Shayla – Maternity Portraits

Posted on February 7, 2008

This teeny tiny hot momma is about ready to pop! (Okay, teeny tiny minus the super huge, super adorable belly sticking out in front of her, but isn’t that just the cutest touch?) Maternity Portrait Shoots are the perfect types of photography sessions to have in the privacy of your own (or someone close to you’s) home. It gives a wonderful, intimate feeling to the photos, helps you be perfectly at ease, and, hey, even surprises you afterwards that those studio-looking photos were actually taken right in your own abode!

Now, if anyone deserves to be pampered, it would be a pregnant lady who has been carrying around a whole little person in her belly for almost nine months (did you know that the whole thing really lasts around ten months,?) probably suffering from swollen feet and a lack of sleep and just plain old carrying around all of that extra weight all day. (Not to mention, in Shayla’s case, still working two jobs while pregnant, putting that maternity leave on hold!) Well, It was perfect that Shayla got to enjoy an Ultimate Makeup Session while I was setting up the lights, props, and backgrounds downstairs…and boy did she look gorgeous!

We started out with a fun, fresh look, shooting both Shayla and the baby’s papa, Peter, amongst some pillows with an ethnic flair and a wrinkly white background.

 

Okay, for any of you who have been (or are) pregnant, I’m sure you can relate to that everlasting dilemma: Do I eat chocolate or fruit? doughnuts or whole wheat bagels? Well, Shayla played it up for the camera with some cupcakes that I had specially made for the shoot, along with the ever-so-healthy Granny Smith apple. That cupcake was just taunting her, as she playfully rebuked it.

The great debate:

Then, I draped Shayla in a satiny red cloth to show off her beautiful pregnant body to make for some chic maternity portraits. Mmmm…How elegant!

 

Lovin’ her belly:

And out came Peter again to ham it up for some more of Shayla’s maternity portraits:

Shayla was just tickled by how cute Peter looked as he cuddled with her belly! Awww…

 

Balancing those precious little baby booties. Can you believe feet come that small?! Babies are such amazing little creations.

Be sure to check the site back later for more of Shayla’s maternity portraits, because I’ve decided to add her to my featured galleries in the website that is under construction.

Thanks, Shayla and Peter! You were both so fun to work with, and I just loved how you were open to all of the creativity.

 

Matt & Steph’s Couples Portrait Session

Posted on February 6, 2008

I’m on a roll here, writing another post for my blog! Here’s one for you to enjoy:

Matt, Steph, and I had all been so psyched for this portrait shoot for a while now. I swear – Matt and Steph are born models (even though they aren’t ones professionally!) They have the looks, the passion, the drive, the spunk…everything that makes them the perfect subjects for a photographic shoot. I heard rumors that Steph was jumping around the apartment in excitement the night before the shoot, tearing through the closet to find the perfect threads for each of them to wear for their couple’s portrait session.

I was so stoked to tour downtown Seattle with them on a hunt for the perfect photographic locations for their portraits. Seattle is so full of unique and interesting places; you can find them tucked behind every corner. Matt and Steph were up for trying new photographic ideas and lighting techniques – so much so that we were still shooting after the sun was hidden far behind the horizon.

Matt spotted this wall, full of worn posters, paint, and even a little “polite graffiti” (written on a piece of cardboard, rather than directly on the wall.) I love it when my clients have the same quirky creative ideas ways that I do!

 

 

Up on her tippy toes…

 

We found this fire station across the street from an under-construction station, complete with blue painter’s tape “x’s” and “o’s” playing amongst the windows. We were so tempted to venture into the open construction gate to steal a few shots, until we noticed the “hardhat area only” signs. Sigh…At least we found this fun, punchy-red station down the street and got some awesome shots!

