Moms always do a fantastic job of documenting the lives of their children all the way from birth to college.

You only have to look at a mother’s social media pages to see how much they cherish the big and small moments in their children’s lives. Every milestone is important to them.

Moms are no strangers to scrapbooking, blogging and documenting their child’s special moments, but the problem is that they often leave themselves out of their collection of photos.

Many times moms will ask to be left out of photos when they bring their children through for a shoot. If they do decide that they want to be in the photos, they’ll usually book the shoot months in advance so that they can lose any extra weight.

Every mom should be in more photos with her children and every mom deserves to feel good about the way she looks in those photos. Here are a few tips to help moms look fabulous in all future photos.

Keep that smile natural. There’s nothing more beautiful than a natural smile or laugh so do what it takes to smile as sincerely as possible. Bring someone along to tell you a few jokes to put you at ease if need be but don’t force that smile.

Angle your body. It’s time to put all those yoga classes to good use. In order to make your hips look narrower and your shoulders wider, aim to position your body at a ninety-degree angle from the photographer. Now, simply turn your hips towards the camera and square your shoulders.

Use your children as props. Many women really can’t stand looking at themselves in photos and if this is the case for you, get your children to stand or sit in front of you to avoid being the main focus in the photos.

Keep that chin down. Unfortunately, sticking your chin in the air doesn’t make for flattering photos. By keeping your chin down, you’ll create shadows and contours that will compliment your face. If you’re worried about having a double chin, lean forward slightly to prevent this from happening.

Tone down your outfit. A busy outfit is not the best route to go if you’re looking to go unnoticed in a photo. Keep your clothing simple in order to hide anything that you don’t want to draw attention to. You can also opt for black and white photos if you really want to take the attention away from specific details.

Use natural lighting. Forget the camera flash and opt to have your photos taken in a room where there’s tons of natural light. It makes for amazing photos.

 

Looking for other helpful ideas for your upcoming session? Check out the tips & tricks section on the blog.

 

I got a call from a family friend of the Morales’s telling me that she wanted to purchase a photo session as a gift for this family who is going through a lot right now. She mentioned that they have not had professional family photos in years and that the dad had been diagnosed with cancer.
I can not imagine what this family is going through but I knew that they needed that money more than I did so I gifted the session to this family all thanks to their family friend reaching out. Below is their story and a link to help support the Morales’s family.

Earlier this year, David was diagnosed with myxoid liposarcoma which is a rare form of cancer. He had surgery to remove a mass from his leg in April and was on his way to recovery being told that he was cancer free- being a cancer survivor, it’s important that you’re seen for checkups regularly and on Friday, December 7th David went to meet with his doctors to discuss his most recent scans. The news he was given on that day was not what anyone was expecting to hear. He was told that the cancer had returned and had metastasized to his bones. The cancer now resides in numerous areas of his body. He went from being cancer free to being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer within 6 months time.

David will undergo an aggressive chemo treatment over the next 5 -6 months that will include 5 days in the hospital and then 16 days at home, repeating this 6 times. During this time he will be out of work and his loving wife Bianca will be his primary care giver. Bianca holds the insurance for the family and will need to keep her job. She has been approved for FMLA so that she can help care for David on his journey to recovery, but David will be on disability and unable to bring home the full financial support that he is used to.

David is a very strong, dedicated and a giving man, and has done so much for so many people. He is the proud father of 6 beautiful children and enjoys attending church with his family and just having quality family time. David also has a passion for football and over the past 10 years he has given so much of himself to coaching youth football for his boys and community. He’s not only passionate about the sport but about seeing the players succeed in life. For those of you who are volunteers know that this has to be a selfless act, that’s definitely David.

The battle to fight cancer is a lot to worry about and David’s friends and family would like to get the Morale’s family with the added financial strain a critical illness can bring. Please follow the link below to help this family through this tough time.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about their story.

 

Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/david-moralesconquering-cancer

Oh how I just adore the family I’m blogging about today. I’m lucky enough to say I’ve been photographing the Gorman family for 2 years now! I truly can’t believe how much the children have grown and changed since I first met them.

It goes without saying, Abigail and Josh are always a pleasure to work with. It’s hard to not love clients like Abigail who has so much love and excitement for her family. Dad and husband Josh is just as great. He is always keeping everyone laughing with his sense of humor and he adores his family so much.

When Abigial emailed me to take their photos again, I immediately began counting down the days to our session! And as for the day of the shoot, I had a great time! They had a pretty great time, too.

“I love that my kids love Ashleys style of picture taking, she is very personable and she doesnt waste time! With such a large group of kids keeping things moving is a must with us, having to much down time where kids can get dirty and do who knows what is never a good thing. Ashley has always given us more photos then we can afford to chose from, I love that we have options and poses that we get to scan thru!” says Abigail.

Okay, enough text. Check out the fabulous Gorman family!

 

Check out tips and tricks for your upcoming session on my blog!

Hi again, ladies and gents!

Let me stop for a second to tell you that I am seriously the luckiest photographer in the world. My clients are always so wonderful to work with. That’s true of my session with the Barr family, too!

