Category: Photography News
Happy Mother’s Day. 2013.
May 11, 2013 2:51 pm
To all of the beautiful and amazing mamas out there, I wish you a Happy Mother’s Day! I am honored to photograph you with your families and so proud of you for getting in front of the camera, although sometimes hard to do!
You are mighty! Click HERE for encouraging words.
Welcome 2013! {Snohomish and King County, WA child, family, and senior photographer}
January 8, 2013 2:32 pm
Happy New Year! Super excited for all that 2013 may hold for myself and for our family! Bring it.=)
Wanted to let you all know of a little special I have going on right now… A January booking special!
That’s right… for the month of January, book a portrait session ANYTIME during this year {I am returning back from maternity leave March 15th, so ANYTIME between March 15th and Dec. 1st} and receive 30% off of your Portrait Session! And, this kind of a sale doesn’t happen often folks, so if you are on the fence about booking a family session or scheduling your Senior their portrait session, DO IT NOW!
Make THIS year… 2013. The year that you capture your family’s love for one another! Those smiles. That contagious laughter. The sweet love you share with one another. Let me capture it all for you. To remember in photos!
Happy 2013!
2012 Highlights…
December 28, 2012 7:29 pm
What a year 2012 has been! I am just so thankful that I get to do what I do… photograph some beautiful peeps! My favorite is catching the silly smile that shy little boy gave. Or, the outrageous laughter of that sweet girl. Or, the knowing, proud, and loving eyes of mom and dad engaging their precious children. Or, the moments when the Senior relaxes in front of my camera. All these things are why I love what I do!
And, I’m so excited for the new year to come! Getting to catch more of these precious moments on film.
So, I thank you, dear friends. For trusting me to capture your memories and the people you hold most dear in your life. I put together a little highlight reel of some of my faves from this past year! Hope you enjoy…
And, stay tuned… for a little special I will be running for January. Deets to come very soon!
Wow… i think this is my third blog post this week. That might be a record for me!
I just wanted to send out a quick reminder to ANYONE who might be interested in booking a family portrait session OR a senior portrait session, to contact me soon to be put on the schedule. I am currently looking at my calendar and realizing that the Fall season is quickly approaching {I’m not ready for that yet! I am a tried and true Summer girl!}.
Anywho, I am currently booking for the month of September and the beginning part of October… A GREAT time to do your family portraits! Early Fall is such a beautiful time because the weather is so nice still, with just a touch of crispness in the air! A great time to break out those stylin Autumn outfits for you and your family and get together with the ones you love to capture something timeless!
And, if you need a little convincing on why you should book a family session now or a little about what I offer in your own custom family portrait experience, check out a recent post I wrote HERE!
And, a reminder that once mid-October hits, I will be taking a little break… to finish a very special project I’ve been workin on… the birth of our third child, due at the end of November! But, don’t worry, I will be back into the swing of things again come the following Spring {Spring 2013} after my maternity leave.
So, don’t delay! Call me. Email me. NOW! To begin talking about YOUR special family portrait session.
And, as a thank-you to SO many returning clients {which I LOVE to see again and again}, I currently offer a little discount off of your next portrait session! Some of you may have seen this coupon before if you have already had your session this year. I include this coupon as part of my packaging of orders.
**See coupon below or contact me for details.
Happy Friday, dear friends!
Those that know me know that I am passionate about displaying your precious family photos!
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
In a book. On the wall.
In your home.
I have designed a couple of walls in our home to do just that and have in my head, the goal of adding more or even changing it up as our family adds on. I even have a pinterest board that offers SO many ideas on how to display your photos in so many creative ways!
With several of my latest family sessions, I have also included in the galleries some examples of how to display YOUR family portraits. Sometimes it is difficult to “see” how to do this and that is why I LOVE these templates! It shows families many different options of how to display your portraits on the walls of your home.
