Erin Householder Photography

Gila Valley Family Photographer | T Family

2011-10-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

I recently brushed the dust off of my camera after spending the last year focusing more on my family. I'm so glad that I took that break. It was much needed! My life is so different now. My baby is almost a year old! He is a fiesty little guy. I love him. My daughter is now three and loving her new found independence as she adjusts to her first year of preschool. We are becoming the best of friends. The three of us have spent lots of hours cuddling, tickling, and laughing at each other. Ok, it hasn't been all butterflies and roses. Motherhood is REAL and sometimes really hard! So for that reason, I'm really happy that I chose to put away my hobby for a while so that I could remind myself that even these hard days of motherhood will some day be missed.

I will miss times like these... where she comes strolling her baby brother in to me in her baby doll stroller. Oh man. These two kill me!

One of my first sessions back was with this gorgeous family! Megan is a fellow photographer who is extremely talented! CLICK HERE to check out her work. Their little Allie has loads of personality and we were instant besties. (I hear I'm not special. She bonds with everybody!) Thanks T Family for letting me come hang out with you!

2012 Pricing

2011-10-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hi there! Thanks for looking into Erin Householder Photography. I am excited for the beginning of a fresh new year. With the new year comes new pricing!

All sessions start at $200, although mini sessions are available in some cases. Please contact me for more details.

Erinhouseholder@gmail.com

Gila Valley Senior Portrait Photographer | Kayley

2010-03-24T21:47:00.001-07:00

I'm so behind and have lots to post, but I'll stick with sharing just this one for now. This was part II of Kayley's senior portraits. Aren't her eyes just gorgeous?

Gila Valley Newborn Photographer | Baylee

2010-03-16T21:08:00.001-07:00

This is part II for Baylee. Just had to show her parents a few more. Baylee's aunt Margo is a friend of mine and was kind enough to refer this little princess to me when I needed a tiny model to practice on. I definitely learned a lot and it encouraged me to possibly take on a few newborns here and there. Contact me if you're interested in getting your little newbie photographed. I do not photograph newborns who are more than 10 days old (I like them nice and sleepy)... so if you're interested then please contact me while you're still expecting.

::{Yellow Skinny Photos}::

2010-03-05T22:09:00.001-08:00

I have these awesome friends... you are familiar with them... used to be Becky McArthur Photography. Well, they're revamping their blog, website, and their over all image. Becky McArthur Photography is now Yellow Skinny Photos! Isn't that a great name? Dan is jumping into the mix, which makes them the hippest husband and wife photography team in town!

Becky needed a few pictures of her and Dan for her new blog and website, so we headed out to the coolest location and had a blast. Here was my favorite shot of the day. I've been wanting to create this shot for a very long time, but couldn't because both of my lens' are too zoomed. I used Becky's 35mm for this one and it worked like a charm. Sadly, I won't be able to create this shot for any of you until I get a hold of a 35mm, which is not at the top of my list.

ETA: Here's my second edit. I think I love it. Which do you like better?

Lastly, I just have to give a shout out to Becky. She is my photography soul mate. This girl was so generous to me when I was first getting into photography, and it continues still today. I love that we live two blocks away from each other, go to church together, know the same people, have the same client base, and yet there is no feeling of competition between us. We are genuinly happy for each other when one of us books an awesome senior, family, engagement... etc. We share our photography secrets with no restraint. We also keep each other sain when we're feeling less than adequate or when our hubbies are driving us crazy. I'm grateful for you Becky!!

Now hurry and go over to her blog and leave her some blog love. Her blog is still in the works, but she already has some awesome photos posted from recent sessions.

YELLOW SKINNY PHOTOS

I'm due for ::{my own}:: family photo shoot.

2010-03-04T08:46:00.001-08:00

I could lie and say that because I understand the importance of family photos, that we get our pictures taken at least once a year.... we don't. We skipped over 2009, which kind of bummed me out. I'm definitely making it a priority this year to get our own family pictures done. HOPEFULLY, this little giveaway will make it possible. One of my favorite photographers EVER is giving away a free photo session. Click HERE for more info. But let me just warn you... once you see her work you're not going to be happy until you've booked a session with her. Just sayin'.

Sneak Peek ::{Baylee}::

2010-02-27T14:11:00.001-08:00

More to come...

A few more of ::{Haleigh}::

2010-02-01T10:10:00.001-08:00

I never did a full post for Haleigh, so here are a few more.

::{small request}::

2010-01-27T15:06:00.001-08:00

EDIT: Big thanks to all of you baby makers out there!
The position has been filled. By two babies actually.
Paper Rock Scissors?

Can someone please have a newborn baby GIRL for me? Please?

Thanks. Appreciate it.

Oh, you're wondering why?

Well, I've never been so head strong about learning something as I am with photography,
so you can see why it drives me bonkers that I'm not as good at photographing newborns as I'd like to be.

I need some extra practice without the pressure of doing a full out shoot. So here are the details:

I would like to do this shoot within the next few weeks.

I would like the newborn to be a girl so I can put bracelets, beanies, and bows all over her.

She MUST be no older than 10 days old at the time of the shoot.

You will receive up to 5 high-res images on cd to compensate for your time.

No session fee!

Please email me if you're interested or if you have a friend that might be interested,

erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com

::{Daley}::

2010-01-25T21:41:00.001-08:00

I want you to notice two things about this picture... the first is that this family knows how to have FUN and they also know how to laugh together... a lot! Secondly, I want to direct your attention over to the tall guy on the left, Sam. DO YOU SEE HIS BREATH? Yes, it was that cold! We did a morning shoot the day after Christmas. Let me tell you, I was bundled up with my oversized jacket, scarf, and gloves! They were such good sports to drag the babies out in the cold. We did make it a pretty quick shoot though, and I don't blame them one bit!

You will be seeing more from these two models below. I've already put in a request with Amber to let me do an engagement style shoot with them for my portfolio. Amber and Sam know how to work it for the camera. I just can't pass up that opportunity!

