Colorado Springs Photographer, Boudoir Photography, Headshot Photo

Find Your Confidence NOT Your Sexy!

December 29, 2017 Leave a Comment

Her eyes sparkled as she fluffed up her hair looking at the pictures. This teenager was on her way to buy another pair of earrings when she got distracted. Those pictures of women dressed up, makeup done, hair reaching to the heavens enthralled her…Glamour Shots. Can you hear the breathiness in those two words? Glamour Shots. She knew her mother would never allow it so she moved on to the jewelry store but couldn’t stop thinking about those pictures. She felt akward and chubby but somehow she knew those pictures would transform her into a goddess.

Usually when I talk to women about being photographed they conjure up images in one of two camps. Camp one, glamour shots. They are now the stuff of legends if you were a lucky one who actually got them done. I remember every time I would go to Claire’s at the mall, I would yearningly look at that store front wishing to get gussied up and have my picture taken. The other camp is skimpy lingerie in suggestive poses. This is fun for some but not all. I believe empowerment can happen regardless of your clothing choice.

My goal is always for you to see yourself in a new way and perhaps discover/rediscover your own unique beauty. We all have our own version of beautiful just waiting to be unleashed. What would your life look like if you moved about this world knowing you are perfect just the way you are? What if you woke up everyday with confidence? What if on those down days you had a picture to remind you of the amazing person you are? This is what I want for every woman on this planet! We sell ourselves short far too often!

How do you want to show up in this world? Are you an adventure seeker and always wanting to push your boundaries? Are you one who has that quiet, gentle strength? I joke that in the first five minutes of a shoot I can figure out what type of person you are. With this knowledge I can guide the shoot to better bring forth your natural personality. How you decide to cloth your body is entirely up to you. Do you have that military ball gown in your closet that only got worn once? Do you dream of a Victoria Secret experience? It isn’t about finding your inner sexy, but finding your inner confidence. This can happen fully clothed or in nothing at all. Promise!

I know it can be intimidating in front of the camera. We are happy to get family pictures but much more hesitant to be the one front and center in our own shoot. In family pictures we can hide behind kids, and interact with one another to alleviate that awkwardness. In beauty and boudoir photography, you are the star of the show. Our culture has taught us a lady should be seen and not heard. When we show up to be heard, powerful things happen. When you show up and see the best version of yourself, there is a shift in your spirit. I know it sounds crazy to say that being beautifully photographed can be life changing, but it’s true. I speak from my own experience and those who I’ve had the honor of photographing.

I believe I was put on this earth and overcome what I have to empower and inspire other women to seek their full potential. This has led to the deep desire to photograph women. This year I want to try an experiment. I want to focus on mini sessions. Each month will have a theme and you can choose how much skin you want to show. There will also be an extra treat if you book more than just one month. Other photographers will tell me I’m crazy, but that’s o.k. My hope is to get as many women as I can through my doors. I want to start a movement in Colorado Springs of women who aren’t afraid of the camera any longer, of women who love themselves and radiate that love. #areyouwithme?

Create an Extended Family Legacy This Holiday Season

November 27, 2017 Leave a Comment

The first time I met my husband’s side of the family he told me it would be a small gathering. I only have four cousins; 14 years later, I’m still not entirely certain how everyone on his side is related. That “small” event was bigger than my entire family get togethers! This family accepted one another flaws and all and stories were never far from their lips. My mother in law somehow became the storer of generations of photographs. I love looking through her boxes. I don’t know if this desire is because I am an introvert and desire deeper connection or the mystery of my mother’s hardly ever discussed side of the family.

For some reason I have a deep yearning to document life and photograph people so they have a legacy to leave behind. This is even why I bought my first big girl camera, to leave behind my own family’s legacy. I might not have this massive foundation changing the world, but I am leaving a lasting legacy with each client I shoot. My desire for clients is the same I have for myself. Someday I want a distant family member to be looking at photographs of me and wondering what my life was like, perhaps even making the connection to stories they have been told about me.

colorado springs family photographer — Taking this “usie” was exhausting but cherished.

