last week on an absolutely perfect evening!  You might recognize them from last year’s bluebonnet sessions or little miss K from her one-year old session last year (still one of my favorites!).  They really did a great job hanging in there as we shot for well over an hour.  Luckily we had some bubbles and a very goofy daddy to help keep us going.   And Mom did an AWESOME job on their adorable outfits.  I know she was stressed about it, but they photographed beautifully!  Thank you so much for letting me capture your sweet kiddos again, and enjoy your sneak peek! 

Shannon of Shannon J. Dodge Photography has a great new retailer “find” for us this week!  I love all of the great colors and prints – make sure to read the whole post … there may be a little special treat for everyone this week! Here’s what Shannon has to say:

I hope by now, our Wardrobe Wednesday {where fashion meets photography} posts have gotten across that white or black is a bit boring. Hopefully what we’ve been conveying is that when it comes to portraiture, bright, colorful and even whimsical is way more exciting! A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon THE cutest, most colorful and different children’s clothing I’ve ever seen! I decided I needed (ok ok…WANTED) a few things for my own kids, so I contacted the genius behind the sewing machine. Krisha Hinkle is the owner and sole designer of Jacks & Kate, a local Fort Myers area company. She whipped up a few shirts for my son, and an adorable dress for my daughter. Every time they wear their Jacks & Kate apparel, they get compliments and I get asked where their clothing is from. Not only is this clothing adorable, it is made VERY well and with love. Krisha is super talented, that’s for sure! I almost fell off of my chair when I read that she is self taught and only been at this for a little over a year. WOW. Not only does Jacks & Kate offer adorable ties, bowties, name and number t shirts, t shirt dresses and other dresses, but also totes! These bags are SO adorable and would make a great purse, overnight bag, diaper bag and yes…camera bag!!  Enough rambling…bring on the eye candy!

Make sure you look at all of the images…there might be a special promotion code at the end!

And because you know you want to buy something adorable, Jacks&Kate is offering 15% off for one week only! (4.6.11-4.13.11) Just use the following code: SJDBLOG 

What are you waiting for? Go get something for yourself or your kids…or both!

Jacks & Kate on Facebook
Jacks & Kate on Etsy

I would LOVE to shoot something like this one of these days!  I adore the way that Rebecca of Rebecca Keeling Studios has put some great ideas together to truly capture kids in their element.  Here’s what she has to say:

Spring is officially here!  The days are getting longer, the grass is getting greener, the sun is getting warmer, and the trees and flowers are starting to bloom!  It is one of my favorite times of year, not only because of the beautiful weather, but also because my “studio” (aka: mother nature) is ready for business!  But, as the saying goes, “April Showers Bring May Flowers” and as much as we plan ahead, and cross our fingers/toes/legs/arms/etc. we can never quite fool mother nature.  This year, instead of rescheduling your outdoor session due to “bad” weather…why not get creative and embrace it!!  How much fun would your kids have splashing and playing in the rain in their new boots/umbrella/coat??  Sure, it might not be the sunny, bright images you originally planned, but there’s really no better environment to bring our your children’s playfulness, joy, and true laughter than letting them do what they do best…PLAY!  And the best part about rain?  If you don’t actually have it, you can make it!  Just pull out those sprinklers and garden hoses.  Then, you’ll have the best of both worlds…AND, you’ll have images that you will treasure for years to come.

Shopping Guide

Girl
Persnickety Green Stripe Bell Pants: $42 | www.littlelunablue.com
Persnickety Retro Rosette Skirt: $70 | www.onegoodthread.com
Persnickety Appliqued Umbrella Tee: $54 | www.onegoodthread.com
Hatley Watermelon Raincoat: $49 | www.hatleystore.com
Hatley Watermelon Boots: $35 | www.hatleystore.com
Watering Can: $25 | www.gardenartisans.com

Boy
Boden Board Shorts: $36 | www.bodenusa.com
Boden Big Applique T-Shirt: $30 | www.bodenusa.com
Western Chief Monster Umbrella: $15 | www.westernchief.com
Western Chief Monster Boots: $30 | www.westernchief.com

When I saw this style request come through our email, I just couldn’t resist.  Mom has a “rustic country” session scheduled this spring and was a little overwhelmed at the idea of coordinating outfits for her three girls (ages 6, 4, and 2).  Since we recently found out that we will be adding another little girl to our family, let’s just say that I have coordinating girls’ outfits on the brain!  Not to mention, being a native Texan and lover of all things country, I thought this would be a fun challenge. 

