Kimberly Smith Photography

Beautiful Ballerina {East Idaho Ballet Photographer}

2012-02-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE it when I get to have a "creative" session and try new lighting and posing techniques. This Ballerina session was so much fun! And the Ballerina is so beautiful. She has been dancing since she was a little girl and she is amazing. I had a chance to watch her dance for a few minutes before our photo session, as she finished up her practice session. Wow!!! Ballet is so beautiful! She has a competition coming up and I wish her all the best. I think she will do amazing!

I have quite a few images to share but for today I am going to just share a few. I will share more later as well. It is so hard not to just sit and "play" with them for hours! :)

Recipe Tuesday- Strawberry Valentine Crescents {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-02-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

Want a fun treat for Valentine's Day?

These yummy strawberry crescents are a delicious way to start your day or just make as a treat for the kids. They are especially delicious right out of the oven while they are still warm. They are easy enough that even your kids could make them. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!!!

Recipe Tuesday- Strawberry Valentine Crescents {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-02-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

"Share the Love" contest!!! {East Idaho photographer}

2012-02-12T22:56:00.005-07:00

Our "share the Love" contest has begun!!!

Do you love Valentine's Day as much as I do?

Then tell me!

I want you to share on our Business Facebook Page under the "Share the Love" banner, what you love most in this world and why.

Then I want you to go spread the word to your friends, family, acquaintances, and who ever else you can think of, and send them to our Facebook page and have them "like" or comment on your status. The person with the most likes and comments will
win a gift certificate worth $125
toward ANY future session.

Contest will run from Monday February 13th at 12 am until Sunday February 19th at midnight!

Good luck to all of you!!! I can't wait to hear about what you love most and why!

Tips and Tricks Thursday! Manual mode- ISO {East Idaho photographer}

2012-02-09T14:24:00.001-07:00

Tips and Tricks Thursday

So I just realized I totally spaced posting last week. I had just returned from my FUN trip to Nashville, Tennessee and Kentucky and I got so busy with my kids, house work, and clients that I forgot to post! Sorry for those of you who are following this every week. I will try to be better. :)

Chapter 2: Manual Mode Settings

Part B: ISO

Today I want to discuss ISO. What it is and how to use it.

Unless you've used film in the past, you probably don't know what ISO is and how it effects your photographs. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. In relation to photography, it essentially means your film speed. Film Speed is the amount of light that is needed to properly expose your film or image.

Even though your camera is probably not film but is digital, the ISO camera setting still has the same function as older film camera's. Camera ISO determines how sensitive the image sensor is to light.

If you go to any store and pick up a roll of film, you'll notice a number on the package. Generally it will be 100, 200, 400, or 800. That's the ISO number. The lower the ISO number the more light it will need to penetrate the film for proper exposure. 800 ISO film requires a lot less light to expose your picture properly than film with an ISO of 200.

Depending on your digital camera model you may have ISO settings that range even higher than 800. My camera can go to 3200 and the Canon 5D MarkII can go to 25600.

If you are unsure where to find the ISO settings on your camera, check out your owners manual. Most digital camera's now will allow you to set your own ISO. And if you know where it is to change it, you will have more control in different lighting situations.

The general rule of thumb- The lower ISO settings (100-400) are for daylight and situations where there is a lot of light. And the higher the ISO settings (800+) are for night and low light situations.

Here is a quick reference guide for ISO settings...

Use an ISO of 100 or 200 when taking photographs outside in sunny conditions.

If the sky is overcast or it is evening time, then use an ISO within the range of 400 to 800.

Night time or in cases of low light you might need to set your digital camera ISO to 1600 or higher if your camera will allow you to go higher. If you don't, then your photo will appear too dark, if at all.

How does the ISO speed affect the photographs end result?

If you set your digital camera to a low ISO, for example 100, the resulting photograph will be better quality than one set at 1600. The higher the ISO the more grainy the photo will look. I suggest going for a low ISO number whenever possible.

However there are circumstances where a lower quality photograph is better than none at all. For example, trying to take a picture in the evening when the sun is setting and there isn't very much natural light left. I had the opportunity to go to Grand Turks on one of our cruise ports last November and as I was headed back to board the cruise ship I wanted to get a shot of the ocean and an old dock. It was about 5:30 pm and there was hardly any light left. I cranked my ISO to 3200 and was still able to get enough light in to get the shot. The image is grainy, but I was still able to capture it. Here are the results...

This was shot with very little light using an ISO of 3200. By using the high ISO I was able to get a little more light into the sensor but the result is a grainy image. Having grain in the image was worth it to get this amazing shot of the clouds, sunset and water.

When you use your digital SLR camera in automatic modes such as portrait, landscape and sports etc, all basic settings like ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed are automatically made for you. There are times when you'll want to override these automatic settings and choose the ISO yourself.

When to use the ISO setting on a digital SLR camera

If you want to ensure the highest quality photograph possible.

The lower the ISO the better the quality. An ISO of 100 or 200 will give you a better quality photograph than one set at 1600. If the image is destined for website display, then this may not matter. However, if you wish to print the photograph, then you'll want to keep the ISO low. Otherwise it will look grainy or noisy (as it is also refered to).

If you want to take a photograph in dark situations and not use a tripod.

For example, if you are on a tour through a mountain cave or at a fish aquarium, a tripod may not be an option. In these cases, you could up your ISO to at least 800 or more. This way, your camera will automatically keep to a fast enough shutter speed for you to hand hold your camera. Yet still allow enough light in to your camera's sensor for a reasonable night shot. As explained in the first section, this would cause a grainy photograph. However, in some circumstances any photo is better than none.

If you want to take photographs in darker situations other than outdoors, without the use of a flash.

For example, if you were taking images in a museum or theatre, camera flash could be prohibited. Or if you were photographing a child blowing out their birthday cake candles. A bright flash could ruin the atmosphere. In this case you would keep the ISO at around 1600.

If you want to take a photograph indoors of a moving subject.

For example, if you were taking photographs of a basketball game at an indoors sports center. In these circumstances there isn't always enough natural light to take a good photo, while at the same time the players aren't going to stand still long enough for you to shoot at a slower shutter speed either. Therefore, you could up your ISO to 800 or more. Again, this would allow enough light in to your camera's sensor for a reasonable shot.

This was shot with an ISO of 160 on a bright sunny day. Exposure is good and there is very minimal grain in the image. Good quality image.

I hope you were able to learn something from this weeks "Tips and Tricks". Remember if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will answer it as best as I can.

Challenge:

Go play with your ISO in different lighting situations and use different shutter speeds to see the difference. If your ISO is too low for the lighting situation, your shutter speed may be to low to hand hold as well. Just play with it and try out different setting options and see what you get. I would love to see your results if you want to share.

Click here to go to our Facebook page

Have fun playing!!!

More of Baby "S" {East Idaho Baby Newborn Photographer}

2012-02-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more images from my newborn session yesterday. I can't believe how good he was. I am having a hard time not editing them ALL! Mom and Dad are going to have a hard time narrowing them down. :) He was such a calm baby that he let me do quite a bit with him.

