I didn't know it when it began, but 2020 would be a year of big decisions for me. Bittersweet changes to be sure, as I end my teaching career in my hometown in search of a career that doesn't drain so much of me each day. Being creative and working efficiently are two of my favorite things, and teaching has ended up stifling both in my life - which is sad, because teaching is incredibly important. The profession needs advocates, and I won't stop advocating for a better education system. We need to do better by our teaching professionals and our students. The current system is broken.

Beyond that, I have been working on several things. In this post, I would like to showcase a few chicken photos. I know many people see them as a) strictly food, b) scary and/or goofy, or c) answers a and b. However, I think that chickens are beautiful, and I hope that these images showcase that.

I always want to highlight the importance of capturing the "simple" every day things that surround you. Since taking these photos, some of my chickens were lost to a husky that someone dumped near us; it jumped the fence and killed two of my boys. We took the husky to a shelter and we found four new flock mates for Geralt, who was the only survivor. Needless to say, I am happy I take photos of my everyday experiences from time to time. I appreciate them later on.

I hope to capture photos of the new boys as they grow into their feathers - they really are stunning.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a joyful 2021.

- Chari

Indy and Ollivander, who was lost to the husky attack this year.

Han, who was re-homed due to fighting issues within the flock. He's happy as can be at his new home!

Geralt, who has taken over leadership of the new flock.

Geralt again.

In memory of Romulus, who was my sweetest boy.

Not only do I use my photography for art - it's also a useful way to educate others and illustrate things. In this case, I managed to capture one of those times that my miniature zebu herd interacts with the surrounding Angus/Charlais herd of full-size cattle. These photos are fun, because they capture just how small my mini moos are. No, I didn't spend much time editing - I just brightened up the images when needed. Don't be afraid to share your photos - if they show something cool or have meaning to you, then they're worth publishing. They don't always need to be visually stunning to be awesome.

My sweet girl Bo (and friends) standing along the fence line with two standard size American cattle. All of the cows you see in the photo are full grown! And yes, I realize that the red gal is not a black Angus OR a Charlais :)

Apollo tentatively walks up to greet a full size mama. Apollo is currently 1 year and 7 months old. He is nearly done (or done) growing at this age, though his horns and hump will continue to develop.

The two new friends say hello! We have had two different miniature zebu cattle live with standard size cattle, and they live together normally. Mini moos and standard cattle are much the same, with the exception of their size and, in this case, the type of milk they will produce.

I love this photo, because my little Cupid in front (miniature zebu; 10 months old) looks much more like he could be the calf of the full size cow pictured than her actual calf (the fuzzy white one). In reality, the fuzzy little one is much younger than Cupid, though Cupid is much, much smaller. I love catching my calves next to standard ones!

Pictured her is Otto, very much an adult at nearly 4 years old. He walks next to Angus/Charlais calves and a fully grown Angus cow. Interestingly, he's about the same size as those calves!

The calves are never sure what to make of those tiny, adult cattle!

A view that warms my heart :)

Thank you for learning more about these little cattle. As a quick reminder:  Miniature cattle are still cattle. They eat grass and hay, they poop all the time, and they are still large enough to hurt adult people if they are inclined to. Do not expect them to be "like a dog." There are definitely friendly ones, but they behave like friendly cattle - not like a friendly dog. If you love cattle and you have pasture, shelter, and time to learn about and care for them, and room for at least one bovine friend for your new addition, miniature cattle can be a dream come true!

If you're looking for a companion animal to live in your house, go for one of the many cats and dogs at animal shelters that need a loving home - a cow is not what you're looking for.

Progress is easy to forget and overlook if we let ordinary days pass us by. Having a few photos from everyday life to look back on from time to time can change our perspective and help us remember and appreciate what was - or maybe how things have changed for the better.

My challenge to you is this:  take your camera out - not because of something special - just take it out. Take pictures of what surrounds you. Print a few of them off and create an album of everyday life. The things you capture can turn out to be both beautiful and special, as sometimes it's the smallest parts of our lives that end up giving the most meaning to our experience on this earth.

The following are a few of my "everyday" images that I'm grateful to have.

Thank you for visiting the blog!

