Emily Rainey Portraits

NEW BLOG!

2009-01-17T18:24:00.003-06:00

If you are reading this chances are you don't know that Emily Rainey Portraits has launched a new blog! Please visit our new and improved blog at www.emilyraineyphotoblog.com .

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-22T13:10:00.013-05:00

So let me just preface this post by saying that these little cuties are my nephews, so there will be a whole bunch of pictures with this post. I'm getting a taste of just how very hard it is to choose your favorite photos! Zach & Sam both have fall birthdays, so their mom, Angie, likes to have a pretty fall, outdoor setting for their sessions. This year we went to a very fun pumpkin patch near Jackson. This was the perfect spot for their portraits, not only because of the many great settings to photograph while the boys explored, but also because Zach is passionate about pumpkins! I decided to make a couple of storyboards of my favorites since there are just too many to choose from. These are a new product that I am beginning to offer...they are 10x20 in size & are perfect to display in your child's room or a play area. They can be framed & hung on the wall or mounted & displayed on a tabletop easel.

This is a great way to display your favorites together...

This is a great way to display similar shots like these of Sam playing "Peek-a-boo!"

Cabell & Jane

2008-10-22T09:23:00.009-05:00

Can you guess where one of my favorite locations for a photo session is? In your home! I love to capture kids & families while they are relaxed & "on their own turf." I had a great time photographing Cabell (rhymes with Scrabble) & little sister Jane in their home a couple of weeks ago. Mom & Dad had some sweet photographs made of Cabell when he was a baby in their previous home, so they loved the idea of a home photo shoot for little Jane. She was one of the happiest babies I have ever seen ( and I've seen a lot of babies since I was a nurse in a pediatrician's office)! These photographs make wonderful images for Christmas cards...call or email today to check into setting up a home session before the holidays.

Double the Cuteness!

2008-10-16T14:27:00.007-05:00

Now, I knew photographing twins was going to be fun, but it was such a treat to play with these precious little sisters, Claire & Corrine. Everything about them oozes cuteness...those eyes, those curls, those tutus! And when their mother would say, "Now, give love!" they would just lean into each other & love one another...oh, my soul! Little angels indeed!

Max

2008-10-11T22:03:00.006-05:00

Let me just tell you that Mr. Max is on the move! He is just over a year old & he is on the go non stop. He just decided to skip that cute little stage when they walk like Frankenstein & just go full throttle with reckless abandon. I'm checking into nominating his sweet mama, Sarah, for some sort of award because she deserves one!

See what I mean?

School Aged Kids

2008-10-03T14:38:00.009-05:00

So my catching up effort got a little stalled from all the ribbon cutting frenzy this week, but I'm finally getting back on track. By the way, thanks to all of you for coming by Wednesday! We had a great turn out.

I had a very fun photo session a couple of weekends ago in Jackson, TN with a wonderful family with two school aged kids. We headed to downtown Jackson for an urban session with Russ, Hether, Natalie & Issac. Russ is the pastor of a church they are in the process of planting with my brother-in-law & sister-in-law there called City Fellowship, so having the shoot downtown was significant. I hope they will be able to use some of the photos for their publicity needs. This session was so fun for me because I got to photograph the entire family, the couple, & the kids together & individually. And the downtown setting just got my creative juices flowing!

Let me just take a minute to encourage you parents with school aged kids to not neglect having your kids professionally photographed during these years! School photos don't count! And you home-school parents especially need to remember to have a photograph made at least once every couple of years. This session was so full of great shots. Issac has the most awesome look with his mohawk & those freckles! And gorgeous Natalie! I am not exaggerating when I say I've found America's Next Top Model...Tyra Banks can stop looking! Every shot of Natalie was perfect & I would love to take the credit for that, but it was absolutlely because Natalie is a natural in front of the camera. It is so tough to tell a person to pose the way she just naturally does. So let these beautiful shots of Issac & Natalie (you too, Russ & Hether!) encourage you to schedule your session for your school aged kids pronto!

