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I heart faces, animal style…

This weeks challenge at I Heart Faces is pet faces… Tons of super cute and fluffy photos to lust over.  Click the button below and check out all the entries or add one of your own.

I love 4 legged friends pictures… Check out my Facebook page for more images.

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I Heart Faces- Self Portraits

If you follow my fan page at all, you know I for some reason LOVE self portraits… I find the most interesting places to do it, too… school bathrooms, random bumpers, etc… anyway, here’s my entry for the I Heart Faces challenge.  Taken in my bad ass rental car, a Chrysler 300 while driving up north somewhere.  The man in the driver seat is my honey.  Thanks for taking a look, and make sure you take a peek at all the great entries by clicking the button at the bottom of this post.

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Mmmm….. carrot cupcakes!

Totally sweet of my friend Marcy to drop off some goodies for today! These little carrot cupcakes are so good, moist, and the cream cheese frosting is AHHHH-mazing! Mmm.  I wish it were my belated birthday everyday!

Marcy, I really think you should get serious about baking.  These are definitely taste-worthy treats.  Thank you for being you and sharing you with me!

In addition to my super duper cupcakes, Marcy also brought me a Blog Like a Pro book! Yay! I am so excited, cause I have been stressing over the blog for a while now, and there would be nothing better than being like a pro! Thanks again, Marcy!

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The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is to giveaway printables loud and clear!

Ok, so probably the BEST Christmas movie ever!! I love Elf! Will Ferrell is hilarious! Anyway, as the season gets closer and closer, I find myself struggling a little bit to get into the spirit this year.  I thought that maybe if I spent some time creating a fun retro and free {mini}printable set AND share it with all of you, that maybe I could jump start the spirit.

Inspired by vintage retro-ness (It’s a new word, just go with it!) The set includes 5” circles to make a banner saying “Merry Christmas”, 4 different 2” cupcake circles.  I have created a few different elements to go with it, so I am not done designing the rest… Anything you would love to see? Inspire me.  I am thinking of making a Christmas card that you add your picture to… or maybe to and from gift tags? What are your ideas?

Anyway, click on the pictures below and grab them now while they last! Thanks for stopping by and have a rad day!

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Its "I Heart Faces" time, again!

Its scenic black and whites @ I heart faces this week.  From a recent family session of mine, downtown Riverside… Urban scenic- does that count?

Head on over to I Heart Faces this week, there are several ahhh-mazing images!

It’s a sweet day… for a giveaway!!

Have you met Nicole? She’s my gal pal, over at Sweet Things Kids.  I met her when she hired me to take her adorable little girls photos, and since then have been able to work with her on a few different occasions! I am glad to have met her, and if you take a second, I would venture to say that you’d feel the same! She’s a pretty rad girl!
And, if you like cute, handmade, girly, affordable Sweet Things, then you will ::heart:: this giveaway. 

The rules are simple…

1.  Follow Sweet Things Blog

2.  Become a fan on Facebook

3.  Leave a comment for me about what you love in Sweet Things Etsy Shop, here.

Winner will receive a $25 gift card for anything in Nicole's shop, or even towards a custom made design of your choice.

Winner will be picked via random.org on November 28, 2010, and announced on November 29, 2010.

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I Heart Faces, silhouette….
I am having so much fun with the I Heart Faces weekly challenges.  There are so many beautiful images to feast your eyes on! This weeks challenge is silhouettes and I heart silhouettes.  This image was taken on a hill near where my boys practice karate.
Thank you, I heart faces, for giving me the perfect opportunity to share this image!

Head on over to their site to check out more beautiful silhouettes or add one of your own!

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Its time to SHOW YOUR SKILLS! with Everyday Elements…
Amanda over at Everyday Elements is hosting a Show Your Skills editing ‘giveaway’.  She’s paired up with Isabella LaFrance Photography and is giving a $15 dollar credit to the winner! Good luck to all!
Here’s Amanda’s original:

And here is my play:

I used PS4 to edit.  First I brightened the image a bit, and played up her eyes just a tiny bit.  I added another layer, selected some of the greeny color in the original picture, filled as an overlay, and dropped the opacity way down.  I also added a sun flare layer, and played with some texture.  Hope you like it! Head on down to Everyday Elements, by clicking the button below and have some fun of your own!