Spending time as an extended family is a cherished event. Maybe you have that uncle who causes you to roll your eyes every time his name is brought up. Maybe you have a relative who you never see eye to eye with. There is nothing deeper than the connection we have with our family. They are a piece of us, we are a piece of them.

The more years that go by with siblings and parents who chose not to be part of my life, the more urgent I feel the need to encourage families to capture their moments. Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Perhaps this next year there will be a huge family fight and getting together for the holidays will be a thing of the past. God forbid one of your beloved family members passes away.

What if this was your last holiday with your extended family gathered in one place at one time? Wouldn’t you want to capture that? Wouldn’t those images become precious mementos? In writing this I keep thinking about the last photos of my family from a few years ago. When they were taken no one knew that in a few months drama would ensue and relationships would be severed.

I hope pouring my heart out didn’t scare you away. This is why photography is not just a hobby for me, but a calling. Do you have family coming into Colorado Springs? Have you ever had photographs of your extended family all in one place at one time?

Will you allow me the honor of creating your own family legacy? Can I capture your entire family this holiday season? Shoot me an email of how many and when everyone will be in town.

8 Quick Steps to Perfectly Choosing Clothes for Family Pictures

November 6, 2017 Leave a Comment

It’s family picture time! Everyone is trying to squeeze the last bit out of this Colorado weather before it turns cold. Before I was a photographer I hated, yes, HATED deciding what my family was going to wear. You want each person to look good without killing the budget and having some leftover for actually purchasing pictures. Right?

Here is the process I use and guide other families through:

First, pick your colors. Look around your house and consider what colors would go with your decor as I hope those pictures will make it on the wall. On the color wheel pick either colors that are directly across from each other (my personal favorite) or colors right next to each other. Choose 2-3 colors, generally a main color, a complimentary color, and a neutral color. It’s helpful to choose colors most family members wear so you aren’t buying more clothes.
It’s easiest to begin building upon one person. Does one person’s outfit scream “Pick me!”? Start building using that as the inspiration.
Now that you have one outfit figured out, texture and style are next in line to avoid matchy-matchy. For instance, Dad wears a button up and slacks, but a little one wears a dress, and mom wears a knit sweater with dark jeans. These are all different articles of clothing and it adds texture but still keeps a tight color palette.
Next up are accessories while considering the shooting environment. Have you ever tried high heels in a field? Or a scarf in the wind? Accessories also include anything with hair, like barrettes.
Lay everything out on a bed or the couch, even accessories. Take a step back and look at your work. Does anything look off? Is there a tight color palette with different textures and articles of clothing?
Walk away and make yourself your favorite beverage. Leave it all for an hour or two and let your brain refresh.
Come back and take another look at all the outfits. Do they still look good? Not sure? Snap a picture and send it to your photographer.
Pat yourself on the back because the hardest part is done! Now put them on hangers so you don’t have to iron last minute.

If you have a gynormous family pick a color and hope everyone listens. This usually gets a great variety of that color and textures.

When you are getting everything ready, don’t forget to pack a few treats. It’s o.k, we aren’t above a little bribery!

The One Thing That Changes Every Picture…

October 9, 2017 Leave a Comment

I recently put out a poll curious about people’s frustration with getting pictures taken. I was shocked at the results and my resolve was strengthened. There seems to be a photographer around every corner. Someone who will do it for pennies. To be honest, I thought money would be the biggest hurdle for people. It was blown out of the water by another answer. This answer gave me so much hope for my craft and the photography industry as a whole.

The number one answer was more than double the response for money. The biggest frustration people have with pictures is not liking themselves in them. Can you believe it? Well, you probably can because you feel the same way. Why did that give me so much hope? This is my super power! I gotchya girl. Guys, don’t worry, I’ve got your back too.

