Fun on the Farm

My best friend Whitney currently lives on a farm near Bloomington, IL and this past weekend we had a photo shoot just for the heck of it.  I've known Whitney for nearly twenty years now and I think it's odd that I haven't taken her photo MORE!  I guess because when we're together we have so much going on - I forget the camera.

I should really photograph my friends more.  They are all gorgeous. 

Tia & Wes {sneak peek}

What I'm working on...

Aren't they lovely?!

I'm sad it was only a mini session - I would have LOVED to photograph these guys all day!  So sweet!

Rachel
xo

Tiny twins welcomed into the world.

My cousin Brittany was 26 weeks pregnant when she unexpectedly went into labor last Sunday (May 29th), later that afternoon she gave birth to Jocelyn Renee and Arianna Nicole.  While the two of them are doing well for their circumstance - these teeny tiny babies are in need of constant prayer!  They are SO unbelievably little and the photos just don't do it justice...  At around a pound and a half, their lungs aren't fully developed.  Their underdevelopment, among other obstacles will be challenging - but these two have already proven to be STRONG FIGHTERS!  Thank the LORD!  He is definitely at work in them!

 Meet Arianna

 

  Meet Jocelyn

 They each have their own nurse 24/7 and the staff is super.

Right now Brittany can't hold her babies.. she can only put her hands through the holes of their bed tables and touch them.. This was the hardest thing for me to grasp.. not being able to hold your babies.. It brought tears to my eyes (and I'm not even a mommy!)

Mommy & Daddy - they are spending a LOT of time in the hospital, so pray for them as well.  I'm sure it's hard not being able to do normal parenting things and sit helplessly in a hospital room for hours on end.. and they are going to have countless hours in the future spent here - the twins aren't expected to go home until September.

Thanks in advance for keeping my family in your thoughts & prayers!

We <3 you!

Rachel

xo

Why I love being a June bug :)

Yay!  It's June 1st!  You know what that means?

 Yes, strawberries.................mmm!

And my bestie & I's birthdays are in the month of June.  (we are total goofs ;))

This is the first summer that I can remember when I didn't have a long and dredging school year to tackle before I was able to enjoy it!  It's crazy going to school for literally your whole life and then suddenly not having class to go to anymore!  For all you kids out there - look forward to the days with no school... but to all you adults out there, we all know life is much more dredging than school could ever be ;) Nonetheless - I love my crazy, sporadic, and not-always-perfect life... especially in the summer!

Rachel
xo

Bubble bath time

You know what I haven't done in a LONG time?  Relax in a bubble bath!

One of my favorite places to get all my smelly goods is Bath & Body Works.  I don't know why, but that is where my family always buys about half of our Christmas presents... maybe it's the sweet deals they run... or the awesome scents... but regardless - it is nice to enjoy the bubble bath (along with their candles, outlet fresheners, body wash... etc!).

Right now if you buy three, you get three FREE.  Dang!

They have a great clearance section, too (for those of you who scout out good deals).

I haven't been able to keep up with my bookwork for my business, editing, and personal relaxation since I started my 2nd job... but now that I am a full time photographer - I have time to devote to my clients (and more time for myself!)

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  R&G are going to be photographing a very good friend's wedding tomorrow and I am SO excited!

Congrats Kyle & Amanda... <3  :)

Just Grin (:

Just grin... and bare it!


Bare with us as we update, revamp, and make our blog more fabulous!


We're working on ways to make YOU, our readers, more satisfied & informed.  In the mean time - we really appreciate your patience! 




Want to know what we're working on?  One heck of a fundraiser via our business!  Our Relay For Life Team, R&G Photography Shoot the Lights Out of Cancer is hosting a Little Miss Relay Pageant.  This Sunday we are meeting all of the pageant parents to discuss the finer details.  


Mallory Crouse and I are VERY excited to present some wicked awesome info to the girls!   


