Melissa F, you are the winner of the ClickinMoms Lifetime Membership! I’ll email you shortly with more info. Congratulations!

And because I can’t post without any photos, I leave you with a few recent shots of Lila splashing in the puddles near our house. She picked out her outfit (with the help of my husband).

I haven’t had all that much free time lately, between doing the mom thing and my sessions, so the blog unfortunately took a back seat for a little while. I’m making a big effort to get back here again, so you’ll definitely be seeing more of me in the near future.

I have updates! I’m sure lots of you know at least some of them, but you’ll want to read to the end, because I’m giving away something pretty awesome to a lucky photography-enthusiast reader.

Update #1: let’s address this lovely little misfortune (taken with my iphone, processed with Instagram):
Lila fell at gym class 2 weeks ago, while on the trampoline with one of the teachers. She has a hairline fracture in her foot, and is wearing the cast for another week. As a result, she’s morphed into 28 pounds of angry “carry me everywhere” toddler, who refuses to walk on said cast. I think we’re both counting the days until next Friday when it comes off. She misses the park, she misses running, jumping, standing, she misses being herself. As do I.

Update #2: Another reason for my exhaustion, aside from carrying the Cranky Toddler everywhere, is…Lila’s going to be a big sister! (Yep, pregnant, and carrying this not-so-little girl all over the MetroWest suburbs of Boston.) We are expecting a LITTLE BROTHER for Lila in November! We couldn’t be happier, and Lila has even already named her baby brother. His name is going to be “Baby Megan”, if you ask her. Such a goofball.

Update #2.5: In relation to my pregnancy, I wanted to mention, I AM still shooting! I will be taking sessions through September of this year. Beginning October 1, I will be operating on more of a spontaneous schedule.

Note to my dear, amazing clients: if you’re planning on booking a holiday card session, a fall photo session, an end of summer session, I would highly recommend getting it on my calendar before 10/1/11. I will still take sessions after 10/1, but it will be on a limited basis, and dependent on how I’m feeling at the time. The calendar on my website has been updated to reflect dates still available for the remainder of the summer and early fall. (Note to my Western MA clients: I will be in the area over the weekend of 7/15, if you are interested in scheduling something then.)

I don’t have any relevant photos for this update (no maternity photos…yet!), so I’m showing one of my new favorite non-people summery images.

Now for the giveaway!

I’ve had many requests from people asking for advice related to photography. Whether it be running a business, starting a business, processing my images, how I shoot, what gear I use, you name it, it’s been asked. I unfortunately have not inherited my parents talent for teaching, and therefore, don’t plan on offering mentoring or workshops at this time. Instead, I wanted to direct you to a place where I learned pretty much everything I know to this point. I’m still learning from them, every single day.

Back in 2008, a good friend emailed me about a new forum starting up for women photographers, called ClickinMoms. I jumped at the chance to learn more about my new obsession, and haven’t looked back since. CM is for professional photographers and photo enthusiasts and hobbyists alike–we all have the same end goal of improving our photography skills and learning as much as we can about our art. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned from CM over the past 3 years–it’s immeasurable. CM itself has grown immensely since I joined, and we now offer online workshops and private mentoring, as well as having tons of fun with challenges, contests, and exclusive discounts and benefits for members.

I have the honor of being able to give away a Lifetime Membership to ClickinMoms this month! This is valued at $195, and will be given to one of my lucky readers! A Lifetime Membership to CM means no more subscription payments, ever! You also get first access to all of the workshops and other exclusive benefits available only to Lifetime Members.

All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment below, telling me why you’d like to win. It’d be awesome if you liked CM’s Facebook page too! The only catch: you can not already be a member of ClickinMoms to win. This giveaway is for new members only! Now, if anyone decides they simply MUST join CM before the giveaway is announced, never fear–CM will refund the winner’s subscription fee at that time.

Entry deadline is next Friday, June 24, 2011 (aka Cast Begone Day!), at 5pm EST. I will choose a winner via random.org shortly thereafter, and announce it here on the blog, so make sure to check back.

I’ll end with some of my favorite, never-before-blogged images, since I’ve been so lax about sharing lately.


(This is blurry on purpose–it’s taken with a lens called a Lensbaby, and is a manual focus lens. Using it on a 2 year old is not the brightest idea, but I love this.)

(Taken from my testimonial for a new action set from the wonderful Michelle Black

Lucky me was chosen to test some new actions for the incredibly talented Michelle Black! These actions are, in a word, amazing.

They offer something new in the way of actions–a custom blend of cross-processing with vintage-ish flair. I couldn’t stop testing out various images of mine, to see how they’d look with the “Michelle Black Touch”–and I was right, they looked fabulous. Right now, my favorite is the Cream Soda action, but ask me again in a few days, and I may be in love with the Pomegranate Martini. Thanks, Michelle, for the opportunity to be one of the first to test these, I am sure they’ll be a giant success!

I wanted to post some images that I’ve tested with her new actions, and provide some before & afters. See below, and be prepared to run to Michelle’s site, with your credit card in hand!

(Action used: BananaBerry)

(Action used: Champagne)

(Action used: Cream Soda)

(Action used: Diet Lemonade)

Michelle, thanks for the opportunity to test your new actions, they are gorgeous. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you!

Photographers, do you cringe when a client shows up in a hot pink shirt, because you know the color will just cast onto her face, resulting in much longer editing time to correct it? Do you wish you could make the whole sky just a little bluer, the grass just a little greener? Are you spending extra time making white clothing, teeth, and whites of eyes more white? Are you looking for a quicker way to bump those midtones, add some light, or darken just parts of a photo?

If so, you’ll want to keep on reading. (If not, then you’re a rockstar, and I’m jealous!)

I was recently lucky enough to be a tester for a new set of actions created by the wonderful Jodi Friedman of MCP Actions. Aside from being a fabulous photographer, Jodi is the mastermind behind some of the most helpful and most used actions out there. I swear by her Print It storyboard actions, and use them in both online and print work. I’ve taken her curves and color correcting classes online, learned SO much,

and completely enhanced my editing.

Today Jodi is introducing her newest creation, her Bag of Tricks. These actions are AWESOME, to put it bluntly. They are so easy to use, and can help with any number of color issues that are bound to come up.

Some Before & Afters:

There are many more amazing examples on Jodi’s website, the Bag of Tricks can be found under the Retouching Actions. The actions also come with a lengthy video tutorial, to make sure you get the most out of them.

If you’ve been looking for a solution to all the little color “quirks” that pop up in your work, these are your answer! I highly recommend picking up the Bag of Tricks, you won’t be disappointed.