Touch of Grey Photography, child photographer in Utah

Halloween!

2010-09-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

this is my FAVORITE time of year! and to celebrate, i'm offering some killer Halloween packages you can't miss out on! (no pun intended. :)

{option #1: $85}

one child
30-minute shoot time
two free 5x6 prints
high resolution disc of five images from shoot

{option #2: $100}

multiple children (immediate family)
45-minute shoot time
two free 5x6 prints
high resolution disc of five images from shoot

i know how much effort you put into your kids' costumes, so make sure you get some good photos!

please call or e-mail with questions or to reserve your spot. i'm only taking a limited number this year, so please don't hesitate!

*valid through Oct. 31, 2010

attention davis county: i'm baaack!

2010-09-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

and with vengeance... not really. but i'm really excited. we are back in layton! some of you have given up on me and i don't blame you. my blog updating has just been sad.
it seems a wife of a student - just as busy as a student... weird i know. but he graduated yay! and so blogging, here i come!
so all you davis county peeps who are in need of pictures, let's do it!
i'm offering two 8x10 and two 5x6 prints free! with every shoot this month and next.

this could be your kissing cousins:

Liam.

2010-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

beautiful cheryl

2010-06-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

this is my good friend cheryl. i can't imagine a more beautiful pregnant woman, and this is her fourth child!
i loved taking these pictures of her, we had so, so much fun. she is moving soon and i am going to miss her dearly. love you cher!

senior pictures!!

2010-03-25T15:27:00.001-07:00

an oldie, but a goodie

2010-01-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

i was going through my old stuff and found this. it is some of my very earliest work and it's still one of my all-time faves. she is my breathtakingly beautiful niece. she's one of my favorite subjects because she's so full of life.
i love you jaydie-bug!

6 months already?

2010-01-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

remember jack? i photographed him as a teeny tiny newborn and now look at him! i love that i get to watch my clients' kids grow up. i get to see them reach all their special milestones, how cool is that?! i could just stare at this little guy all day. he has so much personality, i could just eat him up!

happy new year!

2009-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:00

is this a post? REALLY??! due to this busy, busy season, i have gotten so behind! has it really been two months?!
well it's about time i play catch-up. here's a quick peek at what i've been up to this christmas card season. much, much more to come!
i am so excited for a new year! new experiences, creating new friendships and continuing to learn, learn, learn. thankfully my job allows me all of these opportunities.
thank you to all of you who check back to this little blog. i love your comments and opinions.
and for those of you who are new here, i can't wait to meet you!
happy NEW YEAR!

ummm, it looks like i have forgotten how to post normal. enjoy these giant pictures! haha.

out of the office

2009-10-25T17:14:00.001-07:00

i will be out of town until monday and will have no internet access during this time. i will respond to your e-mails as soon as i return.

thanks so much. have a great week and happy halloween!!

LUV!

2009-10-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

here are a few more photos from my snuggle luv shoot. gorgeous kids! gorgeous products! how lucky am i?
these costumes are seriously so creative and fun!

isn't she beautiful?! and only 13 are you kidding me? her dad better watch out!

In a nutshell...

2009-10-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

It was smashing!

Sunflowers make me happy

2009-09-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

This was shot in mid-day sun. Kinda' tricky, but that's how I got the cool shadows on her belly.

Sneak

2009-09-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

My Snuggle Luv shoot was last night and although it didn't go quite as smoothly as I would have liked, we had fun and got some great shots!
After getting kicked out of one of my favorite locations, at which i have shot several times, I found one that I LOOOVE even more! wahoo! Here is a sneak of our shoot. More to come!

It bums me out that her skin tone is so muted in this online version.

2009-09-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Snuggle Luv has made their decision! The based it off who they think would best fit their costumes. They said it was extremely hard to choose because all of the babies are GORGEOUS!
I'm glad I didn't have to make the decision or they all would have been picked!!
Thanks so much for your interest!
Continue to check back for more opportunities like this in the future. There will be more Snuggle Luv shoots to come and they are often looking for cute kids to model.

Thanks again! Give all those darling baby girls a squeeze!

p.s. EVERYONE who sent me an e-mail will receive 10% off your next shoot!

photo shoot?

2009-09-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm doing a photo shoot with "Snuggle Luv" for their new Halloween line. I need a baby girl that can sit up, but can't yet walk, so about 6 or 7 months. She will be modeling a peacock costume and possibly other "Snuggle Luv" products.
If chosen, you will receive all of the photos of her on a disk and her pictures will be featured on Snuggle Luv's website and possibly in their kiosk in the mall.
The shoot will take place this Wednesday (23) evening.

