What I'm Digging Now:

http://diskgrunt.com/

Robots and cute monsters and more.
Awesome art, apparel and notecards. Found via Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/diskgrunt

I'm totally loving his work. Check him out!

Personal Blog

Hey folks!  My personal blog, Simplicity Besides is back at Blogger!  Follow me at http://simplicitybesides.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Vintage Finds

Yesterday, I went to one of my favorite local antique shops.  They have a wide variety of items, from lanterns and tools, to decorative objects, kitchen ware, holiday and children's things, jewelry, modern, vintage, and the like. 

In one of the shops little alcoves, I found this fellow sitting there.  I generally don't purchase these types of items, but I could not resist his vintage charm. 

Vintage, antique, I don't really know, or care.  He was just too darling to pass up.

Making A Decision

Why in the world do I keep moving my blog?

I've returned to Blogger for the following reasons:

1.  Most of my blog buddies use Blogger.  Therefore, it is quite often easier for them to comment on my posts, and for me to leave comments on theirs, as we are already connected through the same site. 

2.  Vanity.  I love having blog followers.  And for the life of me, I could not add the Google Friend Follower icon to my Wordpress blog.  It's already part of Blogger.  Done and done.

3.  I prefer to create my own Header image, and it seems to work better on Blogger. 

4.  More Widgets to choose from.

5.  I use blogger for my Little Flock Photography updates, and ultimately it seems easier to manage 2 blogs on one site. 

So, there you have it.  Simplicity Besides remains, only slightly altered.  Visit the archives here for the time being.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Indulge Yourself.

Don't let this Christmas season pass you by without enjoying yourself.  In the mad rush of the 'to do' lists, don't forget to take a moment, breathe deeply, and clear your mind of the craziness.

Curl up with some hot cocoa, a warm blanket, and a good book (or movie). 

Sit by the fire with your loved one and have a heart to heart.

Go look at Christmas lights.  Not because you have to.  Do it because you want to.

Find a simple indulgence, and be happy. 

So Fawned

I came across this Etsy shop via another blog, and I adore Desiree's work.  Her images speak to me, and the simplicity of her work is lovely and refreshing.
Please, stop by So Fawned, and admire the work of a talented photographer.

Sneak Peek, Zs!

I had the opportunity to work with the Z family recently, and it was so fun!  M, A, and A are so sweet, and it was such fun to watch their interaction with each other.  They did an awesome job with the 'posing' part of the session, but we ended our time together with the kids just playing and exploring the park, while I took pictures of them.  I will post some of those shots soon.  For now, here are just a few of my personal favorites, some with full color saturation, and a few with a vintage layer, less color, and a sepia tone.  Enjoy!

'Tis the Season

It's time for decorating, shopping, parties, and the like.  May this upcoming Christmas season be delightful, beautiful, meaningful, and memorable in all it's wonder.

And, come rain or shine, I WILL get my tree this weekend!

Christmas Card Photos, and Blustery Days!

This weekend I did family photos for the M family!  I love the color combo they chose!  Check out A and E's blue eyes!!  Gorgeous!  These were specifically done for Christmas cards, and I love this family!!  You'd never know it was shockingly cold, breezy, and on the verge of rain by looking at the pictures!  Enjoy!

Booked!

Hello all!  I greatly appreciate your support and encouragement of Little Flock Photography! 

I am currently booked for the month of December, and will not be able to schedule any further sessions until the busy Christmas season has passed!  I will post pictures from my upcoming sessions soon! 

I am excited about the upcoming year!  I'm working on some new Full/Mini Session ideas, and I'm looking forward to more Giveaways, and, of course, fun posts!! 

Check back often for news and updates!  Thanks for being awesome!

And The Winner Is...

First, a huge thanks for the participation! I look forward to doing more Giveaways in the very near future!

So, drumroll please:

1. Printout of comments, before cutting!

2. Cut comments!

3. Folded and placed in a tin!

4. My mom was kind enough to do the drawing! Mixing...

5. Drawing...

6. And the winner is...

Debbie!

Congratulations!  You are the winner of the Christmas Card Giveaway!

Again, thanks to all who entered!

Christmas Card Giveaway!

It’s my first Giveaway! I am pleased to offer this set of 4 handmade, vintage inspired Christmas cards with envelopes to one lucky winner! The cards will come in a reusable, decorative Snowman Christmas tin!

Here’s what you need to do to be entered in the Giveaway drawing:



Post a comment to this blog.
Please include your first name.
Complete this sentence: My favorite thing about Christmas is…



This Giveaway ends at 3 p.m. (Pacific Time) Thursday, December 3rd.
Winner will be announced on December 3rd no later than 8 p.m..
If you are the winner, kindly email me (Angela) at LittleFlockPhotography@cox.net with your mailing address ASAP.

I will mail your package on Saturday, December 5th.



