Simply b Photos

New Website!!

2010-03-18T17:21:00.001-07:00

I have a new website! I'll be posting there from now on.

Click here to visit.

Myah and Quincy

2010-03-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

When Nancy contacted me about doing these pictures, she mentioned the need to get them done before Myah grew out of the "dressing up is fun to do" stage. Sadly it happens around age 9 or 10. Tutus and fairy wands don't hold the allure they once did.

Quincy dove right in, immediately dressing up and dancing and twirling. At first there was the smallest resistance on Myah's part, which she soon overcame in her own grown up way. She twirled and laughed and struck the most wonderful poses.

The hardest part of these sister sessions is choosing which pictures to post.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do...

Stephannie and Shawn

2010-03-08T13:29:00.000-08:00

Sisters have a special connection. {I know because I have six of them.} It was a joy to photograph this family. I loved watching the interaction between the girls. So different and yet there was the connection. Plain as day. What a great family.

Amy and Cameron

2010-03-05T21:04:00.000-08:00

Today a busy 18 month old walked into my studio. He brought his parents along too.

He has the most fabulous curls and I couldn't get enough of his beautiful blue eyes!

Here is a preview of the shoot... I'll be posting more later.

Fairy Abby

2010-03-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

These princess/fairy shoots are so much fun.

Each little princess brings her own personality to the session. They make me laugh with their delightful smiles and genuine enthusiasm. There is a sense of wonder in their eyes. It has become my mission to capture that moment.

Abby was a darling. She brought her own red sparkly "tap" shoes. I wish I'd had a red tutu to go along. I'll be looking for one now.

I had to catch a shot of her in her XtraTuffs {required Kodiak footwear} when it was time to leave. The sun might have been shining, but there was a sharp chill in the air. She didn't bat an eyelash as she strutted away in full fairy gear. A true Alaskan princess.

*These sessions are $59 for a limited time and your princess keeps the tutu, wand, halo, and wings.

Let me know if you are interested in booking a session.

Eli and Angela

2010-02-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

Despite a tsunami advisory and blizzard warning, we headed out to the beach to catch some family pictures. I am so glad we did. The light was perfect.

It also helped that this family is absolutely gorgeous.

Let me say it again.

Absolutely. Gorgeous.

I loved this shoot.

Enjoy!

We Have a Winner...

2010-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Sarah (starlitcreations)!

Contact me at amy@simplybphotos.com to set up your shoot!

February Giveaway

2010-02-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

It's time for a giveaway!

Do you know what I love about doing giveaways? I love hearing from all of you! I love meeting new people and getting to know them; it's one of the reasons I enjoy photography so much. After I take pictures of a family, I feel like I have new friends. It's really an incredible experience.

I had a great time reading all of the comments during my last giveaway. I'm slightly narcissistic. Can you be slightly narcissistic? If you read my family blog you'd already know that about me; it's less about my family and more about me.

I digress... I was talking about the giveaway.

What:

This month I'm giving away a Princess Package. A 30 minute photoshoot for your little girl. She'll get to take home a wand and a halo when we're through. I've got dresses, tutus, pettiskirts, boas, gloves, bows, hats... plenty of fun dress up supplies. We will have a fabulous time!

This prize is transferable. You can gift it to any little girl you know. I'd suggest that it is good for girls ages 6 months through 8 years.

If she's not a fan of pink or princesses, we can do a simple shoot without all the dress up.

Click here, here, or here to see some princess pictures I've done.

If you don't have a little girl in your life and would like to do a simple shoot of your little boy, we can do that too!

How:

The point of the giveaway is to get my name out in the community, to meet new people, to introduce others to Simply b Photos.

In order to enter the giveaway, you can enter a comment at the end of this post. If the comments won't work for you, send me an email to simplybphotos@gmail.com and I'll make sure you get an entry.

But what I'd really like {and how you can get extra entries} is to have you help me promote Simply b Photos.

Here are some ideas...

Become a fan of Simply b Photos on Facebook (see link at bottom of page).

Post about this giveaway on Facebook or other social networks or website.

Write about Simply b Photos on your blog.

If you've had pictures taken by me before, write a review on my Facebook page.

Be creative.

Let me know how you told others about Simply b and this giveaway and you can get multiple entries!

When:

Entries for the giveaway will be accepted until Friday February 26th. I'll announce the winner on Saturday February 27th.

The package will expire May 1, 2010 unless other arrangements are made.

