~~ Photosession: Verdens fineste Alma, part deux ~~

Well, that’s what her mom claims, and I’m certainly not one to oppose that statement! (Means “worlds finest Alma” in Norwegian)

What follows are the rest of the pictures from the photosession – or well – mostly the more amusing shots, like the crying ones, or the goofy ones and stuff. Part one can be seen here.

I really, really love this shot.

And this one..look at the tears welling up her eyes….awww…

Aaand she cries! Ahhh so fun haha..honestly..love taking pictures of babies crying (not in a mean way, just think they look oh so cute when they really go for it…minus the volume, haha)

The crying prompted a break: a lullaby and a quick powernap.

Haha, this one is like, “yaaa-awn man, do we really have to continue shooting??”

Notice the spinning wheel in the background? I’m not sure if I placed it correctly – looking at the pictures I start to wonder if it should have been placed a bit closer to the baby – between the baby and the shelves in the background, and maybe to the left or something. That it should have been peeking from the left. I dunno. I just wanted to include it in some of the pictures..

Definitely not have its wheel right behind the babys head…ahwell! Added this one because I find the pouting cute ;p It’s like she’s saying “oh god, why me!?”

Hungry baby is hungry! Haha. Loveloveloved this blanket!! Since there’s no way I’m gonna crochet something like this on my own (and don’t even think about trying to get me started, yarn-friends!!), I might gonna start to scavenge flea-markets and similar for a blanket like this. Would be oh so fantastic for future photosessions, donchathink?? Darn. So cool. Really!

*soft sigh* Lovelovelove the light (a huge window to the left), the background and her mellow expression…

And her cheeks…and look at her hands...awww…it’s like she knew this was the last of the pictures and just gave up – like she’s thinking “alright cmon, let’s get this over with already so I can go back to my own business”.

I’m so glad we did these last shots because they’re my personal faves (along with the cry- and soothingpictures). Thank you so much for letting me borrow your precious Alma!

This is soon on its way in the mail! :)

For those curious – I decided to do this CD-envelope a little different than my past ones (aka minus using brads or buttons & thread to fasten the back). This time I just created a hmm, sleeve (?), decorated it and it’s holding the CD-envelope together when put on (no bulky buttons or brads). Just make sure it’s not fit too snugly around the CD-envelope so it’s difficult sliding it on/off.

Materials: Prima, tag from Elle’s Studio, letters from Pink Paislee and transparency from Hambly Screenprints :)

 

Now, on to something more personal, yet related...

I’ve started to time the time spent on the whole editing-process, to try and pinpoint the “correct” pricerange for the whole thing. It’s one of the ugh-part of the whole thing – trying to determine how much I’m “worth”. And actually registering the time spent on the post-procession has given me some eyeopeners, to say the least.

Yes, I know – I should not undersell myself (I’ve been spending too long time in that category – although I do not regret that – it has been necessary because I’ve needed the experience, especially to back up the whole “I’m worth this” thing – a great tip I’ve picked up is to up your price a little with every new wedding until you’re at a satisfactory price), and I spend probably too much time on the post-procession because I really, really can not hand out pictures I’m personally not satisfied with. A friend suggested that I could offer an own price-package for unedited photos, but tbh, to me that’s out of the question – I don’t know what it is (but my pride) but it would absolutely pain me giving others unedited photos. I’m like – ugh – no, no way – these photos aren’t done then!

And still – even when knowing I shouldn’t undersell myself, it’s hard pinpointing and giving people quotas (As a couple, who had seen my wedding-pictures and trying to back me up, told me at a party once – “Honestly, with your price quote, and if we hadn’t seen your pictures, we would think you weren’t good enough because you’re too cheap. You seriously need to raise the prices for your own sake.” That being said, I’m satisfied with the current wedding-price I’m at atm. It’s determining the other things that’s giving me a headache atm.). And some of my friends and past clients are great supporters of mine, helping me feeling better about my photography, my decisions, and even sending me more work… thank you so much, I truly appreciate you and the different ways in which you all have supported me and still do.

