Working with the coach, the team image was selected and I set to work masking it into the template.  Not as easy as it seems like it should be, but there are great tutorials on the Ashe Design site.

Once my image was added to the template I modified the text, added the girls and coach names, removed raindrops from awkward places, blended small areas that were not quite right and modified the size.  The Ashe Design template had separate layers for everything and it was incredibly easy to modify the composite to get the image EXACTLY how I wanted it by moving components/masking/changing the opacity/etc.  I was SO pleased with the results, and it looked amazing when printed.  The girls loved their banner!!!

My first love as a photographer will always be portraits, but I have to admit that I really had a good time with this.  Also Ashe Design rocks

The post Softball Banner appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

When I saw the Freckles contest on Viewbug, I had to enter.  I immediately took Mister Robby out to the front yard and told him to sit on the sidewalk.  The beautifully engaging smile? That was all him, and it makes the image don’t you think?

Did I mention that I am a Viewbug member?  I love this site for inspiration – if you’re interested in photography check it out!!

The post Freckles appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

The Jensen family had contacted me a few weeks prior, after finding me on the internet. (yay internet!).  I had never met this family, and all I knew at this time was that the Jensen parents were arriving with two grown (college age) kids, and had not had family portraits made in several years.  I’m not sure what I expected, but when they arrived what I got was pure j0y – this is one happy and fun loving family!!

The bridge on the Dexter bike path provided some great shade and beautiful leading lines for this beauty of an image.  It was the first one taken, and probably my fav of the whole session.

I always warn my clients up front that I may request that they do some seemingly awkward things, and to please just trust me.  The Jensen family did so, and their images just ooze PERSONALITY.  I asked them to walk hand in hand, they sang.  Isn’t that just about the happiest thing ever??

Speaking of personality, Dad and Nolan did not hold back – even when it came to wrestling with each other during the session.

You can tell by the coordinated but not “matchy matchy” outfits that the Jensen’s put significant planning into their session.  They also chose the location, and brought an old family photo from 15 years ago for me to attempt to replicate.  I think we did a pretty good job, what do you think??  Original inspiration image credit goes to Portraits by Christine in Madison, Wisconsin.

It’s not always easy to get an entire family together for a shoot – especially if you have adult children who are rarely home and/or like to experiment with hair color (apparently Mom Jensen doesn’t approve of platinum blond haha), but this session proves that it is definitely worth the effort.

If this post has inspired you to take action and preserve your own family memories, please contact me to book a session!

The post Family Portrait Session – Dexter, MI appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

Before anyone beats me up, yes I know these are all ios apps.  I have an iPhone, sorry.  I tried to look up Android versions and did not find them, though the LearnPhoto Developer indicates he is working on an Android version.

A Screen shot of my Inspiration Folder

LearnPhoto 365 (free ios / full $2.99 ios)

Step up your photography game with LearnPhoto 365.  The free version of this Photography Assignment Generator app includes most of the same functionality as the paid version, and you may never need/want to upgrade.  The menu of this app is very straight forward, and you may choose your assignment from a list, or allow the app to choose one randomly for you.  Categories include camera settings, composition, creative techniques, creative thinking, fun with light, landscape and nature, photographing people, randomizer and various subjects.  Within each of these categories you will see an additional breakdown of lessons or challenges related to the category, and when choosing those, an explanation and assignment using the technique.  The app allows you to save your favorites to revisit time and again.  The “challenges” option is possibly my favorite part – within challenges you will find options for 365/52/30, Selfie 365, scavenger hunt, weekly portrait and 30 day subject, each of which breaks down into a list of shots to accomplish.  Of all of the apps in this article, this one is my favorite. (photographer much? ha)

Oflow ($ .99 ios)

Do you need inspiration on how to overcome an obstacle, or general brainstorming?  Oflow is the solution.  Choose from a list of methods including Backtrack, Free write, Start at the end, etc, or allow the app to choose a random method for you.  Within each method are instructions on how to utilize it.  This app allows you to save your favorite methods, write notes and set reminders.

