Meet Baby Riley

This past weekend, Anthony and I had some friends over for lunch. They brought over their 3-month old baby, Riley - she was the sweetest girl I'd ever met! So, naturally, I had to capture her sweetness. 

Sidenote: Riley is so proper that she even lets her parents know when she's about to cry before she lets tears out! Fair player. Happy Monday! :)  

Marine Park

Another gorgeous day in Washington over the weekend (I probably sound annoying now because I keep talking about the weather, haha). As mentioned last week, I'd keep shooting. And just keep shooting. These are the results.

My favorite!

Then I came across this little angel. I had to gain confidence and ask to snap a few shots of her. I mean, look at that face. I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by! 

Her adorable pink skirt! And tiny pink shoes. 

I must say I'm pretty proud of myself. I can't be scared. Just got to snap shots and keep practicing! 

Branding

This is where things get a little tricky. I've been reading so much about owning a small business, specifically a photography business. DO's & DON'Ts. And to be honest, it's a little overwhelming! One thing remains constant, however, and that is how you brand your business.


Some advice I've come across is "find your style..." or "find your true self..." (which was always too vague for me - I would just think to myself, "uhh..I'm right here..") But last night I had an "ah-ha" moment at 2:00am (I thought all nighters were only a college habit for me?!) and everything made sense. I stumbled upon Promise Tangeman's blog and found this little gem.

Credit: Promise Tangeman

Now, you may be thinking - that's all wrong! But allow me to quote her:

"Do you ever have that feeling in your gut of just exactly how something SHOULD be? Let’s use a photographer as an example. You know that moment when you are shooting the same subject with another photographer and you think, “That needs to be shot from here, at this angle, with this setting.” Or that feeling of, “This is what I would do if I were in that situation.” That may sound arrogant, but it’s not….that is your STYLE talking. You may not be able to see your own style for a while, but the more you shoot, create, make, and design, the more your style will be revealed over time. Soon others will be able to recognize your style too. Or they may even be the first to notice! create, create, create, and then look back to see how you have evolved and developed as an artist. And your style will be shining bright." 

That's happened to me so many times - it just never clicked that it would be considered "my style." I've been limiting myself to what I found on Pinterest or other sites. So, this weekend I will be stepping away from my computer and shooting pictures, figuring out how I want to compose the shot, bringing out the good ol' pen and paper, and designing how I want to brand my business. Come Monday, I'll put it all together in Photoshop and make it work (and if I can't figure it out, I'll find a way). Stay tuned because you may just see something totally different on my blog. ;)  But before I can be that ambitious, I have to finish the laundry and walk Molly. Until then, have a GREAT weekend! 

Day at the Park

We've been fortunate enough to have beautiful Washington weather this past week. So what would most Washingtonians do on a Sunday to soak up the sun? Well, go to the park that is!

In Molly news, she was so excited to go to the dog park! We rolled down the windows and let her be.

Having the sun out and a pet just makes everything better!

Arizona Sun Shots

Arizona. Surprisingly a state I came to love (mostly because of its scenery). The surrounding area is filled with mountains and open fields - perfect for setting up a shoot with Emma. Shade was hard to come across so we just had to suck it up and shoot with the sun staring right back at us. Little did we know this would make for stunning shots! Look at those bold blue eyes! 

 The next two shots give off a little "vintage" vibe, if you will. 

Emma's a great sport! Throughout the shoot I kept telling her to "bear with me" as I fiddled with my camera settings a lot (trying to get it "just right" because the sun was so dominant). Shooting in the sun may seem like an easy task...but don't let it fool you. 

Amanda and the City

It's not everyday we get nice weather in Tacoma, Washington. But when we do...you can bet it's the nicest weather around. So when the sun came out this past week Amanda and I walked downtown and treated ourselves to a few little cupcakes. They were quite delicious!

While living in Washington I've learned to appreciate when the sun is out... and every second of it! Because tomorrow will more than likely be just another rainy day. Oh, and cupcakes. How can we not appreciate those little treats? 

Brand Spankin' New

I couldn't be more thankful/stressed for this new adventure. Allow me to recap the past 3 months of my life:

• February - Move from Arizona to Washington state 
• March - Draft business plans & buy a new house
• April - Move into new house & unpack (not my favorite) 

BUT! As I launch my new business and decorate our new house, my husband and I welcome in a new member of the Lupo family! I now introduce you to little Molly Lupo  :) Our adopted 9-year old German Shepard. 

She's been the perfect addition to our family! So, that's all. I'm excited for the journey to come. Stay tuned (for the next few years) as I'll be posting more pictures of my life, ideas, projects, etc. It'll be fun. I promise.