So…last night Chris and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a photo session. Granted, we are nearly approaching our 11 year anniversary, but better late than never. I’ll talk more about the session and why we did it at a later date, but here is a peek my sweet friend & photographer Shannon sent…
Real quick since so many asked yesterday….places to find cute tape: Craft sections at most stores now. I’ve seen tape in the dollar bins at Micheals, at Hobby Lobby, the Dollar store, etc. You can also find it by searching etsy and google. The more you buy at once online the better – saves shipping…
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Your photo posts are always helpful!
Thank you. Great and helpful post.
would love to see more posts like this. Karen Russell had a great point in her photo class about a photo being emtionally vs. a technically perfect photo.
Very helpful! Thank you so much! I always try to take similar pictures but they never turn out as good … Beautiful!
That’s helpful for me.. I feel like a lot of times I get an awesome picture and then there is a hand missing or half of a foot. I need to work on that! 
I feel SO much better! Cropping feet is my most common mistake!!! I’m constantly reminding myself to back up or drop the camera down just a tad. I look at my pics when I’ve done that and scold myself, “AMATEUR!!!” I think I will give myself a little more mercy. I started a pinboard this week of my own favorite images to remind myself that sometimes I DO get it right, though. I forget that.
your posts are always helpful!!! i mean it! all of them help me in some way or another….with photography, with my faith, with being a mom, with being creative. always helpful!
Thanks for this tips. THey are always so helpful!!
Of course it’s helpful! I constantly need reminders that even though there are things I don’t really like about pictures I’ve taken doesn’t mean they’re a total loss. There can still be wonderful memories captured in not so perfect pictures. (I’m just repeating the helpful advice I receive from this awesome mom who happens to teach an online photog. course…he, he!)
Just you, being real again…that’s why I like you so much
ashley – this was probably the best lesson I took away after SnapShops. Unfortunately, I still forget so many times and then want to smack myself later! I find that it’s so much harder when kids are in movement because I get so focused on the facial expressions that I forget what the rest of their body is doing! thanks for posting the reminder!
I loved the idea of these photos when I first saw you post it on Instagram. (I’m crystalchick.) I want to duplicate it. We have so many whirly birds right now. I agree with almost all of your ‘critiques’ above. I even agree with the horizontal one of the two boys and half of your girl. I like it. I have to remind myself constantly not to crop feet out. It’s definitely a challenge to remember all the body parts when you’re photographing quick moving children. With the IG shot where your oldest boy and your daughter’s hand are each cut out, it *might* be better if their hands were all in the shot, but I think because it crops out a hand on each side, it actually works!
Very helpful tips!
That is helpful. I really never look at my pics like that when I take them. I still do everything in auto, because I am too lazy to learn. I am wanting to start hanging pics of my girl, so this reminds me to really pay attention to what I am looking at thru my lens. Thanks!
Yes! Very helpful. On another note; I remember doing this very same thing as a kid. Helicopters. Every kid should get to play with these!
Ashley, I cracked up reading this – I knew exactly what bugged you in your first critiqued shot. Man, that snapshot course was still on of my fav things I’ve done.
And have been meaning to comment for a while now – your adoption posts have (repeatedly) moved me to tears. You guys have been in my thoughts so often. Waiting with baited breath over here…
Super helpful! I’m hoping to sign up for your class in the near future but for now I’m just soaking up all these helpful tips
Very helpful. Thank you
Thank you! Since getting our SLR I feel like I’ve spent SO much time trying to learn to take pictures in manual mode that I don’t take the time to pay attention to how I set shots up. I’m often guilty of centering subjects. One more thing to practice! I love all of your photography posts!
Love this post! The best thing a girl can do is to review and critique her own work. Cropping is so subjective and truly an art!
i love this kind of post. i find that i focus so much on the eyes, that i forget about where i am limb chopping. maybe if i ever get back button focusing down it will help. but i still love a lot of photos that aren’t technically perfect.
So helpful. Cropping is one of the hardest things, especially with kiddos. Thanks for letting us see your process!
It’s funny. I was just looking at another bloggers photos of an engaged couple and was thinking, man these are great but why did they crop his elbow out or why is the top of her head cropped off like that? I may not have noticed it so much if not for what you have stated previously on your blog. And BTW, I’ve tried that rule of thumb for myself too and am liking the results. Thanks for sharing!
I have some Washi tape (from seeing it on here and loving it!) It sits in my craft corner in the basement so when I watch tv I can glance over at it and it makes me happy. Im kind of glad I didnt know about it when I was in middle school…glitter pens and cute tape…I would never have done my work, but my notes and trapper keeper would have been super cute!
