I love watching Brayden sleep.  He’s so peaceful and content.  I love hearing him breathe.  And watching his little tummy move up and down.  I love how he gets lines and creases on the side of his face from sleeping so hard.  And his hair curls up from sweat.  I love his pj’s and how cute he looks in them.  Sometimes I will peak into his room to watch him for a minute.

Shot at 2.2, 1/400, ISO 400.

I’m not a big texture girl, but I tried out Brenda’s textures and I’m totally digging them!  I used Thunder Canvas on this one and I love the subtle weathered look to it.

I hope everyone had a rad weekend!  Brayden rode on a pony for the first time (and he loved it!) and we got to go to Disneyland to celebrate our favorite 4 year old, Emma’s, birthday!  It’s crazy because I can remember exactly where I was (in a Baja Fresh grabbing lunch before flying to Las Vegas for a convention) when I got word that Emma was born.  It’s been such a gift to be apart of her life as well as her brother, Owen’s.  To get to see two babies grow up into such amazing kids is awesome.  We’re so lucky to have them in our lives!

Okay, enough sappiness.  Onto this weeks tip for you Pro Mom*togs out there.  I know I said I wasn’t going to be discussing pricing on this blog.  And while I’m not going to discuss my pricing my tip this week does involve looking at your own pricing structure.  I know a lot of  you are concerned with working too much.  I personally try to only take 1 (maybe 2) shoot pre week.  It’s not just the time it takes to go out and shoot, but also the time you have to spend editing that you have to take into account.  When I first started out I was shooting two, three, four, five times a week while also working a full time job.  But, that was before I had Brayden and that was also when my prices were much lower.  I’ve priced my packages (both portrait sessions and weddings) at a price point where I don’t need to shoot 5 shoots per week.  I would rather shoot 12 weddings this year at a higher price point then 24 at half the price.

Look at your own pricing structure.  If you are charging $50 per session, for example, can you charge $100 instead so you only need to shoot once per week rather than twice?  Maybe add something unique and customized to your session that may not cost you a lot, but will add value to your package.  Is that something you can do?  Think about it.

Someone once told me that when you keep booking your highest package over and over again then it’s time to raise your prices.  And that has totally worked for me!  It’s been a great indicator as to when to increase my prices.  Hopefully that little tid bit will help you out as well!  Happy Monday everyone!

I am SO excited about this weeks interview! I’ve admired her work for some time now and I really think she’s an inspiration and proof that you don’t have to have the fanciest camera and the fanciest lens to be a really, really, really good photographer. Well, I lie. Now she has the fancy camera (she just purchased the Canon 5D Mark II), but when I fell in love with her work she was shooting with the Canon 20D.

Okay, without further ado, this weeks interview is with… Brenda Acuncius!

I love Brenda’s relaxed portraits of her kids. Have I mentioned that she has the CUTEST kids? You’ll love Brenda’s at home “fake” studio and be inspired with what she can do with it. It’s so easy anyone can do it!

Besides being a photographer Brenda also has her own set of awesome actions. You MUST check them out. And, guess what? Because Brenda is so rad, she’s offering Mom*tog readers a 20% discount on your purchase! Wow! To get that discount do not purchase through the actions page. Instead send your payment directly to gdann@centurytel.net through Paypal and enter the code “Mom*tog” in the instruction box to receive the discount.  You can either deduct the 20% yourself or Brenda will refund you the difference after you pay.  Whatever is easier for you!

Now, onto the interview! Enjoy!

How many kids do you have and how old are they?
I have 2 wonderful children. Gracie is my oldest and probably the one you see the most on my blog… she is my original muse when I started out. She’s going to be 8 years old in less than a month. Grant (aka Bubba) is a few weeks shy of being 9 months old. He already seems to have Photographer’s Kid Syndrome and looks everywhere but me when I have my camera.

How long have you been in business and how did you get started?
Gosh, everything seems to run together these days…I think it’s a little past three years now…give or take a few months. I totally got started on a fluke…I didn’t plan on going into business but I had a link posted on my blog to a site that made some really cool baby blankets and bibs. She saw in her stats that she was getting hits from my blog and contacted me to take some product photos. That’s how it started and I’ve never looked back since….I LOVE what I’m doing and so thankful that I’m blessed with wonderful friends and family that supports me.