Just as a side note- the last image was done very carefully and Mom and Dad were right there. I do not risk injuring a baby and make sure that safety comes first. Please- if you are a photographer, please make sure you "safely" pose babies. I know that there are a lot of stories out there on the web about the safety of newborns and it has become a serious issue and problem. I do like to be artistic but not at the risk of injury. :)

Baby "S" {East Idaho Newborn Photographer}

2012-02-07T23:32:00.000-07:00

I LOVE doing newborn sessions and this little cutie was so much fun. We have so many great images from today's session. He was such calm baby. Even when he was a wake (which wasn't too often), he was happy to just sit there and take it all in. I will try to share more images tomorrow. But for now I have a couple to share as a sneak peek. :)

Recipe Tuesday- Moist Pumpkin Bars {East Idaho Photographer}

2012-02-07T00:07:00.000-07:00

This weeks "Recipe Tuesday" is another pumpkin recipe. It is an easy one to make and so delicious! Even my kids like it. And they are a little picky when it comes to desserts. I actually made half of it with walnuts and half without, since I have several kids who don't like nuts. So if your family doesn't like nuts or if you have anyone in your family who is allergic to nuts, you can leave them off and it will still taste amazing! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Recipe Tuesday- Moist Pumpkin Bars

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Recipe Tuesday- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm, today is Recipe Tuesday and I decided to share our favorite cookie recipe- Pumpkin chocolate chip!!! The recipe is on the post below. But I wanted to also add that you don't always have to use canned, store bought pumpkin. In the fall when pumpkins are in season, I will cook up an entire pumpkin and use fresh pumpkin for the cookies. If you have never cooked your own pumpkin, its easy to do. Thoroughly wash the pumpkin really good and then prick it with a fork. Then place the pumpkin on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven at 350º for 30-45 minutes. When it is soft and collapsed a little, it is done. Take it out and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then peel off the out side skin and clean out the inside seeds. Chop the pumpkin flesh into cubes and puree it in a blender. Then put it in a container and refrigerate up to a week. I also will freeze some of it for future use in soups, bread, cookies and pumpkin rolls. YUM!!!

Recipe Tuesday-Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-31T10:32:00.000-07:00

Kentucky!!! {East Idaho Photographer}

2012-01-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I have throughly enjoyed our visit to Kentucky. We will be sad to leave and head back home to snow and cold. I have a feeling it won't be long before we visit again. :)

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite images that I took one day when we went to visit a horse racing ranch. This ranch trains hundreds of horses to compete in horses races all around the country. We got to get up close and personal with them. The scenery out there was gorgeous and of course I was a camera-happy fool. I just can't help myself. :)

My daughter LOVED being able to talk and cuddle with a lot of the horses in the barn.

Tricks & Tips Thursday! White Balance... {Eastern Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2012-01-26T15:59:00.002-07:00

Tips and Tricks Thursday

Are you ready to start focusing on the steps to do manual mode in your camera? Today we will discuss white balance- why is it important and how you control your white balance in the camera...

Chapter 2: Manual Mode Settings

Part A: White Balance

White balance is critical in helping your photos to be the "right" color. When you set your camera to auto white balance, your camera is "guessing" what the color range is. Hopefully after todays tips you will understand and know how to set your white balance correctly to achieve the best color possible.

Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "color temperature" of the light source you are shooting in. Our eyes are pretty good at judging what is white under different light sources but digital camera's often have difficulty with auto white balance and sometime will create unsightly blue, orange, yellow, red or green casts. Understanding digital white balance can help you avoid color casts and help you to achieve better photos in different lighting situations.

So for those of you who have been avoiding White Balance – let me introduce you to it. I promise to keep it as simple as possible.

Adjusting White Balance

Different digital cameras have different ways of adjusting white balance so you’ll need to get out your camera’s manual out to work out the specifics of how to make changes. Many digital cameras have automatic and semi-automatic modes to help you make the adjustments.

Preset White Balance Settings

Here are some of the basic White Balance settings you’ll find on cameras:

Auto – this is where the camera makes a best guess. You’ll find it works in many situations but it’s worth getting out of it for trickier lighting.
Tungsten – this mode is usually symbolized with a little bulb and is for shooting indoors, especially under tungsten (incandescent) lighting (such as bulb lighting). It generally cools down the colors in photos.
Fluorescent – this compensates for the ‘cool’ light of fluorescent light and will warm up your shots.
Daylight/Sunny – not all cameras have this setting because it sets things as fairly ‘normal’ white balance settings.
Cloudy – this setting generally warms things up a touch more than ‘daylight’ mode.
Flash – the flash of a camera can be quite a cool light so in Flash WB mode you’ll find it warms up your shots a touch.
Shade – the light in shade is generally cooler (bluer) than shooting in direct sunlight so this mode will warm things up a little.

Manual White Balance Adjustments

In most cases you can get a pretty accurate result using the above preset white balance modes – but some digital cameras (most DSLRs and higher end point and shoots) allow for manual white balance adjustments also.

The way this is used varies a little between models but in essence what you do is to tell your camera what white looks like in a shot so that it has something as a reference point for deciding how other colors should look. You can do this by buying yourself a white (or grey) card which is specifically designed for this task – or you can find some other appropriately colored object around you to do the job.

If you are unsure how to custom white balance on your camera check out your owner manual. When I custom white balance on my DSLR I set it to custom WB (white balance), then I take a picture of my grey card (I use an Expo disc) and then I go into my camera menu and click on "Custom WB". My camera will then allow me to select the image I just took with the grey card (an image that is completely grey). And then I am all set to go. Now my camera KNOWS what the color spectrum is and my colors will be more accurate out of camera.

Challenge for the week:

Take a picture of an object using all the Preset White Balance settings. Then custom white balance with your camera if it allows you to. Then look at all of them on the computer side by side and see the difference in your color casts. As you take images this week, try to remember to change your white balance according to the lighting your in.

Post to our Facebook Page your results!!! We'd love to see them!

Recipe Tuesday- Chai Tea Mix

2012-01-25T19:38:00.001-07:00

This week I am sharing my favorite beverage I like to relax with at the end of the day. If you love cinnamon, ginger and cloves you'll LOVE this recipe. I have even made batches to give away to friends and family. Everyone I have made it for, loves it!!! Grab a good book and make your self a cup today!

Recipe Tuesday- Chai Tea Mix {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Valentine's Mini Sessions!!! {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-19T13:36:00.002-07:00

Call today for an appointment time on the 4th of February!!! This is for EVERYONE!!! Even couples, grandparents, teenagers, kids, babies, etc...

Tips and Tricks Thursday! Manual mode {East Idaho photographer}

2012-01-19T12:36:00.002-07:00

Tip and Tricks Thursday

Did you work on playing with your aperture (f stops) and shutter speeds last week? I hope you were able to see the difference the f stops make in your depth of field and how important shutter speeds can be, especially in regard to "action" shots. If you didn't have a chance to play with it too much, try some more this week. I believe that if you can understand how the "S" (shutter priority) and "A" (aperture priority) modes work then getting into manual modes will be a little easier. When I first started learning how to shoot a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera I played a lot in the "S" and "A" modes and then went into manual mode and plugged in similar settings and then adjusted it to my liking.

Chapter 1: Learning your camera

Part C: Manual Mode

Manual mode is THE ONLY WAY to have total control of your camera. You tell it EVERYTHING. Once you learn to manual control your camera you will NEVER go back to Auto. I love having the control of telling my camera what I see.

Because manual control encompasses so many different options I am going to just briefly explain what you can control in this mode and then I will go more into depth on each setting over the next 5 weeks.

In manual mode you control:

White Balance:

This determines the color that your camera "sees". Your camera can be set to Auto white balance or custom white balance. By adjusting the white balance in your camera you are giving your camera a white colour for reference.