Whack Pack ($1.99 ios)

A virtual pack of creativity cards, Whack Pack will generate ideas, give advice, and generally just point your brain in a new direction.  “Give me a Whack” will bring up a card with a simple concept.  Turning that card over (story) will give a story/outline of the concept and why it is beneficial, followed by questions to ask yourself

Art Prompts ($ .99 ios plus in app purchases available)

In their words: an endless supply of creative inspiration for artists!  This is the first app I’ve used that combines multiple genres, styles and mediums (including photography, yay).  Choosing the “mixed” tab will give you a medium, a style, a genre and a word to use for inspiration.  Other tabs will give you one of the options (for example a style) along with sketches and colors for inspiration.

Brain Sparker (Free ios / $2.99 VIP Access, in app purchase)

Ok I know I said that the first app was my favorite, and maybe it is but Brain Sparker is definitely a close second.  The free starter pack comes with 200 spark cards to “trigger new ideas and fresh thinking”.  The cards include probing questions, inspirational quotes and images to prompt ideas.  You may purchase additional decks individually for $ .99 or VIP Access for $2.99 – I chose the VIP access and now have access to all decks and the app allows me to choose which decks to include in my shuffle at any given time.  Decks include the starter pack, New Year pack (goal setting), Blogger pack (titles for crafting blog posts), Coach’s pack (probing questions for powerful change), innovator pack, quotes pack, words pack (trigger words for focus and clarity), and writers pack (story starters for creative writing).  Even when I don’t need inspiration I love browsing through these cards!!

The post Lacking Inspiration? Try one of these 5 Creativity Apps appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

1) Selective color. It’s out. It’s the fastest way to make your images look cliche, dated, and unoriginal. When you ask me to do it, I die a little inside.

Please…just…NO. Not the eyes, not the flowers, not the bow in the hair. Choose color or BW but not both…

2) Clients with vision and style? You rock and we love you.  We love your ideas, we love your input and we love working with you.  We encourage ALL clients to share their thoughts, ideas and preferences – we can help you bring them to life!

Vision and Style – I love when clients share their ideas

3) Even though we make the photo shoot seem effortless and so much fun it is really hard work – and our work continues long after your session is complete.

4) We know that some people think we are too expensive. But by the time we pay taxes & insurance, and work several hours editing we may often make less than your teen who works fast food.

5) We genuinely love and appreciate our clients and are personally invested in producing amazing images for you. Downloading images from a recent session is like Christmas.

6) We love when you share our images on social media from our profile with a link back to our page/profile. We do not love when you download the image and share it on your own profile with no link back. Also, Instagram filters are not awesome, please don’t put them on our work when you share.

7) Price should not be your sole consideration when choosing a photographer. Please also consider the experience, skill and vision of your photographer.  Amazing portraits are worth saving up for.

8) We do not expect gifts or tips. However, we love it when we receive them.

One of my favorite gifts from a client

9) Trust us when we say you really DONT want to see ALL of the images. Truly.  We take out the stinkers. Trust us.

10) Yes we love what we do. This is the best profession in the world

The post Things Your Photographer Wants You To Know appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

I wanted to slap him.

I don’t know why I am so uncomfortable with the title being blurted out like that. Is it because I perceive that other people will assume I should know how to work ALL cameras as I stupidly fumble with theirs?  Is it because I know in this moment, this light, this location they will get nothing more than a snapshot (some photographer, they will think when they review the photo) or is it in fear of the dreaded “me too!” As every Tom, Dick and Sally is now a “professional photographer”?  Or horror – if they really ARE a photographer, are they secretly judging me by the quality of their requested snapshot?

At that moment, it was a little of all of the above I think.

Am I a snob?  Maybe. Sometimes. But paradoxically I am also supremely insecure about my own abilities and wonder what my place is in the photography world.  Permanently ensnared between confidence and insecurity, flowing one way or the other with the wind – I’ve heard enough stories to know that I am not the only photographer/artist to feel this way.

