I met Baby Weston when he was 11 days old.  I can’t believe how much he looks like his big brothers.  They waited an extra 10 days for him to arrive, and he is so worth it.  He didn’t want to miss out on the fun so he only slept for a few minutes while I was there.  But I was able to capture his sweet face and the intimate connection he has with his mom.

Welcome to the world, Weston!

I am constantly inspired by others.  I’m inspired by my mother who is ultra organized and gives the best gifts.  I’m inspired by my younger sister who dreamed of owning her own clothing boutique and went out and did it.  I’m inspired by my older sister who has endless craft projects that she features on her crazy popular craft blogs.  I’m inspired by my children who have such genuine and good souls.  My husband inspires me with his endless admiration and ceaseless patience.  As I’ve raised my kids, good friends have inspired me to nurture my children and to live in the moment.  Even characters in good books inspire me to improve myself in some way.

As I started getting serious about photography, I started looking around at other photographers and their work.  I became instantly intrigued and captivated and (you guessed it) inspired.  As my own photography has evolved and continues to evolve, I have had the opportunity to talk with many of the photographers whose work inspired me to pursue photography.  Some of these photographers are well known while many of them are not.  Yet.  They all have their own unique style whether it be lifestyle, traditional, whimsical, or moody.

I decided to create a weekly feature spotlighting many of these artists.  Every Tuesday I’ll interview a different photographer that I admire.   I’ve been inspired, and I hope you will be inspired too.

This week I’m talking with Rebecca Mitchell from Fresh From God Photography.  She and I “met” on a forum we frequent.  Her stunning newborn photography caught my eye right away.  She has an incredible gift for finding and using light in her images.  Her boudoir photography is beautiful as well. I was thrilled when I actually met her this past winter in Las Vegas when we attended WPPI and met up for brunch.  She is sweet and sincere and a truly gifted photographer.

Hi Rebecca!

Where are you from?
I grew up in a small mountain community just outside of Lancaster, CA  called Lake Hughes – My family moved a few times and there were major life changes in between but it never failed that I always returned “home”.
My Grandparents lived there for 40 years and I still get that warm fuzzy feeling once I hit the edge of town on my way in. There’s nothing like that old familiar feeling.
Where is home now?
I am now in Big Bear Lake, CA – another mountain community but much larger…and a little prettier….sorry hometown!!
Are you formally educated or self-taught in photography?

I am self taught. I have plugged into a lot of online resources and I Googled A LOT. It all started with a D40 and an online free Hewlitt-Packard class my Mother in law sent me an email for. That was the last time I thought about anything else..well except for maybe my kids and my husband..and my dogs.

What words would you use to describe your style of photography?

Oh goodness, this question is so simple yet so hard! I think that I’m carefree and like to convey “natural” or at least that’s what I want to be. I also relate to the days of old and love vintage and retro sessions.  I also want my photography to speak something. Love or wonder, joy, beauty, passion, just speak. I love to incorporate the surroundings into my work a lot also.
What inspires you as a photographer?
Wow, another great question. I could be so long winded on this one! I am inspired by the beauty around me of course. Newborns! I get inspired by aperture too. it sounds a little weird I know but I love the amazing “paint brush” that f-stops can be. The simple decision about aperture can totally change a photograph. I’m inspired by love too, I’ve got this new found passion to photograph love…e-sessions and weddings…so fun! Photographs just ooze love on those sessions. Did I mention Newborns yet?
What is your favorite kind of session to shoot and why?
Newborns! I love them! First a little history…when I was little I was the girl who would ignore the cousins at family reunions so that I could hold the newest family baby for hours. I would rock them and feed them and literally disappear into Heaven with them. I have a deep love for babies. I have been a foster parent to infants since I was 20 so babies are so natural to me. I’ve also been married for 12 years and have never been able to conceive my own (but have been so blessed by 2 adoptions) so when I get my hands on a baby I am just in my own little world.They are magic to me and I love to capture every special little thing about them.

