Lizney Sievert Photography

Hybrid Diapers!

Yes, you read it right! Not only do they have hybrid cars now they have hybrid diapers- and no people, I am not making this up!!! With everyone thinking green now and with all the new babies that I've been photographing, I found this and just had to RUN over here to share with all my new mommies! They are called G Diapers. www.gdiapers.com They are what they call hybrid diapers, half cloth, half disposable. The outer cover is cloth, then there is a inner liner which holds a disposable pad. The pad itself is made out of the same stuff that helps trees hold their water and is totally biodegradable and breaks down in 50-100 days in a landfill or compost vs the 500 years it takes a normal disposable to break down. You can also flush the peed on pads, you tear them up and put them in the toilet and they just break up. They are seriously cool... and I'm not usually one to post about diapers! Oh and did I mention how simply adorable they are??? They would photograph soooo well! I think I want some for my photo shoots!

Jennifer Lopez Newborn Portraits!

Yup, you read that right... Usually I don't share names and I'm not a big bragger. But Jennifer Lopez called me to do her newborn portraits and I about died!-and KNEW I was going to come over here and share it with all of ya! Cause, really, how cool is that??? Oh and she is BEAUTIFUL! Here's her little guy....

and the beautiful mommy and daddy and tiny, tiny baby boy!

Yup, this Jennifer Lopez is not the movie star, but she sure does look like one!

Want to take better pictures?

Who doesn’t? Everyone wants to capture their memories in the best way possible. And you can’t have a professional photographer 24/7. So I thought I would give you some tips on how to make your family snapshots a little better. Most of us don’t think much about it when we see a picture opportunity. Instead we run and grab the camera really fast and snap away. Right? Well, there’s a few things you can thing about to make each shot you take better.
1.) Get down to their level! For babies and crawlers, often times I lay on my belly and take the pictures. For a busy toddler, I crouch down to their level. Put your subject on a chair or steps to bring them up to higher levels.
2.) Get lots of angles. Walk around your subject and take shots from different angles. Your natural reflex is most likely to take the picture straight on. Changing the angle gives a different perspective and look to the image.
3.) Fill the frame. Zoom in or move closer to your subject. When using your point and shoots flash, stay further away and zoom in on the subject. The flash won’t be as harsh. Filling the frame takes out the distractions in the background. It helps keep the focus on your subject.
4.) Try to stay away from white or extremely light colors for clothing. Yes, I know white polos and khaki’s make for classic shots, but light colors also absorb light much more than darker colors, therefore you lose detail in your shots in bright light. Bright colors usually work best.
5.) Stay away from busy patterns and logos! 500 cars or trucks zooming across a shirt can be very distracting in pictures. It draws your eyes away from your main focus. Don’t get me wrong, some patterns are way cool for pics, such as polka dots, or really cute plaid shorts
6.) And lastly, try to keep you background simple. Look for spots that are kinda plain, or interesting. Simple is good in keeping the focus on your child, and not what’s behind or around them. Tight shots that fill the frame help this a lot. Take a cool barn that has been weathered and fill the frame with the wall, and you’ve got yourself a cool shot!
Hope that helps in making your pictures better when a professional photographer is not their to capture that special moment. If you decide to use the information I have provided you, i’d love to see what you got! Send me your shots using these tips to lizney@lizneysievert.com

Birthday Present

I had the pleasure of photographing this precious newborn on his mommy's very special birthday! Be still my heart, this little guy made me want to run to the store and buy me a new baby! (thank goodness they don't sell them at the baby store or I'd be in BIG trouble with my kids, not to mention hubby...)

and one with grandma, because I have a very special place in my heart for grandparents and their grandbabies...

Hannah from Orange County

Sent me this adorable picture of her and her Pancake Patty! Check out how cool her Patty is, has a guitar just like California girl! :)

Oh these are so much fun! Keep them coming!

Miracle

I love this storyboard that mom designed and I have to share with all of you! :) Now isn't this little guy just the cutest???

Sorry I've been MIA

I didn't forget you guys, I've just been SWAMPED! We got back from vacation and as always I work real hard until we leave and come back with a boat load of stuff to do! But we did take our Pancake Patty/Pete with us and got some fun snapshots!- Now please forgive my family's not-to-excited reactions. They really did not like having to take pictures with Pancake Pete/Patty while a bunch of people were looking and laughing at us! I didn't care! :) Hehehe!

