KarimaWhite Photography

A New Kind of School Portriat

2010-11-09T16:31:00.001-08:00

Okay, okay...I've been working so hard on taking pictures that I haven't been blogging. So, I want to apologize to a few of you, who have been asking to see what I'm up to.
I've been spending my time photographing in a few different schools. I started photographing schools last year. My first reaction to the request was, "NO way, School pictures are not my style!" But instead of just hanging up the phone with my nose in the air, I asked the school director, " Have you seen my work?" The reply was, "Yes, we love your work." I thought this was a good start so I then asked, "Well, are you asking me to shoot in my style or to set up a back drop in a dark room?" The answer was pleasing so I accepted the job. My initial thought was that I would suffer thru "picture day" then make tons of good contacts with parents. To my surprise I had a great time!
Working with the kids was challenging and entertaining.
The Challenge: Photograph each child in a natural setting, with a natural expression (preferably happy), and all in 2 minutes or less.
The Entertainment: You wouldn't believe the personalities! From photogenic hams, nervous nellies, to out right refusers. Some required simple poking, others required a conversation.
Needless to say, I was exhausted, but satisfied at the end of "picture day". It was tons of fun working with these little people and an honor to provide parents with pictures they love.

Star Pass Wedding

2010-10-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Rain on your wedding day?

Don't worry, rainy days can produce the most beautiful lighting....

and I've also heard it's good luck.

From what I experienced...this couple will need very little luck. They have a supportive family, good humor, lots of friends, and wrote the book on how to have fun.

Every surprise that seemed to turn up during this beautiful day, the bride took it in stride. Rain? "It's fine." Late bridal party? "They'll get here." Wrong song? "Dance through it."

I had a fun time behind the camera and also truly enjoyed the moments I got to spend just hanging out with this amazing family.

3's Company

2010-09-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

I am laughing out loud, with warmth in my heart. I'm thinking of the shoot I just finished with these three.

They were a handful, that turned into really FUN pictures.
It's always difficult for parents when their kids don't sit still and smile, but those are usually my favorite sessions.

I enjoy these sessions for a few reasons.

First, there is no shortage of photo opportunities. I don't have to think of a pose and say do this or do that, the kid's personalities take over and I just follow closely with my camera.
Second, I don't have to think of a joke to get kids to crack a real smile. When they're free to move about they always discover something that lights up their faces.

Third, these shoots always provide AMAZING energy, fun, and emotion (my favs).

Finally, I LOVE a challenge. There is nothing like seeing a worrying parent who thinks we wont get a single good shot, transform into a parent who can't choose which of the many photos they love as their favorite. All it takes is one second, one moment, he looks up with joy in his eyes and 'click', I got it.

So don't worry all you nervous moms and dads out there. I love your rambunctious, dramatic kiddos.

Can't wait to experience the next photo shoot with these little cuties!

(Click the Facebook link on my page to see more of these pics)

Natalie, Brent, & Baby

2010-09-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest members of the "Baby Package".

It's such a wonder to see a bump in the belly grow into small steps and giggles.

I have the honor of photographing all their cute stages, until they reach 1 or 2 years. THEN, I make a book to recap the miracle!
The slide show I create for the 1 year consultation meeting has brought many to tears.

Time flies. But today 'baby' is still a little bump in Natalie's belly.

Visit my Facebook to see more pics of Natalie, Brent, & Baby

New Baby Boy

2010-09-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Every time I photograph a new born I am amazed. They are simply amazing! All their tiny perfect little parts never fail to steal my heart!

My Niece

2010-09-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

My oldest niece was in Arizona visiting me this week. It was a great week full of fun activities...
horseback riding, swimming, hiking and of course photo shoots! I admire this little girl so much, she is the most down to earth and charming little thing AND she's adorable.
Here are a few of my favorite pics and moments from this week.

Growing Beauty

2010-08-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my "Baby Package" darlings. She is 9 months.
We had this photo shoot at Trail Dust Town. When I saw her on mom's hip...I gasped.
Her peach fuzz hair has grown into a pretty swoop.
Her small legs are now adorable rolls.
Her toothless gums are bearing fresh little teeth.
Oh...how she's grown.
Can't wait to see her at 1 YEAR!

