Why I do what I do

Seattle Area Photographer

It’s been a while since I posted a blog.  I had a super busy December (Yay!) then some dramatic events in my life  slowed everything in my life into slow motion.  I have several shoots that I need to blog about but I figured I would cheat a little and post the presentation I did for my business group last Wednesday.  There is a reason that I am posting it besides that fact that is is already written. I believe that it gives some insight into the “why” of my business, and the folks in my BNI group raved about it, so I thought I would share it with everyone else.  The interesting thing is that because of the events happening in my life I had trouble wrapping my head around writing the presentation, then the day before I had to do it, I was suddenly inspired.  This is dedicated to Donald Barker, a loved one that was taken from us too soon, and is greatly missed.  He was my inspiration.

Here it is:

Kruse Images and Photography

“As all of you know, my name is Shauna and I am the owner and photographer for Kruse Images and Photography.  In my last 8 minute presentation I explained a little more about my business, described my background and experience, and told you what makes me different from other photographers.  Since there are a couple of you who either missed my last speech or are new to our group, I figured I would reiterate a couple of points.  I have always had a passion for photography, from the time I received my mom’s old camera when I was 8 years old.  I find myself looking at the world as if through a lens, even when I don’t have a camera in front of me.  I have over 9 years of professional experience as a photographer, shooting in all different climates and situations.  I can handle a high stress shoot while keeping a smile on my face, and I absolutely love what I do.

Since I started my own business a little over a year ago, I have discovered happiness and a sense of relief knowing that this is what I am meant to do.  I love making people laugh and capturing the important moments in their lives.

 

I love how happy my clients are when they look at the finished product, knowing that is is something that will be around for years to come.  I love that my photos are hanging on walls all around the world, reminding people of their fun vacation, or their family that they might not see all the time.

Some people think a photo is just that.  A piece of paper with faces imprinted on it.  It is so much more.  Not to sound cheesy, but it is a memory, a moment frozen in time.

Even after the years have passed and people have passed we still have that moment.  It is something that can get people through the rough times, or tell a story of someone’s life long after they are gone.  They are so important, and it’s sad that in this age of phone cameras and digital point and shoots people forget the importance of getting professional family shots taken.

Which one would you rather have?

Mobile phone picture

 

A no brainer right?  The one on the left was taken with a mobile phone, and the one on the right was taken by me, a professional.  It bugs me that there is a generation of children growing up with fuzzy digital photos documenting their childhood.  That’s where I come in.  I make sure your family has those treasured moments recorded clearly and beautifully.

Family has always been important to me, but events over the last week have reminded me how very important they really are.  Time passes so quickly, especially if you have kids, and there is no way to slow it down or stop it.  That’s why it’s important to get frequent family portraits.  They allow you to save that moment in time and remember the good times.

Now as I have mentioned before, I prefer outdoor portraits because the family is more natural, and you really catch the personality of everyone involved, something that is a lot harder to get in a studio.

One of the reasons that I love doing family portraits and photos of kids is because I have a way with children. I can usually coax a good smile out of them even when they don’t want to give one.

I can get a smile out of anyone...

 

Well most of the time anyways…

...well almost anyone

 

Since the kids are usually comfortable around me I am also able to catch their true personalities on film, not just the cheesy grin they usually have for the camera.

I have focused on family portraits today but as most of you know my photography extends well beyond just that.  I do head shots,

Events,

Santa Photos,

Landscape photos,

Newborn and Maternity shots,

and of course engagements and weddings.

I am really open to trying anything and I plan on getting into senior photos, and real estate shots as well as working with interior designers to get my landscape photos into local offices.  In the coming year I plan to grow my business so that is is my sole source of income.  I would also like to branch out and create a charity with my business that allows families without the financial means for professional portraits to be able to get them taken through Kruse Images and Photography. I would also like to extend that to people who family members with cancer or aging grandparents, as well as couples who have preemie babies.  It is so important to have those memories, and no one should be without them just because they can’t afford them.

What is the perfect referral for my business?  My bread and butter are people looking to update their boring head shots, someone who wants their event documented, or a corporate office looking to get photos of their crew or to redecorate their walls with local professional photos.

My cream referrals are families looking to get some great, fun family portraits, especially the families who update their photos annually.  Or the couple who just found out that they are pregnant and are looking for maternity, newborn, and first year photos.  Both of these instances really give me a chance to get to know the family and watch them grow.

