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photographing your everyday
It's been several months since I've participated in our monthly 10 on 10 blog post and I decided that's way too long. I've honestly not been shooting my kids digitally very much lately. I've mostly been shooting them on film and today was scan day so I thought it would be perfect to jump in with my talented friends to share a bit of personal work. Head on around the circle and visit my friend Kristi and her precious family. You can see her post here
It's been way too long since I participated in our 10 on 10 lifestyle blog circle. The past couple months have been a little crazy around here with busy season and some traveling for our family. So I was determined to get in on things this month! I have been shooting lots of film for my personal work. Mostly because it's so beautiful and has really given me a creative push this year but also because NO EDITING. woohoo! So here's a little mix of some digital and some film favorites from the past month. Be sure to follow around the circle and visit my friend Colie's blog here.
Every month when I put this blog post together, I feel as though I just wrote the one for the previous month. But not this time. It seems like a very long time has passed since our last 10 on 10 and so many things have happened since then. Ellie turned 5 last month which for some reason feels like such a big deal to me. I felt the exact same way when Beck turned 5. I think it's because it's such a big year. They grow up so much in this year + there's Kindergarten in the fall, she'll probably lose her first tooth, the list goes on. We celebrated really simply this year just the 6 of us and it was exactly what we needed and honestly what I think made her feel most special. Then of course there was Christmas which was really wonderful. We tried to pack in all the traditions we could and fill their memories with celebrations of Jesus birth and lots of time with family.
Corinne seems to have grown so much this month. She's completely mobile, crawling everywhere, and even standing up. (tears) Then of course, this week, our first snow of winter. We don't get lots of snow here in TN so it is always magical when we do. <3 I know we're supposed to only share 10 each month but I just couldn't narrow it down more than this. I hope you guys are having a great start to 2017!
Please head on around the circle by heading to my friend Kristi's blog to see her beautiful photos from this past month.
Merry Christmas Everyone! I thought it would be so fun to put together a little style and holiday gift guide this year to give you (or your spouse) some great gift ideas and tips on holiday styling from Nicole and some photo related gift ideas from me. I asked Nicole to give us the scoop on some of her favorite trends this holiday season to have you looking amazing at your parties and get togethers as well as a few gift ideas thrown in the mix as well from she and I both! So, without further ado, here we go!
We'll start with Nicole's picks for this holiday season's trends. Get your pen and paper! You're gonna want to take notes. :)
Fashion this holiday season is rich in color and full of texture and movement. Leather, sequins, velvet and lace are among the many options. Pieces in these fabrics can be real statement makers! It’s important to style them with something that will keep you looking on trend without looking over done. Try pairing a classic sweater with a sequin skirt or pants to create the perfect balance. Layer a leather jacket over a romantic lace dress for a fun bit of edge. Pair leather pants with a flannel top or classic sweater. Add bold earrings and knee high boots to an understated sweater and denim outfit. Lastly, if your outfit is looking a little bland, add a pop of rich festive color with your handbag, shoes or lip and nail color.
Here are some suggestions...
1. Kat Von D lipstick to add that pop of red!
OR
2. Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac is such a versatile bag. You can wear it as a clutch, cross body or shoulder bag. They come in a ton of styles and colors and 2 sizes. The right amount of edge and boho in one bag.
3. Kendra Scott lariat or any lariat style necklace is the perfect accessory to wear with a low, v-neckline.
OR
4. Kendra Scott Elle Earrings come in many colors and are a perfect statement earring to add to an understated outfit.
5. Lucky Brand Hoops add sparkle and edge to any classic style sweater.
6. Swedish Hasbeens Bordeaux or Oxblood color shoes or boots are a gorgeous way to add a festive pop of color to an outfit.
OR
7. Silence and Noise Metallic Jacket is one of so many options when considering a leather jacket. Leather jackets add a layer of warmth, edge, color, etc. I could go on for days why I think every woman needs one in her life.
And if you're looking for some new makeup or accessories to update your look or need a gift idea, here are some of Nicole's top 10 faves...
1. Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics eyeshadow palette is my everyday, go to palette. A little tip: depending on your eyebrow color, there’s a couple shades you can use to fill those in.
2. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector is a universally flattering highlighting product. It can be used on all the areas you want to highlight. Pop a dab of this in the inner corner of your eyes, to instantly open and brighten.
3. TOCCA Stella perfume…where have you been all my life? Blood orange and soft florals make this my everyday, all day scent.
4. Maybelline Fit Me Poreless Foundation is a must try if you have combination/oily, large pored skin. It’s so affordable, yet offers the same results that much higher end brands offer. Plus you save even more since you don’t need an additional powder to finish.
