Miranda Welch Photography Blog

Website Launch SALE!Miranda Welch | Washington Lifestye Portrait Photographer

2009-01-05T08:35:00.000-08:00

I am so pleased to announce the grand opening of my new website www.mirandawelchphotography.com! To celebrate I am hosting a sale. Book a signature session during the month of January and I will discount it by $100! You will also receive 25% off prints and products.

I am also looking to expand my portfolio to include maternity and newborn photos. If you book one of those sessions with Miranda Welch Photography during the months of January and February your session will be 100% complimentary! Wow! Additionally, a 30% discount will be applied to all prints and products.

So please, take a look at my site and feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.

Christmas Cake SmashMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photography

2008-12-24T13:37:00.000-08:00

Thank you soo much Phyllis for letting us come down and hang out in your studio space and take pictures of Braden's first birthday :D She took most of these, I took some towards the end. You can see the full set here.

A before and after

out-takes

Let it Snow!Miranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

First snow of the season, oh how I love the winter.

My Family's Holiday CardMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Malissa Eekhoff for the photo and Carmen Chan for the template.

A Photography Forum For Photography LoversMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-12-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in learning more about photography? Want to take your photos to the next level? A great way to learn and grow in the field is to receive critique from your peers and professional photogs willing to lend their time to push us forward. Where can you find this? OnePhotoSource forum! There are tutorial sections, image sharing sections, challenges, hard core critique areas, professional vendor deals, and even just a place to sit back and gab with the Live Chat box.

So what are you waiting for? Go sign up! It's only $25 dollars a year, you can't beat that for the amazing amount of knowledge to be gained. I'm there and I wouldn't trade it for the world. When you sign up, my username is Miranda2r14, there's a place to let them know I sent you!

Have fun :)

You Guys Will Get Sick Of Seeing Him Eventually!Miranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-12-04T22:06:00.001-08:00

He's so photogenic, I just love taking pictures of this baby :) He gets a chance to go play outside, so he loves photo time with mommy, too.

Adorable baby pictures alert!Miranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

I know I'm biased but my son is the cutest child on the planet :)

Braden in the StudioMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

I went to my friend Phyllis' in Tacoma and she graciously allowed me the use of her studio space and cute props to take some pictures of my son. Isn't Braden just the most adorable little baby ever? ;)

More of Lila's Gorgeous Family - Sneak PeakMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks for coming out to the downtown Puyallup Library guys and being such great sports! Your family is a lot of fun, thank you for choosing me as your photographer :) Hope you enjoy your preview.

Sneak Peak - Nicole, Robert and AudreyMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

You guys are honestly the cutest, most photogenic family ever, I love that your baby girl is just all smiles! Thank you so much for the opportunity to photograph you. I hope you enjoy your sneak peak.

Your Christmas holiday card previews:

Seahurst ParkMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-08T20:58:00.001-08:00

I had a ton ton ton of fun today at Seahurst Park in Burien with some new photographer friends I made on ILP. We hung out and chatted with some coffee then headed out to the beach and snapped some photos. Looking forward to next time already :)

Photos from VacationMiranda Welch | Puyallup Lifestyle Portrait Photographer

2008-11-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous kids

2008-10-23T20:55:00.001-07:00

Thank you Lila!!! They were so much fun to photograph and I look forward to doing it again :)

Playdate at Sarah's

2008-10-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

Lots of snapshots, but gosh aren't all the babies adorable?!

An Afternoon of Photography

2008-10-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

I lurves my new camera! I took Braden out to Bradley Park yesterday and we had a blast.

I wish it wasn't winter

2008-10-14T08:30:00.001-07:00

Sea/Tac winters mean nothing but rain, rain and more rain. I want to take the baby outside and play with my new camera but it's so blech outside. My "ghetto studio" light is so flat :( but here's a test shot anyway.

It's here, it's here!

2008-10-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

I *cannot* wait to try this out with the baby tomorrow. I never really understood what bokeh was til now. I got the eyes in focus but not the nose, never could've done that with my S3 P&S.

What a Tease!

2008-10-09T20:01:00.001-07:00

I have a lens but no camera body! Tracking confirmation says Monday...longest weekend of my life, le sigh.

It's Ordered!!

2008-10-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yippee!!!!! That's me excited, can you tell? ;) So after a month of me making puppy dog eyes and whining (yes, oh yes, I whined) to my husband about buying a DSLR it's finally coming. I was supposed to wait til Christmas, but oh how I wanted it too badly for that. Patience is apparently not my strong suit.

We ordered a Canon Rebel EOS XSi and a EF 50mm 1.8. I couldn't be more thrilled and I'm on edge til it gets here, I can't wait to use it! I plan to take my nine month old on an all day photo-taking extravaganza so stay tuned.

Morning at the Park

2008-09-27T11:29:00.001-07:00

Teeth!

2008-09-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Took Braden out to play with my camera and got a few shots that I actually really like! Check out all those teeth on the last one, aren't they adorable?

Another

2008-09-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Testing out my reflector, need to go out on a better day, it was so overcast.

Mommy Goggles Alert

2008-09-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

But he's my baby and I think he's gorgeous no matter how grainy and OOF the photo is :P

Squishable lips, fingers and toes

2008-09-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a sleeping baby?

Catapillar

2008-09-15T19:42:00.001-07:00

Fun with macro mode.

And the Eyes have it!

2008-09-13T21:39:00.001-07:00

Just playing around in photoshop.

One from yesterday

2008-09-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

This "session" has made me realize I need to buy a gray card for my custom white balance. Trying to get his skin to look right took me ages :( Off to Adorama I go.