You're Invited!

2008-09-28T21:18:00.005-05:00

You are cordially invited to the ribbon cutting at the grand opening of Emily Rainey Portraits at 7578 Southern Ave., Suite 7 in Germantown this Wednesday, October 1 at 9:00am. I moved into my own little studio space in Old Germantown back in June & have recently joined the Germantown Chamber of Commerce (http://www.germantownchamber.com/). We will be cutting the ribbon at 9:00a and will have coffee & a few breakfast yummies. We will also be giving away our new discount cards good for half off your 2008 session fee, so stop by & see me!

Anderson

2008-09-27T22:03:00.005-05:00

Man, do I have some bloggy catching up to do! I'll start with sweet little Anderson, who had the first of his four "Year In the Life" sessions last week. Anderson's parents, Brian & Carrie, have an absolutely beautiful home and we started our session there in his super cute Sock Monkey themed nursery. How adorable! I always love to photograph new families, so I was excited to see that we had a perfectly cloudy day to shoot outdoors. I had no idea just how fun following my Year In the Life babies would be...I can't wait for our next playdate guys!

Backyard Family Photo

2008-09-16T11:58:00.009-05:00

Ole' Hurricane Ike had me worried, but he actually brought the most perfect clouds for our backyard family photo session Sunday afternoon. We captured all sorts of casual family shots in Miss Eunice's beautiful backyard...even Tinkerbell, Miss Barbara's little dog, got in on the fun. Fall is just around the corner & that means it is time to start thinking about booking those family sessions that you've been putting off because of the Memphis heat. Call or email today to get one of the last September appointments or get on the calendar for October.

William & Caroline

2008-09-11T20:44:00.009-05:00

I got to do something very fun over the weekend...I photographed William & Caroline, whom I have known since they were born. They are school aged, so we had a fun, relaxed photo session together to capture some precious images of them together in a casual setting. They are both so beautiful & extremely photogenic...I had the hardest time narrowing down my favorites from their session! I think I could easily pick out 6 or 7 more that I would love to share.

And for a little fun...

Nathan

2008-08-26T10:29:00.008-05:00

Last week I had a my first photo session with Nathan, my newest "Year In the Life" baby. I really am honored to be able to spend the entire first year photographing these little ones as they grow & capturing their personalities as they develop...awesome! Nathan's mom & dad are already great parents...Dad even gave up his lunch hour to slip into some of the shots. They are also big MS State fans, so we had some fun with maroon & bulldogs at our shoot as well.

Meet Grayson

2008-08-19T16:32:00.008-05:00

WARNING! Viewing these images may induce baby fever! Meet Grayson, aka "Prince Charming." It was just a few short months ago that I photographed Kathryn & Dawson just before their first son arrived and recently I had the privilege of photographing him. He was so good for his photos...he was relaxed & sleepy when I wanted him to be sleepy & wide eyed when I wanted to capture him awake. And remember the beautiful rocking chair from Kathryn's maternity session...you know I just had to snap some shots of him there (again). Kathryn & Dawson are phenomenal new parents...so happy & relaxed. It was an honor to capture this precious family together.

I would love to compare this photo to his 4D ultrasound images.

Chris & Shayla

2008-08-19T13:52:00.007-05:00

Shayla had such a refreshingly relaxed attitude during her beautiful, but extremely humid bridal portrait session, that I could not wait to photograph her wedding. It was beautiful as well! We had a few obstacles thrown our way trying to get the most beautiful settings for our shots, (one of which was Memphis in August!) but everyone was so great & accomodated my every whim. Best wishes, Chris & Shayla, as you start a wonderful life together!

