The Joys of Photographing Your Own Children

As just about any photographer and they will tell you...they HATE photographing their own kids!!! I loved it until they got to be just about a year old and then things started going down the crapper. Until then, they were my happy little models - sitting and smiling for mommy! Around that year marker was when they could not only walk but RUN and would RUN right out of my scene as I was trying to grab my camera! I'm finding that my 3 year old will pose now, but he's only good for a couple of shots...then he checks out.

Another random thought about photographing your kids. We all love (me included) the sweet photos of our kids, smiling and sitting nicely. But, that's not really our kids (or monsters, as I call my own). The bloopers are the ones that are our REAL kids! So, I thought I'd share one of the "blooper" photos with you from my son's 3 year old session. Enjoy!

Random Wedding Tidbits...

I've been thinking of weddings lately and thought I'd share some random things:

1) I highly recommend the book, "Conscious Bride". I read this book myself while I was engaged and have given it to numerous friends. It is a great book that touches on many of the issues many brides have to work though before and just after marriage. Its not about booking the reception site, how to find the perfect dress, whom to invite, how to word those invites, etc. This is about dealing with parents during the engagement process. Realizing that although they are excited for you, they are also feeling mixed emotions about dealing with the "loss" of their daughter. Its also about how to transition from a single individual to a partner in marriage. It helps so that you don't have the huge "let down" after the wedding day. Trust me...a great read!

2) Are you looking for an alternative to the table favors? Who's sick of tying netting around a few kisses? If you feel compelled to have chocolates on the table, so be it, but save all the time and hassle - put it in a dish or scatter it on the table. I was just at a wedding this summer where they decided to do something different. Instead of table favors, they made a donation to a charity of their preference in honor of their guests. At their guest book table at the reception, they had a poster that talked about the charity. What a great gesture!

3) Here's a trend that has been in Minnesota for a while, but hasn't quite made its way to the Badger state yet. Instead of doing a large tiered cake, they do individual cakes at each table. The Bride & Groom have their own cake sitting in front of them at the head table. When it is time for dessert, the Bride & Groom stand, cut & feed their cake. Then the guests can cut their own piece at their table. The guests tables have different kinds of cakes and this becomes a social event at the reception because they can share with other tables so they can try different flavors.

So, if you're planning a wedding...congrats & enjoy the ride!

Outside perspective....

Today I was hanging a new display, located in the Studio FX Salon in Sun Prairie. If you'd like to see it, setup a hair appointment with Misty or Sarah - 837-4177. The salon is at 425 W. Main St. in Sun Prairie. Very pumped about the display!!! Special thanks to the "models" who were used!

As I was working on it, there was a bridal group in there getting their hair done. Wonderful day for a wedding, BTW, the weather was great! Anyways, the mother-of-the-bride (MOB) was talking to the bridesmaids about who was shooting her daughter's wedding later. What she said cracked me up, so I had to share.

MOB - "The photographer shot all the high school seniors when my daughter was a senior and did a great job. He does nice work, but he's a little quirky. You know, everyone in that profession is kinda nerdy!"

The bridesmaids all look at me and we all burst out laughing! The MOB then tries to save herself and says, "Well, not you of course."

I just had to laugh - What a great day!