This is an extra special session for me because I have had the honor of photographing this family since before Mr. B was even born! You can see his newborn photos here. I cannot believe how fast the time has passed and now he is ONE! This couple has seen me pregnant with two of my three children and has been so patient with me during the process of getting back into work mode multiple times. We have a variety of photos of Mr. B. We started out having an outdoor adventure, but then finished up with some indoor photos in the comfort of his own home. I hope you enjoy your preview and I will have the gallery up soon!
WOW! I cannot believe how much energy was buzzing around Saturday afternoon at art & light gallery!! I had 4 families, 2 little girls, and 1 newborn family who trekked downtown to play in front of the camera. I learned several lessons during this year’s round of mini-sessions. FIrst of all, I need to schedule more time for families (or just save familiy portraits for regular sessions) because even though I had an assisstant to help me with things I felt like I missed out on the chance to catch up with everyone. I was rushing too much to “take pictures” and not doing enough of what I feel is one of my strong points, “capturing interactions”. Another idea is to try mini-sessions with families in a rural setting next time because even though I love the urban setting, having a bunch of kids near a busy street was not always the ideal situation.
That being said, I am beginning to edit the photos and am happy to report that we got a great variety for everyone, even with a bit of chaos thrown into the mix throughout the day! Everyone was so cooperative with corraling the kids and moving furniture props indoors and out. The older siblings kept trying to entertain their younger siblings and the solo kids just ate up the camera.
Thanks again to Teresa at art & light gallery and to Kina Baddorf for the use of her beautiful hand-knit diaper cover (found now at art & light, along with the rest of her fantastic hats, sweaters, and booties). And a huge THANK YOU to all my wonderful clients for participating!! I will let you know via email when you full gallery is online, but here is a preview!
Mini-sessions are coming up this weekend at art & light gallery in West Greenville. Browse the posts below to see photos of previous mini-sessions. For those of you who are participating, there are so many great options for backgrounds and clothing. You can use the insdie of the gallery for a modern take on the neutral background or the outside of the building with its variety of colors and textures. Teresa has a fantastic inventory of furniture right now that she is providing as props. These chairs are just a few examples of what can be used. Check out her blog and inventory page for more samples.
The theme at art & light this month is “Threaded” with the participating artists using the concept as part of their work. Kina Taylor Baddorf is an artist who creates beautiful knitted and crocheted items for babies and adults. She has several of her items on display and has volunteered the use of them as well for the mini-sessions. To learn more about Kina, look here. To see her etsy shop, look here.
I can’t wait to see everyone this weekend! It will be a whirlwind of fun, so please arrive about ten minutes early for your appointment to be able to maximize your session time.
Kacy Mehlem Photography had the pleasure of being featured on WYFF News Channel 4 this past Sunday morning as their featured blog of the week. They have a site called “Sound Off South” that highlights blogs in the Upstate. It was such a great experience! Thank you so much to Kelly Coakley, the news anchor who coordinated everything, for making me feel so comfortable and welcome. I had a fantastic time. I wish I had taken my camera to take some “behind the scenes” photos of the morning.
As part of the interview preparation Kelly asked me to answer some questions to learn more about the blog and me. Since the interview is a quick summary, I thought I would include the written interview since I often get asked many of the same questions by clients. Thank you Kelly for giving me a reason to sit down and put these thoughts in writing!
1. Why did you decide to start your blog and how long have you been keeping it?
I was not updating my website as often as I wanted to since it was a more involved process, so I started the blog to be able to have immediate updates and text to go along with it. I also wanted a way to keep people informed about what was going on with the business other than sending mass emails. I began the blog in May 2008 to promote a gallery show I did at art & light gallery on Pendleton St. I like the idea of having a blogsite rather than a separate blog and website.
