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New Blog! New Blog!

2011-01-12T23:15:00.004-05:00

What? You didn't know I was already posting on my new blog? Hmmm. That's probably because I forgot to tell you. :( Whoopsidaisies.

Here it is: jmckphotography.com/blog

(Don't forget to comment and let me know what you think!)

2010-09-06T11:01:00.002-04:00

Sometime soon, I'll be sending you all over to a new blog! But I can't really wait to show you some of these images, so here's a glimpse of several posts you'll see once the new blog (and website!) are ready for the public!

i second that emotion.

2010-08-17T15:29:00.001-04:00

Chicago and a Fundraiser

2010-08-05T22:57:00.003-04:00

Earlier this summer I went to Chicago.

You see, my friend Bridget is going on the World Race, and my roommate and I went to join in her walk-a-thon to help her raise support.

It was a beautiful day. I'd like to say it was a little hot, but compared to the weather we've had lately, it was FANTASTIC.

As I was preparing to write this post I was thinking, "I wish I could do more to help her raise the money she needs for this trip. I know how hard support raising is. I know how challenging this trip will be in every way. The last thing she needs to be worrying about is money."

And then it dawned on me. I SHOULD HOST MY OWN FUNDRAISER!

Bridget is going to be visiting 11 countries in 11 months. She'll be living day in and day out with a small group of 6 who will be ministering together to the least of these in Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. She'll have a lot on her mind. I don't want her to have the stress of support raising on her mind, too!

You can read more about her trip on her blog.

(Bridget's in the blue tank-top)

So here's the fundraiser: For every session that you schedule with me during the month of August, $25 of that will go to Bridget's World Race fund. Sessions can be scheduled for later on this fall, but as long as you pay your session fee in August, $25 of it will go to Bridget.

The fall is a great time for family photos (please don't wait till December to start thinking about your Christmas cards)!

Ready. Set. Book your sessions!

Tori

2010-07-22T00:36:00.003-04:00

Earlier this year I asked a photographer friend of mine if she'd be up for doing a shoot exchange. She took some portraits of me, and then a few weeks ago I shot a few (well, more than a few) of her. Tori is a natural in front of the camera, and I had so much fun! Here are some of my favorites!!

More VBS photos!

2010-07-20T11:56:00.003-04:00

I mostly hung out in the Bible story room this day, and I caught a lot of great action. Pastor Tina and her assistant Jessica, did a GREAT job of making the Bible stories fun and memorable. Take a look for yourself:

here come some photos!

2010-07-16T23:44:00.003-04:00

Hiya friends :) I can't wait to show you some of the stuff I've been working on lately! So, let's get right down to business with a series of posts from VBS at my church. There are a whole lotta photos, so I went with the collage format this time. Enjoy!

what's new?

2010-06-23T17:53:00.003-04:00

Remember me saying I was going to be getting a new blog soon? Well, this isn't it. I know it's different, but this is more or less me messing up my own blog to help someone else with theirs. Sounds sane, right? I figured since I'm getting a whole new blog soon it doesn't really matter what I do with mine right now :)

This feels like a good time to mention the fact that I'd like to connect with you- yes you!- on Twitter. I'm: @jmckphotography

Also, if you haven't deleted your facebook account yet, go ahead and "like" my facebook page, too! facebook.com/jmckphotography - I would really appreciate it!

Meanwhile, I'll just let this blog layout be until my new one comes around :)

people like dogs. it's true.

2010-06-18T17:54:00.002-04:00

If you looked closely at the wedding photos I posted recently, you might have noticed a sweet dog in several of the photos. Here are just a few more and one of my favorite from the whole event :)

Her name is Ruby- leave her some love and let her know how cute she is :)

around the house

2010-06-15T15:27:00.002-04:00

Here are a few snapshots from around my new place!

I miss having flowers and plants around, so I'm doing my best to get some new ones to grow!

This standout is sitting on my desk waiting for me to find some nails so I can hang her up!
(Please don't mind the reflection of my computer in the photos.)

My Moroccan table! Just waiting for some flowers.

In the kitchen, we're testing out the paint color. It will be a quick room to paint; I can't wait!

One of the shelves by the kitchen window.

Ivy, Ivy, everywhere.

Seriously.

And weeds! I think I might need to do something about all these. :(

I hope you enjoyed the tour! That's all for now, folks.

I heart faces.

2010-06-14T16:30:00.003-04:00

Just for fun I have decided to participate in this week's I heart faces competition. If you're interested in killing some time looking at photos, their site is a great place to start!

The theme for this week is babies, and I am submitting a photo that somehow didn't make it into my initial blog post, but is most definitely one of my all time favorites, enjoy!

.Random Tidbits.

2010-06-14T16:12:00.003-04:00

. I designed the layout of my office yesterday! Right now it has bare walls and just a desk for furniture, but as I was resting, a vision for what I wanted just came to me. O, invaluable rest.