How do you stay motivated and your photography current?
I am constantly daydreaming. I’m always thinking of fun things to do and then even sometimes trying to find a friend to be my experiment. I also leave some room for creative inspiration at the locations. A lot of times I’ll show up and let the place speak up a little and then go from there. I don’t limit myself to “locations” either..by that I mean that it’s good to keep your eyes open for any little place with a pocket of light and some potential. I’ll pull over on the side of the road and use a tiny little patch of weed flowers that can be made to look like a whole field of flowersjust by getting the right angle. And of course I visit some of my favorite blogs for inspiration when I’m feeling a little dry.
If you could be invisible for one day with your camera…
I would follow my daughter around. She is 2.5 years old, a tiny little thing at only 22lbs and she is just really starting to talk. She’ll go into her room and talk to her toys and say the funniest things! She also scrunches up her nose and makes the funniest expressions and it tickles my heart so much! She’s so fun to spy on!
Name a photographer you would like to take a portrait of?
This question is so thought provoking that I had to leave it and come back and I have to say it would be my new friend Janet. The reason is because I’ve gotten to know her a little. Her kindness and warmth are so radiating and you feel so welcomed just by being with her. The portrait would mean more then just a portait since I know that about her. I would be able to look at it and feel her spirit.  I hope that makes sense. And she is a photographer.
What’s your best advice for balancing work and family?
Can I give advice before I’ve learned to follow it?? Ack! this is such a struggle. My kids see me sitting at the computer so much and they constantly bring me books to read them and tug at my arms and I have to send them away often times. There is so much guilt involved with working at home but I have to remind myself that 1) they are with me and that’s the most important. 2.) this is work and it’s necessary for giving them a decent life and 3) it’s important to stop every once in a while and read that darn Dr. Seuss book that I just can’t stand to read one. more. time. and it’s good to take 10 minutes and draw with chalk on the patio or push my chair away from the desk and spin in circles with them in my lap for a few minutes. With all that said I think it’s best to try and not look at the big old guilt monster but rather look at the tiny investment throughout the day that you can do to show them love. It’s hard to pull away from intense editing or whatever I’m working on and I’ve not perfected it but I hope to get better at it. Oh and my Hubs…well he works at home a lot too so we sit just a few feet from each other most of the time. I make him read me books
once in a while too!
What’s in your camera bag?
Ahhhhhhh, deep sigh of love. I have a Nikon D700, a Nikkor 50mm 1.4, Nikkor 85mm 1.4, Nikkor 105mm 2.8, a grip and an SB600. The 105 is my new love! Oh goodness it’s a beauty!
When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?
Aside from at the editing chair you could find me in the backyard now that Spring has finally “sort of” introduced itself! The kids and I have been gardening and making homemade bird feeders out of pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed. So fun!
If not a photographer what would you have been?
I have done so many things in life before finding this passion so I know what I wouldn’t be!  But what’s really important to me is being a good mom and wife first and then I think I would have done a children’s boutique. I always wanted my own baby boutique. That would be fun!
If you could live anywhere in this amazing world where would you build your dream home?
Oooh fun!! New Zealand or Greece..right on the cliff side in those cool stone houses…..or in a huge victorian plantation home on lots of gorgeous land where you could just smell the history of the people before you. I love imagining the history of an old house or farm.
What talent would you most like to have?
I would like to play the piano like a natural. I have taken self-taught lessons and I’m just not natural. I have to work really hard and it stinks! I think I remember a comment about just how UN-natural I look when “trying” to play. I must look like a big ol’ mess!
What are the three words your spouse would use to describe you?
I just asked him and he said “passionate, impatient, (I told him to hurry up and he called me impatient!!!! haha!) and focused”.

