KATE NOELLE PHOTOGRAPHY » PORTRAIT

Shoot for Fun

knoelle — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:56:19 +0000

Some people have the gift of learning by hearing instructions, or even by looking at a step by step manual. I, unfortunately, don’t really have either of those gifts… I learn by doing. A lot people ask me how I started with photography, wondering if I went to college to get a degree in it. The answer to that is… I almost did. For a long time, I bought into the normal societal assumption that to be anybody, to make a decent living, you NEED a degree. So naturally, when deciding I wanted to be a wedding photographer, I assumed that I had to go to school and graduate with a degree. Well, after a lot of conversations with numerous people, through lots of prayer and deep thinking, I decided against going to school… and instead, go and do photography. I watched tutorials, I went to photographer shootouts, I read books and manuals. I did take a few college courses on business and photoshop, but all my knowledge and experience in photography comes from doing as much of it as I possibly can.

So, at WPPI, that conference I talked about in my last post, my friends and I decided to further what we were learning and actually put our learning to the test. For these photos, since I didn’t bring my own camera (Nikon), I used Alexandra’s camera (Canon) to shoot. Now, before you Nikon lovers shun and banish me to the edge of town, just know I’m even more in love with my Nikon than I was before. But for the record, it really truly is what you do with the camera that matters…. not what brand you use.

Here are some of my favorites from the evening of shooting for fun….

(Photo Credit: Betsy Lackey)

These three images were taken with one table light to her left….

These were taken with the desk lamp on to her left, and a floor lamp held up to her face to her right…. kinda looks like studio lighting, no? Loved these photos!

Alexandra holding the lamp for the above shots…

Then I shot a few of Alexandra with just the desk light on her left… Love the soft and seductive feel of this one!

Then they both stole the cameras back and shot me, but they made me laugh too much…

So then we got dressed to attend a photographer social function and ended up being REALLY late because we were doing this….

All in all, it was rejuvenating and SO MUCH FUN to shoot just for the fun of it. I highly encourage you to have fun, experiment, and put your book learning to action…. however that looks in your own life.

Karli

knoelle — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:27:14 +0000

I met Karli and her mom at Casper’s Wilderness Park on a sunny January afternoon. The sun shone through the trees and sparkled on the grass as I imaged it would in any fairytale movie. It had rained heavily the week prior and all the new spring grass was starting to poke through, showing signs of an early spring. As Karli added some final touches to her outfit, I admired the guitar she brought with her… a simple silky smooth Martin Acoustic. I smiled to myself noticing all of this… the perfect weather, the butterflies and birds, and this sweet girl with her guitar…. and I knew this was going to be a PERFECT portrait shoot.

Karli is one of the sweetest and most beautiful 12 year olds I have ever met. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also a great student, an athlete, and an extremely gifted musician! You can listen to her cover of Taylor Swift’s “White Horse” here: White Horse, Cover by Karli

We had such a fun time that afternoon… here are my favorites…

We brought out Karli’s little friend Charlie for a few photos. They’re so cute together!

Then we took a few with her parents who are some of the most supportive parents I know! They’re so proud of their little girl and it shows in how much they invest in her. Karli, you’re one lucky girl!

Look at this fierce face! Karli! You rock girl!!

The Korneychuk Family

knoelle — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:02:22 +0000

The day was abnormally warm and bright for winter in SoCal (seems to be a theme this year…). I met the Korneychuk family at the beach for some family photos to document their recent move to Santa Monica from Orange County. New chapter in their life means new family photos… and they sure came out well, if I do say so myself. I’ve known the Korneychuk family since….. well, forever. I grew up with Sasha and we all have attended the same church in Irvine until recently when Dan (Daddy Korneychuk) took a new job at Bel Air Presbyterian Church. He’s doing amazing things with their traditional worship program and the family is fitting in nicely with their new community. As Maddy (the youngest) put it, “I’m good with change.”

This shoot was a little different than most family portraits because, as most families with older children know, not everyone can be in the same place at the same time. So we did their portraits in two parts…. the first part with Sasha, and then Lara joined us a bit later. These are my absolute favorites of this beautiful family…

I had to include this image…. I think Maddy’s sense of humor is hilarous. She randomly started walking like a dinosaur as we shot…

Thanks Korneychuks! I’m so glad you’re adjusting to LA life, and know you’re sorely missed here in Orange County!

Cantu Family Portraits

knoelle — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:56:43 +0000

It was Christmas time in Southern California when Mercedes dropped me an email asking about family portraits. She explained that this Christmas was different from their usual holiday traditions…. it was different because everyone would be there. Her parents (the original Mr. and Mrs. Cantu) would be coming, all her brothers and sisters would be there with their own families. They came from far off places like Germany and Mexico. I read her email and Michael Buble’s “I’ll be Home for Christmas” softly started playing on my Spotify feed, as if on cue. We set a date and place and made it happen! Despite some crazy intense fog that rolled into our originally planned location, we moved to plan B, and took some super fun shots at Jeffrey Park in Irvine. The light of the sunset fell beautifully on their faces, and the warm colors highlighted the autumn leaves surrounding the park. A perfect time of evening for portraits, if I do say so myself. Here’s my absolute favorites from the evening…

Cantu Family, I enjoyed practicing my German and my Spanish with you… and I thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening documenting what a unique and beautiful family you have. Merry Christmas… Frohe Weihnachten…. Feliz Navidad!