If you're interested, please send me an e-mail with a photo of your darling baby girl attached:
greyphotography@yahoo.com

Check out Snuggle Luv products HERE!

whew!

2009-09-16T00:24:00.000-07:00

i'm back after a teency, weency, little break! i have some fun sessions i'm excited about posting. i know i've been a neglectful blogger, but every now and then you just need to take a breath! thanks for staying with me!
because i haven't posted any photos for awhile, i'll leave you with this little diddy...
cheers!!

bribery, gotta love it!

2009-08-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

this is my cute cousin, kara and her family. i adore them. her little guy was so smiley and easy. what a concept! we didn't even have to make big promises or bribes... until the very end of the session. (yes, i'm a huge advocate of bribing children for smiles. i've said it before and i'll say it again. it works!)
i'm pretty sure they told him they'd take him swimming that night, go to chucky cheese and drink a bottle of "bug juice," possibly simultaneously. that's how we got that adorable smile at the end. haha.
thanks kara, love you guys!!

this one cracks me up.

i'm pretty sure he's gonna be breaking some hearts. the kid is only five and he can pull off a look like that? are you kidding me?!

life is crazy!

2009-08-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

i have had a whirlwind of a week (or two). we moved, and i have to say that moving is definitely on my top five least favorite activities! ugh.
my husband is getting ready to start his second year (and last year, hooray!) of graduate school next week. during his last week of "vacation" he went to new york, so i am officially a single mom for a few days! trust me, my list goes on and on, but i'll end there... hopefully all my complaining has granted me some forgiveness for being an extremely neglectful blogger?

i do, however, have some fun sessions i am so looking forward to posting and i promise to get them up soon! so thanks for your patience and as always, thank you for continuing to check back!

utah bride blog!

2009-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

my groomal session was also published on Utah Bride Blog today! check it out and don't forget to leave a comment!
if you are planning a wedding, utah bride blog is a must-see. it is so stylish and inspiring. i am thrilled to be published on such a reputable website along with some of the best vendors in utah!

i'm blushing a little!

2009-08-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

My latest groomal session was featured today on Green Wedding Shoes - a very fashionable and reputable wedding planning blog out of L.A.! If you have never heard about it, it's Awesome, check it out! I am honored.
Thanks Jen!

cassie + jeremy.

2009-08-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

i am kind of in love with cassie's vintage style dress. it is so unique and i'm pretty much obsessed. it gave me so much inspiration!
we certainly got down and dirty for this shoot, from a hog farm to a broken down car lot and i have the mosquito bites to prove it. next time i will have plenty of deet in tow! but it was all so worth it! i only posted about 400, but wanted to post more.
tell me what ya think...

the end.

just a sneak...

2009-08-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

movie stars? i think yes.

2009-08-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

i learned a new trick that i'm kind of excited about. i was a second-shooter at jessica kettle's wedding friday and she taught me this little lighting trick:

isn't that pixie dust behind them magical? it gives me butterflies. all i can say is this couple is ridiculously good-looking and it makes me happy.

i can't wait to experiment more! i'm really hoping to put it to use for my night wedding in cincinnati. it's coming up! yeah!

can i just say i love her eyes! they have SO much expression, see for yourself...

2009-08-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

as promised, a FEW more of tess. tess is a model and contacted me to update her portfolio with some modern shots. we had such a blast and decided we'd be working together in the future. she is up for anything creative, artsy, modern so of course i'm ecstatic! that's hard to find! we share similar ideas on aesthetics and photography style so it's a match made in heaven. sigh.

while talking about funky ideas for shoots, she told me that her mom has an entire attic filled with old clothes, furniture and accessories of her grandmas, which she said had impeccable style in her time. EXCUSE ME?! i can't think of anything more fun than to search through an attic of vintage anything! against my husband's wishes, i am a treasure hunter and it can't be helped. so i of course offered my assistance to de-clutter :) her attic.
hopefully we'll be able to find some fun props for pictures, so stay tuned!

speaking of treasures, i found some cool stuff at some thrift stores this week and can't wait to share!

enjoy!

good enough to eat!

2009-08-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

meet tess. much more of her to come.

2009-07-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

my boo.

2009-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

love bugs

2009-07-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

enjoy these little ones. lulu wanted in on some of the action so we did a little photo shoot while her mom was feeding the baby. and boy am i glad i did! those eyes are crazy. they're totally her natural color! these little girls made me want one of my own!

priceless

2009-07-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

this is my husband's cousin. we went to a family reunion over the weekend and i couldn't stop staring at her! her gaze is striking. to me, she is the epitome of an all-american girl.

melissa helmers

2009-07-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

melissa is a talented actress with principle dancer in all high school musicals on her resume. she is so much fun and was willing to try anything during the shoot. we had a great time. i can't wait to work with her again soon!

a few more...

