Dance in the Studio | Winter Ballerina, High School Senior Session It’s not often that I get to photograph my high school seniors in the snow, so I always love the opportunity to try something new and see what happens. This month I had the pleasure of photographing Rebecca, a high school senior who attends an out-of-town performing arts school, where she focuses on her dance studies. It was such a treat to have her come and play (with ballet!) and to share her talents and her love for what she does. It’s so inspiring to see so much focus, talent and passion in these kids. See for yourself, in her highlight reel below....
What’s Your Vote? | Black & White vs. Color Check out the shot from a recent Tween session with the lovely Sophie. I kinda love this, but can’t decide which I like better – black & white… or color. What’s your vote?? If you’re interested in learning more about the power of the Tween Sessions, or nominate your daughter or another special Tween in your life for the upcoming model sessions, click HERE to learn more and to sign up. Tween Sessions at the Studio: Click for Video & More info...
Tween Sessions & The “Who I Am” Project In my studio, I see many sweet little ones, many high school seniors, many entrepreneurs – all coming in for portraits to tell the story of these important times of life. Celebrate achievements, get those “have to” images, and capture times we typically think of capturing. What I’m finding, in my years as a pro photographer, is there’s this big age range that gets overlooked – that Tween age that starts around 9 until hitting the official 1-3…and teenagerhood. This time of life is also a huge transition, as I’m sure we can all remember. It can be confusing, and self-confidence and self-image can get shaky. For me, personally, this was a time of braces, permed hair, shoulder pads (ugh) and huge pink glasses that allowed me to see the chalkboard. I felt like the opposite of beautiful. I was lacking in confidence and in self-belief. Looking back at those images of me now, I see so much there – so much beauty, so much ability. I wish I could go back and give Tween Me a hug and show her how great she really was and let her know that everything was going to be a-okay and to not worry so much. With this project and with these sessions, I’m making it my personal mission to capture those lost preteen years. The goal is to help tweens look and feel beautiful and have unshakable confidence in themselves when they hit junior high or middle school. In comes the “Who I am” project and Tween sessions….Click here to read more on...
Announcing the 2014 Summer Series Photography Sessions for Kids! This year we’ll have a variety of fun themes to engage the little ones and bring their best expressions so you’ll have your fantastic Summer memories to enjoy all year long. We’ll be (mostly) photographing at our NEW studio space. We’re still in the same building on Bryant Drive, just with a little more room for kids to run around. Here is the run-down (more F.A.Q. below): Frequently Asked Questions about our uber-Special Summer Series Photography Sessions for Kids: 1. I have 3 (or more) children. Can I bring them all? Yes, of course, but I do ask you to book an additional time slot to ensure we have appropriate time to give them all equal smile time in front of the lens. This goes for buddies, cousins, parents, etc. If two sessions still isn’t enough time for you, consider booking a regular family session where you can have your whole family photographed for a whole hour! 2. I have a child who is going to be a high school senior this fall. Can they use this for their senior session. First of all, congrats on surviving the roughest years of teenagerhood! Second, these sessions are designed for younger children and to capture their spirit in an age-appropriate way. Photographing high school seniors is a very different thing. If you’re interested in booking a senior session with me, please let’s do chat. If a mini-session type of arrangement would work best for your needs, please let me know. I may offer this for a limited number of senior sessions, but...
Before Dr. James Rouse came to the studio, I’ve never had a client move more than me in a photoshoot. Halfway into our shoot, I had to ask if he needed to take a break, I felt like I’d been pushing him too hard. But he didn’t need to rest – his energy levels were through the roof. I had to keep reminding myself who I was working with here… Dr. James is a powerhouse of productive living. He is a Naturopathic Doctor, an entrepreneur, certified yoga instructor, wellness magazine founder, speaker, author, radio talk show host, QVC Network Wellness Doctor, Ironman triathlete, Dr. James does it all. He speaks with such enthusiasm and conviction about the wellness lifestyle, you come away feeling inspired to take better care of yourself — and to enjoy your life more. This is very true. If you’re like me, you find a kindred spirit in other entrepreneurs – read more about Dr. James in some of his highly regarded endeavors: Optimum Wellness Think. Eat. Move. mix1 Skoop AND…more exciting news… Dr. James and his beautiful wife, Dr. Debra Rouse, have a new book, titled “Think Eat Move Thrive” set to publish in September of this year. You can pre-order your book on Amazon today. The book’s cover photo is by your favorite portrait photographer (cough, ahem, me). Check out some more excellent active portrait photography below. If you’re not inspired to move by the end of this post, I’ll be very surprised. I feel like I’ve been sitting too long writing this post. The beautiful couple: Drs James and Debra Rouse I know I’m going to be picking up a copy –...