I met up with them at Scorpion Gulch and the weather was perfect but it was the Barr family that made this shoot such a success.

The Barr family consists of Mom – Amy, Dad – Eric, Rosalie who is 8 years old and she has been on the honor roll since she was in kindergarten and loves spaghetti, Melody who is 6 years old and has the cutest little dimple on one cheek and loves babies, and Baby Luna who is just 2 months old and loves to smile at her daddy.

“We like to watch a new movie, eat some snacks in our pjs on the weekends.,” says Amy.

As you can see from the comments above and the photos, this family is not only photogenic, but also a close-knit group who clearly loves spending time together. Amy, Eric, Rosalie, Melody and Luna are lucky to have each other.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Fall mini session dates and locations

It’s that time of year again for mini sessions. I know a lot of you have been asking about mini sessions so I thought I would get a couple of dates on the calendar for you to start planning your session weather it be family, maternity or photos of your children. More dates may be added depending on how much interest there is. There will be a location at a creek (shown above) as well as a desert location (shown below) both located in the west valley.

$175 for 15 minutes time and 5 digital images.

Up to 5 people.

Only 6 spots available each day.

September 30th at desert location – Waddell, Arizona
4:30
4:45
5:00
5:15 –  Booked
5:30 – Booked
5:45 – Booked

October 14th at creek location – Wickenburg, Arizona
3:00 – Booked
3:15
3:30 – Booked
3:45
4:00 – Booked
4:15 – Booked

September 15th in Sedona

Have you wanted a destination session but haven’t wanted to pay destination prices. Your in luck! I will be in Sedona the 15th and 16th of September so I wanted to offer mini sessions while I am there so you can get them at regular session pricing!!!

$275 for 30 minutes time and 10 digital images.
Up to 6 people (pets welcome).

6:30am – Booked
6:45am – Booked
7:00am –
7:15am –
7: 30am –
7:45am – Booked

A 50% retainer fee is due within 24 hours to hold your date and time. If unpaid and someone else is interested in your chosen date and time your session will be passed on. I, of course, will send you a reminder email before I pass it on. To book your session please email me at info@ashleyflugphotography.com.

Hey pretty mama’s! I have this vision for a group nursing session and I am so excited to announce that Ashley Flug Photography will be offering this session on August 11th, 2018 at 5:30pm in Wickenburg, Arizona. Due to bad weather the session was rescheduled to August 26th, 2018 at 5:15pm and will still be held in Wickenburg.

I am looking to get 5 or more nursing mommy’s to be a part of a group nursing session. I would like for the mom’s to be in either ivory or blush colored dresses and the baby’s either naked with their tush showing or clothing to match mom. You will need to supply your own outfits so please keep in mind when choosing your dress that you will be able to nurse in it (I know, thats a given lol). The location the session will be held at has a creek and there may or may not be water in it so you might get your feet wet as well at your dress if it is long but it will be super gorgeous, I promise! If you need direction or pointers when choosing the perfect outfits I am here to help.

If you wish to have individual photos after the group session of you and your baby(s) you are more than welcome to stay after the group photo so you can have precious nursing images for your keepsake. The group session will last about 20 to 30 minutes and individual images will last about 10 minutes per mom. You will receive 3 digital images from the session in return for your time. These images will be used on social media and website so a model release will need to be signed stating you are ok with the images being used online. I, of course, would not post any images with your nipple showing if your little one were to unlatch during a photo.

If you are interested in being a part of this session please fill out the form below. I will then get you on the schedule and set up your client portal with all forms needed from you in order to attend. I will send exact location details the day before the session but it will be held in Whickenburg, Arizona so you can plan on how long it will take you to arrive before the session day.

Thank you so much for wanting to be a part of this and I look forward to meeting you and your babe!

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Kids are completely unpredictable. They can be so adorable and easy going and laughing uncontrollably one minute, and the next minute, turn that charm off it all completely off completely. They will typically smile for you all day long until you put them in front of a camera, then they freeze up like a deer in headlights. We want to avoid the gritted teeth and bug-eyed forced smiles during our session.

Here are some things you can do:

1. Make a list of things that your child thinks are are funny and send it to us prior to the session. This way, we can be prepared and add these things into our bag of tricks.
2. Also give us a list of icebreakers for your child. Tell us the kinds of shows they watch, music they listen to, friends’ names, favorite story, etc. This will give us something to talk to them about, and will help them to forget that they’re are in front of the camera.
3. Practice phrases at home to see which ones will evoke the best smiles from your child. Reverse psychology works really well, for example, “(Child Name) don’t look at the camera, don’t smile (Child Name)!”. It works for some and for others it does not. Please, oh please, avoid “Say cheese!” unless that really works for you child.
4. Try out a couple of jokes with them. During the session, we can ask them to tell us a joke and this will typically loosen them up as they tell it to us.
5. If there is a song that your child loves, load it up to your phone and bring it along with you, or be prepared to sing it for them during the session.
6. Bring along a bribe (such as a toy, a trip to the zoo, etc.) and show it to them, or remind them of it, during the session. Feel free to check out our blog post the power of bribery.

