Handsome Boys | Ladera Ranch Family Photographer, Orange County, California

This was one of many of my holiday sessions at the end of 2011! This was the third time I was able to spend some time shooting this family- first, for mom's maternity portraits; second, for baby bro's newborn portraits. This time, I got to capture the whole family of four!

I love spending time with this family! Mom and dad are laid back and fun to be around... and their boys!! Oh mercy! Big brother, D, is such a charmer and cracks me up! Baby M is mellow, cute and might be worth trying to sneak home with me (though there's no way D wold let me get away with his little bro)!

Thanks, C family, for allowing me to be a part of your holiday images... can't wait to see you again soon!

Beloved | Orange Newborn Photography, Orange County, California

As a mommy, I feel there are not enough words to describe the emotions you experience when you first lay eyes upon your first baby. The children who follow are just as magical, but that first baby is this magical emotion that you have never, ever experienced and could never have prepared for.

I was so thrilled for my dear friends, A&M, who welcomed their first baby back in November. After much anticipation, sweet Avery made her debut and left her mommy and daddy madly in love. I saw it in their eyes the minute I walked in to the hospital room. I had no doubt that Avery was going to be welcomed into a loving family, but it gave me extra heart flutters to visibly see that adoration pouring from them. So beloved.

It was the biggest honor to capture Avery's newborn portraits- she is completely stunning! Try not to fall too much in love; her mommy and daddy have declared her a keeper :)







And then there were three...


No better Christmas gift!


Thanks, A&M, for sharing your precious gift with me- you know I love her!

Valentine Mini Sessions | San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California

It's just the first few days of January, but no doubt, you've seen the Valentine decorations in the stores already! I'll be honest- all the sweet things about V-day are on my mind, too!

Now is the time to book your Valentine mini session! On Sunday, January 22nd, I'll have a day of mini sessions at the train station in San Juan Capistrano, complete with sweet props and fun ideas! There are 8 spaces available beginning at 9:30... so grab yours fast!

For $125, your Valentine Mini Session includes:
* A 30-minute Valentine themed session for up to two children (additional children may be added for $15 each)
* One (1) 8x10 and three (3) 5x7 gift prints
* Pack of 25 custom mini Valentine cards
* One (1) high-resolution digital image of your choice
* A special sweet treat to take home!

Time slots are as follows- grab 'em quick!
9:30am
10:15am
11:00am
11:45am
12:15pm
12:45pm
1:15pm
1:45pm

To book your Valentine Mini, there is a $50 non-refundable deposit due to hold your spot, with the remainder due before your session begins on the 22nd. Email me today: alison@alisonkayphotography.com!

Fresh & Fun | San Juan Capistrano, Orange County CA Senior Portrait Photographer

I cannot believe how long it has taken me to blog this one... especially since this girl is beyond adorable! I've had the pleasure of knowing K for a number of years, and have seen her grow up so much! She's fun, she's smart and her laugh is literally contagious. We had so much fun running around San Juan Capistrano- and could she have picked cuter outfits?

K- I'm so proud of the beautiful young woman you've become and I am so thrilled to see what's in store for your future! Thank you SO much for letting me capture your senior portraits!

Snappin' at Your Kids: Part Two!

This is the second in our little series about taking better pictures of your kids! Did you read the first one yet? If not- get to it!

Ok, now that that's out of the way, let's move along. This post is going to be aimed at those of you with either a DSLR (if you can change lenses on your digital camera, that's you) or a point-and-shoot with Manual setting capabilities. The most important step, I believe, to taking better pictures of your kids (and better snapshots in general), is to get the heck out of Auto mode. Really. Get out. Step away from the auto settings!

I'm going to break this up into three posts, because there is a lot of information to digest. There is a basic triangle of settings that goes into planning your manual exposure. Manual exposure is all about taking the control into your own hands! You choose your aperture, your shutter speed and your ISO. Huh? We're going to start off with aperture!

Think back to biology class with me for a minute (I know, sorry). Did you ever get to dissect an eyeball? I did- and I LOVED it. But all creepiness aside, the human eye is a helpful guide when we're talking about aperture. In writing, you'll often see aperture written as "f/" or "f-stop". Back to the eyeball. What happens to your pupils when you walk into a dark room? They get BIG! Why? To let in as much light as possible, in order to see. Then when someone flicks on a light (oww!), the pupils contract to smaller diameter to let in less light. Darker situations require larger openings to let in more light; bright situations require smaller openings to control light. This is EXACTLY what aperture does for us!