Something that is over rated…
Disneyland. I cringe saying that because I know so many people love it but I just don’t. I think it has to do with the “impatient” thing my husband mentioned. *bag over my head*
Your favorite movie of all time?
I can’t just pick one…so Ever After, Eragon, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings and Avatar
Who would play you in a movie of your life?
Reese Witherspoon
Name one blog you stalk regularly
I love Simply Bloom Photography – I admire their work and where they’ve taken their business and they just inspire me in so many ways.
http://simplybloomphotography.com/blog/

Would you share some of your favorite images with us?

Yellow is my favorite color!

I couldn’t pass up the chance to enter this week’s i heart faces photo contest.

This was taken in downtown Boise in the Linen District.  We went on a walking field trip with several other photographers in the northwest.  I brought along my daughter as a model.  She loved the opportunity to pose for us all day and now has several new profile pics for Facebook!

I’m excited to meet other local photographers for the i heart faces Photo Walk in Boise in two weeks!

Stop by tomorrow for my first  post where I feature an interview with different photographer that inspires me every week!

Spring is upon us, although if you’ve stepped outside my house today, it would be hard to believe.  It’s almost June and I still haven’t planted the garden yet because it’s still too darn cold! I have yet to break out the t-shirts and flip flops.

So, to help me get into the spring spirit, I’m posting these two from a previous session.  It was actually teetering on warm the day I took these, back in April.

I hope it’s warmer where you live and that spring is in full bloom!

Come back tomorrow for my first post in my new series of weekly interviews.  I’m so excited!

Happy Monday!

I don’t know about you, but I never have a pen in my purse when I need one.  I’ve been caught off guard too many times when I’ve met someone new and needed to write down my contact info and I haven’t had a pen or a scrap piece of paper to write it down on.  What I really needed was a 411 card I could hand to them.

These are the 411 cards I designed for my Senior Reps this year.  They have an image from our session on each side as well as their phone number, email, and facebook information.  The cards are 2×3.5 inches, small enough to stick in a wallet or a back pocket.

And seniors aren’t the only ones smitten these cards.  Moms, Dads, and little brothers and sisters love sharing them with friends too.  The sky’s the limit on what  info you could include on them.  Address, blogsite info, ages of your sweet kids, birthdays, and even a list of your hobbies!  Anything you’d like to pass along to friends and family.  Consider them your own unique business cards!

Since I love them so much, I’m offering 50 free custom designed 411 cards to every paid session booked during the month of June.  Your session does not have to take place in June, but it does have to be booked in June.  I will include these sweet cards when your paid order is delivered!

Email or call me to schedule your session!

Meet Kelsey:

Favorite color: Rainbow
Favorite snack food:String Cheese
Favorite drink: Chocolate milk
Favorite Band: Anything
Favorite movie: Sherlock Holmes 
Favorite TV show: Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries
Favorite Saying or Quote: "The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over,
drenched in sweat, and to the point of exhaustion, when no one is watching." -
Anson Dorrance
Lucky Number: 9
Favorite website:Don't have one
Pets: Lots!!
Two words that describe me: Outgoing and Fun

I am so enjoying photographing Seniors this year.  Especially seniors like Kelsey who can smile for hours on end without
ever looking like they're totally faking it.  Isn't she beautiful?  And athletic, and sweet, and
fun, and smart.  She will be going places when she graduates next year.  I'm excited for her.

If you see Kelsey around, ask her to show you the rest of the images from our session in her proof
book.  She may even give you a referral card good for 8 free wallets at your next session.

Kelsey, thank you for choosing me to take your senior portraits.   I can't wait until our next session!
Enjoy your sneak peek.

Favorite color: all colors
Favorite snack food: Sunchips
Favorite drink: ice cold water
Favorite Band: I don't really have a favorite band, but I like all music, except
country.
Favorite movie: The Proposal
Favorite TV show: Glee, American Idol, The Bachelor
Favorite Saying or Quote: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Ghandi
Lucky Number: 11
Favorite website: Facebook
Pets: bunny, Franklin
Two words that describe me: outgoing and artistic

I will add: Charismatic . Gorgeous . Creative . Funny

That’s who I spent the morning with.  Kellie came armed with ideas and outfits galore.  We had a blast running in and out of traffic, dodging wild critters in the weeds, and laughing hysterically.  It almost made us forget it was only 7:00 in the morning.  Kellie, her mom, and  her friend were serious troopers.