 I opted to go with more of a “country chic” vibe for a couple of reasons.  First, here in Dallas (where the request came from) we tend to throw in a little fashion and shabby chic appeal to our version of country, and secondly, I think these outfits will have a wider appeal beyond a country theme as well.  Simply switch up some accessories, and you could take this wardrobe in a completely different direction. 

 I first found the adorable plaid dress at Tea Collection and decided to use that as my base color palette.  You can find so many options right now in these colors, and that’s always important when you are trying to pull together outfits.  I liked the idea of throwing in a layer with the denim jacket – it lends a little country credibility and helps to break up the pattern amidst the other outfits.  If it’s warm when the session rolls around, one or two rolls on the cuffs can let a little air through and look really cute. 

 I pulled colors from the plaid dress to put together the other two outfits.  I didn’t want to put all three girls in dresses – I think mixing it up with a skirt and top looks more natural and adds some depth and texture to the entire ensemble.  Then I went to Etsy to find some adorable hair accessories to finish everything off. 

 Footwear is the place where you can really cement these outfits as all-out country or modernize them a little bit to fit almost any backdrop.  I’ve shown a few options here.  First, you can go for a truly authentic country look and get the real deal kid’s cowboy boots.  I actually have the boots shown below for my daughter, which she wore in our family portraits last spring along with a cute dress and denim jacket. J  They were a little pricey for me, but worth the splurge to really make a statement.  You can also “glam” the boots up a little bit too.  I’ve shown some boots with embellishments and sequins from Target as a possible option.  These aren’t going to be authentic boots, so they are a little more affordable.  Lastly, if you want to stay away from boots, look for something like these tan gladiator sandals.  They still have an organic feel to them, which fits well with the outfits as a whole, without screaming cowgirl. 

 Of course, we would love to hear more ideas on how we can help you style your next session.  Shoot us an email at info@stylishcamerajunkies.com and you might just see YOUR family dressed on our next post! 

Shopping List

Big Sis
Taupe Playa Dress $35 Tea Collection
Cream Bolero  $26.95 Gap Kids
Pink and Rust Rolled Rose Hair Clip $13.50 Ruby Blue Inc. (Etsy)

 Middle Sis
Dusty Coral Ruffle Sleeve Top $29 Tea Collection
Tiered Denim Skirt $29.95 Gap Kids
Beige Chiffon Rosettes Headband $6.95 The Fairy Factory (Etsy)

 Baby Sis
Playa Plaid Dress $49 Tea Collection
Denim Jacket $27 Gap Baby
Cream Lace Vintage Headband $10 BuggaBugga Boutique (Etsy)

 Shoes
Authentic: Old West Children’s Cowboy Boots $41.99 Shepler’s
Glam: Brown and Pink Deloria Boots $19.99 Target
Sandals: Suede Gladiators $24.95 Gap Kids

Spring is in the air!  Jennifer of Minor Impressions Photography has put together some great outfits for Easter portraits, whether casual or dressy!  Here’s what she has to say:

This is one of my most favorite times of the year! It’s getting a little bit warmer, the grass is turning green again, and you start to see a few flowers bloom. The other reason I love it is that the stores start putting out all of their Easter outfits. 

I don’t usually suggest that kids (especially toddlers) wear something dressy to take pictures in, but Easter pictures are definitely an exception. So many times I catch myself purchasing the perfect dress for my girls to wear, and they end up only wearing it once or twice. You might as well attempt a third time and have some portraits made of your little darling looking perfect, even if he/she isn’t!  