When I first felt called to photograph faces, I knew posing would be the key to success. If I could show a woman on the back of my camera how incredible she looked, her life would be changed in that instant. My mission of inspiring women would be fulfilled, she would purchase incredible images, and I could provide for my family. Then showing her images to another woman, that woman would have the courage to come in for a shoot and her life would be changed also. It is this incredible cycle where everyone wins and the world becomes a better place. Who doesn’t want that?

In order for that to happen, I had to figure out how to create these stunning images. I quickly discovered it came down to posing. The camera doesn’t lie and it sees the world differently than my eyeballs. I had to figure out how make what I saw translate to what my camera saw. This is why we look at a picture and wonder, “Do I REALLY look like that??” Honestly, to the camera the answer is yes. To the regular human eyeball, the answer is no. I promise not to bore you with the science of it all, but there is lots of science behind the answer.

As with any question in my life, I turned to research. It started with myself, how do I make this short, chubby body look good? I figured if I got that down, all else would be easier, right? This is why posing has become my super power. This is what sets me apart from the photographers who charge pennies. I don’t just take pictures, slap on some filters and call it good. To really be great, one must study that subject. I study this craft I have fallen in love with.

Confession time? I wait for the fashion magazines to publish their yearly gynormous magazine, then I buy it. My husband scoffs at the price until I remind him it’s for business and I saved a few dollars not subscribing. I know you are probably wondering what this has to do with posing women and photography. While flipping through the pages, I usually ignore much of the articles. My focus is the advertisements. Yes, I study fashion magazines. Embarrassingly when I see an interesting pose, I try to recreate it with my own body before flipping the page. I study where there feet are, where their hands are, which direction their torso is, etc, etc. I even hold the magazine close to my face to see the lighting reflection in their eyes. I could geek out for hours on this, but I will spare you. If you like geeking out about this too, let’s get coffee!

When I immerse myself in a subject, I forget how much knowledge I have stuffed in my brain. Recently I got the honor to assist another photographer who flew into Colorado Springs to shoot Olympians for a campaign he was hired to work on. Amongst many lessons learned, one jumped out at me. He was photographing a female. This is the first time I had worked with him so I didn’t want to overstep any boundaries. The poser inside me (no, not that kind of poser) wanted to give her advice and direct her a little bit. I did it in my head and stayed quiet. In that moment I realized how much of an expert I have become in posing women’s bodies for the camera. My career is many steps lower on the ladder than his, but in this area I felt pretty accomplished.

Whether it’s a family photo where if mama don’t look good, ain’t nobody look good, a headshot, or something more sexy, we’ve got you covered. If the saying goes, the camera adds 10 pounds but I can help you shed 10 pounds, does that mean you will look 20 pounds slimmer?? Want to come in for a shoot and see?

Can I Tell You a Secret?

August 21, 2017 Leave a Comment

Can I tell you a secret? Models aren’t born. They didn’t know how to behave in front of the camera, someone taught them.

I have a friend who I am determined to get in front of my camera on her own, in all her beauty. She was just telling me her trick of using children to hide behind. I know that trick all too well! I want to tell you, you are worth it. You are worth a beautiful picture of yourself hanging on the wall. I know it can be discouraging when you see yourself in a photo. Trust me. We have you covered. None of the women who come in are models. They are all average women like you and me.

We want to teach you too. You probably will not grace the cover of Vanity Fair, BUT I can promise you will have tools to like yourself better inpictures. Our studio is not just about pretty pictures to purchase, we are about fundamentally changing the way you see yourself. That’s why our motto is “Bringing confidence back to this world one woman at a time.” When you are having a bad day, you can look at those photos and remind yourself of the incredible person you are. Yes, that is you in those images.

We only have a limited number of bookings every month because we want to focus on each woman who comes through our doors. It isn’t just in and out. This ain’t your mama’s glamour shots! We hope to make you a friend and fellow self-confidence seeker. Making this world a better place is the core of who we are, not just making exquisite images.

Because of our mission, we do things a little different. We help you through the entire process from choosing outfits to posing to customizing packages. Knowing that this is usually a new experience, we like to hold your hand. Isn’t life better with a buddy?