Want to donate to our team? {CLICK HERE} We would appreciate the gesture, but even more - cancer victims would be delighted to see your support & caring donation.  


We are also looking for vendors to donate - we will give a HUGE shout out to your business & be forever thankful!


Rachel
xo

Wishing for a job you love?

Oh, how sweet it is to do a job you LOVE!  


Today I put in my two weeks at my office job and made the decision to become a FULL TIME PHOTOGRAPHER.  This was not an easy decision to make, but photography is my passion and I am SO thankful to make it my career (finally!) - Thank goodness I have such a supportive husband and family!  We are in for a long and hard journey, but I am anxious to get started. 


Is it June yet?  ;)


Soon we hope you will enjoy more informative and fun blogs - in the mean time I will be rather busy working two jobs and wrapping up my last few days as a Business Development Director with Monken (a local car dealership).  Please be patient with us and don't stop following!  You're in for a treat, I swear!!


Rachel
xo

Edit Me Monday, Baby!

Just a quick post for ya'll!


Here is SOOC (Straight out of camera):

 Below is after LR (LightRoom2) & PS (Photoshop3) edits:

Rachel
xo

Favorite Shop Friday... with a discount, too!

We're doing something new here at R&G Photography's blog!  We're showcasing our favorite shops on Fridays, but we're also going to give a special DISCOUNT to those who follow my blog & order from these favorite shops.  First up, With Eager Hands, by Beth Hays!  She is offering 20% off all orders placed this weekend!  (Use the code rng20 when you check out!)

Look at these sweet hat/diaper cover sets!  They are less than twenty with this discount!!

Navy Blue with braided strings ties! 

Sage Green with a chin strap hat & brown buttons!

Beth does custom orders, so be sure to message her on facebook & make your special request!  You'll get 20% off anything ordered, THIS WEEKEND ONLY!  Use the code RNG20 when you check out!  Make sure you let her know who sent you!
You can also visit her etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WithEagerHandsbyBeth?ref=seller_info

I hope you enjoy and see us again next Friday for a new shop and another great discount!

Rachel
xo

Love the library? See what guest blogger Whitney has to say...

Hi, I’m Whitney from Sunshine Marigold.  I am so happy to share my thoughts with you here at R&G Photography's blog.  Now that I’m out of college most of my thoughts dwell on my job, which you might guess is working at a library! Because I of this I am able to see first-hand the asset a local library can be to its community.  My advice to you, get involved in your local library! Let them serve you (that’s what we are here to do!)   
Because I work in the Children’s department, most of my experience is children’s programming. But there are more programs that the whole family can enjoy! Let me share with you some of my favorite reasons to visit your local library!

1. It’s free! Materials to borrow, programs, public workshops and classes, internet access, friendly faces. All these things and more are waiting for you!
2. Summer reading program. Most libraries put on a summer reading program. Ours is separated for children, teens, and adults. The time that parents spend reading to their kids counts towards the parents’ reading log hours as well!  It’s a great way to finally getting around to reading that book you’ve thought about or an excuse to download a new one to your Kindle! Most of the programs for kids offer great incentive for reading. Kids won’t want to stop. Our library partners with local businesses for free food coupons and prize donations. If your library doesn’t offer a summer reading program, ask them to! If they know what the public wants, hopefully they can work towards making it happen.
3. Story time! I don’t see how any parent could object to the fun a library story time brings! Check and see what your library offers.  For younger children, story time encourages independent listening and gets them accustomed to being in an organized, much like what they will experience in school.  And who wouldn’t have a good time watching a crazy librarian dress up, do funny voices, sing, and dance?
4. Community. For many places, the local library is the community hub. Community information is often posted.  Local clubs and organizations sometimes meet there. Parents are able to connect to other parents with children of the same age. I have heard often of mothers meeting one another and scheduling play dates with their kids. It makes it much easier to meet people if you are new in town. Just go to the hub!