I love Camille (below). Her and I took an English class together our freshman year in college. Oh goodness. We have some pretty funny secrets about that semester! Haha. She is now married to Jace's first cousin, Ryan. Aren't their babies cute? All of the Daley babies are adorable!

Little Annie has the prettiest eyes!!

Ruth Ann said when she asked me if I could do pictures for them that she wanted candids that showed that they were having fun. Doesn't this next picture accomplish that?

Thanks Daley's! It was a pleasure.

::{Hello Twenty-Ten}::

2010-01-21T21:25:00.001-08:00

2009 Rocked! It was seriously a roller coaster for me trying to start this little business. A crazy, fun, scary roller coaster! Here's how it went:

January - April: I was driving my husband nuts with my begging and pleading for him to make enough room in our budget to fund my new photography obsession. As a lot of you know... it's not a cheap hobby!

May: He finally shoveled out the cash and bought me my first dslr. A Canon 40d. It was like adding another member to the family. I was in love!

June: I took my first job. And, can I just say... WHAT WAS I THINKING?! I really wish I could go back and do some things over. Looking back, I really should have taken some time to learn the technical basics before getting caught up in the excitement of someone actually wanting to hire me.

July - September: Slowly things started clicking and I felt like I was making a lot of progress.

October: Frustrating! It was in October that I felt like everything was 1 step forward 2 steps back. You know how sometimes the more you know, the more you realize you don't know anything? I was starting to realize that I needed to know MORE and didn't know where to get the information I needed. I started to really work on nailing all technical aspects in my photographs. This took it's own tole on my creativity. I was focusing so much on the technical details that I quit thinking as much about angles, composition, & perspective.

November & December were so busy. SO SO SO busy. I'm so glad that I had the business that I did, but I will do things differently this year. Holiday sessions in September sound good to me. No more December 15th sessions. It was way too stressful! Live and learn.

January: I have loved these last few weeks!! I've taken some much needed time off to re-evaluate, read, LEARN, and just focus on comparing where I'm at to where I want to be; while making notes of steps I need to take to get myself from point A to point B.

::{2010 Goals}::

I am stoked for business in 2010. I have a lot of the kinks worked out by now and I'm predicting tons of growth and progress with my photography in the coming months. My main business goals for 2010 are to fully develop and understand my photography style, to get to a point where I am 100% confident about the work that I am giving to clients, and to develop strong and lasting relationships with those that I meet and work with throughout the year. I honestly don't care if I don't make a dime this year. I am finding more joy in my hobby than I ever thought possible. It has become an addiction to seek out the thrill of learning something new and turning that knowledge into art.

::{Welcome 2010}::

If you're still reading... props to you!

And because I couldn't possibly leave you without a picture... my own crazy girl. She WILL NOT look at the camera. Oh well. Maybe someday she'll be my little model.

I won't hold my breath.

::{One more}::

2010-01-19T22:38:00.001-08:00

Here's one more of Michael & Whitney. I usually don't take this long to edit, but because I haven't started booking sessions yet for 2010 I've been taking my sweet time editing this session along with a senior session I did right before Christmas. I love when I have the time to really look at a picture and figure out exactly what it needs. Editing is definitely my creative outlet for me at times. I hope that by taking on fewer sessions this year that I can spend more time enjoying and learning while in the editing process. Anyway... here's proof Whit that I really am working on your session!! It shouldn't be too much longer.

P.S. I WANT THOSE BOOTS!!

::{Steele}:: part II

2010-01-08T22:59:00.001-08:00

Ok, I can't help myself. Here's one more. Same pose, different angle.

::{Steele}::

2010-01-08T15:21:00.001-08:00

This morning I did some second shooting/assisting for my friend Becky McArthur. Newborns aren't usually my favorite thing to photograph, which is why I don't do them anymore, but because it wasn't my shoot I could sit back, relax and have some fun without the added pressure of being in charge. Baby Steele was so good he almost made me want to take on newborns again. He slept for an hour and 50 minutes of the 2 hours we were there. Little angel!

Check out those fuzzy arms! Don't you just love it?

Thanks, Sherri, for sharing your home with us!

::{Q & A}::

2010-01-04T22:05:00.001-08:00

Well, I watched The Bachelor tonight. Talk about awkward-ness!! Why in the world did he pick that last girl? The freaky emotional one. Wierd. It clearly didn't cut it for my nightly entertainment... so here I am - blogging for the second time today. Hope you don't mind.

Kristen asks: How do you keep the skin tones from going all wonky when you're editing? And, how in the world did you add the sun flare to the cute picture of your daughter in the field? Thanks so much!

Let's tackle sun flare first. It is SUPER easy! I think this is the picture you were talking about. For those that didn't see my tutorial on how I edited this,

click here to read.

For my tutorial I'll use an image I took on my sister's wedding day. Merry... don't lose hope. I'll get your wedding pictures to you some day! Here's proof that I actually am working on them.

Step One: Open your image in photoshop, edit it like you normally would, then hit Ctrl J to make a duplicate layer.

I forgot to circle it for you, but for those who aren't sure, the layers palette is in the lower right hand corner. You will see that it has two bars (or layers). Make sure you click on the top layer titled Layer 1.

Step Two: On the menu bar at the top click on
Filter > Render > Lens Flare. Drag the little icon to the part of your screen where the sun would naturally be. I usually choose a corner, but if I have an image with trees in the background I sometimes place it like it's coming through the trees. Adjust the different lens settings and Brightness settings to your liking.

Here's what it looks like with the flare...

Doesn't that look nicer? I love it.

If you notice, there's a little flare cirlce on the bottom left corner. Sometimes I like them and sometimes I don't. For something as formal as a wedding, I usually get rid of it. Because we did the duplicate layer before adding the flare, it's easy to erase.

Step Three: Just add a layer mask to Layer 1, select a large black brush, and brush over the areas of flare in the image that you'd like to erase. Don't know how to use layer masks? Google it. It's something every photographer should know how to use and will save you so much time and make fixing mistakes so much easier.

With flare spot and without.

Posting that took about an hour longer than I expected, so I'll make the skin tone talk short and sweet. I am so far from an expert when it comes to skin tones. I have my own struggles with getting them to look natural. This is what I've learned though...

