This year I only took on a limited number of photoshoots. I was tired. And felt every ounce of this pregnancy. I talked to Jer at the beginning of the spring (after we had found out I was knocked up) and decided on a certain number for each month. Right after Labor Day, I didn’t have a single shoot left on the schedule…which is kinda crazy because usually that is ‘photoshoot season’. People want Christmas card pictures and cozy warm fall photos and the like. But I stuck to my guns and turned down a lot of folks. And let me tell ya….it felt good.
Sometimes it feels good to just say no.
Put that on a milk carton and drink it.
Anyhoo…I did decide that I would try to take this time and learn a little more editing and camera-related stuff. I learned back-button focusing and how to properly white balance (although I think learning it doesn’t mean I’ll actually apply it! ha!) and a little more photoshop-tools. It doesn’t mean my photos are perfect but it is nice to be a student of the craft, ya know? I also decided that I would try to stage a photoshoot with Will at least once a month. I have so many ‘real-life’ moments of him but in general, very few of him being photo-shooten. Thats a word. I promise.
Hence….
His outfit isn’t perfect and it was just me and him at the shoot (which can be difficult because dude, the kid is two) but in the end, I am so glad I took the thirty minutes to ‘stage’ a shoot.
You might also notice that each picture is differently edited. Some are clean. Some vintage. Some warm and some not. I was exploring my artistic side.
This one with the branch reminds me of the cover of The Giving Tree.
And this was right after he got into trouble. He accidentally threw a stick at me (it slipped when he was aiming for the trees) and he actually sliced my tummy through my shirt. My shirt didn’t have a hole or anything but my skin was bleeding and he felt terrible when I showed him the boo-boo. I think he thought he hurt the baby. The puppy dog eyes kill me.
It didn’t take long for him to get over it though.
I see his personality coming through so much more these days. I love the scrunched up face. He thinks it’s gonna make me laugh…which of course it does….and he LOVES to make people laugh. I think he gets that from my side of the family. We are a bunch of jokesters…and he fits right in.
Last two are my favorite. He just looks so darn happy. It’s because these are the two when Daddy came home and saw him with his ‘penders’ on. I have grown to accept that Daddy is the favorite. I can’t blame him….Jeremy is my favorite too 🙂
So have you been doing a lot of picture learning lately? Anyone exploring photography for the first time? Any mom-togs out there that have been setting up shoots or capturing favorite pics of your kids? Any pros out there that are picking up new tricks? It’s been a while since we talked photos – let’s chat 🙂
Very cool pictures! What a handsome little dude you have. He’s a looker and gonna break some hearts when he grows up!
These are really beautiful, Katie! He such a cutie-pie.
Hi Katie, I think this is one of my favorite BP posts of ALL time – I love Will photos as much as reno /craft snaps and these ones are just SO FREAKIN ADORABLE! Not sure how we’re going to handle the cuteness when the new bub comes along.
Take care, : )
Tanya and family
(Cairns, Australia)
I love these pictures!! He looks so adorable..and those eyes are killer! What a cutie 🙂
Do you have any recommendations on good websites or books to learn more about photography? I want to learn more about it (just for fun) so if you have suggestions on where to start I would love that 🙂
I just had my first little one (and by little I mean I gave birth to a three month old practically) and I can’t wait to get him in some adorable outfits like this one on Will, so freaking cute!
Just so handsome. The very last photo where Will is holding out his suspenders – looks just like you Katie Bower 🙂 Cute xx
Love your photos. I am slowly studying a Diploma in Photography and I mean slowly …the 2 year course looks like taking 10. This is ok as it is just my hobby. We are playing with lighting and portraits (eg broad and short) which I love. My father-in-law is my next model, I can only hope he behaves 🙂
Katie, I have been reading your Blog for ages, but never commented. Today is the day :)) These pictures are amazing! Hands down, the loveliest shots ever taken of Will! My camera broke ages ago, and all I seem to use now is my phone, and we all know how great those pictures turn out lol. You have inspired me to go out and buy myself a new one and snap “some moments” with my soon to be, all grown up Beauties! Thank you for sharing all that you do <3
I absolutely love looking at photos of Will because my son is one year (to the day!) younger than Will. It’s so fun to see what size and things he will be getting into next year. You’re so talented! I seriously wish I had an ounce of your talent! I’m super good at organizing though, maybe we can join forces and be a superteam 🙂
Thinking of you often this week as you prepare to add a new beauty to your brood!
Absolutely beautiful photos! And good for you for saying no to some things. I’m 28 weeks pregnant with our first and can’t even imagine tackling all of the projects that you’ve taken on!
