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Maternity Shoot at Burr Oaks!

October 25, 2018October 25, 2018 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Sunday, we explored Burr Oaks Woods with the Carter clan!

Anthony and Katie already have a beautiful daughter, Charleigh, and now they are expecting daughter #2!

Even though she won’t be the center of attention anymore, Charleigh is super excited to be a big sister!

Katie and Anthony are going to have a busy holiday season for the rest of their lives. Charleigh’s birthday is December 16th and baby-to-be is set to come Dec. 6th!

December is definitely the time for celebration!

Kiddo #2 doesn’t have a name yet, but mom and dad are hoping to know as soon as they meet their baby girl. They had a name picked out for their eldest, but when they met her they knew she was a Charleigh!

Thank you so much for sharing this special moment with us, and we can’t wait to meet the newest addition to the Carter family. <3

Apple & Lemonade Stand Sessions! Pumpkins Are Next!

September 27, 2018September 27, 2018 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Last Sunday, the St. Louis branch of Kansas City Photography set up its lemonade / apple stand for some adorable mini sessions!

Christine has two signs. One says “Love & Lemonade,” and the other says “Appes & Ale.” She’s getting a third sign that says “Pumpkins & Potions” to use in October! The talented Crafted by Danyelle helps her make the different signs for her stand.

First up, Miss Elena! Her mom, Alyssa, fell in love with the stand when Christine got it this summer, and had to have the lemonade sign!

Then, we moved onto the Apples & Ale minis because ’tis the season! Our own little Harry Potter fan, Jaxton, was all about those apples, let me tell ya!

Next up, some of my very favorite people — the Nelson clan! Lochlan and Aislyn were rocking the apple stand! And Aislyn was all about eating those apples, too! Maybe the reason the stand was such a hit is because kids love apples?!

We also snuck in some family photos!

We will be using the stand for “Pumpkins & Potions” mini sessions next! Stay tuned to our Facebook page for the latest!

Themed Photoshoots: Worth It Or Nah?

August 2, 2018 by Kansas City Photography, posted in "How To" / Tips & Tricks!

At some point, you’re going to ask yourself: “Should I do a themed photoshoot?” Maybe you’re the one behind the camera, or maybe you’re the one who’s going to be in front of it. But either way — is it worth all the hassle?

But before we dive in, let’s explain exactly what a “themed” photoshoot is!

It could be something like our upcoming Harley & Joker photos. It’s a photoshoot with a specific theme. Everyone at this shoot is going to be dressed as Harley or Joker.

(Momo Bunny Cosplay)

The shoot doesn’t necessarily have to be cosplay related, it could just have a “theme.” We’ve done Southern Belle shoots (with a lil’ cowboy for good measure):

A lot of times, a photographer sets the theme and makes a day of it. But sometimes clients come to us outside of one of our specials and ask us to help them with a theme they personally want in their photos.

These photos below were “Disbound” Belle & Beast. When we get requests like this, it’s an opportunity to find new photo locations that fit, too!

From a photographer’s standpoint, themed photoshoots are fun. They’re apart from the every day family or maternity session — which, of course, we still love — but themed shoots are a great change of pace.

From the perspective of someone who participates in a themed shoot, it’s a unique opportunity, and you know the photos are going to be one-of-a-kind.

So, are themed shoots worth it? Our opinion is a resounding “YES!!!”

They’re much more work than regular photoshoots, but the fun makes up for it!

And just to prove it, we will be announcing our Lemonade Stand Mini Sessions later this month!

Look forward to it! And make sure to follow us on Facebook to keep up with our latest shenanigans!

Their House Has A Water Slide! A Dullard Family Reunion

July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Before she flew in from Florida last week, Kaitlin called me to make sure I could make it down to Lake of the Ozarks for family photos. I jumped at the chance to catch up with her, her family, and that sweet water slide.

I needed to be down there by the 4th to make sure I could get everyone (Kaitlin has two sisters) before they scattered off back into the world.

