Showcase Collection: Blue Skies

Growing up, I loved watching the movie White Christmas with my mother.  The song "Blue Skies" would often times be stuck in my head as it was referenced once or twice in the film.  However, it wasn't really until recently that I have come to appreciate the blueness of sky.  Sure I love a sunny, cloudless day just as much as everyone else...but, a photo session with a blue sky background...now we're talking!

There is something that pushes me to capture nature as it is...and rarely does nature produce an overexposed sky.  Cloudy sky...yes.  Overexposed sky...no.  And yes, everyone wants their subjects to look a-ma-zing, but I also want to work hard to show all the beauty found in the nature around them.  So, here is my first showcase collection:  

Blue Skies

Blue skies smiling at me...

             

  nothing but blue skies...

blue skies...

do I see...

keep smiling and get out and enjoy those blue skies!

Intro To Giveaways: Mommy & Me!

Free stuff is exciting!  

I love when I receive something extra just because.  A little note, flowers, an unexpected comment or words of encouragement...who doesn't?   I want to be able to put that into my business as well.  

So here we go, new in 2013...introducing Giveaways!

Giveaway #1:  Mommy & Me Session

Exciting News for all those Metro Detroit Mommies-to-be!

enter to win before 2/13/2013

Send me an email, simplyportrayed@gmail.com, or send a message via Facebook to enter to win two sessions: 

a 30 minute maternity & a 30 minute newborn. 
Enter by 2/13/2013 
& 

the lucky mommy will be announced on Valentine's Day!

Entering is simple.  Tell me a little bit about yourself, a loved one or friend and how this giveaway would be special for you or them! 

As always, thanks for your support & keep checking back for more Giveaways from Simply Portrayed!

Check out all the promos at Simply Portrayed

UPDATE:  The winner of the "Mommy & Me" Giveaway was Carrie Mullins!  Congratulations to this soon-to-be-Mommy of Five! :D

Because adults need portraits too!

I am so excited to be starting my official 1st full year venturing out in photography.  The past 6 months have been a wonderful journey, but I am super pumped to see what this year has in store.  I am hoping to see some familiar faces throughout the coming year, as well as some new ones!  I can't say it enough, I really love working with children and families!

And, who could forget, adults too!  It is funny, most people assume that booking a photo session is entirely reserved for events, couples and families...perhaps a pet or two every now and then.  But, towards the end of last year, I ran into quite a few adults that told me it has been a very long time since they had their picture taken. I suffer from that myself--as I am usually on the other end of my camera--but, it can be nice to have a portrait or two just of yourself!  And these ladies pulled it off very well, don't you think?  

A year in review...

I have had a blast this year.  Each photo session spent with my clients has been amazing!  I enjoyed meeting new and old faces, working with families, and branching out in ways I had never expected.  It has been a fabulous year...but where did it go?  Time has flown, the year is over, and yet, the memories will be forever captured in print...the blessings of photography.

a year in review

I cannot believe that we are saying goodbye to 2012!  This has been a year of growth for both my business and family.  My husband is persistently working to get through nursing school and adjusting to new clinical schedules every 7 weeks...I am so proud of him!  Through this, I have been venturing out on my own, trying to tackle this "new business" thing and I have been really pleased with everyone's response and support...thank you!  Also, I could not have done this without the support of my husband and parents (both sets), and also my second pair of hands, Ms. Emily.  You all have made such a difference this year and for that I am forever grateful.

a sampling from Franklin Community Preschool picture day,
Ms. Emily, my assistant & (of course!) Louie the monkey

What an adventurous year this has been (we even survived the Mayans!).  In a way, I am slightly saddened to see it close.  But with new beginnings come new opportunities and ideas, and that is one thing that I am really excited for.  I cannot wait to see what 2013 has in store for me, my husband, my family and my business.  I really could not have started this thing without you and your interest!  I treasure every person I've met along the way and cannot wait for what the new year holds.

my dearest family (some not pictured...camera shy, I'll get 'em one of these days)

Best wishes to all.  I'll see you on the other side of 2012...

camera in hand.

