Remember to Savor the Everyday Moments

by SimplyHollyJo on November 20, 2020 , No Comments

There’s a lot to be stressed, worried, and frustrated about this year. But there’s also a lot of wonderful things happening as well. Some of them are on smaller levels, and not as often spoken about, but important, nonetheless. So the topic of “savor” is perfectly fitting for this season.  Finding Inspiration When I first started reflecting on this word, a lot of things came to mind. Thanksgiving is coming up soon, so there’s people, food, and celebration, and honestly, there’s a lot of love and happiness around me in general. But what really stuck to me in the end, […]

From Here to There | Before and After Editing

by SimplyHollyJo on October 27, 2020 , No Comments

People often don’t think about what goes on after the session has ended. The culling through images, choosing the best ones, and sometimes merging multiple images together. As with any photographer, I do my best to get it as perfect as possible in camera. That means less work on the back end, faster turn around, and less chances of losing image quality through editing. But when you’re working with little ones, or large groups, it can be difficult to get that one right shot where everyone looks great at the same time, or when nothing distracting is happening. That is […]

How I Got the Shot | Fall Yardwork Play

by SimplyHollyJo on September 4, 2020 , No Comments

People are often surprised by the shots that I get of my kids. Especially my mother. When you show one great shot of your kid, it’s easy to forget how many failures came before that one shot was captured. From Here, to There (Before & After) First of all, here’s a shot of what I started with and where I ended. I removed a few distractions in the background and made the focus fall on his face. The Challenge Photographer’s child. Well, for me at least. But in general, kids don’t want to sit and stare at the camera. So […]

How to: Choosing a Professional Photographer 

by SimplyHollyJo on August 25, 2020 , No Comments

Choosing a professional photographer to take your photos can be rough. I am a photographer and I even have a hard time choosing. Thankfully I know what I’m looking for when I’m doing a search. So I can easily add and subtract potential photographers from my list based on those criteria. Below I’m going to share the things you should be looking at when choosing a professional photographer. Some may be obvious, and other you may never have thought of before. Either way, I hope this helps you on your journey to creating the perfect session for you and your […]

Sharing Your Session Images on Social Media | How To

by SimplyHollyJo on August 18, 2020 , No Comments

Can I Share My Photos Online? Yes! Please do! These are your session images to share with others. You can even share your gallery link if you would like. If you have any issues sharing your session images, please feel free to reach out for help. Quality Matters | Social Media Issues Please, please, PLEASE, do not screenshot your images to share online. You paid good money for quality images, and I want you to share them in the best way as well. Social media sites will already mess with the quality of the images uploaded already, so you need […]

How I Got the Shot | Bubble Storm Backdrop

by SimplyHollyJo on August 14, 2020 , No Comments

This post will be a continuation of the How I Got the Shot series, where I show some times simple, and some times more complex was to get the shot. Behind the camera things that I do to produce a final image. In this case it involves a somewhat unexpected bubble storm. Sometimes there are kids or other people involved in a shoot that desperately want to do something specific or play a larger part. Depending on the situation, it can be worth it to just run with it and try something out. It may not work out in the […]

Where to Print Photos from Your Session

by SimplyHollyJo on August 4, 2020 , No Comments

I get this question ALL the time. ALL. THE. TIME. So read on to find out where and how to print photos from your session. Digital vs Print First thing is first: print those photos! Don’t make the mistake of letting them hide away on your computer or phone, to never be seen in print. You could do a photobook, or order prints and canvas to decorate your home. Whatever you do, show those bad boys off! Make your house your own! Where to Print MPIX I HIGHLY recommend printing your images through MPIX.com. This is in NO way sponsored. […]

Preparing for Your Photo Session

by SimplyHollyJo on July 28, 2020 , No Comments

People are always telling me how intimidating portraits or family photos are for various reasons. As someone who gets family photos ever year, as well as planning portrait sessions for my kids, I fully understand! So below I am sharing some tips for making the most out of your session, as well as ways to help make preparing for your photo session just that much easier! WHAT TO WEAR The number one issue I hear families discuss is what to wear. Especially for family photos when you’re trying to dress multiple people. People have different styles and color preferences, but […]

Relaxing in the Grass | How I Got the Shot

by SimplyHollyJo on July 24, 2020 , No Comments

I did another How I Got the Shot from this session and said how this little girl and her brother were not really interested in this session. B was actually very interactive and helpful. She wanted to help me with my blanket and gear, and was eager to show me things. So I used that to my advantage to help get some shots of her relaxing in the grass. The “Trick” As I’m sure I’ll state multiple times, these aren’t really “tricks” so much as tools, or ways to reframe “problems.” By taking what I learn from kids in these […]

How I Got the Shot | Standing for Joy

by SimplyHollyJo on July 10, 2020 , No Comments

Kids are not always ready for family photos. Or any photos at all. That’s okay! I know, as a photographer and a mother, how stressed parents feel when their kids are less than cooperative during a session. But I just run with it! Kids are kids! They want to run, explore, play, and not sit still. So I just explore capturing kids using that energy. For the Heritage Park family session that included B, both he and his sister wanted to run and explore. So I just went with it and found ways to tie their desires together with capturing […]

How I Got the Shot | Tucked in the Flowers

by SimplyHollyJo on June 26, 2020 , No Comments

Some times you need some behind the scenes work to get the shot. I wanted to share a few things behind creating this floral middle school grad photo below! From Here, to There (Before & After) The image below shows the original photo as captured and then the final product. The original is a little darker, with less contrast and pop. There wasn’t actually a whole lot of work that needed to be done in post-processing. That’s exactly how I prefer things. Even if I want to get creative, I still want my in-camera work to be well done. It […]

Middle School Grad Session | Spring Hill, Kansas

by SimplyHollyJo on June 11, 2020 , No Comments

What a crazy time we live in right now. The year 2020 has be rocky for us all, and we are all dealing with multiple scares and letdowns. Every middle school grad has had to adjust to a completely different end to this season of life. Capturing this special time for K, was a honor. I warned her before the session that I was itching for a portrait session to play with, and that I might be a little overly excited to shoot. She took it all in stride. We were blessed with a great location right in her backyard. […]