How do you balance mommy time and work time and still find time for you? Do you limit the number of shoots you take per week?

It’s really tough these days with the Bloom Workshop, sessions, school activities and all the fun stuff in between. I try to tell myself to stay off the computer after 5:00 p.m. and usually I can do it but sometimes I break the rules. I do limit myself to sessions I take…except for Sept-Nov which is my busiest time of the year. That’s the time of year I have holiday sessions and a lot of repeat clients and I want to squeeze them in. I really don’t have time for myself…unless you count computer time!! LOL!!

What is a typical day like for you?
It varies from day to day…depending if Grant was good to me the night before and didn’t get up! LOL!! I wake up about 5:30-6:00 and get everyone feed, dressed, happy and off to school. I come home, answer some emails, check to see if I need to send actions and then get Grant is breakfast. I play with him some and get him ready for his nap. While he’s asleep, I will get on the Workshop forum and answer questions, give cc or post info. Then he usually gets up after about 2 hours, so I get him lunch, feed myself and just relax a bit. The photos you see of Grant are taken about this time of the day…he’s the happiest and I get a chance to mess around with my camera. Then it’s about time to pick Gracie up from school, come home, get her a snack and start her homework. If I’m lucky, Grant takes another nap (about an hour), I try to get back on the computer and work. After that, I get lunches packed for the next day, the kids in the tub and start dinner. Gracie goes to bed at 8:00 and then I sit with Grant and usually fight with him to go to sleep. If I’m lucky, I get to watch my favorite TV show Lost and not have to Tivo it. LOL!! Then it’s usually 9:00 or 10:00 and I’m off to bed. =)

What’s in your camera bag? If you could pick one lens and one lens only, which would it be?
I wish I had a bag full of lenses but I’m still using the same ones I’ve had forever. I have the 85mm 1.8, 30mm 1.4, 50mm 1.8 and my friend surprised me with a 50mm 1.4…I’m sure she got tired of me lusting over it. LOL!! I just got a Canon 5D markII but I have been using my Canon 20D. Since the 5D is full frame, I would have to say my favorite lens right now is my 85mm 1.8 but I do LOVE shooting wide open with my 50mm 1.4. That baby produces some sweet bohek!!

What’s in your diaper bag?
Funny you should ask this because I’m a diaper bag FREAK!! I LOVE diaper bags and have a closet full of them!! I now have an excuse to carry one for a couple years! I change them out about once a week…it’s a sad addiction! =) Right now, I have the absolute necessities…diapers, wipes, formula, changing pad, Destin, chew toys, extra set of clothes, extra bib and burpie. A few hats, snack ball, my wallet, cell phone, Carmex, rubber bands for Gracie’s hair, random receipts, and sunglasses.

Where do you get your inspiration?
EVERYWHERE! From friends and other Pro Photographers. I find it in magazines and on TV. I watch movies totally different now then before…I love the cinematic of it and the angles they shoot at. Flickr is a fantastic place to find all sorts of inspiration even if it’s not your style or how you shoot…it’s just cool to see all sorts of different stuff.

I love how your daughter models for different designers. How did you make those initial connections?
It’s basically how I started in the business. My niece Sam did most of the product shots for Baby Dry Goods, while Gracie did a few. Then another designer (Wiggy Studio) contacted me and Gracie modeled for her. Then I posted a photo on Flickr of Gracie wearing a dress I bought from Baby Sera Bella and she emailed me and asked if Gracie could model some of her pieces too. I LOVE doing it…it’s so much fun and it’s on my time and in my element and I know how to work my little model. =)

Do your kids get sick of having a camera in their face?
OMG yes!! Gracie will still appease me but only if she gets something in return. We recently went to the Botanical Gardens in Ft. Worth and she was sooooo good for me. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop but it didn’t, but most of the time she wants to make a deal. Grant is a toughie already…he will look everywhere else but at me. Now if I move the camera away from my face, he will give me a few seconds so that’s why you see some crazy crops of him…I’m just winging it and praying I get something.

