30 minutes in the life | August 2013

It's that time again! Welcome to my August edition of 30 minutes in the life.  If you missed our first edition last month, I will give you a little explanation on how it works.  :) I'm happy to be a part of a blog circle where my photographer friends and I share what "30 minutes in the life" looks like through our lenses.  At the end of my post there will be a link to continue in the circle. You are sure to enjoy it!

Earlier this month my sweet baby boy turned three.  I'm still in disbelief.  (can I go cry in the corner?!)  As part of his celebration, we went to Kaiser's American Bistro for some of their ice cream.  YUMMY!! The boys had so much fun making their (gigantic) ice cream sundaes.  I believe our leftovers are still in the freezer. 

I'd love for you to stick around and see what Ashlee Tomes, Kentucky Lifestyle Photographer, has in store for her 30 minutes in the life post. 

{ oliver | newborn lifestyle photographer norman, oklahoma }

There really are no words to describe just how much I love newborn sessions.  Capturing a new baby in the first few days of life is just so special. 

I loved meeting Oliver and spending a couple hours with his family.  He is just precious and certainly very loved.  His mom is pretty crafty and is a very talented crocheter.  She made all these darling blankets and hats for her newest little man. 

 

Enjoy a brief glance into their world as they welcomed a second son to their family.

 

 

 

 

twenty thirteen!

Twelve days into the new year, and it's already shaping up great. 

my oldest enjoying a sunset on the lake.

Last year was such a fantastic year with the launch P&PP.  I am still overwhelmed with gratitude for my clients who have made this possible.  I can't believe I did 87 sessions since March.  So many shoots with families, babies and kids.  Two births.  Three weddings.  Several events and parties.  Wow!  Completely unexpected, especially since I first picked up my camera 15 months ago. 


With this new year, I hope to continue to grow and reach more clients.I have a newsletter (sign up is just to the right) that I send out occasionally with deals and specials. Recipients will be the first to hear of new things. I am also working on building a REAL website. Thanks to a fantastic friend (and another photog mama at Cavalier Photography) I can actually do everything easily and on my own...well if I can get the two year old off my lap. haha!

I am going to continue offering various types of sessions.  Family and kid sessions are always fun.  Births are so special and emotional.  I've surprisingly learned that weddings are great and not as scary as I anticipated.  Events and parties are great as well.  The newest session type I will be adding is a "your story" session.  These sessions are different than the posed, smiley faced pictures used for Christmas cards.  They will be used to document your life.  Fun details and memories that might easily slip away will be captured by my camera for you to cherish always.  So whether it's baking cookies with your kids, planting a garden, decorating your Christmas tree, or bedtime routines (literally, the list is endless) I would love to document those times for you. 

Until the new site is up, you can visit me on my Facebook page, although recently it's not been the most reliable at reaching you.  Hence, one of the main reasons I am focusing on my new site and newsletter.  Email is also good poetryandprosephotography@gmail.com. 

Now, I'll try to play catch up with the sessions I've done.  :)

{ashley, rosalie, and juliana soon-to-be | maternity and children portraits}

Over Mother's Day weekend, I had the opportunity to take some pictures for my expectant cousin and her precious daughter. I so wish I was closer to San Antonio because just the other day sweet Juliana was born!  How I would love to take some pictures of her.  :)

I was super excited because I had not done any maternity pictures.  Ashley was so nice to volunteer her belly.  ;)  I just love pregnancy and the miracle of life.  Seriously.  There is nothing more beautiful. My dear friend took maternity pictures for me during my last pregnancy.  They are some of the most treasured pictures I have.  I will always be able to look back and remember that special time.  I love that I am now able to capture the same memories for others.  I have since done three other maternity sessions with more on the horizon. 

My friend took a picture like this for me when I was pregnant.  I loved it so much I had to try it out with my cousin. :)

.love this.

perfect round tummy

Hello, Juliana!  Can't wait to meet you!

What a beauty! Love her big brown eyes!

Happy baby girl!

I'm always so glad to spend time with my cousin.  I hate that eight hours separate us.  I cannot wait to make a trip to Texas to meet her new sweet baby girl.  :)

*****

Expecting or know someone who is?  I would love to be the one to capture those memories for you or a loved one.  Also, I am about to embark on a new photography adventure.  I simply cannot wait to attend and photograph the birth of my friend's third child.  She is due any day, and I have my camera bag packed and ready.  Please, contact me for more information! :)

{it's only two months past mother's day}

I love Mother's Day.  Not just because I have a husband and three cute boys who love to spoil me.  For the last four years, the ladies on my mom's side of the family get together for what we call the "Top Chef Mother's Day Cookoff". 

My mother is one of three daughters born to my Granny and late Papa.  I am my mother's only daughter.  My aunt Cindy has a daughter, and aunt Teresa has two daughters.  We all gather on Mother's Day weekend for lots of fun, food and this year "fotography". 

We each are assigned a dish the prior year, and show up that day to win the crown.  ;)  This year's winner was my cousin who prepared a delicious salad with local ingredients. 

Hungry??
(in case you're wondering, mine was the meat dish, an Indian spiced kofta with freshly made naan and tzatziki sauce.)

After lunch we headed out to the backyard to get some photos.  It was fun playing with my self timer.  (I got several funny shots!) 

All the moms and daughters. 
Also, there's Granny with her great-grandchildren.  (She has one more that will be here in about a month!!)