Been trying to learn to use my DSLR manually. Bought a 50mm lens. Now if I can only get the grandkids (3 and 8) to cooperate. But I am learning the fine art of …….bribery, and can actually get them to work with me for, oh, five minutes, maybe. Love your pictures of Will.
BEST. OUTFIT. EVER! Seriously…this rocks! Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!
I simply ADORE Will – what a sweet little muffin! I have a two year old boy (Cameron) and I started learning with an SLR since he was born. Since then, I’ve had to upgrade to terabytes of storage – it’s gotten so ridiculous how many (unprinted) photos I have! We went to a wedding outside of Calgary in the Rockies in September and I took the opportunity to book a pro to do a family shoot in the mountains. Best money I ever spent. Now, I have Christmas as a mission to have them printed & framed!
Alright, be honest, how much candy bribing went on to get the hands-in-pockets-look-down-cross-your-feet stance? The only thing that was missing was a piece of straw hanging out the side of his mouth!
I’m just waiting for my birthday present to come in the mail. A sony NEX-6. Oh boy am I ready to start learning photography with that nice little hunk of awesome! I have always admired your photo skills, and hope that I can figure out my way around a fancy camera soon enough.
Good for you to taking a break, it can be so difficult! The outfit is ADORABLE! He looks like a little man, great job on the shoot 🙂
I actually just started using custom WB and really like it. Its great for those pictures inside that turn super yellow/orange. Just custom WB and it looks like there is natural light all up in your hizouse! Will holding is ‘penders’ cracks me up – so cute!
Will is just one of the cutest children I’ve ever seen. And this outfit kills me. Too cute!
That last picture is totally adorable! I love the variety of the photos you took, and good for you for taking time off before baby boy Bower arrives.
It’s nice to take a break then you can work on learning new photo things. My job has kept me so busy for the last year that I have only had a couple chances to take pictures. They turned out well, and made me wish I could quit my job and focus on that… I still don’t know how to properly white balance. I use the defaults if applicable, and if that doesn’t work, I have to edit them later…
Great pix! I wouldn’t be able to choose a favorite. Thanks for posting them.
Oh. My. Goodness. Those pictures are beautiful and Will is so cute.
Katie, you take some really beautiful photos. The ones with the hay are killing me. So great.
I love them all! He did such a great job posing for you…did you tell him how to stand, where to put his hands, etc? The sun is just gorgeous in the tree and round bale shot. Great job!
I think these are great and Will’s outfit works perfectly. And he looks so much like you in the last 2 photos!
Photography is my favorite side-hobby. I don’t think I’m very good at it, but that never seems to stop me from lugging my camera around with me everywhere. There are just too many good moments that need to be captured! You’re making me think it wouldn’t be a bad thing to share some of my favorite shots on the blog now and then though… 🙂
Keep it up! And good luck with the impending arrival of your little one!
Adorable pictures!! Where are the million kitchen posts you promised?? You need to post the finished space before baby!
I just started back button focusing too and HOLY HELL it totally works! I was loving the fact that 90% of my pictures are now in focus (instead of the usual 60-ish that it was before). Great photos of Will 🙂
Oh dear! What a cutie pie! He needs to be in a magazine or like baby Gap stuff, that one of him looking down at his shoes in the vintage look…..AMAZING!! Good luck with baby #2!
I LOVE the one of Will sitting on the hay barrel with the sun peaking through! Great job! 🙂
Shannon
Fabulously Vintage
It HAS been a long time since you talked ‘shop’. Glad you limited yourself this fall though. You need to take care of YOU right now! Those pictures of Will are wonderful. Your processing experimentation is great. I typically process clean too, but am trying out different things too to see if I can better find ‘my’ style. I was considering an upgrade from Mark2 to his handsome older brother Mark3…but am going to hold off. The sales have been amazing lately on it, but I only got Mark2 in Feb and havent outgrown it. Did you find any focus issues on your copy of Mark? Sometimes I blame him, but really not sure if it IS him or me. I know focus issues are the #1 complaint from Mark users. Maybe my lens need to be calibrated etc….who knows. I hope you enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy, and having just Will (hes going to be a great big brother!) oh–Are you going to take your own newborn pics?
XO Lynn
Katie I just love your every pic you take! Wish you were in Jersey (although I’m sure you don’t wish that after Hurricane Sandy) so I can have you take pics of my family. Your truly talented.
