What I want to be when I grow up...

I've been trying to figure out what type of photographer I am or want to be.  This morning I think I finally figured it out.  I like to photograph life as it happens. I don't want to add extra elements that didn't already exist to a photograph using Photoshop.  The only thing I want to do is enhance the natural lighting so the photo looks even more beautiful.  I don't want my clients taking photos where they look unnatural.  Why would they want to keep those?  I want them in the moment doing whatever it is they were doing at that time. Now that I know that, taking photographs should be even more fun.  My models just have to act natural and do whatever they would be doing normally.  Sometime that's hard.  I know when my husband and I too our engagement photos it was weird and awkward because we knew someone was watching.  Eventually we got the hang of it and my favorite photo from that session was one of the very last ones taken.  Below is a photo that Justine Miller took of us at the Boojum Tree in North Phoenix.  That is one of the greatest places to take photographs because each part of the building is different... oh and it's outside!!!

In any case, we blew up this photograph to an 8x10 and it sits in our bedroom.  This is what I want to be able to do.  Capture real moments by real people while they're happening. Hopefully I'll be able to make that dream come true!

Portrait Session with Mrs. Briggs

I was honored to be asked by my good friend Jacquie if I would take some photos of her Mom and some of them together. I haven't had much practice with sit-down sessions, so I said YES immediately! Her Mom just got a new haircut... and looked SMOKIN' if I do say so myself... and she wanted to take some updated photos. I think she might be using one of them for an article she writes in the local paper... or maybe I made that up. We took some gorgeous photos at Discovery Park in Gilbert. Unfortunately, my Photoshop program isn't behaving, so I will have to wait to enhance the photos. (Fingers crossed Santa brings me Photoshop Elements under the Christmas tree!)