ISO:

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization. ISO is the method of adjusting the camera’s sensor to make it more sensitive to light. Higher ISO means higher sensitivity to light. Also the higher the ISO, the greater the noise of the camera will be making your image grainy. So to keep the noise at bay, you can take a few pictures at different ISO settings and check the resulting noise that you can bear to have.

Shutter Speeds and Aperture:

We will go more into depth on how the shutter speed and aperture go hand in hand with ISO.

Focal Points:

Focal points are so important on controlling where your focus is. You tell the camera what you want it to focus on, whether it be in the right corner, left bottom, etc. I love being able to adjust my focal points to get the specific area sharp tack.

Histograms:

If your camera will display a histogram after shooting an image, then you need to take advantage of this feature. By looking at the histogram of an image you can tell if the image was properly exposed or not. I will go into more details in one lesson on reading a histogram to make sure your image isn't under or over exposed.

Recipe Tuesday!!! Lemon Pepper Salmon

2012-01-17T07:07:00.001-07:00

If you like fish, this recipe is a must! You can use the ingredients on any kind of fish. I have cooked it this way with salmon, trout, cod, and more. Making it this way makes the fish tender and moist. My FAVORITE!!!

Tips & Tricks Thursday! Semi-Auto mode {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2012-01-12T11:26:00.001-07:00

Tips & Tricks Thursday

So how did you do on your challenge from last week? Did you play around with the different auto modes and experiment with what they could do? I hope it helped you to understand each icon on your dial a little better.

Today we will be addressing the other side of the dial- the semi-automatic mode. Now- some of your point and shoot cameras will allow you to do semi-automatic mode, but some will not. You will need to double check to see what your particular camera can do. If it isn't on a dial, it may be in your settings.

So are you ready for today's lesson? Well, here we go!

Lesson 1: Learning your camera

Part B: Semi-Automatic

Today I am going to explain three semi-auto functions.

1. Program Mode (P)

2. Shutter Priority Mode (S)

3. Aperture Priority Mode (A)

I will also post samples of effective use of these modes and ineffective use. The images I am sharing were taken last fall on a cruise I took with my Mom at one of our ports- St. Maartan. My Mom and I had the privilege of having a street vendor make us a basket from palm tree leaves.

1. Program Mode:

Some digital cameras have a priority mode in addition to the auto mode. In cameras that have both, Program mode is similar to Auto, but gives you a little more control over some additional features including flash, white balance, ISO, etc. Check your digital camera’s manual for how the Program mode differs from Automatic in your particular model. In fully Auto mode you can not adjust for white balance and ISO (don't worry if you don't know what ISO means. We will address this in future posts. But it basically means the sensitivity of the image sensor in your camera.) but in Program mode you can. Program mode is just a basic small step up from Auto and can be helpful if your lighting is low because you can raise the ISO higher in low light situations. It is also helpful in this mode to be able to tell your camera what the white balance is instead of your camera attempting to figure it out on its own.

2. Shutter Priority Mode:

In Shutter Priority mode you will set the shutter speed and the camera will choose the other settings for aperture, ISO, white balance, etc. Being able to set your own shutter speed is useful especially when taking action photos. The more you want to "freeze" the image the higher the shutter speed needs to be. It is also fun to set the shutter speed lower to capture flowing water or a large scenic view. When I am doing a family session I keep my shutter usually around 125. This enables me to hand hold my camera and still not get blurry images if someone moves just a little. If I have a lot of wiggly kids I will even bump it higher. One of the disadvantages of this mode is that the camera will try to set your ISO and aperture for you and if the lighting situation isn't good you will struggle with getting properly exposed images.

Here is an example of not enough shutter speed. The image is blurry because the shutter didn't close fast enough to "freeze" the motion. He was spinning these palm leaves so fast that I should have upped the shutter speed. But in this case I wanted the motion blur to show how fast he was spinning it. So depending on what you are going for in your image, you may want to "freeze" the motion or allow the motion to "blur". And both can be achieved by playing with your shutter speeds.

This image was taken at the same shutter speed but his hands weren't moving as fast in this image and so there wasn't as much blurring.

3. Aperture Priority Mode:

This mode is really a semi-automatic (or semi-manual) mode where you choose the aperture (often referred to as a "f stop") and then your camera chooses the other settings (shutter speed, white balance, ISO etc). Aperture priority mode is useful when you’re looking to control the depth of field in a shot. Choosing a larger number aperture means the aperture (or the opening in your camera when shooting) is smaller and lets less light in. This means you’ll have a larger depth of field (more of the scene will be in focus) but that your camera will choose a slower shutter speed. Small numbers means the opposite. This takes a little to get used to but once you do, it makes taking images fun. Especially if you are in a situation where there is a lot of "extra" stuff going on in the background. If you use a small number, the focus will be on the subject and all the background chaos will be blurred.

I chose to show this image for two reasons:

One- the shutter speed was fast enough to "freeze" the motion of his hands and

two- check out the great depth of field. This was achieved because the aperture was low enough to focus on the subject only which then blurred out the background.

Here is the finished basket! Here again the f stop was f4 and because of the small aperture the depth of field is awesome!

One last image-
This is a great example of when you want a higher f-stop and a higher shutter speed. If the f-stop would have been small the whole image would not have been in focus.

So always remember- MORE image in focus- higher the f stop and smaller area in focus the smaller the f-stop.

I hope you learned a lot from todays Tips &Tricks. Next week we will get more into manual settings and how they all work together.
See you next week!!!

Challenge for the week:
Get out your camera and play with the "S" and "A" modes. Try different scenarios. Do some with movement and do some where you work on your depth of field.

Make sure to post any images to my Facebook page! I'd love to see what you come up with!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

Darling baby "L" {East Idaho Falls Baby Photographer}

2012-01-12T08:20:00.001-07:00

This little cutie came into the studio last week with her sisters to get her photo taken. She was so adorable. We couldn't get her to give very many smiles but she was so sweet.

Recipe Tuesday! YUM!!! {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

Its "Recipe Tuesday" again!!! And today we have an amazing appetizer to share! One of our favorites.

Mozzarella Sticks!!!

And if you have as cute of an assistant as I did to help you make yours, you can't go wrong! This is my adorable son. Isn't he cute? He helped to do everything except dip the cheese in the egg. That part was disgusting according to him. :)

Recipe Tuesday!!! Easy Mozzarella Sticks! {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-10T11:13:00.005-07:00

Serve warm with pizza sauce or ranch dip!

Sneak peek for our Valentine's promo! {East Idaho Children Photographer}

2012-01-08T19:48:00.001-07:00

We are gearing up for our Valentine's mini sessions!

Yesterday we played in the studio with our Valentine Model. It was so much fun! I can't wait to take photo's of all your kids for valentine's! Keep checking the Blog. We will have all the information up by the end of the week! If you want to have some fun images of your little ones to give to Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Friends, and even for them to give out at school (let them give out a unique Valentine card this year), then you won't want to miss our special!

Tips & Tricks Thursday- Get better photos out of your camera {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-05T10:56:00.002-07:00

Do you have a camera and get frustrated that your pictures don't turn out like you'd like?

Well guess what?...

This year I have decided to do a "Tips & Tricks Thursday" every week to help you learn your camera better. These tips can be applied with any camera, but especially ones that you are able to change settings manually. If you have a specific item you want to learn about feel free to send me an e-mail or leave a comment on this Blog and I will make sure to include what you want to learn in one of the "Tips & Tricks" lessons. I will be teaching you how aperture (or often referred to as "f-stops"), shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focal points all work together to create better images. The most important thing for you is to take what I teach and go try it and "play" with your camera until you get it down. I also would love to have you post your images on my Facebook page where I can give you additional advice on how to make the image better or answer any questions. Please post your images to:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Smith-Photography/46431852598

These lessons are for beginners, amateurs and even those who know their camera really well. You never know what you might learn that you didn't know before!