1. Shoot in RAW. It's so much more forgiving than JPEG!

2. Getting your white balance and exposure correct is the key to good coloring and correct skin tones. Exposure needs to be done in camera while you shoot because you can only adjust it so much in post processing. White balance is much easier to work with later as long as you shoot in RAW.

3. Adding too much contrast to skin will damage it quickly. Try to use layer masks to erase contrast from skin that is starting to look un-natural.

As I learn more about skin tones, I will share my tips with you. I love hearing from you! Please keep emailing your questions and comments to erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com

::{Picking favorites}::

2010-01-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

Never in a million years did I think that anyone would hire me, let alone keep me super busy at this "job", if you can call it that. Aside from the long hours and time that it takes away from my family, I am loving this photography hobby. Due to the number of requests I'm getting, I feel like it is time to start focusing on the parts of it I love and let go of the parts that I don't. This will help me to slow down a little bit (hopefully not too much though), but will also allow me to enjoy my time more. It's hard to justify taking time away from my family when I'm not excited about what I'm doing.

For now I will not be photographing newborns or extended families. When your baby starts sitting up on their own, please bring them to me! I love photographing that age. Newborns... those are a different story! Thanks for being understanding.

Love, Erin

::{Whit . Michael . & Brig}::

2010-01-02T21:59:00.001-08:00

My hubs, Jace, was scrolling through my blog tonight and as I was looking over his shoulder I noticed that there have been SO many fun shoots I've had that I haven't blogged. My bad. Maybe I feel a new resolution coming on? I {LOVED} this shoot and I couldn't skip over it. These beautiful people must be seen!! Michael and I met back in the day when my best friend was dating his best friend. They lived 5 hours away and we'd always go on road trips to see them. Whitney and I met in college and one of my favorite memories of her and I was us jamming out to Michael Jackson's 'Billy Jean'. Good times! Brig is... well, what more can I say than he's just adorable! Whitney and I are planning his and Ellie's wedding. Whitney and Jace's dad are like 3rd cousins though... so is that legal? Maybe not such a good idea after all. Wow, enough rambling Erin! Please try not to drool over these:

Beautiful Mama!

This shot has been in my head for months. I had to wait for the perfect models to pull it off. Thanks for cooperating Brig!

Funky edit. I'm diggin' it.

Senior Portraits ::{Haleigh}::

2009-12-23T15:26:00.001-08:00

GORGEOUS! Right? I got to do Jace's cousin, Haleigh's senior pictures this afternoon. It was freezing cold, but she took it like a champ and you can't even tell that we were all dying. Haleigh, you are a model! So glad I got to do these for you.

::{read the second to last paragraph please!}::

2009-12-04T23:29:00.001-08:00

Doing this shoot made me crave a little sister for Ellie... even if the thought only lasted .2 seconds :)

These cute little sisters were BFFs and loving all over each other the entire time. Never before have I photographed such hams!! It was awesome. I didn't even have to ask them to smile. Just stick them in front of the camera and vwa-la! Perfect smiles.

***

There are many changes going on around here... the biggest being that I'm taking a good long break. I blogged a while back that I would be taking December off, but it may be longer than I had originally thought (maybe another month or two). Nothing major going on... I just want to be a wife and mom for a little while. If you are interested in booking a session, please email me and I will let you know if and when I can accomodate you. If I am not available at the time that you are needing pictures, I know a couple of great photographers that are. Thank you for being understanding, and please continue to check the blog as I will continue posting!

***

{erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com}

P.S. I will pay someone 5 million dollars if you can tell me WHY IN THE WORLD I can't center my pictures! I upload to flickr or photobucket and then copy and paste the html into blogger. Then I click on the picture and click on the center button. It always shows up centered in my post while I'm writing, but then it does a left alignment in the post. HELP!

::{Coming Up}::

2009-11-20T22:41:00.001-08:00

From three of my most recent sessions...

Soft Light tutorial

2009-11-19T19:48:00.001-08:00

Want to give your pictures a little POP? Here's a quick and easy trick to give your pictures contrast and bring out deeper color. I'm doing this in Photoshop CS4, but you can use these same steps in GIMP (a free editing program that you can download from the internet... similar to, but not as advanced as, Photoshop).

Welcome to the layers palette. This is your best friend. There is not a single picture I edit that I don't use layers.

Step ONE:

-After opening your image, hold down Ctrl + J.

-A new layer will pop up called Layer 1. Click on it.

-Directly above Layer 1 there is a drop down box. Click on it and select Soft Light.

Step TWO:

Lower the opacity to your liking. I usually choose 30% depending on the picture. If it's a picture of a person (which is what I am editing most of the time) I never go above 40%. If it's a flower or landscape, I may go as high as 50-60%.

Step THREE:

Add a layer mask to Layer 1 by clicking the rectangle icon with the circle in the middle on the bottom of the layers palette. Layer masks let you control where the effect goes on an image. Lot's of contrast = yucky and unnatural looking skin tones, so that's where the layer mask comes in. We're going to 'mask' the effect where her skin is so that the Soft Light is in a way erased or masked from her skin.

Step FOUR:

Follow steps 1-3 and then begin painting over the skin, avoiding areas like the eyes and lips. I also mask out hair sometimes. It just depends on each picture.

When masking skin, at first you may not be able to tell a difference. You really need to train your eyes. There is a difference though and after a while you will see it.

And here's a side by side of the finished product. It's subtle, but adds just enough pop without going overboard.

Please let me know if this was helpful to you!

::{Cambree . Ridge . Brecklynn}::

2009-11-18T19:58:00.001-08:00

You may recognize these kids, seeing as this was my third session with them! Yes, Chantel is single handedly keeping me in business. This was supposed to be their family session, which didn't end up working out, so we did a mini session with just the kids. Ellie even got to tag along. I have to say, I won't be making that mistake again! Love the girl, but she was a little distracting.

Don't you just love the fall colors? Chantel did a great job picking out outfits. Very fall looking, isn't it? I'm so jealous of those of you that have REAL Fall! Ours is very blah.