Bridal Portrait

2008-08-18T13:23:00.008-05:00

I have been patiently waiting to post these photos of Shayla's bridal portrait session & I'm excited to finally show them off! This photo session was done in June, but the wedding was not until August, so I've held off until today to post my favorites. Shayla (& her mom) were such troopers as we trapsed all over the Botanic Gardens in the sultry heat to get these beautiful shots. Isn't she stunning?!? I'll be posting the wedding images soon, so check back in.

This is my favorite! I got a huge 24x30 print of this one framed for display.

This is another great one. This is the one Shayla chose for her portrait...lovely!

Cody Part 2

2008-08-06T15:09:00.006-05:00

So remember cute Cody from last week? Well, I finished his split photo session last week & wanted to share a few of my favorites from the shots we got at his home. His mom has great taste & Cody has a vibrant, fun play area that we spent some time in playing, reading, snacking & watching Curious George together. Just before I left I gave Cody (with Mom's permission, of course) a huge sucker & snapped a few shots of Cody trying to handle the monster treat. What fun!

Head shots

2008-07-30T09:03:00.004-05:00

I had the privilege this week to take some head shots for Teresa, who is in the beginning stages of starting a speaking ministry. We shot them at her absolutely dreamy home in the evening light. She will be using her head shot on her blog & website when she launches that & also on her bio sheet that we will be helping design for her. She will have the final say on which image we use, but these are a few of my favorites.

Cody, Part 1

2008-07-28T21:43:00.007-05:00

Even though it is just about as hot as it gets, super cute Mr. Cody braved an outdoor session over the weekend to mark his upcoming 2 year old birthday. His mom loves the look a colorful background brings, so we decided to do a split photo session...we got some colorful outdoor shots & we'll get more shots at their home later in the week. Isn't his haircut just adorable? And those cheeks! More to come later this week, so check back soon.

Sisters

2008-07-14T22:32:00.010-05:00

Last week I met a fun family with three girls for an outdoor session. Just stop & think about having three girls growing up in the same household...the clothes, the shoes, the hair, the cell phones! Mom & Dad hopefully will have a little repreive though, as the two oldest girls, Lexi & Ivy, are just a little over a year apart in age & little Miss Sadie came along almost thirteen years later. This family reminded me of my own, although we also have a brother in the mix. My two sisters are nearly thirteen years & nine years older than me & these girls doted on their baby sister just as my sisters doted on me.

Hello Baby, Goodbye Memphis

2008-07-10T12:49:00.010-05:00

I had a newborn session this week with little Aisling (pronounced Ashley) before she & her parents move off to New Orleans in a couple of weeks. Isn't her name so cool? It is Gaelic...both Mom & Dad have Irish heritages. Her little christening gown even has lace shamrocks down it. It doesn't look like it, but all of these images were made in the comfort of their home. All of my equipment is totally portable, so that makes things more convienient for families with newborns to choose between shooting at home or in our studio. It is such an honor to be chosen to photograph a newborn that I want to make things as easy as possible for the family.

Can you believe another smiling newborn? How adorable!

A Year in the Life

2008-07-10T10:50:00.009-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to Miss Evie Kate. She was born just a couple of weeks ago & had her first photo session in her "Year in the Life" package last week. Isn't she just precious? Evie's mom, Leslie, is so great with her...she's confident & sets such a calm tone. I had such a good time shooting in their beautiful home. I am so looking forward to the rest of our sessions, although I know it will be bittersweet when Evie has her final shoot as a big one-year old.

This is my absolute favorite!

Already smiling for Miss Emily!

Newlyweds

2008-07-09T15:30:00.007-05:00

Congratulations to Julie & Lucas! They were married on June 28 & Mickey & I had the privilege of photographing their special day. I did witness something I don't think I've ever seen in person before...Lucas SMASHED the wedding cake into Julie's face! I'm not really sure what must've been going through his mind, but Julie was very gracious. She did return the favor when it came to his UT orange groom's cake though. Best wishes for a joyful marriage Julie & Lucas!

