Wow! I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by but what a beautiful year it has been. From the laughter to the wonderful memories, it has truly been a joy as I continue to pursue my passion for photography. Time certainly does fly when you’re having fun! I feel blessed to still be doing what I love to do and all because of my most amazing clients. It’s only because of you I get to make a living doing what I love most and for that I am forever grateful.

This past year has been my busiest yet and below are a few things I enjoyed the most.

~ I loved capturing each and everyone of my clients, I loved hearing all the fun family stories shared with me, I loved all of the baby snuggles, high fives, fist bumps and hugs I got from the kiddos, and most of all I loved being able to capture memories for all of my clients to have for a lifetime.

~ I did a couple of photography courses this year and truly learned so much to advance in my style of editing and photographing. This is an accomplishment I have been wanting to achieve for so long and I can proudly say, I have improved in leaps and bounds.

~ I took a road trip from Arizona to Minnesota over the summer with 3 kiddos which tested my patience for sure, LOL. It was a long 2 days of driving there and back but it was worth it being able to see all of our family. The kids had a blast hanging out with their aunties and cousins. It was an eventful two weeks that is for sure.

As you can see, this year has taught me so much–as a photographer, business owner, mother, and wife.

From the bottom of my heart, thanks so much to everyone that gave me the opportunity to work with you; you all shine your light in unique and beautiful ways. My photos can only be as good as the amazing people that trust me to document their lives. Happy New Year and I cannot wait to see what 2019 will bring you and your families.

You want to look your best on the day of your photo shoot and how you apply your makeup can play a big part in this. When it comes to doing your make up you want to enhance your natural features. Usually the less is more approach is the best way to go about this. To help you create a flawless natural look for your upcoming photo shoot consider these simple steps.

 

1. The base.

• Moisturize-

You always want to make sure you moisturize prior to applying your makeup. This will help keep the makeup looking fresh while keeping your skin hydrated. It also makes it easier to blend and limits creasing.

 

• Foundation-

After moisturizing, you want to apply your foundation over your entire face. Use a brush or blender to ensure you get an even coat over the entire area.

 

• Concealer-

Most women have a few trouble areas that they want to conceal, mainly around the eyes, mouth, and nostrils. Use concealer sparingly and make sure it is well blended in.

 

• Powder-

Applying a translucent powder to the center of the forehead, nose, and chin will reduce any shine you may experience. The camera will pick up any gleam your face gives off so you don’t want to skip this step but you do want to try to avoid any powders with glitter or shimmer as this will only be magnified.

 

2. The eyes.

• Eyebrows-

Many people neglect to use an eyebrow pencil to make their brows a little fuller because this can often be easily overdone. Using an eyebrow pencil, however, can make your eyes look wider and your face look younger. Starting at the bottom of your brow use a pencil to fill the brow in from the bottom up. You want to start off a little darker and lighten the color as you move towards the top to create a more natural look.

 

• Lids-

To help emphasize your eyes with eye shadow you want to use three colors. Start with a natural color that is close to your skin tone and apply it over the lid. Apply a darker color to the crease of the lid and finish with a highlighter color applied to the inner corners of the eye and along the brow bone. You want to ensure everything is well blended to maintain a natural look.

 

Don’t shy away from eyeliner either. Eyeliner will help frame the eyes and this can make them appear brighter. To apply the eyeliner you want to use a skinny makeup brush.

 

• Lashes-

Apply mascara first then the root of the lashes and then work your way out. Do this to both the top and bottom lashes and apply a second coat if necessary.

 

3. Contouring.

• Highlight-

Highlighter should be applied first before blush or bronze. This is the same highlighter you used with your eyes but along with applying it to the brow line and inner corner of the eyes you also want to apply it to the top of the cheekbones and center of the nose.

 

 

 

 

• Bronze-

Lightly apply the bronzer to the jaw line, sides of the nose, under the cheekbones and to the temple area.

 

• Blush-

Keep your blush a natural color and apply it to the checks. Make sure you blend it well with the highlighter and bronzer.

 

4. Lips.

To finish off you natural look you want to stick with a lipstick. There are so many nude colors to choose from so be sure to find one that keeps your _makeupwell balanced.

Hey folks! Mark you calendar because Ashley Flug Photography has some pretty amazing sales coming up for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Below is a preview for what you can expect.

Black Friday – I have 5 sessions available at 50% off and 5 sessions available at 40% off and 5 sessions available at 30% off.

Small Business Saturday – Give the gift of memories! Book a session with Ashley Flug Photography for someone else and get your session for 50% off! Only 5 available.

Cyber Monday – Through midnight today, I am offering a $100 print credit when you book any session with Ashley Flug Photography.