Who:

Anyone may enter. Really.

Thank you for your support of Simply b Photos. I really love what I do. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Kyle

2010-02-22T12:29:00.001-08:00

Kyle's Eagle Court of Honor is this Thursday.

Congratulations Kyle on a job well done!

Headbands

2010-02-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

I have a friend on the island who makes the most adorable felt flower headbands!

She made this one for Miss B. It's absolutely perfect.

She sells them for a song at Ton of Fun in downtown Kodiak.

And by a song I mean $6 - $12!

Stop by and check them out! You won't be disappointed.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T19:06:00.000-08:00

I photograph my daughter 10x more than my sons.

They don't mind.

But today I insisted on a mini photoshoot.

I actually captured some natural smiles... mission accomplished!

Tomorrow I'll be posting about a new giveaway...

Happy Valentine's Day.

Miss B's Blessing Day

2010-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've done an official photo shoot of Miss B.

She was blessed at our church this morning and I was grateful for the excuse to take pictures.

She is so adorable in her little white dress; she definitely has us wrapped around her finger.

Kate and Her Girls

2010-02-05T15:38:00.000-08:00

Kate is expecting a baby next month.

A baby boy!

Isn't she gorgeous?

She makes the eighth month of pregnancy look amazing.

I was so pleased that she came to see me to get some pictures of her and her girls before their little brother made an appearance.

Simply b

2010-02-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

It took me a while to come up with the name for my burgeoning photography business. It had to be just right. I didn't know what that meant... exactly. But I just kept trying, testing, tasting different names. The way they rolled of the tongue. How they looked in print. How they made me feel.

And then one morning there it was. Simply b.

I knew at once that I had found my name.

At first glance it's a nod to my daughter. Miss B. But upon further reflection it is a statement describing my style. My process when taking photographs. I want each picture to be a moment. Your moment. Simple, yet you. It's not about the photograph. It's about the memory that is captured therein. It's about the way it makes you feel when you see it.

Be. Simply.

When I first heard this song, a video began to create itself in my mind. The families I've photographed. The relationships between parents and children.... brothers and sisters... moms and dads. As I listened to the words, their moments fit.

I hope you enjoy watching these memories and listening to this song.

Michaela's Video

2010-02-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

Cecilia

2010-01-29T23:41:00.000-08:00

This little precious came back today for a few more pictures.

She is such a beautiful baby!

Melissa and Casey

2010-01-28T22:38:00.000-08:00

This great family came to take pictures yesterday. Their sweet new baby sister was only 2 weeks old {Mom looks amazing by the way...}! I enjoyed this shoot so much. We got to do family pictures, baby pictures, princess pictures... I loved it!

Michaela

2010-01-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

I promised I'd be back with more of this beautiful little girl. I loved this photo shoot. Each picture captures a little piece of her personality.

Her christening gowns were beautiful. One new and one vintage that her mother wore. Simply stunning.

I am always stunned by the simple beauty in a child's portrait. The innocence in their eyes. Their soft skin. The peace and joy they radiate. I'm so glad to be a part of it.

Enjoy!

Giving Candy to a Baby

2010-01-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

This little sweetie came over this afternoon to commemorate turning six months old. I'm still busy editing, but I had to share these. I just couldn't wait.

I found the cutest heart shaped lollipops and knew they'd be perfect for pictures. Of course I had to dress her up in a tutu and bow to finish the look.

Her parents were great sports about letting me give her her first sweet treat and we had so much fun watching her.

She wasn't sure about it at first...

But then she studied it...

And studied it some more...

I think she made a decision...

You be the judge...

Standby for more pictures of this little girl.

Video Add On

2010-01-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

This video includes many of the pictures I took at my last photo shoot. Let me know what you think.

Dani and John

2010-01-19T21:36:00.000-08:00

Simply the fact that this photo shoot was possible is a mini miracle. It had been raining for weeks. Kaili was heading back to college today and yesterday was our last chance for family pictures.

Voila.

The heavens opened (or closed... whichever way you look at it) and we actually saw a bit of blue sky and rays of sun. Shortly after our shoot, it started raining again and this morning we woke up to snow.

Dani is a good friend of mine and I had so much fun with her and her family. It was just like going for a walk with them.

Enjoy!

Congratulations...

2010-01-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who entered!

As I wrote out each name I kept thinking... Oh! I hope they win! By the time I put all the entries in the bowl I wanted to give everyone a free session!

