Rustic Star Photography

Sweet Nevaeh Joy!

February 15, 2013

I was absolutely thrilled and honored when Nicole asked me to photograph her new little sweetheart! I just love their story and precious Nevaeh, you couldn’t have been born into a more perfect family!! Here is their story:

For those of you who don’t already know, I’d like to share the story of my sweet Nevaeh Joy. While I was pregnant we discovered that my little girl has Downs Syndrome. At first, I’ll admit, I was devastated. I thought “why me”. I felt sad about all the things my little girl wouldn’t be able to do and all that I might miss out on as her mom. She’ll likely never get married, have children, or possibly ever have a job. I thought about all the challenges we’ll face and even worse the rejection she’ll face. My heart broke at the thought of her ever feeling like “less then” anyone else. Over time my sadness faded and I began to focus less on what she’ll miss out on and more on the many blessing she’ll experience. I realized that I am going to have a daughter who, just like other children, will run, play, laugh, cry and wrap her arms around me and call me “mommy”. She’ll have funny jokes to tell me, foods she loves and hates, a favorite story book, etc. My journey may be different than that of my daughter Sydnee, but it will be a special and unique journey that I know will be full of blessings. I can’t say that I don’t still have fear about being a mother to a child with special needs. But my “why me” is changed. I ask God now “why me” as I hold this precious gift and I feel so blessed that God did choose me, lucky me, to be the mother of this child. I am so overwhelmed with how much I love her and I wouldn’t trade her for any other child! I love you my sweet daughter, Nevaeh Joy.

-Nicole Stuart

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Sandi - February 15, 2013 - 7:38 am

What a Beauty!
God blesses us in amazing ways. This precious baby will bless all those who share in her life. Praying God allows you great blessings in raising her!
In His Care,
Sandi

Megan Williams - February 15, 2013 - 4:41 am

To think that in all the world, your spirits found each other is truely amazing. Thank you for being such a light in this sometimes dark and scarey world, that others may look and see a little more clearly that which is most important. You are utterly blessed and utterly faithful, my friend. I love you and am so thankful that our paths have come together for this season of our lives.

mel - February 15, 2013 - 2:07 am

love them! and her story! i also have a daughter with down syndrome so i love seeing these pictures

Pamela - February 15, 2013 - 1:56 am

Beautiful photos, beautiful baby girl and beautiful story! Thanks for sharing! Reminds me of the story “Welcome to Holland” – http://www.our-kids.org/Archives/Holland.html

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This Is Deep!!

December 30, 2012

Thank you so much for your never-failing support for Rustic Star Photography. I appreciate all of your love and how you never fail to express your “likes” of my work.; from the bottom of my heart I appreciate each one of you. I appreciate your comments; they make my day, every single day!! Knowing that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, with your support, keeps me going every day. I look forward to shooting something fabulous and then hurrying to post it for all of my dedicated supporters to see! Your consistent, without fail support outweighs all of the hardships and sacrifices it takes to continue my journey in my photography adventure; I couldn’t do it without you!

As a “Photographic Adventurist” … that’s an official title right?? I have been photographing weddings for over three years; this is longer than my newborns, graduating seniors and family photography. I’ve loved the excitement and challenge of capturing Bride & Grooms’ wedding days; however, I will admit I have felt that weddings were not my forte! I actually have proof to support this feeling too and if you ask, I will show you pictures from my first wedding (although, I don’t think you really want to see them… eeek!!)! Because of my love of a challenge and YOU my dedicated clients, I have continued my efforts in finding that perfect flow to capturing a wedding’s once in a lifetime moments.

Last summer, my friend Rachel came to me and said that she would like to shoot weddings! I asked her to 2^nd shoot my upcoming weddings with me to gain some experience… and OH boy… was I missing out before she came along! Friends, after that day, I realized that I did not even KNOW (thank you Dane Cook) what I was missing!!!

