Lilyan Grace Howell - Newborn

I had the opportunity to photography a beautiful newborn baby girl a couple weeks ago. Her name is Lilyan.  She was born on February 3, 2012.
This sweet little nugget was 10 days old when these portraits were taken. I love photographing newborns because it is such a magical time in the family’s life that goes by So quickly.  It is very important to me to capture all the details that the parents and family are already cherishing. 

What to Wear Wednesday: February 29, 2012

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It’s not to early to start thinking about Senior Portraits.  Juniors, summer is almost here and before you know it you will be starting your last year of High School!
This weeks What to Wear Wednesday is showing off some casual yet stylish senior looks.  It’s good to have a variety of looks for your senior session.  Consider casual and more formal, bright and monochromatic.
If you are interested in Sarah Linnea Photography’s Senior Spokesmodel program, we are taking applications. visit this link to apply.

What to Wear Wednesday: February 15, 2012

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Winter is (hopefully) on its last leg but if your family is planning a portrait session before the end of the frost here is another What to Wear Wednesday winter look using cool blues.  This is a bit more casual than the last look but definitely offers potential for a fun lifestyle portrait session.

What to Wear Wednesday: February 8, 2012

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Valentine’s day is just around the corner and we here at Sarah Linnea Photography decided this weeks What to Wear Wednesday should festively celebrate this fun holiday. 
Here are a few fun outfits for a children’s portrait session.

Sarah Linnea Photography has recently teamed up with a vendor of newborn props and is in need of models.
If you are pregnant or know someone who will be having a baby by March 31st Click Here, to fill out a Model Application.

Jonathan - 3 Months

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My son is three months old and I decided it was time for some more photographs.  My Baby’s First Year program offers a “tummy time” session.  Some photographers offer baby photographs at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, but my son is a prime example for why I choose to photograph milestones instead of months. 

My program allows your new baby to develop at their own rate with sessions when they are newborn, pushing up on their stomach (tummy time)  sitting up on their own and standing or walking.


Jonathan isn’t quite pushing up on his own happily so we will be have to schedule another session for him when he is a little older.



Jonathan 3 months old:

Passion in Life and in Business.

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   Photography has been a passion for me for many years.  Before I talk about the image above, I would like to share a little about my journey to where I am today. My father was an amateur photographer in the seventies and his nikon film camera is what I learned on.  When I was studying theatre in college I found photography had become a point of inspiration for my scenic and lighting designs.  This integration of art forms, as well as my love for graphic design fueled my quest for knowledge in photography.  By the time I had graduated and started working for a professional theatre company I had become extremely interested in wedding and portrait photography, which continues to be my focus today.

     Wedding Photography challenges me in fun and exciting ways.  It is fast paced and requires a great deal of energy. Having worked in theatre, I am no stranger to working under pressure.  I might go so far as to say I thrive in it.  I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with many wonderful brides who appreciate my tremendous energy and passion that I exhibiting without sacrificing calm professionalism when the need arises.  The challenges of wedding photography keep me on my toes and the reward for my effort is a lifetime of memories for the couple, beautifully captured.

     However, wedding photography has become a secondary focus for me for this year.  

     A few months ago something changed in my life that refocused my portrait photography and yet again reignited my passion for the art form.  My son, Jonathan Tatom was born.  If, a year ago, you had told me I would be photographing newborns I would have chuckled politely at your ignorance to my impatience.  Now, three and a half months after his birth, each time I get the opportunity to capture a moment of those first few days of the life of a child I feel blessed and fulfilled.  I also feel extremely honored that the parents would allow me to be one of the first few people to spend a significant amount of time with their new family, and trust me with their precious new life.

To say I am excited about the coming year is an understatement. I am thrilled beyond comprehension at my new boutique portrait focus.

     Thank you Jonathan for being the best thing that has happened to my life, my marriage, and my business.

From the heart,

Sarah Tatom

Wife-Mother-Photographer

This blog was inspired by a post in Nigel Merrick's Photography Business, SEO and Marketing Website.

Thinking of Becoming a Wedding Photographer? Step Away From the Red Button!!!

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It's Photography Friday again here at the Sarah Linnea Photography blog.  Today we will be talking about weddings.  To you, well informed photographer, you can dismiss the following as surely you are keenly aware of these situations:

So you are considering becoming a wedding photographer? The idea of capturing that special day for someone in a wonderfully artistic fashion makes you practically giddy, and the thought of a shallow depth of field shot of the wedding rings makes the right side of your brain quiver with anticipation.

originality!!!

You may be thinking "Yeah! Weddings! That's where the money is!!"
Although it is true most people will earn more monetary income from a wedding than a single portrait session, reading this article will explain how little money there is in wedding photography.  But that is not the subject of this blog.

