The girls are beautiful,

so not hard to photograph, and it was a lovely day for a walk.

Ok, so I am a little partial, I’ll admit. But aren’t these the cutest darn kids ever?

I know it seems a little strange, but I feel like I never have any pictures of my own children. I have lots of candid shots but very few “portraits”. Which is pretty unbelievable considering that I am a portrait photographer! I made a conscious decision to take more pictures of my kids.

Here are just a few that I took yesterday at my mom’s house.

Popsicle Time with Nanny.

This is actually the first time Ryder ever said Cheese!

Smile, You’re on Candid Camera!

Rather than calling out to everyone and making sure they are paying attention, try the candid camera approach and avoid getting their attention at all. Candid shots tell a story. I am a fan of painting a picture with my photography, so I definitely encourage candid shots. On the other hand, this is not always easy. They see the camera; they know what you are up to. How many times have you lined up your shot, and your subject turns toward the camera and puts on their biggest cheeseburger, unnatural smile. Either that or they look at you and suddenly clam up and get nervous.

Sometimes what is a feeble attempt at a smile, looks more like they are bearing their teeth for a dog fight.

In this case, when you can’t do candid, make them laugh instead. I have a friend that I love to photograph. If you know me, you know exactly who I am talking about. Amanda is so fun and she and I have been best friends since the fifth grade. The fact that she is comfortable with me makes her extremely photogenic . FOR ME. She claims that she is not photogenic at all with other people, which I find hard to believe since she is so beautiful. However with any other photographer, she may feel uncomfortable. She may not be able to relax and go with it. For me, she opens up and takes beautiful pictures.  I have a trick to make anyone feel at ease. The best way to make someone comfortable in a pinch is to make them laugh. You can also click away while they are talking. Don’t feel like you have to wait for a perfect shot. You will be surprised what you will wind up with.

Forget the Rules.

Everyone knows that you are supposed to center your subject, right? Wrong. Forget what you “know” about photography. One of the easiest ways to set your photos apart and give your pictures that professional look is to do the exact opposite.  Try putting your subject in the right side of the frame. Or the left.  This will give visual interest to the photograph. The only rule that I would suggest following when it comes to framing up your subject is to keep the person’s head in the top 1/3 of the frame. Most people frame up their subjects by centering their head in the frame, leaving inches of sky above. This just doesn’t look great and it definitely doesn’t draw your eye to the key focus of the photograph. The eyes.

Everyone know that you never cut off limbs or appendages in your photograph, right? Wrong. Amateur photographers tend to center the subject and include every single part of their body in the frame. This makes the subject look small and unimportant in the shot. Try filling the frame with the subject’s face. Full frame shots differentiate the pros from the rest. And remember when your mom asked you to take a picture when you were a kid, and you cut off Aunt Barbara’s head? While we don’t want to cut off anyone’s head at the neck, it is not necessarily a bad thing to cut off the top of the head. For example, when taking pictures of babies, I often fill the frame with the baby’s face and cut off the top of the head a little bit. It looks just fine and gives more focus to that sweet baby face. Forget the rules, and experiment.

Give it Your Own Perspective

Another way to give your photos a professional look, is to shoot from different angles. It has been ingrained in us to stand directly in front of our subject, point and shoot. Try something else and you will be surprised at the difference. Try shooting from the side or from behind, or from above if your subject is heavy set.  Shooting from below is sometimes necessary and can’t be avoided. It can also be used artistically as well. But it is rarely affective when shooting a person who is on the heavier side. Also, when taking pictures of children, get down on their level.  It makes a big difference. Also, try photographing them from the side while their attention is focused elsewhere, and they are not distracted by the camera. When photographing adults, the same principle applies. Sometimes it is more appealing to look at a picture when the subject is looking away. It makes you wonder what the person is looking at.

One of my favorite things to do is turn my camera on an angle. Never be afraid to try something new. Just because no one else does it, doesn’t mean it is wrong.

Capture Motion.

