Day 3's Blog Challenge Topic. Teach your readers something. Sounded easy enough and then my mind went completely haywire. It is truly painful for someone who suffers from ADD to have to narrow down a million thoughts racing through their head. Then comes the time. WHERE DOES ALL TIME GO? And who starts a challenge like this in the middle of the busiest season for a portrait photographer? I decided this evening at soccer practice I wanted to give you guys something super easy, but crazy awesome. My favorite thing in the world, well after family and caffeine ;), is catch lights. I am obsessed with them. Sadly shooting conditions do not always allow for them, but when possible they can make the difference between a good photo and freakin' fabulous one! Don't ask me why I choose to sit in the van with a 2yr old and an 8yr old to watch my other son's practice for over an hour instead of driving the 2 miles back home, but I did. Eventually my daughter wanted to get out (real shocker) and it was freezing, windy and gloomy. I figured what the heck, I might as well grab two shots for this post. I grabbed the camera and took 2 shots. Yep that's all she would do. Lucky for me her brothers recently showed her how to "cheese smile", ugh I was so not amused. I took one shot of her facing west and one shot of her facing east. Extra points for why I chose those 2 directions. I did change my position. I just turned around. There you have it! Have you spotted the difference? I did nothing different between the 2 photos. I hope that you can clearly see the first one has a little more sparkle in the eyes. In my Snap Camp Workshops I teach you that you do not need to edit the eyes if you shoot them properly. Eyes in their own right are just gorgeous. I preach WHERE IS THE LIGHT! Who of you that have been to a workshop just heard my voice in your head? My older son was standing there telling me a story. You know how kids follow you even when you don't really move when they are telling you a story? Then you step on them! I figured I would use that opportunity to photograph him for this little experiment. Again, same camera settings, lighting conditions etc. I stood in the exact same place I just rotated around and my son followed me, as you know you must give them your full eye contact when they are telling you a very important story :) Again you can see the results of a simple change in direction. This one is more noticeable because I was shooting straight at him as he is a little closer to my height than my daughter. **Note edits to these photos were, re sized for web and contrast increase (I like a little depth) ** Well I hope you enjoyed this post. I can't wait to do others for you. I hope you LOOK FOR THE LIGHT. Fancy camera not required. Maybe next time I will show you with my phone. If you want to be the first to get all the latest tips and news at MCP don't forget to subscribe. If there is something you would like me to do a little tutorial on leave it in the comments below please and I will add it to my list. As always thank you for taking the time to comment and read my blog. Blessings ~ Monique First let me say I am so sorry if you received a blank email from me on Thursday. I know that was annoying. That email was suppose to contain Day 2's blog post. Technology was not on my side that day. Then if that was not enough Thursday's, Day 3's, topic was announced, "teach something". What? My favorite, I love to teach. What I do not love is being told at noon the challenge for the day is to create a blog post containing a tutorial. I mean really I spent most of my day Thursday just trying to fix the email glitch and get editing under control. I held out that I would somehow get it accomplished but at 1am I said good night without having completing Day 3's blog post. My plan was do to do Day 3 and 4 Friday. Did I mention there was no school Friday. I digress. I am a little behind but I am still going to complete. I had planned on skipping the weekend anyway seeing as I had a few sessions to rock. One thing I have really embraced this year is that not completing something in the time frame you or someone else has planned for you does not mean you failed. It does not mean you give up. It means you just keep giving it your all and it will come together. I consider not completing Day 3 and 4 on the scheduled day a win. I chose to take my kids to the pumpkin patch, instead of blog after fixing the email glitch. This is something for the last 2 years I have had to skip due poor planning and my inability to say no. If you didn't get a chance to read Day 2 ,please do. I think you will get a kick out of it. Please check back on Tues for Day 3. Is going to pick pumpkins or apples a family tradition for your family?