. Yes, I have an office now! I moved last week into a rental house with a friend of mine. The space is just perfect for us, and the neighborhood seems to be lively. Soon I'll show you a few snapshots from around the house... There is much work to be done. Work! Glorious work!

. My website/blog/logo have been in the works for awhile now, and I am happy to report they'll be done soon. Yippee! I cannot wait to be able to say "yes!" to the #1 question I am asked about my business, "Do you have a website?" [note: This is a great question, so keep asking!]

. I'm looking at the week ahead through the eyes of the only portrait I have printed so far for display in my office:

Attack this week with childish enthusiasm. Ready. Set. Go.

Brothers and Sisters

2010-06-10T18:20:00.002-04:00

Ah. the bond between siblings.

It's a beautiful thing :D

Can you tell he is looking at his brother, trying to copy any sort of mischief he can? :D

My goal in all of my children's sessions, is fun. I want the kids to be having fun (and the parents, too, if they can help it :D) because then the smiles I get are true and mesmerizing. They suck you into their happiness. In which case, I hope this was a sucky post.

Katie & Derek

2010-06-08T16:26:00.002-04:00

By the light of the setting sun, Katie and Derek said "I do." Together with close friends and family, they then watched a slide show of their growing up and growing together years. The whole time their dog ruby sat at their feet or close by, relishing in her role as a treasured member of the family. Here are just a few photos of the touching ceremony so Katie can take a break from checking my blog to enjoy her honeymoon!

butterfly garden

2010-06-03T19:13:00.002-04:00

Have you been to the butterfly garden at the Indianapolis zoo? What a fun place! I'd definitely recommend going sometime soon!

do you know this guy?

i think you do. it's a blue morpho butterfly!

there are a LOT of these guys at the butterfly pavilion, but they were too sneaky for me to get a good picture of them with their wings open. Here's one attempt:

this is as good as they get for me. I admit my defeat. I gotta respect the sneakiness.

One last thing about the butterfly garden, watch this video before you go.

the moment we've all been waiting for-

2010-05-30T22:10:00.003-04:00

One lovely May evening,

with plenty of witnesses,

my baby sister graduated!!

Those of us watching had a pretty good time :)

I especially enjoyed taking photos of the wee one in front of me!
("Always sit behind a baby" is rule number 5 in Janet's life rules.)

I couldn't be more proud of my little sister, and I hope she enjoys her WHOLE SUMMER of no homework :)

lollipop

2010-05-28T18:27:00.003-04:00

I was hanging out today with my favorite niece in the whole wide world (whose brother likes to call her Lollipop :D), and so I was entertaining her with the photobooth program on my computer.

Did you notice her pretty blue eyes and her two front teeth? She's a keeper! :D

She sure knows how to live.

2010-05-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Baby Bird Buried in a Bush

2010-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

I just love flowers.

2010-05-21T20:08:00.003-04:00

I just love flowers. I hope you do, too.

Tonight it was sprinkling and sad outside.

Then the sun came out!

So, I told myself to high-tail it outside to take some photos around the house.

I'm praying these Asian Lillies don't bloom till my sisters' graduation open house.

Purple Bell Peppers!

I forget what these are called, but they're about to explode!

Sigh.
Peonies.
They smell like heaven.

Stupid ants.

Snap peas.
(I think.)
I can't wait!

What a happy hill of yellow.
Yellow weeds.
:)

miss jones

2010-05-10T23:41:00.003-04:00

I took these photos earlier today, and I just cannot wait to show you! Miss Jones turns five this weekend, and we had a grand time capturing her charming spirit at this age.

this was her reaction to seeing a butterfly.

and this is her getting ready to be attacked by butterflies.

It's time to play "which one's your favorite?" The game in which everyone is a winner. Ready? Set? Go!

Chanel

2010-05-08T19:54:00.003-04:00

I had such a wonderful time with Chanel and her mom shooting senior portraits! We wandered around the gardens at Butler University, the same gardens she and her siblings had played in when they were little, and I did my best to capture the kind-hearted, fun-loving girl that she is.

Because Chanel is such a fun person, I've decided to do something fun with her senior photos on the blog: A SLIDESHOW!

ps. i have no idea why the first photo shows up zoomed in like that. i can't fix it. sorry :(

who can resist?

2010-05-06T23:51:00.001-04:00

who can resist a good fake picnic nap?

date night (in the afternoon)

2010-05-05T12:44:00.002-04:00

Jessi and Jeremiah were the lucky recipients of the free date night photo shoot that I offered on facebook a little while ago! As you can see, they chose putt-putt and ice cream for their date, and I think it was a great choice for these newlyweds!

say what?

2010-05-01T16:53:00.003-04:00

Here are some of my FAVORITE pictures from my recent shoot with my niece and nephew.

lala is SUCH a creeper in this one!

yes, indeed, that IS my lens cap :)

Sweetness and Decency

2010-04-25T19:43:00.002-04:00

"What this world needs is a return to sweetness and decency in the souls of its young men." Audrey Hepburn, Roman Holiday

Oh Happy Day!

