20 tips from Anne Geddes for taking great photos..

As a new momma I keep up with Babycenter.com on a regular basis.. This site helped me out soo much during my pregnancy and even now as Kellen grows each month I stay up to date with his age development. During pregnancy, it was a place for me to go and read that millions of other women were experiencing what I was going through...An outlet to help keep us paranoid occassionally over dramatic self, SANE!  I ran across this article and wanted to pass the great info along.. Our daily reality has evolved into a Facebook crazed world and everyone and their dog are snap happy and busy documenting their every breath.. and thats ok! I read several comments weekly of how 'annoyed' everyone is with each other for their daily posts of life and pictures.. I find myself thinking there is a line of sharing and just taking it to the extremes.. well, here's the deal,  if you dont want to look at it don't, if you dont want to read it, dont.. its that simple.. ya heard! Read what you want, take in what you want and ignore the rest..
and if you are someone that has joined the ranks of posting and sharing, let me stress to you how important it is to make sure you have your images saved and keep printing them..don't rely on the internet, blogging, fb, shutterfly, etc. to do the saving for you, keep your pictures saved on file elsewhere.. Otherwise you chance losing all these valuable and meaningful copies of your cherished moments.. The ol memory bank is great, but its not fool proof. save save save your pictures on a back-up.. This article mentions this as well, along with other great tips on how to get great pictures of your little ones.. My opinion is to let the professionals or the person you believe captures great images of your family continue taking your family portraits each year, but take plenty of snapshots of your own along the way. ok I think im off my soapbox..  These are helpful tips for anyone, even for every day snapshots. thought I would share :

(http://www.babycenter.com/0_20-tips-from-anne-geddes-for-taking-great-photos_10338944.bc?page=2)
We asked world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes for advice on taking great baby photos. Her tips and tricks can help you capture memories that’ll last a lifetime.


Do your own thing
Please don't try to replicate any of my images. They are created after hours of preparation and under careful controls in my studio, where I am supported by a team of talented professionals.

Be prepared
Keep your camera at the ready at all times. The more familiar your baby is with a camera, the more natural your photographs will be because your baby's curiosity won't be aroused by the camera. And with a camera at hand, you'll always be ready for those special spontaneous moments.

Consider the background
Keep your background simple to let your baby take "center stage" in the image.

Change your perspective
For a more personal point of view, get down to your baby's eye level.

Get ready
Ensure that your baby is safe, well fed, happy, and comfortable and you can be guaranteed some lovely images.


Time it well
Choose the time of day when your baby is happiest. Every baby is different.

Let there be light
I love using natural light. It is always more flattering to use the soft directional light coming in a window than the flash on a camera.

Go early or late
If you are photographing outside, try to take advantage of the early morning or late afternoon light. The mid-day sun doesn't bring out the best in anyone, and it can be especially harsh on your baby's perfect skin!
Don't splurge


You don't need an expensive camera to take a great photograph, because the best image begins in your heart, inspired by the baby.

Candid camera
The loveliest shots of your baby will most likely be candid ones.

Forget the props
The photograph is not about the props (no flowerpots please!). It's just about your beautiful baby.

Make it personal
Take pictures in settings that have meaning for you. Make your images personal; this will give them an even deeper resonance.

They grow so fast
Remember, babies are only this tiny for such a short time. You might not believe it now, but you will forget how small your baby was in the beginning, so try to show your baby's size in relation to the surroundings. For example, images of a baby's hand in a family member's hand are so poignant because they capture that sense of scale.

Put it in context
Try for a sense of place, as well. You might think that you'll always remember that day or the story behind the image, but it's not always the case, especially as more wonderful events occur as your baby grows. If you can use a background that "sets" the image for you, it helps bring the story back to mind when viewed years later.


Put yourself in the picture
Do try to include yourself in as many photographs with your family as possible. Your children will want to know what you looked like "way back then" when they were newborns and as they grew up. They'll thank you for it later!

Save, save, save
I enjoy working digitally and with film. With your digital images, do try to download them from your camera on a regular basis, saving them to files grouped by months when your baby is young (so many changes occur so quickly in the early years).