My dream referral would be a couple who is planning a destination wedding, preferably somewhere tropical, who wants me to go with them and document their special day.  Or the couple who is getting married locally, but they want the whole process documented by a photographer from engagement to wedding.

 

What makes me different from all of the other photographers out there, and why should you refer me to your clients and friends and family?  My passion.  My genuine friendliness.  My ability to make even the grumpiest person smile just a little. The speed with which I am able to set up a group and get a great photo, and my unusual on the job training.  The list goes on.  So if you haven’t already, try out my service or refer a client and see the difference for yourself.”

Headshots for Kathy

Seattle Area Photographer

I am running a bit behind on my blog posts, the last couple of weeks were spent matting and framing some of my landscape photos for holiday shows.  I had my first one last weekend, and it was a little slow, so I am hoping for more success at my next one, it is the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving in Edmonds.  I guess the positive thing about not selling much at the last one is now I am pretty much prepared for my next one!  But I digress.  Back to Kathy and her headshots.

A couple of weeks ago I met with Kathy, the architect from my BNI group to get some head shots for her website and brochures.  Since the last head shots I took at Greenlake came out so well, I decided to do Kathy’s there as well.  There are great trees, and the colors were even better than my first shoot there.  I met Kathy there on the first sunny day in a week.  It was a perfect day for a photo shoot, and I was thankful to whoever ordered the sun.  I think that head shots look best with something in the photo to contrast with the person, such as the trunk of a tree, or colorful leaves in the near background.  I also like the benches and tables that are available at Greenlake.  All of these things really contribute to the photo rather than just having a bland background behind the person.  Since Kathy is an architect who employs “green” practices whenever possible, it makes even more sense to take outdoor head shots.  I had a lot of fun with her, she was open to suggestions, and even climbed a tree to get an unusual shot. 

I was very happy with the results, and fortunately so was Kathy, so the photo shoot was a complete success.  I am looking forward to more great head shots with members of my BNI group, as well as anyone else who comes along.

Head Shots for Senait

Seattle Area Photographer

I had a photo shoot for head shots with Senait, a masseuse who had been referred to me by someone in my business group.  It was a sunny day and I was excited to get outside since I had been inside editing photos all day while the sun was shining outside my window teasing me.  I got to Greenlake an hour early so I could soak up some of the rays and scout out some spots.  I was pleasantly surprised when I started looking around.  There were quite a few trees that would be good in the shots, as well as benches and tables.  It’s a little harder to figure out where to shoot for head shots since you really aren’t getting much in the background of the photo, but you still want some contrast.

Senait arrived and we got started.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the shoot went.  Senait was a natural in front of the camera.  I would tell her to stand by a tree or sit on a bench and she would arrange herself perfectly and give me a great big smile.  It was fantastic.  Following are some of the results.  I think we ended up getting some great shots.

 

It was a great shoot, and I really enjoyed meeting Senait.  She had a great personality and we had a lot of fun.  I couldn’t have asked for a better day or a better model.

Hayes Family Shoot

Seattle Area Photographer

Last Sunday I had a family photo shoot with the Hayes Family.  I awoke that morning to another beautiful sunny Northwest fall day.  I thought about grabbing my hat and gloves on the way out the door, but I decided against it.  I got to the arboretum a half hour early so I could walk around a bit and scout out some locations.  It was a little chilly in the shade and I was regretting my decision to forgo my hat and gloves.  You’d think I would have learned my lesson the day before at the pumpkin patch but apparently not.  It was quiet and peaceful in the arboretum, with just a few hardy people out walking their dogs or going for a morning run.  Everyone was friendly and happy to be outside without the rain, something I love about Northwest people.

The Hayes family arrived dressed in perfect fall colors, and we started our shoot on the steps leading into the arboretum with photos of the kids.

Emily and Harry

Next up we went down the path a bit to a tree that I thought would be perfect for a family photo.  The family was good sports and stuck their heads through the tree exactly how I told them to, and I think we got a couple of fun and different family photos.

Harry, Emily, Hyejung and Collin humoring me with a fun family photo

A shot from a distance shows how big the trees are.