The Rhee Family Holiday Portraits

knoelle — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:18:52 +0000

What can I say about the Rhee family? Well…. they’re a family after my own heart. Inspired by my own family’s crazy Christmas tree photos, we planned a crazy fun holiday shoot with a little “nice” mixed in there for good measure. We started off at Irvine Regional Park, where we discovered acorns, romped in the leaves, and smiled a little… but mostly, we just had a good time. With little nathan leading the crazy train…. here are my absolute favorites from the evening…..

I have to explain the next series of photos for you…. Nathan LOVED picking up the sticks along the way. So we decided to pretend to be anime warriors for a minute…. and these are the hilarious shots that came from that imaginative few minutes…

I love that the whole family got into it! Can you say “The Incredibles”?

Then we had some fun with the beanies they brought. I think they were intended to show that it’s winter… but somehow we ended up showing more of their “gansta” side.

We ended the shoot with the infamous “Perspective of a Christmas Tree” shots…. LOVE THEM.

Rhee Family, I loved spending the afternoon with you. Have a wonderful holiday!

The Maghy Family Holiday Portraits

knoelle — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:07:02 +0000

The Maghy Family arrived full of energy and ready to go. It was…. awesome. There’s usually at least one person in every family that DREADS taking family portrait…. but THIS family was great! We smiled, laughed, talked, and had a great time shooting at Jeffrey Park in Irvine. And even though there were probably 10 other photo shoots going on around the park, I think we found some great spots. What do you think?

Sophia emailed me a little while ago asking if I’d be available to take some photos of her family for the holidays… and also to document the final months of their beloved dog Summer’s life. As every family who’s ever had a beloved pet for years and years knows it’s really hard to let go of them in the end…. because they’re part of the family. I couldn’t think of a better way to keep this holiday season with the WHOLE family more memorable, than to take some gorgeous family photos. Sophia and family, thanks for asking me to be a part of such a fun memory. And Summer…. you’re a REALLY good dog. Thanks for smiling for me! Here’s my favorites from the evening…

The McKinnon Family Holiday Portraits

knoelle — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 01:14:19 +0000

Meet the McKinnon Family…. McKinnon Family, meet everyone. This is yet another beautiful family I had the opportunity to photograph this holiday season…. and once again, I left the shoot with feelings of joy and encouragement from these smiling faces.

This year, Katie is off at college, Andrew has moved to the midwest, and Emily is growing up FAST. With their family changing so quickly, they wanted to document this time before it passes…. and I don’t blame them! Time is FLYING BY! I really admire how the McKinnons have embraced the changes this year and how their love for each other still brings joy to their faces. Here are my favorites from the afternoon…

The Matsuda Family Holiday Portraits

knoelle — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:01:49 +0000

It was one of those bi-polar winter days in Southern California. While it’s supposed to be the coldest part of the year, it felt more like 80 degrees out and I felt the beginnings of perspiration on my forehead as we hiked at Bommer Canyon Park in Irvine. Jeff, Cindy, Ellie, and I walked slower, taking in the beauty of the canyon and we chatted about the strange change in weather. The boys ran ahead, gathering rocks and chucking them into the bushes to scare away the bears their dad, Jeff, had told them roam this part of Irvine. (Note: there are ZERO bears in Irvine, in case you were wondering) It was just a wonderful November afternoon, one that brought back nostalgic memories of the long walks with my dad in the orange groves. The boys’ carefree and imaginative play reminded me of the many rocks I had found when I was a kid, convinced I had struck gold in the most unlikeliest of places–my backyard. I just knew history books would tell my story for decades to come…. the little girl who found gold in her own backyard. It’s imagination like this, and like that of the Matsuda boys, that I wish I could retain now as an adult.

We had a wonderful time hiking, playing, taking some pictures, and allowing ourselves to get lost in the wonder of it all. Jeff, Cindy, Jaren, Logan, and Ellie…. you have something special with your family. I really enjoyed watching you all play, smile, laugh, and love on each other…. and I left the park that afternoon with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Thanks for letting me capture such a special time in your family’s life! Here are my favorites from the afternoon….

Swivel Tactic

knoelle — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:18:00 +0000

Jared, Cortez, Eric, and Chris have come a long way since last time we shot portraits of their band. Swivel Tactic, formerly known as The Good Kids have a new look… and a new sound. They’re in the process of cutting a new album they’re pretty proud of… one that is a showcase of the band’s soul and spirit. I have to say, I love meeting artists and journeying with them as they evolve into better and better versions of themselves. It’s inspiring, and I’m proud to know you guys.

This shoot was done in Santa Ana, in some back alley…. in the early EARLY morning… but it was so fun getting to hang with these guys. Here’s my favorites from the shoot….

The Kasperowicz Family Holiday Portraits

knoelle — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:52:55 +0000

It’s crazy how fast time flies…. and it such a strange feeling running into someone and remembering the way they were when they were 5 years old. I’m not quite sure what to do in moments like those…. hug them?… or bury my head in my hands and try to make time stand still for just ONE second. The Kasperowicz boys are no longer boys…. they’re the Kasperowicz men. Crazy. I remember babysitting these three when they were all shorter than me. Now, they’re all twice my size.

Well, this year, their family chose me to take their famous holiday family portraits and we had a fun time traipsing around The Lab, in Costa Mesa, dodging the intermittent November rain. Jase, Neil, and Dylan…. you guys rocked these, and while I know taking family portraits isn’t your favorite thing in the entire world, I had fun with you guys. These were my favorites from the afternoon… Enjoy!