I’m not really sure if this is the correct place to write about all this, especially in a photosession-post, how tacky haha. But – it’s been on my mind for a very long time (about a year and half or longer – but more pressing the last half year), so it’s not about this session nor the latest ones. It’s simply about moving on, I think. At least trying to tell myself it’s about time. Oh I know – I do have so so much more to learn, and I learn new things during all my sessions – but I am also past the newbieish-phase and I guess it’s time to acknowledge that. And it feels good typing this “out loud”  – yet.. although I have a strong support among my closest re adjusting my prices, it still feels difficult for me determining it, sticking to it and saying or typing the price to potential clients when it comes to that.

I’d love to know your experiences and opinions on this, whether you’re a budding photographer, a seasoned photographer, or just on the other side of the business i.e. clients – what’s your thoughts about prices and what to expect from someone you might be considering to hire as a photographer, eventually – what’s your past experiences and thoughts re these?

~~ It’s a girl! Card+peeks from the babysession ~~

Okay, so I sort of promised that my next blogpost would be scrapbook-related. And this one is. Half of it, anyways. I’m in the middle of editing the babyphotos I mentioned earlier and they’re like, way too cute not to be shared like, immediately…sooo.

Right, card first ;) This is actually a CD-card I created for the babysession before this latest one – and I used Pencil-Lines sketch #230 and Fancy Pants Designs-papers for this card.

I used lots of older products on this one – this babyline is an older one, the badge from American Crafts and the journaling from Making Memories aswell. All part of my grand scheme to shrink my evergrowing stash (as if it helps ><)

 

Right.

Off to the photos: please meet sweet, sweet Alma! :)

Such a sweet sweet girl, I truly enjoyed shooting her (even when she started crying and required a nap to be able to tolerate even more shooting :p).

Now, notice the catchlights in her eyes? Sure, it’s just details, but hm, do you think it looks silly when they show at the bottom of the eyes? I *think* I read somewhere they should be between 10 and 2 o’clock sorta, to look somewhat more natural…which I ofcourse forgot about when I shot her. The catchlight here comes from my reflector, by the way.

At least the catchlights are “correct” here, hm. Hi Alma!

Starting to show the first signs of “do I really wanna cooperate?” :p
(now, I know this picture should be culled, but I have a hard time culling and I find such non-perfect pictures pretty darn cute still)

Look at this chubby, cute baby! *soft sigh*

Ofcourse – the mandatory must-have-feet-and-toes-picture…:)

Adding this picture just to show how we (ok, mostly her mom) tried to make her stay happy and watch in the general direction we hoped she’d look at for the pictures and stuff..teehee..

So darling…

This picture sort of has a serenity I just love being able to snap. I have at least another picture like that too, of mother and child, but I forgot to check w/her whether it was ok to have her on the blog as well so not sharing it here.

 

Right. As mentioned - I’m almost halfway through editing these pictures – hope to be done by Monday or Tuesday – and will probably share more pictures by then. The last pictures we shot were the best (think: awesome, vividly colored grannysquare-blanket) – I have no idea how I’ll pick which pictures to edit from this part of the session, sigh..I’ll probably just keep most!

~~ Babyphotos: The loveliest blue eyes ever seen ~~

My oh my.

Lovely little Baby K had such a serenity and patience seldom seen in such babies (or maybe I haven’t met that many babies) – she stayed awake for whole our meeting and never once flinched her stare.

 

*sigh* is there anything cuter than small babytoes? :p

The whole session was such a pleasure, and better, with each babysession I learn more and more about how to photograph little babies…I’ve got some ideas I want to test out… now, I just need to start taking notes because I always forget some things from session to session, hrm…or do this more often, so things really stick…luckily I’m gonna meet my nephew again in just a few weeks, just need to find time in my busy timetable to steal him away from his mommy…

Nevertheless..thank you so much for having me take your pictures, baby K (&momma) :)

 

Until next time..

~~ I’m in love *babypictures* ~~

I finally got to see and meet my newest nephew this weekend – love! Barely four weeks old – what’s not to love when it comes to a newborn!? *sigh*

So yeah. Long post ahead with lots and lots of babypiccies…brace yourself ;p

As usual, my scarf was used. It’s pretty well worn by now

I’m not sure which version I prefer, the color or the b&wish one. Hm?

He’s so darling

My mother with her fifth grandchild

At first he couldn’t decide whether to keep his eyes open or shut..

