Dakota Moore - Modern Newborn Photography

Denver Photo Betties - Member Spotlight

Dakota is a portrait photographer, wife, and a mother of two. Before she discovered her love for photography she was a cosmetologist working in a salon setting. She’s able to use her experience in the salon to show case her creativity and understanding of tiny details to deliver quality images. She has an organic stylized form of work that focuses specifically on Mother & Baby. Dakota promises to capture in-the-moment images that you & your family can cherish for a lifetime. Modern Newborn Photography is a boutique portrait studio located in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, CO. Creating custom, fine art portraits for clients to cherish for a lifetime. Specializing in Maternity, Newborn, Children Milestone, Cake Smash and Individual Sessions. As you enter the studio you will find a wall completed with a collection of organic styled newborn headbands, tiebacks, hand knit bonnets, mini blankets, hats, outfits, crowns, newborn wraps and maternity gowns. We try our best to make sure that our clients are pampered in every way that they can be. You don’t need to bring anything but yourself and baby.

Dakota Moore
Modern Newborn Photography

www.ModernNewbornPhotography.com

https://www.facebook.com/ModernNewbornPhotography

https://www.instagram.com/modernnewbornphotography

Elise Taylor - Lifestyle Newborn Photography

Denver Photo Betties Member Spotlight
Elise Taylor Photography

 

When you do a newborn session during a solar eclipse you know it will be special. I had that feeling during this session and couldn't wait to get home and edit the images. It was funny because they kept a tally that day of who said ‘eclipse’ the most. They are originally from Wyoming so they were keeping a close eye on the days events. The Redmans are a beautiful family and their newest little was such a sweetie. He slept the entire session! Even through his big sister opening and closing his bedroom door about a hundred times. Big sister was not afraid to kiss and snuggle her baby brother either! Fun fact - Candice and I have been friends for a while, in fact, her daughter is only a month younger than mine! This family is so stylish, if you couldn’t tell by looking at them! Baby’s nursery is so cute, and big sister’s nursery theme was black and white too. Thank you guys for letting me capture your gorgeous family, I can't wait to make more memories in the future.

I love photographing families and babies are just so precious. If you have any questions let me know! I also do weddings, seniors, engagements, maternity, and rainbow bridge sessions. I photograph all over Northern Colorado including but not limited to Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Fort Collins, and Boulder. I grew up in Loveland but attended university in Missouri to play soccer. Colorado really is the best though so I knew I had to come back. I now live here with my husband and two kids and Olde English Bulldogge, and I still play soccer up in Fort Collins! For inquiries you can email me at elise {at} elisetaylorphotography.com. I’d love to preserve some memories for you! Thanks for reading!

Elise Taylor

www.facebook.com/elisetaylorphotography

www.instagram.com/elisetaylorphotography

www.elisetaylorphotography.com

Sweet August Studios - Newborn Photography

Denver Photo Betties Member Spotlight
Sweet August Studios
 

When you search for a newborn photographer in your area can be a daunting task. Who is the best choice? Will you get along with your photographer? Are you making the best decision for you and your baby? 

So I've compiled a list of 5 basic things I will do for you as your maternity & newborn photographer.

I will have a flu shot (and other vaccines) – Having a sick baby is no fun. And a sick newborn can be downright scary! You have to worry about so much even before you leave the hospital. You should not have to worry that your baby will get sick from their photo session.  Staying up all night suctioning a newborn’s nose is not fun, or taking their temperature to ensure they’re healthy, or listening to every breath to make sure it’s unobstructed by goop. I take care to make sure I am always current on my flu shot and other vaccinations such as pertussis (whooping cough) and pneumonia. I cannot imagine how it would make me feel if I ever was responsible for getting a baby sick. For this reason I will tell you if I have been sick recently, or any of my own children. And am always happy to reschedule after a couple of days to ensure the health of you and your new baby.

I have license and insurance – Every service provider should have a state/county license to perform their work. Even professional photographers. Can you imagine hiring someone to work on your house without knowing if they’re insured? We all know construction workers, contractors and service providers need permits to work. They need insurance in case anything goes wrong or damages your home. Your photographer should also have a license and insurance to work with your most precious possession. As a client you should not have to take a risk with an uninsured photographer! The safety of your baby is my top priority. 

I have a clean studio and props – After each and every newborn client I wash all wraps, backdrops and blankets that were used. I keep my studio area disinfected and ready for the next baby. Limiting the number of clients I see each day to helps to limit contact with people and allow ample time to clean my studio. Because my studio is in my home I have to be more diligent in my cleanliness, and I work very hard to ensure that you feel comfortable in this space. I wash my hands before handling your baby, and keep sanitizer close by. The  idea is when you hand me your baby, I don’t want you to worry, and I want your trust and confidence so I can do the job you are paying me to do!