What is your favorite image you’ve taken of your kids recently?
OH my…this is a tough one. I tried to get some of them together but that was a no-go…lots of hair pulling going on. I just took some of Grant today to show the workshop group my side-lighting set-up. He’s sitting in a basket wearing a hat….the fact that he kept the hat on is a miracle itself…he yanks them off the second I grab my camera.

Do you have any tips or secrets to share for all of the Mom*togs (nonpro photogs)?

Thanks so much to these rad people for blogging about Mom*tog this week! Remember, if you blogged about Mom*tog this past week and you’re not listed here please email your blog so I can include you next week!

Sally Brewer Photography

Skippeeahn

Tracy Dodson Photography

So, do you guys ever dress the same as your kid or dress your spouse and your kid the same? I have to admit. I dress Brayden and Chuck in the same outfits any chance I get. Maybe because they look SO much alike anyway. Maybe because I just think it’s the cutest thing in the world. I don’t know. Call me lame, but I do it. But, I don’t dress them in dorky clothes. Oh, no. It has to be stylin’. I love Quiksilver stores because they care infant sizes and mens sizes. They usually don’t have a lot of the same clothes, but I pretty much buy whatever they have whenever I go in! Yesterday I found a matching hat and bathing suit, which is perfect because we’re going to Hawaii in May. My guys are going to look so cute in these walking down the beach!

And I grabbed a couple of pictures of Brayden in his big boy hat! Big thanks to our awesome Nanny, Laura, for helping to get these big smiles!

And I just think he looks dorky in this one! Love his expression!

I’m so happy that the response from Mom*tog has been so well received.  I’m simply overwhelmed by the amount of emails I’m getting from all of you!  I’m very happy that my little tips and tricks are helping so many people.  That was the goal of this blog.  To really reach out to other moms (and dads as I know there are several of you that read this) and to share my love of photography.

However, I just can’t answer every single email that I get.  There just aren’t enough hours in the day.  And many of the emails I get are very specific photography and business questions that I just simply can’t answer without knowing more about your business and without seeing examples of your work.  So, I’m very excited to announce a new service for you Mom*tog readers!  Mom*tog Pro is an online, one on one consultation service where you get my undivided attention for one week (Monday – Friday).  I will answer ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you want to know.  Nothing will be off limits.  And the great thing about this service is it will be totally customized towards your business.  If you are just starting out, we will cover the basics.  If you are an established pro, we will step it up a notch.  I will analyze your images, website, and blog.  You will be given photography assignments so we can work on certain techniques.  We can go over pricing and marketing techniques.  We can even talk about how to make the most out of working from home.

I will be available sporadically throughout the day, but will be available for immediate answers for a couple of hours every evening.  The session will have an introductory rate of $350 for the first 5 people that book and will then go up to $499.  Mom*tog pro is only available to those outside of Southern California (sorry!).  The entire session fee will be due at the time of your booking to reserve your week and can be paid via Paypal.  And remember, education expenses are tax deductible!  

I will of course still be sharing the same helpful tips and tricks on Mom*tog, but this is a way for you to get individual attention to take your business to the next level.  

And because the number one question that I get is how I get Brayden’s eyes to look so blue here’s a little teaser for you.  I will tell you how I get my image from this 

to this!

This weeks question comes from Melissa:

I am just curious as to how you mastered photoshop!?!  I just got it and got some “how to” books, but I find myself more frustrated then anything.  Where did you start??  Did you take a class??  Do you recommend any particular book??

Thanks for your question, Melissa!  I don’t know that I would call myself a photoshop “master”.  Haha!  But, I have spent the last couple of years really learning what I need to know about it.  There are a ton of things you can do with photoshop that I have no idea how to use, but I know what I need to know to get my images the way I want them to look.  

I did buy a couple of books in the beginning, but I just thought they were so old school (and boring!).  So I went right to the source and invested in workshops with my favorite photographers.  I first did a workshop with David Jay and then I did a workshop with Jessica Claire.  Both were pricey, but I think those two experiences single handedly made me the photographer who I am today.  And who better to learn from then those who you admire?

