In Full Bloom

New Blog

2009-05-21T23:28:00.003-05:00

I now have a NEW BLOG, and I'm excited for you to visit.

www.infullbloomphotography.com/blog

I decided it was time for a real "photography" blog....with bigger photos and more features. I will no longer be posting to this blog, so please remember to bookmark the new site so you can come back!

The Senior Gals

2009-05-18T09:14:00.026-05:00

As promised.....here are some of my favorite shots of the beautiful senior girls that I photographed from the Class of 2009......

We'll start with gorgeous Greta.....don't you love the way her dog is looking on in this one!

My favorite shot from the session........I love her beautiful eyes!

Here are some of the collages that I made up for her.

These cousins had their session together, and it was a lot of fun to do it that way. Here they are in front of their Grandma's beautiful home.

I love, love, love this photo of Hannah.....love that sunshine!

Amanda is an avid reader, so we photographed her with all of her books (or what she had with her, anyway).....I thought this was a great idea. (notice what she's reading here....great book!)

Next up is Cagan...........

This outfit was perfect for "urban alley" photos.....loved how the turquoise "popped" against the brick and cement.

My favorite photo from the session.......and on instance where the wind actually cooperated...I like how her hair is blowing back in this one.

Next is the beautiful Miss Katie..........

Check out her eyes....they just sparkle!

Amanda is next.......talk about a natural beauty!

I loved these with her horse, especially wearing the sundress.

We took some softball pics, too...........

Now here's Stefanie................

I like taking photos under the viaduct.......it's kind of sad to think that it won't be there someday.

Stefanie is another one of the very patient people who has babysat my children before!

Next is Aurora.......she's so cute!

Horses were popular this year! This isn't her horse, but she still looked great on it!

And I also photographed her sister, Sierra...............

I don't know what I would do without Utility Park.....it always provides a nice variety of background options.

I especially liked this one next to the stone wall.

And now we have Melissa.......there were so many photos of Melissa that I wanted to show, I had a hard time deciding......

I just happened to have this lavender parasol that matched her dress perfectly.

This one (above) was her Mom's favorite.....and I think mine, too.

Pera is next.....and Krystall jumped in for a few during Pera's session, too.

Thinking of Pera as a Senior in high school was hard for me.........because I used to babysit Pera when she was in preschool! And it doesn't seem that long ago!

Up next is Vanessa..............

She has such pretty hair and gorgeous eyes!

And of course, you've already seen the photos I took of Crystal........so I decided to show you a few of the pages from the neat "Senior book" that I gave to her as her graduation present.

This is a 20 page, 8x8, softcover book, and will be part of my Senior packages for the upcoming year.

You've also seen a lot of photos of my niece, Hali.......and you'll see a few more in the coming days, as I'm going to feature her photos on some new products that I have to share with you.

Congratulations, Gals! Thanks for letting me be a part of your Senior year!

Salute to the Senior Men

2009-05-14T07:43:00.022-05:00

Graduation is this weekend for most, so I decided to feature the seniors that I had the privilege of photographing this year......starting with the guys.

This was my favorite shot of Leremy......I love people who aren't afraid to let their terrific personality show!

Speaking of terrific personalities......up next, we have Ryan.......

Next up is Blake......I loved his guitar shots the most, so I'm featuring those........

And then there's Kyle............

The above photo was my favorite from Kyle's session........and he didn't even know that I had taken it.

Next is Blake.......he has such a terrific smile!

Zach is next.....

Zach showed me his favorite fishin' spot......and thanks to Rocky and Kim, "Smudge" the dog was able to join us for a while.

Here's James.......we got some fun tennis shots.

....and I also liked his drumstick photos.

Cody is next...............

I absolutely LOVE Cody's car.....so cool.

Now here's Ethan.......

I really liked the "camo" pics of Ethan........and Zeb was very interested in looking that gun over!

And now here's Andy........

If you were at the Spring Band Concert on Tuesday night, you know what an extraordinary trumpet player Andy is!

Congratulations, Guys!

The gals are next.......coming soon.

She did it!

2009-05-12T18:05:00.002-05:00

Too Bogged to Blog!

2009-05-07T13:29:00.014-05:00

Wow, it has been such a busy few weeks! I feel like I just can't get caught up with anything....blogging included. But, here I am...posting on my brand spankin' new laptop! I had been having so many computer problems...it was time for something different.

Today I have some photos from an engagement session that I did a couple of months ago....on a very, very cold afternoon in downtown Manhattan. I was so impressed with this cute couple...they came well prepared. I thought that their wool coats looked very sharp, and helped keep them warm when they were trying not to let their teeth chatter!

