Monday, May 18, 2009

Photo Shoot for Stinkerbell


I am so excited! A few weeks back I had Annika's six year portraits taken and I just got them back tonight. I usually go to JC Penney Portrait Studios, but I was tired of getting pictures with the eyes looking so dark that you couldn't tell what color they were.

Lucky for me, a real live photographer lives in my neighborhood. Her name is Brandee and she is A-MAZE-ING. She has a ginormous big girl camera that was just a teensy bit scary looking. And let me tell you, Girlfriend knows how to take some seriously good pictures and then edit the heck out of them.

Stinkerbell had a lovely little scratch on her face, I'm sure from over-loving on the cat, and Brandee Photoshopped it right out. Actually, she did a lot of Photoshopping. The scratch is just one example.


This was our first experience with a professional photographer. I'm used to the little 15-minute sitting appointments, so you can imagine my surprise when Brandee spent three hours with my little Snot Box here. Three hours!

Brandee was hilarious too. She has her photo studio set up in her basement, and at one point her husband, Garth Brooks, was walking through and he commented on this little stool.

"Where did that come from?" he asked.

Brandee casually replied "Oh that old thing. I've had it for 50 years. It was free." Never mind that Girlfriend can't be out of her 30s, at most.


This gorgeous beaded jacket? Brandee's. Yep. She ripped the price tag right off it before tossing it to Stinkerbell to put on.


That cute little knit cap? Brandee's too. It was really brown and I think the flower was white. Photo Shop magic.


This pitiful little smile was the best that Stinkerbell could muster. In three hours. You'd think a girl would warm up after that long. Not Sister Girl here. She didn't wanna.


Oh. Oh . . . you better watch out. You might actually S-M-I-L-E.


Nevermind. I don't feel like it.


Oh, we're going to give it another try.


Nope.


Let's call this one "Forget About It" in black and white.


After taking 800 pictures inside, we went for a little drive downtown. We were looking for some interesting backgrounds.

I loved Zoe's comment when she saw the pictures. "Where did you guys go? The dump?"

By the way, isn't that skirt to die for? Brandee's.


I love this one. I'm calling it "You Want To Make Something Of It?"


You won't believe what Stinkerbell is sitting on . . .


It does look like we're at the dump, doesn't it?


But look at that wall! Isn't the Photo Shop work on that the coolest? I love, love, love it. Brandee is amazing.


James Dean anyone?


All in all, I thought this was the coolest experience. We're definitely going back to Brandee. She's an excellent photographer and not pricey at all. Another thing that I really loved, is that she let me buy the CD of all the pics so I can do whatever I want with them. What photographer does that?

If you want to check out more of her work, go check out her blog.

25 comments:

  1. Oh, those are amazing! And seriously, if it wasn't an 8.5 hour drive I'd be getting her contact info from you! We have yet to have a decent photo session done with Miss Emi. After Sears and JCP fiasco's, I've given up! Now, I do them myself and shrug with the outcome.

    Truly great photos. Love the tire!

    Kiy

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  2. gorgeous photos jill!! your girl is so cute!! even when she doesn't smile!! brandee did an excellent job! i wanna be her when i grow up!!

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  3. What a doll baby! Love that red skirt! You need to make a canvas out of that pic!

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  4. AWESOME photos!! What I wouldn't give to take pictures like that! How will you ever decide?

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  5. Great photos! She's a cutie, even without the smile!!!!

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  6. OMG! Can she fly out to Chicago?
    Those are really amazing pictures.

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  7. Those are FABULOUS!!!! I LOVE all the pictures....WOW!!!!

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  8. What beautiful photos, Jill. Love the red skirt ones!

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  9. Those are great! I love the one you called "lets forget about it in black & white" Beautiful little girl!

    My favorite.... the one with her sitting on the tire. I guess it's because I work in a tire store, but I loved it!

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  10. Oooohhhs and Aahhhhhs just don't say enough.....those are seriously the cutest photos! I need Brandee down the street from me, so she can shoot some photos of my daughter for her senior pics!! I am loving all the stuff she did with them!

    Suzanne

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  11. AMAZING pics! Your daughter is a doll. I enjoy following your blog. Take care 8-)

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  12. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those pictures. They are great. She looks so pretty in them and Mom come on that little bit of a smile is beautiful on her! Junk yard backgrounds look GREAT. I'm checking out her blog. THANKS!

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  13. Those turned out amazing! She did such an awesome job and so glad you shared them. Now I wished I lived closer so I could use her too. ;) She did a fabulous job and I am so in need of having some shots of the boys done.

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  14. Ooo if she will fly to Chicago, I can drive down... =D

    Seriously, those are THE BEST photos, smile or not!

    You are so blessed.

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  15. Those photos are phenomenal! I love the close up with the knit cap. Those eyes of hers are just gorgeous!

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  16. wow! those are beautiful and i L.O.V.E those big poofy skirt and the big old dirty tire pictures!!

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  17. I love these! Brandee is so good! So cute Jill. I love all your commentary!

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  18. WOW love the last two pics...very talented photographer to make those kind of edits to the pictures! Lucky you! And of course stinkerbell looks so pretty you must be proud:-)

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  19. Great pictures! Love the red skirt...I want that :) LOL!

    I need to go buy another photo shop program!

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  20. Great pictures of your beautiful little girl!

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  21. All of these photos are SO good! If you ever hear of anyone giving a Photoshop class let me know. I would LOVE to learn how to edit like that. At the moment, I just use picasa.com for my editing. It's cheap and easy. Sad to say, I actually have photoshop, but I just don't know how to use it. I REALLY need a class. I never learn ANYTHING from the books!

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  22. Me again. I went to Brandee's blog but I couldn't find anywhere to comment or any of her info. How can I get her number? And also, what is "not pricey at all" mean?? I am very interested! We have got a BIG day coming up with our little guy. Soon to be adopted on June 11th. YAY!!!

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