When you're a 'No Internet Family'

Some families choose to keep images of their children off of the internet until the child can choose for themselves. You know what is best for your family and I will respect that with my entire heart!!!

So, from this weekends session of a little lady celebrating her 3rd birthday! Happy Birthday Sweetheart! I hope you enjoyed your party!!

www.flashphotostudios.info

A family from last month! I enjoy taking photos for all families, and if you choose to just print your images and not share with the internet-- fine with me! Let me show you my canvas collection!! 

Would I love to show your images with the world, absolutely-- but it is more important to me to make the client happy!

Why I call them "Holiday" sessions!

I love the holiday season. First comes HALLOWEEN!!!! After Halloween comes Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then the New Year!! So many fun and exciting things for families to do together during this time.


My family LOVES Halloween! We love pumpkin patches, and haunted hay rides. We love Ghouls and Goblins, and matching costumes. The house is decorated with spider webs and gravestones. Thanksgiving is spent traveling to see family so far away.
We also celebrate Christmas-- we're Catholic and attend mass; often twice a week. We love to string popcorn and drink hot chocolate while watching The Grinch and The Story of Jesus.

Halloween 2014 <3 Our Crew

I say "Holiday" sessions because I know now everyone celebrates the same holidays as my family! I think that's awesome! I love learning about new traditions and customs and I hope to give your family what suits you best! I know not everyone celebrates Halloween, and thats cool! FALL it is!! I know that Hanukkah begins the evening of December 6th and ends the evening of December 14th-- You have less time to get your cards out!! Let's book those sessions! 

If you want to send out family photos, but don't celebrate any religious day, "Happy New Year" and "Winter" themes are options! Every family deserves options that suit them best, I hope to give you yours! 

Give me a call soon to schedule your session!

Full Sessions are always available as well!!!

850-339-0997

CadeKillinger@FlashPhotoStudios.Info

Something is happening here!

Good evening everyone!

I wrote this post for The Nest website, but I think it being here is a good option! So...

Candice here!! We are days away from opening and I want to explain in more detail what The Nest is! I am a photographer. I take photos, but I like to think of myself as more than that. I am a mama too. I am currently raising five children ages twelve years to fourteen months. When I moved here I didn’t know anyone and was trying to raise my children without the love and support of my family so far away. I was longing for community. Each member of The Nest is full of life and love and I am so proud and grateful to call them not only partner, but also friend.

I have been shooting here in Jacksonville, Nc for four years now. I love the coast and enjoy watching little ones grow up. If I had to choose a favorite session it would be smash cakes! I love to see babies turn into toddlers and explore that messy cake! There is a great story about why I chose “Flash Photo Studios” coming soon! It has to do with the amount of time your family is at the stage they’re at— a flash.

I met Erikah (Hello, Love. Doula Services) through a Babywearing group. I am pretty sure babywearing saved my sanity while my youngest was super tiny. Erikah’s son is 6 days older than my girl, and we became friends almost instantly. We’ve become leaders of Onslow County Babywearers (A group where meetings are always free) and are so excited to give the group a  place to meet weekly, and store our lending library! If you have any questions about babywearing, and our lending library we would love to help!! There are other leaders too, and together we form a pretty great team! Some of them will be making a trip in December for a special certification!

Erikah and I met at a time in my life I needed someone just like her. “As a mother myself I know first hand how connecting with other parents can truly help you during the times you’re thinking ‘I suck at this! Everyone else does this better!’ – because those other parents reach out and say ‘YOU are the perfect parent for this baby!’ and help reassure you that you got this” — Erikah (It’s like she just GETS me!) I can’t wait to see what she can help mothers accomplish as a doula!

Community support is something so important to us. We live in a community that is often far from family, and we need each other. At The Nest we want to give as much back as we can. A place to seek help and guidance, love, and support. Yes, we are businesses— but we are more than that. We will have support groups with an amazingly brilliant and highly qualified leader. We will services all in one place and hope to make everyone feel comfortable and at home. Erikah says, “ Being invested in our community and providing these services is important to us because we have heard the requests and want to give them.” Which reminds me, check out the post about our Birth Book! We want to hear your stories!