2009-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

a little teaser...

2009-07-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

just look at this beauty. i love everything about this photo. i love the 60's feel, the expression on her face, everything! i'll be posting a few later, just had to get this one up, i was too excited!
although, it lost a lot of color when i put it online. that doesn't make me very happy.

i finally got my wedding up! wahoo!

2009-07-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

i have been terrible at blogging lately! i will do my best to catch up. i've been so busy and so my blogging suffers. ugh. i have several shoots i'm really excited about that i need to post!
we'll start with this one. this is my first wedding i've done, by myself! i covered the ceremony (and i couldn't have been happier about the quaint little church they were married in), the dinner and the reception. it was a long day, but i had a lot of fun.
i could tell this couple was so ready to be married. they were adorable!

i guess i'm on a black and white kick!

GIVEAWAY!!!

2009-06-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

june marks my one-year anniversary! i wanted to celebrate with all of you who support me and keep me going with a GIVEAWAY - A FREE mini session!! yay, i'm so excited!
this is my way of saying THANK YOU to all of you who continue to visit my blog and support my work. you have no idea how much i appreciate your comments and support.

to be eligible for the contest, you must become a "fan" on Touch of Grey's facebook page.
if you don't have a facebook account, get one! :)
i will select, at random, one of my "fans" for the free mini session.

click on the link below to go directly to Touch of Grey's facebook page to become a fan.

Touch of Grey facebook page

to those of you who do not have a facebook account and don't wanna get one, but would like in on some of the action, leave a comment and tell me who you are. i would love to get to know more of you!

if you want to be entered into the drawing for the free mini session become a "fan" on facebook or leave a comment.

thanks!!!

macey, macey anne!

2009-06-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

my niece is a year old, but she's so mini and i love it! she's just a couple months younger than my boo, but she's so much more petite. she has such a timid little personality too and wasn't too sure about having her picture taken, especially if her mom wasn't holding her. so cute.
i love you macey anne!

just a few more...

2009-06-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

she requested this truck in the shoot. i don't blame her. i'm kind of in love with it myself. :)

i had to post both of these because i love her expressions in both. isn't she BEAUTIFUL??

my fabulous college roomy

2009-06-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

i was so excited when one of my FAVORITE roommates from college called me and wanted to do maternity pictures. she is one of THE funnest people i know, and we had such a blast during the session. it has been a long time since we've hung out and it made me very nostalgic about the good ol' days.
linds, i love you and am so excited for you. you will be an excellent mom. baby boy nielson is so lucky to have you!

here's a sneak-peak from our shoot!
(i'm a little behind on my blogging! sorry!)

wedding part II as promised.

2009-06-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

this "getting ready" picture may be my favorite.

and this little girl eating her hot-dog makes me so happy. she had no idea i was there because when i went to take her picture later in the evening she totally posed for me. so disappointing!

wedding part I

2009-06-08T12:08:00.000-07:00

i was lucky enough to be invited by jessica kettle to one of her weddings as a second-shooter. jessica is amazingly talented and i was more than happy about another opportunity to work with her and learn from her.

i have three weddings coming up this summer, one of which is in cincinnati! so it was so great to get to see the dynamics of a wedding.
our day started at about 12:30 and went to about 10:30 that night. it was a LONG day, and when i woke up the next morning, i felt hung over. yikes. a little different than my two-hour family shoots. :) jessica said after doing a few weddings, you build up your stamina. we'll see. haha.

as a second shooter, my job was to be where jessica couldn't be. doing so, i was able to take a lot of candid shots, which are my favorite. here a few that i took throughout the day. there will be a part II so stay tuned!

thanks jess, i had a blast and learned a ton!

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

2009-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

check out what kind of lighting you are working with before you shoot. it is generally a good idea to shoot with your light source behind you, unless you are going for sun flare. always check for squinty eyes and unflattering shadows.
i really like my subjects' eyes to have catch lights. it makes them twinkle. otherwise, i feel like their eyes look dark and dead.

there is a big difference between a photo with a subject who has a soft, even light across their face and one with harsh shadows under their eyes, nose, etc.
side light can be a cool, dramatic effect sometimes too.

lighting can change the entire feel and look of your photo dramatically.

lighting, to me, is the most important aspect of photography. without it, it would not exist. i know that sounds ridiculously obvious, but if you think about it, it's actually kind of an interesting concept. you can capture a photograph from the slightest light of a candle, just as long as it exists. deep, i know, i know! haha.

experiment with your light! i would love to see some of your work too, so e-mail me some pictures of cool uses of light! if i get enough, maybe i'll do a little contest or something.

my one-year photo anniversary is coming up {wahoo!} and i'm trying to decide how to celebrate it - if i should do a Q&A type forum, a give-away, contest... not sure. if you have any suggestions or preferences let me know!

ok, i am seriously in love with this baby girl.