I've got to face it - I took on WAY too many sessions this year, and though I loved being a part of everyone's year in such a special way, I'm going to have to cut down on sessions in 2019. Not only do I have my full-time teaching career to consider, but I plan to begin working on my Master's degree next year! It would also be nice to have a bit of free time on the weekends

So, I would like to thank ALL of my past clients for allowing me to capture your precious moments and I hope that 2019 is an amazing year for you, and that you experience a wonderful holiday season!

I've had the privilege of photographing some wonderful people this summer and I feel like my editing flow becomes more efficient with each session. Photography and teaching are both professions in which things are constantly changing and improvements can be made every single day and every single session. I love to learn and grow, and I'm very grateful to be able to do this in all aspects of my life.

My cows (and all of my other animal family members) mean the world to me, too, if you hadn't guessed that before. These are a few photos from yesterday evening to give you a peek into my life right now and at the size of that itty bitty baby! Also featured is my little rescue chihuahua, Bill, who enjoys touching noses with my cows as long as he feels there is no danger of being stepped on :)

I hope your transition back into the school year is smooth and happy - whether it be your kiddos going, you going, or anyone else in your life. If you're not involved with education at all anymore, I promise there is still so much to learn! Be it through books or YouTube videos, aim to learn something new each day and you just might learn something new about yourself, too. What an interesting world we live in!

Well wishes!

- Chari

P.S. You can dislike my shirt if you want, but I'm actually a WSU Shocker and I own a KU shirt just like this one. I root for all of the teams, so EMAW, Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Go Shocks, look at the cows! 😋

Anyway, we stayed at a cute little apartment above Jim and Jackie's garage - you can find them on Airbnb. They were fantastic hosts and we had an awesome trip thanks to Jim's tips and the tour we booked with him!

I'm currently working through my last photo shoot. It's a lot of PortraitPro to begin with, which is just time consuming because of all of the loading. I'm looking at upgrading my laptop soon (yeah, that's going to have to happen before I start considering a camera upgrade, sadly!). Once I'm upgraded, editing might go a bit faster!

I wanted to share a couple of shots with you from my trip - the first is of a wild mustang in the Painted Desert. This is one of the coolest photo opportunities I've ever had! The second is of a melanistic jaguar at Bearizona in Williams, AZ. He was gorgeous, and his enclosure was amazing. If you want a quality animal experience, Bearizona works to take the absolute best care of its animals and is always investing more in its park and habitats!

Have you been on any interesting trips lately? Maybe it was just a new place you found a few miles down the road! If so, I'd love to hear about it! :)

- Chari

With that news shared, I also wanted to share a few photos of my cows and I that I got my husband to take for me yesterday afternoon :) I brought my first mini cows home last May, and it took a whole year for me to get some decent photos with them! It always seems to go that way for photographers - it's easy to get anyone in the frame except yourself!

I hope you enjoy these photos - these little ones are a big part of my life, as are teaching and photography. If you would like to learn more about them, please visit my "KM Miniature Zebu Cattle" tab at the top right of my website menu.

Have a fantastic weekend, and be watching for photos with my new lens!

That's me!Along with me (left to right) are Pilgrim, Otto, Bo, Nova (in back), and Pookie! Baby cow alert!This is Pilgrim, a.k.a. Little Stink! He's about 5 1/2 months old and I love spending time with him! "Treats?"Pookie's maternity session was featured last month on the blog. She will be giving birth to her first calf sometime this summer. We're very excited!

I'll start with this one first. Why? Because I like it, but it provides some insight into what kind of photos people tend to like. It's a beautiful shot in a beautiful location, but the expressions on my subjects' faces are fairly standard. They aren't "genuine," if you will. I did some research via Facebook to see which of my photos from yesterday received the most reactions - this one got very few.

There are several factors that went into making this photo. 1) I had my zoom lens on but it was a tight location, so my shots were limited. 2) I had my subjects stand in the shady portion of this bridge so that there were no hot spots on them from the sun. This gave them a very even lighting and their features are very clear. Every detail is accounted for, except the bottom of Andrea's beautiful dress. 3) We were at the location for a matter of minutes, so I got a few quick shots in and then the happy couple had to leave to get pictures taken inside at the high school. I had to say bye to this fantastic location much too soon! Things like this generally happen because even when planned, days like this tend to go quickly and have a few time-consuming hangups. And in this case, I was asked to photograph them the day before and scheduling was a bit off due to some misunderstandings about timing. When you're the photographer, there's not much you can do about that except adapt and make something work!

