{happy friday and giveaway day!!}

we have a fantastic giveaway today!!
i first met meggan when she came to visit and i did her family photos. we live in the same state, but different cities. her family is beautiful and meggan is as sweet as they come!
meggan jacks is a wonderful photographer herself! well, she contacted me about doing a giveaway...and i'm super excited that she did! in addition to her photog business, she has just launched a new store site called the collage connection. this is a great place to get collage templates, birth announcements and much more!! she also has a “show & share” freebie download each wednesday (that lasts for one week).











and now for the BIG giveaway!! meggan is giving one very lucky reader a
$100 gift certificate!!
you will be able to pick out whatever products you want. exciting, huh?!

AND for all of our readers, there will be a sale going on until Feb 3rd. you can use the code TML20 and get 20% off your entire order!!

to enter to win:

-first, visit the collage connection, check it out and then come back here and leave us a comment about what you would LOVE to have.

-for a bonus entry-- become a fan of the collage connection on facebook. come and leave us an additional comment saying that you are now a fan.

-and for one more bonus entry--blog, facebook or twitter away! in a separate comment leave us the link to where you shared the love!

GOOD LUCK!!! contest will end sunday at 9mst

photo of the day {thursday}

Taken by Sallster, what a fun shot!

{low down, throw down with alecia silva, the portrait place}

happy thursday tml readers!!!
we got a good one today! eek!
i love, love, LOVE alecia's work! her newborn and children photography is stunning, beautiful, awe inspiring....love them!! everytime i see her photos, i'm blown away. i am madly in love with her black and whites! i could run away with them :)
and getting to know alecia herself, she is just as sweet as she is talented. i am a huge, huge fan of hers and i know that if you aren't already, you will be after today!!

i'm super happy to introduce alecia silva of the portrait place.....


Name: Alecia Silva
Business name: The Portrait Place – Photography by Alecia Silva
Location: Bonney Lake, WA
Website/blog: www.theportraitplaceweb.com & www.theportraitplaceweb.com/blog

Tell us one sentence to describe your photography:

My photography has been, and will continue to be a journey. A work in progress. I feel that I’ve grown immensely in my last few years – and my goal is to always continue to grow at that rate. If I ever get to the place where I truly feel I’ve mastered “everything photography,” – that I can’t possibly outdo myself again - it will be at that point that I put the camera down. And I don’t ever want to get to that place. And yes, I know that’s more than one sentence. :)

What's one thing that everyone should know about you?:

I love to laugh…if you can make me laugh, then we can be best friends. That I promise you.

How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started:

I’ve had a strong interest in photography pretty much my whole life. I’ve always loved looking at pictures, seeing these moments frozen in time that would make me laugh, reminisce, gasp or that simply made me “feel.” I decided I wanted to learn how to become a better photographer when my son Andrew was about 2 years old. I took a college course, just so I could understand the basics of how to use a camera. When my daughter Alivia was born, I bought my first digital SLR – and officially became an AMWAC (another mom with a camera.) I started taking pictures of anything and everything, and found that I truly loved photographing babies and children. After much encouragement from my family and friends, I decided to take a leap and start my business.

If they made a movie about your life, what would it be titled and who would play you?

Did I Shave My Legs For This?…because some days that’s just how I feel.

Starring Jennifer Garner….because she’s awesome!

What did you want to be or think you would be when you grew up?:

Well, that’s changed a grillion times! Starting from as early as I can remember…When I was 6, I wanted to be a nurse (like my grandmother), then at 13, I changed my mind. I wanted to be a soap opera actress. And hopefully marry John Stamos at the same time. Loved me some Uncle Jesse! In college, I thought I wanted to be a special education teacher. I actually worked in that field for almost 2 years and decided that just wasn’t for me. Then I became a stay-at-home mom when my son was born….which is still my current gig – along with being a part-time photographer.

If you had to pick one reality show to be on what would it be and why?:

The Bachelor. And I know what you’re thinking. “But Alecia, you’re married!” Yes, I am. And happily married at that.

But.

The mindless drama that is that show is unparalleled. And I can’t stop watching it. I love every brain cell destroying moment of it. Even with Jake as the new Bachelor.

Where do you go to find inspiration?:

Flickr!!!