2009-06-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

this family was so fun. they are totally people i could hang out with. i love that i come away from my shoots with new friends. i have the best job!
i especially loved shooting little camille. she was all smiles and had crazy amounts of personality.
i have to add that nicole was referred to me by one of my favorite clients. referrals are my favorite and i offer fantastic incentives for them!

i love her little feet poking out of her dress in this one. isn't she to die for??

such a happy boy

2009-05-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

i had so much fun meeting little brendan. his mom and i go waaaay back. i can remember when she was in junior high with braces. now she's a mom to the happiest little baby boy. i can't believe it.
thanks so much linds, i had a blast with you guys! i hope you likey....

itty-bitty blondy!

2009-05-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

can you believe all this blond hair? this little guy is only a few days old and despite his size, he looks so much older to me. i don't think i've ever seen so much blond hair on a newborn. isn't he adorable?? and what a good boy!

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

2009-05-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Experiment with different lighting situations. Don't settle on open shade, but embrace it all! Now, please remove my soapbox. :)

Midday sunlight used to scare me (and i still would never schedule a shoot for this time of day) but I've realized that I can get some really cool shots even at the "worst" part of the day, with regard to lighting.
Moral of the story: Have fun and don't limit yourself!

awwe yes. my nephew....

2009-05-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

remember my beautiful, pregnant sister? now she has a beautiful baby boy.

i'm so proud of my little nephew. for this reason, i wanted to post every picture i took. but i decided to narrow it waaay down. it was so hard to choose!
i love you little c. i'm so glad you're here!

and...he turns on the charm.

this little guy made my job EASY

2009-05-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

one feeding and he was good to go. as soon as he ate and i started shooting, he fell right to sleep. i got every shot i wanted in an HOUR! that is short for a newborn shoot.
i have done quite a few newborn sessions recently and have several scheduled for the future. they are quickly turning into a favorite of mine. i'm also learning a few tricks along the way!
{a tiny bit of my pictures were cut off when i uploaded them on blogger.}

enjoy this little angel...

precious...

ENGAGEMENTS

2009-05-13T21:19:00.001-07:00

do you remember this couple? i did their christmas photos last november and guess what? they're engaged! those must have been some good pictures. hehe.
seriously though, can you say HOT? there was chemistry all over the place. i can't quite tell, but i'm pretty sure they're in LOVE.

i'll only post about a million....sorry. i can't help it!

i couldn't decide...

whew! now go put your head in the freezer.

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!....finally

2009-05-12T07:27:00.001-07:00

sorry i didn't post a photo tip last week. i meant to and then, well just didn't. i was in california, so there's my excuse.

last time i talked about aperture. so this week we'll talk about ISO and shutter speed. {most of my tips aren't going to be this long/technical or in sequence.}

ISO is the equivalent to film speed on a film camera. it determines how fast your image will be captured by the film or digital sensor.
the higher the ISO the quicker the image will be captured and less light is required and vice-versa.

most beginner slr's go up to about a 1600 ISO. your ISO setting will depend on your lighting situation. indoors and in low light situations you will need around your highest setting. for sunny outdoor situations you would use your lowest possible setting.

it's very important to note that the higher your ISO goes, the grainier your picture will be. that's the tricky part. so in my case i prefer using the lowest ISO possible to prevent too much grain. but if you don't mind grain, then help yourself!

shutter speed is how quickly your shutter operates. a faster shutter speed will freeze subjects while a slower shutter speed will blur objects.

so turn your dial over to shutter speed priority {it is probably an S or Tv and don't worry about aperture, the camera will take care of that for you. if you're indoors, bump up your ISO to about 800 to 1600, as needed.}

ok, turn on your faucet. something needs to obstruct the stream of water so it causes a little splash. set your shutter speed to 1/80th of a second {indicated on your camera as 80.} take the picture.

now switch your shutter speed to 1/1000th of a second. {indicated as 1000} and take the picture again.
now compare your results!

if you like the tips, let me know. i like a good pat on the back. haha, is that too honest? :)

i heart snuggle luv

2009-05-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

if you haven't heard of it and you have a girl, run, don't walk to the mall and get ya'self some luuuv. they have some cute stuff for boys too. in fact before i did this shoot i bought my boo some green and white striped stockings from them and love them!
i had so much fun on this shoot. i couldn't believe how ridiculously cute their accessories are.
check 'em out! www.snuggleluv.com