Get organized
When saving your images, try to add a key word that will help you find the image when you're seeking it later for a holiday card or scrapbook. Instead of "Amy Summer," try "Amy 6mos in hat" – something memorable, so you can locate it more easily months or years later.

Back it up
Always, always back up your digital images. They are as valuable and irreplaceable as film negatives.

Try a video
Try out the short video feature on your digital camera. Those "small" spontaneous moments will be precious additions to your keepsakes.

Use technology
Have you sampled any of the new digital photo frames, apps like those available for the iPad's multi-touch screen, or features on Flickr? They are a lovely way to share treasured images with family, open albums with a tap, scroll through smaller "thumbnail" images to find favorites, play and share slide shows, manage photo sets, geo-tag photos, favor photos, comment on them, and much more.

Nine (9) months old...

This little whipper will be 9 months old tomorrow, craziness!

Jon and I were running some errands and needed to check out an upcoming

wedding location so I through an outfit together and we got some shots of K..
Like most children whos parents have discovered dslr cameras

he is all too familar with a lens, and when I break out the camera he breaks out

the 'serious' expressions.. I have our daily routine down to a science, but when it comes to breaking out of the mold of routine and running errands or traveling, 9 months later I'm STILL trying to get the momma to-do list down pat... 

 1.) bring the baby  2.) FEED the baby 3.) pack plenty of snacks 4.) pack plenty of supplies 5.) leave room for a nap.. things like that.
It's a blessing for me that he is an easy going baby!
Saturday night he had his first 'play date'. Some friends invited us over for dinner. They
have a baby girl named Sydney a little older then Kellen. Miss Sydney is a doll. K is around
older kids alll the time but other babies not as much. She was a good sport to put up with
his face tugging and pushing her down. He opted to give her a Kellen kiss which was
stinkin cute. Kids are so entertaining.. Surprisingly enough I left the goods at home and wasn't able to
document the evening. we'll get it next time.

Tidds and Bitts...

As you can see here, we now have SIX teeth...

How could this happen you ask ? I have NO IDEA! 

One day we had 2 going on 3 and now this.

unbelievable how fast these babies grow.

Jon thought it would be entertaining to see the expressions

he made if we gave him a taste of a lemon.. guess again dad!

This baby didnt even skip a beat, he loved it and just wanted

another bite... he's a tough cookie

Standing and holding on to tables and chairs and balancing well enough

to hold on with only one hand, I bet hes walking by Christmas.

His favorite treat so far are Gerber's yogurt melts, peach flavor. (His Gramma

is helpful with keeping these in supply.)

We gave Luvs a whirl because of the price difference compared to Pampers and Huggies..

Pampers are by far my favorite but I was impressed with the Luvs (didnt think i would be). no leaks and no issues.. our experience is they work the same for a cheaper price!

A few baby quirks of his... we have a highchair seat that straps into one of the chairs to our
dining room table (saves room in a small dining room).. There are long blue straps that hang off the back
of it and onto the floor.. K loves to set and play with the straps, tugs and pulls them and just giggles and  laughs and thinks its so funny.. and watching him do this makes me smile and laugh and giggle.. its a WIN/WIN for both of us!
I bought a jumbo pack of white wash cloths at Wally world specifically for cleaning up after Kellen,
even keep them in his designated section of the kitchen.. Somehow we manage to go through a minimum of five of these things daily... sigh

Another first.... first Halloween!

Kellen's first Halloween was a good one... Of course the main event was last weekend for our family's Halloween partaay. For actual Halloween our church has an annual Fall Festival and invite the community out for costumes, games, popcorn, candy, treats, lots more games and TONS of candy! It's a great way to offer all members of the community a safe place to take their kiddos for trick or treating... I signed up to help out with the inflatable our sunday school class had for the little tykes.. Kids flying in all directions, little ones, bigger ones, runny noses... fortunately there were no broken bones on my watch.. wooo! My parents came with us and watched Kellen while I helped out.. I'm still trying to learn how to juggle a baby, a camera, a stroller, walk, and function all at the same time.. so needless to say, we forgot the stroller and I opted not to bring a camera. K's 'spot the dalmatian pup' costume didn't stay on too long due to the fact it was way too hot inside...oh, and he thinks he is 5 years old and big enough to play with all the kids, so the fact that we were holding him the entire time was clearly frustrating... It was clear he thought he could just get down and crawl around right in the middle of everything going on. Oh the stresses of only being 8.5 months old must be rough! My parents said that while I was inside holding down the fort at the inflatable, they had him outside at the little petting zoo, looking at baby chicks and some other live stock. My mom said he loooved watching the baby chicks. I do believe he will be an animal lover like myself and that makes me very happy... (sigh of relief!) Here are a couple of pictures we took before the Festival just to have a couple of him on his first actual Halloween day...

