Category Portraits

Johnson Preview | Raleigh Cary Family Portrait Photography

Here’s a chuckle for you today!

You can definitely find me shooting ‘ in between’ the scenes – as sometimes (actually quite often) you get the real gems 🙂

 

Don’t worry, we got some amazing and simply A-dorable smiles from these sweet boys!

Holding out to blog the rest of this session until the holiday cards are stamped and mailed.

Have a great day!

~Kathy

Angela | Raleigh Cary Portrait Photography

You may remember Angela from her gorgeous boudoir session (HERE).   As if she wasn’t in great enough shape, she decided to tackle a three month cross fit program to take her fitness and figure to the next level!

I met with her in her home to start her session.  I brought my studio lighting gear, and we captured some of her awesomeness.

Lucky for me she had an assistant on hand …  the cutest most energetic assistant I have ever had!

He helped me smooth my gray paper on the floor…

Now that’s a true set of baby blues…

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Gorgeous fit momma …

Hard work pays off!

My assistant was busy supervising the shoot, but then decided he wanted to be a part of the action.

 I’m SO glad he did!

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We finished the fitness pictures,  jumped in the car and headed to a local park to play & capture some fun images!

Thank you Angela for another great session & for sharing your amazing little man with me!

~Kathy

{ Caroline } Class of 2013 | Raleigh Cary Senior Photographer

Last weekend Caroline and I met for her senior session.  When we first discussed her vision for her session, she mentioned that she composes music and would love to be photographed with a grand piano.   I’m always up for a challenge and began searching my resources to see if we could make this happen.   Luckily, I finally found one! Meredith College was kind of enough to let us use a gorgeous Steinway D in the Carswell Music Hall.

Let me tell you, the first time I walked into this music hall I got goose bumps!  I was thrilled to have found such a great venue with such an amazing instrument.

We began her session at the piano.  I asked if she had brought any of her compositions.  Caroline told me most of her pieces are played through memory.  Awesome!

She played  while I adjusted my lighting, and we got this gorgeous shot …

(  I was on cloud nine working to this ethereal music – one very talented young lady)

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We kept the mood quiet and statuesque.

I am blown away by her presence & beauty.  Top of the favorite list.

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Then it was time to head outside for some fun in the late day sun!

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A gorgeous and simply contagious smile!

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We changed locations for a little edginess.   She painted with her shadows.  LOVE!

Talented, witty, smart & kind.  Caroline, you are an amazing girl & I truly enjoyed our time together!

~Kathy

Simple Lighting Technique Pt.3 | Raleigh Portrait Photography

The third and final installment of this series.

(You can read part one HERE and part two HERE.)

You may recall in part two I utilized a lighting technique called split lighting.  This type of lighting splits the face  into equal halves with one side being in the light, and the other in shadow.

For part three, I decided to face my subject towards the light 100%.  I wanted to achieve soft, bright & even light.

We are using the larger piece of foam board for the background.  We are using the smaller piece for …. a man made breeze!

This is the result:

ISO1000     f/3.2   1/250th

First of all, I LOVE this image!

  Second of all, I love sharing it because you would never know she was in pajama pants on my front porch with her big sister waiving a foam board in her face – which of course resulted in this fabulous grin!

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Time for big sis to step into the wind zone …

ISO 500     f/3.2    1/400th

I love the soft, flowy feel to this image.  I wish I had unpinned her bangs – probably would have resulted in more hair movement.

And lastly, we stopped the wind and used that same piece of foam board as a reflector placed to her right waist area (you can see it in her eyes if you look closely)

ISO 500     f/3.2    1/400th

Mmmmm love those freckles.  Mmmmm I dig the light in this image so much.

If this was a paying client I would probably remove some of the redness from her eyes.   If I print it I will!

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I hope you enjoyed this series & are inspired by this information. I’d love to read any comments that you may have!

If you are on Pinterest, I have a board dedicated to lighting.  Click HERE to visit.

If you have any other ideas for tutorials please leave ’em in the comments too.

Thanks!

~Kathy

Simple Lighting Technique Pt.2 | Raleigh Portrait Photography

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This post is part two (see part one HERE) of my fun & easy simple lighting set up.  I am so excited to share because it really is so darn easy and produces great results.

Cloudy day.  Part one showed how we were on my covered  (important to acheive this look) front porch with ten dollars worth of foam core board we are using for background and reflectors.

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This image we are in same location with same set-up, MINUS the reflector to the right side of her face. I wanted more light/dark contrast for this portrait.

This type of lighting is called split lighting. It splits the face  into equal halves with one side being in the light, and the other in shadow.

I had her look her eyes to the sky to get those gorgeous catch lights …

My youngest assistant was holding a small piece of foam core at the subjects waist

(you can see how the foam core lightened the bottom of her iris a bit).

I really like it in B&W too

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Simple & effective.

Part three will show how I moved the set up slightly & gained some wind in the hair without the convenience of electricity!

~Kathy