Although I don’t really advertise myself as a ‘portrait photographer’ anymore, every now and then a project comes around that I can’t refuse.

Plus I totally miss photo editing.  Something about unwinding after a long day with a gorgeous image in front of me awaiting my artistic transformation is super relaxing. Ahhhh…

(Pssst….want to learn how relaxing this can be firsthand? I’m teaching a free week long photo editing lesson online starting August 12th — learn more and/or register HERE)

This project was one of those ‘can’t refuse it’ type of deals.

Since ‘going pro’ with my photography I’ve had a dream of being part of a birth and getting to document it. My day job held me back from making this dream come true for quite some time.

Then, the mama-to-be here, who I shared an office with all last school year, found out she was pregnant with her first baby the day she took my DC/MD/VA Momtographie Class back in February. With the decision to quit my job this summer also came the decision to make this personal project of mine come true.

Thank you friend for inviting me in for what will surely be a special day in your life.

You two are absolutely glowing in these images and I can’t wait to meet your daughter with you in a few short weeks! xo.

Come relax with me and learn about the #1 editing technique I’m constantly asking to spill to moms Join me starting August 12th for a completely FREE week long online based photography class, Shades of Me.  Indulge in some self-care behind the lens while also learning a new editing technique in the process. Click HERE now to get yourself registered.

When there aren’t enough hours in the day and your to-do list is a mile long, don’t forget to BREATHE.

When life throws you a curve ball and the odds seem stacked against you, don’t forget to BREATHE.

When you’re striking a new pose on the yoga mat, don’t forget to BREATHE.

When the kids are all going bonkers and you need that one photograph of them all smiling at the camera, don’t forget to BREATHE.

When it’s time for bed and your mind is still racing, don’t forget to BREATHE.

When another year seems to be passing by waaaaaay to fast, don’t forget to BREATHE.

Today begins my annual summer vacation.  8 years of teaching complete.  The perk of having a teaching job by day is the annual hiatus that begins every June. This summer I’ll be snuggling with my “little love”, relishing in 6 weeks of stay at home motherhood, and launching some really special new photography ventures.

But for tonight I am going to forget responsibility, put away the camera, enjoy the sound of silence, ignore the to-do list and simply BREATHE.

I am really excited to be bringing back the Meet a Momtographer blog feature! And, after just completing the third Momtography 101 class yesterday, I thought this would be the perfect time to do it.  This week’s momtographer took part in the very first Momtography 101 class and I must say she’s been one of my most enthusiastic. Meg’s awesome husband bought her a gift certificate to my class as a Christmas gift and I was so excited when she sent me a picture of her opening up her gift on Christmas morning. I am so glad that her participation in the class lived up to the hype and I am so excited to share her interview and her wonderfully improved photos.

I also want to remind you that my Christmas in July email freebies will begin later this week on July 1st. Don’t pass up the opportunity to get summer photography tips and tricks delivered straight to your email box all month long. Click HERE to get on the Be Young Photography nice list!

Name: Meg Holden

Camera: Nikon D80 with 35mm  & 50mm lenses, and a zoom lens.

How many kiddos: 2 kids & a husband (big kid at heart)

Age(s): 3.5 year old and a 3 month old… both boys

Tell us a little about what makes your kids tick. What are their interests, hobbies, and favorites? What makes them unique?

My older son is very inquisitive and likes to discover how things work, or the why’s of the world.  He’s a typical 3.5 year old, high energy and enjoying discovering his (limited) independent world.  Right now he loves being a big brother and all the “jobs” that come with it.  He takes his role very seriously.  My younger son is brand new, still figuring the world out.  He just started smiling, giggling, and finding his voice…   The boys are learning to share mom, and are starting to interact more and more everyday.

Tell us what you love most about being a mom.

It’s such a gift watching these amazing little boys grow into young men.  I love being there to share in all their “firsts” and all the everyday stuff in-between.  I love the quiet cuddling, the funny faces, being there to kiss their boo boos, or wipe the tears away, or just being there watching from the sidelines.  I cherish every moment I get to share with them.  Watching them learn to spread their wings and fly.

Biggest frustration(s) with your photos pre-Momtography?