What type of sessions are your favorite (children, e-sessions, weddings, newborns....) and why?: Without question, newborn sessions. The reason why is because those sessions are the ones that produce the images that make me remember why I loved photography so much in the first place. I think there something so miraculous about a newborn – I never get tired of seeing one, and I’m always in awe of how delicate and tiny they are. For as long as I can remember, I LOVED babies – especially newborns. I was definitely that annoying little girl in church asking to hold your brand new baby 30 seconds following your arrival on your first Sunday after giving birth. It makes sense that combining two of the things I love most makes a fantastic career choice for me. :)

What equipment do you use and if you had only one lens to use...what would it be?:

Canon 5D Mark II – along with an assortment of lenses. For most of my sessions, I use my 50mm 1.2 lens. I LOVE it.

What is your current favorite pair of shoes?

So sad…my current favorite pair of shoes has been my favorite pair of shoes for the last few years. Old Navy flip-flops – in any color, as long as it matches what I’m wearing. And I can’t even wear them this time of year. Booooo on Seattle rain!

What moment in your life makes you smile every single time you think about it?:

The moment my son Andrew was born. He was my first baby, and I’d never experienced such an intense, instant love for anyone. Ever. I couldn’t believe he was mine, and that I got to take him home! I didn’t sleep for 2 days after he was born. I couldn’t stop staring at him. Kissing him. Hugging him. Holding him…he was so perfect.

What is at the top of your wish list right now?:

A natural light studio in my back yard…..probably not gonna happen anytime soon, though.

Tell us the best advice that you have ever received (photography related or life in general): Don’t overdo it. If you do something that you love too much, you might start to hate it. I learned this lesson the hard way. A few times.

What is the all time best book you've ever read?

That’s a hard one! I love reading, so naturally I’ve read a lot of books. Seriously, I’m agonizing over this question. How can I pick just one???...(sigh)….okay. If I had to pick one…it would probably be Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood. I absolutely adored that book! Now the movie? Not so much. The book however, fabulous!

If we surprised you at your house today, what would be the first thing we would notice?

Perhaps the look of utter shock on my face? Kidding – you’d probably notice the lack of pictures of my children hanging on the wall. I have a few up – but not nearly as many as I’d like. I keep taking pictures, thinking for sure I’ll print them, but then I do another batch a few weeks later, and I want to print those instead….it’s a vicious ongoing cycle. I have a ton of blank wall space just waiting for me to make up my mind. I have commitment issues.

And lastly.....when we started the maternal lens, all of us filled out this questionnaire and shared our answers....now it's your turn :)

What is your favorite word? Nostalgia
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Being inspired by others. It gets me all jazzed and makes me want to go out and try it myself!
What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? A few bad photography sessions can really send me into a nasty little self doubting session.
What sound or noise do you love? A baby’s belly laugh.
What sound or noise do you hate? Anything repetitious. Pencil tapping, dripping faucet, snoring….to name a few.
What is your favorite thing to say when you get mad? “I’ve got serious white knuckles right now.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Pediatric Nursing…although I don’t know that I could handle the heartbreak that inevitably comes with it.
What profession would you not like to do? Portable Toilet Cleaner. I can barely stand using a porta-potty.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Welcome home. Now, get on over here and give me a big hug!”

thank you SO much, alecia!! now, make sure to leave her some blog love!!

[here comes the sun]

some really helpful tips for shooting in the big bad sunshine by elizabeth halford

bring on the sun!!!

photo of the day {Wednesday}

Gosh, I've missed my POTD post the past two Wednesdays! There was so much in the {tml} flickr pool to catch up on!

This wonderful, bokehlicious shot is from MyTwoSeasons. So simple, yet so intricate. Wonderful.

{...and the winner is...}

thank you to random.org for picking our tutu winner!!
a big congrats to.....
Shantel Holt!!

shantel, contact me for details! thousandwords@bresnan.net!


and for everyone else: visit firefly tutus and use the coupon code 'maternallens20' to get 20% off their order until next tuesday!!!

thanks to all who entered!!

a brilliant [save the date]

ok - you can check the video out here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/23/jeff-erins-epic-wedding-t_n_434267.html

and a link to their website with some interesting behind the scenes info!
http://blog.jeffanderin.us/




this save the date is by far one of the most clever i've seen. discovered on elements of style - a delightful boston blog.

POTD [Tuesday]

Today's photo of the day was taken by {rosina}. Simply stunning.