Lesson 1: Learning your camera

Part A: Auto Settings

One of the most important parts to getting an amazing image is knowing how to work your camera. When you leave your camera in "auto" mode you are allowing your camera to "guess" at everything- the lighting, the shutter speeds, the focal points, the white balance, etc. That is why, when shooting in auto, you get some images that turn out great and others turn out horrible. If you want more consistent images you need to learn how to "tell your camera" what you "see". Every camera, whether it is a point and shoot or a dslr, allows you to change settings so that your camera can "see" correctly. Today we will address the different "auto" settings and explain how they work. Next week we will address semi-automatic modes and the third week we will start into the manual mode.

Every camera has setting options, whether it is in your menu or on a dial. This is an image of a typical dial.

Everything to the right of the image is "auto" settings and everything to the left is semi-auto and manual. So lets talk about the settings on the right.

The first setting (highlighted in green) is Auto mode.

By selecting this setting you are allowing the camera to make best use of the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus and the flash. SO basically you are allowing the camera to "guess" what type of shot you want. This can result in a hit-or-miss image. Sometimes the camera may "guess" right on, but more often than not the camera screws up and your image is not what you were wanting.

The second setting is Portrait mode.

The camera will adjust itself to a large aperture (or f-stop, usually a small number) so that the background remains out of focus and your subject is the focus. You can get beautiful portrait shots when you stand close to or zoom in on the subject before taking the shot. Your camera is still "guessing" but it tends to give you an image where the subject is more center of attention.

The third setting is Landscape mode.

This is great if you want to cover a large area in the shot, mainly landscape images. In this mode, the camera selects a small aperture (f-stop, usually a large number) in order to capture a large scene that is all in focus. It is best to use a tripod if possible to make sure the photo is not shaken or blurred, especially if the lighting is low.

The fourth setting is the Macro mode.

This mode works best when you want to move in closer and take shots of flowers, insects or tiny objects. Focusing is harder in macro mode as the depth of field is very narrow at short distances. This mode does tend to have a smaller shutter speed so a tripod may be useful in order to not blur the image.

The fifth setting is the Sports mode.

In some of the cameras, this mode is also known as ‘action mode’ as capturing sports mostly means taking pictures when the subject is in action or is moving. The shutter speed is fast on this mode which allows for the camera to "freeze" the subject while in action.

The sixth and seventh settings are the Night modes.

Your camera uses a longer shutter speed (meaning the shutter stays open longer) in order to capture details of the scene when light is low. A flash is usually used in this mode to allow more light on your subject. While it is better to use flash in the dark, taking pictures without the flash also brings out good shots and makes for interesting images. A tripod is highly recommended for this type of image. When the shutter stays open longer any movement on your part will blur the image resulting in a poorly focused image. The mode with the body and star allows your camera to light up the subject with a flash and focuses on the subject.

Challenge:

So now that I've explained all the "auto" modes my challenge to you is to go try them all for what they are specifically suppose to do. Try an action shot on a moving subject. Try a night shot using a tripod. Try portrait shot and see how it blurs the background (referred to as depth of field). Just go play with all the different auto modes and get familiar with them more. Post your images on my Facebook page! I'd love to see what you capture. Now go have fun! :)

Recipe Tuesday! Orange French Toast... YUM!!!! {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-03T09:01:00.001-07:00

We would love to hear what you think of this recipe. Feel free to leave a comment! :)

Happy New Year 2012!!! {East Idaho Family, Wedding, Newborn, Senior Photographer}

2012-01-02T21:31:00.008-07:00

I hope everyone had an AMAZING New Year! I know at my house we did! We enjoyed family time doing fondue, fireworks, movies, and just hanging with the family. I am so excited for the new year. 2012 is going to be AWESOME!

At Kimberly Smith Photography we are delighted to announce our new specials and events for 2012! Make sure to add yourself to our Business Facebook page if you haven't already.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Smith-Photography/46431852598

We will be running a lot of contests and specials exclusively on our Facebook page throughout the year. We will also be having monthly specials and some months we will be doing special mini sessions one day only. If you want to keep up to date on what we are doing, send us an e-mail to be added to our e-mail newsletter that we will be sending out every month.

To be added, e-mail Kim at kim@kimberlysmithphotography.com

The special for January is:

HALF off Boudoir and Glamour sessions!

PLUS an additional 10% off of all orders.

All calendars are 25% off

Mark February 4th down on your calendars. We will be doing

MINI VALENTINE SESSIONS

from 11-4 at our studio in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The cost is $25 ($12.50 if you have a V.I.P. card) and you receive 1 5x7 gift print

Other packages are available including unique classroom Valentine's cards for the kids to give out to their friends.

Looking for an assistant... {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2012-01-01T17:40:00.001-07:00

We are looking for a part-time book keeper/assistant starting asap.

Duties will include:

Entering receipts, orders, vendor information, etc into Quick Books once a week, preferably Mondays ( a little knowledge of Quick Books would be helpful but not required)

Send out e-mails and mailers for upcoming mini sessions and specials for newborn, senior, family sessions, etc at our studio in Idaho Falls, Id.

Do follow-up phone calls for sessions and orders

Help once a month with our mini sessions

We are looking for someone who is personable, happy and self-motivated. The hours will be minimal for the first couple months depending on the work load. Hours will increase as summer approaches.

If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please have them contact:

Kim Smith at 208-680-9372.

Thank you! We are excited to add another person to our studio!

The Adorable "M" family {East Idaho Family Portrait Photographer}

2011-12-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Meet the "M" family! What an adorable family! I had the privilege of doing their session the end of October and thankfully the weather was still decent, although a little chilly. 😃 I didn't get a chance to post a sneak peek right after their session because my husband ended up in the Hospital a week later and I spent the next 2 weeks in the Hospital with him and then the Holidays hit. So thanks, "M" family, for being patient with me! But I just had to show a few images out of their amazing session. Aren't the kids adorable?!!!!

Adorable Baby "A" {East Idaho Newborn Baby Photographer}

2011-12-17T09:59:00.002-07:00

I just LOVE my job! Especially when I get to play with a new bundle of joy. There is just something so special about getting to hold a brand new baby. And this little sweetie was just perfect. I LOVE her hair!!! She was so good. She was wide awake when Mom and Dad first got there but once we got her asleep she was a little angel. Here are just a few from her session. Wish I could post them all! :)

INTRODUCING OUR NEW 2012 PROGRAM!!! {East Idaho Photographer}

2011-12-01T23:36:00.002-07:00

Every month in 2012 we will be running exclusive specials and also one day a month we will have a special "mini" session otherwise known as a "limited edition" sessions. The "Limited Edition" series will include Valentine's, Easter, Pets, tutu's & petti skirts, Halloween, Cookies with Santa and more.

This weekend ONLY... we are offering a VIP discount card (shown below) to ALL of our past clients for FREE. After December 5th they will be $50 to purchase them. If you are not a past client and would like to get in on the VIP program they are $25 this weekend only. As of December 5th they will be $75 for new clients. The VIP card gives you 50% off of ANY "limited Edition" session or a full regular session PLUS 10% off of any order ALL YEAR LONG.

If you are a past client and would like to receive a VIP card please send us a message either from our Facebook page (link on right) or through email to kim@kimberlysmithphotography.com. We need your name, phone number, and address.