One of the things I really wanted to do with the kids was find a big pile of leaves and get some pictures of them playing in them.  Unfortunately nature wasn’t cooperating, and most of the trees in the arboretum were holding tightly to their leaves.  We were able to find a tree that had lost some of their leaves, and the kids were thrilled when I told them to go play in the leaves and throw them in the air.  I got some fun shots, although I think they would have been better with more leaves.  Hopefully next time.

Emily and Harry being kids

Harry was really getting into it.

After the leaves we continued to walk through the arboretum, and we found some more stairs, so I decided it was a good place to get another family photo.  I absolutely love the colors that Hyejung chose for her family.  They really popped against the background of the arboretum, and really added to the photos.

The Hayes family in their fantastic colors

Another cute picture of Harry and Emily

We decided to do a fun one as well, and this is what we ended up with.  Pretty entertaining if you ask me.

The Hayes family getting a little crazy

I was impressed with how well Emily and Harry listened.  Whenever I asked them to pose in a certain spot they would.  They seemed excited to be outside getting their photos taken, they were full of smiles, and even had suggestions on where they wanted photos taken. It was very impressive for a four year old and an eight year old.

Harry hamming it up for the camera

Our trail through the woods led us to a little lagoon, a place that I had been before and was looking for so we could get some pictures by the water.  I captured a great one of the kids.  I told them to go down to the water and look into it (without falling in!) and they were naturals, squatting down by the water with Emily’s arm around her little brother.  I couldn’t have asked for better posing.

A tender brother and sister moment by the water

Emily and Harry posing so patiently for the camera

As we were walking down the path, Emily spotted a great tree down the hill.  It not only had fall colors, but it also had leaves on the ground.  Both the kids booked it down the hill only to discover that the ground was super wet and muddy.  This didn’t even phase Emily in her rubber boots, but Harry got a little upset and had to be carried up the hill by his mom.  I definitely understand…nobody likes having wet feet.

Harry and Emily running towards the tree.

Harry being carried back up the hill by Hyejung.

Emily collecting some of the colorful leaves.

 

It always amazes me how much energy kids have.  Harry was running around the entire time we were in the park.  He was non stop.  If only we could bottle some of the energy for the rest of us!

Harry showing off his dance moves

 

Harry running through the remnants of fog

 

The arboretum has some great trees for climbing, so we decided to have the kids climb one to get some pictures.  Emily didn’t even hesitate, rubber boots and all, but Harry wasn’t so sure.  I lifted him up and told him to hug the tree.  After a couple of minutes he felt better about the whole idea.

Harry "hugging a tree."

Fearless Emily in her rubber boots.

 

Harry's feeling a little better about being in the tree

 

Even cooperative four year olds sometimes hit their limits as shown in the first of the close up shots that I got of the two kids.  But he came around, and I ended up with some good closeups.  It helps to have photogenic kids.

Harry showing me what he thinks of more photos.

Harry is very serious

 

...and finally another smile.

 

Apparently running around like a madman can make you quite warm.  Although the rest of us were still pretty chilly, Harry decided he was warm enough to take off his sweatshirt and hang out in his tank top.  Personally I think he just wanted to show off his muscles.

Getting ready to show off his muscles

Harry's impressing the ladies with his muscles.

Hyejung and I really wanted to get some pictures of the family on the ground in various poses, but unfortunately the ground was still super wet with dew, so we decided to try one pose back by the water since there was somewhat dry wood there.  Hyejung and Collin were great sports and laid down on the ground so we could get this photo.  I think it was worth it since it is a cute family picture.

The Hayes family pile up

Since the background was so great we decided to get another photo of the whole family, only standing up this time.

A good looking family.

The Hayes Family

On our way out of the arboretum we decided to stop at one more spot for some photos of the kids…as you can tell they were ready for the photo shoot to be done, but we ended up getting some cute ones with the personalities coming through.

Great smile from Emily.

Kissy face...

According to his mom, this is "so" Harry.

It was time to end the photo shoot, so we made out way out of the arboretum.  It was another fantastic morning spent with a great family.  I could definitely get used to this.

Harry is finally worn out.

Time for the Hayes family to head home.

