Top 10 Locations for Orange County Senior Photos

I know how nerve-wracking it can be to try to figure out which clothes to wear, which accessories, and shoes, let alone what you want your senior photos to look like. When brainstorming senior photo locations, I always keep your personality, interests, and style in mind. Here are just a few of the best Orange County locations I use for high school seniors photography.

Let’s start with a photo at the Balboa Fun Zone in Newport Beach.

1. On a Boat (aka Balboa Fun Zone)

We often take for granted the beautiful waterfronts we live near. Of course there’s always the beach, but if you’re in the mood for something a little more unique, a little more nautical, the harbor at Newport Beach’s Balboa Fun Zone is a great place for modern high school senior photos.

2. The Studio (Blue Sky’s, that is)

We’ve recently added some great upgrades to our Blue Sky’s Studio “studio,” including a white leather couch/ottoman, clean white brick wall, and even a makeup and hair station where our stylists will make you picture perfect. Clean white backgrounds, props, furniture, and wardrobe options can give your photos a high-end look.

3. Laguna College of Art & Design (LCAD)

Just a quick walk from our studio is the picturesque nature-meets-art landscape of Laguna College of Art and Design.

4. Balboa Pier

The oceanfront is such an important part of life here in Orange County and if you want that beachy feel with a little more sophistication, Balboa pier and the surrounding area is a great place to take your senior photos.

5. James Dilley Preserve

This gorgeous wilderness area is not just a great escape from busy city life, but is also frequented by hikers and painters. The afternoon light is just wonderful for senior photos.

6. Mission San Juan Capistrano

For a change of pace and old world feel the mission at San Juan Capistrano is a great place for seniors who want more texture and a rustic feel to their senior portraits.

7. San Juan Open Space

Believe it or not this high school senior photo was taken in the San Juan Open Spaces near an old metal sidewall. There are so many hidden gems at this location, like the field of mustard flowers in the photo after this one.

8. Your Own Home

Sometimes the place you feel most at home, is well, in your own surroundings. And sometimes the best way to show your unique personality is to have your senior photos taken on your own family’s property, like these two were.

9. The LAB

This “anti-mall” in Costa Mesa is a fun place to shoot senior photos because it has a great variety of modern/vintage art everywhere you look, like this fountain.

10. Table Rock Beach

This Laguna Beach location is stunning place for a variety of natural light photography options. The cliffs and surrounding area have a wealth of places to find just the right pose for your senior photos.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of just a few of my favorite places to shoot senior photos. If you’d like to learn more about our senior photography packages check out the Blue Sky’s Studio senior photography website or sign up for my email list to get the latest news on promotions and giveaways.

Family Photography, Orange County Photography, Personal

Happy New Year!

Happy 2018!

Blue Sky’s is now open for the New Year and ready to start photographing again! I love new beginnings. Yes, I am one of those annoying people that actually spends the first few weeks of the year, reflecting back on the previous year and looking at a few key things! That is one of the reasons I always commit to taking 2 weeks off during the holidays.

Here are some of the questions I ask myself:

What went right in 2017?
How can I improve in 2018?
What are my business goals for 2018?
What are my personal goals for 2018?
What are my family goals for 2018?
What are my spiritual goals for 2018?

As the saying goes, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

That is why it is so important for me, after the very busy holiday season, to take a few weeks off and unwind and spend time with my family. This frees up my mind to start thinking creatively again and start dreaming of the next big thing for myself and my business. I feel grateful that this holiday season I got to spend 10 days with my son Cameron (he only got a short break for the holidays and then back to LSU to train), spent time with my in-laws and enjoyed some much needed one on one time with both my husband, Bob and my daughter, Kasey.

I am so grateful for all the things that went well in 2017 with Blue Sky’s Studio. We had an amazing year and launched our brand new reveal sessions (if you haven’t had a chance to experience the reveal of our favorite images from your session, you are in for a real treat the next time you do a session with Blue Sky’s). We photographed so many new families, high school seniors and corporate headshots. Thanks to Bob, we got an amazing studio makeover complete with a beautiful hair and makeup station. We were involved in numerous charity events and were able to contribute in so many meaningful ways.

Personally, I enjoyed helping Cameron move into his new apartment in Baton Rouge and helping him start his college career at LSU. I proudly saw my daughter Kasey achieve her goal of getting excepted to Columbia University. I had several amazing trips with my husband, including a fantastic trip to Florida for a much need week of rest and relaxation and a first time trip to New Orleans which lived up to all of my expectations.

I was inspired by so many amazing teachers in 2017 including the incredible Sue Bryce (Canon explorer of light and all around amazing photographer and educator). I felt so lucky to get an opportunity to go to Palm Desert and participate in the Portrait Master’s workshop. I was also able to listen to some really amazing business books.

Here is a list of just a few of my favorite books from 2017:

Hacking Growth, by Sean Ellis (proudly, he is my brother) and Morgan Brown

Disrupt You! by Jay Samit

The 10X Rule by Grand Cardone

Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy

Unshakable by Tony Robbins

Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

10% Happier by Dan Harris

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

I Can’t Make This Up by Kevin Hart **** my favorite this year

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch

The 12 Week Year: by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington

Grit The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff (a reread cause I love this book)

#Girlboss by Sofia Amoruso

Purple cow: Transform your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy

Living Forward by Daniel Harkavy and Michael Hyatt

To name just a few….. LOL My key to all of these business books is to listen while I am on my walk or walking the dog. I feel like I am a more active listener when I am moving.