Had to add this one; my Amalie loved him so much and had to touch him every fifth minute, discovering everything that’s small with him. “Aww, he’s got so small fingers!” “Look at his socks, aww, they’re so small!”, and when we undressed him for some of the shots – uh yeah, guess what she remarked  bwahaha

Uh yeah. It’s soon Christmas and all.

He found all the modelling pretty tiresome, though.

But did his best to open his gorgeous eyes wide for me…(he didn’t have many other expressions though..maybe the camera made him like, shocked or something like that )

Ultra-cheesy, I know. Still

He’s such a serious little dude..

With cute, small feet *loves*

All the hard work made him sleepy ;p

Can’t wait to meet him again soon and hopefully have more time to take more pictures…:)

~~ Lykke – babypictures ~~

On Friday, before Papirfesten officially started, we (me and Eli) had delicious lunch at Oddbjørgs lovely place. I however, was pretty distracted the whole visit. There was someone I wanted to shoot the whole stay…(with my camera ofcourse)

Little Lykke, Oddbjørgs little babygirl :)
I mean, how can you expect me to sit next to a one week old baby and not take any pictures? Nuh-huh. Does not compute. I was itchiiing…

So finally, Oddbjørg showed us her newest little girl..

A real little sleepyhead..

So, so cute. Darn newborns! Too cute for my own good!

I did not plan on taking any babypictures, so I didn’t bring my 50mm nor reflector. The pictures did turn out well enough, though :)

It’s sorta impossible for babypictures to not turn out well come to think of it :p

I have to admit I struggle with figuring out what angles to shoot a baby from – it’s not that many for a baby this little, I think? She was too little to manage to hold her own head up, even supported with her arms – but she’s strong for her age.

She had her eyes closed most of the time, so I don’t have that many pictures with her eyes wide open.

But I’m happy with the few w/eyes open, although I do wish I had the camera more straight towards her and not tilted/from the side, sorta. Practice makes perfect I guess.

Awww – mommyhappiness (pun intended - “Lykke” means “happiness” in Norwegian) Gotta love such pictures :)

Oh, and another happy incident from this past weekend – on Sunday my pictures ended up in BT (the paper to the right in the photo - which is like, Norways 4th biggest paper by the way :p). I got a call from them last week asking to buy a photo of a priest I had taken pictures of for the local newspaper before the summer. Uh, hello, sure thing! I was just happy my picture would end up in their paper, I didn’t ask what case it was for either, heh. I just hoped it wasn’t something bad, like, corrupt priest or anything like that, especially as I sort of knew the priest too (he used to play basket) :p (for non-Norwegians – the priest that’s pictured gave/said the Churchs prayers to a married gay couple with the Bishops blessings – as long as they didn’t go public with the blessings (aka go to the media and announce it). Which is why I guess they had to use my pictures from the archive.)

Nevertheless, they said it probably would be printed on Sunday – so on Sunday I looked for the paper at the airport and lo & behold, it actually made the frontpage! Umkay, I sure needed to whip out the camera and snap a few pictures of the paper w/MY picture on it :D Yay! (and a sincere thanks goes to Eli who asked loudly while I was queuing to buy the paper “whether I wanted people to know I shot the picture on the frontpage of the newspaper or not”. ;) )

To be honest, I had totally forgotten what pictures I took (ie, what quality they were at), and the pictures were sent from the work to BT so I had no control what pictures they sent in for me (the paper keeps the right to use my pictures but when it comes to selling them to others I’m the owner so they can’t sell any pictures w/o my permission – hence me getting the call while they send out the pictures..and I was at the Univ when I got the call so I couldn’t just rush back to work to control what pictures they sent in). And I guess. The majority of the readers aren’t as picky as me, or those with a trained eye. But yeah, I did spot that they did not seem to post-process the photos that much if at all (I recalled too late being told once that they rarely touch a photographers pictures – it’s his or her responsibility to edit the photos before sending in…but I sort of did expect a little more contrasting&sharpening when it was obvious the photos weren’t processed at all..ahwell), and that the pictures seemed slightly off-focus (I didn’t have time to go through all the photos at work, leaving both good and bad photos in the archive..sigh…my bad).

But all in all – I am happy my pictures made it and that it actually did made the frontpage too..helloo! *totally double rainbow!*

Right. Back to reading. Lots to read. Plus, I now have a terrible toothache 2nd day in a row – NO FUN!