The Grandkids

2008-07-04T20:16:00.009-05:00

Last Friday I had a fun outdoor session with a group of 9 cousins ranging in ages from 9 years old to 3 months old. We worked hard to get a sweet shot for Grandma of all nine kiddos...Allie, Patrick, Gray & Kate (the twins), Maggie & Max, & Spencer, Bekah & sweet little John. I was afraid we might have to climb up the magnolia trees as three turkeys (that's right, I said turkeys) began heading our way. I think they were just interested in the twins' M&M treats. We had fun feeding the huge koi at the Botanic Gardens' classic Japanese bridge & got some very precious photos of everyone.

A Fun Bridal Session

2008-07-03T17:01:00.009-05:00

Last Thursday I had a session with Erica & Matt to get some new bridal party shots for them. They are such a sweet, young couple with an absolutely precious little boy, Conner. I couldn't stop telling them just how good he was & what a blessing that is! We had a lot of fun shooting this energetic bunch of friends.

Brothers

2008-07-03T08:53:00.008-05:00

I am finally beginning to catch up all of my blog posts from last week's sessions. I had a bridal portrait session last Tuesday that I just cannot wait to post my favorites from, but you'll have to wait until after the wedding in August to see them. Wednesday afternoon I got to hang out with some fabulous brothers, Jack, Grant & Griffin. These blondies have that all-American look, don't they? And they're Cardinal fans too! I love how rough & tumble they are as active boys, yet they can be very affectionate with each other too.

Happy Baby!

2008-06-13T09:55:00.007-05:00

Wednesday morning I had the honor of photographing Mr. Ryan for his very first photo session. What a happy boy! He had just woken up from a nap when I arrived, so he was in a great mood. Ryan is such a good natured baby that we just did a little of everything...he took a bath, sat up in his awesome orange high chair & we even ventured outside, although laying in the dewy grass wasn't Ryan's idea of fun. I consider it a privilege to be invited into my clients' homes & capture stages & expressions like sweet Ryan's.

A New Family

2008-06-10T22:33:00.006-05:00

Imagine talking on your cell phone with your future in-laws in Capetown, South Africa just moments before your wedding begins. That's exactly what happened over the weekend as the guests were being seated at the wedding of Jessica & Ricardo. Ricardo's family lives in South Africa, where he & Jessica will soon make their home as well. Jessica called to check in with them to make sure they were able to watch the streaming video being sent out from the church to South Africa at 9:00p their time...gotta love the internet! Best wishes to this genuinely happy couple for a lifetime of blessings together!

And baby makes three!

2008-06-06T13:19:00.005-05:00

There really should be some rules established about just how good you can look while you are pregnant! Yesterday I got to photograph beautiful Kathryn & her husband Dawson, who are expecting their first son at the end of this month. Yes, that cute little basketball belly is home to a nearly grown little baby boy just hanging out till it's time to make his grand entrance. It was such a privilege to photograph them during this precious time for their family. I especially appreciated Kathryn & Dawson decorating the baby's room in my business colors...that works out nicely! If I could have distracted them long enough, I think I would've tried to sneak out with that adorable rocker!

Young & In Love

2008-05-29T10:19:00.008-05:00

Julie & Lucas are getting married next month...can ya tell? We had a photo session yesterday to get a shot for their signature mat that will be at their wedding reception. As always, my favorites are of the captured moments like Lucas making Julie laugh when she's trying to be serious. What a great start to a lifetime of happiness together.

Another Beautiful Family Session

2008-05-18T12:12:00.011-05:00

I never cease to be amazed at what a beautiful setting for family portraits Memorial Park is. We had another perfect day for our session yesterday afternoon with our sweet family from Jackson. This is one photogenic family! I mean! Even little Miss Ella Catherine cooperated flawlessly. Her favorite lamb Pez dispenser did come in handy, along with the geese that swooped into the pond during our shoot.