For 2018 I have decided I will have a word for the year. My word is Intuition. I feel like I have great intuition, but I don’t always listen to it. Usually my inner conversation goes something like this, “I know I should really do this but, I don’t want to hurt someones feelings, or someone might misunderstand, or I can do it later”… etc, etc. You know, those crazy conversations you have in your head. This year I am committed to listening to those intuitions and acting on them with love and kindness.

Over the last few years, as many of you know, I have been committed to The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod. Basically for me, it is getting up early, starting the day with a morning medication, followed by a list of everything I am grateful for in my life, a prayer to start the day and ask for God’s blessing and a visualization of my future goals. For me, this has been life changing. I am happier, more relaxed, less worried, and generally just a better person.

My hopes and prayers for all of you for 2018 is that you reach for your dreams, enjoy your friends and family and that you are loved and cherished. Have a wonderful year and I hope to see you soon. Here are a few images from my family photography session. Thank you abundantly to Kathryn LeBoye for taking the images that include me and my family. The gift of photography is priceless to me and I will cherish these images forever!

Hugs,

Kristin

Owner, Blue Sky’s Studio

Family Photography, Orange County Photography, Uncategorized

2017 Roundup of Fun Photo Gift Ideas

Since our photography year is winding down, we thought it would be fun to do a roundup of some of the fun photo ideas we’ve seen all over the internet. There’s still time to order or make these great gifts.

Holiday Photo Frame Wreath

Make a holiday photo wreath with photos of your family. You could even include a photo of each Christmas.

Get more info on how to make this wreath of frames on Pinterest.

Cookie Photo Prints

The family will love this special treat! Get your photos printed on cookies.

To order your cookies, visit Zazzle.

Wooden Photo Box

This wooden box of photos is just darling, make it as a Christmas present or even a Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day gift.

Click here for instructions on how to make this gift.

Put those Portraits on Display

Do you have too many wonderful photos to hang individually on the wall? Make the most of your space by displaying your photographs on photo shelves.

Image from Pinterest.

Photos on Rustic Ornaments

Photos printed on ornaments have been around for a while, but this fresh, rustic take is just adorable.

Order your custom wood photo ornament on Etsy.

Make a Stamp from Your Photo

Who doesn’t want to stamp things with their face? These could be a great idea for for wedding save-the-dates, holiday cards, senior graduation announcements, or even individual family member stamps.

Order on Etsy.

Albums, Canvas Prints, and More

We hope you’ve enjoyed this round up of fun photo gift ideas. If you’re looking for something more elegant we also offer an array of archival quality photo products. Check out this blog post which features some of our great photography products.

Family Photography, Orange County Photography

A Few of Our Favorite Things

This holiday time of year is our busiest, but we took a moment to compile some of our favorite holiday portraits from our years and years of Orange County photography. We know you’ve got a lot on your to do list, but we hope you’ll enjoy this little moment of pure holiday joy.

Happy Holidays, from our family to yours!

Family Holiday Cards

Give Your Holiday Cards a Little Extra Pop

One of our favorite things about the holiday season is receiving the wonderful cards our friends, family, and colleagues send us. As a photographer, I also have fun (maybe a little too much) helping my clients select the right photos and greeting styles for their holiday cards. We have a ton of holiday card designs to choose from and we can even make completely custom-designed cards too, but here are a few tips to really make your cards memorable.

Spritz a little holiday scent

Wonderful memories come to mind when I smell the pine or fir scent of a Christmas tree, or the sugary smell of fresh baked cookies. Try spraying just a little of your favorite holiday scent on your envelopes to really give your recipients an extra boost of holiday spirit.

Jo Malone and Williams Sonoma have some wonderful scent sprays, or make your own using these essential oils tips.

Sprinkle with Some Whimsy

For some whimsical fun try sprinkling a few pinches of confetti or glitter into your envelope.

Envelope Makeover

Adding outlines to your envelopes, a family seal, or even a wax seal can add that extra luxurious look to your cards.

This photo and other great DIY tips at camillestyles.com

Hand addresses

For that completely custom and heartfelt look, consider hand-lettering your recipients’ names and addresses. Don’t have time or the skillset? Consider hiring a calligrapher or hand-lettering expert to help. This added touch really makes your cards pop.

Hand-lettering by Wandering Heart Paper on Etsy

Professional Portraits

Whether your family style is silly and casual or more refined and elegant nothing compares to the quality of professional family photographs for your cards. (Hint, hint, that’s me)

Go Big(ger) or Small

To really make your holiday cards stand out this year choose a non-standard card size. Sure, you might have to pay a little extra for postage, but the look just might be worth it. We’re happy to help you select larger or smaller cards or even custom sizes that fit your family’s unique style.

Capture your family’s unique personality

Speaking of that, be sure to select cards that show your true colors. If you want to stand out, consider alternative designs, unexpected colors, or adding a personal note, or even embellishments like embossing, gold or silver foil, or ribbon.

Whatever you send out this year, I hope you enjoy the season.