Next is Tori, (Tiny Tummies Lactation Services). I have nursed all five of my babies, I didn’t think I needed anything and thought I had all the answers. I was wrong!! I had NO IDEA there was a more effective way to pump! I’d never heard of “pace bottle feeding” or that there was a reason my husband was using so much milk while I was away; he shouldn’t have been. I was bummed and cursing my pump when Tori came in with information and an amazing amount of positive encouragement. Tori has a way of making me feel like I am the best mother for these babies in the entire world. There isn’t a doubt in my mind you’ll love her too!

Our support group leader’s name is Kathy. Oh Kathy. One of my favorite people ever! Seriously, ever. Started as a client of mine. Found out she went to school in South Florida with my husband. Now, she is my daughters Godmother, and I am hers. She comes with experience and patience, and so many other adjectives my heart is struggling to explain to my head. I can’t wait for these groups to start! Please, look for them!

We have visiting services!!

In this world have you ever met someone and knew they were one of the good ones? Someone who was truly a good and beautiful soul? That’s Vivian. She owns Jacksonville Oriental Medicine. (She’s an acupuncturist). I went to her for my #2, you can tell her heart truly loves. I promise you, her needles are nothing to be scared of.

We will also have Marsha, a massage therapist joining us (I don’t know her very well, but a great joke about us becoming besties brought us together!! 😉 We will also have a theatre company ‘Debbie’s Angel’s Productions” visiting on weekends! I have been working with Meme for three years now, and am so excited to have all of my favorite people together in one place! You will be able to find more information about them on our website soon!

We have so many things planned, and we hope to give as much love, support, and beautiful portraits as we can! Tori says, “The Nest is a unique place for this unique community. We are thrilled to be part of this adventure.” We hope you will join us!

There you have it, The Nest from my perspective! I love each of these woman and know I am a better person for knowing them! We can’t wait to meet everyone we can! We want to hear from you, and your family and meet you all soon!!

PhotoCredit: A.DemontPhotography.com 

Let's get to know each other

Your personal style is very important when thinking about what you want out of your session. Using your style and mine, I want you to be very happy. So, I have some questions. I think these are important things to think about.

1. Is there anything your family likes to do together, any hobbies that you think would be fun to add to your session? I've done a "coin collecting" mini before. We want to see your personalities!

2. What makes your littles laugh? Are they terrified of clowns? Maybe I'll leave my big red nose at home. Do they love horses? I have no problems neighing to get them to smile at me. Just give me a heads up!

3. Are there any props at home that are important to your family and you would like to use? Nothing to big or to small! I have a book I was given as a child called "What's your favorite thing to hear?" I love to use that in my littles toddlers sessions.

4. Are you in love with Black and White, or grateful that technology gave us colored portraits?

5. Clothing. What are you comfortable in? I know, you only get family portraits taken once a year-- you want big and fancy. However, if you're uncomfortable I am going to be able to tell. I can make you laugh, I can't make you comfortable in clothes you wouldn't typically wear. So go big, even take some chances, but nothing TO far. ( I can insert awkward family photos from y childhood here, but I will spare you!

The focus of your session will be on you and your family or child. It will be about your expressions, and emotions, and personality. I will concentrate on your laughter, and excitement and connection as a family. I am an 'up close and personal' photographer. I love facial expressions, and want to make sure when you look back you remember what your sweetheart looked like up close. I will take some sonic shots, but it's the face I want to see!

Some simple advice, and things I've noticed over the years:

* A "fully potty trained" toddler WILL have an accident. Be prepared for that, it's ok. I promise!! We can wait while they get some new pants!

* If you're having maternity shots taken and want to show off the belly, make sure you don't wear tight pants that leave lines on your skin, keep it lose and flowy.

*The same goes for new babies^ If you want them in just a diaper/diaper cover please make sure their clothing is lose and won't leave lines on the skin.

*Children act out when you need them to keep it together, I PROMISE together we can handle it. Don't stress.

*New Hair cut? Let's wait a couple of weeks (just in case) Unless you're male, then you're good to go after a day or two.

*Bring your lipstick with you, you might want a touch up, and I do not carry any with me. My teenager steals all of my make up. Sorry!

This is a list I have been working on for some time. I plan to add to it as times goes on! I hope to shoot with you soon!

1st Birthdays!

