Branding Photography: Tagliaferro Ceramics

Combine my love for championing talented artists doing what they love for a living, handmade ceramics, and a light, neutral palette…and you have one of my favorite product branding shoots of the year. Tagliaferro Ceramics is a local ceramics studio right here in my Southern Oregon hometown. SUCH a treat getting to gather together with a team I love, to photograph all these beautiful pieces in a way that highlights a brand filled with natural, handmade, nature-based art. Cheers to days like this, my friends! So blessed! xo

VENDOR LOVE:

Photography + Studio @betsyblue
Styling Assistance + Florals @thebloomandco
Ceramics @tagceramics
Aprons + Linen napkins @fairandsimple
Tablecloth @pigletinbed
MUAH @janicemoonartistry

BRANDING PHOTOGRAPHY: The Aesthetic Experience

Creating forever confident clients is what this dynamic duo is all about…and I am SO glad they invited me to join their creative team!

I have been shooting quarterly branding for a sister company of theirs for years now, but this bold, new aesthetic venture absolutely turned my studio upside down…from natural, soft light and all white backdrops with their first brand, we’ve now transformed into catalog sharp designs and crisp black backdrops with this one. And I’m loving it ALL!

Take a look at what The Aesthetic Experience (@aebydesign) team and I have been up to! xo

Commercial Photography: Susie Saltzman, Fine Jewelry

When your darling friend Susie Saltzman sends you over some of her beautiful wedding rings from New York to shoot, you get creative and give her unique images like you’ve never given her before. I ADORE this woman, and am always thrilled to see her name come up in my inbox. She is a passionate artist (and now MOTHER! CONGRATS friend!) creating exceptional jewelry, who never ceases to celebrate the love and joy that each piece represents. Cheers to yet another beautiful creative soul, doing what brings her joy…with her whole heart. xo

Branding Session: Amanda

This darling…is one of my dearest friends in the industry. She speaks truth & kindness, and ALWAYS leaves me with cheeks aching from laughter. I absolutely adore my moments with her, and our annual bio shoots are no exception. This is Year #3 of me getting to capture her beauty and it’s just getting better and better. Here are some fresh headshots and marketing images I captured for her this spring…so much dang fun!

MUAH: Blossom & Beauty - Jasmine
Venue: The Light Room PDX

EDITORIAL: Artist in Motion

It’s been a huge passion of mine, for as long as I can remember, to support and celebrate those who passionately pursue what they were uniquely made to do. Ryan Moon and his wife Janice, are a pair of those exceptional souls who are so immensely gifted…and yet are so incredibly humble about it all. Ryan’s gift for painting, especially portraiture, truly inspires the deepest artist within me. And his beautiful, vivacious wife Janice, can literally do ANYTHING. She is one of my very favorite natural makeup artists, but she also is so gifted with hair styling, floristry, ceramics, art…and generally just makes me stand back in wonder. Both are incredible parents, supportive partners to each other, and wonderful human beings…all while managing to support each other solely as artists. Now THAT, is something that brings me unending joy and stirs my soul to create. 

I presented The Moons with the idea to shoot an Artist in Motion piece, wherein Janice would doll up one of my favorite muses, and I would photograph Ryan actually sketching and then painting her portrait. What a dream team…some of my favorite people in the same room, just creating to create. Our hearts were so full by the time we were done, and to top it all off, my darling muse’s husband immediately purchased the featured art piece from Ryan. Heartbeat.  We as artists, seldom value our work for what it is truly worth. But we also seldom take the chance to just stand back and admire the process that is truly art, in itself. What a gift, what a treasure…to be surrounded by such joy-filled, humble artists, willing to share their many talents with me. I’m forever grateful for this life, and the opportunity we all have to find our calling and celebrate it together.

So grateful to have had our dear friends over at Once Wed feature this as well as the amazing Collective Joy!

VENDOR LOVE

Photography, Styling + Art Direction: Betsy Blue Photography
Artist: Ryan Moon
Hair and Makeup: Janice Moon
Venue: 10 North Central
Hand-Painted Backdrop: Jessica Raye Dekker
Muse’s Ring:  Susie Saltzman
Lab: PhotoVision Prints

Family Photography: Tidbits + Tips

As the hills blossom with spring blooms, and the weather becomes more predictable here in the Pacific Northwest, I begin receiving the majority of my family session inquiries for the year. Such fun to reconnect with families I’ve captured for decades now…and such an honor! Quality family portraiture is an absolute art form…and I lean heavily on my years of experience as a photographer to pose and direct, as well as my own experience as a mother when working with children. Kids take a different kind of coaxing at each phase of their life, to feel open enough to show their true selves to the camera…which is vital to great family photographs. Here are a few tips I offer to guide my clients towards a picture perfect session...