Jani radiates a warm confidence – she’s the first one to come up and introduce herself at a gathering (this is exactly how I met her!). Her firm-grip handshake tells the story of her ability to connect and to be genuine and compassionate. Jani is a life coach, who calls on her lifetime of experience and the wisdom gained through her own transformation to inspire and encourage her clients. Jani was recently featured in the Evergreen publication, JustAroundHere.com. It’s a great write-up and I’m not going to attempt to out-write a writer, but I will share with you some of my favorite photos from our session! Please comment below and say “hi” to Jani. You can find out more details on working with Jani and upcoming workshops at her website, LoveLightTLC.com xo,...
Photoshoot concepts sometimes come with premeditation, sometimes they come on-the-fly. Often, for me, it’s a combination. I’ll hear about some photographers who will fully map out a shoot and have a firm strategy before the shutter snaps once. I think that’s amazing and I wonder if that’s something to aspire to achieve? Maybe. I don’t know if my brain will every be that organized. For this shoot, I had a strong vision going in of exactly what I wanted. And I got it (secret: it’s the fifth image from the top). But then I kept shooting, playing with angles and working with Charistina’s ideas and what she brought to the table (creek, ground, whatever). And I loved these even more. Welcome to images that I love and that were started with a simple idea and then – with intention, conversation, meditation and experimenting with angles and with post-processing became something I will always hold dear. This shoot was done in collaboration with Charistina Armbruster, an amazing model, creative thinker, and someone who gets things done. She is warm and kind – an all-around wonderful person. The beauty you see here is on par with what she carries inside. I share these images and hope you feel a connection to them as well. The first shot was featured in Vogue Italia’s online publication (very exciting for both Charistina and me!). You can click on the image to visit the Vogue Italia site. xo, Katy...
Mary is one of those people who immediately makes you feel comfortable, like an old friend where you pick up a fun conversation with no effort. It makes sense that Mary is in a field where she is helping people. She helps you break through mental blocks and find and live your dreams. Pretty darn amazing. I’m so glad to have met another great person in Evergreen! You can learn more about Mary and see how she can help you find your path to success at her website: TapIntoAction.com Through Mary, I also met her husband Bruce, who is an amazing acupuncturist. He saved me from some incredible pain from a shoulder injury (these cameras get HEAVY!). I highly recommend him! You can find him sharing an office suite with Mary – these two are an adorable couple. Check out Bruce’s website here: 7MountainsAcupuncture.com xo,...
Wishing you and yours… February 14, 2014
She strapped on her $200 tango shoes before stepping into the rocky, swiftly flowing stream… I love almost every photo session I do. But I have to say the more creative shoots – the ones that push both me and my subjects (and the other creatives that are hard at work behind-the-scenes) to shift our thinking, push our mental boxes a bit wider, and inspire more interesting things, have a special place in my heart. Every time I do these shoots, I’m raising my bar a little higher. We could get into more psychology here, but I’m going to stick to visual things and share images from a creative shoot with Cindy Gottlob. Cindy had a career with the Joffrey ballet and is now a mom, competitive tango dancer, dance instructor, and all-around excellent person with an endless font of creativity. I’m so thankful to have met her and look forward to doing more with her in the future! Thanks also to Jennifer Ngo, our hair and makeup artist. She can work both in and out of water. This shoot provided a wide range of images. We had a good amount of time to play and a long summer evening. We experimented in the studio, in the water, on the trail and in the grass. And those shoes? Cindy said that the water helped shrink them back to a tight, proper fit. Risk-taking has perks! Would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. What kind of creative shoot would YOU like to see? xo,...
