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Category Archives: field sessions

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A Little Bit of Country

September 2, 2010 – 11:00 pm

It seems I am running short on times these days as the busy season starts to kick in. I did want to take a moment to share just a few from this family session. I’ve known this family for a few years now and just love working with them. I had the opportunity to take the oldest daughter’s senior pictures almost a couple of years ago and now I get to photograph the entire family. Some of you may remember the “Giving is Awesome” contest I did last year…well, this is the family that nominated the winner of that contest. We decided to photograph at a location not too far from where I live and on some property where they board their horses. I love doing shoots out in the natural elements of the rural country! The weather was beautiful as well as the lighting. If any of you reading this have done a session with me before then I’m sure you’ll recognize the girl in the middle of this first shot. She assists me on several of my photo shoots.

I LOVE the skies in Kansas. So of coarse I had to get a few incorporating this beautiful sky before the sun set. And if there is any blur in these next couple of shots, it is because I was laughing rather hard too. I’m not sure why the moment was so darn funny….it just was!

By J.Fields | Also posted in family, rustic | Comments (4)

Location, location, location

July 28, 2010 – 10:25 pm

Since entering the wonderful world of photography, I have learned to see the world differently than ever before. I see the world through my lens. When I am driving I am ALWAYS looking for places to take pictures (which can often times being a driving hazard…my husband can attest to that.) When I see a field I am visualizing how it will look through a particular lens with my camera set at specific settings. I don’t just see flowers and grass, but I see the colors and textures and they way the textures appear through the blur of my lens in the forground or background of the image. Sometimes the colors will look more vivid in my eyes because I am looking at the final product as I visualize the scene. I know what can take place in photoshop to intensify the colors, brighten the image, and enhance the mood of the image. I see all this when I take in the scene. Often time clients will be a bit surprised at the location I’ve brought them too. I can see a bit of doubt on their faces when they look at the surroundings, but they aren’t seeing the final result like I am. They aren’t seeing it through my lens and my eyes. They trust me though and the results are better than they expect.

Being a photographer, I realize more now how important it is to trust the vision of your photographer. When I get my own pictures taken I prefer to not interject too many of my own ideas. I prefer to follow their vision…it will always produce the best results. I know from my own experience that if I can’t visualize it then it won’t turn out great. I know I do my best work when I can be free to follow my own vision and capture my subjects as I see fit.

Some of my favorite locations are ones I stumble across when I least expect it. About 6 weeks about I was driving down a road I’ve driven down hundreds of times before, but at this particular time there were Day Lillies growing wild along side of the road. The light was beautiful, the grass length was perfect, and there was a beautiful backdrop of trees behind the scene as well. One thing I’ve learned about doing sessions in the natural surroundings is that the scenery can change in any particular spot throughout the year…and from year to year. You have to take advantage of the moment when you see it. Right when I saw this particular spot I spoke to my client sessions I had coming up that week and told them I wanted to do their photos in this new spot. They were more than willing, so I shot 3 sessions in one week in the same location. I’m so grateful I did because the lillies are gone now and I doubt that spot will ever look the same again. Here are some photos in the lillies and grass.

By J.Fields | Also posted in baby, children, high school seniors | Comments (1)

Toddlers in Spring

June 4, 2010 – 1:05 am

I had some cute little toddlers turning one this Spring. This is such a fun age to capture and we had some beautiful weather and surroundings to capture them in. I love Spring!! This first little girl has not only been in front of my camera for a year now, but I’ve also been photographing her older brother since he was a newborn as well. I just love this family.

I’ve been photographing this little girl since she was born as well. I always love the field shots so I was happy to do some in this shoot…the grass is so pretty.

The one year old in these next shots was one of happiest little toddlers I’ve ever met. She was always smiling….so cute!

And I just had to end with a couple shots from this adorable little girl’s 6 month session. I just love these shots with dad!

By J.Fields | Also posted in baby, children | Comments (3)

I Can Fly!!

May 17, 2010 – 12:50 pm

Well, I am excited to bring you this post because this session was just so much fun! This little 3 year old boy was a dream to photograph…fun, active, full of personality, completely cooperative and he engaged so well with the camera. Family shoots with just one child are great because it is easy to just let everything center around this one child and there are some fun poses that do just that. For this shoot I came up with an idea I had never tried before but thought it would work well with this 3 year old boy. This pose worked GREAT! All the shots came out just as I had imagined!!

Of coarse, I couldn’t just post one or two from this series. There were too many great ones!!

And not only can the kid fly, but he can play ball too!

And I just want to say kudos to the fabulous parents (and grandparents ;)) for doing such a great job raising such a wonderful boy!

