When my package arrived with my first studio sample, I tore into it and found this beautiful piece inside. Thank you to Amy and her daughter for modeling for this necklace. (The stamped charm can be customized up to a  7 letter word or displayed with initials. )

For more information on ordering and seeing the full line, contact me at info@bridgettemarie.com

Last week I photographed one of my besties as she is preggo with her third baby. This time, her first girl. She is more excited about me capturing the birth (I was there for the last birth) but I really wanted her to get the maternity shots done. I explained that she is having a girl and one day it was more likely her little girl would want pictures of her pregnant. We shot in about 20 minutes because it was pretty hot and preggo chicks do not like the heat. We tresspassed a little into the orange grove and probably killed a few crop plants but worth it because we got some great stuff.

Editing wise the first image is not my normal style but I really wanted to do something she could print on a canvas if she wanted. I like it.

My girlfriend had loaned me this wonderful basket and I love this little table that belonged to my Nanna. Born 6 weeks early, Granton (even at 5 weeks old) is still very tiny. I love this…something old and something new.

I am willing to bet Paris was a Marilyn Monroe fan because there were pictures of her all over the house.

I loved the front of the house. Small play pool with these two beautiful canopies. Felt like a spa as you stepped right off the open kitchen.

Marcie and Ryan make the (as I mentioned) hottest couple.

When I arrived off the plane I was coming from 110 weather, it was 70 that day, I need a light jacket. I love California.

I often ask couples to get realy close., to embrace as they do when I am not around. Ryan had no problem with this request.

Check back in November for some wedding shots of this couple, another day after Thanksgiving wedding!

Some example of good times to use a wash: Babies. I feel that some moments with a new born can really be enhanced with a wash. Especially if the nursery colors are softer. See example. A little wash added a little something and wwhen printed it is very slight. I really like this look for canvas wraps.

I do also like to use for Maternity sessions however sometimes it’s not right. Like this maternity  the top shot…YES! It adds a pretty color to the white sky.

Below, I wanted nothing but the original as this is a stylish Mamma and a wash would have looked odd. Same Mamma as above, different feel from the session.

Weddings. Now this one is really “Ify.” You don’t wat to go changing the color of a bride’s dress when she so carefully selected that shade in the first place. However there are helpful times. This is a past wedding and it was near dusk, cool colors in the air and a very “green” surrounding. Camera can tend to pick up on that. I wanted to warm it up without that “orangy” look. So this wash is perfect for that. This is one of my go-to washes. It’s meant to make a photo look vintage but I just lower the opacity to around 10-15% and it’s perfect.

For the bottom shot of their bridals, I would not have DREAMED of using a wash. Anything is possible with this photo but the clean and classic look of the Parker Hotel in Palm Springs and the stylish couple screams “Don’t touch me…I’m perfect the way I am.” Plus, this is one groom that paid as much attention to his suit as she did her dress. I wanted to make sure that I captured the color accuratly!

So there is no magic answer and I will probably always keep my TR Actions in my back pocket. But a clean, classic photo will always be (as Melissa Jill puts it)…timeless.

It was a rough season. I guess that’s why when I hit January I ran totally out of physical and mental steam. I didn’t have energy for my work let alone my children. Currently I have 4 wedding albums started but not complete and some brides that are looking to take a hit out on me if I don’t get this all wrapped up. This is an emotional business. Clients are emotionally invested in the product I provide and it can be stressfull at times to make sure I don’t dissapoint them and also be a good mother and wife at the same time.

So this post is about rediscovering yourself as an artist…and a mother. When you are in the business of art, there are these “moments” you have that you sort of find an inner charge and are renewed again to do your art. You emerge stronger and more knowledgeable about what you want to be focusing on. Well when you are a mother (or a parent) it can be difficult to find those moments because most days you are just trying to get it all done by bedtime. Today, I woke up as rested as I have been in weeks. I went to bed early trying to not allow the stresses of client needs keep me from sleeping, as they often do. The baby slept for 7 hours which is the longest in weeks. I allowed myself a few hours to not open my computer. To just be lazy with the baby, do some overdue dishes and giggle a little with the kiddos. Now it is almost noon and I am finally feeling motivated to get on the computer and get some stuff done.