Many Easter outfits are your basic pastel colors. Most of the time, the lighter colors can look very washed out in pictures. I suggest mixing some pastels and darker shades of color to make your outfits stand out more. You’ll see that there are various colors in both of the girls’ dresses, which also makes it easier to find something which coordinates for the boy to wear. If you tend to steer away from the dressier outfits because you know you won’t get as much use out of them as you’d like, you can still have the great colors with something more casual. Just follow the same guidelines of the dark and light colors mixed together! 

Now that you have some great wardrobe choices, be sure to talk with your photographer about the location you’d like to use. For Easter pictures, some great choices are a local park, somewhere with a pond, or even an arboretum if you have one nearby.

Shopping List

Girl’s Dressy Outfit – Crazy 8
Dress – $34.95
Cardigan – $26.95
Shoes – $22.75
Necklace – $12.95
Bracelet – $8.95
Headband – $5.00

Boy’s Dressy Outfit – Crazy 8
Pants – $24.95
Shirt – $16.95
Sweater Vest – $22.95
Shoes – $16.99

Girl’s Casual Outfit – Hanna Andersson
Dress – $19.00
Shoes – $74.00
Necklace – $10.00
Bracelet – $8.00
Headband – $8.00

Boy’s Casual Outfit – Gap
Shorts – $26.36
Shirt – $16.50
Shoes – $19.50

Yes, I said birthday week!  That’s how we do things around here.   Okay, maybe not, but a girl can dream, right?  My birthday is on Tuesday, when I will officially be even later into my twenties (but still hanging on).  So, to celebrate my birthday week I wanted to have a little mutually beneficial giveaway for my past clients (wink, wink)!  There are two ways to enter:

1) Go to my Facebook Page and leave a review under my Reviews tab.  You can find the icon under my profile picture or just click here.

2) Go to my Google Business Listing and leave a review there.

Do one or do both to double your chances!  Chances for what you ask?  Every review posted by Friday night (the 4th) at midnight will be entered into a random drawing for a free gift print from your session (a $45 value)!  Even better, if I get more than 10 different clients to post reviews, I’ll pick TWO random winners!  I’ll announce the winner(s) on Saturday.  My clients always have such kind things to say to me about their images and their overall experience, I’m just hoping you will be willing to share that with others.   

Of course, I can’t leave you without a picture, so here is another one of my sweet Emory from her two-year session.  Love her!

I was beyond thrilled when Frances of Bella Ariana contacted me about working with her for some images of her Valentine’s Day tutus.  Head on over to check them out and you will see why!  They are so well-made and so FULL.  I’ve never seen one this full, it is fabulous!  You can choose from predesigned tutus, or design your own completely – perfect for coordinating colors for a birthday party, portrait session, etc.  Emory was none too pleased about modeling for me (she is rarely pleased when my camera comes out these days), but between me, her Dot, and a red heart sucker, we managed to get a bunch of great shots to choose from.  This was also a good reminder for me about why I do not photograph children once they are mobile using my studio set-up, it is just not big enough to handle those little squirmy worms.   Look for a post very soon about the natural light studio set-up I used for this shoot – I get a lot of questions and plain old curiosity about this from photographers and clients alike, so I’m going to spell it all out for you later!  Thank you Frances for the opportunity to photograph your beautiful products!  Make sure to “Like” Bella Ariana on Facebook here - go leave her some love and let her know I sent you!

And before anyone asks, I did not make her “pose” like that … she was doing her leg exercises and I caught her in the “down-up” pause.   The things you have to come up with to make a two-year old stay still on a 5 foot space …

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve entered the I Heart Faces challenge, but I couldn’t resist this week’s theme, especially when I could use a shot of my own little sweetheart!   She was my model for a recent commercial shoot (soon to be blogged), and let’s just say that our sucker saved the day … sort of … I did get this “are you done yet?” face.  Oh well, I still love it!