These are first come first serve. Payment is due in full at the time of purchase.

I am also re-activated all client galleries through Nov. 26th so from 7 a.m. Friday morning to 11:59 p.m. Monday night, I am offering a whopping 25% off all prints and products. Code will be added to the post on Black Friday.

Mark your calendar for 7 a.m Friday, Saturday and Monday to get these amazing deals.

1. Plan it out.

The one thing that every family photo session needs is a plan. What you’re going to wear, where the photo session will take place and how you’d potentially like to pose are all details that we will talk about ahead of time. Your family’s session should be less about getting the perfect shot and more about enjoying the moment and making new memories together.

2. Keep it light and fun.

People playing, letting go and having a giggle make for some of the best photos so make your family shoot a fun event that will leave everyone feeling happy and content. If you want to change things up a bit, bring along a few props such as glasses, balloons or toys to add that element of fun to your photos. An added bonus is that bringing some props along such as toys can keep your younger family members busy while their siblings are being photographed. You know what makes your family light up so find ways to incorporate those interests into your shoot.

3. Leave your expectations at the door.

The perfect family photo session that you have in your head might not be what plays out on the day of the session, so it’s best to let go of any expectations that you might have. Instead, focus on relaxing and having fun and letting me do what I do best.

4. Everyone has a part to play.

In order to make your shoot seem less like a chore and more like a fun family event, get your entire family involved. Ask for everyone’s input when it comes to clothing, locations, props and poses. Give each family member an opportunity to speak and take a vote on the best ideas. When family members, especially children, are able to give their input, they’ll end up being a lot more cooperative on the day of the shoot.

Check out my blog for more session tips & tricks!

Having hungry kids at a photo session is almost always a recipe for tantrums.

While, ideally, you want to schedule any shoot with your children around meal times, this doesn’t work out for everyone. Even if you have planned your shoot to fall between meal and snack times it is always best to have something on hand just in case. Here are some healthy snack ideas that won’t leave your kids a sticky mess.

1. Apple slices and grapes.

Fruit is always a great snack and when you want your kids to remain mess free, apples slices are the best option. Apples tend to not be as messy or sticky and are easy for kids to eat without getting juice all over them as they would with other fruits. Grapes are also an easy snack to pack on the go and kids love. If you have younger kids be sure to half them before you head out the door.

2. Veggies sticks and hummus.

For a fuss free healthy snack slice up a variety of veggies like celery, sweet peppers, carrots and cucumber and pack some hummus for them to dip in. Combining hummus and veggies will help your kids feel full so you won’t have to worry about them asking for more minutes later.

3. Trail mix.

Trail mix is a super easy healthy snack idea you can have fun with. Combine nuts, dried fruit and whole grain cereal.  Use your imagination and you can make a variety of different trail mixes to keep things interesting.

4. Whole wheat wraps.

Use some small tortillas to create turkey, lettuce and cheese wraps. You can cut these into bite size portions to make it easier for your kids to eat. If want to cut back on the bread products leave out the tortilla and wrap the cheese and turkey in the lettuce.

5. Home made muffins.

Most prepackaged muffins are filled with artificial flavors, sugar and other ingredients you don’t want to give your kids. For a healthier alternative, try making your own muffins. Banana walnut, zucchini, oatmeal raisin muffins and even apple cinnamon muffins can be made to cut back on the sugar and increase the nutritional value. Plus, muffins are easy to transport, don’t need to be refrigerated and cause little to no mess aside from a few stray crumbs.

Your photographer desires for each and every photo session to go smoothly and for clients to have the most enjoyable experience possible. Many people believe that a photographer’s job is pretty simple. You just point and shoot right? The reality is that there’s a lot more that goes into capturing the images you love.  There are also some things many photographers secretly wish they could come right out and say to their clients. Here are a few examples.

1. We’re nervous too.

We know how important your photo shoot is to you and that you’ve been agonizing over the perfect outfits and spent hours on your hair and makeup. We know you are expecting us to capture you perfectly so that you will cherish the images from our brief time together for years and that is a lot of pressure. While we may be confident in our abilities we get nervous before each shoot as well wanting it to go perfectly for you.

2. We don’t want to fix every little flaw.

One thing that many people don’t realize is that they’re beautiful in their own way and photographers strive to capture this unique beauty in their shots. It’s for this reason that we only make minor adjustments when editing your photos.

Yes, Photoshop can work wonders and technically, we could fix every little detail that you’re unhappy with in your photos but this isn’t practical.

Do your best to make yourself picture perfect and we will take care of the rest.

3. We take our pricing seriously.

We price our services according to the quality, experience and time we spend with each client. When we hear people joke about how high our prices are compared to other photographers what we hear is that you don’t think we are good enough to charge that price. It makes us doubt our abilities and simply just hurts our feelings.