2010-06-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

6 Months yesterday! Oh baby! He's a tough customer. He was all smiles when he could see my face, but once my head was behind that big lens, he was cautious. It will be fun to watch him grow and adapt to the camera. We'll see him again in 3 months.

Event Photography

2010-06-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's been too long.
I've been crazy busy with family pics, taking kids camping, and doing some event photography.
I agreed to try some team pictures...it was great. I photographed a few local softball teams and the coaches were the BEST, they helped by holding reflectors, keeping a checklist, and rounding up the girls.
The girls were awesome. They were easy to direct, photogenic, and energetic. I could definitely see myself doing more of this work.
Special thanks to all the teams, coaches and families.
Have a great summer.

Senior Shout Out

2010-05-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all those seniors who are graduating this next few weeks. Here is a glimpse of a few seniors I've photographed and wanted to send out a special congrats!

Bubble PhotoParty (Part 2)

2010-05-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's taken so long to get the rest of these pictures up. I thought about not sharing them, but just got a request to post them. Besides some of these kids look angelic. I hope you enjoy.

I'm 7 months!

2010-05-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

If you're good with faces, you can look back in my previous blogs and find this little cutie as a new born, at 3 months, and now here she is at 7 months. I am always surprised to see how much these little darlings grow. This is a great testimony to why new parents should invest in the 1st year package. For more information check out my website.

BUBBLES (Part 1)

2010-04-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

You're the first to see these little angels dancing among the bubbles!

The Bubble PhotoParty was a hit! Families with their small children found the beige tent near the Rose Garden at Reid Park. We had snacks, chairs to lounge in, photo books to browse, and bubbles to blow. Parents browsed while children waited patiently.

THEN, out came the bubble machines! There were thousands of bubbles a minute shooting out over the lawn. Imagine the wonder and delight of the children. Some of the bubbles were basketball sized with tiny bubbles inside. Parents manned the bubble machines, navigating the wind. The kids went into adorable action and I shot and shot and shot.

(Parents your gallery's will be up by Sunday.)

Last Call

2010-04-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the Bubble PhotoParty!

Affordable, amazing, emotional images.

We will be at Reid Park near the Rose Garden Saturday and Sunday. Come by to say hi, but don't forget to book a 20 minute session for ONLY $30.
Come hang-out, visit, play games, and create playful images.
Easy pay with paypal...
Call 520.239.6434 for more information.

Bubble PhotoParty

2010-04-11T10:45:00.001-07:00

This SATURDAY & SUNDAY!
Don't miss a chance to capture laughter and play in action! These sessions are fun and action packed. We will be at Reid Park from 9am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Come by to say hi, but don't forget to book a 20 minute session for ONLY $30. Your session must be booked by Thursday. Come hang-out, visit, play games, and create playful images. Call 520.239.6434 for more information.

Brown Eyes and Button Noses

2010-03-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of brothers on a play date at Reid Park.
Some people like quiet strolls in the park...
I, on the other hand, enjoy meeting new friends, chasing birds, climbing the jungle gym, sliding, and trying to photograph it all. What a way to end the day!
These brothers were great! There was no shortage of laughter and play. As the play date ended they continued to pose for the camera; by this time they had caught on to what gets photographed. Instead of saying *Cheese*, they would stand in my line of sight and do something extremely cute...(see the last photo). It has NEVER been so hard to put my camera away.

The Stork Delivers

2010-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Shhhhh....
This little one is just 14 days old. He still sleeps deep enough that I can almost mold him into a little pretzel. But only if it's at least 85 degrees! This little guy does NOT like cold. We cranked the heater up to 85 and directed a space heater at the blanket before we attempted this pose.
The rest was history.

All his tiny perfect pieces...

Make the PERFECT baby!