You can also add visual interest to your photographs by capturing motion. For example, snap a picture of your son right after he lets go of the monkey bars or leaps out of the swing or jumps off of a diving board. Ask yourself, what’s more interesting to look at? The moment before he jumps, when he is smiling directly into the camera and standing still, or the moment he leaps through the air in a victorious cannonball formation.

Turn off the Flash!

One major giveaway of an amateur photographer is the harsh unflattering light given off by your camera’s built-in flash. Most people use their flash on auto mode which means that indoors, when the light is not bright, that flash goes off regardless of whether or not you actually need it. Try turning your flash on or off depending on the lighting. Look at your screen after you take a test shot and decide if the flash is absolutely necessary.

Get Click-Happy!

Gone are the days of 24 exposure film. You don’t actually have to be careful how many pictures you take, as long as you have enough memory cards to support your addiction.

The more pictures you take, the more likely you are to strike gold. Sometimes, you will take 20 pictures and in 19 of them, the person’s eyes are half open. What if you had only taken one?

Be Creative

Don’t be afraid to develop a style. Long before I decided to call myself a photographer, I knew what I liked. I liked certain angles and certain settings. I used to take my friends on day trips to my favorite places so that we could do little photo shoots. We would change clothes in the car, over and over again, and take pictures for hours. They were more than happy to support my addiction because let’s face it, everyone loves pictures of themselves! I did this all the time with my basic digital camera, long before I upgraded to the Canon Rebel.  I loved thinking of new ideas and when I saw something that someone else had done that I liked, I replicated it. That is how you learn. Be creative, but be warned, when you get those creative juices flowing, you may not be able to stop and photography may become an addiction for you as well!

Almost every time I book a photo shoot, I get the same question. “What do I wear?”   Sometimes, the question should be, “What not to wear?”  The key is to not overdress. Many people are nervous and uncomfortable posing for pictures in the first place. The last thing you want to do is wear stiff, uncomfortable clothing. If you are uncomfortable, it will show. Also, consider the weather. If your photo session is in the summer, wear summer clothing. A sweater in the hot July weather is not going to make for a pleasant time. If you are hot and uncomfortable, it will show through in your portraits.

Dress children comfortably as well. Resist the urge to dress little Tommy in a 3 piece suit and little Suzy in a pageant dress. Children are often difficult to photograph because they are nervous. They have a strange person telling them, “Say cheese”, and pointing a strange contraption at them. Many children are intimidated by the flash and the fact that the camera covers the photographer’s face when they are shooting. The most appropriate clothing for children is something nice that coordinates well with mommy and daddy, that they can move well in.  If you are going for Sunday best, make sure the clothing is not restricting in any way.  Remember, no matter how hard you try, it is often impossible to keep your children clean and crisp for a photo shoot and I will demonstrate how very little what they are wearing really matters.

I once took pictures for a mother and her two children at Reed Bingham State Park in Adel, GA.   Halfway through the shoot, the children decided to roll in the mud. Surprisingly, the muddy photos turned out to be a treasure.

Some things to avoid:

Whenever possible, avoid wearing stark white or solid black. These colors do not photograph well. Also, avoid green if your setting is outside. Green tends to blend in with the foliage and I would much rather you stand out than blend in. Green also has a tendency to reflect and cast a green tone to the skin which is undesirable.  Instead, choose bright colors that will stand out, and contrast with the scenery.

When planning your portrait session, I recommend layering whenever possible, for variety. For example, wear a tea length dress with a white cardigan. Start with the cardigan on for the first half of the session and then remove it.  This way when you get your proofs, you will have more to choose from. You can also bring multiple outfits, layering options and shoes to give your session even more variety.

Location, Location, Location!

Most of the time, people just ask me where they should take their photos. To be honest, I don’t obsess over the location very much. This is because i have taken portraits in a ditch on the side of the road, and they were stunning! The background is not the focus. You are!!  When selecting a location for your photography session, keep a few things in mind. Know what you want. Consider the end product.  Your photographer will be able to make suggestions based on the number of people, what you are wearing, and what you want the “feel” of the picture to be. Look for a location with variety. For example, a park in the town where you live may have areas with foliage, flowers, a playground, benches and gazebos. The more variety you find in the location you choose, the more poses you can do and the more proofs you will be able to choose from in the end. I also find that it is a lot easier to pose when you have props. Think of the swing set, the basketball court, the flowers and even the grass as props. These are things that you can focus on and interact with in your photographs to make your poses seem less, well “posed”.  If you have children, make sure the location you choose is “kid-friendly”. In this case, the ditch on the side of the road would not be appropriate.

