did anyone notice that i didn't post my project 365 photos for last week? i'm not even going to apologize for the delay … i'll get to them later. because these photos were demanding my attention a whole lot more yesterday! and i'm not even going to apologize for how many photos i'm about to share … because i actually narrowed this down to my favorite 13 photos. there are plenty more where these came from. click on any photo to see them larger.

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i'm not afraid to give myself props for this shot! to me … it's amazingly beautiful … and i'm quite proud of it. and this was the very first shot i took. here's the story. this is one of many orchards down the country roads that surround our very residential neighborhood. this is just a few blocks down from our house. i drive by this every, single day … and every, single day i have thought that it would be such a pretty place to take some photos. yesterday was the day i did it. i pulled over on the side of the road. there are orchards on either side. i told sarah to run across to the other side … and to walk down to the 3rd tree and stand directly in the middle of the grass area. i was on the other side of the road … i had my fixed lens on my camera and this ended up being the perfect distance. she was super embarrased … and very concerned about the cars whizzing down the road. she finally ran over … and got in position … for all of 30 seconds. i kid you not … she stood there just like this for 30 seconds … and then ran back to me. i took all of 3 photos while she was standing there. luckily, 2 of them were perfect and exactly what i wanted. her reason for running back to me? there were lots of bees. lol! which is true … they had crates of bees just a little ways down … i think they release them into the orchards to make the trees blossom. valid reason!

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i went for a different editing look on this one. used the urban and vintage actions from maggie holmes on this.

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then after she ran back over to my side of the road … i convinced her to take a few shots by the orchard that we were parked by. and i know i cut off her elbow on this one … something that's not "photographically correct". but it's still a good one.

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every time a car went by … she would stop and look. maybe making sure that no one she knew saw her. she was so embarrased to be on the side of the road. i told her that people would think she was important … not just anyone gets their photos taken on the side of the road!

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afterwards, we drove over to another location. one that we've been to before … ages ago. i should add that the shirt, the scarf, and the hat were all found in alyssa's closet … i don't think she minded though. sarah grabbed her own sunglasses to bring along too … those were her idea.

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right when we walked down to this area … about 50 people came out of nowhere and were walking right towards us. it was kind of strange … the timing of it. there was no one there when we drove up. and no cars around. as soon as we walked down the hill to this spot (which is in a dead-end corner of the park) … all these people came down. i guess they were doing a savanger hunt of sorts … and decided to set up the finish line about 15 feet from us. yeah, don't mind us. lol! sarah was a little distracted … watching them and seeing what they were doing. but i was persistant … and got her to re-focus on me.

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used the urban and vintage actions from maggie on this one too … i kind of like the mood it conveys.

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time to have fun … these were all her idea! she always like to joke around and give me these extravagant poses. she's a funny one!

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think she got the modeling thing down?!?! lol!

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peace out!

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48 responses to “my model for the day . . .”

  1. Debbie - NZ Avatar

    Laura, I just love, love these pics…they rock! You are very talented…Actually I would love to scrap some of these…With only having boys in the house it would be great to scrap some girl pics.

    Like

  2. maria t Avatar

    beautifull pictures!! bet you can’t wait to scrapbook them!!

    Like

  3. Cheryl Avatar

    Great pictures! Wow!!! I like that vintage action too.

    Like

  4. wendy myers Avatar

    This are Fantastic! I cannot wait for Spring. The Orchard shot are Fantastic, your photography skills are Great!
    Thanks for sharing, now I can’t wait to see them i layouts you will no doubt rock out!

    Like

  5. Carolyn Avatar
    Carolyn

    Beautiful!

    Like

  6. sasha farina Avatar

    the first one is like in paradise, Laura. tell me where to get the peace scarf and the tshirt?? LOL. . . Nidhi saw those and said oh those are funky!

    Like

  7. Deb Avatar
    Deb

    Gorgeous pictures – you are so talented!!!

    Like

  8. cathy Avatar
    cathy

    Wow, very cool, Laura! I WISH I could buy those actions,but I have elements:( Boo. I can’t wait for warmer wheather out here so I can go play outside and torture my kids with my camrea!

    Like

  9. Lee Avatar

    Those pics are fabulous – I can understand how hard it was to cull them down to a handful, and a wee bit more! I’m envious of the blooms (we’re going down to -20C today!). Love the photo shoot idea.

