Here are some pullbacks of my camera room before a newborn session.

I <3 this window, by the way!

Check out the newest edition of the IBCP Senior Mag - 2013!

Images By Courtnie Photography is participating in the Charity Model Search to select America’s Cutest Kid and to raise funds for the non-profit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation. (NILMDTS.org)

Is your child America’s Cutest Kid? We’ll give you the opportunity to prove it! The prizewinners will receive a generous savings bond and gift cards!

Model Search Special:

$35 entrance fee includes a 30-minute model session and one image submitted to the international gallery.

Finalists will be determined by online votes. Each vote is $1 (no limit on the amount of votes you can cast), and all proceeds from votes benefit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS.org).  The top 25 vote receivers will move on to the final judging round to determine the winners.

Grand prize winner and runners up will be determined from the 25 finalists. The winner and runners up are selected by photography experts.

Call 828-361-3877 now to enter your “Cutest Kid” in this exciting contest.

*Contest open to residents of the US. For more information, visit http://www.charitymodelsearch.org.

I love people! I love MEETING new people. I love CULTIVATING the friendships I have with people.  I love WATCHING people! I love PHOTOGRAPHING people - but most of all I love READING about people.  You can learn so much about someone through what they say.  

I guess you could say I am an open book.  If you have a question, just ask - I'm not shy and I try to never be too busy to talk! I have other photographers call quite often just to chit-chat or discuss business ideas, etc.  Recently, I was honored to be asked for an interview with Murphy Gold owner, John Dilbeck.  It was quite a lengthy interview but it seemed more like a conversation with an old friend.  If I hadn't had to worry about him possibly pointing the video camera at me it would have been stress free! :)  (even though i made him promise NOT to point it at me)

Ok - enough talk - now for the interview.  If you want to know a bit about how I think or how I feel about photography AND my business AND people, in general, take a look, if not, don't!

Afterwards, take a look around the Murphy Gold site and the local businesses that are featured there.  I think they all may have special offers featured there and you can get to know some of the proprietors in Murphy.  

AND ... it just goes against everything in me to write a blog post with no pictures, so here's a quick peek at what I've been up to for the past week or so.

Maternity Session with Miss Sarah & Michael :)

And yet another sweet mommy-to-be ... Melissa

This means before too very long, I will have 2 brand new baby girls to photograph!

<3 LOVE <3

Announcing "The Enchanted Forest"  Now booking sessions!

Newborn safety is always my primary concern.  As you know, there are many new photographers who like to get ideas from other photographers.  There's nothing wrong with this ... I call it creative inspiration!  While looking for a newborn photographer, always make sure the photographer is comfortable with newborns and it's helpful if they've had children of their own.

One of our most popular shots is the "Stork's Pouch".  Although this image turns out beautiful and peaceful, a lot of patience, time and photoshopping goes into creating it.  Your baby is placed in the pouch on top of a beanbag and gently lifted about an inch from the beanbag and photographed.  Sometimes, mom is even holding the baby as shown in the image below.  We never, ever actually hang the baby from anything.  We will shot the pouch (empty) hanging from a tree branch or deer antlers and composite (or puzzle-piece) everything together.  At times, we take as many as 6 or 7 shots and piece these together to get that one "perfect" image.

Here's an example of how we composite an image.

For someone starting out and wanting amazing zoom capability, I recommend the Coolpix-P500.

I had the chance to welcome Little Miss Mckinley into Images By Courtnie's Baby Family last Friday!  At 10 days old, she arrived at the studio ready to be cuddled and propped.  I don't think she whimpered a bit.  Actually, I think she kind of liked getting all dolled up for her modeling debut!  

And just wait until you see this one - I don't think I've ever seen such long dark eyelashes on a baby before.  They almost touched her little cheeks!

We're just entering September and as I speak, it's 95 degrees outside.  Perfect weather for spending a day on the lake ;).  Oh, but soon, we'll start seeing the gorgeous colors of turning leaves and smell the smoke of bonfires.  We'll be talking about what the kids are dressing up as for Halloween.  We'll have thoughts of caramel apples, popcorn balls, & fall festival funnel cakes!  

AND - we'll be wondering, "What are we going to wear for {Images By Courtnie's Annual Fall Family Sessions}!

Here are some ideas for you.  Jewel tones seem to work best for fall.  Stay away from matchy-matchy outfits.  Pick a few colors and coordinate everyone's outfit within that color family.

Have fun choosing your wardrobes and I can't wait to see you for Fall Family Sessions in October!

I've been working on images for a modeling portfolio today and I am just blown away. I keep thinking back to this session and remembering this young lady's personality.  She was so outgoing and talkative!  I had a great time and I hope her memories of this session are as great as mine are. :)


This session started out with such a quite, sweet little girl ...

And then... we decided to go outside and wander around Downtown Murphy.  {Look at those dimples!}

And as we near the end of our session {2 1/2 hours later} It's time for some fun!

Gorgeous!

Now, how about your serious look?

Can she do it?

Where's the fun in that?  Great teen, great session ~ Good luck in your modeling career!