All in all, I ended up with a photo that will be great to keep as a memory of how the two looked on this day, but one that shows little or no emotion. I love this photo, but there IS more you can capture in a photo than just how two people look. Let's look at one that inspires almost everyone to smile when they see it.

Now THIS one made people smile. It's pretty obvious why - I've captured a special moment between two people, and it's a happy one. The emotion is there, the smiles are real, and the focus is all on the subjects. I captured this one in portrait, so more of Andrea's dress is visible as well. With some specialized editing, this one looks like a dream. And that's the whole goal of high school prom!

Now keep in mind, I DID have to instruct these two to take a moment to look at each other before I could capture this photo. You will probably have to do the same, unless you are photographing a model with training or strong natural knowledge of modeling (which does happen sometimes). Learning to take initiative and be a bit bossy as a photographer is a huge benefit, though it doesn't come naturally for most introverts like myself. Practicing with relatives or friends may help you overcome shyness when it comes to being a photographer.

This one is the product of having a not-so-great location and making it work. Yes, those are dandelions and honeysuckles, not a curated garden, but the bright green grass and spring colors, along with the plain background and blue skies provide a pretty location to snap a full-body shot of the couple. I did not have the option of placing my subjects in the shade this time, so there was the harsh, early evening lighting to deal with. This one was taken outside in an open field right next to the high school. It features genuine smiles, beautiful, bright color, and is a very nice shot of these two overall!

THIS one was a favorite of "the people" as well. I think this is, again, due to genuine smiles and the fact that I captured a happy, real moment, with the addition of some interesting editing. Part of the reason I kept the color in Andrea's dress is that it looks so much like a wedding picture anyway, that leaving the dress in a sepia tone made it look like a straight up wedding photo without question. Otherwise, I do like the pretty pop of color that this gives the photo. And again, it makes the focus of the picture the subjects rather than the surrounding foliage and background.

I hope that this commentary from me might help you when capturing your own loved ones! Thank you to Dustin and Andrea for being featured in this blog post!

I haven't been able to write about it yet, but I had an amazing opportunity to work with a local business in Yates Center this summer! Our local bakery, Cornerstone Bakery, is AMAZING to say the least. The warmth of the atmosphere and people you will meet there are just as much a part of the experience as are the always perfectly crafted sweet treats, breakfast kolaches, and many satisfying beverage choices. I can't leave the place without my caramel vanilla latte - I have established Cornerstone Fridays for myself, in which I treat myself to a coffee and kolache on Fridays before I head into teach for the day. I must say, I look forward to it every single week!

I could gush about this place forever, so I'll stop. BUT I highly recommend giving this locally owned business a try if you are headed through town. It's located conveniently on the quaint and historic, red brick-paved Yates Center square (you can take a look at our beautiful courthouse while you're there!). We have to go two days a week without our Cornerstone coffee fix, but you can catch them Tuesdays - Fridays from 7 AM to 1:00 PM, and Saturdays from 7 AM until noon. Lunch is served on weekdays (and it's just as wonderful as you might suspect). Jessica's menu items might sound intimidating at first, but take my word for it and take one of her lunch specials for a spin - I've tried things I never imagined that I would try and I would order every single one of them again!

These are a few of the photos I captured last year during our Yates Center Days celebration. It was loads of fun to document the little moments and capture the small details that make this place a cozy spot that you won't want to say goodbye to!

I must say, 2017 was quite a year. I completed my student teaching in Wichita, moved home, started my little farm (with much help from my family, friends, and husband), tried to get prepared for my first teaching position and get the house organized, began teaching 3rd grade at the school I attended when I was growing up, took on too many photography and cow projects, and finally finished the year out completing every photo project I had going.

That being said, I recognize that I took on TOO MUCH this fall, which means I aim to lessen my photography workload even less from here on out. That means that sessions will be few and far between, which is not ideal, but is best for my own health, the quality of work I can do with my students and with my clients, and for clients who would have to be very patient at times otherwise.

I enjoy this business, though. Here is a look at a few of the sessions I was lucky enough to photograph this fall!

Have a wonderful 2018, friends.

I recently had the opportunity to work with a very outgoing and creative young lady! Her senior picture shoot was a blast - there are so many great pictures that I am still working on. She made some requests that may seem "far out" to some, but I am willing to try every creative idea that my clients suggest! These were a bit tricky at times, but so much fun to create and even more fun to enjoy now that they are finished works of art!