I’m glad you stopped in.  And don’t hesitate to stop in and see what your library has to offer. The world is at your fingertips!

Be sure to follow Whitney and the Sunshine Marigold on facebook (Lovelies by Miss Whit), twitter (@sunshinewhitney), and on her blog (The Sunshiny Day)!

Wishful Wednesday

Who here likes to hit there alarm eighty times?.....


Okay, me! ;)

I wish that we could "snooze" life instead of the alarm clock! 

Comment and tell me what you would do with a 45 minute "snooze" on life.


I would sleep, just to keep it simple. :)

Garren says he would snooze.  Guess we're two of a kind.

Anyone have anything more creative than us lazy bones? 

Vacation!

Hello all,
I'm back from vacation... vacation from blogging, but also a vacation from home, work, and crazy life!
For my "top ten Tuesday" I thought I'd tell you about my favorite places I've vacationed to!

Wisconsin Dells - That's where my hubby and I went this past week.  We stayed at the Christmas Mountain Village, which has an on location ski resort!  Too bad we went in the middle of seasons - so there was only a small pile of snow left and all the outdoor water & theme parks were closed!!  We didn't mind too much though, we just wanted to relax.  Sleeping in is our favorite thing to do :)

Disney World in Florida - Come on, you can't beat DISNEY! ;)

Hawaii - I spent my 13th birthday here and it's STILL one of the most memorable and beautiful places I've ever been. I need to find some photos and share from this trip!!

Bahamas - My family and I have been on a couple cruises to the Bahamas, but my favorite one was a Disney cruise.  Like I said before, you can't beat Disney!  It's true.  They make it magical every time!

Alaska - Where the sun never sets!  Most people think of Alaska as this freezing and foreign place, but it's actually very warm in the summer!  There is an area where during parts of the summer, the sun never sets!  It's a crazy thing looking out the window at 2:00 a.m. and seeing the blazing sun.


Branson, MO - It's known for it's shows, but when I go to Branson it's all about the lake!  Boating, skiing, tubing, swimming, laying out... ahh, summertime!

NYC - The big apple has always been a dream destination of mine, and last year this dream came true.  It's everything you can imagine at the tips of your fingers.  Love it!

Aruba - It had to make the favorite list at some point... it's where my honey and I honeymooned.  Lots of romantic beaches, restaurants (I recommend The Old Man and the Sea), and fun night life.  We also did a great scuba dive while we were there and saw a sunken ship, so neat!

St. Louis, MO - It's not much of a vacation site for us, since it's basically local - but if you're not from around here - it's definitely worth the drive.  TONS of nightlife, shopping, and eatery.  There is also several museums, the science center, Forest Park and the Zoo (which is free!!).

Las Vegas (and while your at it - the Grand Canyon!) - There is so much to do and see in Las Vegas, musicals, magic shows, casinos (of course), shopping, and even a roller coaster right in the middle of the strip.   I've been there twice and the second time was for WPPI conference for work, but both times were amazing adventures!  The Grand Canyon is just a day drive away, so if you're interested in seeing one of the 7 wonders of the world while you're near - go for it!

 ---
I am a huge believer that vacations and traveling the world should be a part of life.  Enjoy the relaxing time your boss offers you and go somewhere!

Rachel
xo

{Live, Laugh, Photograph} Finding the Light {Guest Blog}

Ashley Hugghins is a portrait photographer located 30 miles east of Atlanta. She began shooting weddings 5 years ago, but began her portrait business last year. She specializes in kids, but recently expanded to include maternity and newborns. She loves to shoot on location, but will occassionally use her natural light home studio for teeny ones. "I love to make my blog not just about my photography, but helpful tips about shooting. Since my main clientele is moms, I write many posts about my adventures raising my two boys and how to take better photos of them. My readers can relate and I feel good helping them out a bit!"


http://www.hugghinsphotography.blogspot.com/
http://www.hugghinsphotography.com/
www.facebook.com/hugghinsphotography

{Live, Laugh, Photograph} Finding the Light

This installment in the series will teach you a bit about how to use light. We learned in a previous post about how to use our camera to control the light, but how do we use that to our advantage? I never recommend using your pop up flash. Use it as a last resort only, but in this lesson, you'll learn how to avoid it in the first place.