I have been reading your blog as well as another and both of you have sent and recived your paperwork at the same times and she recived her loa today so I hope yours is on the way as well praying for you all!!
I love using decorative tape and have found some at Target in the office supply section (near paper clips and rubber bands). The tape comes in a four pack of similar colors and I think there are 3-4 packages to choose from. The best part – only $4 for the four pack. Happy taping!
Good post Ashley! Love getting photo tips from you. Thank you!
oh, helicopters! I know they were not entirely the point of this post but seeing those just made my heart skip a beat! i haven’t seen helicopters or thought of them in probably 20+ years. My siblings and I loved them as children. We’d do the exact same thing! Another favorite was to peel the front ends apart when they were still green and adhere them to our nose with the sticky sap inside. Thanks for bringing back a long forgotten childhood memory!
I just found similar deco tape at Target near the office supplies. Four different colors & each pack has 4 rolls!
your photo tips are super helpful, keep ‘em coming…I have too many pics of my kids without feet and hands and I’ve never thought about it before, so thank you!!
Your “what should be different” photo posts are always very helpful. I took your snapshops course (and learned so much) and I appreciate any more visual examples you provide. Thanks!
As someone who knows nothing about photography, I have to say I think the first photo looks great with the side arms cut off. It’s a cool action shot and lets you imagine what is happening all around them.
The first photo that you didn’t like that had the feet cropped off, I thought would look better if it was cropped even higher, perhaps to just below his hands, so all you can see is what’s showering down on him.
The photo of your older son with his feet cropped off and your younger son getting ready to throw stuff, well, I think that photo looks brilliant just as it is.
But, obviously I’m not looking at them with a photographer’s eye.
Very helpful!
loved this, thank you! it really is helpful and it’s so interesting to hear your thoughts on what you do and don’t like about your own photos! and ps- i’m so excited for this new little girl to be coming to your home!!!
Love this! I grew up in Oklahoma and remember the “helicopters” fondly. How fun!
I really like your blog and have been reading awhile- love the photo tips- keep ‘em coming.
Always helpful! I wouldn’t have looked @ any of your photos & thought anything was wrong with them, but when you point out the feet, it makes you realize that sometimes things could be better another way. I can definitely work on my cropping. Thanks for sharing your talent & knowledge!
I like your idea.
Love it. Very helpful! Thank you.
Very helpful! I guess I tend to overlook the feet/hands cropped because I get caught up in the emotion of the shot. I love what’s going on with their faces and how they’re interacting with each other.
Wow – we had a ‘helicopter’ tree at our house growing up and I have many fond memories of this very activity.
Looking forward to seeing photos of your newest little one soon – praying God will gift you with the patience you need to wait out this tricky time.
So helpful! I do that too, crop hands or feet and I usually beat myself up over it. I think, Ashley Ann doesn’t do this to her photos! Sometimes being a mommy and a photographer is hard. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ashley,
I love love love your blog! I am always trying to improve my photos of my kids, so I end up taking thousands of pictures, as I’m sure you do. I’m just curious what you do with all of your photos. I have such a hard time deleting even bad photos because they catch even the simplest of expressions, and once you delete that moment is gone forever. So, I’m just curious- what do you do with all of your photos?
Thank you for your time!
That’s really helpful, thanks! I like seeing – and am starting to understand on a conscious level – the difference between a *technically perfect* image and one that might not be technically perfect but is perfect in the emotion it conveys…and most of that I’ve learnt right here! (I’m hoping to have enough schekels together by the next course to enrol in Snapshots…I’m super excited, but my MIL is coming over for a week next week, and the money that was going to pay for the course is now being earmarked for the reptile zoo…which is definitely the right thing for our wee family – the kids are going to be crazy excited – but I’m a little sad i’m bumping you in favour of crocs and snakes and lizards, hahah!)
ps. do you need another fruity hat for your newest to complete the set, or would you rather wait until winter…Oklahoma probably doesn’t have much need for Wool in Summer!
Absolutely helpful! I took your class and my favorite part were your photo critiques. Keep these coming, please!!
So very helpful! This type of critique helps me to realize all that I didn’t realize. Thank you.
As always, your posts are so filled with beauty and tons of info. Although I have to say (because photography, like all art is subjective), I don’t mind hands cropped out in many instances (the ones above). The first photo is actually one of my favorites. It makes me feel like I am really close to the action. I can feel the excitement. But I absolutely agree that you can not “properly break the rules” until you learn them. Thank you for always sharing your talents.
xo*tricia
So, I must set the record straight concerning yesterday’s post. For all those that wondered, no I do not chew tobacco I do frequently put my lens caps in my back pocket and then forget where I put them…searching all over the house. Yes, I’ve got a little redneck in me…but not that much. What…
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awesome photos!!!
