Have I mentioned that I want to have another baby?

I'm sure it has nothing to do with this recent session...
This is one of my favorites. I love that you can just see her lips and that her head is tilted slightly (and yes I did that on purpose...I actually know what I'm doing sometimes).

I was going for an artsy, grainy look on this one. She was back lit by the window. I just wish I would've had her with white material on bottom instead of the jeans so it would be seamlessly white.

We'll try that one on your next pregnancy, okay Betsy?

I love the simple cleanness of this one. Does that white spot above her hand bother you? I'm not sure if bothers me or not. Did you notice it before I mentioned it? Hmmm. May have to fix that.

I like that these next two aren't a typical pregnancy pose. The tilt and the sassy lean make this one for me.

And I love the curve of her body on this one and the red box just makes it pop.

I'm hoping to finish this session up tonight and then I'll be posting some sneak peaks from the senior session I did the same evening.

No worries to those of you who know me. Though I loved, loved, loved being pregnant and bearing children, I will NOT be procreating anytime soon.

I hope.

B

Happiness and Light

I finished up the Hale family's session. Despite the chaotic moments we got some definite keepers.

This sweet little guy was super cooperative for us (especially since he's only 2 months old). He was so alert!
And the next time I'm feeling down I'm making this picture my wallpaper.
You can NOT have a negative feeling while looking at this. It's just not physically possible.

I'm sure it's one of Einstein's theories.

Happiness and Light=cute baby faces²
B

(click the last picture to see the rest of the proofs from this session)

Little Munchkins...

I had another challenging shoot tonight.

Any session with children is a challenge, but toss in 20 month old twins and a 2 month old baby and you've got yourself a big pot of chaos.

Here's a few sneak peaks of said chaos....I'm good at disguising it...
Sweetness. The freckles are killing me. KILLING ME!!

This is actually a yawn, not a scream and I just love her cute little grin in this one.

Can you believe that I got this shot of them ALL looking at the camera without any photoshop!?

If you do, I've got some ocean front property to sell you.

We didn't get any smiles in this one (in fact, I'm not sure we got ANY smiles at all) but I still dig it.

More from this session to come...

B

Something funny.

Click here.

This is shameless promotion for a friend so they can win a vacation. But it's cute (Melody and Lindsey's acting debut) and funny (because it has red head Rob aka PDR (poor dumb Rob) in it).

It's only two minutes long.

Watch it.

Rate it.

Or end up like the guy in the last post.

Capish?
B

One last one of Wacey...

This one got lost in the shuffle of my picture files...and the recess of my mind...
This is what happens when you don't listen to your photographer.

Wacey was actually trying to run away from me and my camera when he ended up like Wile E. Coyote.

We had to use a spatula.
B

Wacey's Wrap Up...

I have to say that this shoot was one of my more difficult ones. This is no offense to Wacey because it wasn't difficult because of him. He was a wonderful, willing subject who made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants. Seriously.

But he's a boy.

A mostly grown boy.

It's been a while since I've had a session with a boy. They are MUCH harder to pose than a girl. A girl can usually pull of a masculine pose but a boy can NOT pull off a feminine pose. Trust me. Wacey and I tried it. It did not work.

For instance...I could pose a girl a hundred different ways on this beautiful lawn.
But a boy? I could not successfully pose him sitting in the grass without him looking ridiculous. So I made him stand.

It's really amazing to see the differences in male versus female play out in something as simple as a photography session. I mean, how much more masculine can you get than concrete steps? But we still struggled with getting him in a sitting position that wasn't too forced or too feminine.

I think we pulled it off.

Then, to up the masculine factor, I threw him in an abandoned semi trailer.

While he was wearing a pink shirt.

B

(Click the last picture to see his slideshow...sorry if you hate the song Wacey...and click here to see all of his proofs).

Wacey...squared.

The wrap up will be tomorrow.

I'm feeling much like the picture in the bottom right corner. Come to think of it I'm feeling a little like the one in the top right corner as well.

(wrinkling nose)
B

Hello.

I'd like you to meet Wacey.
He's a senior. His mother wanted senior pictures of him. She knew it would be a challenge.

Since I had the honor of doing their family session several months ago his mom knew I was a photographer that could whip him into shape.

And I did.
Things regressed when I didn't have any music he liked. He started complaining and I got this...

I said, "You straighten up, mister or I'm gonna make you STAY in that little, bitty, kid-sized seat for the whole session!" and he did this...

So I stomped my foot and said, "You better turn around here and look perty for the camera right this instance, young man!" And he did this...

And this...