To any of you out there, don't be afraid to ask, and don't be afraid to share your ideas! If they're you, and they're within my skill set, we may just get some amazing and unique photos for everyone to enjoy (and especially you!) :)

P.S. - We also shot some of the photos at Taco Bell, which you may have seen on the Facebook page. Translation:  We both got to eat Taco Bell during her senior picture session. Can it get better than that?

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It's been a great year for me - I've met some great new people and we've collaborated to create some truly beautiful memories. I haven't posted for quite some time, and it's important that I update you!

Many of you may know that I'm nearing college graduation! I will graduate next May - meaning that I am already very busy with teaching and lesson planning and assignments... and in the spring, I will begin student teaching full time! This is great news, as it means I'm almost finished with my teacher education program - however, it means that I will be able to offer photography services on a very limited basis.

IMPORTANT:  If you would like a photo session this spring, please contact me to reserve your spot ASAP! I will not be offering many sessions, as student teaching will be very taxing and I will have many important tasks to complete. I already have some of you who are interested, so please confirm your sessions with me if you have already discussed a possible session this spring. If I cannot get you in this spring, I should have more openings in the summer for sessions.

ALSO IMPORTANT:  I will not be offering indoor Christmas sessions this year... I'm sorry! I know that they were a hit last year, but we'll just say that my studio set-up has been compromised for the time being. I have a lot of editing to do, a lot of schoolwork to do, exams to take, and a photo session or two already booked this winter (not to mention my wisdom teeth are coming out - yikes!). Sessions available over Christmas break will be limited, though I will do my best to accommodate those of you who were hoping for some snowy family pictures!

I am extremely excited to be nearing graduation! It will be fantastic to have my teaching degree! Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or to make or confirm a session for this spring.

Thank you to all of my past and present clients - you're amazing and I'm so thankful that you all have trusted me to play such an important role in your lives.

Until my next update,

Stay beautiful, friends!

Chari =)

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At the end of October 2015, just when the weather was starting to cool off, I was asked by my fiance if I could take some pictures for a friend. I thought that perhaps this had to do with this friend's business or his vehicles - but I was very wrong! A day or two before the date he had in mind, this friend began discussing an undercover shoot to capture his proposal!

Boy was I caught off guard. But how could I not be excited (and nervous)! We (including my very supportive fiance, Dylan) made our way out to El Dorado Lake to plan for the "event." It was chilly, and we had to be there at sunset to plan for the actual proposal. This guy had an excellent plan for me to work with - we just had to get the details perfect! We decided on silhouette shots to truly take advantage of the sunset and ensure that I would be able to take the photos without being detected, and we marked our places with rocks and plants in order to minimize our chances of messing it up.

Of course, the day of the planned proposal, it rained! It was an awful day - of course the proposal had to be postponed! Though I was busy, I made sure that my schedule would allow for the next possible proposal day. After talking with our friend the day before and setting up exact times, we had no contact with him until after the proposal had already happened! We couldn't risk exposing the secret, which meant that we had to trust each other to do our part and be prepared on time. It was nerve wracking.

Dylan and I made last minute preparations, including finding some awesome camouflage netting and bagging up leaves from our yard to help me stay hidden in the grass at the lake! These photos were taken by Dylan before he left me hidden in the grass... from a distance I was impossible to see!

I hid in that grass for what felt like forever! We arrived plenty early so that I would be in place - just in case the schedule went a little bit faster than planned! I'm not sure how long I was actually there, but I'm fairly sure it was at least 20-30 minutes before the future happy couple came along in the truck you'll see in the photos below! My arms and hands were numb from propping myself up for so long, and my neck was straining to the point where I rested my head at times. Every person driving near, or boat passing by, had me on edge! I didn't want to be unprepared when the couple arrived!

Alas, they drove up, but our friend pulled up a little bit too far - making my shot a lot off. I shifted and wiggled myself inch by inch until I could get my shot right again, hoping beyond hope that I wasn't making noise or observable movements! There was still a bit of grass in the shot, but I think that it adds to the uniqueness of the photos!