2010-04-19T10:43:00.003-04:00

Just recently I had a sweet comment on my blog about how cute the little girl in my blog-header is. It's true. She's adorable!

And today is a special day for that sweet girl! We're all so excited that today is the day she gets her trach out! (nobody as much as her mother, though!) So, I thought today would be the PERFECT day to share some of the photos I took of them last year with you (again).

and just so he doesn't feel left out, I'll include some of the little brother, too.

I LOVE taking pictures of kids. They're my kind of people. I can't wait until I get to take pictures of these two again this year!

the sun sets in Indiana, too.

2010-04-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

We might not have water, sand, and a 21st floor view, but the sun sets here, too.

I love spring.

2010-04-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

I took these the past few days (some after the storm a few days ago), and I'm pretty sure I looked ridiculous trying to get close to the ground without kneeling down in the wet grass. In the end, myself and the camera were pretty muddy anyway. whoops :)

*note: I took all of these with my Nikon d90 with a 50mm 1.8- for the macro shots I just turned the lens around and held it up to the camera. fun stuff. :)

I'm a touch sentimental.

2010-04-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

I think sometimes people get the wrong impression about me. I'm outgoing, and I occasionally can put on a good show of self-confidence. So, I doubt people would expect me to get more than a little choked up while watching a handful of kids that I don't even know standing on a fence waving at the train conductor who waves back in what seems like a scene from times long gone. I started noticing these scenes even more when I started seeing through the eyes of a photographer. I hope I always look with an eye for seeing.

It's not always about having the perfect exposure or focus. It's about the moments that deserved to be replayed :)

Stuff Christians Like? blog-hopping for Jesus.

2010-04-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today's blog post is part of a much larger blog collection (an anthology perhaps?). I am a big fan of Stuff Christians Like (both the blog and the book), so if you like American Idol (or even if you don't), join in the fun and see how your favorite Idol contestant ranks on:

The “Is that contestant on American Idol a Christian? Scorecard”

65. Each time they get interviewed they share a little more of their testimony = + 3 points

To add up your score with over a 130 other ideas on this scorecard, visit stuffchristianslike.net.

I love vacation. (part deux)

2010-03-31T00:35:00.002-04:00

I love vacation.

2010-03-29T23:51:00.000-04:00

Lala meets avocado.

2010-03-28T22:23:00.003-04:00

I'm so happy my sister and her family have joined us in Florida for vacation! While the ride down may have been torture for a certain 2 year old, my niece has been battling avocado for a few days. She just can't seem to make up her mind about solid foods. See for yourself:

She is a smiley pants through and through, and is so fun to have around! Anytime you need pick-me up, just ask her to smile at you and the world disappears because she is absolutely delighted to be seeing your face. I love her. (Also, she is part of an elite group called Team Awesome Baby.)

happy palm sunday.

2010-03-28T22:17:00.002-04:00

Good things come.

2010-03-22T23:02:00.002-04:00

to those who wait.

AND in small packages!

TA DA. Introducing those 4"x4" mini albums I've been telling you about!

*note. they will lay flat once the binding has "loosened" a little.

These things are so cute, and they fit easily into a purse to show off your photos to all of your friends! These albums come with every full session this year (and the mini sessions in April).

full swing.

2010-03-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

it's that time year again!!

2010-03-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

*it should be noted that Hannah tells me this is not correct form. but i think it looks cool. so...

doodle. bug.

2010-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

"cheesing" doodle

dancing doodle

jumping doodle

(also titled: good morning sunlight)

more dancing doodle

attack doodle

lovely doodle

joyous doodle

artsy doodle

favorite doodle

also favorite doodle

both good. both favorite.

windswept.

2010-03-17T16:02:00.000-04:00

Spring photos!

2010-03-11T15:13:00.005-05:00

I have the feeling (I think it's called "hope") that my April is going to be pretty busy. So, I am planning a one day only mini session day!* On April 11th (the Sunday after Easter), I have 4 mini session slots available for family or kids sessions.

The deal:
30 minutes
20-25 pictures in an online album for ordering prints
a 20 page 4"x4" leather mini album
5- 5x7s

Cost: $150 due when you reserve your spot. Our backup day (in case of rain) will be April 18th.

Time slots:
2:00pm
2:45pm
3:30pm
4:15pm

Location: Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park

Your photos will be online for ordering within 2 weeks! (The album will probably take around 2 months to make it to your doorstep while the 5x7s will only take a month.)

This is a great opportunity to get some fun family portraits! Dress up in your Easter outfits, or if you feel like it, bring some fun outdoor games/toys for the whole family. Instead of pretending like you're having fun while getting your picture taken, we'll actually be having fun. Deal? Deal.

This is a race. The first four people to sign up get the spots. Ready? Set? Go!

*i am available for full portrait sessions the rest of the month. but this is the only time I will be offering mini-sessions for the foreseeable future.

Something new.