Pancake Pete and Pancake Patty

A fun family project!  Say hello to your newest friend… Pancake Patty and Pancake Pete.

All those of you on my mailing list will be getting yours soon but for those that check my blog you can download them here. If you would like to be on the mailing list please email me your address: lizney@lizneysievert.com and I'll make sure you get your packet!

1. Download Pancake Patty Download PancakePatty.pdf or Pancake Pete Download PancakePete.pdf

2. Decorate your new friend with markers,crayons, sequins, yarn or anything else you can imagine.

3. Take Pancake Patty or Pancake Pete to your favorite spot and snap a few pictures of her with the location and your paper friend clearly visible. Whether it is your grandma’s backyard or the Eiffel Tower, Pancake Patty likes to go everywhere. She doesn’t want to miss a thing!

4. Write a few words about the location you choose and why, then email your photos to: lizney@lizneysievert.com

5. Check our blog often to see fun pics, make comments and see if you won any awards!

Be sure to submit your entries before August 31, 2008.

Win really cool awards for:
1. Farthest Location Away from Home - $100 Gift Certificate for a future session
2. Most Original Location - $100 Gift Certificate for a future session
3. Best Use of a Miami site - $100 Gift Certificate for a future session
4. Most Creative Home Location - $100 Gift Certificate for a future session

Grand Prize for our Favorite Picture:
Free Session and unframed 20 x 24 Canvas ($925 value!)

The Art (and Investment) of Custom Photography

I just learned about a wonderful, in-depth article written by Marianne Drenthe on Custom Photography. What is custom photography, and how should you choose a professional photographer? Why does custom photography cost so much more than the chain studios? What exactly is Lifestyle Photography or Photojournalism? This fantastic article addresses all these questions and more.

I especially like her breakdown of the time involved in just one portrait session. Many people might not realize just how much time goes into a single portrait session. For instance, did you know that I rarely photograph more than 3-4 clients in one week? I estimate my time per session to average about 12 hours. If I photograph 4 clients, that makes a 48 hour work week. This summer, I have only reserved a maximum of 3 clients per week, sometimes only 2, because I want to spend some time with my children while they are out of school. During the holiday portrait months of September and October, with the loving support of my husband and family, I accept 7-9 sessions per week to meet demand. That means I often work about 60-72 hours per week in those months! So now you know why I take December off!

How does one session require so much time? Here is an excerpt from Marianne’s article with a breakdown [with my personal averages added in brackets]:

• session prep time (30 mins - 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
• [up to] one hour travel time TO session
• 15 minutes prep time at client’s home
• [1 to 2 hours] with client photographing subject
• [up to] one hour travel time FROM session
• 30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
• 30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
• 2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
• 1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
• 2-3 hours time with client for ordering images [my average is less than 1 hour since I do not usually meet with clients in person for ordering]
  
• 1 hour sorting through and checking order
• 30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
• 30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
• any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, [questions regarding images, changes in finishes, etc.]

As you can see, average client time for a session ranges from just under 13 hours to 19 hours dependent on the photographer’s level of service. This is time dedicated only to your session. When the photographer charges $150-$300 for the photo shoot you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

This list does not include some of the time requirements for running a business in general, such as bookkeeping, phone calls and session planning with prospective clients, time spent on the phone or in person with my accountant, lawyer, or insurance agent, market research, website and blog maintenance, and ongoing photographic study and artistic development. It really adds up!

Take a peek if you’d like to read more … http://www.professionalchildphotographer.com

Happy Memorial Day- we are off!

We are packed and loaded and heading off to a restful,  long-weekend,  beach vacation! We just love being beach bums, the sound of the beach, the relaxing pace of having NOTHING to do all day, a few novels, oh bliss...  (and yes we are taking our Pancake Patty and Pancake Pete with us!)

This year we are going to try Ana Maria Island, on the West Coast of FL. It sounds like just the perfect spot for our beach bum family, it's a small island with an open air trolley. I will update you guys with pictures! I can't promise the best quality as I will only be taking the point and shoot but I'm hoping for some rockin' sunsets with some Pisco Sour's or Mojito's or Caipirinha's - hmmm wonder how those pictures will look like! :) Have a safe and fun Memorial Day.

We will be closed from Friday May 23 and will reopen Wednesday May 28.  We will have no email access so please don't have any photography emergencies! Thank you and have a GREAT weekend!