Katie, these are great! I love your photography posts as I bought my first DSLR about a year and a half ago and have been slowly working on my skills. I’m getting better, but am definitely still an amateur. My next step is to learn how to decently edit- right now I just wing it in iPhoto until I see something I like.
Also, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family over the next few days as you prepare for your VBAC and welcome B2 into the fold! Good luck, congratulations, and I cannot wait to meet him!
I don’t know. I don’t think it gets any cuter than this! He is such a ham and you can tell just how sweet and well mannered this little boy is 🙂
He’s a doll. And looks just like you (particularly in the 2nd to last picture). The “spenders” are killing me. Sooo cute.
Katie, your pictures are awesome! Will is absolutely adorable. You and Jer make beautiful children and can’t wait to see pics of your newest Bower to come!
Sooooo cute!!! Your photos are amazing. Love the outfit. What a face! 🙂
I love these photos. What great memories of Will! You have such an eye. Wish so much that we still lived in Atlanta so I could schedule a photo shoot!! I would love to learn more about cameras and taking photos. I keep convincing my husband that I NEED a new camera for my birthday! But for now I use instagram and pretend that I know how to take pictures…haha 🙂
i could eat him!
Love the photos.
Love the saying “no.”
Love the topic.
I’ve always loved photography and my husband is a writer. We recently bought a Nikon D-3100 and our first wee one (a little SHE- her initials, too) is due about Thanksgiving. This morning I awoke with ideas for photos to be sent out via e-mail to the family & friends crew.
We’ve been very private with this whole journey, and the photos will be the first “real” look at our little sweetie. For photos I’d like to keep them close up and/or private-ish in nature, so I’m thinking…
*Her hand and her father’s (however that may go… be it fist in hand, hand around a finger, other… no specs- just a goal)!
*Her legs/feet… we know this girl has LONG legs like her mama!
*Her with her musical giraffe (a gift from my aunt that is often kicked off of my stomach when played… she dances so actively)!
Due to her timing we picked up a yard of green (pine-olive-y) fabric with gold swirls as a background for Christmas photos. SHE’ll be in a red knit dress with gold threads (very faint- woven into the knit). I have no idea how that will go, but I trust the process and will be patient.
Any thoughts and ideas / feedback welcome!
Thanks!
Hi there! I just began following you and read many of your older post including the birth story. I love you blog, especially how it’s not just the pretty side of things, decor and renovation, but you include the not so pretty things and your vulnerable side also! I love to read what the Lord has done in your life, I love how other not-yet believers can read about it!
pray that you have a the best delivery the Lord has planned for you! 🙂
I cannot even handle how cute the first one of him with his hands in his pockets looking down is. Ahhh, I want to steal him. All the pictures look beautiful!
btw, how did you learn your photography skills? are you art major?
Oh my goodness what a ham! He looks presh!
I posted recently about attempting a family photo shoot. Hahahahahahaha. It was a disaster. I mean, I have pictures with only our 1 year old looking – our almost 3yr old was busy HIDING BEHIND A TREE. And then! Then we went to this cute covered bridge near us – only to discover a dead dog on the side of the road. We quit after that.
So…anyway…Im glad Will’s went well (aside from the belly laceration and all…)
Doesn’t it always happen like that?! Haha 🙂 At least you have the funny memory 🙂
xo – kb
Nope. I am totally self-taught. I’ve never even been to a workshop or conference (although I’d love to go one day when life slows a bit). And I went to school for Bio Ed. Weird mix huh?!
xo – kb
You sound like a woman with a plan! I hope everything goes really really well! And if I were to suggest anything…try to take the photos within six to twelve days – that’s when they are most sleepy and you might have better luck with your poses 🙂
xo – kb
haha…that literally made me laugh 🙂
xo – kb
these are excellent! i can totally see at least one of these ending up in his senior yearbook spread. 🙂
A little. It’s weird, sometimes I think it’s Marky Mark (as I like to call my Mark II) but other times I feel like it’s me or my transitions to other lenses…like if I just popped on the 85mm it might be that it is just more finicky than the 50mm…does that make any sense? It’s probably user error either way – ha! And yeah…I think all my lenses need calibrated and my camera needs cleaning (BAD!). And yes, right now I am planning on taking my own newborn pics…just like I did with Will but hopefully sooner than his (I waited till Will was 3 weeks old and kinda regret it).
xo – kb
Patience my dearest Nicole! I have it coming – it’s the photos that slow me down cause there are so many to go through 🙂
xo – kb
I don’t think he would pose if I asked! I did ask him if he could put his hands in his pockets…just to see if he could and he did…so I snapped some. But in general, he tends to do cute things (most 2 year olds do, right?!) so the leg crossing was all him. I did hoist him up on that hay bale…so does that count as posing?