Another Family Affair

2010-03-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

As the desert flowers start to bloom it's a wonderful time to be outside and capture the unique beauty of a family.
It was fun photographing this family. The little girl was a natural in front of the camera, it was hard to catch her without a natural smile. Older brother on the other hand was workin' all angles, some smiles, plenty of the "cool" looks, and a few truly silly poses.

As always my favorite images are the natural moments of interaction caught and preserved forever.

Family Affair

2010-02-25T07:18:00.001-08:00

Sweet family of three, soon to be FOUR! My first photo shoot with a 3 year old at the Dust Trail Town. It's an adorable old time park. The fun was never ending. As if the park didn't have enough character Little Miss added a sweet charm to every corner.

Bouncy Boys

2010-02-11T16:14:00.000-08:00

This pair stole my heart. The younger brother sweet and quiet, and his older bother, who took care of the quiet, was all over the place! He showed me toy after toy and stunt after stunt. He wanted the attention to stay on him, putting on a bigger show when I was photographing his little brother. The sweetest moment was watching the showy big brother change focus to ‘protect’ his little brother. (Pictures near the pool can be dangerous)…and he knew it and became the sole protect of his baby brother. Ahhhhh! Cuties!

New Baby Girl

2010-01-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

A new baby girl has been sent from the heavens!This baby girl was only 8 days old when I photographed her. It was an interesting challenge to get her to sleep when I wanted her to sleep.
She was sound asleep when I arrived and for the first 10 minutes I thought "Yeah, this is going to be easy!"...
Then she woke-up...
and she squirmed...
and she wiggled...
then she cried her way right out of every position I put her in.
Then the feedings started.
Mom fed her for 10 minutes, even though her usual feeding is 40 minutes. (She was trying to be considerate of my time.)
She calmed down and we tried again...
But she squirmed, wiggled and cried her way out all those positions too!
Round 2: Mom fed her again this time for 15 minutes, she seemed to calm down so we tried again...
But AGAIN she squirmed, wiggled and cried. So I suggested just feeding her until she was completely content.
It was a 30 minute wait...but this time...PEACE. Look at this beauty.

SHHHHHH!

Sweet Dreams.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

This was my first ever "Photo-party".

A Photo-party is a play date with a photographer...preferably "Me". Each family pays a fraction of the total cost and everyone gets fun pictures.

This photo-party was specifically for holiday cards. So what better way to say to all of you, "Happy Holidays!"

Wedding

2009-12-06T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here are a few fun photos from the last wedding I shot. It's always fun to watch/document someone getting married, but this couple was a blast to shoot.

Precious Moments

2009-11-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

Some pictures need no words. I hope you enjoy.

A Beautiful Family

2009-11-15T21:28:00.001-08:00

What a nice family.
I admire the parents.

I marvel at the testy 4 year old.

AND
I adore the 1 year old.

We had our photo shoot over two days. The first day was a whirlwind of laughing, stomping, running, screaming, tumbling, dancing, and patient loving guidance. The 4 year old dashed from place to place; doing exactly the opposite of whatever her parents asked her to do. The 1 year old was quiet and sweet, more interested in rocks than my camera.

This is one of my favorite shots, because you can see little Miss's personality. In the first image her dad is telling her to jump off the bench with 2 feet. The next image is exactly 4 seconds after her father’s instructions...I know, my camera has a clock. LOL.

Oh man, have you ever been asked to do something that you absolutely didn't want to do...well here's how I WISH I could react.

Our first photo shoot was night, then our second shoot was day. Do you know angels? Well I've never seen such a well behaved, polite, and considerate tiny big sister. This big sister was just as easy as a photographer could ask for. Taking directions like a pro and giving personality at the same time. I couldn't contain myself; I had to ask mom and dad what happened, what was the secret. Why was big sis so cooperative today...their response..."She had a NAP."

Note to self and anyone who will listen..."Naps are good."
I think everyone could benefit from a little down time in the middle of the day. Just ask big sis.

A Walk Around the Block

2009-11-03T14:00:00.001-08:00

Well, well, well. I know it's been a little too long since I last posted. The good news is, I'm busy! ;)
However, I have a great photo shoot to share with you.