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

2009-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

details, details....

the technical part of photography is obviously very important, but i'll admit that it is probably my weakness. i get it and understand it, but sometimes if i think too hard about it, i feel it gets in the way of my creative process. don't let that happen! understanding aperture, shutter speed and iso are the basic fundamentals of photography. get to know them. learn them. and once you feel comfortable with them, use it to create images that you like, that speak to you and that are pleasing to YOU. try not to get caught up in the "perfect picture" because that is extremely subjective.
with that said, it's important to know how to get it right using aperture (f/stop) iso and shutter speed. Understand how they work together to give you the results you are looking for.

APERTURE
this week i'll {try} to give a quick explanation of aperture to my best ability. {i will try to make sense, but i'm not an expert on this stuff, so i'd recommend some good reading.}

the size of the aperture or {f/stop} of a lens determines how much of your photograph is in focus.

the f/stop number refers to how open or closed the aperture on the lens is. the wider open the lens = more light is allowed in the lens at one time giving you a wide aperture. i.e. less of your picture will be in focus. this is called a shallow depth of field.

a low f/stop like f/1.4 or f/1.8 is considered a wide-open aperture.

{confused yet? i am a little.) :)

a super snazzy lens would go all the way down to an f/1.2 and this would be considered a wide-open aperture, while an f/22 or possibly higher would be a closed or tight aperture.

again- a closed aperture of f/22 would be completely in focus and have a very deep depth of field. an example of this would be a landscape picture where you'd want everything in sharp focus.

an open aperture of f/1.2 or even f/2.8 would keep a small portion of your picture in sharp focus while the rest is blurred. an example of this would be a portrait where you want the background blurred and the person in focus.

if you have a digital slr camera, switch it over to aperture priority {Av or A on most cameras} and play around with aperture a little. if you have a point-and-shoot, you still should be able to have some control over your f/stop.

focus on something at the lowest f/stop number your camera will go {remember that means a high aperture}, take the picture. then bump your f/stop to about f/8, take the picture. now bump it all the way up to the highest number it will go and take the picture. compare all three results. experiment, experiment, experiment!

aperture is my very favorite effect. it can completely change the tone of your picture.

have fun.

next week i'll {try to} explain shutter speed and iso.

itsy bitsy, teeny weeny

2009-04-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

she was the sweetest little girl. she didn't want to miss a thing and stayed awake the whole time. ooooo, i just want to squeeze her.

i realize this one makes her look kind of like a boy. but who says green is only for boys?? she is still SUCH a girl. look at those eyes.
and i have to say, what a good sport! look at her act like being cramped in a small, ceramic bowl is oh so comfortable.

PHOTO TIP of the WEEK!

2009-04-20T14:10:00.001-07:00

i receive quite a few questions regarding photography, so i thought i'd start posting random photography and editing tips. plus i love when other photographers share information. it makes me happy, so i thought i'd share the love.
my tips will range from basic to advanced photography techniques to anything random i think is important or interesting. :)

let's start out basic. i get a lot of questions from moms who just want to take better pictures of their kiddos.

composition (the way you frame your picture):
putting your subject in the middle of your picture is not always going to be your best bet. for me, most of the time, it's not.
there is a grid system you can follow called the "rule of thirds." it states that your subject should be composed in the left or right thirds or top or bottom thirds of your picture. it also says your horizon should fall in either the top third or bottom third.

if we do compose our picture so the subject is in the right third of the picture, it is sometimes a good idea to balance it out by including something in the left third of the picture.

now, the fun thing about photography is that there are no "rules" only guidelines. so you don't ALWAYS have to follow this, but experiment and see what looks and feels best to you!

simple enough, right?!

i adore my sister...

2009-04-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

isn't she the cutest pregnant woman you have ever seen? she glows, literally! (check out the last picture. ;) she is the most adorable mom and little ty-dog can't wait to have a little brother.
yet another promise for additional pictures. i just had to get a few up. i'm starting to sound like a broken record!

i'm trying to play around with light. it is my friend! some of my very favorite pictures have sun-flare. i love it and i can't get enough of it. so i'm trying to get better. hopefully we'll become better friends in the future, but for now, i'm content.

yes, her dad is in big trouble....

2009-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

the girl is beautiful! i had such a hard time deciding which pictures i wanted to post. i usually try to post only two or three. (and this is a feat because I could possibly be THE most indecisive person on the planet.) so i am posting a few today and and possibly a few more tomorrow. :) enjoy!

here's a little teaser!