At our pre-wedding consultation you describe your simple desires and I am responsible for turning simple into extraordinary; I do not take this task lightly! And this is where it gets deep friends… There is not a re-do when it comes to transforming simple into extraordinary and I always require a 2^nd and sometimes 3^rd trusted photographer to assist me in this great adventure. It was a second shooter I was seeking when I hired Rachel Sullivan of Frit~Fru Photography. However, after photographing our first wedding together… I knew my 2^nd shooter needed to become my Wedding Photography partner; I simply CANNOT shoot a wedding without her!

Sooo… it’s only right that I let you, my most loyal clients, friends & family, in on this little brilliant secret we’ve been crafting for a bit of time now… As of January 1^st Rustic Star Photography will be branching out and you will find our Wedding Photography on our Facebook page Storytales Photography. WE will continue to post our wedding photos on Rustic Star Photography, however, Storytales Photography will be fully dedicated to showcasing all those timeless photos.

Our vision for Storytales Photography is one that eloquently captures the very essence of the Bride & Groom’s relationship; we want to tell your story using a natural & journalistic, storytelling style. We believe LOVE is a story and our desire is to be there illustrating the beginning of yours; capturing the defining moments of your happily ever after.

Again, thank you for your love and support, your encouragement and the challenges; it has made me the photographer that I am today and it fosters great growth such as this new adventure. Thank you for supporting us in our new addition to Rustic Star Photography. Please like us on facebook at Storytales Photography.

Enjoy these images we shot yesterday in the snow!!

We are looking forward to all the stories to come!! ~Storytales Photography

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Music and Bubbles, big secret revealed!

July 2, 2012

So many of you have asked if I would be coming to your city to teach workshops on how to work with children. I am so flattered and honored by this but I just don’t have the time. I have two small children and a hubby that works full time so I could maybe do two traveling workshops a year but that’s it. I truly love teaching and want to come and meet all of you but I just can’t. So I am in the process of writing a book called Music and Bubbles. It will be all of my secrets revealed with step by step instructions on how I do things all in a workshop style book. I have been paying close attention to all of your questions you all have been asking to see what will be the most useful tips for you. There will be a chapter for boys and one for girls, gear and prop lists, tips on working with clients, my favorite vendors with discount codes for you, a FAQ’s section and lots more!! I have been writing for the last two months and I have a pretty good start to the book but I need your help! I have bought workshop books before that weren’t very helpful for me so I want to make sure this book will help you. I want you to know that this will be money well spent!! So I would like to hear from you…What would you like to see in this book? What would be the most useful things you want to know that will help you in your business? What are things you want to learn from me?? Soon after the release of this book I will be holding Music and bubbles workshops here in Washington State!! I can’t wait to hear from you!! ~ Anita

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Tami Haro - July 4, 2012 - 6:33 pm

I know that pictures should be great in camera but any editing tips would be great

Katie - July 4, 2012 - 5:17 am

Lighting! Is the ‘glow’ in all of your pictures for real? Or are they post-edits? Timing, placement of subject to sun, placement of photographer, etc. are all things that I would love to see a little section on. Small diagrams will help me visualize what you say too.

Can’t wait to see your book!!!

Kirsty S - July 4, 2012 - 4:51 am

I would love to see a bit on lighting!!! Inside and outside, bright and low light, etc.

Melody - July 2, 2012 - 7:04 pm

Beautiful pict

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Canon 70-200 is 2.8 vs. Canon 70-200 is 2.8 ii