I also have learned a lot about photoshop from photography forums.  My favorite use to be Open Source Forum, which is David Jay’s forum.  I know there are a lot of great, new forums out there, but to be honest, I don’t have much time for forums anymore.  I’ve gone to The Hideout Forum a couple of times and it looks really fun.  I would find a forum where the people are nice and not critical where you all can learn from each other.  

Lastly, there are a lot of great tutorials on You Tube.  You can pretty much learn anything you want to know on there.

I think the biggest thing about photoshopping your images is to not get too crazy.  There are so many things you can do, but do you really need to?  Let your image speak for itself.  Find your style and stick with it.  It may take you awhile to find that style, but once you do you’ll know.  Good luck!

Have you guys seen this?  

Image- Bebalee Corporation

What an ingenious idea!  Just yesterday we were at a birthday party and Brayden was eating a quesadilla (because that’s all he eats) and he, of course, dropped the whole thing on the floor.  What a waste!  For $9 I’m totally going to order one of these and give it a try!

Happy Monday!

This week starts my first week blogging tips for you pro Mom*togs out there.  I will be blogging these tips every Monday.

Tip #1 – Set office hours!

Before I had Brayden I worked and worked and worked.  All I did was work.  Because when your work isn’t really a job to you it’s easy to spend all of your time doing what you love.  I just wanted to make my business as successful as possible and spent all my time shooting, editing, and scouring blogs to make myself a better photographer.

But, then Brayden came.  Everyone told me that babies sleep most of the time when they are newborns.  Well, that wasn’t the case with Brayden.  I tried to work when he was napping, work when I was feeding him, work at night, but I just ended up getting frustrated and not getting any work done.  While I was on my “maternity leave” I really didn’t even need to work, but work is what made me feel like me instead of just a feeding machine.  I fought it for a long time, but then I realized that I do what I do so I can stay at home with Brayden and enjoy the few years I have him where he really needs me and wants to be with me.  

I’m lucky that my husband works very close and gets home relatively early most days.  I try (my hardest) to not work until he gets home.  Sure, I’ll answer a couple of emails here and there while Brayden is napping, but I really try and fill our days with things that are fun for him.  As soon as Chuck gets home I work for a few hours.  And when I say work, I really mean work.  I don’t read blogs or shop online.  I set goals for myself daily to accomplish.  I find that this way I am getting way more work done in a shorter period of time rather than having to listen to Brayden cry at my office door.  Once I stopped fighting it we were both so much happier!

So, do you pro Mom*togs have set office hours?  Does it work for you?  Ready, set, discuss!

Happy Friday and happy first day of Spring!

I don’t really have a great post for today.  I have 4 shoots this week and I was too busy watching UCLA try to lose in their first March Madness game last night.  Thankfully Brayden was our good luck charm and we won by 1 point.  I hope all the games aren’t like that!

Anyways, I went and bought a couple of new fabrics for a mini shoot that I did yesterday.  I had to have B model this one for me.  It’s a brown damask, which I thought was really original, but it kind of shows up like black.  Brayden’s super cute onsie is from My Little Dear.  I love her clothes!

And I also got this cute pink and white polka dot.  I didn’t make Brayden model this one, because I had this cute baby come over for a mini session!  Isn’t she scrumptious?  More on the DrewB blog!  Both fabrics are from JoAnne’s!  Have a great weekend!

Thank you to ALL the people who have been blogging about Mom*tog!  Seriously, it makes me so happy to know that so many people find this blog so helpful!

Southern Comfort

The Beautiful Mess – There are great tips of the week for your photographers out there!

Simply Chic

Bryan, Natalie, and Maya

Meg Ruth Photography Blog

Domestic Life

So, I am a proud mama this week!  Brayden finally learned how to hold his own bottle and drink out of a sippy cup!  Yeah!  We’ve been working on it for a few weeks, but he finally just got it.  Now he tries to turn everything into a cup.  His rubber ducky, his police car, a toy hammer.  It’s seriously the cutest thing and I’m just so darn proud of him!  And the coolest thing is he’s proud of himself too!

ISO 400, f 2.2, 1/400

ISO 400, f 2.2, 1/500

Ignore the snotty nose in this one.  Settings same as above.

ISO 400, f 2.2, 1/350