It’s hot outside, but fear not. Here are some cool wardrobe tips to make sure your summer family photo session is a hit:

– Wear light fabrics that let you breath, but still look polished. It’s OK to show some skin, too. Shorts are good, as are tank tops.
– Really play up the summer accessory factor. I’m talking sun hats for the ladies and big sunglasses for all.
– You can even bring summer-appropriate props that complement your outfits. Maybe it’s a beach ball, balloons, giant lollipop or messy ice cream cone.
– Choose shoes that are comfortable and summery. Flip flops, loafers, open-toed pumps, even sweet sneakers on your kiddos.

Indigo – or deep blue – is a rich, exceedingly popular color which looks beautiful in almost any setting. Outfits with blue elements create a sense of calm and quiet – perfect for a more introverted couple or natural backdrops. Blue can be dressed up or down to fit your tastes, and can be used either as a main color or accenting in your outfits.

Cascade – Brighter than the other blues in this collection, Cascade is optimistic and playful. Soft sand tones as accents allow this special blue to shine. Cascade is another wonderful choice for those who aren’t quite sure what color would look best; it won’t let you down! A perfect color to wear for the camera.

Coral Breeze – Coral is a lovely color for photo shoots both indoor and outdoors! A long, flowy maxi dress keeps you comfortable while allowing you to show off your baby bump. Natural fiber accessories, such as a straw hat and woven bag, add casual elegance to your look. Sandals look great and feel great with long dresses and prevent your feet from overheating!

Lace Yesterday – A lovely lace dress with a flattering a­line cut allow you and baby to stay cool and comfortable during the shoot! A parasol adds vintage elegance while providing shade in an outdoor session. Accessorize with a splash of color ­ aqua looks fabulous! ­ to add interest to your images. Flats and low­heel shoes keep you safe and comfortable.

Honey Blues – What a sweet look for the warm season! A flattering light blue cotton dress makes you the standout! Accessorize with golden tones to add warmth to the pallette. Adding a themed necklace, such as a honeybee, creates meaning and detail in your images and allows you to express the things you love. A perfect look for an outdoor shoot.

Sugar Coated – The overall effect of this look is relaxed, happy, and delicious! Candy­inspired colors such as corals and bright greens interplay against an otherwise muted palette. Denim shorts keep you cool with a relaxed, breezy shirt on top. Try a surprisingly bright pair of flats to add interest and color­pop to your images!

Pink Lemonade – Ah, pink and canary yellow stripes ­ the classic summer outfit! A relaxed ruffle­hemmed shirt with stripes is slimming and comfortable. Brightly colored cropped pants are playful and comfy to wear. Muted tans and greys for accessories make sure not to draw too much attention away from you, and a wide­brimmed straw hat keeps you cool and looking fabulous! Flowy, stretchy fabrics feel wonderful and look great on camera.

Summer of Love – Coral and yellow solids form the base of the outfit, allowing interesting jewelry and accessories to create added detail. A flowy skirt adds a whimsical touch. Canvas accessories and shoes keep things casual. Natural fiber fabrics, such as cotton or linen, help to keep you cool in the warm sun!

In Full Bloom – A unique blend of denim, color, and florals make this outfit wonderfully fresh! Dip­dyed denim shorts add a unique color gradient, matching the beachy coral sandals. A while cotton tank top allows your accessories to shine ­ try sunglasses and a colorful necklace to bring the look together! A floral headband is just the thing to top things off ­ adding organic detail and Summery whimsy!

Ultra Pop – A mix of quiet and loud makes this outfit a standout. Splashes of incredible, intense color create strong focal points against soft, neutral colors. Start with solid color pants and a grey tank ­ then add color and personality with shoes and accessories! A great look for indoors or outdoors.

I just wanted to take a minute to talk about the importance of the pre-session warm up. What is this, you might ask? This is the photographer-child interaction time that occurs before we begin the session. I always suggest that you show up a little bit early, maybe 10 minutes, to your session so we have this time to get to know each other. Especially with young children, it’s going to be a little bit scary interacting with someone they’ve never met before. We want to ensure we can really show off your child’s personality, so we want him or her to be comfortable with us and with the environment.

If we were to just throw them into the middle of the session and there’s this stranger with a camera jumping around trying to get them to look and smile, your child is going to tense up and there may even be confusion. We really just want everything to run smoothly.

If you can arrive early, this will give me time to introduce myself to your child, and to try to get a vibe on how the session will go. Some children warm up right away, while others need the entire warm up time to start to feel comfortable and come out of their shells. And that’s OK.

After I introduce myself, I will try to get to know your child. I’ll ask questions about what they like, what they don’t like, sing songs, maybe play a game, etc. Just to break the ice a little, so by the time the session starts, your child is happy and more familiar with me. Making sure you’re there early enough to have this time is probably one of the most important tips I can give you for your child’s session.

Once we’ve done a session and your child realizes that I’m not scary and we have fun together, the next session shouldn’t need much warm up time at all, if any. But for the very first session together, it is a must.