I held my breath and trusted that my settings were capturing the scene at hand. I couldn't check my viewfinder without moving around, so I was stuck relying on the fact that my camera setting skills were on point that day! We had planned for just the right moment, so I endured quite a few more minutes of silent discomfort as I took test shots and captured the moments leading up to the proposal. With each camera click, I held my breath. Surely she could hear my camera SNAP as I took each photo! Somebody was playing a trombone at their campsite, and a train went by across the water, giving me a few opportunities to click without anxiety. At one point, she looked back my way. She didn't start investigating or yelling, so I assumed that my hiding place was safe.

Finally, I watched as our friend got down on one knee and popped the question! Snapping away, I was no longer afraid that she would hear my camera. She was very excited! I was able to capture the special moments during and following the proposal, and then they took off again in the truck and I was left to review the photos!

I must say, being a part of something like that gave me an incredible feeling. I am so happy that I was there to capture the moments that beautiful evening.

The photos turned out wonderfully! After that, the task was working (in secret) with our friend to get the pictures in order for his fiance's Christmas gift! Which meant that in her eyes, they needed engagement pictures! I was hired to take them and had to follow her out to the lake like I didn't know where I was going - we even missed a turn at one point! The shoot was short and chilly, but it went amazingly! Those photos can be found in the "Engagement" folder under "Portfolio" here on my website.

When our bride-to-be finally got her proposal pictures for Christmas, they brought her to tears. All of the work and planning that went into capturing those photos paid off in a big way - such a happy ending to this story! At the request of our friend, these photographs have been edited in no way - they are untouched and beautiful! I hope that you enjoy this look into one of my most meaningful (and secretive) photography assignments!

I'm in the editing and revising stage of this cutie's book - I think it's looking great! Here is a preview of the cover and one of the interior spreads!

This photo book will be 20 pages long, but many more pages can be added! As you might have guessed, creating these keepsakes takes quite a bit of time and creativity! - If you just don't have the time to spare, shoot me a message or a give me a call. I'd be happy to help! (:

Thank you for following my blog and I hope that you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and safe travels!! <3

-Chari

I have taken hikes to this location before, and I knew that it would be the perfect place for Halie's session!

I absolutely love this shot! It shows off Halie's smile, the lighting is beautiful, and the location was amazing!

This black and white shot is one of Halie's favorites - and one of my favorites as well!

I hope that you have enjoyed this preview of Halie's senior session! A BIG thank you to Halie for reaching out to me! I have a few seniors rushing to meet the yearbook deadline - I'll be editing like crazy over Thanksgiving break to provide plenty of options to the seniors I'm photographing today! Who wants to wait a long time to see the results of a photo shoot, anyway!?

Thank you so much for reading the blog! Follow me on Facebook to see all of my blog posts! I'm hoping to make some changes to the Facebook page soon.. stay tuned! (:

I've decided to put together a few tips about how to get a great photograph of those pesky pets! Below is a photograph of my family's Australian Shepherd. His name is Rocky, and he's really skittish around a camera!

Rocky the Aussie Here are a few ways to make photographing difficult pets a little bit easier!

1) Pay attention to your pet's habits! Finding the times at which your pet is at his cutest is any easy way to increase your chances of getting a great shot!

2) Get a feel for how your pet feels about cameras, or introduce your pet to the camera with a treat and positive interactions.

3) If necessary, get help from another person to squeak a toy or make a noise behind you! Getting your pet to show some expression can be difficult at times.

4) Use a low depth of field to ensure that your pet is the main focus of the photograph - not everything around it!

5) If your pet does not like cameras, try to gain access to a zoom lens! I was a fair distance away from Rocky when I took this picture - he wouldn't have looked my way if I would have been in his face with the camera!

6) Don't be afraid to try an action shot! Make sure your shutter speed is fast enough and try to get a picture of your pet running to you, playing, or just going about his or her day.

7) Don't expect great results every time - your pet doesn't understand what you're trying to do and things don't always work out the way we want them to. It's okay! Because your subject is a family member, you should have plenty of opportunities for pictures (:

Below I have included a few more photographs I've captured of my furry family members! Don't forget the most important part of pet photography - capturing your pet's spirit and the things you love most about her in your photographs!

Thomas the Lovable Thomas is such a lovable guy! I always try to capture his beautiful eyes. Most cats tend to avoid eye contact with humans, but Thomas stares up at you, hoping you'll give him a hug! As you can see, the low depth of field in this photograph really puts the focus on those big, shiny eyes!

