Today – I’m teaching my second “My Kids are Cuter” Class so if you need me text or e-mail….or give my voicemail some love and I’ll return your call as soon as I can

Blogging Blues – No, I’m not holding out on you…I apologize to all of my loyal blogstalkers for the slow blogging – I’m staying ca-ra-zy busy with Valentines Sexy & Tasteful shoots which are obviously on a timeline…combine that with a computer with a “sync error” that makes it sloooooooooooooow and two snow days & blogging has simply taken a backseat. I have big plans though for the weekend to catch up though….assuming I get my computer back by then!

Deadlines – If you want sexy pix for Valentines day call me ASAP.

Pilates People – You all are strong, lean, flexible and patient and yes…. I’m sucking up. I SWEAR I’m working on the Saturday shoot we did….see Blogging Blues paragraph above for random excuses….they’ll be up next week Promise. L – you’re in my prayers.

I think that’s it for the day.
I’ll be back to a normal “blogging rate” next week….I hope!

TGIF friends!!!
~M

Why not? It’s too dangerious to go anywhere….
My house it too small to be inside ALL day….
There is nothing better to do….
and what else are ya gonna do with that old knee-board you used to pull behind the boat!

I love my neighborhood.

~M

I know we’re only 40-some days into 2009….but this is my fav. shot of ‘09 so far.

Meet the Scanlin family!

When I say Red I mean RED!!!

And when I say Blue Eyes I mean BLUE!  ;)
 
Some photographers bring toys for kids at shoots…I don’t….

Here is baby-blue looking at me….

Here he is 2 seconds later looking at daddy…..:)
Who needs toys and weird noises when you have daddy?!?!

Don’t believe me?
Same pix – closer….see daddy in his eyes?
THAT is COOL!!!  

Ok kids – enough is enough…I know….time to play

Thanks Scanlin family for a Great time at the park!

~M

Ah the joys of being a professional photographer in the digital age!

As a photographer, one of the challenges we face is trying to maintain control of our photos, manage to pay the rent, while keeping our “digital” clients happy. One of the things I have begun doing as a way to manage this issue is to sell the negatives. This allows you as a consumer to literally own the photos (ie: the copyrights to the photos) to do ANYTHING you want with! I sign a copyright release form so it’s all “legal” and then it is as if you took them with your own camera.

But…I have one e-mail that is becoming more and more popular…it goes something like this…. “Micki, can I please have a copy of “the” family photo we took for facebook/myspace/etc…?

The answer is yes – the digital negative for a photo is $100. “Ouch” right? And if you ask me (a bit of a “digital-person” myself) that’s not fair. If you were planning on printing 100 copies of the pix to send out that’s one thing….but you just want to put a pix on facebook right? I get that…so…here is what I’m gonna start doing.

I call it my FACEBOOK EDIT. It’s pretty much what I do to pix on my blog…

Simply e-mail me. If you want to put 1-3 photos I took of you online to show I’ll GIVE you the photos for FREE. They are compressed (so don’t try to print them….they’ll look bad) and are ready to be posted online. In exchange for the free prints….you’ll give me a bit of free advertising!

Thanks for that!

No need to Copyright. I’ll give it it ya…..just ask and let me know what pix you want!

~M

…and I kept saying…. “Yep”!

My baby turned 6 yesterday…and to be honest… I’m not quite sure how I feel about that!!!

Garrett is my boy.

I mean that literally…. he used to be my baby….my youngest, my cuddlier, the kid I could always get a kiss out of, a hug anytime and quiet time anytime….

But now…he’s my boy.

My nose-picking, burping, playing in the dirt, skateboarding, bike riding, girl chasing and farting boy.

(insert deep sigh) Despite my best efforts (dramatic pause) he’s growing up.

Garrett – you’re too young to care about this blog and you’re too busy to look at it even if you knew it existed…but know this son, I love you and you make my every day happier just because you’re mine. You make me smile every day.

Happy Birthday G.
~Mommy

I always love it when I schedule a photo shoot and the times come to pick the location and the clients say “let’s just do it at our house!” I LOVE the home-feel of it, I love the variety it offers and the challenges that present.

Keri Thacker called me and gave me directions to her house – about the time I realized it was on their FARM I was soooooo excited!

Ok – so their home, land & even barn were 5x nicer than the cattle farm I lived on as a small girl….but it was a GREAT time regardless.

Thanks Thacker-crew…mom, dad, kids, horses, dogs & kitty!
~M

The following photos are from moms & dads who took my “My Kids R Cuter Than Yours” class…..

These few are to show Shutter Speed….

……..and Aperture…..

Thanks to Tessa Luig – best model a gal can ask for!!

Comments from the Class Include….

“I feel like I finally “got it”!  I can’t wait to go home and pay with my camera, OFF of automatic!  Well worth it – thanks!”

” The class was great! I learned alot and I”m sure they are things I will be able to use!  The class put things in place so the camera makes sense!  Great Job!”

“Micki – thank you!!!  Now I know what all of those numbers mean!  The class was Great!  You explained things in real people speak, not phoot-lingo!  Thank You!”

“Great class!  I enjoyed the hands-on learning and the way you took the time to really go over the difference in aperture and shutter speed without overwhelming us too much!  I would recommend this class to my friends and I can’t wait to go home and take better pictures off of automatic!”

“Very imformative.  Handouts were helpful.  The class was well worth the money.”

 
There were others but I’ve reached my daily capacity of self-indulgence, so you get the idea.

So – I have another class planned for this Friday & a list of interested mom’s and dads for my next class…..soooooooo….  I”m considering offering this class on an every-other-month basis…..possibly the first Friday of EVERY month.  I am humbled and encouraged at the interest and I was encouraged by the response! During these classes I go over the basics of Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO and how to “do the dance” to put them all together. This class will NOT teach you to take professional photos, but it will get you away from that Automatic setting on your camera and teach you how to take a good photo without that annoying pop-up-flash!

 So –  my class next Friday is full, but I”m offering another class Friday, March 6th from 9am-2:30pm!

Thanks for allof your interest!

~M