Together

2008-05-04T21:56:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful spring day we had for our family portrait session this afternoon with Camille & her fiance's family. Memorial Park was a popular place today as we shot at their seemingly endless settings to capture several different family photos. I couldn't help myself...I just had to snap a few of the little ones too.

William

2008-05-02T22:57:00.010-05:00

Can I just say that I have the best job! I get to photograph fun, adventurous teenagers one day & precious, little newborns the next. This morning's photo session was with sweet baby William & his wonderful parents in their beautiful home. William is such a good first baby...he endured wardrobe changes & accomodated my every whim. He even took a little nap just long enough to snap some of my favorites shots of the day. It was an honor to photograph him for his very first photo session & to capture him in his precious christening gown. Enjoy your special day William!

Seniors

2008-05-02T00:30:00.007-05:00

I love capturing the precious milestones of babies & toddlers, documenting the many changes that take place in those first years, but there is something so fun about photographing teenagers. Once they warm up to the camera, they let their playful side & true personality come out & that makes for excellent lifestyle images. I had a senior portrait session this afternoon with Anne, such a beauty with a fun, adventuresome attitude. Her yard was a perfect location for our session & we explored it all. If you are graduating in 2009, give me a call...we'll plan out this once in a lifetime session, making sure to capture the true you. Right now when you order $300 or more in senior portrait print products, your session fee is free!

New Baby

2008-04-24T08:48:00.004-05:00

Yesterday morning I had a photo shoot with Miss Hannah, who is 2 weeks old today. She decided to stay awake for most of it & was not too crazy about me stripping her down & making her lay on her belly. We did manage to get some sleepy shots...I'm just hoping that all of that awake time means she slept like an angel for Mama & Daddy last night.

Reed & Lilly

2008-04-22T21:50:00.008-05:00

I got to have a fun, little play date this morning with Mr. Reed & baby sister, Lilly. What a sweet family! Thanks so much for a great morning guys! Enjoy this little sneak peek of some of my favorites.

Location, Location, Location

2008-04-19T21:43:00.009-05:00

Today I did an afternoon photo shoot with my Gracie girl that she absolutely rocked. One of the most appealing things about today's modern, lifestyle portraiture is capturing real people in real places with on-location photo shoots. Whether it's in your home or around your neighborhood, lifestyle portraits are a great way to capture your life as it is today. This afternoon was a great day to take advantage of ideal natural lighting. I chose a trendy, playful outfit for Grace that brings out her happy-go-lucky attitude & we headed for fun, colorful settings. Our shoot lasted a couple of hours & most of our settings were within walking distance of each other. I love how these shots capture her many expressions & looks...especially those crooked teeth!

Maternity Sessions

2008-04-17T22:41:00.007-05:00

This morning I had a maternity session with Wendy, soon to be mother of four. This little one will be the darling prince...baby brother of three older sisters. Little Miss Abby was kind enough to help Mama with her session by posing with her for several shots. What a wonderful way to capture this last, precious time for their family.

Spring Market

2008-04-10T21:58:00.006-05:00

This weekend the Midsouth Media Group hosts the Spring Market (www.midsouthmedia.com) at the Agricenter Friday from 9a-7p, Saturday from 9a-6p & Sunday from 11a-5p. Emily Rainey Portraits will be set up in booth #102 & I would love for you to come by & see me if you are in the area. I will again have some of my portraits on display, as well as two of our absolutely awesome Finao albums & sample swatches out to look through. I'll be handing out more discount cards for half off your session fee when you book your 2008 portrait session before June 1. See you there!

Baby Expo

2008-03-28T08:34:00.004-05:00

I want to invite you all to stop by & see me at the MidSouth Baby Expo (www.midsouthbabyexpo.com) at the Agricenter tomorrow. Emily Rainey Portraits will have a booth there set up from 9a to 3p. I'll have some of my framed portraits displayed, as well as a couple of my albums out to look through. As an added bonus, I'll be handing out coupons for half off your session fee when you book a 2008 session before June 1, so if you know you're gonna want Christmas pictures made, then stop by the booth & grab a coupon! I'd love to meet ya!