Lindsay lives in Chicago with her hubs, Alex.

Mickey is currently a flight attendant (maybe she’ll find that plus one while on her travels)! 😉

While Kaitlin, Michael, and Mia live in Florida!

Their parents, Dana & Rob, usually only come to the Lake for a couple weeks a year. They travel around to some of their other properties during the rest of the summer/winter months.

There was a small window of opportunity to capture them all together. Success!

Plus, we got a lot of other shots. Like the obligatory mama and her girls shot (hey, and a 3-generation photo!):

And, of course, while I had all three sisters there — we had to recreate this gem!

Glorious, right? Next time, I will make Lindsay and Kaitlin rock those pony tails again.

Next up, we had to convince 10-month-old Mia that it was a good idea to smile for photos.

She could be swayed. There was a lot of jumping, funny faces, and weird baby toy noises going on in front of her, though. #WorthIt

The blanket you see in this photo below is one that Mia’s Great-Grandma had made for Kaitlin when she was a baby!

But Mia wasn’t all smiles and sunshine. She gave mom and dad a peek of what she’s gonna look like come age 13 or so:

So, adore those smiles while you still can!

Thanks, Dullard clan, for letting me capture your beautiful family! Hope to see you next year!

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Sass And Sassafrass: A Newborn & Toddler Photoshoot!

July 9, 2018 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Tessa was full of sass, but she couldn’t stop me from catching some of her sneaky smiles! But let’s start with the sass, and this shot, which may actually be my favorite from the entire shoot:

At this point in the shoot, Tessa was walking away from us, and kept looking back to make sure we weren’t following her.

But let’s start from the beginning.

I was able to meet up with our friends Katie & Johnny last week, who just so happened to welcome a new little one into their family. Of course, a photoshoot was in order!

World, meet Cecilia!

She has the tiniest little toes and fingers. Big sister Gwen couldn’t get enough!

It’s Tessa’s first time into the world of being a “big sister,” but she was rocking it! She kept making sure her baby sister was comfortable, and giving her lots of kisses!

Big, big sister Gwen is already a pro in the world of big sisterdom.

And both she and Tessa are getting so big! Just look at this comparison shot from last year:

And if this next set of shots doesn’t convince you how important it is to take family photos every year, I don’t know what will.

The one on the top is from only last year. The one on the bottom was just taken last week — just one year apart!

And now, there’s a NEW baby in the house!

Tessa has gotten so big!! She wasn’t quite in the mood to smile and pose, so we had to get a little creative. We’d let Gwen take a solo shot, and then ask Tessa if she wanted to take a photo just like big sister.

It worked … sometimes.

Thankfully, Cecilia isn’t old enough to do anything but let me pose her. 😉

Sometimes it’s the small victories.

Although, she’s already workin’ on her sassy face for me. Maybe next year she’ll have it perfected!

Thanks for letting me capture your troop, Katie & Johnny!

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On-Location in Kansas City: Featuring Unity Village!

October 12, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in On-Location Series

We have gushed about Unity Village in our Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in KC list — but it really deserves its own post.

It’s a mere 15 miles from downtown KC — and has 1,200 acres, along with “the largest fountain display in the metro, an award-winning rose garden, and two buildings that are included on the National Register of Historic Places.”

There’s also a bookstore and coffee shop on the campus. The bookstore even serves Starbucks! Tatiana and I are suckers for anything coffee, so clearly that’s a win in our book!

One of the main shining stars at Unity is that said rose garden. Of course it’s seasonal, but it sure is worth the trip when they’re in bloom. Hundreds of roses are filling the air with exotic fragrances. They have little markers on what the various breeds are — and I can guarantee you’ll find some you’ve never heard of.

The fountains are also seasonal. Unity keeps the water on as long as they can — depending on the temperature. They will turn them off before the first freeze, but they do keep an eye on the weather (they don’t just automatically turn off the water come Labor Day, like every other water functioning place on Earth … lol). Sometimes they’re on through October if the weather holds out!