2. Tell me how you got into photography.
I was a chemistry teacher for five years before moving here in 2001. I was a drug rep for about three years until I had my first child in 2004. I always liked taking pictures, but when he was about a year old I was given a digital camera and a film SLR camera. I was hooked and started taking pictures all the time. I took pictures for friends for fun and then it started to turn into friends of friends asking me to take pictures. That is when I decided I needed to make it official and start a business. I never anticipated the business turning me into a “working Mom”, which is why I try very hard to keep the balance between work and home.
3. What kinds of pictures do you take?
Contemporary lifestyle portraits, meaning photos that capture the interactions between people in more of an casual, non-traditional style. l feel like it is different than photojournalism in that the clients are conscious of the camera and I still have them move around sometimes to be sure to capture them the best way possible, but I try to find ways to get their personalities to come forth in the photo, not just their face. The one area I tend to be a bit more traditional with is newborns. I have tried all sorts of settings and props, but still come back to the simple basic approach to really capture the delicate features of the newborn.
I have photographed everything from maternity portraits to families to commercial sessions, but want to concentrate now on newborns and high school seniors.
4. What do you write about on your blog?
I generally highlight recent sessions. Since I am still not fully back from maternity leave and doing many sessions I want to write some entries about photography topics and tips for how people can take better photos themselves.
5. What kind of feedback do you get from your blog?
Most people tend to send me emails rather than post comments on the blog. Most of the feedback I get is from people commenting on the sessions or asking questions about my rates, business details, etc. Sometimes other photographers will ask questions about the photos they see posted.
6. How has your blog helped your business?
It is an up-to-date porfolio of whatever projects I am involved in. I think people like the immediate sneak preview of their session and the ability to share it with people. It is a great way to spread awareness of my business through word-of-mouth since a blog address can be quickly sent through emails.
7. What do you enjoy about taking pictures?
Freezing a moment in time forever. I don’t collect anything or have a bunch of knick knacks around my house, but I do have a ton of photographs waiting to be put in albums. They are the legacy of my family that will hopefully carry through the generations. I want my clients to feel that way as well. That is one big reason why I do sessions the way I do, capturing all sorts of things, not just smiling at the camera and saying “cheese”. I like session albums because they show the big picture.
8. Your have a baby and two other children — what has it been like getting back into the swing of work?
It is definitely tougher this time around. I have always done my business part time, taking photos on the weekend when my husband can be with the kids and doing all the rest at night for the most part. I am definitely being challenged to find a way to do my work at reasonable hours of the day (other than between 9pm and 1am) and do all the things for my family the way I want them to be done. I have to be more diligent about setting boundaries and not crossing the lines between work and home as much.
9. What tips can you give for getting good pictures of babies and toddlers?
My biggest tip is to find some good natural light and turn off the flash. Of course fancy cameras are nice, but simple point and shoot cameras can take great pictures if they are used under ideal circumstances. Try to keep the subject facing the light without being in direct harsh sunlight.
Try to get genuine expressions, find real ways to get smiles rather than just telling the subject to say “cheese”. Even if you don’t get smiles, realize that all those other expressions are part of the subject too and value them as picture-worthy.
Babies and toddlers are not predictable, so be prepared for anything to happen. Naked newborns will wet all over things, crawlers might not sit or look at the camera, toddlers tend to run everywhere, so be prepared to chase them.
If you really want to get kids to look at the camera, give them a reason to. Have something for them to look at next to the camera, bubbles, toys, someone being silly, whatever it is that they like to see. If that excitement is across the room that is where they will be focusing their eyes.
Consider taking portraits in your home rather than at the park, or some other location. When children are at home in their comfort zone the photographer is the new and exciting thing for them to focus on. When you are out somewhere the child will most likely be looking all over the place checking out their new environment and not paying much attention to the photographer.
10. What tips for taking great Senior portraits?
Be sure the subject is comfortable with you, the environment and how they look/what they are wearing. If one of those things is not right, they won’t be comfortable in the situation.
