Doing It For Him | Raleigh Boudoir Photographer

"Why do women take pictures like those?"  Oh how I get asked this all the time.  The reasons are vast and usually different for each women.  Sometimes they do it for themselves and sometimes they do it for others.

This woman just had a baby... for someone else.  That experience tells much about her.  She is always thinking of others.  There are many words that I could use to describe her and this photo session.  

For instance, she is strong, fearless, brave.  She is honest and authentic.  

She is a wife that completely adores her husband. 

No conversation lasts long without her love for him coming through. 

This boudoir session was not only for her but for him.  We focused on the things that he loves about her and this made the "surprise" even more fun.  He had absolutely no idea what outfits she brought or the extent of my pose choices.

She made me want to hop in front of the camera again and shoot some new boudoir pics for my man.

Have you ever surprised your man with sexy pictures?

  

Fighting | N.C. Charity Photography | Fundraiser

 Yes, I photographed a fight.  A sweaty, loud, wrestling match.  Why?  Because I did it for them.  Little boys that cheered in the corner with hospital masks on.

 Little boys that captured my heart and made me remember how wonderful each chapter of life is.  Little boys who fight for life each and every day.

 Boys with strength.

 I did it for them:  The little fighters.

Storytelling | N.C. Portrait Photographer

I have a "thing" about my photos telling stories.  I want them to remind you where you are in your life and remind you of those small details that one day you may be tempted to forget.

This story is one of my favorites.

Courtney is a sport biker wife.  Let me tell you, it's not easy being a biker wife.  Yes, I know first hand!  I adore that in this photo, you can see bike love being passed on to the next generation.  Yet here, in this photo...

you have a woman.

A woman that is happily accepting and supporting both of her "boys" shenanigans.

I Take Pictures of Naked Women | Raleigh Boudoir Photographer | Raleigh Family Portrait Photographer

I'm going to just put this out there... I take pictures of naked women.  I can hear you all gasping.  Shocking huh? 

I also take photos of families, innocent and fun families, and guess what?  They are always fully dressed.  

So, how do the two mix?  Very carefully and with one secret ingredient. 

They both include ... women!  I mean, seriously, who else would care to have a photo of their huge bellies at the most miserable time of pregnancy?  Who else would want to remember the most painful event (childbirth) in their lives by video taping it?  Women.

We are a unique breed. 

So whether or not you want your picture taken with your mans arms around you, making silly faces with your son on your husbands shoulders, or laying in a corset with hair and makeup done, we are still women.

Gorgeous and complicated.  

I Am Beautiful | Raleigh Glamour Portrait Photographer

Today, body image is attacked on every level.  Too many curves, not enough curves.  Blah Blah Blah.  If you ask a woman if she feels beautiful, most of the time the answer you get is no.  Why is it easier to pick out all that we don't like about ourselves rather than the things that we love?  Why do the words, "I am beautiful," never find our lips?

I'm on a mission to change all this!  

I want to make women feel completely and wonderfully gorgeous in their own skin.

When I was first introduced to Glamour nearly four years ago, it was through having my own body photographed.  This experience changed me.  No, it wasn't easy but it was fun and totally worth the investment!  Also, the sight of my husbands face when I surprised him with the images for his birthday was irreplaceable!  

I knew that one day I wanted to make women feel the way that I did as I bore my curves in front of a camera.

Van Gogh was so right when he said, "there is no such thing as an ugly woman."

We just need convincing.  That's why I take Glamour Portraits.  My mission is to convince women that it is possible to be able to say,"I am beautiful" and believe it!

Constant State of Education | Flash Scares Me | Raleigh Lifestyle Photographer

I'm a lucky woman to have such a willing family to play "models" for me whenever I need to practice something new.

I'm in a constant state of education.  This is a good thing, right? :)

My newest educational addition is an external flash.  Since I'm a lover of natural light, I haven't needed to use my flash.  My sessions mainly take place outdoors and give me the perfect lighting that I'm always looking for.  But... (yup, theres always a but).

I've got a Boudoir Session scheduled for this weekend, and my in-home studio has zero natural light at the time of her session.  I figured it was high time that I start slaying this little flash monster, thus the homeschooling of mommy began...

I will admit, flash scares me.  Always has.  So much so, that I actually debated selling it a week ago because I never use it.

So how did I begin these flash lessons?  I pulled up youtube.  I know I know, I should have read my manual first but sometimes, I'm lazy.  I found this awesome video which helped guide me in the right direction.  I then pulled out my flash manual.  I don't know if "read" is the right word to use here, but I did browse through it.

As soon as my oldest daughter woke up I pleaded with her to let me practice on her for a bit, she's always so willing to oblige.  Though I feel I still have SO MUCH to learn about this thing called flash, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Before A Photo-Shoot ~This Girl Is Going Places ~ Raleigh Fashion Photographer

Just talking with Carrie, and hearing of her big dreams inspires me.  Before her shoot, like I do with all my clients... I sat down and made a list.  These lists help me be able to bring just the right props for just the right personality!  I grabbed paper and pen and scribbled down some of the things that came to mind when thinking of Carrie:

Dreamer ~ Cute ~ Fashionista ~ Colorful ~ Polka-dots ~ Pink

Wildflower ~ Bright ~ Traveler ~ Giver ~ Fearless ~Smiles

Passionate ~ Inspirational ~ Encourager

Carrie wanted me to capture her unique "style/brand" so I knew that there would be lots of clothing changes and plenty of time for props to be moved around here and there.  I immediately thought of my green vintage suitcases.  Because... this girl is going places!

When I showed up at her house, Carrie was already in the process of printing out a few inspirational signs that she wanted to be captured with... which I thought was brilliant and totally "her."

Before a photo-shoot (with a little bit of extra thought) you can add a message to your session.  What creative props have you added lately?

10 Things To Remember When Photographing A Track Day ~ Event Photographer

For those wondering what it's like for a spectator at the track, I'm here to fill you in.  These are my top 10 things to remember when photographing the track.

1.  Don't forget sunscreen-no matter how hidden she seems, the sun always wins in the end.  My legs bear witness to this fact and yes I wore sunscreen.

2. Make sure you bring drinks and snacks to keep the kiddos (and riders) happy.  Twizzlers are always a winner.

3. Learn from your friends and bring a bicycle so that you can get from one place to another quickly so that you don't miss any great shots.

4. Sometimes a red flag just means someone can't get his bike far enough off of the road, while other times it means an ambulance is needed.

5. Always Always Always capture the wrecks.  

6. The first time around the track is simply a warm-up.  Better shots come with round 2.

7. When watching with other spectators, don't count (out-loud) your friends (when you see a red flag) and they haven't spotted their special someone yet.

8. When doing a group shot... be more specific about what "group" you are capturing.

9. Research how to crop people out of photos in photoshop.

10. Remember you are spending the day with a bunch of men.  Don't forget that men can be... men.