A new edit is in the works! It has an antique feel with blue tint. So I'll be real original and call it my Blue Antique edit...

Love this...

2009-11-17T10:30:00.001-08:00

The only bad thing about being behind the camera all the time is that I don't have any shots like this of me and my baby. Anyone want to take some pictures of Ellie and I? :)

::{Giddy Up}::

2009-11-16T20:42:00.001-08:00

You might be able to tell by looking at these just who stole the entire show. No, it wasn't the horses. It was Jackson! This little man is absolutely the cutest little cowboy. A new location with some very large props was a little nerve racking at first, but SO much fun!

Before & After

2009-11-15T19:24:00.001-08:00

I've been swamped with editing and needed a little break, so I thought this might be fun for some to see. I'm going to show you some before (sooc: Straight out of Camera) and after (fully edited) images.

Before (SOOC)

After

My steps (if you are confused about some of the wording or tools I use in my processing, Google is your best friend!):

1. Pulled up the exposure, added contrast, and added a slight vignette in Adobe Camera Raw. Because the sun had just barely set, the original photo was very dark. I think my ISO was set to 250. I could've bumped it up a little to avoid the under-exposure.

2. Did a slight S-curve in Curves to add contrast and brighten midtones.

3. Used layer masks to erase contrast from skin at 90% opacity.
(Side note: contrast is NOT good for skin tones. Usually makes them orange and very harsh looking).

4. Added some sun flare to the right corner. The picture was taken after the sun had gone down, but I wanted to make it look as if the sun was just setting. Sometimes I like to fake it :)

5. Used the Sponge tool at 15% opacity to bring out depth and color of the gravel and cotton field.

Before (SOOC)

After

I already liked the SOOC a lot, but it needed a little bit of a pop.

My steps:

1. Lifted exposure and added contrast in Adobe Camera Raw.

2. Used the Color Balance tool to even out skin tones.

3. Did a selective lightening using Curves to brighten up dark shadows on his face. It's a complicated process, but if you want to know how to do it, email me and I'll send you a link to a tutorial.

4. Used an action that I love... Stacey Bishop Workflow... google it.

When using actions, make sure that you adjust each layer to fit the image that you are working on. Yes, actions are great... but they can go from good to bad to worse so quickly and if your eyes aren't trained then you may not know that you have a problem.

As you can see, post processing is so important in digital photography. There's so much that you can do in photoshop and other more advanced editing programs. That said, just because you CAN do it, doesn't mean you always SHOULD. I've definitely had to learn this the hard way. It's so easy to over-process when you're first starting out. I do tend to prefer the extremely processed look... just my personal style. However, I am trying to learn how to find a happy medium.

I hope this helps someone out there! Please feel free to send any questions to erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com and I'll do my best to get a tutorial posted for you.

::{Jackson}:: sneak peek!

2009-10-27T20:32:00.001-07:00

Sorry, you can't take him home with you. I'm pretty sure his parents wouldn't be ok with that. But don't you just want to? I can't wait to show you more. This was by far the most unique shoot I've ever done. I'll give you a hint: A couple of very large animals were involved!

::{Dustin & Megan}:: Engagements

2009-10-26T13:56:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while I finish editing a shoot and I think to myself, that went exactly the way I hoped it would! It's happening more often these days, which is exciting for me. This was definitely the case with my last session. Megan is a friend of mine from college and also happens to be Jace's cousin. I love this girl! She is so cute and fun. Dustin seems pretty great too. These two were set up by Megan's aunt on a blind date and they've been inseparable ever since! I'm so excited for you both and I'm so glad that I could do your pictures! I hope you love them.

Family sessions are in full swing!

2009-10-22T12:45:00.001-07:00

I am busy busy BUSY this time of year! Turn-around time for receiving your pictures is now three weeks. Thank you for your patience.

Here's a peek from my most recent session...

::{Progress}:: & a new lens

2009-10-19T11:21:00.001-07:00

I am definitely in the middle of a long journey. Nearly every day I learn something new. There is SO much to learn when it comes to photography. I think so many people pick up a camera and say, "I'm a photographer". Well, I was one of those people and it didn't take me much time to learn that I had no clue what I was doing. It's great to aspire to something, but more than ever I probably wouldn't call myself "a photographer". Yes, I'm learning photography and I'm taking pictures for people... but I'm just not quite there yet. I recently added a paragraph to my Pricing post explaining why I keep my prices low. When I'm confident calling myself a photographer, I'll start charging like a photographer. Until then, I'm just a tiny little fish in the humongous ocean of photography.

So this is fun...

Here's a picture from my second session ever! This was back in June, just 4 1/2 months ago. Things I like about it: composition (although I should have told Blake to move his hand closer to his body), tilt. Things I don't like: background is blown, I didn't get the baby to look at me, the colors are all off. Notice how their faces are a little bit too orange?

I can't go back and fix the mistakes I made when the picture was taken, but I can show you how I would edit this picture with what I know now. Can you see a difference? Better exposure, less color pop... trust me, it's a good thing, more subtle over-all color, and better skin tones.

I am still planning on posting some tutorials for those that have asked. It is time consuming to write it all out step by step with screen shots, so be patient with me.

And this is the most exciting part of my day...

I got my 85mm 1.8 (new lens) in the mail today and this is the first picture I took with it. LOVE IT!! It's never coming off my camera.

::{Coop}::

2009-10-18T00:17:00.001-07:00

Oh Cooper, you crazy little ball of energy! Ashley, I think this may be the best shot I got of him. I tried. I really did. But the boy is a free spirit who didn't fall for any of my "look into my lens and you might see lightning mcqueen" tricks. Ok, you caught me - that's not even my trick. Haha. It's Mary Anne's. P.S. Thanks for letting me borrow that one Mary Anne. Apparently I'm horrible at it!

Before I give you the wrong impression, Cooper is just a typical 3 year old boy. Actually, I think he's pretty mellow for a 3 year old. I just need to pick up the pace! Oh, and learn some new tricks. Isn't this little face so cute?

