Halloween Costumes: Inspired from the past

Credit: http://publicdomainreview.org

Never too early to think about Halloween costumes. Some interesting options from a Fancy Dress book from 1887. I like Air and Dresden China for myself. Why don't more children dress up as a Gleaner or Justice? Warning, definitely dated and possibly slightly racist. Italians and Spaniards be warned.

Local photo reception

Raccoon © Kristin Burns

Last night was the Xbestpix photo contest reception in Sunnyside. One of my photos was featured, so we braved the cold to check it out. Lots of fun - good food, wine, and best of all a chance to talk with other area photographers.

Tried in vain avoid glare on the print

It was very cool to see photos of our neighborhood - one was from the 1940s - from photographers who clearly love it here. The funny part was that it was a blind judging and people could submit from anywhere so only 4 photographers were actually Sunnysiders. Turns out there were over 200 submissions and only 10 photos picked, which made for very strong work.

The host, TDS (Technical Digital Services) does high end printing and design & they naturally did a great job on the mounted prints. Can't wait to take mine home soon. The show prizes were from the Chamber of Commerce and I also got a citation from the City Council, so it was a very civic-minded night. All the winner photos will be up on the Chamber's site soon if you'd like to check them out.

Happy New Year!

My little girl snuggling tight - Patrick Burns 2010

Hooray, it's 2011! I spent the second half of 2010 launching a new TV entertainment site. Which was fun. But a bit sad since I love photographing babies and there was no time to breathe, never mind market my work. I did do a few shoots for repeat clients and some charity work, but I can't wait to get back to focusing more on my photography in 2011.

This year, my goals, in no particular order are:

Team up with other photographers & child-friendly businesses

Make time for friends, near and far

Travel more (see above!)

Tackle some large-scale redecorating and organizing projects in our home

Plan trip to Greece

Get out of my neighborhood more to enjoy NYC

Schedule more days of mini-shoots

Find a good yoga studio that is convenient enough I'll actually go

Take another trip sans child

Learn some new creative projects to do with children

Seems like a lot once I write them out, but it's mostly fun stuff. Last year was all about business goals - taxes, contacts, even finding good childcare and preschool for my daughter. Now that I feel like I have the right people in place, I've got to get out there and enjoy it!

Ho-ho-Holiday Boutique

Julian at last year's event © Kristin Burns

I've been busier than a Kardashian at a shoe sale, so pardon the last minute quality of this post. Our local park is hosting a fundraising Holiday Boutique on Sunday and you should all come. I'll be taking Santa photos (free to take, $5 for a print) so stop by and sit your little one's kiester in Santa's lap without trekking to the mall.

Sunnyside Gardens Park Holiday Boutique

Phipps Social Hall 

51-01 39th Avenue

Sunnyside, NY 11104

Sunday December 5th

10AM - 4PM

Boston Area Portrait Day

 

Photo: Rachel Ford James's Flickr

I'm very excited about coming up to my hometown of Arlington for a day of mini-sessions Saturday November 13th. I have a few time-slots open if you are interested in joining in the fun. Here's the info again:

November 13, 10-3

Robbins Farm/Skyline Park (51 Eastern Ave, Arlington, MA)

Rain date November 14th

Come join me for a 30-minute mini-session at a local playground with a gorgeous view of Boston on Saturday. The sessions are $50 per family (not per child, all included) and an online album of the best photos. Please bring along your baby's favorite toys, blankets, even their fancy holiday clothes!

Email me or call 718-791-0536 to schedule a session. Can't wait to see all the kids!

Friday Fun: Male Model walks the Chanel show with his Toddler Son

Image via @vogue_london

I love fashion week in NYC, but I try to keep up on the subsequent weeks in London and Paris too. Chanel held its Spring 2011 show in Paris this week to excellent reviews - for Karl Lagerfeld's designs, the amazing location and its A-list crowd. But now all everyone's talking about is the runway walk Brad Koenig took with his toddler son. In matching jackets & jeans, they make an adorable pair. Click to enlarge the photo.

Friday Fun: Man Babies

   

GET MORE AT ManBabies.com!

So simple, so disturbing.
   

Friday Fun: Real-life Candyland

Photo & video from Craftster via Ohdeedoh  

Need a little break on this Friday afternoon? Since it's unlikely you have an aromatic garden modeled after childhood-favorite board game Candyland to escape to, why not watch a video of one?

I loved Candyland growing up - a great mix of luck and skill not too hard to enjoy or too boring (I'm looking at you Othello!) to finish. I also love candy - and fear for my health if a real Candyland existed. But this garden takes the fun of the journey through Candy Cane Forest and Molasses Swamp sugar-free. Plus it only took 7 months to create/grow, but think kids - or anyone who loved Candyland as a kid - would love it forever.

Gone Fishin'

Captain Juliet at the helm

I've obviously taken a break from the blog for a while.