I loved the reflection in this one.

And I really loved the "diner" sign that showed through the window in this one.

Ring Shot....

This one was my favorite......standing in the middle of Poyntz Avenue.

Thanks, Brian and Kristin!

Come back soon.....I have a "tribute to the '09 Seniors" coming next.

My Return from Twilight

2009-04-28T12:53:00.004-05:00

Okay, so I haven't posted now in almost 2 weeks. I really didn't mean to wait that long. I have literally hundreds upon hundreds of photos that I would like to share with you. But.....I have been extremely busy getting photos edited for clients, which I feel should come before blogging....and on top of that, this computer (our family "internet" computer) is very, very ill with some sort of virus which causes it shut down immediately whenever it darn well feels like it! It's very frustrating. Yes, I know that I am married to a computer whiz, but not even he can figure out the problem, which probably means wiping it all out and starting over. And.....Alyx has had several track meets, and I have tried to attend as much as possible. She pole vaulted 8' the other day, which ties the CCMS girls record. She really wants to make 8'6, and I hope that I get to be there when she does it. I've also been attending dance recitals......2 recitals, and 2 dress rehearsals over the past 2 weeks, taking tons of photos at all of them.

So, I really have been busy. But to be completely up front about it, all of the above activities are not the real reason I haven't posted. The real reason that I haven't used some of my spare time sharing photos with you, is because I've been spending all of my spare time with Edward.

I know......it's so incredibly stupid to be hooked on a series of books that were more or less written for my daughter's age range. In fact, I purchased the first book for her when she begged for it at Target one day. She read one chapter and hated it.....so I read a chapter and was hooked! I'm now halfway through the fourth book, and can't stop reading every chance I get. I decided that I might as well just admit it.

But.....I'm here now and trying to get back to reality.......and I honestly do have so much to share with you. Here are a few "Pole Vaulting" photos from last week. AND.....I also posted a new recipe for you on the RECIPE BLOG. Check it out...it's delicious!

Wedded Bliss

2009-04-14T11:43:00.010-05:00

These are images that I captured at a small, sweet little wedding from back in February.

The bride and groom chose not to see one another before the ceremony.....but allowed for plenty of time between the ceremony and reception for taking some terrific photos.

The bride's sister sang a song during the ceremony......and it was absolutely beautiful!

I loved the bouquet of white flowers.

The church was beautiful.....lots of wonderful natural light pouring through the windows.

This is becoming one of my favorite wedding shots.....I do it at every wedding now.

I loved all of the sunshine that was coming into the foyer of the church....... just beautiful light.

I love the shot above......the groom was always sneaking in a kiss....in several shots, I just loved the way he looked at her.

It was freezing outside, but we braved the cold (I had a coat on...the didn't!) to get some shots outside. Notice the snow on the ground behind them. It was around 23 degrees!

The bride put her boots on first.....and I loved this shot that I captured of her changing into them.

I liked the shadow of the cross on the church in this one.

Here that are at the lake........trying to hold their smiles as the wind blows into their faces!

We also found a field.....it seemed a little warmer here....at least the sun was shining.

Congratulations, Brandon and Kelly! Thanks for letting me be a part of your day!

New Product: Custom Photo Boxes (and matching photos!)

2009-04-06T12:19:00.004-05:00

The latest product offering from In Full Bloom ........custom made photo boxes featuring a photo that you select for the cover......and I'll design the rest of the box to match that photo, making a really neat conversation piece for your coffee table!

Even the spine is customized with whatever text/colors you'd like.......

And the back of the box also has a design....or even another photo or collage of photos.....

And the best part......the box includes 50 photos from your session, printed with photo borders that match your box......they can be color, like I've shown you here, or even all in various styles of black and white.

Kid's sessions, newborns, maternity, family........even to show off wedding photos....the possibilities are endless! I even saw where one couple used the box as a guest book at their wedding....they used engagement photos, but left room at the bottom of each one for guests to sign, and then stored it all in the box later on.

This size is 4x6, but larger sizes are also available. Be sure to ask to see mine when you come for your session! Warmer weather is surely coming soon, and I'm excited to get outside and take lots of fun photos.

Angel Boy

2009-03-30T12:23:00.002-05:00

Zane and I had the pleasure of spending another day taking care of our favorite little guy, Kamdyn. I had always wanted to use these angel wings...I've had them forever, and I was glad to finally find a willing subject to wear them!

Then, since he was being such a good little sport about all the photo-taking, we (Zane and I) decided to do some Easter pics.......

