cbaylessphotography.com

Textures | Tips & Guides

cbayless_blog — Sun, 20 May 2012 21:32:48 +0000

I know I have touched on this topic in the past but I can’t say enough about using textures and how it can really add interest to a portrait. There is a lot of ways you can bring textures into your outfits… the fabrics of your clothes, hair accessories, jewelry or even scarfs. Have fun with it and let your personality get playful by getting creative with textures!

For more tips on what to wear check out the BE BOLD, BE YOU, HOLIDAY GLITZ AND GLAM, LOOKING GOOD, COMFORT IS KEY, BUNDLE UP WITH LAYERS, A WORLD OF COLOR and ADD SOME PIZAZZ blog post

Family Matters | Zimmerman Newborn Photographer

cbayless_blog — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:09:47 +0000

I love the fresh emotions that are exchanged in the early stages of bringing baby home! This is a special time for the whole family, and I love to be able to capture those moments. This is another reason why I feel it is important to do a newborn session within the first 10 days of baby’s life. I love doing cute poses of baby, but there is something so priceless of taking pictures of the family during this time as well. This is a moment for everyone involved and a special time to will cherish for years to come!

Be sure to check out the video of this session posted on facebook!

Special Guest | MN Children Boutique Photographer

cbayless_blog — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:49:49 +0000

I would like to introduce you to Katie Stomberg, she is a wife and mother of three beautiful and smart kids! Besides dedicating her life to taking care of her family she is the talented young women behind That Girl Next Door Designs.

What I love about That Girl Next Door Designs is that you get a full hands on experience. She takes the time to meet with each of her clients to select the patterns and colors to fit your child’s personality. During this meeting she will take your child’s measurements to make sure the dress is well fitted. As we all know as parents it can be hard to find the right size that fits just right, as our children are constantly changing in proportions during their growth. You will not get this experience and quality for such a reasonable price anywhere else.

For those that aren’t within traveling distances or isn’t looking for the experience and wants a quick way to order one of Katie’s fabulous dresses, you can easily order a pre-made dress at That Girl Next Door Designs etsy store. You will still receive the great customer service but with the convenience of a quick turnaround.

Become a fan by liking That Girl Next Door Designs on Facebook

A World of Color | Tips & Guides

cbayless_blog — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:46:25 +0000

There are endless possibilities of colors to choose from so don’t limit yourself when choosing what to wear for your portrait session. I always suggest to keep it limited to one outfit (no more than two) with a pattern so it doesn’t get too distracting. The one outfit that does have a pattern can be a good place to start pulling your color palette from.

I love that you can use colors to create interest, personality and even emotion to an image. So don’t hold back and let a little color scare you!

For more tips on what to wear check out the BE BOLD, BE YOU, HOLIDAY GLITZ AND GLAM, LOOKING GOOD, COMFORT IS KEY, BUNDLE UP WITH LAYERS and ADD SOME PIZAZZ blog post

Spring Special | Minnesota Children Photographer

cbayless_blog — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:31:18 +0000

The first 6 to book a Newborn, 3, 6, 9, 12 or 24 month child session will receive a free onesie by That Girl Next Door Designs. For the month of April and May the price is half the cost of a normal session and all $150 will go towards print credit. Your child will be featured not only on C. Bayless Photography & Design’s website, but also on the esty and facebook page of That Girl Next Door Designs. These are great stages that capture your child during their milestones of crawling, sitting and standing. So be sure to take advantage of this great deal before there are no more onesies left!

The onesie must be worn for part of (if not all of) the session. Portrait agreement and model release must be signed to receive this Spring Special. For more information please contact me for your free consultation!

Become a fan of That Girl Next Door Designs on facebook, to keep updated for specials and up coming designs.

SPRING FEVER | Tips & Guides

cbayless_blog — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:15:10 +0000

I think this was the fastest Winter ever! Did we even have a winter? Well if we did it is coming to an end, the Spring weather is already here. This is a great time to lighten our clothes with softer colors and materials. As the grass slowly grows back green and the flowers bloom, you want your outfits and location to compliment each other for those Spring portraits. Here is a fun Spring inspired what to wear guide!