My dad arrived later to our Halloween party last week so in the chaos of everything

I didnt get ONE single darn picture of him and that made me very very sad.. SO, on

Kellen's first Halloween I made SURE we got a picture of him with his Pops! (and Mimi)

and speaking of Mimi, I'd like to share a little something here... My mom knew how much I've been wanting a 'hobo wallet', but knows that I wont pay $80+ dollars to buy one, that is just obsurd, and I dont

have time to shop and gallivant very often so I hadn't even been able to locate

a 'knock-off' wallet with the same style.. So, she brought Kellen, Jaxson, Jon and

I treat bags for Halloween. Jon's was chocolate and mine was a hobo style wallet.. and

I love it! My mom has done little things like this my entire life. There is thought and love behind

her little gifts and it makes them so very special to me. My parents are a shining example

for me in understanding whats really important in life... LOVE and concern for others and not myself.

Happy very FIRST Halloween to our sweet baby Kellen!

Punkin Patch Matchy Match Mayhem!

5 kiddos... count them... FIVE. Matchy match outfits and the punkin patch equals pure mayhem for this camera girl and everyone that went! There is never a shortage of energy on the kids' parts and always an overload of stress for the adults, ha. Its always fun to see what we get from this wacky group going to do pictures. Scrapbook fun for all !! enjoy

5 different little personalities for sure

jon with his boys

smile smile, do what jen says and then i can run off and play!

and look at that, I even got in on one or two.

2nd Annual Halloween Party !!

There are faint memories as a kid of going to a few really big production Halloween parties, put on by a family from my childhood church, Sang. We're talking everyone dressed up in elaborate costumes, garages blacked out with various games and treats and music and fun.. I remember a group of us going door to door with our pumpkin buckets in tow and collecting an enormous stash of candy from the neighborhood. Almost every house in the block participated and had decorated their porches up big in preparation for the sugar filled event. I have always loved this part of Halloween, and decided at an early age that when I grew up I wanted to be the one that hosted a big ol fun Halloween party each year. So last October, when we realized Jaxson's visit didnt fall on Halloween, it was time to host a Halloween party! 09's version was more of a camp out in the back yard, but it was a party none the less and we all had a blast. Our 2nd Annual Halloween Party was a hit as well... Jon's tasty homemade crock pot chili, grilled hot dogs, some frightful cupcakes made from a girl at our church, and lots of Mimi's fun filled sweet treats! The Paul family was so funny as the BBQ crew... Brody's hot dog costume was so funny.. We found a dalmation puppy outfit for Kellen at Old Navy and came up with the idea for a fire station theme... We really didn't think Jax would go along with it (thinking he'd insist on being his typical blue transformer.), but to my surprise when I told him dad was the fireman, Kellen was the station dog named Spot and I was the fire hydrant, he immediately said ' and I can be the fire truck! (of course he insisted that it be BLUE, and my hydrant be yellow, no doubts.) We were so thrilled that he was excited to be a part of it that I quickly went to work on a making a BLUE fire truck! I was a little nervous to if he would actually like the way it turned out looking, with jaxson its a coin toss on whether he will love it or hate it... when he got there that visit, he walked in and saw it on the table and his eyes immediately lit up, and knowing him I know that meant I did a good job! woot woot ! Go Jen, go jen :) Gramma was a big pink butterfly from head to toe. ha. She had wings, and tights and colorful eye shadow and when she got there Jaxson was sweet and told her that she looked pretty. Mimi was a kid working at dog patch usa (anyone remember that place.).. lol or a hobo or ellie may or something, cute cute.. My brother and Angie and their crew had to get there a little later because of other things going on, but they were good sports about trying to appease me with the entire dressing up thing. My brother even busted out his hunter gear equiped with the fake hair visor.. priceless look for him :) And of course princess Lily Grace was Cinderella in glass slippers... what else ? ha and Cameron came, which totally made my night! Always hilarious and in a good mood, he's a hoot!