Have you ever heard "boys will be boys"? Well this little boy was just that. We did an urban shoot in downtown Tucson. A simple walk around the block was an adventure. This little guy was running, jumping, playing ninja and charming just about everyone. We even met a very large tortoise, which he had the opportunity to ride. He was quick to find the next place for a picture. I'm still not sure who was running the photo shoot, him or me? :)

New Arrival

2009-10-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

New babies are the sweetest.
Between feeding and changing diapers she was a little doll. No chasing her down or waiting for a smile, just find the light and snap away. It is going to be fun to watch her grow.

Charismatic 5 Year Old

2009-09-28T21:44:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting an adorable, charismatic, ...oh and energetic 5 year old. He was a bundle of bashful energy, running from place to place making his parents and me work to catch his charming smile. I love working with kids like this, you have to work harder, and you never really know what your going to get, but it's guaranteed to be fun and unique!

Not All 2's are Terrible

2009-09-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

This little angel was so easy to photograph. She stayed right where I put her and she let her mom change her outfit 4 times! For those of you who don't know, getting a kid in the right lighting isn't always a piece of cake, and changing an outfit can be the start of a melt down. Not to say she didn't have her melt downs too! You see even little angels have a breaking point. It's the nature of the age.

Time Flies!!

2009-09-05T16:12:00.001-07:00

She's 2 and she's going to be a big sister!
I remember when I first met this little cutie. She was only 4 months old. I've had the privilege of documenting her growth. It's just been an honor and a blast to watch her grow. I am just as excited to meet her new little sister.

Who said Three is a Crowd?

2009-08-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

These three were a great tag team.
We decided to meet at the golf course and it set us up for great scenery, but there was lots of chasing.
I'd focus on photographing one and mom or dad would have to chase the other off the green, and just as that one was off the green, the other would split in the other direction.
It was a blast! But on this photo shoot the saying, "Three's a crowd" would be better said, "Three's a tag-team!"

Funny Adorable Pair

2009-08-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

This adorable pair always makes me laugh out loud.

From trying to fish pennies out of fountains to "accidentally" pulling petals off flowers, these two can help me get my cardio in for the day!

1 YEAR!

2009-08-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

You have to love tiny people with "BIG" personalities.

Sweet Baby Boy

2009-07-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

This very sweet 3 month old was so funny to photograph. Initially he was completely disturbed by my camera. He was all smiles looking at mom, but as soon as the "camera" came in site, I got one of these looks...
But time bets all.

I am not sure if he got use to the camera or just decide I wasn't going anywhere, but he relaxed and I was able to get a few great images.

And now my favorites...

The, "look at the camera" caught in action.

And the one I was waiting for, "completely forgot about the camera" smile.

Siblings

2009-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

This week I was honored to photograph a few siblings. It's always fun to see the relationship between the younger and older siblings, and to see the "cool" shift in the older siblings. Children 5 and under seem less occupied by my camera and capturing their personalities is a little easier. While most children older than 5 years have a definite idea of how they want the camera to see them. The older siblings take it beyond themselves and do there best to also influence the younger siblings to do the "proper" pose.
It's my job to capture them were they are, so I catch "Cool" then I do my best to instigate a natural response. Parents seem to like the "COOL" and LOVE the natural responses.
Check out these adorable pairs...

The Camera Weathered Girls:

The Handsome Boys:
The Active Pair:

Oh the personalities I encounter...I love my job.

Few Weekends Ago

2009-07-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

This past few weeks I have had the pleasure of photographing lots of very fun individuals. However the photo shoot on this particular weekend stood out, I had a new challenge. Take a look at these...

Friends

I was asked to photograph a group of four friends varying from ages 3 to 5. I learned that I need a colorful, loud, funny, whatchamacallit to attract ALL eyes and smiles at one time.
Here are some of the first pics...Next it was time to have them sit and look in one direction...

Not much luck!

But individually I had all the attention!What could be more admirable than friendship?

I'm Blogging!

2009-07-04T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well I've been talking about doing this for a long time and I have finally done it. Welcome to my blog! I hope I can share with you all the fun I have with photography.