There is nothing quite like having a pet. That kind of love is akin to having a child, best friend, mood enhancer and space heater all in one adorable little package.

I know my dog Cookie has been my everything since 2007 :). If only she would cooperate (she keeps waiting for the lights to shine on the ground whenever i have the camera in my hand) when I try to take her picture, my whole house would be wallpapered with her likeness. I know a lot of pet owners feel the same way. So that led me to start offering Pet Portraits! 

(Photo of Cookie by Jessi Marri Photography)

I have done a few in the past. Unfortunately they mostly seemed to be when a pet was at the end of their life, and the owner wanted to take advantage before they were gone. Those kind of sessions are very bittersweet. In the interest of preserving your pet, I want to encourage you not to wait. They are like children in that they grow and change fast, and once a period of their life is gone you can't get it back. 

As a way to kick off my new offering, I scheduled a few mini sessions a couple of weeks ago and had an amazing turnout. In one day I photographed 8 dogs and 2 cats, and a few of their humans too. I had such a blast and I can't wait to phootgraph more pets! They are quickly becoming one of my favorite types of sessions. 

Over the next week or so I will do a blog post on each one of these adorable furries, but for now here is an introduction.

First we had a couple of chihuahuas, Lana and Cooper.

Then I had a whole menagerie with one human! Two dogs and two cats. Needless to say, it was my most chaotic hour of the day

Next I had a dachsund mix by the name of Nico.

And then I met the beautiful and energetic Pep.

Followed by the totally mellow and sweet as could be Buddy.

And lastly, I had a visit from Navi, a gorgeous chihuahua and italian greyhound mix.

I hope you will check back in a couple of days to meet the humans that get to share their lives with these beauties. 

If you are interested in scheduling a Pet Portrait session, click here to go to my contact form. Tell me about your fur-baby and I can give you more information about booking and what to expect from your session. 

Today I want to share with you all my most recent personal portrait experience. Like most people, particularly women, I have a few body issues. I am self described as "camera shy". As is my boyfriend Dean. So far he has been such a trooper and sucks it up for me when I turn my camera on him. I however, still have a mini panic attack when I am at the target end of the lens. It is not an experience that is particularly comfortable for me. To be honest, that is a huge part of the reason I picked up my first camera in high school. When I was behind the camera I could be part of the fun, but still be comfortable at a time when discomfort in my surroundings was the norm. I am still to this day working on making myself take more behind the scenes images, and selfies with my clients to push my comfort zone. 

All this to say I am not one to be in front of the camera much. Because of my boyfriend's health issues soon after we started dating, I got a little perspective that has changed the way I look at family portraits. No matter that neither of us were particularly happy with how we looked at the time, I wanted us to have professional images of us as we are now. We will never again be at the place we are today, and I want to document the "now" for us to have forever. 

As I said last week, my friend Jessi and I traded a portrait shoot. Well this week I want to show off the great images she captured of us. I want to make it clear that these are not my images, I simply edited them. They were shot by the super talented wedding photographer Jessi Marri Becker. And I already have a few of them hanging in my home. 

If you are currently considering a shoot with myself, or any other photographer for that matter, ask yourself, what is holding you back? Are you worried about the way you look? Do you think that you need to lose x amount of pounds to deserve to look beautiful in photographs? I can honestly tell you, a professional photographer's job is to make you look good. If you have parts of your body you are not happy with, TELL your photographer. Before the shoot is best, but even in the moment. The more honest you are with your photographer, the happier you will be with the end result. Part of our experience that you are paying for is our knowledge of how to hide problem areas and highlight your favorite parts of yourself. We work hard to bring out our subject's personality in every image. 

I hope if you are considering hiring me in the future, you will drop me a line and talk with me. We can even set up a consultation in person. I want you to feel as comfortable as possible before you ever step in front of the camera so you get the most out of your experience with Stephanie Quates Photography. Click here to go directly to my contact page to start the process of planning your shoot. 

A while back I decided I wanted photos of my boyfriend and I. Being a photographer myself, I am pretty picky about my own photos that I hang up in my home. Long story short, a friend and kickass wedding photographer Jessi Marie Becker and I decided we would trade couple sessions. In a few days I will share the images she got of me and my man, but today is about Jessi and her boyfriend Matt.

