IMPROVISE!

I went to see my sister in Tennessee recently and my new baby niece! I knew that there was no way I could possibly visit and not photograph my sweet niece. This posed a small dilemma because normally I drive, but this time we flew. I was only able to bring a few head pieces and one tutu with me. Yes, that is right, no newborn posing bean bag, no blankets, no backdrop stand and no lights. I do not typically use artificial light when photographing newborns anyway, so that wasn't that much of a problem. I have to laugh at how cute these photos turned out because of what I used. Sometimes photographers have to dig really deep to find a way to make photos look good and not cheesy. I ended up photographing sweet Alli on my sisters brown leather ottoman. I put the ottoman about a foot away from her side window in the living room. Next, we grabbed several fluffy blankets and draped them over the ottoman. This was working quite nicely until I discovered you were able to see part of their hutch and window seal in the back ground. A light bulb went off! I used the back of my two year old nieces "Princess" tent (which was pink) and it ended up looking like a pink backdrop. I also took away the blankets on the ottoman and shot straight down over Alli so all you were able to see was the brown leather. What is the moral of this story? Well, you can spend $100's on fancy props & equipment, but if you are creative enough, you don't always need it. For those of you using the excuse that photo equipment is expensive, well, you're right, it is. Try to think out of the box if you cannot afford these things. You may be surprised by your results. Just take your time!

xo- Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer

KIRA

Making the right choice! Wedding Vendors!

As many of you know, I just got married. I'm posting this to give some advice to brides as they make the very import decision on choosing their wedding vendors. First I must give a big shout out to my amazing wedding vendors! Matt Brodie - Photographer, Cara Christensen - Makeup/Hair, Lee Edwards Entertainment - DJ Services, Costco - Flowers & Cupcakes (cupcakes not available in all Costco's), CVI Photography - Photo Booth Rental & Wild Dunes Resort - Venue. When choosing your wedding vendors, choose quality over quantity. Do not choose a vendor based on price alone. You may end up very unhappy. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Let me say this again- COMMUNICATE! Vendors cannot read your mind. Plan out what you envision your day looking like or how you would like it to flow. With photographers, be specific & let them know the shots that are important to you. If your great aunt flew in from 3,000 miles away and you want her in several of your portraits, vocalize that to your photographer. Make a list of shots you would like. Meet with your vendors if you can. The computer can do a lot for photos. You need to physically see the photos and if possible ask to see enlargements. This is extremely important. You also need to meet with your photographer to see what kind of personality they have. I've been to several wedding where the photographer was just "doing their job." Meaning, they are just there to take the shots and go home. Photographers need to interact well with you and your guests or you'll end with fake smiles. I remember during my reception I looked up and in the middle of the dance floor stood my photographer with his camera in the air and a huge smile on his face! That told me he was enjoying his job and that made me feel more confident about the ending results. I love my photos! If you are in the Columbia, SC area, look him up!

My makeup artist, Cara, was amazing. She didn't miss a beat. We had a consultation a few weeks before the wedding. She did a trial run on my hair and makeup. This is important so that you are completely aware of the look you will receive on your wedding day. I just recently photographed a wedding where the bride was very unhappy with her hair. She looked at my camera during her wedding and told me she was so unhappy with her hair that she didn't feel like herself. That is something you never want to feel on your wedding day. Cara, who is also a friend, followed us around during our wedding photos and did touch ups the entire time. She did an amazing job at making sure we were always camera ready. Please look her up! www.carachristensen.com

My DJ service was amazing. Another vendor that was smiling the entire time! The entire wedding reception was up and moving to the beat! This kept the bride very happy :) In addition to the DJ service, we hired someone to run & supply a photo booth. This is a growing trend among wedding's & was a huge hit. This is something Kira's Photography may invest in the future, but for now I would suggest looking through google to find a photo booth rental program in your area.

I could go on forever about how wonderful all of my vendors were, but I'll break down a list here of things you should look for.

1) Make sure they have a significant amount of experience & preferably references.

2) Meet with your vendors in person & keep the communication going.

3) Ask for photo samples (photography & makeup)

4) SIGN A CONTRACT!!!! Please oh please, sign a contract! Don't end up in small claims court later!

5) Have Fun!!

I hope this was helpful!

xo- Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer

Very Overdue Blog!!!