 

Thomas Family Shoot

Seattle Area Photographer

This past Saturday I agreed to do a family shoot for the Thomas family at Craven Farms, a pumpkin patch in Snohomish.  When I woke up the morning of the shoot it was beautiful and sunny.  I grabbed some coffee and headed north towards Craven Farms.  Right after I hit Everett I was suddenly plunged into a deep fog and the further I headed down highway 2, the thicker the fog got.  As I drew close to the farm, I glanced at the temperature gauge in my car and noticed that it said 39 degrees.  Brrrr!!!  I was suddenly wishing that I had brought a hat and gloves and maybe worn footwear other than my trusty Tevas.  Thank goodness for the extra fleece in the car!  I knew there was a reason I left it in there for so long.  Note to self…put an extra pair of gloves in the camera bag. 

At first I was worried about photos in the fog, but when I got to the farm I realized that the fog was higher, and I was thinking we might be able to get some cool photos because of it.

The entrance to Craven Farms. Still foggy

Part of the family arrived, so we decided to start out in the petting zoo. It was a bit of a cramped space with lots of people, but we were able to get a couple of cute photos.  Morgan, the four year old surprised his parents by smiling and posing for me several times…little did we know it wouldn’t last.  But that’s the way of young kids.

Morgan cheesing it up for the camera

Samantha Addie, and Morgan in the rocketship

 

Morgan riding one of the "animals"

 

 

  

 

By the time we were done in the barn, the sun had come out to warm us up and the rest of the family arrived.  We all followed the kids around while they checked out the tractor…

Joel, Nicole, Morgan and Addie Thomas

Another great smile from Morgan

The Pirate ship…

Addie playing on the ship.

A good looking group of pirates!

 

…and the rest of the fun activities on the farm.

Addie as a scarecrow

Addie and Samantha checking out the pumpkin family

 After the kids checked out most of the activities we decided it was time for a family photo before we headed out into the fields.  We found a great wagon full of pumpkins for our background and gathered all six adults and four children together.  It is no easy task trying to get that many people to look at the camera at the same time, especially when all the kids are four and under.  All I can do as the photographer is take a bunch of photos and hopefully get at least one where everyone is looking and no one is crying.  I don’t think we got any perfect ones, but I think we got a couple of good ones.  surprisingly enough Osten, the youngest one was looking in almost every picture, and unfortunately Grandpa was feeling a little shy and I couldn’t get him to come out from behind Grandma.  But what can you do?

The whole family!

I couldn’t resist some cute ones of the family interacting between shots as well.

Addie getting some love from Mom

Joel trying to get Morgan to laugh.

Addie sitting on the wagon full of pumpkins

Osten and Uncle Joel

Molly and Osten

 

 

  

After the family photos we headed over to the pumpkin patch where we let the kids run wild and I was able to get some good candids of them.  With the deep green of the patch intermingled with the orange of the pumpkins it was a great place to get photos.

Looking for the perfect pumpkin

Morgan is focused

Addie and Samantha following Joel and the wheelbarrow

Addie looking cute as usual

Joel and Morgan in the corn

 

 

I finally got a smile out of Samantha!

 

 

 

 

 

Seth, Molly, Samantha, and Osten Thomas. This one was a hard one to get!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan hiding in the cornfield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't resist taking more pictures of that cute face!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan and Grandpa looking for the perfect little pumpkin

 

 

 

Samantha and Morgan testing out the pumpkins

Osten is a happy little guy!

Morgan

 

 

All and all it was a great day in the pumpkin patch, and I enjoyed spending the sunny Northwest morning with the Thomas family.  It was an unusual place to shoot, and a perfect fall outing.

 

One last family photo...I think Morgan is all done with the pictures!

 

 

Figuring it all out

Seattle Area Photographer

I love being able to learn things on my own, and figure out all this business stuff with minimal help from others.  It just makes me feel accomplished and proud.  Kind of silly I know.  One thing that has been frustrating me is trying to figure out photoshop.  I pride myself in not using photoshop on any of my landscape photos, so I really haven’t used it that much except in my previous job to create logos and remove skiiers from the backgrounds of family photos. Now that I am shooting a lot more portraits, engagement photos, head shots, etc, I am needing to use it more often just to tweak the photos a little.  I am having fun learning how to adjust the exposure, change the colors, remove wrinkles and more, but I know there is so much more I can do with it.  There are so many cool effects that you can apply to your photos, especially for weddings.  I’ve noticed that a lot of the wedding photos that I’ve seen online look so good because they have been “fixed” in photoshop.  One of the biggest things that I have been trying to figure out is how to create one of those great photos where the whole thing is black and white except the one color accent like the roses.  It has taken much frustration, but…I am proud to say I have finally figured it out!  By myself!  I have the results here. 

