Lauren Jean Photography

A new home

2010-11-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

This blog has meant so much to me. in its archives I can see so many happy memories. And also how far i have come.
But I have up graded my space now. Please if you could all come follow over here now:)

Thanks so much

LaurenJean

Family photography Gilbert Arizona

2010-10-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

I always get nervous before photo shoots. Especially if I have never met the people before. So as i pulled up to the San Marcos resort in downtown Chandler I may or may not have been whispering a prayer that my clients would like me.

And that i wouldn't trip over anything.

hey, it's happened before.

But Courtney and her family put me right at ease. They even brought a friend along to help get some giggles from their little one.

Such a good idea !!

Thanks for hanging out with me Courtney. Your family is adorable !!

What is included with a laurenjean wedding.

2010-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this, chances are that YOU my friend are planning a wedding. And if you are planning a wedding that means you are engaged!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

This is such a crazy, hectic, and exciting time in your life. Trust me when I say the big day will be here before you know it. One of the first vendors a couple will book is their wedding photographer. This can be an overwhelming task, to say the very least.

There are literally thousands (if not more) talented photographers out there who would love to be a part of your big day. The purpose of this post is to let you know what makes the Lauren Jean Wedding Experience so special

First things first, let’s meet face to face. Let’s sit down at a coffee shop and chat about your wedding. I want to know the small things, like how you and your fiance met, how did he propose, what are the colors of your wedding? After all knowing more about you and your style will help me take pictures that truly reflect you and your fiancé’s taste on your wedding day. This is also a great chance for me to answer any questions you may have about me and my style of photography.

Up next - The E- session (the engagement shoot). Each LaurenJean wedding package comes with an engagement session. We will meet up at an outdoor location of your choice for 1-2 hours and have some fun. This is a great chance for you, your fiancé and me to hang out and get to know each other a little better before the big day. You will receive 20-25 pictures of your session that you will have full printing rights to :). That's right FULL printing rights. That means you may print the pictures yourself or order though me. I have had clients do lots of creative things with their engagement photos. They use them for everything from wedding invites, to center-pieces, to favors. The sky is the limit.

The big day- Phew, it’s here. The day. YOUR day. The day that starts your family. Your life together. My AWESOME assistant and I will show up early to find rockin locations to take your pictures at. I will take pictures of each step of your big day; you getting ready, your fiance getting ready, your dress, your shoes, the ceremony, of course all of your posed pictures, and the fun stuff at the reception.

Fair warning, I will probably cry a little at your wedding.

That's just how I roll.

After the big day- within 24 hours you will see a sneak peek of your pictures on my facebook and/or blog. Within 36 hours you will have a slide show of all the highlights from your big day set to music. You may e mail the link to family and friends, and share it on any of your social networking sites.

Pretty awesome stuff.

Then in about 6 weeks you will have a DVD jam packed full of your wedding pictures. Once again you have full printing rights.

Please contact me for pricing. My 2010 pricing will be expiring soon. If you book your wedding before Jan 1st you may still take advantage of it.

I look forward to meeting you :)

Steve & Stephanie Arizona wedding photographer

2010-10-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

Stephanie laughed as she confessed to wearing her wedding dress around the house once when Steve left town. She looked over her shoulder at her bridesmaids and smiled as she recreated the pose she did in front of her mirror. She looked absolutely beautiful in her wedding dress.

When Steve saw her for the first time he smiled from ear to ear. You could see it all over his face that he felt like the luckiest guy on earth to be marrying his love on that lovely October day.

The ceremony was held at the Wigwam resort in Avondale Arizona. The couple said their vows with their close family and friends both local and visiting from Wisconsin watching.

They celebrated with a very fun reception held at the UTI school in Avondale where they danced the night away.

Congratulations Steve and Stephanie. Thank you for allowing me the honor of photographing your wedding day !

Why have a photographer at your babies birth.

2010-09-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

I have had three babies.

Each labor was different.
Lexi took her time. I pushed for a hour or so.
And the epidural worked like a charm.

I have one picture.
It was taken with a fun saver.
nuff' said.

Ashlynn was fast.
I didn't have time to even get a IV.
OR a epidural !!!!

I have no pictures.

Myka was born during the age of camera phones.
So I have a few blurry camera phone snaps.

I don't remember the face my husband made when i was pushing. Or when he saw his daughter for the first time.
I never got to see what was really happening when the nurse was weighing her and checking everything out.

I can't remember the details the day, like what room I was in or what the nurse looked like.

And even if i would have had a friend with a camera there the snap shots would be just that.

Snap shots.

I want art.
There is NOTHING more beautiful then the birth of a baby.

YOUR baby.

Having a professional photographer there to document our birth experience means you will have beautiful images that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

It is not intrusive. Or strange. It is a way for both mother and father to experience the day as it is happening without worry of getting all the right shots. And a way to experience it again and again.

Right now I am offering portfolio building prices for birth photography. It can be a home or hospital birth.
I will meet with you before the big day to discuss every detail of your birth plan.
When the time comes you can guarantee that i will be ready to go and very respectful of your privacy.

Within 24 hours of your birth session you will have a online slideshow of beautiful images documenting your story from start to finish.
You will receive a high resolution cd with printing rights of all your images within 3 weeks.

Here is what one client had to say about having me as her birth photographer

When I got pregnant with my last baby I knew right away that I wanted a photographer to document the birth, it was something new to me, but I was super excited to try it out. I thought Lauren would do awesome because she has such a friendly & warm personality & I love her photos! Sure enough she was great to work with, she kept in touch with me throughout the pregnancy & when the time came & the baby was on her way Lauren was prompt & totally prepared! She was also very respectful of my wishes and my privacy, she & I discussed in detail every aspect of what I wanted weeks in advance, she was pretty much up for anything. I never felt like my privacy was being invaded. It was great to have her there during the labor & the birth, she's easy to talk to, and was very sweet & thoughtful, slipping out to do detail shots here & there when she saw I needed rest. I would recommend Lauren to anyone for this type of photography! Even though Lauren & I barely knew each other to begin with, when it was all over I felt like I'd had an longtime friend in the room with me. Not only is she great to work with, her work speaks for it self. The final shots left me teary eyed, and OH SO THANKFUL that I'd chosen to do this. It's so great to see the birth of my beautiful daughter through this amazing perspective! I feel like it truly captured the story of this wonderful day in our lives. If I were ever asked if I would do it all over again, or do it with future births, my answer would be "a thousand times YES!!!" Thanks again Lauren, I will cherish these photos forever! "

Contact me at laurenkenna@gmail.com for rates and more information.

Incredible... { Arizona birth photographer}

2010-09-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

My phone stayed by my bed for four nights straight.
I was getting comments on facebook asking me if it was "time" yet.
My camera bag was packed and ready to go at a moments notice.

My clothes were laid out and my husband was on alert.

You may be asking what was going on. What event was putting the Mitchell house on such high alert ?
I , Lauren, was getting ready to photograph a brand new life coming into the world.
Now , I could just write this post and say I photographed a birth and it was awesome.
But that explanation would do no justice to the experience at all.

I photographed a human being. A child of God, a being who was knit together in her mothers womb first breath. I got to see what a mothers face looks like the moment she sees her baby for the first time. I was able to photograph the smallest of details at one of life's BIGGEST events.

It

was

AMAZING !

I want to do it again. I am offering portfolio building specials for birth photography. E mail me for more info.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of the day.
And you can see the rest here.

what I love......

2010-09-18T23:16:00.000-07:00

Booking weddings

Holiday family sessions

donating children s vitamins to this cause

my personal blog

learning how to make nifty photo collages

What do you love?

This is cool .

2010-09-15T00:59:00.001-07:00

I love doing creative different things with my photography. I am so excited for this month. I am photographing a bridal shower that I know is going to be stunning ! And I have the chance to shoot a birth !! Ekkk !!!!!

What a honor to be asked to capture such a special moment in a persons life.

The beginning of a new one.

Yes, I do love my job.

oh, hey everyone who reads this ( I know people do ) in fact i had TWO people this weekend tell me they read my blog !!

WAHOO !!!

Moving on... I started a new blog to document my personal life. Not that I don't like sharing personal things on here. But i wanted a place that I could blog about my family more, my faith , what i am making for dinner.

You get the picture.

The new blog is here. I will still be updating here all the time but it will be sneak peeks for clients and tutorials for the most part.

Please join me over here too. And leave a comment !!

Seriously i live for comments. its vain and silly i know but its nice to know that your words and thoughts aren't just bouncing into cyberspace.

NOW on to the super cool macro picture i took today with my NOT macro lens. Nope, believe it or not I took this

using my nifty fifty ( 50mm 1.4 )

I found the tutorial here. If you have a dslr camera you can do this with any lens you have. Take the lens off and flip it around. Use your hand to FIRMLY hold the lens in place and look through your viewfinder. You have just created a macro lens !!

Now its not going to be the best focus because you cant manually focus or use auto focus. You just have to get really close to the thing you are photographing. Just keep moving in until the object is in focus.

I can't wait to play around with this more. I fully plan on using this trick in October at the weddings I am photographing !!

Leave some love and check out the new blog !! leave love there too !!

I am happy today !

2010-09-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Because lexi is Star student this week and I am taking her a special lunch at school and eating it with her.
Because Myka and I made a fort out of blankets and pillows and then we played Polly pockets in it .
Because tonight is the Flourish women's conference at my AWESOME church. last years was life changing for me. I was at a rough place in life and i remember driving home late at night literally screaming at God. I know it sounds wrong to scream at God.

But I was... hes cool with it.

I screamed out my heart to God and he listened. Boy oh boy did he listen.i want you all to picture the magnitude of screaming i did here. I'm talking I shook my fists and pounded on my steering wheel. I was crying so hard my chest was heaving.

When i came home and walked in the door. Things were better. I wont go into detail , but they were better.

Now I m at a different point in life. I have different crossroads. But I am waiting to hear from god. this time I will do the listening.

The weather is cooling down here and that makes me all sorts of happy inside. A few days ago Lexi and her BFF were outside giving eachother pedicures. It was so cute.And Myka was in the thick of it.
She thinks she is a big kid.

I want to leave a legacy

2010-09-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

How will people remember me ? A few days ago I was blessed enough to chat on the phone with another photographer who lives on the other side of the country. I have never met her in real life. She found my page through facebook after dear friends of hers mentioned my name to her. She e mailed me with a few questions. I asked if I could call her because I think I am better on the phone.
After we chatted about photography for a bit we started talking about our faith. About having a relationship with a God who alive and living inside us every second we are on this earth. We each feel that this gift of photography is meant to glorify God. To help speak louder then words ever can about the hurt and pain in this world. And the beauty and love that the human spirit is capable of.

I hung up the phone feeling refreshed and whole. Did I mention that the friends who mentioned my name to this fellow photographer were my husbands aunt and uncle ? My friend shared with me what a blessing they had been in her life. How they made her feel loved at a time in her life when she needed it the most.
What a awesome thing to have someone say about you. She used the words they changed my life. How AMAZING !! When I die someday ( a long time from now I hope ) I desperately pray that someone will say that about me. I pray that someone will say that about our family. I want my children to see us helping people. Speaking love and life into others.

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

Amen !!