xo – kb
haha…NONE! I actually didn’t bribe him at all! I think the fact he got to throw things was reward enough 🙂
xo – kb
YAY! Booking our own photoshoot is on my to-do list! You were smart to do it early!
xo – kb
Aww thanks Jenny and hopefully you won’t be a stranger! I love hearing from my peeps 🙂
xo – kb
These pictures are adorable…you are very talented, Katie! I absolutely love Will’s big eyes…they just melt my heart. I love seeing my almost 5 month old son, Henry’s HUGE smile when he looks at his daddy. They’re totally going to be BFF’s and I love it. =)
great pics! trust me…be glad dad is favourite. my 5 and 2 1/2 year old only want mommy. mommy to hold hands, buckle up, take out of car, put to bed, whatever!! it’s exhausting. i feel bad for my husband…because he really tries sometimes…but nope..mom’s the word!
His adorable-ness is out of this world! Hoping Santa (aka the Hubs) brings me a new camera for Christmas, then I can chit-chat about photography!
I don’t think I have ever commented before, but I am a long time blog-stalker of yours. BP and YHL are neck and neck for my favorite blog. I just had to come out of hiding for this post. These pictures are absolutely incredible. I love every single one! I would love to drive the 10 hours from SWFL to you just to have you do a photo-shoot for me. Would you be willing to barter? Accounting/Tax services for a session? Think about it 🙂
Keep up the great work and I am really looking forward to seeing the “after” pictures of the kitchen.
ADORABLE and what a perfect outfit for a little boy shoot, I love the black and white one with his hands in his pockets and ankles crossed, so cute!
I woke up this morning and just thought Katie Bower is going to have her baby today. Just had to put that out on the interwebs….. Hope all is well as you head into the final stretch.
There are a lot of forums out there that are great. Googling them or just following along with other photographers is always helpful to me!
xo – kb
Oh my gosh!! The picture of Will standing with his legs crossed is THE best!!!! Too cute!
Love love loveeeeeeeeeeeeee!
He is just precious! I love the suspenders!!
These are painfully adorable!! I love the hat and suspenders 🙂
I just cannot get over how HANDSOME Will is! It is amazing how much he has grown… you can almost see grown-up will in his face if you look hard enough!
He is such a great combination of you and Jeremy. Your photography skills are awesome but I think the pics are actually great because of your subject!
Love them! Will’s little outfit is adorable and the weathered wood siding makes a really cool looking backdrop. I recently attempted a photo shoot of my two kiddos but found it almost impossible to get them both smiling and looking towards me – my 9 mo. old was more interested in trying to eat the leaves and my 2 year old was definately running out of patience. The one I did kinda manage to get is posted over on my blog. Any tips on getting kiddos this young to cooperate?
Adorable photos….adorable lil boy. Can’t wait to see your new lil guy =)
I love all of these! I just realized how much he looks like his daddy. I am definitely a mom-tog. Been working on how to use my Canon correctly. I frequently set up a photoshoot for my 8 month old. I dread the day when he can run away from my camera! I’m anxiously awaiting news on the little baby! Thanks for the birthday wishes on Facebook today!
(And don’t feel bad… daddy is my little guy’s favorite too! He could be in the worst cranky mood, and daddy comes home and it’s instant smile!)
Have a great day!
Katie! I’m obsessed with these pictures, every single one!! Love that Will is coming into his own personality!!! And atta girl on working so hard to build a cute wardrobe for the boy! It pays off in shots like these. Praying for you in these upcoming days. Wishing you so many moments of joy and peace.
That kid of yours is so freakin’ cute!!! Cannot wait to see the new one! 🙂
Oh my! The one with the sad, puppy dog eyes… a “i’m so sorry, mama” look if I ever saw one. Aww. :.) Fantastic pictures… thank you for sharing with us.
Love the pics! Will seems to be looking more and like you as he gets older. I love my new camera (cannon rebel T3i). Im ok on the 18-55 but on my 50mm 1.8 Im really having a hard time manually focusing. Im planning on learning a little about photoshop but just havent made the time for it yet. I love the giving tree pic!
Okay I HAVE to know how you did the blurry on the edges effect!?!?! LOVE IT!
Such cute pictures! He is so adorable. I too love your blog and have never commented. 🙂 Congrats on baby #2 by the way! We have a 6 month old daughter and I’m interested in getting a better camera. Right now we have a nice digital Canon but I would like to research DSLRs. Do you have any recommendations for someone just starting out? I have no idea where to begin…
As always, your photography skills blow me away! I love each one of these pictures! And Will is just the cutest! I want to spread him on a cracker and eat him up!!
I’m hoping to upgrade to a new camera soon, and your photograpy posts have really helped me thus far! So, thank you!
Yay for a photography post! I’ve missed these!!!! Maybe we will be getting some more once you have your new baby model? 🙂
Katie…I stink at photography compared to you. However, I did go buy myslf a Canon DSLR after seeing all your awesome photos and the thing just takes good pictures without my control sometimes. And everyone else in my family has bad cameras, so sometimes it appears that I am a better photographer than they are.
These pictures of Will are absolutely adorable! I can’t wait to try this with my boy!
Also, I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now, and I wish I lived closer to you so we could hang out! I’ll be praying for you and the birth of the baby. Hope everyone adjusts well!
Katie, these are fabulous!!! I’m absolutely in love with the one of him with crossed legs and hands in his pockets. He looks like a grown man. I swear, reading yours and Sherry’s blogs makes me have baby fever!!! 🙂
Love the pics Katie! I’ve had a Canon Rebel XTI for about 5 years now and this year just really took the time to learn dslr concepts before going on a road trip with my brother. My camera can give me some pretty good shots without even trying. Last week I bought a 7d from a guy off Craigslist and can’t seem to get a good shot out of it. I may resell it because I just don’t want to think too hard about it sometimes and want to be able to get good shots right out of the box. I’m no professional and am just an amateur hobbyist.
These are so cute! He looks like he belongs in the Newsies!
It’s a photoshop layer…you can make the entire layer blurry and then erase where you want it to be clear. Adjusting the opacity of the layer will give you different effects too.
xo – kb
Manually focusing on the 50mm is very hard…I always tell people that my number one tip is to five it more space and then crop afterward.
xo – kb
AGREED!
I am lucky to have such a handsome little man 🙂
xo – kb
Don’t sweat it! That age is amazingly hard! And you did awesome! I always have a bag of tricks for each kid…but there are no guarantees! I always say, shoot for the most difficult…so if your little one is hardest, then recruit your oldest to ‘help’ entertain her…or if the two year old is hard, then do focus on him and the little one will pay attention. Also, sometimes, it helps to have an activity – painting, ball play, balloons, playing with leaves, etc….if you can’t beat it, join it in 🙂
xo – kb
Katie, where is that beautiful building, if you don’t mind sharing? I live in your town – just down the road actually. Is this near us??
Hi Katie, where is that beautiful old building, if you don’t mind sharing? I live in your town and wonder if this is near us? Thank you!
Was having a problem posting a comment – hope 3 don’t show up. UGH!
Most of the time folks start off with a beginner DSLR…the Canon Rebel or the Nikon D3000/D5000. It’s not hard to learn – just remember to consult the manual for the basics!
xo – kb
Actually I probably will take you up on that in the future!
xo – kb
Totally understand! Some folks wanna invest the time and effort and some don’t! That’s what keeps me in business – ha!
xo – kb
OMG Love the suspenders!
It’s in Between…right in front of the fire station. I’ve shot there probably with two or three other families and figured that it was high time we did our own shoot 🙂
xo – kb
Love these photos so much…Will is such a big boy now! Looking forward to the arrival of your new baby and wishing you a perfect delivery!
Lovveee the one where he is crossing his feet and looking down. So stinkin’ handsome!
So… I’m dying to know… What did you dress up as for Halloween?!
I have had my camera for about 6 years now (Nikon D40). I’ve just recently started to get the hang of it, but I am having focus issues and I have this weird red line that appears in my pictures. Does that mean my ISO is too high? I want my pictures to be clean, crisp, and clear and I feel like they never are.
Fantastic pictures of Will. He’s just too cute 🙂
1) Will is adorable!! 2) You are an amazing photographer! I love all the pics!
I just can’t deal. These photos bring me to my knees and I’m not even his mama. Shoot, I don’t even know his mama 🙂
Beautiful photography. Beautiful Will.
Love the photos. I’ve read a little about back button focusing — when do you personally find it useful / applicable?
Thanks!
the outfit is too cute!
how do you like back button focusing? i’ve been researching and wondering if i should start shooting that way. do you feel that it saves you time setting up the shot? do you feel that your images were sharper from the shoot? less throw away, blurry ones? thanks!!!
He’s gonna be such a heartbreaker one day. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better blend of both parents in one kid, ever.