2009-04-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

and i don't mean the girl...i kid. i kid.
how annoying are one-picture posts?! sorry! i had to at least put up one and the rest will come soon.

photography: writing with light

2009-04-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

i am reading the coolest book called "eye on art" {the photography edition} by stuart a. kallen. my dad actually found it for me for like $3 and i've been loving it. it's kind of refreshing because it's all about the artistic side of photography, putting the technical stuff aside. sometimes i feel like, as a photographer, we get caught up in the technical jargin and "rules" of photography and forget why we're really doing it. yes technicalities matter, but it's the impressions and emotions we capture that are what people recognize and appreciate most, i think.
while explaining art as a whole, the back of the book reads: "the creative impulse is an ancient and enduring feature of human expression. art serves many purposes: to beautify, record, reflect, enlighten and celebrate our existence." i love that explanation! isn't it perfect?! that is exactly what drew me to photography in the first place.

so a challenge: while taking pictures this week, try not to get mixed up in the settings of your camera or equipment, but focus on your "artistic impulse." what drives your photographs, or even you as a photographer? what is the point to your photos? do you recognize yourself as an artist?
these are questions i'm asking myself, so i thought i'd throw them out there.
i'd like to know your thoughts, experiences and outcomes. let's talk!

left my heart in dixie!

2009-04-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

i'm pretty sure it's a rule to get some shots of the redrock when taking pictures in st. george. dixie rock is absolutely gorgeous and next time i'm there i want to watch the sun rise from the top. ambitious, especially for me, but oh so worth it!

yeah, we're friends and stuff

2009-04-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

my beautiful friend britt drove down to st. george with me last weekend for a much needed girl's trip. she tagged along with me on my shoots, as she bought a new camera and is learning how to use it. so, i made her pose for me, because, well, look at her! she prefaced the photo shoot with, "i have no idea what i am doing and am so awkward in front of the camera!....yeeeaaaah. after the shoot i told her to never fib, because she may just get struck by lightning.

i know you're anxious to see these, alisa!

2009-04-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

ok, so every photographer knows the "fake smile" every kiddo masters due to shyness or too much coaching from mom in front of the mirror... (gasp!) But, every photographer also knows how to get away from the dreaded faux grins and get those belly-laugh smiles none of us can get enough of!
just talk to them, make them laugh and make them forget they're in front of the camera, and wahlah....

and again...

mmmhhhmmm...

....aaaand again...i think they like each other.

two is always better than one.

2009-03-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

my all-american boy

2009-03-20T08:09:00.000-07:00

cutest family ever

2009-03-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

this is one of my husband's friends from high school. it was so fun to finally meet her and her adorable family. her baby was so easy to photograph, so happy and beautiful! can't wait to hang out with you guys again soon!

2009-03-17T15:16:00.001-07:00

meeeee

2009-03-12T15:44:00.001-07:00

self-portrait

a snow diddy

2009-03-11T21:17:00.000-07:00

the urban bride

2009-03-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

my friend and i had some fun. we got all dressed up in our wedding dresses and took some bridal pictures. i didn't think i wanted to be a wedding photographer...cheesy, posed, blah, blah, blah, but i had so much fun and realized it doesn't have to be blah. i absolutely loved it! so bring on the brides!
and yes, she is ridiculously good looking so that helped.

meet shep

2009-02-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

this is my new little nephew. isn't he the cutest thing ever?! we're so excited to have a new addition to the family! congratulations hayley and sky! you did good!

happiness comes in many forms, here is one of mine.

2009-02-18T15:31:00.000-08:00

a snowy little valentine's day walk.

i'm not scared.

2009-02-14T15:24:00.000-08:00

so my friend and i got kicked out of thanksgiving point...for taking pictures of our kiddos. they asked us for our photographer's pass and when we didn't have one we were just short of pushed out the door. apparently one must pay $75 to take pictures. i can see if i was photographing a bride, but my own kid?
but we did manage to take a few good ones before we were forced out. aren't i dramatic?
i must say, i'm pretty excited about the one of my boo. he loves that frog and he finally cooperated by pulling it while i had my camera out. a miracle!

hatch family

2009-02-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

cute little family. i mostly love the expression on the littlest hatchling's face. he's totally stone-faced and i love it. he has no qualms being that low to the ground.

This should be interesting...