Keep the conversation going. Teens generally like to talk. If you can capture the subject when they are engaged, you are likely to get natural looking photos. Of course, everyone needs that senior headshot too, so they will need to stop talking occasionally to get those.
One thing about most teens is that they want to look good and are generally very cooperative to make that happen in their photos.
11. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
There are tons of great cameras out there and lots of photographers. If you are hiring a photographer talk to them first and check out their portfolio to see if your styles mesh to be sure that you both have the same expectations. If you want to take photos yourself learn everything you can about how to use your camera to its fullest potential. A fancy camera put on auto might not give you much of a different result than a simple camera used under ideal circumstances. The more you know about how to use your camera the less you will have to think about what you are doing when you are trying to capture that important moment.
Thanks again Kelly Coakley and WYFF News Channel 4!
I am thrilled to announce that the response for the mini-sessions on September 12th was great and all the spots were filled the next day! If you did not get in touch with me in time and are still interested in a session, please contact me and I will let you know if I have any cancellations. Otherwise, feel free to sign up for a regular session in 2010. I am scheduling sessions. For those of you who have signed up, I will be sending you an invoice and information about your session soon.
Thanks again for all your continued support and patience while I am still getting back into work-mode post baby!
**For those of you who follow the blog and read about the project I did for Ashby Park Pediatric Dentistry, stay tuned for final photos of the 20 metallic canvases on their walls, coming soon!
The mini-sessions I did last summer went great, so I thought I would do it again this fall. If you would like to see samples from last year check here and here.
I will be conducting a limited number of mini-sessions Saturday, September 12th, beginning at 2:00 at art&light gallery in West Greenville (see map below). Teresa Roche at art&light is providing her gallery space as an indoor venue along with lots of neat vintage chairs and tables to use as props. The outside of the Flatiron building, where the gallery is located, has tons of character with all its variety of colors as well. As you browse the photos below, you will see that this space is perfect for everything from babies, children, seniors, even maternity and engagement!
The session is $150 and includes:
15-20 minute session
password-protected online gallery including a minimum of 5 proofs…most likely around 15
up to two people being photographed, each additional person will be $25 to allow for extra time necessary
use of a selected group of custom and vintage accessories/chairs
your choice of
a) 1-8×10 and 2-5×7 custom prints
b) 1-11×14 mounted custom print
There are a limited number of sessions available, many of my previous clients have already scheduled since they saw my announcement last week on Facebook, so register while there are still spots available! I have no openings for regular sessions until the first of the year, so this is a great opportunity for new clients to see what a custom session with me is like! Session must be paid in full by Wednesday, September 9. Checks can be mailed to me. Please email me for more details! Hope to see you on the 12th!
What is Lifestyle Photography anyway? Everyone has heard of photojournalism, it is in-between that and traditional photography. Photojournalism typically consists of photos taken when the subject is not always aware of the photographer, often documenting an event as a way to tell a story with pictures. Traditional photography tends to be more posed and static. Lifestyle photography is a way to blend the two and show the interactions between people in a more emotional way while still having some sense of “we’re doing this for the camera”. When I do a session I am not always just a fly on the wall, depending on the type of session I will ask the subjects to move a little this way or that way to try to get the best light or make sure heads are not blocked or some other technicality. I might give prompts to encourage certain behaviors. I will also take some photos where the subjects are not aware of exactly when the photos are occuring, those tend to be more photojournalistic. I try to have a mix. As much as I love to show interactions, I still think people should have some photos purely for documentation, this means full-on-face shots. Even if it is just a small 5×7, when your grandkids are trying to figure out who looks like who and where they got their eyes and lips, they want to see the faces of their family members.
So, keep this in mind when you are having your session. When I am taking pictures of you, don’t feel like you need to look at the camera or do an America’s Top Model pose change every time you hear the shutter click. Just be yourself and allow your children to do the same. Even when they are being goofy, you’d be surprised at the gems you will see when you look at your gallery.