Having a really great camera and getting “point and shoot” looking pictures.   I wanted that “professional” look to come out of my fancy camera… but was afraid of taking the camera out of auto mode for fear I might mess up the settings forever; or completely miss the photo opportunity because I was either a) playing with the camera settings, or b) took the pictures only to find later that they were no good.  Another one of my biggest frustrations was Christmas picture or low light, either to ruin the moment with the flash and deer in the headlight expressions, or to take a chance and get a blurry shot.  Getting kids to sit still is not possible, so I tended to either only take pictures outside in bright sun, or use the flash and was disappointed with the results.

What was the best tip or trick you learned from attending Momtography that you were able to use right away?

Turn your FLASH OFF!! And click click click…

What is the BEST moment you’ve captured of your kids or family ever on camera? Anything special come to mind?

Introducing the boys to each other.  As a parent there is no greater gift you could give your children than a sibling, a lifelong friend and companion.

 

 

Why should other local moms consider attending a Momtography class?

Beryl has a gift for teaching.  She breaks down the complicated world of photography, and finds a way to put it all into mom terms.  By using examples that a typical parent might run into when trying to capture their own personal tornados, photography comes to life.  I am a complete amateur with limited time (Baby Finn was born 1 month after I took the course) to practice all that I learned from Beryl’s course.  But my photos improved leaps and bounds already. It’s like motherhood, sometimes you just have to take off the training wheels and hope for the best.  I am more confident to leave my camera OUT of auto mode, and so much happier with the results.

 

This week’s Wisdom Wednesday was inspired by a recent question asked by one of my lovely Facebook followers. Shannon asks:

Do you provide assistance with selecting cameras? I’m looking to make the leap and purchase my first SLR.

As my photography classes has grown over the past few months, I have been asked this question more and more. At class last week one of the moms in attendance had actually purchased her camera only weeks before attending, after some consultation with myself and the internet. I definitely have a few thoughts on selecting an entry level dslr and I think this question is perfect to springboard into today’s blog post.

First of all I must admit, I am a little biased and will be talking mostly about Nikon cameras in this post. I have been a Nikon shooter since starting my photography journey and absolutely love the way both of my Nikons have performed. I do not have anything negative to say about Canons or any of the other major brands, in fact my point and shoot camera is a Canon, but I simply don’t have the experience or expertise in their dslr capabilities.

Now, first things first. I want you to answer two important questions before we begin talking more about the camera of your dreams:

1) What are your photography goals?
As a “momtographer” what will you need the camera to do? Portraits of lazy days at home or vacations with the family? Sporting events and lots of action? Crisp tack sharp focus? Video functionality? Extra durability when those kiddos accidentally knock the camera off the table and on the floor?

2) What is your budget?
The range of camera available to consumers these days is impressive. Entry level dslr cameras are at a price point accessible to most families, but keep in mind that more functionality and more bells and whistles usually comes with a higher price tag. Also, buyer beware the too good to be true sale or wheeling and dealing that often happens online. One of my recent class attendees bought her shiny new SLR on Ebay. She came to find out once it arrived that it was an overseas model and all of the menus were in Japanese and could not be changed to English. I personally found it VERY helpful to go to my local camera shop, try out a few different models, see which felt right, and purchase locally. The prices were comparable to online prices and I felt like I had really purchased the camera that was meant for me.

Now, as a mom I know there are a few top priorities on my list when it comes to having a nice camera. I want it to be able to: be easy and quick to be able to change settings on the fly (kids move a lot!), handle a quick shutter speed (to avoid blurry images), and have low light sensitivity (so I can take good photos indoors with out my flash), and have video built in so I only need one device to tote around.

My current top Nikon performer is the Nikon d7000. Why? It’s recently been released to market so it is new technology.  It gets glowing reviews for its ability to handle low light situations, it has a great video feature that has auto focus built in, it is durable and weather resistant, and it has many many many focus points (great for tracking moving targets!).  However, this is also the top of the line consumer dslr. If you are looking to pinch some pennies than the Nikon d5100, or d3100 would be my next momtographer picks.  My top Canon performers would be the Canon 60D (similar to the higher budget Nikon d7000), T2i or T3i (similar to the lower budget Nikon d5000 or d3100).

However, even more so than the camera are the lenses you will want to use after purchasing your new toy.

Lenses are really the star of the show. A lot of times it is the lens that determines what your camera can handle.  The lens can zoom or not zoom. The lens can tell the camera to be great in low light or not so great in low light.  The lens is what allows the camera to create a tack sharp image or not.  The lenses that come with these entry level SLRs are not always the most ideal for the momtographer.  They have minimal zoom capabilities, they don’t produce the most sharp images, and their capabilities in low light stink.

