Behind the Brand

Posted on Mar 31, 2011

Have you ever been asked to describe yourself in one word? It’s hard!

I thought I would share about how and why I chose my new branding. I’ve been working for a long time on trying to figure out how to verbalize my photographic style and how I want you to view me as a person. Last year my mom and I were shopping at H&M and I saw heart shaped sunglasses. They were $8 and in my hot little hands in a matter of seconds. I LOVE THEM. I wear them all the time and regret not getting more than one pair. I’ve lost them a couple times and since they love me too they’ve always made it back to me. When I went to NYC last May with Sir Luke and his mom we went rowing in Central Park and the guy at the boat house wanted to buy them off my face to give to his girlfriend!

I said no…I’m so selfish!

At times I forget that I am wearing them and walk past people and all of a sudden they’re smiling at me. Oh yeah! The heart glasses! They’re unexpected and make you smile. And that’s my goal with my photography. I want to make you see the love that I see in you and make you smile because I caught something you didn’t think was there. There are so many times where I’ve heard from my families and couples that I shot so many things that they didn’t see or didn’t think I could have possibly gotten.

I love to out-do expectations.

So, while I was at WPPI I was feeling more and more that I needed to find that voice. I had to find the words to describe me. I went to a photobooth and grabbed the paper heart glasses on a stick (akin to a mustache on a stick) and had my photo taken. Then I had to rush home to let poor Ripley out of her kennel before I ran back to the conference. I literally had an epiphany when I got home. Instead of rose colored glasses I have glasses that I see love through, you know, because they’re hearts! And that was it. We See Love with heart glasses. My initial concept was…blah. I felt completely lost. Putting my idea in the hands of Nicki was the best thing I could have done. She made my vision into something so much better than I could have ever imagined.

I’ve got some ideas brewing so you can enjoy some heart shaped glasses too! I’ll keep you in the loop on those surprises, coming this summer.

Display Thursday Wall Coverings

Posted on Mar 31, 2011

We bought a house last year and subsequently I have a ridiculous amount of barren walls. I’ve been mulling over how I want to tackle the blank space. Today’s display ideas are here to help that problem.

FOR THE RECORD: THIS IS NOT MY HOUSE. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY DID THIS. PLEASE LOOK AT THE SOURSE IMAGE FOR DETAILS. The company that did the painting is Fresh Paint: http://www.freshpaintartist.com/

I am a huge lover of family history. I love to learn about where I came from and showing off my ancestors. How great is this for a family living space? I grew up with photos of my ancestors all over the walls. It helped me know them more.

via Apartment Therapy

This is a great way to wallpaper a wall. You could start out small by putting up one row of images. Then increase and do a checkerboard. Over time you can cover the entire wall with family photos. Alternate color and black and white or do it all in a monochromatic look!

via Martha Stewart

Have an image that inspires you from your latest family session? Why not make it into real wallpaper?! Can you believe you can do this these days? I seriously want to do this in a future room. Love it!

via Apartment Therapy

I hope these total wall covering ideas help you turn your home into a gallery of your family!

Sneak Peek & New Branding!

Posted on Mar 30, 2011

Hi friends!

Here is a cute picture from my recent family session with the Boswells.

My good friend Nicki Schmidt and I have been collaborating on new branding for my business. What do you think? I am in love with it. She did such a great job and I’m so grateful for her geniusness. I just ordered new business cards and I can’t wait to show them to you! Nicki is a faboo graphic designer. Check out her sweet blog. I completely recommend her.

As you can see we are going to start doing video this year! Our first wedding with video will be next month in Boston. The reception is at the New England Aquarium! 
So what do you think?

Display Thursday – How To: Hang

Posted on Mar 24, 2011

I know I’ve shared a lot of ways to display your photographs. Sometimes you can be overwhelmed by ideas and not know where to start. I’ve used the following method many times to hang images in just the right way.

First, you need to get your images in their frames. Next put every frame on newspaper and trace around the frame. I number each piece of paper with each frame so you don’t forget what goes where. Cute out each piece of paper and tape to the wall according to your design.

via Young House Love

The net step is measuring where you need to place your nails. This can be accomplished easily by pulling the hanging wire taught on the back of your frame and measuring down from the top to the apex of the wire. Then measure on the taped newspaper to the same spot and that is where you hammer our nail. Do the same with all frames. You can achieve this with sawtooth hangers as well. The key is to measure from the top of the frame down for the best placement possible.

Once you’ve hammered all the nails in simply rip off the newspaper and hang your frames! I recommend ripping one piece off at a time so you remember which frame goes which which paper (since you numbered them and all!).

You can have a great hallway like this!

 P.S. I love the stripes behind the pictures.

Kate & Regan: Sneak Peek

Posted on Mar 22, 2011

Another wedding where weather threatened to ruin the day but miraculously turned out perfect at all the right times! There were so many great parts to this wedding but I had to share a little tidbit from the reception. I loved the decor at this reception. Just gorgeous!

The cake was the bride’s famous oatmeal cake that her sister made in their honor. Don’t you love the wooden couple topper?

More to come soon!

Display Thursday – Hiding the TV

Posted on Mar 17, 2011

Everyone watches a TV. Whether it’s movies or actual television everyone has one of these in their home. I’ve never met someone who didn’t. Except for me when I lived in NYC. Two years I went without one…weird. I know I have a love hate relationship with TV. I never want it to be the focal point in any room. These days the television is so streamlined that it ends up being another photo on the wall. Here are some ways to hide it.

A wall mounted TV is great and all but it’s still a giant TV on your wall, no matter how thin it is. Mimic the gloss of the edges of your television with shiny frames and place them around the TV. Distraction accomplished!

via CasaSugar

It doesn’t have to match the TV in order to hide it. Just putting up frames around the TV will distract from it’s presence. Even setting a plant near the TV changes the mood.

via Better Homes & Gardens

I saw this in a magazine ages and ages ago and LOVED the idea! This could easily be accomplished with canvas on tracks of mounted images on wood. Set them in front of the TV on a track so