DIY Cake Smash Cake

Let's talk CAKE!  Over the years I've had the pleasure of photographing several cake smashes and I've seen all different kinds of cakes. We're talking grocery store sheet cakes, fancy schmancy bakery cakes and even fun, tall frosted cupcakes.  But can I share a secret with you?  Out of all those cakes, the cake in these photos is by far my favorite!  It was perfectly sized, beautifully and simply decorated and best of all - MOM made it for well under $20!

Nope!  Not kidding.  This perfect, toddler-sized, Pinterest-perfect cake was Mom-Made (and she doesn't have the Keebler Elves hanging out in her kitchen)!  I asked her to share her secret and here it is...

Materials Needed: 2 - 4 inch baking pans (she used two 2-cup Pyrex dishes she had around the house) 1 box of cake mix - $1.98 2 cake pads (one to use during the icing process and the second to transfer the finished product) $3 for 6 (or you can use a flat plate for free) 1 M piping tip - $0.98 Piping bags - $4.00 for 12 (you can use a gallon ziplock bag) Icing Knife - $4.89 (a butter knife will also do the trick!) Spatula 1 Tub of vanilla icing - $1.89

She used the following You Tube Video to guide her:  CAKE DIRECTIONS

So go ahead...take some time and make your child their own personal-sized cake smash cake!!

It's A Cake Smash with a bonus!!!

Who doesn't love a cake smash?

The Cake Smash Session has been popular for quite some time and many folks don't know if I offer them.  But I'll let you in on a little secret...even though I don't really advertise them, I do do them, and I absolutely love them!  There is one caveat though - I only do them outdoors.  Why?  well - for one, they can be very messy.  Having them outside makes cleanup a lot easier on everyone involved.  The second reason is that outdoor photos are just SOOOOOO much nicer (in my opinion anyway).  There is really nothing better than using nature as a back up.  And finally, as long as it's warmer, my favorite part is the wash up.  I provide a pretty bucket - we fill it with warm bath water and baby not only gets clean but the photos are adorable!  

A Mom & Daughter Session and The Importance of Trust

There is nothing I love more than to get a Mom and her children in front of my lens.  Let me tell you a little story about this particular family....I met them two years ago when when I had offered some Mini Sessions. F, the eldest daughter was quite weary of me and my camera while I, the little one, was doing her best being a toddler and running around exploring everything! Now, let me tell you that mini sessions can be quite challenging simply because there is very little time to relationship-build with children.  Think about it, a stranger is pretty much sticking a big camera in their face asking them to "smile" and act natural.   It took almost the whole session, but we manage to get some cute photos of the girls. A year later the whole family came back and we spent a bit more time together.  I'm not sure if the girls remembered me from the prior year but by the end of the session I had built enough of a rapport with them that they felt quite comfortable with me and let their personalities show through.

THIS year was the year that I enjoyed the biggest reward any child photographer can receive....As soon as these girls saw me I was immediately greeted with warm smiles and a huge hug from I!!  F quickly started up a conversation and our time together was extremely relaxed, comfortable and fun which resulted in amazing photographs!

Looking back on this family's photographs over the past three years you can see how the building of trust and familiarity can significantly impact a photo session, especially with children.  Not to mention you can also see how dramatically my style and skill has changed/improved over the years!   One of the most wonderful things about my job is building such nice relationships with my clients.  I'm looking forward to 2017!!!

How I turned a teen's nasty attitude into a teachable moment for my children

A few weeks ago I took my children out to lunch at a popular burger joint.  We sat at a booth-style table - my children on one side and myself on the other. While waiting for our food to arrive, my children (ages 7 & 10) were having a discussion about random things when all of a sudden the teenage girl who was sitting behind my children stood up, whipped around and yelled "CAN YOU STOP HITTING THE SEAT - IT'S ANNOYING"  She quickly turned around in a huff and slammed herself back down in the seat.   It took me a moment to figure out that she was yelling at my children because I did not see or hear them do anything that warranted that reaction - and I was looking right at them!  I glanced at my kids and they were as confused as I was.

I asked my kids if they did anything, which they swore they didn't.  I took some time to assess what happened and quickly realized that the table benches were the ones that have a shared back (the seat part on either side of one back).   The one my children were sitting on was off balance.  Now that I was paying close attention, I saw that every time this girl sitting on the other side moved, the entire chair moved too.