The original unedited photo

The first photo is the original taken of Owen on the beach.  The second is that photo changed to black and white in photoshop, and the third….the exciting result of not giving up even when I got frustrated.

The photo changed to black and white in photoshop

 

The final result!

The possibilities in photoshop are endless, and I still have a lot to learn, but I am pretty proud of myself for being able to figure out the things that I have.  It makes it so I am not quite as intimidated every time I open the program.  It also gives me more confidence when I am shooting different events, knowing that I can change the photos once I upload them.  Because even though I would like to get a perfect photo everytime, in reality, it isn’t always possible.  Here’s to the ongoing process of learning new things.

Finding a balance.

Seattle Area Photographer

I’m finding that one of the hardest things when starting my own business is finding a balance.  It seems that there is always something to do pertaining to the business.  Photos to edit, prints to matte, websites to work on, lists to make, you get the picture.  It is hard to turn my mind off, and I find myself making notes in my phone when I am in bed, or out and about.  The temptation is to put my nose to the grindstone and work non-stop.  But that wouldn’t be any fun and it would lead to burnout.  So how do I find that balance and do what needs to be done but at the same time give myself a much needed break?  I go outside and enjoy the sunshine. 

Friday we had unusual fall weather that gave us a day that was 75 degrees and sunny.  I met Jamie and the kids at the Ballard locks where we watched the boats go through, and checked out the salmon going up the ladders.  Since it was such a beautiful day we decided to head to Golden Gardens for what might be the last beach day of the season.  We relaxed on the beach while the kids played in the sand.  It was a perfect beach day, a bit windy but still sunny and warm.  Madeline and Owen even decided to dip their feet in the water, which was surprisingly warm.  It was the first time I had seen Owen play in the water and he couldn’t get enough of it.  I only had my point and shoot camera with me, but I got some great photos of them playing in the water.  What can I say, as a photographer I am always looking for good shots, even on my day off.  It was a fantastic way to spend a day.  Kids have a way of putting a smile on your face with their innocence and their pure joy in everything they do.

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So…the moral of the story is…take time to enjoy the sun, the city, and everything that goes along with it.  It’s the only way to continue to enjoy what I do and be productive.  Plus, who knows what I might see through the lens along the way.

The universe has a plan…even if we don’t.

Seattle Area Photographer

Exactly a year ago I fell down the stairs at work and pulled my shoulder out of the socket. It set a series of events into motion which at the time seemed difficult and negative. A year later I can see they were positive and I am thankful for those changes now. It reminds me to trust in the universe…everything happens for a reason, even if you don’t know what that reason is at the time. It is hard to take that step back when you are dealing with a difficult situation and trust that everything will be okay.  It’s encouraging to see it now and to know that I am making the right decision in starting my own business in something that I am passionate about.  Had I not fallen down the stairs a year ago, I am sure that I would not be progessing the way I am today with my business.  I would probably still be working for someone else just thinking about doing something on my own, but never actually taking that step.  

I’m sure that everyone has a story like this, where you look back on a difficult time only to realize something positive came out of it.  A friend on facebook shared a story about her dad, and a random event that had it not happened, he never would have met her mom, and they never would have had her.  Kinda makes you think doesn’t it?  I would love to hear people’s stories about events such as these.  If you read this and you have a story, please post it!  Hopefully it wil inspire others to do the same, and maybe even help someone through a difficult time.

Here we go!

Seattle Area Photography

I’ve never blogged before, I’m not even sure how this all works, or if anyone will read it, but here goes! My name is Shauna Kruse, and I just started my own photography business, Kruse Images and Photography.  I’ve been told that looking at my photography is like seeing the world through my eyes, which is why I named the blog what I did.  Maybe it will give the reader a little insight into my world, and how I end up with the photos that I do.  I will include a little bit of everyday life, my trips, my friends, my family, and of course my work.  It will hightlight my journey as I kickstart my business and and turn it into a successful venture.  There is so much beauty in this world, even in the everyday going ons, and I am hoping to share some of that through my lens.