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Category Archives: everything else

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Photo Tip {candlelight services}

December 23, 2008 –

This is one of my favorite Christmas 2007 pictures…it is Corbett and Chris at our Christmas Eve Candlelight service. Part of the challenge for candlelight services is you can’t use a flash…for one it is hugely distracting and two it destroys the feel of the moment. So here are some tips depending on your camera and understanding:

If you have a point and shoot or a dslr, but don’t really understand more than automatic shooting you will need to first turn off your flash. If your camera has a night mode, try that. If not use the auto setting and either hold your camera very still or sit it on something sturdy for the shot. Using the self-timer option will also help with keeping it sharp. You will need to be steady and still.

If you have a dslr and understand its manual settings….flash off, use a high ISO (mine was around 600), slow shutter speed (mine was around 1/60), low aperture (mine was f/2.8) and a sturdy hand/lap/tripod.

By AshleyAnn | Also posted in be creative {DIY} | Comments (2)

server issues

December 22, 2008 –

Well I had a couple of things to post early this week, but I am having server issues. Don’t be surprised if in the next two weeks this blog disappears for a couple of days. I’ll work to get it back up asap. If I get the server stuff taken care of today, I’ll try to post later today….the joys of technology!

By AshleyAnn | Comments (0)

Toys for Tots 2008

December 18, 2008 –

I don’t have the exact numbers, but this year my church hosted about 16,000 people on campus last Sunday and gave away toys for 5,700 kids. We have hosted the local Toys for Tots event for several years now and I think it is safe to say this was the biggest year thus far. The families were entertained by a great show then the kids headed off to a party while the parents did a little shopping. It is an amazing event to be a part of…

By AshleyAnn | Also posted in personal | Comments (4)

DIY {picture & artwork displays}

December 15, 2008 –

A couple of posts back Charissa left a comment asking for some ideas on how to display pictures and kid’s artwork. Well the weekend got away from me, but I was able to photograph a couple from my house. I have a few others to share, but I have to finish painting some walls before I get them hung so that will have to wait. I am constantly changing what is on my walls and my kids are constantly coming up with great artwork I want to display. Traditional frames don’t work to good for me…and the constant change. Both of these are pretty simple, don’t cost much and are super easy to change out.

The first is in the boy’s room. I took simple wood clipboards and nailed them to the walls. The boys pick what pictures they want and they can display their artwork or letters from friends. In our old house I covered a hallway wall from top to bottom with clipboards…fun for a hallway.

The second is in Rett’s room. I bought wood pant hangers from Walmart and hung the pictures using those. I mounted my pictures on syrene board, but you can do something similar at home by using spray adhesive and matboard. You don’t need a peg rail to do this, you could nail decorative knobs, nails, hooks, etc. to the wall and hang from those. This could also look really fun in a long hallway. I actually have the onesie Rett wore home from the hospital also hanging by this type of hanger in his room…endless possibilities. Just to answer the questions now…that is me one week before I had Rett and again when he was 1 week old.

And finally here is a collection of more ideas for ways to display artwork or pictures. The examples use both art and pictures, but I think all of them could go either way…

Cork Lamp by Something’s Hiding in Here

DominoMag has an entire online gallery of ideas - love these

Photojojo Re-stickable Wall Decal Photo Frames

Photojojo Magnetic Photo Rope

Photojoj Fotoclips

UrbanOutfitters Picture Window

Camp Creek Blog’s Plexi Glass room divider - this link also links to several other great ideas

By AshleyAnn | Comments (8)

DIY {Christmas Stuff}

December 12, 2008 –

I haven’t had time to do one of these posts in a while. I have not made or bought one Christmas gift!!!!! I am so behind! I fully intend to make a lot of my gifts, looks like I need to get busy. Here are some fun ideas for gifts or gift related things:

“Recycled” Cake Stands by Kate via Design*Sponge

Pom Pom gift toppers by Creature Comforts

Flower Pinwheel free download by Heather Bailey - cute for girls

Candy Coins by Martha Stewart - fun stocking stuffer for kids learning about money

Handmade Ornaments using capice shells by Spagat (found via Bloesem)

There was a comment asking for some ideas on different ways to display pictures and kids artwork. I am working on that post and will hopefully share it on Monday…

By AshleyAnn | Comments (2)

Santa’s Wonderland: Bass Pro Shops

December 10, 2008 –

A few people asked where we did Santa pictures at…Bass Pro Shops is the answer. This is our second year to do it there and I’ll keep going every year they offer it. Santa is so nice, he’s got a real beard. This year he sits in front of his house with reindeer behind him. There is also an entire Wonderland around him with tons to do for kids. They have all kinds of games and everything is free including the picture. I love that they let parents bring their own cameras and take as many as they want…much better than a blurry $15.00 mall pic. We went on a Monday night and it was empty. The Wonderland is open during the days and is empty, but Santa is only there in the evenings. It has been a fun thing to get out of the house in the cold weather for us. We don’t really make a deal about Santa, the boys know the story of Saint Nicholas and that “Santa” isn’t real….but the pictures every year are a fun decoration in the house. Yes, I will make them do it as teenagers - they’ll love me! I figure they’ll go through the “I hate this” phase and then they do something goofy like dress like elves or something…either way it shows their personality at that age :)

By AshleyAnn | Comments (4)

SnapShops 2009

December 9, 2008 –

Frustrated with your point-and-shoot you made the investment in a dslr and still aren’t getting the shots you hoped for? Are you stuck in the automatic mode? Do the words ‘aperture’, ’shutter speed’, ‘ISO’ and ‘exposure’ sound like a foreign language to you, but one you would like to learn to speak? SnapShop is just for you. I would love to spend a Saturday to help you go from knowing how to take a picture to understanding the basics of photography to enable you to beautifully capture the moments of your life.

