Our New Website!

I tried to log onto the Kansas City Photography webpage last week. I was met with an error message. I may have panicked a little, but I figured it’d be an easy fix. I reached out to my web person — but it was crickets. My face was probably equivalent to Miss Luna’s:

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My bells and whistles started going off — and here’s why. This happened one other time, with the same web person. I reached out to him (the same one, I never switched) and he responded saying I needed to pay him to get it back online. I was confused as to why, and he said it was a maintenance fee, and he had to re-build it. I actually lost a potential wedding client over this — they had seen my site, loved my work, and then got concerned when my site suddenly went down.

You’d think I would have learned my lesson then … but, long story short, I stuck with him and he put the site back up (after I paid him again *grumble*), and it has been sunshine and roses since then.

Then, the error (again). And no response.

Instead of waiting around, this time I decided to go ahead and just build it myself. This way I can make changes and add photos any time I want, without having to pay every time I want an update. It was really a long time coming, I should have done it a lot sooner.

Go check it out and tell me what you think! –> http://kansas-city-photography.com

 

On a side note, I recently tried to get Kansas City Photography published on Wikipedia, but I need some press coverage for that to happen. They have really strict guidelines, and I meet all of them but that one. Stay tuned!

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

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.

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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.

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A bride’s veil? Shoot through it.

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

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

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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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The Easter With 8 Baskets & Too Much Candy

My girls somehow managed to get 4 Easter baskets a piece this holiday. I’m not complaining, and I am grateful to those who thought about our kiddos, but I am pretty sure I have eaten about as much chocolate as I do on Halloween … you know, poison control. 😉

We woke up Sunday morning and hid Easter baskets with our cousins Caley and Ezra. Lily and Ezra are little besties, it’s so cute!

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From there, we went to my grandpa’s house. Grandma Karen told me every time I went over there that she had dreamt of hosting an Easter egg hunt on their big, gorgeous yard, but had never done it — and then all the kids grew up. Good news! The kids had kids, and now she was finally able to host her egg hunt!

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My two girls, Lily & Luna, were dolled up in their Easter dresses. Lily’s favorite color is purple, but pink is a close second. When they didn’t have purple, I knew it’d be ok to go with pink!

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Luna’s favorite color seems to be yellow (she’s 2, so it’s hard to tell, but she gravitates toward that color and uses it a lot). My favorite color is orange, so when yellow wasn’t available …

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It had started drizzling, but that certainly didn’t slow anyone down! The egg hunt was really clever — each kid was assigned a certain color of egg. This way, they all got equal!

We also made sure to get a shot of grandpa with all four of his great-grandkids!

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After that, we went over to Bryan’s (my hubs) uncle’s house for his family get together. More eggs to hunt! Luna considered herself an old pro by this point. Lily also killed it at cornhole. That’s the game where you throw the bean bag into the hole on the other side of lawn. Am I making sense? Haha.

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It was a great Easter weekend, I only wish it was mandatory to take Monday off, too!

Want to read more fun stories with our family? Did you know we have a pet pig?

The Crazy Schedule Of A Photographer

There’s a reason I had to bring on another photographer to Kansas City Photography. My schedule, especially on weekends, is … hectic.

I am going to give you a peek into the schedule of a photographer / Scentsy lady. Here is this weekend’s lineup, which includes photoshoots in both St. Louis and Kansas City.

Friday:

– Work (  Newsy )

– Maternity Shoot (in St. Louis for Kansas City Photography)

– Mother’s Day Scentsy Party (Online, Christine’s Scent-Sational Scentsy Page)

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Saturday:

– Wedding Shoot (in Kansas City for Kansas City Photography)

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Sunday:

– Drop off Scentsy (Independence)

– Family Shoot (in Kansas City for Kansas City Photography)

– Meet w/woman about photo restoration (in Grandview for Kansas City Photography)

– Another Family Shoot (in Blue Springs for Kansas City Photography)

– Drive 3.5 hours home to St. Louis. Phew!  

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What keeps me going? I LOVE what I do. I love capturing people’s special moments, their growing families, and the day they say “I do.” There is nothing more satisfying than walking into a client’s house and seeing your pictures hanging up on their walls!

Not to mention — I have a family that supports me 100%.

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Next — getting Tatiana’s schedule this booked! 🙂

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A Cupcake Parlor Baby Shower … With Plungers!

I hosted a baby shower for my bestie Jenn on Sunday. But she didn’t want a “typical” baby shower. She wanted games that involved plungers, sippy cup beer chugging, and sangria.

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Aight. Challenge accepted. Let’s do this thang!

We all met at Celebrating Life Cupcake Boutique in Chesterfield (KC Photo is in St. Louis and Kansas City!).