Speaking of legacies and families. How adorable are Kathleen and her family. We met for a family session id downtown Gilbert on a particularly stormy Arizona day . The rain stopped just long enough for us to take some awesome pictures. My favorite part of the session was when I had to practically beg them to stop kissing !!

*hehe* So adorable. I love when couples are that in love :)

Within minutes of ending the session and getting into my car the sky opened up and poured down rain. The wind was so fierce I had to pull over and wait the storm out.

No complaints here though. I love the rain. We don't see it enough in Arizona !!

ps
the inspiration for this post can be found here. I love this song !!

What to wear .

2010-09-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

So the date is set, the location is chosen, and the family has agreed to it. YES! You are ready to take family portraits. For some of you, this is a yearly ritual. For others, this is your first time. No worries. Either way, I am here for you.

We will get through this together.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from a family after they have booked their LaurenJean session is, "What should we wear? " The answer is simple, and yet, so broad. The short answer is, "Whatever you are comfortable in ." But that statement is vague. I mean, we are all comfortable in our yoga pants and a big T shirt. But I don't recommend showing up to your family portrait session wearing either one.

What I mean by comfortable is, dress in clothes that make you feel like you. If you hardly ever wear a dress or a skirt , don't wear one to your session. It will show in the pictures that you feel out of your element and slightly awkward. However, if your little one insists on wearing his superman cape and rain boots, don't fight it. We will take some great pictures of him in his " uniform" and then we will talk him into a change of clothes.
The sky is the limit when it comes to wardrobe options. The style of family photography is changing. Portraits used to be a one-size-fits-all experience. Everyone wore the same color , crammed themselves into a studio somewhere, and smiled awkwardly at the camera. And that style worked for a long time. Even now, it might work for you, but if so, I'm probably not your girl.

Let me explain...

One of the key elements to a successful portrait session is location.

Parks are nice.

But downtown is better!

Does your family like baseball? GREAT ! Lets shoot on a baseball field. One of the perks of being a natural light photographer is that the world is my studio. The location of your shoot will play a huge role in your family feeling comfortable. And because we will be shooting in some not-so-traditional locations, you want to make sure that you are dressed in clothes that you can move around in. I will ask you to stand up, sit down, walk toward the camera, away from the camera, etc... So if you decide to rock out in high heels, make sure you bring along some comfy walking shoes as well.

Speaking of shoes, shoes and accessories are an awesome way to show some personality and add some color to your pictures. Pairing a fancy bracelet with a pair of jeans looks fantastic!! Or, choose a pair of hoop earrings that bring out the color of your eyes. If it is winter, scarves, hats, and layers of clothes look awesome and add dimension to your pictures. If it is summer, think big sunglasses and flip flops.

COLOR is a HUGE thing with me . The more color you can add into a picture, the better. Many families ask if everyone should wear the same color shirt. My answer is that you want to make sure you are all wearing colors that compliment each other, but not necessarily the same colors. You also want to make sure that the solid prints and patterns on clothing don't clash with each other, as well. Example: if brother is wearing a red shirt and red plaid shorts do not dress sister in a pink striped shirt and flower skirt. Not only do the colors clash. but the patterns will appear way to busy in the picture and will draw the attention away from the most important part of the picture, YOU !!!!

And, of course, there are a few wardrobe choices that look good on no one in pictures,

spaghetti straps

short skirts

short shorts

plain white cotton T shirts

So let's review..........

1. Wear something that reflects your personalty and your children's personalities.

2. Wear clothes you can move around in and possibly get a little dirt on.

3. Accessories and layers are an AWESOME way to add some dimension and color to your pictures.

4. You can never have too much color. Just make sure it's not everyone in the exact same color and that all colors compliment each other.

5. Dress appropriately for the seasons. Don't dress in layers if your session is in August.

I hope this helps give you a idea of what to wear when we meet. My goal is to make sure that you have a fun session that produces timeless images that reflect your family's true personalty and genuine interaction with each other.

Please e mail me at laurenkenna@gmail.com to schedule your session :)

Erin and Renny

2010-08-29T23:12:00.000-07:00

My favorite moment from todays engagement session on Mill was when I was taking pictures of the future bride Erins shirt. I loved the writing on it and wanted to make sure I took a picture that showed it off.

The words on the shirt read "Wild and Free" . As I was snapping the pic the future groom Renny joked that she would not be wild and free for long. I had to laugh when he said it.

But that statement is not entirely not true. I honestly can not imagine a greater freedom then being in love . True love brings you the freedom to be your self . To be happy and secure. To laugh, cry, and just be.

You can tell that these two have found true freedom in love. I am so excited to shoot their wedding in October that has been eight years in the making !!

Congratulations Erin and Renny !!

After all that work , we needed a drink !!

Weddings

2010-08-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love weddings. They are probably my favorite thing to photograph. I always feel so special to be asked to be a part of someones special day. To capture the memories that are the start of a new family.

One of my brides had this to say about her experience with Laurenjean photography

"One of the most special days in a person’s life, is their wedding day; because this day is so important it is awesome when you are able to find a professional person that not only makes everyone feel comfortable, but is able to capture those special moments with incredible photographs. This is exactly how my new husband and I feel about Lauren Mitchell, from Lauren Jean Photography; she was able to capture the highlights of our wedding and not only are our posed pictures great, but she was able to capture our candid moments beautifully and as we look at our pictures now, we are able to see the joy and love in everyone’s eyes as we can still feel the overwhelming emotion of that day. Thank you Lauren for providing us with these images that we will treasure forever and that we will be able to share with our loved ones and each other throughout what we hope to be a long and beautiful life together."

Eternally Grateful,

Michael and Xochitl Johnson

I consider it a honor to be a part of each and every wedding I photograph. If you are getting married or know someone who is. Please contact me for availability. I am hoping 2011 will be a epic year for me and my dream of being a wedding photographer. anyone who books a date for 2011 will receive 25% off what ever package they choose and a free engagement session if they mention this blog post. Please visit www.laurenjeanphotography.com for details on pricing.

below are a few of my favorite images from weddings I have photographed.

i heart faces

2010-08-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

I heart I heart faces. This weeks them was beach pictures. This pic is from this summer. She was so scared to go in the water. But her Daddy took her by the hand and promised to keep her safe. I jumped in front of them to take a picture and then out of nowhere a huge wave came and almost knocked me over.

But her daddy kept her by the hand. And was good on his promise.

She was safe.

I snapped this right as the wave was about to hit. The look on her face is just priceless.

Happy Monday !

We scout Wednesday

2010-08-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

The assignment on scoutie girl is simple. Share a little bit of your summer in black and white. I want to share a lot of bit lol. But thesse are my favorites from the summer.

lunchtime on Tuesday

2010-08-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I avoid blogging because i have nothing profound to say. Not that when I do blog i am profoundy sounding or anything . But I like to have a point ya know.

But today as I was watching Myka finish up her lunch I took out my camera and snapped a few pics. And I really like them .

I need to remember these moments.
cherish them.

She is two years old now. And it will go by fast .

(are all two year olds this messy?)
My ten year old reminds me of that everyday.having kids who were all born in August is emotional overload. No mom should have to go through her babies growing up all at the same time. I guess moms with twins deal with this. If you are reading this and you have twins you will have to let me know if it is double the emotion.

My futures so bright............

2010-08-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

I have to wear shades.

Seriously, I love this girl. See more shades at over at I heart faces.

More time.

2010-08-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone else suck at time management ? We have a new ritual at our house these days (more like nights) . It involves me patting Mykas back until she falls asleep in her big girl bed.. part of me is relishing in rubbing my sweet babies hair back from her eyes as she drifts off to dreamland. But the other part of me is freaking out on the inside because my mind cant stop racing about what I COULD be doing. Tonight's thoughts were drifting to tomorrows open house at the girls school. I am picturing showing up with home made , delicious chocolate chip cookies . Just a small token of my appreciation for the woman who will be around my child more then me for the next nine months.

Then I think about having to go to the store to buy the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. Then i think that while I'm there I should buy stuff to make a extra special dinner tomorrow night in honor of the first day of school.

Then I think about having to spend all that time at the store............
and all that time in the kitchen...............
and then I decide that it would be more fun to do THIS .

in other news there was a monster at our house today. true story !!!!

And we have a winner !

2010-07-31T23:47:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Marla and her two adorable little boys !! They are the winners of the laurenjean Christmas in July family photo shoot. Thank you to everyone who entered and voted. Remember my next giveaway will be when I reach 700 fans. I will be giving away wedding photography package !!!! that's right one lucky couple getting married in 2011 will have the chance to win a FREE wedding photography package !! I am excited for this one !!

Below are the dates I am booking for Holiday pictures, Please leave the date and time you are interested in below in the comment section and leave your e mail address and I will be in touch. As the date become taken I will cross them off the list.

The laurenjean Christmas family package is $200.00 dollars and includes a one hour photo session for up too 7 people. A high resolution cd of all your images ( 20-25) that you may have printed wherever you would like. And 25 unique Christmas cards with your favorite pose from your session.

available dates are......

October 8th

October 10th

~~October 15th~~

October 16th

~~October 23~~

~~October 17th.~~

October 22

~~October 24th~~

all sessions will be in the evening. I will book dates in November as needed. I have several locations to choose from. I am so excited !! Please feel free to e mail me with any questions laurenkenna@gmail. com .

and because i can't leave you without a picture here is a snap shot of lexi I took about a week ago.

This is my 100th blog post.

2010-07-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

And all I have to share are random thoughts.

We are home from our two week stay in Wisconsin. We had so much fun. It was the kind of trip that was good for the soul. I saw my 93 year old grandmother and when I hugged her all was right with the world. I drove down to the Chicago area and saw my best friend and her beautiful babies. Her daughter Sophia and Myka are the same age. I just know that they are going to be the best of friends someday. We were even able to squeeze in a photo shoot while I was there. But More on that later.

School starts in Two weeks !! I cant the song " its the Most wonderful time of the year " out of my head. it may not really be the MOST wonderful time of the year, but its darn close. I am anxious for the routine of school to start back up again.

Myka learned how to crawl out of her crib !! This has put a whole new spin on bed time. I know its time for a big girl bed but I need to baby proof her room first. *sigh* I really enjoyed having some where to put her when I needed her to stay put.

On the flight back from Wisconsin I sat next to the man who owns all the dunkin donuts in the valley. He was very nice. He didn't complain once that Ashlynn and Myka kept switching seats with each other. Or that Ashlynn had to go to the rest room five times. He even laughed when Myka asked him to rub her tummy. ( he then informed her that mommy would be better at it ).

back to the reason for this blog The pictures,

We did this shoot in Libertyville. The town I grew up in, on the street me and My best friend both grew up on. It was the perfect street to be a kid on. It was the kind of neighborhood where people knew their neighbors and the kids played together from sun up to sun down.

Fun is a understatement.

2010-07-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

to say we had fun on vacation would be a understatement.

We had like superfun !! The bestest fun ever !!! The most fun of our entire lives !!

Ok, I am quoting my 6 year old. but she summed up the trip well. I am convinced that San Diego is the best place to spend the fourth of July in the world. The weather was perfect. Some might say it was chilly. But my Arizona skin just soaked it up. We watched the fireworks over the water. I took pictures while my husband comforted a terrified baby.

