The bidding has stopped....

Thank you to everyone who bid on the photography session to benefit the McEwan family. I know they will be so grateful! The winning bid was :
Amanda Hansen

Thanks again!!!
Contact me to set up your session date and time!!!

Sweet little girl N....

What a perfect little girl! Even though the weather was a bit cold she was such a trooper and was an angel. So smiley and happy and that is how I love em!!
I love to show my clients different ways to decorate their home with their photography pieces. I hurts my heart to think of all the time and stress put into a shoot ( not only by me but YOU as clients!!) and just having a disk sit in a box somewhere!! Or.. Just printing out that one HUGE 8x10! You know who you are!!
So... I like to make up samples and suggestions of what maybe I would do or put up in my walls. And products I offer of course!!
How can you pick just one adorable classic black and white? A 9 up collage is a super cute way to display alot of your favs. These are awesome to put in a frame or pair it with a cute easel. A little sample....



And a few of my favs as well....

















Or how about a 10x20 mounted story board? with a iron easel to complete the perfectness....

simple edits..

I sometimes get asked some different things about what I like to do to my images. And although I feel I know only the tip of the iceberg most times, I thought I would share a little how to for my simple edits. Just to get rid of that dull SOOC taste.
And because I always love to see how other people do stuff too. - Not that anyone cares what I do.. hehe!



Let me know if you like-y?
I might do something like this more often maybe with lighting setups, camera setting etc. Let me know what ya think. :)
*TRA = Totally Rad actions
*SOOC=Straight out of the camera

The coolest thing Ev-er!

So... the biggest impact I had on my little venture to Vegas was a speaker who spoke about why us as photographers are so lucky to do what we do. And we are. I am. I get to document happiness and preserve memories for my clients. As the years have gone on being a photographer I have seen the importance of documenting life. Like when loved ones pass. Although we have our memories of them it is the images that we have that we hold tight to and no matter what was the cost, we are glad we took the time and had them done.
As I sat in this class I though about love and passion and documenting what is important to us in our lives. The people we love! We love our families, our parents, friends and children, but what do we often lose sight of in the hustle bustle of life? Our spouse.
Yes.. our husband or wife. As mothers we are busy from day to day working and taking care of our kids. How often do we sit down and reflect back on what we love about our spouse? Remember how you felt when you KNEW you were in love with them? That moment you KNEW this was the person who you were going to spend the rest of your life with? I think about it now and it gives me butterfly's!
And what is even cooler than that is the memories you have made together. The happiest times, The super hard times, and the greatest times over the years. These times that have brought you to the point you are in your life. TOGETHER! ( and hopefully more in love today than the day you two were married)
I do family sessions a lot and always try to squeeze in some fun shots of mom and dad to try to acomplish this.But what always happens? They cant fully concentrate on each other because little brother is pulling Suzie hair while baby is spitting up. You know what I'm talking about!
So... I have decided to devote myself to offering THESE sessions. May I introduce the
Adore me sessions.
Just for couples. No kids. Get a sitter and make a night of it. Make dinner plans after, you know you wanna!!
And believe me men, Your ladies want this!!! They want a session of just you two and some killer images to go big on your walls. They want to feel those butterflys again, and only worry about you for a bit even if is only an hour or so ( And for you to worry about only her!). You want to know HOW I know? Cuz I want it for myself!!
Oh... and Ladies how awesome would this be to look at these images on your walls and go back to how you felt in that moment? AWWW... ( You know you love it!!)
Well I want to capture that for you. I have been so excited to offer this for some time now and I finally got that push!
Anniversaries are coming up. What a great gift to give. Or to say that is the only thing you want! hehe!
We all have images from the big day documenting the celebration of the starting of your lives together, Why not celebrate the time you have stayed together??
I hope I got across what I was trying to express and what these session are like. They are a must have for EVERY couple!!
Engagement session all over again?? Well sortof.. But oh so much better!!!
Cuz every girl wants to feel that her special someone completely adores her!!
Here it is..





I will start booking these session right away but will only have a limited amount of openings due to high school senior season. So book early!
My next opening is The first week in May.

Friends of Korbin donation....

My heart has been aching today. I have been thinking of my sweet little cousin. (Well my cousins little guy) He was diagnosed with Cancer not too long ago. As I sit here thanking my heavenly father for all the blessing I have, and my healthy kids, I wonder if there is anything I can do in this situation.
So...
I have decided I am going to auction off a photography session and a 16x20 standout mount, float wrap mount or foamboard mounted portrait! The session is a 90 minute on location or in home session. All proceeds will go directly to the McEwan family.
I will be starting out the bidding at $150 ( This is a 185 value!!)
This is going to a great family.
Thank you to everyone who has helped so much already!!
To bid just leave a comment with your bid and contact info ( if I dont already have it.)

I will close the bidding on Thursday the 25. That is 7 days people! So spread the word!!