I loved reading the wonderful comments. Thank you. I hope I get the chance to meet you and take pictures for your family. It would be my pleasure.

Well, here goes ...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Josh had the honor of picking the name.

Melissa Griffin... Congratulations!

I admit I laughed. Because according to Beth, you are the lucky one!

Melissa, contact me to set up your session.

And for everyone else... I'd love to hear from you too!

Contact information is at the bottom of the page.

Mahal

2010-01-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

First... if you are here to enter the drawing for the free Family Photo Session, click here.

Now onto the latest pictures...

This sweet little bundle is only a couple weeks old. She is so tiny and perfect... and alert. She would feign sleep and then peek out of one eye to make sure we were still there and watching. What she wanted most was to stay cozy in mommy's arms.

Enjoy!

Basic Family Portrait Session GIVEAWAY

2010-01-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about this...

I'm giving away a Basic Family Portrait Session! This session will take about an hour and includes one location. We can do outdoor shots if the weather cooperates, or indoor shots against a black and/or white backdrop. I recommend bringing a change of clothes for several different looks.

You'll receive a CD with your edited pictures and a copyright release. They will be high resolution so that you can print your pictures through a service of your choice (such as Shutterfly or Snapfish). A typical one hour shoot will usually produce 10-15 pictures, each edited in different finishes for you to choose from.

This session can be booked anytime between now and June 1, 2010.

This is open to anyone and everyone! Please tell your friends!

There are multiple ways to enter:

1. Leave me a comment on this post.

2. Become a fan of Simply b Photos on Facebook. (click here)

3. Write about this giveaway on your blog.

4. Tell your friends about this giveaway on your Facebook page.

This means you can get up to four entries! Please leave me a comment for each entry you should receive, just tell me what you did to get the entry.

This Giveaway is transferrable! So if you want to enter and give the photo session to a friend... please do!

This giveaway will close on January 15th and I'll announce the winner on January 16th.

If you have trouble leaving a comment, send me an email to amy@simplybphotos.com and I'll add an entry for you!

Candice and Dave

2010-01-04T18:40:00.000-08:00

I love this family! And I love these pictures!

I could tell right away we were going to have a good time. They were so relaxed and natural. Teasing and laughing the whole time. It was perfect.

Enjoy!

Stacie and Hayward

2009-12-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

What a great family.

Again with the gorgeous eyes... lucky lucky me!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I loved taking them.

Santa Baby Brent

2009-12-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

I did a photo shoot today of a beautiful family. I told myself I was going to wait until after Christmas to edit the pictures. I have a whole lot going on right now... like preparing for our Christmas Eve party tomorrow night for which we are expecting 40 guests. But I just couldn't resist editing and posting these pictures.

This little boy was an absolute angel.

And the perfect Santa.

You'll get the chance to see more of him and his wonderful family in a few days.

Till then...

Merry Christmas!

Miss B

2009-12-22T21:21:00.001-08:00

She loves her daddy.

Candance and Chris

2009-12-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

Although drizzling and overcast today, we headed out down a path this family frequents often to catch some pictures. Little Caleb charmed me the whole time. He sang and talked and was just too cute. Thanks for letting me come along with you today! What a beautiful family!

Jennifer and Phillip

2009-12-18T23:21:00.000-08:00

When I checked the weather this morning it was a brisk 7* with a windchill of -10*. But the sun came up and the skies were beautiful and I couldn't pass up the chance to take some pictures.

Talk about good sports... this family was amazing. Little Henry was wearing 4 full outfits... one right on top of the other. He was adorable!

We headed back to the house and got some great indoor shots too! Andrew waited patiently for his candy cane and did just what he was supposed to... smile and look cute.

Henry tried his hardest... but in the end... well, you can only expect so much of a guy. Right? {You'll see what I mean...}

Fairy Julia Continued

2009-12-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

Did I mention how much fun these princess fairy shoots are? This charming little girl knew exactly how a fairy should dance, flit, skip and twirl. It just comes natural I suppose. I'll be adding a few more pictures from this shoot to this post as I get them finished...

Julia

2009-12-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

Oh. My. Goodness.

I am in love with this little girl. This is just a small preview of the pictures I took of her. I took a million. I could have taken two million. Easy. I'd like to follow her around all day with a camera. Is that weird?

Regardless... here is a sneak peak of this little princess. Can't wait to finish the other 999,995.

