Kira Baron Photography

Stefanie & Tyler | Maternity

2012-01-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

After this session I'm pretty sure I love maternity shoots! Stefanie & Tyler are such a nice couple and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Stefanie had really creative ideas for the shoot & it made it even more fun for me. It was hard to choose just a couple, but I think these are among my favorites.

Brides Choice Award 2012

2012-01-17T11:07:00.000-08:00

Yakima, Washington – {1.17.2012} - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce that Kira Baron Photographyhas been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Wedding Photography!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Kira Baron Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Kira Baron Photography for professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

New Toy Alert: 100mm f/2.8L Macro

2012-01-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

Today we became the proud owners of Canon's 100mm Macro lens (f/2.8L). Having added the 50mm back in December we now have two Prime lenses in our arsenal.

The 100mm is often used for taking close-up shots with stunning clarity and detail. This is an excelent lens to use when photographing the bride & grooms wedding rings & also useful in capturing details on the wedding cake. I've included a couple of pictures shown below, one of Kira's eye and the other our wedding rings. This camera is no one trick pony, however, as it also makes a great portrait camera and will also be useful during ceremonies, receptions, etc.

- Cameron Baron

Lashes by Leslie | eye lash extensions

2012-01-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

I've heard great things about eye lash extensions & I absolutely love seeing them on brides so I decided to give them a try. So far they're wonderful! It's nice to wake up in the morning & look beautiful before you even apply make-up. You might as well throw out the mascara because once you try these you'll be hooked. The lashes generally last 6-8 weeks & it's recommended that you get a fill every 3-4 weeks. It's a simple & low maintenance way to enhance your appearance.

I would highly recommend getting lash extensions for your wedding day, they look great in photos.

Here's the contact info: http://www.massagelashimage.com/

Central Washington Bridal Show 2012

2012-01-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

The 2012 Central Washington Bridal show, and unofficial start to the 2012 wedding season, was held yesterday at the Yakima Convention Center in downtown Yakima. Featuring nearly 70 of the Yakima Valley’s finest wedding vendors the show offered a one stop shopping experience for hundreds of brides (and grooms).
New this year the show was held at the Convention Center and the comments from vendors and brides alike were overwhelmingly positive (from a photographers perspective, the lighting was much better). Another new feature this year was the fashion show. There were two shows, one at 3:00 pm and the other at 4:00 pm, and by 2:30 the line to get in was already several hundred feet long. Suffice it to say the show was a rousing success and the buzz generated from it substantial.
Below is a sampling of pictures from the Bridal show.

- Cameron Baron

OUR BOOTH

CAMERON & KIRA

PETERSON VIDEOGRAPHY & COUTURE EVENTS | HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

TAVIS GUILD (MMP) & CAMERON

THE NEW BLISS MAGAZINE

JUST ASK RENTALS (FONDUE FOUNTAIN) | SHIRLEY'S CAKES

DAVE ETTL ANNOUNCING DOOR PRIZES

EILEEN FROM CASCADE GARDENS

ASHLEIGH FROM CASCADE CATERING

MODEL AT LIN-PAULS

MASSAGE & LASH IMAGE

RITTER FARMS

CHRISTIE'S CAKES

MOONLIT RIDE LIMOUSINE

FASHION SHOW | IT WAS AWESOME!!!

Introducing BLISS Magazine!

2012-01-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

What is BLISS?

A: It's the new bridal magazine publication for the Central Washington Bridal Show.

The magazine contains information & tips exclusively from the vendors that will be in the 2012 Bridal Show on January 8th. It also offers great advice to brides regarding choosing an officiant, nuptials, building a bilingual ceremony, inviting kids, photo booths, creating new traditions, incorporating pets & it includes a great wedding planning calendar!

The magazine is totally FREE & will be available at the Bridal Show THIS SUNDAY!

Oh, and one more note... Cameron and I are totally excited that one of our pictures was chosen as the cover image! Soooo Cool! We hope to see you at the show!

www.centralwashingtonbridalshow.com

Location: Convention Center

Date: Sunday, January 8th

Time: 10:00am-3:00pm

Two Fashion Shows: 3:00pm & 4:00pm

Christmas Crafts & Family

2011-12-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, It's been a while since I've blogged! Life is hectic sometimes so that makes it hard to keep up an online presence. We just moved into a new house a few weeks ago & I've been so excited to be able to decorate for Christmas. We don't own a lot of Christmas decorations though & while I plan to do some after Christmas shopping to stock up for next year that leaves this year without much to decorate with; so I decided to make some of my own. After a couple of crafting sessions with friends I finally finished some button ornaments. I totally love these, they are so simple & add a lot of fun to the tree. We also FINALLY took a family picture. Believe it or not, we only have a couple of all three of us. I can't wait until spring so we can take some outside but for now the indoor pictures in front of the Christmas tree will have to do.

Ornament Instructions: I used two pieces of wire to put the buttons on. After you get a long stack of buttons going wrap it around in a circle wind the wire together. Then tie a piece of ribbon on & make a bow! Simple:)

Miguel & Constance | B&G Shoot!

2011-08-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Aaron & April

2011-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

April & Aaron were married in their own back yard:) They had just purchased a house out in the country & it came with quite a bit of land that was beautifully landscaped & lined with big tall trees; It was the perfect place to get married! I seriously think they should turn it into a wedding venue:)

Cameron & I had so much fun with the bride & groom, they were so laid back, easy going & totally in love. The wedding was really well organized & I could tell that a lot of thought went into every detail. We wish you the best & hope you enjoy your sneak peek!

- Cameron & Kira Baron

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Stacy & Eric | American Homestead

2011-08-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

Stacy & Eric were married at the American Homestead! I really enjoyed photographing this couple because they are so lively & fun. Stacy had one of the longest veils I've every seen so we had a lot of fun with it for pictures. Their reception was one of my favorites; there were so many little touches that made everything personal to the bride & groom. I LOVED the speeches. Often I was laughing so hard I had to take a small break from pictures... don't worry, I didn't miss anything:) Overall I could tell that Stacy & Eric are perfect for each other & they had a flawless wedding day & were surrounded by people who love them dearly.

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Justine & Mario | Cascade Gardens

2011-07-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Mario & Justine were married at the Cascade Gardens. I had such a blast taking pictures of these high school sweet hearts. The wedding day flowed smoothly & I'm pretty sure they thought of everything. Justine looked amazing & I loved her choice of jewelry! I don't think the day could have gone any more perfectly for Mario & Justine & I with them both the best!

Here are a couple of my favorite images from the day; it was so hard to narrow it down because there were so many. I've been shooting all my weddings lately with my husband & he loves to take the candids. I've included some of his favorite shots from the wedding day as well.

Cameron's Candid:)

Cameron's favorite candid from the day!

The most amazing little cakes on a stick I've ever tasted!

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Jessica & Travis | Apple Tree Resort

2011-07-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding; The sun was shining & there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There was also a light breeze so it wasn't too hot. Jessica & Travis started out their day by getting ready at one of the rental houses that Apple Tree offers. It was an amazing house with lots of cool places to take pictures. I loved the railing on the balcony & the arch entry way, so it seemed like the perfect place to hang the dress.

After the first look we headed out on the course to find shade & cool places to take pictures. There wasn't much shade but we managed to make it work. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to photograph a couple that is so in love & totally meant for each other!

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Sarah & Tristan | Fontaine Estates Winery

2011-07-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Sarah & Tristan were married at the Fontaine Estates Winery. I had a blast shooting this wedding. Tristan & Sarah are some of the nicest people you will meet. I didn't know them very well until the wedding day but during our hour long couple shoot I learned that they both like the outdoors. They brought their skiis, hiking boots & pick axes to the wedding to take pictures with. I thought that was totally awesome & captured their personality perfectly.

There are so many pictures from their wedding that I love so it's really hard to narrow it down to just a few for a sneak peek. Here are some of my favorites & be sure to visit my Facebook page to see more.

Scrabble Lovers!!!