He really likes Zane....watches every move that he makes. He spent quite a long time watching him play the Gameboy.

Then I got the old washtub out.....I made Zane sit in there with him at first, while I found the right combination of pillows and blankets to put in there to ensure that he didn't fall over.

Little did I know that he could just pull himself right up and stand!

And finally, I put this little vintage outfit on him (it was my Dad's...from around 1946)...it was pretty big on him, but I think it still looked pretty cute.

He kept trying to chew on the airplane....but it wouldn't quite fit into his mouth!

And finally, we dressed him back into his K-State outfit....you can tell that he was getting pretty tired of the camera by now.

And finally......

Someday this kid's gonna beg his Mother to NOT call me to babysit!

Have a great Monday!

New Product: Photo Jewelry

2009-03-26T11:49:00.004-05:00

Actually, this example isn't jewelry.......this was meant to be an ornament for the Christmas tree. I gave it to my Mom for Christmas. But, she liked it so well, and couldn't bear to put it away with her Christmas decorations, so she strung it on a long silver chain and wore it around her neck.

It originally had a beautiful satin ribbon tied through the loops at the top, for hanging on the Christmas tree.

It is two-sided, so I chose two fun photos of her grandkids to use.

Basic charms for bracelets, necklaces, etc. are also available in both large and small sizes.

Another great gift idea!

Here is the flip side....I always have loved this photo...Zane got tired of sitting and suddenly stood up and let out a holler!

I've been very pre-occupied with kitchen stuff this week. We do have our new cupboards, new sink, and new flooring now all installed, and I love it! The dishwasher is now "built-in" (was portable before) and last night, my hubby finally got our stove back into place.......so now I have to fix him something really good for dinner tonight!

I promise to show photos of the kitchen sometime soon......when I get everything back into place.

New Product: Softcover Books

2009-03-18T10:29:00.008-05:00

Here is the latest "new product" from In Full Bloom.......Softcover Books.

These beautiful, custom-designed (by me!) books feature 20 pages of collage-style spreads featuring all of your favorite images from your photo session.

I designed this book for my sister, Jolie, featuring images from Jalyn's "tutu" session from last year.

Since my "mystery model" was getting tired of trying to hold the book open for me to photograph it, I'll just go ahead and post all of the book pages here.......

Page 1

Pages 2 and 3

Pages 4 and 5

Pages 6 and 7

Pages 8 and 9

Pages 10 and 11

Pages 12 and 13

Pages 14 and 15

Pages 16 and 17

Pages 18 and 19

Page 20

This book is an 8x8 softcover book. Other sizes, and hardcover options will also be available.

Friday Flashback: 2008 Wedding

2009-03-13T09:34:00.012-05:00

It was November, 2008......and as it tends to happen in Kansas, the weather had been beautiful the week before, but ended up being very cold for this Saturday wedding. The decorations were all in beautiful fall colors....yellow, burnt orange...with wheat intertwined.

The beautiful bride.......and her beautiful bouquet...notice the wheat....I loved the wheat!

They tried to be very brave about the cold weather when we shot photos in Utility Park!

I really liked this one of the guys on the bridge. The groom still has his flower in this photo...but somehow it was lost before we left the park.

There are Coca-Cola collectors in the family, so we had to make a quick stop downtown, too.

Someone hollered to congratulate them as they headed down the street to their car.

I love to do "window shots" with natural light.....we decided it was warmer inside!

Congratulations, Jake and Shaye! Thanks for letting me be a part of your special day.

For nobody but myself........

2009-03-11T11:11:00.006-05:00

Last Friday evening, my good friend Michelle called to see if I wanted to go on an little evening "photo shoot" out in the country with her.

We started by taking photos of this old, crooked barn.......we decided that a good gust of wind would probably be the end of it......but the ladder makes you wonder if someone was actually brave enough to crawl in there lately?

It was fun to take photos just for the fun of taking photos.....instead of trying to please someone with them.....the barn had such great texture.

....and you could see right through it to the other side.

Then we drove around the section to find this pond........which was beautiful just as the sun was setting.

I loved the birds that were flying away in this one.

And of course, I had to take some photos of Michelle taking photos! She took some of me, too.....she didn't get one when I backed into some sort of thorn bush.....I'm sure the look on my face was worth capturing!

It was a great evening of friendship and photography.....and we are looking forward to warmer weather so we can spend more time outside.

Friday Flashback: Mongo Basketball Post!

2009-03-06T08:56:00.026-06:00

Y'all ready for this!