By J.Fields | Also posted in children, family, rustic | Comments (4)

Family Is What Matters Most

February 19, 2010 – 7:57 pm

My husband is a bit of a Brad Paisley fan. Brad Paisley is a country singer, for those of you who haven’t heard of him. In fact, my husband’s favorite song of his is “She’s Everything.” Wes thinks it “fits” me perfectly…especially the part about wanting chocolate and being moody. :) I don’t really listen to much country music but I’ve recently become a fan of his because I really like his lyrics. His lyrics tell stories and illustrate what it is that makes life rich and full–like the little moments, the imperfections, the blessing of family and traditions. In fact, his song “Two People Fell In Love” was part of the inspiration for this particular post on families. The chorus goes like this:

There ain’t nothin’ not affected
When two hearts get connected
All that is, will be, or ever was
Every single choice we make
Every breath we get to take
Is all because two people fell in love

It’s a great song, so follow the link over and check it out when you get the chance. Family is at the center and heart of everything we do and accomplish in life…at least it should be. Families bring such tremendous joy and fulfillment in our lives, and at the same time can yield some of the greatest heartache and disappointment we will ever experience in this life. It is for that reason alone that we should put our greatest amount of energy into building, strengthening, and preserving the family relationships we are all a part of. For those of you who aren’t parents yet, I firmly believe that we have the greatest impact on our siblings than anyone outside of the family. I think I took that for granted when I was young. It wasn’t until my later years of high school and going into college that I realized the tremendous influence I had on the growth and development of my siblings. I only wish I had learned that earlier on because it would have affected my choices and the way I treated them. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t a horrible sister, I just realize I could have been better and that the impact of my choices and actions was greatly underestimated.

I enjoy getting to know all of the families I have the opportunity to photograph. No two sessions are alike! Being primarily an outdoor photographer, the lighting and location vary a great deal and with each family comes a unique set of dynamics. It never gets boring as each session inspires new ideas and opportunities. Here are just a few of the family sessions from 2009 that I wanted to go back and highlight. As you will see, each one is uniquely different. I feel my job as a photographer is to capture the essence of you and your family and while I may use similar tactics to help bring that out in the families…or while I may use the same camera and lenses and some of the same locations…every family will produce their own unique results. That is what I love about it. In fact, the images with emotion are my absolute favorite. Some mom’s may look at the image and think they look funny because of how they are laughing, but I love it because it shows the realness of the moment and the real joy they are feeling. I love how this 1st session turned out…so many beautiful moments captured.

This little girl not only looks like an angel but acted like one too. She was so sweet and such a joy to photograph. I couldn’t believe how good she was at such a young age. The colors in the park were beautiful that day too.

This next family session was a blast too. I love these young families that only have their first child because all the attention focuses around them. I love the rustic setting too. I think I hit a record high on the number of pictures taken at this session. She was being so good so we just kept snapping away. It was tough sorting through them all.

Now I have to admit that I got way more great pictures from this next session than I expected. I was a pleasantly surprised! These 2 kids were darling as can be, but the boy was also as busy as can be. And the girl kept falling in the tall grass…which was understandably upsetting. Kudos to the parents, though, because they handled all the tantroms and drama perfectly. I was pleased and impressed with how relaxed they were…they could roll with just about anything. I wish all parents could act that way during a photo session. I have yet to see a session with young kids that doesn’t result in some kind of a tantrom or drama. It only makes things worse when the parents get upset. You just have to roll with it and remain calm…they snap out of it. The other challenge for the day is that is was dreary and misty out…so we didn’t have the greatest of weather to work with. I loved meeting this family though and had so much fun shooting this session. I hope to work with them again.

By J.Fields | Also posted in children, family, rustic | Comments (5)

Senior Update

October 6, 2009 – 11:57 pm

Goodness, I’ve had so much to blog about but little time to do it. So for lack of a better blog post I decided to post a sample of what I’ve been up to lately. I thought I’d break this down into 2 separate blog posts: one for seniors, and the next will be for families and children. I want so much to take the time to talk about each of these young adults, but for now a few pictures of each of them will have to suffice. They are all so beautiful and talented. I love this age!

And this gorgeous girl isn’t a senior yet, but I just loved this shot and felt like it fit well enough into this category.

By J.Fields | Also posted in high school seniors, rustic, urban | Comments (1)

All About Seniors

November 12, 2008 – 10:29 am

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the high school senior sessions I’ve done this year. I love photographing seniors. I love this age; it is an exciting time in their lives. I remember my graduation being one of the best days of my life up to that point. I was tired of all the “clicks”, the high school drama, and was ready to experience what college life had to offer. These young adults are taking a critical turn in their lives. They will now begin to live on their own and have the opportunity to study what they actually choose to study. They start blazing a new path in their lives. I also have the opportunity to teach this age group in Sunday School every week. I like the intellectual level they are at. We can actually have mature discussions and I can get mature answers from them. They are getting a better understanding of who they really are and what they are made up of…and it is just the beginning for them. It is such an exciting time!

Seniors pictures are not quite what they were 15 years ago when I was graduating. Photography itself isn’t quite what it use to be with the new digital age. While I still appreciate film and what it has to offer, I admit that I completely embrace the digital side of photography. It was because of the endless possibilities of digital photography that my passion and knowledge for the art could grow like wild fire! High school senior sessions now offer so much more variety than ever before.