2010-03-09T21:50:00.003-05:00

Exciting, very exciting things are happening here at JMcKPhotography! A few months from now I'll actually have a website (which I'm super excited about!!!). As promised, I have a few new products in the works, and today I'd like to show you one of them!

Many people today like to have the option of purchasing a CD of their pictures, and if you do purchase the full rights to your photos, then the CD will come in a Cypress Folio. I love these. I just think they're so pretty!

All of Cypress's products are handmade and of archival quality. There are a great selection of fabric and ribbon options for their folios and albums. And did I mention that they're pretty? CDs are so easy to misplace, and this way, it has a home that's too pretty to lose. :)

this feels like a win:

2010-03-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

cue spring:

2010-03-06T10:54:00.002-05:00

Cue the crocus, daffodils, and tulips!

this poor guy had to fight his way through the yet-to-melt snow!

Sheba is ready for spring.

Up next will be bright yellow forsythia bushes and purple flowers. (It always seems like purple flowers are the first spring flowers.) Then we'll have flowering trees!

this is a hosta already getting ready to sprout green leaves!

the hyacinth from my tea party shoot is already in full bloom!

my nephew is ready for spring, too! but not without making one last "no-man"

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but with spring comes RAIN. I bought a new umbrella the other day, so I can't wait! I hope you all enjoy your spring days: rain or shine!

give. a. way.

2010-03-06T00:05:00.003-05:00

I'm giving away a date-night photo session on my facebook fanpage!

Visit facebook.com/jmckphotography for details and a chance to win!

rethink the 3rd wheel.

2010-03-03T00:35:00.003-05:00

Date nights are a special and sometimes a sacred part of any marriage. Sometimes they don't happen as often as you'd like. Sometimes they don't go according to plan. Sometimes they remind you of the times when your love was just beginning. And just maybe sometimes, you should invite along a 3rd wheel.

While normally I would agree with you that a 3rd wheel would be a hindrance on any good date, I'd like to go ahead and volunteer for the job! I'd like to come along on your date and take pictures that you can treasure for a lifetime while you make memories and have fun with the love of your life.

Here's what I'm proposing: you and your love plan a fun/special date* and invite me to tag along as your personal photographer. I'll take all the photos from the evening and pick out the best ones. I'll design you a 20 page 4"x4" mini album and burn a copy of the pictures onto a CD for you to use digitally (and print up to 4x6s). The cost of the special date-night package is $100 which includes the album and the CD!

E-mail me if you're interested: I can't wait to be your 3rd wheel!

*ideas to get you thinking: a night at the ballpark, a picnic, or hiking.

Yesterday was pretty fun.

2010-03-01T02:25:00.002-05:00

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?
Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more.
March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less.

Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing.

tea party anyone?

(this photo is a little out of focus, but love is oh so clear!)

friends.

2010-02-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

My brother-in-law is in a band.

2010-02-23T21:30:00.004-05:00

My brother-in-law's band, Under the Olive Trees, will be coming out with a CD sometime soon, and he asked if I would come take some photos of them practicing. I don't normally take jobs where I'm shooting in a dark basement, but I brought along some of my dad's work lights to help me out. I think they really worked for the band--hopefully they look as good as they sound!

I should take more work where I get a concert while I'm shooting :)

A Poem.

2010-02-22T14:14:00.008-05:00

down with snowbanks

bye bye plowses
down with mices in our houses.

hello sprintime
up come flowers
hello pretty green-tipped bowers.

open umbrellas
shut down fire places
open shoe boxes with tie-me-up laces.

new is here
dead is gone
new come-run-on-me grassy lawn.

still I wait
snow will return
still it is winter. when will I learn?

when the grass was green

2010-02-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

I was a terrible blogger last fall. I admit it. Now that I'm good and snowed in, I've got plenty of time to post some photos that fell through the blogging cracks! I only had a short session with this family, but they were so smiley and fun I had no trouble getting plenty of "keepers!"

these two had quite a lot of fun coming up with their own poses!

you know how much I like funny faces :)

I hope you all are staying warm and enjoying the snow!

late summer moonrise.

2010-02-15T11:53:00.000-05:00

a little crazy.

2010-02-10T22:30:00.003-05:00

I'm tired and busy these days, so a little craziness seemed appropriate for the blog.
Thanks for obliging, ladies.

let's get messy

2010-02-10T06:30:00.000-05:00

I love it when kids come up with great activities all on their own. Painting with sponge letters is always a favorite, but painting with a toilet paper roll? Genius.

*note the paint-spattered smile from popping paint bubbles. Launderers beware.

Go Team. Go Team Go.

2010-02-09T00:17:00.002-05:00

Last night was sectional finals for my sister's swim team. In honor of their hard-won victory, I'm posting some pictures from the sectional prelims last Thursday. It has been SO MUCH FUN to take pictures for the team this season. I'm excited for their last hurrah at STATE on Friday.

pre-meet pep-talk

coaches!!