It's been a busy summer. Not just for the usual suspects - long lazy weekends enjoying the city, exploring the world or visiting family - but also due to huge increases in my photo editing & photography work. At one point I worked 2 weeks straight between travel photo editing, corporate portrait photos, TV fan site photo design and of course baby photography.

But it wasn't all work and no play. We've taken a few little trips and will definitely take more soon. With a husband in academia, these summer days are fleeting. And given the choice between late nights chasing fireflies with my daughter and updating here, I'm chosing fireflies.

Big long Memorial Day post

I had so much fun taking free family portraits at the Sunnyside Gardens Park last weekend, I can't pick just a few favorites. So here are a lot.

Preview: Memorial Day Fair

More to come soon, but here's a sneak peek of the free family portraits at the fair.

Inspiration Wednesday: Christopher Niemann's Abstract City Blog

"I am always amazed at the diverse lot underneath the highchair of our toddler." - Christopher Niemann

If you follow Christopher Niemann's blog Abstract City on the New York Times site you already appreciate his humorous visualizations of city life.

Today's post, The Haunted Household, will strike a chord with anyone who wonders if there is some invisible force (or tiny monsters) derailing our attempts at keeping a passibly clean house.

Add kids to the mix - he has a toddler - and the identifying may border on paranoia that he's been peeking in my dishwasher (always full, either clean or dirty) or junk drawer (mystery batteries) while I'm out. Good thing he didn't look under the couch.

Free Family Portraits Saturday in the Park

Please share/tweet/print this photo to spread the word.

Happy Memorial Day! My family recently joined our local community park and Saturday is the annual Memorial Day Fair.

I'm volunteering to photograph families in the newly renovated park. There will be music and food and good weather. It's one of the only days that the park is open to non-members so stop by and enjoy.

Friday Fun: Morality in Babies?

Nicholas Nixon for The New York Times

All photographs taken at the Infant Cognition Center at Yale University.

OK, well I think sociology & science are fun anyway. I had a photo shoot in Long Island yesterday. Which meant a rare luxury - driving alone. Made more of a luxury by a really interesting show on WNYC's (our NPR) Leonard Lopate Show. He interviewed Yale professor Paul Bloom who wrote last week's New York Times magazine's cover story "The Moral Life of Babies."

Listen to the interview here:



I have noticed very strong moral reactions in the babies I've photographed, especially when they hear another baby cry. The empathy and worry is really heart-warming. It's incredible that these traits can be inborn as well as amplified through parenting. Once again I'm blown away how amazing babies are!

May goals (as in "may" get done...)

In like a lion

Well, looky here! It's already May. If you'd like to join our Monthly Meetup check-in, post your goals to Athena Dreams blog the first Monday of the month.

I truly enjoyed April - lots of family events, plenty of work and general running around. The weather was either pouring rain or gorgeous, so those sunny days meant we HAD to get outside and explore our neighborhood. My daughter is a pure joy to watch hoofing down the sidewalk, usually on the way to the park, a look of concentration easily broken by whatever (cat, dog, car, motorcycle, squirrel, baby, bike, truck, etc.) catches her fancy. Sometimes the walk there was longer than the time at the park. 


Work-wise, I did OK. Still doing my photo editing assignment for a travel publisher 30 hours a week, which is my main time commitment. Also did a family photo shoot and plan for more this month. Got some business planning done too, include new pricing (effective after 5/31) to reflect my market and budget research. Still feel like I could be hustling more, but when all of my childcare time is used for photo editing, the photography work has to come when I can make time.

A look back at April goals:

1. Finalize pricing changes (update site, facebook) - done, need to publish

2. Contact past clients (assemble email list, write email detailing new pricing/return client discount) - done

3. Photograph wine bar - nope, but tried to get in touch with owner - try harder this month

4. Pursue guest bloggers - nope

5. Enjoy the outdoors - done!

On to May:

1. Publish new pricing

2. Schedule 2 days of lower-price-point mini-sessions

3. Pursue guest bloggers

4. Research craft fairs (unfortunately cannot do the 2 where I could have shared a table) 

5. Plan a few summer adventures, both professionally & personally

The last one has me the most excited. I'd really love to book some out-of-town photo shoots for this summer and will talk with friends/contacts to find someone who'd like to host. Other than Boston and NJ, I've mainly shot in NYC. Friends in other cities - let me know if you'd like to set something up.

Awesome Mother's Day gift ideas

I'm a mom, but I also have a mom, a mom-in-law, and a nana who all deserve amazing Mother's Day gifts. Since the big day is coming up Sunday, why not surprise the moms in your life with one of these last minute creative gifts? No vacuums allowed!!!

New moms may feel less than gorgeous right now - lack of sleep, saggy bellies & drool-covered clothing will do that to the most confident woman. Why not give her a spa trip to help her get her mojo back. Bliss (a great NYC-launched spa chain) has a new Rookie Mom massage that sounds perfect. Make sure to include free babysitting (no, dads, watching your own child does not count as babysitting!) to ensure she'll really relax.