Leave a comment where the best pumpkin patch/orchard is? We hard a hard time deciding where to go this year. P.S. I did try to photograph my boys but the maze through the hay bales was just too fun for them and they were too cool for pictures shown by their hiding in the tunnels when I came around :) Day 2 of the Blogging Challenge. The story behind what I do? A story you say or a novel? Well once upon a time...NO, JUST KIDDING! Let's be real, this life I am living is no fairy tale. It's a great tale, but it is very REAL. I spent many years in the cosmetology industry. First behind the chair, into management and then teaching. I love teaching. I love seeing the sparkle in someones eye when that something finally clicks. I also love learning and I feel like I learn so much from teaching others. After I had my second son it became clear to me that I wanted very much to follow my 2nd dream. That dream to be a stay at home mom. Like many dreams they are just that, dreams and fantasies. These unrealistic things in our heads. I enjoyed the first year still working 1 day a week and then finally none. After having worked with the public for so many years it was difficult to lose all adult contact. I very much enjoyed being home with my children but needed a little creative outlet away from play-doh and mud pies. I began pouring my energy into developing my 3rd dream, to become a professional photographer. I spent hours and hours reading and practicing and then spent some more hours reading and practicing. After I had pushed my point and shoot camera to the limit one Christmas my husband and I agreed my present that year would be a new DSLR camera. From there I knew I could help provide for my family by challenging myself to make my love for photography into a successful business. That last part is still an ongoing thing. My passion for photography has always been there, but it truly surfaced when I had my children. I just don't think I can photograph them enough. These moments in our lives pass so quickly and I am afraid one day I won't remember them. With the advancement of cell phones over the last few years I find myself wishing I would have had that technology even with my first son. Silly me always forgot the camera on the counter! I rarely forget my phone :) Did I mention how much I love my smartphone? Like, LOVE IT! My true passion and inspiration in life is being a mom. I have a love hate relationship with my children growing. I think my camera helps me through that. My children have taught me so much about myself and about how I want to go through life. I want to use my camera to capture those moments for other families and use my skills to teach others how to do the same. Fifty years from now I want families to be able to pull out a photo album (that means you must PRINT your photos people, but that's another blog post) and gather around and remember all the stories. When my husband's grandma passed she left behind the most insane amount of photos I have ever seen. Some were ones she had gathered from passed family members and some were taken by her. It was amazing to look through the old photos and try to imagine what the story was. I am just not sure if a person can ever have too many photos. I feel like as a family we have only cracked the cover of our book, but I am so curious to see where our story takes us! Can you imagine the story here? Who wants to make a bet someone was yelling OK EVERYONE LOOK AT THE CAMERA (into the direct sun mind you) AND SAY CHEESE! Well there it is. Day 2. I hope this post gave you a little insight into what I am passionate about. Above all I hope it encouraged you to get out whatever camera you have, take pictures of your life, and PRINT them!!! Did I say it loud enough? I will try again, PRINT THEM! Do you print your photos or do they sit on an electronic device? I want to know. Leave me a comment below.
Blessings ~ Monqiue If this is your first time visiting my blog or your 100th time I just want to say WELCOME and thank you, thank you, thank you! My name is Monique Curry. Yep it's true. It is not just the name of this fabulous blog site. Yes, you can read some of this on my About Me page but as part of a challenge in a recent course I have enrolled in, I agreed to blog the course selected topic for 7 days straight. Starting today! Don't worry after this week it will go back to normal :) So here goes... Who are you? I am a professional photographer living in Kiel, Wisconsin with my 3 crazy children and my husband. I live to capture the everyday life of my family and strive to bring joy to others through my work. I absolutely love the daily craziness of my family. In my fantasy life I wish I could just blink and take a picture. There are so many times I don't have a camera of any kind and want to be able to remember the moment. I love all things creative and crafty. Given the opportunity I will always choose something refurbished and fancied up just the way I like vs something new. My guilty pleasures in life right now are cruising Pinterest and enjoying a quiet hour after the kids go to bed to brush up on something business related, because let's be real when else am I going to do it! I love a good 100 degree day at the beach and enjoying a little cocktail in my backyard at sunset in the summer. Why did you start blogging? Simple. I wanted to showcase my work and connect with people. As someone who works at home I find it gets a little lonely not being able to connect with other adults. I like that my blog gives me the opportunity to do that. Now if I could find a way to do it more often. Who is your blog for? My blog is for anyone who loves the idea of the American dream. It is for people who are inspired by images of family. Or heck maybe cause you need a new recipe! What’s something you've been working on lately that you’re REALLY proud of? I have been working tirelessly on growing my business and my brand. I am really proud of the fact that each year I am blessed to be able to photograph some of the same families while adding new ones to the group. I am so thankful clients see the value in the memories I capture for them, especially in a world where smartphone photos dominate our photo collections. When a client chooses me year after year for their professional photography needs I am truly humbled. What’s the ONE MESSAGE that you hope people take away from your blog? Only one message? That's a hard one. I guess I would have to say that I hope my blog makes people feel connected. I hope that through my images you are inspired to capture your own family whether that be through professional services or a smartphone. "There is a saying the best camera is the one you have with you." Oh do I live and breathe that statement. Through blogging I hope to reveal my personality and my work to you! You will get to see what we at the Curry house are up to! I want to feel like we are friends. I want to know all about what you guys are up to and look forward to reading your comments. Thank you so much for visiting! What is one thing you would love to see on this blog? Leave a comment below. Blessings ~ Monique IT'S BACK!!!!! Well it has been awhile since I have done a What to Wear Wednesday post, but I thought with Christmas Studio Sessions coming up it would be fun to highlight some color palettes that I love for Christmas. Today when I was looking back at some photos of my kids from the last couple of years there was a common theme, black, red, green and grey. There were some random ones in there of yellow and chambray (love me some chambray). We had a year of coral,blues and brown but my favorites were always the classics. Are you one of those people like me that loves all the new trends but always seem to choose something classic? Here are a few more inspiration boards to help you along. I feel like it was easier to coordinate when it was just the 2 boys and the fact that they were boys. I would love to know what your favorite holiday colors are. Leave me a comment below and tell me what you will be dazzling about in this holiday season.