What a perfect name and place to celebrate the new life of Genevieve! Jenn loves Hooters, so even though the shower was Paris themed, we had wings to go alongside the cheese and fruit platters.

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Game 1: Chug From A Sippy Cup 

It’s seriously not easy to chug from a bottle or sippy cup … and it’s certainly fun to watch people try it! We filled them 1/4 of the way full of sangria or beer (depending on the person’s preference) and got some amazing facial reactions. The chugging winner received a cute miniature Paris hat box filled with fun goodies like candy and necklaces. Added perk — Jenn got to keep all of the sippy cups after the shower!

Check out the “after” faces below!

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Game 2: How To Make A Baby 

I asked for four volunteers. I wouldn’t tell them why. Then, I handed them plungers.

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Then, I asked for four more volunteers and handed them two rolls of toilet paper.

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Next, I told everyone to put whatever item they were holding between their legs. So, plungers between the legs, and toilet paper rolls between the legs.

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The point? Make a baby! The plunger-holders had to get the toilet paper onto the end of their plunger without using their hands.

These games were really fun, and could get a lot of people involved at once.

I also told everyone that Jenn loves it when people touch her stomach. That was a lie. She hates it. On the bright side, she says she hasn’t had any strangers come up and touch it — so that’s a plus!

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The one person who totally earned the belly rub, though, was Kyli. She flew in for the shower! She moved into her new house the day before, then caught a flight! That’s dedication.

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We had a great turnout at the shower, and absolutely loved how cutely decorated the place was. We were told we could order custom cupcakes, but turns out that wasn’t the case. Regardless, we had a lot of laughs, Jenn raked it in on the gifts, and we all can’t wait to welcome Miss Genevieve into the world! Another perk — we had a lot of newborns at the shower, too, to really get our baby fix! By “a lot,” I mean two.

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Also a shout out to the two Grandmas-to-be! Genevieve is the first grandbaby on both sides!

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Want to see Jenn & James’ maternity session? Click here!

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Meet Christine & Her Family!

I always write about my latest photoshoots, or give tips on “how to” do certain things, but I have never really delved into my fam. The day-to-day. I’m a wife and mother of two kiddos.

11062339_10205256002141996_4381440050230220695_oNot only do I own Kansas City Photography, which services both St. Louis and Kansas City, I also sell the amazing smell goods known as Scentsy. My house always smells awesome.

My two daughers, Lily and Luna, are 6 and 2. My hands are full with them alone!

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We have a pet pig named Penelope (I’ve written about her), and four cats. Their names are Goblin, Shy Guy, Diego, and Marshmallow.

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Luna, my 2-year-old, is currently into anything her sister loves, jumping in puddles, Paw Patrol, carrots, baths (she calls them “bubbles”), actual bubbles, Pikachu, the color yellow, snakes, and running outside.

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Lily, my 6-year-old, loves Shopkins, Girl Scouts,  gymnastics, taking pictures (wonder where she gets that from?), monkey bars, running, the color purple, anything art-related, her print-label maker, Scentsy, and attempting to climb trees.

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Bryan, the husband, not only puts up with my ridiculous schedule that’s riddled with photoshoots and Scentsy deliveries, but also instrumentally helps out. He’s the camera holder, the battery charger, the scent-sniffer. He’s my No. 1 man. Since I did “likes” with the kids, I’m gonna do it with him, too!

Bryan loves Pokemon, DBZ, the new Zelda game on the WiiU, anime, the color green (Lily made him pick a favorite, because she said everyone has a favorite), computer engineering (he works for Cerner), computer games, and being a kick ass Dad and husband.

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Guess I may as well do myself, eh? I love anime, the color orange, anything Sailor Moon related (total Sailor Moon freak right here), Mary Pickford, journalism (I work for Newsy, too!), photography (duh), Scentsy (double duh), Photoshop, the Little Mermaid, most Disney-related things, and being a momma.

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One day I will tell you our proposal story — Bryan incorporated Sailor Moon into my custom made wedding ring, and the proposal itself!

Anything you wanna know? Ask away!

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I Got Pooped On! Elena’s Adorable Newborn Shoot

I had a first this weekend — I got pooped on by a photography client. I mean, she was definitely one of the cutest clients I’ve ever had, but poop is poop!

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As a photographer, I’ve had my fair share of baby tears, spit-up, even pee! But somehow I managed to stay away from the poo. Until this Sunday.

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Miss Elena Rose christened my shirt … and pants. We had just taken off her diaper for some adorable shots:

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But it was oh-so worth it! Just look at some of these gorgeous shots we got of her! And it’s a fun first to talk about.

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Plus, after the whole “that’s not chocolate pudding” moment, Elena snoozed quite peacefully. I mean, we were all sweating like crazy (I recommend you turn the heat up for newborn shoots, keeps ’em comfy and quiet), but she was content as could be!