We always enjoy our special holiday.  Preparations for next year have already begun!  I think I've got a real winning dessert! :)


(to visit past years click here and here back when the only camera was an iPhone.) ;)

{a "bridal" shoot | oklahoma bridal portraits}

A few months ago, my photography teacher (Amber from Fife Photography) introduced me to a group of local photographers.  This group consists of beginners up to professional photographers with years of experience and loads of talent.  They meet monthly to discuss different topics in the photography world. 

The first meeting I attended was actually hosted by Amber.  It was about how to pose clients to look their best.  So great and informative to a newbie like me.  :)  I learned great new ideas not only about flattering posing but also info on clothing and lighting. 

The following meeting was hosted by Benita Cloward of BRC Photography.  She graciously allowed us to visit her "headquarters" located at her beautiful home located in rural Oklahoma.  She spoke about her photography and was open to answering lots of questions.  Benita had arranged for a model to be there in a wedding gown for us to photograph.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to try my hand at getting a few bridal portraits.  I had just gotten a new lens (50mm 1.8) and could not wait to try it out. Benita lead us to a lovely field at sunset.  Then we just started to click the shutter.  :)

When I first started getting into photography, I never dreamed I would be able to take photographs of a beautiful bride.  (This also inspired me to have a special shoot that I will blog about soon!) 

It was such fun and a fantastic experience. Maybe I will have the opportunity to photograph a "real" bride soon!

{cute babies j & r | family & children photographer oklahoma city}

Back in early spring was when I started feeling comfortable enough behind the lens to do some pictures of someone other than my boys.  The first person to take me up on the offer was a friend (actually one of my husband's former coworkers).  They had their first baby in December and wanted some three month pictures and some new family shots.  A couple of my first blog posts I wrote were about two of their pictures (here and here).  I thought my first "official" photography gig went great!

In June, I took some pictures again for them now that he was six months old.  We met in downtown Oklahoma City for this session.  Baby J brought along his cute three month old cousin Baby R to get a few shots too.  Here are a few highlights from the shoot.  :)

check out those baby blues!

big boy!

old friends having a good chat :)

rub a dub dub, two cuties in a tub!

so handsome

he loved being in the air

so serious!

I got in a few shots with Baby J and his sweet parents.

How cute is this Pinterest pose?

I've loved seeing Baby J grow the last few months!  Can't wait to see you again when you turn ONE!!

I'm not gonna lie, this camera stuff takes a lot of work!

I posted a while back about taking a photography class.  I cannot tell you how glad I am that I took it.  Being a social worker turned stay at home mom, venturing into photography was like trying to learn Chinese.  I was great when I was just using my iPhone, but a DSLR was so intimidating.  I felt I had all these pictures in my mind I wanted to create, but the buttons and dials were getting in the way. 

I searched out different class options online and found one through a local university.  I almost enrolled in it until I found a hands on class located right here in Norman.  Back in March, I enrolled in Photo Basics I offered by Fife Photography.  This class gave me the solid foundation in camera basics that I really needed.  I cannot say enough good things about Amber Fife.  She is such a talented photographer and is so giving with her knowledge and expertise.  I don't think it's very often you find a professional photographer sharing all her tips and tricks. 

I also took Photo Basics II to learn some more in depth controls of my camera.  Again, this class helped immensly in improving my photography.  On the final day of class we had a mock photo shoot to test out all of our know how.  It was an awesome location in downtown Norman with a gorgeous model, who I think resembles Katy Perry. 

The third class I took was a Natural Lighting Class.  I loved this class.  I love using natural light for my pictures, so it was great to learn how to take advantage of available light.  We also did a photo shoot at the end of this class on the OU campus with a handsome young model. 

When I got my camera, I really was just a mom who wanted to take beautiful pictures of my kiddos and surroundings.  Reading my manual and watching YouTube vidoes only could help so much.  I'm so happy to have found these classes.  They have really boosted my abilities and given me the confidence to take my hobby to the next level.  If you're interested in classes, here is the link.  And if you're reading this outside of the Oklahoma City metro area, don't worry some of these classes are offered online. 

Thanks Amber for your help and new friendship! :)

{ time to celebrate! | children birthday party photographer oklahoma}

Birthday parties are always loads of fun. Cute decor, fun games and yummy food.  Children are almost guaranteed to have a good time.  Sometimes it can be a little stressful on the parents, especially when it comes to having to take the pictures at the party. 

A few months ago, I posted about my nephew's cowboy party.  I loved being able to help out my sister in law by taking photos.  Since then I have taken pictures at two sweet little girls' birthday parties. 

Do you have a great party planned for your little one and need some help capturing all the memories? Let me know!  I'd love to!  (I'm also available for other parties and events as well!)

{ cute kiddos | child portraits norman, oklahoma}

I would guess most moms love taking pictures of their little ones.  Snapping photos of my three little boys helped spur my interest in photography.  For a while they were my only subjects.  They were pretty thankful when I started booking photo sessions because they realized the camera would be out of their faces for a bit.  :) 

Here are just a few of my favorite shots of my little muses.  I'm a lucky mom!

I would love to be able to capture your child's personality and freeze this moment in time.  As my boys grow, I am so thankful I have these memories I can look back on. 

Thanks sweet boys for being my willing subjects on this journey.  I love you each more than words. :)