If you are a new client and want to purchase one please notify us and we will get you set up. You can call Kim at 208-680-9372.

When we send you the VIP card you will also receive a list of all the specials and "Limited Edition" sessions for each month. Then each month you will receive an email and a postcard in the mail with a reminder of the upcoming month's specials.

SPREAD THE WORD TO YOUR FRIENDS!!! They won't want to miss this!

"W" Family Session {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2011-11-30T20:40:00.001-07:00

This is such an adorable family. We went to one of my favorite locations and had so much fun. They have the cutest kids. Thanks, "W" family for letting me do your family photos! Here are a few sneak peeks to your images. I can't wait for you to see more! :)

Senior Fall Mini Session with Paige {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-11-25T14:07:00.002-07:00

I always have so much fun with Paige when we do her "mini" sessions. This is her fall mini session and we had a great time "playing" in some fields. She is so beautiful, inside and out. I have such a hard time not editing ALL of her images because she has so many AWESOME ones! But here are a few for a sneak peek...

30/30!!! Get a 30 minute mini session for $30! {East Idaho Family Photographer}

2011-11-03T14:33:00.001-06:00

For this month ONLY we are doing MINI sessions!

Get a 30 minute studio session for $30!

Call us ASAP because we are booking up fast for November. 208-680-9372

Also- ALL cards are on sale this month-

BUY ONE SET GET ONE FREE!

You can come in and get the mini session and do cards OR if you have already done a family session with us this year you can just call me and we can design a card for you using your images from your previous session!

This months specials end November 30, 2011

Senior "M" Prom Dress session {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-11-01T20:19:00.000-06:00

I love getting to do sessions of girls in their prom dresses. There are so many amazing dresses out there. And this senior had a couple gorgeous ones! Her yellow one is one of my favorite's. It has the most interesting detail to it. We had fun doing pictures of her in her beautiful dresses. Here are a few for a sneak peek...

We also had fun doing a few images with her boyfriend. What a cute couple! :)

More puppy shots from the other day... {East Idaho Pet Photographer}

2011-10-27T21:48:00.000-06:00

I can be such a dork! These little puppies were so cute and I couldn't resist editing some more images of them so I stayed up until TWO A.M. last night editing. I have definitely paid for it today. This "old" body doesn't do "late-nighters" very well anymore! :D But I couldn't help myself. Aren't they the cutest puppies EVER? And just a shout out for their owners... they are all for sale! And I speak from first hand experience when I say that they have the sweetest personalities. You won't go wrong with these babies if you're looking for a golden retriever puppy. :)

Senior "V"- Fall mini session {East Idaho Senior Photography}

2011-10-27T21:38:00.000-06:00

I am having so much fun doing senior mini sessions! I had the awesome opportunity to go down to Pocatello do Victoria's fall mini session with her horse. Her horse is so pretty! It was a little bit chilly that morning, but we had pretty blue skies and some white fluffy clouds. Victoria is such an amazing girl. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her.

Here are just a few from her recent mini session...

"All tuckered out"... {East Idaho Pet photographer}

2011-10-26T23:48:00.001-06:00

What a day!

It isn't very often that I get to have SEVEN babies in the studio at one time!

Seven baby puppies, that is! :D

I could hardly stand how cute these little balls of fur were. Talk about puppy heaven! I took my fourteen year old daughter to help and she was thrilled to sit on the floor and let them toddle all over and around her. We spent an hour doing individual shots of the puppies while the others scampered all over my shooting room area. After an hour, the thrill and adventure of a new place began to die down and one by one these little cuties started to fall sound asleep. I just HAD to share this one of six of them totally crashed on my couch and the seventh one wide awake. This little guy didn't want to miss any of the action! :D Aren't they adorable? I will try to post more later in the week, but I wanted to share this one first.

A few more of Senior "S's" recent mini fall session {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-10-24T23:09:00.000-06:00

Fall is in the air! Even though I am not ready for the cold weather, I love watching the trees change colors. And getting to do Senior sessions with the fall colors is just beautiful! I had the opportunity to do Senior "S's" mini fall session and we had so much fun. Here are a few more from her recent session. Enjoy!

A Favorite from a recent Senior Session... {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-10-24T22:20:00.000-06:00

I am having so much fun editing a recent senior session and I just HAD to share this one! This is senior "S" fall mini session and we had so much fun! I am still working on some of her other images and will share a few more soon.

Darling baby "J" {East Idaho Baby photographer}

2011-10-18T14:48:00.000-06:00

This little cutie turns one at the end of the month! He has the cutest smile ever! Mom wanted to do a cake pose and we were hoping he would get into the whole demolition of it, but this little guy doesn't like to be dirty. It was so funny to watch him. Mom put some frosting on his hand and he looked at it and then started screaming. He wanted nothing to do with it. We were all laughing so hard. He definitely know what he likes and doesn't like! :)

Here is a sneak peek of a few images from his session....

Keeping up with the newest fun on the internet- PINTEREST!

2011-10-11T10:17:00.003-06:00

YAY! I just figured out how to add a "pin" button to my blog. If you do Pinterest be sure to add me to follow me! And if you like any of my images, I would LOVE for you to "pin" them to your boards (the pin button is located at the bottom right corner at the end of each full post)! If you don't do Pinterest but would love to join, please e-mail me and I will send you an invite to join.

Be FOREWARNED.... Pinterest is ADDICTING!!!!

Congratulations to MR. & MRS. "F" {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-10-02T19:26:00.000-06:00

YAY! They're married! And what a FUN wedding!

I just love working with this couple! They are so much in love and have been so excited about their big day. The groom is in the Marine's and has been gone since June so it was amazing to see them together again. I am so excited for the adventure they have ahead of them. Their wedding was PERFECT!!! They couldn't have had a more gorgeous day. I can hardly believe it is October because the weather felt like summer. I have so many amazing images to show but I just picked a few of my favorites to post a sneak peek.

ENJOY....

Add caption

Fun Engagement Session! {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-09-28T11:37:00.001-06:00

I have had so much fun with this couple! We did an engagement session with them a few weeks ago and they were so fun that I asked them if I could do another session and try some new ideas I had recently seen. I can't claim these ideas as my own but it was fun to play with the ideas. My photographer friend, Aimee, and I used an empty field by her house and set up a bed in the field. I found the head board at a thrift store and white washed it and then we used an air mattress for the bottom. It is always so much fun to try new ideas and let the creative juices flow. Thanks- Austin & Jamie, for letting me play!

Here are a few images from our session....

Senior "K" from recent Facebook Party! {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-09-13T22:10:00.000-06:00

Last week we had another AWESOME Senior Kick-off Facebook Party at our studio for the Shelley High School Seniors. Talk about a lot of fun! I laughed so hard. These girls know how to have fun! I am posting a couple images tonight and hopefully will be able to post more tomorrow.

But here a few of Senior "K". She is so beautiful! Thanks, "K"for coming to the party and for being so much fun!

Senior "P" from recent Facebook Party! {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-09-13T22:03:00.001-06:00

Beautiful "P" was the Hostess for our recent Facebook party. We had so much fun. Her friends are a blast. The pizza was yummy, the music was hopping, and the laughter was contagious. What a FUN night!!!!

Thanks, "P" for being so AMAZING!!!