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a good sports photographer. There is a lot of motion blur in these photos. I don't like to lug my big flash around at the games, and I have trouble holding still! I just do this for fun, because I enjoy it, and wanted to share a few (well, more than a few) of the photos I took this season.

The CCCHS and CCMS Drill Teams performed together back in December. I liked the fact that Alyx and Jori were lined up like this so that I could take pics of both of them together.

My favorite photo of the Tiger Drill Team.

Celebrating the win against Abilene.....

I think it's so cool when brothers get to play together on the same court.

Sorry, girls....this one was too funny to not post!

Alyx shooting at halftime.....she made all but the half-court shot.

My favorite shot of Cody.

Jori is such a happy cheerleader!

What's this all about, Sean?

One of Jolie's "Dance Company" groups performed at one of the games.

I love this photo because of the look on Dillon's Mom's face in the background.

Right back at ya, Cody!

I bet he's chewing gum, too?

Lowell gave the halftime shootout a try, too.

I had to get a shot of the "Superfans", too.

Great job, Tigers!

Wednesday: It's in the Bag!

2009-03-04T08:09:00.005-06:00

I ordered this cute little Photo Cosmetic Bag for my Mom.......from the same company that I am getting the awesome Photo Purses from.

It would work for a number of other things, too, of course......it's just called a "Cosmetic Bag".

Mom hasn't used it yet, of course......she's like me.....has to display it for a while first, before she gets it dirty!

A great gift idea, and now available from "In Full Bloom".

On a different note......Congrats to the CCCHS Tiger Basketball Teams on a great season. It has been fun to watch, and I've taken quite a few photos, too. I'll post some of them on Friday.

Monday: March Madness

2009-03-02T09:16:00.007-06:00

My blog post today really has nothing at all to do with "March Madness". I just couldn't think of a better title. I am excited that March is finally here (maybe some nicer weather on a more regular basis).....and I am excited about the NCAA Tourney, too.....although it means the end of basketball season, which means I'll have nothing to watch on TV after that.......but the weather will be better then, so we'll just spend more time outside.

I spent some time outside over the weekend. I photographed the sweetest little wedding! It was very small.....family only....and was held at a beautiful old church in Wakefield. The bride and groom chose not to see each other before the wedding (and that first glance during the ceremony was priceless), but allowed lots of time between the wedding and reception for photos......and we did take some photos outside. Here's a sneak peak:

You can't even tell that it's only 20 degrees in this photo......they look warm, don't they? :)

I also had a fun engagement session on Sunday......it was still cold, but not quite as chilly as Saturday. Speaking of engagements......I wanted to share with you some photos of the latest engagement book that I ordered in.......

I will be shooting this couple's wedding in May.....and they chose a wedding package that included one of these beautiful books. Above you see the slip-in case, imprinted with their names.

And here is the dust-jacket cover........under this, the actual hard cover of the book is also printed, in case the dust-jacket would eventually get lost or ruined.

And here are a few examples of the inside pages.........

They are such a gorgeous couple!

As I mentioned above, the engagement books are included in some of my wedding packages, and of course, are available as an add-on, too. I can also design coffee-table style books for kid's or family sessions, senior sessions, etc. I'll show you samples of those soon.......as "March Madness" continues here at "In Full Bloom"!

Products: Framed Prints

2009-02-26T13:14:00.006-06:00

Besides all of the unique new ways to display photos that I've shown you.....the canvas, the stand-out, the matboard mounted print, etc.....I can also order your photos for you already framed....see below:

There are many frame choices available....from the basic black that I'm showing you here, to a traditional wood frame, or gold, silver, ornate.....and more.

The print inside of the frame is mounted on matboard and sprayed with a protective coating......so the finished piece is lightweight, and there is no glass to glare and get in the way of the beautiful photos that you want to show off.

This is a 12x12 collage that my client wanted framed and ready to hang on her wall.

And below are a few more shots from their session.......such cute little boys!

His shirt says "it wasn't me"........

Tu-Tu Cute on a Tuesday!

2009-02-24T09:29:00.006-06:00

I bought this beautiful tutu almost a year ago, and have hardly used it. So, I decided that I had to try it out on someone....and who better to wear it than this little cutie!

I can't wait for warmer weather......I'm really going to try to remember to use it outside, as I think it will look beautiful in a natural setting.

I love the one above....how she's leaning over....."tu-tu funny" (sorry...couldn't resist)

Honestly, she didn't really like it very well......but you can't tell so much in the photos.

Then she decided it was time to make a couple of phone calls.

She was calling her Daddy to see if he would come and rescue her from this crazy lady who was making her wear a big itchy tutu!

I found this pillow and loved all of the colors.