Randy and Jace were high school (and post high school) buddies. Randy and Ashley have two cute boys that I was able to photograph tonight. Watch out for their full post in the next day or two.

Cutest ::{little man}:: & his mom

2009-10-14T23:11:00.001-07:00

Tonight was fun. I felt very comfortable tonight, which isn't always the case when I'm at a shoot. I had a great family, with a great wardrobe, and a great assistant. And to go along with this cheesy "great" theme... I got some great shots!

One of my favorites... so far. The looks on both of their faces are perfection.

::{Robbins}::

2009-10-13T23:49:00.001-07:00

I had a great time hangin out with this family! These kids are some of the cutest that I've worked with, and SO well behaved! I couldn't believe how good they were. I said do this, they did it. Seriously, what 1 and 3 year old does that?!

I couldn't go without giving a shout out to Lindsey, the mom. She makes the cutest accessories for your little man or girly girl! Everything from hats (she made both hats that her kids are wearing below), cutest onsies ever, baby booties, and more! I had to put in my order after I saw the cute things she makes. Click HERE to check out her Etsy shop. Need a massage? She's also a message therapist!

This is one of my favorites of all time! You might not think it's anything special, but I've found myself staring at it thinking, "I can't believe I took that picture!". Haha. I know. I'm a dork.

Isn't this such a fun sibling shot? We didn't even tell them to do this! They just love eachother.

Thanks Lindsey! It was a lot of fun. I'm excited to do trades with you in the future!

::{Carters}::

2009-10-09T16:01:00.001-07:00

Last week I attempted to take pictures for this cute family. The focus of the shoot was on their little one year old who was having a birthday the next day.

It started like this...

And soon turned to this...
I don't blame her! I'd be cranky too if my nap was cut short.

I knew we were going to have to re-schedule because I'm good, but I'm not THAT good! Haha... totally kidding. So here's what we did. Photo shoot with Brooke (the mom)! I could see it in her eyes that she thought I was a crazy woman when I turned to her and said, "K, pose for me so I can take a facebook picture for you!" Haha. We all got a good laugh and ended up with some dang cute facebook pictures for her.

And here are a few more of the family together...

We're getting together tomorrow to finish up the 1 year pictures, so look out for those.

My favorite shot from last night...

2009-10-07T09:52:00.001-07:00

This is Abigail. She gave me knuckles at the end of our shoot. I got a kick out of her. Hope you like this one... it was one of my favorites!

Senior Portraits :: {Alexis}:: / Holiday Giveaway!!

2009-10-05T22:16:00.001-07:00

I love having photog friends! My friend Becky McArthur was in town doing a shoot and I asked her if I could tag along and be her second shooter. Becky is an awesome photographer and has taught me a lot. Check out her work HERE.

I really was only there to pick up a few extra shots here and there, so they are pretty simple and straight forward. Alexis is a sweet girl with a good head on her shoulders. It was fun getting to hang out with her.

Keep your eyes peeled for a little shoot Becky and I have planned with each other. We are both sick of never having good pictures of ourselves, so WE will be the main subjects. It should be a good time and you won't want to miss it!

And just because this post isn't random enough... I'm thinking of doing a holiday giveaway. We're talkin' FREE SESSION plus prints! Here's the thing though - you can't nominate yourself. So if you want to spread some holiday cheer, start thinking of someone you feel who deserves a free session and email me their story. If I get enough interest I will do the giveaway. They must live in or near the Gila Valley to qualify (or be willing to travel). Erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com

Post Processing ::{Before & After}::

2009-10-04T20:47:00.001-07:00

Just playin in photoshop tonight and wanted to show you this before and after. It's not a true sooc (straight out of camera). It's my original color edit turned peach vintage with some texture added. Which one do you like best?

If I can get enough interest, I'm going to start doing some Q&A posts or maybe a Fix It Up Friday where I show you step by step what I've done to an image. Is there anything you're dying to know? Leave a question in the comments or send me an email at erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com

Senior Portraits ::{Kayley}:: continued...

2009-10-02T01:02:00.001-07:00

I loved everything about this session. I took Kayley to one of my favorite locations and I think we got the look we were going for. Thanks for letting me take these Kayley!!

What I'm working on tonight...

2009-10-01T23:48:00.001-07:00

I'm quickly learning that I'd be happy photographing high school seniors all year round... exclusively! I love it so much. Senior girls really know how to pull out the attitude for those serious "model looks" and then bust up laughing .2 seconds later. It is just FUN! Talanna is SO goofy and crazy. We kept each other laughing and definitely had a good time. Here's a small peek into our session. More to come for sure!

::{Cole}::

2009-09-30T15:57:00.001-07:00

No comment. Just loved this picture from a recent session and wanted to share.

Newborn ::{Lorin}::

2009-09-28T20:22:00.001-07:00

Adorable, no? My sweet little niece, Lorin, is wearing a 60 year old dress in this picture.

Her Grandma was blessed in this dress.

Her mother was blessed in this dress.

And then she was blessed in this dress.

I love that!

This first one was taken when she was only a few days old.

This one was taken at about two months old.

Post Edit: In the above picture, Lorin was sneezing, not crying. She's a good baby and hardly ever cries!

We're so happy to have you in the family Lorin!

Engagement Session ::{Drew & Chloe}::

2009-09-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

This was my first ever engagement session. They turned out exactly the way I wanted them to! I was so excited about it. Drew & Chloe kept me laughing and I'm sure they will keep each other entertained for many years to come! Congrats you two.

Meet ::{Rachel}::

2009-09-24T21:10:00.001-07:00

This lovely lady behind the camera is Rachel. Rachel and I met back in our college days. Her and her roomates had a disco ball that they would hang by their window. When we saw that disco ball we knew there was a dance party going on! Good times.

Rachel has a love of photography, like I do. She's been assisting me on some of my shoots recently and it's been great having her! I always love "behind the scenes" shots, so I just thought I'd share one with you. Thanks for being such a great help Rachel!

In other news...

