Photo Blog

My dad the artist. | Happy Father’s Day!

Fathers everywhere are gearing up for their BIG day, hoping to get pampered by their wives + kiddos this coming Sunday. Every year I search long + hard for that perfect Father’s Day card for my Dad. And every year I find it a difficult task – I get lost in a sea of fishing, golfing + sports enthusiast sentiments. Well, that’s not my dad. I’ve never seen him do any of those things. But I have seen him create. He’s an artist. I thought I would take the time to honor him and share his amazing natural talent on my blog. He has been retired from Hallmark Cards, Inc. in Kansas City since I started college, but has been carving since I can remember. He has created amazing mantles + ornamental pieces for doors, refrigerators and cabinets.

I know I’m a lot like my Dad. He can’t start a project until he’s organized and he has to be “into it” to feel creative. He also doesn’t like to be rushed and wants to finish a project on his own time – a time when he is most creative. I’m exactly like that. My Dad used to photograph a lot too. He is the one who taught me to take a photo that is more candid and not something so posed. It was in high school that he taught me this, and these are still my very favorite types of images today.

To start the creative process, he begins with a realistic drawing. Sometimes my Mom helps him with this, or my Dad will draw it himself. I decided to ask him a few questions about this extraordinary skill of his, wood carving. 🙂

When did you discover your artistic skills? I remember picking up a pencil at a very young age. 2 or 3 maybe? In the first grade the teacher would ask us to draw something. Everyone had doodles + stick figures, but mine actually looked like something.

How did you discover wood carving? I started working as an engraver at Hallmark when I was 18. I didn’t go to college, but I naturally had a talent for the arts. I had a buddy who left Hallmark to go work in a cabinet shop. He asked if I would be interested in doing what he did. I’ve been doing it ever since.

Did he teach you how to carve? No, I’m self-taught. I take notice of the shape of things + try really hard to make it really look like something.

What kind of tools do you use? I’m a power carver. I use an electric dremel or power grinder, where hard steel cutters at variable speeds cut the wood. The shape of the wood-cut is from the shape of the tool. I don’t really use traditional chisels.

What types of woods do you use? Really whatever the customer wants. But I prefer to work with softer woods that are easier to carve like alder. Stained, it’s a beautiful color. Oak is the hardest wood and the most difficult, but I’ve also carved walnut, ash, oak + cedar.

Tell me the craziest thing you have ever carved? I’ve carved so many things I don’t remember! Everything I create is three-dimensional. I’ve made a 3ft pheasant in the round that was pretty neat. I’ve also carved a lot of woodland things like fish + deer.

What is your best advice for someone wanting to get into art? Start at an early age. Take things simple and take notice of what things look like. If you are a creative, you will see it and have an understanding of perspective. You have to really want it, put your heart into it + keep practicing.

Enjoy the latest project I saw my Dad do! I captured him working in his space – the garage. 🙂

Happy Father’s Day!

xox

HSR

Natalie + Katee | Elephant Rocks State Park

“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Elephant Rocks State Park has been on my shooting-local-list for a very long time! And finally, I have an adventurous couple interested in this unique mid-Missouri oasis. Katee grew up near the park, so she knew the best trails + the perfect place to start. Natalie + Katee are seriously the cutest couple. They love to laugh, read and play with their dogs.

Natalie + Katee met through mutual friends at a NYE party, years ago. They left the party with a goodnight kiss that would not be their last. They ring shopped together + both did surprise proposals in two very special places. Just before Christmas, Katee proposed at Strand, a book store in NYC. She notified the store in advance of her plans and had the First Edition copy of Unaccustomed Earth (one of their favorites) ready. Inside was the photo of the two of them with their dogs she had sent in advance of their arrival. Around Christmas Eve, Natalie surprised Katee at The Cheshire, the same place as their first date.

They even allowed me to take my sweet time + experiment with film. There is a mix of color film + digital, while all the b&w images are film. 🙂

Enjoy!

xox

HSR

Hair + Make up – Annie Heyward, DanielleStyle

Shannon + Jason | St. Louis Engagement Photography

Do you ever just feel like dancing? I think I do this little happy dance / (embarrassing) jig when a couple does something cute, or I captured something more candid, fun or just plain beautiful. Have you seen me do this?!

Shannon + Jason are just that cute couple you would catch dancing. Shannon is in law enforcement and Jason is the military – when I met Shannon during our initial visit I just loved her + then enjoyed all her fun follow-up emails. They met online, and just before Christmas they planned a fun weekend getaway to Chicago to visit her folks. On a stop at the Shed Aquarium, they visited the penguins. In the long anticipating wait to enter, she asked Jason if he would like a pebble. (Pebbles serve as a heartfelt gift from one penguin to another, as a sign to mate for life.) She had no idea that once inside, he would get down on one knee, with a ring, to show his love + commitment to her.