Fun Senior Session! {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-09-08T22:06:00.002-06:00

Senior sessions are soooooo much fun! And I especially love it when the senior is willing to do anything! :)

Meet Victoria. A 2011 Senior who just moved to Idaho from Arizona. She booked my "all-seasons mini sessions" and I can't wait to go do more pictures with her. She was so awesome! Here are just a few from her first "mini" session. :)

Happily in love! Recent engagement... {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-09-08T14:14:00.002-06:00

What an AMAZING engagement session! These two are so cute together and are so much in love. We had a lot of fun doing their engagement session. It is always amazing to me how fast time flies when I am doing a session. I could have spent several more hours with them but our sun ended up leaving sooner than I wanted. :) Here is a sneak peek of a few of their images from their session. I'll probably post more later too. We took a bunch!

Beautiful "S" from Shelley High School {East Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-08-09T00:00:00.001-06:00

This 2012 Shelley High School Senior was so fun to do a session with. She just booked our "Seasons" mini sessions so we will get to have fun with her 3 more times! Fall, Winter and Spring. I can't wait. I loved the outfits she brought and all her fun accessories! Here are just a few from her "summer" session.

NEW SENIOR PACKAGE has been added to our options! {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-07-28T12:28:00.004-06:00

We recently decided to add a new option to our Senior Session Packages. We now have a "four seasons mini package". In this package our Seniors will receieve FOUR mini sessions- one for each season- spring, summer, fall and winter! It is a great way to capture all the different outfits and looks through their last year of High School! Each mini session is 30-60 minutes long and can include up to three clothing changes. We are excited to offer this new session. If you are a senior for 2012 BOOK NOW to get in your summer mini session!

Give us a call! 208-680-9372

Mention this ad and receive 50% off of the session fee! Limited time only... expires August 31, 2011

Senior Summer Mini Session- Paige {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-07-28T12:25:00.001-06:00

I have so much fun with this 2012 senior! We did her Spring mini session a couple months ago and last week we did her Summer mini session! I can't get over how blue her eyes are! They are AMAZING! I took her downtown to some alley-ways and then to my favorite blue wall! I love how these turned out!

Here are just a few from her session..... ☺

Introducing "soon-to-be" Mr. & Mrs. Barnard {Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-07-11T11:19:00.000-06:00

What a fun couple!!! I have had the privelege of doing this couples engagements, bridals, a pre-wedding couple session and soon, their wedding. And they have been so awesome to work with! We decided to do pre-wedding photos so that the wedding day won't be as hectic. I love doing couples before or after the wedding day. The couple is more relaxed and we get to be more creative and don't have to worry about others waiting on us. We went all over with this couple and did some fun shots. They will be married in less than two weeks and the Idaho Fall Temple, where they are getting married, is under major construction to the grounds. I suggested doing "hard hat" pictures and they took me up on it! It was so much fun! The grounds may be ugly but we made it a great memory. Hey, its not everyone who gets to do hard hat pictures in front of the Temple! ☺ We got a lot of chuckles from those walking by.

Here are just a few from their session. I can't wait for them to see all of them! Enjoy! ☺

Beautiful Idaho Bride! {Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-07-11T09:45:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to get to this gorgeous bride's wedding! She looked amazing in her dress for her bridals! We had to deal with a little wind but for the most part it was a perfect warm, summer day! Isn't she beautiful? ☺

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Octavea! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T15:50:00.000-06:00

Meet Octavea! What a FUN senior! She came to our IF HS 2012 Kick-off party and she was a blast! I love her personality! ☺

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet McKay!! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T15:03:00.000-06:00

Meet McKay! The only boy that came to our Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party! What a good sport! But I'm sure he didn't mind being surrounded by all those beautiful girls! ☺

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Mattie! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T14:16:00.000-06:00

Meet Mattie! She is a 2012 Senior at Idaho Falls High School and recently attended our Kick-off party!

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Jacee! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T13:19:00.000-06:00

Meet Jacee! Another Idaho Falls 2012 Senior that attended our recent Idaho Falls High School Kick-off party!

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Heather! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T12:44:00.000-06:00

Meet Heather! She attended our recent Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior kick-off party! And she was our BIG winner that night and won the GRAND PRIZE of a FREE senior session with us! We can't wait to do her full senior session! It will be so much fun! ☺

Idaho Falls High School 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Hailey! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T12:01:00.001-06:00

Meet Hailey! A 2012 Senior from Idaho Falls High School! She attended our recent IF Senior kick-off party!

Idaho Falls 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Aubrey! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-06-13T11:11:00.000-06:00

Meet Aubrey- one of the 2012 Seniors that came to our Idaho Falls High School Kick-off party!

Idaho Falls 2012 Senior Kick-off party- Meet Ali {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-06-13T11:07:00.000-06:00

Meet Ali- one of the Seniors from Idaho Falls High School who came to our 2012 Kick-off party!

THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!!

2011-06-10T09:58:00.000-06:00

Class of 2012 Senior- Makayla! {Idaho Falls Senior Photographer}

2011-05-30T14:08:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to start into the new 2012 Senior class!!!

Meet Makayla! She is our Senior Rep for Idaho Falls High School. I just love her personality. Makayla is so bubbly, happy and full of energy. She made me smile the whole time we were doing her "mini" session. Her favorite color is pink and she loves Snicker bars... a girl after my own heart ♥. I am so excited to do two more sessions with her!

But here are just a few from her "mini" session! ☺

Love is in the air! Cody & Emily's engagements {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-05-23T11:17:00.000-06:00

Love is definitely in the air with this couple! ♥ They are so perfect for each other! During the whole session they couldn't stop looking at each other and whispering sweet sayings to each other. It was so fun to watch and even more so, since the soon-to-be-bride is my darling niece! ☺ We were suppose to do an evening session but the weather, once again, was looking a little iffy. So I called them up and we did them earlier in the afternoon and it was a good thing we did! It did sprinkle on us for a few minutes but then the rest of the time was beautiful. I am so glad that spring has finally decided to show its face in Idaho and the trees are beginning to bloom and the grass is so green! Yay!!!! We had a lot of fun doing their session. They are a couple who like to have fun together and so we just had to do some swing shots. ☺ Can't wait for their wedding in July!

Here are just a few from their session!

2012 Senior Rep for Shelley High School {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-05-21T09:45:00.001-06:00

I can't believe 2011 Seniors are just about graduated and I am now starting on 2012 Seniors! Woohoo!

This is one of our beautiful Senior Reps from Shelley High School. She is so much fun! She has such an awesome, outgoing personality and the most GORGEOUS eyes!!!! We did a quick mini session for her to get her started on her rep program. We even got to do some in the pouring rain. Thank goodness the rain only lasted about 5 minutes. But enough to get me drenched and my hair plastered. ☺ Thank goodness I had an umbrella for her and one for my assistant to hold over my camera. She was a great sport and we got some fun shots for her "mini" session. I can't wait to do her studio and a longer outside session with her prom dresses!

If you are a Senior for the 2012 school year, give us a call if your interested in learning more about our senior rep program. You can earn free portraits, have a photo party with your friends, AND earn an i-pod!!!!! Give us a call- 208-680-9372!

"Happily in love"- Steven & Kalene {Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-05-19T10:31:00.005-06:00

Warm temp's and sun aren't in the air, but love sure is! I don't know if you can get any cuter than this couple! They are so "happily in love"! We weren't sure if we would even be able to do their session because it rained off and on through out the day of their session. But we decided to go for it, wind, rain, cloudy skies and all. We headed off to a really cool, out in the country, spot but as we traveled along the unpaved road we realized we may end up getting stuck in the mud so we turned around. We had a few tense moments as I navigated the HHR out of the mud, slipping and sliding. fortunately, Steven, Kalene and her Mom were in a 4x4 truck at that point! But what an adventure!!! ☺ We continued on to several other locations and got some great shots, including several with Kalene's AWESOME bug! At the last location the clouds opened up once again and drenched us. What good sports they were as we got soaked. Poor Kalene was pretty cold by the end! Never a dull moment when you go on a session with me!