Jersey Shirts

2008-03-27T13:43:00.006-05:00

Why I absolutely love jersey shirts & when this infatuation began, I do not know, but I simply cannot resist buying my boys a shirt or two in that style every season! I chose Ian's newest jersey shirt as his "wardrobe" for his 5 year old picture partly because he has stated that green is his favorite color for most of this year & partly because its style reflects his very active spirit...but when you get right down to it, it's mostly because of the infatuation I have & the simple fact that I am The Mama. Now, the infatuation I have with my Ian began 5 years ago when God grafted him into our family in His perfect timing. This infatuation, unlike the jersey shirts, will never go out of style. I love you so much, Ian! You are the apple of my eye!

Firemen Fun

2008-03-21T13:53:00.007-05:00

I had a session earlier this week with three brothers whose daddy is a fireman with MPD. Mom was a huge sport & let the older boys have a special treat & pose in Daddy's real gear! Baby brother is just a tad too little for the heavy helmet & gear, so we'll just have to come back another time for those fun shots.

Please Pray

2008-03-17T09:07:00.004-05:00

This is the prayer card that Mickey & I put together for the Bustrum family. They are leaving for Portugal in April to be missionaries with the IMB there. I photographed them a couple of weekends ago...you know, when it was 75 degrees just before it snowed. Please remember to pray for them as they help fulfill the Great Commission in Lisbon, Portugal.

Declan

2008-02-23T16:20:00.009-06:00

My other baby session on Wednesday was with Mr. Declan, AKA "The Sweet Prince." Declan & his mama, Miss Patti, were both so gracious to let me have a session with them since they were both feeling a little under the weather. He is such a trooper as he endured wardrobe changes complete with hats & all. Declan is in that fun, curious stage of infancy...he has plenty to explore & likes to be on the move. He is too adorable with those two bottom teeth just poking through! My heart was so delighted after getting to spend my day with these precious mamas that love their babies so much.

Kaleigh

2008-02-23T11:19:00.008-06:00

I had a really sweet day Wednesday shooting baby sessions. I started the day with little Miss Kaleigh, one of the prettiest babies I believe I have ever seen...that's right, I said ever. Everything about her is just perfect from her tiny features to her silky skin, even her happy attitude. What a blessing! Her Mama is so in love with her that it just melted my heart to hear them together.

Boys, Boys, Boys

2008-02-02T23:27:00.000-06:00

Mickey & I spent this morning photographing some good friends of ours & their three boys in their beautiful home. They graciously agreed to let us turn their house upside down (& their boys) to play piano, dress up & show off their archery skills. Thanks Ryan, Laura, Cole, Luke & Sam! What a fun family!

Sammy & Kimberly

2008-01-31T14:30:00.000-06:00

Mickey & I invited a fun, young couple over to model for me the other night. He actually met Kimberly at school & she & Sammy graciously agreed to come over to help me get some more "couple" shots for my portfolio. We did an indoor session mainly using our black backdrop & we are planning an outdoor session later in the spring. Now, we love our kids, but I have to admit that Mickey & I were a bit jealous when Sammy & Kimberly left at 7:30p announcing they were headed out for dinner...we were headed to bathe our kids.

Addy, Ava & Ridley

2008-01-24T22:22:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had a great time at my photo session with Addison, Ava & baby brother, Ridley, in their home that was built in the late 1800's. What a wonderland! It was so fun to do a session in their home, not only because their house has such character, but because I intend to do most family sessions in the client's home if possible. It was good practice for me to look for splashes of color & natural light. Ava & Ridley missed out on the bubble fun because of those nasty ole naps, but Miss Addy was a sport out in the cold January air.

Who cares if it's cold!