If you have a big event to purchase an outfit for, do you go it alone? No! You text all your friends the choices and ask for feedback. Your shoot is no different, except what may look good in person may not flatter you on camera. We are happy to comb through your closet looking for treasures or be that person you text as you are shopping.

Growing up shopping at thrift stores before it was cool and not being allowed to wear makeup until I became an adult, left me curious. How the heck do you dress to flatter your body? What looks good together? I had no idea and began a love affair with fashion. It is incredible how clothing can change how we see ourselves and interact with the world. In an effort to understand makeup, I signed up for school and became a certified makeup artist.

Makeup can be intimidating especially if you never wore much or in a long time. You come with a clean face and we doll you up. We even do your hair. See? We take the stress and excuses out. In the makeup chair is another opportunity to learn tips and tricks for your specific face. All along the way there is opportunity to learn little nuggets to have more confidence.

One of the biggest causes for nerves is posing. Often when getting your picture taken, someone is not there to tell you how to look good, and if there is no one to hide behind, it can be intimidating. Posing is my super power. It may feel weird but usually the weirder it feels, the more amazing it looks on camera. You won’t just be told to smile, you will be guided every inch of the way. The best part? You walk away with tips how to pose your specific body every time a picture is taken. We want you to not only love our photos but all the others after you happen to be in.

You will walk away from shoot day with your head a little higher and a little more self-love in your pocket not knowing what will hit you when you see your images for the first time. Within a week you come back and see them, see yourself in all your beauty. These are the lasting legacy you get to pass along to your loved ones. Know what else you get to pass along? A different, more confident you. If you think you felt great after the shoot, you will be in shock when you see your final images. Why can we say this? It happens over and over again.

Yes beautiful soul, this may seem like a lot to take in, but aren’t you worth it? Don’t you deserve to pour just a little into yourself that you pour into others? You get pampered, learn some great tips to take with you, and have images to look at on those down days.

I told you we had you covered. What makes you most nervous about having your picture taken?

Why You Should Exist in Pictures

August 7, 2017 2 Comments

Not just here in Colorado Springs but around the world women have an issue with comparing. I’m sure it even happens in those remote tribes we rarely hear about. This comparing leads to self hate, and self hate leads to not existing in photographs. Friend, I see you there cringing when I say you should be in pictures. I too was there once not believing I could ever be comfortable in front of a camera.

colorado springs photography — A no makeup shot

Can I share my story so you don’t feel so alone? I grew up being led to believe I was fat, and not good enough. That feeling of not good enough led to some dark days, but that’s a story for another time. I have very few images of my late teens and early twenties that include me. Then, I went on to have babies. We all know what children do to your body. I gained weight, stretch marks, and begun to pour myself into motherhood always putting myself last. Does that sound familiar? Cell phone cameras were a new thing and I was happy to snap away with these little humans I made and adored. A few of these images contained this woman that I didn’t recognize. I wasn’t happy with her invading my pictures. There were times my sweet husband would insist that this stranger get her picture taken too. That is the only reason she is in those images. Left up to her, she would happily be an enigma for those years.

One day I woke up and realized I was giving to everyone else but myself. What did I want from life besides a fancy car and a nice house? This landed me in school because no one wanted to hire a stay at home mom with no current work experience. After nearly a year in school I still was not feeding my soul so I purchased a big girl camera to be a creative outlet. Not only did I fall in love with photography, this little black box helped me fall in love with myself. In order to get better at using this thing, I would spend hour long sessions taking selfies. Most of them would be deleted, but a few of them, I couldn’t wait to show the man when he came home from work. I would stare at the images and be astonished that this was the same stranger from years ago, only better.

Colorado Photographer — My very first bikini posted recently on IG

The more I practiced and learned, the better I got not just with my camera, but posing too. The better I got, the more I began to like myself. I started to see myself as those who loved me did. I could see what they saw in my eyes. This stirred something deep in my soul that brewed for a little bit of time until I felt called to show women this same transformation. My dream is for every woman on this planet to experience the same transformation.