2009-02-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

I have received several e-mails with questions regarding photography, so I thought I'd post this.
I am teaching a digital photography class along with another photographer, Natalie Fischer. The class will be held at BYU in Provo tomorrow, (Wed. Feb. 11). Anyone who is interested in coming is welcome.
The class is free and will be geared toward beginners. It will cover photography basics, such as aperture, shutter speed, composition, lighting, etc.
If you are an aspiring photographer, or are just interested in taking better pictures and would like more information and details about the class, please e-mail me at: www.greyphotography@yahoo.com

Sorry for the late notice!

sneak-peak for gina

2009-02-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

i know i've been putting a lot of baby girls in tutus lately, but i can't help it. i love it. it looks so whimsical and fun. plus moms love it too and always ask for it. i happily oblige and am always so pleased with the results.
here's your fairy princess, gina. so many cute ones, i'm sure to post a few more.

baby lilac

2009-01-31T20:51:00.000-08:00

my good friend, brittany is brilliant and invented, yes, invented calming masks for babies and toddlers. the day we took these pictures, i was able to witness the magic. her baby was asleep almost instantly after putting it on. and they're so cute too! she has lots of different patterns for girls and boys.
brilliant britt! good luck!
click HERE for her website.

meet susan

2009-01-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

she is starting her own online business and it sounds fantastic. good luck susan!
hold tight for her website info.!

new diggs.

2009-01-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

i had to snap a picture or two of my boo in his new clothes. oshkosh is having a killer sale and i bought a bunch of stuff for $1.99! i love good deals!

oh, wee little one

2009-01-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

remember my last maternity shoot? it's a boy! he is so precious. notice the adorable, knit hat he's wearing? my incredibly talented friend and aspiring photographer candida made it special for this shoot. thanks girly!
so this was my very first newborn shoot. i did my research and planned for a longer than usual shoot. i knew the little guy was going to be the boss. and i researched and researched for tips to make the whole thing go smoothly. my friend jessica kettle gave me some very useful pointers as well. with all of this, i'd love to say that it was easy, peasy and was in and out in an hour flat, but i'd be lying. newborns are HARD. it was some of the hardest work i have done as a photographer. although i have to say it was a lot of fun too.
i forget how teency they are. he was such a sweet boy, but wasn't at all happy about being naked.
i was honored to share this time with their little family.

{these were all taken by a window in natural light}

in case any of you are curious as to what worked (for me) and what didn't, i'll let you in on a few helpful tips when photographing wee ones, although i'm not an expert quite yet:
make sure the heat is bumped way up, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. not only does it help them to be happier naked, but their skin looks more smooth and less blotchy.
heating pads (on low to med.) placed under a blanket are genius!
move slowly and quietly. in the beginning of my session his mom had the radio playing, softly, but i think with all the excitement of the shoot he felt a little overstimulated. so i asked her to turn it off and after that he was much more calm.
gently massage their legs and arms to get them to bend into position.
patience is KEY! plan for a lot of stopping, comforting, feeding, etc. i found that taking pictures of newborns is opposite of taking pictures of kids/toddlers, in that the first 20 minutes of a toddler shoot will most likely be your best pictures and the last 20 minutes of the newborn shoot are the best. (in my experience anyway.)

2009-01-14T22:18:00.000-08:00

Meet my good friend Candida and her beautiful daughter. She's turning 1-year-old this week. Isn't she amazingly beautiful?! Like mother, like daughter.

These pictures of my boo and his girlfriend made me melt.

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you...

2009-01-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

That is ME in a picture! I did a photo swap with my friend, Heather. We just gave each other RAW images and edited them ourselves. So I thought I'd post a couple. My boo was a little, how do you say, monster-esk? He didn't get his nap. I know, I know that is the golden rule when getting family pictures taken. You'd think I'd know this right? Well we've never done this before! And he's so used to getting his picture taken, I figured he'd be fine. Nope. So the moral of this story is, ALWAYS give your kids naps before pictures, no matter how good they are. the end.

I'm pretty sure this was the only picture of him not crying. Smiling would have been asking WAY too much.

2009-01-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

So I've been m.i.a for the past little while. I took a little time off to breath for a minute and enjoy the holidays, but I'm back! And I have a ton of catching up to do.
I photographed this cute couple a little while ago. Isn't their dog beautiful?!
hopefully I'll get to take their engagements sometime soon! wink.
Enjoy!

my boo.

2008-12-20T21:26:00.000-08:00

i just bought these cutest little arm/leg warm-ups at a booth in the mall and had to snap a couple pictures. i love kiddos looking straight up. nothing cuter.

2008-12-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

This couple made me happy. Isn't she beautiful?! She has the most perfect little pregnant body. Her husband was enthralled with her, I just loved the way he looked at her. They are going to make such fun parents to their little guy or gal. Can't wait to find out. Good luck you guys!
And stay tuned for pictures of their beautiful bundle of joy!