5. Dior Addict Lip Balm is AMAZING! It’s definitely a splurge item, but sooooooo worth it!
6. Sephora Favorites Perfume Sampler is such a great gift idea. Get one for yourself while you’re at it! They are super fun!
7. Swedish Hasbeens Clogs range in many different styles, colors and heel heights. Stellar quality, incredibly comfy and simply gorgeous. Amazon always has great prices ranging from $30 and up.
8. HOBO Lauren Wallet has been a staple of mine for years. This beauty can also be used as a clutch for quick trips to the store or a date night.
9. Rebecca Minkoff Gold Facetted Earrings are my everyday earring. They are understated and edgy. I’m a big fan of this designers jewelry and handbags!
10. Trader Joe’s Lavender Salt Scrub is soooooo amazing. If you’ve never checked your neighborhood TJ’s bath and body products shelf, you should. This product is one of many worth trying.
If you're looking to treat yourself or someone you love this Christmas with a photography related gift, I've got you covered. Just read on...
For anyone, friends or family....
In my opinion, there is nothing like holding a beautiful print in your hand, or seeing your images displayed proudly in your home or work space. For this I love prints, calendars, or photo albums by Artifact Uprising. I like to wrap gifts for family members in kraft paper and tie their square prints on with twine for a personal touch. You can even print your iphone photos straight from their app. The print quality is great and I love that they are printed on thick Mohawk Eggshell matte paper. Think cardstock. They are just gorgeous.
For the budding photographer...
I get asked all the time what camera to start with and what lens if you are wanting to start learning to take better photos of your kids. I am a Canon girl so if you're going to go with Canon, I recommend starting out with one of their Rebel series cameras. I also recommend skipping the kit lens (the lens that comes in the bundle) and purchase a body only then buy a "nifty fifty" aka the 50mm f1.8. This lens has a fixed aperture and is a great economical lens to get started with. It's fast, sharp, versatile and will give you that nice creamy background you like seeing in photos since it's aperture opens up to 1.8.
So, now you might be asking yourself what does that mean? What's aperture? How do I shoot in manual mode? What's exposure? How do I take good photos of my kids? Well, I'll be covering all that and more in my Photo Class for Mamas. My first class will be end of January and I should be emailing newsletter subscribers first next week to get you more info and book spots. Yay! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get all the info when it drops. This is a great gift idea for mama so she can learn to use her fancy camera. :)
Another favorite of mine for everyday photographers is my Darby Mack camera bag insert. I take my camera with me when we're out a lot. And if you're like me, you don't want a big old bag that screams "I have an expensive camera in here!" haha! But at the same time, you want your gear to be protected. This bag insert is perfect because it protects your gear and you can slip it into any bag, even your diaper bag. I've had mine for a couple of years and it has held up beautifully. I love that it has room for a camera with a lens attached as well as another lens, sd cards and batteries.
For everyone....
There is nothing like giving someone the gift of memories with their family. Whether it's a family session, an in home Beautiful Everyday session or a newborn session, the photographs of your family are a gift that will always increases in value to you and your loved ones over time. So, if you or someone you love has been wanting a session with me and or styling with Nicole, you can purchase gift certificates in any amount. 2017 is booking quickly so I'd love to see you in the new year!
I hope these tips and suggestions have been helpful and feel free to pass them along to someone who might be on the lookout for a gift for you! We won't tell. ;) Have a great Christmas season!
Blessings,
Bethany
2015 has been a really great year for me photographically. I started the year really wanting to see more growth in my work and also really wanting to keep the business side of my passion from taking over and destroying the reason I originally fell in love with photography, which is documenting the life of my family. If you aren't a photographer, that may sound odd to you but when your passion is also your business, it's easy for the lines to get blurred doing what I love, and before I realized it, I looked back on our images from 2014 and I just didn't see "us." Don't get me wrong, I had taken lots of photos but most of them were just at events, birthdays and holidays, or me trying to wrangle us all up for a posed shot when we were all decently dressed. Ha! But I didn't feel like, when I looked back over the year, that I could see our story, the real Sams fam. So, on New Years Day, January 1st 2015, I decided to do a project 365. I decided I would document my family every day and be committed to it. I have heard photographers over and over say that they think that's one of the main contributing factors to their growth and that was another one of my goals for the year so I figured why not! I won't lie though, I was super skeptical going into it. I had attempted a project 52 before, which is ONE photo per week, and I gave up after about 4 weeks. So, I gave myself a starting goal of 100 days. Once I made it there, I had fallen in love. Fallen in love with shooting for myself again, fallen in love with the images I had captured of my children and felt truly refreshed as a creative. I was beginning to study the light in my home, seeing things in a new way, and feeling energized to shoot client work again as a result. I have had such incredible feedback throughout the year that I wanted to share some of my tips to successfully complete your own project 365.