Michele & Chris | Apple Tree Resort

2011-07-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Michele & Chris were married at one of my favorite venues, the Apple Tree Golf Course. I've known Michele since she was little, so it's fun to see her all grown up & married to a wonderful man. Chris is her high school sweet heart & I could tell that they are truly meant to be together; they compliment each other so well.

As most people know purple is one of my favorite colors right now:) So, naturally I loved the wedding colors. The brides maids dresses were by far my favorite so far; the cut & detail were soo cool. The wedding went off "without a hitch" I guess you could say. Everything ran on time & happened exactly how I think Michele had imagined it would.

I'm glad I got to share in your beautiful day. Many blessing to you both on your journey to your new life in Pennsylvania!

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Janelle & Dan | American Homestead

2011-06-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

Janelle & Dan were married at the American Homestead! This is one of my favorite venues because the mountainous view is AMAZING! I've been there for quite a few weddings & I've never ventured to the far end of the field until this wedding. There's this little tree grove that Dan & Janelle wanted to have their first look in. It was a little bit of a hike, but totally worth it. It was the perfect place for an intimate moment between he bride & groom.

I've been to a lot of weddings, some short & some long, but this one tops the charts for having the shortest ceremony. It was literally 3 minutes (I checked the time stamps on the pictures:). They got right down to business, said the "I Do's", kissed & headed to the reception party.

I had a lot of fun photographing such a beautiful couple on their special day. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy, more will come later:)

Flowers by Melias Floral!

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Zeb & Lynn | Arboretum

2011-06-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful sunny day & perfect for a wedding:) Zeb & Lynn were married at the Yakima Arboretum. The wedding colors were bright pink & gray. I loved it! It was so bright and colorful. I hadn't had the opportunity to photograph Zeb & Lynn before so the first time I asked them to smile I was blown away. They both have an amazing smile! Zeb is so handsome & Lynn is absolutely gorgeous. What a beautiful couple. They were both so relaxed & easy going that I had a blast photographing them. Not to mention everyone in the wedding party & the guests were sooo nice. They made me feel like I was attending the wedding & not just working.

As most people know, I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant, and since this was my second wedding in a row this weekend I hired my friend Rhiann to help me out. It was such a blessing to have her to bring me water & give me a little break here & there. She also took some photographs & she did such a great job. Some of these pictures were taken by her:)

Enjoy the sneak peek, the rest will come soon!

Brides cake (left) by Christies Cakes. Check out the awesome grooms cake!!!

Ok, I saved this one for last! There were 9 pregnant people (including me) at this wedding. So, naturally, we had to document that. Watch out Lynn.... I think there's something in the water:)

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Abdi & Jen | Cascade Garden & Holy Family Parish

2011-06-20T17:28:00.001-07:00

Jen & Abdi got married at the Holy Family Parish in Yakima & had their reception at the Cascade Gardens. Right now I'm a HUGE fan of purple so I loved that they had so much purple at their wedding. They truly spared no expense on the decorations; the tables & center pieces were gorgeous! I also LOVED Jen's dress. I think we have similar taste because it's something I also would have chosen to wear. It was by far the heaviest dress I've encountered so far though; she had her work cut out for her:)

During the ceremony Jen & Abdi kept sneaking a "snuggle" or little kiss here & there. They were both just so excited to be married they couldn't wait. Watching them throughout the day I could tell that they are sooooo in love. .

They treated me with so much respect & kindness that I felt more like a wedding guest with a camera than the hired help. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to photograph them twice. (engagement & wedding) :) They are truly one of the nicest, easy going couples you will ever meet. Here are a few of my favorites from the wedding day. Enjoy, the rest will come soon!

You can also view more photos on my Facebook Fan Page (HERE)

Hillary & Gordon | Springwood Ranch (Party Barn)

2011-06-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Yay, finally a wedding day without rain! Hillary & Gordon got married at the Springwood Ranch in Thorp, WA. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day and while it was a little hot there was a nice cool breeze. We started off the picture time with the first look. It was such a sweet moment the first time Gordon saw his bride. I'm glad I was there to capture it so they can remember it forever. I would definitely recommend doing pictures before the wedding ceremony & staging a "first look" before starting. Nothing can replace the emotions & excitement of being able to be so close & personal.

Gordon & Hillary are so in love that it made the photos super easy! I didn't really need to give them a whole lot of ideas for poses because they were having such a great time together. It was relaxing to just follow them & capture their bliss.

Their ceremony was by far the shortest one I've been to in a while. I barely had time to run to the back to get a couple shots before it was over. (Don't worry, I didn't miss a thing:)

Overall the wedding day really went off without a hitch & was just perfect for them.

Here's a sneak peek of some of my favorites. Enjoy & the rest will come soon!

You can also visit my Facebook Page to see more photos:)

Lucy & Ryan | Wedding | Apple Tree Resort

2011-05-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

For the third Saturday in a row it has rained :( Not just a light drizzle, but a crazy downpour! Lucy & Ryan started out the morning getting ready at the Apple Tree Resort. They were both nervous about the rain & hopeful that it would clear up. And they totally got lucky! About 10 minutes after we started the pictures the rain stopped. Not only that, but an hour later the sun came out. It was truly amazing.

I had the opportunity, back in November, to take Ryan & Lucys' engagement photos. So when I came to the wedding I felt like I already knew them. It's so nice to be able to work with my clients beforehand & I also feel like it helps them have a better idea of what to expect from me on their wedding day. I had a lot of fun with Ryan & Lucy & I'm glad that everything worked out for us to get some amazing pictures outside!

Can you believe it, the sun came out!

Even though the rain had stopped, we decided it would be fun to use the "newly purchased" umbrellas for a couple shots anyways. It turned out great!

I love the arch, simple yet elegant!

Isa & Jackie | Wedding

2011-05-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Forecast for today: 90% chance of heavy rain & a flood warning. Wow, can you say crazy weather! The ceremony & reception were planned to be inside, but we were hoping to do all the pictures outside in the park. Thankfully, a miracle happened & it didn't start raining until 3:30, so we were able to get in some great shots before the sky turned dark and gloomy.

Isa & Jackie were married at the Holy Rosary Church in Moxee & had their reception at the red barn in the Ahtanum Youth Park.

I loved Isa's shoes!

Arlyne & Jason | Wedding | American Homestead

2011-05-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Jason & Arlyne were married at The American Homestead. In the morning, as I was on my way to the venue, it was really raining hard. I thought it might be an interesting day if the rain continued, but thankfully it stopped right when the pictures started. It wasn't too hot or too cool, it was really quite a perfect temperature & a beautiful day. Arlyne & Jason both have carefree personalities so they were super laid back for the entire day. I loved the colors she chose: yellow, black & gray. The yellow made everything pop! Here are a couple of my favorite shots from the day, it was hard to decide which ones to post because I had so many.

Oh, and the flowers were from Melia's Floral... She's stinkin awesome!!!

Chase | Naches HS Senior 2011

2011-05-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

I met chase out at Eschbach park in the Naches area. We wandered around the area enjoying the grass, trees & various creeks. Usually it takes a few minutes for people to open up and become comfortable in front of the camera but not Chase, He was a natural right from the beginning. I really enjoyed taking his senior pictures & he sure made my job easy!

Busybee Magazine

2011-05-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Busybee magazine is one of the best resources for families with kids! The latest issue features a couple articles about eating locally grown food & guess what... Baron Farms made the list:)

The Smith family really enjoys Baron Farms eggs so we decided to do a photo shoot on the farm to go with the article that Lorrie Smith wrote for Busybee. Lorrie & Stefan have two super cute kiddos who had a blast playing with the chickens & the pictures turned out great!

Busybee also contains tons of information about summer camps, local events for kids & lots more. If you're looking for something to do in Yakima, make sure to pick up an issue so you can keep informed about whats going on.