So the next time I’m on vacation and I am the one that stops an unsuspecting passerby with “excuse me, will you take a picture of us?”, and she looks at me awkwardly as her husband pipes up “you asked the right person, she’s a PHOTOGRAPHER!’, I will smile warmly and say “me too”.

Riley and me in Grand Cayman (2011)

The post She’s a Photographer appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

iPhone photo of a Grasshopper

Break the rules is my new rule.

Blogging has “rules”. Did you know?

You need to have a niche. A great name and url. A clear purpose. Consistency (in content, voice and publishing frequency). Great content.

I’ve tried, but I’m not very good at rules. You know what happens? My heart gets heavy as I consider the things I should be doing and then I don’t publish at all because it doesn’t follow my theme/niche/rules or isn’t good enough.

I’m done. Starting today I publish whatever I want with no regards to the “rules”.  

When I started PFP I had grand intentions of “becoming an authority” and “providing value” and all of the other things I thought I “should” do, but it was not bringing me joy. And quite frankly I don’t have time to commit to things that do not bring me joy.

I am hoping that posting only what I WANT TO, PFP will morph into something more…personal.

Will the blog still be about faces and places? Of course – but maybe indirectly. The faces may be mine or my kids. Or the ref that got between me and “THE shot”. The place may be home. Or the grocery store. Or my favorite dinner spot in Chelsea (Smokehouse 52 by the way).

It may get more personal than businessy sometimes. Or I might shamelessly plug my photography business. There may be posts that leave you scratching your head.  I might post photos of Amazing vacation spots. Or my kids. Or a Grasshopper.

Because I can.

I want to write. About everything, not just specific things. You may learn what has worked for me. You may simply shake your head.

Hopefully all three of my loyal followers will be ok with this change. (haha)

On the promotion note – there is even more randomness on my social media accounts at the moment (rules be damned there too, moving forward)
Follow me.

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

The post Breaking Blog Rules appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

Stripes and Stars – a poem by Robby Davis, age 7

Stripes, Stars

Say the Pledge

Red, white, blue

Honoring our Country

Our Country’s prized possession

Respecting USA Stripes and Stars

Robby at age 4 (2011)

Davis Kids in 2011

Davis Kids in 2011

Robby in 2011, age 4

The post Stripes and Stars appeared first on Project Faces and Places.

Today is the day you turn 8.  8 years of marveling at how smart you are, 8 years of of laughter and snuggles and my heart swelling with pride.

I am so in love with your sweet little face, with your heart, with your sense of humor. With your giant head and even bigger heart, you are a true celebrity – shown time and again by the random people that yell “Hi Robby!” wherever we go, and the many people that love to read your “Robby-isms” when I post them on social media.

Ah yes, the Robby-isms.  There were so many I had to start a Twitter account for you so I could keep a history of them.  And while I may not have documented them all, there is certainly a great sampling there – from the curiously wise statements, to the head scratchers, I love them all.

“I took your freckles off. I’ll give them back if you have money”

“I’m not a grown up, I’m a growing up”

“Gravity should be called Grabity. Cause it’s like a big hand pulling you down.”

“They have claws and don’t like people. They can suck your blood. Sometimes they pinch you. They are called “cramps” and Allie had them once.

“I don’t wanna be a grown up, I just wanna be the boss.”

“If I walk up to my dad and whisper “sphincter” in his ear he will laugh.  Then he will yell at my sister for daring me to do it.”

and my all time favorite:

“It’s not a kiss, it’s a mouth five”

And that all about sums it up – what else can I say?  You make me laugh every day, and when people tell me what a great kid you are, I just smile and agree, and am so thankful that you are mine.

You rock Robby, and I hope you have the best birthday ever!!

Love,

Mom

The post Dear Robby appeared first on Project Faces and Places.