Think back to the days of getting your school pictures taken. (Waaaay back for me.) You probably spent hours agonizing over the perfect outfit and the just-right accessories because these pictures were going to be handed out to all your friends to be taped up on the inside of a locker door! At least it was that way at my school. But now that you're getting ready to have a professional portrait session done by yours truly (whether it be engagement, family, senior pics, you get the idea...), you might be a little daunted by a setting outside of the high school era "sit on the stool and tilt your head just an inch to the right" pictures. Let me put your mind at ease. Here are a few pointers or pearls of wisdom for your upcoming portrait sessions:

What to Wear
Ahhh, one of my favorite parts! I'm a total girl...love me some clothes and shoes! But while I want your clothes to look awesome in pictures, I also want you to be comfortable and "you". You don't want to wear something that makes you stiff and uncomfortable because that will show through in the pictures. I'm a big fan of color. Big. I love bright colors for basically one reason: they draw attention and can make a colorless background pop. Try to avoid colors that will wash you out. If you are blond and have a fair complexion, white or khaki may not be your best friend. Accessories and layers are another good one; they add dimension and character. Try knit scarves, fun hats, leggings and of course...cool shoes and boots.

What about props?
Some people want to have props involved in their photoshoot. My take on this: it will probably add some character to the shoot. If you and your fiance' have some awesome Cruiser bicycles, bring those! If your daughter has a stuffed toy she is never without, bring it along! Pets are also good "props" too. While I may not use them in every shot, pets are part of the family too and can only add to the session.

Location, location, location!
The location for your photo session is probably the most important part of the session. I am always scouting for new places that will be aesthetically pleasing in a shot. Key for me is if the spot has good light. I won't do an entire shoot in a location that is always in the shade. If you have some spots in mind, please let me know!

What time of day?
In a perfect world, I would do all photo sessions in the late afternoon, right before the sun sets. The setting sun creates the most wonderful, yummy light that makes for great pictures. The hour after the sun rises and before the sun sets is known as the Magic Hour or the Golden Hour for it's wonderful lighting. I prefer not to do sessions in the middle of the day as the sun creates incredibly harsh lighting and equally harsh shadows.

I hope this helps you with any questions you may have for your upcoming session and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions!

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...to start thinking about senior pictures! Before you know it, the snow will be melting, school will be letting out and you'll be gearing up for your last year of high school. The days seem to fly by faster and faster so why not start thinking about those senior pictures? Mandalay Images Photography steers far away from the posed and contrived senior portraits of the 90's. Yes, I can say that I, Mandy Brown, had several "hand under chin in a thoughtful pose" photos for my senior pictures. But that was then and this is now and "now" is not stiff and will definitely showcase how unique you are as a high school senior! Contact us now for our rates and we look forward to showing how cool you are!

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Last week I got to catch up with one of my oldest and dearest friends over our usual sushi lunch date. We love us some sushi! And I couldn't resist taking some pics of said friend...enjoy!

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Call it a New Years resolution but I've been striving to take more pictures. That sounds kind of ironic for a photographer but I'm talking about pictures of everyday life. Last Friday I hauled my equipment to the car for my drive to work, mainly because the weather woman said that most of the city was covered in fog. Fog makes for some awesome pictures, especially when you throw some skeletal cottonwood trees in the mix. And it didn't disappoint either. The closer I got to Boulder, the thicker it got. You couldn't tell where you were most of the time, save for the exit signs and the normally towering trees alongside the road would just appear out of nowhere. Life's too short not to stop and take pictures so with that being said, here they are.

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