Enjoy!

xox

HSR

Rachel + Pawel | St. Louis Engagement Photography

I love our flag flying just outside our front door. It reminds me of our freedom and how lucky we are to live in the USA! Thank you to all the troops who sacrifice (and sacrificed) their life to protect us. I might be even more sentimental right now because I read a wonderful book by Lynsey Addario called It’s What I do, A Photographer’s Life of Love and War. You don’t have to be a photographer to enjoy that read. Anyway, Ryan and I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend together – I love a long weekend, even if I lose one day shooting a wedding. Ryan and I love exploring new restaurants + things to do around town. While a lot of people were enjoying the lake (in the rain!), we were enjoying sunny days with no-wait brunches, coffee hoppin’, a Card’s game, BBQing with friends on the patio, watching an afternoon movie at the newly updated Esquire + relaxing our worn-out-wedding-feet (I walked 7.43 miles on Saturday … in my new Keds!) with mani / pedis. Not a bad weekend, yeah?! So much fun with my love.

Today I have a fantastic engagement session … Oh my! I was waiting at the Jewel Box – once I got Rachel + Pawel in my sights, I was like WOW, this is going to be so fun + easy! These two go with the flow, are open to ideas + just have fun! My kind of people! And how gorgeous is she?!

Enjoy!

xox

HSR

Are your little ones wild or tame during a family session?

Oh my goodness, do I have the cutest session ever to share! If you follow along on my blog or Instagram (@hsrphoto) you have seen this family, plenty. It’s my BFF and her darling little ones! I thought this post could be a great opportunity to educate you on family sessions + encourage something a little more fun… like a styled shoot. This family has been begging me to do something like this for-ever! I’m allowing myself to be for real here, as you will probably agree, family sessions are a real s#$@ show. Right?! Can I get an Amen for a photographer who admits this? It’s a daunting task to choose outfits – to look put-together without being too matchy-matchy. Then, praying/begging the kids to be good after you’ve spent all this time + $$$ + effort for this perfect photograph for your home or holiday card. Because as we all know, kids are always on their best behavior during these sessions. 😉 Well, I’ve come up with 5 helpful tips to achieve a splendid family session.

1. Timing. Choose a time that is best for the little ones, not your schedule. I find that kids under the age of 4 do better in the AM. However, with this shoot, we worked it in after naps and right before dinner, to get in hair + make up appointments. Trust me, there were melt-downs, but we had several iPads and (non-messy) snacks for a quick recovery! I was so proud of them!

2. Clothing. Pick cute duds that match the personality of the child. Maria and I have the same taste, so this session was super easy to style. In the past we’ve tried putting cute outfits on her little ones that they just hated + trust me, we were punished during the session for this! (No matter how much bribery was involved!) There is not enough ice cream or baby dolls in the world to make them do what we want. We found most of the outfits when we were on a recent girl’s trip in Scottsdale! Holla, Zara Kids! Don’t feel like you have to buy everything new, start by working with the best pieces already in the closet and add what you need to make it amazing.

3. Props. Kids love props + tangible items! If they are having a melt-down moment, it’s a great opportunity to give them something to do or hold. I also love to contain them in one area (with the tent or using a crate or stool). This way they can stay put in my area of best lighting. But really most importantly, I’m not running around like a crazy woman chasing them! 😉

4. Develop a relationship with your photographer. I’ve been photographing this family forever. We are going on 6 years now with everyone. The kids are used to me. They did have an advantage by spending a couple days prior to the shoot hanging with us at our house (they live in KC). I was able to prep them with ways to smile without saying CHEESE! They were so proud of themselves for giving me the perfect soft smile, serious face and real giggles. I also worked with Eden, the oldest, on poses. She nailed it, and I’m ready to be her agent. ha ha! Tripp, who is only 2, was so so good and followed the lead of his sisters. For this shoot, we were going for a little more serious.

5. Have fun, be different + think outside the box. That doesn’t mean coming to your photographer with Pinterest must-haves. Let your photographer have the creativity, spontaneity + freedom to do as they will at the session. Just give little hints to your style and how your home is decorated. Little ones do and say the darndest things, so I always let them lead the session, and with minimal direction from the parents.

So tell me, are your little ones wild or tame during a session? I like a little bit of both, so don’t be afraid, be brave and book a session!

Young, Wild + Free wouldn’t have been so perfect without these amazing people – Sweet Melissa for hair + make up, Belli Fiori for the beautiful flowers, Courtney Callahan Paper for the banner + The White Rabbit for the stool + paper mâché elephant head. If you haven’t met these gals you need to! And everyone knows The White Rabbit is my favorite local boutique.

Scroll to the bottom for outfit finds!

Enjoy!

xox

HSR