4. Have fun.

Chances are we’ve seen it all. Kids throwing tantrums, a surprise thunderstorm and wardrobe malfunctions, things can go wrong but don’t stress about them. We will work our magic to make your shoot the best experience for you but this means you need to relax and just have fun. When you are enjoying yourself we can better capture your unique personality and fun-loving nature, which is what we really want to do. When you stress out about your kids misbehaving we end up feeling anxious and that will only affect the way we take your images. No matter what goes wrong simply laugh it off, we always have backup plans and ideas up our sleeves.

5. Trust us.

You hired us for a reason. We’re hoping it was because you looked through our portfolio and liked what you saw. It is hard for us to do our best work and make you look your best if you don’t take our suggestions or trust that we know what looks good. We are seeing things from a perspective you cannot see so let us do our job. It is our job to make you look good and take images that you will love for years to come. This is something we take great pride in so trust that we would never ask you to pose in a way that is not flattering. Trust us and we will do everything we can to not to disappoint you.

We love what we do for a living and as photographers and artists, we want to share our passion and joy with the world but sometimes clients can forget that we’re also working professionals. We want to produce the very best results for our each and every one of our clients, which is why it’s important that prospective customers know what to expect when working with a professional photographer.

What do you give someone who has everything? What’s the perfect gift your loved one will cherish for years to come? There’s a lot of thought that goes into choosing any gift whether it’s for a birthday, graduation, anniversary or the holidays. Most gifts have a limited shelf life and will usually get placed in the back of a cupboard once the novelty has worn off but photography is not one of these gifts.

Why Give the Gift of Photography?

• It’s Unique.

A photography session is unique to each person who steps into a studio and each image is one of a kind too. Photography tells a story. Each image depicts a special moment in time and is a gift that will take you back to that moment time and time again. Whether it’s a photography session, picture album or a special picture in a beautiful frame, photography is one of the gifts that can be thoughtful and unique to each individual.

• It’s a classic gift.

Unlike the latest fashion or tech trends, photographs are something you will treasure for years to come.  Photographs will never go out of style and in fact, will become more valuable with each coming year.

Not only are the images cherished for years but the memories these images bring about will also be cherished. From recalling the good times had with loved ones to the laughs you had with your photographer during your photo session each image will bring about a memory that will always put a smile on their face.

• You don’t have to wrap it!

Not everyone can wrap a gift like a pro and having to find the perfect paper can be a hassle. When you give the gift of a photography session you don’t have to worry about finding the tape or scissors. Most photographers will have gift cards available that are ready to go in a nice envelopes.

Photography is personal and special and with the help of a professional photographer, you can give a gift that will last for years to come.

 

Email me to get your gift card today! info@ashleyflugphotography.com

Woohoo! It’s twins!

Melissa and Loren are expecting a twin boy and girl to join their family. The little bundles of cuteness are set to arrive in just 4 short months.

We all know that Mom and her babies are the stars of the show when it comes to a maternity session, but there’s no denying the sweetness of having the entire family in the frame, too. I love capturing the raw, candid moments between parents and siblings, and pressing pause on a moment in time that would otherwise go by so quickly and without preservation!

My shoot with Melissa and the rest of her family – including Dad, and their daughter, Penny – offered lots of those moments. The session took place a couple of weeks ago at a family farm in Buckeye, and it was a non-stop shutter clicking extravaganza!

Don’t you just love that image of this family in the cotton field? Too precious.

Melissa said, “Loren has made me feel confident by complimenting me even when I’m not feeling so hot.” What a great husband! Every wife deserves to feel beautiful during pregnancy.

Penny is excited to be a big sister and wants to help take care of her baby brother and sister. She loves to read and she said she can’t wait to read them stories.

Congratulation to the Bryant family and I cannot wait to meet your little bundles of joy for their newborn session!

My birthday is coming up on Oct. 12th so why not have a birthday bash giveaway + discount right!?! There will be 3 winners. Winners will be drawn on Oct. 14th at 8pm. Prizes and details on how to enter below. Good luck everyone!

How to enter –
1. Share the Facebook post or Instagram post and use #ashleysbirthdaybashgiveaway so I can keep track of the entries.
2. Tag 3 friends in the comments.
3. Follow @ashleyflugphotography on Instagram (www.instagram.com/ashleyflugphotography)
4. Comment on either the FB or IG and tell me what was the best birthday present you have ever received.

That is it! Drawing will be held on Oct. 14th

Also, now through Oct. 14th you can receive 15% off any portrait package. To book your session contact me through the contact tab in the menu above. Don’t forget to mention this blog post to receive the discount.