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Kerri was originally supposed to be an attendee at the March Momtography 101 class. Then life got in the way (as I am sure it can do juggling a houseful of kiddos!) and she contacted me needing to reschedule for another date. When she discovered the next class would not be until June we explored the option of doing a one-on-one session together and I am so glad she decided to take the plunge! A fellow small business owner herself at With Love Design, she was hoping to expand her design offerings to include photography as well.  She is now diving head first into building her portfolio and is on her way to doing great things with her photography.  Kerri is truly an example of what a little bit of knowledge, a good deal of practice, and a lot of drive, desire, and motivation can produce and I am so excited for you to meet her here on the blog today!

Momtographer and Aspiring Photographer: Kerri G.

Camera: Did my mentoring session using a Canon 50d. But during my mentoring session, while expressing some of my frustrations to Beryl, she suggested I might be able to alleviate some of those frustrations by using a full-frame body. So…a few weeks ago, I upgraded to a Canon 5d Mark II and L-O-V-E it!!

How many kiddos: 3

Age(s): 5, 3 and tomorrow my baby will be ONE!

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

Tyler (5) is full of energy, like ALL. THE. TIME! This kid starts out the day like a rocket taking off and doesn’t slow down until he crashes. He loves to play and entertains himself very well. (He has one heck of an imagination.) He’s a typical 5-year old boy who thinks that there is nothing more fun that to be playing with cars or blowing up the bad guys! He is very persistent and observant and uses these qualities to his advantage. 🙂 Lucas (3) is completely different. While he is also a ball full of energy, he is more subdued than Tyler. Also very observant, you would never catch him trying to “outsmart” mommy. He’s a pleaser and a nurturer. I almost always hear “I missed you, Mommy” after being away from him (even if only for a few minutes). He is caring and always thinking of others. You will never find him taking the last cookie out of the bag, but rather trying to figure out a way to break it into multiple pieces evenly to share with all of his friends or siblings! Kate (1) is my girly girl. Don’t know yet if she WANTS to be a girly girl, but after spending the first four years of motherhood as a momma to boys, I am SO excited to get to buy pink now, too. 🙂 She is a momma’s girl who LOVES daddy (and her big brothers) dearly. She’s a determined little one and I can see her being a handful for us in the near future as she is determined to do anything that big brothers do!

Tell us what you love most about being a mom.

Hmmm…this is a hard one, b/c I know that this is the job that I was made for. I LOVE being a mom – period. I love the cuddles and snuggles I get from my little ones. I love seeing the satisfaction on their faces when they finally succeed in that task they’ve been trying so hard at (and the satisfaction I feel knowing I helped them achieve that goal). I love butterfly kisses and bear hugs. I love story time and hearing them say “cuddle with me, Momma”. But most of all, I love that I was chosen to be the earthly parent to these wonderful little beings and that I get to experience each and every one of their “firsts” in this crazy adventure called “Life”.

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

Un-sharp photos and noise in my photos.

What was the best tip or trick you learned from our time together that you were able to use right away?

How and where to position my subjects to make the best use of my light, so that I could keep my ISO down to reduce the amount of noise in my photos. And also how to meter correctly, to give my photos the proper exposure.

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

Well…My name is Kerri and I’m a picture-holic (LOL), so I have SO many pictures that it would be hard to pick one I think. But, one of my all-time favorites is this of my two little guys kissing their little sister on the head at the same time. I mean how lucky did I have to be to actually catch this on camera?

One of Beryl’s elves told us you’ve been following along with her Christmas in July email gifts this month. Anything you care to share about what you’ve learned or the photos you’ve captured?

I especially love the last gift that was sent about having a plan. I’m a huge planner and list-maker (in all aspects of my life), but when it comes to photos, I often find myself picking up the camera and shooting, without really “thinking” about what I’m doing, and in turn missing the shot I was really looking for. So, Gift 7 (making a plan) and Gift 1 (making a list) are two great lessons for me.

Why should other local moms consider attending a Momtography 101 class or a one-on-one mentoring lesson with Beryl?

I was originally slated for the larger group Momtography class (a gift from my husband). But, due to timings and other commitments, I was unable to attend the session I had registered for. When I emailed her to tell her I needed to cancel, she was super understanding and said she could move me to the June session or we could do a one-on-one instead. While it was a little more investment to do the one-on-one, I was super eager to take her class and knew it would benefit me greatly to have some real one-on-one time where I could pick her brain and also have hands on guidance with lighting/posing and manually shooting with my camera. I would HIGHLY recommend her Momtographer class (I got the materials as part of our one-on-one) or a private (or even group) mentoring session. She is so professional, such a photo lover and a wonderful individual too. If you take a Momtography class OR do a mentoring session with her, you will NOT regret it. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am for the time I spend with Beryl and all of the amazing knowledge she shared with me.