My #1 must have momtographer purchase to go along with your new shiny camera is the 35mm or 50mm / f 1.8 lens.  It produces GORGEOUS images. It shines in low light. It’s absolutely an amazing lens. And its a rather affordable top performing lens option.  The one downfall is that it isn’t great for sports because it doesn’t zoom. If zoom is what you need then I recommend investing in a 70-300mm zoom lens. That’s the lens for you.

Is your head spinning yet? I know there is a lot to think about when making this big investment. And don’t forget that once you’ve brought that camera home and you’ve started to play I’ll be here ready to teach you what you need to know to really use that baby to it’s fullest potential.

BUT, if you’re looking for a head start in your learning, hop on over HERE and sign up for Christmas in July. I’ll be sending free gifts to your inbox all month long with photo tips and tricks to get you snapping better photos this summer. You don’t need the dslr for this one so come join in on the fun!

Dear Brielle,

At 9 months old you are looking more toddler-like and grown up everyday. I can see my baby slipping away right before my very eyes.  I can sense you are just itching to move, to talk, and to grow into an independent little girl. Don’t grow up to fast, ok?

xoxo.

-mama

Yesterday I didn’t shower. (please feel free to follow with a chorus of “ewwwww gross” or “that’s disgusting” here). The desire to be clean just wasn’t there. Being on summer vacation, free from the “day job” has opened up a whole host of new schedules and new routines. And apparently motivation isn’t a part that routine.  I wake up, drink my morning coffee, plop myself down in front of the ______ (TV, computer, ipad, smart phone, insert your choice of technology device here), and zone out completely.  By the time I snap myself out of this bubble of brain zapping media it’s already afternoon. Another wasted day.  And this is why a shower at this point seems futile and irrelevant. So I just stink up my house until its time to go to bed and do it all over the next day. (don’t worry I do actually decide to shower when I can’t stand my own stink anymore).

Can you relate?

You know how it goes.  We get so caught up in the daily grind that we get stuck in rut. Or a funk that we can’t seem to shake.  Or something comes along that puts us in a bad place mentally. Ruts can be small and caused by routine. Or they can be much much bigger.  Sometimes, things are seemingly going along great in our world and then something happens to send it crashing to a screeching halt.  A bad day at work.  A relative gets sick.  A loved one passes away.

This rut I am in right now, for some reason brings me right back to the place I was in 2 years ago when we lost our baby girl, Bella Rose.  At 20 weeks pregnant I gave birth to her and she did not live. In an instant our world was changed. For someone who is Type A like me (a planner, a thinker, an organizer) this was absolutely devastating. The life I had planned for me, for us, was not going to be the one we would get.  In the months that followed I was in that same state of not showering, not interacting, and I felt very isolated.  That time in my life was so much more than being stuck in rut, yet so similar to today on many levels.

So how to we climb out of a rut? a funk? a bad day? a bout of depression?

Today begins my first e-course: Illuminate: Lighting the Path to Photographic Healing where we are going to be exploring just that. The course was designed out my own experiences in using my camera to heal from the loss of our precious first daughter, Bella. It’s a community for baby loss moms who have lost their “spark” to come and learn some new photography ideas and techniques to get out of their own personal funk.

In honor this new journey I am embarking upon with the Illuminate launch, I want to offer a few suggestions for those of you who may be in a creative rut and looking to heal your own soul through photography, take some time to reflect , and bring some change to your daily routine:

1. FIND YOUR ENERGY Are you are morning person or a night person? When do you feel your most you, your most friendly, your most easy going, your most energetic, your most emotional? This may be a clue to when you should be trying to tap into your creativity.
2. GO FOR A WALK  Make today the day you schedule in that nice hour long walk. It’s summer, the weather is warm, the sun is shining, there are no excuses for being indoors! Bring your camera along. Take pictures of anything you think is beautiful.  Unique architecture. Pretty flowers in bloom. The sun setting behind your house.
   
3. PICK A THEME Is your favorite color blue? Photograph anything blue you find this week.  Try to take a photo of something that represents each letter of the alphabet (A – photograph a apple, B – photograph a teddy bear, C – photograph your fresh corn on the cob for dinner, etc..). Nature lover? Photograph nothing but trees, flowers, and shrubs. Now go make a collage using this fun online mosaic maker.
4. MAKE A SCAVENGER HUNT Brainstorm a list of items you want to photograph and go find them! Better yet, find a list that has already been done for you. The Great Scavenger Hunt is a fun one to get some really obscure ideas. Or check out this Digital Photography School Group. They aren’t very active anymore, but they do have lots of previous lists to get your creative juices flowing.