Kellie, thank you so much for allowing me to take your senior pictures!  Can’t wait for our second session this summer.

Enjoy your sneak peek.

I get this look often.

And I love it!

Meet Hailee.  She’s one of my Senior Reps for the class of 2011!

We headed out on Friday night under cold and windy conditions hoping the weather was a little better downtown, only to find it colder and rainy there.  But by the time we parked, gathered our things, and headed out of the parking garage, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out.  We had a great time exploring the alleyways of the city.  We had so much fun, in fact, that we shot another round of pictures in a local field on Sunday as the sun was going down.

Hailee was so much fun!  She was never short on smiles and was willing to try just about anything.  Just my kind of senior!

If you see  Hailee around, ask her for one of her Senior Rep cards.  If you bring it to me at your senior session, you’ll get 8 free wallets!

Despite the weather, the session was fantastic!
Details and more to come tomorrow.
I can’t wait to show these to you and your parents tonight, Hailee!

Head on over to iheartfaces this week.  It will make you “smile”. 

I think I’m in love!
These mini-books are my favorite product right now. They are small enough to stick in your purse, cute enough to show off to the lady in front of you in line at the grocery store, and your set of three is FREE when you book a session during April! What’s not to love? I think this is my favorite set so far!

I’m blogging over at Tatertotsandjello again today!  This week’s topic: Eliminating distractions in your backgrounds.  Come on over and say hello.

Last weekend I spent a fabulous day with several fellow photographers who came as far away as Montana to spend the day shooting together.  We scoured downtown Boise in the morning and found some incredible back alleys and store fronts for urban sessions.  The afternoon was spent in the studio working with newborns.  We trucked out to Emmett in the evening to shoot some families in a beautiful apple orchard.  We ended our day at my house where we learned some new Photoshop techniques.  It was SO much fun!

Here are a few images I captured in the orchard.  These kids were hilarious.  After posing for family pictures, they spend the rest of the time pulling each other up and down the rows of trees in this wagon.  They had the best time.  I absolutely love to capture pure, genuine emotion.  That’s my favorite.  Families doing what they love best.  Together.

Contact me if you’re interested in a LIFE is GOOD session.  I’m offering 50% off these sessions for a limited time. I would love to capture the true emotion of your family doing what they love best.  Together.

Remember THIS post from over a year ago?

Where the discussion around the dinner table was about how Erik thought he needed glasses and I thought he just WANTED them?

Well, it turns out he does want them but he also needs them.

I finally took him in at the request of the school nurse.  His eyesight is actually pretty close to 20/20 but he has a prism problem? His eyes are rotated in slightly and they are always straining to straighten out.

He gets a lot of headaches.

He officially needs glasses.

He was SO excited!  It’s been a LONG week waiting for the wonderful people over at Family Eyecare Specialists to have the glasses ready.  But they called this morning and we picked them up.

And loves them!

You can go ahead and award me  Mother-of-the-Year right now.  It’s only been over a year since he started complaining about his eyesight.  Live and learn I guess.

I’m guest posting over at my sister’s fabulously popular blog Tatertots and Jello today.  It’s the first in a series on how to take better pictures.  GO check it out.

Happy Thursday!