 

Photo: alexindigo

Instead of flowers - which are perfectly good gifts but tend to, you know, die - I think if the mom has a yard, buy her a tree for each of her children. We've given this gift for a baptism before, but there's something adorable about giving a new mom a tree as old as her baby and watching both grow. In NYC, I like Garden World in Flushing since they stock native organic plants in their locally-owned family business. 

A baby photo shoot with me! Purchase a gift card for a single session or a series of shoots and I will email it in time to print out and slip into her Mother's Day card. This one is extra-perfect for moms-to-be since they can have something reminding them of the baby on the way. I've sold these to grandparents and friends of some of the coolest kids around, so it only seems fair to give one to the moms that made them.

Other ideas you can plan last minute are gift certificates to local restaurants (babysitting included please), arranging for a house cleaner to deep clean mom's home, and of course chocolate. You know the women in your life best, so whatever you give her, your love and respect are sure to shine through. Hope everyone has a Happy Mother's Day!

Baby Names

Maybe we should have named her Star.

I guess it's not surprising that as a baby photographer I would hear a lot of names in my work, but I'm still sometimes surprised. No, I haven't met any twins named Ima & Ura Hogg or any Tracy Junior Juniors. Usually I'm surprised with just how well-suited the names are to the children I meet.

Reading the recent Ohdeedoh article on hip 2010 baby naming trends, I'll have to say I breathed a sigh of relief when my daughter's name wasn't on the top 100. Maybe it's because I was one of 4 Kristins (aka Kristin D.) in my grade-school class. On the other hand, it's certainly not like when we were bandying about name ideas my husband and I wanted to make a name up or have it be so exotic it would either sound crazy with our last name or be impossible to spell.

Who knows why names become popular anyway? As much as I loved Freakonomics & their take on baby naming trends, there is sometimes just a cultural feeling in the air that makes certain names stick in your brain.

Turns out I may have let that sigh out too soon. Only after naming our daughter did the name scream out every time someone mentioned it. From Shakespeare (duh!) to LOST & Psyche & Taylor Swift & a movie premiering this month, suddenly Juliet is everywhere I turn. Luckily I've enjoyed most of these Juliets. In real life, they are coming out of the background too.

Just days ago I toured a local preschool where Jules may go a few mornings in the fall. First words out of the director's mouth? "Oh we have a Juliet in her class!" Well, there's no escaping your name - Juliet B. has a nice ring to it, right?

Happy Earth Day!

Jules & I enjoy some "nature" on campus

Hope you are enjoying Earth Day 2010 with your little corner of nature. This year we may be more likely to explore the urban jungle but even in New York City we do our part. From Community Supported Agriculture to beekeeping to Safari 7, there's a surprising amount of wildlife here. Let's try to protect it for our kids too.

Newest Newborn: Isabella

Just days after she was born, Isabella's mom called me to set up a newborn photo shoot. Within the week I was there, taking photos of her tiny, sweet hands & feet. Her soft smiles and sleepy yawns.

And of course her big sister Victoria. 

Love the shots of her gazing up at her Mama.

The early days pass very quickly but luckily this family will have these photo to look back on and remember. Email me if your family would like newborn photos too.

April Goals

 At least my dining table is in full bloom

Spring has sprung in New York City and it's been hard to stay motivated when all I want to do is run outside in a big field while cherry blossoms rain down and clouds roll by above. Or (even better) let my daughter run crazy for a bit at the local park and then meander home through Sunnyside Gardens's walkways between the tree-lined blocks. Neither really jives with all the computer-related goals for this month, but I'll try.

First a look back at last month's goals:

1. Focus on end of Bakery's Half-Dozen business course & organize all the material they provided - Done, I downloaded all the info and organized it, but need to review the work I've done and adjust my business plan.

2. Take photos for our local wine bar's website - Stopped by a few times (to drink, naturally) but haven't talked to the owner about a good time to shoot.

3. Reach out to people I admire to guest blog - have a few people interested, need to figure out what I'd like from them.

4. Blog ahead more - Somewhat done.

5. Schedule 4 in home shoot (one down already) - Only 2.

6. Enjoy my office work even if it triggers insane wanderlust - Really enjoying this project. Definitely focused on "day job."

Not bad, not great. But I will say that sometimes when starting something new - like my travel photo editing assignment - it can take away from original plans. And I subscribe to the practice of devoting effort towards paying work over less-/non-paying work.

On to April, I'm hoping now that I'm settled a bit more into this project, I can properly promote the baby photo business. One thing I learned from the Bakery course was making a business plan. Sparked by that, I made a big decision on pricing so I need to flesh that out.

April goals:

1. Finalize pricing changes (update site, facebook)

2. Contact past clients (assemble email list, write email detailing new pricing/return client discount)

3. Photograph wine bar

4. Pursue guest bloggers

5. Enjoy the outdoors

 Not too ambitious but with 30 hours a week in the office and a couple of photo shoot too (both baby and corporate) I think this is possible.