Baby Jackson | Helena, Montana newborn photographer

Meet Jackson, a wonderfully perfect little guy who, at four weeks, slept better than most of the newborn babies I have photographed so far! I usually schedule newborn sessions within the first 10 days after birth, but due to Jackson being born a couple weeks early, and me being sick, this was as soon as we were able to get together. Must be it was meant to be, because each image I came to was sweeter than the last.

Welcome to the world, buddy! I look forward to watching you grow (and getting to know your mama better!)

Happy Halloween from two little witches | Helena, Montana Children's Photographer

Feature: Children's Photography Network | Helena Montana family and children photographer

The Children's Photography Network blog is a great site for photographers and clients alike. Highlighting different photographer's work on a regular basis, it's a great spot for photographers to check out in order to get some inspiration for an upcoming shoot, or for someone to get some ideas of what to wear for their upcoming session.

I'm excited to share today's blog post from them -- featuring Zo-Mak Photography! Yay! Go check it out -- and leave some love ;)

First Snow | Helena, Montana Photographer

I am totally one of *those* people who LOVES winter. I was as giddy as my girls (two and four) last night as the snow started falling, and I couldn't help myself this morning when I looked outside at the sun rising over the Elkhorn mountains making my whole world sparkle. I had to take my camera out! I am so lucky to live in this little piece of heaven. All these images were taken out my front door, still in my pajamas.... Mmmmmmm, I love it! (Disclaimer: don't call me in April asking me if I still feel the same way. Chances are slim).

John and Senele: Married | Helena, Montana Wedding Photographer

I'm so excited to share these images from a stunning wedding this summer at Chico Hot Springs in Pray, Montana. I had the incredible opportunity to back up Bärbel Morton of Bärbel Morton Photography. I learned a lot and had a wonderful time.

The bride and groom selected Montana as the location for their destination wedding, and gave their friends and family from Los Angeles quite an experience! Everyone was treated to a beautiful, windy Montana day with fantastic views, beautiful vows from beautiful people, and a day no one will forget.

For anyone thinking of booking their 2012 wedding, now is the time! I'm currently booking them at my 2011 prices. Call by the end of December to get on this year's prices for next year's weddings.

Congratulations, Senele and John!

The Photographer's Kids | Helena, Montana Children's Photographer

I don't often include my own kiddos on my blog, but I can't resist sharing these. I got them out recently (before it got WAY too cold for short sleeved dresses) to capture some images to use on our Christmas cards this year. They did really well (in-between shivers). It's nice to have them growing up a little bit - although if I had it my way, they'd stop right now!) - so I don't have to bribe them too much, or use too many tricks. Maybe at this point in the game they're just used to it.

Either way, here are a couple early favorites from our quick session.

My baby.....


and my big girl...


Love!


Daddy even got in on the action for a couple minutes.

Product Highlight: Seasonal Accordion Mini Book | Helena, Montana Photographer

One of the most popular items that my clients love are the mini accordion books. They're great for gifting to grandparents, aunts and uncles and anyone else who might want to brag a little about their loved ones.

Available in 3" square or wallet size, these little accordion books have a hidden magnet closure and each ones comes with a clear protective plastic sleeve to keep it looking its best.

I'm excited to offer this "Thankful" design to any of my 2011 mini-session clients to add on to your package. And since I'm thankful for you all, mention this blog post to save $20 when you order three of them.

Happy Fall!

Strauss Family | Helena, Montana Family Photogrpaher

Fall in Montana

Families in love with each other

Good sports

Positive attitudes

Dads who are into it

Little girls in fluffy skirts

Smiles and laughs

These are all things that I love. These things that I love all came together beautifully last Friday evening during my session with this wonderful family. So glad to have been able to do this for you all! Enjoy.

What to Wear - Fall/Winter Family Portraits | Helena, Montana Family Photographer

I've got a lot of mini sessions coming up with families who keep asking me what they should wear! We face a bit more of a challenge here in Montana dressing for outdoor fall and winter photos than someone in, say, Texas or Georgia, that's for sure. But then again, given that we ARE Montanans, I am convinced that we can accept the challenge and make it awesome.

What this means to you as you sit there staring into your kids' closets wondering if you're going to have to drop a small fortune on clothing before you even get to your session (quick answer: no, you're not): You're going to have to work a little, but the effort will be totally worth it years from now when you look at these photos on the wall, a tear comes to your eye and you think to yourself "Wow, fall and winter in Montana are so gorgeous, and I'm so glad we got out there and took that picture. I can't believe the kids were ever really that little. Look how they're holding hands. Look how my hubby is holding *my* hand. Look how we're all laughing and smiling and loving life. That was a memory worth making."

Just a couple rules:

-You will not show up in your ski and/or hunting gear bundled so that only your nose and eyes are showing (unless, of course, I'm going on location with you and the whole point is to capture you and your family doing what you love to do....)

-You will not all show up matching. Please, for goodness sakes, do not match. There's a fine line between matching and coordinating. We're aiming for coordinating. (If you haven't heard me say it before, do NOT and I mean DO NOT show up to our session wearing all jeans or khakis and matching white collared [or any color for that matter] shirt. I'll tell you to go home and try again. For real.)

-You will not spend an arm and a leg on brand new clothes just to look good for your family pictures.

-You will accessorize (that means heels for you, mamas!) are awesome. Jewelry, scarves, hats, shoes... Go for it! This is your chance to dig out all that stuff you bought before you had kids then stuffed into a drawer somewhere.

So how's it work? Start small. Choose one person's outfit first, then everyone else's based on that choice using a palate of two or three colors (you can always use black and white as *free* choices).

Make sense?

Some samples from my fashion-savvy family clients:

Love these choices for winter pictures. Very festive, but they don't *scream* MERRY CHRISTMAS at you. Red, blue and gray.

More from the red/blue/gray families (dad took off the sweater for most of the shots, but I love the extra splash it adds here)

OK, so this doesn't help with what to wear in the winter, but it's a great example of taking the jeans/white shirts up a notch. Or twelve. You could totally do this with sweaters and tights added in, hats and chunky scarves.... Seeing it yet??

Remember when we started I said to choose one person's outfit first, then everyone else's based on that? (It's OK, you can go back and re-read it.....) Three guesses who this family chose first. And this also proves that you don't need to be afraid of patterns. Just put the pattern on one person and pull colors from it for everyone else.

OK, again, this isn't necessarly helping with what to wear to be warm, but those colors are AWESEOME.

Blues and purples! Love it!

Oh, yay, more blues and purples!!! (Little brag here - these aren't my photos, but they're my family. I actually hired a photographer (special thanks again to Jeffrey Foote Photography) to take my own family photos last year when my grammie turned 90. We surprised her with a birthday party and all her grandkids in one place at one time. I told everyone to wear blues, purples and grays. It worked - even from long distance).

And just check out those peacoats (from Old Navy) and tights and boots on my babies! They totally stayed warm and looked adodrable all at the same time. Anything is possible!

OK, so to recap.

1. Don't match, coordinate.

2. Choose an outfit that you love for one person first, and base everything else on that.

3. Use a palate of 2 or 3 colors to start with, and fill in with black/white.

4. Accessorize.

5. Do not wear your ski or hunting gear. Unless it's ONLY for warming up inbetween. That's TOTALLY fine (as is hot chocolate. For me or your kids. Whatever).

Phew. I think we did it. Please don't hesitate to call if you have questions on anything! And if all else fails, google "what to wear for family portraits in fall". Be prepared. There's a whole lotta info out there.

See you soon!

Christa & Paul are married | Helena, Montana Wedding Photographer

I've had the incredible opportunity of second shooting some weddings this summer and fall with the incredibly talented Rab Cummings of Rab Photography. I've learned a lot, experienced a lot, taken a lot of beautiful images of beautiful people and am grateful for it all.

Christa and Paul were married in early September at the Gallatin River Hideaway in Bozeman. Everything about the day was perfect -- as you can see below.

Congratulations, Christa and Paul!

At the risk of totally overwhelming the viewer with images, here you go! Enjoy!

Your favorite of 2011 | Helena, Montana Family and Child Photographer

It's time for another contest!

I've been going through all my images from 2011 so far and reminiscing about the clients, the sessions, and learning from each one. Somewhere along the way, I decided that a give-away needed to be involved. So I picked my 12 favorite images from this year to date (I tried to get it down to 10, but that just didn't happen....) and posted them in an album on Facebook. Now it's up to YOU all to decide which is your favorite.

Go to Suzie's Favs of 2011 -- Canvas Contest and vote for your favorite image by "liking" it (you'll have to "like" Zo-Mak Photography in order to like the image. But come on, tell the truth... you really Love Zo-Mak Photography, right??!!)

...I digress... The family whose image has the most votes by the end of the day Friday October 21 2011 will win a 16x20 or 16x24 gallery wrapped canvas of that image.

Ready?

Go!

Vote!!

Tell your friends!!!

Then call me to schedule your own session so you can some of your own memories preserved forever.

Bozeman Holiday Mini Sessions!

Hey, Bozeman people! I've received a few requests to offer a day of holiday mini-sessions in Bozeman. I'd love to do it, but need to have at least four families committed to make it happen.

Tentative dates will be either October 21 or 28, location TBA.

Check it out, talk with friends and family, and let me know soon if you'd like to do it!

Take a look at the 2011 Holiday Card Designs and choose your favorite!

Choose from the three packages below: Peace, Love or Joy

Each 2011 Holiday Mini-Session Package include the following:

30-minute session for up to 5 people

10 proofed images in a password-protected online gallery

25- 5x5 or 5x7 flat holiday cards (you choose the design)

Peace $250 ($335 value)

2- 5x7 or 16 wallet prints

1- 8x10 or 8x12 print

1- 11x14 print

15% off additional a la carte prints

Love $450 ($610 value)

Option to upgrade to Luxe Design Cards at flat card price

4- 5x7 prints *or* 2- 5x7 and 16 wallet prints

2- 8x10 or 8x12 print

1- 11x14 or 12x12 canvas

20% off additional a la carte prints

Joy $645 ($860 value)

Option to upgrade to Luxe Design Cards at flat card price

2- 8x10 or 8x12 prints

1- 11x14 print

3- mini accordion books

Low Resolution CD with all images from proofing gallery (suitable to print up to 5x7) *or* 16x24 canvas

25% off additional a la carte prints

Heather & Danny: Married | Bozeman Montana Wedding Photographer

Another beautiful wedding shot alongside the extremely talented Rab Cummings of Rab Photography.  Again, I'm more than grateful for the opportunity to back him up and learn from him.  What an opportunity!

Heather and Danny were married in the Historic Baxter Hotel in downtown Bozeman, Montana.  As you can see, a beautiful couple in a beautiful spot. 

Congratulations, Heather and Danny!