What you will need to attend: a dslr camera…that’s it

A few things we’ll cover:

The basics of photography - what you need to shoot in manual

General Rules of Composition

Lighting: How to get great indoor and outdoor shots

How to capture moments, not poses

2 Live mini-shoots (one inside, one outside)

Q&A times with me

Hands-on practice throughout the day

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

I will offer several workshops depending on demand. Each workshop will be limited to 8-10 participants. It will last all day one Saturday and will take place in the late spring and early summer 2009, exact dates to be announced. Fall workshops are a possibility if there is an interest. So what you really want to know…how much? Each workshop will be $199.00 and will include everything (including meals). How can you sign up? When a SnapShop date is announced on the blog it will be a first to email gets the slot basis. I won’t be announcing any dates until the spring.

I am really excited about this. I am pumped to get to spend several Saturdays a year helping others learn how to get great photographs of their kids (or whatever else!). If you saw my post yesterday, you know I love the day to day pictures of my kids. Those are the ones I treasure…those are the type of pictures I want to help others get everytime, not just by accident. I hope you all are excited too!

***shout-out to my sis for my killer SnapShop logo. Don’t you love how the bird looks like it just floated in and landed :) Check out her blog, she posted a cinammon recipe that is hands-down the best cinammon rolls I have ever had. Hands down. I’m drooling thinking about them.

By AshleyAnn | Comments (21)

the major, huge news….

December 8, 2008 –

Well this is a long post….I am going to begin with some of my favorite family pictures from the last couple of years….

Hudson (10 months) being tickled by Chris

Hudson’s first bike ride

Corbett kickin’ it on his tricycle

Hudson at his 1st birthday - when I took him away from the cupcake

Corbett playing in the rain…he’s often serious even in play

When we moved into our house we had to add dirt to the yard….a boy’s heaven

Corbett & Hudson playing in a box

Corbett’s response to being snuggled by a girl

Last year’s ice storm…the car seats were in the house and they moved them to the back door and stared out in sadness that they were stuck inside

Their first ride on their Arctic Cat

Coming up the stairs at the park

Everett a couple of hours old

Everett taking a nap on my bed

Hudson at a splash park

Corbett building with legos while waiting to swim

This summer the boys loved eating breakfast in the backyard

Hudson playing at the park

So you are probably wondering what so many family pictures have to do with changes to my business…here goes. The pictures above are random moments I had my camera nearby and was able to capture. The boys aren’t dressed up in any, they aren’t posed in any….just my boys being themselves. They are the pictures that remind me of who they were at a particular age. I can look at these pictures and remember things they loved, what they did, who they were. It is pictures like this that I love to take and what I want to empower others to do. So what is the big change? Starting in 2009 Ashley Ann Photography will no longer offer portrait sessions, but instead will focus on teaching the basics of photography to others and helping local photographers grow their businesses. Simply stated….I am no longer offering sessions to current or new clients. I do have a few in 2009 that were booked months ago, but other than those I will not be offering sessions. You can now find under the “info” tab at the top of the blog a page listing local photographers. If you are a local photographer and want your name added, shoot me an email. As far as the teaching aspect goes…check back tomorrow for the official announcement and information.

I am totally pumped about this change, but I know many of you are not. I am fully aware that many of you were planning on emailing me in January to get on a new client list….I apologize for any disappointment this causes. If you are a current client and haven’t checked your email today - you are probably shocked by this. Please go check your email (spam folder too).

I love photography and I have been abundantly blessed by the friendships I have now as a result. I am also crazy about my family and am looking forward to no longer doing an endless juggling act between the two. I’ll still be posting on the blog…some charitable work, previously booked sessions, a couple of weddings, and so on. Thanks for your support and please check back tomorrow….the fun news will be posted then :)

My sister compared this to finding out The Gap no longer sells clothes….made me laugh, but I know some of you are pretty bummed. Sorry to start your Monday off rough, but the good news is it is also like finding out The Gap is going to teach you how to make their clothes! Okay, bad comparison but you get the idea :)

By AshleyAnn | Also posted in personal | Comments (16)

World AIDS Day

December 1, 2008 –

We had a GREAT Thanksgiving and took advantage of the warm weather on Friday to head to a tree farm and cut down our Christmas tree. I have some pictures from that I want to share, but today is World AIDS Day. I’d rather call attention to that today than post my Christmas tree pictures.

Today 4,100 people with die from AIDS in Sub-Sahara Africa….TODAY!

An estimated 12.1 million children under the age of 18 have lost at least one parent in Sub-Sahara Africa. The thought of my children growing up without Chris or I is pretty close to unbearable for me - yet, this is common for millions of children.

There is an abundance of ways to you can help the AIDS epidemic. There is an abundance of information on how to be involved and informed….here’s a few

(RED) products: Apple, Gap, Starbucks, Hallmark are among the few that sell products with a percentage of profits helping those infected with AIDS

(RED) video: See the affects of what $.40 a day for 2 pills can make in the life of a man, woman, or child battling AIDS

World Vision: Take a virtual tour in the life of a child infected with AIDS

Samaritan’s Purse: Several videos and stories regarding the international Christian response to the disease

Bread For the World: Find information on how the AIDS epidemic has affected deaths due to starvation and poverty

**image above from www.joinred.com

By AshleyAnn | Comments (0)

Christmas Orders {due tomorrow}

November 19, 2008 –

Just a reminder if you want your order in time for Christmas the deadline is tomorrow - Nov. 20th.

By AshleyAnn | Comments (0)