The main section we usually use for photographs is the rose garden. It’s impossible to beat. Pops of color everywhere, streaming fountains, and Mediterranean architecture as a backdrop. Unity Village also allows photographers without an additional fee — which is rare for a rose garden (I’m lookin’ at you, Loose Park)!

It’s also the perfect spot for, say, a surprise proposal? 😉

However, the thing that really makes Unity Village stand out is that even if the roses aren’t in bloom, and the fountains are turned off — there is some stunning architecture. It truly is the perfect location year-round!

Arches galore, ornate doorways, stunning architecture all around. We’ve never had a problem with too many people at Unity Village (although Sundays are one of their busiest days, it still isn’t claustrophobic busy). Everyone we’ve ever encountered has been very friendly and helpful!

We should totally be sales rep for Unity Village! Haha. We are not getting paid in any way for this feature — we just genuinely love this place and want it to succeed so that we may use it as a photo location for years and years to come!

We’ve done every type of photoshoot here. Engagement. Anniversary. Surprise Proposal. Graduation. We’ve also done family photos, senior photos, and cosplay shoots here. You name it!

Even if it’s about to rain — still stunning!

And this post mainly focused on the rose garden. You can venture beyond the garden and find stone buildings, gorgeous hills, and walking trails!

If you’d like to check out some other locations we love — take a peek at our top 10 favorites around the Kansas City area! Then, let’s book a shoot there!

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A Dance Shoot Before Severe Weather!

May 30, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

We first met Natalie and her family in 2013. She was a little 5-year-old with a big ol’ smile that could melt your heart. We love repeat customers! <3

Fast forward, and now she’s a 9-year-old with that same heart-stoppin’ smile — and she’s a dancer now, too! The best part is — we used Unity Village in 2013 and 2017. How fun!

She taught us a thing or two at the shoot — like this pose below is called the “Tinkerbell,” or maybe it was the “Tinkerbell Leap.” Uhhhh, we still have more to learn!! Regardless, it was a fun shot to get! Natalie had to jump 5-6 times in order to get the perfect shot. It was worth it!

Natalie didn’t want to get too close to the flowers in this next one. We understand, they’re pretty — but those thorns can be painful! Plus, we didn’t want anything to snag her outfit!

We have some great silly poses, too. Natalie was so fun to photograph and is definitely a 9-year-old you want to have in your life! This one really captures her fun personality!

Natalie Dance 7

Natalie’s mom, Candice, came prepared with a bunch of poses, which Tatiana said she really appreciated, especially for this type of shoot. There was never a pause where we had to stop and think of what to do next!

Natalie Dance 5 Natalie Dance 8

Dancing is such an elegant sport. It takes a lot of hard work, training, and memorization. Many of the different stances are still said in French, and memorizing different dance routines is no easy task!

At the shoot, Tatiana had the idea to pick up flower petals (we didn’t pick these off the roses, no worries!) and put them in the fountain next to her head. Candice helped out and kept the petals close to her head while Tatiana took the shot.

This was actually the last thing we could do before a voice came out over the Unity Village intercom and said we had all had to leave because we were under a severe thunderstorm warning!

We barely made it to our cars before the rain came flooding down. There was no “Dancing In The Rain” for us!

It’s hard to believe that at the last photoshoot she was this little:

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A Creepy Car & Playing Around At West Bottoms: Dawn’s Family Photoshoot!

April 24, 2017April 24, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Photoshoots

Tatiana here! It was a real pleasure to capture one of my dearest friends being so in love with someone who is also so in love with her! It’s been a long time coming and it just warms my heart that she has reached her “relationship goals.”

Dawn’ son, Aidan, was the explorer for sure. He is so full of energy and kept wandering off, climbing on things and I just let him do his thing! He just started jumping on things and I was like, “WELP! Since you’re already there…” *snaps photos*

This one below makes it seem like Lilly and Aidan are about to drop the next hot album in KC. And Aidan plays the drums, so who knows? Maybe this will be a thing!