Here’s a list of some of the locations where you can find Busybee:

YAKIMA
Allied Arts
CoMotion Dance Center
Essencia
Family Medicine of Yakima
Fiddlesticks
Fiesta Foods (west entrance)
Fresh Taste Meals
Ginger’s Dance Boutique
Glenwood Square commons
Hometown Ace Hardware (paint counter)
Inklings Bookshop
Kent School of Dance
KnowledgePoints
Monkey Dooz
Pizza Time
Ready by Five
Red Art Studio
Safeway — Nob Hill Blvd. (west entrance)
School House Fun
Summitview Pediatric Dentistry
Terrace Heights Family Physicians
The Sub Shop (downtown)
Yakima Automotive
Yakima Family YMCA
Yakima Parks & Recreation
Yakima Pediatric Dentistry
Yakima Regional Medical & Cardiac Center
Yakima Valley Museum Children’s Underground
Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center

SELAH
Broadway Bound Dance Academy
Crazy Kids Hair Design
Selah Civic Center
Selah GymKids
Viking Video

UNION GAP
Ahtanum Ridge Family Medicine
Apple Valley Dental Clinic
Great Clips
Old Country Buffet
Old Town Station

Melissa | Davis HS Senior 2011

2011-04-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

For Melissa's photo shoot we went to a farm in Mabton. It was super fun to work with unique backgrounds that no one will have in their pictures. Melissa loves rustic old cars & we found this great pickup truck in a garage. We also found half an old car mounted to a fence. We both had lots of fun discovering all the interesting things on the farm & got some great photos. Here are a few of my favorites.

Arlyne & Jason | Engagement

2011-03-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun with Arlyne & Jason! We went to the Nile Valley for this shoot because Jason & Arlyne really like the woodsy outdoors. They are truly a perfect match for each other and I could see how in love they both are. Their easy going personalties & photogenic smiles made this shoot fun and easy. I'm really looking forward to their wedding in May!

Dan & Carrie | Pine River Ranch | #25

2011-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday {2-5-11} I had the pleasure of shooting Dan & Carrie's wedding near Leavenworth Washington at a place called the Pine River Ranch. I also brought my husband Cameron with me to second shoot. I've been training him because he'll be working with me all summer:)

This destination wedding was absolutely beautiful and the weather couldn't have been better. The bride and groom didn't leave out a single detail and I could definitely tell how much time and consideration they both put into the decorations, center pieces & gifts. Every guest was given a scarf, home made jam, & chap stick (with the wedding date printed onto it) to take home. They truly thought of everything.

Things got a little crazy in the morning and I must give props to the bride! While she was getting ready she kept the mood light and carefree. I don't think I've laughed so much with a group of girls I barely know & there's definitely some memories that I'll cherish forever!

Here are a few of my favorites, there were so many it was hard to narrow it down, so I think this post will contain more than usual:)

She hired a bag piper! It was soo cool!

This was soo funny! The officiant announced them as husband and wife and told Dan he could kiss his bride... but he had skipped the ring exchange so both Dan & Carrie broke into hysterical laughter.

Thank you Dan & Carrie for choosing me (& Cameron) to spend this important day with you. You are both an amazing couple and I could tell how much in love you both are. I wish you both the best in life!

Brides Choice Award 2011 | #24

2011-01-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

Yakima, Washington – {1/26/2011} - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Kira Baron Photography has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Photography!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Kira Baron Photography for her professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

Mini Accordion Book | Products | # 22

2011-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Mini Accordion Book: Square 3x3 books that open like an accordion with prints on both sides. A perfect gift for friends and family.

This is one of my favorite products. It's unique and different and the size makes it perfect to carry around with you in your purse:)

*This item can be added to any wedding collection.

Visit other bloggers who are doing the 100 blog challenge:

Memory Montage Photography

Garden Gates Photography

Nickles Photography

lemontree3

Mica Sansaver Life Photography

The Little Details | #21

2011-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love to photograph the little details of each wedding. All the little things come together to make one awesome wedding so I think it's important to spend some time in this area as you're planning your wedding. Here are a couple ideas:

Personalized bar menu: Contrary Mary = Lemon drop, Rockin Jason= White Russian

Personalized toasting glasses. This is an easy DIY project.

Candy Bar: I've seen this at quite a few weddings and it's always a hit. The guests love it!

Bubbles!

Personalized wine bottle. (lots of winery's offer this now)

Self serve drink bar.

A picture of grandma and grandpa in the bouquet. This is a great personal touch to honor someone special in your life.

Shoes: Hey, why not write something cool on the bottom:)

Hand painted tiles to set the cupcakes on. Hand made toothpick letters on each cupcake.

Another personalized wine bottle:)

Photobooth pictures for guests to enjoy.

A picture for guests to sign.

Unique mints.

Hand crafted connect four.

I Hope this inspires you to create unique things for your wedding!

Visit other bloggers who are doing the 100 blog challenge:

Memory Montage Photography

Garden Gates Photography

Nickles Photography

lemontree3

Mica Sansaver Life Photography

Creating Rim Light | #20

2011-01-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

Rim light, back light, hair light... whatever you want to call it, can add that extra sparkle to your photography. I don't use it all the time, but sometimes it really makes my subject pop.

Creating a rim light can be achieved by using natural light, like the sun, or an off camera flash. Below I've posted an example of a rim light that I created using a 580EX II flash(strobe). I mounted the strobe to a light stand and placed it directly behind the subjects head. It's easiest if you have your strobe on manual mode so you can control the brightness. You don't want it to be too bright, so adjust it to a medium brightness that will draw attention to your subject and not to the flash behind them.

If you don't have access to off camera flash then you can use the sun. The bottom picture was taken in the evening, I used on camera flash to light up her face and the sun served as the rim light.

Good luck and practice with this a bit. It might take you a few tries to get it just right.

(left) No rim light | (right) Rim light added with strobe

(below) Natural rim light provided by the sun

Visit other bloggers who are doing the 100 blog challenge:

Memory Montage Photography

Garden Gates Photography

Nickles Photography

lemontree3

Mica Sansaver Life Photography

Vendor Highlight | Couture Events | #19

2011-01-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

Tell me a little about yourself and company?
CE – Couture Events is a full service wedding and event planning company. We offer a variety of services from coordinating the day of your wedding to helping with the entire planning and designing process. The meaning of “Couture” is to make something unique and specifically tailored to fit an individual. We take that same concept and put it into each and every event. We want to make our clients to have the upmost extraordinary experience while relaxing and enjoying every minute of their personalized, styled event.

Sarah – I am the founder of CE and a certified wedding and event planner. I am highly organized, creative, can follow a detailed timeline and stick to a budget of any kind. I truly enjoy the planning and creating process of my job and love getting up to work each day. I definitely have a type A, leader personality which definitely helps in my line of work.

On a personal note, I am a wife, mother to three amazing children, and have a Great Dane. We are a sports fanatic family and love to go to games of any kind. We are HUGE WSU fans and love our Cougs! Family is the most important thing to me and I love watching how much we all grow and change over the years.

How long have you been an event planner and how did you get started?
I have been an event planner since 2009. I loved the idea of becoming a wedding planner and wanted to pursue my certification in wedding and event planning while getting better knowledge and understanding of the wedding world. Every bit of the organizing and attention to detail excites me and so after getting my certification, I started my business. I still keep up my education and make sure to take courses in order to expand my knowledge whenever possible. I want to make sure that I keep things fresh and innovative so I can offer the most to each client.

What gives you ideas and inspires you?
I am constantly looking for new ideas from books, TV shows and even from the clients that I have. I am inspired by people and I look for little details that make each event unique. Watching and listening to the dreams that people have drives me to think outside the box. I love taking bits and pieces of who a person is and creating even the tiniest details to bring out each individual.

What is one thing you wish brides would know about working with you?
One thing I really want brides to know is how important each and every client is to me. I take pride in putting my clients first and work hard to make sure their every wish comes true on their day. I will take on any stressful situation and make sure the bride and groom get to experience their wedding day without any worries at all.

How do future clients get a hold of you?
I have a website that they can visit at www.eventsbycouture.com, they can email me at info@eventsbycouture.com, or they can call me at 509-901-0693.