What a way to jump back into work!!! I had the fantastic opportunity to photograph some amazing children for Ashby Park Pediatric Dentistry this weekend. What a whirlwind! This was a bit out of my norm since I had to be sure to see teeth in every picture…not exactly the serious images I sometimes capture. So, if you go to Ashby Park Pediatric Dentistry this fall you might just recognize some of the cuties below!
If you are one of my previous clients and have children who visit Ashby Park, please send me a note since Dr. Jen Fogle and Dr. Sairah Awan periodically need photos of their patients for various purposes.
By the way, I have already had a great response to my previous post about mini-sessions this fall, so it looks like I will schedule at least one day for them. Please contact me if you are interested so I can assess how much time to schedule.
I couldn’t resist posting another of this guy. He had the biggest smile of the day! Thanks to everyone for being so cooperative. These kids were great to photograph!
Hello! I am working on getting back into the groove and wanted to give everyone an update. I will be doing a very limited number of sessions for the remainder of the year. I am really enjoying my maternity leave/time with my children and decided to ease slowly into work this time
On that note, I am planning to do at least one series of mini-sessions at art & light gallery this fall, most likely in September. Please refer back to June/July 2008 posts to read about last years mini-sessions and see examples. The packages will most likely be a bit different to incorporate holiday offerings. Please contact me via email, kmphoto@charter.net , if this is something you are interested in. I have a couple of regular sessions planned, but otherwise intend to resume regular sessions after the first of the year.
I am planning to post some photography-related posts, so keep checking back. I will be asking for clients to send in photos for me to use in future posts!
Thanks so much for all your calls and emails throughout my pregnancy and after the birth of our baby! They mean so much to me! Here are a couple of photos, my favorite pregnancy photo (taken by my husband), a recent picture of the newest big cheese in our family, and a quick snapshot of how you will most likely see me if we bump into each other around town these days!
I apologize for the huge gap since my last post. After a busy fall I have taken some time to catch up on things and get the “business” side of the business in order and ready for tax time. I really want to thank all of you for your generous support this year. Not only did I have the pleasure of working with many of the same clients I have seen over the past few years, but many of you referred me to others and I had the opportunity to meet several wonderful people this year as new clients.
I am currently on maternity leave and have not yet decided when I will resume sessions. I will continue to check email and keep up with contacts on my Facebook page. (If you are on Facebook, there is a “group” and a “page” for Kacy Mehlem Photography. Feel free to add yourself to those and pass on the link to anyone you think would be interested.) I will definitely update the blog when I am ready to begin scheduling sessions, so check back for updates!
Here is a small collection of photos from 2008. I wish I could have put more from each session! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to capture such special times in your lives! I look forward to seeing you again once I am back up and running. Feel free to send me an email or post here on the blog and I will be in touch!
This is an extra special session for me because I have had the honor of photographing this family since before Mr. B was even born! You can see his newborn photos here. I cannot believe how fast the time has passed and now he is ONE! This couple has seen me pregnant with two of my three children and has been so patient with me during the process of getting back into work mode multiple times. We have a variety of photos of Mr. B. We started out having an outdoor adventure, but then finished up with some indoor photos in the comfort of his own home. I hope you enjoy your preview and I will have the gallery up soon!
Mini-sessions are coming up this weekend at art & light gallery in West Greenville. Browse the posts below to see photos of previous mini-sessions. For those of you who are participating, there are so many great options for backgrounds and clothing. You can use the insdie of the gallery for a modern take on the neutral background or the outside of the building with its variety of colors and textures. Teresa has a fantastic inventory of furniture right now that she is providing as props. These chairs are just a few examples of what can be used. Check out her 
Kacy Mehlem Photography had the pleasure of being featured on WYFF News Channel 4 this past Sunday morning as their featured blog of the week. They have a site called 
The mini-sessions I did last summer went great, so I thought I would do it again this fall. If you would like to see samples from last year check 