My first instinct was to let the whole thing go, but as we continued with our meal, I couldn't help but think about her reaction more and more.  Clearly my kids weren't out of control and even if they had been more "active" in the seat than they should have been her initial, venomous reaction was uncalled for.  My husband and I put a lot of effort into teaching our children manners and always tell them how they need to respect other people.  From holding doors open to simply acknowledging others - we pretty much drill this stuff into them on a daily basis.  And here they were, doing absolutely nothing and they got nastily reprimanded by some stranger.  No.  This didn't sit well with me.

I'm typically the person who lets things roll off her back.  I don't say anything, I don't get involved and certainly don't confront people.  Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's not.  This was one of those times where I knew that I needed to jump into the fire and teach my children that there are times when you do say something.  More importantly, I wanted to reinforce to them that her reaction was uncalled for, inappropriate and rude.  I would NEVER want my children to think what she did was OK and I certainly didn't want them to think they did anything wrong.

As we packed up to leave, I told my children that I was going to talk to the girl.  Of course they were embarrassed and didn't want me to, but I had to.  As my children watched, I walked around to her table and said the following,

"I want to apologize for my children bumping the back of the seat, but I want you to know that they weren't doing anything but changing positions - you see, this seat is broken and they experienced the same "bumping" every time you moved.  I also wanted to tell you that your reaction was completely uncalled for and extremely rude.  I take a lot of pride in teaching my children to respect others and a can tell you that a simple, "Would you mind not bumping the back of the chair", would have sufficed.  Had you done that, I guarantee they would have quickly apologized and modified their behavior accordingly.  Your spiteful reaction showed them the exact opposite of what I teach them.  I would suggest that your really re-think the way you approach people.  But I do thank you for providing my children with a perfect example of how NOT to treat others and how NOT to behave in public."

As I spoke, the young girl sunk lower and lower into her chair.  Her boyfriend just about wanted to crawl under the table - he wouldn't even look at me.  To say they were uncomfortable was an understatement.  And yes, my kids were embarrassed, but they knew I was standing up for them.

As we walked out the door, my decision to confront this girl was validated when a woman stopped me outside the restaurant to tell me that she saw the entire thing and was glad I said something because she wanted to as well.  She had even witnessed something I did not....apparently after the girl yelled at my children her boyfriend said something to her about her so rude for no reason and she told him "she didn't care".  This woman was so bothered by the girl's behavior that she too wanted to say something but opted not to since she wasn't directly involved.  She ended our conversation by telling both my children that they had done absolutely nothing wrong.  I want to thank her reinforcing my decision and validating my children's feelings!

Why am I telling you this story?  I suppose because I want others who are like me (those who prefer to just let things go and never confront others) that sometimes it is more important and meaningful to step outside your comfort zone and use moments like this to teach your children that standing up for yourself (in an adult-like, calm way) is much more powerful than doing nothing.  I know that this incident made an impression on my kids.  Not only do they know that I will stand up for them but they know that the type of behavior they witnessed was completely unacceptable.  I know that when they are teenagers and a young child bangs the back of their chair they won't react the way this girl did.  I also hope that I made that girl so uncomfortable that she will think twice before reacting like this again.

A Creative Boy's Urban Snapshot Session

I just have to share this Snapshot Session with you!  When Mom scheduled it she told me that she really wanted the pictures to have a more "urban" feel to them.  Since I do most of my sessions in wooded areas and parks I really loved the idea of taking to the streets.  Believe it or not, all of these photos were taken within a one block radius! As much as the urban backdrop was fun, it was this 9 year old boy who made my day.  He was the creative mind behind many of these shots.  While most of my clients rely on me to come up with the creative ideas, this boy took control and I loved every minute of it.  He kept throwing out ideas for spots to take pictures and poses to do.  He loves his scooter, so we incorporated that into the session and he is a huge fan of Star Wars which allowed me a little creative license with his Storm Trooper.

On top of all of this, he has an amazing sense of humor and I'm not kidding when I say he had me in stitches the entire session!  We had a genuinely great time the entire time and I think the images reflect that fact pretty well!

If you are interested in booking a fun Spring Snapshot Session to capture your child's personality at this moment in time, Contact Me!

Spring is here!