So, my dear families… if you haven’t had a chance yet… go check out some of the many different display collections I offer. Both in lovely canvas gallery wraps and in framed collections {Prints only. Frames not included}. And, if you don’t see something that you like, have no fear! We can work together to put a BEAUTIFUL wall together in your home using your newest portraits taken by me! As always, I am happy to help with this!
For now… I leave you with just a couple of examples from one of the latest family sessions I had!
Family Rules Subway Art ~ FREE ~ printable {Monroe, WA photographer}
December 14, 2011 2:40 pm
Jeff and I have been talking for quite some time about outlining a family “vision” for our family. You know, in the way that large cooperations, church’s, or businesses do so. We wanted to brainstorm something and write it down about what kind of family we want to be, how we want to raise our children and define our marriage, and ultimately, how we want our family to live. We have talked about this for sometime.
Enter in the very popular Subway Art to spark an idea in my head. You have probably seen beautiful pieces or worded art from places like, Red Letter Words or from Etsy. I LOVE the way that some of them has a rustic etched on wood look and I most likely will be ordering a verse on something like that in the future from one of these popular shops! BUT, I wanted to make our own Family Rules Subway Art and so Jeff and I sat down and began brainstorming some of the things we wanted it to say.
Have a looksie right here…
**You’ll have to forgive the bad lighting. This picture was taken at night in our dimly lit dining room area.
Anyway, it has been quite popular around here since we hung it up. We have had conversations with our kids what each of the “rules” are and what they mean. And, some of our recent guests have taken a liking to it as well, sparking some discussion about their own family visions.
You can probably tell that I am passionate about families! I talk about my own family on this blog quite a bit, I LOVE to photograph them and my husband and I love to support other families, specifically, MOMS, in this season of life. SO, I thought of no better way than to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU for such a wonderful year than to offer up our own Family Rules Subway Art to anyone who might be interested!
This is a FREE download. There are two options to download. One is sized to a 16×20 {this is the size we have in our house… fyi: I found the frame at Ikea}. Click HERE to download the 16×20. The other is sized to an 8×10, a perfect fit for a smaller frame. Click HERE to download the 8×10. Obviously, these are the Family “rules” that we brainstormed for our home, so if you would like something different, I highly recommend checking out one of the online resources I mentioned above for a custom look. BUT, if you like what I have made, then have at it! All I ask is that you please do not sell this or claim it as your own, for obvious copyright laws. Also, I would LOVE it if you joined me over at Kelly Harper Photography on FACEBOOK {just click HERE and then click “like” at the top of the page} or by following my blog! You can do so by adding me to your google reader or by subscribing in the side bar to your right.
Consider this my little Christmas present to you and your beautiful families! Thank you for reading and for encouraging me in my own motherhood journey and in my photography as well! It has been an amazing year and I am blessed to have met so many amazing people through this business.
Kelly
xoxo
Decorating my walls {Snohomish and King County, WA child and family photographer}
November 14, 2011 3:46 pm
My year is starting to wind down and what a YEAR it has been! WOW. So many fun new people I have met and had the privilege of photographing and I truly feel I have grown in my skill and honed in on what I really enjoy to capture: children and families {with a fun sprinkling of Seniors as well!}.
I wrote a post previously in the year about ‘getting that art up’! Check it out HERE if you like. It speaks about how, I believe, it is SO important to get those images hung on the walls of our homes. I encourage everyone, including MYSELF, to not just let those precious pictures sit on our computers and CD’s, but to make it a point to hang them up to display as precious works of art. Isn’t that what our children, spouses, and families are to us? Precious works of art?
I gave myself this challenge in the beginning of the year and even though it has taken me till November to take action, I did just that! I have been busy getting some pictures hung. And, I thought I would show you…
This is one space that had been driving me nutso over this past year. A blank wall above one of our couches in our living room with some outdated pictures hung on it. Well, we had OUR family photos taken by my dear friend and fellow photographer, Michelle back in August and I thought it was about time to update this wall. Here is the finished look…
Now, this wall makes me happy when I look at and see all of our shiny, happy faces.
