The Warshel Session

Katie and I are always blown away by the relationships we make through photography.  It's such a blessing to be able to do something we love and make such great friends doing it!  We recently met the Warshel family and our families quickly became friends.  I knew it was going to turn out well when I pulled into their driveway for the first time and saw the Pittsburgh Penguins sticker on the back of the family car! In fact, Kolleen and her children have made a profound impact on Katie and I.  Although the family has been rocked by some very difficult times, they are some of the most positive and loving people we have met!  This was a very special session that we will hold dear for a long time.

And now for a peak:

   

 

5 Tips for Spectacular Holiday Photos

The holidays are a great time to break out the camera and make some lasting family memories.  As you take time in the middle of your hustle and bustle to press that shutter, keep these tips in mind to make the most of your images:

1.  Watch your background!  It's easy to lose your subject in the clutter and chaos holiday decorations. It only takes a second to look around the room and choose a neutral background that won't make Aunt Edna's sweater look like a Christmas ornament, or Grandpa's head look like it has stockings growing out of it. 

2.  In case of emergency, pop up flash.  Seriously, that little pop up flash can get in the way and turn your girlfriend's beautiful fake tan into a washed out, white mess!  Try to keep the flash off by turning your subject toward the light.  Have people turn their faces toward the window.  If you're outside, find a wall that is lit up by sunlight and put your back against it.  Your subject's face will be lit by that beautiful, natural, bouncing light.  If you're out of options and just can't get enough light, go ahead and pop up that flash.  It may not be ideal, but a picture made is much better than a picture never taken!

3.  Get close!  This goes for framing your shot and for posing the group.  Get in close so you can capture those bright eyes and beautiful smiles.  Always try using your God-given zoom first - your feet! Images made without using the zoom usually turn out much better.  When possible, walk closer to your subject instead of zipping in their digitally.  Also, ask your subjects to get close to each other. People naturally feel like they are "close enough" when they are smiling for the camera, but it's always a good idea to scrunch in their closer to get a cleaner shot.

4.  Use Picasa!  If you haven't downloaded your copy of Google's Picasa, you are missing out on one of the best free photography resources around.  Don't leave your holiday memories on your camera's card for the next year.  Get Uncle Barry's cheesy grin onto Facebook before the new year!  Use Picasa's built in import feature to download and organize your photos instantly.  Picasa even allows you to edit your images, blog them, make videos, email, and post them online for free.

5.  Make prints.  We live in an age where the printed image has almost ceased to exist!  Social media is a great way to view your photos, but it's still important to get some of your best work made into prints.   Our walls say a lot about what we value - I'm sure you would rather have your friends notice that great family portrait on the wall than your flat screen t.v.  Get some prints made and surround yourself with what really matters!    

Enjoy your family this holiday season.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from TJ and Katie at TJ Freeman Photography!

Fundraiser: Oasis Counseling Center

Over the past several months, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at the Oasis Counseling Center located on Marco Island.  The center was formed when Pastor Tim Neptune, of the Family Church, had a vision to reach out to hurting people in Southwest Florida.  He hired Biblical counselor, Terry Hoskins, to establish Oasis Counseling Center as an outreach ministry of the church.  Terry is a very wise counselor and I have seen many lives changed under his direction.  The center has quickly matured and has reached a point where it is ready to expand.  In order to fund this growth, The Family Church recently facilitated a Christmas dinner and silent auction for Oasis.  I had the opportunity to donate my time as the banquet photographer and share what I have learned during my time at Oasis with the banquet-goers. It was a fantastic event and I had a great time.  I look forward to seeing the way God continues to use Oasis Counseling Center! 

The Beam Family

Right after our wedding, Katie and I spent some time living in Ohio.  While living there, we met some great people named Jeff and Lora Beam.  They quickly became our "family" away from home and it was very sad to leave them when we moved back to Pennsylvania.  So, we were very excited when we moved to Florida and discovered that Jeff's brother, Jim, lives in Naples!  We've had a blast getting to know Jim, Shannon, and their beautiful family over the past couple of years.  Recently, we were given the privilege of preserving some of their family memories.  Their family session was a lot of fun and the images we made will soon be on the wall.  We look forward to many great times together in the future!

 

Brandon's Senior Session

We enjoyed getting to know Brandon W. during his senior session in Naples.  He wasn't too sure about having these photographs made, but as we began to talk, he started to warm up and his true personality came out.  Brandon's a great guy and a lot of fun to be around - this session was a blast!  Good luck this year as you finish up, Brandon!

 

Justin and Sarah Got Married!

Justin and Sarah wanted a beach wedding.  But, what they didn't want was a bunch of sweaty guests squinting their way through the ceremony.  So, they put their heads together and decided to bring the beach inside!  We have never seen a church allow the stage to be covered with sand before, but for the Family Church on Marco Island, it was no problem!  The place looked great and everyone enjoyed the elegant island feel.  Sarah even made her own decorations for the reception and they were stunning.  After the party, we went out to the South Marco Beach for a sunset Trash the Dress session.  We quickly drew a crowd as the beautiful bride slowly walked out into the surf, followed by her new husband!  Justin and Sarah you are a great encouragement and a Godly couple...best of luck!!

Enjoy a couple of the images:

Chuck and Teddy's Wedding

Chuck and Teddy's wedding was one of the sweetest ceremonies we've been a part of.  We have enjoyed getting to know this couple and really appreciate their hearts.  It was great getting to hear their story as we began to plan for the event.  Their relationship began when Chuck saw Teddy looking for a seat in church and asked, "are you looking for someone?"  The rest is history!  The wedding ceremony was a beautiful sunset event on the terrace at the Marco Beach Ocean Resort.  Their wedding coordinator, Corrin, created an amazing environment and gave us free reign to shoot anywhere on the property.  We had a blast at the reception, too - these guys definitely know how to throw a party!  Thanks, Chuck and Teddy, for a fabulous event and we look forward to growing in our friendship.

 

Amber and the Beach

Amber is one of our best friends in Naples.  In fact, she is one of the people who helped pave the way for us to come here in the first place.  Last night, she let us take her to the beach for a fun little portrait session and we had an awesome time!  Vanderbilt Beach is a really neat place and we took in a great sunset while we were there.  The only drawback is the stinkin' mosquitoes and we brought home a few battle scars!

Pics, yo...

 

Amy's Senior Session

We met Amy a couple of years ago when we moved to Florida.  Her dad is the lead pastor at Fairway Church.  We worked closely with Fairway before we started Viewpoint Church and had a great time getting to know the family.  We've had the opportunity to do couple of sessions with Amy before, and we always have a blast.  This time, Amy's sister, Brittney came along and made an excellent lighting assistant. Even though the weather was against us we were able to find ways to work through the rain drops and still came out with some excellent shots.  We wish Amy the best as she enters her final year of high school!

And here she is...