RACHAEL EARL » PHOTOGRAPHY: Lifestyle Portraiture and Wedding Photography

Sorry for the lack of photos from the last post, but I am sure you found plenty of eye candy to check out on those other blogs! So what have I been up to lately? Besides taking care of my cute little newborn (and her 2 other equally as cute siblings), this month has been about getting back into photography!

Here are a few quick ones from recent sessions (youngest to oldest!):

Remember that there are a few more days in August if you would like to get your mini session in while the rates (and temperatures) are hot!

When I’m not photographing, I also work designing for Spilled Milk Designs. If you are a photographer in need of a website, check them out! I also have been working on a new site for myself, which I am putting a deadline on myself of October 1st for releasing!!! (We’ll see if that deadline sticks…but I am excited to show you what I am working on!)

Hopefully by now if you’re a blog reader, you use Google Reader to put all of your blogs into one neat little place to check daily or weekly. It’s pretty much the best thing ever if you like to check up on what people are doing. So today since I haven’t had a chance to blog some of my recent sessions (my apologies), I have decided to throw out a few of my favorite blogs-the ones that I get giddy about seeing a (1) next to in my reader

1. Simplicity Photography: What I like the most about Angie’s work is the processing-the beautiful bright colors and fantastic contrast! I have always loved strong colors and deep blacks in my own work, too (sorry, vintage trend…)

2. Laffler Photography: A fairly recent addition to my blog lineup, but Todd’s images are not only beautifully processing, but hilariously entertaining (which I love!) and always new and fresh. I would love to be at a reception for one of his couples because MAN do they look FUN!

3. Ohana Photographers: If you aren’t reading David and Kim’s blog (which I find hard to believe), then you pretty much should be. Always creative and always funny, adding their blog will for sure be seriously entertaining for you (not to mention they are MUCH better at updating than I am…)

There are SO many others that I would like to add, but alas, the baby is awake! Enjoy these 3 for now!!!

Starting next week, I will be back to work for portrait sessions. If you or your family would like to schedule a session, please email me. I will begin shooting weddings again in October. If you would like to schedule a meeting with me to discuss your upcoming 2010 or 2011 wedding, please email me as well! Thank you!

Also, I have to give a HUGE thank you to my friend, Jamie Burnett for this ADORABLE onesie that has been hanging over my computer for months…

And also my friends, Jason and Anna Ball for THIS adorably HILARIOUS onesie!!! And don’t forget to check out their blog for some super cute (if I do say so myself) pregnancy and hospital pics of yours truly!

Sleep is very important to me, and it has taken a little while to come up with my sleep equation, but it works wonders and we are sleeping well over here! (Knock on wood)

1. Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe – I am a big believer in the swaddle. Trust in the swaddle. This blanket makes it super easy. I also occasionally use the Miracle Blanket, but the SwaddleMe is an insane value and works well, plus you can buckle it into a carseat, which is amazing for road trips!

2. Vick’s Humidifier – I like this one because it’s noisy-noisy is a good thing. My husband still makes fun of me for rocking my babies to sleep by the toilet with the exhaust fan on, but 2-3 minutes and they’re out.

3. Hyland’s Colic Tablets – These are amazing for my poor gassy children. They dissolve instantly in baby’s mouth and help relieve gas pain and pressure. The best part is, they’re totally natural and homeopathic. I buy them in bulk

Happy sleeping!

Well, SHE is finally here! That’s right! We had a baby girl on Tuesday morning at 2:13am finally after weeks of waiting (and WEEKS of contractions!) We welcomed Charlotte Madeline Earl in the wee hours of the morning weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs, 6 oz, and 21 inches. She looks just like our other girls as a newborn (albeit MUCH chubbier!), and Abbie and Brookie couldn’t be happier to have another sister!

While this was my toughest labor by far for a few reasons, she was well worth it! We just adore the sweet little spirit she brings into our home.