We went to the beach twice .

And spent a day at Sea world. Shamu was a no go. But the sea lions were awesome.

Now I am getting ready for two weeks in Wisconsin. I hope it rains. It looks like my wish will probably come true. I am excited to sit on the porch of my grandmas house and drink ice tea. I will also get to meet my best friends children and my new cousin.

So excited.

here are some more pictures from our trip.

My husbands grandparents.they have been married 50 years. I cant wait to say that someday :)

Christmas in July .

2010-07-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

San Diego was simply wonderful. My husbands grandparents were AMAZING hosts as usual. And my fourth of July was the best I have had in years.

I have many, many, many, pictures to share with you all.

But onto more important things.

It is time for a GIVEAWAY !! if you follow me on my facebook then you know about a week go I looked at my number of "likes" and thought "I want more people to like me".

Hey I am co-dependent . I'm ok with it. But only if you will all promise to still like me k :).

I promised that if the number of likes got to 300 that I would do a giveaway. And I am a girl of my word so on the road trip home from San Diego i cooked up a fun little contest for you all.

here's the 411

The contest is called Christmas in July because the prize will be a FREE holiday photo session with yours truly. You and up too 7 people you call family will meet me at a location of your choice in the month of October. We will sing, laugh, dance , maybe share a hot dog or two......
oh.... and we will take pictures. Lots of pictures. And then i will go home and edit those pictures and give them to you on a cd. You will get 20-25 pictures to be exact. And you may print them wherever you would like because thats how I roll. You will also receive 25 awesome unique Christmas cards to send to all your loved ones with your favorite pose from our session. This is a $200.00 dollar value folks.

how to enter

I thought long and hard about the kind of photo people should enter for the contest. And since it is a free family session I think the cutest family photo should win it. So e mail me at laurenkenna@gmail.com your favorite family snapshot. The picture must be of your whole family. that can be so many different things. It can be you and your dog. A husband and wife, a mom dad and 5 kids. I just want to see the people you love and would want photographed.
And since there is no way i can pick the cutest family picture I will let the world of social net working decide. After you email me the pic I will upload it to my my laurenjean photography fan page on facebook. Tell all your friends and family to come vote for your pic. The contest starts NOW and goes until midnight July 31st. people may comment on your pic but only "likes" count as votes. remember the sooner you enter the more chance you have to get votes.

the fine print

The pictures may not be professional.Even if laurenjean photography took them. They must be snapshots. The free session must be used in the month of October.The picture must include everyone that will be photographed in the session. So you may have to ask your neighbor to grab a pic of everyone before dinner one night. The pictures will be posted on facebook within 24 hours of when I receive them. No tagging your pics. People need to visit my page to vote.

i am so EXCITED !!!
After the contest i will start booking sessions for Christmas pictures. I have already had people contact me about holiday pictures . Spaces will go fast!!!

I will write a post later about our fourth of July fun. but for now. Here is my new favorite pic EVER !!

Happy 4th of July everyone !!

2010-06-30T10:57:00.001-07:00

I will not be in stinky , sweaty, hot Arizona this 4th of July.

I will be on the beach, with my pretty just painted blue toe nails in the sand.

I hope my camera doesn't get sand in it. that would be bad.

I cant wait for Beach pictures of my girlies. And my fabulous family photo shoot I have booked in San Diego. i am hoping for a location with colors. Lots and lots of colors. Anyone have any suggestions??

Then we will come home and get on a plane and spend some time with family in the heartland.I still have openings for Wisconsin/Chicago area sessions.

As you can see July is pretty busy for me . But I am booking sessions for August.

August in really Hot out !! So I am offering a beat the heat special of just 125.00 for a family shoot. Up too 7 people.

We meet at a location of your choice. I have some great places I can suggest. We laugh, we talk, we have fun. And two weeks later you have a cd of 20-25 rockin' pictures of your family. The seriously awesome part is you can print the pictures at a lab of your choice.

They are your pictures, you should have them :)

August is the last Month I will be offering the summer special so take advantage of it folks !!!

Growing up.

2010-06-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today my oldest daughter Lexi started asking me and her Dad some really tough questions. She wanted to know things like why did September 11th happen, What happened at Pearl harbor and probably the most difficult one of all, How did Lost end ???

I guess this all a sign that she is growing up. I hear kids will do this from time to time. Thats why I love what i do. I take pictures of people at so many different places in their lives. Some times it is a baby about to turn one. Sometimes a couple who just made the decision to spend the rest of their lives together. And sometimes it is for a mother with her children who are grown up. But will always be her babies.

Thanks for coming out Jackie. You have a beautiful family :)

Enjoy !!

I wonder where she gets it from ??

2010-06-24T09:18:00.001-07:00

Untitled from kennagurls on Vimeo.

We call daddy at work at least once a day. Myka babbles on and on to him. Its adorable.

In other news I am so excited for the next few weeks to come. From July 3rd through July 8th I will be in San Diego , CA. I will be sticking my toes in the warm sand and taking about 10,000 pictures of my lovelies on the beach. I am so excited to spend time with my husbands grandparents while we are there . Herb and Helen are so sweet. I would love to do a few sessions in Cali while I am there. The summer special is $150.00 and that includes a one hour session for up too 7 people and a cd of all your images that you may print wherever you would like. E mail me at laurenkenna@gmail.com or leave a comment with your e mail address and the day and time you are interested in.

Once we get back from CA , Me and the little girls will be heading to Cheese country and corn land. ( Illinois and Wisconsin ) I will be there from July 13th through July 26th. I am also booking sessions in that area as well. Same special. E mail me laurenkenna@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

I hope I am able to book lots of sessions. I would love to travel more and take pictures of fabulous families all over the world !!

Happy late fathers day !

2010-06-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

i hope every guy reading this ( ok, i hope every woman who has a great guy in her life reading this) had a WONDERFUL fathers day. This post is a little late and for that I am sorry. But I have sorted out and processed a lot of feelings about fathers day over the years and tonight i said to myself Why not hash out all my feelings on the internet for the whole world to see.

Sounds like a plan !

This is my dad

handsome huh :)

Ok, so obviously I am not genetically related to a sculpture. But That statue represents the idea in my head I have of my Dad. As most of you know my dad passed away when I was a little girl. He was diagnosed with Lymphomia when I was six . He fought hard for four years. But God called him home the summer after we moved to Arizona. I was just ten years old. After My dad passed away my mom and I were at the mall when she spotted this statue in a store window. I remember watching her eyes well up with tears as she stared at the image of the firefighter in front of her. MY dad, the man she was deeply , madly, passionately in love with was a fire fighter before he got sick. My mom has told me that he was tall and handsome. That he was brave and kind. In that moment standing outside that window she saw her emotions in a work of art. She bought the statue and has kept it for 16 years now.

today was special.

As she prepares to move into a new phase of her life my mom passed the statue on to me. The timing is really appropriate.I am a adult now. I able to get through
fathers day with only a small lump in my throat. I think time has been a wonderful healer and of course I am comforted by the fact that I have a father in heaven who is king of kings and lord of lords. So I am a princess and all....

Oh and of course THIS GUY helps........

This is the guy who has been in love with me since seventh grade. The guy who I lost touch with for over five years after high school and I still managed to marry. This is the guy who is father to all three of my daughters even if only one shares his dna.

He makes me laugh. He is the smartest man I have ever met. He works full time ( more actually) and he is in school full time.

And he makes the worlds best eggs. Just ask anyone who has been to my house for breakfast on a Saturday morning.

I love my husband with all my heart. He is a great Dad. He needs like a apron with those words written on it. Next year honey , I promise.

ok,

sorry for the gush. i am normally not a gusher.

but it felt appropriate.

I will leave you a few pictures of our fabulous photogenic family on fathers day.
And a big shout out to Grampy Renny. Ashlynn thinks your the coolest.

Love You Aunt Meghan. And your necklace is so pretty.

and just in case you need to see a cute baby today

The Kidds

2010-06-19T23:54:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I am a member of a awesome group of Moms called M.O.P.S . If you are a mama of a little one I HIGHLY recommend that you run, not walk and join your local M.O.P.S group. Go ahead I will wait.......

You done??

Good.

Now that we have taken care of that I want to introduce you to a Woman , and mother who I met trough M.O.P.S and has become a dear friend. ( and one of my best clients ). I remember when we did her first family session over a year ago. We met in the park and it was HOT ! It was July in Arizona people. The heat here is no joke. It was brutal. I had checked the weather before hand like I always do and the weather man had predicted nothing but hot and more hot. I though Our biggest obstacle would be the heat. I was so wrong. Right in the middle of the session the skies opened up and God sent Arizona a nice present. I imagine the amount of rain we saw fall would be on the same wave length as what Noah dealt with. But thats just my own op ion. Most families would have packed it in and rescheduled.

But Not my friend.

She smiled and laughed as we ran to find shelter at the near by armada. She giggled with her husband and asked me to take snapshots as they let their children play on the playground in the rain.

When the storm was over and the grass was almost as soaked as the children we marched up to the top of the hill where Stacy had found a sign that said peace in different languages. She told me that this is where she wanted their next pose to be. She wanted to remember the feeling of being cool because her clothes were wet in the middle of summer.She wanted to remember how happy her children looked because they had been swinging in the rain. She wanted to remember the day.

This year we did out session a little earlier in the summer. Still hot, but not brutal just yet. The Kidd kids were just a little older and so CUTE!!! Thanks for the memories Stacy. And thanks for the friendship :)

ENJOY !

lexi and Locks of love

2010-06-17T23:57:00.000-07:00

I am so stinking proud of my kid. She is pretty rad. She has been growing her hair out all year so she could donate a ponytail to locks of love. Yesterday she came to me and announced in a very grown up voice that it was time. It was also time for little miss M's first haircut .

sniffle.....
wimper.......
wahhhhhhhhhhhh....

How did my baby get big enough for a haircut ? I must stop blinking. Everything is going by to fast. Lexi is old enough to understand how to be giving of herself. She made a choice to go without so that someone else may have.It makes my heart sing.
Myka is experiencing a new first every time I turn around. I swear she will be going off to college before I know it.

And Ashlynn got her bangs trimmed. My sweet Ash. Her hair has some more growing to do before she is ready to donate to Locks of love. And she has had her first haircut already. She truly is the middle child.

Sorry Kiddo :)

I heart babies.

2010-06-15T00:33:00.000-07:00

The theme this week over at I heart faces is all about babies. This is one of my favorite images ever. baby G was such a doll.

I Heart faces friday fix it.

2010-06-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

I love the i heart faces blog. I guess one advantage of this being the slow season for photographers here in Arizona is I get more time to have fun and participate in things like Friday fix it. This pic is from the I heart faces blog. You download it from flickr and then fix it up however you would like. I adjusted the levels and made the sky look like it was later in the day. Then I masked the adjustment off the woman and boy. Then i used a florabella action I have called milk and honey two. One of my favs, I finished it off with some burnt edge action courtesy of MCP actions. Let me know what you think. I love comments !!!

Why did you name her Myka ????