Before mentoring: Left

After mentoring: Right

Karen and I are coworkers who met 5 summers ago. She was my mentor as I was going through a job switch and taking courses to get my certification in Instructional Technology. We met the summer I was getting married and many of my assignments required me to create documents using desktop publishing programs.  She was my editor and reviewer as I created my wedding program and guest newsletter all while receiving school credit to boot! Who knew that summer would begin a fabulous friendship and I’d have the amazing opportunity to take her own engagement photos a few years later?

Todd and Karen met through online dating, but Karen puts the story behind their meeting so much more beautifully and eloquently:

A year and a half ago, my grandfather passed away and at his service, his coffin was covered with red roses. Several members of our family requested a rose as a keepsake. Although I very much wanted one of my own, I didn’t ask, and regretted it afterward. His service was on a beautiful October day. That afternoon I took my dog, Tessie, for a walk at a gorgeous park across from my house. Midway through my walk, I sat down on a bench near a waterfall to be alone in my thoughts. Out of the blue, a man approached me and said hello. Noticing I was upset, he offered me a single red rose that he had cut from a rose bush along his own walk. Within seconds, he had disappeared.  I was overcome with the feeling that he was sent to me by my grandfather to show that he would be with me always. Unfortunately I met Todd a few months after my grandfather passed away so they never had a chance to meet. I can’t help but feel that Big Ed might have had something to do with our meeting.

It’s no surprise that when Todd proposed he came not only with a ring but also carrying a single long stemmed red rose. We returned to their proposal spot at Brambleton’s Legacy Park for much of our shoot and even with the 100 degree temperatures outside they both made the most of an evening together. There was lots of laughter, lots of love, and lots of excitement for what’s to come.

Congrats to you both, I can not wait for your big day next July. xoxo.

 

I absolutely adore this family. We go way back. Sara and I were first year teachers together. Adopted our first fur babies the same year (both of the kitten variety). We bought our first homes during the same summer. Both got engaged a year later. Bought new cars during the same month. Got married during the same month. We’ve always seemed to travel down the same path, and have shared in some major life milestones together.  How bummed was I to have her and husband Sean move cross country to San Diego 3 years ago? Devastated!

However, during that time we both shared in another mega milestone together: the birth of beautiful baby girls only 5 months apart. And now that they’re back on the East Coast we’ve vowed that our two little girls will grow up to be great friends!

The M. Family has taken up permanent residence in North Carolina but were up for a visit recently with Sean’s parents in Purcellville when they decided to cash in a Be Young gift certificate they got back at Christmas.

Sweet baby Keira is 15 months old and is truly a bundle of 1 year old energy. The weather may have been hot for our session (another 100+ day), but Keira found her own way to cool off in the neighbor’s fountain.

What a joy it was to reconnect with this family after a 3 year long distance friendship. M. Family, you know how excited I am to have you back on this coast and I can’t wait to watch our girls grow up together.

Congrats to Suzanna, winner of our Shugar Shugar giveaway!!!

Be Young Photography is about to get a whole lot sweeter right….NOW!

A few weeks ago through the amazingness of social networking paired with my late night craving for something sweet to snack on I stumbled upon local home based cupcakery Shugar Shugar.  Owner Kay and I hit it off immediately and I am so excited to be working with her on some images for her brand spankin’ new website (coming soon!).

We’ve also been discussing teaming up at Corcoran Vineyards in Waterford, VA to offer cupcake & wine tastings along with my fall mini photo sessions this year. Now how AWESOME would that be?? Photos, wine, and cupcakes. Perfect combo. Mark your calendar for September 4th and I’ll be announcing the rest of those details soon.

Anytime cupcakes are involved I think deserves a time for celebration, and it’s been awhile since we’ve done a giveaway here at Be Young Photography, so let’s give away some cupcakes shall we?!

Winner will receive a 24 pack of Shugar Shugar’s mini cupcakes in 4 different flavors (a $36 value). Winner must redeem by Oct. 31st 2011. Limited to flavors of the week. Free delivery in the areas of Leesburg & Ashburn VA.

You have 3 ways to enter (enter all 3 way and increase your chances of winning each time!)

1. Leave a comment here on the Be Young Photography blog. Tell me “What is your favorite flavor of cupcake?” (my personal fav is chocolate peanut butter! nom nom)

2. Go become a fan of Shugar Shugar on Facebook by clicking HERE. To mark your entry complete – leave a note on their wall telling them “I’m a new fan Be Young Photography sent me!”

3. Become of a fan of Be Young Photography on Facebook by clicking HERE. To mark your entry complete- leave a note on our wall telling us “I am here to win cupcakes from Shugar Shugar!”

We’ll be taking entries until Friday August, 12th, with a winner selected at random and announced on Monday August, 15th. Good Luck!

Summer may be winding down, but things are about to really heat up because it’s time to start thinking about the holidays just around the corner. Have you checked everything off your gift list yet?

P.S. There are only 133 shopping days left until Christmas

Why not get some of that shopping out of the way early and book a holiday mini session with Be Young Photography. Updated family photos make great gifts and are the perfect addition to your annual holiday cards. And if that isn’t convincing enough, we’ll be doing something just a bit different this year, teaming up with the amazing folks at Corcoran Vineyards in Waterford, VA during their next cupcake/wine pairing day with Ashburn, VA bakery Shugar Shugar.

