I do!

This lovely couple said 'I do" this weekend.  Their day was full of details as they shared their love with family and friends and entered into the sacrament of marriage.  I loved capturing the wedding day of this darling couple.  Here's a sneak peek from their summer wedding....

A perfect evening!

This beautiful couple were recently married in Jamaica and brought some of the warm sun back with them for their family session!  What a perfect evening!  This little four year old could not have been sweeter.  I showed her my box of props, hats and bows and she was having a ball choosing the 'super fancy' (as she called it) accessories....a little girl after my own heart!  Here's just a sneak peek for you:

more 'super fancy' for this little one with her feathered headband!

A teenage session!

This was a fun opportunity to capture images of this young teenager who just happens to be the daughter of a photographer friend.  We worked a double session recently which gave me the chance to work with her darling daughter!!  I love what we captured that afternoon and so enjoyed meeting this sweet girl!  Here's a sneak peek:  

Celebrating Eleven!

This month we had a celebration in the house!  Streamers, candles, cake and all!  Celebrating her eleventh birthday, my daughter's busy schedule was almost too full to fit in a birthday session.  Somehow the stars aligned and in short notice we managed to carve out a little pocket of time before the month of April was over!   I can hardly believe she turned 11 years old!!  It's been a treat to watch her learn, grow and try new things.  I treasure this time with her!!  Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter!

Next Stop....Graduation!

It's been such a treat to have an early spring this year in Minnesota!  We found the perfect evening for this handsome High School Senior's session!  I so enjoy working with High School Seniors.  It's such a pivotal point in a young person's life.  This senior comes from a large family but wanted to get a few shots of him with his youngest sister, someone very special to him.  I love what we captured!!  Best of luck to you in your bright future!  Here's a quick peek from your session:

These are precious....she loves her big brother!

More fun in Arizona!

I do love the desert, but that is not all that Arizona has to offer.  We headed downtown Tempe and strolled along Mill Aveune to capture more of that urban look.  There is so much character to that area every street and alley we walked.  I had so much fun spending time with my two nieces!!  They are growing up so quickly and are the nicest little girls!  I wish I could visit more often!  Here a little peek from our trip to Tempe!  Enjoy!! 

One of my favorites.....

and a few more from the desert....

Just gorgeous, isn't she?

A desert session

I have always been attracted to the desert landscape.  Maybe because it is so unique and different from the midwest.  I am fortunate enough to have family in Arizona and get the opportunity to travel to my favorite part of the country fairly often.  I am even more fortunate to have two adorable little subjects to photograph - my nieces!   I was so inspired by the warm weather, sunshine and these two sweethearts!  This is a little mini-session in the desert, which I quickly learned even though the ground looks dry and flat, it is in fact full of little hidden prickles from nearby cactus and prickly plants (yikes).  Enjoy your sneak peek, girls!! xoxoxo

New in 2012...

A New Year comes with New Year's resolutions.  Along those lines, I set some business goals for myself for 2012.  The first goal was to develop a marketing package to create a cohesive look among my printed materials and packaging!  I also wanted to add a few new items including both Gift Certificates and Digital Packaging.  

I am offering a Facebook Fan special through the end of March!  Click 'like' and become a Fan of Colleen Davis Photography on Facebook to take advantage of a $100 gift certificate for only $55!  Offer expires March 31st, 2012.  Gift certificate expires December 31, 2012.  Please note that one gift certificate can be redeemed per session.

Exciting new products this year!!

I'm excited to be offering these creative new custom collages.  What a beautiful way to display your favorite images from a session!  Now available in several sizes including 10x20, 11x14 or 8x10.  These collages will come mounted and protected to let you display your piece of art with or without glass.  Upgrade mounting available, just ask to see a sample!

Talkin' Shop

I love photography!  I love to talk ‘shop’ with anyone that might be the slightest bit interested in photography.  Several people have asked me what kind of camera I own.  I use a Canon 5d Marks II.  My camera and the lenses I own are great tools for capturing creative images.   I chose my camera because of it’s incredible high iso ability to capture images in low light conditions.  I can crank that puppy up to 3200 iso and still get a pretty clear shot without too much grain.  The fact that it’s a full frame camera (vs. a cropped frame) I’m able to take advantage of my lens’s full capability without sacrificing a crop factor.  I own three lenses;  50mm 1.4, 24-70 2.8 L, and my 70-200mm 2.8 L.  Each one allows me to create something a little different when it comes to creativity.  My 50mm, with it’s 1.4 f-stop brings in an amazing amount of light when wide open and is perfect for those lower light situations.  My 70-200mm has such incredible zoom and compression creating that creamy bokeh look that I love.  And my 24-70mm is a perfect lens for portrait photography.   Put that lens on a full-frame camera like the 5d, its wide angel ability is pretty impressive at 24mm.  Do I have a wish list for additional lenses?  Sure, I do.  There are so many amazing lenses on the market and knowing the strengths of each lens will help in deciding which lens is right for each particular situation.

Sometimes People mistake the camera and lenses themselves for creating the final image.  You may actually be surprised if you see an image straight out of camera (SOOC).  I’ve included a few before and after below.  Because I shoot in a RAW format I am not allowing my camera to process the image.  Unlike jpeg format where the camera compresses and processes the image leaving little room for changes in post processing.  Instead, I download the RAW files on my computer which acts like my digital ‘dark room’.  I pull the images into a program called Lightroom.  That is where I sort and organize my images and make initial edits to exposure, contrast, brightness, saturation and vibrance.   I then take my images into CS5 (Photoshop).  I use the image taken in my camera as almost a rough draft to my final masterpiece, if you want to call it that.  I can enhance the image with vibrant colors, sharp features, touch-ups as well as crop and add a vignette to a photo to be pleasing to the eye.  I personally like to add textures to enhance an image and give it either a vintage or edgy feel depending on what I see in my vision.  Photographers each have a slightly different process depending on their own interpretation of a photograph.   That is what makes us each unique.  I think when choosing a photographer for your family or event it’s important to look at the photographer’s individual style and make sure it matches up to your taste.    

I  applied for my business license in late 2009 and made things official for Colleen Davis Photography.  I have a passion for what I do.  And as much as there is to learn out there, I enjoy every minute.  The people I meet, challenges I give myself in creating images, and editing photographs to capture what I see - it’s all wonderful!

If you’ve read this far, I assume you’re interested in photography as well.  If you ever want to talk ‘shop’ I’m always eager.  Thanks for reading this post.  

Colleen