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Category Archives: children

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Mother & Daughter Album

August 17, 2010 – 9:03 pm

I wanted to share my most recent album. This particular one is of a mother and daughter. I love doing these kinds of shoots and putting the album together is just as much fun. The sprinkler pictures from this session are what inspired me to take some sprinkler shots of my own kids. The first image in the series is the cover (it shows the back and front of the album). All the rest of the pages follow accordingly, with most of the layouts showing the full 2 page spread. This is printed as a 10×10, 20 page album.

By J.Fields | Also posted in albums | Comments (2)

Sprinkler Fun!

July 31, 2010 – 2:06 pm

I’m so excited to share this post with you I can hardly stand it! I did a session a while back for a client of mine who wanted some shots of her daugher playing in the sprinkler. I was so pleased with how the shots turned out I knew my summer couldn’t come to an end without getting some of my own kids in the same setting. So here you go…some fun sprinkler shots of my own kiddos. Oh, and thank you to my neighbors and good friends Bill and Pat for letting me use their yard, sprinkler, and water! You guys are the best. I’m sorry about the muddy mess we made in your yard. And to you other photographers who want some lighting tips on how to get these shots, just read at the end of the post. I’ll try to share some other tips in future posts as well.

You wouldn’t be a normal kid if you didn’t try and sit on the sprinkler water! I think we’ve all done it!

I was getting so darn hot taking these I had to get in a few for myself. And Kudos to my dear husband for taking these next 4 shots! You did great Wes!

Photography Tip: These were take in the morning (about 9:30am) with the sun to the kids’ backs. I used 2 Canon Speedlights, one on camera and one to camera right, with no difussion. I also had a darker background of trees for the backlit water and subjects to stand out against. I used my 70-200mm f2.8mm L lens to keep far enough away to avoid getting wet but still able to get up close shots. ISO 200 f/5.6 1/200ss. Everything was edited in Lightroom 3.0.

By J.Fields | Also posted in personal | Comments (11)

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, field sessions, 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, field sessions | 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 family, field sessions, rustic | Comments (4)

Frozen In Time

April 4, 2010 – 10:15 pm

Things are changing so fast in life, and I often wish they would slow down. I love the stage my kids are at right now (ages 10, 8, 5). My oldest is going into middle school and my youngest will be attending all day Kindergarten this Fall. I feel like I’m entering a new stage of life and before I know it they’ll all be teenagers, then heading off to college, and then having families of their own. Just the teenage part alone makes me nervous and stressed to think about and with my oldest going into middle school I’m feeling closer to that than ever now. Right now they listen to me and do what they are told (well, most of the time with some reminding). They still want to be with us. They still believe we have all the answers and rely on us for so much of what they need and do in life. They still get excited about the simple things in life. It is exciting to watch then grow into these wonderful and talented individuals and to see their personalities unfold, but it is scary to realize one day they will be making decisions for themselves and decide they may not want to be around you as much. They begin to think, and decide and do things on their own…sometimes more that we want. And I’m sure there will be plenty of decisions they make that we completely disagree with. There will be times they will “fall” and you hope they will pick themselves back up and be stronger for it. You hope they don’t “fall” too hard in a way that will detriment their future and hold them back from realizing their full potential. You hope that in this process of separating themselves from their parents they remember who they are and realize where they are going in life. You hope they will be the best they can be and can help others do the same.

For now I will embrace the stage they are at. I will enjoy each day I have left with just my daughter and me at home during the day until she too heads off to school full time with her brothers. The other day we spent the morning doing her hair and nails and taking some pictures and then doing a little shopping. She is so fun to be with. I don’t photograph my kids nearly as much as you think a photographer should, but when I do I just love to see how their personalities shine through. I am so thankful and truly AMAZED at how I can capture an expression in a split second that speaks volumes to me and just melts my heart at the same time. I look at my kids when they are talking to me or laughing and I love it, but then the moment passes and you are already into the next moment…and then the next, etc. But when I take a picture of that brief moment I feel like I can look at that picture and hold on to that moment forever…like it was frozen in time. I LOVE that! Here are some moments/expressions frozen in time of my daughter when were enjoying our one on one time together the other day. They melt my heart and bring a huge smile to my face every time I look at them. I love you Ladybug!

By J.Fields | Also posted in personal | Comments (1)

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 family, field sessions, rustic | Comments (5)

February Special!!

February 1, 2010 – 1:53 pm

Well, it’s that time of year when the weather is a bit crummy and somewhat unpredictable…okay, REALLY unpredictable, but some really great pictures can still be taken. While most of the work I do is outdoors, I do some indoor pictures as well. If you don’t mind bundling up in some fun hats, scarfs and jackets then a fun outdoor session might be just right for you, or maybe this is the time of year to have your children captured in their element indoors having a tea party or jumping on the bed. The possibilities are endless and I am running a special for the month of February only!!

Standard session fee is $75 (that’s $50 off the regular price of $125)! Sessions must be booked, completed, and paid for in the month of February to get the discount. (This discount does not apply to the mini-session.) Pass the news onto your friends and don’t wait to get your session scheduled.

Can’t do a post without a picture so here is one from a recent indoor session. These sisters are 3 months and 3 years old. I just love how this shot turned out!

By J.Fields | Also posted in baby | Comments (1)

Baby Merritt

December 3, 2009 – 11:23 pm

I know, I know…I stink at blogging this year. I’m so gosh darn busy something had to give and I chose blogging. Next year I will resolve to post more of all the work I’ve been doing. For now, I just wanted to take a minute to congratulate Mike and Sara on the arrival of their newest addition, Merritt. They now have 4 beautiful girls. You may or may not remember the first blog post I did a long while back that had the slideshow of the birth of Cricket. Well Cricket is the little girl on the far right of this picture. And that adorable hat and sweater she is wearing was hand knitted by grandma! I love hand knitted stuff. Anyway, I just had to share this picture. It melts my heart to look at it. I love how they are all adoring their new little baby sister. Sara, I think when others see this picture on your Christmas cards this year they will be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas because that is what I think and feel when I look at this sweet picture. It makes me think of the birth of Jesus. It seems to capture the pure love of a child, and reminds me of the blessing that loved ones and family are to us. May we cherish the blessings of love, peace, and family this Christmas season!

By J.Fields | Also posted in baby, newborn | Comments (2)

Christmas Cards

November 24, 2009 – 6:51 pm

‘Tis the Season for Christmas cards. I just wanted to do a quick post to share a few I’ve done here in the last week or so. Many of these are printed as a 5×7 flat card, a 5×7 bi-fold card or a 5×5 tri-fold and are printed on a linen texture card stock. All card come with envelopes. I have LOTS & LOTS of designs so be sure to ask about them. Oh, and names were changed on these cards…so if you see someone you know but the names aren’t correct, you now know why.

Here is probably one of my favorite Christmas cards that I’ve ever put together. We did this shoot in the summer and after reviewing the pictures my client suggested I put some mistletoe in her son’s hand and turn it into a Christmas card (I think he was doing some super-hero pose). I thought the idea was fabulous and the picture of his sister chasing after him to grab a kiss was perfect for the inside!! I love how perfectly it worked out! This is a 5×7 horizontal card. This first image is the front of the card.

And this is the inside spread.

By J.Fields | Also posted in family | Comments (1)