2008-01-19T14:48:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the kids & I headed out to the backyard to play...they played with toys while I played with a new lens. Thursday Mickey brought home a new short focal length lens with a fast aperture (17-50mm, 2.8) that has turned out to be a really great addition to the camera bag. I love it because I can get in really tight to my subject while maintaining a short focal length that gives me that dreamy blur that we all love. We have also been playing with new photo editing software, Adobe Lightroom & CS3...wow! It has enabled me to shoot RAW & really fine tune every little detail. All of these shots are all framed in tight, I know, but I was testing the new lens.

We got this shot of Grace mounted onto a 24x30 to use as a display (as an added bonus, it should pump up her self esteem so much that we'll never have any issues with that in the coming preteen years).

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

2008-01-06T21:30:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend I had the privilege of photographing a very unique family full of missionaries & seminary students. The parents are missionaries & three out of four daughters are on the mission field, preparing to enter the mission field & a seminary student just returning from the mission field. Whew! They are wrapping up a Christmas visit before each family goes their own way again & wanted some family pictures before heading out. You'll recognize some sweet faces...my little model girls, Sahara, Bria & Tirza, with their parents this time, Mark & Hannah.

Merideth

2007-12-26T23:02:00.001-06:00

These are some more of the shots that I got while my family was together over Christmas. This is my brother's daughter, Merideth, a cowgirl at heart. I called my brother to ask if Merideth could model for me while they were in town & asked him to have her bring her favorite cowboy boots & hat...well, he forgot the hat, but we got some excellent shots anyway. I am so happy that she modeled for me because I really needed some nice teen shots for my portfolio & with Merideth's beautiful face & natural posing I got so many good shots that it will be hard to choose which ones I will use on the website. Of course, with her being fourteen, her parents love the ones of her smiling the best because of the rarity of those glimpses.

Trey, Trevor & Becca

2007-12-25T21:56:00.000-06:00

I took some shots of my family while we were together over Christmas. Mickey set up the black muslin backdrop & lights at my sister's house & we had a fun little photo shoot. These are a couple of my favorites. These are my sister's kids, Trey, Trevor & Rebecca. Again, I think my favorite thing about these shots is that each of their personalities shines through. It was a great time to get a family picture of the three of them again...the last picture they had made like this was one I took when Becca was about 3 years old!

A Few New things

2007-12-18T09:44:00.000-06:00

There are a lot of new things to update you on. Most importantly, we have decided to change the name of the business from In The Moment Studios to Emily Rainey Portraits. Mickey & I have been reading up on starting a photography business (probably a good idea if you intend to actually be successful with your photography business) & one of the things we learned is to name your business carefully. In The Moment Studios was just not specific enough & sounded very mall photographyish to us. So we went with using my name & there's no turning back now...business cards have been ordered & are in transit as I type. Thanks to my dear Mickey for using up precious study time to design a new logo & business card for me this weekend!

I also have two new backdrops in...black muslin & a roll of white paper. Now backdrops are not my favorite choice to use with my style of portraiture, but I do look forward to using them with newborn & other family posed shots like that. Of course I had to try them out, so I enlisted the help of my oldest kiddos as models.

These last couple of shots of Ian I manipulated the contrast in Photoshop to give them a very high key look. The more I practice, the more I see that I like the results so much better when the expressions & poses are natural & just captured, not forced.

Last, but not least, the most exciting news is that I received an early Christmas present from Mickey...a new Nikon portrait lens! I am very excited to get some shots with it & when I do you'll see them here first!

My Kiddos

2007-11-21T12:14:00.000-06:00

Of course I couldn't create my own photography blog and not post shots of my own kids! Mickey and I have three children...Grace is six (going on 30), Ian is 4 and little Cullen is 18 months. Gracie keeps everyone around here (and apparently everyone in her first grade class as well) on their toes. Her favorite weather is snow, so I have included a shot from our one snow day back in February. Ian is the epitome of boy...rough, rowdy, fearless, yet very tender-hearted and so loving. Now, my little Cullen is just about as cute as any kid can get, but I have dubbed him the "world's worst model" because I have the hardest time getting any shots of him. He loves his mama and always comes to me instead of staying still in a spot that I can actually take some pictures of him. I did get a couple of shots of him yesterday that I like because they show off his big boy haircut.

