Happy Holidays from your Fort Wayne Children's Photographer

mQn Photography will be closing for the holidays. We will be back in the new year with some minor branding and investment changes. You can still send in inquires but they will be answered on a limited basis. Thank you for a wonderful 2011 and I look forward to seeing you in 2012! Happy Holidays!

Furry Faces--I Heart Faces

This week over at my favorite website for all inspiration (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) is the theme furry faces. Now I'm no pet photographer but I do love my dog Jack. He has been with us making our house a home and completing our family for 8 years. He drives me crazy and really Marley has nothing on Jack. I wish I could find the picture where he was literally sitting on top of the $500 dog house we bought him (pre-kids) before he actually ate it! He is one crazy dog and I know we still have lots of years left in him because he doesn't act a day over 2! If anyone ever tells you that labs calm down after 3 years is lying to you! They are full of good fun energy until their last days. Anyway I leave you with my favorite furry face; Jack.

I heart furry faces!

Festive Colors

Weekly challenge this week calls for Festive Colors. We made our Gingerbread house today and the Christmas candy was perfect for the theme:

Tradition

Like so many people, we have traditions too and of course we are still making new ones as we go. But one of my favorites is letting the kids bake cookies. I hate to bake but they love to help in the kitchen so at Christmas its the one time I just step back and let them bake their cookies. I help a little but really I've learned to let go and let them do it and you know what? Baking isn't so bad when you have your sous chefs to do it. Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season. This is also my 52 week challenge photo for my week 9; Traditions.

On Your Feet--I heart Faces

The theme this week over at I heart faces is feet (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) I just love this site because it really gets me thinking of images I've taken and images I plan on taking in the future and I just love looking at what other people are doing as well. Anyway who doesn't just love newborn feet? They're so sweet and actually smell good! Ah baby feet!


Go over and check out everyone's feet!

52 Week Challenge; Twinkle Twinkle

I have sort of stopped blogging about the 52 week challenge that I just recently started but that doesn't mean I haven't been sticking with the weekly challenges, I've still been posting them weekly on facebook. But I thought I would blog about the last one because I've gotten some really positive feedback on it and well I'm not going to lie . . . it feels good! So here it is, my week 8 Twinkle Twinkle theme:

It seems so many people have been interested in the settings so I thought I would post them. Both of these were taken with the available light from the tree at night using a Canon 5DMarkii and a 50 1.2L.

Tree: f 1.6 at 1/13s, ISO 100
Boy: f 1.6 at 1/250s, ISO 4000

Bust a Gut--I heart Faces

The theme this week over at I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) is Bust a Gut, no little smiles they said. I immediately thought of this session. They say the best gift you can give your child is a sibling. I believe this full heartily. I can make my kids laugh but I can't make them laugh like they can with each other. This session included three sisters and I had a hard time picking which one was laughing the hardest at any one time. There were so many gut wrenching laughs going on. They just cracked each other up and I don't think I had to do much but sit there with my camera and capture it all. Oh what great fun we had! I don't remember what was so funny but I know it was genuinely hilarious!

I can't wait to go see what everyone else is laughing about! See you there!

Print Your Pictures!!!!!

Today my kids found my grandmother's photo album. Its really not hard to find, I've always kept it out. But today they actually looked through it and it brought me so much joy to share her memories with them. And I couldn't help but think how we don't always print out our pictures. They are all loaded up on disks, which is great but how often do we jump on the computer to browse through them? We don't or at least I don't. I upload them and then forget about it. But albums . . . well . . .those I look at. Either when I'm watching TV or sometimes even when I just walk by and catch a glimpse of something while on my way to clean something. I stop and start browsing. And today my kids pulled something out and looked. They NEVER get on the computer to look at pictures from long ago. I remember sitting with my grandma and going through all these pictures with her when I would visit. And I know she enjoyed telling me all about her and her borthers and sisters crazy antics.