I had a FABULOUS high school Senior shoot tonight. Talanna = funnest girl ever! But then again, all of my senior girls have been awesome and ridiculously fun! I can't wait to show you what we got. There are some good ones!

I'm doing another wedding this weekend. I'm excited! It's the wedding of two of my good friends from high school. Cross your fingers that all goes well.

Watch out for all of these fun updates... coming soon!

Senior Portraits ::{Kayley}::

2009-09-23T10:53:00.001-07:00

How lucky am I to be able to photograph this little gem?

I absolutely loved this session. Kayley is a doll, inside and out. She has an awesome personality and she is one of those people that truly shines! I will definitely be posting more of these.

P.S. What do you think about the new playlist? Yes? No?

::{Chelcy}:: continued...

2009-09-12T11:51:00.001-07:00

I had to post a few more of Chelcy. I have too many favorites! Which one is your favorite? Maybe your opinion will help Chelcy decide which one to put in the year book!

(Not sure why those first two won't center. Sorry!)

Newborn Baby ::{Noah}::

2009-09-09T23:31:00.001-07:00

Another newborn! This one was fun. If you look back through my posts you can see Jay & Ellesse's maternity session. Jay is an extremely talented musician, and I'm sure has high hopes of passing that on to baby Noah. We thought it was appropriate to incorporate his guitars into the shoot.

It's not very often that I get the opportunity to have three sessions with a family within just a few months time... but you'll be seeing Jay, Ellesse, & Noah again in a few months when I take their family pictures. Lucky me!

Senior Portraits ::{Chelcy}::

2009-09-08T12:51:00.001-07:00

I absolutely loved the way Chelcy's senior portraits turned out! After looking at these we're all thinking the same thing I'm sure. Model, right? I just love them to pieces and I'm sure I'll post more in the future once I'm done editing. Thanks again Chelcy!

Little Megan.

2009-09-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

This little diva is my niece Megan. I claim her 100%! She is a little fire cracker who entertains us all with nearly every word that comes out of her mouth. I wish we'd had time to do a full out shoot, but these were just a few that we took right before I did one of my senior sessions.

To all you technically gifted people out there... please tell me why blogger dulls down the color of my pictures! Or is it photobucket? The red in her shirt, green grass, and blue eyes really popped in photoshop. Boo!

Mary Annie! {& Dusty}

2009-09-06T23:06:00.001-07:00

Have you been dying to see the results from THIS GIVEAWAY I did in July? (Just let me pretend that you've all been waiting at the edge of your seat.) Well, you're still going to have to wait a little longer! Mary Anne came to collect her prize a few weeks ago and we had a blast with this session. She is one of my BFF's and it was SO fun to see her and her cute family. I'm not done editing, but I will give you a little sneak peak. There are definitely more of these to come! They are some of my favorite to date. Make sure to let me know what you think!

Love you Mary Anne! Thanks a million for trusting me with doing your pictures.

{Don't forget that you have a chance at winning a FREE SESSION! Details HERE.}

Jake

2009-09-05T16:13:00.001-07:00

I am slowly getting my feet wet in all areas of photography. This was my first Senior session. I think it went well. It didn't hurt that Jake is such a little cutie! Me and his mom had fun trying to make him give us a real smile. Thanks for asking me to do these Carrie!

And now I'm off to a session to do my first senior girl. Can't wait!

Keep checking back!

2009-08-31T15:28:00.001-07:00

These days I am running around like a chicken with it's head cut off! It's insane how busy these past few weeks have been. GOOD insane. In fact, I've hardly had a spare minute to post pictures from my sessions. No worries though... they are on their way. Here's what you need to be watching out for:

Two weddings

One egagement

One family

Two newborns

Three senior portraits

& One maternity session

Goodness gracious, can you see why I've been busy? I've said it before and I'll say it again... THANK YOU for keeping me busy! I love getting your comments, emails, phone calls, and facebook messages asking me to take your pictures. It is crazy, and sometimes I just don't know where to start because there's so much to do, but I am lovin' it!

For a good cause...

2009-08-29T22:23:00.001-07:00

I'm excited to give every one of you a chance to {win a FREE photo session}, while at the same time helping a family in need. Before I tell you more about the family, here's what you'll get if you win:

*One 60-90 minute photo session with me!

*A cd with 30 of the best images from your session.

*A copyright release giving you permission to print your images wherever you'd like and at whatever quantity you'd like.

*I'm also going to throw in a 50% discount on your NEXT photo session that you schedule with Erin Householder Photography.

Now on to the reason we are doing this... On Wednesday the 19th of August, 2009 this world lost an amazing Husband, Father, Son, Brother, and Friend. On August 19th, Kameron Haban was taken from us by Lupus. 100% of these donations will be going towards the “Jami Haban to Benefit Kameron Haban” fund. For more information about this family and their story, please click here.

Let's all team up and do something good for Jami and little Kason!!

{Here's how}

For every $10 you donate, you will get one entry into the photo raffle. ($20 = 2 entries, etc)

To donate, click the yellow donate button below. You must first sign up for a Paypal account which is quick and easy. (If for some reason you cannot or would not like to sign up for a paypal account but would still like to participate, please contact me at erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com).

When filling out the information,

please include your name, address, phone number, and email address. IMPORTANT: Please write in the "Note" area that you are participating in the Erin Householder Photography photo raffle.

***Must live in or be willing to travel to the Gila Valley (Safford/Thatcher/Pima).

My sister's kids. Love them!

2009-08-25T22:11:00.001-07:00

This is definitely what I would call a picture overload! I can't help it though because these little cuties belong to ME! Well, they actually belong to my sister... but I'd claim them any day. We took these outside of the Snowflake LDS temple when my sister got married two weekends ago. We didn't have a ton of time to do them, but I love the way they turned out.

The boys.

Brandon

Zach

Nate the Great!

For this picture of Nate, I couldn't decide between the b&w or the vintage edit. I love them both! Isn't he such a handsome boy?

Jen & Megan

I LOVE this picture! My sister is so beautiful. She just makes me smile. And don't you love little Megan missing her two front teeth?

Love you guys!