So parents, yes, I think this is one of the times in your child’s life that you can splurge on them. I think if you are going to invest any money in a photo session for them this is the time. This is the last time they will take pictures for themselves, and this is such a big turning point in their lives. Even though my senior pictures were different 15 years ago than they are today, I remember them being important to me and they still are. It was nice to have a session all about me and to capture myself at that moment in my life. That is what I love about these senior sessions….they are all about THEM and they LOVE it. After this time in their lives, the next major milestone for pictures will be marriage, followed by baby pictures their own family pictures. This is a unique time in their lives and it is fun to have it captured in a unique way.

So this post is a tribute to the 2009 seniors I’ve had the opportunity to work with this year. I’ve enjoyed each and everyone of them and all they’ve brought to each session (guitar playing, break dancing, vibrant personalities, beautiful faces, etc.) Here are a few shots and storyboards of many of them.

This next one includes a poem written by the girl.

By J.Fields | Also posted in high school seniors, rustic, urban | Comments (8)

Staying True To My Name

October 6, 2008 – 4:26 am

I often chuckle at how my last name seems to fit me in more than one way. First, I have mastered the art of making cookies (okay, “mastered” might be a little strong), but I am pretty darn good at it and have been since a young girl. I love to bake and my roommates at college were always thrilled to reap the benefits of my late night cookie bakes. Then at the age of 22 I met and married a man with the last name Fields….so then I truly became “Mrs. Fields.” It’s corny I know, but still fitting. He just so happens to have a serious sweet tooth, too, and will eat my cookies every night with a glass of milk.

After two years of marriage we moved to Kansas. I have to admit that I never thought I would end up in Kansas. I grew up in the mountains, so the flat lands of Kansas weren’t all that appealing to me. It is growing on me, though, and has a beauty all of it’s own. When I really began to embrace it’s beauty was when I became passionate about photography. I began to see the world through my camera lens and I viewed textures, colors, and all the natural elements in a whole new way. I particularly love the grasses. I love the soft texture of the grass and the varied colors they provide. Believe it or not, it was the Winter months that brought me to a greater appreciation for the fields and the grasses. It was late Winter and I was searching for inspiration for a photoshoot I was planning to do for a friend. We contemplated waiting until Spring when things would start turning green, but I didn’t want to wait that long. I was ready to get out and shoot after the chill of Winter. I was driving down the road and I remembered this field of golden grass I saw. I immediately began to envision her boys running through the grass. It seemed perfect! The session went great and I instantly fell in love with the sun shining through the golden grass. I was hooked on the field shoots after that.

Not long after this session I was searching for ideas for a maternity session. I began to envision this idea of a pregnant woman wearing a long white flowing skirt and fitted top. I had this idea of her walking through the field with the wind blowing her hair and skirt and this very long white shear fabric she would be holding. I became rather obsessed about the idea actually and wanted so bad to make my vision happen. I tried with the first session and got some decent images (which I am not planning to post because I was too lazy to dig them out of storage.) But then I tried it again with another mother-to-be and liked the results even better (although not quite what I was hoping for…it was after sunset when I took these images so I turned them b&w for the best results.)

So the quest was on to perfect my dreamy vision of this woman in white in the golden fields. During the Spring of 2008, I had a high school senior session with a girl who said she wanted to do some pictures in this white dress she had. I told her about my field and white fabric idea and she loved it. So we did part of her session in this golden field. My friend and fellow photographer, Cynthia, came to help me that evening and we had such a blast. There was none to little wind that night so Cynthia and the girl’s mother would throw up the fabric in the air for her. It wasn’t the same as having lots of wind but still made for a neat effect.

I came closer that session to creating what I had initially envisioned, but still wasn’t quite there yet. After that session Cynthia had mentioned she knew a professional ballet dancer who loved this vision I was working towards and was willing to model for me. What better model for this idea than a professional ballet dancer. Caitlin dances for the Kansas City Ballet and is as beautiful and graceful as they come. I was so excited. I got even more excited when I heard she wanted to bring her toe shoes to do some leaps in the grass. My vision of a woman in white in the golden field began to evolve. The thought of her leaping above the grass seemed amazing to me. We searched for the perfect grass and waited for perfect blue skies with clouds to be our backdrop. We did 2 sessions on separate days. The next two images are my favorite from the first session.

Then we tried another time because the skies weren’t as blue as we hoped on the first try. This next image is my all time favorite from the second session! How cool is this?!…

I LOVE that shot!! The skies were amazing and Caitlin did an amazing job. Did you notice the dirt on her toe shoes? Yes, she really was leaping in a field. The image quality on this shot is awesome, too. I plan to print this very large sometime in the near future.

We also managed to get some great posed shots too.

And thank you Kathy, for your help on the second shoot and for taking this picture of me in my element. We had a blast didn’t we?!

Well my obsession and love for field shots doesn’t stop there. Here are a few more I love of these darling girls in the grass.

So, be prepared to see more “Fields” in the future. I’m staying true to my name and embracing the fields all that I can! Thanks for stopping and taking a look. Here is one last image of my boys walking into a wheat field that I love.

By J.Fields | Also posted in children | Comments (4)