Lindsey with the awesome backstroke start: FTW!

my sister, Hannah

I think I can say truthfully that our girls cheared the loudest!

they're all loosey-goosey at prelims, but at finals they're as stoic as Spartans.

this is a photographic unicorn: the only picture of Hannah breathing all season, I think:

she's all happy because she broke a school record. and a sectional record.

Why Ellen, you're looking awfully shiny today.

Go my favorite sports team, Go.

Funny Face(s). take II

2010-02-08T09:29:00.000-05:00

I think we all needed a pick me up after last night's game :( I hope this helps...

Funny Face(s).

2010-02-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

Jon Acuff says that every blog post should be a gift to your readers. If that's true then today is Christmas on this blog. You're welcome.

Tom plays guitar.

2010-02-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

My friend Tom needed some new photos of him playing guitar for a concert he has coming up, and it was a pleasure to help him out! It was a bit of a challenge/stretch for me because I did the whole thing inside, but I'm happy with how they turned out!! (Major thanks to our friend Dwana for letting us use her house and her lovely west-ward facing window :D)

thoughts on composition.

2010-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last Friday I stopped by the pool to take some quick headshots of the girls that one of the moms had requested. I did my best to take them fast and not make them into a big deal. Some of them were ready to have their picture taken, but all of them agreed that this one was the best:

Here's why it turned out the best:

a) I accidentally took it a tad closer-up than I was taking the others so she filled the frame. (Why didn't I take them all close-up? Like I said, they weren't all prepared for pictures, and blemishes are less noticeable from farther away.) I took another one so her photo will look like everyone else's.

b) Her hair leads YOUR eyes straight to HER eyes. Everybody has beautiful eyes, so it's a good rule of thumb to make eyes the focus point in a picture. There are good reasons to focus on other things sometimes, but it's hard to go wrong if eyes are the focus!

c) She's wearing an Ohio State sweatshirt.

Since it's Tuesday, I want to hear your thoughts, too! What's new with you?

snow again!!

2010-01-25T17:17:00.000-05:00

I'll take snow over rain in January any day of the week, but later this week I'll be just as happy for the sunshine! Oh, and that picture of dirt is a preview for later when I'll be back to taking photos of tulips popping out of the ground!

Giving is Awesome

2010-01-15T17:24:00.001-05:00

It seems like giving is on everybody's mind this week. The photography community is getting pretty creative in their ways to give and reward people for giving to help the people of Haiti. I'm impressed, and I'm excited to be a part of such a giving community.

Sometimes it's easiest to give money. I don't mind being generous with my money, but I don't often give my time.* And it takes both time and thought to think of someone who might have had a rough year, compose your thoughts, and write me an e-mail. I wasn't sure how this Giving is Awesome giveaway would go, but I am happy to say that two people chose to clear some time in their schedule to think of someone besides themselves.

Contest recap:
Nominate someone who lives in Indiana who has had a rough time of it recently or in the past year to win a Complimentary Portrait session with myself, $150 in print credit, and a CD of high-resolution images from the session- a $600 value. The nominator (is that a word?) of the winner themselves receives $150 print credit.

So who won?

I was touched by both of the stories that were shared with me. I would be honored to photograph either family, and so that's what I'm going to do. They both win. Someone nominated Dawn and her 5 children, and Denise nominated Josh and Amber. The nominators (should they ever wish to have a session with me) will receive $150 in print credit, and I will be contacting them all this weekend to thank them and hopefully schedule sessions (for sometime a little warmer maybe? :D).

Since this is a photography blog and this was a particularly wordy post, I'll share one of my favorite faces with you.

*I do not in anyway wish to disregard or diminish the value of monetary giving. I'm all for it. I was a support-raising missionary for two years, and I have heard many aid organizations saying that right now what they need most is money. Giving money is GOOD.

I miss those walks.

2010-01-14T21:25:00.000-05:00

My friend Eileen recently posted pictures of my good friends the sheep on her blog. I miss those sheep. I used to live just down the street, and while they weren't always there, I liked to stop and talk to the animals on walks. I don't pass animals on my walks these days. Wait. Who am I kidding? I don't take many walks around here.

I don't have many photos stored on my computer from those days, but I managed to round up a scraggly few. The first few were taken on my good old Casio Exilim that I loved from the top of the hill behind the dorm. The woods shots were taken on my old d40 in January of 2008 on a variety of trails within walking distance of the dorm.

if this photo were larger, you would be able to see the Alps

okay, so i made this one bigger so you could see them. Look at the horizon line on the left.
See them?

Last year on the blog: I broke the news about Winnie the Pooh.
My photoblog 2 years ago: Staufen
I'm pretty sure I had this blog 3 years ago, but for some reason I can't see back that far.

Sometime tomorrow (Friday) I'll blog about the winners of the "Giving is Awesome" contest, yay!

inspire guides

2010-01-13T18:19:00.000-05:00

One of my goals for this year is to develop products to offer with sessions that will give clients more variety than framing prints for their wall, and I'm excited to hopefully be debuting some of them here soon. In the meantime, I know it can sometimes be hard to pick out photos and know how to arrange them. So without further ado, introducing: Inspire Guides

As I get ready to post your pictures online for proofing, I'll choose a few layouts and pop YOUR pictures into the frames to get your creative juices flowing around how to arrange and display your photos. They'll be uploaded into your proofing album to help you as you order.