Have a beautiful Friday!

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Napkin rings anyone?

To go along with these cute little cupcake toppers, at the suggestion of a friend, here are some printable napkin rings…Just click on the image, and you will be redirected to a site where you can download.  It’s a pdf file, and 5 images per page.

Each measures about 1.75" by 6". Easy as printing, cutting, wrapping & taping! Regular old printer paper works just fine, or you can also use more textured paper to dress it up. Perfect size for other projects, too… votives, candle holders, and more! Have fun, and Happy Harvest!

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I Heart Faces….Orange!
So last week I felt like I had to enter the I Heart Faces challenge of the week, which was pink… I was super amazed and honored to  have gotten a mention, even if I didn’t make the top ten.  This week’s theme is orange… I had a little trouble narrowing down the image to use, but this is what I came up with.
Taken here in Riverside, it’s a beautiful mama pregnant with her second son.  Enjoy, and be sure to mosey on over to I Heart Faces and join the fun. Click the link, or this cute button… 











There are lots of beautiful entries this week! Good luck to all.

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Who doesn’t love a freebie?
Its been a while since I have blogged… so to make it up to you, I made up these sweet little cupcake toppers.  Grab them before they are gone!!

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OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!
So last week, I decided to enter, for the first time ever, the I Heart Faces photo challenge.  The theme was pink, and in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.  I am super duper honored and way beyond excited that I got an “Amy & April” favorite.  Can you believe that? Little ole me, and all those others.  I stood out.  LOVE IT!!

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a face I love to photograph….

As a photographer, I am passionate about my work.  I think that its something in you, that you either have or don’t,  I have been asked before, “show me how to take better pictures”- and while I don’t mind sharing what I know, I can’t teach the passion I feel inside of me. 

Do you ever have a face you just LOVE to see in a picture? There are always little ones that I just fall in love with, through the lens.  This little one is definitely one of my recent favorite faces.  Just something about the way she scrunches up her nose, and kind of smiles, but not just yet? She makes me work for what I get- but let me tell you… its all worth it at the end.  I love her combination of blonde hair and hazel brown eyes.  She’s truly just adorable… and a little spit fire! Maybe it’s the combination that I love… or maybe its just images like these that make me smile.

 

Its been a rough month here for us, and I am so grateful sometimes to get lost in work…To look at a face like this- something that reminds me that “this too shall pass”… Thanks Ms. K for being you, and for bringing a smile to my face today.

 

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Its Pink Week at I Heart Faces…
So everyone knows by now that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month.  It’s a disease that, unfortunately, is near and dear to my heart. 
I would like you to meet a good friend of mine… Jeannette.  Jeannette and I ,et about 15 or so years ago, when we were just KIDS working at Target.  (Lovingly called Tar-ghetto at the time).  When I first met her, I got that sense that she was one cool chick, and 15+ years later I couldn’t agree more.  As kids, you never really think about the harsh realities of life.  But as an adult, that seems sometimes to be all there is.  About 7 years ago, I got a call from Jeannette…. her mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Jeannette was scared- of course, who wouldn’t be? But she was strong, and stood beside her mom for every battle during her treatment and recovery.  Now, 7 years later, I am happy to say that Lucy is cancer free!
Unfortunately, while helping her mom to  fight a battle was beginning to brew for her… About a year ago, my friend Jeannette had to stand up and fight her own battle… She was diagnosed with breast cancer.  When she told me, I wanted to yell at whoever was in charge of passing out cancer and say, “there must be a mistake, take it back, its not fair…” I cried for her and with her- but never ever did I doubt her amazing strength and tenacity.  After undergoing the process of saving and freezing eggs, then chemo & radiation, and most recently a double mastectomy, I am happy to say that a year later… things look amazing for my friend.  Not only is she winning this war against cancer, she has made it a part of her life… instead of running away and grieving for what she has lost, she has looked cancer RIGHT IN THE EYE, and said ITS YOUR TURN TO LOSE! I don’t know if I could do what she has done… But I know that I am glad that she did. 
As a survivor, she isn’t just that… she’s raised countless dollars for research, walked the walks, gone to Young Survivors Coalitions, been featured in Web MD… She took on cancer, fought, won, and is still winning.
When she lost her hair, I told her I would shave my head.  She would have no part of it… But what she did do, what she did ask was that I took her photograph.  The image that I am sharing today is one of my most favorite of our session…. and very meaningful to me.  You can see how strong she is, see her joy, her spirit… and just a little bit of her.
Jeannette, you are my hero some days… When I look at my life and complain, I gather strength and courage.  I am honored to have been a part of this journey, and even more so to call you my friend.  I love you.