Zach and Sam

2007-11-21T09:30:00.000-06:00

Now, these handsome devils are two of my nephews, Zach and Sam. I'm sure you'll see plenty of shots of these guys along the way because their mama is my dear friend/sister-in-law/booking agent and she is always up for a photo shoot with her boys. I took these on the same day in Jackson that I took Sahara, Bria and Tirza's shots. Both Zach and Sam have fall birthdays, so Angie wanted pictures of them that showed the autumn season. She chose casual sweaters and jeans to dress them in, which worked wonderfully in the outdoor setting. I will say that this shoot was a little trickier because my boys were along for the ride as well, bringing the grand total of busy boys to four. While I was taking pictures, either Angie or her husband, David, would keep the rest of the boys from injuring themselves (or each other) while the other one helped keep my model entertained. Whew! Now that was somethin'! I was happy with their several of their shots, but my heart just melts when I see these little guys holding hands.

Sahara, Bria and Tirza

2007-11-20T22:46:00.000-06:00

So I mentioned how my husband is acting as my booking agent...well, my dear friend and sister-in-law has also taken it upon herself to tout my newfound need for photography subjects to all of her buddies. Although I may joke, I truly am grateful to both Mickey and Angie because along with these experiences comes loads of encouragement from them both, so Thanks Mickey and Ang! Anyway, one of Angie's friends has three beautiful girls, Sahara, Bria and Tirza. We headed to a beautiful church in Jackson, Tennessee the first Friday in November for an outdoor photo session. Now Miss Sahara could hire herself out as THE perfect model since she is "on" at all times and was, therefore, a breeze to work with. Bria is just adorable and I love her unique look. I had just gobs of great pictures of both of them. Miss Tirza, age 2, on the other hand, took some creative coaxing and bribing to get her pictures. In the end, these pictures captured each of their personalities, which is a characteristic I want in all of my photography.

Miss Bria

Miss Sahara

and Miss Tirza

Kevin and Anna

2007-11-20T22:13:00.000-06:00

In an effort to get some practice and some unique shots for my portfolio, my husband has become my booking agent, so to speak. One of the guys he works with, Kevin, and his new bride, Anna, love tennis, so my beloved seized the opportunity for me to take some "couple" shots. We waited until the 100 degree days were behind us and set up a photo shoot on the tennis courts at the gym where we are members. These courts made a nice venue because the courts themselves are blue (and as an added bonus, we already had childcare there). Kevin and Anna were great models because they are a such fun-loving couple. They had no problem letting me experiment with different angles and poses. I love the way their personalities come through in these shots.

Here We Go

2007-11-20T19:18:00.000-06:00

I love photography...always have. My high school job was as a sportswriter and photographer for the local newspaper. But this summer my hobby gave me the opportunity to photograph a wedding and the wheels began to turn. The idea of In The Moment Studios is now in progress. Now, I wouldn't even say that I'm started...I'm still working on getting experience and learning a ton about lighting, posing, trying to get a kid to be still for one second while I snap this picture! You know, stuff like that. This blog will be my way of documenting the process of my pursuit to become a photographer and eventually will be a part of my website. In these first posts I'll put up some of the photos I've taken since this summer beginning with Lauran and Kevin's wedding, the event that kicked this whole thing off.

The beautiful bride, Lauran, is the daughter of a friend of mine from church. She and Kevin are a sweet, young couple that allowed me to photograph their special day. They are both in seminary and were a great, very laid back couple to work with. It was a wonderful opportunity to gain experience photographing a wedding without the pressures normally surrounding such an event. I was grateful for the unique opportunity and pretty pleased with the results.