Crystal and Chad

2009-12-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

Another gorgeous day in Kodiak! We've known this family since we arrived on the island. They are great friends and I was so excited to take pictures for them. Here are a few of my favorites...

Ballerina

2009-12-13T21:31:00.000-08:00

I'm still working my way through editing the photos from the Princess Fairy shoot I did, but I had to post this picture. Her eyes are stunning. They stopped me in my tracks and I had to share them with you...

Ambee and Dan

2009-12-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day in Kodiak for pictures! Not a cloud in the sky, ice crystals on the grass and on the trees... the Christmas Spirit in the air.

This cute family was so fun to photograph! The girls ran here and there and twirled and danced. They even helped me take pictures of their parents! I hope you enjoy the pics!

Suzi and Jake

2009-12-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas is in the air! I loved taking this family's Christmas portraits... made extra special knowing that next year they'd be a family of 4! Suzi had an adorable little baby bump and she and Jake were too cute together. And Rhett? Well he was so agreeable! He smiled until his cheeks hurt. It was hard to tell which one of them was more excited about the baby. But Suzi was definitely glowing! Thanks guys... I hope you like them.

Fairy Princess Package

2009-12-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

My princess/fairy/tea party dress ups are here! I had the most adorable models come and play dress up yesterday.

I had so much fun watching them transform from little girls into fairy princesses. They knew exactly how to walk, dance, skip, grant wishes... it just came naturally. I was fascinated.

I have three boys: ages 13, 9, and 7 and I have a major soft spot in my heart for little boys. However, my life has been void of pink until our Miss B arrived 6 months ago. I've decided that's why I'm drawn to these princess shots. I can't get enough pink.

So bring your little girl over. We'll dress her up and play princess and fairy and have a tea party! I'll capture the magic of the moment for you to remember forever.

These pictures show the halo, wand, wings and tutu included in the $59 package. After her photo shoot, your little fairy will get to take home the complete set.

Over the next few days I'll be adding pictures of the other dress ups and packages that I have available. Please email me at simplybphotos@gmail.com or give me a call at 907-460-3774 for more information.

Monkeying Around

2009-11-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

Our Miss B turns 6 months old tomorrow.

What a character!

She is starting to find her sit bones... I love how these pictures show off her new posture!

Nicole and Jared

2009-11-28T20:36:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous family stopped by today for family pictures. I was in awe of little Miss Ava's eyes the entire time. What an adorable baby!

Ashley and Andrew

2009-11-25T20:22:00.001-08:00

My friend's daughter and her fiance came to Kodiak to spend Thanksgiving with them. This morning we toured the island and took engagement pictures. It was cold and cloudy. Typical Kodiak. We got some amazing shots though.

Congratulations Ashley and Andrew! Thanks for letting me share in the joy of your engagement.

The Earle Family 2009

2009-11-24T16:18:00.001-08:00

Dena and Glen

2009-11-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

As a new photographer I worry about all photo shoots. I worry about weather, I worry about backdrops, I worry about lighting. I worry about blur. I worry about editing. I suppose that when I'm an old photographer I'll still worry. But sessions like this... well, they just make my day. My week actually.

The colors Dena picked were stunning in the studio. Her kids smiled and sat up straight... and when I downloaded the pictures I couldn't stop smiling. Editing these pictures has officially brought me into the Christmas spirit. I've been listening to Christmas music and thinking about what my family should wear on Christmas Sunday... and what goodies I'll be making this season.

I digress.

Here's a peek at the pictures. A good size peek. A chunk if you will.

I asked this little boy about his mommy.
He looked at her with such adoration...

And what can I say about a daddy and his little girl?

Princess Fairy Photo Shoots

2009-11-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

Simply b is now offering the opportunity to capture the memory of your princess fairy!

Two packages to choose from. Each package will allow your little princess to take home a reminder of the day!

Now scheduling photo sessions for December...

Package A - $39

30 minute session
Dress up in tutu or pettiskirt and matching wings
Take home fairy halo and fairy wand with ribbon (pink or lavender)
High resolution CD with 5-6 edited pictures

Package B - $59 (limited slots available)

30 minute session
Dress up in tutu and matching wings with
fairy halo and fairy wand with ribbon
Take home tutu, wings, halo and wand! (*See picture below... package will be hot pink rather than green)
High resolutin CD with 5-6 edited pictures

Comments

2009-11-16T12:56:00.001-08:00

I didn't realize that comments haven't been working since I updated my blog! But I got it figured out... thank goodness. I couldn't stand the silence.

