A lesson with Ashbstarr Photography

Meet my friend Ashley.
Ashley and I have been friends since our husbands played baseball together in 2006.  Through the many moves and transitions that baseball life brings, Ashley has been one of my constants.  Always there with a smile and a big hug when we are in the same city at the same time.  Always there with an encouraging text, tweet, or Facebook post when we’re apart.  When we’re not talking about life and kids, we are talking about food.  We chat recipes, send food photos back and forth on our phones, and sometimes even get to share a meal together.  I am so thankful for her friendship.

A few year back, Ashley took up photography.  She was a natural right out of the gate, and has blessed us with some beautiful family photos, including my all-time favorite-
She also took all of my profile pics that you see around the web.

Last weekend, Ashley took me on a mentor session to give me some tips on how to take good family photos.  She has a great eye, and really opened my eyes to finding good locations and the best light.  I also observed the way she cued our family into different positions.  I got to practice on her beautiful family.  Here are a few of the shots that I took (I also took the pic of Ashley at the top of the post)-

That last one is my favorite because of the light and the natural pose.  I also took a couple shots of my kiddos-

Ashley was kind enough to take a few photos of our family while we were there-I have so much left to learn, but the mentoring session was a great start.  It sounds like last weekend has inspired Ashley to set up some small photography lessons and field trips, so stay tuned if you live in the area!  If you want to check out more of Ashley’s photography, go to her blog Ashbstarr Photography and her Facebook page.