As Mom to two boys, I can relate to that incredible bond between mothers and sons, and this session really rocked my socks because I got to focus on their relationship. No distractions, no other STUFF, just mom, son, and me… along with some seriously killer light.

That’s not to say it was all serious and deep – we have too much fun for that!

Mom’s got a heartbreaker on her hands. Oh, those eyes!

Piece of really cool but totally useless trivia: Mom attended college with my husband in Carbondale. How cool is that?  Let’s all bust out in a chorus of, “It’s a Small World!”

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

You guys have been so patient and I **so** appreciate it!  I’m working feverishly (still!) to get all the sessions from Cincinnati previewed and proofed !  There were SO many gorgeous kids, families, babies, seniors, etc…. here’s a small sampling of what I’ve got previewed so far… more to come, I promise, I promise!  :-)

See!  I really wasn’t kidding – so many beautiful clients! More to come… soon… I promise!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Previewing another session from my marathon-shoot in Cincinnati a few weeks ago… these girls were beautiful, and ready to pose for the camera!  A photographer’s dream come true – they were fun, sassy, and adorable!  Just one preview for now as I work up a few more to share…..

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

To personalize these simple and timeless looks you need accessories. Accessories = fun, eclectic, classic, bold, delicate, etc. This is where each member of the family gets to show a little of their own personality without taking over the portrait. It says ME without screaming… and that’s where we can help.

For the girls in the family, it’s easy! Jewelry is usually the first way to personalize your portrait look. Start with what you wear every day and never take off: wedding rings, lockets, etc. Then add anything else that has special meaning and suits the look of the day. If your outfit still needs a little oomph, the first two sets above will look great with chunky, natural looking pieces, and for the third set, try pearls or long, multi-strand colored “gemstone” necklaces.

For guys, add a tee under a sweater or shirt, try a great belt, pay attention to your shoes, and choose jewelry that matters to you as well.

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Another amazing family…. another rainy day in Cincinnati!  I had the pleasure of photographing Lora’s family again… this time in downtown Cincinnati!  She paid close attention to our conversation on “what to wear” and with the help of her awesome hubby….. came up with a wonderful look for the whole family… fun, colorful, but not too busy!  Downtown was the perfect venue for this urban chic family session!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Let’s go over some simple hair do’s and don’ts for your portrait session!

Do -

• style your hair in a way that’s “normal” for you
• choose hair accessories that complement your clothes
• use a moderate amount of hair styling product
• bring extra hair supplies (product and accessories) to your session, just in case

Don’t -

• decide to get a new style right before your portrait session. You won’t look like YOU.
• do the helmet head hairspray look
• go overboard on the hair accessories. Bows the size of dinner plates are never appropriate.

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Fall portraits don’t always mean traditional “fall” colors. Let’s take a look at this week’s selections from Old Navy and Gap:

The evergreen selection is more traditional without screaming “HELLO THESE ARE OUR FAMILY HOLIDAY PORTRAITS” and the contemporary lines of the clothing keep the colors from being stuffy. The blue monochrome set in the middle takes it a step further with contemporary lines AND a fun, bright color. With the navy/raspberry set at the bottom, you step back to a more traditional color with navy, pop it with the raspberry and again with the striped dress, but the lines of the clothing choices themselves are more simple and traditional. Easy peasy!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

HELLO OHIO!

Priceless Reflections is excited to be back in OHIO starting tomorrow (Saturday 10/3) thru Sunday (10/11).  If your calls are not returned immediately, please know they will be returned the moment we return to the sunshiny, hot, super-hot and sunshiny Phoenix office on Monday 10/12.

If you’re an OHIO peep who needs to be SQUEEEEEZED into the schedule this coming week, please call Melissa on her cell 513.407.1109 and we’ll see what we can do!

Have a GREAT week guys!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Let’s talk shoes. (I hear women everywhere applauding!) When it comes to portraits, usually barefoot is best but what do you do when the weather or the location or the clothing style calls for shoes? For styles like these from Old Navy which we suggest wearing with jeans or other simple pants, a great pair of boots, simple slip-on leather style for men or women or kids, and for girls big and small, ballerina flats. Try Piper Lime (Gap’s shoe division) for some great picks!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.

Today marks the beginning of the Fall series of Fashionista Fridays! For the next 5 weeks we’ll be bringing you coordinating fashions from GAP and Old Navy – but really, these ideas will translate to any stores. It’s all about coordinating colors, not the actual clothing items themselves. Learning to mix colors and blending in a single color palette so that YOU are the focus of your family portrait and not your clothing  – it’s an art and a science and I’m here to help.

Using the palette boxes on the left, you can see exactly what colors to use for accessories and be sure to keep bottoms very simple. Brown, khaki, black, navy, or denim. TADA!

See more of Phoenix Photographer Melissa Kahn’s work at Priceless Reflections.