Wow! I'm so overdue for a blog post it's insane! I'm less than one week away from my wedding day, so I've been a bit preoccupied to say the least!!! So what have I been up to? Well...a few child portrait sessions, attending an amazing photography group, shot a wedding & shot an engagement session for one of my dear friends!!! I promise though, I'm done until the end of September. I still have this feeling my own camera will come out on my wedding day. Just a small feeling it's pretty little head may appear. Shhh...don't tell my fiance`. Ok, so let's get back to one of my very special clients. He only stands a couple feet tall. He has the cutest smile that will melt any one's heart. He belongs to this amazing woman I've become dear friends with (the part of my job I really love). His name is Cathan. I've been photographing him since the womb! His mommy (Kristina) had been previously married and had trouble trying to become pregnant. Long after divorcing her ex, Kristina became very sick. The doctors told her it was most likely her birth control. She quit the birth control and still continued to date, but with the acceptance that she would never become pregnant. She later became sick again. The doctors discussed tubal ligation with her and told her she would never be able to conceive. She took some time to think about this procedure and what that might mean for her, but during that time, she discovered things didn't quit feel right with her. Low and behold, Kristina was pregnant! On July 22, Cathan Reed Earnhardt was born!!! I've had the pleasure of photographing this little miracle every step of the way! His smile speaks volumes for the love he receives from Kristina and everyone around the two of them! Enjoy these photographs from his 1 year old session!

xo-Kira

June=Gone

Wow! I just made it to do a "June Post!" Cannot believe it's almost July! Last week was full of sessions! In those sessions, I had a 7 month old twin session and a mommy-to-be with twins! I was so excited to hear that this mommy-to-be wanted a maternity session. It's been a while since I've done any maternity sessions, so I was full of excitement! You may remember this beautiful lady from last year. My fiance and I was were invited to St. Martin with the couple to photograph their wedding and now, a little over a year later, we are excited to see the two of them become parents! Of twins, no less! That's one of the great things about being a photographer, you get the follow along with someone's life journey and capture beautiful bits of their lives! You end of making dear friends during that journey. This mommy is seriously amazing. She has managed to keep up with her workouts, which I find totally inspiring! I hope to have the same motivation when my day comes! Enjoy these snaps and I look forward to meeting the tiny duo!

xo-Kira

"Your friendly neighborhood photographer" (yes, I totally stole that from Spiderman whom was a photographer)

Networking

About a month ago, my photographer friend, Christy, invited me to a Wedding Photography Workshop. The workshop was through a photography group here in the Triad. I am so happy to have been introduced to this group. I had been searching my heart through and through for a way to learn and network with other photographers. To my surprise, there are several photography groups in the area. Apparently I wasn't putting the right words into Google. In an effort to improve my skills and add to my portfolio, I attended my first group workshop on May 1. The group held it's meeting at a site in Highpoint called "The Loft @ Union Square." The site was amazing. There were huge windows around the entire loft area and several equally amazing spare rooms to work with. I didn't know what to expect so I toted my Nikon D300 and SB-600 Flash along. Other photographers had their entire lighting set up. Christy and I were in attendance within the range of 150+ photographers and models. It was basically a free for all. You could walk up to any model and just start shooting away. Although I have shot dozens of weddings before (as a second shooter), I've shot about 8 weddings on my own. It was nice to get some fresh faces in front of my lens. Being a wedding photographer is no piece of pie. If you are in the market for a wedding photographer, make sure you have someone that has the experience and people skills that mesh with your taste. There all several "good" photographers out there, but in my experience, there are also several bad ones. Your photographer needs to be personable and realize there are a lot of emotions running wild on your wedding day. I, myself am a bride-to-be and chose very carefully who will spend the day by my side, capturing the moments that I don't ever want to forget. My advice to other brides choosing a photographer, choose quality over quantity. There are so many photographers that seem willing to work you on a price to meet your budget needs. Always ask before you dismiss someone due to pricing. I hope you enjoy these shots from "The Wedding Workshop."

xo- Your friendly neighborhood photographer

Spring has Sprung...and almost resembles Summer!

Wow, I was swamped right before Easter. My first stop was a photo shoot at Reynolda Gardens. Now, Reynolda will not allow you to photograph without permission. Some times you can get by with it if you shoot after hours. I've found there are very few places that let you openly shoot without prior notice. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and I have the pleasure of photographing baby Cathan and the three lovely ladies in his life. His mom also asked me to do a generational shoot for a mother's day gift. I will say, 3pm is not the best time to shoot, unless you have a lot of shade available. We managed to make do and were able to capture a few shots.

Next, I went on to a very busy Wednesday. I had a group session in the early morning at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons. I just adore that park. There are so many amazing little spots to shoot and create completely different looks. We stuck with the garden area and created some amazing shots of little Robert and Natalie. Boy, those two kept me on my toes. After much bribing with various chocolate eggs, they really got into the shoot and had a blast.