Awesome pictures, her BIG personality shines through her little body! I love that she’s a lefty!
she is the cutest little ham!!
She is so cute! You capture such adorable moments on camera. I have to start setting mine out in the open more.
she has such a sweet face! Thanks for always putting the camera settings-it’s a big help!
thank you for posting your ‘recipe’. i was looking at these pictures and was wondering how you edited them:)
I think you have a model on your hands for sure! Love the facial expressions you captured.
Yep! She’s a cutie patootie! I do wonder about that widow’s peak callick she’s got going…either you or Chris have that?
Loving Firecracker’s montage. She is so funny holding her tongue just so when she is writing. My kids do that still and they are grown. Fun times.
Preciousness! She reminds me so much of my lil niece, it’s scary! And, it looks like you have a lil south paw in the making…Adorable!!
Oh man your daughter is so darn cute!!
what a cute little lefty!
She is so stinkin’ cute! Great pics!
Great pics! She’s so cute! I spotted the lens cap yesterday and had to smile because I do the same thing! I always put it in my back pocket and then it’s there all day and I think I’ve lost it!
That little girl is too cute!
She is just the cutest! Great way to start the day! And I love how she’s concentrating so hard she’s sticking out her tongue, I do the same thing and never even realize it!
Complete adorableness and so glad for your “recipe” : )
That is hilarious that people thought you chewed! When I was looking at them & saw the indentation in your back pocket, I thought “phew, she is just like the rest of us & puts her lens cap in her back pocket”. Love the pictures of Firecracker. Can she possibly get any cuter?! My daughter Audrey, who is 4 & actually reminds me A LOT of Firecracker asked yesterday “Mommy, how do you know Firecracker? Do you know her Mommy?” It was cute that she was so interested in her. She proclaimed later that Firecracker is “very pretty Mamma & has a great smile”. She’s’ a fan also
I really like her mean face !
What sweet pictures! I’m cracking up at the second picture, so cute!
Firecracker is the most adorable child. She’s a natural in front of the camera!
Ok…………seriously she is the cutest thing!!! I see you have a lefty on your hands too!!!
She’s a lefty and super cute to boot! Are you a lefty? I am…1 of 3 confirmed lefties in my home. We’re still waiting on Sadie to decide as she uses both hands fairly equal amounts of time.
And, oh my word…I didn’t read the comments from yesterday’s post, but the things people ask or assume or that you feel you need to clarify. Like the plumbing situation…you actually said it was clean water in the yard…who would think you’d let your children play in sewage? Seriously. Always makes me laugh!!!
So adorable! I love post-it’s too!
Could you have a south paw in your midst? I think I am noticing because as I was uploading photos of my daughter yesterday I noticed that she exclusively uses her left hand to eat. I got to doing some research and kids tend to pick their dominant hand around age 2-3. My daughters are 3.5. Still have a bit to go before they decide which hand they use dominantly because they do switch back and forth a bit on various activities. I just find it all so fascinating and a joy to watch unfold!
Oh Ashley! She is just really growing into such a beautiful little girl! Lucky mama. What a sweetie!
Goodie, she’s a lefty!!!!!!!
I guess tobacco didn’t cross my mind yesterday because that’s where my lens cap always goes, too! She is so cute!
LOL! I had to go back and look at the trampoline post just to see the “container” in your pocket since I missed it the first time. I love your trampoline pics BTW, and wish that our trampoline was a big as yours appears to be. A 15 footer was all we could squeeze into our yard but the kids have a blast on it. However, they did spy all your pictures over my should and are begging me to do a flip like you did. Thanks a lot. I’m not the coordinated!
Love this pictures (on this post) of your little beauty. You are right, she has soooo much personality shining through.
oh my gosh! she is adorable. the 2nd photo is my favorite!
OH! Your little princess is more beatiful everyday and so cute. Love the effect, is so warm. Again beautiful pictures. Thank you for share.
She’s adorable! I’m a post it junkie, too:-)
Whenever I see your beautiful pics, I wish I had a great camera, that I knew how to use properly so I could capture amazing moments like that with my kids. It would be such a great outlay of money for us, and I know there are so many things we could do with the money. If you weren’t so artistic/creative or didn’t have a photography background do you think you would “jump in”? Or do you recommend a way to ease yourself in to another expensive hobby like that?
I am sure all of us fellow photographers knew what that was in your back pocket yesterday. I did a quick double-take, and then it dawned on me! =) I lose them there, too!