We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light. ~Mary Dunbar

{lenses of love}

i became aware of this from another photographer and i thought i would pass the information on. here is the original email from sally clark...

PROVIDING AID TO THE CHILDREN OF HAITI ONE PHOTO SESSION AT A TIME

Dear friends and family, I am excited to announce a new project I have started in an effort raise money for the people of Haiti. I have two friends who were in the process of adopting a baby girl from Haiti when a devastating earthquake ripped through the already impoverished nation earlier this month. I can only imagine the sleepless nights spent worrying about whether their daughter had food, shelter and water and what kind of trauma she was going through. Last week my friends flew to Pittsburgh to pick up their angel, a beautiful 11-month-old named Stephana. While their story has a happy ending, there are still many children stuck in Haiti who desperately need help. Due to the urgency of this situation, I am embarking on a journey here in Denver to raise money for Kentucky Adoption Services ... an organization that is helping orphans in Port-au-Prince. I have created a group called Lenses of Love and I am writing today to ask for your help and participation. Book your Limited Edition Lenses of Love session by February 14th (you have until April 30th to have your session with me) and I will donate 100% of the sitting fee to Kentucky Adoption Services. I am offering a special sitting fee for this fundraiser of $150 (normally $250). I have a limited number of sessions available so book today ... just in time for Valentine's Day! You get a phone consultation to answer questions and discuss location and clothing, a full 1-2 hour session with me and 35-40 fully-edited images posted to an online slideshow. It gets even better ... for every Lenses of Love session I book, I will be donating a mini-session to families in town who have adopted children from Haiti. For more information or to view my work, please visit sallycphotography.com/images/#/ (click on Lenses of Love to book your session) Thank you for your love and support! I look forward to raising a lot of money for a great cause.

WANT TO JOIN IN AND HELP OUT?

HERE'S HOW ... PHOTOGRAPHERS: Please check out sallycphotography.com/images/#/lensesoflove/ for more information. SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: Contact Sally Clark: sally@lensesoflove.org

Peace-
Sally Clark
Sally C. Photography
sallycphotography.com/images/#/
303.589.0983

it's tutu cute not to giveaway :)

what little girl doesn't love a tutu?!

tiffanie of firefly tutus is going to make one of you very happy! :)
she is offering one of our readers a tutu of their choice! these tutus are adorable! they are fantastic for photography props, but would be great for your little princess for any occasion!
they come in sizes 6 months all the way up to 7/8T. there are 4 different styles and tons of different colors....they can even be custom made to get exactly what you are looking for.





here's how to win! you get 3 chances!

• For the first entry, become a fan of Firefly Tutus on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindon-UT/Firefly-Tutus/248627237470. Leave a comment telling that you became a fan.
• For the second entry, check out Firefly Tutus' website, www.fireflytutus.com, and find what you want and tell about it in a separate comment.
• For the third entry, tell about the giveaway on facebook, twitter, your blog, etc. Leave a comment linking back to your blog, facebook, twitter page.

one lucky winner will be chosen. contest ends tuesday, jan 26th at noon mst. good luck!!!

{snackTAXI winner is.....}

thank you to all of you who entered! our winner, decided by random.org, is.....
LISA of lisa manchester photography!!!
send us an email and we will get you all the details.

thanks again to all who entered!! we have LOTS of giveaways coming up, so the best of luck to you all! hope you win!


and the photo of the day....since i forgot to post it yesterday (sorry!!)
couldn't you just eat him up?!?! thanks for your photo aaryn!

{....Q & A with US!}

earlier this week i asked if you guys ever have questions that you would want to ask us....and, turns out you do! :) we read over them and here are our first round of questions and answers!!!

we will continue to take questions for as long as this blog shall live :) so, keep them coming!!! i have added a link at the top of the blog that says TML Q&A, so you can always just click on that link and follow the directions to send us your question. we love them!! they can be silly, they can be photography related, they can be parenthood related....whatever you choose. we will just randomly post answers as we get get a group of them.....so bring it on! :)
and remember..we are 5 ladies, with 5 different opinions--so, take what info works best for you!