The most awww-tastic thing, though? He looks like a big brother! So cute 🙂
These pictures are just the best. A+ for making (and photographing) such a cute little kid. 🙂
Will is such a beautiful boy!
I’ve been getting slammed here lately (no complaints from me): two weddings in two weeks, mini sessions gearing up for the holidays, getting ready for a few bridal symposiums, sending off some shots to a gallery, and next month I’m doing free photo sessions for a women’s shelter…I am so lucky to have a job I love that can also pay the bills.
Katie,
I LOVE your blog! I love the fact that you are SO REAL! It is hard to find bloggers that keep things real these days. I have been truly BLESSED by your blog!
LOVE LOVE those pictures of will and the WHOLE OUTFIT!
I recently got a DSLR (CANON T3i) and I have been learning a lot on how to shoot manual. Going online and even taking a few classes. I just want to be able to shoot decent pictures of my son everyday. Do you have any advices for beginner mom-togs like me?
I try to practice, practice practice.
Thanks!
These are precious! What beautiful pictures! That boy is really growing too. I have a two year old son also (Will and Canon are really close in age) and I find more joy out of photographing him than just about anything in the world. I need to stage a photo-shoot for him…maybe this weekend while Daddy is at work! 🙂
You will never look back with back button focus. It seriously rocks my world, but does make it harder to hand off to someone so that you can be in a shot. How are you handling your white balance? I’ve been thinking about getting an Expodisk, but haven’t done it yet. I have a friend who swears by setting Kelvin.
Right now I am working on getting my studio renovation finished up and ready for my big open house. It is amazing to have an actual space now for all my newborns!
Patience is not in my vocabulary! This made me laugh because you have no idea how my lack of patience is driving me crazy in other areas of my life right now (trying to get pg). So don’t take my lack of patience with you personally, all around me have to suffer 🙂
That squished face is adorable! Love him 🙂 Thanks for sharing him with us.
For the little ones, I found that giving them bubbles helps. They usually stop for a second to blow them, then look up at them with the most amazing faces. 🙂
These are amazing! The second one and the last one, though. Wow. It’s like a little Noah in the Notebook =P
Great minds girlfriend …. Have a similar post up today:) love the vintage touch. Adorable!
http://cleverlyinspired.com/2012/11/02/tips-for-shooting-outdoor-pictures-of-kids/
Love the photography posts – your advice is always so helpful and easy to understand! I do have a question I have been wanting to ask you. Do you still use Pioneer Woman’s Photoshop actions? I have them downloaded and have lots of fun playing with pictures of my eight month old. (I am a rookie learning to use a Nikon D5100) The actions always look amazing on my computer but I find when I print them they often turn out weird and grainy looking. (I usually use the slight lighten once or twice and the boost action) have you had any trouble printing with those actions? Perhaps I need to invest in a higher quality printing service? Or maybe there are new actions you would suggest? Thanks again for all of your photography posts – you truly are inspiring both as a photographer and a small business owner and I am so excited to print my first “family yearbook” as a new mom. :).
Good for you- prioritizing your life and making time to photograph your handsome baby boy! Love the pics- the suspenders and pageboy hat kill me 🙂
Will is such a little stud!
Love your photography. I really enjoy reading about your renovation projects and I have used a few of your tutorials on our home. Great job!
I remember a while back you mentioned doing something with your kitchen island. Maybe there’s a big “reveal” on the way, and if so, ignore this! I just wanted to mention that I’ve seen the use of old, restored lumber used on kitchen islands a lot recently in designers’ portfolios.
Check out this link!
http://www.craftworkhome.com/#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=1&p=0&a=0&at=0
And I think there’s one in the latest edition of BH&G (November).
Katie this is my first post on your blog. First I really enjoy your blog. Second, wow that first pic he looks just like your husband! Obvs the little guy is your little twin (especially the scrunched up face one) but seriously the little man one, he looks just like your husband. Nice job!
Haha good. I typed it and then was like…that’s kind of a creepy/weird thing to say and then I thought…if there’s any blog to leave the first thing that comes to mind, this would be it. 🙂
These are great! Will is the cutest!!! He is going to be such a good big brother.
I’m doing a Football themed shoot for one my good friends tomorrow. So excited to try something different.
Aww Katie he is sooo cute. I love these, what a heartbreaker!
OMG, I am dying from cuteness overdose. I can’t decide what’s best, the baby converse, the newsboy cap, or the ‘penders! My uterus aches now.
Cutest kid EVER! If it doesn’t work out with Clara (you know, if they develop a more brother/sister relationship or something) I have twin nieces and I’d be happy to marry off one to Will! (My sister will be IN after she sees these photos).