How is the winner chosen?

I will randomly draw one name out of a basket.
Your name will be added to the drawing upon leaving your comment.



Anything else?

One comment per person, please.
Only comments to this blog will be accepted, not Facebook or Twitter.
Have fun, and good luck!

Mommy, Wow! I'm A Big Boy Now!

Little Mr. J is turning 3!  What a big boy he is!  He is such a cutie, and he has the best 'cheeser' face!  Enjoy your sneak peek, N family!

Pricing and FAQs

$75 for a local 60-90 minute photo session.
$95 for a beach photo session.

Children
Family (up to 4 people; $5 per additional person).
Maternity
Baby
Teens
Adults

Included in the price:
*My time, talent, and travel
*Processing and editing of images
*Full resolution Photo CD of the best images (generally 20+ images)
*Each image will be processed in color, black and white, and vintage/sepia

No waiting for special prints!  You get your photo session on CD to print anywhere you like! 

FAQs:
*You can choose your outdoor location.  In your backyard, a favorite park, or other location.
*You can bring outfit changes to ensure a variety of images.
*You are welcome to bring meaningful props (accessories, chairs, umbrellas, anything you can travel with!)

Recommendations:
*Wear bright colors, or neutrals.  Try to avoid super busy fabric prints.  In a group shot, keep your color palette cohesive by choosing similar colors.  The goal is to get awesome expressions, and not be distracted by prints or clashing colors.
*Got a posing idea?  Let me know!  If you have a specific pose you would like to try, tell me and we will do it!  Remember, it's your time to shine, and your thoughts are welcome!
*I fully support Costco in it's photo processing.  However, when you place an order online, please ensure that auto-correct is off.  Otherwise, your images may be processed with cropping and color alterations.
*I will work until we lose our light, and get our shots.  I do kindly ask that you have a free schedule for at least 2 hours after the start of our session.  If I arrive at 4 p.m. and you have to be somewhere at 4:45 and do not let me know in advance, then the odds of getting your full session's worth are cut considerably and there is a possibility of not getting the minimum amount of shots for your CD.
*Please book your session at least a week in advance.
*I am currently only accepting personal checks or cash as payment.  Checks are to be made to Angela Richardson.

I look forward to serving you and your family!  If you are interested in booking a session, or have any other questions, please contact me at LittleFlockPhotography@cox.net.

Thank you!

Angela Richardson

Fall Fun with the D Family!

I had a great time with the D family!  The weather was fantastic, and the boys were quite the posers!  I've known this family for a few years, and I am just amazed at how much W and B have grown up!  Aren't they just handsome?  D, it was so wonderful to work with you!  You look as lovely as ever!  Thanks!

Sneaking a Peek

Mr. J turns 8!  He is such a fun fellow to photograph!  He is patient and comes up with his own ideas!  He is very cooperative, especially when I promise him a few 'jumping' pictures!  (Which I must admit, I love, too).
In addition, Grandma and Grandpa were visiting so I took some group shots!  I love the vintage/sepia images, they remind me of looking through old pictures of my family when I was a child! 

Thanks, N family, for being awesome!

My take on sepia...

When I started working in Photoshop, I used most of the filter tools as they were presented.  But, I'm trying to create my own style, and the one area I felt I could punch up was my use of the Sepia filter.

Generally, after I edit a photograph, I make a duplicate for sepia, and a duplicate in black and white.  See the images below, one in color, and one in standard sepia, with the levels slightly enhanced. 

My new take on sepia is simply to retain the brown undertones, but not quite saturate my image in them.  Rather, I apply the sepia filter and adjust the saturation levels of the filter itself.  Each image is adjusted according to how much color undertones I want to show.  I feel like it gives the same vintage effect, but adds more visual interest to the image. 

By the way, this photo was one of the 'rejected' images taken on a recent trip to San Francisco.  I recommend you keep your photography folders clean and organized, but save a few discarded images for practicing! 

Decisions, decisions!

Back and forth, back and forth! I've switched my personal blog to Wordpress, and tried switching Little Flock there, but I think this layout is more suitable for photography posts! Here I am and Happy Halloween!

Happy Birthday Mimi!

Miss Mimi is 6!! I remember the days when she was 2!! She's a pleasure to work with!! I 'stepped out of the box' a little with my edits and did a few 'artistic' images, playing with lighting and color tones. Enjoy!!

Bun in the Oven...

I had a wonderful time photographing this beautiful family, and Mommy Tara is due very soon!!! Take a peek at some of my faves...

A summer snapshot revisited...

One of my personal favorites...

The Finest City...

San Diego cityscape, taken from Coronado Island back in December. A lovely, clear day.

Baby Bump

So, the previously mentioned family? Well, the couple expecting their baby let me snag them and take a quick picture of the 'baby bump.' Simple, yet sweet. Enjoy!