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Denver Wedding and Portrait Photographer | Michele Schanker | 303.242.7268 bio picture

Welcome to the Michele Schanker Photography Blog!

Who Am I? Simply put I am a photographer, engineer, runner, hiker, biker, skier, and frequent traveler.

Welcome to the Michele Schanker Photography Blog!  This blog showcases my photography and some of my personal life. I believe that knowing your photographer on both a professional and personal level helps you connect with them. By reading my blog, I hope that you walk away with getting a sense of who I am.

Michele Schanker Photography focuses on photojournalistic lifestyle photography. You may ask yourself, what does that mean? It means that your photos will look natural and not super posed. I like to take on a modern style which offers unique angles and locations. We do not do studio photography. Eveything is done on location at a place that most suits you and/or your family.

Michele Schanker Photography is an award winning photographer: 2009 Antelope Valley Fair (Lancaster, CA), Professional Category

Thanks for taking the time to check out my site.

Feel free to take a look around and get a feel for our style. If you like what you see, leave us a comment.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twiitter .

Favorite Friday #1

Friday, May 4, 2012 Posted in Favorite Friday

I think I’m going to give this a try. Favorite Fridays! I want a reason to share random photos and I figured a random blog entry will get that done!

I also want my readers to get to know me better. I honestly feel that if you’re doing a photoshoot with me or I’m photographing wedding that you should know me, not just as a photographer but as a person!

My favorites for today are edible! I love to eat healthy and I love to exercise. These are two favorites I have discovered recently and my days without them just wouldn’t be as yummy.

We found this hummus at Costco of all places! Yup, so we have plenty to go around. Thankfully it doesn’t expire for a while. But this hummus is SO good.

My next favorite edible creation is Noosa!!!! If you haven’t tried this, you must! Its an Australian version of yogurt but made in Colorado. The Longmont Dairy sells it now, so we get one delivered to our door every Tuesday morning.

Another favorite that is not edible and related to my business is how my albums come wrapped from my album company. Its so natural and pretty.

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Favorite Friday.Check back next time for more random photos and learning about me.

What’s Your Style? {Denver Baby Photographer}

Monday, April 30, 2012 Posted in Babies

Have you scheduled a baby session with us? Are you thinking about scheduling one?

One of my questions to you, especially in the warmer months, is what is your style? Meaning, what type of background do you want for your little one. The way I see it is there are 3 types of options.The purpose of this post is to show you the three options and to talk in detail about them.

Option 1:Lifestyle

The lifestyle setting is typically taken in your home. We focus on using your house for the photos. We may shoot in your family room, the kitchen, or the babies room. Some examples are:

  • capturing your baby in their swing
  • playing on a playmat or in an exercauser
  • sleeping in their crib
  • Dad feeding baby a bottle
  • casual moments as a family on the couch or laying in your bed
  • Giving baby a bath

Lifestyle captures those everyday moments just as they happen!

Here are some samples of a lifestyle session:

Option 2: Studio Setting

MSP is not a photography studio that uses studio lighting, but we can capture little ones in this setting by using baskets, faux furs, backdrops, floordrops, and other props.We obtain this style by using natural light and emphasizing with some off camera lighting as well.

Examples:

  • Damask background with a wooden floor drop
  • Baby sleeping in a hammock
  • Baby in a basket with a winter hat on

Option 3: Outdoors

When it is warm outside, you may opt for an outdoor shoot. We can still capture these with studio props but may chose a park, or a wooded area to make them feel more natural. The more contemporary client may also want to go urban in this case. Urban means shooting in an area with brick walls, alley ways, or colorful doors. These are typically found in downtown areas and can really stand out as those unique photos that nobody else has. Some other ideas for outdoor shots

  • Baby in a basket on some train tracks
  • An older baby siting in a field holding a few balloons
  • A baby that can sit, sitting in a doorway

Option 3a: Urban Baby!

Saving the best for last. This one is reserved for those older babies. The requirement is that they can sit on their own. For Urban Baby! we locate an urban area such as downtown Denver or Boulder and wander looking for awesome brick walls, colorful doors, metal garage doors, etc… We’ll incorporate the fun atmosphere with some hats and urban style clothing.  If you are looking for something unique and fun, then this is for you!

Can’t decide? Then maybe you want to mix it up!  That’s totally allowed! Just let us know.

Northern Colorado Baby and Kids Expo {Denver Photography Giveaway}

Friday, March 30, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized

Who is going to the Northern Colorado Baby and Kids Expo in April in Longmont? Don’t know about it, check it out here.

Check your bag that you’ll receive at the door for a goodie from MSP! Some people will be receiving a complimentary session with us! Yup, you read that right you could be the recipient of a free photography session. There are no limits….this could be a baby session, family session, high school senior session, or even a pet photo session! So make sure to check that bag, you’ll need the code on the postcard to book.The best part…you receive $10 in print credit for linking our facebook page. So like us before or when you book your session.

www.facebook.com/micheleschankerphotography

Baby Session Questions {Thornton Baby Photographer}

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 Posted in Babies, Families and Children, Newborns

I thought I would take this blog post to address some common questions for baby shoots. I hope this helps you out and get prepared for your upcoming baby photoshoot.

1. Do we come to you or do you come to us?

This is a great question. Its really up to you. I prefer to come to you. This way your little one is in a setting they are familiar with. Plus you have all the comforts of home. I don’t mind bringing all my blankets, drops, stands, etc… to your place. If for some reason you don’t want me to come to you, we can do the session at my house. Our house has some great natural light tool! But keep in mind we can do on location as well, such as fields, urban settings, etc…

2. What ages do you recommend for doing baby photos?

I recommend newborn photos are done before they are 3 weeks old. This allows us to get great sleepy shots. The next milestone is around 3 months old when they can old up their head really well. The third photography milestone is sitting on their own. Therefore, 6 months is another recommended age. Next I recommend 1 year. At this point the child is able to stand with the assistance of chairs and other props.

3. How long will the session take?

Plan for about 3 hours. It may not take that long, but it does depend on the baby. If the child is a little fussy that day, or needs some more meals, we always stop to deal with this sort of thing.I am a mom too and understand how important these breaks our for the little ones. With a happy baby, we can get the session done in an hour. But I would rather you plan on a longer period of time, just in case. Traditionally the younger the baby the longer it takes. The newborns need to eat frequently and we also need to take the time to get them into a really sleepy state.

4. Do I need to provide props?

Only if you have stuff you really want to incorporate into the shoot. For instance, if you have something sentimental then let me know and I’ll work it in. Otherwise I bring lots of stuff with me. Including hats, blankets, diaper covers,  ties for little boys and tutus for little girls.

Do you have other questions? Comment below or shoot me an email.

I can’t ever have a post without a photo!

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Spring Is In the Air {Thronton Baby Photographer}

Sunday, March 18, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized

I’m not sure what to think. I’m not sure that I’m ready for spring. Where did winter go? I’m one of those people who loves winter. I like bundling up in warm clothes and wearing skinny jeans with boots. But this week has been all about spring! Even though there are no leaves on the trees, the grass is not green, and the flowers haven’t bloomed but the temps sure did reflect spring. What do you think? Are you ready for spring?

Well, one thing that I can say that I am ready for is outdoor photoshoots! This is my passion. I love photographing people in natural elements. I have so many ideas floating around in my head. Even the little guys can go outside when the temperatures are nice. Check these out that I did yesterday. There is an old set of train tracks behind our house and I can’t wait to use them for some more photos.