Amazing job on the photography and the mixing of genes with your Jer! 🙂
Emily
LOVE the photos!! Since having my daughter in May I have taken a photography course and really learnt my DSLR. I absolutely love setting up photoshoots for her!! You are an inspiration- thank you for sharing your everyday journey with us! Can’t wait to see your newest addition! Sending positive vibes your way 🙂
Oh my stars! Those last two are a little slice of happiness and cheer!
HEART … IS … MELTING
Isn’t it amazing how much a face can say and that you can read it?
These pictures are absolutely A-MAZING Katie!! He is so precious. 🙂 what a blessed momma you are 🙂
Katie, you inspired me to take up photography after you took our pictures last year. I have worked on doing shoots for Miller’s 3,6, 9 and 12 month pictures and some holidays plus some for friends. It has been a learning process but so proud of how they have turned out. Can not wait to see pics of your new babe and of course Will still.
I love it when people do themes…it makes for such a great story 🙂
xo – kb
So glad you finally spoke up! And I love that people see us both in Will…it makes my heart swell 🙂
xo – kb
Hi Victoria,
Actually I love that look! And I just saw something too like that in House Beautiful I think…such a cool way to make the island pop!
xo – kb
I read all about the Kelvin method…and gave that a go for a few days just to see if it was easy and I think I’ll probably stick to auto white balance and just adjust in post processing. I’ve actually never used an Expodisk but a few blogs I follow do and it’s always interesting to me how they rave about it.
xo – kb
Yes Practice a ton! And don’t give up…and make it easy on yourself at times…don’t shoot in the toughest conditions (low or no natural lighting with a fast kid and a lens that isn’t meant for portraits) and expect it to be professional type shots. As a pro, I try to shoot in the best conditions just so that the pics are decent before editing. That’s probably my biggest tip!
xo – kb
Personally I like it if I know exactly what I want to shoot….like portraits….and if the subject is relatively slow. For fast moving stuff, it makes it a little more difficult because I might set up the shot for the eyes in the top third and then they might run into the bottom third before I can adjust my pregnant butt off the ground…but say for instance, I am shooting a portrait of Will and he is up against a wall – and I’m going with a low aperature…then I can make sure the focus is directly on his eyes vs his nose or ear and stays there just by holding my thumb down.
co – kb
I had my outfit out to be a sumo wrestler and then didn’t have time to put it on. Bummer I know.
xo – kb
I like it okay. I felt like I was pretty fast with the shutter focusing…so I didn’t notice a whole lot of difference in my speed of setting up the shot. I do feel like I have less throw away only simply because I can hold that back button down and keep the subject in focus so that helps.
xo – kb
Hmmm…a red line? Does it appear after you download too? Because that’s weird.
xo – kb
Well a printing service would definitely make a difference so I would start there. Also, the lighten action will tend to put some grain in your photo if they are shot with a high ISO…it’s gonna pick up that underlying pic info and play on that. And I would suggest learning photoshop straight up…actions are great (I personally LOVE them and their ease) but knowing how an action works will help you in the long run be better at editing (at least I have found that to be true!).
xo – kb
Yay for trying to DIY! I’m so proud of you girl! You will definitely not regret picking it up and giving it a go 🙂
xo – kb
Such a beautiful job as always! I’m still so new to photography but I swear it took me forever to learn how to shoot in manual mode and now that I’m getting better I feel like I’m failing on the editing side of things! It is so overwhelming sometimes. Do you have any go to or favorite filters or actions?
Hmmm…I like Pioneer Woman’s set…I modify all of them to make them fit me better…but in general, they are awesome. And I don’t do a lot of filters…just simply because my style is a little more clean for photoshoots. I would definitely use some if I had a client who was looking for something specific in a shoot though!
xo – kb
Will is a model in the making lol look at him grabbing his suspenders! My fave is the second one thats closer up with his lil dimple showing!
These are incredibly wonderful, and such a cutie-patootie you have!
Yayah! I love it when you talk photography. I’ve been teaching myself for almost 2 years now and I still feel like I have basic knowledge. I have photoshop but it is super complicated and I have to google or pinterest anytime I want to do something specific (even if I’ve done it before, I’m kinda slow).
I’ve recently started back button focusing (that’s just when you use the back button and manually pick the spot, right?) but it’s hard to keep up the little buggers when they move around in the frame and I often end up with images where my kid’s face is out of focus but his little stuffed animal is sharp as a tack! Is this a problem everyone has or is it something I’m missing?
Love all your posts, but keep the photography ones comin’!