Troy . Teri . Cami

2009-08-23T21:33:00.001-07:00

This was such a unique shoot. Teri (below) was one of my young women leaders in high school.

I seriously had THE BEST young women leaders! They are women that I still keep in contact with today and look up to so much. Troy and Teri have a daughter that has just headed off to BYU to start her freshman year of college. I couldn't be more excited for Cami. She will have an amazing time up there! Before she left, her mom wanted to have a "good-bye photo session". Here are just a few. I didn't want to spoil the fun by posting all of my fave's. Thanks Troy, Teri, and Cami!

Eliana at age two

2009-08-19T22:46:00.001-07:00

Beautiful couples...

make beautiful babies.

Isn't little Eliana adorable? She was so well behaved the entire time. At just two years old, I was amazed at how many words she knew and how much she understood. Will my baby really be that big in just 10 months? Crazy!

I think this is my favorite shot of the day. Simple, but I think it's beautiful. SHE is beautiful! Little kids exploring make awesome subjects.

New vintage edit!

2009-08-11T00:02:00.001-07:00

I am so pumped about this new edit! I came across this awesome photography site that walks you through making your own vintage style edit. {Side note: A big shout out to all of those pros out there who are willing to share information with the rest of us!} It really bugs me when people, particularly photographers, are stingy with their knowledge. That said, I am very willing to share what I know and will occasionally be posting tips and tricks to improve your pictures and editing. Some will apply to you, some may not. Is there anything you're dying to know how to do? Leave me a comment! The answer may be in an upcoming post.

Do you have a scheduled session with me? It would be helpful for me to know what style of edits you like. Do you love tons of black and white? Vintage? Textures and funky borders? Or original color? At our session, let me know what your editing style is. Chances are you'll be happier with the end result!

Baby Darrek . two weeks old

2009-08-10T16:25:00.001-07:00

I have the best clients! My friend Chantel has had me do pictures for her twice already, and has a family session scheduled for this fall. She also bought her two sister's in law gift certificates for their newborns. Thank you, Chantel, for keeping me in business! This little man was two weeks old. That's a whole week older than most of the babies I work with. He was in the NICU for a while, so I had to wait for him to get out before we did the session. He was a gem! Thanks for letting me do them Sara.

This was his mom's idea. They'll never forget what time he was born!

I recently told a few of you that I will no longer be doing newborns. Well, then you all talked me back into it! So although it's not my absolute favorite, I'd still love to do them if you're interested.

Fall sessions

2009-08-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Much to my surprise and excitement, my fall sessions are booking up very quickly! September is still open, however, I only have two openings in October and one left in November. Aside from a few exceptions, I will not be working the last two weeks in November or at all in December. I love what I do, but I want to be stress free and spending lots of quality time with my family around the holidays. This means that if you need family pictures to put on Christmas cards, now is definitely the time to book!

That said, if you must have them done in the later months of fall and you think I might already be booked, please still conact me. I will be starting a waiting list and if I decide to take on a few more sessions then you'll be the first that I call.

***

I love that I am staying busy! THANK YOU to those that are hiring me or thinking of hiring me. These last two months have been incredible. I can't believe I've only been doing this for two months! It feels like forever, but in a good way.

Thank you for all of your more than nice comments and emails. They make my day!

A few more of Brecklynn

2009-07-31T22:24:00.001-07:00

Brecklynn's mom and I were too busy chatting it up during our shoot that we didn't realized we totally forgot about an entire outfit change! So we re-scheduled for another day to finish up. This is what we got out of it.

So here's a secret: This is ELLIE'S TUTU! Haha. Yeah, it was a little bit big on her. Just a little bit. I will be making a newborn size very shortly.

Another Ellesse and Jay post!

2009-07-29T22:37:00.001-07:00

This will be the last one, I promise! I am still really enjoying these images. So as I edit, you get to see! I really played around with this edit. I like the funky/texture look. It's not something I'd hang on my wall, but it's still fun. I like the original of this picture as well, but the texture just adds a little bit of spice.

This IS my favorite shot of the day. Doesn't it tell a story? Love it!

No more posts for me until next week. Jace and I are going on a mini vacay (Mesa trip... without the baby!). Have a happy weekend!

jay . ellesse

2009-07-29T09:19:00.001-07:00

This is Ellesse at 36 weeks. Can you believe that? She's that girl that we are all jealous of because she looks so dang good still. This was such a fun shoot! Ellesse and I didn't know each other before this, but she is definitely a cool girl and easy to get along with. She was up for anything, which always makes my job easier. Thanks Jay and Ellesse!

Here's one of Jay being silly. Look at his hands.

I couldn't not post this...

2009-07-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

I had my first maternity shoot yesterday. It could not have gone any better! I stayed up til 1:30am editing because I just couldn't stop. Ellesse is STUNNING! Isn't she beautiful?! I can't wait to show you more.

Brecklynn

2009-07-25T22:24:00.001-07:00

I never put a client's last name on my blog, but Brecklynn's mom and dad are Chantel and Curtis. I know that lots of you know them! Click HERE to see pictures of Brecklynn's older sister. Both girls are gorgeous! Their parents are going to have to watch out in a couple of years.

I wouldn't say that this was my easiest newborn shoot, but the results were definitely the best so far. I've struggled with newborns... wondering if I even wanted to continue doing newborn sessions. After seeing how these turned out I thought maybe I should just keep at it for a little while longer. No, it's not easy... but that just makes it that much more satisfying when you get a good picture. Thanks again Chantel!

Rick . Rachel + 5

2009-07-23T12:13:00.001-07:00

Rick and Rachel are that young hot couple that don't look like they could possibly be the parents of FIVE!! Rachel is a hilarious mom who was cracking me up with her comments to her kids, trying to get them to cooperate. It was a fun shoot.

I played around with some textures a litte more than I usually do. I like the way they turned out.

Happy Birthday Sienna!!

2009-07-17T20:57:00.001-07:00

This little lady is too stinkin cute! She's the daughter of one of Jace's best high school buds, and a future BFF of Ellie's. The girls are only 6 weeks apart. Looks like we got a few good ones. What do you think?