Portrait of a Kitty

2008-09-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I bribed Chai this morning with a tasty kitty treat to get him to sit for the camera.

And lets not forget my other kitty, Mocha. Can you tell I like Starbucks?

My New Watermark

2008-09-06T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just love Jess of Ordinary Morning Photography. She creates the most fabulous and fun logos and watermarks. I wanted something colorful and creative and she so delivered!

Fun with Photoshop Textures

2008-09-05T21:31:00.001-07:00

Trying something a little different for me. Picked up some fab textures from Hayley on Flickr and had some fun with them.

Trying to stay on the wagon

2008-09-04T20:01:00.001-07:00

It's been a week or so since I've taken any photographs, and just to keep myself going, I took the baby out to shoot a bit this afternoon. Not fabulous results, but here they are:

A New Trainset

2008-08-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Sleeping Baby

2008-08-28T18:27:00.000-07:00

Public Library Park

2008-08-28T07:16:00.001-07:00

I think I'm starting to "see" the light!

Part 3!!

2008-08-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm totally digging this.

Part 2

2008-08-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

Just had to set it up and play again this morning. I got smiles!!

"Ghetto" Studio

2008-08-25T20:27:00.001-07:00

You'd laugh if you could see how this was all set up, but I think the photos came out cute :)

My little fireman and a cool red door

2008-08-24T19:23:00.001-07:00

"Look what I have Mommy!"

2008-08-23T20:55:00.001-07:00

My silly boy.

Daddy's Tie

2008-08-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

A new chair and daddy's tie. How cute is he?!

PTM Challenge: Green

2008-08-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

Dewdrops

Un-ripe Blackberries

Alien Plant

Braden

2008-08-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Getting tired of seeing my kid yet? ;)

OPS Weekly Challenge: Rich

2008-08-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Steph and Family

2008-08-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

We met a little before sunset at Bradley Lake. She has such a beautiful family, I'm so glad she let me come out and photograph them.

The lovely Jess and her Sylas

2008-08-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Jess is a friend from my mommy message boards. She took me up on my offer to meet at Point Defiance park and snap some photos of her and her son Sylas. We weren't working with the best light, and the little guy really didn't want to look at me, but I think I got a couple cute ones!

Mocha

2008-08-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

As I was heading to bed last night, I happen to see my kitty curled up in the blanket looking pretty adorable. I couldn't help but snap a few shots.

These are both 1/6 f3.5 ISO 800 (no tripod! that army sniper training is paying off, j/k). I know they're a little soft, and you know what? I defogged in photoshop and didn't like the result, it really ruined the "I'm a soft, sleepy kitty look". So I left it the way it is.

Learning portrait post-processing

2008-08-11T11:10:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a great tutorial over at the ILovePhotography forums. Andrea really made it easy to follow and understand. Here are three of my images, the first is SOOC (straight out of camera) the second is my own attempt at post-processing, and the third is the result of following the tutorial:
SOOC

My PP

Tutorial PP

A photoshop Before & After

2008-08-10T06:54:00.001-07:00

I really liked this image, but I was out shooting with my husband who is less than stellar in the patience department. I didn't have time (or a tripod) to set up this shot exactly like I wanted it. The original is too dark, the archway isn't straight and there's an ugly tree at the top (which I couldn't have helped anyway).

I first straightened the angle of the arch as it was slightly crooked. Then I cropped a bit off the top and bottom. Next I cloned out the ugly dark tree at the top. I brushed in a cloud on a new layer, erasing back the overlapping parts. After that I did a curves adjusment layer with an S curve to brighten midtones and darken for contrast. I erased back the sky on that layer to keep it a deep blue. Next I opened a levels layer and brightened everything way up so the reflections became much clearer and erased back everything but the water. The last adjustment layer was a hue/saturation. I bumped the master saturation by 20 and the reds by another 10. After I flattened, I spot healed a lot of the fallen leaves in the water. The last thing I did was USM.

Before

After

Point Defiance Park

2008-08-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

My husband's Porsche

2008-08-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

We went out to Point Defiance today and my husband had me snap a few photos of his car.

Braden

2008-08-07T11:53:00.001-07:00

Arachnophobia

2008-08-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

In case anyone cares, I hate spiders. Hate. In the interest of a decent photo, I was closer to this one than I have voluntarily been to one in my entire life. The whole time In my head I was thinking, "Please don't jump on me".

Swinging

2008-08-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

This is my picture from "Exercise: Motion with a Stationary Camera" from the book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

Braden

2008-08-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

03 August 2008

Can you tell what my favorite subject is? ;) I just love this collared onesie. I also love the Candies Action on #1, #4 & #5.

Porsches

2008-08-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

02 August 2008

My first try at taking some actions shots. Pretty boring huh? Next time we're out at the track, I am going to try my hand at panning.

Braden

2008-08-05T19:55:00.001-07:00

02 August 2008

Wildflowers II

2008-08-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

31 July 2008

After some very helpful CC from the talented photographers at OnePhotoSource, I went back out and took some more shots of these gorgeous flowers.

Wildflowers

2008-08-05T17:22:00.001-07:00

30 July 2008

These are of my neighbors wildflower garden. It's a very beautiful patch of flowers with a bench and a view of Mt. Ranier.

Chai the Kitty

2008-08-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

30 July 2008

Braden

2008-08-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

29 July 2008

Braden

2008-08-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

28 July 2008

Rose

2008-08-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

26 July 2008

My roses bloomed!