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What’s an outfit change and a few sweat beads when you get to hang out with this sweet thing? Alyssa & Steve are proud parents to an adorable baby girl! <3

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Have baby fever? Check out Mr. TJ’s newborn shoot.

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From NICU To A Photoshoot: Teddy’s Newborn Shoot!

Two of my best friends, Amanda & Jordan, welcomed their main man Theodore Jordan into the world early.

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He was due March 19, but decided he wanted to break out early — on February 28. I got the pleasure of taking this little man’s photos on what was supposed to be his original due date (sooo yesterday!!). His first days were spent in the NICU, but that’s where his nickname of “meatball” was born.

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Theodore was having trouble learning how to nurse, so his mama Amanda told him: “You have to eat, goofball!” Jordan overheard and got really confused because he thought Amanda said “meatball.” Then, Amanda got confused as to what the heck Jordan was talking about, and the name just stuck!

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Teddy, as we call him, is now enjoying his days at home, waking mom up every four hours to nurse …

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Practicing his smug face for the ladies …

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And wooing his gammy Bev with every little coo.

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We love you, bud! If I have my way, your first word will be “cheeeese!”

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How To Deal With The Weather During Photoshoots

It’s a bright, sunshiny Missouri morning. But there’s snow on the ground. Ignore the fact it was 75 degrees a few days ago. Such is the life of a photographer living in a state where the jet streams cross. You get completely unpredictable weather. So, what’re you gonna do? Learn to love it.

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We try not to re-schedule shoots due to the weather, unless necessary. Otherwise, I’d be re-scheduling all the time. All of nature’s elements are workable.

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Let me take you back to 2012. I woke up for a shoot and the sky was gray. And not the pretty kind of gray. It was like a grainy, gloomy, depressing color — with a weird tint of orange to top it off. It looked like it was going to pour any second. Nicole and her family were about to move to another state — and wanted some memories of their time in Kansas City. There wasn’t another day to re-schedule. So, I packed some umbrellas just in case, and we were off!

The key? Shoot without including the sky. Get up close, have a different background like greenery, train tracks, train cars, etc. Something where the sky doesn’t play a part.

We ended up going to a fire station. Nicole had complications with birth — and it was the firefighters who were her first responders. She teared up when I went inside and retrieved a firefighter. They even let the kids play in a firetruck. How awesome is that?

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Ok, so we’ve talked about gloomy skies. What about wind? Like blow your hair in your face wind? The best tip is to face the wind. Then, it makes the hair blow back behind them. I call it the “model effect.” No fans needed!

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In this shoot below, we were down by the water. It was so windy, but you can hardly tell!

 

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Now, snow. Oh, snow.

Firstly, if the conditions are so bad that the roads aren’t drivable, or even if they are, but they’re slick — re-schedule. A photoshoot is never above someone’s safety. But, if the roads are fine — go play in it!

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Use it to your advantage. Snow is so white and fun — nature’s perfect backdrop.

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Although, use your head. I did recently re-schedule a maternity shoot due to the snow. It wasn’t because of the roads, it was because I didn’t want mama and baby to have to brave the very, very cold weather. So, like I said, just use your head!

To recap: 

  • All weather is workable
  • Bring umbrellas. Rain shots can be really fun!
  • If the sky is gray, shoot up-close, or shots that don’t involve seeing the sky.
  • Use the wind to your advantage. Have the person face into the wind.
  • Snow is awesome, it’s nature’s natural backdrop.
  • Re-schedule if the roads are too slick or covered.
  • Re-schedule if it’s too cold for children or pregnant mothers.

More of our “How To” series:

A Spring Photoshoot With Lily & Luna

Ok, so I know it’s technically  not spring yet, but it sure does feel like it! And I feel like since we’re in March, we are close enough! As a photographer, it’s hard for me to find time to capture shots of my own family — but I make sure to do it at least once in the spring and once in the fall with my own two children: Lily & Luna.

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If I waited until I was all caught up with client photos, I would never have time to do it — so it’s really important for me to set aside a day or two so that I can capture my vivacious, sassy 6-year-old and playful, giggly 2-year-old while they’re still small.

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The clothes? Zulily. I am totally obsessed with that site.

I am lucky enough to live in a wooded area, so I just had to walk out my front door to snag these awesome shots of my two goofy girls.

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And being photographer’s kiddos — these girls know how to pose. Luna turns 2 at the end of the month, and already any time she sees a camera, she goes: “CHEEEESE!”

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Lily is the exact same way, although she has gone beyond the mastery of “CHEESE!” and can come up with poses all on her own!

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Love my babies!

I have a Capital One card with an old photo I did of Lily when she was Luna’s age — and now when people see it, they think it’s Luna on the card! Guess I should update it with one of these, eh?

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