Anything else you would like people to know about your company?
I would love to talk to anyone who might be interested and offer free consultations. We can go over the packages I offer and I would be more than happy to answer any questions people may have.

Visit other bloggers who are doing the 100 blog challenge:

Memory Montage Photography

Garden Gates Photography

Nickles Photography

lemontree3

Mica Sansaver Life Photography

Pre/Post Wedding Day Shoot | #18

2011-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

What is a pre/post wedding day shoot?

I offer a pre or post wedding day shoot consisting of 2 hours at the location(s) of your choice. I also include a disc with the digital images.

There are many reasons to do a pre or post wedding day shoot but just to name a few:

- You want to wait to see the groom until you walk down the aisle. So by scheduling a post wedding shoot you can get a lot more pictures of just the two of you.

- You want to make the wedding day a little less hectic. By doing all your bride and groom pictures before hand you'll have a lot more time on your wedding day to just relax.

- You want to go somewhere different than your wedding ceremony and reception to utilize beautiful or unique backgrounds for your bride and groom shots.

- The photographer you wanted to hire for your wedding was already booked :( You can still book that photographer for a pre/post wedding shoot and be able to have some shots with the "look" you fell in love with.

- You cannot afford to hire a professional for your wedding. Sadly, not everyone can, so a pre/post shoot is a great alternative. You can still have some professional pictures of the two of you to hang on the wall.

- Just for fun. Hey, why not! Maybe you want to get dressed up in your wedding gear again and go out for another shoot because you had so much fun the first time. You can also plan it for the season of your choice (winter, summer, fall, spring).

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I'm Back!!! | Vacation | Holland America Cruise | #17

2011-01-16T11:16:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, What a relaxing week! You might find it odd, but I was having so much fun that I only took 10 pictures the whole time I was gone... and they were all on my iPhone:) While I do enjoy photography A LOT, it's sometimes nice to take a break from everything and do absolutely nothing.

So, without further ado, I give you a couple of my iPhone pictures to enjoy!

The Atrium.

The pool on the back of the boat.

Cabo San Lucas.

Puerto Vallarta.

The sunset on our last day of the cruise.

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These are a few of my favorite things | #16

2011-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a few from my 2010 wedding season!

Favorite Flowers:

I'm a sucker for calla lillies!

Favorite Aisle "Runner":

I love all the rose petals, it was absolutely beautiful!

Favorite Bridesmaids dresses:

This is one of my favorite colors right now. I loved the design of these dresses & the material. Plus, they all had pockets:)

Favorite Cake:

Colors! And creative.

Favorite Cake Topper:

Unique and original. This is really what the bride and groom look like:)

Favorite Dance:

I loved the outdoor setting and the joyous moment between the bride and groom.

Favorite Moment:

I asked them to laugh hysterically, they gave it a try and it was so funny they ended up laughing for laughing hysterically for real.

Favorite Dress/Shoes:

I loved how flowy & detailed this dress was. The shoes are the most unique I've ever seen, I loved them.

Favorite Prop:

It was raining when we were doing the shoot. The bride LOVES the huskies so this was a perfect prop for this couple.

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Zoom vs. Prime Lenses | #15

2011-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Which one should I buy?

This is something every professional photographer has to debate at some point. And for me, It's right now. I've gone back and fourth over the last few months trying to decide which lens to buy next, which ones are needs and which ones are wants, and it can be kind of tough to make a decision.

"The major advantage a zoom lens has is its versatility. A photographer using a zoom lens can quickly and properly frame and capture a fleeting opportunity. They can also capture many different framings of the same subject within seconds. The fixed focal length lens user may still be sneaker-zooming (which also changes perspective) to the right distance when the subject disappears - or is no longer in that cute pose. A subject with a rapidly changing distance also favors a zoom lens. " - The Digital-Picture.com

Now, I think the advantage of having a zoom lens in the wedding photography field is significant. Often times during the ceremony & reception things are moving and changing so fast it's nice to be able to zoom in and out to get the perfect shot without running all over.

"A fast fixed focal length lens allows action-stopping shutter speeds to be used in low-lightsituations. Fixed focal length lenses are sometimes the only solution for dark indoor sports photography. I should mention that the ever-improving high ISO performance of new DSLRs is making fixed focal length lenses less important in these situations. " The Digital-Picture.com

The ISO on my 5D Mark II can do some pretty amazing stuff, however it's really nice to be able have the apature open larger and a lower ISO. I've noticed some photographers like the grain caused by a high ISO in their pictures, it gives it a kind of vintage artistic feel, but I'm not always a huge fan of grain. I might like it on a few photographs, but not all of them. I also feel like a prime lens is going to produce a picture that is more crisp than then zoom lens can achieve and I'm a big fan of crisp, sharp images.

So, with that said, I'm pretty sure I just need to have both. I would especially love to use a prime lens with my bride and groom shoots & seniors. Currently I only own zoom lenses but who knows what will happen before the start of this next wedding season:)

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Vendor Highlight | Sawyer House | #14

2011-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a new venue and I've only shot there once but I thought it was absolutely beautiful! If you haven't booked your venue yet, check it out! Click here to visit Sawyer House.

" SAWYER HOUSE is the perfect setting for your special event. Gorgeous landscaping, a waterfall, spacious patio & outdoor fireplace create the perfect setting for a wedding."

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Photo Editing | #13

2011-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

While the pictures straight out of camera are great to begin with, I still love to give them that extra sparkle. Below I've posted an example of a picture straight out of camera and a picture that has been finished and retouched. All my pictures undergo this process and I delight myself in making people look their best.

There's a subtle but significant difference. :)

Here's what I do to achieve this look:

-I always shoot in camera RAW. RAW files contain the most information and allow you manipulate nearly every aspect of the photo.

-I open the RAW file in a program called Lightroom and work on the color balance, brightness & saturation.

-Once I've achieved my desired look, I export the file as a Jpeg and open it in Photoshop.

-I use the healing brush tool and paint brush to smooth out the skin. Then I use an action I got from The Pioneer Woman to bring out the eyes. Yes, that's what the action is called, bring out the eyes. I also like to use the sharpen this action on the eyes and make them really pop.

Thats pretty much all I do, it really makes a huge difference though.

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Bell Pepper Recipe | #12

2011-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

What does food have to do with photography?

Well, I suppose if you make up a recipe and cook something you should probably take a picture of it. lol!

This is more of a personal get-to-know me blog. There are lots of things I love and one of them is cooking. It's like a creative outlet for me and I also love to eat. My style of cooking is to find a recipe, get a general idea of what should happen and then wander around the kitchen and find interesting things to add to my dish. That's the creative part. I like to expirement and sometimes it turns out wonderful and other times... well, lets just say sometimes my husband is "not happy". :)

I usually don't write things down, but I did make one really wonderful stuffed bell pepper dish and I wanted to document it for future use. So here's my secret recipe. For those of you who love to cook, give it a try. Also, one of my favorite blogs to follow is my cousin Ashley's. She's an amazing inventor of recipes! Be warned though, if you visit her blog you'll probably feel inspired and end up in the kitchen. (Notwithoutsalt.com)

Kira's Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Ingredients:

- 4 bell peppers (any color)

- 1 green onion

- 1lb of Baron Farms grass fed ground beef

- 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice

- 1 cup chopped tomatoes

- cilantro to taste

- 1 cup of grated cheese

- 2 garlic cloves

- 4 tbsp olive oil

- 1 jar of Prego Italiano sauce

How To Make:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut top off peppers 1 inch from stem end and remove seeds. Add several generous pinches of salt to the boiling water then add peppers and boil for about 3 min or until slightly softened. Remove peppers from water and set in glass baking dish.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil rice in pot until soft, remove from heat. Heat 4 tbst of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, cook stiring often until soft (about 4 min). Add ground beef and cook with onions and garlic until done.

3. Place cooked rice in a large mixing bowl, add cooked ground beef, tomatoes, cilantro & grated cheese. Mix ingredients thoroughly.