No one takes me seriously. I can't understand it.

Well you may think he won the battle, but I'll show you who won the war.

To be continued...

B

This is only a test...beeeeeeeeeep.....

Jennifer Pierc...

By

Book Preview

Just trying this out. In theory, if you click the above link it will take you to my newly created book for a recent client.

Testing, 1, 2, Testing...Is this thing on?

B

Huffman Family Wrap Up...

I've got a lot to say and not a lot of time to say it, so let's rock this blog post...

I've finished with the Huffman family's session as the title suggests and here are some of the shots that I felt the need to share... This one is my FAVORITE!! But much like some shots from the last baby session that I adored I'm sure most of you won't get it. Whatever "it" is. I just love the little cracker trail and her little behind wiggling away with her foot thrown daintily into the air. Sweetness!

One of the fam. Too cute!

If you've seen my window display downtown you've seen the above shot. It has to be one of my all-time favorites (thus its hanging in my display window). Well, that little baby...

is now THIS little baby. So now you can all put a face with the man holding the baby. He can be more than a man with half a face to you.

I mentioned to him that when people commented on how much they loved that shot they always expressed an interest in who's arms they were and that they wished they had a nice pair of arms like that to hold their baby for a picture.

He said he would rent them out for pictures of sleeping babies...for a small fee. (wink, wink)

This is an outtake from the session. Mom was wiping a runny nose, Miss M was complaining about the length of the photo session, and dad was trying to entertain her with some squirt gun action.

And judging from this shot...she got it. Squirt, squirt!

The rest of the session will be here under "Huffman Family" and you can click the last picture to see the slideshow.

I found an awesome singer that I used for this slideshow. Her name is Elizabeth Mitchell and you can find more about her here.

She sings super cute kids songs. If you go to the site go to the "Flower" tab and click "listen". Then listen to "1 Day, 2 Days, 3 Days Old". It's great.

Again...if I had kids young enough I would totally be buying her cd's. Actually...I've already bought 2 of her songs for myself...including the one in the above slideshow.

I am a little on the immature side though.

B

Little Miss M...yet another sneak peak...

This sneak peak has a lot of "peaks" but it's as an apology to this cute little family that's waited a WHOLE week to see them.

I'm usually finished with a whole session within a week, but...well, it's been a bad week for me. You don't want to know the gory details. Suffice it to say that I'm trying to maintain balance in my chaotic life and I lost my balancing pole.

Enough of that. On to this awesomely cute fam...
Cute!

I love this interaction. Genuine smiles and no one looking at me. Too sweet!

And again. Look at those smiles. I think mom and dad like this little Miss. Just a little.

Just look at this little scholar! I'm so glad they brought this book. Not just because it made a swell addition to this picture but because it's an AWESOME book! If you don't know about it, just click the above picture. The link is to Amazon's website and there's a video from the author/creator. It would be a great gift for anyone with small children. I want this book and I don't even have kids young enough for it anymore.

This shot cracks me up. Just look at how intently she's looking at her book. I'm tellin' ya! It's a cool book!

Mom wanted pictures of her standing/walking so we used my new (old) chair for her to balance with. I think it's super cute...the baby...not the chair. Though the chair does have some of it's own redeeming qualities. It's got nothin' on this Little Miss.

And now it's time for a snack. Mmmmm. Just look at those lips! Sweet.

I'll hopefully have this session wrapped up by tomorrow...provided I can stay on the tightrope till then.

B

Sweet Vindication!!!

I can't believe it.

I'm not sure how to express my happiness at this discovery.

I want to put on a tiara and dance around the living room to Right Said Fred's song "I'm Too Sexy".

Why?

If you read this post (click here) you would know that my husband says he has NEVER thought I was sexy. This has led to conversations too deep and lengthy to go into but suffice it to say that I've been pained by this revelation. Stabbed to the heart.

I want to be sexy...or at least want my HUSBAND to think I'm sexy.

It's my lucky day (except I don't believe in luck)...it's just my happy day!

While reading through some old yearbooks I came upon an autograph from the aforementioned husband. I don't remember him ever signing my book, but it's here...in black and white.

He wrote....and I quote,

"Brandi,
is a girl I love. She's a sexy girl that doesn't like any other boys but me! xxxxxxxxxxxo
and always love,
Matt"

Aha! He DID think I was sexy!

As much as this is a vindicating moment for me it's also a sobering moment. If you'll notice in that previous post I commented on how it was worrisome that I described my boyfriend as "sexy" and I was only sixteen. Well, the lovely little autograph above was written when Matt and I were only 13.

