Get in front of the camera

I’m in a couple photographers forums, and one thing I noticed a lot of them say is how much they don’t get in front of the camera. How they take pictures of their kids, their husband with the kids and even their dogs, but they generally stay behind the camera..
a) because in their minds, who else will take the picture
b) they know their cameras best, and
c) which is the most common reason: they don’t want to be photographed. Whether they think they look horrible, unkempt, not where they wish they were physically, messy hair, no make up..and the list goes on.

A high percent of mom’s are never in the shots with their kids because they don’t like the way they look. So years go by with no memory for the kid of MOM.

I am one of those kids. I’ve talked about it before, and there’s no doubt I love my mom (I love you, mom), I just know the other side of it as the kid of having virtually no photos of my mom to look back on. And to be honest, it makes me really sad.

Even as an adult, I probably could count on two hands the photos of mom and me, maybe truthfully one hand.

On Monday, that all changed. I was determined once I found out my mom was getting off work early, to get some nice shots of us. And what was even better, my sister was coming over as well. I didn’t tell either of them until they got to the house, because I’m all for the element of surprise. My sister rolled her eyes, grabbed at her clothes and gave me that look of dread.

I shooed her to the bathroom to use my flat iron and makeup at her will and told her this was happening, so to get to it. (I’m the real sweet loving gentle sister, if you hadn’t noticed)

Once she was all done, I called her out to get some test shots so I could get my camera ready.

And then we got my mom to join. I took some of my sister and mom first and had a ball with it. Those two together are complete goofballs, laughing almost the whole time. Then I got my settings right in the camera, handed it to my sister and had her take some of mom and me.

It all turned out a complete success and I’m excited I have these new photos to cherish. It only struck me after we were done, to have gotten some with my sister and me  …next time.

Friends, moms, sisters, kids, I can’t encourage you enough to get in front of the camera. Freeze time in a photo. It doesn’t matter how you look, it matters that you’re there.

Go. Go grab your mom. Or your kids. Set the timer. Use the remote. Utilize your husband and have these precious moments together photographed for everyone to look back on in fondness.

Your kids will thank you..and if you let yourself, you’ll thank you too.

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Rolling with births

Since that’s my theme this week, I wanted to continue on by showing you the video I made of the birth I photographed in June!! I’m really excited to share it. I absolutely loved shooting this birth and am hungry for my next one..only problem is, I’m out of pregnant friends!

I hadn’t intended to do a video, but after I finished editing, I couldn’t not make it into a video. I’m so glad I did because I love it, but more, the new parents absolutely love it. I think of all the things I’ve dabbled in over the past couple years, births are it for me. I can see a growing passion to photograph births.

So please, enjoy.

Farmer birth from Emily Grapes on Vimeo.

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Squishy baby alert

How can anyone stay in a funk when they get around babies? They just can’t, I tell you. They just can’t. In the afternoon, I went over to my friend’s who’s birth I photographed…that I promise will show soon, to take some shots of her now 4 week old for announcements. Better late than never, I say.

We had a lot of fun, though challenging. It. was. challenging. She didn’t care to sleep and when she would fall asleep, she would come awake and laugh at us for attempting to do anything in the 60 seconds she was out. Ok so she didn’t laugh on the outside, but we felt on the inside she was.

Here’s just a little sneak iPhone style.
I’m a little obsessed with these in black and white, but I’ll mix it up at the end with one in color…just for you.

*I promise I have 5 fingers on my left hand. It looks quite claw like.

Babies. They’re just so darn cute.

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A test, a prayer and a sneak

This very morning I’m testing for the position I mentioned yesterday. It’s a 3-4 hour long test and since I’m writing this beforehand, I’ll be honest and say I have no idea what it’s going to entail. Well, I have an idea but it could be nothing like what I’ve conjured up in my brain.

So if you’re inclined, pray. Pray that I pass to move on to the interview process…which will also take 3 hours. who wants to be in an interview for 3 hours straight?!? apparently >this girl<In other exciting news, I’m getting my hair colored tonight…by my friend…from a box.

I trust her.

~~~

If you haven’t yet, I think its time you make the grilled chocolate sandwiches I went on and on about last Tuesday. If you’re still unsure about them, you can read Casey AND Amanda’s reviews on them since they trusted me.

~~~

The photographer from last week, who also is my good friend, knows what she’s doing. There’s no doubt about that. She also knows the difficult position she and I are both in with being able to post photos of G-man. So she used her Masters brain, and brilliantly created ‘blog-able’ images for both of us to use.

Silhouettes and blurred shots. Can’t get any more ‘obscure’ than that. To say I wish nothing more than to show my favorites to you, would be an understatement. But I also like being on G’s good side and will respect his wishes of not having any photos of him on the blog. And friends, for the record. Its hard. I’ve debated making my blog private so I could share ‘us’, but haven’t quite been able to do it. I like you all and getting to meet so many new people by being public is what I enjoy! If I had gone private when it originally crossed my mind, I wouldn’t have met my 2 newest and already dear friends, Casey and Amanda. So I struggle with the idea of being ok with not making anymore friends if I went private, and I don’t think I’m ready for that.