Did you book your Christmas Studio Session? What are you waiting for? Talk about it! In the days leading up to your session, talk with your children about how exciting it will be. Emphasize how much fun you’ll have together and what a special time it will be. Dress comfortably. Your family should feel AWESOME and that means your clothing should be comfortable. Make sure items fit well and don't restrict a child's movements. Dress according to the weather. I know you dreamed of Jane wearing the sleeveless twirly number but the weather dropped 30 degrees and it is crazy windy so Jane might be more comfortable in jeans and a fun sweater. If you want some inspiration check out my Pinterest page What to Wear! Nap time. I know I like to stick to a napping schedule also, but for the littlest ones in the family that take a morning and/or afternoon nap it’s a good idea to plan the nap time in favor of your session start time. and for Pete's sake don't skip nap time altogether. After all it is only one day and nobody likes a cranky toddler. Full bellies. Make sure everyone has eaten at least 30 minutes before your session. Be sure to pack a non messy snack and plenty of water. Have fun! If your your kids are acting wild and crazy that’s fine. Don’t worry about the end result. Have fun and giggle with your family. Your photographs will turn out awesome reflecting your family's energy and love for one another. How do you prepare your family for a photo session? I would love to hear your tips. Leave a comment below.
If you have not booked your session, what are you waiting for? Contact me today! Outdoor and Christmas Studio Session still available for 2014! October 25th and 26th November 8th and 9th When you contact me please include 2 preferred dates and times. Session are going to run between 9am and 1130am and 1pm -230pm Package options available to you after your session... Package 1 $50.00 10-20 proofs for you to choose your image from 1 digital file with print release option to purchase additional products/digital files Package 2 $85.00 10-20 proofs for you to choose your images from 5 digital images w/print release option to purchase additional products/digital files Package 3 $125.00 10-20 proofs for you to choose your images from 10 digital images w/print release 20 Lay flat 5x7 Photo Lustre finish Holiday Cards (2 Custom Designs to chose from) option to purchase additional products/digital files $35.00 deposit is required to hold your session date and time. $35.00 will be deducted from your final purchase. Package options will be chosen after proofs have been sent.
LET'S DO IT! PAY YOUR DEPOSIT HERE Please share this post with someone you know who needs a little Christmas Magic!
I always reward my clients who send me referrals! Like anyone one year old we were dealing with a little diva here and she was letting me know it. Even so we captured so much cuteness from this session. I wish my little girl was still 1. Oh how I love to photograph that milestone! Is your little one turning the BIG ONE?
Email me to caputre this once in a lifetime milestone! The youngest of 4 gorgeous little beauties and little Miss D can certainly hold her own. She is just under a year and loves to climb and move super fast. She also let us know that she was a little Diva not to be reckoned with. This is the 2nd time I have photographed her and I amazed how she lights up for the camera! Don't you just want to squeeze those little cheeks? Thanks for stopping by!
Email me if you would like a session in my new studio! The first ever studio Casting Call was a huge sucess! I had an overwhelming response which makes me so happy not to mention for it being all children under 2 they did AWESOME! Here is one of the little guys. Mr A was as quiet as a mouse. It took a little while for him to warm up and even once he did he was all kinds of serious with me. I actually love a serious face, it brings out the eyes and what gorgeous eyes this little one has! Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Still time to book your fall session. Email me today!
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