When I'm in my house shooting my kids, I always have to work to let as much light into my camera as possible. We have pretty good natural light, but not the best. At home, I always keep the lens on my camera that has the biggest aperture possible- in my case, a 50mm 1.4. See that "1.4"? While it is a small number, it is a large opening for my lens. The smaller the number, the more light allowed in. Many kit lenses (the lens that comes with your camera body) do not allow you to go any further than 4-5.6; that just wouldn't work in my house! If you're serious about taking great pics of your kids, I cannot say enough wonderful things about a 50mm 1.8 lens! For both Nikon and Canon, this lens is less than $200 and a total STEAL! Be warned- it is a prime lens. This is not a bad thing- but it takes some getting used to. Prime means that there is no zoom- you have to do the footwork! It is such a fun lens, though!

Here is a photo of my daughter taken in my house, in front of a window. I had a lens on my camera that would let me go as open as f/2.8.


Isn't she adorable? Oh, right... aperture. You can see that there was plenty of light! This photo also leads into the next use of aperture: we also use it to control depth-of-field. Notice how Kate's eyes are nice and sharp, but the background is blurred and creamy? That, my friends, is aperture at work. The lower your aperture, the less area will be in focus. There are other intricacies of depth-of-field that I am not going to dwell on right now- aperture is enough to worry about right now!

Aperture: 1.4


One of the questions I get asked often is how to get that blurry background- well there you have it! The closer you are to your subject, the blurrier the background will be.

Hopefully that is a helpful start! Next time we'll talk about Shutter Speed! Questions? Leave a comment or shoot me an email- I'm happy to talk to you more!

Beauty | Newport Beach Maternity Photography

Even the cloudy, dreary day couldn't stomp down this mama-to-be's gorgeousness! L&B are expecting their first baby, a boy, in December and she is looking completely amazing! I keep telling myself I need to stop shooting maternity portraits because I get jealous of these gorgeous mamas EVERY time! I mean really, is it fair to look that beautiful when you're that pregnant?!

Congrats, L&B- cannot wait to hear all about the little man!

Five Tips for Snappin' at Your Kids! | Mission Viejo, Orange County California Baby & Child Photography

As a portrait photographer, I get asked a lot of great questions from clients, friends and family about capturing great photos. While there are a lot of technical things to get into, (and I will talk about some of those things in the future!) there are certain things you can do right now to improve your photos of your kids.

1. Get down on their level!
One of the most important steps to take your photos of your kids from "aww!" to "oooh!" is to work those leg muscles and get down on their level. Instead of pointing the camera down toward them, bring yourself down and shoot straight on- it makes a huge difference!



2. Find the right light!
Many parents are astonished when I move their children into shade, rather than in full sun. "Don't you want lots of light?" Well, yes and no. I DO want light- I DON'T want it direct. Direct light leads to shadows, squinty eyes and generally unflattering light. Pull them into full shade, and the eyes will be brighter, the skin will be consistent and darn it- that kid will be happier for not being blinded! Watch out under trees, though! When the sun shines through the trees and causes spots of bright light, that is called dappled light- and no one likes that in their photos.

Sunny day... shady spot...

And this brings us to our next point...

3. Have them facing a source of light for sparkly eyes!
One of the most asked questions I get is, "How do you make their eyes look so sparkly? Photoshop??" No, it isn't Photoshop (not all of it at least). You can't get realistic sparkle in their eyes if it isn't there already! While you're taking their picture, turn them facing toward a source of light- maybe a window in your home, toward a sunny area if you're in the shade (you're in full shade already, right??)... you get the idea. If you turn them toward a dark wall or shady hedges, their eyes remain dark. As they said in Hair, "Let the Sunshine In"!

4. Don't get angry- get silly!
It's tough. You really want a nice photo of your kids. You have a great setting, pretty clothes and great intentions. But they're kids. And it's frustrating! I laugh when parents tell me how patient I am with their kids, because it's so different when I'm shooting my own! "Sit down! Look here! Not that kind of smile!!!!" You feel me? Let them be kids- laugh with them, make dog noises, pretend to sneeze... do what you have to do. My clients can attest to this- I have no problem making a fool of myself! It's worth it!



5. Redefine your idea of "the perfect photo"!
Okay, I know this isn't exactly a tip, but I think it's an important point to be made. We get this image in our minds of the perfect picture, and we can't let go. Believe me- when I can't achieve a shot I've been dreaming of, I want to throw things. But as parents, we really need to rethink what makes a great photo of our children. It does not take thousands of dollars in photo equipment to capture very special images. It doesn't take perfect smiles, the perfect outfit or magic, angelic children that do not exist to achieve a beautiful image. Some of my very favorite photos of my kids are ones that include drooly faces or stained t-shirts. Get photos of them with people who you care about... I have only one photo of my son with his great aunt, who passed one month after he was born. Was it a magnificent portrait? Not in the least. Is it a treasure? Absolutely. Get in the photos yourself! Don't stay behind the camera all the time- your kids will love having photos with you later. So, in short, do your best, have fun and take LOTS of photos!

I'm really looking forward to sharing more tips with you about using your camera, taking pictures of your kids and sharing them with others! Now get your camera out and get to work!