So, until I’m ready, I’ll stay public and refrain from showing photos of my love and continue showing the vague shots I’m given.
photos courtesy of Erin Pasillas Photography


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I saw the sky

Friends, I saw the sky yesterday and you know what color it was? It was blue, but not just any blue, it was robin’s egg blue and baby blue, light blue and a crisp deep blue. It was so beautiful!

Where I live, I don’t normally get to see the sky for what it really is. Living in a city that boasts the worst air quality in the entire country, leaves me seeing a brownish gray haze almost every single day. Where the sun’s glare off the smog is so bad, sunglasses are the only way to be able to see where you’re going. Where they post flags at the schools that announce the kids aren’t allowed to play outside because the air quality is too bad that day.

But it rained Monday. And for just a short 24 hours, the air was clean again. And it was good. And it was beautiful. I hadn’t seen the sun shine so crisply or so brightly in months as it did that Tuesday morning. It was a moment that left me praising and thanking God for the beauty all around me with the bright sun shining on the farms and cows. Yes, even the cows looked beautiful in that sunlight. Enough to make me wish I had my camera.

I love the rain. How it washes away the dirt. the grime. How it brings freshness, and a renewed spirit to all that it touches. I’m so thankful I got that 24 hours of clean fresh air to renew my spirit.

A few weeks ago, I had the utmost pleasure of shooting my friend and her family when they were harvesting their raisins on their vineyard. She called me months ago laying out her vision of what she wanted for that day. To capture her beautiful family of 6 all working together to harvest the raisins at sunrise. I didn’t know what to expect but I made sure to bring a couple lenses, my sneakers (because I have this thing with ants getting all over my feet) ((ants love the sugar of certain vineyards)), and my half and half for coffee…because it was a Saturday sunrise shoot after all. This girl needed her coffee afterward!

The last two are a testament to how hard the family really worked that morning. All of them. It was such a joy to see all the children excited to help Mom and Dad. To see them work hard and proudly to show they can work right along side their parents in the family business. It put my constant yawning and cat naps on their couch  (while their baby slept) to shame as they continued to work.

It’s refreshing to see true work ethic and team work in a family. It was a blessing to spend the morning with them.

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Callie and Ben

Months ago I went to “help out” at a women’s function at church. To be honest, I don’t quite know what was needed to be done because it became more of a social event rather than me actually helping. Some were sewing and crafting…two things I don’t really do, so I know I wasn’t much help.

The snacks were really good. That I remember!

There was a young girl there ironing, who I found out was getting married in May. My friend was their photographer and before she knew what hit her, I got my friend to introduce us and declared I wanted to volunteer to be the 2nd photographer. Blindsiding is probably the best way to put what I did.

I never shot a wedding and it seemed this couple would be the best one to start out on. They’re laid back, easy going, cool, calm, and beyond collected. They did everything themselves and just about didn’t sweat a thing throughout the whole process. Enjoying every minute of it. The bride even made mac and cheese before getting in her dress to head to the church.

It helped me being around such relaxed company.

As she continued getting ready, I headed to the church to meet up with the guys. They were a fun bunch; eating pizza and playing with guns in the pastor’s study as they patiently waited for the time to tick away.

I realize that’s an odd sentence, but it’s all legal…

One of the groomsmen had rented a Camaro, so they were eager to have their pictures taken with it. I can’t really blame them, it is a Camaro after all.

It was finally time and the ceremony was underway. They were so excited.

All throughout the day, he would crack jokes and they’d give each other cute silly faces. It was adorable and really showed their fun loving characters.

It was nice to be there. Capturing the fun pictures. Not necessarily being the one that was under the gun to get all the right shots. I felt it was ok to have the fun, goofy ones that they’d be able to chuckle at later on.

As the bride and groom danced, this adorable little girl was eager to get a picture of her own.

She was devoted to her work, making sure she remained hydrated to ensure she could keep working.
In reality, it was blazing hot that day and I commend the bride for staying in her dress throughout the whole reception.

I’m glad I went that night, so that I could meet Callie, so that I could volunteer to shoot their wedding. It was definitely an experience. One that taught me I have a lot to learn in the way of weddings. One that showed just how hard a true professional photographer has to work and how much they’re counted on to get those perfect shots, whether it be in harsh lighting, not enough lighting, or with people walking in front right at what would have been the perfect moment. They’re seen but invisible.

I have a new found respect for all of you.

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Flashback to May

I’ve been an editing fool this past week and a half, doing everything possible to finish the wedding pictures I did in May by today. It won’t happen no matter what I do. I have over 60 left to edit and working on them the moment I get home from work, I’m getting maybe 10 done a night.

I’m exhausted.

Before I helped shoot the wedding, I did my friend’s family pictures in an orchard. I also never got around to editing their pictures until right before I tackled the wedding pictures, so I thought I’d share today. She’s such a fun friend. Real straight forward, no fuss or muss, just tell it how it is, kinda gal.

Naturally, we get along just fine. When I texted her telling her I finally finished the pictures and asked if she still liked me, she replied it was no big deal since all she’d been doing over the summer was staying out of the heat while preggers.

This is how I learned she was expecting baby #3.


I have to appreciate her patience with me for getting these to her, ok truthfully I haven’t even gotten these to her yet. You’re seeing them before she will!

don’t tell her

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