July 2, 2012

This post is out of my norm for blog posts, not that I blog a lot but someday I will get better at it! That being said I truly thought this info was definitely worth sharing!! In my research before purchasing the 70-200 L 2.8 IS version 1 did anyone ever say anything like this about this lens so I am going to spill the truth! Now, I am no expert in lens reviews but you can look up comparisons charts and listen to people talk about the differences between the two lenses and good luck finding a whole lot on them it was hard to find any negative on buying the first version of this lens with our higher grade digital cameras. Some talked about color/saturation differences and some talked about light allowance differences and sun flare but that was about it. No one ever said anything about soft images and this lens not truly being compatible with digital, I understand to each his own and some like softer images than others but I personally like the assurance of sharpness in my images. So I am here to say If you are considering buying the first generation 70-200 IS 2.8 L and you have a digital camera don’t waist your time or money, wait until you have the money to buy the newer version you will not regret it! Here is why… In the last couple of weeks I have been noticing my images have been soft when I use my Canon 70-200mm L IS 2.8 version 1 lens and I am thinking to myself “what is going on??” so I put all of my other lenses on and try them I am kind of noticing the same thing with all of them and now I am thinking OH GREAT, it has to be my camera!! Apparently I like living on the edge and playing roulette because I don’t have a back up and that’s bad!! So I take it to the trusty guys at Kenmore Camera and we test the camera to make sure that’s not the problem. So they put it on a tripod took some images at the center focal point to compare it with what is actually in focus and then turned on this handy function that good folks at Canon put in the 5D Mark ii called AF Microadjustment and it turns out my lenses have been back focusing a little, so they fix that in all of my lenses and when it comes time for the 70-200′s turn and it was pretty close to being calibrated already but still shooting soft!! SO frustrating as its my favorite lens! So of course I ask the nice gentleman “why is it doing this?” “Well” he proceeds to tell me, the version 1 was made during the film camera era and film cameras are a lot more forgiving than digital cameras, hence the soft images on digital. When Canon upgraded the lens they made it completely compatible with all of our digital cameras and that’s why they are not even making the version one anymore, note to self if it’s lens Canon doesn’t make anymore don’t buy it!!! Moving on… He proceeds to put the newer NON IS version on my camera and it still takes soft images! Well… it’s because it still has some of the same features as the version one. Then he puts the version 2 70-200 on and voila!!!!! Crystal clear images so clear to the point I almost started crying and I felt like the heavens opened and I was able to see clearly! Yes I am female and I got a little emotional, but I was so excited I couldn’t help it!! I immediately asked him to get the trade in started!! So after about an hour of playing at the candy store (Kenmore Camera) I bought the new version of 70-200 lens and I couldn’t be happier! So if you are looking for a good review on the version 1 of this lens I can’t give you one. Subtle differences in color and the greater amount of light that is allowed in are not that big of a deal to me, it’s really the clarity and sharpness of the images and that’s what you get with the version two. Another great note on this newer version I can tell you is if you like to shoot in full sun as much as I do the version 2 is for you because the version one CAN NOT handle sun flare! AT ALL!! That should have been a deal breaker for me in and of it self! Here are the differences between the three 70-200 lenses all shot on a tripod, so there was no hand shake, at the exact same settings we shot in the center focal point at 1/125 shutter speed, aperture 2.8 and ISO 1250

First generation 70-200 is 2.8 L on a canon 5D mark ii with a tripod

70-200 2.8 L non is version ii on a canon 5D mark ii with a tripod

70-200 IS 2.8 L version 2 on a canon 5D mark ii with a tripod

Exact same settings and all SOOC with three different lenses can you see the differences!!!? It is plain to see if you expect clarity in your images get the new version of this lens!! I hope this helps someone out there to not make the same mistake I did with this lens. I truly love the new version and couldn’t be happier, if you have the means to get the new version of this lens, get it you will not regret it!!! Here is a great tool in comparing lenses to see before you buy http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=687&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=3&API=0&LensComp=103&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=4&APIComp=0

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Mindee - July 2, 2012 - 8:25 pm

OMGosh What HUGE difference!!! Thank you sooooo much for sharing this info!

April - July 2, 2012 - 6:01 pm

wow, that is a BIG difference!

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Chic Critique Cover Contest

April 18, 2012

I am hopeful to be considered for the Chic Critique Cover Contest!! Summer time love that is definitely worthy of a magazine coverThis should be fun and winning would be amazing but just being considered to enter is the biggest accomplishment for me!

You can check out the Chic Critique site here

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