What would happen if you unexpectedly passed away today? Would there be pictures of happy memories for your loved ones to cling to? I have come to realize it isn’t about the size of your thighs or how many chins you have, but just about showing up. If we are genuinely showing up for every moment of life, we will naturally be captured. I truly believe life is a gift and tomorrow is never guaranteed. They don’t care if you have no makeup on or are in sweat pants. Your loved ones just want to capture your spirit in that moment to create a memory. One day when you are old and gray, your children will want to remember that person you were during their growing up years. I am not saying anything that I haven’t already had to learn and experience. I speak these words because this was my own struggle and freedom on the other side is an amazing feeling. There are days when that voice tries to convince me to step out of frame, but I push forward anyways. Yes, even when a child is pointing the camera at a terribly unflattering angle. I would rather capture these moments and create a positive memory than allow my insecurities to manifest in them.

Sweet soul, are you holding back? Not wanting to be in pictures, I have come to learn this means you are not living life to the fullest. Are there dreams you hold in your heart that no one knows about? Can we make an agreement we will be brave together? I’d love to say I have it all together, but I don’t. Sometimes I need someone to hold my hand and walk beside me too. Putting yourself in front of the camera is a huge step! I promise, the more you do it, the easier it becomes and it even manifests positively in other areas of your life. Think of it like cheap therapy.

boudoir photographer — Hanging as a 24×36 in my entry way.

My dream is for every woman to have an image of herself on a wall in her home. I know it sounds vain and weird because I felt that when I hung up a gynourmous image of myself in our entry way. I stood back and looked at it with the man’s arm around me silently crying. I could not believe that was me. ME! Will you find a picture of yourself that you love, print it, frame it, and hang it on your wall? It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to be your beautiful face alone, on a wall you pass by. Trust me, there is something about seeing your own face printed on a wall. Can’t find any you like? Put on your favorite outfit, brush your hair and ask a friend to snap one. Even if this photo only ends up on a wall in your closet, that is success.

Comment below why you don’t like to see yourself in pictures then download the five tips.

Adult Cake Smash Birthday Photoshoot

July 13, 2017 Leave a Comment

A group of us ladies in Colorado Springs decided to take a break and meet for drinks. I didn’t know her well and she started talking about her 4oth birthday. She wanted to do an adult cake smash photoshoot. One of my friends piped up that I am a photographer. Because I had never done one, I told her I would think about it. Could I pull off a great experience? The more I thought and pinned inspiration, the more excited I became. Shortly after I enthusiastically agreed to get the party started.

We set a date and started planning. I decided to take a chance on a local gal who bakes cakes, a woman supporting another woman, what could be better? What a Hoot Bakery did not disappoint! Not only was the cake so cute I didn’t want to destroy it, it tasted incredible. My favorite assistant, the man, and I went to feed my Hobby Lobby addiction then went to Party City to get balloons. Jessica wanted one of those cute age signs, so I fired up Photoshop and created a fun keepsake for her.

Jessica was not used to being the center of attention in front of the camera so she was a little nervous at first. The fun environment calmed her nerves. She also didn’t usually wear much, if any makeup so she wanted to keep it simple. It can be a shock if you don’t recognize yourself in a picture. She wholeheartedly threw herself into the shoot and followed my direction even when she wasn’t sure. It’s no secret she is 40. In all of her years she had never sucked helium from a balloon. Can you believe it?? I thought that was a right of passage as a kid. We felt honored as we got to be her first.

It was such a fun time, we wanted to do this more. Whether you want your face in a cake or a more classy birthday party, let’s collaborate! Want your own party? Check it out

She never thought she would be here…

June 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

There was this little girl who grew up with the impression she wasn’t good enough, she could never be smart enough. Although she tried her best, she was compared to her straight A brother and told if she didn’t try harder, colleges wouldn’t want her. If nearly a 4.0 wasn’t good enough why try anymore? Along with that and the beginnings of scary thoughts she would later learn was mental illness, she decided to give up. Why try for something that would never happen? Instead of education she decided to have fun, probably smoking and drink far too much.

