Tags : Arizona, Babies, Chandler, Gilbert, Kids, Mesa, Photographer, Photography, Pictures, Studios
Tags : Arizona, Gilbert, Kids, Photographer, Photography, Pictures, Studios
I love taking photographs of my kids. They are just amazing to me and never cease to make me laugh.
One of the things I love about photography is getting a snapshot of that special moment in time. I love spending time with them and enjoying the things they do that are unique to them. The great thing about capturing those moments is that when I look at the photos it helps me think about all things they were doing at that time of their life.
I am looking forward to Christmas this year since they both are into it. I am trying not to spoil them too much. Sophia will be three next month and Lilly is 20 months. Time flies when you’re having fun.
Have a Merry Christmas, I know I will.
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Family Portraits, Gilbert, Kids, Mesa, Photography, Pictures, Scottsdale, Studios
Here are a few of the photographs from our Pumpkin Patch Pics event. My little girl is the cute cowgirl. 
I had a really great time with our Pumpkin Patch photographs this year. This was the best fall set I think I have ever seen except for Mother Nature in New England. There were so many great costumes. I am always surprised at how many different costumes there are and how creative people are.
We photographed a duck and some turkeys and a few princesses, a cowgirl, a clown and few ninjas. There were more but you’ll have to look at our facebook page to see all of them.
I always enjoy photographing the kids in their costumes. It seems like Halloween is as much or more for the parents. Being a parent myself I confess that I enjoy seeing my little girls all dressed up. Often the children are struggling to walk in their costumes with out falling down or they are trying to pull the hat or head off.
All in all it was a success, although I would like to see more people next year. Next year will be even better.
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Children, Family Portraits, Kids, Mesa, Photography, Pictures
I am really excited that we are doing this after taking a break for so many years. Some of you remember the halloween photos from the old photography studio. I get a little nostalgic thinking about all the kids in their costumes and how excited they are to be whatever superhero or princess they chose. I remember some of the children standing there on our photography set surrounded with pumpkins and corn stalks, a little shy and not knowing what to do. It was always fun and exhausting at the same time.
I see photography through different eyes now that I am a parent. It touches me in a more personal way. Even as I am thinking about all the kids we photographed in the past I imagine my girls and wonder what halloween will be like for them.
There aren’t many things better than pretending to be someone or something. And then there’s the candy thing. Who doesn’t like that?
The best part for me is I get to have all those memories of not only my kids pictures but everyone else’s too.
By the way, the chef below is mine! This year she is going to be an indian princess.
Bring your children in their costumes to LAMAR STUDIOS and we’ll photograph them on our fabulous Fall Set. For $5 you’ll recieve a 5×7 of your little ones compliments of Lamar Studios.
You can also vote for the best costume! The winner will recieve a $50 gift certificate to Joe’s Farm Grill in Agritopia. We will announce the winner on our Facebook fan page on November 10th.
-DETAILS-
• Good for one 5×7 per family. (Additional prints may be purchased)
• One grouping per family.
• Please, no scary costumes.
• Saturday Oct. 30th at 10:00am to 4:00pm. First come first serve, no appointment necessary.
• Food for the Hungry is a faith based non-profit organization. To find out more about Food for the Hungry go to http://www.fh.org/
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Children, Family Portraits, Gilbert, Kids, Mesa, Photography, Pictures
Posted under : Uncategorized
Over the years we have been fortunate to get to know the Robertson family. They have come into Lamar Studios for family photography, puppy photos, senior pictures and sister photos among other things. So when Melinda, their mom, called us to see if we would photograph her beautiful daughters for a special honor they we were receiving we said YES!
All 3 girls attended Valley Christian High School, and were very active in athletics, especially basketball. The girls wore the same number on their jersey, (I think it’s the one mom wore when she was in high school}, number 31. Since Quinn, the youngest of the three is now graduating, the school has decided to retire the jersey number 31 as a special honor to the Robertson girls for all their hard work and contribution to VCHS’s auspicious girls athletic program over the years… Yea, they were that good! Isn’t that cool???
Anyway, we wanted to say “a big congratulations” to Alex, Lyndsay, and Quinn Robertson. Way to go girls! ~ Bethany
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Children, Family Portraits, Kids, Photographer, Photography, Pictures, Senior Pictures, Senior Portraits, Studios
Posted under : Uncategorized
I’ve always believed that the best time of day to photograph almost anything is just after sunrise or just before sunset. The problem with that is that most of us aren’t prepared to do that. Just try telling your teenager that you are getting them up at 5 am for a family photo shoot. I’d like to see that face just for fun but you get the idea. The same thing goes for sunset. It’s the witching hour for young kids, can you say terrible twos. I won’t even book a two year old in the late afternoon because it only works out about one out of a hundred times.
So the light is great at sunrise and sunset but the people aren’t in a great mood, so what do you do? The truth is that the best light is the light when you get everyone looking good, not squinting or throwing a fit or bags under their eyes etc. although we can usually fix the bags in Photoshop.