Here is what is on the facebook page of "friends of Korbin"

On Tuesday March 2, 2010 our dear friends took their 7 year old son into the doctor for what they thought was a common childhood illness. Over the time period of one day their son had experienced stomach aches, vomiting, and a slight fever. The doctor told them to watch him closely for a couple days, and bring him back into the office if his condition had not improved by then. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? The next day, Korbin attended school as he had told his mom that he was feeling better. By midday the school had called his mom, told her that he wasn’t feeling well and that she should come pick him up. The next afternoon they returned to the doctor, as his conditions had worsened. After taking blood tests, the doctor informed them that their son was extremely ill and needed to be taken to Primary Children’s Hospital immediately. Once they arrived at Primary Children’s more tests were ran throughout the night, by noon the next day the doctor diagnosed their son with Burkitts Lymphoma cancer, a very fast growing cancer, affecting both his liver and bone marrow. Korbin began chemotherapy at Primary Children’s last Saturday.
Can you imagine having what you thought was a perfectly healthy child one day, turn into a parents worst fear within a matter of hours? Life is precious, it’s scary to think how fast it can change in no time at all. This family is no different than yours or ours, tragedy can happen to anyone at any given time.
At this time we would like to ask for your help in this wonderful families behalf, whether it be $1, $5, $10, or just a simple prayer for Korbin’s recovery, anything will help. Not only will this family have an excessive amount of medical bills, but their income has been reduced as the mother is spending every possible hour she can get with her son. Korbin’s father has already had to return back to work in order to pay bills and support his family, just like the rest of us our trying to do. (when he would much rather be spending this precious time with his son)
A fund has been set up for donations at Bank Of American Fork. You may make donations to the “Korbin McEwan Fund” at any branch or by mail. Any thought, prayer or donation is greatly appreciated at this time.

Thank you for all your love and support,
Friends of Korbin

Join friends of Korbin

This session can be used anytime during the 2010 year. Please let my know if you have any questions.
Also, If you want to bid anonymously to the public, you can send me an email with your info and I can put in an anonymous bid. Thanks!

Back home..

Well,.. Vegas was beyond awesome!! I loved it. I learned so much! I came home so inspired and wanting to just do so much. It was a great getaway from the kids for a while but I was sure missing them in the end. I met alot of great photographers, listened (and learned) from some great speakers. Some of the classes I attended was:
Joe Photo
Audrey Woulard
Jesh de Rox -- My FAV!!!
JB and DeEtte Salle
Mike Fulton and Cody Clinton
Jasmine Star
Tamara Lackey
Vickie Tauffer
Brianna Graham
Elizabeth Messina
Kay Eskridge
Gregory Heisler
and
Lori Nordstrom
and SO many more I wanted to see!!!

I was kindof star struck! I mean Gregory Heisler photographed Jason Priesley and TORI SPELLING for 'People' magazine!! Hel-LO!!!
It was great. Vegas was so neat. I loved the lights at night. And as we were driving in, the lights of the city lit up the whole sky. It was amazing!
Here are a few images form the oh-so fabulous trip.
I NEED to go next year!!



We stayed at the Excalibur.








I thought our bathroom was so cool.





Waiting for a class to start.



I loved the architecture of the city. Is this building cool or what!!!







The view from our room. 15 stories high.








The way too long lines to get into the 'popular speakers'





My favorite speaker of the whole time there! Jesh de Rox. He was am-a-zing! I was crying several times during his class. It was THAT good!



And a few shots of us goofing around in the room. Classy eh?




A huge Thanks to Jami, Annie, Marc, Selena, Jessica, and Ashley for the fun times and good photography talks!! We are such nerds!!!

Im outta here!

I am way excited to be going down to Vegas to WPPI! If some of you don't know what it is.. It is the once a year photography convention that is full of days and days of classes (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)!
Learning!!
I am really looking forward to it. A lot of photographers that I really look up to will be there and are going to teach classes. Oh happy day!I hope to come back fully charged and ready to get back into shooting full force!
But a little update.. As most of my clients know I took a little time off to enjoy the holidays with my family.I have enjoyed this time so much! I feel like I have been a better mom and wife. But.... having this time off has made me realize a few things...
1- It hurts my heart to turn clients away and
2- How much I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE photography!!
I find myself aching to get out there and shoot SOMETHING! And if there is a blizzard outside and I cant,.. it makes me so sad. I think to myself, 'No Ashley, you need this time off to not think about photography.' (remember my post a while ago when I was so busy and trying to find balance..?), But now,.. I have figured out I NEED to think about photography! I eat sleep and breathe it! It truly makes me happy to create! I find myself sad if I am not constantly trying to be better. So even though my shutter hasn't been snapping away as much these few months I haven't stopped. Besides taking better care of my family, I have been taking classes, going to conventions, reading and on and on. I feel like this year will be my best yet. Never stop growing and learning!!!
Our little family is in the process of building a new home and I am excited to have a new studio there along with a client room for session portrait viewings. I hope to be back in the swing of things in the middle of April. Until then I will still be booking and shooting sessions.
I am also so excited about my seniors this year! I have some fabulous reps. I will only be taking a limited amount this year and the spots fill up fast so book your high school senior session NOW!
Alright, alright.. I have got a million ideas running through my head of different things to do this year. I am offering new products, new packages, and new creative ideas! How cool is that!!!
So as for now I am off to Vegas baby! I will return all emails when I return. Stay tuned for some new projects coming up for Spring!
These are going to be good!
Until then feast your eyes on this cutie!!!
Happy Weekend!