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.~Charles Dickens,Great Expectations

Do you feel it?  That urge to open your window in the morning just to take in that fresh air smell...the desire to open your window while driving...The inclination to walk everywhere all the time?   Yes....SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

I have always loved Spring and all the newness the season brings.  As a photographer Spring becomes even more special.  Since I photograph 90% of my sessions outdoors, Spring brings me out of hibernation and provides me with a beautiful canvas and endless opportunity for my clients to just enjoy being outdoors.

Last week was a PERFECT Spring day.  The weather was warm enough to get away with wearing a light jacket and even though it was cloudy, the sun peeked through just enough to provide a bit of happiness.

For children, Spring offers the chance to explore and play!   I mean, how can any child resist celebrating everything the great outdoors have to offer?Spring is a fantastic time to get portraits done.  The summer heat is still far off and the grass and surroundings are full of green and blooming beauty.  Kids are so excited to be outdoors after being cooped up for the winter that they are more than willing participants for a fun outdoor photo session!  Heck, they might even embrace a few poses here and there!  And how much fun when a little sass is involved?  So, why not join the bears and take advantage of SPRING!   Weekend Sessions have already started booking up.  If you would like to book a SPRING session with me, it is important to book NOW.  You can view my availability calendar on my Contact Page.

Don't Forget Your TWEEN! (February Promotions)

Tweens.

As the mother of a 10 year old I have to say, I can't believe the drastic changes that are taking place.  My little baby is growing up in so many ways and I really just want it to STOP!  The other day I was checking my Facebook Feed when that TimeHop thing came up and showed me a picture I posted of my daughter from 3 years ago.   I was floored....

In three short years, my little girl has changed SO MUCH!

THIS is a photograph I took of my daughter just the other day.  

How did this happen?  It seems like just yesterday I was changing her diapers and now at age 10 I'm watching her transform from a child to a young adult.  I'm talking independence, exploration, a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e, and self-discovery.  And if that isn't enough, her face and body, it's transforming too.  My "little girl" is not such a little girl any more.  While it's exciting for her, it's bittersweet for me.

As a photographer I am hired to photographed so many childhood milestones (3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 5 years, seniors), but I've found that this specific TRANSFORMATIONAL time is somewhat overlooked.

Do you have a tween? Let me ask you something...  When is the last time you had your tween's picture taken? And I don't mean with your iPhone or that weird school picture with the fake backdrop. I'm talking about a time when your child actually wore some cool clothes, did their hair, and willingly smiled?

Why has it been so long? I get it, the tween years can be a little awkward...maybe your child is dealing with crooked or missing teeth, maybe they have braces or zits, maybe their hair is constantly in a state of disarray or maybe their clothing choice has a lot to be desired.  YES, all these things are frustrating and may have you putting off investing in professional pictures, but here is the thing.....   From crooked teeth to that ugly tee shirt -this is WHO THEY ARE, and all these things will quickly disappear before you know it and you will have no record of this monumental time in their life.

Despite what you may think, Tweens are typically the most cooperative and amazing photography subjects.  Most have not yet faced the brutal criticism that will eventually come and many are so self-confident in their choices they aren’t afraid to be themselves.  They are authentic and true.   This is absolutely one of the BEST times to invest in professional portraits.

Don't let Facebook remind you how quickly they are changing.... Take matters into your own hands and talk to your tween about booking a photo session tailored just for them.  Let them be the center of attention - I promise they'll love the experience and you will have amazing photographs that you can cherish forever.

Here are THREE Fotoplicity Session options for you to choose from....

THE SNAPSHOT FOLIO SESSION (Promotional Price $450)

Fotoplicity is currently running this all-inclusive promotion for the month of February only.  Not only does it include the session but a gorgeous 5x7 Heirloom Folio Box with ten mounted prints AND digital images!   This package deal offers a savings of over $100.

THE ENCHANTED UPGRADE (Promotional Price $525)

If you would like to upgrade to a TWEEN ENCHANTED Session, you can get the same package with access to the Fotoplicity Wardrobe Closet and some extra session time (if needed) for an additional $75 ($525).

THE SNAPSHOT ALTERNATIVE (Promotional Price $75)

Not sure about the Folio?  No worries, you can just book a traditional Snapshot Session for $75. Prints, products and digitals sold separately.  Print pricing starts at $20, Collections start at $150.

Interested in learning more?  CONTACT ME!