I have been asked a lot lately to shoot smash cake sessions. I must say, I'm pretty good at it. My number 5 will be one in July, and it's almost time to shoot hers. I don't know if I can stand it. I love how much preparation goes into them. Everything has to be planned out and somehow work out perfectly.

I personally love close up shots the best. (btw this is my beautiful Goddaughter) 

When I look back, what do I want to remember? I want to see her eyes, the smudges of cake on her cheeks, I want to see her little hands and tiny toes. Those are the things I focus on. 

I want to remember the adorable little outfit I poured over searching for, and I think many mamas have the same hopes for their sessions as well. While I can appreciate the backdrop, it's not nearly as important as all of the details of the little. 

It makes me very happy when they *dig in* I always laugh and think of each one of my children when they did the same thing. Sometimes they get so excited they can make a big mess they don't know what to do! That's the best. 

Lessons Learned: Have you ever looked at one of these sessions and thought "How on Earth do they clean these messes up after a session in the park? Because it was a common occurrence I was experiencing. So, this is what I have come up with. Always bring a cake stand so that baby... uh, toddler isn't sharing with ants. It also gives a better chance of not getting grass mixed it. On a blanket is ideal too. That way when they're finished it gets wrapped up and stuck in a trash bag to deal with when you get home. Also, instead of a massive amount of baby wipes a hand towel and spray bottle! It amazes me every single time just how hard it is to get the icing from between their little fingers. 

Everyone asks, "what is your speciality" I am beginning to think it is this. I love smash cakes, and I think they love me. 

What does 'family' mean?

I am the head organizer of my family. My... "blended" family. What does that even mean? It means that even though I carried and birthed all five of my children, my husband is not 1, 2, and 3's father. Not by blood anyways. What difference does blood really make anyways? For us, nothing.

It makes my heart very happy to see families. ALL families come together to celebrate being a family. Whatever kind of family they are, they are beautiful.

This past weekend I feel so blessed to have been asked to help a family announce to the world that even though they've been a family for a long time, they are now legally a family too. These boys made me laugh, and they brought joy to my heart. Their dad may be blood related to two of them, but he is a father to 4 amazing young men. You mama, should be so proud of your crew. I pray your lives together are nothing less than the best fairy tale ever told.

In case you can't quite see what the sign says, it reads

 "Our skin doesn't match. You don't have my eyes or mouth. I don't know what it is like to look at you and catch a glimpse of myself as a child. What I do see is the hand of God in my life. I see into the windows of Heaven. Our skin may not match, but we match hearts." 

Tips, advice, and how to's-- 1. Smiles

Don't be misled by the title. This is not a specific how to guild to pose crawling bundles of joy, this is my real life experience. This past week I have been setting up my studio and I need to work with setting the lights. I enlisted the help of 9 month old #5. I don't know what the "experts" say, but after shooting my own children for the past 12 years I can say, there is NO SHAME when trying to get a young child to smile for you-- even look in your general direction sometimes. #3 made me a maraca out of beads and tapped together plastic sporks with multi-colored hole puncher holes glued to it. That spoon makes small children happier than any other crazy thing I've bought! Way to go #3! (Mama's favorite today!) They laugh and smile at it, until they decide they want to play with it, then on to plan B. But, after moving baby back to the "X" 98 times, the final product is beautiful.

I may be bias, but the finished product is beautiful, as is #5. When I first started taking pictures of babies and children I felt silly making silly noises and funny faces, then was sad when baby wouldn't look at me. I got over it! Littles love silly faces-- that may sound like common sense, I think for me it was about confidence. Years later, I make a great chicken sound! 

I have also found when you have a little sweetheart who wants to laugh and smile at mom, mama needs to just about sit in your lap so it LOOKS like baby is smiling for you, so-- get to know each other! I'm just kidding... kinda. 

HI!! This is my story! ...and meet the rest of the Killinger Clan

Let's start here! This is my family. I call them by numbers, the children that it. 1-5 oldest to youngest. They've been a big part of my experience shooting photography. Not always willingly...but they've cooperated never the less. I'll start at the beginning with my current company-- Flash Photo Studios, llc. It began in Jacksonville, Nc at the end of 2011, and work my way to present day.  Please follow me on our journey raising youngins and maintaining what I hope will be a very successful business.


Wesbite: www.flashphotostudios.info