2010-06-03T19:45:00.001-07:00

I was not one of those women who loved being pregnant. In fact I loathe it. Most women get these cute little bellies that look like they swallowed basketballs. I got a wide a** and a puffy face. When I found out I was pregnant with number three I belonged to a online forum of moms who were all due around the same time. It was cute how the first time moms took pictures week by week of their ever cutely expanding basketball bellies. But I had to laugh at the thought of doing that myself. My belly was a pile of extra skin and the two tacos I had for lunch. Nothing cute there people. Move along, no seriously, MOVE ALONG !!!
I was barfy for the entire nine months. And not the kind of barfy that eating a few crackers would help. I was zapped of energy and moody ( just ask my poor husband) No sir, me and pregnancy do not mix.
But in the midst of the barfing, weight gain , and mood swings there was one day I always looked forward to ( besides my due date). It was the day we got to find out if it was a boy or a girl. Imagine my shock and horror when the clearly inept ultra sound tech told me not with one child but with TWO pregnancies that they couldn't tell the sex of the baby !!!! The first time it happened with my oldest daughter I left in tears. Swearing up and down that I didn't care I just wanted to know ( total lie, I wanted a baby girl ). But , I was trying to be all mature about things.
My second daughter I was told had spina bifida. So I had lots of fancy high tech ultra sounds. We knew early on she was a girl. And she was FINE :) ( dont get me started on all the tests they insist on putting poor pregnant mommies through).
So my last pregnancy i waited patiently for the day of my ultra sound. My hubby took the day off work, and I filled my bladder to the brim with water. There was no way I was leaving that appointment without knowing the sex of that baby.
But, that baby had other plans. That baby wanted to close its legs and open them for no one. We tried for almost a hour. When i insisted i stand on my head to see if that would put the baby in a better position the ultra sound tech kicked us out of her room.

I was heartbroken.

So that night when we sat down to discuss names we both agreed that we wanted a biblical name. We opened our bible and started looking. As we looked we talked about what we wanted for our child. We knew that we wanted above all for our child to love God and love others. We wanted our child to be a world changer, to be a voice for those without one.
Then my husband remembered this verse......

Micah 6:8 (New International Version)

8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

And that was it. Boy or girl the baby would be Micah. When little miss Myka came into the world we did change the spelling. I think it sounds more girly. My husband thinks I'm nuts. But he went with it. I know she has some high expectations on her. But I think she looks like a world changer !! A clean one :)

taking it one day at a time........

2010-05-31T22:07:00.001-07:00

We are waiting here at the Mitchell household. Waiting for news about our future. Nothing earth shattering, Just a possible change in location. I dont want to say too much. mainly because I don't want to be to disappointed if it doesn't happen. I am really bad at waiting. I have no idea how parents can go nine months not knowing what the sex of their baby is. I am way to impatient for that. But God is telling me to chill out for a week or so. Summer time is a hard time to "Chill" in Arizona. School is out and the girls are home. Its so sad to keep kids indoors all summer. Its not natural. We did go swimming today. I only let the girls swim for about a hour. My light skinned, blond hair, hazel eyed daughters burn to a crisp if they stay out much longer.
It was a great day though. I wrapped it up with a mini photo shoot with Miss Ashlynn. She is such a model. Tall, skinny, and she loves to work it for the camera.
I hope you all had a wonderful memorial day. I am grateful for all the men and women who serve or have served in our military. We are so blessed to live in the land of the free. Lets all remember that freedom comes at a cost.

My first testimonial !!

2010-05-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

This reminds me of how much I LOVE my job !!!

One of the most special days in a person’s life, is their wedding day; because this day is so important it is awesome when you are able to find a professional person that not only makes everyone feel comfortable, but is able to capture those special moments with incredible photographs. This is exactly how my new husband and I feel about Lauren Mitchell, from Laruen Jean Photography; she was able to capture the highlights of our wedding and not only are our posed pictures great, but she was able to capture our candid moments beautifully and as we look at our pictures now, we are able to see the joy and love in everyone’s eyes as we can still feel the overwhelming emotion of that day. Thank you Lauren for providing us with these images that we will treasure forever and that we will be able to share with our loved ones and each other throughout what we hope to be a long and beautiful life together.

Eternally Grateful,

Michael and Xochitl Johnson

Xochitl and Mike { Arizona wedding photographer}

2010-05-17T22:04:00.000-07:00

I feel so blessed to be a part of a couples wedding day. It truly is a honor to be a part of a couples wedding. They are choosing you to be a part of their special day. You are taking the pictures that they will show to their grandchildren someday. You are present at the beginning of a legacy. Mike and Xochitls wedding was beautiful. Working with this couple truly was a pleasure. You could tell just by looking at these two how in love they are. And the love shared between the families was so evident through out the whole day. Congratulations again You two !! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day .

We were sick last week.

2010-05-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight i am feeling tired and a little run down. I am sure i am just feeling the residual effects of the crazy mutated virus we caught last week. Will got sick on mothers day and we all followed suit. By Wednesday morning I gave up pretending like things were normal in our home and just rolled with it. Thank goodness my older daughters are awesome at making to the bathroom when they feel funny in the tummy. The baby well.... I can deal with that. My husband was so sweet to put up with me falling asleep to old Mary Tyler Moore episodes every night. For some reason when I am sick I need to fall asleep watching t.v.

So needless to say I am behind on my editing and blogging. But i had to share these darling pics of my friend Jenn and her family. Jenn was the winner of a free photo shoot from Laurenjean photography. Thanks for coming out Jenn !! I had so much fun with you guys :)

Be a poser !!

2010-04-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

I remember when I first started out I used to spend hours looking at blogs and studying posing techniques. I wondered how photographers caught those "it" moments. You know the moments when the couple seems unaware that the camera is even there as they giggle and tell inside jokes. The moment between a father and a daughter that is so precious it makes your heart melt. Or the exact moment a family erupts in laughter all at the same time.

I wanted to learn to capture those :it" moments.

There was just one problem , every family I photographed just stood there and expected me to know what to do. Didn't they know they should be frolicking together. That they should act natural and just let me take a thousand pictures of them being "natural"

But what is being natural ? And how do you feel natural when you're all dressed up in a public place with a photographer who you probably barely know following you around telling you to act natural ?

easy peasy.

Come up with some simple silly interactions that for the family or couple to do together. For example. Ask everyone to try to make the baby laugh .

It takes the families focus off the camera and puts it where it belongs. On each other. Another trick I use for large families Is I ask them to pose themselves how they are comfortable when they get ready for a shot. I find that natural family connections shine through this way. Then I move them as needed to make sure everyone's happy smiling face can be seen.

And then I tell the kids to tickle Mom and Dad. ( the kiddos love this one)

And sometimes i ask them to walk away from me and then i tell "BOO" really loud so they all turn around.

Poses like these help loosen a family up not only with each other but with you the photographer as well. After a few fun ones the magic really shines through. Then you can get pictures like this that truly capture the love and joy between a family. They look natural, but were achieved with direction.

And one last piece of advice. Never stop taking pictures .

Even when no one is looking...

because you don't want to miss the small moments that speak BIG words about love.

I am having a love affair........

2010-04-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

With black and white photography. Its funny how you could put the same model in front of 10 different photographers and all ten images that are captured will look completely different. Some photographers are bright and bold with their colors. Some use lots of photoshop techniques to make the images come alive with uncommon colors and textures. Others are more subdued and laid back. They keep things simple, and clean. Some are soulful and use rich tones shadows to accentuate the subject in the picture. I would classify my " style' as bubbly, bright, fun. And it works, but lately i have been testing the waters trying to capture images with more soul to them. I have found that black and white really helps you do that.

For you aspiring photogs out there I know you will understand me when i say that black and white pictures are no easy feat. It is not done by just clicking a button in photoshop. You want the perfect blend of blacks and whites. Its a game of trial and error until you find the mix of blacks and whites that makes the image come to life.

Until i saw these images i don't think i really realized how loudly black and white pictures can speak. The motivation for this shoot started with my clients desire to have pictures of her daughter in a baby cradle. But not just any cradle.This is the cradle that she herself had slept in as a baby. And the cradle that her mother had slept in as as well .

I really wanted these pictures to have a timeless feel to them. Like they could have been taken in any era. And of course I had some super adorable models. Someone asked me how i make my pictures black and white. my answer was simple, i know its right when the picture " sings" to me.

I hope these pictures sing to you too :) thanks Kristen for coming out and bringing your adorable babies.

It was windy out today.

2010-04-22T21:28:00.001-07:00

This time of year is so bittersweet. While the rest of the country is rejoicing in the bliss of springtime and dreaming of summertime, we in Arizona are preparing to hibernate for 5 months.
The past few weeks we have been in the 90's. The sun has been shining down its violent rays warning us of the temperatures to come. To make matters worse. Our air conditioning is broke. I think God is testing me.

But today *sigh* today was a gift from heaven. Today i stepped out into the parking lot of the grocery store and smelled rain. I LOVE the smell of rain. The air this afternoon was thick with it. I was positively giddy as I loaded my children and groceries into the car. Delighting in every cold raindrop that hit my skin. As I closed the van doors and made my way to return my shopping cart, I closed my eyes and pretended i was back in Chicago.

It was nice.

Today was nice.

Rain is nice.

babies with no pants on while they play outside in the rain are nice.

In love In Arizona.

2010-04-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

" You know you are in love
when you see the world in her eyes,
and her eyes everywhere in the world."
David Levesque
ps
if you refer a couple to laurenjean and they book a wedding with me for 2010 or 2011. You will receive a $100.00 dollars towards any laurenjean family photography package !!!

Congrats Stephanie and Steve . I cant wait for the wedding :)

some things.......

2010-04-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

in honor of my 28th birthday i decided to make a list of some random things about my childhood and life that i feel like have helped make me who I am today. The good the bad, and the just plain lauren moments.....

1. When i was about 7 years old i was attacked by a bumble bee in my back yard. The bee stung me 5 times before I made it inside. It then proceeded to ram its self into the screen door repeatedly until my dad went out side and killed it. Ever since that day I have been terrified of bees.

2.i grew up right next to rail road tracks. I lived in a suburb of Chicago so the train ran all the time. I never noticed the noise until i moved away from it. where we live now there is a train about a mile away from us. Sometimes I stay up late just so i can hear it go by at midnight. i close my eyes and imagine my old house and rainbow bite bed. It brings me comfort.

3.i once locked my keys in my car with my car running twice in the same day.

4.After my Dad died sometimes me and my mom would stay up late and watch Nick-at-nite together. the theme songs from Mary tyler morre and dick van dyke still make me smile.

5. I choked on a piece of hard candy on a field trip to a fire station when I was in second grade. i actually passed out . I think its why i cant eat hard candy now. i have a insane fear of choking.

6.My all time favorite tv show is Roseanne. i dont know why. i just think its really funny.

7. I met my husband when I was 12. but it took me until I was 23 to realize he was my soul mate.

8.I have known most of my friends since third grade. some even longer.

9. I have ADD. Like for real . So school was always really hard. I wish i would have done better. But i think it fuels me to make sure my daughters do well.

10. i love photography. Duh, I mean I really love it. I feel like when I look through the lens the world makes sense again. maybe its a control thing ??? But it make me complete.

And last but not least.... I got to take pictures of this cute little guy over the weekend !

i should ...........