WARDROBE

My main mantra when it comes to wardrobe: Coordinate…don’t Match! If you are the rare parent of twins, by all means feel free to match just them. But barring that, coordinating the entire family’s wardrobe is key. My best advice for coordinating timeless images that don’t look dated hanging on the wall next year, is to stick to light neutrals with mixed patterns. Beige/tan mixed with white/cream and soft blues or delicately soft blush pinks are the most common combinations I see…but there are so many choices. Here’s a Pinterest board of ever-changing ideas to help you put some ideas together. Choose 2-3 colors to base your outfits on, and keep accessories to a minimum. Also consider your home’s decor…some clients love to make sure their wardrobe colors support the decor in their home where it will be displayed. 

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MUAH

It might seem trivial, but investing in professional hair and makeup, especially for mom, is truly important. Talented professionals should know what to use and what not to use (did you know that most SPF’s can create a “ghost-like” look on skin in photographs?!) when styling for photographs. They should understand what looks best in natural light vs studio lighting as well, and plan accordingly. They also can set your hair to withstand outdoor elements and create a look and feel that is natural to your own style. I work with experienced professionals in most areas I shoot, so feel free to ask if you don’t already know of someone. 

LIGHT

Depending on where you live, each season of the year usually offers very different light for photographs. Late summer & early fall, for example, will usually produce the deep golden evenings that can make imagery so warm & dreamy. While winter & spring tend to offer crisper, cooler light. Additionally, my clients in sunny San Diego, have a more consistent light source versus my Oregon & Northern California clients, with their less-predictable sun rays. But no matter the location or time of year, I usually aim to schedule sessions for the last two hours of sunlight in that area on any given day.

One consideration to that is the landscape we’re shooting in. If I’m deep in the forest with a family, I’ll shoot at the brightest time of day for that area. If I’m on a mountain top or out on the open beach, I’ll wait until the very last part of the day, or even the early light of a morning to photograph. 

Young children’s schedules and bedtimes often dictate a deviance from my standard shooting time as well. Please never hesitate to let me know what time is best for happy little ones…because if the babes are happy, then everyone’s happy. :)

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SUSTENANCE

If there’s one thing that motherhood has drilled into my head, it’s that I can’t ask much of my children if they’re tired or hungry. A healthy meal right before you ask your child to be pleasant for 1-2 hours is mandatory! :) And a nap beforehand is never a bad idea either. Taking out the hungry and exhausted variables has always proved a worthy investment of time in the case of family photographs. 

With a parents permission, I will often have bribes on hand for younger children as well. You’d be amazed how much “happy” I photograph when I’ve promised a meager Tic-Tac to a child. Leftover flower blooms, a small stuffed toy and sweet treats come in handy when kids are losing interest in being the center of attention. Also, bringing along a simple snack for kids, does wonders as well. While I photograph mom & dad, the littles can sit under a shady tree and enjoy a snack. Prepare ahead and you’ll have vastly better luck helping me capture their genuine smiles…I promise! 

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NO CHEESE PLEASE

When involving children, please refrain from saying or teaching them to say “cheese” for photographs. For some reason “cheese” is synonymous with kids photos, but it truly pulls their little smile muscles up on only the sides of their mouth, which ends up creating a fake looking smile. A better option if you’re looking for a full family of smiles, is to have everyone yell YESSS. The word “yes” helps create a more natural ending smile, and shouting it together usually ends up in hysterics…which, let’s admit it, is perfect for genuine photos. Also, please feel free to just trust me to direct, and let those kids be themselves…I’ve got you covered!

If you know my work well, you’ll notice that I don’t have subjects look directly into my lens often. Yes, I always aim to get a traditional full family photo of you all smiling. But beyond that, my focus is on authentic emotional connection…and grinning at the camera isn’t usually emotive unless it’s done in laughter. So please don’t worry about scuffed shoes or Junior stopping to pick up bugs. Run around & play with your kids, hug them tight, tickle their ribs and be real with them. They won’t dread the next photo shoot and I guarantee we’ll capture more of their true nature that way anyway. 

Now let’s get on with memory making, shall we? xo