The sun was shining, but there was a bite in the air. The trees were beginning their annual transformation from green to gold, red, and orange. Fall was surely on its way to southwest Michigan. It was a typical weekend as my family piled into our wood-paneled blue Ford LTD station wagon, headed to one of our favorite fall destinations. As our wagon made its way out of the city limits, street lights and businesses became scarce and more pastures and farms appeared. The magic of fall could be seen in the groves of colorful trees and the golden fields. When it was obvious that we were in the heart of the country we pulled into a dirt drive and up to a farmhouse surrounded by apple orchards. The door to our trusty wagon opened and out we stumbled, stretching our legs and inhaling the sweet smell of apples and the wonderful aroma of fried homemade donuts. Before we were rewarded with what we had come for, it was essential that we picked our obligatory bushel or so of apples. But we knew that the faster we picked, the closer the donuts were. Soon the bushel was filled to the brim and my mom gave us the “go-ahead”. In the barn, as we vigorously rubbed our hands together, my dad bought each of us a cup of hot cider and a freshly fried old-fashioned cake donut. Mmmmmm! Our favorite!

When I think of family traditions, this is the tradition that comes to my mind. This is how I remember our trips to the apple orchard. I may not remember how often we made the trip or what I was wearing when I went or what we talked about in the car on the way. But I distinctly remember the smell of the fall Michigan air, the warmth of the cider and the deliciousness of those scrumptious donuts. More importantly, I remember that we were together doing what we loved, as a family. It’s a memory that I hope to never forget. It’s a tradition that’s near and dear to each member of my family. I wish we had pictures.

When you think of your childhood, what are the things you most looked forward to? What memories will you create for your own children? I would love to record those moments for you to keep as heirlooms for your family. To find out more, click HERE.

For the past six months or so I’ve been trying to keep three blogs updated and I’ve failed miserably. So I decided to SIMPLIFY and I’ve combined my business blog with my personal blog.

My new flash site can be found HERE. It’ll link to this here blog from now on.

Bookmark me!

Are you a high school Junior?  Are you outgoing, fun loving or trendy?   Are you just looking to have some really great pictures taken for your graduating year?

It’s time to start thinking about Senior Portraits!!!

I’m looking for fabulous new faces for my first ever Senior Rep campaign.  I’m looking for four reps per school in the Treasure Valley.

What Do You Get?

*Complimentary regular session now or a 2 mini-sessions – 1 now and the 2nd in the summer (no prints included).

* 10 Web-sized, watermarked, digital image files for sharing on Facebook and other online social networking sites.

*On-line slideshow

* 60 Senior rep cards – containing your name and images from your  session along with my contact information to pass along to your friends.

*A  5×5 proof book with all the images from your mini session

Senior reps can also earn:

- $25 in Print Credits or 8 wallets for each student you refer who books and completes a senior session.

OR

Save and combine your referral credits and earn gift cards, movie tickets and even an itouch!

A $100 deposit will be collected when you pick up your proof book and rep cards to be applied to your senior picture order.

Each representative signs a contract/model release

Email the following to wendy@wendyvonsosen.com. {All information is required}.

Title the email Senior Rep 2011.

Full Name:

High School:

Home Address:

Phone Number:

Parent Email:

School Activities:

Other Activities or Hobbies:

Facebook Profile Link:

Recent Photo of yourself:

Why you think you would make a good Senior Rep?

The Senior rep program ends December 31, 2010. I’m looking for only four reps per school so hurry and apply!  If you aren’t going to be a Senior in 2011 but know somebody who may be interested and meets the requirements, please send them over. Thanks!

Aren’t these just the cutest things?  I got my first order of mini-books in the mail this week and I’m in love!

They are 3-inch square press printed accordion books with magnetized closures AND they even stick to your fridge!  Small enough to stick in your purse or to set on Dad’s desktop.  They come in sets of three and make excellent gifts for mothers and grandmothers.

I love them so much that I’m offering a complimentary set of mini-books for every session booked during the month of April!!!

Call or email today to get on the calendar!

Wishing everyone peace, joy, and love this Easter!

What a wonderful family to be born into! After having four boys in a row, this sweet and patient mom was thrilled to finally have a girl.  In fact her mother had given her this beautiful pink blanket when she was pregnant with her first.  It has been in the closet for ten years waiting for Sophia’s arrival.

She was such a trooper during our shoot and slept almost the entire time.  Thank you for letting me take pictures of sweet Sophia.   Enjoy your sneak peek, you guys!