This post will focus on finding available light. These are all simple snapshots that anyone can do.
First, and most obviously, shoot outdoors. If you can plan where to shoot, opt for outside where light is plentiful and surrounds your subject. Having said that, there can be too much of a good thing. You never want your subject facing direct, midday sun. Your result will be a squinty, shadowed face like this:




Instead, try and shoot 1 hour after sunrise (yeah right!) or one to two hours before sundown. In the summer, I shoot as late as 8:30pm. The light turns an orangy red and is simply to die for



If changing time of day is not an option, find a shady spot that still gets a bit of filtered sunlight



Or, try turning your subject around so that you are the one facing the sun. Not only will they not be squinting, but you will get a beautiful natural hair light



And just because the sun goes MIA, it doesn't mean you have to call it a day- clouds are nature's light diffusers. Shooting during a overcast day has many advantages, including being able to shoot wherever you want withour fear of harsh lighting. If you can, set your camera to the "cloudy" mode to counteract some of the blue cast



Ok, so let's pretend that shooting outdoors is not an option. What do you do then? Find that outside light! This is why God invented windows. I adore window light. There is something so classic about an image shot with window light spilling on a little one



Sometimes, you catch them at just the right moment and are able to use the light to illuminate their profile.



Another thing to keep in mind is to go where the light is. It may not be obvious from one perspective, so try moving around a bit. You might find that perfect shot

Here, I got down real low instead of shooting overhead. From this perspective, the light is falling across his sweet little face


Sometimes, you are forced to shoot with a window behind the subject. No problem, just make sure you are exposing for the subject, not the window. In this case, there is a huge window behind the boys, but it fills the entire room with light, so there is enough to illuminate their faces while creating a gorgeous effect behind them



You can even use artificial light when needed. Here, I used our fluorescent kitchen light by changing my settings to color balance the green light. (If you can't do this, you can always change it to a black and white in a pinch)



Here, the only light in the room was our living room lamp.


Not sure if the light you are using will be good light? Check your subject's eyes. Those little flecks of light, known as catch lights, give life to your subject. You also want to make sure your subject is facing the light source.


So let's turn him around 180 degrees, shall we? See the difference?



So now you know a few tricks to help you next time you are caught in less than ideal shooting situations! Try experimenting with the light around your house, you'd be surprised at the types of images you can create!

Got a question? Suggestion for a topic? You can post a comment below or email me at

ashley@hugghinsphotography.com

Happy snappin!

Vroom, vroom

What am I wishing for on this "wishful Wednesday"?

A new car!  I've recently started working at Monken's Car Dealership in Centralia & I can't help but fall in love with the Nissan Rogue.  Love it!  Maybe someday I'll use my employee discount & buy me one!  I deserve it, right?  ;)

p.s. have you ever noticed how most car photography is pretty puny? Excited to see what Monken comes up with to spice up their car photos!  There is talk of giant backgrounds & lights for a more marketable photo.

Rachel King
Monken Customer Care
618-545-5100

(that's my work signature at the dealership :) we're working on getting me a suitable head shot to put with it!)

E-sessions, gotta love 'em! (& catch a link for a FREE PS action!)

Here are a few of my latest engagement session photos.  I love working with such amazing clients.  These two were SO much fun.  I am so happy for them & their lifelong devotion to each other!  They are getting married on my husband and I's one year anniversary weekend, aww!  :)

Final Edit - I used Photoshop and a new free action from MCP!

After Color Correction/Tonal Edits in Lightroom

SOOC (Straight out of Camera)

Photos copyrighted R&G Photography - Please do not copy!