Happy Spring!

For more tips on what to wear check out the BE BOLD, BE YOU, HOLIDAY GLITZ AND GLAM, LOOKING GOOD, COMFORT IS KEY, BUNDLE UP WITH LAYERS and ADD SOME PIZAZZ blog post

Photography Tips | Minnesota Children’s Photographer

cbayless_blog — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:00:33 +0000

I know how important it is to capture those special moments and memories of your children! As I am sure you would like to hire me to follow you around to photograph your life (I’m so kidding)… that just isn’t an option. So I have created this guide as a reference for you to take pictures of your own children.

You don’t have to be a pro to take good pictures, and you don’t have to have an expensive fancy camera either. I just hope that you get creative and inspired from these shared tips and examples.

It’s all about the perspective. Be sure to change your view whether it is getting down to their level to see the world through their eyes or looking down at them to show their small size.
Distract your children to help them forget about the camera. Engage with them in conversation by asking them questions of things they are interested in. Make silly faces or play peek-a-boo from be hind the camera. This will get your children genuinely smiling and laughing, for those beautiful natural expressions!
Relax and make it fun! Kids can tell when mom or dad are getting stressed trying to get that perfect picture. If the parents are relaxed then the children are relaxed as well. Having a digital camera allows you to get creative and experiment so take as many pictures as your children will allow and have fun with it!
Capture them in the act. I love taking candid shots of my kids playing! It is a fun way to document their personalities as they discover new joys of life! Have your camera handy so you don’t miss a moment.
Zoom on in. You can avoid distracting clutters which are in the background. This also allows you to go unnoticed when taking their picture, so they remain in their natural state. And don’t forget to take close ups of their face showing off that beautiful smile.
Details, Details, Details! This is a helpful way to tell the story of a particular moment (especially for you scrapbooking parents). It can be a picture of their feet dangling down from the chair, their color crayons scattered on the table, a favorite toy they were just playing with… anything goes with detail shots, so get creative.
If you are outside find some open shade so you aren’t in direct sunlight. Being in shade gives a more flattering soft light, where as being in direct sunlight can be harsh creating unflattering shadows. If there is no shade have your children’s back towards the sun and turn on your flash to help fill their face with light so it isn’t too dark. When indoors get them close to big windows that let in natural light making sure that they are far enough back from any direct sunlight that might be peeking in.

Have fun capturing those wonderful memories of your children, they grow so quickly so don’t let those precious moments slip on by!

For those with an ipad or iphone you can download these Photography Tips for free as an APP directly to your your device by opening this LINK on your ipad or iphone. (This APP may be compatible with other smart phone and tablet devices, but it isn’t guaranteed to work, sorry for the inconvenience.) A great way to have a quick reference at your fingertips!

Album | Featured Product

cbayless_blog — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:52:00 +0000

You are going to love this custom album, I know I do! I decided to try a new professional lab for my albums and I was very impressed not only with their options but especially with their quality! Each portrait is printed on a photographic paper and mounted on a double weight board. It feels great to hold and beautiful to look at! I love that I can customize the cover and spine to each of my clients session. It is stunning from start to finish!

I have to say that even though these pictures give you an idea of how beautiful these albums are, they do the album no justice on how great it is in person!

Nice and Cozy | Newborn Photography Props

cbayless_blog — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:58:02 +0000

There are going to be some cozy babies cuddled on these soft blankets! What a gorgeous find to add to my collection of newborn photography props. These will make for some beautiful newborn baby portrait backdrops. Can’t wait to use the!

Bloom | Minnesota Fine Art Photography

cbayless_blog — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:33:42 +0000

Is it spring yet? Well it sure has been feeling like it! This has been the mildest winter I’ve ever experienced in Minnesota. I’m loving every bit of it. My house plant started blooming it’s flowers the other day and I am so fascinated by these little flowers! They look they would be plastic as if fake, but they definitely are not.

I’ve never had a green thumb when it comes to keeping my plants alive, however I’ve been told that it is hard to get this plant to flower and it has been producing some beautiful clusters every since I’ve received it as a gift… so I must be doing something right!