*You might remember these kids from their session back in August, but I appreciate them taking their time to help me out and make a second appearance.

better late than never

2010-01-08T19:55:00.000-05:00

I just KNOW you all are dying to see some photos I took for a Christmas card shoot a month ago. Right? Anyway, I wanted to make sure they had time to get out Christmas cards before I blogged about it. It just seemed fair, even though I don't know that any of her friends and family read my blog. (But maybe they will now!)

I loved this session! It was done in two parts. The first one outside in the freezing cold on a bright sunny day- quite the photographer's challenge, but I think it made for a unique set of photos that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. I hope you do, too. Part 2 was inside at their house, and I hope that years from now they can look back at these photos and remember her at this age with a smile on their face. Then years after that, maybe she'll show them to her grandkids who will love seeing how grandma celebrated Christmas as a kid. [the collages are back by popular demand!]

Don't forgot that there are only two more days (till the 10th) to nominate someone for a complimentary photography session! Details.

Giving is Awesome

2010-01-01T16:09:00.000-05:00

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it as we go into this new year. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography -- $600 worth, to be exact. A free custom portrait session, $150 print credit, and a CD of high-resolution images, it's in your power to give this gift to start of the new year.

Oh, and by the way, the person who nominates the winner will receive $150 print credit.

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person you nominate must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a 2 million dollar vacation home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)

*The nominee must reside in Indiana. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact yourself and your nominee.

*You must e-mail the full story to jmckphotography@gmail.com.

*Nominations are due by January 10th, and the winner will be announced on January 15th-- get nominating! I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Let's start 2010 by looking beyond ourselves, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to give.

With love,

Janet

[by the way, this wasn't my idea. check out Giving is Awesome.]

A little bit of commercial work.

2009-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

So, maybe it doesn't bother you when people don't bother to be creative with the everyday things in our lives, but it drives me bonkers. So, I was delighted when I met up with my uncle to take some photos for his flooring business, and I found something other than everyday square tiles on the hospital floor. There's nothing wrong with simple. In fact, I adore simple, but I do a little happy dance for interesting. :)

Snow!

2009-12-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

One of the bits of advice I hear a lot from professional photographers is to always keep shooting for yourself. I've struggled with that this past year as learning how to post-process and store large quantities of photos has slowed me down, and I didn't want to make more "work" for myself.

However, this year I'm determined to get a handle on my "Digital Asset Management" and maybe come up with a few projects to keep me challenged as well as just taking advantages of opportunities as they come. So, this past Sunday when the snow came down, I took to my street with an umbrella (to TRY to protect my camera from the falling precipitation) and my camera.

Less than 20 minutes later I was back inside trying to rid my finger tips of the stinging pain that comes after a stroll in the snow. Here's to those 20 minutes and many more such moments to come:

Did I ever mention I like weeds? Oh, that's right. I did.

more Christmas photos!

2009-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm trying out a new way of sharing my photos with these collages, and it's been really fun to teach myself something new! It wasn't that hard to learn, but I had to force myself to do something that I didn't 100% know how to do already- which is always a challenge. I hesitate to do anything that I don't know in advance will be a success- so I end up not doing a LOT. So, one of my goals this year is to force myself to try new things.

This Christmas was really fun since my nephew is now old enough to understand the "opening presents" concept! As you can see, he really liked big blocks his grandpa made for him. He kept saying, "Daddy make big castle!"It was a toss-up whether he, his dad, uncle, or grandpa enjoyed making towers the most!

geese in a snowstorm

2009-12-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

A taste of Christmas

2009-12-27T15:08:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Meet in the New Pool Photos!

2009-12-15T00:23:00.000-05:00

these girls look fierce, don't they?

it's true. they are :)

this one was getting her face squished as i walked past, but pulled out a smile just for my camera. they're friends :)

i accidentally uploaded these in reverse order. so this picture above is the after of the dive below. i'm not an expert, but she probably deserved a better score than she got :) although who can complain about a school record?

her smile is one of my favorite things :)

Hello Sunshine.

2009-12-06T15:22:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is staying warm!
(Except my friend Joy in Ghana- I hope she's staying cool!)

formerly flowers

2009-12-05T15:04:00.000-05:00

Priorities.

2009-12-02T13:02:00.000-05:00

I have a hard time keeping my priorities straight, sometimes. I have my priorities laid out somewhere in my mind, but then in the daily activities of life I tend to prioritize things like reading a Travelzoo e-mail (cause who knows when I might come into enough money for a spontaneous trip to New Zealand, hey?) over the plethora of things that are clearly more important. I sure hope I'm not the only one who needs to be sure she's read (and followed all the interesting links from) the latest twitter updates.

