Last week my assistant and friend Lily along with her wife Michelle welcomed a baby girl into the world!  I of course could not stay away and showed up the next day with my camera and proceeded to make poor little Ida cry.  I'm a mean lady.  :) Welcome to the world Ida!!  And congratulations Lily and Michelle!!!

Friend, does this sound like you?

• You have a fancy new camera and lens, but always shoot on auto.
• You feel frustrated that your pictures don’t look the way you want them to. Ever.
• You really want to learn how to use your camera but the instruction manual that came with it: a) scares you b) puts you to sleep c) reads like its in a foreign language or d) all of the above.

Would you love to:

• Shoot without using “auto” mode!!!
• Know how to perfectly expose your images.
• Rock composition and take your photos from snap-shots to works of art.

Let me help you!

I’ll be teaching a beginner’s photography class on June 15th from 10:00 to 2:00

In this class you can expect to learn:

• The basic rules of good exposure and composition.
• Shooting in manual mode.
• An understanding of light, and how best to use it.
• Tips and tricks for getting great photos of your kids.  It can be done!

As part of the class you will also get:

• One-on-one feedback and instruction time so that your individual needs and questions will be addressed.
• Lots of practice time! Yes, we will have models of all ages for you to work with!
• Access to a private Facebook Group where you can share your photos, ask questions and learn from others in the group.  I’ll also be on the Facebook page to answer questions and give feedback well after the class is over!
• And I’ll feed you.

Details:

• Class will be held at my Greenwood studio on June 15th from 10:00 to 2:00.
• The cost of the four hour class is $250 (a $50 non-refundable deposit is required at registration)

Space is limited, so sign up today!  Shoot me an email (Sandra@sandracoan.com) or give me a call (206.841.2260)!

Please note, if you are an aspiring professional photographer, this may not be the class for you.  For information on one-on-one mentoring or professional portfolio reviews, please give me a call (206.841.2260) or send me an email (Sandra@sandracoan.com)

Last week Peter and I took the boys and my mom up to the Skagit County Tulip Festival. We had a great day!  If you've never done the Tulip Festival before, it is well worth a trip!  Really amazing!

I just had to add a few more of Lily, because she's so darn cute!

If you follow my blog, then you know that Lily is my assistant and good friend.  I adore her.  A lot.  Last June I had the great privilege of photographing her wedding to her long time partner Michelle.  I shot their wedding again in December when Washington State made it legal for same sex couples to marry (go Washington!!  Woohoo)  Now Lily and Michelle are expecting their first baby!!  I couldn't be happier for these two! Here are a few images from Lily and Michelle's maternity session.  We shot these in the alley behind my studio. It was a beautiful day, and we all had a blast!  We also took some photos inside, but I'll share those later.

These images were shot on my Mamiya 645 with Portra 400

Are you as obsessed with it as I am?  Can't. Stop. Pinning.  If you're a pinner, let me know!  I'd love to follow you!  And you can follow me too!  See you on the boards!

I'm so happy to be able to share the news that my work was featured today on one of my favorite blogs, Light Inspired!  I would love it if you took a moment to check it out! (click HERE) Thank you!

Sandra

All of this lovely sunshine we're been having is reminding me that Spring is really here!!  And with spring, comes the oprotunity for family photo sessions outside!!  Woohoo! I'm always asked what are the best parks for out door family session, and I always say "it depends on what you want".

• Do you want cool urban photos?
• Are you looking for a great beach with tall grass and sunset views?
• Are you afraid that your toddler will end up a muddy mess and would really love somewhere that has paved paths?
• Do you love the look of big dramatic trees?
• Or would you rather have great city views?

Well to help you organize your thoughts, I've put together a handy dandy little chart that lists all of my favorite parks and their attributes.  Please use it to find the park that works best for you!  And then give me a call or send me an email to set up your family session!

I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!

-Sandra

Love the chart?  Think others will too?  Well then feel free to share it on Facebook!  Tweet it!  Pin it!  Sharing is caring my friends!

Let me introduce you to the lovely Helena Gogo, daughter to friend and photographer extraordinaire Christina Mallet, and quite possibly the cutest little girl EVER!!!