4. Use ingredients to stuff bell peppers. Oce stuffed, pour Prego itallian sauce over the top of the bell peppers. Use the whole jar!

5. Cover with foil, place in oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or until the internal tempature is 150 degrees F).

6. Enjoy!

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Vendor Highlight | Shirley's Cakes | #11

2011-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Q: Tell me a little about yourself & company?

A: This is my 14th wedding season. It started out as a hobby and then I decided to turn it into a business.

Q: How long have you been making wedding cakes & how did you get started?

A: I got started when the kids were little. I loved making their birthday cakes. When they were older my daughter came home one day and told me she had volunteered me to make her friends wedding cake. Things took off from there and I decided I didn't want to work for anyone else so I started my own business.

Q: What gives you ideas and inspires you?

A: Brides! They are the most creative and original. They bring their ideas in and I use them to create really beautiful & imaginative cakes.

Q: What is the most popular flavor?

A: Traditional white cake with raspberry swirl & cream cheese filling.

Q: What is one thing you would like brides would know about working with you?

A: Even though it might seem expensive they are getting an exceptional product at a very reasonable price.

Q: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you company?

A: My business won the Knot.com's 2010 best of weddings award.

Q: How do future brides get a hold of you?

A: Call: 509-966-4082

Web: www.shirleyscakes.net

Central Washington Bridal Show: I feed about 1500 people at the show, so be sure to stop by and try some samples.

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Wedding Shoes | #10

2011-01-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

It's all about the shoes!

Ok, so I guess that's not always true. Every bride is different and has something in their wedding that's the "most important". I have noticed a growing trend in having the focus be on the wedding shoes though. The wedding shoes I've seen have ranged from super fancy to creative to casual. I personally love shoes and really look forward to seeing the brides shoes at every wedding I go to. So, 2011 brides, keep your eyes peeled for some fun wedding shoes this year. Here are just a few from my 2010 wedding season.

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Vacation Time | # 9

2011-01-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

Cruise!!! My Husband and I leave today for our 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise. We'll be stopping in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas & Mazatlan. We did the same cruise last year and had so much fun we decided to do it again. For all you brides out there who are trying to decide what to do for your honeymoon I would highly recommend cruising. They are totally affordable!

Here are some pictures from our trip last year. I'll post a few more when we get back, but I'm sure they'll look pretty much the same, blue water, sun & fun:)

The best Mexican food I've ever eaten!

Cheers!

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Etsy | #8

2011-01-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is a website that I haven't spent a lot of time on, but every time I do visit www.etsy.com I have to try hard to restrain myself from grabbing my wallet. Brides, Etsy is a great place for you to find unique jewelry & really creative decorations for your wedding. Here are a couple items I found on the site that I really like. Simply click a picture to visit the Etsy site.

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What to wear to photo shoots | #7

2011-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

People often ask me "what should I wear"?

I tell my clients to wear something nice that looks like YOU. I've heard a lot of other photographers say to only wear solid colors. While solid colors do look nice, I'm also a believer that stripes and plaids can look great too. It really comes down to your style and what you like.

Now, where color is concerned, there are some specific ideas & suggestions I can give you, however there are infinite possibilities when it comes to color combinations.

Some things to keep in mind:

Do: Make sure everyone in your family to looks cohesive, ie, you don't want everyone wearing muted neutral tones while one person is wearing florescent pink. Try to select different colors that compliment each other.

Exception: Maybe there was a new baby born into your family and you want to highlight him/her. In that case your family could wear the same color scheme and the baby can be dressed in the eye popping complimentary color.

I've created some color schemes below, Typically using three colors will do the trick.

Some of these color pallet choices are super bold while others are calm and muted. It's best to choose something that matches your personality and style.

This of course is just my opinion on the matter. It seems to me that every photographer varies on this subject so it's best to work with your photographer to find out what will work best.

Here are a couple examples of what some of my clients have been wearing.

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The Baron Family Christmas | #6

2011-01-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Every year my husbands side of the family gets together for a Christmas weekend in Everett. I love my husbands family like my own and I always look forward to the yearly reunion. This year and last we've taken a huge family picture, I think it's safe to say it's now a tradition:) We always take the "normal" smiling one for Grandma but my favorite is always the funny one because you can see everyones personality shining through.

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Vendor Highlight | Apple Tree Resort | #5

2011-01-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Apart from the dress, shoes, flowers, cake, photography & other wedding day essentials, the venue will definitely be something your guests will remember. Since I'm a wedding photographer I've been to lots of venues and I would love to highlight a few of my favorites. Today I"m going to start out with the Apple Tree Resort.

Set in the middle of one of Yakima's most pristine golf courses this place is the perfect place to say "I do". Whether you are looking for an indoor or outdoor location, the Apple Tree can accommodate both. If you're looking for beautiful landscaping and a breath taking view, the west lawn is ideal. It can accommodate up to 300 guests and it's surrounded by trees so it provides the perfect amount of shade to keep you and your guests cool on a hot summer day. If you are planning your wedding in the winter months the banquet room in the club house can accommodate up to 144 guests. The banquet room is on the second floor and also offers a spectacular view of the course.

The Apple Tree can also provide everything you need from tables & chairs to food & drinks. They have a great staff who will provide you with first-rate service and the food is exceptional! I would highly recommend this venue to any bride. The Apple Tree tends to book up fast so make sure check with the coordinator as soon as possible to check availability.

Apple Tree Coordinator: James Welshimer 509.833.6644

Apple Tree Website: http://www.appletreeresort.com

Here are some pictures I've taken at the Apple Tree:

(Also, the bride and groom get to drive a golf cart to a few picturesque places on the course, how cool is that!!)

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New Albums In The Works! | #4

2011-01-03T16:43:00.000-08:00

I'm super stoked to be ordering my new albums today. These new albums will offer a variety of cover choices; Fabrics, colors, leather, metallic and pictures. There will also be lots of paper options; Art linen, UV coated, & Pearl coated. The new albums have lay flat spreads with no middle gutter so the pages are printed as full spreads and not cut. This allows imagery & design elements to continue the whole length of the book and no information will be lost in the center. Here are a few samples of what the spreads will look like:

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Photo shoots | Dos & Don'ts | #3

2011-01-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this one is for photographers :)

I can't remember the last time I did a photo shoot for two hours and I was the one IN FRONT of the camera instead of behind it. Doing photo shoots is easy for us (photographers) because we do them all the time. It's important to remember though that your clients might have never had their pictures taken by a professional and they often times are very nervous. So what can you do to make sure your clients are relaxed and have a great time?

Do Get to know your clients a little before you shoot them. Don't have your first real interaction when the shoot starts.

There are a couple ways to do this, you can friend them on Facebook, meet them for coffee, or send them an e-mail questionare. It will all depend on the client. This is really important. It will take so much longer for your clients to open up and relax if they've never met you or talked to you. You will get so much more natural relaxed interaction with the couple if you do this beforehand. As an example, if you book someone who lives in another state and they're only going to be in town the weekend of the photo shoot then you're not going to be able to meet them for coffee.

Do include the clients in the whole process. Don't assume they will know what to do.

If it's an engagement shoot, let them know what to expect along the way. Remember they are probably nervous and have been thinking about the shoot all week. So the first thing I do when I get to the location is to tell my clients we are here to have fun and that's all. I do a lot of photo shoots at the local arboretum so my clients can just pretend it's a day in the park.

I'll also talk about what I'm doing a little. I might say something like "lets stop here and take a few shots and then we can go just around the corner where there's a really cool bridge". This gives them something to think about and will also relieve some of the nerves of not knowing what is going on.

Do start your shoot from farther away. Don't get so close to them they can reach out and touch you.

If you want your clients to relax, standing right in their face is not the way to do it. It makes things really awkward. I like to start out shooting at least 8-10 feet away, that way they won't feel encroached on. Now as the shoot goes along your clients will get use to you following them and their butterflies will fly away. This is when you can get a little closer and get some more intimate shots. It's different for everyone but most of my clients loosen up after about 30 min or so.