Check the details below and sign up early. Cupcakes, wine, and photos, these sessions won’t last long!!

To reserve your spot in the Be Young Photography holiday mini sessions click HERE.

 

 

It’s your birthday month and the days we’re counting down to September 26th are going to fly by so quick, I know it. Soon you will be ONE year old. How can this be possible? It feels like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms for the first time. Is this really the same baby we met only a few short months ago?

Because I love teaching.

Because I love photography.

And because I love to inspire, motivate, and foster confidence with YOUR camera.

It’s back.

And you can register today by clicking HERE.

Be Young Photography School is about to be back in session with another Momtography course scheduled for June 26th. Have you been thinking about taking the plunge and attending? Some of our previous momtographers want to share just how inspirational they found this class and share how it’s changed their photography since attending! I hope you enjoy our first in a series of interviews with these special ladies.

Name: Sara

Camera: Canon EOS REBEL T2i

How many kiddos: 2 girlies

Age(s): 2 and “bigger than four-and-three-quarters”.

Tell us a little about what makes your kids tick. What are their interests, hobbies, favorites. What makes them unique? My almost-5-year-old is in perpetual motion: always jumping, leaping, spinning, running…always looking around, always distracted by the possibility that something else might be happening somewhere else that might be more fun than what she’s doing in that moment.  This is a girl who knows what she likes, and this is what she likes: dresses, movie nights with popcorn, the Racing Presidents, Michael Jackson, learning to read new words, ballet shoes, sparkles and glitter, candy, being bossy, and going to restaurants.

My 2 year old is a bunch of sweetness…a hugger, a lap-sitter, a laugher, an enthusiastic user of “please” and “thank you”.  She is a ham who will make her best silly faces for as long as she can to hold your attention.  She likes Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Skippy John Jones, baby dolls, a crib crowded with books and toys, and not sharing.  I can’t resist her big brown eyes, still-plump baby cheeks, and wispy little curls.

Tell us what you love most about being a mom. This is a tough one!  It’s hard to say something that doesn’t sound like a schmaltzy greeting card.  On a practical level, I love the first moments of the morning when they are all sleepy eyes and snuggles and sticking-up hair.  I love discovering the world again with them – the thrill of spotting a rainbow or the adventure of finding a frog or the drama of a thunderstorm.  I even love the tender pinch in my heart at the end of the day when I realize how many hours have passed since I last hugged them.

I find inspiration as a mother by remembering this quote from an “author unknown” email I once received: “As mothers, we are building great cathedrals.  If we’re doing it right, we won’t be seen.  And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.”

Biggest frustration(s) with your photos pre-Momtography? My biggest frustrations were probably best characterized by this running monologue: Do I have enough light?  I thought I did – why does this picture look so dark??  Let me try this again.  That flash is so bright!  Ugh.  Their eyes are red.  I think I have a setting for that.  Wait – let me bring in another lamp.  Hey!  Come back!  Can you just sit down for a minute?  Sit down for Mommy, ok?  Say cheese.  CHEESE!  Try again!  UGH!  That’s blurry.  Can you look at Mommy?  Put your hand down, ok?  Just sit there for one little second.  Hey – wait!  Just one more!  Can you sit down for just a second?  Hmmmm, maybe we should try it in the other room.  Where are you going?  (Sigh.) Ok, I guess we’re done.

What was the best tip or trick you learned from attending Momtography that you were able to use right away? Learning how to use aperture settings was probably one of the biggest concepts that I employed immediately.  Although I am trying to focus most on learning to manipulate the manual settings on my camera, using my camera’s “Sports” function has been another valuable tip.  It’s allowed me to capture some great action shots of my whirling dervish.  The last concept that I’ve really enjoyed incorporating was the “rule of thirds” – it’s really helped me think about the composition in my pictures, whether as I take them or in editing later.

What is the BEST moment you’ve captured of your kids or family ever on camera. Anything special come to mind? My favorite moment ever captured on camera was my older daughter’s visit to meet her new baby sister in the hospital.  I sure wish I’d taken Momtography before that.  It’s my favorite moment, but it’s not my favorite photo!

Why should other local moms consider attending Momtography 101 on June 26^th? Before I took Momtography, I had a great camera and a lot of enthusiasm, but I was pretty much a zero at getting a photo that I felt captured a moment or told a story.  95% of my camera’s features and functions were a mystery to me.  Beryl is a great teacher: she focuses on what techniques and tools are most helpful and usable for the kinds of photos a Mom generally likes to take and she makes that scary photography vocabulary not-so-scary. If I had learned only half of what I did at Momtography, it still would have been enough.

She turned 7 months this week. Where is the time going? Easter was the perfect excuse to get outside and celebrate Spring! That was about all we celebrated in this dress.  60 minutes seems to be the upper limit for this little girl and her high fashion. At least we got to capture the dress on film because tomorrow I am sure this one isn’t going to fit anymore.