They are so much fun. They are really adventurous and wanted to show off their motorcycles in their shoot. Naturally I loved the idea. It was really great that we were able to incorporate something they do together into their session. I think it helped us be a little more creative and bring out their personalities than a typical posed session. 

If you and your significant other have something you do together, or a place that means something to you, that is a great way for you to get a more personalized feel to your portraits. 

See something you like? I enjoy helping people create portraits that are as unique as they are. Contact me here to start the process of planning your portrait session today.

For my first blog post of the new year I want to talk about Valentine's Day. (I'm going to talk to the couples first, but skip down a little bit single ladies, I will not forget about you.) For those of us that are taken, the question of what to get that lucky guy or girl is on our mind as early as New Year's Day. It doesn't hurt that stores have already stocked all their shelves with stuffed bears and red chocolate hearts. Why not do something different this year? Why not show him that you love how things are right now? That you want to show him how you feel about him in a way that will last a lifetime? 

And for you single ladies, don't you want to celebrate yourself? You look amazing how you are right now! Show off your confidence, your beauty in a way you will be able to keep forever. 

That is where I come in. Stephanie Quates Photography is offering Boudoir sessions at a special rate through January 24th. Below is a quick guide to everything I can think of you might want to know about a boudoir session with me. Contact me with any & every question & idea you might have. I encourage in person consultations where we can meet to chat about details over coffee (or wine!) and decide on a vision for your photo shoot. 

Prepping for the big day: shopping,  & gathering inspirational ideas leading up to the shoot!  feel free to reach out to me so we can get some ideas together. A great place to look for ideas is Pinterest.com. Shopping for outfits & can’t decide what to choose? Text me pics, I love helping!

One of the most frequently asked questions  is "What should I wear?" Clients are constantly inquiring about what is "acceptable" boudoir attire. The answer is: whatever you want! Boudoir attire is all about what makes you feel sexy and confident. We have ladies bring in everything from classic black dresses to barely-there lace underwear. You can reveal as much or as little as you want. Classic boudoir attire typically includes items such as bra/panty sets, chemises, corsets, and teddies.  Contact me and I can help you choose clothing that will make you feel the most comfortable.

A couple other things I recommend bringing are: your favorite jeans, a simple plain tank or cami, ALL your high heels :), any hats or scarves you may love, a button down shirt that belongs to your significant other, and/or your bed sheets and pillows (I have a comforter that will work with anything!). My personal motto is when in doubt, bring it with you. I promise the thing you forget will be the thing you wish you had with you. Choices are your friend!

I also encourage you to spend some some time on Pinterest and see if there are any specific images you want to capture. Remember, this shoot is all about you! I want to give you the images you love! But if you don't have any ideas, don't fret. I have tons of ideas rattling around in my head that I can't wait to share with you. Whether you come to your shoot with a list of must haves, or you and I spend some time brainstorming together we will have a great time and you will love the result!

Finally, it’s the day of the big shoot! I work with a remarkable hair & make-up artist that is just as passionate as I am about making you feel confident and sexy during your shoot. While we are glamming you up I will provide complimentary champagne & your favorite snacks as we chat away. We will go through your clothing options and put together complete looks, for most sessions about 2 – 4 ensembles. I don’t like to set a strict time for this, but generally we will be shooting you for about 2 hours.

At the end of your session we will make your appointment for your private reveal session. Within two weeks I will have your images ready and we will meet in person for the big reveal and talk about what products are best for you. Everything I offer is ready to hang or display, whether it’s an album, canvas or collection box. Payment is due upon ordering and I do offer payment plans.

At every shoot I strive to give you a good mix of tasteful & timeless with a few sexy scandalous photos sprinkled in as well. If at the end of our day together you feel powerful, feminine & sexy then I have succeeded at my job. I love the entire process of boudoir photography from beginning to end & enjoy assisting you every step of the way.

Email me today at INFO@STEPHANIEQUATES.COM to start the process of planning your shoot! I can't wait to help you look your best!