Storytelling with Photos {Northville, MI and Novi, MI lifestyle photographer}

One of the perks to having a chilly winter and slow photography season is the chance to catch up with my personal photos.  As I was sorting through our images (and reflecting on Graham's first year - he turns 1 in 3 weeks), I found a series of images from our annual trip to pick a family of pumpkins for Halloween.  We chose  a mommy, a daddy, a big sister, and a baby pumpkin - and Sophie did much of the picking!  It was a gorgeous fall day, full with wonderful afternoon/evening sunlight, warm fall colors, and lots of smiles from both of my kids.  This was one of my favorite memories of 2010, and I'm excited to share our little activity with you!  Our trip to Three Cedars Farm started off with a trailer ride out to the pumpkin patches (one mini-pumpkin patch and one larger pumpkin patch).  Before we attacked the pumpkins, we went through a corn maze.  Sophie did great with the maze; for much of it she pretended she was Dora -- exploring and running through all of the tall corn.  After the pumpkin picking, we, of course, indulged on hot apple cider and donuts - a fall tradition here in Michigan.

I hope you enjoy these photos.  One of my photography goals for 2011 is to do more "lifestyle" photo sessions - meaning, capturing families as they are, with less formal posing, documenting them during everyday activities, and telling a story through a series of images.  Contact me for more information on lifestyle photo sessions or just to chat about the endless possibilities!

February - What to Wear! {Metro Detroit portrait and lifestyle photographer}

"Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma."  ~ John Fairchild

Clothing and accessories are extremely important for your session - they add visual interest and texture, while also conveying your family's personal style and taste.  My  main advice?  Step away from matching (or cloning) everyone's outfits and focus on displaying individuality within a shared color palette.  

Around the 15th of each month, I'll be posting a new series on "what to wear."  I hope these will give you ideas on color palettes and ways to coordinate your family's attire without perfectly matching  (and also give you some visual eye candy)!

Awesome Photography Giveaway!

Check out the amazing photography giveaway put together by Laura Winslow Photography here!  So many wonderful vendors, ideas, and definite eye candy for Valentine's Day!

Please vote for me! {Metro Detroit family photographer}

Good morning everyone!  As you may have seen on my Facebook page, I'm hoping to win a free spot in Kelli France's wonderful online mentorship program.  Please, please, please vote for me here.  (Or go to http://francephotography.com/blog/let-the-voting-begin/ if the link doesn't work).  This would be an amazing opportunity for me to learn and grow in my photography business.  I really appreciate all of your support!!

Dreaming of Spring!! {Metro Detroit Children's and Family Portrait Photographer}

I'll be honest - it's the beginning of February and I'm ready for spring.  Ready for sunshine, green grass, and beautiful flowers.  Ready to go outside without donning gloves, a scarf, and a bulky jacket.  Ready for outdoor walks with birds chirping.  Heck, I'm even ready for the allergies that inevitably creep in when spring arrives.  

So with that in mind (and 8+ inches of snow still on the ground) I'm bringing you, dear readers, a Dreaming of  Spring promotion.  Clients that schedule (this week only) and pay in full for a session to be held in April or May will receive a complimentary set of 3 custom-designed accordion mini albums.  You can see an example of this product in the images below.  These are absolutely one of my very favorite products, and they make great gifts for family members.  So - think about it, dream of spring - and contact me between now and next Sunday, February 13th to schedule your April or May photo session.  You can reach me at 248.345.6992 or christine@christinelongphotography.com.  I look forward to hearing from you soon and seeing you when the sun, flowers, and greenery re-emerge!!

Snow Day! {Novi, MI and Metro Detroit Children's Lifestyle Portraiture}

Yesterday we had a snow day!  After over half-a-foot of snow, all four of us stayed inside...toasty and warm.  One of my favorite things about winter is the light that reflects off of the snow-covered ground.  Sure, I don't get to photograph outside very much when the temperature hovers near 0, but that's okay, because the light indoors is amazing during winter.  So, after naptime yesterday, I decided to dress the kids in cute outfits and take advantage of the light coming in through our sliding glass doors.  Add in some Valentine's Day themed bubbles for Sophie and bells for Graham, and it turned into a cute mini photo session.