You remember how I started this blog with the whole dippity doo dad and I Heart Faces? Well there was a point… Their challenge this week was pink.  I have never shared before, but this time I knew that I had to… I hope you like my entry… You should join in… its fun!!








Thanks for sharing part of my day with me, and have a great rest of yours…

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Everyday Elements & Show Your Skills!!

So I have mentioned Amanda from Everyday Elements before… Well, today, she is hosting a “show your skills” editing challenge.  Really, just a fun way to play with a picture and show off your skills…

Here is Amanda’s original.  Its lovely, don’t you agree?

And below, is my edit… I used a few different actions, but played around with the blending modes and opacity…. I tweaked two of my favorite textures and used them in overlay mode.  Another thing I did was copy the background image, dropped the opacity really low, and layered it over the finished product, just to bring back some of the detail in the original picture.  Snazzy, right? Thanks, Amanda for hosting a fun challenge… Hope my edit has done your work justice.

 

Why not head over and join the fun? Amanda is graciously offering a $15 gift card to Love that Shot, winner to be chosen randomly using random.org.

 

go play... its fun!

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If I could take a trip, and get lost in these eyes…

 

You have met my son, Jace, before… He’s one of my favorite people to take pictures of… His eyes are so beautiful, sometimes I feel like the camera can’t capture all that I see… I have been messing around today, in a feeble attempt to take my mind off things I would rather not think about today.  This is a new technique on the eyes that I am trying.  I like it a lot, but I do think it needs a little refining.  Basically I edited the way that I normally would, but then grabbed my rectangular marquee tool, and selected just his eyes… I applied a lot of sharpening, and a bit of an HDR feel to the eyes… dropped the opacity (maybe I could stand to drop it less?)- and there you go… beautiful eyes.  Its just something that I am trying out, and I think for sure there is a lot more playing that could be done with it, but… for now- I am satisfied with the picture.  Are you interested in a tutorial showing the steps I used? Let me know.  

 

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Its time for a giveaway, just in time for your Halloween party!

 

Don’t you just love Halloween? I do! October is usually one of my favorite months… The weather changes a bit, fall (for Southern California, anyway) is in the air… Love to light the smell good harvest candles, bake, and make Halloween costumes for my little ones. 

Every year, I dream about having a costume party for the little ones, with all the bells and whistles, but I have yet to pull it off.  This year, since I have started designing, I thought what better way to introduce my design work than a totally free FREEBIE!

I designed this sweet little Halloween banner and four cupcake toppers just for one lucky winner!! They are printables, that you assemble at home, and while I am definitely NOT the best at cutting and crafting, you can see just how easy it can be to add a little custom to your next party! Included in your set, you will win the letters to spell out HAPPY HALLOWEEN, as well as four cupcake toppers.  They will be delivered digitally, and in PDF format, so all you need to do is print, and create!  (Of course, your design will not be tagged with the ‘Ella B Photography…)

To enter to win, follow these directions:

1. FOLLOW my blog!!

2. LIKE me on Facebook!!

3. Leave a comment on this post!!

Easy, peasy, right? Winner will be chosen by random.org at 5:00ish o’clock on October 20, 2010. 

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Meet the Sedillo’s!