Big Kitty the Elder Big Kitty is the elder of our family. He is very old and recently broke a leg, but he's got a winning spirit and he keeps going despite his disability and age. I love him very much. As he is very old, I love to capture photographs of him in light of the fact that he may not be with us much longer. Photographs allow us to remember the little details of pets that have passed on so that we can remember them vividly and lovingly even after they are gone.

Smokey the Bold This is Smokey, and an excellent example of an action shot gone right! Smokey was walking toward me and I was able to capture him on his way! It's important to have a fast shutter speed and make sure that the pet stays in the frame - often times your pet may get too close to you before you are able to get a good shot! I prefer to get a fair distance away before coaxing my cats and dogs my way - they move quickly!

Bill! This is Bill! He's an amazing little Chihuahua that my fiance and I rescued from a nearby animal rescue facility! He is timid at times due to past abuse, but he loves to play! In the photo below, you'll see him in action. This photograph captures his benevolent nature and lovely coloring. Notice that the depth of field in this photo is quite a bit larger than many of my pet photos - if you have a great setting, don't be afraid to use it to your advantage! Sometimes the environment is worth capturing, especially if it is an important part of the pet's daily life or if it is a particularly eye-catching location like this one.

Higher! This is a prime example of capturing your pet in the midst of the action! Bill loves to play around the water when we use rocks to make splashes. Make sure that the lighting is good enough in your location that you can set your shutter speed high and shoot away! Photographs taken while your pet is in action can be cute, inspiring, or just plain hilarious! You never know what you're going to get, but a high-speed shoot is well worth the time and effort involved!

So there you go! You have some great tips and some great examples at your disposal - there's no excuse now! Get out there and start photographing those cute critters. You'll be very glad that you did!

Farewell until the next addition to the blog, friends!

Thank you for your continued support and I hope that you are enjoying this wonderful fall weather!!

-Chari

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for reading this post (and my other blog posts)! It means so much to me that you take the time out of your day to read about my photography and view my work.

The purpose of today's blog post is to give you a little insight into how I go about photographing infants. I'm going to include a couple of examples of my work below, but would you guess that these images were not captured in a studio? That's right, the first image was captured in my baby cousin's home, and the second image was captured in my own home.

Knox LeoNewborn photograph captured at his own home Knox LeoThree Month photograph captured at my home

These images can be found in my portfolio, along with other photos of my (adorable) little cousin, Knox. The first photograph was taken when Knox was a newborn - and I did take it in his home with natural light from a window. When a new baby is born, the last thing mom (and dad) wants to do is pack up the baby and lug around his baby bag to another location. Forcing mom and baby to travel right off the bat can cause stress on its own, not mentioning the fact that baby is probably going to be uncomfortable in the new environment! By photographing newborn babies on site, I feel as if the whole family is more relaxed and the session does not have to be rushed - mom's got everything she needs because she's at home!

The second photograph was taken in my own home with the use of a backdrop set-up and natural lighting from a window. I really like this set-up because it can be easily customized and I can bring it with me (if necessary). Natural lighting is my preferred light-source - and I stick with that preference even when I shoot indoors - whenever possible! Even though this session was done in my own home, the feeling of being in a home of some kind is much more comfortable than being in a commercial building (in my opinion).

As you can see, beautiful baby pictures can be achieved without hauling your little one all the way to a studio! At-home pictures are a great option for busy parents and they add a degree of personality to an infant's photographs because the infant is in his or her own home environment (with his or her own blankets, toys, and home as the props and backdrops).

If you are interested in an at-home infant or toddler session, please check my pricing page (the link can be found on the "About" page) and contact me to set up a date! I love collaborating with my clients via Pinterest and I will always consider your style and your ideas when taking and editing your little one's photographs!

Thank you for reading, and Happy Fall, everyone! May this season be filled with joy and may we all prosper!

The sun was harsh, it was super warm, and allergies (including mine!) were flaring up quickly, but the pictures really turned out beautifully despite our less-than-perfect day. We had to quit a little early because of sweet little Lucy and her nap time, but we plan on meeting again in the next few weeks to capture a few more moments!

I have recently added to the "Portfolio" page of this website a "Client Galleries" gallery, which offers a way for clients to easily reach the password-protected galleries in which they can review all of the photos from their sessions. I hope that this makes the process of client proofing easier - before now we simply navigated to the galleries via links - but the links were anything but simple!