Are you feeling inspired yet? Go take a shower (I’m about to get off my butt to go take one now!), get your camera ready, get snapping, and please come back and share what you’ve done in the comments below.

Let’s get out of the routine, find beauty behind our camera lens, and inspire each other.

I am a Pisces.

I am true to my zodiac description to a tee. Intuitive. Idealistic. Creative. Compassionate. Selfless.

I have two fish swimming in a circle tattooed on my back.

However, I am going to let you in on a little secret.

I hate the water.

I was never that kid that spent everyday of summer vacation at the pool. We were never that family that took the week long beach vacation laying out in the sun and sand all day. I hated swim lessons. And I dreaded putting my head under water.

So I must admit, taking Brie to the pool for the first time was quite an ordeal and much out of the norm for me.

She wasn’t too sure at first. But by the end I think she liked it. And so did I.

She might be the one to truly turn me into a Pisces, and actually love the water.

 

What inspires you to photograph?

Children and family? The serenity and beauty of nature?  The simplicity of everyday life?

 

For me, it’s my Bella angel & my Brie baby.

 

The lessons they’ve taught me about family, compassion, love, creativity, and healing. Those are my inspiration.

What lights you up? Makes your heart sing so loud that you lose track of time? Gets you lost in the moment? Fills your soul with joy? And keeps you snap snap snapping away? Comment below and tell me. Or even better yet, show me.

Sometimes it can be really hard to follow advice.

• Everything in moderation. (right after I’m done scarfing down this pint of ice cream…)
• Don’t sweat the small stuff. (as the internal dialogue drones on – “does so and so like me? does this dress make me look fat? oh my gosh, did I have food stuck in my teeth that whole time?!”)
  
• Only bite off what you can chew. (while my to do list continues to grow exponentially…)

I am frequently asked for advice. From my family (whose house should we spend the holidays at this year?). My friends (should I break up with him?). My coworkers (what software should I use to do this?). My clients (what camera should I buy?). I like giving advice. It makes me feel appreciated. I am a people person. I enjoy talking through issues. I love to teach what I know. And I seem to always have an opinion.

But lately I’ve had a problem. I can’t seem to follow my own advice.

This month has been Christmas in July here at Be Young Photography. If you’re on “the nice list“ I’ve been sending 2 gifts via email containing photo tips for take better pictures of the special little people in your life. Are you on the list yet? Don’t worry, if you’re late to the party I’ll be sending an archive of all the gifts at the end of the month.

This week as I sat down to work on “Gift 6” a funny thing happened. I almost couldn’t bring myself to push the send button.

Because the gift I was about send was advice I am hard pressed to follow myself.

Don’t forget those un-planned, un-posed, lifestyle images! Take a snap as those kiddos are zoned out in front of the TV. Or taking their afternoon nap. Or eating lunch. Or sharing a special moment playing with their sibling. It’s just as important to capture them in everyday life as it is to plan out special shots just for you. In 20 years you’ll want to have every expression, every age, every moment bottled up so you can look back and remember. Start capturing those everyday shots today and bottling up those moments.

Going “pro” has certainly been a double edged sword. I love having the knowledge and know how to stage beautiful images. I love the fun that comes with being able to think creatively and make art behind the camera lens. But, I am my own worst critic as well. If the house is a mess I don’t want to shoot. If we are in our pajamas and having a chill day I am too lazy to shoot. If I’ve been behind the camera all week photographing other people’s families I am too tired to shoot. If the big fancy camera is tucked away in my camera bag and all I have is my compact camera I am too proud to shoot. As a pro I don’t want to post shots that “don’t make the cut”.

And now, as a result of ignoring my own advice, my portfolio of family images has suffered.

I resolved in that instant, the moment I hit send button to pick up my camera phone which was sitting right next to me. I snapped a few photos. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Because in that instant I started following my own advice.

How about you? What advice do you find it most challenging to follow? In life? In photography? Do you take enough family snapshots? Share your words of wisdom or a snapshot of your life here today.

When the high temp for the day is 118 scorching degrees and the meter has read over 100 for the entire week just take Brielle’s advice…

1) Stay indoors and dress cool

2) Eat, errrrr…..i mean read lots of books.

3) Play peek-a-boo

4) Get conductor daddy to take you on a train ride.

5) Relax and stay chill!