Do offer your clients encouragement. Don't say anything negative!

This is really important. The more positive things you say to your clients the more their confidence will go up and the more comfortable they will become. Comfortable confident clients= Awesome natural pictures! If you say negative things to your clients it will burst their confidence bubble and they will want to hide from you behind the nearest bush. Here is an example scenario.

Wrong: Um... can you make your smile look less cheesy?

Right: Ok, take a deep breath and just relax. (sometimes people are nervous and don't realize they are holding their breath, so this will make a huge difference). Another thing you can do is ask your clients to talk amongst themselves for a minute and not to worry about the photographer. People often loosen up when they are not expected to "perform".

Do show them what you would like them to do. Don't mold them into a position.

There's nothing more uncomfortable then having someone man handle you. Your clients feel a lot more comfortable if you give them clear detailed instructions and maybe even model an example for them. With a senior I might say something like "Ok, Sit down with your back against the column, arch your legs and put the tip of your heal on the side walk with your toes point up. Now, place your hands on your knees and relax them, turn your face toward me". That's a lot of instruction, so I might want to demonstrate. Here is an example of the pose I just described.

Do act confident. Don't act unsure.

If you are constantly putting yourself down your clients are going to feel uneasy that they hired you and will lose their confidence. Also, if you are more worried about the settings on your camera and keep looking at the back of the screen, your clients are going to become worried that they are doing something wrong. It's important to talk to them and keep the dialog flowing. If you're new to photography you might want to start by shooting family and friends. Practice keeping a conversation going and not saying anything about what’s happening with the camera.

Example: If you take a picture and it's way to blown out, don’t tell your clients that the picture didn't turn out. Simply adjust your setting and say “ok, now let's do that one more time."

Last but not least,

Do get to know your clients likes and dislikes. Don't shoot them in a way that they will not like.

Find out what your client likes when they look at your portfolio. If they say that the kissing pictures make them feel awkward or that they don't like the "serious" face poses, then don't put them in that situation on the shoot. Some clients may be comfortable climbing a tree or lying on the ground, while others will not like that. It's important to find these things out. And if you ask your clients to climb a tree and they give you an uncomfortable pleading look, quickly offer a different suggestion. :)

Alright, I hope this helps. Good luck on your next photo shoot!

- Kira Baron

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Happy New Year | 2011 | #2

2011-01-01T01:11:00.000-08:00

100 Blogs in 100 Days!!! | #1

2010-12-31T10:30:00.001-08:00

I love to read other peoples' blogs and I aspire to be a great blogger myself someday. Writing is something I struggle with so when Amy Guild told me to do a 100 blog challenge with her I thought she was crazy. After giving it some thought I've decided to give it my best effort. I feel that by blogging for 100 days straight I'll be able to develop better blogging skills and maybe grow to love writing as much as I love reading.

Now, since I'm a wedding photographer I figure my readers will most likely want to read about all things weddings. While I plan to do quite a bit of blogging about weddings, ideas, helpful advice, etc. I will also write about general photography as well. I also plan to mix it up a little here and there with a few blogs about my personal life, that way you can all get to know me a little along the way.

Wish me luck and check back often to see whats new:)

- Kira Baron

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Tavis & Amy | Winter Wonderland

2010-12-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

Another wonderful winter shoot! We started off in downtown Yakima and ended up at the Cascade Gardens. It was a pretty nice day downtown, blue skies, sun, not too cold.... but it was the complete opposite when we got to the Cascade Gardens. There was a thick blanket of fog and about a foot of snow. It was a beautiful winter wonderland. I've been trying out a couple lenses that Tavis & Amy happen to own; the 50mm F1.2L & the 16-35mm F2.8L. I'm trying to decide which one I should buy first to add to my collection. After my last photo shoot I was pretty sold on the 50mm and I knew it would be hard to convince me that the 16-35mm could be better. I've listed the meta data below the pictures and as you can see.... I still favored the 50mm. Even though I love the 50mm more, I think I'm going to get the 16-35mm first because it is more versatile and will fit in well with wedding photography. However, don't be surprised if I end up having both by the start of the 2011 wedding season. I'm pretty sure I can't live without both this next year:)

Above:

f/4, 1/125 sec, ISO-640 (50mm)

Above:

Left: f4, 1/125 sec, ISO-640 (50mm) | Right: f/4.5, 1/125 sec, ISO-160 (16-35mm)

Above:

f/3.5, 1/200 sec, ISO-160 (50mm)

Above:

f/2.8, 1/200 sec, ISO-160 (16-35mm)

Above:

f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO-640 (50mm)

Above:

f/2.8, 1/160 sec, ISO-640 (50mm)

Winter Things | Garden Girl

2010-12-15T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Amy Guild, Kara Bracchi & I set out to take pictures of winterly things. It was an interesting task because unfortunately all the snow had melted so things just didn't look the same without all the white fluff. We were wandering around downtown Yakima and came across the Garden Girl. This has always been one of my favorite little shops in the downtown. I love all the unique items and beautiful flowers and plants. It's a beautiful place to visit in the spring and summer because the flowers and flowing out of the shop and onto the street. I had never thought to stop by in the winter and I was pleasantly surprised by all the wonderfully creative Christmas things the Garden Girl has to offer. It was also the perfect place for me, Kara & Amy to stop and snap some pictures for our winter project. We probably spent 30 minutes in there admiring all the lovely things.

The age old dilemma of most photographers is "what should I buy next"? Well, I'm currently trying to decide if I want the EF 16-35mm F2.8L II USM or the EF 50mm F1.2L USM. I decided to try them both and see which one I "need" more:) Of course I would like both, but can really only justify purchasing one right now. It's a blessing that Amy happens to own both of them, so yesterday I shot all the winter things with the 50mm F1.2L and I plan to try out the 16-35mm F2.8L next week. So far I think I'm really in love with the 50mm F1.2L so the other lens is really going to have to be amazing to beat out my infatuation.

Anyhow, with all that said here are a couple of my favorite shots from yesterday. I also put the metadata for anyone who cares to know:)

Above:

Left: f/6.3, 1/400 sec, ISO-100 | Right: f/1.6, 1/100 sec, ISO-200

Above:

Left-top: f/1.8, 1/800 sec, ISO-200 | Left-bottom: f/1.2, 1/100 sec, ISO-200

Right-top: f/1.8, 1/800 sec, ISO-200 | Right-bottom: f/1.4, 1/125, ISO-100

Above:

f/1.4, 1/125 sec, ISO-100

Above:

f/1.4, 1/125 sec, ISO-100

So cute, I love kitties. This one belongs to the Garden Girl:)

Above:

f/1.4, 1/80 sec, ISO-100

This is us!

Above:
f/1.2, 1/3200 sec, ISO-100

If you get a chance, be sure to stop by the Garden girl:
Garden Girl
25 North Front Street
Downtown Yakima

Davis Family Portrait | Winter Wonderland

2010-11-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

A beautiful winter day at the Yakima Arboretum in late November. My phone rings just hours before this shoot and it's Stephanie Davis asking "Are we still on for the shoot today, it's pretty cold outside"? "Oh yes" I say! A lot of people wonder how on earth they will survive a 2 hour outdoor shoot on a cold winter day, Well here's my secret......

We jump into pictures right away upon arrival at the location, I'll shoot for about 10-15 min (depending on how cold it is) and then take a nice warm break in the car. Once everyone is warm again we venture out to do another 10-15 minutes. So there ya go, some advice on how to get those great winter photos without freezing your tail off:)

Here are some of my favorites from our shoot yesterday.

Aiyanna & Jasleen | Twins

2010-11-28T13:02:00.000-08:00

These two little girls are so precious! Everyone knows that two year olds can be un-predictable so it wasn't surprising when they took turns being either joyful or cheerless. Thankfully though, with the help of a box of their favorite crackers, we were able to keep them both happy for a couple minutes and get some shots that really show off their delightfully happy side. You can't throw out the priceless memories of the pictures with such contrasting emotion.