PS-Contrary to popular belief, Dan is SO excited to have another girl! He also thinks this will prompt me to want to have a number 4…we’ll save that talk for another day, though He is a great “girl dad.”

Okay, in honor of me literally having a baby ANY DAY NOW (come on, baby-you can come any time!), I decided to have a NESTING sale on my favorite product-CANVASES!

From now until the end of the month (June 30th), ALL sizes of gallery wrapped canvases are 50% off! So get your nesting instincts going (I am for sure!) and get those orders in! Email for pricing and details!

To get your mind going on some ideas, I thought I would share some canvases I have hanging in my own home. WARNING: Canvases are are a known addictive substance. It’s hard to buy just one. You’ve been warned.

These are in my front room/meeting area-the photo and my logo are both printed on canvas:

These two hang in my girls’ new room! (Remember that nesting instinct? Yeah…it’s in full force lately…)

Last but not least, this is my FAVORITE one! This hangs over our bed, and it’s the dialogue we have with our kids nearly every single day, “I love you. I love you too. I love you more. I love you even more than that. I love you the best.” I know, I know…it’s not a picture, but canvases don’t have to be! Fact: I also work as a freelance graphic designer. Ask me about pricing for custom designing a unique canvas for you!

So get those orders in soon because this is the best sale of the year! AND cheer on this baby because I’m tired of having contractions and carrying around a watermelon everywhere I go!

The answer is no. They don’t.

I am not a nature photographer. Not even a little bit. I love people, love photographing people…if you couldn’t tell

BUT, that being said, right around now in Arizona, there is a fleeting moment where everything is in bloom. The weather is wonderful (especially these past few days!), and we can enjoy our state before the horrendous 120 degree weather hits. Dan and I have become pretty astute as to what grows well in our crazy climate and what does not. We used to spend our Saturdays at A+P Nursery browsing plants and planning our yard out. We even had a friend there who knew us by name (sadly, I can’t remember his name, but I’m sure Dan does). Here are a few of the things in bloom in our yard, if just for a moment:

Hibiscus:

Purple Sage:

Birds of Paradise (Dan is thrilled that he finally found a good area of the yard to plant these in):

And our Navel Oranges (which we hope will finally taste good this year…)

With the crazy weather these last few days, the girls don’t know what to do. You see, in Arizona, when it’s cloudy out, it’s a BIG deal. So the skies looked like this:

Not exactly rain clouds, but my kids AUTOMATICALLY head for these:

Here’s to hoping this good weather lasts!!!

EDIT: His name was Shawn!!! LOL

This week, I have a few days’ break from shooting, so I decided it was the perfect time to take some much-needed photos of my little girls

First up, Abbie lost her first tooth a few weeks ago, and loves to show off her “window.” She can’t wait for her new one to grow back in!

Second is a not-so-happy face, but one that I still think is totally adorable-this is Brookie’s new pouty face:

Finally, here’s the best pic I could get of the new little one! (That giant mountain in the foreground) The girls can’t wait to meet their little brother/sister, and Abbie asks me every day how long it is until fireworks day!

I’ve realized lately that I kind of like to break the rules. Really, just in photography, not in real life. My husband still makes fun of me for STILL refusing to go in the exit at WalMart. Most recently, I realized that I really like to put color on color. Oooh-taboo to put a green shirt on green or red on red? It freaks people out when I suggest it. “Won’t we blend in?” Nope. I like it. I think you will, too. I guess those are my baby steps towards being a rebel. Yours too.

Oh, and while we are on the subject of COLOR, I ALWAYS recommend wearing it for your sessions. See how VIBRANT and BOLD they are? SO much better than black, white, navy blue, brown…you catch my drift. Oh, and I am very anti-matchy-matchy despite the title of this post. The word of the day is COORDINATE. Take different shades of a color in different styles of clothing, or different patterns, or even better, mix several colors and patterns (time to retire the polos). Have a little fun with what you wear and bring out your individual personalities!!! You will love them so much more and they will be much more YOU!