  

Amber Gregg, owner and photographer at Simply Portrayed

O-N-E!

I love capturing milestones.  Birthdays, firsts, accomplishments...these are all very special times and there is something so exciting about putting it into a picture.  A moment to be captured forever.  Earlier this month, I was able to meet Mr. Miles as he met his 12 month milestone.  He is such a little cutie and a mighty mover...he was all over the place!  Happy Birthday, Miles!  Here's to being the big ONE!

birthday boy

Sunny, but chilly!

In the beginning of November, I had the opportunity to work with two amazing families.   I was so looking forward to meeting them all, having met a couple of their children at Franklin Community Preschool for picture day.  

williams family

williams kiddos

It was a blast, especially that cold blast of 
pre-winter weather...32 degrees....burr!  But, we found a bit of sun down by the beach and snapped a few family shots while we could.   

happy hunters

Considering the circumstances, I couldn't have asked for better subjects.  Thank you Hunter and Williams Families, it truly was such a pleasure working with all of you!  Thank you for braving the freezing temperatures and being so patient; it was so appreciated!   

the hunters

Franklin Community Preschool: Franklin, Michigan

I remember the years of being subjected to the "school photo".  It was such a stressful day, trying not to get my hair messed up, making sure I picked out the right outfit, hoping I didn't blink at my one chance to get a decent photo...the list goes on.  I knew then that there just had to be an easier way.

This Fall, I was so honored with the chance to make Picture Day a little less "traditional".  No funny backgrounds, no props or stools, just little ones and the great outdoors.  With the help of a fantastic assistant, we enjoyed the opportunity to capture every individual's smile and personality.  

I want to send a big thank you to all the parents and staff at Franklin Community Preschool for helping make our time together run so smoothly.  You guys are great!

a non-traditional sampling

For more information on programs and classes offered visit Franklin Community Preschool.

Pretty in Pink

A beautiful September morning was the perfect opportunity to catch a glimpse into Little Miss Pretty in Pink's story.  She was turning two and so proud of it!  Wearing her darling pink lace jumper, she allowed me to follow her as she played at the park.  
  

Walking over a bridge, watching the geese and swinging on the swings made her morning.  As we wrapped up, she was so excited to get on the playground! 

Thank you for letting me take your picture and have a wonderful second year!

Happy. Creative. Fun.

I love working with children.  I have been in the early childhood field for a very long time:  summer camps, nannying, infant/toddler teacher, preschool teacher.  You name it, as far as education goes, I have worked with just about every scenario of child under the age of five.  It has been such a pleasure working with children and their families and I love that I get to continue that through photography.  Children are great!  And they loved to be captured in their everyday light.  

I love that about kids; they don't care what anyone thinks, they let their true personalities shine.

Happy.

Creative.

Fun.

The Rowader Family

On the day of a photo shoot, I am always up early.  I am excited to get to work, doing something I love, and meeting fabulous people.  I cannot help but awaking in anticipation of the day's events.  Especially on days of forecasted rain.  Taking photos outdoors lends to a lovely, "natural" backdrop; however, you have good ol' Mother Nature to deal with on every shoot.  Sometimes, it can be a little difficult to make it all come together.  But with the Rowaders, we were able to make it work perfectly.

Several days before the shoot, I was watching the weather, noting that rain was forecasted differently on every television station (thank you, Hurricane Isaac).  It was quite frustrating because not one weather forecast coincided with another.  But, thankfully, it ended up only raining a little bit the night before and the Rowaders and I were quite happy to have a crisp, sunny Saturday to capture some memories.  I enjoyed working with all of you guys; it was great!  

Enjoy the next few months of fall!

Big Sister, Little Brother

Heading off to Ohio was a great adventure.  I took a bit of time out with family to capture some sweet moments between a big sister and little brother.  It was quite the experience, an explosive diaper to start and a silly girl wanting to stick her tongue out at everything, but it all came together nicely.  I was so happy to work with the Teague family and look forward to working with you all in the spring.  These siblings are super sweet!

Off to Mackinaw!