1. What's your best marketing advice/tips?
sarah says-- Be bold! What good are your business cards if they stay in your purse? Make a point to give out at least one card on every outing. I leave a card with each restaurant bill that I pay...neatly tucked in the little black folder where the credit cards typically go. While I'm on the subject, get GREAT business cards! These give people their very first impression of your business. Select your images carefully; choose only your very best. Don't make them too busy...let your photos do most of the talking. Lastly, make sure you use a great printer--you don't want to go through all that work, only to have them printed cadi-whompus on lousy paper.

Be a good conversationalist. Don't be afraid to talk to people. My most recent wedding lead was at the hairdresser getting my daughter's hair done. :o)

Word of mouth, word of mouth, word of mouth. This is what my business thrives on. Maintain your blogs and websites well...get people talking!

shannon says--for me, personally, my best marketing advice is get people to talk about you!! i have been so very lucky and blessed in my journey. 90% of my clients are word of mouth, the other 10% is google. this means, have fun-show your passion-make new friends!! if your sessions are fun and you leave your clients happy, they will spread your name to everyone they know. a personal referral goes so much further than someone picking up and reading a card or seeing your website (along with 20 others they look at).
also, my biggest tip is BLOG! everyone loves a sneak peek, everyone loves to see their kiddos or their wedding on the blog. plus, it's a great way for them to share the link with their family and friends---which in return, gets people to your blog/site!!

2. If you have a love of photography and are trying to hone your skills, what is your best advice to try and make a leap to starting a business at your passion? It all seems so overwhelming but would love to hear you tips, thoughts, advice!

megan says- I think a lot of people are pondering this same thing. Photography is such a rewarding hobby, and the better you get the more compliments you get on your work, and that always feels good. Now with the digital era it is becoming more and more popular to pick up this hobby, since it is much less work now than when working with film, not to mention more affordable. And with this love of photography and the digital camera boom it seems there are more and more people distinguishing themselves as professional photographers rather than just hobbyists. I do think to become a professional it takes more than just buying a nice D-SLR, taking photos for friends and family for a few months, and buying some editing software. I think some people have an artistic eye for photography, have a creative flair that is unique to them, and that goes a lot further than just honing the technical skills. Of course, you need the technical skills too. http://digital-photography-school.com/nuts-bolts I see far too often, people who do not master the basics of photography, lighting, exposure, composition, white balance...the list goes on for miles, delving too quickly into what they consider the world of "professional photographers." If you are taking money, in any amount, to take somebody's photos then you are a "professional." But there is a difference between somebody who has mastered their camera, goes through the appropriate business steps to create a photography business ( i.e. paying taxes, signing legal contracts, purchasing insurance, registering their business, etc. etc.), always striving to improve, researching, researching researching, who has an eye for the creative and unique, sets themselves apart from the other photographers in their area and then the person I mentioned before who purchases a D-SLR but doesn't really know how to use it to it's fullest potential, takes photos of their family and friends, starts charging a small fee to burn them the disc with all of the images, and not paying taxes. The thing about it is, the person in the second category lessens the meaning of a "professional photographer" even though they are collecting money the same as the people who have taken appropriate action to go into this business. So my advice would be, first off, being a professional photographer is a big responsibility. You have to make sure that you are good enough to capture that wedding, first birthday, maternity shots etc. Because most of the time, you get one chance at it, you can never go back and re-capture that walk down the aisle, or baby's first taste of cake. It you are taking money to capture this you better be sure that you are fully capable of giving an exceptional end product, because these are people's memories that need to be forever captured in time and that is a big responsibility. My second piece of advice is to really look into what it takes to create a business. It's more than buying a camera and meeting your clients at the lake for photos. It takes a lot of time, there are steps that need to be put into place before you ever go out and take money from a client that first time. You need to register your business, get a tax id number, build your portfolio, cover your backside in case you were to be sued (happens far more than you think), organize your office to keep track of all your sessions/orders/paperwork etc. So if you've done those first steps, when you ask yourself if you are comfortable excepting money for your talent because you have honed your skills and you can answer yes confidently, and you've put the proper business measures in place, then comes the tricky part of setting yourself apart from everybody else. That's where the creative aspect of photography comes in, and the ongoing strive to be unique. Sure, most every photo has been taken, there are probably no true original ideas left, but you can still set yourself apart from the rest. Find your style, your angle, your artistic side. If your style is actually not your style, but the style of somebody else in town you are copying you aren't doing anybody a favor. You want to set yourself apart. With the digital photography advancements photographers who were once few and far between, are now a dime a dozen. But my plea to everyone is to raise the bar, if you're going to become professional do it right, otherwise nobody wins.