I beg to differ…his outfit is perfect! He is so freaking cute!
Great photos!:-)
Yes back button focusing is picking the spot but I also learned part of it for me is using the AF-ON button. More advanced Canon cameras have a dedicated button on the back of the camera that will be the button used to activate the focus on the camera, and other Canon cameras (such as Canon Rebels, Canon 60D, etc) will use the AF-L, AE-L button as the button that will activate focus after this AF-On option is selected. Did I just ramble? Sorry.
xo – kb
That b/w of him shot from above, legs crossed and hands in the pockets, makes my heart melt! I’m having a boy in February and I can’t wait to capture images just as cute 🙂
When he smiles like that he looks like a replica of you. Good photos shot!
These turned out so well. And Henry has the same pants so they are obviously too cool for school.
I wish you were near us in cali! I’d love you too photograph our girl
Yes. I have come back pretty much 7 times today to see if a baby has been born. Good luck and God bless if it hasn’t already happened!
What great pictures! He looks JUST like you!
Wow, I can really tell a huge improvement in your photography. Congrats on teaching yourself these techniques. Would love to hear more about it.
Hey Katie,
Loved the photos. I left you a comment last time you wrote about photography telling you how I didn’t want to upset any other local photographers with whom I had worked in the past. You’re encouragement pushed me to do more shoots and stand strong on charging for my work and it’s been slowly picking up. Thanks again…looking forward to the newborn shoot.
He is adorable! Where did you get his suspenders?
They came with the jeans – they are from H&M.
xo – kb
No news yet! I probably will be late. I am late with everything anyway 🙂
xo – kb
Hi Katie,
I was wondering what type of lens you use to capture pictures like the one with Will and the tree (5th one down)? Or is it just your positioning that you are able to get a wide view? I hope that makes sense.
Thanks,
Sofia
It was a 50mm and yes, it was just my position.
xo – kb
You need to go watch the 90’s version of the Little Rascals. I watched it this weekend and realized your son looks so much like an adorable little Spanky!! Especially in these clothes!! Hope cute!!
Katie- I AB.SO.LUTE.LY LOVE those pics of Will. The cross legged one by the barn is Amazing!!! You are so talented. I feel in my heart we should be best friends! Good luck with everything, I will be praying for you!!:)
Katie
I hope you guys will be ready for the onslaught those dimples are going to cause in the future! He is so cute, and don’t forget it will be x 2 soon.
Love photography posts! (Especially of your cute little man!!) I have always enjoyed taking {far too many} photos and last year I finally got my first DSLR. I love it. I wish I had more time to get creative and figure it all out, but I am very slowly getting there.
I’m a beginner photographer – but want to learn and do more than my point and shoot can do. What camera would you recommend that’s easy to learn from and has automatic and manual capabilties?
I used the Rebel but I’ve heard Nikon makes a similar one (in price point and capabilities) so it’s worth checking out if you are looking for a beginners DSLR.
xo – kb
Holy junk! Those pictures are so awesome! You did that yourself? You must be awesome.
And your son is SOOOOO CUTE! so cute. You should mail those pics to Baby Gap or something.
Seriously! How cute is he?! Little Bower perfection right there!
xo,
Jen
Fantastic pics! You have one cute little boy 🙂
It’s in Between – right in front of the fire station 🙂
xo – kb
Hi Katie, congrats on the new little one. You make such cute babies. I’m working on learning how to use my rebel to take pictures like this of my 16 month old but wanted to know what you use to edit your photos. I’m kind of assuming you will say photoshop, is there anything cheaper that beginners can use till I start to get the hang of it? I hope your lady bits heal up quickly, I know how it is for a 7lb baby, but I couldn’t image what happens after a 10lb baby.
Photoshop Elements is a great beginner tool…it runs about a hundred bucks but it’s got great functionality and you can do amazing editing on it.
xo – kb
Brilliant shots! Besides they’re good, they’re unforgettable as well.
wow i like swag of the boy.
Your pictures are beautiful! They reminded me of the amazing stuff my cousin is doing, first with her own children and now in her own photography business. I’m sure you both could relate to each other…here’s her site. http://michellesauer.com/
These are adorable photos! I love your idea of a photoshoot with your son at least once a month. I really need to be doing that! I was wondering if you used a 50mm lens for all of these photos? I’m still using the lens that came with my camera and want to upgrade! I’d like to shoot more portraits of my family, pictures for my blog and online boutique. I’ve heard the 50mm is great…do you have any recommendations? I appreciate it!
He is adorable – a natural-born model!