Friday, July 26, 2013
Olivia M. | Jamestown, NC | Senior Photographer
Today, I want you to meet Olivia. Beautiful and sweet, yet just enough sassy, are the words that come to mind when I think about this vibrant, young woman.
Olivia is a senior at High Point Central, Class of 2014. She is an active member of HPC’s Key Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honors Society, and Secretary of Beta Club. She's also an outdoorsy and crafty hipster!
It was a crazy, hot day, but we were thankful for the break in the rain. Even though I was eaten alive because I forgot my bug spray, note to self, we did find some luscious shade to shelter us.
I was psyched for the outfits that Olivia brought to the shoot. For example, the gray sleeveless top with the pop-of-color aqua skinny jeans that went perfectly with her soft coloring. And I loved the the hints of blues and greens from the peacock feather with her neutral ivory dress.
I asked Olivia whether she had any advice to offer others who were getting ready to take senior pictures. This is what she had to share:
“Double check that you have everything that you’re planning on bringing to the shoot!”
(LOL, there was a slight mishap with a missing pair of shoes. But we made it work perfectly!)
After high school, Olivia wants to go to Appalachian State University and major in Speech Pathology.
Best of luck to Olivia. I know you'll be awesome!
;-D
-Michelle
Friday, January 4, 2013
Sleepy Time?
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Fix It Friday!
Such a cute little girl and fun to edit. Here are my edits in color and black-and-white, along with my process.
-cropped -healing brush touch up on skin -adjust levels -remove color cast -bump curves -s curve -contrast -resized -sharpened
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
what big eyes you have...
I just can't turn them away. Now, I am not even allowed to look at a loose animal or go into anyplace that may have them for adoption.
Unfortunately, I am SOOOO allergic to all of them. I am on three allergy medicines a day just to be able to cope with them. But I could never turn a member of my family over to someone else. And they are definitely a part of my family.
This little one is my little baby. She isn't as small as my feisty pup, but still able to fit in my lap. She is a bit timid as you can probably tell by the photo, lol. She doesn't like noises, storms, quick movement...basically don't breathe in her direction. Just kidding...kinda...
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
senior sneak peek
We had fun and I just LOVE this super sweet family. I hope to do more of them in the future. I really love seniors because of the excitement they generate. You can see how they are looking forward to the last year of high school and wondering what the future will hold. I can't wait for them to see the rest of their portraits and hope they heart them as much as I do. :)
Joined up with the following link parties:
Favorite Photo of the Week Contest
Favorite Friday
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
sweet baby bug
My adorable new great-niece has been keeping my attention this weekend (along with all my cuddly hugs). She is so sweet with her squishy cheeks and soft auburn hair. Do you know what I love about having my first great-niece? I get to hug on her AND sleep through the night! Just kidding...not really. :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Finally feels like spring...
Aahhhhh...fresh air, gentle breeze above freezing temps, spring has arrived.
It feels like we have waited through a longer than normal winter with very little patience.
The windows were opened today to help get the spring cleaning mood set. After some cleaning this weekend, everyone went outside to enjoy the beautiful weather.
The kids played catch with the football and made "au naturel" food from mud and leaves.
The hubby did some yard work and I went on a hunt for some signs of spring to capture on film, err, flashcard.
Except for my terrible allergies, this is my very favorite season of the year...
Friday, February 18, 2011
Fix-It Friday
So here is the original photo, shot by Andrea Riley, straight out of camera.

The first thing I did was crop the image. Then I bumped the curves, added more contrast, reduced the red, burned the background, and finally sharpened the final image. This is my edited color version.

And here is my version in a soft black and white (my fave)...
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
What to Wear Wednesday - Valentine's Kids Style
Ok, I admit, I haven’t even taken down my Christmas tree yet! I know, I need to get with it because before I know it, I’m going to get a note in my daughter’s folder giving me all the fun info for her class Valentine’s Day party. It’s hard to believe it’s only a month away.
If you’re a little more prepared than I am, you still have time to plan an adorably unique photo shoot to make some cards that all of your kiddo’s friends will be excited to show off. The great thing about Valentine pictures is that they can get away with being very casual. Since these are cards that will be given to their friends, let them show their personality. You can make a simple t-shirt dressier with a tulle skirt or a little more casual with a jean skirt and leggings. Let your son show his wild side for all the girls, or how tamed and put-together he is.