Firecracker is so cute!
I read, “Warm it up, Kris,” and then “I’m about to” came in my head immediately. I guess that’s just burned into my memory forever! Firecracker is so stinkin’ cute! I love her eyes in the last one. I like the “recipe” you used. I shy away from cool editing like that because I worry about how those pictures will look with all the rest of my pictures. When you do your photo book for the year, will you use the RadLab versions, or the original (with tweaks, of course, but staying true to the real-life colors)? Or do you not worry about it, and put faded vintagey looking photos opposite bright saturated ones? Just curious, as this is something I’m sort-of struggling with.
So enjoy your photography! I have a logistic question….how do you store all your pictures? do you print them? is there an on-oline storage “house” you recommend?
Thanks! (and I am praying for your adoption process…I am also an adoptive mom )
Blessings!
Kim
I love her ‘working’ tongue. If I remember right your oldest boy has that too. You know their tongue sticks out when they are working!
How do you get the pictures so pretty and pale?? Do you use Photoshop, or was it just the lighting?
Thx!!
Dear Ash,
So cute! We are notebook junkies around here too! My world would be filled with bullitin boards and sticky-notes if it weren’t for adding a lot of that stuff to my phone agenda and pinterest!
For the record, when I saw your pocket my first guess was lens cap cuz I do that all the time too!
I love her “scary” face… she’s just too darn cute to be scary!
Love,
Rae
Oh Ashley! She is such a cutie, you are so blessed to have such a firecracker. I just love that face and I know you do too! Pinch those cheeks for me! : )
I’ve been reading your blog out here in California for a while now and have a daughter the same age as your little Firecracker. As it happens I’m pregnant and having really strong dreams lately. Funny dream last night was that our two daughters were having a playdate with your daughter teaching mine how to jump on the trampoline and get really dirty in the mud. So, though we never met, thanks for the playdate.
She is just so scrumptious! And Sassy! GREAT photos! Thanks for sharing.
Oh my! She is just too cute for words! I love how her personality shines through in all of your photos.
I am very I intrigued by this rad lab software…I went over to explore and was kinda confused. Looks like you need to have photoshop, but isn’t really actions? Which of their programs did you buy, there were a few of them in their store. Also, the recipe you used seemed pretty easy. Did you have to do any other processing besides those, like to adjust your sharpness/contrast, etc?
Thanks so much for all of your wonderful tips with photography! I look forward to your posts everyday and I am praying for the day you get to go to china to bring your girl home blessings! Lisa
SUCH a cutie!! i see you in her alot.
by AshleyAnn
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Andy - at least the snack cup matches
they are cute. good job
Andy - and love you guys pic. awesome
Tara A - Good morning, that is such a beautiful picture of you and Chris. Have a wonderful anniversary and a beautiful day. Tara
amanda torres - The baby stretch pic got me. My little guy is growing too fast. I miss his skinny newborn legs
Heather - Oh. My. Goodness! Love the beautiful pic of you two and those of your precious nieces. Gorgeousness. Thanks for including the outtakes…definitely makes me feel better about the craziness of trying to capture my two together. I laughed out load when I saw Firecracker holding the babies nose, and then laughed again, when I scrolled back through. That is too funny! Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
N - Unbelievable pictures as always! You’ve inspired me to have some pictures taken with just my husband on a date night. It looks like a dream.
MixedMolly - I love the outtakes. Firecracker looks like she is almost ready to be your assistant! “Now move your head just a little to the left”….
Jason Rosenberg - Gorgeous pictures (and kids)!
Can I ask how you get their eyes to “pop” like that (espeically Fire-Cracker’s)? Any post-production, or just good lighting/focussing/other?
Shannon Phillips - Love love love! I had such a wonderful time last night and so did Keegan! I can’t wait to load an work on your “real” pictures.
I just love the cousin pics and how much firecracker loves babies.
Emily - Your Couple shot is magical!!! Absolutely precious one is Firecracker pinching the nose! That is so very much my 2 boys… 4 and 2 months!
Kristin S - When you put that first pic on Instagram last night, I inhaled. What a shot! From a phone???
So glad you took the time to do this shoot. You won’t regret it.
Seriously Sassy Mama - Oh how I love sweet babies. I love seeing pictures of a husband and wife that are so completely in love with each other!
Brooke - She looks a lot like sweet paisley did! I always prefer outtakes,,
Kimber C. - Oh seeing your “outtakes” makes me feel so much better about how my pictures turn out with neices and nephews! Ha it’s so fun but lots of work for those few awesome “keepers!” these are precious though!