Anyway I guess I'm saying print your pictures out people! Don't just store them on your CD discs. Print your memories out because I don't care what anyone says; paper is here to stay. Get something tangible to hold in your hands, you won't ever regret it. My new years resolution? Print more photos. I want my kids to one day show their kids just how much fun I had taking their pictures! Did you know I make a pretty cute spiral bound book.....

Johnson Kiddos Sneak Peek; Fort Wayne Children's Photographer

Sometimes all you need is a little holiday mini, with or without the "holiday". Here is a sneak peek from our studio session. Enjoy!

Autumn Splendor--I heart Faces

This week we're talking Autumn Splendor over at I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) I love autumn, I mean I love summer more but after living in New England for 4 years I really grew to love autumn. Now being in Indiana I wondered what would be in store for us here. Good news; we may not have as many trees as New England but we still have plenty of trees with lots of leaves to lose! And when you're a kid, the best part of Autumn is playing in the leaves, making leaf angels, ahhh the splendor of Autumn!



Head on over to I heart Faces and see all the other Autumn Splendors!

52 Week Challenge; Book Title

Continuing with my 5th out of 52 weeks is the theme book title. My son is such an old soul that if he's not reminding me of Frank Sinatra then he reminds me of Jack Kerouac. Thought he was my perfect model this week.

Black--I heart faces

This week over at I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) is the theme black. At first I was thinking of my son in his batman costume because he made sure I got him the "black batman and not the blue batman" but Halloween was SO 7 days ago! And then all I could think about was our black lab Jack. He is 8 1/2 now and doesn't act a day over 8 months. Here he is here not cooperating for our family pictures and he just gave my son a big wet sloppy one! So this is for you Black Jack!





Head on over to I heart faces and see what others have come up with.....

52 Week Challenge; Muted Tones

For my week 4, the theme is Muted Tones. Sort of challenging to do when the colors outside are so vibrant. Here is my take:

52 Week Challenge; Shadows

On my third week of my 52 week challange, the theme I was trying to follow was shadows. I usually LOVE doing shadow pictures; but its funny how when I'm forced to do something, I can't think of anything. Anyway I had two pictures I debated on but my daughter said I should use this one so this is the one I'll post. Enjoy!

mQn Photography Giving Back

I’m so honored to have been selected as an official Tiny Sparrow Affiliate Photographer. I came across Tiny Sparrow from a special friend of mine. I’ve been so blessed to have her in my life. I’m stealing this quote from her because it really sums up who she is and why I’m honored to know her “I slept and dreamt life was joy, I awake and saw life was service, I acted, and behold, service was JOY”

For those who do not know the Tiny Sparrow Foundation is a non-profit foundation that provides professional photography, free of charge, to families of children with life threatening illnesses. These photos will provide the families with the gift of precious memories. Photographers donate their time and talent by taking beautiful pictures of children who are facing life threatening illness. The photographs are then put into a 10x10 coffee table album so they can share it with their friends and family. Tiny Sparrow creates the album soon after the session takes place as many participating families spend a lot of time in the hospital and they enjoy sharing the album. The photos become a little ray of sunshine in their darker days. Families are also provided with a CD of photos which includes full copyright prints).

Consider making a donation to the Tiny Sparrow Foundation. Visit their website http://www.tinysparrowfoundation.org/ so they can continue to dedicate lasting memories through the beautiful art of photography.

Quattrin Family Sneak Peeks; Fort Wayne, IN

Can I just say taking my own family portraits each year just keeps getting more and more frustrating. I think because I have these ideas in my head of what I want and I just can't accomplish them with a remote or my husband. That's right my husband can't take a picture to save his life. I'm not even expecting him to have great composition I can fix that in Photoshop but seriously, why can't he focus? What I get from him when I ask him to take a picture of me and the kids is about 10 blurry pictures (well the background is in focus). He just hits the shutter and keeps it going for about 10 frames, thinking something will turn up. (um not if you don't focus first!) That's not something that can be fixed! If he or I had any patience then I'd really sit down with him and show him how the camera works and more importantly how to focus (hold down the button until it beeps, its real hard you know). But what he says is "I know I know, press the button, how hard can it be?" Apparently pretty hard! Anyway here is a sneak peek of what I did manage to get of our family pictures this year:

Chaille Family Sneak Peeks; Fort Wayne, IN

I'm so excited for my first family in Indiana to trust me with their family photos this year. Here are some sneak peeks to hold you over until the rest are done.