Thanks for reading!
Rachel
xo

Seeing God in the Tragedy

Frantically, my father-in-law grabbed his wife and they stepped out just in time not to be crushed by the tree that would soon take their home.  Sitting in their truck during the remainder of the storm - Shirley (my mother in law) called my husband and I, but cell towers were out - and all I could hear was my mother in law crying, "Disaster... hole in the wall... it's horrible... ..."  Unsure of what had happened or if everyone was okay - I ran to the basement to take shelter & called my parents.. they got a hold of Garren's parents & relayed the jumbled mess to me.  We left immediately.

When we got there is was much worse than we had anticipated.  The tree had landed on the home and crashed through the bed where not minutes before Roger (my father in law) was sleeping.  Thank God he heard it coming and ran - or he would not have survived.  Both Roger and Shirley are untouched by the storm, but after watching their house be destroyed by the storm - they were very shook up.  Garren and I brought them back to our house to stay - since they didn't have a home to return to.  We discussed what should be the next step and spent a very restless night anticipating the next day. 

We still don't know all the details for sure, but most likely the entire home will be demolished & they we have to rebuild from scratch.  State Farm insurance should cover the expenses.  Hallelujah for insurance. They have paid into it for 30+ years.. the definitely deserve to be taken care of.

Please pray for them and remember you never know what could happen - be prepared.  (Scout's motto :))

After going through all this - this song by Santus Real really touched me - heard it yesterday on our local Christian radio station WIBI.  You can listen to WIBI on-line, even if you're not in IL!

Thanks for the prayers & kindness,
Rachel
xo

Where’d You Learn That?

Please welcome Molly Denson of Simply M Photography! 

She is a Family and Portrait Photographer from Middle Tennessee, 

lover of peanut butter M &M's and oldies music.

Where’d You Learn That?

I was recently asked how I’ve learned photography – what resources did I
use? Did someone teach me? Did I magically wake up one day and know my way
around Photoshop, marketing, and shooting in Manual? (Answer: Heck no!)
Though I am still learning new things basically every week, I want to
share my favorite “learning” places. I hope they can help you, too!

1 – Twitter. Though it’s the perfect place to read up on what your
favorite celebrities are eating for lunch, it’s also one of the most
valuable sites to learn about everything photography. Depending on who you
“follow”, you can easily be connected to blogs discussing that lighting
trick you’ve been trying to master, contests to win a coveted workshop
seat, and photography sites for creative inspiration. Almost every day, I
find a link on Twitter that teaches me something completely new, or helps
me brush up on the basics. If you don’t have an account, and you’re into
photography, I highly recommend getting one. Follow me, too! @SimplyMPhoto

2 – CreativeLive. This site is simply a can’t-miss if you’re trying to
learn the business. I came across it through, you guessed it, Twitter!
It’s a “creative classroom”, offering many free webinars every month. At
times, you can enter to win a seat to these great events – a friend just
did and said it was an amazing experience! I’ve recently watched Bambi
Cantrell discuss posing, and I can’t wait to hear Zack Arias on the
“Foundations of a Working Photographer” at the end of this month! Check it
out: http://www.creativelive.com

3 – Go{4}Pro. I am in love with this page and the encouraging message they
send out. They discuss a little of everything for those wanting to “Go
Pro” in photography, as well as those seasoned professionals just looking
for new ideas. You can learn about effective branding (Leah Remillet, the
founder and creator, does some beautiful designing), budgeting, finding
your style, and drooling over others’ studios – a favorite pastime of
mine! If you need an uplifting place to find your way through the business
side of the field, this is it. Here is the link: http://www.go4prophotos.com/blog/ 

