Oh boy.  I couldn’t sleep at 3:45 so I went and checked my email and I’ve been getting some things done ever since – today’s gonna be a long day.

A few months ago I met with someone over at Living Social.  The plan was for me to feature a special photography deal as soon as Las Vegas launched mid-July.  The contract was signed and the deal in place.  But soon thereafter I was told that photography doesn’t sell in Vegas and they told me it was no longer happening.  Imagine my surprise when in the wee hours of this morning, I opened my inbox to an email from Living Social informing me that I will be featured on Tuesday, September 7th.  I’m a bit overwhelmed…

But – if you haven’t checked out Living Social yet – nows the best time to subscribe, especially if you’re here in Vegas! I can’t tell you what the deal is but its a good one! If you wanna receive an awesome deal for your city each day check it out!!

I just want to remind everyone you only have one week left to book the early bird special for the amazing deal I have going right now!  If you book after August 31, the price will be going up, I plan on being booked out for all family sessions for the remainder of the year off this promotion.  If you need Christmas card pictures, nows the time!!

Also, I’m still looking for high school senior reps to get there senior portraits done for free! If you know anyone interested, send them my way, or have them fill out the application…

♥Cherie

P.S.  Only a few spots left if you wanna come to the shoot out I’m planning for photographers for Sept 25.  Price is only $15-$20 (whatever you wanna give) but after August, it will go up to $30.  Reserve your spot now!  Did I mention the theme? “Carnivale” Get excited.  Get very excited. Email me for more info.  Cherie.hogan@gmail.com

I’m finally getting this sneak peek up… this little girl was so fiesty! but still sweet – of course!

I’m pretty much obsessed with this picture.  Can’t wait to get to the rest!

I’ve gotten some inquiries on traveling to St. George UT and Mesa AZ area for portrait sessions.  I thought I would throw it out there just to see if there is anybody else interested! I am willing to travel, I just have to have a minimum number of sessions booked in order to make the drive/flight worth my while.  So -

St. George UT – it will be a weekend in September or October not yet set.  I need one more person interested in order to make the trip!

Mesa AZ – It will be a weekend in October.  I need 2 more sessions booked in order to make the trip!

Please email me at Cherie.hogan@gmail.com if you’re interested in booking a session in either of these locations! Or if you have another location you’d like me to travel to!

The prognosis is in and its not good. Originally we thought it was just a simple virus but now we’ve found out the computer needs a motherboard transplant. The good news is they’ve lifelighted it to some specialists that are better equipped to handle this serious of a situation, the bad news is we won’t see it for 3-4 weeks!!
Again, I’m so grateful I got all of my editing finished before it happened!

How about a tutorial, since everybody seemed to love the last one… that was sarcastic, I don’t even know if anyone read it.
This newborn session was the first time I’ve attempted the invisible bodies look. that postpartum moms love cause you can’t see any fat and loose skin.

Achieving this look is so simple!! I have a heavy black fabric I use for a backdrop and to lay newborns on to give them the floating through space look (I will be sharing one of those images soon!)  I request that the parents have long sleeve black shirts then I sit them all in front of the black back drop. I edit like normal then I just burn the shadows at 100% using the dodge/burn tool in photoshop – PSE (elements) also has this tool, burning only the black areas i.e. the shirts and backdrop.  One little trick is that I only burn it at about 50% over their shoulders so they don’t completely disappear, for some reason, it looks better to me that way. 

Before

After

What’s that? You want to see it in Black and white too? Sure!

And yep, that’s it.  I usually will do one last curves bump to contrast their skin and shadows on their faces with the black and then I just use unsharp mask and save. 

Of course, if you have any questions, please ask!

P.S. Please bless that Karly won’t be mad at me for posting the before because after all, posting the before does sort of defeat the purpose.

P.S.S. I’m jealous of Karly’s beauty mark.

P.P.S. This post really isn’t about granola bars. I just couldn’t come up with another title.