I have a good attitude – Have you ever asked a stranger "how are you?" only to have them dump their life's problems on you? It’s hard to enjoy someone who uses their conversation to share their personal struggles, their bad day happenings, and why life isn’t fun – especially if I don’t know them or have hired them for a job. It's not that we can't share our lives, but there is a time and place to talk about the harder things. I love my clients and I want them to love coming to my studio. New moms are tired, so maybe you won’t feel like laughing at my jokes. That’s fine. But I will always have a good attitude and am armed with patience for a baby who might need a few extra minutes to fuss before they fall asleep. You can probably tell from my bio page that I’m a fairly laid back and positive person!

I always have baby essentials – preparing for newborn photography sessions can be overwhelming, and you just might forget something. Believe me, I’ve walked out of my house without my diaper bag before, and it was not fun. My studio comes fully stocked with extra blankets, burp cloths, diapers, wipes, and pacifiers. And I have chocolate, but that's for you! I am happy to use my resources before you have to use yours. My goal is that you enjoy your visit, feel comfortable during your session, and leaving knowing that I took great care of your new baby, and that you get amazing images that will bring joy to you as they grow way too fast. 

Brittany Wassmer

Sweet August Studios

www.sweetauguststudios.com

www.facebook.com/sweetauguststudios

www.instagram.com/sweetauguststudios

Eldeen Annette - Denver Portrait Photographer

Denver Photo Betties Member Spotlight
Eldeen Annette Portraiture

Hi!  I am Eldeen from Eldeen Annette Portraiture and I have a passion for story and legacy.  After trying all sorts of genres in photography (wedding, engagement, newborn, family...), I was able to settle on what I love most (and honestly, what I felt best at!):  portraits of individuals.  I love being able to be with someone, get to know them, see them, and help them tell their story through photography. I photograph high school seniors, tweens, and professionals exclusively. ....well, and the occasional pet (hey, they're individuals too!).

This photo shoot was from a recent high school senior portrait session with the absolutely stunning Eva. I wanted to capture the different parts of Eva's personality, from the inner rock star model, to the joy that she brings to every room, to the natural grace and peaceful elegance that she carries. Eva is confident and compassionate, and about as sweet as you can get.  Variety in lighting, backdrop, location, and mood were definitely key to telling Eva's story.

Every photo shoot start with professional hair and make-up, followed by a few sets in the studio. 

We created a bold, bright look with studio lights, a white backdrop, and lots of well-placed reflectors.

Just after that, we moved to a natural light look in the studio for a soft, muted look that draws you right in.

We have colorful flowered bushes around the studio, so we did a quick set with bold color - she had the PERFECT outfit for our landscaping.

Then we headed out to an open field to show off her softer side. We have access to a beautiful old barn in a wide-open field with mountain views.  This was her favorite set from our day.

One of my goals in every shoot is to create a set of images that are timeless, captivating, and perfectly represent my client. Thank you for taking a moment to meet me and see what makes my heart sing.

Eldeen Annette 

http://eldeenannette.com

blog.eldeenannette.com

facebook.com/eldeenannette

instagram: @eldeenannetteportraiture

Eldeen is also the owner of Iron Wood Photo Studio, a shared space in Erie, Colorado.  Iron Wood Photo Studio hosts seminars, workshops, portfolio building events, and is available to rent for Colorado photographers.  Visit http://ironwoodphotostudio.com for more info.

Member Spotlight - Elizabeth Weitz

Photo by Jen, Kreatid Photography

Name: Elizabeth Weitz
Business Name: Elizabeth Ann Photography
Genre of Photography: Wedding and Portraits
Website: http://www.elizabethannphotography.org
Blog: www.elizabethannphotographyblog.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethAnnPhotography
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eap
Instagram: @lizweitz

What's your 'photography story? (How you got into photography, how you decided to go pro, etc) :  
Hmmm, I started out of boredom.  Haha...I know sounds bad to say that.  But we were in a transition phase.  Hubs had decided to change careers at 30.  We did a few radical things and rented out our home and moved in with the inlaws.  We saved a lot of money...but maybe our sanity was touch and go for a while. Lol.  Anyway, because of that, I needed something, some reason to get out.  My father in law had a decent canon camera and let me borrow it.  Let me just tell you...it was like letting loose a side of me I didn’t know existed.  I saw light, watched my kids laugh and knew I wanted to photograph those moments...in that order.  I read every book I could get my hands on.  I entered contests one of them being  Pioneer Woman...I was surprised that I was in the top ten and then later 2nd place winner for some of her contests.  Kind of made me feel I could keep pursuing this….I felt so hungry for anything and everything to do with photography...so any kind of encouragement, well it confirmed I should keep walking in that direction.   Of course, those were landscape and city scape...but the love was there.  And probably one of the main reasons I tell people not to specialize in the beginning.   Let your love continue to grow...it helped me see light on all different subjects and I learned to control a lot of the way I shoot because I shot so many different subjects.   Anyway, after picture and then 100 million more...my friends started asking me to photograph their babies.  I thought, we need money...desperately.  I’m going to just say they need to tag their photos and direct them to my new fb page for payment.   It wasn’t enough lol...so I stupidly...or brilliantly haha put up an announcement in Craigslist in the children’s clothes section my business with my phone number.  I received two calls.  One being the backbone of my business (I call it the snowball effect...she referred her friends...who referred her friends etc.) ...the other, well, lets just say tattooed tears and missing teeth...not really my ideal client lol.   It was slow going, but I’m so proud to say I do not advertise for my full time business.  Not saying I won’t ever go down that road but so far I haven’t needed to do that yet.  Word of mouth in this industry is seriously the best way to encourage me.  You love your session and want to share it...then that is a satisfied customer in my book.  

