Photography Classes are back!!

It's time!! With lots of new cameras and equipment under the tree this year, I thought it would be great to get the popular basic photography classes going again in January! I am also selling gift certificates for the class, you might want to put these under the tree with the camera!! These are both basic classes, but pretty fast paced. We take a learn and shoot approach, so we will teach about a topic, and then stop and shoot that concept, then move to the next concept. We will also explore the functions of your camera, get you off of auto, and teach you when and why to use which buttons.

Here are the two classes... Class 101 - $95, early bird special for $75
Composition
Lighting
Creativity
Toddler Tricks
Clarity and Focus
Using the Creative modes (not Auto)
Aperature Priority
Shutter Priortiy

Class 102 - $95, early bird special for $75
Lenses - why, which, when?
Depth of Field
White Balance
Focus Points - toggling
Exposure
ISO
Aperature
Shutter Speed
Manual Mode

Both classes combined: $190, early bird special for $140

Class 101 will be held on Wednesday, January 13th from 9:00 - 12:00, and class 102 will be held on Wednesday, January 20th from 9:00 - 12:00. The location for both classes is still to be determined. As always, class size will be limited, so that I can be sure to provide attention to all the students, and your seat for the class will be held with your non refundable registration. Register now before the early bird special runs out!

Also, here is my official announcement for a basic photoshop class! I have had so so many requests for this class, and I still don't have the logistics for it figured out, but I will be holding a basic photoshop class in February, sometime, on a Saturday, for at least 6 hours. The class will cover the basics on the tools, layers, organizing your photos and of couse photo editing (see the images below). Take your photos from drab to AMAZING!!

In fact, if anyone can help me with a location that will power many laptops and is available on a Saturday for a good part of the day, please let me know. Maybe we can work a deal out with your registration as well. Registration for this class is not open yet, but please let me know that your interested, and I will get you on my list. If your interested in any and all of the above classes, please email me and/or comment below.


Before Photoshop

After Photoshop
Before Photoshop
After Photoshop

Before Photoshop

After Photoshop

Ha! Got ya!
Register soon!!

Giving is Awesome! Back again...

Well, it's that time of year again for the Giving is Awesome event! Last year, I heard about a photographer who wanted to start a movement, to give custom photography to those in need, and spread a bit of cheer and joy into their lives. I jumped on board, and had such a great personal experience with it. I met some truly wonderful people that just had some hard knocks. Life is full of ups and downs, and it was so fun to be one of the "ups" for the families I did work for. So, I've been thinking all year about this month, and about this contest. I actually debated not doing it publicly. Partly because the hardest part was having to pick just one family out of the entries, and partly because sometimes I prefer doing acts of service without the recognition. It creates more personal growth for me. However, the "Giving is Awesome" contest is a national movement, and the goal of the founders is to give away $1 million this year. Movements like this are like avalanches, and I love that. It starts with one small stone and the momentum builds slowly, but before long, your affecting so many people. If your a photographer, please consider doing this yourself and tell all of your photographer friends. Tis the season...

So, here is how it will work with AFP this year. If you know someone who is in need, and can't afford custom photography, but would love it. Email me a quick note about them, and why you think they deserve to win, and I will be selecting one family who will receive a free session, and $200 in prints with me, a $400 value, plus I'll throw in an extra big goodie as a surprise. I'm looking for anyone that has suffered. Be it financially, be it through an illness, a loss, or whatever other curve ball that life has thrown their way. Please comment below, and then also email me their story. Isn't giving awesome? Pass it on...

My email: amy@amyfraughtonphotography.com

More Sun Flare

Check out some of the amazing "sun flare" pictures we were able to get with this darling family! Love it, it warms me up just looking at it. We'll be learning about how to achieve alot of these looks with my upcoming lighting class.

Model Search

Hey everyone! I need a few models for my Creative Lighting/Understanding Lighting Class on Jan. 2, 2010! I prefer girls to boys, just since they love getting their picture taken alot, and am looking for every hair color. My only qualification is that they must be over 12. Each model will receive a CD of 5-10 full res images taken of them during the shoot. I will also share what I'm looking for in the wardrobe, although they will wear their own clothes. Anyone that is interested, please comment below and send me an email, with a small picture. My email address is: amy@amyfraughtonphotography.com
Hope to hear from you!

Creative Lighting/Understanding Lighting

The much anticipated "Lighting Class" is finally here! I've been talking with many of you about a Creative Lighting Class for some time, and am thinking that this month will be the perfect time!! My favorite time of the year is between Christmas and New Years, all the lists are done, the kids are playing with their new stuff, the weather is fantastic, and there is still left overs, so I don't have to cook much! So, here is my After Black Friday Special:

Creative Lighting Class/Understanding Lighting

Photo Shoot included!!
This is a 3 hour class - we will spend the first 1/2 of the class learning about all the different types of lighting, how to make the best of them, and when to try what. We'll spend the second 1/2 of this class on location, with models, shooting all of the concepts that we've just learned. We'll have at least 2 models, so you'll also gain some insight on posing. You must be able to shoot in Manual Mode to attend this class or have attended my basic photography classes before!