Head on over to I Heart Faces to see more adorable entries!

Well, this post has been a LONG time coming.  Back in the fall we did a big giveaway and feature with the fine folks at Tea Collection over on our Wardrobe Wednesday page.  This was my first introduction to this company, and after hearing and reading so many wonderful things about the company and their products, I picked up a couple of outfits (I love their girl’s dresses) for Emory’s two-year old birthday portraits.  Now THAT was a saga in itself (her portraits), and I will save that for another post all about my girl (consider this your sneak peek).  To make a long story short, we received the clothes, they are FABULOUS, we eventually got the portraits done, and now I wanted to share a little review with you.  It’s something I hope to be doing every now and again … as a photographer I may be looking for different things in the clothing I choose for myself and my family, and who knows, maybe that information will be useful for someone!   

The first thing I noticed when checking out Tea Collection’s adorable children’s clothing (and particularly their girl’s clothing) is the color palette.  It is so frustrating for me to go and purchase clothes for Emory only to find hot pink and flourescent purple EVERYTHING.  That’s all well and good for play clothes, but when I want something for portraits, I’m generally looking for deep rich colors or something that is vibrant without verging on tacky.  Believe it or not, that can be hard to find for little girls, especially if you don’t want to break the bank.  So when I first laid my eyes on the Tea Collection website, I had that “Ahhhhhhhh” singing moment in my head.  Seriously.  Their colors are all so rich and yummy, they are colors that I would want to wear.  I was hooked! 

Upon receiving the items I selected, I was blown away by how well-made they were.  Anyone who knows Emory knows that she is ROUGH on her clothes, far more little boy-like than lady-like let’s just say.  She’s barely two and I’ve thrown out countless pairs of pants and tops due to holes, stains, etc.  It is obvious that these clothes are very well-made, and so far they’ve survived a lot – spaghettios, grass/mud, our “dog” phase where Emory crawls on her knees all the time, and so on.  They’ve probably been washed dozens of times but they look as good as the day I opened the package.  That gets two big gold stars on my list! 

Another very cool thing I love about this company is that each collection they design is inspired by a different part of the world.  Their tag line is “for little citizens of the world.”  How neat is that!  Emory’s outfits shown here from the fall collection were inspired by Old World Hungary.  They really incorporate a sense of art into the design, and perhaps that’s why they appeal to me so much as a photographer.  It also means that each new collection will be fresh and different, although you will still get the same great quality, color, and artistic design that makes them so unique! 

While these, particular clothes are no longer available for purchase (shame on me for waiting so long to blog, I know!), I just got the catalog today for the newest collection, and let me tell you, it is to die for!  It was inspired by Catalonia – it just sounds gorgeous doesn’t it.   Here are some of my favorites from the early spring collection, chosen with an eye specifically for what might look good for your next portrait session:

Plumas Scalloped Dress - Gorgeous colors, and just enough fun design to make for easy accesorizing and interesting portraits

Jardin Ruffle Top with  Barcelona Bermuda Shorts - Great spring feel to this outfit, and something to run around and have fun in too!

La Musica 5-Piece Set – Another great thing about Tea is they offer mix and match sets at a discount!  This one is my favorite, pick any outfit, you can’t go wrong!

These. Are. Awesome.  I saw these fabulous little books at the PPA Imaging tradeshow in San Antonio, and I knew right then and there that I needed to share these with my amazing clients.  These 4×8 books with an accordion fold out are so multi-purpose – lay it on a table as a book, open it up and display it on a shelf, or secure it in it’s frosted case and stick it in your purse.  They are a wonderful way to show off several of your favorite images from your session!  As with all of my design products, I have several templates to choose from, and they can all be fully customized to your taste.  These books are a wonderful showcase and keepsake for any type of session.  All of my spring 2011 clients will be seeing a sample at your pre-session consultation, but as always, they are available to past clients as well, so let me know if you are interested.  Check these out!