Nath - Beautiful pics!
Krystina - When shooting pictures of the children do you ever use back button focusing? Or do you find it too awkward/unhelpful?
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Oh Ashley, your 10th anniversary shoot looks so dreamy! You are so beautiful.
Melle M. - ashley and your world with family are magical and fabulous!!
Debbie C - The picture of you and Chris is so dreamy! Beautiful props. Happy 10th and 11th Anniversary!
ko - Stunning pictures! Both photo shoots looks like a great success! You’ve got me wondering if I could talk my rough and tumble Marine husband into a photo shoot like yours! So dreamy!
Ernie - hi ashley! thanks for keeping it real with the out takes
i had a question, i know you use radlab. do you mind sharing the recipes you used for the baby and nieces pics? did you use any other adjustments in photoshop? thanks for your time and awesome blog!
Jamie - Oh I so know how this goes! I did 3 baby sessions yesterday and I was exhausted by the end!!!
But those few keepers are worth their weight in gold so to speak!
I love the out takes too…
Tia - Love the photos! Can’t wait to see more of the anniversary shoot, it looks like a lovely time. I was also wondering about the baby photos, do you do custom white balance or auto most of the time? I’m glad to see the outtakes, always makes me feel better to know I’m not alone in having multiple shots of non cooperation
Leslie - Those are some cute babies:) WOW! What a DREAMY photoshoot of you and your husband – can’t wait to see more!
stacey - these are SO cute! i’m with you, i love me some outtakes…makes me happy knowing i’m not the only one that gets the majority of their shots like this
not that you have time, but if you have any suggestions/tips on while balance, i’m all ears! of all the things i struggle with…that bad boy is one of them! much appreciated! xoxo
kelly - your pictures are always so much fun. and the one of you and your husband so SO dreamy.
Seamingly Sarah - 1. now i want to go out and buy a white dress
2. love the one where firecracker is holding her little cousin’s nose!
giozi - Your nieces are beautifuls. Love the first picture is so romantic. This year I did 10 years too. I want to se the whole session !!!
Bon @ A Golden Afternoon - Such a lovely family
I love the brightness of these…so peaceful.
RobyGiup - I LOVE the first picture, you are so lovely together. Happy (late) 10th anniversary!
And the pictures with the sisters/cousins are wonderful, you did a great job!
Carmen - thanks for the giggle with the out takes. Today I’ve been trying to get a nice picture of my two littlies for their Grandma, and I didn’t manage to get even one! Will have to try again tomorrow. Thanks for keeping it real… even though your photos are still amazing!!!
Jenny - The picture of you and your husband is breathtaking. Are those the outfits Firecracker and your niece wore a few years back for cousin pictures? Adorable!
Sadee - Your anniversary photo is so magical! Can’t wait to see the rest of them. And your photos of the kiddos are wonderful as always!
AshleyAnn - Jenny – Yep, those are the same outfits!
Natalie @ TheShadyAcre - I love these! And that shot of you and Chris really makes me want to take some with my husband for our 10th!
mary - My gosh, these children are gorgeous, your photos are breathtaking. And the one of you and your husband? Dreamy, and with a phone? I can barely take those with my DSLR!I am about to push the big BUY button on this same lens, and this kind of seals it for me. Thanks for sharing your settings. What I do wonder, is how you get everyone in a group photo, like the 3 girls, in such sharp focus? I’m a big FAIL in that department. I always thought you had to have a smaller aperture, like an 8 to get more than one in great focus. Who do you focus on? And I assume that having them on the same plane helps, but I swear someone is always a little out of focus for me! I would love to hear your take on that!
Pat - Oh my gosh, the pictures are so good!! I love sibling photos and they were all precious – the “good” ones as well as the “real life” ones.
Hillary - Those matching outfits look familiar!
love it!
Amie - WOW these are awesome. I, too, am fond of the outtakes. Also, thank you… like a lot… for posting your camera settings. I have never played around with ISO like that (500??) but obviously I should.
You’re awesome!
able mabel - You’re so lucky that you have a husband who cooperates when it comes to taking pictures. Mine does not at all.
Elizabeth - Ashley, your anniversary picture is BEAUTIFUL! so so romantic!!
congratulations!
and those sweet little girls…ohhhh! how sweet!! those newborn photos are priceless. what a special bond between sisters & cousins!!
Deb Meyers - Are you familiar with Eloise Wilkin illustrations from the 1950s 60s? The first picture of SweetPea and baby sister look straight from her books.
http://ajarndtbooks.blogspot.com/2012/04/illustrations-of-eloise-burns-wilkin.html