Let Them be Little--I heart faces

The theme this week over at I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) is let them be little and I thought of a few pictures, like my son with his first wiggly tooth or my daughter crying but I wanted to post someone really little so I went back to my last newborn session. Oh this sweet little thing only sleep for a bit and was wide eyed the rest of the session. She wanted to know what was going on. I snapped this of mom soothing baby and it really makes me think how they really don't stay little for very long. Lets cherish these moments!


Take a peek at the other little ones over at I heart faces!

52 Week Challenge; True Beauty

Here is my second week of the 52 week challenge (that I've started late). This week's theme is True Beauty. Of course I'm biased because I think my kids are truly beautiful on the inside as well as out but since I used T last week I figured I would use K this week. She loved being my model but I think I like it best when she's not posing and just waiting. Here's to True Beauty, may the inside shine through and make the outside sparkle for those around to see.

Tickled Pink--I heart Faces

This week over at I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/) is the theme Tickled Pink. This time a year we see pink everywhere in support of breast cancer awareness month. All year long I think about the mothers, the sisters, the daughters, the wives, the friends that are lost to this devastating disease. Visit http://ww5.komen.org/donate/donate.html if you'd like to learn more and help. Lets win this fight.

On a more beautiful pink note; I'd like to share this pink image:

Please visit I heart Faces to see other images and hear how others have been affected by breast cancer.

52 Week Challenge; Architecture

So I need something to get me out of this funk I've been in and I thought, you know what why not a 52 week challenge. I don't want to wait until January 1 so I'm just going to this now; a 52 week challenge starting now. Once a week, I'll find a theme and post that weeks picture. I think I can do once a week. After the 365 challenge, I'm still a little burned out with the every day themes. So anyway here is my first week (most people are probably on week 40) Architecture:

Hands--I heart faces

This week over at I heart faces (www.iheartfaces.com) is the theme hands. Since this week doesn't have to show a face I figured I would pick one that didn't include one.



Head on over to I heart faces and see what other's have to share:

Back to School, better late than never . . .

I've been meaning to do a back to school photo shoot with my kids, of course life happens and things get put on the back burner. But the other day I grabbed the kids and headed out to this cute little old brick school I keep seeing. I love it when the kids actually let me take their photos. I think it helps when we're "pretending" to do something. Here are a just a couple of favorites. Check me out Facebook and you can see the whole lot!

A Touch of Sun--I heart Faces

I'm back! Well almost back. I feel like I've been on sabbatical for awhile moving from Massachusetts to Indiana. Its been a busy few months but I think I'm finally starting to get settled. I figured what best way to get back on the blogging bandwagon but to submit "A touch of Sun" to I heart faces (http://www.iheartfaces.com/). This past summer I became in love with sun in my photographs. I use to run to the shade but not this year I would seek it out and shoot away. Love it! Here is one of my favorites from a session I did before moving.

Head on over to I heart faces and see what others have submitted. I know I will, I can't wait to see what everyone has been up to. Its been a long time away.

Porter Family Sneak Peeks; Tower Hill Botanical Gardens

Tower Hill has been the location of choice for many clients lately. The only problem is they close early so trying to get good lighting in a brief amount of time can be challenging. Anyway about an hour was enough time for these kiddos to enjoy the heat and gardens. Porter family here are a few random images from your session . . .

Tanaka Family Sneak Peeks; Shrewsbury

I had my final session with the Tanaka family. It's been so much fun watching the kids grow and how can baby A be almost 1 already! Well she celebrated in style with a very yummy cake!