This photo, currently, is featured as the thumbnail photograph for both the "Client Galleries" gallery and the "Jennings Family" gallery. I thought that there might be some of you who would be interested in seeing the photo at a larger size, so with the permission of the Jennings family I have chosen to share this very "Kansas" looking family photograph with you! I hope that you enjoy the photo; I have really enjoyed taking and editing all of the photographs from the Jennings Family session, and there are still more to come!

Say hello to the Jennings Family!

Back to school means senior year for some of you! How exciting. But, if you haven't gotten your senior picture photographer lined up yet, you might be stressing a bit. Please check out my website to find out more about how I think a photo shoot should be!

Speaking of seniors, I've been editing a few of my brother's senior pictures lately. We just stepped outside to take a few the other day because of the great sky and decent weather. Here is a sneak peek of my brother and his motorcycle!

Yamaha SkyMy little brother and his Yamaha dirt bike! As you can see, this photo has no stylized feel to it. My family tends to enjoy their photos to look "classic," which involves me staying away from dramatic editing styles. I really think this photo captures a bit of who my brother is. He likes to make things simple, and he enjoys his life on the farm. I am amazed that it's time for me to be taking and editing his senior pictures!

Along with the start of school, though, comes fall! Fall is an amazing time to set up a session with me. The colors are beautiful, the weather is gorgeous, and the pictures turn out to be spectacular! It's a great time to get the family together for family pictures or to get the kids outside for some nature-inspired portraits!

Please contact me if you are interested in setting up a session. I will be a full time student beginning again on Monday the 17th of August, but I always make sure to leave room for photography sessions! I can't wait to hear from you about a fall session (:

Until next time!

-Chari

I was very excited to announce the winners of the Nature Photography Giveaway yesterday evening! The winners were selected by a drawing. I can't thank everyone who entered enough for supporting my business and my photography! The winners are very excited to receive their prints. At the moment, I am working with them and with photo labs (that have limits on upload sizes!) to get all of the details figured out. Not as many people entered this contest as I was hoping for, but I'm glad to get some of my prints out into the world!

My next giveaway will most likely feature a discount on some kind of photography session, so keep an eye out for that!

Also, I'm in the market for another camera (a few steps up from what I've got!). However, I'm waiting to see what Canon does this year before I make any decisions! More updates on that to come.

Did anyone see the announcement that Canon is going to release a camera that can shoot at a maximum ISO of over 4,000,000!? It's called the Canon ME20F-SH and it's expected to retail at about $30,000... you won't see me with one!

Click on this image to go to the Cabigail Photography Facebook page and enter!

I'm very excited to be hosting my FIRST giveaway! If this giveaway is a success, I might just host another one sometime soon! I'm hoping this giveaway will help to grow my business and allow me to reach more people! Please show your support by entering the contest today! You might just end up with a nature print from my Nature gallery!

This is Cheyanne, a beautiful model and a wonderful girl!

Cheyanne is gorgeous, don't you agree? I absolutely adore this shot of her, and there are several reasons why. Firstly, I was able to pick out clothing, accessories, makeup, and hair for this photo shoot. This shoot was for me as a photographer, and I actually recruited the girls to model for me. Although Cheyanne is not actually a high school senior yet, this is an excellent example of my senior photography.

I've created a golden atmosphere in this photograph, making Cheyanne a beautiful model in an outstanding "golden wood." I love whimsical styles of photography and editing, and this has just enough whimsicality to capture my heart!

The photograph showcases Cheyanne very well, despite the fact that the woods around her are beautiful. With senior photography, this is generally what I'm looking for. There are specific cases in which my clients are wanting to showcase themselves along with a special object, place, or vehicle, so for those instances I change up my tactics.

All in all, this photograph has excellent lighting, an excellent composition and subject, and all of its elements flow together nicely to create a beautiful, glowing, golden picture. It's also a good example to showcase my ability to help with hair, makeup, outfits, and locations. I directed the girls here, and they only gave input if they felt like it. If you need help figuring out what to wear, finding someone to do your hair/makeup, or deciding where might be a good location for your photos, don't hesitate to ask! I'm here to help!

I will include the black and white version of this photograph below. I really like this version as well, but it always ends up being what the client prefers that matters!

Thank you for reading my very first blog post! Subscribe, bookmark this website, or "like" my Facebook page to stay up to date with Cabigail Photography!

-Chari