meg says-- i absolutely believe in following your dreams! if you're ready to take your passion to the next level and launch a business - establish yourself with a website/blog first.
photography as you know is a visual medium and it's important to showcase your portfolio. a blog from wordpress, typepad, blogger make it easy to establish yourself online quickly. flickr is a wonderful place to start as well. the age of social media has arrived - get yourself a fan page on facebook, twitter away, eventually you will be amazed at the folks who take time to look at your work.
brand yourself. have a logo designed for your new business and then get your business cards printed. overnight prints do a great job and they are so inexpensive. if you have a card in your pocket then where ever you are you can promote your business with ease. offer your services to local organizations - perhaps there is a new mother's club or a local school looking for auction items. donating a session is another easy way to get your name out there and gain more exposure. the recipient of your donation will be sure to tell his/her friends about you. word of mouth is priceless.
find your forte and focus on that. if you want to be a wedding photographer exclusively, them be sure to promote yourself with local cake vendors, florists, wedding planners and dress shops. same goes for children's photography - promote yourself with local businesses specializing in children's clothing, toys, accessories. the sky is the limit when it comes to promoting yourself in your area of expertise.
and finally, keep yourself motivated during the slow season. whether you are stuck in the snow of the northeast or dodging the raindrops in the west, keep yourself motivated by getting out there and shooting. the slow season is the perfect time to try new things. gather inspiration from other photographers - read blogs, visit websites, rent a new lens to try out and hone those skills. create an inspiration board to keep in your office - magazines are chock full of inspiration, pin pages from magazines of "ideas" you would like to try in your next shoots - quotes that move you and represent who you are. make sure you print and frame some of your own prints to hang. i find when i am working at my computer, looking up and seeing my own work hanging there is a wonderful reminder that i made the right decision to make my passion bloom. wishing you lots of successes.

3.What would you recommend to someone who has a real passion for photography and wants to improve? What would be your top three tips?
jen says--
A: Practice! Take pictures of EVERYTHING! Take your camera with you everywhere - you never know when you’ll find inspiration. The point is to experiment until you get images you like. You don’t have to get a perfect shot with every click and don’t be discouraged if you only keep a handful of your images. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with editing!
B: Get involved with online (or real life) photo groups and forums. I learned so much from my photography groups on cafemom.com (where we all met!) There are tons of sites out there offering information and constructive criticism through forums and contests. Even if you are just a lurker somewhere like ilovephotography.com, you can learn so much from the critiques posted for other’s work.

C: Learn to shoot in manual. You will hear it a million times! Learning about aperture and how to manipulate it to get the effects I desired most was a huge turning point for me. My two suggestions for learning to shoot manually involve reading Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson and using a lens that can get a wide aperture, like the 50mm 1.8. Shooting with a wide aperture will not only teach you about aperture, but also about focus.

4. Where do you get your prints done and what color profiles do you use for your photos? RGB? sRGB? Do printers have different color profiles?
Do you save the picture as a 4x6, 8x10, or whatever in Photoshop before you send them to get printed?
sarah says--I use and love both www.mpix.com , and www.mpixpro.com . When printing pictures for myself, I don't pre-crop. I just make sure to preview the image (recropping if/when necessary, right there through mpix) before ordering. When giving clients digital files, I save them that step, and give them multiple folders with selected sizes in each respective folder.

meg says--i have had great success with whcc. i find their lead-times to be fantastic, their customer service outstanding, and let's face it, anyone that puts a nice big tootsie pop in their packages is high up on my list! be sure to get "test" prints from any vendor you choose to do business with. it's important that the computer screen you are editing your prints on and presenting to clients is calibrated with those of your printer. i personally use adobe rgb. my images are saved at a high resolution - 300 dpi - i crop on an as needed basis when i receive print orders.

5. If you were lens..what lens would you be and why?
megan says--I guess my answer would be the 85mm 1.4 prime lens. I want to be sharp and fast, but still have some room, some distance from what I am trying to capture (especially important when catching toddlers in those real life moments, or brides coming down the aisle.) I want them to forget that I am even there, so I capture them unposed, in their element doing what comes natural to them.

jen says--I’d be a lensbaby. A little bit focused, mostly not…but in a creative, good way!

