Back-To-School. The Finished Product

August 29, 2016

Once all of my props were ready, I could not wait to get started with these precious back-to-school mini shoots! My first shoot was on one of the hottest days of the week with the thermometer sitting right at 100 degrees. I found a nice spot in our backyard under the trees (so it wouldn't feel like 110) and lit a few citronella candles to keep the mosquitos away (we live on the water and deal with those things even in daylight).

Eliza (6) and Alaina (4) arrived with their mom, Stacey, for their 30 minutes mini-session looking absolutely adorable and dressed for the first day of school. I could not have asked for two more perfect subjects - so cooperative and giving me their best smiles every time! I did separate poses of both of the girls and then we ended with the two sisters smiling together. (And, thank you, Stacey, for even catching a few of me in action!)

From now until September 23rd, I'll be doing mini-sessions just like this one on Thursday and Friday afternoons from 3-6. Shoot me an email to schedule your appointment! Preschool, kindergarten, First, Second . . . they are only this little once. I would love to capture this time in their lives for you.

Karen

Vintage Back-To-School Photoshoot

August 28, 2016

When I said, "yes" to doing a fall preschool photoshoot, my mind immediately went to images of sweet, smiling faces, red apples and a vintage school desk (the same desks we used in school which makes me really old). After calling a few vintage rental stores in the area in search of a school desk to rent, I decided it would probably not be too hard to find someone willing to sell one. In just a few hours, I had found one for 20 bucks through a Facebook contact. Sold!

Before you judge my skills, I have never refinished, repurposed, refurbished or any other "re" when it comes to furniture. But, how hard could it be? Any imperfections would just add character (you'll see some "character" in the images). So, I took this wonderful, extremely brown desk (photo below taken by the seller - cats not included) and began the process of turning it into something photo worthy.

For those of you who have done simple projects like this, you'll notice right away that I proceeded doing everything out of order (I spray painted the metal which meant having to protect it while I removed the stain which meant I lost some of my paint, because I'm a beginner and so on). BUT, remember I'm adding character to the desk, so it's all good!

Painted.  Ready to stain. — Painted. Ready to stain.

With the desk taken care of, I was still in need of some great vintage books. My lovely sister-in-law had given me a great set of uncovered books that I was really excited about using. I decided to add a few classic titles to the scene, too. I started shopping on Etsy (love Etsy!) and I found a great set of classic Bobbsey Twin books as well as a set that included Peter Rabbit, Stewart Little and Charlotte's Web. Too cute to pass up!

I used these three books in a basket (TJ Maxx) and put the Bobbsey Twin set in the inside of the desk to add detail.

With a small globe from TJ Maxx and mason jar full of pencils, I was ready for my first client!

Love these uncovered books!  Thank you, Erin!! <3 — Love these uncovered books! Thank you, Erin!! <3

The stain on the desk dried on Wednesday and I was ready for my first photoshoot on Friday - that's a quick return on investment! Eliza (6) and her sister Alaina (4) were my first clients and these sweet girls were absolutely adorable! The images turned out exactly as I had hoped and I can't wait to share them with you!

Stay tuned for my next post and this precious Back-to-school photoshoot!

Karen

Hello . . . It's Me!

August 25, 2016

So, this is the beginning. . . Welcome to my blog! Until now, I have avoided doing a blog like the plague! Almost every photographer I know has a blog and updates it with their latest work from engagement sessions to weddings to family portraits. To me, it just seemed like something I would never have the time to keep up with and rarely have a reason to use. I’m not long-winded (not saying bloggers are!) and really just enjoy sharing my photography and letting it speak for itself. HOWEVER, this summer has been a busy one and I have some exciting projects in the works! What better way to share my excitement and the progress of these projects than in a blog? But . . . with that being said, I’m also not going to promise daily updates or that it will live beyond Christmas. However, I’ll do my best. Here it goes!

There are three major projects I am working on between now and October – one is even international (Oh, la, la! No, I’m not going to Paris.). I’ll tell you about the first one and you’ll have to keep reading my blog to find out about the others (the suspense is intense, I know). The first is going to come as a complete shock to many who know me – Back-To-School Portraits!

As some of you know, I normally do not photograph anything that breaths (so portraits are usually out), BUT I’m actually excited about this! An opportunity fell into my lap this spring that is taking me out of my comfort zone as a photographer. It’s even given me a chance to “shabby up” an old school desk (not something I've done before) and shop for vintage children’s books (big shout out to Etsy!) to get ready for the shoot. It has come together just as I had imagined it and I can’t wait to get started!

I’ll be offering mini-sessions in my backyard studio (can I call it that?) and then tackling an entire preschool this fall. Coming to the blog this weekend will be my vintage school desk project (before and after) along with my practice photo shoot with a sweet, first grader, Eliza. I’ll be available for hire and scheduling appointments over the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for information soon! So that you don't miss a beat, be sure to follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/karenhibbardphotography/ and Instagram @karenhibbard.

Thanks for reading my first blog entry! Here’s to new adventures and stepping out of the boat!