This is also the perfect time to find some adorable props to add. Instead of buying real roses with the thorns, you can find a bouquet of fake roses at a craft store, and all of the other items are easily found at Wal-mart or your local grocery store. Most kids will love the opportunity to eat chocolate or lick lollipops while being photographed, and the younger kiddos will find it hard to resist squeezing a new teddy bear!
Shopping:
Girl Outfit & Accessories – Gap
Boy Outfit – The Children’s Place
All props can be found at Wal-Mart, but these were found on the web.
Lollipops – Melville Store
Teddy Bear – Target
Chocolates – Sees
Rose Bouquet – Wal-Mart
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
What to Wear Wednesday - stylish winter outerwear
So I’m sitting here in my office, looking at a fresh 20 inches of snow, and wondering what my client will wear to our outdoor photo shoot this Friday. I’m thinking it will definitely involve a jacket. Probably some gloves. Likely a scarf. Boots for sure. Maybe a hat...
When an outdoor shoot is scheduled for cold weather, often this happens: You arrive wearing a random coat over your favorite I’m-wearing-this-no-matter-what outfit - throw off the jacket for pics - freeze to death - throw back on the jacket to warm up - take it off and try again - shiver and try to smile - rinse, repeat. Sounds like fun, right?
And then there are those who don’t want to deal with the cold at all, and opt to wait until the weather warms up - which here, might mean April or May.
I’m not a fan of either scenario, and there’s really an easy solution - bundle up, while also looking great!
Now I know some of you are lucky enough to live in a place where a snowplow contract isn’t the best investment you make each year, but that doesn’t mean a little cold-weather outerwear isn’t necessary. And we need to blow up this notion that by bundling up, you can't look absolutely outstanding.
But what to choose? Those tips we’ve been sharing with you - layers, color, accessories - are still key ingredients when it comes to putting together stylish outerwear for photos. And here's more:
- I suggest staying away from straight white or black and opt instead for greys, browns, beige and color, color, color! I absolutely love bright yellows, pinks, greens and blues - the more vivid the better.
- Since jackets can be expensive, don’t feel like you need to go and buy a trendy colorful coat that you’ll only wear once - especially for kids that will grow out of it in by next year. If what you already own fits you well (not some oversized thing you wear because it “goes over everything”), then keep it - and accessorize! Adding a hat, scarf or gloves can really make a huge difference.
- If you warm up because everyone is hiking to reach that perfect photo spot, you may want to unbutton your jacket, so make sure the outfit beneath the jacket is photo-ready by looking over some past WW posts.
- Vests look great over chunky sweaters or hoodies, and often come in a million different colors at a decent price (think Old Navy).
- Leggings are another way to add fun color, and look great with boots over them. They also help you extend your fall wardrobe because you can wear them under skirts or dresses.
- You can’t go wrong with jeans, so consider dark denim a winter wardrobe staple. Consider wearing them a little different by tucking them into your boots or rolling them up to meet the top of the shoes (especially cute for younger boys).
- Still not warm enough? Throw on some long underwear, a thermal top, and an extra pair of socks! Pretend you’re dressing to go play out in the snow - just with style :-)
Below, I’ve put together outerwear ideas for a family of six. I only included one accessory for each person, but you can definitely add more. For women, I love chunky earrings peeking under hats, or a necklace you might only see if the jacket is worn open.
Bottom line: This is a wonderful time of year for outdoor photos! It doesn't take much to turn a drab day into a thrilling memory.
Outfit Guide
Mom:
Double-Cloth Colletta Coat - $208 (on sale) - J.Crew
Sequinned Jersey Scarf - $28 (on sale) - Boden
Dad:
Down Shirt Jacket - $99 - Eddie Bauer
Men’s Ribbed Scarf - $34.50 - Lands End Canvas
Young Girl:
Cosy Textured Coat - $35 (on sale) - miniBoden
Olive Green Beanie Hat - $9.00 - Etsy
Young Boy:
Detachable Hood Puffer Vest - $18.99 (on sale) - Crazy 8
Avocado, Cream, Mustard & Coffee Children’s Hat - $24.00 - Etsy
Baby Girl:
Faux-Fur Trim Hooded Jacket for Baby - $17.00 (on sale) - Old Navy
Gingerbread Earflap Hat - $5.99 (on sale) - Crazy 8
Baby Boy:
Jersey Duffle Jacket - $21 (on sale) - miniBoden
Stocking Hat - $28 - Etsy


