*Ask me about my maternity/newborn package. It's crazy good!!

I LOVE pugs. Had to get the little guy in a few.

2008-12-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but post about a zillion pictures. My sister and her family are too adorable and perfect. I'm pretty sure my niece Jaydee-bug is going to grow up to become an actress or model or both. They all are crazy beautiful. Poor dad is really going to have his hands full in a few years, surrounded by all those girls. I'm sure he would say he already does!

2008-12-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

This little girl is seriously gorgeous! I couldn't get enough of her. And talk about personality. They were all so much fun.

2008-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, I've been a little behind on my posts. I have several families I still need to get up here, but November has been crazy! 'Tis the season for Christmas cards!
Anyway, this is the most recent family I've photographed and I think their pictures speak for themselves. Beautiful!

2008-11-29T06:57:00.000-08:00

2008-11-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Grey's 1-year pictures...a little late

2008-11-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot to post these. My dad kindly reminded me I have one of the cutest babies on the planet and that I needed to post more pictures of him. I guess he's right. He is pretty dang cute!

Meet Sierra

2008-11-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

This is my beautiful, slightly high-spirited horse. Isn't she pretty? I rather liked this picture I took of her. (Notice her breath? It was a seriously cold morning.) As you can see, she likes to roll in the mud, but I think it just adds to the picture. Makes it more real and maybe a little rugged.
I didn't do much to it post-production. In camera I bumped the wb to incandescent which gave it that bluish, almost vintage tone. And it was early in the morning, so the back-lighting was perfection!

This little one was the star of the show...

2008-11-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

I have quickly learned that in every family there is a camera pleaser. I think it's safe to assume who it is in this family. What a doll!

Brittany, as I promised...

2008-11-09T22:03:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this family. They were so fun to work with and SO complimentary. Not to mention BEAUTIFUL. And I was amazed by how good the little princess was. It was pretty cold and she didn't cry once!
This picture melted my heart. He didn't want any more pictures taken of him...so I took another, because it was too cute not to. I'm so naughty.

I love that the little guy is covering his eyes while his mom and dad are kissing. It kills me!

Yeah, she's really throwing him that high... I was seriously impressed by how strong this girl is.

For Tiffanie

2008-11-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Your beautiful girls...

2008-11-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Can you believe those eyes!?! The redhead below is the blonde's aunt, but they act like sisters. Their moms brought a bag of dress-up clothes so they just went crazy. It was so fun. I miss playing dress-up!

Have you ever seen such a mad princess? I'm sure glad she was though! So cute!

2008-10-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

TAG ALONG SESSION WITH JESSICA KETTLE

Jessica Kettle, a talented photographer in Northern Utah, invited me along on a day-long photo shoot yesterday. It was actually a bunch of mini shoots, but she needed some help throughout the day. In return I learned A LOT and took some beautiful pictures!
We spent the morning at some fun, urban locations in Salt Lake and the afternoon was spent at Wheeler Farm for a more country chic location.
She gave me some awesome tips and pointers about in-camera and post-production techniques.
Here are a few of my favorites from yesterday!
Thanks Jessica, you rock!

Here's just a little taste...

2008-10-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

OK, so I LOVE these kids. I am so happy that in every picture each of their little personalities shown through. That's why I do photography!
I have to say though, photographing five kids under the age of four is not easy! Especially when one of them has mastered the art of escape! :)

Notice the beautiful, blue-eyed blond standing up? He's planning his next escape. I love it.

I gave them a little buggy to push around to direct the focus of the shot a little and I love the way it turned out.

Can you say, kissing cousins?

Amber, I know you've been anxious to see these!

2008-10-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

I love this natural interaction. And what a cool place to hang out with the fam! This is the closest place to the French Quarters in New Orleans that we have in Utah. I love it and I'm so happy they were up for such a fun, urban/vintage shoot.

I love this picture of the three brothers. They were so excited. So much energy!

There are plenty more where these came from!

The cutest little redhead!

2008-10-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Jen, I had so much fun. He has so much personality, I can't stand it!
Happy Birthday to both of you!

My little niece is insanely beautiful!

2008-10-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

These are her 6-month pictures. She looks so miniature crawling around!

Here's a little sneak-peak Melissa...

2008-10-05T15:34:00.001-07:00

I had a blast with this family. And if you didn't notice, they're gorgeous! I love the way these turned out, so I had to post (just a few) of my favorites.

2008-10-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

So, this is my first attempt at sun flare while in manual. I usually use AP, which is what my photography teacher instructed, but I like how much more control I have in manual. I was actually surprised. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

What a gorgeous couple. They were so in love....

2008-09-30T20:22:00.001-07:00