::year end evaluation::

2009 has been a BLAST for me starting to develop my photography hobby and share that with people and families! After spending several hours editing each session I start to notice some trends for each individual session. I want to keep getting better, but only so much improvement comes out of reading tutorials online, stalking the blogs and websites of photographers that i LOVE (check out my blogroll for some extremely talented photographers, you won't be disappointed), and reflecting after each session on how i can improve. i want to keep having my own artistic style, and yet at the same time be able to give families images that they love. SO here are some things i want to improve on for 2010...we'll see how it goes.

*get better at taking landscape layout pictures. i don't mean as in nature landscape, i mean that probably a good 90% of my pictures in ANY session i take vertically. i just seem to gravitate towards capturing images vertically, so i want to get better at taking landscape images.
*directing photo sessions. while i LOVE capturing moments between families that unfold naturally without any direction at all, and most young children need little to no help creating beautiful images, i've forgotten that getting your picture taken without knowing what to do is just awkward. (flashback to my own engagement session by the incredibly talented Anne Ruthmann...Jason and I had no idea what to do, SHE is great at subtly directing without interfering). people tend to get frustrated by the question "what am i supposed to be doing?" so i want to be able to direct natural poses or creating situations that allow for my subjects to forget that their being photographed. one of my favorites of these is having momma and daddy tickle their kiddos. works like a charm!
*low-light photography. now that its chilly outside, i've taken a hiatus from my beloved outdoor sessions, giving me perfect opportunity to work on indoor photography. i'm still working with my entry-level D40, which i love. but i would like to keep improving so that i'm not so limited to have to do sessions outside only. afterall, inside people's homes is where every day life happens.

so part of this evaluation (which by the way, its nice to be evaluating myself without breaking out in hives all over my neck like in my formal evaluation...its a problem i have) is that i want YOUR input! what are some of your favorite maternity/baby/family pictures that you've seen that are yours, friends, from a magazine, stored up in your brain? what are some things you see in your own family pictures that make you think "why on earth would you think that was good?" (i think of my mom's own frustration with olan mills photographers), is it cropping a certain way? your kid's shirt being buttoned unevenly? leave your comments and please be kind! thanks for your help and HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends!!

::very exciting news!::

hello blog reading friends (if you're still out there!) my new photography exciting news is that my very good friend who happens to be one of the most creative people i know is building me a photography website! that's right! i'm so excited! there's not a set date on when that will be unveiled, but i wanted to give you a heads up. i'm just so excited to have a portfolio of some of my favorite images. i'll keep ya posted!
ps i do still have lots of catching up to do on posting actual sessions. i had a TON of them for Christmas cards and got to take lots of pictures of some extremely adorable families, so i'll work on that as soon as i can! love to you!

::DPP 6::

Day 6...i'm trying! these are a few of my favorite things, which really aren't things at all. my handsome godson. Layton William in his warm bomber hat. what a stud!

and after having to stay away from babies for a few weeks i FINALLY got to meet Gabriel Wetherbee again! i hadn't seen him since he was a few hours old in the NICU when he decided to make his grand entrance even grander and earlier than expected. these handsome little men happen to be the sons of my good friends Shelly and Emily. i'm so thankful to have these girls in my life who share their families with me and let me have the blessing of watching them start to raise their kiddos to know and love the Lord. how do i have so many beautiful people in my life?! they are everywhere around me! merry Christmas to Gabriel, Layton, and all my other friends celebrating Christmas with little families!!

::DPP 3::

oops...missed yesterday. and technically i didn't take this picture today, but just so i don't give up entirely, i cheated (a very bad life motto). this one is from fall break with jase's family. my niece Carlie is hilarious, this is us making goofy faces. being a bad influence is what being an auntie is all about!

::December Photo Project::

Hay blogging friends! This is so fun! One of my sweet friends has done this in years past (she has adorable kiddos and a fresh eye for fun pictures) and I thought I'd give it a whirl. Join me if you want, just for fun: http://www.tredways.org/december-photo-project/

So 2 reasons I think this is cool, #1 because making sure I take at least one picture a day is fun to document the day-to-day stories that happen in our lives that make for such beautiful moments. #2, so i don't get in the habit of thinking that every picture i take has to be completely perfect photographically and so i challenge myself to just get out there and take pictures.

So sign up and lets do this together! Its for everyone and its ok if you miss a few days...so here's my December 1!

I love detail shots. Raise your hand if you agree: long eyelashes, wedding ring pictures, baby toes...this is my recently decorated Christmas tree. I love Christmas decorating (who doesnt?!) and Jase and I just put ours up yesterday. I'm slightly crazy about building family traditions while we're a young married couple. We also watched Elf/listened to the new Shane and Shane Christmas CD (two thumbs UP!) while we decked the halls. Merry Jesus Christmas to you!