Plan ahead.

Save time by planning ahead. Know what you want and give examples to the photographer. Photographers are a breeding ground of ideas and we see life in frames, as if we are looking through a camera lens. However, we can’t read your mind. If you see something you like, save the image, or describe it in detail to the photographer. We love new ideas, and we love a subject who is willing to step outside the box, even more!! Take some time before your session and visit Flickr.com. Search for family portraits or engagement photos and see what others have done. Flickr is an online community of photographers and an amazing source of inspiration.

Pose is a four letter word.

Personally, I despise the concept of posing. Having said that, I once photographed a little girl who would strike a pose on command and it was absolutely adorable. For argument sake, just for now, forget everything you know about photography and clear your mind of all classic poses with your hand on your knee and your head tilted just so…. Instead, be creative, voice your ideas, and above all BE YOURSELF! That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few key things to remember to help you make the most out of each shot.

I’ll let you in on a little secret.

As a photographer, I take about 25 times as many pictures in each photo shoot, than I actually present to the client. This is true of most of us. The days of carefully posing and framing up each shot were over with the introduction of digital film. Now, photographers do not have to worry about wasting film. Therefore, it is less important to pose perfectly and wait for the flash. However, I am still going to share some valuable advice to take beautiful portraits. Women often fear the dreaded double chin. So they tend to point their chin for the sky and hope for the best. In my opinion a double chin is far better than a turtle neck. When you pose in this way, it looks unnatural. It is better to point your chin downward in a more natural way. If the double chin is persistent, try something else. Try turning your back to the camera and glance over your shoulder.

If it bends, bend it!

Women have natural curves that should be accentuated. Tilt your head, shift your weight, or bend one leg to create a more relaxed appearance.  Men are the opposite. Men look better when they face the camera head on with square shoulders. I prefer to accentuate their broad shoulders and encourage them to evenly distribute their weight on each leg.

When I do group pictures, I am often asked to pose everyone. They expect to be placed in rows based upon height. Remember, pose is a dirty word. When I photograph group portraits, I ask the subjects to group together as if they were having a conversation, then turn and face the camera. Sometimes it helps to have something to gather around such as a tree. People may have to be rearranged to make sure that everyone is being seen, but for the most part, I believe this approach is much more natural.

Don’t say cheese!

Someone had the brilliant idea a long time ago to train people to say cheese when posing for pictures. This is because it is virtually impossible to say the word without showing your teeth. However, it is very possible to look like you are baring your teeth. It almost never looks natural! If your smile feels awkward, it will look awkward. Smile easily. Instead, relax your mouth, and remember a laugh can make magical moments. If you are uncomfortable, practice your smile in the mirror. Remember, a smile is not always necessary. Another interesting concept is Tyra Banks’ “smize”. Tyra added a new word to the English language with her America’s Next Top  Model mantra about “smizing”.  Click here to visit an article that is all about smiling with your eyes.  The way I do it is to relax my mouth, part my lips slightly, bring my chin down, and imagine that my eyes are burning a hole in the camera.

The most important key to stunning portraits is to relax! I know this sounds impossible, but there are many ways to make it easier. I like to take music along to play while taking pictures to help the subject to relax. It is like soundtrack music for your own personal movie!

When it comes to photographing children, there are no rules.

It is not unusual for a child to cry or refuse to smile. They are often uncomfortable, and timid. Photographers have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves to get your little angel to liven up in front of the camera. However, no one can make your child smile and laugh easier than you can. Don’t rely on the photographer (a stranger) to produce a smile. You know their personality, their likes and dislikes and what silly sounds and movements make them giggle with delight. Bring toys to help put them at ease and help them to feel in their element. Often, posing them just doesn’t work. Try tickling them, twirling them around, or playing tag. This can create

magical pictures that will look better than classic posing could ever produce.These things work. Their natural personality will shine through in every photograph. And if all else fails, and little Tommy or Suzy never crack a smile, have faith in your photographer and their ability to make the magic happen. You would be surprised how many of the photos will come out better than you expected.

