Mini Senior Portraits & A Tutorial

I'm offering High School Senior Portrait sessions through June. 

Sessions are only $25 per senior and are 10 minutes long.

Each senior receives five high-resolution edited images on disc {printing rights included}.

I do the sessions out of my studio. 

Okay...

I don't own a studio, but I have a make-shift backdrop. 

It's a big piece of black felt clamped onto a homemade stand.

I'm sure that people see my "backdrop" and wonder what in the heck they've gotten themselves into.

But it works!

See...

Before

After

To get the studio look I open the photo in Photoshop and do my normal portrait editing (including fixing the color in this one). Then I create a new layer and paint the background black right up to just before the subject.

(I paint on a new layer because this way I can erase it if I accidentally paint on my subject, whereas if you painted on the background layer and tried to erase it, it would erase everything and you would have a white spot)

Then I use the "burn" tool on the background layer to make it blend a little more naturally. I use it at 100% exposure closer to the black paint and then I lessen the layer to 50% or less just around the skin.

Flatten the image.

Just before I save it I create a brightness/contrast layer and bump the brightness up ALL the way to see if I missed any spots on the backdrop that I couldn't see on my monitor. I never used to do this before and then I started to print some photos and saw how BAD it had been and I was so embarrassed. Now I always check. Then you delete that brightness/contrast layer and save your image.

If you try this, link it in the comments! I'd love to see.

Read more...

Easter

Last week I held my first Easter mini-sessions. 

I loved it!

I will most definitely be doing this again.

The sessions were short, so the kids' attention spans lasted just long enough.

Although, a few hams for sure could have lasted longer!

My sister-in-law found this awesome over-sized basket at a Utah Goodwill and immediately called me.

I'm so glad she did! {thanks, Chiemi!}

Enjoy the shots of the adorable babes, some happy, some sad.

I think I'll be doing a Fathers' Day session in June and I'll let you know when!

And have a very happy Easter!

Read more...

Bloom

For the first time ever I am offering

 Easter/Spring sessions!

Friday, March 30th at Wilderness Park in Downey. 

I have a few fun props to use, as you'll see below, including:

"bloom" banner, over-sized  basket (so fun! Especially for babies!), 

Easter/Spring themed pinwheels, eggs, two felt Easter baskets.

 

Session info:

One session is 15 minutes long and is $25. 

($5 for each additional child) 

This includes 5 high-resolution edited photos on disc. 

The proof cd is available to purchase for $10

Additional edits are $5 each.

Available times are 9am,  9:15,  9:30,  9:45,  10,  10:15, 10:30, 10:45, 11.

You may book as many sessions as you like.

Contact me to secure your date and for more detailed information:

 kellielarsen {at} gmail {dot} com.

  


I held an example session with my two girls and my two nephews. They had so much fun running around in the open space, chasing birds and generally not listening to a thing my sister and I said. But from the looks of these pictures you would think they were being angels!

 I've been photographing children for over three years now and I've seen it all! Please, do not stress if you think your child is going to be "difficult." I rarely have a child who sits and poses perfectly. You get them there and I'll do the rest. :)

Read more...

Bagels: A Recipe

Winter is my slow time so I thought I'd try my luck at a food post. 

Food styling is not something that I know much about, but taking pictures of my cute girl is. 

We made bagels today. Anytime we make bread together she thinks (or maybe hopes) we're making pizza. She is the best helper and constantly reminds me of it by yelling saying, "Mommy, MY do it!"

We enjoyed one straight out of the oven and dipped it right into the cream cheese. No knife necessary. That's how we roll.    
We also tried it with some homemade strawberry jam. As she would say, "Mmm! Good!" 

Ingredients: 

Sponge: 

2 (1/4-oz.) packages dry yeast 

1/2 cup warm water 

1 teaspoon sugar 

Dough: 

5 cups unbleached bread flour 

2 tablespoons salt 

1 1/2 cups water 

1 tablespoon sugar 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg, beaten 

Sponge: Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and let sit in warm place for 10 minutes. 

Dough: Combine flour, salt, water, sugar, oil and the yeast sponge in large bowl. Mix until blended. On floured surface kneed until the dough is soft but peels easily off the surface (about 4 or 5 minutes). 

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl and then flip it so that all sides of the dough are lightly coated. Cover with a dish towel and let sit in a warm place until doubled (about an hour). 

Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a 9-inch rope (or snake as my girl called it) and roll ends together to form a ring. Let rest on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. 

Boil a large pot of water and drop 3 of the dough rings into the water. Simmer for 30 seconds on each side. With a slotted spoon, return to cooling rack and let sit another 15 minutes. 

Heat your oven to 450F. Place 6 of the bagels on a cookie sheet lined with foil (shiny side up) and sprayed with cooking spray. Brush tops of bagels with the beaten egg. Bake for 10-15 minutes until shiny and golden brown. 

Enjoy!

Read more...

Talents

On Facebook I announced that I recently purchased a new lens.

I have been in heaven shooting with this lens. It has spoiled me rotten and I am very happy with it. The wide-angle has opened up a new world for me. But, with this being January, my busy season has come to a slow and I haven't had a chance to use my new lens in an actual photo shoot (soon to change this weekend). But I've gotten a lot of use out of it with my girls

They were playing the piano together. 

I love the afternoon sun shining in. But since it was low-light my ISO was set high at 3200. This makes photos grainy and can often be made to look better in b&w.

When my oldest saw me pull out my camera she ran to get hers. 

It's a l.e.d. flashlight/key chain. 

It makes noise and everything!

She says to me, "Cheese, Mommy!"

And she scrunches her little eyes and nose.

Maybe I can teach her the joys of photography one day!

And maybe this little one will be a pianist?

A mom can dream. 

And so can their dad.

Read more...