Here are a few of my favorites from their session... Enjoy!

Preston & Lacey in LOVE!!! {Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-05-17T19:05:00.001-06:00

I LOVE doing engagement sessions! I love feeling that sweet love between two people who are getting ready to embark on a life together. Preston and Lacey are a couple of my past High School Senior clients and I was so excited when I got the call that they were getting married! They are so perfect for each other. I am WAY excited to get to do their wedding! We lucked out on the weather the day of their session. Several days up to their session it was rainy and cold and then it started to rain again the day after their session. We planned it perfectly for right in between! ☺

Here are a few sneak peeks at several of their images from their engagement session...

Sweet little baby boy {Idaho Falls Newborn Photographer}

2011-05-04T19:31:00.001-06:00

I LOVE newborns! I love how sweet and perfect they are. This little guy was a perfect angel. I am not sure if I have ever had as calm a baby as he was. He slept the whole time. He also is my first baby without a "mess". And we shot for almost three hours! I was amazed! The best part is my viewing room is finally done and I did his whole session in there where it was nice and WARM! His Mom and I were sweating but he was toasty warm. It was AWESOME! ☺

Here are a few from his session...

Senior- Dalen {Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-05-04T12:46:00.000-06:00

Meet Dalen. A high School Senior from Salem, Utah. Dalen was a total blast to work with for his senior pictures. He has so much personality. I laughed a lot during his session because he just "hams" it up. Thanks, Dalen, for making your session so fun. ☺ We didn't do too many serious pictures because he is just a smiley guy but I did get one at the end. Dalen loves to golf, play tennis and I know he is an amazing pianist. Here are just a few from his session....

P.S. And I LOVED his golf "outfit"! The BIG golf ball just finished it off! ☺

Beautiful Senior, Kaylor- {Senior Portrait Photographer}

2011-05-03T13:14:00.004-06:00

This beautiful senior is my niece! She flew out to Utah to have me do her Senior Pictures and we had so much fun! I shot most of them in Salt Lake City. I had no idea where to go so we drove around until I saw a cool place. It was a little chilly but not bad for the end of April. There are so many neat places in SLC. I only wish I had had a little more time to go around and find more awesome places before she arrived. We spent most of the afternoon taking pictures. She was a lot of fun to take pictures of! ☺

Bonneville Senior- Kim {Idaho Falls Senior Photographer}

2011-04-25T13:19:00.000-06:00

You have to LOVE spring in Idaho! ☺ We get the cold, rainy and windy weather throughout the months of March and April. This High School Senior braved the elements and had her outside session this past week. We had a lot of fun even if we froze our hands off! ☺

Here are a few sneak peeks from her session!

Beautiful Idaho Bride {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2011-03-24T11:42:00.000-06:00

This gorgeous bride has only a few more weeks before the BIG day!!!

We scheduled a session Saturday with the high hopes of good weather, but seeing as it is spring in Idaho, you never know what you will get, weather wise. When she arrived for the studio part of her session the weather wasn't too bad, but by the time we shot a few in the studio the weather decided to throw us a mini blizzard. So we only got to do studio that day. So we will attempt to capture a day before the wedding to grab a few outside shots.

In the meantime- here is a quick sneak peek at her studio shots. She is such a beautiful bride. I can't wait to go "play" some more! ☺

Chris {East Idaho Photographer}

2011-03-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

This session was so different from my normal sessions and I was a little out of my comfort zone. But I LOVE being out of my comfort zone and trying new things. Chris wanted some fun, creative images and I had a blast shooting his session. Even if we did freeze our rear ends off! ☺ I think it was only a little above zero the day we did his session. I am ready for Idaho winter to be over and for spring to begin!!!!

March Special !!!

2011-03-04T10:18:00.003-07:00

Darling 7 month old baby! {Idaho baby/children photographer}

2011-03-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

This little darling was so adorable! She was pretty serious through out her session but we did get a few smiles out of her. I had so much fun getting to do her session. Isn't she just a little cutie!!!!! ☺

Idaho Winter Senior Session - {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2011-02-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

This poor Senior girl had all Idaho has to give during her session! We had to brave the cold... wind... snow... and rain... ALL within 2 hours! There is a saying- that if you don't like the weather in Idaho, wait 10 minutes and it will change. Well, that was sure the case during this session! But she braved it out and we had a lot of fun. I have so many from this session I want to share but due to getting ready to leave town I am only going to share a few today and will try to post more when I return! ☺

Enjoy!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

2011-01-01T22:16:00.002-07:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May it be a WONDERFUL year full of joy, prosperity, love and peace!

Make sure to check our BLOG through out the year. We are going to start offering monthly specials. If you want to receive an e-mail newsletter that will offer even more select specials make sure to let us know by e-mailing Kim at kim@kimberlysmithphotography.com.

Have a MARVELOUS 2011!!!!!!

The "H" Family {Idaho Falls Portrait Photographer}

2010-12-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed doing this family's session. They were so fun and made my job easy. They have the cutest dogs too. We got a lot of laughs trying to get them to sit how we wanted but they did great. Especially when we bribed them with doggie treats. ☺

Thank you "H" Family for choosing us to do your family session! You were so much fun! Can't wait for you to see the rest!

Week Long Black Friday Portrait Special {Idaho Falls Portrait Photographer}

2010-11-22T13:31:00.002-07:00

Are you wanting to do a family session sometime next year or do you want to give a gift to that someone special?

We are running a week long Black Friday Special just for YOU! We are selling $50 gift certificates (valued at $150+) for use between January and August 2011. The certificate can be used when and where you want and includes a 90 minute session, one 8x10 gift print and two 5x7 gift prints (same pose). PLUS: an additional 10% off of any other portrait orders. This is a GREAT bargain for you or to give as a gift to someone!

The gift certificates for this can only be purchased from today until Sunday November 28. Give us a call!!! ☺

The "T" Family {Idaho Family Portait Photographer}

2010-10-26T15:14:00.001-06:00

What a darling and fun family! I had the privilege to do the "T" family's fall session last Friday. In Idaho "fall" doesn't like to stick around very long but I was grateful the storms held off until after I did this beautiful family.

Here is a sneak peek at their session. I LOVE how they turned out! ☺

The M Family {Idaho Portrait Photographer}

2010-10-18T15:08:00.001-06:00

I LOVE this time of year when the fall colors are out and the weather is still nice. Saturday was the perfect day to do family portrait sessions and even more perfect when you have the most awesome family to do them with! This family made my job EASY! We had so much fun and I even pulled a "Kim" move on them by stopping at a spontaneous spot I saw off the road on our way to one of the areas I was taking them. My only wish is that the fall leaves and colors would stay around longer. I know by a week or so they will be gone. So if you want Family fall sessions you better call NOW! I have a few spots left for this month but I am almost full. ☺

M Family- enjoy your sneak peek! I can't wait for you to see the rest!!!

Cammy- 2011 Senior- Studio session {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2010-10-15T12:03:00.000-06:00

This senior is just too much fun! I did a mini session of her a couple months ago and now I had the privilege of doing her studio and some more outside. Cammy is so full of personality. I think I laughed more in this session then I normally do. She has the most beautiful smile that just lights up the room.

