With everything going on, the need to support other small businesses is more important now than ever. On the last flight I took, I saw a magazine and they interviewed local business owners and those business owners mentioned their favorite businesses, and then THOSE businesses were interviewed, and it kept going.
So, we are doing a “TAG! You’re it” Local business feature to help get the word out about a lot of local businesses that I hope you’ll patronize!
The first is Bello Boopie, who makes paper goods, like cards and stationary, you may have seen them at Riverside Arts Market.
Your name: Noel a.k.a. The Minion Man
Where are you located: Riverside Arts Market, Orange Park Farmers & Arts Market, Art Walk Downtown Jacksonville. In Store: Trove Antiques and Coconut Barrel
What makes your business unique? Bello Boopie isn’t afraid to push the boundaries. Most Greeting Cards come blank or with sentimental greetings; our greeting cards are geared to make people laugh.
What’s the favorite thing you sell? Our locally inspired greeting cards that make fun of Floridians
FOOD
What is your favorite local restaurant for date night? Hawkers 5 points
What is your favorite food place to go with family? Clarks Fish Camp
Who has the best sandwiches? European Street (Park Street Location)
Best pizza? V’s Pizza!
What toppings MUST go on a pizza? I’m a Cheese kinda guy!
Best Chinese? Peony Asian Bistro
Best bar? Park Place
Favorite food truck? Pie95
Favorite place to get dessert? Community Loaves
ACTIVITIES
Favorite activity around town that’s free? Riverside Arts Market
Favorite activity/place to go, that costs money around town? Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
Best local band or musician? Jacksonville Symphony (I’m an old soul)
SHOPPING
Best place to get fresh veggies and fruit? Riverside Arts Market and Orange Park Farmers and Arts Market
SERVICES
Best place to get a hair cut? Barbara Fisk at Beauty Boss Hair Studio
Best realtor? Mary Ann Eldreth
Best massage therapist? Brenda Star Walker
AROUND TOWN
Favorite mom & pop shop? Trove Antiques
Favorite side of town? Riverside/Avondale
Favorite local event? (Party, sports, concert, whatever) Weekly: Riverside Arts Market. Yearly: Boat Lighting Parade
What local charities do you like to support? JASMYN, V for Victory, and First Coast No More Homeless Pets
What is the most underrated shop or company in North Florida that everyone should know about? Coconut Barrel
Best place to get married or have a big party? Old St. Andrews
Best Local Maker: Random Fandom Gifts
Best Fur Friendly Company: A tie: Lucy Lou’s Designs for collars and leashes, Bubbas Bistro for pet treats
Tips to improve your workspace and posture at home, byDr Cristina Padilla, Chiropractor, Owner at Thrive Family Chiropractic, a house call chiropractic practice serving the NE Florida region.
Are you one of the thousands of employees or business owners who has been forced to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic? Chances are, you never thought this would be a long-term practice you needed to adapt and prepare for, right? I certainly wasn’t.
Most of us don’t have a dedicated office in our homes, because we never had to work from home for longer than a few hours here and there or maybe just to meet a deadline or project occasionally. Personally, I have been spending a lot of extra hours on Zoom calls and meetings as well as helping patients virtually. And my back and neck are feeling it. The irony of being a Chiropractor …? I can’t adjust myself!
The most common complaints I have been getting from practice members these last few weeks have been: increase in headaches, neck and low back pain and stiffness. Why? They are working out of their couch, bed, dining room table, kitchen counter. They don’t have their nice and comfortable desk chairs and their workstations at home are less than ideal. Not only is this physically a problem, but ask your significant other to take a photo of what you look like while “in the zone”, working from home? Chances are you are hunched forward, your chair doesn’t have any back support and you are looking down way more than you should.
Not only is posture affected by these “new workspaces” but these changes in ergonomics can also lead to increase in headaches, trouble focusing and decrease in physical activity, all damaging to your body and health.
So here are a few tips to help improve your workstation and relieve some of the tension in your spine. As always, a visit to the Chiropractor (virtual if you would like) is highly encouraged to provide you with a long term plan to improve posture and overall health.
Couches are for slouchers. Yes. I know. But someone had to tell you! Couches are made for comfort, not with good posture in mind. Most of them are soft and deep and they do nothing good for your spine when you are on episode 4 of Tiger King or at the Monday morning team meeting (wearing sweatpants …isn’t it wonderful!?)
Another option is a sturdy chair, like a dining room chair, that has padding for you to sit on. For this, you may want to use a decorative pillow to support your low back or order a lumbar support pillow online. These are pretty inexpensive.
The bed and couch are the worst options because not only do they not provide good support, you have no way of keeping your workstation at eye level (more on this below) unless you have a portable desk that props up to keep your screen and devices at eye level as well as your keyboard and/or mouse as close to your body as possible.
Movement is life. Movement is important to increase bloodflow to your arms, legs and to get your heart rate up throughout the day. While there are a number of gyms and personal trainers providing free or inexpensive online workouts (North Jax Crossfit is my go to!), a lot of people may not be as inclined to exercise at home, because they don’t have equipment, they get lazy, they don’t have a partner to workout with … you name it, I’ve done it.