2010-04-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

I should..........

blog more, read more, listen to new music, listen to old music, learn to dance, do some yoga, exercise more, stop being so hard on myself, take a bubble bath for reasons other then sickness, pray more, read my bible more, pray in public,pray in private,pray with my husband pray with my kids, play a sport ( yeah right, I have no free time ) make time for free time, learn to cook,plant a garden eat organic,take more pictures, tell more funny jokes,tell people I love them more , show people I love them more, go to Africa,go to Europe,go anywhere other then Arizona this summer, write my grandma a good old fashioned letter and send it snail mail,shop at more thrift stores,use coupons, read more labels, make homemade lemonade, take my kids on a picnic,
change all my i shoulds to i wills................

I will..........

blog more, read more, listen to new music, listen to old music, learn to dance, do some yoga, exercise more, stop being so hard on myself, take a bubble bath for reasons other then sickness, pray more, read my bible more, pray in public,pray in private,pray with my husband pray with my kids, play a sport ( yeah right, I have no free time ) make time for free time, learn to cook,plant a garden eat organic,take more pictures, tell more funny jokes,tell people I love them more , show people I love them more, go to Africa,go to Europe,go anywhere other then Arizona this summer, write my grandma a good old fashioned letter and send it snail mail,shop at more thrift stores,use coupons, read more labels, make homemade lemonade, take my kids on a picnic.

I hope you had a FANTASTIC Easter. Here are some snapshots of Easter egg fun at the Mitchells !

Growing............

2010-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I remember the day like it was yesterday.I was standing in church talking with a new mom I had met at MOPS. My heart was pounding and my palms were sweaty . The voice in my head saying "just tell her you are a photographer." Before i knew it those words were coming out of my mouth.
As soon as i said it her face lit up and she said " I would love for you to take some pictures of my baby "
I was on cloud nine. I remember the thrill of booking those first few shoots. The idea that people would pay me to do what i loved was mind blowing. Lets be honest it still is. I feel so honored to be a part of every memory that I capture.
I have a friend who is a amazing artist and writer. She is always posting the most amazing quotes about art, inspiration, and creativity. I had the pleasure of helping her with some pictures a few months ago. i remember meeting at the mesa art center and talking for what seemed like forever about our different art forms. It was so great to sit down and chat with someone who "gets" it. She is one of the many blogs I draw inspiration from on a almost daily basis. There are so many others.

I am telling you all something I don't think I have ever spoken out loud to anyone other then my husband. i want to inspire people. I want to touch peoples emotions with my work the way i have been touched by others work. I want to grow as a artist and help others grow too. I have had so many bloggers inspire me over the past year. I know i don't comment much. But please know that i am reading. And you are helping water the creative seeds inside of me. People who take the time to share their work and day to day struggles are helping young artists flourish.

I had the pleasure a reconnecting with that mom from MOPS and her darling daughter a few weeks ago. She is one now. And is so much fun. She is walking and talking. Her eyes were so bright and full of life. She has grown so much since her last shoot with me.

We both have.

Happy birthday baby Briana !!!!

from our shoot a year ago........

and here are a few from a few weeks ago. Enjoy !

I Quit !

2010-04-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

thats right ladies and gentlemen. i quit !! i have had it with photography. never again will i worry about shutter speed or aperture ! I will NOT stay up until 3 aM editing pictures ever again !

I AM DONE !!!!

JUST KIDDING ! happy April fools day everyone !! Seriously as if i could ever quit. Photography is like breathing to me. I need my camera as much as I need air. I need it like a fish needs water or a car needs tires or a......

well you get it.

Happy April ! I love April for so many reasons. April is my birthday month. This year i will be celebrating the third anniversary of my 25th birthday. More on my feelings about that later. I also love April because of Easter. I know Easter is not always in April but most of the time it is. i remember my 16th birthday actually fell on Easter day. i was so upset because no where was open. And all my friends were busy with their families. I remember my mom going out of her way to make the day special for me. Last year my birthday was on Easter too. Only this time i wasn't so upset about it.
April is a fun month all around. Speaking of fun , I had a blast with Laura and Ash a few weeks ago on Mill Ave. The weather was perfect for picture taking and these guys were up for anything. I can't wait to photograph their wedding in May. And just for fun here is your slideshow !

Enjoy ! And happy Easter. if you dont know the reason for Easter click here . And if you are in the phoenix area and looking for a AWESOME Easter Sunday service check out here. maybe I will see you there !

i am a bad blogger .

2010-03-23T00:04:00.000-07:00

it's true. I Lauren, am a bad blogger. i have gone almost the whole month without sharing a single moment of my life with you. I have so much to share !

As some of you know i attended WPPI for the first time this year in Vegas. my sweet friend Melissa was nice enough to let me crash at her place while the convention was happening. i learned so much and heard some wonderful photographers speak. It was so awesome to be surrounded by people who share my love of 50mm lenses and photoshop.It was like we all spoke the same language. I think one of highlights of the trip[ for me was listening to jasmine Star talk about " Ghetto fabulous marketing " My friend Amy gave me the link to jasmines blog a few weeks before the conference and I was automatically hooked. Her work is amazing !!! I already can't wait for next year.

oh, AND i bought the cutest camera bag ever while I was there !!!! BONUS!

Speaking of Bonus. How many of you did extra credit work in school ?

I am not raising my hand............... School was hard for me. I know someday i will go back for a degree but in the meantime I will take pictures of fabulous people who have worked their tails off to graduate.

Like my friend JoAnna. This session was so much fun because i could tell how proud she was of her accomplishments.She worked hard for this diploma and I was honored to rock out with her in a awesome session to celebrate her achievements.
The camera loves you JoAnna, and I am so excited to photograph your wedding !!!

Enjoy !

Winner, Winner , Chicken Dinner .

2010-03-03T21:29:00.000-08:00

i have always wanted to say that.

*sigh* It really is the small things in life that make me happy. Things like GIVEAWAYS !

thank you so much to EVERYONE who entered. You guys are seriously the best. laurenjean photography is a dream come true for me. And I couldn't do it without you all.

And the winner is..................

Do you wanna know ??

Do you really wanna know??

are you really sure ?

watch this video then!!

Congrats Jen !! Please contact me to set up your session.

And because I am in a Video mood I would just like to let you allknow where I will be waking up next week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pUaogoX5o

I will be there learning how to take fabulous pictures from the best in the biz. to say i am excited would be the understatement of the year.

Dont worry, i am sure I will have lots of pictures to share when I get home !

Petite peanut Etsy Shoot [ baby photographer, Mesa, Arizona] giveaway two posts below.

2010-02-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl I hated going to craft fairs with my grandma.It was a sure prescription for a day filled of never ending boredom. We would walk up and down every aisle looking at every picture of a hand-painted deer , or a wolf stitched on the back of a jacket. Nothing i ever saw ever made the inner artist in me think " hey , I wish i could make that" ( not that i don't have mad respect for all you deer painting wolf stitching peeps out there )it's just not my thing. hey, i'm just keepin it real here.

But in the past few years the term "hand-made" has taken on a whole new meaning thanks once again the wonderfulness of the internet. I am sure most of you out there are familiar with ETSY . It's like a big huge craft show, only its one filled with not only painted deers but cute hair bows and tutu's. Spending a afternoon clicking through peoples different ETSY shops definitely sparks the artist in me.

but...*sigh*

When God was handing out the crafty gene, I must have been watching you tube because I never made it to the line.

So I was so excited to help Joy promote her new ETSY shop Petite Peanut Boutique. And to make the day even better she brought her sweet daughter Miss T, who is getting ready to turn one.

Joy make darling hairbows , and tutu's. She also makes the cutest hats and her little boy's ties make me wish i had boy of my own to dress up for church.

It was a afternoon seriously filled with a over dose of cuteness.. .. Don't believe me.

look for yourself .

love,

i heart faces fix it friday ! Giveaway below.....

2010-02-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

This was so fun ! I edited with cs4 and brought up the midtones. then I opened a new layer and brought the black curves way up. I masked the curve layer off of the little girl and ran mcp's color burst action on the whole pic. I flattened the layer and ran mcps burn it action and upped the opacity to 100 %. Then i ran Florabella's milk and honey action and lowered the opacity to 30%. So much fun !

Give away !

2010-02-24T09:13:00.000-08:00

I am in love folks. Yup , its true. am in love with life these days and fell like spreading some sunshine. Some exciting things have been happening at laurenJean photography the past few weeks and to celebrate, I decided it was time for another giveaway ! But first check out these super cute leggings I got from knottybaby on ETSY .

ok , back to the giveaway !

What you get- a family photoshoot for up too 7 people at a outdoor location of your choice ( within 20 miles of Gilbert Arizona)

a blog posted within 3 days of your session giving you a sneak peek

a online gallery within 2-3 weeks of your images that you may share with family and friends.

a full resolution cd with 15-20 of your best images from your session.

How to enter- its easy as pumpkin pie folks. Just put a link on your facebook page, blog, twitter whatever form of social networking you use to my blog. Then leave me a comment in the comment section below giving me a link to whatever site you linked me on.

You can also earn extra entries by becoming a fan of laurenjean photography on facebook. Just leave me a comment under the just fans section on facebook letting me know you became a fan. You can also earn extra entries by referring friends to fan my page as well. Just have them become a fan and leave your name under the Just fan comment section on facebook.

so recap- post a link to my blog www.laurenjeanphotography.blogspot.com on your social networking sites. Then leave a comment on this blog with a link to where you posted so I can verify it.

then head on over to my facebook page And become a fan if you are not already. leave me a comment under the just fans section letting me know you became a fan.

Then tell your friends and share the love. Have your friends become fans of laurenjean photography . Each friend you refer who comments on the page with your name will get you another entry.

The contest will start oh lets say NOW !And go until next Wednesday. I will announce the winner and close the contest Wednesday night at Midnight.

Rules

basically be honest folks. I am sure someone , somewhere can find some loop hole I missed. Don't be that person.

The winner of the contest MUST BOOK the shoot within one week of winning for the month of April or May.
one more thing kids......

I would like to give a massive shout out to my hubby. I love you babe. Thank you so much for supporting me and my dreams.

You are awesome and I want to kiss you forever.

ok, i'm done.

On your mark

get set

GO !!!

The wonderfulness of the internet

2010-02-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

If you know me then you know that one year ago I was not a professional photographer. I was a silly little girl who had just bought a expensive camera. I remember my first "shoot". I talked my best friend into meeting me at the park and letting me take some "myspace pictures" for her. I literally just took the camera out of the box and pushed the shutter button. Thats it. When i got home and looked at the pictures I remember the feeling of frustration that swept over me when I saw the pics on my computer.
My pictures looked nothing like the fabulous pictures I saw on the internet. Even though I had the fancy camera and used all the same poses as the other photographers my pictures still looked like ...

pictures.

I wanted more.I wanted to create works of art for my clients. Not just fancy photographs that uncle Joe could take if he had the same camera. I knew I had to be missing something, so I started Googling . I watched you tube videos and read different blogs. I e mailed photographers begging for advice( hey i was desperate). I learned a few things, but I REALLY started learning about my craft when I joined a online forum on cafemom called photomoms.

I know , it sounds cheesy but let me tell you it was/is a wealth of information for free. As I typed this blog I received a e mail advertising a online workshop taught by a professional photographer about using natural light. IT costs $300.00 !!! And that is with my discount folks. Learning about this art form is not cheap. Photomoms is a group of professional photographers who are willing to help eachother learn and grow for FREE !You might be asking yourself why would they help me?

Because these women love photography and they want to see passion alive and well in others.

It's that simple .

There are a ton of other free or almost free photography forums available in cyber land. With the internet so freely available these days anyone can learn about this art form without breaking the bank. Whether you have dreams of owning your own photography business, or you just want to learn to take better pictures. You can find the information you need.
Another online gem I have started using as of late is clickin moms.

This site has a small fee. But I mean small and right now they are offering a 10% discount if you use the code FRIEND totally easy and worth it. I am not joking when i say I learned almost everything I know about photography from a online forum. I am not alone, I have talked with many professional photographers who will tell you the same thing. So check it out, explore, take your camera and show people how you see the world through your lens !

Oh and just so you have something pretty to look at, here is another pic of miss D laughing at my geekiness.

love,

JoAnna and Sam [ Arizona engagement photographer ]

2010-02-19T08:42:00.001-08:00

Have you ever heard the story about the girl the boy , and the tow truck driver ? Stop me if you've heard this one before. I was so excited to travel to Greer, Arizona for JoAnna and Sams engagement session. I even talked my Hubby into going with me as my assistant. We started on our way Saturday morning and got about half way there when my hubby asked " do you smell something?". It took about 30 seconds after that for the steam to start rising up from the engine. We were six miles away from the nearest town. We tried to get the good ol' minivan to make it up the mountain a few more miles.

But , no such luck. So, we called a tow truck driver and headed back down the mountain with the chain smoking driver named Earl. okay , so I don't remember what his name really was, but Earl seems fitting.

I had to cancel the shoot for that day . Thank goodness JoAnna and Sam were understanding and we rescheduled for the next day.

It was all worth it for as cute as these pictures turned out .Taking the pictures in the snow was such a cute idea .Thanks for a great day you two. I can't wait for the wedding :)

These ain't no Myspace pics.......

2010-02-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

Meet D.

She was nice enough to model for me last week. My favorite part of the whole shoot was when she asked the biker dudes if she could model on one of their bikes.

They were all happy to oblige.

Enjoy your sneak peek.

baby Ryker]Queen Creek AZ ] Newborn photographer

2010-02-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

I met my best friend Angela in the third grade. It was not "love at first sight. In fact, we hated eachother.

Good thing i am a witty as I am . I was always ready with a good comeback like

" I wish the world would open and swallow you "

I am glad that the world did not open up and swallow her.Because then I could not take pictures of her sweet new baby Ryker.

Olga and James

2010-02-13T17:33:00.000-08:00

I know I say this a lot. But I love my job. I love caputuring moments and freezing them in time for my clients. I have always known that I wanted to venture into wedding photography and last December i got my wish. Olga and James were the sweetest couple. So in love and EXTREMELY photogenic.
I had so much fun photographing their wedding. Enjoy the pictures !!!

Let it be..........

2010-01-23T23:37:00.001-08:00

Taking down the tree

2010-01-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

Myka is really sad to see the tinsel go..........

A Mitchellish Christmas

2009-12-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

Phew ! I can't believe Christmas is over all ready. I am always a mix of emotions this time of year. I love the Christmas lights , and the hustle and bustle of Christmas. But i am also ready for it to be over.

I have to say though , this was one of the best Christmas's I have ever had. Christmas day was spent with My awesome in laws at their home in Phoenix. The kids were spoiled as usual and the food was AMAZING ! I think my favorite part was playing Band hero with my hubby and all of his siblings.

The next day we had our Mitchell Christmas. The kids played with all of their cousins and had so much fun ! It is so special to be apart of this family. I grew up a only child and holidays were always kind of lame. My mom did her best , but I always felt the loneliness of wanting to be a part of a big family. I am so happy that my three girls get to grow up in a family filled with so much love.

So Merry late Christmas from laurenJean photography !! 2009 was awesome and I have even bigger things in store for 2010 ! Too kick things off next weekend I have a engagement shoot in Greer Arizona. SNOW !!! I am so excited !!! I can't wait to show you all the pictures.

In the mean time here are some snapshots from our Christmas. And at the end is my first attmpt a video. this is another avenue of photography i am excited to explore and learn more about in the coming year!

May you all have a blessed and Happy New year !!

Ashlynn spreading some Christmas love

Great Grandpa. I really like this picture .`

Great Grandma and Grandpa

The older cousins. Arent they all gorgeous ! ? And Myka with Uncle Brandon

and I hope this video makes you as happy as it makes me !

A Mitchellish Christmas ! from kennagurls on Vimeo.

If we are the body .

2009-12-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I ask families to do some crazy things during photo shoots. I may ask a sister to give a brother a kiss on check. Or make you put your neck in a really uncomfortable position and tell you to ” smile and look natural “. One of my favorite shots to do with families is have them lay on the ground with their heads together and look up at the camera.

Most people look at me like I am crazy. Moms worry about double chins girls worry about hair getting messed up. Dad worries he wont be able to get back up. But when i asked the Runzo family to lay down , they all eagerly agreed. I made my usual disclaimer that they may get a little dirty and their oldest daughter looked at me with big eyes and smiled when she said ” it’s ok , we have lived in some dirty places “.

When they were all in place and i looked through my lens I almost cried. On the other side of the camera was a family who has given up everything for a higher calling .

There is a song by the group Casting Crowns that pops into my head whenever I think about the Runzo family. The chorus asks a very simple yet very profound question:

But if we are the body
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? There is a way?

This family is answering that question. They are going . They are the hands and feet of Jesus. I met Scott and Lisa when I was 11 years old. Scott was the youth pastor at my church . I remember when they had their first baby. Who is a teenager now !!! Yikes , I feel old. I also remember when they made the decision to move their family which included three small children to Latvia.

Being a mother of three small children myself I can’t even imagine what that must have been like. To leave my family, to leave the comfort of everything familiar and to move somewhere where they spoke a different language. Had different traditions and customs.

But they did.

They followed God where he led them, and they trusted him.

The internet is awesome for so many reasons. Over the years I read Scott and Lisas e mail updates and eventually their blog. They have been so honest about the ups and the downs of being full time missionaries.They have faithfully shared their joy and sadness with the whole world.

As they start a new chapter in their lives i was so honored that they asked me to help document some precious memories of this time for them .

Scott and Lisa, it has been a pleasure knowing you and you and your family will continue to be in my families prayers as you start your new adventure. thanks so much for hanging out with me and my camera !

Enjoy.

p.s if you are interested in finding out more about Scott and Lisa new adventure C.A.L.M click here

2009-12-11T21:40:00.000-08:00

Just wow.........

2009-11-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

A sneak preview from my session at the Boojum tree room.

All i can say is wow !

Just wow !

We are family !!

2009-11-21T21:15:00.000-08:00

I photographed A LOT of families a few weekends ago :) Here are my favorite shots from each session. It was so great to hang out with everyone . I would love to write more and tell you how amazing each one of these families were , and how much fun i had with each of them . But , I am tired.
Hope you all are having a great night and a wonderful weekend !

Young love

2009-10-31T23:52:00.000-07:00

I am way behind on blogging. Heck , I am way behind on life. But life is good . Things are busy. I like being busy. And these twolike eachother . They like eachother so much they are getting married ! I am so excited tophotograph the wedding. These two were naturals in front of the camera.

Congrats you two ! Here is your slideshow.

Pastor Ruth Mitchell

2009-10-24T11:18:00.000-07:00

That title " pastor Ruth" seems strange to me . I'm going to honest here ( Cuz that's how I roll ) the title of pastor conjures a image in my mind of someone unapproachable , at least for someone like me.

trust me when i say that if you looked up the definition of approachable , Pastor Ruth's picture would be right next to it. You could also find her next to fun , sincere , and all around awesome .

And if you happen to be Alexis , Ashlynn or Myka , you would see her picture next to Go-Go . ( African for Grandma ) .

Check out pastor Ruth and all the other amazing pastors at City of Grace church . They have amazing ministries for the entire family .

Oh , do you agree with me when I say she so does not look like a grandma??

We love you Pastor Ruth "aka" Mom !

A trip to the pumpkin patch .

2009-10-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

Some cool pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch.

The bees were insane. I hate bees.

It was 85 degrees .

But we still had fun :) I would love to live somewhere that actually believed in fall

Erin , Dave , Carol and Anna.

2009-10-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

This shoot was special for so many reasons. Erin is a friend of mine from my crazy youth group days. She was a few years older then me and i always thought she was sooo cool . And she is !
We were able to get in touch with eachother through facebook , and I was THRILLED when she asked me to take some pictures of her adorable family.
We were able to get some great shots of The whole family and the kids. Carol has the most amazing blue eyes. And Anna looks just fab in her mommies belly :)

Thanks Erin and Dave enjoy !

Happy Halloween !

2009-10-08T20:14:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how life has taken on a new awesomeness since I started this photography gig. I have always loved holidays , but now I seem to go all out a little more because I see something that will look good in a picture. Anyone else pick out thier kids clothes because it will look good in a picture??

So today

I had

to
have this !

and it gave me a idea. I think a Halloween mini session is calling my name. I am thinking $25.00 for 5 studio style pics like the one above. e mail me at laurenkenna@gmail.com for more info. Or comment here:)

Over the moon happy !

2009-10-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

This couple was so fun to work with ! They were up for anything ! They didn't even bat an eye when I asked them to take off their shoes and get into a lil mini creek we found. I loved this location , In Arizona it is hard to find a spot to take pictures without a cactus somewhere in the frame.

Congrats you two crazy kids !

I love my job ............

2009-10-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

Because I get to photograph precious babies ! This little angel was so cute and sweet. And her big brother was very handsome. Thanks again for allowing me to photograph your sweet babies !

Enjoy

A well of creations

2009-09-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love crafty people. I love pretty things. I met Robin at my MOPS group last year. She is AMAZING ! Her husband is serving in the military right now and she is home raising their daughter. Having been a single mother myself , I know how hard it is. In the midst of all this though Robin has found refuge in being a true artist. Her Blog is so inspirational. She is a fantastic writer , and she make's all sort's of beautiful creations.
If you want to be inspired check her out at http://joyfulstill.blogspot.com/. And if you are looking for the perfect gift for yourself or anyone else take a look around her ETSY shop .

Thanks Robin ! You are awesome.

Thinkin pink

2009-09-26T12:15:00.001-07:00

What cancer can't steal .

Today at 12:11pm | Edit Note | Delete

This is very personal and exciting to be a part of.

LaurenJean Photography is excited to announce a partnership with Think Pink Photography. Think Pink Photography was founded in October 2007 to support individuals and their families who have been touched by breast cancer. We are a charitable organization that serves two main purposes – celebrating life and supporting the cause.