After a handful of years she thought perhaps she should grow up and embrace adulthood. Soon after she got pregnant, then she got married, then she went on to have more babies. As her babies began to reach school age, she got scared. What was she going to do when they all didn’t need her as much? What would she pour her life into when she became an empty nester? At that same time her marriage hit a pot hole. What if she was left in this world to take care of herself?

Because she had been a mom for so long, her skills had faded. All she felt good at was wiping butts and noses. She nervously registered for community college. Besides not feeling smart, she also had severe social anxiety. She told herself she would take one term of classes online. If she failed, she would just fall away into oblivion without people knowing who she was. She wouldn’t have to make a fool of herself in a classroom. She tried her best as she always did. When her grades came in she was in tears. She couldn’t believe how well she did. This gave her courage and she registered for in person classes.

The girl who took those first classes is vastly different from the girl graduating. She decided to face her demons head on and use school to teach her the life skills she so greatly lacked. She has found her place in this world, more than a wife and a mother. The journey was full of twists and turns, tears of frustration and elation, the end result was nowhere near where she thought she would be. This girl went from living a life of fear to showing up everyday in confidence. She knew she was supposed to finish and not give up even when the plan greatly changed. She still doesn’t know the ending purpose of that expensive piece of paper, but she was faithful. She is confident for the first time that the whisper she heard many, many years ago of being chosen for greatness will happen. It is as if she has finally woken from a trance and her life is just beginning, never mind she is nearing the big 4.0.

While the journey started as a big middle finger to those who doubted her, along the way she realized there was nothing she could do to hear the words she waited her entire life to hear, “I’m proud of you.” Today, she is proud of herself and along the way she has realized that’s all that matters. Then she got a text with those coveted words from her amazing father in law. That little girl who all those years ago yearned to hear that sentence, beamed with a pride she didn’t know existed.

The journey proved to her what was there all along; courage, fortitude, and a big huge brain. She even graduated magna cum laude.

Luggage Holding You Back?

April 10, 2017 Leave a Comment

There is a line from one of my favorite kid movies, the character was told, “You are here for such a time as this.” By the time we reach adulthood, we have baggage. You may have a light carry on while another has so many bags they keep running in reverse because they can’t carry them all at the same time. Regardless of the amount, it is there. Have you ever stopped to consider the story that baggage represents?

I was always the weird kid. Socially very awkward and I marched not just to a different beat, but a whole different instrument than a drum. There was a time as a young teenager when I was friendless. No joke, that little girl had not one friend. Her books caught her tears, her journal recorded the good days. That is one piece of very large luggage I carried with me everywhere.

When people meet me today as an adult, they are astonished that just a few short years ago I was so terrified socially, I was crippled. I would not go anywhere without my young children because I could focus on them, and not have to interact much with the grown ups. When I decided to go back to school, my first term was all online. That’s how crippled I was.

After some in person classes, I began to realize what I was missing. I woke up one day and decided to face this crippling anxiety head on. I would not be beaten. I had come so far in my life and needed to continue the progress. I’d love to say it was easy. It wasn’t. I had success and failures. I felt weird taking classes about people skills. But, I persevered.

Now that we moved to the Falcon area of Colorado Springs, I see what all that preparation was for. It was for this amazing experience of moving to another state and creating a life I had only dreamed of. Such a time as this. The last few years were preparing me for moving to a city where I knew not a single soul except for our real estate agent and mortgage broker. We had to completely restart our lives and my photography business. Although it has been more work than we thought, we feel were chosen to be in this place at this time doing what we are. Hello all you beautiful Colorado women! Come be my friend. Maybe that sounds a little too much? I so feel like a kid at a new school. Anyways…

The pinnacle moment was just recently being invited to a new mom’s group. All of my children are school age so I did not have them to chase around or hid behind.When I came home, the first thing that hit me was I did not feel nervous showing up or at anytime during the gathering. That is progress plainly measured!

What is one piece of luggage holding you back? It might be that light carry on or it could be much heavier.