6. What is your absolute FAVORITE lens to use?
meg says-- my favorite lens is the 85 1.8 - delightful, sharp, creamy and dreamy bokeh. i find it has been on my camera about 90% of the time lately!

shannon says-- hands down, my 50mm. it's fast, it's great for everything, it produces beautiful images, it gets you up close and personal with your subjects....i love it!!!

7. What are some tips from all of you on a perfect exposure in camera? I am really trying to be better about getting the perfect exposure while I am shooting and to not rely on PP after since I shoot RAW.
megan says-- I adjust my exposure on my camera using a little +/- button. I also spot meter using the spot meter setting on my camera, sometimes. That's the beauty of the digital camera and the display screen. When you take a photo, you can look and see if it looks properly exposed and if not, I adjust it accordingly. Then of course, the closest you get to the proper exposure the better, but if you are shooting in RAW, or even if you aren't you can go in and adjust the exposure until it is correct. But that is always much easier to do if you are underexposed rather than overexposed.

8. I'm getting hung up on a name. Using my name seems obvious since people will know me, but that seems boring. How do you approach naming your business?
shannon says-- this is a hard question and something i have personally kicked myself over. when i started out a couple years ago, i thought...."oh, i just think of a fun catchy name. i'm just doing kids, so it really doesn't matter." well, fast forward to today and it totally matters. my biggest regret is not using my name. i didn't want to use my name because my husband is also a photographer and he uses his name. so i thought, how cheesy to have j. hollman photography and s. hollman photography. if i could go back in time i would change it to my name. i wish i was branding my name and not my "company". when i thought about switching it over, though, i had a great response of people telling me they liked it...plus i really didn't want to redo my website, domain....i was in too far. so, i recently just added my name so that it is now thousand words photography by shannon hollman. i'm happy....for now. haha!

jen says-- When naming your business, I think the most important thing to consider is you. If you want something other than your given name, then I think it’s important to consider what you want your business to be focused on while taking into account your personal style and how you want to convey it. Some of my favorite photography business names are the ones that don’t even reference photography. The best ones seem to just represent a story or things that those folks love. Bluelime Photography, JinkyArt Photography, and Tea and Brie Photography are just a few great ones. Obvioulsy, these are all derived from things or words that the owners love! Make it personal. My photography business is just my name, but my sewing business is The PinkPooka, which I have always loved. My last name is Pinkerton, so that’s where the “pink” comes in, and “pooka” is a key word from a play I was in during high school. For my business, I wanted to convey my whimsical side, and it fit the bill perfectly while keeping it personal to me. Having a name that’s personal to you will set you apart from others.

9. who did the maternal lens blog layout?? and sarah, on your sidebar you have some of your wording in big, colored different fonts than what the typical blogspot offers. How did you do that??

boutique graphics did the TML blog layout and we love it!! (she also did my blog layout-- thousand words)
sarah says-- Those can actually be designed and plugged into Blogger each as a picture. I had the lovely Jennifer of Jennifer Alison Designs help me with mine! :o)


thanks again for asking and reading!! now, hop on over and ask us some more! TML Q&A

and don't forget....today is the last day to enter to win a snackTAXI!!

{thursday's low down, throw down with cayden lane photography}

i first came across lori robison, of cayden lane photography, on flickr. her photos always caught my eye. they are fun, colorful, creative....and beautifully done! she was quickly added to my 'to follow' list. her work puts a smile on my face...and who doesn't love to smile :)
i'm so happy she agreed to be interviewed. if you didn't already know her, i hope you love her as much as i do!!

i'm happy to share with you lori robison/cayden lane photography...

Name: Lori Robison
Business name: Cayden Lane Photography
Location: Orange Park/Jacksonville, Florida
Website/blog: www.caydenlanephotography.com www.caydenlanephotography.com/blog



Tell us one sentence to describe your photography: Fun, soulful and non-traditional…Because even the little moments should last forever

What's one thing that everyone should know about you?: I’m good at anything creative. I love to paint, sew, knit, crochet, decorate…..I however, cannot put together a scrapbook to save my life! TOOO many options and photos to try and piece together! lol



How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started: Professionally? Almost two years. But I’ve always been borderline obsessed with taking photos. My parents moved around a lot (in the same city, but a lot!) when I was little. And with that they lost most of my childhood photos. I only have a handful of photos of me as a baby and small child. So from the moment my dad bought me my first 110 camera at about 8 years old I’ve almost always had a camera with me. Then, when my first daughter was born 11 years ago I made a promise that I would document her life in photos so that she has something to look back on one day and say hey, I remember that!