    Like

  10. Carine Hartman Avatar

    Great, fabulous, magnificent… I don’t have words for those pics.
    I would wish that my girls are that patient. They can´t sit still for a minute

    Like

  11. Erika Avatar

    So beautiful, Laura!! What a cool spot you have near your house, and the flowers are amazing. She was a good model, and very patient. 🙂

    Like

  12. Melinda Avatar
    Melinda

    Work it girls!!! She looks fabulous…the outfit is sooooo cool! Great pics- looking forward to some layouts soon!

    Like

  13. Fran Heupel Avatar
    Fran Heupel

    Laura the pictures are amazing. Love the looks that your daughter gave. Just a natural. I know she will be so proud to have these someday. The picture with her and all those beautiful trees is so cool.
    Thnaks for posting all these beautiful photos. I would love to do this with my girls.

    Like

  14. Sarah W. Avatar
    Sarah W.

    Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!

    Like

  15. Marissa Avatar
    Marissa

    Those are really cute! Can you give out the secret to your second place? I haven’t taken pics since we went to the snow at the end of Dec! I am like that- that’s why I have so many event pages! And it is so funny how they are paranoid about what other people think at this age! I am always telling Maia, “Who cares what strangers think about you, you don’t know them!”

    Like

  16. Wendy Sue Avatar

    Super cute model and GORGEOUS photos, Laura! Oh, you’re making me so jealous…I am ready for our snow to melt and for Spring to come…the blossoming trees are beautiful! :o)

    Like

  17. Marianne Avatar

    These photos are absolutely stunning. Your daughter is beautiful, and your photography skills are outstanding!!

    Like

  18. Sara Rossi Avatar

    GORGEOUS pics Laura!! Sarah makes an STUNNING model! Love all the pics especially the 1st one!! And yes I did notice you didn’t post your 365 yet but I wasn’t saying anything since I haven’t posted mine yet either! LOL!

    Like

  19. Jackie T Avatar
    Jackie T

    Great job Laura. It looks so nice there. I am stuck in 5 degrees and a foot of snow still on the groung (MN). It so nice to see things are blooming somewhere. Your daughter is so cute and such a ham. One question, did you use 2 actions, vintage and urban or is it one action called vintage urban. Thanks for the great post!

    Like

  20. Nancy Mackey Avatar

    Completely Beautiful!!! I lOvE that orchard!! I wish it was spring here- lol!! Sarah is such a cutie!

    Like

  21. Eileen Van Dyke Avatar
    Eileen Van Dyke

    I love the pictures. I have been wanting to do the exact same thing for years now but never have. Your great pictures have convienced me that I should try it. Now I just have to get my kids to agree! I did miss your 365 pics by the way but I’m not caught up on mine for last week either.

    Like

  22. Lisa Howard Avatar

    Amazing, simply amazing!!! Even if you did cut off part of her arm in one photo, it is still one of my favorites! You rock, girlfriend! Now, do you want to send some of those mad photography skills my way…lol!

    Like

  23. Jessica Avatar

    Awesome photos … but I probably would have been embarrassed too! Especially when I was younger …

    Like

  24. Heather Jordan Avatar
    Heather Jordan

    Great pictures, Laura! And such a lovely setting…wish we had something like that near us.

    Like

  25. Diana Waite Avatar

    Laura! These are AWESOME! And she looks SO grown up! Great job!

    Like

  26. lynda Avatar
    lynda

    how cute these came out, location, weather, colors and of course the MODEL! too cool. liked how u changed them.
    lynda in calif

    Like

  27. Laura T. Avatar

    AWESOME pictures Laura!! You are so lucky that you didn’t have to twist her arm to take these. I love the pictures with her in the orchards.

    Like

  28. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    Wow, this chick needs to be in a Ralph Lauren ad!!! No kidding, such a natural beauty!
    Great pics, I wish we had pretty trees like that around!

    Like

  29. Heather Ruwe Avatar

    I LOVE ALL THE PHOTOS LAURA! I also really like the actions you used. You have enabled me to get them! Sara is a great model. 🙂

    Like

  30. Robyn from Idaho Avatar

    You ABSOLUTELY should pat yourself on the back for these! They are AMAZING!!!
    So jealous of your green and blossoms and bees – we’re barely 40 today and I’d love to come trade you places and take some photos in that orchard!
    Great job!!!