Remember these tips and your next portrait session will be fun and fulfilling. You will be delighted with the results.

My son had a week off from school, so we wanted to take him and his brother to Sea World. We left on Wednesday morning at 6 AM with our friends, Jessie and Jason and their son Asher. We made a stop in Daytona Beach on the way down, but it was too cool to play so we walked the boardwalk and headed out again for Orlando.

We stayed on International Drive, just a short distance from Sea World and a short drive to Kissimmee…..which turned out to be where most of our activities were.

After a brief stay at the hotel, we headed out to eat dinner at Medieval Times Dinner Theater. The kids had a blast! It was quite a wait and obviously they tell you to come extra early in order to attempt to entice you to buy over-priced souvenirs and drinks. But the wait would have been easy enough to bear except for the fact that we had a very hungry and bored one year old with us. The show was very entertaining; The food was exceptional (for grub-type food that you eat with your hands); Great Drinks. All in all it was a great time for all. I highly recommend it. Ryder(my one year old) spent a lot of time saying “Wow”!

The next day was Sea World day!

We started out at the largest McDonalds in the world for breakfast and then headed for the park. We stayed there most the day and saw many shows, including the Shamu, and Dolphin shows. Ryder was always restless during the wait for the show to start and then as soon as it started he was mesmerized. Overall it was a good time but it was definitely exhausting.

The next day was my favorite day.

We started out at the flea market and spent the better part of two hours there. That is my kinda fun. Then we went to downtown Disney. There we visited the Lego factory and ate a late lunch at The Earl of Sandwich. Next, we went to Old Town and walked around the shops. We went back to the hotel to get ready and ended the day with supper at a seafood buffet.

On the last day of our trip, we stopped back by Daytona Beach on the way home for a much warmer visit to the beach.

This was so much fun! The kids had a blast. Omar buried Jackson in the sand and everyone built sandcastles. I actually got to lay out in the sun for a few minutes believe it or not! I got burnt a little bit on my back but not too bad. It was a great end to a great vacation!

requested a photo shoot with their

gorgeous daughter, Cassie. So, we went to Freedom park and took some pictures.

To view more, visit the gallery of images here.

Here are a few pictures from my latest photo-shoot. The Dixon Family, (Gerald, Nikki, Ivy, Caleb, and Alex).

We spent some time in McKey Park and took some pretty awesome shots. I also got to try out my new umbrella and light stand, with my flash.

We had a bouquet of balloons and a killer sun-flare.

Click here to view the gallery of my favorite images.

to Jacksonville, FL for shopping and dinner. This is our fourth year and we are keeping the tradition strong. We began the day with a straight-shot to the 3rd Street Diner for lunch. Afterwords, we walked over to the beach for an impromptu photo-shoot. Then we went to Regency Square Mall and shopped for a few hours. Our reservation was at 6:30, so we took a quick stop by the Landing for a drink and some more pictures.

We usually go to the Charthouse restaurant for dinner at the end of the day, but this year we changed our plans a little bit and went to Morton’s steakhouse instead. I must say, it was absolutely delicious!!!

To see more pictures, click here.

went on a much-needed trip to the beach for the day to take pictures. It was also an excuse to go and visit my mom, in who lives in Brunswick. It was one of those days. The sun came in and out of the clouds intermittently and therefore at times it was cool and overcast and other times it was warm and sunny. The conditions were absolutely perfect for our photoshoot at driftwood beach however. The kids (especially my one-year old) tried their best to drive us crazy, but we made it through it and got some great pictures out of it. All in all a great day!

I also got to try out my new Canon Speedlite 580 EX II.

I couldn’t be more excited about it! I have been wanting a decent flash for some time now and I am so happy I was able to get what I consider to be the best. Thanks again to my sister Amanda for recommending it to me.

Click here to see more pictures.