Funny, sometimes what a small world it is.  I have lived in Riverside about 8 years now, and before that I was in Orange County, but originally here from the IE.  A few years ago I was at the market, and saw a familiar face, although at the time I couldn’t place him…. A few months or so later, I saw him again, but this time, surrounded by a beautiful family and at the park that I coach at- and where my kids play ball…. Small world, it was Anthony (although, back then it was just Tony)… I had worked with him at a small tool distribution company wayyyy back when! Blast from the past though it was, I was happy to see him, and meet his beautiful wife, Jen.  Together they have 4 really cute and sweet kids.

This is Noah.  He’s ten, I think? What a great kid, so polite, and a really good ball player… All of the kids have amazing eyes, and when I asked him to look directly at the camera, he almost looked through me! Love this shot of this handsome young man.

 

This is Kori… I had the pleasure of coaching her first year in tee ball… WHAT A HOOT she is… not only cute, she’s got the funniest little personality.  I could literally eat her up.  She and my son Jace are in the same class together at school…. I like her soooo much that THIS cheapskate bought TWO $2.00 candy bars from her… that says a lot!

 

This is Kody… He’s about three now, and he is just a little prankster!! Always stealth in that three year old way…. sneaking up on me and trying to “steal” my keys, cell phone, etc.  He is super mischievous, but in a good little boy way.  If I am having a bad day, I know this little one would be able to make me laugh in a heartbeat. 

 

Last but definitely not least, Kaulin… the baby of the bunch.  He’s right around 8 months old, and I had the pleasure of doing a session with him when he was just a tiny little baby.  While he hasn’t had as long to identify his role as baby brother in this family, I know he will be just fine… He’s already spirited and determined… did I mention ADORABLE? Look at those lips.  Sigh, boys like this make my ovaries riot!!

Glad though, that it is a small world… being able to reconnect with blasts from your past isn’t always a bad thing, and in this  case- it’s a RAD thing! Thank you to the Sedillo family for an awesome time, and for being who you are!!

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Johnny says he looks like a boy who lives in shadows…

I say that I lovvvvve me some sun-flare.  Shooting into the sun is sometimes really cool… I love how the rays are positioned just right, so you get that little extra flarey-ness.  That is a word, flarey-ness?? I might have to petition Reader’s Digest for that one.  I love the bit of back lighting… that curves his hat and face.  Also, since you are reading this, I am about to tell you a super big, maybe never revealed photographer’s secret… shhh… you have to keep it between you, me, and the world wide web…..shooting into the sun is also a super awesome undercover way to hide the look your kids are giving you after you say, just one more- wait, just one more……We now return to our normal blog post.

 

So aside from the last few shots shooting in the sun, the primary reason for getting out my camera today was to try out a new background, er…..onclearancefromHomeDepotcurtain, that I have had for a while… While its not exactly wide enough for a boy who moves around in anticipation of being done, it does make a beautiful backdrop.  I would show you… but, Johnny wasn’t in top model form today, and… well, yea, let’s just leave it at that.

Notice anything different about the blog today? Another reason for this post…. Am I ever satisfied? Thanks to a tutorial @ I Heart Faces I found out how to change this up a bit… and while I am still not super 110% satisfied with it, I do think its getting there.  Would love some feedback? Oh, and are my comments working? 

Mmmmm simply mmmm….!! Everyday Elements equals everyday love!

 

I am always excited when I find someone out there in the world who is as awesome as Amanda from Everyday Elements.  Not only does she create and share some really awesome Photoshop actions, she just seems like an all around every day super cool chick!!

Check out her blog- where you can download some really amazing and near perfection actions... My favorite is New York City... but I love Boston and Hawaii as well!

Lately, I have been complaining about the grain that is added when Facebook compresses my images... I don't like it.... at all!!!... Looking at one of Amanda's posts, she said something about 700 pixels high, and when I asked about it... the very next morning, she whipped up a super awesome Facebook finishing action... that.I.can.not.wait to use!

Here are a few pics with her actions in action...

 

New York

Hawaii

 

New York, with a small curve bump

I just wanted Amanda to know how much I personally appreciate her contribution to my work....I cannot wait to see what's next from this talented and humble lady.