If they made a movie about your life, what would it be titled and who would play you? Hmmmm…..a title? I can picture the movie…..Like 18 kids and Counting (Well, minus a few kids, the homeschooling & organization) meets Sex & The City (but in PG!) and I had to ask my closest friends who would play me in a movie because I just couldn’t come up with anything….so I got Julia Roberts, Jen Garner, Sandra Bullock & Anne Hathaway. I think probably Anne Hathaway would fit me best though! Kinda quirky, fun yet still classy.

What did you want to be or think you would be when you grew up?:
I wanted to be a Marine Biologist and work at Sea World with Shamu!

If you had to pick one reality show to be on what would it be and why?: Project Runway! I’ve always secretly wanted to design clothes. I used to make children’s clothing and sell it on Ebay and always dreamed of having my own boutique.

Where do you go to find inspiration?: My children. The way they innocently go through life with eyes wide open, taking in everything and learning from it. That’s how I approach photography. I try to look at every location and situation as if I’ve never seen it before and capture that beauty



What type of sessions are your favorite (children, e-sessions, weddings, newborns....) and why?: hmmm, well I used to automatically say newborns, but recently I have had the opportunity to photograph seniors (& teens) and I am in LOVE! I love how they are up for anything and I really feel that my creativity has blossomed since deciding to go into that particular market. I’m hoping the new year brings many more seniors my way. Of course this year my best friend and I are partnering up to do weddings. Non-traditional style so I am beyond excited about that new venture as well!



What equipment do you use and if you had only one lens to use...what would it be?: 5D, 85mm/f1.8, 50mm/f1.8, 430ex flash. If I had only one lens to use it would definitely be my 85mm. In fact it almost never leaves my camera! I am constantly amazed at the clarity that I get from this lens!



What is your current favorite pair of shoes? Well, my favorite pair of shoes are Red Patent leather 4” pumps by Joan&David. They have adorable silver buckles on the side. However, being a photographer mom of five I have not worn them in about 2 years! I do however admire them everyday sitting ever so pretty in the top of my closet as I reach for my black reef flip-flops that DO get worn every single day!



What moment in your life makes you smile every single time you think about it?:
well, it would be every time my children were born. I know that’s more than one moment but those moments are my most treasured!



What is at the top of your wish list right now?: TOP: 5D MarkII, 24-70/f2.8, 70-200/f2.8 & fisheye. {Just a teeny tiny little wish list! ;-)}

Tell us the best advice that you have ever received (photography related or life in general): not really advice but something I try to live by: “You can have everything in life you want if you just help enough other people get what they want”….Zig Ziglar :)

What is the all time best book you've ever read? oh gosh, all I read now is Children’s Books and photography magazines…..It’s sad but I haven’t read a real book since my first daughter was born!

If we surprised you at your house today, what would be the first thing we would notice? Oh gosh! Today it would definitely have to be the piles of laundry on my dining room table! I’m leaving for Imaging USA in 2 days and leaving behind 5 kids whom I’ve never been away from more than a day! (ok, time to stop panicking!)

{we did this interview a while back, so imaging usa is already over. maybe lori will share with us what she learned :) }

And lastly.....when we started the maternal lens, all of us filled out this questionnaire and shared our answers....now it's your turn :)

What is your favorite word? STOP….lol, no wait…that’s the word I say most!
What is your least favorite word? idiot
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? My kids, sunny skies, the ocean, the trees lightly swaying from a breeze and listening to the Christian music channel.
What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Whining, people thinking they are better than everyone else, hypocrites
What sound or noise do you love? My children laughing
What sound or noise do you hate? whining
What is your favorite thing to say when you get mad? dammit
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Clothing designer/boutique owner
What profession would you not like to do? Garbage person
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Job well done :)

thank you so much lori!! make sure you leave her some blog love!!

also....have you wanted to ask 1 or all 5 of the maternal lens ladies a question?? well now you can! check it out HERE!

photo of the day {thursday}

I really loved this photo and the creamy feel to it. It was called "More Rain" and it fits the mood here in Kansas. We've had snow/ice/slush/water on the ground since before Christmas. We're itching to see some sunshine. Taken by Shooting the Kids, what a clever Flickr name.