My last shoot was with baby Kadence. She was as cute as a button and so natural in front of the camera. We had our shoot at Grace Court in Winston. She had a blast and so did I! Her dimples are so cute, I could just squeeze her to pieces!!!

Well, that takes care of Easter. Up next, we are going to The Loft in High Point. A local photography group has reserved the space for the entire afternoon to photograph wedding style! I can't wait!

xo-Kira

Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer

A little bit of confidence and a little bit of humble...

Wow, I really need to pay more attention to my blogging! Sorry folks, I've been a busy bee! Along with working a full-time job, I am running my own photography business, attending school, buying a house and oh yeah, PLANNING MY OWN WEDDING! There's a reason I've been M.I.A. But, here I am! Let's get caught up! About a year ago, I had all but given up on photography. One night, I was up until the wee morning hours scouring the Internet for photographers. After a night filled with tears, I had deemed myself "horrible at photography." I confessed this to my now fiance` and one of my best girlfriends. My best friend had come up with a plan. I would try to shoot at least two photography sessions each month, even if they were unpaid. I got back on the saddle and offered photo shoots to anyone and everyone! To my surprise, I had actually improved. Imagine that?! But here is the real kicker, after I discovered (and was momentarily hurt) my own sister had started a photography side project. I felt I had been "one upped." I was angry and hurt, but also discovered that I excel when faced with competition. I bet your wondering when the humble part is going to kick in? Well, in the very recent months, I've come to a conclusion. There are MILLIONS of photographers out there and you will never be the best (unless your name is Annie Leibovitz) and when you think you've come up with a new photographic idea, someone somewhere has probably already done it. I now have a different outlook on photography and competition. I've even "liked" a few photographers whom I've never met! So I do hope someone is looking at my work and wanting to be as awesome as me or better (goodness knows I do it)! I'm very confident with my work and I am open to improvement. They say behind every good man is a good woman, whelp, behind this woman is an awesome friend (whom didn't let me give up) and a man that knew I had something special (and answered the phone at 1 am to listen to me cry). You two know who you are! I've spent the last few months on boudoir photo's, office staff photo's, Easter photo's and photo's for absolutely no reason! (Thank you Anna!) Here are a few shots from the past few months! I adore these shots and the friends I've made! xo-Kira

Boudoir Photography

I've fallen in love with doing Boudoir shoots! They are so fun! I wanted to post a few shots and some tips for anyone planning to be photographed. First off, I don't expect you to be a size 0 and flawless. It doesn't exist, except in Hollywood! Keep in my mind, I have flaws just like you do. Actually, as I've gotten older I've learned to appreciate being curvy. I've accepted that my legs will always be bigger than most, but they are strong. They keep me standing and able to run. If you are very self-conscious, this isn't the shoot for you. Keep in mind, I do use photoshop to lightly airbrush most issues or anything that may bother you (scars, birth marks, cellulite). Your photo's are always kept private, unless you give me permission to post them. I will never post your photo's without permission!

Secondly, I don't expect you to own hundreds of lingerie pieces from Victoria's Secret. A few stores I've found great and inexpensive pieces are; Forever 21, Target and Charlotte Russ. These are all great options for sexy gear that won't cost much!

Most shoots start off a little awkward (it's not every day you bare all for a stranger). I have a few girls available to do your makeup and make your best features stand out. The shoot takes about a 90 minutes and I try my best to get you laughing or talking to get your mind away from being nervous!

I would also suggest wearing things that make you feel comfortable! If you are a t-shirt and panties kind of girl, like myself, wear it! If you like sexy heels, wear those too. I just want to feel sexy and have fun!!!

Turning on your favorite music and having a glass of wine will help too! I hope I've answered all of your questions! Enjoy!

Twins are in the air...or water?

Recently my fiancé and I discovered two of our very good friends are expecting twins! We are so excited for them and even more excited that it is them and not us! LOL! Seriously though, I've photographed two sets of fraternal twins in the last few months too! I have no problem offering people what I call a "Service Exchange." Both of these photo shoots were done that way. The first was done in exchange for badly needing tires. My friend purchased me tires and in return I provided a portrait session. The second set of twins were from my amazing hair dresser! You can only assume what she will be providing me with! As I don't do this type of thing for everyone, it doesn't hurt to ask me.

I've discovered twins are VERY hard to photograph. It usually takes about 1 hour to photograph a baby. Both photo shoots took almost 2 hours (which I guess makes sense)! When one twin looked good, the other was moving, crying or running away. I am a die hard and won't stop until I am satisfied with my work. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! I look forward to photographing more twins!

xo-Kira