We really didn't know....

...how this one was going to turn out...and I'll tell you why: sweet baby brother was the *only* one of us with enough sense to really insist that it was just WAY - TOO - COLD!!! Bless his heart. The rest of us did our absolute best to convince him otherwise!

Of course...hugs from Mom helped...



...and Big Sister was VERY entertaining....



...and Dad did his part to make everyone laugh....





...so in the end, I think we got some shots that Mom will love. I hope so, as I *really* enjoyed working with this family for the 2nd time this year....even though it was REALLY cold! :)

I have to throw this one in there too...



..because it just makes me smile!

Okay, so....I still have a house to clean, a pot-luck to get ready for and a bunch of pics to edit. And I've been up since 3:30 (nope, that is not a typo, I told y'all I can be a major early bird) so I'd better get to it. It's 6AM and I'm already behind! Happy halloween....ya'll be safe! - PB

It's starting to look a lot like Halloween...

in the neighborhood!

A great excuse to blog...

...this is a fun twist on an old inbox fave that was sent to me today. It's one of the 4-4-4 things...I thought I'd share a little snippit, cause I'm feeling downright sassy!

Name Four types of people really annoy you...

1.) People who don't vote. Seriously - I don't care how you vote - but if I find out you intentionally don't do it, we cannot be friends.
2.) Tailgaters - not the football kind - the people who think it's cool to sit on my bumper in 80 MPH traffic, while in a rainstorm, going through a tunnel, with my sweet angel-baby son in the back seat. Of course, these people are usually on their cell phones with one hand, and dangling a cigarette out the window with another.
3.) People who don't wash their hands in public restrooms after using the facilities. My husband has to occasionally restrain me from approaching such perpetrators and suggesting they go wash up.
4.) Anyone who can't have fun at a Jimmy Buffet concert. Of course, I don't know if these people actually exist, but if they do, I don't like'em.

***In other news***

I have to BRAG on my husband who finished the Marine Corp Marathon this last weekend, and get this y'all....with a cracked TOE!! AND, AND, he did it in his best time yet!!! Now, I must confess, that I've long assumed that when it comes down to basic pain endurance, that I am much tougher than my husband. I mean really...I've endured a few pretty nasty pain spells in my life...had E Coli once, gave birth, etc. But nope....as alas....y'all who may remember this little post last January can attest...I was whining endlessly about my cracked toe. BECAUSE, it HURT!!! So, when the hubster cracks the SAME toe, two nights before his big race...how does he handle it? Runs 26.2 miles, that's how.

He wins the toughness contest...HANDS DOWN.

Okay, better go - got a house to clean, a pot-luck to get ready for, and about a gazillion pictures to edit! Ya'll have a great day! I'll post some more actual pictures soon! - PB

Clever Cropping...

...just a little trick for all you SAHM's out there who *love* photography as much as I do. This is basic post-production 101 stuff, but a really good trick that is often overlooked...

For a dramatic result, you can take a "so so" picture like this....



and turn it into this....



With just a little photoshop work.

The first is the shot SOOC (Straight out of the Camera), with just a basic black/white conversion added. I threw in some contrast, a touch of exposure, and bumped my blacks - basic, basic stuff. Below, you'll see the same picture cropped using the "rule of 3rds" which I LOVE. I wanted the focus to be on her amazing eyes, and it worked out great! Don't be afraid to trim a little off your subjects face (forehead especially) to really bring out facial features.

I did the same with her beautiful sister here...


...this one is SOOC...



...and cropped a little - off center and focusing on "rule of thirds" to create movement...



...and cropped a little more/converted to black and white for a different look....



I shoot with a Canon 5D, paired with this lens, and this lens for most of my work these days. I also take along my old Rebel Xti (which this lens never comes off of), and shot ALL the above pics with it. It's the camera I recommend to all my clients/photo enthusiasts who want to take better pics of their kids on a daily basis - you can get both the body & lens for around $1,000.

Y'all enjoy! PB :)

One More thing...

...we'll be going out of town tomorrow so hubster can participate in the Marine Corp Marathon! I'm so hyped - I *heart* DC, and can't wait to take a mini break!

I'll be returning calls/emails on Tuesday, October 28th. In the meantime, y'all have a great weekend!

I am overdue on this sneak peek...

...so she's going to get a bunch.

I love the laughter in this one...



...and the warmth in this...



...are they not just a BEAUTIFUL young family....photog's dream...



...this guy is usually covered in kisses...



...and this is a little fun shot that I like to call "Job Security" - you'll see a lot of kissing parents in my pics. Kissing leads to babies. Babies lead to more pictures. Get it?



And finally (I told you to expect a lot...) the "awww" award for the day goes to this one. Can't decide if I like it better in black & white or color....

Cute pumpkins...

...were just part of a recent shoot with one of my *favorite* families! When you're 6 months old, putting your foot in your mouth is still SUPER adorable!



Also need to send some *sugar* down south to my friend Jennifer Weintraub who is celebrating a beautiful new baby girl! Congratulations!! :) Hugs from VA!

What a fun session....

last weekend.

We blew bubbles....




...played in the grass...




...and got some nice family pics too...





...all in all, it was a pretty good day!!

Evenings in our house...

...what else can I say?

This little girl...

...is always doing something so cute that I have to stop what I'm doing and get out my camera. Here she's joined by her brothers. Isn't childhood the coolest thing?

To catch you up...

...I'm so sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Turns out I've developed another **nasty** bout of Carpal Tunnel (ouch, ouch, ouch!!) and I'm trying to rest the wrist as often as possible. I'll be taking time off starting in November, through January to really rest it and *hopefully* avoid any permanent damage and/or surgery. So, please contact me if you need a referral for a good local photog in the meantime, but for now, I absolutely cannot accept any more bookings before the holidays. No matter how sweetly you ask:)!

In the meantime, October is going to be busy, so do stay tuned for my *fabulous* families throughout the fall! I've already re-scheduled any previously booked November sessions, and of course y'all know that I don't work during December (family rule!) so I'll be opening up bookings for the spring starting in February. I'm still going to try to post pics regularly, just at a slightly slower pace. In the meantime, y'all enjoy these from one of my *favorite* families taken last weekend....




I love the views around here..



...especially right before a storm!

More soon.