Pops took everyone on an awesome hay ride around our neighborhood, complete with spooky sounds howlin into the moonlight... spooky! Towards the end of the hay ride Papaw, dressed in a fireman black jacket and Gramma's leggings over his head, jumped out and about scared everyone to tears! (umm, Cameron! lol) and poor poor Reece, not only did Papaw make him cry but later on Gramma jumped out from the side of the house thinking she was going to get Caden and it was Reecer peecer instead. Later in the evening, I went in to start coffee and came back out to the campfire to this: Halloween music rockin, everyone standing around laughing and clapping while Jaxson and Lily were each showing their dance moves on the back porch... Jaxson was breaking out the robot among other things and princess Lily was a mix of cheerleading moves she's learned from Ashton. there were also some moves in there that were clearly allllll her own! ha
By the end of the night, Kellen was crashed, and my family and jon and I were hanging out in the kitchen telling some funny but too embarassing stories to share on here.. An overall great time spent with family, which ultimately is what life is all about. As for next years 3rd annual Halloween Party, well, we plan to make this thing bigger and bigger each year!

The fire station gang!

My brothers good looking family

the BLUE fire truck and his side kick Spot !

a pup and a dog.. ha

The BBQ Crew 

The Firehouse dog... named Spot!

Tidds and Bitts...

Lets see, some tidds and bitts would be... eating peas, pancakes, among other things at Mimi's house now, still loves bananas the most... loves remote controls, starting to get mad at toys if they have any kind of long string or cord on them and it wont do exactly what he thinks it should.. (early temper im sure )... has 2 more teeth coming in, both on top row.. but not together, one is the top front and the other is a few teeth over, so i cant wait to see how that will turn out looking :) My brother is bald (the cute bald of course), and when he visits Kellen, K just stares at his head with this priceless look.. its hard to describe on here but its hilarious.. he'll look at him and then look straight up at his head.. I guess he is confused that there is no hair there to PULL... still pinching skin and pulling hair and tugging at glasses so look out! All at the same time he is a sweet heart, always smiling and happy to see all members of his family.

His daddy was standing beside me making him laugh and giggle here... He always wants me to hold him and if Jon tries to take him while i'm there, he will fuss, but he wants to watch his daddy non stop.. his eyes follow him all around the house and he just smiles at him and watches his every move.. There is NO slowing him down now that he crawls everywhere... and speaking of the word 'no', he is hearing that in his vocabulary now, quite often ! as he crawls around the house he is constantly drawn to the plug-ins (covered ofcourse), dvd player, wii, book shelves... 'no kellen' 'no kellen' .. im already getting practice with the momma repeat!! ha

He claps and patty-cakes now... one hand is open and the other makes a fist. He loves music, especially on cartoons and he'll stop what hes doing and start listening and clapping when he hears it.. Yo Gabba Gabba (which his mom occasionally finds creepy), along with Handy Manny and The Mickey Mouse Club are among the attention getters!! He will crawl to the door way of Jaxson's room and just set and stair at his toys.. this amuses me every time.. It's like he knows its 'no mans land' in Jaxson's toy box and theres an unspoken rule that he's not allowed to get anything out of there! Of course knowing Jaxson, there is a REAL possibility that he has 'had a little talk' with Kellen to let him know that his room and toy box are off limits! :)
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Most babies ive ever seen will play 'peek-a-boo' at this age, and maybe this is common but ive never seen it: he will hold up his own blanket over his face and i'll say 'where's Kellen' and he will peek out from around the blanket and show his 2-tooth grinning face! and then do it again ! Maybe its just me being in aww of my child, who knows. but its highly impressive if you ask me.