Our kitchen is coming together......some of the cupboards were hung yesterday, and more should be completed by the end of this week. It's very exciting....I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished.

For Sale

2009-02-19T11:09:00.003-06:00

The coffee pot is in the bathroom. The stove is on the back porch. There are dirty dishes in the bathtub. We are living on microwaved food and "Wendy's".......but it's all going to be worth it when my kitchen is done, and I am so excited!

So.....I just listed my old retro metal cabinets HERE on Ebay.

I sure wish that I would have thought to straighten up all of the junk in them before I took these photos......I'm really kind of embarrassed.

They are now all out of there, and my hubby is putting up new drywall on this wall right now. We are moving the sink around to the other side of the kitchen, so it will be under the window.

I'll keep you updated as the project progresses........

Product Share: Canvas

2009-02-17T15:34:00.004-06:00

One of my clients ordered a canvas recently, and when it arrived, I took some photos of it to share with you before she picked it up.

I was so pleased with it......the color and clarity was just beautiful.

The edges were wrapped tightly and neatly, and it was lined up perfectly.

And on the back is a single wire hanger.....the easiest way to hang something of this size, if you ask me. The canvas is a 16x20.

So, the next time you get your teeth cleaned, you just might see this hanging on the wall!

First Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T15:19:00.005-06:00

Zane and I had the pleasure of babysitting for Kamdyn today........and when he arrived at our house, he was wearing his new "Baby's 1st Valentine's" shirt.........

So of course, I had to get some photos.......after all, you only have one first Valentine's Day.

We did some with the hat.....and some without.

And apparently we wore him out......he started yawning!

He really loves Zane......he would watch him all day if Zane would keep playing with him.

Happy Valentines Day! Have a terrific weekend!

A "Stand-Out" Performance

2009-02-11T08:33:00.003-06:00

My sister Jolie, who, for those that may not know, is the owner of The Dance Company dance studios in Clay Center and Concordia, wanted something neat to hang on the wall of the studio to commemorate "The Nutcracker" performance in December. I convinced her to order a 20x20 "stand-out" (see previous post for more info). Here's how it turned out...........

20x20 is a great size......large enough to make a statement, yet not too big that you couldn't hang other things around it on the wall. And because the "stand-outs" are mounted on foam, it is very lightweight, so Jolie won't have to worry about one of her dancers bumping it on the wall and knocking it off on someone's head!

I am a big fan of the square format......I guess it comes from being a scrapbooker, and using the 12x12 papers over and over. I am planning a large gallery of square prints in my new kitchen. Did I tell you that we are remodeling? I am so excited, and will post photos in the next week or so.

Here's a way to "Stand-out" above the rest

2009-02-09T14:35:00.005-06:00

I have always loved finding new, unique ways to display photographs. It's now one of the things I love most about being a "professional photographer".......seeing and ordering all of the new products offered by the various labs that I use.

So, here is another new offering that I am adding to my growing list of "products" that can be ordered from "In Full Bloom Photography".........the Stand-out.

The great thing about a "Stand-out" mounting, is that your photo comes completely ready to hang.....no frame is needed. The print is mounted directly onto 3/4 inch foam, and sprayed with a luster coating for protection.

The sides of the foam are painted black, giving it a clean, classy look. Because it is foam, it is very lightweight.

Not all sizes can be mounted as a "Stand-out". This one is an 8x10, and the 11x14 and 16x20 sizes are also included, along with several collage sizes, like 10x20 and the 20x20 square format.

Several holes are already drilled into the foam for you, for easy hanging. (see image below)

What a simple way to create a really cool wall gallery in your home! And....no need to worry about the images falling off of the wall and breaking glass in a frame, or injuring someone below.

Friday Flashback: Family Session from 2008

2009-02-06T06:50:00.008-06:00

I'm closing out this week with some fun shots from a family session from last fall.

Actually, I think it was more like August when we took these.......there is so much that I have forgotten to share with you from 2008.

This little cutie really stole the show......and obviously is adored by her family.

I really liked how the above image turned out......so pretty the way the light fell on her hair.

I loved this one, too (above). The plaid shorts, and the way she is trying to copy just what he does.

Of course, we had to head down to my favorite bridge for a few shots.

Have a great weekend. Monday, I'll be showing you a new way to display your photos.....see you then!

A Mousepad for a Monday

2009-02-02T14:14:00.003-06:00

Our mousepad was in pretty bad shape, so I decided to order a new one, and then decided that I should offer this as another product option for my clients. Put your favorite photo from your session on a mousepad.....another great gift idea, too! Have a great Monday!