I have two more spaces to work on and I hope to do so by the end of this year! Did I just commit myself? Geez… I better get workin! Actually, I have most of the images printed and in frames, we just need to paint before we hang. I will post about the finished results when they are completed as well!
And, if are in need of some inspiration, click HERE! A pinterest board I created for myself and for my clients that help give all sorts of ideas on how to get your art up! And, of course… if you haven’t yet seen the BEAUTIFUL wall display collections I offer, click HERE. These collections are a great way to order several different images together and I can help walk you through what would look wonderful in your home as well! If you’ve had your family photos taken this year or if you are planning on booking next year, be sure to take the challenge of getting that art up! I would LOVE to see how you display your family photos in your home! Feel free to leave a comment or post on my FACEBOOK page with a picture of how you display your family photos.
And, one last note… Like I said, I am winding down with my sessions for the year, finishing up galleries and getting clients their orders in time for the holidays. I plan on taking a bit of a break in December to spend some time with my family and getting ready for a great NEW year with some new website updates and new product announcements! Again, what a GREAT year it has been!
Kelly
xoxo
A family that plays together… {Snohomish and King County, WA Custom Family Photography}
November 2, 2011 3:00 pm
… or cuddles together… or sings together… or reads together… or laughs together…
Stays together.
Really, the list can go on and on. And, I am so blessed to get to capture it all for families. For these are the moments that are so fleeting. The times we all want to remember. The images we love to hang on our walls.
And, these moments… the cuddling, laughing, playing moments I see when I am with my families, and my shutter clicks, are the ones that make my heart swoon the most. I just love these real moments. These moments… and some pretty amazing light.
And, if you know me or if you have been a reader of this blog, you would know that my own family… my children… my husband are so dear to me. You would know that I am passionate about my job as a wife and a mom. So, it is no wonder that over the past couple of years, child and family photography has evolved into my “speciality” {I have a special heart for the Seniors as well!}. I love to take pictures of my own kids and getting to take pictures of other children and families seems to fit me so well right now. Truly, it is what I love to do!
So, I wanted to write a quick post answering just some of the questions I get when it comes to the services I offer and the CUSTOM portrait experience you get…
Where do we shoot at? What does on location mean?
My speciality is outdoor, natural light child and family photography. I like to leave the location up to you and we discuss this in emails or phone calls prior to your shoot. I help with ideas to make your family session authentically yours. Does your family like to be near the water? Would it be fun to play in the leaves together? Let’s bring a book or bubbles along to help those little guys stay interested and happy or maybe a special little stuffed animal or blankie. If you are blank on ideas for location, then let me help you. I’ve got plenty. The important thing is that we decide together and I work to make your session unique to you and your family. On location can mean anywhere really. In your front yard, near a river, or walking through a cute little town.
What will our session look like? My kids are young and have short attention spans.
Trust me… I know kids. Prior to having kids, I taught first grade for several years. And, now, I have two of my own and fully know how crazy life can be with two little ones around. During your session, we will take the time to ensure your kids are happy and content. I like to introduce myself to them first and get to know them a bit by asking them questions and engaging them on their level, before I begin snapping pictures. If they like to run and play, I let them do so, and we try and capture that. If they like to sit and smile at the camera, well, then I’ll take advantage of that as well. And, for your family moments, there will be some classic posed shots sprinkled in with some time to cuddle, laugh, and play as I stand by to capture it all. I have found my family sessions to last between 60-90 minutes, allowing for that “get to know you and get comfortable time”, stopping for snacks, moving around, etc..
Do you have a studio? What do we do if it is raining?
Nope, no studio here. I believe this is what defines my photography: using the WORLD as your studio. There is nothing that I love more than to get outside and use creation as your backdrop. I have set up in some client’s homes before and utilized the natural light flowing in from their windows and this depends on the number of people we have and what type of session that is booked, but I much rather prefer to use the mountains, the leaves, the trees, the flowers, the field, even the city as a key player in your images. If the weather forecast is calling for a strong chance of rain, then we will most likely reschedule ahead of time, however, I have found that often times, waiting till the day of, to see what the weather does, sometimes pays off. As we all know in Seattle, it can be rainy and cloudy in the morning, and clear and sunny in the late afternoon.
