Delightful. Energetic. Whimsical.

These are the words that come to mind when I look at Grace Louise Photography.  There are some people that as soon as you see their picture, you know you want to be friends with them and find out all about their world.  I was fortunate enough to get a little insight into her delightful photography and what inspires her. Grace Louise of Grace Louise Photography is this week’s Member of the Week.

I asked Grace how she started in photography, she answered, “ As a kid I used to play around with film and Polaroid cameras, and finally made the leap to digital in January 2011. I was finishing Nursing School at the time and was very busy, so several months later when I finished I decided to make photography more than just a hobby, and so I started Grace Louise Photography. As a Nurse, I only work 3 days a week, which has allowed me plenty time to grow my new business. It has also allowed me to have fun and be pretty laid back, as it is not my primary source of income.”

I am always interested to know where members get their inspiration from, when I asked Grace she said, ” My inspiration comes from everything around me, from the beauty I see in nature, my love for God, my hubby who is a very talented musician, my fellow photographers, family and friends, and the uniqueness I see in every single person who steps in front of my camera.My favorite things to photograph are kids laughing and making faces, families loving on one another, couples adoring each other, people being themselves in a comfortable environment. Lifestyle sessions and events where special moments are captured candidly are my true passion.”

As photographers, we always like to know what’s in the bag. Grace answered, “ Inside my beautiful Kelly Moore B Hobo bag is a full frame Nikon d700 and d7000. Nikkor 50 1.4, a Nikkor 24-70 2.8, and a Lensbaby Composer Pro with the Sweet 35 optic. Though I shoot mostly natural light, I also always carry my sb700 speedlight with a Gary Fong and a reflector. Shoved in the side pockets you will find memory cards, extra batteries, colored gels, extra filters, spare keys, multiple chapsticks, candy, misplaced cash and checks for session fees and tons of gum wrappers.”

So in wrapping up, I asked Grace what what type of  advice would you give your younger self just starting out.  She answered, “ Relax! The client’s mood and behaviors will be a direct reflection of yours, so always have fun, and don’t take yourself so seriously! Oh, and sometimes it’s ok to say NO. When I first started, I was unsure of myself and didn’t want to make waves, so when someone requested an open field on a bright sunny day with terrible lighting, I agreed or when family members suggested certain poses I knew weren’t flattering, I said sure. I ruined a lot of good pictures because of my uncertainty. Now, I do take input, but I assure the clients I know what I am doing when they suggest something that I know won’t work.”

Thanks Grace for your time. If you would like to see more of her work you can find her corner of the web HERE. 

Now that summer is in full swing, I’m sure many of you have been tending to your gardens.  As an avid gardener, I’ll often take time out to photograph the flowers I work so hard on helping grow. However, I am the first to admit, my flower photography is lacking.  This is where I met Justin Jayubo  to help me and others who might be challenged in this area of photography. I met Justin on Twitter and soon started to follow his photography. He is a student of the arts and freelance photojournalist based in Northern California. While keeping a diverse style in shooting,  his main subjects include landscapes, nature, sports, and street photography. Aside from photography and school, he enjoys collecting art, traveling, comic conventions, video games, and spending time with family.

Justin breaks it down for us into five easy tips on how to photograph flowers.

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Environment – I usually find myself doing macro shots in the morning or late afternoon. The direct light on flowers can really throw off the colors I look for. Shadows and highlights can be hard to avoid during the day when the sun is shining on almost everything. If wind is a problem, then I avoid using a tripod, and use the lens image stabilization.

2.Water the Plants/Flowers – Water can give the petals a more rich and healthy color. The droplets add a new dimension with their reflection, which I always find interesting. Don’t hose the flowers soaking wet, but enough to make it look natural.

3. Know Your Bloom – Find out what exactly you’re shooting, what time of year they bloom, and what they look like at all stages of life. If you’re shooting something that blooms once a year, then make sure you get what you want before the flowers wilt. I always make sure to get pictures of cherry blossoms once spring arrives.

-4.Smaller Aperture – Having a smaller aperture will bring more of the image in focus. If you want more of the flowers in focus, then more depth of field can give you what you want.

5. Experiment – Try composing shots at various angles and distances. Explore the possibilities and creative process before moving on. I try to find new ways to compose shots each time I go out and take pictures of flowers.

If you would like to see more of Justin’s work you can find his website HERE. You can also find him on these social media channels, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook,  and Tumblr.

We have a huge summer savings party just for you and everyone is invited! You can now save big with our prepaid packs. We have lowered the counts and the pricing on our popular sizes, 4x6s, 5x7s, 8x10s, 11×14, 16x20s, and 20x24s along with great savings on our 10-pack of our photo books.  To celebrate the virtual party savings simply click HERE. 

We want to thank you for your continued support of our company. We started a little over 10 years ago and have grown because of your support. We wanted to give back to you as you have given us so much throughout the years.  So, as a thank you we are having a Customer Appreciation Sale. Now through July 31st, 2012 you can save 25% off everything.* Code: px15kfb. Again thank you for your patronage, we hope to continue to provide excellent products and service to you  in the years to come. (*Prepaids, GiftCards, Shipping and Handling are excluded. Discount applies to Adoramapix products only)

We are excited and proud to introduce the newest product to our line-up. Drum roll please……. Beautiful Boutique Boxes! Members have been asking for some sort of beautiful box to store their photo books. Well, we listened and we now have archival boutique boxes. Whether you are presenting your photo book to your clients or want to keep it archived for yourself, these boxes are sure to impress. The boxes are $7.95 each and come in sizes 8×8 and larger. You will be able to choose your box under the “enter quantity” page. They come in this subtle but striking color of chocolate brown. If you have any questions please feel free to email libby@adoramapix.com.