imagesbykess

This family shoot was another one we did out in the country at my place. They were very photogenic and I loved what was happening in the sky to the clouds.

I know the youngest wants to be a photographer, please contact me if you read this, I would love to have you help me out on shoots and learn about photography!

~ Kess

The Alberta Provincial Museum’s grounds are amazing and a great place for photo shoots. I was able to do 2 shoots there last year and here are a few shoots of one of them.

This whole beautiful family came down with the new baby to enjoy a crisp sunny fall morning. The shoot included mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and uncle.

Everyone had so much fun; I could have kept shooting all day!

Enjoy,

~ Kess

I have an outdoor home studio. What does this mean? I am fortunate enough to live on 40 acres of trails and they are an amazing backdrop for portrait sessions. I love doing family shoots at my farm and over the next while I will post some shots from last fall in the beautiful trees. 

Families get the chance to be outside and go for a walk together and really interact in the fresh air. 

Enjoy! 

 ~ Kess

Babies are sweet like heaven. 

Babies are hard to photograph. Well, that is my opinion, especially newborns. I have so much respect for photographers who specialize in baby images.

Usually a lifestyle shoot for me, especially with families takes between 1 to 1.5 hours, so, going in to shoot baby Sky, I was prepared to spend the same amount of time shooting. Boy did I underestimate everything.

Last winter this girl was around 14 to 21 days. She was tiny and perfect and as someone without kids, I found it so relaxing to be around her but that didn’t mean that I did not have to work for my shoot.

I absolutely love seeing all the creativity in newborn photography these days, look at Sandy Puc or remember Anne Geddes? She is still going strong. Although I do have to say the trend of hanging babies in blankets off branches does leave me with some trepidation.

Sky was really good though, I think (she was my first and to date only newborn). I mean she was quiet and sleepy and for a newborn I think that is considered best behavior right?

As a photographer who has only shot kids six months and older, my challenge was that at 2 weeks there really isn’t any reciprocal interaction between the baby and me. She cannot make eye contact, hold her own head up, grab a prop etc. So, the challenge is different. For the most part she was interested in sleeping and turning away from me so I started by focusing on the details and seeing her body as elements of form, then moving in to her head and body.

The second challenge is in post-production. A baby’s skin is blotchy, and from what I can tell newborns more than others. It did take me a bit longer in photoshop to get her to look the way she looks in to the eye. 

Here are shots of what I got that day, let me know what you think: 

Blogging. 

Sigh.

Yes blogging.

I have been neglecting it because a) I did not have the internet at home until late March (yes and I have been living at this cabin in the woods for 3 years) and b) I have been a photog-creeper.

Photog creeper? What is this? What are you saying?

Generally on the road to becoming a photographer you stop looking at other’s works for ideas, inspiration, and motivational envy and you realize you need your own site, image, brand, and blog. So instead of just being inspired by images I found myself looking at sites and blogs and deciding what I liked, what I hated and what I want for myself. The more I looked at the more choices and ideas I had and the more overwhelmed it became. To the point where I just did not want to deal with it.  

Unfortunately, at the same time, as someone new to all of this and wanting to be serious with the foot I put forward, I found myself beyond overwhelmed. Of course I was looking to the best of the best for blogs and thought. And of course when this happens and you are a beginner the doubting thought comes in to play. What is the point of putting anything up? My site is not as cool as the wordpress sites. Is not having a slideshow or 500 facebook fans hindering me in my photography. Blah blah blah.

In the mean time I have become the only one hindering my blog and growth and online presence. So forget that. I have been doing good work the past several months and I want to show it off, post it, discuss it and move on and get better and grow. You know my site is pretty cool, I can edit it, customize it and at this point it is what I need. 

I am excited to be a photographer and I want to share that with the world, and thank you to all who read, hire, and support me.

~ Kess