Kimberly Hill Photography

PG-rated humor

Notice their family will vacation in Myrtle Beach ::snort::

The Sad Truth About Relationships

Thanks for the link, Sarah. I'm immediately sending it on to all of my single friends  ;)

I was HAD!

Very sneaky. That's all I can say... very sneaky.

Remember the birthday trip to Disney I told you that my darling husband was taking me on? Ahem. WRONG! He told me the flight to Ft. Lauderdale was so much cheaper than the flight to Orlando so we were driving from there to WDW. Okay, no problem. But when we landed in Ft. Lauderdale, my girlfriend and fellow photographer Lizney Sievert was there at the airport. SURPRISE!

 

Forget WDW, after a yummy Italian lunch in Las Olas, we spent the day with Lizney on the water taxi giggling and talking and ogling the multimillion dollar homes, then headed to the hotel to get cleaned up. Afterwards Lizney and her husband Chris drove us to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts to see... <insert drum roll here> WICKED! Be still my heart  :)  :)  :)

Then we walked a bit, went back to Las Olas and had a late supper at Mango's. Yum!

The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely morning, sat down to a quiet lunch in the hotel restaurant (divine clam chowder!) and then joined Lizney, Chris, and their youngest child Miss B drove around South Beach and people watched. Then it was time to board our plane for the trip home. I'm going to miss Lizney terribly - we were roomies during the convention in FL and now seeing her during our little trip.

I'm such a jet-setter, LOL!

Huge thanks to my wonderful husband! What a fantastic way to celebrate turning 41!! Love you, babe!

Happy birthday to ME!

DH is whisking me away for a wonderful quick trip to Disney so KHP will be closed 3/27 through 3/30 in order to relax, rejuvenate, and C*E*L*E*B*R*A*T*E!

Thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes I've already received. I'm 41 today and living my dream... how much better can it get?!

Image of moi by Jen Hillenga, famed rockstar diva extraordinaire, beloved friend, hiney-kickin' mentor, ridiculously gifted artist, Kodak's Photographer to Watch for 2006, and co-owner of Momento Images in Savage, MN. I can't wait to see the rest from my quickie session but the woman's been too busy speaking on the national circuit to finish the editing. It would sure be a great birthday present though, LOL!

I meant to do that

Tight Crops – This means super close close-ups where often the face fills most of the frame of the image. These images are about the eyes, and often the top of the head is not included in the image. I meant to do that!

Not-So-Smiley - So many of us have been brought up to believe that a smile is a requirement to make a great photo. Sooo not true! I love a pensive look as much as a big grin. I meant to do that!

Let’s Be Negative – Negative space is when the subject is placed off to the side of an image and the rest of the image is empty. This is done for artistic impact and I meant to do that!

Left of Center - The most boring position for a subject in a photograph is smack dab in the middle! I know, I know, not what you always thought, right? Trust me! There is a little something in design called the Rule of Thirds that we photographers often employ to enhance visual interest.

The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines (like a tic-tac-toe board). The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the photograph. Aligning a photograph with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the photo than simply centering the feature would.

Trust me, your child does not need to be right in the center of an image for it to be a good portrait! I meant to do that!

The Light in the Eyes - The hallmark of good portrait photography is good lighting, and the hallmark of good lighting is something called a “catchlight” which is a reflection of light in the eyes. I love big catchlights! I purposely pose my clients for the best and largest catchlights, especially for close-ups. Flip through any parenting or glamour magazine and look at the eyes - what do you see? Big bright catchlights! A lack of catchlights leaves the eyes looking flat, dull and lifeless. I meant to do that!

* thanks to photographer Blair Blanks for the original words

Celebrating Adoption filling up!

I have 2 slots open for Celebrating Adoption sessions in June and that's it until late September/early October. If you've been putting it off, don't wait any longer.

I love my CA families - we share a bond that comes from growing our families through adoption - and I'm thrilled to see my friend Jenifer Samaha's vision take off like it has.

* please say a prayer for this dad and his family as he serves our country in Iraq.

The Mayonnaise Jar & The Coffee

A dear friend passed this little lesson along to me about 6 years ago and it's still a favorite. I printed it up small and tucked it away in places where I'd be sure to see it when I needed it: a reference book I use often, in my camera bag, amongst my stamps and address labels on my desk, in my Bible, and in my Rolodex.

I'm in the midst of a crazy time - ending one large photography project, getting ready for summer season, and making some huge changes professionally for the fall. During all of this craziness, it's imperative for me to remember the difference between what's really important and what's just the small stuff decked out in flashing lights and annoying buzzers. You know, the things that suck up all of your time but really give back nothing.

Now it's time to share it with you.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things - your faith, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.  The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.  The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.  Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play with your children.  Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your partner out to dinner.  Play another 18.  There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.  Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.  "I'm glad you asked.  It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

"but what should the kids wear?"

Some of my favorite kids clothing links to share! Most of the time I'm linking to the girls' dresses page, if available, because that's what I get asked about most. Okay, and they're usually the most fun!

Chasing Fireflies - Mini Boden - Lily Pulitzer - Hanna Andersson - Greggy Girl - Old Navy - Trendy Togs - Gap Kids - Baby Bean Wear - Tutti Bella - J Crew's crewcuts - Naartjie - Tea Collection - Olive Juice Kids - West Village Kids - Little Fashions Boutique - Best Dressed Child

... and remember, we have not one but two Strasburg Children outlets here in Myrtle Beach! Both are at Tanger Outlets. One on 501 and the other in North Myrtle Beach.

How does she do that?

My girl's hot-natured, just like her mama, but she also loves to snuggle so she likes to go to sleep all bundled up in her blankets, then toss them off as she warms up. This is what I saw when I checked on her as I went to bed...

Sometimes you just have to shake your head and walk away ... Okay, no you don't. I admit it. First, I dragged her daddy away from the computer to look. Then I interrupted her brother and his movie to see. Then I grabbed my new little point 'n shoot camera and took a few shots. THEN I shook my head and walked away.

Summer update!

I can't believe I'm posting this before Easter (and in March at that!) but we're booking up quickly for the summer! Many thanks to the families returning from past years as well as those who have chosen KHP/KSeniors for the first time. We're going to have sooooo much fun!

If you're looking for a summer session at the beach - family or senior session - please book soon or you may not be able to secure the date you need. We had to turn quite a few families and seniors away last summer because they waited too long to book their session and our calendar was full for their vacation dates. To utilize the best light of the day, we only shoot 1 beach session a day, plus we reserve one day each week for weather reschedules (just in case... we've never used it!). Don't miss out - schedule your session before your dates are gone!  :)

Here are a few from last summer I snagged to share. Enjoy!

Speaking of shots that scream CHILDHOOD...

... some kids never grow up, they just get taller and become the owner of the Surfside Chick-fil-A!