Ryan & Lucy | Engagement

2010-10-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

Ryan and Lucy, I had so much fun with you guys and I can't wait to shoot your wedding!

Nick & Brianne | Fontaine Estates Winery

2010-10-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday on 10-10-10 I had the pleasure of shooting my cousins wedding:) I had so much fun and I think this was the most relaxed wedding I've ever been a part of. The bride, Brianne, actually wore jeans and flip flops under her dress the whole day!

The wedding took place at the Fontaine Estates in Naches but we did all the bride and groom pictures at the Arboretum and in down town Yakima. It was a pretty overcast day and it drizzled a little from time to time, but that didn't prevent the bride and groom from having a blast during their photo shoot. They are both big Husky fans so they came prepared with a Husky umbrella.

Here are some of my favorites:

Lauren | Senior 2011

2010-10-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite seasons is fall, I just love the colors! The trees weren't all changing yet, but I did find a few that were amazingly colorful. I had a lot of fun on this shoot and Lauren was very photogenic. Here are a few of my favorites.

Luke & Samantha | Holy Cross & Harmon Center

2010-09-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

Photographer: "Hey, lets go over by that tree and take some pictures, it looks cool".

Bride: " Oh, can we climb in it"?

Luke and Samantha were so much fun! They had a ton of ideas and were willing to do all kinds of crazy stuff, including climbing a tree. They are both free spirits that are totally in love and I think most of the time they forgot I was there. They were so chatty with each other and laughing and having a great time.

I wanted to post a couple of sneak peeks for everyone to see, so there will definitely be more to come later. Thanks Sam & Luke for the fun day!

Eddie & Lisa | St. Aloyish Catholic Church & Wapato Convention Center

2010-09-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Jeremie & Justine | Sawyer House & St. Paul's Cathedral

2010-09-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

I've not had the opportunity to shoot at the Sawyer House yet so I've really been looking forward to this wedding. The bride, Justine, was very organized throughout the whole process and she's super sweet. I enjoyed getting to know her a little leading up to the wedding and I had a great time taking pictures of her and Jeremie!

During the first look I could definitely tell that these two are totally in love. The moment they saw each other it was like they were the only two people in their own little world. They were laughing and having a good time throughout the whole day.

Thanks Justine and Jeremie for choosing me to be a part of your wedding day, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek and there will be more pictures to come:)

Chelsie | WV High School 2011

2010-09-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Chelsie was so much fun to take pictures of! She was super energetic and had one of the most contagious laughs that I couldn't help but to join in. She also had an awesome serious/model face... which usually only lasted a second because then she would crack up laughing again:)

Chelsie also has a great eye for what might look good in a photo. While we were walking along the street of downtown Yakima she would stop periodically and say "Hey, what about taking a picture there... or by that". I loved the energy she brought to the shoot and her pictures definitely turned out fantastic!

Thanks for being so much fun Chelsie! Here's a couple for you to enjoy while I work on the rest.

My Nephew & Niece

2010-09-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peek for my nephew and niece.... well I suppose it's actually for their parents:) I had the pleasure to take their photographs tonight out on our family farm. Liz is three and Ransom is almost one. They are both adorable and super lively.

I used a tip I learned from other photographers to help keep their attention..... Stickers! Every time I put Ransom somewhere I stuck a sticker somewhere near him or on his shoe and he was so excited to try and peel it off. For Liz, instead of sticking the sticker somewhere, I just promised to give her one if she smiled big. I also put the stickers on my forehead to keep their attention. So basically there were stickers everywhere :)

It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I had the opportunity to spend a little time playing with my cute niece and nephew.

Andrea W. | Highland High School 2011

2010-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Andrea was the first person to do the split shoot. The regular senior portrait session is 2 hours so instead of doing a consecutive 2 hour shoot, Andrea decided it would be fun to do two 1 hour sessions on two different days. The advantage of this is you can go to two different locations and style your hair two different ways. Andi likes to wear her hair curly one day and straight the next, so the split shoot was a great way to capture her two different looks.

The first half of the pictures were taken in Down Town Yakima. Honestly I'm a big fan of the urban look so I was glad she wanted to have some pictures taken by the unique brick walls and train tracks. She brought a whole trunk full of clothes, shoes and jewelry so it was fun to participate in the "what to wear" process. She had such a fun wardrobe!

The second portrait session took place at the Cascade Gardens. Andrea looked beautiful and her curly hair was a big change from the first portrait session; She really does have two different looks! Andi plays basketball and soccer so it was fun to include her Letterman jacket in a couple shots to show off her sporty side.

Thanks Andi for the fun shoot, I'm glad I got to meet you and I hope your senior year is Awesome!

Jen & Abdi | Seattle Engagement Shoot...In The Rain

2010-09-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

"Nice day for a photo shoot" says the local Seattleite with a shy grin walking by wearing a rain jacket and carrying an umbrella.

Yesterday my husband Cameron and I drove up to Seattle to do an engagement shoot with Jen and Abdi. They really wanted the Seattle skyline in the background so I was going to make due with whatever the weather had to throw at me. Even though it was raining off and on Jen and Abdi had such a good attitude and their playful personalities made the shoot so much fun. So despite the rain, the pictures turned out great and really captured how fun, spontaneous and in love they are.

Since Monday is usually the day Cameron and I take off, I thought it would be fun to bring him along and give him an opportunity to see what I do at "work". We ended up getting stuck in traffic so we had a lot of time to talk. I took the opportunity to educate him on how the camera works and teach him what all the setting do and mean. Then, when we finally got to Alki Beach I gave him my second camera with the telephoto lens and told him to have fun. I was amazed at how well he did for his first time. I think I'll have to persuade him to join my business:)

Abdi is a huge sports fan and so is Cameron, so they got along great! Cameron kept checking his iPhone for updates on the Monday night football game and they were both rejoicing throughout the shoot. It was such a fun day and I'm glad we were able to get that awesome Seattle sky line in the background.

Jen and Abdi, Thanks for the entertaining shoot in the rain and I really look forward to photographing your wedding next June!

Cameron took these last two... Good Job Husband!!!

On Blogging

2010-09-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

OK, So I'm trying to make sure that I write more in my blog posts... or actually, I'm at least trying to make sure that I write something. To be honest, I'm terrible at spelling and even more terrible at expressing myself through words. I've always been scared to write because because I'm not really sure how to go about it. I'm also a very black and white person and I'm a huge list maker, so my writing style often resembles a list with a lot of short sentences. Hopefully by blogging my thoughts and observations about my photo shoots I'll be able to break out of my list-ful habits.

Thinking back to my second quarter at college I remember that I had the most amazing English 101 teacher. She inspired me to love English and after that class I was crazy about writing creative stories and following all the rules that exist in the English world. I decided that teaching English was going to be my career. However, it was in the next quarter, when I took English 102, that I realized writing 15 page papers and reading novels and writing about them was really not my passion at all. Teaching English was just one of the many ideas I had when I was in college; I think I changed my major 10 times:)

That being said, hopefully I'll be able call upon those fond memories I had about writing and be able give more incite into my true passion, photography. I truly love photographing people, especially weddings. I get so excited about telling a love story through the lens of my camera and having the opportunity to use my artsy creativity to do it.

Well, I hope this will be the first of many written blogs so keep your eyes peeled for more:)

Russ & Adriannah

2010-08-31T18:12:00.001-07:00

Russ and Adriannah got married at the Apple Tree Resort and had their reception at the Yakima Museum. I've been in denial about my new favorite color but I think that I'm officially going to say that it's the teal color of the brides maids dresses. I just gravitate towards it! So needless to say her wedding was very appeasing to my eye and I loved every minute of it. The brides maids dresses also had pockets... How cool is that!

There are always many things I love about weddings but my favorite time is the bride and groom portrait session. I was able to enjoy an hour of portraits with Russ and Adriannah before the ceremony. They were so easy going and willing to do lots of fun and creative things. Capturing the deep affection of a couple in love on their wedding day delights my soul.