    Like

  31. Heather M. Avatar

    totally incredible photos! i saw them on facebook and couldn’t get over how great they were!
    my favs are the first one and the one of her sitting on the steps but they are all amazing! she looks like a natural model!
    and i’m sooooo jealous of those blossoms. we’re still covered in snow and ice right now.

    Like

  32. Carla Avatar

    {giving you a standing ovation right now}. Yay!! Gorgeous, drop dead pics Laura!!! I love them all…I was trying to pick one fav, but I can’t!! And oh my Sarah is getting tall! She’s a great model too! TFS!
    And you should brag about these…I would!

    Like

  33. kiwimich Avatar
    kiwimich

    Laura those photos are amazing! Has given me an idea for photo spots – we are visiting my inlaws at Easter and they live in an area full of orchards – although in this part of the world I will have autumn colours on the trees not spring blossom! 🙂
    And if only I could get the kids to stand still for more than 2 seconds! LOL!
    Thank you for sharing your amazing work!

    Like

  34. Kim Bolyard Avatar

    laura,
    these photos look great…what a wonderful location…I wished I lived there so I could shoot some photo there.
    Love them all
    peace
    Kim

    Like

  35. lisa Avatar
    lisa

    These photos are stunning! Between the quality photography, the setting, and the model, these are just about the best photos you’ve ever taken! (And you’ve taken tons of great photos!) I think Sarah definitely has a career in modeling!

    Like

  36. Dani Avatar
    Dani

    Laura, thanks for sharing your gorgeous photos of your gorgeous daughter! Sarah is so beautiful, and you are an amazing photographer! Love it 🙂 Keep sharing!

    Like

  37. Annette Scholtz Avatar

    Beautiful setting, stunning model and great photographer!

    Like

  38. Emily S. Avatar
    Emily S.

    Beautiful, Laura! I really need to take a closer look at the areas I drive by every day. I guess I’m too chicken to take my little “models” to some places, too! I need to get over it! I love looking at your blog for inspiration. Have a great week!

    Like

  39. Sandi N. Avatar
    Sandi N.

    Laura
    These are just breathtaking! Love the bee story…LOL One can never be too careful.
    Brave soul.
    Sandi N.

    Like

  40. Karina Avatar
    Karina

    Cute and wonderful pictures!!! And of course I ‘m waiting for your 365 pictures of this week!!!
    Congratulatios again for the pictures!!!
    Karina

    Like

  41. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    W.O.W….you did a GREAT job! I love them, not to mention your gorgeous model! 🙂 Very impressed…laughing at your “cut off the elbow” shot…some of my favs of my kids have cut off body parts (LOL), but I still love those shots! 🙂
    Amy

    Like

  42. Kelly Avatar
    Kelly

    great pictures!! i have those actions, but i can’t seem to get to work like the way you have. am i doing something wrong???

    Like

  43. Marcie L Avatar
    Marcie L

    Those really are beautiful!

    Like

  44. Victoria S. Avatar
    Victoria S.

    WOW! Amazing! Stunning! Great job, both of you.. at a loss for words – love the orchard shots and Sarah is looking so cool!
    Wish i lived near you and could get you to take some shots of my grls like that. Cant wait to see what you come up with next!

    Like

  45. judy Avatar
    judy

    wow! amazing photos!
    i wish i lived close to orchards like that! how pretty she looks right in the middle of it all.

    Like

  46. Brenda Hurd Avatar

    wow – lucky you to have such a beautiful model! Love the locations – just perfect!

    Like

  47. Linda Avatar

    My goodness, she’s beautiful…lovely…and you’re fantastic behind the lens!!!
    Imagine my utter surprise and delight when I went into our local A.C. Moore for the first time today (In Columbia, SC)…and up there, over the Making Memories stuff, was that beautiful face, along with your other beautiful face! it was SO neat to see layouts by you…they looked like actual layouts, too…I will have to bring my camera and take a picture (and then explain to the management WHY I was taking a picture of their display, lol).
    I wanted to grab this unknown lady and tell her I “knew” you from the internet!!!!!
    I have just discovered a wonderful photography area here, and will go play soon (as soon as it warms up!)

    Like

  48. Mary MacAskill Avatar

    The close-up of her is just beautiful…the one where her cap is pulled down sort of over one eye! You did a wonderful job – I’ve come back to look at them a couple times! Love all the different poses and the editing (actions, etc) is great, girl! 🙂

    Like

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