365 day 99 | Calgary childrens's photographer

There is something I desperately want. My honey and our neighbour created a beautiful mantle out of our yucky old one. (yes my neighbour did like our old one - but it is not our style). It turned out BEAUTIFULLY. And we now have the fireplace surrounded by wood cabinets (the mantle matches them). So it looks really nice :)
Over the fireplace I want to have some canvasses of the kids put up there. Now I think someone was getting a canvas done of one my pictures... but other than that I don't know of anyone that has. And I haven't.
Canvasses can be a scary world. Who to buy from, the finishes, whether your edges are wrapped or not.... but I am ready to dive in!
I want to get some in.. so we have some of the kids, and also to have samples to show people. Because canvasses are fabulous. They are so much better than prints... and I think everyone should have at least one ;)

So I have taken to practicing. I want to know what kind of edits and what poses I really like of them.

I decided to start with clean editing. Now... when I take their pics it will either be outside, or with a proper backdrop - not with my crazy living room (with our kitchen table in it) behind them. But I am really practicing on poses, angles, and getting the skin tones perfect.

There are 3 things that I have to figure out. the composition, the brightness, and getting the skin tones nailed.
Those of you that have had pictures done by me know how important skin is to me. I am striving to perfect skin tones. When I look at a picture there are 4 things I immediately notice. Exposure, White Balance, Focus and Skin Tones. Skin is hard. Skin is tricky. If you don't get all 4 things in a picture..... it affects the other 3. Skin is tricky... but I am getting closer to my style combined with proper tones. Not perfect yet.... but every time I edit I painstakingly go over the skin numbers. And yes there ARE numbers to be aware of and follow ;) You want people to look like themselves..... with perfect tones :) It is a tricky balance.

Here was the try for today.

Good thing I am just practicing...... HAM.

This is for fun. I love love doing her hair. I love that she lets me. I hate that she rips it out!

Quotes of the last 2 days....

Kade (as we are leaving Subway) It was snowing out. She was brushing away her impossibly crazy hair from her face..... 'I do NOT ACTUALLY like snow in my face MOM!!!!'

Kade (as daddy is leaving for work) she goes for a hug and kiss goodbye. Then yells 'Daddy I am going to FREAK YOU OUT. GUY.' bwahahahahahaha.

2 year olds say the funniest things. I just love it!!!!