Here is what we will be studying in depth:
Front light
Side light
Back light
Full Sun vs. Shade (when and how to use both)
Silhouettes
"the Cave"
Moody Lighting
Artistic Lighting
Sunsets
and achieving fantastic "Sun Flare"
(as seen below)

The class will be held on Saturday, Jan. 2nd from 2:30 - 5:30

The class will normally be $125, but my After Black Friday Special is $95!

There will be a limited number of seats, so I can give special attention to everyone. This will make a great Christmas gift, and I do have certificates available! In fact, call me and I can play "Secret Santa" for you!

To register, just click zip me an email:
amy@amyfraughtonphotography.com

Hope you can join us!!

Beach Sun Flare

This is the last of my beach pics, and I am so excited to share them, since they turned out so different than the others. Lots to be learned about lighting from this shoot. It was done in the afternoon, and so the background is washed out, and is why it has such a cool effect on the image. There was also a bit of a fog, and it made such a unique, artsy, cool effect on the pictures too (mostly visible on the image in the above post). The funniest thing about this week was the boys vs. girls. In the shoots I had with all boys, the whole family would end up in the water, playing. There was no choice in the matter, the boys would just get in, farther and farther during the shoot. I loved it. I love the natural playing, and just capturing them running and having fun in the waves. But the sessions I did that had all girls in the family, well, they didn't get in the water at all. They still ran, played, and had a blast, but they were wet up to their waists. I should've known, but it was funnier to watch, by the end of the week I was shooting in my swimsuit, sundress and hair in a bun. Of course, I could live like that... well, except for the swimsuit, that gets a bit annoying :)

Miracle baby rolls over!

So, this week, I am so excited for Thanksgiving. I'll be more excited when I am done baking 4 pies, and making 2 salads and homemade stuffing (still need a good recipe for this - anyone?). I do love to cook for Thanksgiving, homemade is always the best. One year we ate somewhere where everything served was from a can, a box, or from grocery store, and oh, how I missed my Mom's cooking. My parents are out of the country serving a mission in the beautiful St. Lucia, so the dinner will be here at my house. My poor kids have been doing all kinds of extra housework the last couple of days...my poor kids, ha! I always love a long chore list for them, it's what I grew up on, and helped me develop a good work ethic today. So, do I feel bad when they complain about the cleaning the dust under the couches, dusting the piano, and sweeping the stairs... uh, not even. They've got it easy in comparison. I was mowing the orchard at their ages, and that was just one of my chores. Thanks Dad! I'm thankful for those long lists of chores.

Okay, I must now share the next set of beach pictures with this sweet family, who were blessed with a miracle baby this year! She was so stinkin' cute and soo good for the shoot, she rolled over for the first time in front of the camera! It was soo fun! This Mom is so smart to cherish her pictures the way that she does! She will never regret it! We took some traditional family shots, but I loved these "lifestyle" shots, and had to share them!




The shot above is the one that I can picture nice and large. It's proof that you don't have to have every face looking at the camera and smiling. This just shows them having such a great time together, and it's so natural!



And here is the famous first roll over!! Is that not the cutest thing?

Christmas Cards!!

Christmas is just around the corner, and I have had many requests for Christmas cards this year, and so am very happy to announce these available designs. These are just the front sides, and of just a few. I actually have around 20-25 designs. The rest can be viewed on my website in a proofing gallery that I have set up. If you are interested in the other designs, please email me, and I will email you back the instructions on how to view the gallery.

I have decided to offer excellent pricing on the cards, and believe me, they are the highest quality papers and colors used. All cards will be printed double sided (when the design is available) on fine linen or pearl papers, depending on the client's choice, and do come with envelopes.

Each set is a pack of 25, and must be purchased in those increments.

1 - 4x5.5 linen set = $40
1 - 4x5.5 pearl set = $50

1 - 5x7 linen set = $50
1 - 5x7 pearl set = $60

This includes adding in your photos (whether or not it was taken by me), and adding the family names. Any additional changes in the wording, amount of photos on the card, colors on the card, etc. is an additional $20.

Any Full Resolution Christmas card digital image with basic changes= $35

Beach Babes

There really are no words needed to describe how much fun this family was to do pictures with... check them out for yourself!!

The Beach Boys

I am swimming in beach pictures in my office, and they are all to-die-for!! I am sorry if you missed out, it was so fun, and these families will cherish these pics forever! A great investment!! I will be booking now for next year, so let me know if your ready for me to hold your spot. October 2010. Check out this darling family - Mom picked out the beach, which I will be going back to, I love, love, loved it! I'm still trying to decide which of her sons I want my daughter to marry!! They couldn't take any bad pictures!