In this below, I specifically asked them to do a funny pose. I think the quote was, “act like you guys are in a street gang!” This is a perfect depiction of the Vieux clan ready to rumble! And also proof they could never be in an actual street gang.

It took Miss Lilly a little bit to loosen up, but I think she enjoyed the pictures! She really liked the ones of just her, which is great, ’cause I would love to rock a senior shoot with her! Hint, Dawn, hint!

Lilly was just standing on this rock trying to stay away from everyone, but me, being totally impervious just went, “Joke’s on you, ’cause you look cool on that rock!!!” *snaps photo*

This is my favorite picture of Dawn and her kiddos! It also shows off some hidden treasures of this area known as “West Bottoms.” We just happened upon this hobbit door, it was super random!

But you never know what you’re going to run into here, which is why we love this location! It even made it in our Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in KC list!

Although, there was one bizarre incident — there was a black car at the end of the bridge with tinted windows. When we started to take pics, the driver revved the engine and opened the driver’s door … but no one got out! Later, the driver shut the door, and turned the car sideways. This is when I began thinking, “Am I gonna die?!” And Dawn is just like “what poses should we do next?!”

Anyway, no one died … so here we are!

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One Of My Most Important Photography Lessons: Shoot ‘Through’ Things

April 21, 2017September 27, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in "How To" / Tips & Tricks!

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri. Broadcast works a lot with the camera — and one of the most important lessons I ever learned was to shoot “through” things.

It completely changed my perspective behind the lens. It was one of those “ah-ha!” moments. Shoot “through” things. Things other people may not look at — it completely changed how I view the world.

Apply it to photography. See a cool shape? Shoot through it.

A fence or netting? Shoot through it.

A bride’s veil? Shoot through it.

How about a beautiful blooming flower? Find a space between the leaves and shoot through it to the subjects in the background.

And it can be subtle. I was squatting down in some tall grass to get this shot!

It’s not that every shot needs this “shoot through” treatment, but it should be a component to think about at every shoot. If you see your photographer squatting in the grass, or rolling around on the ground … they’re likely using this technique!

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Photo Fixing / Restoration Services? Yup!

April 17, 2017November 10, 2017 by Kansas City Photography, posted in Uncategorized

The phone rang last week. It was a Kansas number, so I went ahead and answered it since it wasn’t a random number from Florida or Connecticut (anyone else feel like their cell has been extra spammed lately?!). It was a woman asking if Kansas City Photography does photo restoration services. Yes, we sure do! It’s quite the specialty!

But don’t take our word for it. Let’s show you some more examples! I had a friend come to me a couple of years ago. She said she had no photos of her mom and dad together (her mom passed away years ago), but she did manage to find a photo of them in the same picture … just not standing by each other.

I did do some digital restoration on the original, but what I ended up doing was more than that with Photoshop magic. I removed the person in the middle, and then cleaned up the rest, added in some fun clouds, brightened the colors (the photo was taken in the 80s I believe), etc.

I’ve also had several people come to me to “fix” their photos. Not necessarily restore, but fix the coloring, make it look better, etc. Or, in Emily’s case … fix that nail polish! 😉

Another time, I had a friend reach out to me about a bride who was just devastated with how her wedding photos turned out (I’m telling you, going with the cheapest option for a photographer is a big mistake … there’s a reason they’re cheap) — I took them and edited a handful for her. Once I reached out to the bride with the edited photos, she said she nearly started crying from joy after seeing them.

(Keep in mind, I don’t own these wedding photos. I did not take them. I just fixed them.)

Another time, I had a friend message me on Facebook to ask me to remove her bra strap that was showing in a fun picture of her from a wedding. I get these requests all the time, but until that phone call last week, it never occurred to me to advertise it as a service Kansas City Photography can do.

I recently had an old friend reach out to me. This was the last picture ever taken with her grandma before she died. She really wanted the shot of just her and her sister:

If you’re looking for photo restoration, or fixes to your photos, make sure to contact us!