Through our professional photographer network, we are helping breast cancer patients to celebrate life with charitable photography sessions. Individuals may choose to document their fight against the disease before or during treatment, or prefer to capture their victory by scheduling a session within 12 months after treatment is completed. Photographers world-wide are now available to donate time and talent to celebrate life and support the cause. There is no cost or obligation to the breast cancer patient. Clients participating in a Think Pink Session will receive a complimentary photo session, as well as a set of 10 small prints from the session. They will also receive a discount on any additional portraits they wish to purchase, although there is absolutely no purchase required at any time.

To support the cause, we have partnered with The Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation. All funds generated through donations and various fundraising efforts are paid directly to The Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation. As a 3-time breast cancer survivor, Danielle Beverly and her husband Eric joined together to form a foundation dedicated to promoting education, increasing awareness, and providing support and resources for families who have been touched by breast cancer.

Please subscribe to our blog (on the Think Pink website) and tell your friends and family about Think Pink Photography. Awareness is everything and we can’t be successful without you.

I encourage you to view our website, make a donation, or hire a photographer that supports Think Pink Photography! If you hire me, mention Think Pink and I will make a personal donation to the organization. If you, or someone you know, would like to schedule a Think Pink session, please contact me for details.

I am very proud to be a network photographer with Think Pink Photography, and am anxious to get the word out about this amazing program. For more information, you can contact me, or you can visit the Think Pink Photography website at:
http://www.thinkpinkphotography.org

The first Christmas session of the season.

2009-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

I had my first Christmas session of the season today. It was lovely.

Now the awesome madness begins. I am ALMOST booked solid for the next two months. I do have a few more spots , so e mail me for information.

My hubby cleaned the kitchen this afternoon. It was nice.

Enjoy the cuties ahead !

These are some fantastic kids !

She is going to be a model....

2009-09-22T23:01:00.001-07:00

I guess it's my fault. I am the one always shoving the camera in her face. but in my dear friends Megan's words
"look at her already making her legs look long"

She is tall and skinny and blonde . Poor kid:)

and those eyes !

I love it when I can see me in a photo.

2009-09-16T22:44:00.001-07:00

i cried when i was done editing this one. When i first started in my photography journey a few months ago i saw a picture like this one on another photographers blog. i remember thinking that i would never be as good as her . That I could never take pictures like she did.

I started scouring blogs of other photographers , trying to emulate their styles and pictures. But That one picture has always stuck out in my head.

So when i saw this pic from my last session I knew how I wanted to edit it. I knew how I wanted it look.When I was all done , I realized that I could see me taking the picture in the reflection of his eyes.

I realized that I could see ME in the picture . Not her style , or his style , but my style.

Awesomeness

sneak peek...........

2009-09-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

I had a crazy good weekend. Here is a sneak peek of what my session on Mill ave today. These boy's were total angels. I think it's because their mom is super cool !

Enjoy !

hew..... I have had a INSANE weekend ! But i did manage to squeeze in one shoot. I really liked this location. These pic's were for grandparents day.

Two is too much fun !

2009-09-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

Little miss D is turning two next week. She is such a doll. She was a little camera shy until we broke out the balloons. Then it was all smiles.

Happy Birthday !!!

And the winner is ............

2009-09-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

I can't just tell you the winner that quick. First I have to tell you all that I made a tutu for Ashlynn. Now this may seem like a small thing to all you crafty mama's out there. But in my world , this was a big deal. I am going to make three for Halloween this year. I started with Ashlynn because she is the middle child. And let's face it , how often does the middle child get something first ?

Now on to the contest. Thank you so much everyone for entering I was overwhelmed by the amount of votes ! I can't thank you all enough for getting the word out there about laurenjean photography.

Before I announce the winner I wanted to go over a few things. This contest was the official start of bookings for Christmas sessions. A Christmas session will include a 1-2 hour outdoor photo session at a location of your choice for up too 6 people. Each person after that is 10 dollars. You will receive a cd with 20-30 of your best images . You may share these pictures online ,and print them any where you would like. You will also receive 4 5x7's , 4 8x10's and 25 Christmas cards . The cost of the holiday package is 150.00 . If you have a large group you would like photographed contact me and we can work out a package price. I am booking holiday sessions NOW. I am expecting sessions to fill up fast.

As a Thank you for entering the contest each contestant will receive the holiday package for 125.oo . Plus 15% off print orders , if you book in the next two weeks and pay your deposit in the next two weeks.

I am also booking Halloween sessions. If you book a session in October and bring your children's Halloween costumes along. I will throw in 5 extra pictures of your pumpkin's in their costumes at no extra charge.

ok ,ok , here are a few more pictures of my lil' pumpkin. Then I will announce the winner's !

and the winner is .................

NANI !!!!!!!

Congats Nani and family !! You win the free holiday session . Please e mail me at laurenkenna@gmail.com too set up your session. And the winner's of the free mini session are Michael and Gabriel. I used the very scientific method of picking names out of a hat for this one.

so remember e mail me and book your date in the next two weeks to receive 25 dollars off your holiday session and 15% off your print orders . laurenkenna@gmail.com.

p.s
I am already planning my next giveaway , stay tuned.

This kid was too cool. ( contest below)

2009-09-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

Warning : One seriously cool dude up ahead.

And, I LOVE my new logo. What do you think??

The awesome Kidd Kid's and cousins !

2009-08-31T22:01:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Stacy wanted some photos of her darling kid's and their cousins! Of course i was happy to oblige :) It was really hot out , but we had a good time.

thanks Stacy .

Enjoy .

Sweet baby Kali . ( contest below )

2009-08-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Sweet baby Kali everyone !!!

Congrats Shilo and matt. She is perfect in every way .

Enjoy !

On your mark , get set , vote !!!

2009-08-28T08:09:00.000-07:00

Wow ! I have had the biggest smile's brought to my face this week . There are some VERY happy kiddo's out there :) Thank you every one for entering.

Ok , Here is a re cap of how this contest will work . Tell all your friends and family to come and vote for your cutie . You can update your myspace/facebook/cafemom page with a link to this blog , make phone calls , send out e mails. Just spread the word. People will vote by leaving a comment in the comment box below .The contest will run from tonight at midnight until Thursday September third at midnight. At the end of the contest I will count up all the vote's and who ever has the most vote's will win the free Holiday session !!

I am posting this on facebook as well as my blog. The comments MUST BE LEFT ON MY BLOG !!! And since you will be there anyways feel free to take a look around. I am really looking to grow my business in the next year. I am so thankful for all the support I have received over the last 8 months . I am hoping this blog will be a way to promote my business and make new friends near and far !!!

Alright here we go !!!!

This is Aiden age 1

Brett age 6 and Paige age 4

Cooper and Brielle age 3 and 6.

Hayden age 3

Herston age 3 months

Iris age 14 months

Mckalia age 2

Michael and Gabreil age 10 and 6

Nani age 6 months

Owen age 3 Audrey age 2

The Z team !!!!

i listed the entries in alphabetical order. if I spelled a name wrong let me know. All the age's of children listed were the age they were in the picture.

Happy voting !!

Good luck !!!

Sugar and spice and everything nice.

2009-08-24T22:00:00.001-07:00

Little girls are so sweet. Now this is a happy kid. Have I seen your happy kid ? The contest ends Thursday at midnight ! E mail me those pics at laurenkenna@gmail.com.

BTW - My hubby is building me a website ! I am so excited :) Too the women who offered thier hubby's help. I may still need you. Thanks !!

Now prepare to saw awwwwwwww..............

The Skinner family.

2009-08-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

First off , a HUGE thank you for all the contest entries. I can't wait to see who wins ! The competition is fierce. There are a lot of cute kids out there. Keep sending them in. The more people we have the more fun it will be :).
Ok , now onto the fun stuff. I met Ruthanne in MOPS last year and she is AWESOME ! You may remember her from earlier in my blog. She was kind enough to be my very first shoot about 8 months ago. It was so fun to photograph them again. And can I say that I loved what they were wearing!? The colors were so great !

Here is a sneak peak.............

GIVE AWAY !!!

2009-08-20T13:21:00.001-07:00

This is big folks , real big. This is my first ever give away and I am doing it up right.

I am having a happiest kid contest . The way is works is this , e mail me your favorite photo of your kid or kids smiling , laughing , or just being plain silly. You have from now until midnight August 26th to get your picture in. Then on August 27th I will make a post on this blog showing off all your cutie pies. You then tell all your friends and family to come to the website and vote for your cutie. Friends and family can vote by leaving a comment on the blog. the contest will run until September 2ed. Whoever has the most votes by midnight on September 1st will be the winner.

What do we win Lauren ??

funny you should ask , I was just going to tell you. The Winner will receive a FREE holiday session ! That includes 4 5x7's and 4 8x10's. Plus 20 images on a cd and 25 Christmas cards . Thats a 150.00 dollar value !!

And since everyone at Laurenjean photography is a winner. Just for entering you will be entered to win a Free value session a 50.00 value !

Rules

I must have at least 10 participants to start the contest . We need to have some competition. So tell your friends !

The contest is for Kids only. The picture you submit must be of the child or children that you would have photographed if you win.

Only children 14 and under.

The Free holiday photo shoot must be redeemed in September or October .

The free value session must be redeemed in September.

You may only enter one picture .

each entry can have up too four kids in the picture.

Good luck ! Start e mailing me those pics !!! Please include the child's first name , age, and a brief description of the picture.

e mail me at www.laurenkenna@gmail.com

Myka is one !

2009-08-14T22:25:00.001-07:00

Almost ............. this time last year I was trying to sleep. But sleep was impossible. I knew the phone was going to ring at any minute and I was going to go to the hospital. Finally at 12:00 am on August 15th they called us in. And at 11:10 am Myka Jean Mitchell was born.

This little girl has is amazing. She is such a good baby. She is happy. She is perfect.

She loves her big sister's and has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger.

I am so excited to see how much she will grow in this next year.And a little sad that my baby is a toddler.

We love you Myka !!!

My craigs list ad !

2009-08-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

Lauren Jean Photography Deals and Steals

CAPTURING GREAT MEMORIES FOR YOUR FAMILY

GREAT NEWS!

Now Offering Print Packages!

Deluxe Package

Only $125

Two-Hour On-location Shoot

Twenty (20) Best Images Edited on a CD

Four (4) 5 X 7’s

Three (3) 8 X 10’s

Super-Deluxe Package

Only $200

Two-Hour On-location Shoot

Thirty (30) Best Images Edited on a CD

Six (6) 5 X 7’s

Four (4) 8 X 10’s

A Large 16 X 20 of YOUR Favorite Image

Still Offering Value Package

(Every Family Deserves Great Photos)

Only $50

One-Hour On-location Shoot

(Up to Six People)

Ten (10) Best Images on a CD

Book and Pay Before Sept. 15th and get 10% Off
C O M I N G S O O N

Holiday Packages

Watch for Great Specials

Contact me at laurenkenna@gmail.com

Exciting stuff !

2009-08-08T22:56:00.001-07:00

I want to start this post with a HUGE THANK YOU to all my friends and family. Without all of your kind words and support I NEVER would have come as far as I have in the last 8 months.

Lauren Jean Photography is excited to announce some great news. I am now offering print packages with my sessions.

I am so excited to be working with a super cool lab. I can offer all sorts of sizes and even huge canvas prints.

I now have two different family packages.