I have no idea what to wear or how to dress my family. Can you help with that?
Yes, of course! I consider styling to be very much a part of my job. Again, we discuss this prior to your session. I encourage my clients to coordinate their outfits together. It is best to choose a color palette of some sort and pull items of clothing for all family members from that color palette. This doesn’t mean you need to go out and purchase all new clothes for your family {unless you want to}. I encourage my clients to avoid matching items of clothing {ie. wearing all white shirts}. This is your time to shine and look GREAT!
What happens after the session? When will we get to see our images?
After your session, your images go to the editing table. Some people don’t realize how much time this takes. I pride myself in paying attention to details and providing natural, bright images to my clients. I will post a sneak peek {a sampling of a few of the images from your session} on this blog and then a full gallery which will be uploaded to my website, where you will receive a private password for you and your family to view. From there, you’ll have a month to decide and place your order and I love to help with this process. If you have a space in your home where you would like to display some images, you can check out our display collections and we can decide together what would look great in your home.
So, as you can see, I do love to offer a CUSTOM family portrait experience! I love my families and we have lots of fun together. And, if you haven’t read this article yet about not waiting to book your family portrait session, check it out HERE. I just love Deb’s words on this topic!
And, because the year is beginning to wind down here and I have had such FUN families, I thought I would show a sprinkling of some of my favorite moments from the different sessions I had this past year. If you would still like to book a CUSTOM family portrait session, there is still time this year. I have just a couple more spots open this month!
Introducing 2011 holiday cards {Snohomish and King County photographer}
October 11, 2011 1:59 pm
Is it REALLY that time of year already? The time when the holidays are nearly upon us.
If you’ve had your 2011 family session already or if you’ve got an upcoming session scheduled, then you may be starting to think about Holiday cards and showing off your beautiful images to your family and friends. I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS look forward to opening my mailbox and receiving Christmas cards from our friends and family. I especially love the ones that display family photographs and they always go on our fridge during the month of December.
Below are the 2011 holiday cards I will be offering to my clients. Priced at $45 for a 25 pack of 5×7 flat cards {with designs on BOTH sides of the card}, these designs will display your photographs in a professional and elegant way. Cover stock, Linen, or pearl paper are available and all sets include envelopes.
So, don’t delay… avoid the rush of the holiday season and get a jump on ordering your holiday cards today!
And, of course, if you are still waiting on booking your family session for the year, do that too! NOW is the time. October is all booked out. November still has a couple of openings left!
Happy day to you all!
xoxo
Kelly
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3
Card #4
Card #5
Card #6
Aloha…
July 25, 2011 8:43 pm
It is time for a little R & R for me… Over the years, Jeff and I have found that we have to be intentional with family time together. More and more lately, as life gets increasingly busy at times. I am sure everyone can relate to this!
We are so excited to be getting away for a bit with our children for some purposeful time together. We haven’t had a family vacation for awhile and it feels much needed. The anticipation has been great as we have been saving, planning, and preparing for this trip. So, that said… my office will be closed from July 27th ~ Aug. 7th. Feel free to leave a voicemail or send me an email and I will be returning all messages when we return {the week of Aug. 8th}. August is already looking to be a busy month and I am so excited for some fun sessions ahead! So stay tuned… and, of course, I will try and get up some pictures of our special time away as well!
I have SO enjoyed meeting so many new families and getting to capture their precious moments on camera this past year. I truly love doing what I do! Thank you for your support and for reading this blog.
Blessings!
2 Comments
You take beautiful pictures! I am wondering how much a family session is, with your 30% booking discount. It seems like everyone does things differently. Do you charge for the session and CD/prints seperately? Or is it all 1 bundled price? Thank you!
Nicole
Hi Nicole,
I just sent you an email with all of the details!