{giveaway day!}

i stumbled upon a great little product when i was searching the web a few weeks ago. i was making my son's lunch and it dawned on me just how many plastic baggies we go through on a weekly basis. between my husband and my son's sandwich, snacks, cookies and fruit...we were using tons!! so i wondered if i could find a product out there that would give the the same ease of plastic bags, but without the waste. so, i hopped on the internet and i found exactly what i was looking for. (i'm starting to sound like an infomercial, huh? haha)
i found a company called snackTAXI. they have tons of great products from lunch bags, to sandwich bags, to snack bags and more! they are super cute and come in tons of different styles and colors!

"snackTAXIs are a great alternative to plastic bags and wraps, especially when just one reusable bag has the potential to eliminate an average of 1000 plastic bags over its lifetime!

snackTAXIs are lined with coated nylon, and can be machine washed and dried, or simply wiped clean with a damp sponge."

well, it's your lucky day because the wonderful people at snackTAXI have offered to give a set of snackTAXIs (one snack-sack and one sandwich-sack) to one lucky reader!!


snackTAXI's can be purchased online, are available wholesale and make for a great fundraising idea too!

i also want to add that snackTAXI will have a 20% off coupon code for you to use through January 31. Simply enter happy2010 at checkout.


now for the fun part!!!
to enter to win, here's what you need to do!

~leave us a comment and tell us why you would love to have this product. that's it. that's all you need to do!!

~but wait!! if you would like a bonus entry, visit snackTAXI on facebook, become their fan and then come back here and leave us a comment letting us know you are a fan!!

contest will end friday at 9pm mst.

POTD [Tuesday]

Today's photo of the day comes from jayner82ksu. What a great photo! I also loved the caption she had with it:

"The duck, the dinosaur and the walrus all plotted their escape. So close, only to be swept back into the tub for another round of debauchery."



Thanks to everyone that makes our Flickr Pool such an inspiring place to be!

We have a winner of the {Florabella Action Sets}

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 566
Result: 18

Our winner is Brea at CYE Photography who left comment number 18, "Brea @CYE Photography said...and I'm a fan!"
Send us your e-mail address and I will pass along your information to Shana Rae. Thank you again for an overwhelming response to our giveaway and Florabella Actions!

[POTD] monday.

what a handsome and hip kiddo he is. a great shot taken by erika snow - check her out!

{ask us anything!}

we thought it would be fun to do a little question and answer session with all 5 of the maternal lens girls!! we love to connect with our readers and it's fun for us to share a little bit about us too.

so, here's how it will work....

~any and all questions can be emailed to thousandwords@bresnan.net

~you can ask a generic question to all 5 of us and one of us will randomly answer it OR you can ask a specific question to any of the 5 ladies.

here's our info if it helps you:
meg- blog website
shannon- blog website
sarah- blog website
megan- blog website
jen- blog1 blog2

~although i'm sure most questions will be photography related...
they don't have to be.

~this will be an ongoing post and we will randomly be posting answers. so keep asking and we'll keep sharing.


we look forward to hearing from you all!!!

It's Your Lucky Day! Florabella Actions Giveaway!!!

I must say, I do love a good action, and these actions are some of the best around! Created by the talented Shana Rae, designer of the Florabella Collection fine art floral prints and more recently creating the Florabella Collection fine art textures and actions. In this giveaway Shana Rae is giving away all three sets of Florabella Actions including, the vintage set, the color & haze set, and the b&w set! They are compatible with PS and PSE. Take a look at her beautiful textures too, also on her website. Below you will see our examples of some her gorgeous actions. See how to enter below.

















Cosmopolitan


Soft Urban


B&W Platinum


Vintage Summer


Cosmopolitan


Vintage Summer


Sweet Color







Entering is easy, visit Shana Rae's website, Florabella Collection and leave us a comment telling us which action is your favorite and why.

For extra entries:
*Become a fan of The Florabella Collection on Facebook, then leave us a comment telling us you did so.
*spread the word about this giveaway on facebook, twitter, or your blog, and leave us a link to where you shared this info in a comment below. We will be checking this link to make sure it is valid.

Contest will end on Monday evening at 11:59 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen by random number generator and announced on Tuesday.