Another thing I loved about this wedding was the bubble blower blowing bubbles for when Adriannah walked down the aisle. I've never seen this before and it made for some really cool and unique pictures.

It was a beautiful wedding, Thanks to Russ and Adriannah for making it so much fun. I wish you guys the best!

Bling Bling!

Moonlit Ride Limousine

Kyle & Sammy Jo (Highlights Video)

2010-08-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Kyle & Sammy Jo (Highlights Video) from Kira Baron on Vimeo.

Kyle & Amy

2010-08-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Kyle and Amy got married in her grandmothers back yard. It was beautiful "venue" overlooking orchards and the majestic hills of the Yakima Valley. Amy booked with me earlier this year after hearing about me from her friend Becca who was also getting married in June. It was great to meet Amy and get to know her a little bit at Becca's wedding, She was fun to work with and I was really looking forward to her big day as well. Amy and Kyle's wedding was beautiful and no detail was forgotten. I think my favorite thing about the wedding was the aisle; it was covered in rose petals and it was absolutely visually stunning. It also provided lots of entertainment for the children after the wedding was over. They were throwing rose petals and making piles like you would in the fall with leaves... they were having a blast.

Another thing that was really unique about this wedding is that the ceremony was at 11:00am, So at the reception they had brunch. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals so I think it was so cool that they had breakfast food at their reception. It was truly a beautiful day celebrated by close friends and family. Best wishes to you both and enjoy the pictures.

Corey & Lexi ( Highlights Video)

2010-08-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

Highlight Video | Corey & Lexi from Kira Baron on Vimeo.

Gabby | WV Highschool 2011

2010-07-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Justin & Natalie

2010-07-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

Montage Video:

Justin & Natalie from Kira Baron on Vimeo.

Mary-Abigail & Jason

2010-07-17T10:45:00.001-07:00

Montage Video:

Jason & Mary Abigail from Kira Baron on Vimeo.

Nick & Brianne

2010-07-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

Ryan & Fawna

2010-07-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Brandon & Rosa

2010-07-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

Ann & Teddy

2010-06-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

Jeff & Becca

2010-06-10T16:28:00.000-07:00

Shawn & Trista

2010-05-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Shawn & Trista from Kira Baron on Vimeo.

My Garden

2010-05-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Cameron and I enjoyed our first fresh strawberry out of my garden tonight. The warm weather has caused my garden to thrive this week. I absolutely love having my own little dirt square to plant want every I want every year:) This year I planted green onions, swiss chard, butter crunch lettuce, carrots, cilantro, lavender, mint, rosemary, STRAWBERRIES, basal, chives and purple potatoes:) Most of these things do well in the cooler weather, so that's why a lot of them are ready so early. The basal is struggling though, I might have to re-plant it.

New Business Card

2010-04-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

I created a new business card and I'm really excited about them.

Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

2010-04-21T13:31:00.001-07:00

I went to a to the PPA tour conference in Seattle on Monday night and I absolutely loved it. I heard so many great ideas and felt really inspired. The PPA offers great things for professional photographers; educational opportunities, software discounts, certifications, competitions, legal representation, and much more. After hearing about all the benefits I couldn't help but to sign up to become a member. I'm looking forward to bettering my business and continuing to learn.

Tulips (Mount Vernon, WA)

2010-04-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, So I love the tulip festival. Vibrant colors, pleasant smells, awesome picture opportunities. The first one pictured is one of my favorites. I love the yellow and orange/red contrast.

Dimitri (Riverside HS)

2010-03-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Baron Family (My Family)

2010-01-10T20:33:00.001-08:00

Our whole family got together for Christmas, There was only one person missing, but I photoshopped him in:)

Clement Family (Family Portrait)

2009-12-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

Wilson Family (Family Portrait)

2009-12-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

Ben & Autumn (Wedding)

2009-11-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

Jeremie & Cecilia (Engagement)

2009-11-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

Beth (Naches HS)

2009-10-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

Ben & Autumn (Engagement)

2009-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

Keenan (West Valley HS)

2009-10-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

Rusty & Molly (Wedding)

2009-10-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Emily (West Valley HS)

2009-09-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

Jason & Tessa (Wedding)

2009-09-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

Ping Family (Family Portrait)

2009-09-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

Denton & Valerie (Wedding)

2009-09-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

Jeff & Laine (Wedding)

2009-09-10T18:40:00.000-07:00

Karrin (Naches HS)

2009-08-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Matt & Chelsey (Wedding)

2009-07-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Jeff & Silvey (Wedding)

2009-07-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Riley & Sarah (Pre/Post Wedding Shoot)

2009-07-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

Kira Baron Photography

Stefanie & Tyler | Maternity

Brides Choice Award 2012

New Toy Alert: 100mm f/2.8L Macro

Lashes by Leslie | eye lash extensions

Central Washington Bridal Show 2012

Introducing BLISS Magazine!

Christmas Crafts & Family

Miguel & Constance | B&G Shoot!

Aaron & April

Stacy & Eric | American Homestead

Justine & Mario | Cascade Gardens

Jessica & Travis | Apple Tree Resort

Sarah & Tristan | Fontaine Estates Winery

Michele & Chris | Apple Tree Resort

Janelle & Dan | American Homestead

Zeb & Lynn | Arboretum

Abdi & Jen | Cascade Garden & Holy Family Parish

Hillary & Gordon | Springwood Ranch (Party Barn)

Lucy & Ryan | Wedding | Apple Tree Resort

Isa & Jackie | Wedding

Arlyne & Jason | Wedding | American Homestead

Chase | Naches HS Senior 2011

Busybee Magazine

Melissa | Davis HS Senior 2011

Arlyne & Jason | Engagement

Dan & Carrie | Pine River Ranch | #25

Brides Choice Award 2011 | #24

Mini Accordion Book | Products | # 22

The Little Details | #21

Creating Rim Light | #20

Vendor Highlight | Couture Events | #19

Pre/Post Wedding Day Shoot | #18

I'm Back!!! | Vacation | Holland America Cruise | #17

These are a few of my favorite things | #16

Zoom vs. Prime Lenses | #15

Vendor Highlight | Sawyer House | #14

Photo Editing | #13

Bell Pepper Recipe | #12

Vendor Highlight | Shirley's Cakes | #11

Wedding Shoes | #10

Vacation Time | # 9

Etsy | #8

What to wear to photo shoots | #7

The Baron Family Christmas | #6

Vendor Highlight | Apple Tree Resort | #5

New Albums In The Works! | #4

Photo shoots | Dos & Don'ts | #3

Happy New Year | 2011 | #2

100 Blogs in 100 Days!!! | #1

Tavis & Amy | Winter Wonderland

Winter Things | Garden Girl

Above:f/1.2, 1/3200 sec, ISO-100If you get a chance, be sure to stop by the Garden girl:Garden Girl25 North Front StreetDowntown Yakima

Davis Family Portrait | Winter Wonderland

Aiyanna & Jasleen | Twins

Ryan & Lucy | Engagement

Nick & Brianne | Fontaine Estates Winery

Lauren | Senior 2011

Luke & Samantha | Holy Cross & Harmon Center

Eddie & Lisa | St. Aloyish Catholic Church & Wapato Convention Center

Jeremie & Justine | Sawyer House & St. Paul's Cathedral

Chelsie | WV High School 2011

My Nephew & Niece

Andrea W. | Highland High School 2011

Jen & Abdi | Seattle Engagement Shoot...In The Rain

On Blogging

Russ & Adriannah

Kyle & Sammy Jo (Highlights Video)

Kyle & Amy

Corey & Lexi ( Highlights Video)

Gabby | WV Highschool 2011

Justin & Natalie

Mary-Abigail & Jason

Nick & Brianne

Ryan & Fawna

Brandon & Rosa

Ann & Teddy

Jeff & Becca

Shawn & Trista

My Garden

Above:
f/1.2, 1/3200 sec, ISO-100

If you get a chance, be sure to stop by the Garden girl:
Garden Girl
25 North Front Street
Downtown Yakima