As an artist I struggle to really find that inner voice anymore that drives me to create NEW projects. I have had some really great sessions lately, most of them with couples. People in love is such a wonderful thing to get to capture with my camera. Freezing time for them before their lives get crazy. I wish I had done that with my husband before we had the chaos of kids and well, life. I know that many of them can go with any photographer they wish but I am grateful that they choose me. When I go into a bride and groom’s home and they have pictures up from our engagement session I feel like I gave a gift, there’s a little piece of me in their home. That is one of the coolest parts of my job.

So while today is not a day of revelations about what I really want to be focusing on in my work, I guess it’s a day of reflection that even though it’s not easy…it’s pretty special. Now back to those albums.

My dear girlfriend Kelly (who has made a frequent appearance in my work) allowed me to photograph her pregnant. In fact I really had to persuade and bug her to do it. She is like any 9 month pregnant woman…avoiding cameras at all costs. I explained that these are not for her today, they are for her tomorrow and the day after that. Photographs are for the future. They are for her baby girl to see how beautiful her Momma looked right before she was born. They are for Kelly to remember the excitement that came the week before her first child arrived and her whole life changed. They are for the future. We only spent about 30 minutes honestly. I didn’t want to pressure her into so big crazy maternity session. Just to capture right now.

Of course sometimes my friends wait forever to get them back (you know who you are and you are laughing at me right now), so it’s a good thing they are for, you know…. “the future”.

So for my first post of the year, I will share with you all of last year. I tried to squeeze in every client but alas…there was too many! So this slideshow is the majority of my year. I am so grateful for each and every client. I am grateful for the patience when times are busy and the love when images are delivered. Mostly I am grateful for everything in my life. My clients are amazing, my family and friends are so supportive and life is pretty dang good. So here is my tribute to this last year of good times and good shoots. As always….enjoy. (Let it load for 10 seconds or so..a year in 4 minutes is a lot!)

Okay so you want the details???? Here goes…submit to me your favorite photo you have taken with your new camera. Can be of whatever you feel represents a good photo. Your kids, your hubby, your dog…just make it interesting. Are you a professional in the making? Show us! Show me your favorite photo. I do ask that it is either recent or not older than 6 months and you have to be the one that took it too. Preferably one from your new camera! This contest is not open to “professionals”. If you have ever been paid for a photo…you can not enter for obvious reasons.  Email your photo (please just send the high resolution if you can) to info@bridgettemarie.com

Here is what you need to include with your submission;

1. Something about the photo. Where, who…etc

2. What kind of camera you used. Your thoughts about why you love it so much

3. Your contact info, email and phone

I bet you want to know what you are going to win? Well here goes:

1. A session of your choice with me. Family, child, headshot, maternity…you choose. Plus you will get 10 finished files from your session.

2. A lesson on how to get the most out of your camera. I will come to you and one-on-one work with you on your type of camera. How to get it off auto and really see what it can do. Talk to you about lenses and help you to fall in love with taking pictures.

3. A featured blog post of your photos after our session!

Sounds good? Well get to snapping. Deadline for entries is January 15th. Contest voting ( on the blog by the readers )  starts February 1st and will run for one week. In addition everyone that enters will be eligible for a $100 gift certificate for photography or mentoring session. (Can be used for upcoming photoshop classes as well).

Allow me to end with the photos that I submitted for Pam’s contest. I took these the day I got my camera. I still love them so much because they represent a time when all I knew was what I saw. My brain wasn’t filled with composition, lighting, proper this and that. I was a Mom who thought my kid was pretty funny.

Now get to emailing me those pictures!