 

Look at this cutie shot I captured of Steph while Matt was changing:

Now this next one was a tough find. It’s one of those treasures that photographers think they can only dream of…and I almost missed it! I just happened to catch a glimpse of what looked like an old neon sign, tucked away behind an old run down building. It was angled away from the road, so I honestly don’t know how I even noticed it while we were driving. I am so thankful that we turned around to check it out, even though I was in disbelief over what I thought I saw. Well, lo and behold, it was an old, junky neon sign. What did it say, you might ask? Well, “Neon,” of course! Too funny.

The next portrait is one of my favorites of the couple. What an intimate little moment surrounded by a striking work of Seattle art, all painted on the side of a building. You just gotta love the way Seattle culture can add that special punch to portraits.

It’s just too tough to choose the photos I want to share of this couple, because they are all so spectacular! That’s a good dilemma for photographer to have! Just so you can enjoy more of this hottie couple, I’ve decided to feature them in the “featured galleries” section of the website that I’m building. I’m hoping I will have it all up and running soon. For now, I will leave you with two more shots. Here’s an action-packed portrait:

…and one of the cool lighting experiments I told you about in the beginning: a gorgeous photographic instant using incredible lighting from none other than the parking garage that housed the car! Simply breathtaking:

That’s all for now of Matt & Steph’s adventures in Seattle. Stay tuned for more photos of this marvelous couple when I get my full photography website up and running!

Kelley – Spokesmodel Senior Portrait Session

Posted on February 4, 2008

And here are some of my favorite portraits of Kelley from her spokesmodel senior pictures session!:

Just check out her gorgeous eyes, gazing at you from this picture. Wow! I think her custom makeover helped her beautiful eyes pop.

This portrait looks almost electric!

I love the orange & pink combination in the next one. Kelley has the perfect sassy look to make a sensational spokesmodel portrait!

I absolutely adore the carefree look in this one. Look out, senior class of 2008!:

Alli – Spokesmodel Portrait Session

Posted on February 4, 2008

Here are some of my favorite portraits from Alli’s spokesmodel senior pictures session. Check out the reflection in this portrait!:

I just love Alli’s look in this next picture – so cool, collected, and beautiful!

Besides being able to work with fabulous personalities like Alli, nature’s unexpected gifts make photography such a marvelous profession. The sudden gust of wind added the perfect touch to the next portrait!

We all were having such a fantastic time that it was hard to call it quits (yes, even in spite of the freezing weather!) It was getting dark, which always makes the lighting a fun challenge. I love love love the surreal photographic effect from the building’s outside lights in the portrait below.

My spokesmodels and I were on the same page, as far as throwing in a little of the unexpected goes. I love finding locations that might not scream: “portrait backdrop!” but then flying with my instincts and turning those locations into an eye-catching portrait with a bit of the unexpected. Who would think they’d find such a model-looking beauty in the junk behind an old bar? We’ll end with this one, just for fun:

Newest Spokesmodels (Senior Reps)

Posted on February 4, 2008

I am just about finished building my website so you all can see more of my work and know more about what I have to offer. That has left me with no time to keep up with the blog, so I am quite behind! I decided I better post a few from a little bit ago for you!

Here they are: Kristen Buchmann Photography’s two newest spokesmodels! (My spokesmodel program is my senior rep program.) You might recognize Kelley and Abbi from your own high school. They are seniors this year and, although I typically start with my spokesmodels in their junior year, these two seniors are going to double as recruits for junior spokesmodels as well.

These spokesmodels opted to do their spokesmodel portrait shoot together (a fun option for any senior portraits photo shoot, really…you get to share your day with a friend and play off of the excitement and energy you always create together…not to mention getting to have a few of your senior portraits together. Think best friend, boyfriend, whatever – you name it!)

My beauty consultant joined us at the beginning of our spokesmodel portrait session and treated each of the girls to an Ultimate Makeup Session. I’ll post some of my favorite photos from each of the girls’ spokesmodel senior portrait sessions in a little bit. For now, enjoy these photographic moments.

I’m currently looking for high school juniors in the Seattle area to be my spokesmodels. If you’re interested in being one of my spokesmodels, please contact me for more specifics.

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