Thursday's Thanks, Vol. 2

When it has rained for a few days straight, it may be hard to be thankful for precipitation.  It's kind of like being thankful for bland food when you have a cold--more of a thanks-but-no-thanks kind of thing.  

But I'm trying to be thankful for the rain this week.  Sure, it soaked in through my sneakers, left my make-up streaky, and made my footsteps sound like squeaky alien voices (I'm just getting all my negativity out of the way now) but I can think of a few ways that it made my week better too.  

The rain made my hot tea taste like nectar of the gods.  As I slowly slipped it, I could feel the warmth spreading outwards towards the tips of my fingers, which were turning a curious shade of purple.  I highly doubt a hot cuppa would have tasted so good on a dry, sunny day.  

Secondly, the rain saved me from killing my teeny tiny, struggling, rose plant over there in the corner of the window.  I had put it outside to soak up some sunshine, but forgotten to water it.  Since it's on its last legs of life due to the cold weather, it might have died if all the rain this week hadn't given it a drink.  

Although those are just two examples, here are some other reasons why I am thankful for the rain this week:

                       -fluffy white duck butts sticking up out of the lake

-exponentially better nap ambiance

                                 -colorful rain jackets and umbrellas on my walks to class

                  -a valid excuse to wear my comfiest sweatshirt!

Has the rain made you grateful this week? What are you thankful for? Post in the comments below!

-JKP

A very special day.

My smile is 1000 miles wide. 

Happy 9 years, my love! 

Here's to 99 more.

Love, 

Julia.

Trisha {portraits}

Meet Trisha.

I've known Trisha since freshman year, and she is one of the most spunky, bright, and beautiful people I know.  So, when she showed up to our photo-shoot in a rainbow dress, I wasn't even a little surprised :)

 We started in the woods around campus (thanks to Hannah Woodard Photography for the suggestion!)  despite the mud from the rain of the past few days.  

Making the best use of a photographer's worse enemy: direct sunlight! This might be one of my favorite pictures from that day. 

Trisha is a biology major, so we set up a fake lab scene to capture the spirit of her major, though I bet you can spot a few fire safety issues in this picture...

 Towards the end of our shoot, we walked around campus to get some good old "Furman" shots in:

 I don't know why I love this last picture so much, but I do.  Sassy, sweet, and sincere, I think it truly embodies Trisha :)

Enjoy!

-JKP

(Don't) Jump for Joy

I have to let you guys in on a little secret: I HATE jumping pictures.  I can't speak for all photographers, but I can think of no other way to ruin a picture more quickly than to have your subject jump.  I get the premise; it's a fun way to use your body to convey the meaning of strong joy. And I won't lie, I've seen some pretty cool jumping shots.

But in most cases, this is what happens: someone counts to three while the subjects leaps into the air, immediately sending any clothing they're wearing upwards.  At the same time, the photographer is frantically trying to focus on the moving subject.  The result: blur, belly, crazy hair, and an overall pictures that looks as if you've just been electrified. Just to prove it, here's a recent jumping picture of me.

Not my finest moment.

Don't let a jumping shot happen to you.  Posing can feel very repetitive if you don't have some great moves in your arsenal.  I once read a great photography tip for posing that said, "If it bends, bend it."  Pictures become much more interesting when the subject takes up space in the frame.  During your shoot, try bending your knees , cocking your hips, using your arms to create a space, bring your hands up to your face, bend your wrists, etc.  So, instead of resorting to jumping, check out some of these poses you can do to still get a fun and interesting picture! Here are some posing tips and tricks.  If you need more inspiration, head over to the Pinterest page and check out the board for poses!

-JKP

Shanda and Family {portraits}

This past weekend, I had a blast shooting one of my best friends and her family!

Sweet mother and son

Beautiful grandmother and grandson!

CUTE DJ!

The sweetest lady I know.

Beautiful Gabby

Stunning Shanda :)

Is there any other word than sassy?

And charming Cheryl :)


This family is so special to me, and believe it or not, they were one of my first photoshoots as Julia Kauffman Photography! They are all on their way to big things, and with the love of the people that know them they can do anything they want!

Enjoy!

-JKP

Thursday's Thanks, Vol. 1

Every Thursday I will be posting a new edition of "Thursday's Thanks" to both have a moment of reflection and hopefully inspire some thoughtfulness.  Because this is the first edition, I thought I'd do a photography theme.


If you take a moment to think about the camera, really think, I think you will agree with me that it has been one of the defining inventions of the past two centuries. A camera is a pause button for moments you don't want to end, it can transport you to any location with a look, it is a source of wordless news, it can lie, and it can tell the truth.  However, most importantly, it can make anyone an artist.

Here is a picture of me with my very first camera; it was one of those pre-loaded toys with pictures of African safaris and NYC skyscrapers.  I can remember pressing the shutter button and watching a new image come into focus.  In an instant I could be two feet tall staring up at looming buildings or maybe crouching in savannah grass stalking a zebra's striped rump.  I am thankful that it was in something that was not an actual camera that I learned everything a camera can do.

The fact that the camera is such a universal device is wonderful.  It can become a window into someone's life that had been previously closed off.  Photos like these two are gems; they can help us relate to those we find unreachable and normalize things in our own lives.  The top photo was taken by Queen Elizabeth as her two children buried themselves in the sand.  The bottom photo is Pablo Picasso dressed as Popeye.  These two figures who I had both previously stereotyped (Queen Elizabeth as cold and unemotional and Picasso as serious and depressed) serve to remind me that everyone is human and we all share an emotional spectrum.





Lastly I am thankful that a camera gives us photos and photos become forever memories.  There is something deeply impassioned about looking through old photos, especially photos of happier times, laughter, and those who have passed on.  A photo can bring warmth or snow, laughter or tears, confusion or understanding.  My greatest possessions are photographs and I am thankful for the invention of the camera every day.  I hope that it is an invention that spans the next two centuries, at least.

Emily {portraits}

Meet Emily. 

Emiy is a very dear friend of mine from college, and I recently had the pleasure of photographing her to commemorate our senior year.  On the day of our photo-shoot, the skies opened up to gray and big raindrops so we headed indoors to snap a few pictures.

Defeated but determined, we headed back out the next day to find our sunshine :)  We ended up getting some beautifully sunny shots with Furman landmarks, 

with some fun ones thrown in!

Congratulations, Emily and all of the Class of 2013!

-JKP