Here are a few things I often do with families and groups. Have them face away from the sun. Unless your family members are professional models or you want them all wearing sunglasses they probably can’t help but squint. Not the best photo. Next I try to have them all in the same light. I often see photographs where some of the people are in shade and the rest are in sun. This makes for a lot of contrast, which most digital cameras can’t handle. Either the highlights will be blown out or the shadows will be muddy or blocked. I also try to get people sitting or standing comfortably. It’s not always possible but people look better when they feel better. I once photographed a man when he was sick and his face looked a shade of green in the picture. I never thought that was possible.
I don’t want to get too technical because for most people they just want a to take a decent photo of their family with their digital camera. If you can, do a test shot before you are ready to take their picture. Read your camera manual. I’m a pro and I keep my manual in my camera bag most of the time.
The important thing is to get the picture. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I would rather you get an okay photo of your family than say “oh the light isn’t right I guess we’ll wait ‘till next week” or whatever. While your goal is better photos, any photo is better than no photo. Can you imagine a photo album with no photos because the light wasn’t the best? Leave perfect for God.
Shoot often and have fun.
Jon Lamar
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Family Portraits, Gilbert, Kids, Mesa, Photography, Pictures, Senior Portraits, Studios
Posted under : Family
Every morning when I go down the stairs to get my two girls I have a good idea what is going to happen. First I go to Sophie’s room and get her out of her crib. This usually requires a little dialogue and trust me when I say that girl can talk and talk. After I get her out of her crib I ask her if she wants to get Lilly and she bolts out of her room and flings open Lilly’s door. I often carry her in just because she is so rowdy and has no concern about how loud or what might be in the way. Subtlety is not her strong suit but you have to love her enthusiasm.
Lilly is generally standing up and ready to get out of her crib. She’s a peach. She has this infectious smile and way about her. Sophie is saying “hi Lilly” “hi Lilly” over and over. Lilly just says aghh, at least that’s what it sounds like to me but it probably means get me out of here. At this point Sophie’s on the ground and I pick Lilly up and head for the stairs. That’s when I hear “two gorels” which has a great deal of inflection and really means, daddy carry both of us girls up the stairs at the same time. Now I know why my back hurts. They love it and so do I. It’s such a little thing but it touches my heart everyday. That’s what I love about life. There are all of these little moments that happen in life and we are all blessed to be a part of. I know one day either she’ll quit asking or they’ll be too heavy, but until then I’m going to keep picking them up and hauling them up the stairs. They’re not heavy, they’re my two gorels.
Tags : Babies, Children, Family Portraits, Gilbert, Kids, Photography, Pictures, Senior Portraits, Studios
I look at my strawberry blonde baby with her big crystal blue eyes and wide grin with just the two lower teeth showing and I can’t remember my life 1 year and 1 day ago. I know my life must have been “less messy” with just one baby in the house instead of the two we have now. There was less laundry, less dishes in the sink, a little more leisure time, and a little more money in the checkbook. I know there had to have been a lot more sleep in my life 1 year and 1 day ago, but I don’t care. The arrival of Lilly in our family has made this year so incredible, so exhausting and well, so miraculous. I just wish I could rewind and replay most of it, so I could try and absorb it and savor it for just a little while longer. Her first year went way too fast, as did Sophie’s, and now my baby girl is now 1.
As many of my friends are visiting colleges for their daughters and throwing graduation parties, planning weddings and even … ahem, baby showers for their grand babies, I have potty-training , 1st sleep over’s and swim lessons ahead of me and I’m thrilled.
So I will count my blessings, knowing I have so much to look forward to, being thankful for the past and what it’s taught me, and to be in the moment as often as I possibly can. ~Bethany
Tags : Arizona, Babies, Chandler, Children, Family Portraits, Gilbert, Kids, Photographer, Photography, Pictures, Senior Portraits, Studios
I had to take Sophie for her 2 year check-up and to get her immunization shots a few weeks ago. Sophie loves the pediatrician, she talks about Dr. Mohler and how excited she is to get a sticker… amazing. What a brave little thing, I make Jon go with me so he can hold her during her shots and I can slip out to “settle up” at the front desk . Yeah, I admit it; I’m a big chicken. I can remember my mom taking me to the doctor as a kid. It must have been traumatizing, because to this day, I really hate going to the doctor, and tend to avoid it even when I shouldn’t. I think I even fainted once because I had gotten so worked up over getting a shot. Not my Sophie, she likes to go. I’m grateful that she won’t have the same “phobia” about doctors as her mom. Maybe it has something to do with our wonderful pediatrician and her staff at Desert Shores Pediatrics.
The office has a super cute beach theme, with Disney like beach murals, cool surfboards and fun décor. Their waiting rooms look more like play rooms, with great kid movies playing and fun toys and stuff to do while you wait. Did I also mention the awesome giant beach photos of really cute kids on their walls? What a wonderful idea to feature photography of her kids as well as her staff’s kids and some of her little patients in the photos gracing the walls of both their offices. When we were asked to do the photos we were thrilled.
That was a really fun shoot. It was a little chaotic at times with so many little guys running around in the water and sand. So we just stepped back and let all the fun happen. The result was magical.
Anyway, it’s a very fun, welcoming and happy place and I’m glad Dr. Mohler has been a long time client of ours. She is a great pediatrician and friend, and for some reason, Sophie can’t wait to go back. ~Bethany
Tags : Arizona, Chandler, Children, Family Portraits, Kids, Photography, Pictures
Posted under : Family