But today I decided to prioritize my blog a bit, and I expect to get some comments here folks on just how adorable these twin girls are, okay?

they have the bluest eyes i have ever seen.

the bokeh (those fuzzy circles in the background) here makes my heart sing!

throwing rocks by the creek turned out to be a WIN!

I LOVE THIS PHOTO

I forget what they were singing for me, here, but it was a great way to end a really fun session!

I'm procrastinating.

2009-11-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'm supposed to be working on flooring pictures for my uncle (which is actually more exciting than it sounds, believe it or not!), but I got distracted by the pictures I was uploading for my sister from her family session last night. I don't think anyone will judge me.

but maybe I'm just biased by love?

I've missed you blog.

2009-11-20T12:06:00.000-05:00

And since it's my fault that you've been neglected, here's a little blog present for you:

Rehearsal Dinner:

2009-10-20T00:35:00.000-04:00

I had a great time shooting my friends Jessi and Lee's rehearsal dinner, and it really helped me to get to know the important people involved in the wedding the following day and get a head start on the detail shots. They were married at Jessi's parents home, and it made the day so special!

Can you tell I liked their house?

Because of possible rain, they practiced getting married inside and outside. (Stay tuned for the wedding day weather report...)

The day ended with the sunset reflecting on the clouds overhead. I thought it looked delightfully romantic. I just love the sky!

That's all for now, but there will be more wedding on the blog later this week!

Just for Amy

2009-10-20T00:22:00.000-04:00

I had to get a few of my favorite photos from the session done ahead of time for the mom of this fun kiddo; so, I thought I'd share with you all. (Don't worry, you can thank me later.) She really is that cute!

(why hello, possibly my favorite portrait ever!)

woohoo wedding!

2009-10-10T20:27:00.000-04:00

I'm probably going to spread out wedding photos from my friend Jessi's wedding over the next few weeks as I edit them. Enjoy the preview Jessi!

Senior 2010

2009-10-07T19:19:00.000-04:00

My mom was pestering me about posting more often on here, so I thought I'd appease her by posting some photos I've been working on of my SISTER. That should make her happy, right? :D

this last one is my favorite :D

He's TWO!

2009-09-28T15:44:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been two years, since you were born! I had to miss most of the first year of your life, but your second year was SO much fun. I can't wait to watch you experience your third year of life (in Korean years, he's 3!) and teach you more fun things to say to make people laugh.

I was actually at my sister's to take pictures of my brand-new niece, but I spent probably half of the time taking pictures of my nephew :D (niece pictures are waiting until after the birth announcements have been sent out. so stay tuned!)

my parents think he looks 14 in this picture. such an old soul :)

this special bear was his daddy's teddy bear.

what! how'd this get in here? hello little one!

he just loves to read. i kept trying to get him to look at me. he did a few times, but mostly he just giggled and ignored me and read his book.

FALL FAMILY MINI SESSIONS!

2009-09-10T22:02:00.000-04:00

I am excited to offer some shorter sessions for families this fall that have been designed with Christmas cards in mind. Christmas? YES, I said Christmas. It's time to start thinking about Christmas cards. Here are the details:

Saturday October 10th.
Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park.
I will offer 4 morning sessions. If those fill up, I will offer 4 in the afternoon.

Package 1: Do It Yourself- $100
30 minutes of family photo fun (up to 6 people)*
CD of 10-15 high resolution images
Basically, I take the pictures and edit them; you make your own cards on some photo site.

Package 2: Take It Easy- $200
30 minutes of family photo fun (up to 6 people)*
CD of 10-15 high resolution images
50- 5x7 flat custom Christmas cards (with envelopes)**
I take the pictures, AND do all the work of designing a Christmas card.

*$25 fee for every extra person.
**extra Christmas cards can be ordered for $40 per pack of 50

Call or e-mail now to reserve your place!

And because some of you are just here for the pictures:

Hello sunrise.

I know we don't see each other very often, but I'd like it if we could be friends.

Okay?

Lindsey: Indianapolis Senior Photographer

2009-09-09T21:56:00.000-04:00

I have SO MANY pictures from this shoot, so it was hard to single out 3 pictures for the sneak peek. I did my best!

hello green eyes!

hello morning sunshine!

Lindsey toughed out a morning session- who looks this good this early in the morning? The morning light was fun to work in, though. Why don't I get up earlier more often? (hahaha.)

Next up:

2009-09-08T23:07:00.000-04:00

Brittany!

We had such a fun session, and it's going to take me forever to narrow down all her images because we had so many good ones!

We interrupt your senior programing to bring you this special announcement.

2009-09-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

This sweet thing turned 2 yesterday. Happy birthday Doodle Bug :)

I took these gems awhile ago, and I was making room on my hard drive when I stumbled upon them. They're just too cute not to share!

Senior City

2009-09-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

It has been senior city around here lately. So look forward to a few posts this week featuring the class of 2010!

Starting the week off is Erik:

Thanks for a fun session Erik and for laughing at all my REALLY dumb jokes :) I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

welcome to the world.