So let me know what you think! I'm listening...

Christina and Brad

2009-11-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

I watched the weather closely for days in anticipation of this shoot. As soon as the clouds parted we headed out to see what we could see. There were still gusts of wind and blowing snow and my fingers almost froze to my lens, but with this couple I couldn't help but smile!

I wasn't kidding about gusts of wind!

One of my favorites... I love that you can see Christina's reflection in Brad's glasses!

There were plenty of high jinks which made for great photo ops...

I have no doubt they'll live happily ever after.

Emily and Jake

2009-11-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

We had the perfect weather for these pictures. Freshly fallen snow transformed the location into a winter wonderland!

Melissa and Mike

2009-11-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

Can you say beautiful? This family was so easy to photograph! I don't think they could take a bad picture.

Thanks Mike and Melissa for letting me capture these moments for your family.

Melanie and Mark

2009-11-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

This shoot was so much fun. I mean seriously laughing my head off couldn't hold my camera steady kind of fun!!

Mel and Mark (especially Mark!), thanks for being such great sports!

2009-11-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

2009-11-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

Little Britches Continued...

2009-10-31T20:58:00.000-07:00

Shortly before donning their costumes to go trick or treating, the little britches headed out to the fairgrounds with me to get some family pictures.

Michaela

2009-10-31T15:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I got to take pictures of little Michaela and her parents. She was a little unsure of the whole thing at first...

Then her mom got her dressed. She wore the same christening gown that her mom wore... and she was beautiful in it! As I edited this picture I couldn't help but fast forward twenty someodd years and picture her mom helping her button her wedding dress.

She was most content in daddy's arms.

Look at those eyes!

Even though there was a nip in the air, outside was where she was most comfortable.

I love this picture! I love the way dad is looking at mom!

Thanks Jason and Becca! You have a beautiful family!

Little Britches

2009-10-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that I am having the best time. The families I have had the privilege to work with the last week have been marvelous. These kiddos are no exception... from their precious smiles right down to their little cowboy boots, I was smitten!

Fresh from Heaven

2009-10-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

This little angel is one week old today.
I had the pleasure of spending the morning with her and her beautiful family.

One of my favorite shots of the day!

Beautiful big sister...

Peek a Boo!

2009-10-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Four Legged Friends

2009-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

What a great day for taking pictures. The weather couldn't have been better.
Trudy was completely relaxed and I was instantly at ease around her dogs.
I enjoyed catching a few fun moments of their time together.

In the Trees

2009-10-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

6 months

2009-10-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

This little guy was so much fun! He smiled on cue and did everything I asked.

Here's a few of the shots we got this morning.

He's the spitting image of his father.

I wonder if there's a photo like this one in his grandparent's photo album?

Overwhelmed!

2009-10-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

I'm honestly overwhelmed at the response I've gotten! Thank you so much for your positive feedback and wonderful compliments. It certainly strokes the ego!

I've filled the 3 half priced sessions and I've started filling up my schedule for holiday shoots {is that even the correct term? I'll have to look it up!}. Let me know if you are interested.

Remember that for the $75 you get an hour and a half session (you can bring changes of clothes or props or whatever). I'll give you a CD with the edited photos that you can have printed wherever you like. You can even send them to stores located near your relatives and they can pick them up!

I'm looking forward to working with you!

Thanks!

2009-10-22T15:40:00.001-07:00

Thanks for your amazing response to Simply b. I'm blown away! I've filled my 5 free photo sessions and I can't wait to meet the families that signed up! We're going to have a great time.

Because of how great it feels to be appreciated, I'm offering 3 half-priced sessions {$37}!

Email me or comment here to get in on the deal.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Free Pics

2009-10-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the inauguration of Simply b Photos...

I'm offering a limited number of free photo sessions!

Interested?

Leave me a comment!

Our Miss B

2009-10-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

My journey with photography really started after our own Rebecca Jane... aka Betsy... aka Miss B joined our family. After three rough and tumble boys and almost 7 years between our youngest boy and our new daughter I wanted to capture every memory. Every smile. Every first.

I'm fascinated with the art of photography. Or the science. Maybe both... I'm not sure.

I love taking pictures that make you smile. And sigh. And remember.

Here are a few pictures I've taken of our own Miss B... my inspiration.

A Sampling

2009-10-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

A Sampling

2009-10-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

My Family

2009-10-21T21:18:00.000-07:00