4 – “Meet Up” Groups. We live in the most “connected” century to date!
It’s easier than ever to find other like-minded people and talk shop.
Facebook has been the perfect place for me to join local interest groups
and meet other photographers. Pictage User Group (PUG) is a great
country-wide one; I locally enjoy Fast Track Nashville and SmugMug. These
all meet at least once a month and bring together local photographers to
discuss a certain topic of interest...but it’s fun to get off track, too!
Perfect for networking and making new friends that join you in swooning
over the new 85mm 1.4 lens you just bought. Here’s a link to get you
started: http://photo.meetup.com/

5 – Good old fashioned books...no, seriously! The library is a fantastic
resource you may have forgotten about. Find your local branch, get a card,
and go peruse until your heart’s content. You may want to have some topics
in mind to ask the librarian about, in case the fact that all this
wonderful info is completely FREE becomes a little overwhelming 

Thank you for reading my first guest post! What are your favorite
photography resources? I’d love to hear!

                     Molly Denson
                     Simply M Photography

Like me: http://www.facebook.com/simplymphotography?ref=ts

Follow me: http://twitter.com/#!/SimplyMPhoto

Read all about it: http://www.simpyMphotography.com

Ways to make an extra buck

Rummage laying around?  Sell it!  

We're having our first yard sale together at our new home and I am kind of giddy about it!  I'm not too hard to get excited, I guess! :)  It's fun going through all of my things & picking out things that I might be able to sell and make a few extra dollars on! 

(Local?  Come see our loot by our house Saturday April 30th!  It's the big yellow one behind Casey's!)

Edit before facebook.

Okay, okay - I'm guilty of this FAR too often!  I know that if I prioritized my work load over my "marketing" (glorified way of saying facebooking) - then I would get triple the work done. :) Thus, making more money!

Set appropriate prices.

I have a hard time setting my prices as high as they should be because I often think that my client will see it as "too high" - but the truth is, when I average out the amount of time I'm spending on the prices I'm charging... I bet I'm making less than minimum wage.  Would my clients REALLY think that paying me $5 an hour be an okay price?  Doubtful.  Now I haven't sat down and figured exactly how much time per money made - but I betcha I'm not too far off!  (and if I took the time to calculate it.. it's less time I could be blogging, editing, or marketing - and time is money! ;))

Cut coupons

There are some great resources out there for saving money.. It's not hard to save $10 or more on a grocery bill!  Try coupons.com for starters.

There are also several facebook groups out there:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blessings-N-Couponing/280908178171?ref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Couponing-To-Disney/183823376030?ref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coupon-Clippers/72259654869?ref=ts

And of course the Sunday paper always has them!  I find the best deals at Walgreens!  I've been dying to go to Shnucks and get double worth out of my coupons!

Help a friend (or enemy) in need


What goes around comes around.  I truly believe that if you are selfless - it will come back to you in the most needed way possible.  :)  My husband and I strive to be strong Christians & we know that when we give our all - God provides.  This might not be a way to "make a buck" - but it certainly won't loose any bucks! 




Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday & please comment if you enjoy reading!

Rachel
xo

Just some fun photos of the two of us!  I'm getting all my hair chopped off tomorrow, so I won't be able to swing it all around anymore, too bad!! ;)

It's Monday.  Enough said!

:) Night all!

Rachel
xo

Have you heard of Zulily?

Interested in getting amazing props and outfits at OUTRAGEOUSLY cheap prices?


As a photographer and being the thrifty kind of gal I am, I'm always on the hunt for good deals on products related to my business.  I recently started seeing ADs for Zulily, but wasn't confident about just buying from just any old vendor... Then just a few days ago a fellow photographer friend of mine (DT Photography) posted about a pettiskirt she'd bought for HALF price from a deal on Zulily... Let's just say my wallet is weak when it comes to this site... I have a hard time not passing up the great deals!  Each morning they email you participating vendors and they offer HUGE discounts on their products.  It's a wonderful idea and a great marketing tool for these vendors.


If you are a photographer, mom, grandma, or just someone who LOVES shopping - you need to check out Zulily!

p.s. if you use this link: 

 http://www.zulily.com/invite/rking134 

We get $15 for referring you!