OH MY GOSH!!! + Photoshoot with my sister! :P

So I have been away for a while and so much has been happening!!!

I have hardly been able to pick up my camera for the past like 4 months because I have been in the Fire Academy at College of the Mainland. It has been an amazing experience but it's taking so much time! I can't really do anything else. Classes are Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm.
Luckily though, I will be done on May 10th!!!

Well here is one of my most recent shoots!
Also my first time to really use my new Paul C Buff Alien Bee external strobe that I got!!

All the images were takin with 50mm 1.8 in my makeshift studio in the garage!!! :)

Let me know what you think!! I love critiques!!!! xD

I know there are quite a few where the background is not consistent... :( I was working with the limitations of my equipment and just trying some new things out.

Please critique!!! :)

So I would love to get you honest opinion on this image. I take nothing personal, so please you can be as harsh as you want. :)

My Little Nephews

So my sister has been visiting for the past 2 months (I thing that's how long) from Alaska and she asked me to do my nephews 4 year old pictures.  

This first one was just taken one day when we went to the park. but the rest were taken on the day of the actual photo shoot.

I think this black and white photo is on of my favorites. :)

This last one is of my youngest nephew. He is 18 months. 

What do y'all think? I would love some critiques on these.

Using Flash in Outdoor Portraiture

Yes! I did indeed use a flash for these shots, and no I did not photoshop the background into the picture.

I used the flash to light my subject but had my shutter speed slow enough that it was open longer then the flash, thus allowing the ambient light to fill in. 

Sisters

I had the pleasure of doing my first maternity shoot with these sisters who were* only two weeks apart in their pregnancy. 

* I say were because Michelle (the one in the blue) had her little baby girl the day after this shoot. 

The Upps, a family shoot

Alright so a few weeks ago I did a family photo shoot with a family from our church. They have an adorable two year old boy and one on the way. 

After this shoot I have found the nice thing about having an assistant, it is really hard to try and get the little one to look at you and smile while watching your edges and thinking about exposure. I wish I had an assistant. lol

I absolutely love the above two pictures. 

In these last two the light was starting to get really bad so it was tough to get a clean image.

I had a lot of fun doing this shoot and learned a lot. Thank you Upp Family!