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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

CUSTOM PHOTO VALENTINE TUTORIAL {ST. JOSEPH, MO VALENTINE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER}

Posted in Tutorials, Uncategorized

Want to do something a little creative with your child for Valentine’s Day cards? I have created this quick tutorial to show you how easy it is to make a cute Valentine card of your child to pass out.

What you will need:

Camera, Child, Suckers, Editing Program, Razor blade, Photo Printer or Access to consumer photo lab

STEP ONE: GET THE IMAGE!

Getting the image “just right” can prove to be the trickiest part of this project. You’ll need to try different angles and focal lengths. The first image I thought about using was one with a shallow depth of field (DOF) meaning just my son’s fist was in focus. I liked the image you see on the left, but decided I wanted one where his face was in focus and his fist was slightly out of focus (read blurry). So, we will be using the image on the right. When you take your photo it will take practice and it is up to you to decide if you want your child’s face in focus or just their hand.

: Shallow “DOF”

: Wider DOF, face in focus.

STEP TWO: CREATE YOUR VALENTINE!

The next step after you get the image for your Valentine is to process it in an editing program, and create your Valentine template. You can create this yourself if you are savvy with your program or you can find pre-made templates free or for purchase. I like to use colors that correspond to the image and created our Valentine template around the golden yellow pulled from my son’s shirt.

STEP THREE: PRINT IN WALLET SIZE

The average wallet size is 2.25×3.25. You should check what dimensions your lab uses before creating your template.

STEP FOUR: CUTTING

Step four requires a razor blade to cut small slits above and below your child’s fist on each wallet sized print. Be careful not to cut yourself and protect the surface beneath the print.

STEP FIVE: ADDING THE SUCKERS!

When you begin to put the suckers into cut slits of the image you must be very careful not to rip the print. If you are having trouble sliding the stick of the sucker into the holes try using the razor blade to make them a little wider.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT!

Posted in Tutorials, Uncategorized

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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Thanks to You Sale {St. Joseph, MO Family Photographer}

Posted in Promotions, Uncategorized

Thank you! This sale has ended.

I am so very thankful for each of my clients, and to show my appreciation I am offering deep discounts on portrait sessions and products through Monday, November, 28, 2011. Session gift certificates may be used on any new session. Buy one for a gift or pre-purchase them for yourself!

Portrait Session Sale: 50% off all session gift certificates!

Individual Portrait Session: Includes 60-90 minute session, up to 20 edited proofs and your choice of a 2 digital files OR a print collection including one 11×14, one 8×10, and 16 wallets.

Family Portrait Session: Includes immediate family members in a 60-90 minutes session, and your choice of a 3 digital files OR a print collection including one 11×14, one 8×10, two 5x7s, and 16 wallets.

Newborn Portrait Session: Includes a 3-4 hour session within the first 10 days following birth, and your choice of a 2 digital files and 1 digital announcement OR a print collection including one 11×14, one 8×10, 16 wallets, and 10 birth announcements.

Mini Portrait Session: Includes 30 minute session for 1-2 people with 5-8 edited proofs and your choice of a 1 digital files OR a print collection including one 8×10 and 16 wallets.

*Gift certificates valid for any session booked after December 1, 2011. Not valid with any other offer or discount. One gift certificate or promotion per session. Missouri sales tax and flat rate shipping of $5 for each session is added to the gift certificate cost. Baby Step Plans and Wedding Collections are not included in this sale.

Digital Collection Sale (Sale includes a digital copy of all session images.)

Digital collections are also on sale! Wishing you would have purchased the disc from your 2010 portrait session? It’s not too late! Order any session disc from 2010 for only $250. (Regular price for a full session disc is $500.) 2011 portrait session discs may be purchased for $365*, and you may pre-purchase a session disc for any session held in the remainder of 2011 through the end of 2012 for $395!

Posted in Promotions, Uncategorized

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Friday, September 2, 2011

DON’T WAIT, GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA TODAY! {SAINT JOSEPH, MO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER}

Posted in News and Updates, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Last night I attended the Sandy Puc’ Kids Tour in Kansas City, Missouri. If I took one thing away from that conference it was this.

DO NOT WAIT TO GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA.

Sandy spoke about a friend she had many years ago that planned a session with her daughter and how time and life got in the way and forced them to reschedule the session. Shortly after the third reschedule something happened, and as Sandy said, “Her daughter will never have those images to look back on.”

My family knows all too well that tragedy can strike at any minute to anyone. Just 7 years ago I was a new mother to a colicky 7 week old. Sleep was golden not only for us as parents, but also when Connor was finally sleeping. No one dared wake him up because they knew they would endure fits of crying. However, one day in mid August 2004, my brother-in-law, Jason, just 18 at the time, stopped by the house. I had just gotten Connor to sleep and told him he better not wake him up. But, what 18 year old is going to listen to their sister-in-law? Soon Connor was awake and Jason was holding him and talking with his brother, my husband, Shawn. The moment wasn’t planned, but as a photographer, and new mother I grabbed my camera and snapped off several shots of Jason holding Connor and standing with Shawn, all while in our drive way.

Just several days later, after a long night of being up all night will Connor, I received the call that changed our lives as we knew it. On August 24, 2004, Jason had been killed in a car accident on his way home. The next few hours were a blur as life went on. The only thing I remember while sitting there was that I felt I needed to go to make copies of the images I had just taken so shortly before, and found myself staring at a kiosk bawling while printing the images in a one hour lab. These images I was printing were ones that almost didn’t happen. I am so thankful that we have those images of Connor and Shawn with Jason. Of course Connor doesn’t remember that time, but we tell him that Jason loved him and held him. Without those images he could only imagine what was.

The preparation for tragedy isn’t the only reason you should make it your goal for today and not someday. Who doesn’t love to look back at old pictures of when you were young? Give that gift to your child, but not only of what he or she looked like, but what your family looked like at that moment.

Our last family portrait back in November 2007!

I know what you are probably thinking. I need to wait until I grow my hair out, until this bruise heals, I lose a few pounds, XYZ…. As a
photographer, I know these excuses, because, just like you, I have used the excuses myself. I have PCOS and complications from it have been one factor of my weight struggle since having children. My “wanting to lose a few pounds” has forced me to postpone doing a family portrait for almost 4 years. My children, now 7 and 4 have very few pictures of me with them. They have plenty of them, but the last family portrait we had? It was taken when my daughter, Madelynn, was under a year old! She was nearly bald and not even walking! Now she has long hair and she and Connor run circles around me. A lot changes in 3-4 years.

My goal for this weekend is to finally take the family portrait I have been putting off for far too long. I challenge each of you to do the same. Maybe not this weekend, but soon. Take your family out to your favorite weekend spot and have a friend snap off a few pictures. It won’t matter to your children if they were professional or posed just right, but it will matter if they have none to look back on.

Now you are probably thinking…. Wait, did she just tell us to take our own pictures? Isn’t she supposed to be a professional photographer? Yes, and yes. Photography is my passion, and while I would LOVE to be your photographer and capture these memories for you, I know I can’t do it for everyone.

So get out there and get IN FRONT of the camera! And, please, feel free to share these images or your story with me in the comments below!

Think it’s time to schedule your family portrait? Call or message me to set up an appointment.

816-646-3992 contact@jennhughesphotography.com

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