Package 1 - 125.00 this includes up to 2 hours of on location shoot time . You get 20 of your best images, with basic editing, on a CD. 4 5x7's and 3 8x10's.

Package 2 - 200.00 this includes up to 2 hours of on location shoot time. You get 30 of your best images, edited, on a CD. You get 6 5x7s, 4 8x10s, and a large 16x20 print of your favorite image.

I will still offer a value package, because I belive every family deserves to have great pictures of their kids.

Value Package - 50.00. This includes 1 hour of on location shoot time for no more then six people. You will recieve your 10 best images on a cd.

Also for those who have spoken to me about my previous price list I will still honor those prices for a short time. You must book your shoot for August or September and you need to book by August 14th. That is next Friday.

I will also have a la carte item's available. Contact me for a price list.

I am excited to help capture memories for you and your familiy.

Random thought .......... I love cute baby belly's. More of this shoot to come. Here is a sneak peek :)

A girl's best friend .

2009-08-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

One of the kajillion reasons I love what I do so much is the AMAZING people I get to meet. Like my friend Stacy. You met Stacy and her family here . Stacy is a foster parent for The Arizona pug association. She opens up her home and her heart to Pugs who are waiting for a forever family.

It was through Stacy that I had the pleasure of meeting Laura this past weekend. Laura is a foster parent as well. From the moment I met her I could sense the love that she had for her best friends.

I wish that I could have taken pictures of all the sweet Pugs at Laura's house. But Sunday was Lil' Debbies day to shine !! She was such a great model. I have never done a animal shoot before Lil' Debbie. But I hope I will get to do more in the future.

Thanks Laura for allowing me into your home and to meet your Lil ' princess :)

Enjoy !!

Teeth !

2009-07-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

Myka is my third baby. I have been through the teething baby game once or twice. ok, twice to be exact. Both girls sailed through it. Not one runny nose, rash, or sleepless night.

So I wasn't too worried about number three........ I was so very wrong.

Poor thing , her teeth are just taking their sweet time. In the meantime , we have the sniffles , a rash on our bum , and general grumpy baby syndrome.

She is still a cutie :)

I am booking baby mini sessions. They are super cute and fun. E mail me for more info.

I'm back !

2009-07-23T23:14:00.001-07:00

I am sitting at my computer drinking a much needed glass of wine. The kids are clean , fed , and in bed. The sound of my tv that is finally hooked and on the tv stand , is in the backround.

the past few weeks have been a whirlwind. Our move was a NIGHTMARE. The Air conditioning in our old house broke in the middle of the move. So we had a good two days of 116 degree temps. You can imagine how fun lugging boxes and furniture was in that weather.

But , we are here . We are home. Our new house is perfect for us. It has such a great feel to it. We are very happy. This was a blessing.

Now, the fun stuff. I did pictures for my friend Kim. Her little boy is turning one !!! He was such a doll. I had so much fun. Too bad the weather was stinkin hot out. I could have taken way more pics if we weren't all melting lol.......

such a sweet family !

I also took some pictures for my friends wedding ! These two our so in love :) It was written all over their faces. I feel so lucky to be a part of their special day .

Congrats Jen and Dave !

So thats what I have been up too :) I missed blogging. It is very therapeutic.

I hope all my friends online and in AZ are doing great ! I missed you all.

Contests and nine year olds !

2009-07-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

Ok , so I have posted A LOT about how much I love this photographer. Her name is Wendy and she is who I want to be when I grow up. She just posted on her blog that she is doing a give a that has killer prizes. You win a free shoot ( normally 400 dollars ) A huge canvas , 20 pics on a cd AWESOME ! The best part, you get to have dinner with her afterwards !!!

The rules are simple. You have to show her that YOU WANT TO WIN ! You can use pics videos blogs anything. It just has to be crazy !

I WILL do almost anything !

I know how you all can help me !! My pal on facebook came up with this idea. OK, here is a link to Wendy and Tyler from Blue lily's blog. Go on check out thier pics and bask in the awessomeness that is blue lily. When you are done basking , leave them a comment telling them how awesome thier pictures are anddddd how much your friend Lauren Mitchell wants to win.

If I can get 100 people to check out her website and leave her a comment I will do something crazy , like really crazy ................

I don't know what yet but I think it will involve body paint , a video camera and public places.

I also have my own crazy entry in the works that I am e mailing to them . I will post that for you asap !

come on folks it will only take a second and eyes will thank you for it !

Oh real quick , the blog I am directing you too is Blue lilys blog and blue lily pictures. Not mine. I think there may have been some confusion earlier.

But fir the people who have already commented about laurenjean photography , A huge thank you !!

New update

My friend Stacy had the wonderful idea that as well as doing something crazy , I should also do something good for some Pug pups ! If I get 100 comments on blue lilys blog about this post I will do a free photoshoot for this group !

help me and some doggies out !

blue lilly link http://bluelily.squarespace.com/blue-lily-blog/2009/7/7/you-got-to-want-it-to-win-it-who-wants-it-more-giveaway.html

Doggie link http://www.arizonapugrescue.com/

and
when
Did
she
grow
up
?

i think I need to learn how to clean a shotgun.

Help me win !

2009-07-07T23:24:00.001-07:00

The rules are simple. You have to show her that YOU WANT TO WIN ! You can use pics videos blogs anything. It just has to be crazy !

I WILL do almost anything !

The awesome Kidd Kids !

2009-07-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

Talk about adventures in photography ! This shoot was awesome not only because Stacy and her family are some of the most easy going people I have ever met , but also because about 20 minutes into the shoot we had our first Monsoon of the season. They were such good sports about it. They even let their kids go out and play in the rain !!!

The Kidd's were nominated for Family of the year at the YMCA and I can see why ! They were so much fun. Here is a sneak peek Stacy ! Thanks again:)

Swirls , twirls and circles

2009-07-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

I can blame my love of photography on my Sister in law Meghan. She was bit by the bug a few years back and has been taking AMAZING pictures ever since. Not only is she a awesome photographer , but she is a stellar artist . She takes the kind of pictures that make a mom cry. It was the pictures she took of my girls that made me decide I wanted to learn how to make people feel that way.I could go on forever about how much I love this gal , but I thought I would rather show you how creative she is.

She designed a set of brushes for photoshop. They are called " swirls, twirls , and circles". They are available on mediaslap.com. I downloaded them as soon as I could and have been looking forward to playing with them all night.

Here is what I have come up with so far.......

What do you think ???

If you like them go HERE and get yourself a neat set a pretty brushes. And check out her work HERE .

Myka has no choice, this photography thing is in the genes

CUTE BABY ALERT !

2009-06-26T16:13:00.001-07:00

So not only do I love having friends who let me take their picture. but having babies who let me do it too is awesome. I love this little girl. I cant believe she is 10 months already.

We took these at the park today.

Try and guess which one is her " OH NO" face!

Upcoming specials and dates.

2009-06-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,
Several of you have contacted me about sessions in the last few weeks. I am trying to plan the rest of our summer and was wanting to set some solid dates with you :) I am overwhelmed and so grateful for all the comments I have received about my work. Thank you all for your support. I am booking sessions starting as early as this Friday, June 26th. I am not available this Sat for an evening shoot , but I would be willing to do a morning shoot at 6:30 am.
other then that I am available Friday, Sat , and Sun evenings through the summer. I have a few locations I use but I am always looking for new ones.
I am looking forward to hearing from everyone and planning your session. The first 4 people to book a session for anytime this summer will receive three free edits and a free 8x10 of their choice.
Please e mail me back with your date and time. My evening sessions are from 5:30 to 7:00 and my morning sessions are from 6:30 to 8:00.
Thanks,

Lauren Jean photography

please check out my blog
www.laurenjeanphotography.blogspot.com

phone 480-650-7363
email laurenkenna@gmail.com

Ciana and Jaidyn.

2009-06-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

I seriously love my friends. Almost all of them have been so supportive of me and my photography. My friend Angela was the first one to let me take pictures of her and her kids with my spiffy new camera. To say I had no clue what I was doing would be an understatement lol........

Now that I have become slightly better , i wanted to make it up to her. So we headed out to the Mesa Art Center for some stellar pictures.

Do you want more out of your Myspace/facebook pictures?

2009-06-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
So it is no secret that I have been working really hard learning all about photography. I think I am making amazing progress. Now all I need are people to take pictures of :). A few of you have contacted me about wanting just a few pictures to use on Myspace , facebook , blogs, or dating sites. So I came up with this idea. For 20 dollars I will meet you and up to four other people at a location of your choice. We will shoot for about a half hour.Then in a few days I will deliver or mail you your cd with 10-15 touched up and edited and watermarked with my logo images. You may use them on any site you would like.

I am still booking regular sessions for fifty dollars. The regular sessions include 1-2 hours of shooting up to six people. Each extra person or pet is 10 dollars. Unlimited outfit changes and locations. You will receive a cd of 20-30 images with basic color correction and editing. You will have full printing rights.

If you would like any special or artistic editing it is five dollars a image. I can also do lab quality prints for a extra fee.

I am also looking to do some event photography. I have the same 40 dollar special per hour. Each extra hour after the first two is 25 dollars.

The first two people to e mail at laurenkenna@gmail.com will receive half off either a regular session or a event session.

Don't forget to check out my Blog http://laurenjeanphotography.blogspot.com/

Finding the beauty in the everyday scenery.

2009-06-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

I found an awesome new location in downtown Mesa. I took my little supermodel there for some practice shots. Part of what I love about photography is seeing the pretty in the everyday scenery. this is the back alley behind a music store. I think it looks AWESOME !

Awesome Blogs !

2009-06-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

I really think I am turning into a blog-a-holic. Are there support groups for that ? I just LOVE looking at other peoples blogs. My favorite blogs are ( duh ) photography blogs. I am a super huge fan of Blue Lilly photography. I have never met this awesome duo in person. But Wendy and Tyler seem to be the shiz-nit . One day I will get them to take my picture . In the mean time if you want some awesome pictures and your in any of these areas , you most definitely should hook up with them.

Tell them Lauren sent you.

And then they will look at you funny because they have no idea who I am.........

Moving on..........

Have you ever heard the phrase Mom-tog ? I had not until I stumbled across This blog. Drew is a super awesome Mom-tog who lives in California. I love all the tips and tricks she gives in her blog. One of the things I love about it is that its not geared towards just professional photographers. It for moms and Dads who simply want to take better pictures of their kids.
And her son is such a cutie !!!

And now onto ME !!!

I am still building my portfolio so e - mail me if you want to be a part of the action . I am looking to do all types of event and portrait photography. If you have a idea , let me know . I am game for almost anything ( almost)

Sweet baby C .

2009-05-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have known Charlotte since she was three months old. Now she is six months ! She is one tough little girl. She has been through quite a bit medically so it was so great to see her and her beautiful Mama smiling and having so much fun today.

You wrote this post on May. 30, 2009 at 1:29 PM Edit Post Delete Post & Replies

2009-05-26T21:18:00.001-07:00

My friends little girl Briana was so sweet and I could not have asked for a better baby to have for my first baby session with.
She was perfect...

She got a little fussy towards the end , her wonderful mother scooped her up in her arms and rocked her to sleep and laid her back on the changing table . I was able to get a few more shots of the little doll.

*sigh* I love babies:)