Tell us about your very first shoot:   
Well, a family session of about 15.  White shirts, missing teeth, tattoos of tears on a face (where I come from that means you killed someone...but maybe not here in CO lol...um, I hope).   But I see pieces of who I am as a photographer...I still went after the natural reactions of happiness in between poses.   

What do you specialize in?   
would say I mostly specialize in people.  :) I like different phases of life.  But I particularly feel the hungriest for weddings.  It lights me up and I freaking love weddings...all the details, the happy happy...makes me forget I’m actually working.  

What three words best describe your style?   
Full of light, romantic and happiness

If you were stranded on a desert island with only one camera, lens, and accessory, what would you hope they would be?   
I’d have a D4, 85 1.4...I don’t need another accessory.

If you could go anywhere and photograph anything, where would you go and what would you shoot?
Everywhere, everything?   I love the moodiness of Ireland.   It fits my romantic side as well as my love of leading lines...all those rambling hills and stone walls...ahhh, it would be a dream.    I’d have a bride in a Claire Pettibone dress, horses scattered thorough out and a dashing groom.  I’d be in heaven.  Of course, the sun would have to shine through at peak moments… ;p

If you could be photographed by any photographer, living or dead, who would it be?   
hhh, that is so tough...my photographer I absolutely adore above all else it Jose Villa.  The way he captures details, light and happiness...he’s a freaking rockstar.  But I would be drawn towards Annie Leibovitz, she is a creative genius and poses her clients in such a unique way.  A portrait...she draws you in and wants you to know more about her subject.  Serious talent.  

What one tip would you give a photographer starting out in your field?   
elieve in yourself.  Go after that career.  Feel it.  Grab every book you can, get out there and shoot.  Shoot some more...different times of day, different subjects.  Your style will start to unfold before your eyes.  Study the greats...while we have a ton locally, I recommend sticking to outside your local group...its easy to get the green eyed thief of joy and compare your work to theirs.  I would figure out why I liked the way they shot.   When I started, I visually connected with Caroline Tran and Jose Villa...you see the way they shoot light...its def. a major influence in my work.  

What websites/blogs do you visit often?  
I don’t.  Unless its blog Thursday lol.  I love pinterest.  But I have a lot of interests in decorating and gardening so I try to fill my mind with other things besides photography.  I can feel a burnout coming when I start looking at photographers work.   I start comparing and then I hate everything I do.  So I just learned to not do it.

What do you find most difficult about being a photographer?    
In the beginning...I never felt safe from my peers.  I felt judged by my lack of gear.    I’d hide my little DX camera...I feared when someone would ask what I shot with.  A year into it...I said, F it.  This is what I shoot with.  I didn’t have a fancy camera but I had passion in spades.  I truly feel, starting with limited gear forced me to know my strengths.  My sister used to laugh at me...I’d be super far back and photograph my clients...because I knew I wanted a bigger picture.  I moved to make my camera not feel the limits of being a crop sensor.  I’m not talking limits because its lesser...just harder.     I knew the way to rock light with a camera that sucked in low light situations.  Its built a strong foundation for me and I fully appreciated the switch to a full frame camera.    I think angels sang when I opened up that FX camera and shot with it.  We are a big pay cash kind of family over here...and it made me work harder to get it.   

What do you find most rewarding?   
When a client sends another client my way.  When they tell me they cried because I saw a moment that they didn’t see.  When a client sends me their gallery on their wall of my images I took for them.  When a client tells me their grandmother passed away and they treasure the moment caught at their wedding...the last time they had with her.  When a Dad holds her daughter and says, he’s been waiting for her for twenty years and it shows in the image.   I want to photograph life. I’m not limited to how I shoot it...I just want to feel it.  I want to continue to photograph life’s passion, joy, happiness and romance...with light...always light.  Its what brings me joy.