Another Adorable Baby

Today I met Baby L's cousin - what a cutie pie!!! But, what a challenge...she's a wiggle worm! She was soooo happy but every time she smiled she flung out her arms or buried her head in the blanket! Thankfully, we did manage to get a few good shots before she was ready for lunch and a nap.

We'll be shooting again Wednesday and I'll be using my studio flash to help freeze her movements so we can get a larger number of non-blurred images than we did today.

She is just as cute as Baby L and I can't wait to go back!


Look at those toes...aren't they precious???





Half a second after this shot, she was down on the ground flailing around having a ball!

And the Winner is.....

Jennifer W!

Jennifer wins a certificate for a half-price May-October session just for sending in a comment on our last newsletter! Thanks, Jennifer - you will be receiving your certificate via email this week. AND...I am also going to throw in a few free print certificates as well. Enjoy!!!

February's issue will be emailed next weekend and will include another contest so be sure to sign up to receive it if you haven't already.

Our other winner is Beth B. Beth sent in a picture showing where she is displaying her Life...Unscripted images and will receive a certificate for a free print. Her picture will be featured in the 'Showing Off' section of February's newsletter. Each month we'll show off someone's images so if you haven't submitted a picture of where YOUR art is displayed, be sure to get it in soon.

Also, I have a few more sessions open for Valentine's day and will extend the special pricing until Wednesday. These are day sessions and must be booked Mon-Fri (sorry, no weekend are available). Click here for details.

As I've said, this is a photographer's blog so each post should have at least one image in it! This is my youngest, taken at the Toledo Museum of Art last weekend. We visited my daughter at BGSU and took a trip to the museum.

BTW...those are really what his lips look like - they are not enhanced at all!! Women pay big bucks to get their lips to look like that!

Newsletter Contests/New Blog Update

There are only a few days left to submit your comments on our first newsletter in order to be entered into our drawing for a $100.00 session fee discount. I'll be drawing a winner over the weekend. If you would like to receive a copy of the newsletter, sign up here or use the link in the right column. If you did receive the newsletter but would like another copy, go to the sign-up page and indicate in the comments section that you would like us to resend it.

If you have not yet submitted your image showing off your portraits, you have until the end of the month to do that, as the second issue will be published the first week of February. The winner will be featured in our Showing Off section.

I have gotten positive feedback on my Photography Tips Blog and will be updating it regularly. Be sure to check it out as I will have contests over there too!

As always...feedback is welcomed! You may post a comment to the blog, or use the 'contact' page of my website to send your comments.

Don't forget about the Valentine Mini-Sessions - Book early as spots will fill up quickly.

Here are two more from Baby L's session. As some of you know, I have a 'thing' for feet and so I was beside myself when I saw her little slippers!! Aren't they adorable??!

Looking For Babies!!!!!!

I had such a blast shooting baby L Sunday that I am on a baby-high now!! During the last few months of my slow time, I'd love to be able to shoot more babies (and toddlers) in their homes. So until January 27th, I am offering a special on in-home mini sessions. Here are the details:

Cost: $50.00
Print credit: $25.00
Minimum print purchase: $0.00!
Length of session: Approximately 30 minutes
Number of proofs: Approximately 10 (plus one storyboard (see below for example)

AND...as long as orders are placed before February 5th, portraits will be delivered in time for Valentine's Day!!

Call soon to secure your date as there are only a limited number of sessions available.

This is not only a good way to get beautiful, unique Valentine's portraits, but a great way to test the waters of an in-home portrait session without the commitment of a full session.



The fine print: Session must be booked by January 27th. Session must take place before February 4th. Session fee due at time of booking. If the session needs to be rescheduled, the entire retainer will be applied toward a new session. However, this mini session is only available until February 3rd.

Thanks Audrey!

Look at the blanket Audrey made for me (just in time for Baby L's session)...

It matches my logo! I love it!!!!!

Today's Session

Today I had the pleasure of shooting baby L and her parents. Adorable baby+beautiful parents+great home=awesome images!

I know mom is dying for a peek, so I'll post a few while I'm working on them. I'll probably put 3-4 up tonight.

Here's #1:
Here she is smiling at dad...she LOVES her daddy!!!

I tried to crop the next one in a traditional size, but it looks best narrower...this would be good as a desktop print (6x10) mounted on artboard and displayed on a small easel:

Last one (and one of my faves!):

Want to take better snapshots??

If you are a mom who wants to get better snapshots of your kids (or of anything for that matter), then check out my new blog (link to right or click here). I am going to be posting not only tips for better pictures, but also help with all those dials and buttons on your camera, and help with photo-editing software. I'll be letting you know which settings on your camera to use when, and explaining what the settings actually DO (what the aperature is, how it relates to the shutter speed, etc.) This is for both point-and-shoot cameras, as well as DSLR cameras.

The blog is for the regular person who wants to take their snapshots to the next level - not someone who is aspiring to be a professional photographer. (Unless you are just starting out and need to learn the basics.)

So check it out and pass the word!

Closing with an image (of course).

This is my youngest and although the image is nothing special, I just like it:

Upcoming Session

I have a session with a 7-month old girl and her parents on Sunday and am looking forward to it even more now that I've met Baby L! I visited their home yesterday (her mom is a hairdresser and cut my hair (AWESOME haircut, by the way)) and I totally fell in love with her (the baby, I mean!). She is the quintessential baby - exactly what you think of when you think 'baby girl'. And their home is beautiful as well.

I generally don't get a sneak peek of my clients or their homes before a session so this was a treat. I think it will make for a better session because I am able to visualize what I plan on doing beforehand. Not that, as a photographer, I can't 'wing it' once I get there, but I can't think or shoot every possible scenario. Knowing ahead of time what the home looks like, where the best light will be, what the baby has in her closet etc., is enabling me to be able to take my time planning the session. We also want to do outdoor images so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather forecast is incorrect (which is highly likely as it is most of the time) and it is NOT 10 degrees with a below-zero wind-chill as is currently being predicted!

If you are going to book an in-home session, I totally recommend having a pre-session consultation - it's included in your session fee, so take advantage of it!

Since this is a photographer's blog, I feel compelled to add an image with each post. This is nothing to write home about...just my doggie!

Looking Back on 2007

I wrote a nice, long post but accidentaly closed the window before I saved it! UGH! I wrote about my transition to my new (and 'true') style, what I plan on doing in 2008 (small workshops to help others learn photography, their camera, etc.) among other things. Lots of good stuff! It's getting late now and I can't think to recreate it. :-( I'll gather my thoughts tomorrow and repost. So check back!

In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite images from the past year. (Some of these are most likely in the slideshow to the right as well)

New Year, New Look

Wow! It's been almost a month since my last post. Time sure flew by over the holidays. During that time, Life...Unscripted went through a makeover - new site, new policies, new portrait collections, etc. If you haven't visited lately, check it out: Website

We also sent out our first newsletter! We hope to be able to send one out every couple of months. In it will be information on upcoming specials and mini-sessions, contests, and photography tips. Also, I will include links to articles I find interesting and think my clients may also find interesting, as well as things that I just think are fun!

If you are not currently on our email list and would like to receive our newsletter, please sign up here.

Here's another image on which I was experimenting with textures...I think I'm really liking the look (although it's more subtle in this image):