This may seem odd to a lot of people because I know following a themed 365 or even project 52 can really push you creatively, but ultimately, it's the reason I never completed my first project 52 years ago. I have 3 small children, run a small business and homeschool our oldest so my plate is pretty full. So for me, from the get go I knew I couldn't follow a theme or place too many rules on myself. I knew if I had to follow rules for each picture I would never get it done. When I started, I had no theme for my overall project. In the end, I do think it evolved into our beautiful everyday but sometimes I included a landscape or even client work. I do think weekly themes can be really beneficial for a project 52 but for a 365, I would leave it open to whatever comes your way so you don't feel overwhelmed daily with an extra task. Sometimes it's enough to just take one photo, much less follow a theme. So for me the only real rule I had was: take a picture every day. :)
I'll admit that my goal was definitely to complete this project with my DSLR but from the beginning I told myself it wasn't against my rules to use my phone. (Again with the "no rules") After all, it's almost always with me and editing is fast and easy. Plus it's so much easier than lugging around a huge camera with you. I know lots of people who complete their 365 completely on their mobile device and they are fabulous! So that's also a great idea as well especially if you don't own a DSLR.
Like I said before, I was really skeptical that I would even make it to 100 days in the beginning, so I told myself, I wouldn't give up if I missed a day. And I did. (hangs head in shame) I missed 3 days. I didn't miss my first day until about 6 months in and the other two were during my busy season when I was also in my first trimester and very sick. But! I didn't let that stop me. I kept going and even though I missed 3 days, I still consider this 365 day project a total success. I mean don't you remember ^^^ I have THREE small children with a 4th on the way. Sometimes life is just busy and if there is anything I have learned as a mother it is to have grace upon myself and others. So, if you do miss a day, don't give up!
I really think sharing my photos with others really encouraged me to continue the project. Now, I'm not saying I place value on an image based on the amount of likes or comments it gets, in fact probably most of my favorite images got very few likes or I may not have even shared them, because I know the story behind each one, so they all have their own personal significance to me. But, the words of encouragement I've received throughout the year have really helped me to press on when I didn't feel creative or even have the energy to continue. Things like (these are direct quotes) "your children will cherish these", "When she's fully grown you will still hear her sweet voice at this very moment in time. I love all your pictures BUT these dailies they're ordained by GOD.", "Bethany my work environment is, um, oppressive. Yes. Oppressive. You have no idea how much I look forward to your pictures. The innocence of their beautiful faces brightens my day. Really." I mean seriously. These words encouraged me SO MUCH. I heard over and over that my children and I will cherish these and nothing could be more true. When I started, I thought I would share every photo on my Facebook account and instagram but life got busy and although I was shooting, I didn't always have the time to edit every day and I fell behind on sharing so I just started sharing my favorites when I had time. So, again, I didn't place a big rule over my head that made me feel like a failure (and ultimately make me quit) if I didn't get a chance to edit and share every single day. There are lots of places to share...Facebook, IG, Flickr, even emailing a loved one privately. You choose and you can make it as public or private as you want. Just share with someone so you will receive encouragement along the way to continue and complete your project.
Whether you are a professional photographer or not, when you take on the task of completing a project 365 every image is NOT going to be compelling, creative or even interesting. Ha! But just remember the ultimate goal here is to document your life and experience growth as a photographer. Well, those were my goals and if those aren't your goals just keep YOUR goals in mind and know that every day won't be perfect. In fact most days won't be. But remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. Growth takes time. But I promise that if you stick with it, you will see growth and you will be so grateful to come out on the other side and see where you came from and where you are at that point and ALL those beautiful memories you made a long the way.
So, in conclusion, I encourage you to start a project 365 this year. You won't regret it. If you do, and want some encouragement along the way use hashtag #BSP2016365 and I'll be looking for you and your images on IG. I'd love to even regram some images weekly on my account to help encourage one another. I hope this encourages you guys and you go for it this year! As a result of my 365 this year and the interest I've had from other mothers, I've also decided to teach some basic photography classes for moms who want to learn to better document their every day. The details are still in the works and I'm currently writing my teaching materials but the class will be one full day and will be focused on using a DSLR in manual mode, basic editing in Adobe Lightroom as well as lighting, composition and how to tell a story with your images. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter for details when they are available. I hope you guys have a great New Year in 2016!