Sienna turns one!

2009-07-17T00:54:00.001-07:00

More to come.

Bradley . 4 years old

2009-07-10T11:08:00.001-07:00

This shoot was SO FUN!! And with a four year old, what better place to go than the park? I'll admit, it was a little bit scary at first. Four year olds are all over the place! I think I finally got the hang of it though. Little Brad is such a cutie with tons of personality. He did a great job. Thanks Vicky!

*I am now booking for September and October. I only have 9 openings left for those two months. If you're wanting family pictures for Christmas cards, you may want to book ahead of time to insure you will get a spot.

I think I am reaching obsession with this next edit style... I love the color, the fade, the way it really draws your eyes to the subject. BUT I know that as a new photographer, I probably over edit my images. I may look back a year from now and wish I would have done it differently. What do you think? Too much?

Chris . Aubrey

2009-07-06T09:19:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of taking Chris and Aubrey's family pictures last week. Aubrey and I go back to the days of student council at Eastern Arizona College. Good times! They are such a cute family {with an adorable little boy I must add!}, and even willing to sit in a sticker patch for me! They were good sports for sure. Thanks guys! I hope you enjoy a little preview of your session.

We have a winner people!

2009-07-01T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am happy to announce that the winner of the free mini session is...

Fellow photographer and good friend of mine, 'Dusty + Mary Anne'! Mary Anne was comment #36 and commented on this post saying,

"i love her model face! sad, mad, whatever it is...you go girl!

i'm gonna get this giveaway if it kills me :)"

You can also check out Mary Anne's photography blog here. She is OH so talented... which really makes me nervous to do a session for her! But still excited.

Thanks again for all of your sweet comments. I hope you enjoy your weekend celebrations!

funky flower edits

2009-06-30T22:34:00.001-07:00

[GIVEAWAY CLOSED] WE HAVE A WINNER!! Thank you all for participating. The winner soon to be announced.

I guess there are a couple of people eager to win the free mini session! That's awesome you guys. There is nothing more flattering than to know that you would want me to take family photos for you. I'm lovin' it! I don't have another session for a couple of days, but I wanted to give you another comment opportunity so that we can find our winner! I will tell you that we are SUPER close to the number that random.org chose for me.

SIDE NOTE: Ever been to random.org? It's awesome. You just put in a starting number and ending number (like 1 to 100) and then it generates a totally random number.

Back to what really matters... These were all taken in my front yard, and within minutes of each other. Same lighting. Isn't it crazy what a little editing can do? So this is just for fun... I want to know which edit best fits your personality. Or if that's too hard (because sometimes I have crazy mood swings and I can't pick just one), just tell me which one is your favorite. I had so much fun editing these and I love them all. Textures are just awesome, but I also like a nice clean look to a picture also. Tell me what you think!

Edit 1 - Optimistic

Edit 2 - Rebelious

Edit 3 - Classy

Edit 4 - Shy

Free session, anyone?

2009-06-27T22:13:00.001-07:00

[GIVEAWAY CLOSED] WE HAVE A WINNER!! Thank you all for participating. The winner soon to be announced.

I love comments. Who doesn't, right? I love them so much that I'm willing to give away a free mini session to one lucky person who leaves a comment on this blog!! You heard that right. The winner will get a free 30 minute session and a cd with 10-15 of your high resolution images for free.

How I'll choose the winner: I have chosen a number between 1 and 100. Let's say for example I chose the number 5. The person who writes the 5th comment I receive (on this post or any other post) will be the winner of the session. Now seriously, I'll tell ya right now that I didn't choose 5 as my number. If you got it after 5 that would be too easy. (Think up in the 40's, 50's, 60's-ish). So if you want to win, you'll have to keep coming back and commenting. Feel free to comment as many times as you want on each post, but remember that only one comment per person per post will count towards the final comment number.

*The winner must be a resident of or willing to travel to either the Gila Valley (Safford/Thatcher) or the Mesa area when I am available to travel. Free sessions cannot be used for newborns, bridals, wedding ceremonies, or groups larger than 8.

FYI: I only have 2 more shoots available for July. This is the last chance to get your pictures done before my prices increase. If you've been planning on booking a session, there is no better time than right now!

Baby Grady

2009-06-27T09:25:00.001-07:00

I am learning a lot! One of the big lessons I'm learning is that newborns are hard to photograph. I hope to improve in this area. Grady really was the perfect baby though. I don't think I heard him cry once and he practically slept the entire session, just waking up here and there to say hello to us. What a sweetie. Congrats Rachel and Ty on your new addition!

Kadi

2009-06-24T20:30:00.001-07:00

This is little Kadi at five days old. This was my first newborn session and I learned a ton from it. She was such a sweetheart! I can't wait to do another newborn.

Calvert . Jacquline . Mack

2009-06-17T10:11:00.001-07:00

Byron . Jenn . Coleman

2009-06-11T07:50:00.001-07:00

Jenn is a friend of mine and let me use her for one of my practice shoots. Little Coleman is the most smiley little guy around, although I think he was getting sick of me all in his face. I think we got a few keepers though!

Cambree turns 3!

2009-06-10T22:53:00.001-07:00

Cambree's mom asked me to take some pictures to document her 3rd birthday. Isn't she an absolute doll? Such a giggly girl, but then flip a switch and take a look at that model face! I love it.

Blake . Leigh . Tay

2009-06-02T20:39:00.001-07:00

I absolutely loved Blake and Leigh's session. It was by far my easiest shoot to date. Their little Tay is to die for!

Baker Family

2009-05-30T20:09:00.001-07:00

Jeremy . Amanda

2009-05-29T22:23:00.001-07:00

This was one of my very first family shoots. Minus the ladder being dropped on Jeremy's head, it went great! Thanks again you guys.

2009-01-01T22:37:00.001-08:00

I would love to hear from you! Please email me to book an appointment, get answers to questions, or to leave me feedback.

Erinhouseholderphotography@gmail.com

2008-12-31T23:00:00.001-08:00

Your message has been sent. Thanks for contacting me! I'll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible.

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