Before you make that WeDJ account and post your services on Craigslist you should consider some challenges you face when taking on this blending of portrait and event photography.

doing anything to get the shot

Here is a short list of things to consider:

Did you know that many churches do not allow photographers to use flash photography and sometimes do not even allow the photographer to move from the back of the sanctuary? No?

consider a zoom lens....

You just ruined their Wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know that most brides prefer a darker often candle lit atmosphere to create a more intimate ceremony making it incredibly difficult to capture action without a Very high ISO which many lower end camera bodies cannot handle without a tremendous amount of grain? No?

the blur is an artistic choice

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know that most wedding ceremony's take place in mixed lighting conditions making it difficult for the in camera white balance to properly adjust? Are you staring at the previous sentence in confusion?

it's uh......a warming filter?

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations?

Did you know that the Bride's parents are divorced and this will be the first time they have seen each other in 10 years and have no desire whatsoever to be in photograph together? No?

family love...

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know that cameras break, or stop working randomly?  Do you have a back-up incase that happens? No?

 ...stupid destination weddings!

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know that the Bride told everyone to arrive at the church 30 minutes prior to ceremony and the reception immediately followed? No? You now have no time to take any photos and the bride is irate.

get what you can...

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know that the Bride spent countless hours individually sorting through a bag of m&ms to find the colors to fill her gift boxes she left at each table-inside of which was a special handwritten note with their wedding date explaining the importance of m&ms to their relationship and the over arching metaphor of the melty chocolate-y goodness to their wedding night…..No? You didn't get a picture of the m&ms?

please join us in eating our face...

You just ruined their wedding. Congratulations.

Did you know you could be sued for not delivering photos of key moments throughout the day? No? You just ruined your business. Congratulations.

There is nothing stopping the well informed photographer from doing a bang up job.  These warnings are not for you, well informed photographer.  These warnings are for those eager to dive into the pool because it "looks like it could be fun" and "I've been to a lot of weddings".

How confident are you in shooting events? Do you know how to quickly adjust your camera for varying lighting conditions and different focus needs?  During the ceremony, if you miss the exchanging of the rings, or the kiss, you cannot request a do over and posing the shot after the ceremony will not be the same.  Everytime the bride looks at that photo she will remember how annoyed she was at you for missing the real thing.  

happy shooting

Are you "well informed photographer?" feel free to leave more advice in the comments below and help the less fortunate who have not seen what you have seen.

What to Wear Wednesday: February 1, 2012

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This week’s What to Wear Wednesday shows a stylish winter look. This is a great modern fashionable look using accessories to add a little Pizazz to your family portrait.
 We here at Sarah Linnea Photography would love the opportunity to work with such a smartly dressed crew.

 

Don't forget to take part in Sarah Linnea Photography's Valentine's Mini Session Event coming up this saturday!

Click Here for more details.

Sarah Linnea is officially Blogging!

Hi!

you can't say you don't want This face taking Your pictures

I am Sarah Linnea Tatom. Thank you so much for reading my blog. As this is my first entry I will do some introduction and let you know what you can be looking forward to. I live in Florence, AL. I moved here from Memphis TN about a month ago after getting married to the most wonderful Jordan Tatom.

when you look away the photograph becomes more meaningful

So much for the introduction. I suppose the most important thing to know about me as far as this blog is concerned is...I love my Job.

don't forget to pet your camera after a hard day's work

Truth be told I love a lot of things in life

David Tenant picking me up in the Tardis for instance

But I find a passion for photography that has led me to where I am today. Now I know what you may be thinking. “Everyone who owns a camera seems to think They are a photographer, what makes you different?”
Well...I will tell you...

Cash Money!

yes that is right, a paycheck from the man-paying me for my photography services. I worked for the largest studio in a 200 mile radius before moving to North Alabama. I think that deserves some street cred.

Do I think I will be the next Ansel Adams?

black and white is the prettiest color

No. For starters I would look horrible in that hat. He was also a Nature photographer. I will leave the sumptuous mountain ranges and crisp clear blue water flowing from a natural spring over a multi-colored rock that has been worn down by the minerals of the water flowing over them since the dawn of time......to the people who find that more interesting than I do.

"you are going to be this year's christmas card!"

Well, in a nut shell. The purpose of this blog is to keep my fans and clients informed on what’s going on with Sarah Linnea Photography. Including specials, deals, and the first look at projects. I will also be sharing information about myself, and photography in general. As I am also a photography tutor I want this blog to be informative for photographers as well as clients.

I am going to start my blog off right with a little deal for you.
go to my website: www.sarahlinnea.com and email me which country banned Donald Duck because he didn’t wear pants. The first person gets a Free sitting With a DVD of your images. The next 10 people get 75% off a sitting of their choice. (Wedding collections not included Sorry!)

And here are some links for you to be aware of

My Facebook Fan Page

Follow Me on Twitter

Thank you again for reading. Coming up next time: Photographing Children and the dangers the photographer faces. (Helaina’s First Birthday)