It is very rare for one to say they can work AND still be on vacation.  But, I can easily say I enjoyed every moment of our vacation, even the short time we stopped to try and grab some family photos.  It was a pleasure to work with my family again and even though we had a few setbacks, a tired little one, a sick bigger one and a bee sting for yours truly, we definitely worked it out and got some great pictures.  Next time, I will absolutely remember the bug spray! 

Master Mason is 2!

Happy Birthday, Mason!

It was such a special time to capture these sweet moments from this beautiful family.  Mason will be two soon and he is definitely ready for all the independence that comes with it.  He carried himself as a little man that day, walking around with confidence and pride, he showed no fear as he ran up and down the water's shores.  That was one thing I learned about Mason; he is ready for the big time.  He is ready to be the "big boy".  What a sweet "big boy" he is going to be!

Sam + Josh = Mason 

Little Miss "S"

Little Miss "S" had no problem smiling for the camera.  She seemed to be in her element, not worrying about hats or tutus, just loving life and demonstrating that through her big smile.  I have loved to watch her grow over the last few months; she is such a joy.  It has been my pleasure to work with her and her family.  Her parents are going to be on their toes because this one is certainly a charmer!

Hats and tutus were made by Shelbie Green at 2TwoCute Boutique.  Check out her work.  It's fabulous!

The Green Family

Working with the Green Family on their impromptu half-hour shoot worked out perfectly.  The weather did not disappoint and their smiles were so easy to capture.  To my surprise, we even had some time to grab those invaluable candid moments.  The little one had no trouble finding the camera, and it made me laugh at how easy-going she was that morning.  
It was so fun to work with you all, I cannot wait until we meet up again!  

Little Miss Cheyenne

Cheyenne and her mom, Jillian, made it out to the 2TwoCute Boutique shoot and it was such a pleasure to meet them.  Poor Miss Cheyenne was feeling a bit overwhelmed, so much so she preferred that no one see her in her tutu.  We all tried to tell her it looked absolutely adorable on, but she was beyond convincing. :)  However, when things settled down towards then end, she decided she was ready to show off some products for the camera.  Thanks for being so flexible, Jillian!  I hope I get to work with Cheyenne again soon!

Little Miss Breanna

I met Breanna and her mother and grandmother at the 2TwoCute Boutique shoot recently.  Breanna was so easy going; she had no problem sitting back and letting us take pictures of her.  Although she disliked the thought of being in the grass (who wouldn't while wearing just a tutu!), she was a joy to work with.  We put bows in and out of her bountiful hair, and towards the end of the shoot, she was all about sticking out her tongue and laughing.  Such a cutie!  Thanks, Kim, for your support of two local businesses!  It was such a pleasure working with you all!

Master Mason

It was such a pleasure to work with Mason and his mother, Samantha on the 2TwoCute Boutique shoot.  I enjoyed each and every second of capturing him as he modeled his knitted cap.  Throughout the entire shoot, all Mason wanted to do was go outside.  "Outside, outside," he remarked and pointed out the door.  He would even come inside to tell me he wanted to go outside! It just made sense to portray him in his favorite setting!  He was so darling!  I cannot wait to meet up with Mason again as we welcome his upcoming birthday!

2TwoCute Boutique

I know quite a few people that are in my shoes.  They have the desire to branch out on their own and be their own boss.  With that comes looking into building your own website.  That is how I hooked up with 2TwoCute Boutique.  This was one of my very first product shoots (outside of taking my own pics for my food blog), and it was such a pleasure to work with Shelbie Green at 2TwoCute Boutique.  She has some fantastic ideas for infant/toddler accessories!  While the baby models were so cute, this here was all about showcasing her fabulous work.  

Congrats on the business, Shelbie!  Good luck!

You can find more information on her products at 2TwoCute Boutique

The Hutton Family

One of the first "shoots" I did, mostly just for fun but real all the same, was for my older brother's family in the Fall of 2010.  They are big Michigan fans living in Columbus, Ohio and oh boy, Saturdays can be pretty tough around there.  Now, I know some of their friends did not really appreciate us out and about sporting blue and maize gear on a College Football Saturday, but it was a blast anyways.  

I love these guys!