::JR and Julia preview::

I'm going to need plenty of time to post on JR and Julia's maternity session; but until then, enjoy a few of my many favorites! And I hope everyone had a truly thankful Thanksgiving!!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

::weger::family::

call me crazy, but i kinda have a special place in my heart to brown-eyed kiddos. my entire family (sans moi) have beautiful brown eyes, as does my handsome husband. i always seem to photograph beautiful children, and these weger kids were just the same! go on, check em out for yourself!

cheesin' it up!

perfect sunlight while they enjoyed the tire swing

sweet Hannah

handsome Trey

tickle fight!

could he have prettier eyes?!

Hannah has such a pro grin!

Weger family, thanks so much for the fun afternoon! I'm glad we had such perfect weather!

::professional printing::

Hi friends...I'm so excited to say that I've found an online professional printing lab that I REALLY like and have started using for my sessions. Just a few aspects of this lab that I'm super excited about:
::tons of size variety from wallet size all the way to 30x40, lots of fun album options, proof books, and gallery wraps::
::GREAT price and quality...and I do mean GREAT! They even off stunning metallic printing, a type of finish that really makes color and detail POP! I plan on ordering most of my large prints on this paper. I have sample 8x10s if you'd like to see::
::quick shipping...because who wants to wait?::
::image hosting, so hopefully I can eventually start using this website to send to clients so they can purchase prints directly from the website::

Let me know if you want to see price sheets or sample prints...as you can tell I'm pretty pumped to finally have this printing company as an option. I really want to be able to offer clients the best possible images and printing is a HUGE part of that!

::Tis Almost the Season::

Don't panic! There's lots of time left until Christmas...but now that fall is upon us, its time to start pulling out the address book and updating your Christmas card list. Time to plan your matching satin and velvet outfits, checking out shutterfly.com for your fabulous family picture card, and scratching out the rough draft of your family update letter. I have lots of availability starting after October, so let me know if you're interested in having a family picture for your Christmas Card 2009 ed. I'll meet you in front of your fireplace :)

::email address is megan.doddridge@gmail.com ::

Just for fun...a few of my favorite online card stores...

shutterfly.com

tinyprints.com

photoaffections.com

::Happy Birthday, Lily!::

My dear friend Brooke asked me to help take pictures at her daughter's 6th birthday party months ago and I was WAY too happy to oblige mah-self.  Not only do I have a not-so-secret crush on her sweet sweet family, but who can turn down an invite to a carnival themed 6th birthday party?! Not having been around many 6 year olds, I forgot how much flipping fun they are! Such joy and unbridled love for each other and everything in their little world! I could go on for awhile about how much fun I had...but instead how about I just show you! I think I almost maxed out the number of images you can even put on a single blog post!!

detail shots for Brooke...she always puts SO much effort into making creative and beautiful birthday cakes for her kiddos. this year Lily got one big flower cake and lots of little dragonfly cupcakes. colorful and oh.so.adorable!

carnival games in eager anticipation of small children to play!

is that the face of a birthday girl on her big day or what?!

love her butterfly clip. the girl knows how to accessorize!

Brooke's mom brought a HUGE bunch of beautiful balloons! the most perfect grandma i think any girl could ask for

I think this picture just sums Brooke up so well: so happy and carefree...beautiful mother

a little DOF just for you, Brookie

this series almost makes me tear up with its sheer cuteness. Max is one of the cutest little guys...and I just love the interactions between him and the guys in their family.

craft table

Brooke had a great playlist for the afternoon. I think Lily is dancing to Sound of Music here. Reason #28374 i love her. She just dances to the soundtrack of her own life :)

game time!

at some point a girl is just SICK of gettin her picture taken. priceless, Lil!

little girls are the sweetest!

it was so precious how they all congregated further back in the woods to enjoy their dragonfly cupcakes...

how sweet is this little miss?

Maxo goin in for more cupcake

Alberta, the tank of a dog, enjoying some birthday cake too

Berenstain Bairs and too much birthday fun...

oh the victory of the birthday gifts

more DOF and detail for Brooke. there were so many pretty and colorful details!

I think this pretty much sums up Brooke and her husband Josh. I love to see grown ups flirt!

{sigh!} What a FUN day! This afternoon was so full of color and laughter and hugging. These are the kinds of things I hope I'm up to the task for if the Lord provides us with children in our future. Special moments that celebrate life and joy in such simple and thoughtful ways.  I truly hope for Lily that as she grows up she remembers these beautiful childhood memories.