2009-09-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Meet my new love:

World, meet LG.

molly : jonah

2009-09-04T19:29:00.000-04:00

These kiddos were SO fun to photograph! I'm posting a lot of my favorites from their session because I just can't help myself :D

she came up with this pose all by herself :)

Joe brought out the BEST smiles in his little girl!

FAVORITE PHOTO EVER.

Typical Molly. Running off to explore!

Typical Jonah? Using his mouth to explore?

Once again, Joe knows how to make them laugh!

Thanks Myra and Joe for letting me photograph your kiddos, and I hope you love your pictures 1/2 as much as I do! :D

canning V8 juice

2009-08-24T19:25:00.000-04:00

So, I'm no pioneer woman, but I have something pioneer-esque to share with you.

One of my favorite things in life is my mom's canned tomato sauce. She also does V8 juice which is what she and my grandma were canning this weekend. Here's a photo diary of the process.

wait. no, this is a bowl of soup i made. haha. just thought i'd share :)

So, now you know all about canning! :D

Across Indiana

2009-08-21T00:57:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I was driving across our pretty state (no, i'm not joking. i think Indiana's pretty) with my camera in my lap. As I made my way into Amish country, I got a few not-blurry, not completely crooked shots :)

I love everything about this shot.

a blog entry to win a lensbaby!

2009-08-18T15:11:00.000-04:00

Have you ever heard of Lensbabys?

I like them, and Jodi of MCP Actions is giving one away!

Now, normally when people tell me to post extra places for more chances to win- I don't. Why would I tell 15 (the number of people who subscribe to my blog through google reader- thanks guys!) people to sign up to win something that I really want for just one more chance at winning it?
Don't feel bad if you do this on your blog or if you fall for their tricks. One party is smart, the other is selfless. I'm just too selfish.

So why am I telling you about this contest? Am I feeling benevolent today?

haha.

no.

Jodi of MCP Actions outsmarted me. She made posting about the contest in two places a stipulation of entering. And I gotta respect the sneakiness.

So go ahead and enter. If you win, I promise not to hold it against you. (well, I'll try.)

here's a picture I took while camping a few weeks ago. only available light was the lantern. i really enjoyed the photography challenge. I just need to get around to editing all the photos!

Beach Bum

2009-08-15T16:24:00.000-04:00

morning

evening

If this blog were a gameshow it would be called "Who Made That Baby?"

2009-08-14T15:14:00.000-04:00

oops. i think i just gave away the answer.

I've not finished editing this session, but I just couldn't help but share some of them with you all!

hello again.

2009-08-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

I know I've been a terrible blogger lately. I've been terribly busy, and apparently, the two go hand-in-hand.

Last week I was in Florida for a few days to attend a wedding, and I just can't wait to show you all some adorable pictures of a friend's little one. He just LOVED the beach. the water. the sand. all of it.

I know some of you are waiting for wedding pictures, and I'll get them up soon. Maybe...

Big A, Little A. What begins with A?

2009-07-21T21:57:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun with these guys today! Aren't these kiddos just adorable?

more fireworks. because who doesn't love fireworks?

2009-07-15T22:05:00.000-04:00

These were all taken downtown Indianapolis at White River State Park. Things started off really well, and we managed to find parking AND got there on time :D

Then, about 5 minutes into the show, I hear shrieking from about 100 yards to the left. Apparently, when Indianapolis postponed their fireworks show, they forgot to turn off the sprinklers. Whoops :) Good thing I wasn't set up over there!

AND THEN. about 10 minutes into the show, a big crane off to the right swings around directly into our view of the fireworks. LAME, Indianapolis. LAME.

see!

I mean. What are giant cranes doing swinging around at 10:10 on a Sunday night?

this one is one of my favorites! the blue fireworks don't usually show up very well, but you can see them in this one:

this last one I took from Rachel's car on the way home while sitting in traffic. there were quite a few little extra fireworks shows going on all over town :) i kind of like it's wobbly-ness.

more 4th of July

2009-07-14T22:10:00.000-04:00

Here are some more pictures from my fun time over the 4th of July weekend:

Art in the Park with the McCarts!

Kane County Cougars baseball game!

I like this last one. Yay baseball!

Cantigny Park

2009-07-12T23:08:00.000-04:00

I would have taken more pictures at this absolutely beautiful place if it hadn't been raining. Thanks for holding the umbrella Bryan!

wheaton parade experience.

2009-07-12T16:45:00.000-04:00

I had such a fun time with my friends last week for the 4th of July. My friend Laura convinced us to pass out candy in the Wheaton parade. I had a BLAST. I love kids. Kids love candy. 'Nuff said.

the lovely laura, and below, her husband Andrew.

in the end we ran out of candy. so i passed out high-fives. they really helped the kids get over their disappointment of not getting any candy :D

Fireworks!

2009-07-06T17:25:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun this past weekend celebrating and being festive with my friends! Friday night we went to a Kane County Cougars baseball game and watched fireworks!

more pictures to come later...