Thanks, Cammy for coming and doing your Senior pictures with us! It was a ton of fun! Here are a few sneak peeks! ☺

All the many faces of Cammy... ☺

Cammy- 2011 Senior {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2010-10-15T11:58:00.000-06:00

Some images from her outside session....

Christmas in a Box 10-10-10 SPECIAL {Idaho Portrait Photographer}

2010-10-09T22:18:00.000-06:00

Darling Family {Idaho Family Portrait Photographer}

2010-09-30T16:01:00.002-06:00

This family started coming to me when I first started into my business a few years ago. I didn't even have a studio back then and did sessions in my home. It has been fun to see their kids change and grow. They are so adorable.

Here is a small sneak peek at a few from their session. ☺

Fun Engagement session! {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2010-09-20T14:44:00.001-06:00

I LOVE it when I have a couple who want to do something new and different during their session. This fun, cute couple like to dirt bike together so I just had to take them up in the hills. We did some around town before heading up to the hills. It was a prefect day for pictures and we had so much fun.

Thanks, Jonathan and Kelsey! You two are awesome! I can't wait for you to see ALL of them! ☺

They both had matching shoes and we found this train car with the word "shoe" graffiti-ed on it. So we had to do some fun ones to show off their matching shoes. ☺

Beautiful September Wedding {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2010-09-15T22:47:00.002-06:00

A few days before Lance & Ariel's wedding the weather was cold, rainy and down right miserable. But the day of their wedding the sun decided to make an appearance. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. And what a memorable day for this fun couple! They chose the perfect place to do their wedding. If you haven't heard of or been to the Rose River Reception in Blackfoot you have to go check it out HERE. It is located right on the river and is GORGEOUS!!! I LOVED the colors the bride chose and the decorations were perfect for an outside wedding.

Here are just a few of the 700+ images my assistants and I shot. Enjoy!!!

Congratulations, Lance and Ariel! Thank you for letting us share your special day with you!!! ☺

Simply beautiful bride! And her adorable puppy! {East Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2010-09-14T17:11:00.000-06:00

I had the AWESOME privilege of doing this soon-to-be bride's bridal session. She was a blast and even brought her puppy to do some photo's with! What fun! I could not believe how good her puppy was. She was so sweet and calm. Although the bride informed me the puppy does have a hyper side. I just didn't get to see it. ☺

Thanks, Melissa, for all the fun we had! Enjoy your sneak peek! I can't wait for you to see all the rest! We have a bunch of them! ☺

Beautiful Senior from Sugar Salem High {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2010-09-13T10:26:00.001-06:00

Seniors are so much fun to do and this session was a blast. She was up for about anything. The lighting was great and I even played some more with dramatic lighting using my off camera flash.

Thanks, Alex, for being so much fun! Enjoy your sneak peek!

Best Friends Forever... {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2010-09-07T13:50:00.000-06:00

These two Seniors are best friends. They wanted to do a "friend" session and I was more than willing to do it. We had so much fun and they are such a blast. We laughed so much that I thought my stomach would burst.

Here are a few of the fun ones we got the day of their session! Wish I could show them all on here because they will just make you smile but I don't want to ruin the surprise for them!

Enjoy- Celeste and Kaley!!!! ☺

I had to post this one for them. They do this look all the time with each other. They are so fun!

Congratulations to Shawn & Melissa on their recent engagement {Idaho Falls Wedding Photographer}

2010-09-04T19:51:00.001-06:00

I love doing engagement sessions! And this session was so much fun. What a cute couple! They are so much in love.

Shawn & Melissa here are a few sneak peeks from your session! Enjoy! ☺

Sweet lil' Angel {Idaho Newborn Phtoographer}

2010-09-02T22:26:00.000-06:00

I love doing newborns! They are so precious. This little one was so cute. She was wide awake at the beginning but once we got her asleep she let me pose her any way I wanted to. I LOVED all of her hair! She is such a beautiful baby.

Here are a few images from her recent session. Enjoy! ☺

Recent Bridal Session {East Idaho Wedding photographer}

2010-09-02T10:57:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to this beautiful brides wedding. We had so much fun doing her bridals session. Her Mom and sister tagged along with us and I put them to work! ☺ Thanks for all of your help!

Enjoy these few sneak peeks of Ariel's Bridals!

Senior from Sugar Salem High {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2010-09-01T23:21:00.000-06:00

Meet Kim from Sugar Salem High School! She was SOOOOO much fun! I LOVE her personality! She is so full of life and loves to laugh. We had a blast doing her Senior portraits. Here are a few sneak peeks from her session!

Have a GREAT Senior year, Kim!!! ☺

Celeste's Senior Outside Session {Idaho Senior Photographer}

2010-09-01T15:21:00.001-06:00

Summer is over, school is back in and I have been busy! It is nice to get back on a schedule! I did eight sessions in the past week and so check back often and you will see some sneak peeks from all of the recent sessions.

Here is one from the past week. After TRYING to do a session but getting rained out and then scheduling again, I had the fun experience of getting to do Celeste's outside Senior pictures. She is such a beautiful girl and has an amazing smile. Here are just a few from her session.

Thanks, Celeste! You are awesome! ☺

Senior Rep, Cammy! {Idaho Senior Portrait Photographer}

2010-08-06T21:36:00.001-06:00

I think I need to start a new slogan... something to do with "you never know what memory you are in for with Kimberly Smith Photography when you book a session with them!"

This session is a great example of that! It was suppose to be a mini session because she wants to do her main Senior session in the fall with the fall colors. But what started out as a short session soon became more because we had too much fun! We found deserted shopping carts to play with, we found a new area with cool silo's, and we discovered a Hobo village in a ghetto area that I may never go back to (which was really creepy). LOL! But we had so much fun. Even went four diggin' to get to the Ghetto area. Her Mom was a great sport and we had a ton of fun! I played around with more dramatic light on some of them just for fun.

So here are just a few images from her "mini" session! ☺

Amazing Wedding Couple images... {Idaho Wedding Photographer}

2010-08-05T12:39:00.001-06:00

This has to be one of my favorite wedding couple sessions yet. I have LOVED working with this couple doing their engagements, her bridals and even a boudoir session with the bride. And this session was the grand finale!!!! We had so much fun doing their session. A week before their wedding I had the opportunity to go to some training taught by TriCoast Photography on how to do off camera flash. I used some of the techniques I learned on this session and LOVE it!!! And the best part- a storm was brewing so we had some major clouds in the sky which added to the whole look.

Thanks, Bryce and Saige! You guys are AWESOME!!!!

Blue Angels!

2010-07-27T18:36:00.000-06:00

The Blue Angels came to our town this past weekend. And wow, what a rush! I had no idea that watching fighter jets could be so thrilling. I have never seen an air show but I have decided after watching the Blue Angels for four days that it is a blast! Now I want to go to more. I was amazed at how close they fly together and don't crash. They even fly together up-side-down! I didn't get to go to the actual air show at the airport but I did get to watch them and took some pictures as they flew over head. There is nothing more thrilling then to have them fly right over your head and then to hear the roar of their engines as they pass by. If you have never seen an air show you should try it sometime. It was thrilling to have them here for four days. And I hope they will come back again. It was AWESOME!!!!!

I took this image as they were lining up on the runway to take-off. They actually came to the end of the runway and then turned around before taking off.

Look at how close they are to one another. CRAZZZZYY!!!!!

Notice that two are upside down. I can't imagine how tricky this maneuver has to be and not crash!