Thirteen!!!!

Mercede is eleven.

I can't think about this now...I'll think about it tomorrow.

Right now I'm going to go think about how I'm going to gloat about this interesting find when Matt gets home.

We'll see who's sexy now.
B

I can explain my absence...

but I won't.

We'll just act like it never happened. I'm back now and that's all that matters.

Not only am I back, but I've got pictures. Consider them a peace offering. Like when your husband brings you flowers because he's come to the realization that he has successfully hacked you off due to his insensitivity, lack of attentiveness, utter disregard for freshly mopped floors, (fill in the blank)____________, etc.

My husband would be the exception to this rule. He just comes home empty handed and makes me more mad until I slap him. Not really. But I want to sometimes.

To avoid making you want to slap me, these pictures are recompense to you for my lack of conversation this week.

Chelsea's session is complete and these are my top ten...
How can you not like this? The yellow, the genuine smile, the jeans and the curls. It's so happy, and bright and clean! Clean? Yes. Clean. Like laundry that's been hung on the line. Mmmmm.

Another happy smile! I love this black and white. It says "classy lady" to me.

A little tilt and a little smile. I like that I have to turn my head a little to the left when I view this picture. It makes it an interactive viewing.

Oh. Miss Thang has attitude in this one. I dig it.

I'm lovin' the cute little smirk in this one and the green, green grass. It makes me want to go lay in a field on my back, stare at the clouds and absorb the sun.

Chair in a creek. What's not to like? Not to mention the evening sun on her back. Kapowie!

Oh. Oh my. Black and white, movement, happiness, AND a vintage umbrella? It's too much.

Times two...minus the black and white. I love the little arch of water and her cute little kick.

I realize her face is a little blurry in this one but I love that she's laughing and NOT looking at me. Plus, the green grass and the shimmer on the water ain't bad to look at either.

sigh. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways... The glow of the sun on the water, the whole body reflection, the fact that she's holding an umbrella on an obviously sunny day IN A CREEK, the splash of red, her wet jeans, and the fact that you can't see her face. I love it! It speaks to me.

Have you noticed that a lot of things speak to me? (raising eyebrows) I'm not sure what to think about that.

I also love the fact that my client was willing to pose for me like this even though I told her that I didn't want to see her face. Calm down. I said it nicely.

In a few minutes you can click here and go to "Chelsea" to see the rest of the proofs and click the last picture to see the slideshow.

I'm not sure you'll like the song but I think it fits because it's talking about how it's hard to grow up. Plus, it's Ben Folds, whom I adore.

B

Do you flip your pictures?

I've discovered that I have a glitch. I have lots of glitches, but we'll be discussing the "picture flipping glitch" specifically....

When I'm able to hold a picture in my hands (the old fashioned way), I always flip it and look at the back. Always.

I'm not sure what I'm hoping to find there. Maybe I'm hoping to see the name of the person written in their own hand...is their writing sloppy or fancy, girly or manly? Maybe I'm looking for the date so I can get a sense of the time period and think about where I was (or wasn't) when the picture was taken. Maybe I'm looking because I'm hoping there's something interesting, intriguing, or inspiring about that person that I'll only discover if I read what someone wrote on the back of this particular picture.

Maybe I think I'm a detective.

Maybe I'm just nosey.

For whatever reason, I do it. And a picture of myself that I flipped the other day said this:

"I love you!
Brandi N Long
Age: 16
1994
To: My loving, cute, sweet, sexy, thoughtful, sentimental, caring, courageous boyfriend.
(I was dreaming)"

That's exactly what it said...including the "I was dreaming" part. It was to Matt. I am concerned by this but also amused at the same time.

Concerned because I described my boyfriend as "sexy" when I was 16.

Amused because although I obviously thought he was sexy I've recently discovered (from my husband's own mouth) that he's never thought I was sexy. I was "always a tom-boy" he says.

I'm also amused because I have apparently always been a wee bit on the sarcastic side (e.g. "I was dreaming").

See what insight you can gain by picture flipping? It's mind boggling.

Do you do it?
B

More sneak peak-age..

This is one of my favorites from the session so far. Just look at that CUTE smile.
And this is another idea I got to try with my willing participant...

Sorry for the cruddy watermark...but it's a necessary evil.

B

Trying something different...

I've been playing around with this idea for quite some time and finally had the chance to set it up when Miss C came in for a senior shoot.

Don't worry, they aren't ALL this crazy. I'm posting these two because they're all I've gotten to so far. She has plenty of "normal" shots...whatever "normal" actually means.

I wouldn't know.

B