Ila’s hair is in pigtails today.  Like real ponytail pigtails on the sides of her head and only the very bottom hair right in the middle is falling out.  This is a monumental day. 

Well… now that I’m having to deal with this each morning –  I figured something had to be done.

You should know: these images have not been altered in any way, due to my computer (with photoshop) still being at the hospital (aka best buy) being treated by Dr. Paul (aka agent Paul of Geek Squad) you’re getting these images sooc (straight out of camera)

There are so many things in my life right now that are definetly… NOT to love.  But all I keep seeing is the positive…

• Like how our car broke down one month after we got it and had to be in the shop all last week… but aren’t we lucky that it happened the week my parents were out of town so we were able to borrow their car?
• and how it cost us $600 but the mechanic did some work for free, like hooking up a little tube so that our windshield wiper fluid came out! We couldn’t figure out what was going on with that.
• And, how it looks like the dealership is gonna reimburse us… hopefully!
• and also how my computer shut down today and won’t turn back on because of a virus… but I’m just glad it happened the day I finished editing my last session from my photo session marathon 2 weeks ago.  AND right as the last image loaded in their online gallery… talk about luck!
• and how we have our old computer that I was just able to hook right up to this screen so I can still blog while the other one is getting fixed- whew.  I know you all were holding your breath… “but Cherie… what will I ever do without your boring blog entries if your computer is down??”  I guess you all aren’t as lucky as me.  suckas.
• and how I sold my camera yesterday without even listing it.  My friend Chelsea was looking to upgrade and I thought, yep its about time for me too, how bout you buy mine? The NOT to love there is the fact that I am camera-less right now… gulp.  until I buy my Canon 5d, hopefully later this week… my almost dream camera. 

I like to tell people how grateful I am for the difficult times… because its then that I notice all the tiny blessings in my life I might have missed otherwise.  Its then that I’m so grateful for the smallest things that happen everyday that truly are my saving grace when I didn’t know what was gonna happen.  And its then that I realize how incredibly blessed my little family is… what did we ever do to deserve it? 

Sorry, no photo today on account of the computer being down

oh wait, except this one.

Hold up… Is that Pedro holding down the right side of the picture? HOLLA! And this one.  No comment.

photos brought to you by awkwardfamilyphotos

Jeanna Hayes put together a styled shoot for photographers this past weekend and did such an amazing job!  I’m drooling over the images I got!!  Here’s just one that I had to sneak and edit even though I have other responsibilities I have to get to (I couldn’t help it…) 

This little girl was SOOOOOO beautiful, I took about a million of just her!

This session really inspired me! It was so great going to a shoot that had been planned down to every last detail! There was such cute outfits and props. 

So, I’ve decided I’d like to put together a shoot for photographers!  It will be a styled shoot with models and props! Before I start planning the details, I’d like to know who would be interested in coming!  Please leave a comment or email me if you’d like to join in!  It will be one to two months out so we have time to put something amazing together!  I already can’t wait…

Okay, so I may or may not have stolen that line from Napoleon Dynamite… but regardless, you do want to look that good.  So  – you may be interested to know this:

Wanted – 2011 Senior Reps

Cherie Hogan Photography is now looking for 2011 High School Seniors to represent in Las Vegas, NV, St. George, UT and Salt Lake City/Logan UT areas. If you’re interested in getting free senior portraits done and are a people person, fill out the application. 

What do I need you for? Refer your friends at your school to Cherie Hogan Photography for their own senior session.  Yep… that’s it.

All chosen Senior Reps will receive a complimentary photo session, discounts throughout the entire school year on prints and other purchases, a featured blog introduction, and a set of referral cards to hand out to friends and family. You’ll receive points for those who book a session because of you (which can be exchanged for print credit, discounts, giftcards, etc).

Applications will be accepted through September of 2010, so get your hiney in gear and fill out the application.  For any questions… Cherie.hogan@gmail.com

Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcasting.