it's my birthday and it's a giveaway!!

ok, it's two weeks from my 30th birthday!  time for a giveaway in celebration!  :)

There are 3 steps to enter the giveaway, please complete all 3 to be considered an entry:

1. First, “like” my page at www.facebook.com/krystleipsenphotography if you haven’t already. This will keep me in your newsfeed :) 


2. Comment on this photo on my facebook page and let me know what your favorite/loveable/quirky thing is about your family. Only one comment/entry per person.


3. Post to your wall about the giveaway with a link to this blog posting, for example:
"I just entered the family session giveaway at Krystle Ipsen Photography, check out how to enter here: http://krystleipsen.blogspot.com/2011/11/its-my-birthday-and-its-giveaway.html”

winner will be drawn at random on December 8th, 2011 at 9pm PST!

Here’s the fine print.

This giveaway is for one family session which must be scheduled in the first half of 2012. There is no cash value - the winner cannot redeem the prize for cash. The session will take place in Sonoma, Napa, or Lake counties and will last approx 1-2 hours and is for immediate family members only (up to 6 people). A disc of 20-30 edited images with print release will be provided within 3 weeks of the session. Sorry no refunds or reshoots.  Please view my work in advance to make sure it suits your style before entering.

Winner will be choosen by random.org and announced on my facebook page www.facebook.com/krystleipsenphotography and the blog http://www.krystleipsen.blogspot.com/ on Dec 8 at 9pm. Please email kiphotography@ymail.com to claim if you are the winner and schedule your date ASAP since session dates fill up quickly.  Thanks for entering!

meet Ricoh

In January 2011 I was doing a mentoring with Angie Warren (Fly). She had just begun a journey to do some film shooting, and it had been on my mind too. I felt a twinge of wanting to go back to something more basic. No downloading. No post processing. But, at the time I had just invested a lot of money into my digital equipment for my business so I tucked those dreams of playing with film away. Film shooting kept entering my awareness, and I found myself more and more drawn to photographs shot on film. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my digital camera. She is fantastic. She’s allowed me to grow quickly in technique because of the instant feedback, although I still have a long way to go to get where I want to be, but at least I’m somewhere which is better than nowhere (just keep shooting). ;) I will never give up digital. But, film would provide a variation on the medium for me. I feel like I tend to overshoot with digital because, well, it’s so easy to toss shots afterwards if they are duplicates (which happens most often). And, more than I’d like to admit, some shots fall to the wayside ending up on the external drive never to see the glory of print. I feel like film will give me a reason to slow down, to focus and to really consider each shot. I decided late this year that for Christmas I would save up for a 35mm SLR film camera. But, life had other plans. My car fell ill a few weeks ago and requires roughly $1000 in repair work. So, instead I asked for “Let’s Dance 3” for Christmas, because really, what would make me feel better about the whole thing than making a complete fool of myself?! :) This week at work a co-worker came up to me (mind you, I don’t mention photography at work, actually I don’t even tell anyone I am a photographer, but a few people have found out, and I certainly didn’t mention my Christmas list) she told me her husband had a camera with lenses and she would like to pass it on to me (he passed away earlier this year). Needess to say I was so grateful for this gift and her thoughtfulness. I would like to introduce you to the next leg of my journey in photography: Ricoh. Isn’t he handsome? Everytime I say the name it reminds me of that episode of Kind of Queens (“Do Ricco”)

 

I can’t wait to get to know him better.

30 days of thankfulness: day 3 | Hidden Valley Lake CA photographer

I am thankful for changing seasons - and all the wonderful seasonal things they bring with them :)

fall family | Hidden Valley Lake/Sonoma/Lake County CA photographer

fall is lovely. 



30 days of thankfulness: day 2 | Hidden Valley Lake CA photographer

today I am so thankful for perserverence. and courage.

Tonight was Caden's soccer party and awards. He played soccer for the first time this year and getting out there on the field for the games wasn't always easy for him. Actually it was hard, really hard. Most games he couln't bring himself to play, but toward the end of the season something changed. We talked a lot to him about trying, about feeling fear but having the courage to sit with that feeling and move forward anyways. Then finally he played. I can't believe how much fun he had when he finally got out there. It was tough for all of us at times to just sit on the sidelines while he was upset, not wanting to particiate. But, I get it. I've been there.  We pushed through, and this trophy never felt more deserved. I'm so proud of him!  I hope every time he sees his trophy he feels the same.

I should also add that I'm thankful for an excellent and patient coach, and that the team parents didn't complain when I had to sit with Caden in the team photo ;) 

 

 

to see Jodi's take on day 2 click here