Two things that have worked well for me:
First, set up a simple workout station in an area that I tend to walk by a lot. I recently decided to put a yoga mat in my bedroom and I have been following a challenge in April of doing 50 burpees a day (I’m gonna be super honest…it’s not happening every day. But it’s happening a lot more than before – and it only really takes a few minutes! If you try it, post on social media and tag me @jaxmobilechiropractor )
Secondly, set up a timer for 5 minutes an hour of stretching and movement. Whether it is walking a few laps around the house, doing a few Sun Salutations (great stretch and easy to do!) or to do a few squats and jumping jacks – there is a lot of research supporting these can help boost your energy and give you focus!
Water challenge. While you are up, go get a water refill. I try to use the largest glass or tumbler I have and every time I complete a task, a video call or the end of the hour, I make a point to finish my water and pour some more. Remember, you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water a day – more if you are an avid coffee drinker like me. For every cup of coffee, add one cup of water! Make your water fun – berries, lime, lemons, oranges, cucumbers are refreshing ways to make water fun!!! I am currently obsessed with Arbonne’s Hydration tea (chamomile and other herbs, no caffeine!). Email me if you would like some samples!
I hope these tips are easy for you to implement to your daily routine. I have created a short exercise and stretching program specific to reverse the long hours of sitting at a desk, along with an article from Physitrack that exapands on how to evaluate if your workspace is ideal for you and your posture.
If you would like a digital copy of these or to schedule a complimentary ergonomic evaluation, please email thrivefamilychiro@yahoo.com or contact me via Facebook or Instagram at @jaxmobilechiropractor . Let’s Thrive!
Being in quarantine we are playing some games, mostly on the phone, BUT we own A LOT of games. We like to camp and go on group vacations with friends. It can be hard to pick out games, I mean, there are TONS, so here are some recommendations from our household to yours.
Let me know on facebook your favorites or any that we missed and should try:
ALL AGES
Spot It— This game, no joke, is great for the youngest in your group to the oldest. I often pack it with me on family trips. We played it last summer with my son who was 4 at the time and my great aunt who is maybe 80.
It sounds crazy, but there are a set of pictures on each card and not every card has the same set of pictures, but they each have ONE image that matches. Your job is to be the first to find the match. I swear, sometimes I feel like there’s no way something matches, but there is! Great game, easy and quick to learn, not much to set up. Highly recommend it.
There are different themes too, like camping or Disney.
This one is good for most ages. The kids seem to really like it. I play it with them sometimes.
Other Card Games
Phase 10 is a go to game in our house. It’s like Rummy, I’m told (I’ve never actually played Rummy!). You have to make sets, etc, and each round is different. My 9yo likes to play this one with us.
I haven’t tried Snappy Dresser, but this 3 pack of games is a good deal and includes Uno!
Apples to Apples Type Game Play
Apples to Apples is a classic game. One person is the judge and they read a card, like “Next best thing since sliced bread” and every person has to give a card with their answer. The judge than picks their favorite answer.
This type of game may sound vaguely familiar to adults. Cards Against Humanity plays off this same idea. If you want a truly vulgar, 18+ politically incorrect game, CAH as it’s commonly known, would be my suggestion. Don’t forget add on packs for even more fun. I like the blank cards so you can add your own!
But, if you want something similar, but the kids want a good laugh too, try this one: Kids Against Maturity.
Domino Style Games
Qwirkle is a popular game in our house. It can be super tricky. you have to match the color or shape and you can’t duplicate in a row.
They have a new travel version and a new Qwirkle Cubes we haven’t tried yet.
We bought this one and we haven’t completely figured it out, but my daughter def. likes it.
Super Silly Games
This one is super popular online. We have one like this and haven’t gotten around to playing it yet!
We’ve only played Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza once. It’s a group memory game. You have to say the right word in the right order if you want to win. It’s harder than you would think.
Face Off. This one currently isn’t available on Amazon, as of my writing this, but this one is GREAT for groups. We have used it at home and with our Girl Scout gatherings. I would say ages 7+ would be best.
Word Games
If you like Scrabble or Words With Friends, I recommend Quiddler. It has rounds, kind of like Phase 10 (see other card games section). You can play a game in 15-30 minutes, depending on how many people are with you. I haven’t played it with my 9yo yet, but I think she could do it with some help.
Solo Play
Kanoodle is like a puzzle. My 9yo likes it. I bought it after seeing teachers request it.
Other Highly Rated Games
It took us a little bit to figure this one out, but once you do, it is a great game for the older crowd especially. If you have adults in your group who love to compete in Monopoly, THIS is the game for them. They even have different versions like a Game of Thrones one!
We bought Ticket To Ride from Target on like a Black Friday deal. We’ve broken it out once but haven’t completely played it yet. One of my friends said her family loves it and it’s like Monopoly but with trains. They do have MANY different options for this one, like individual country ones. There’s also a version for younger kids, called First Journey.
This next one, looks REALLY interesting an is actually cheaper and you can play with Alexa!!
If you like Connect 4, Santorini is like a 3D version. My daughter and I sometimes play this one. It’s a bit more complex than Connect 4 though. So I would say 8+ for this one.
Game Night In a Can. We bought this for a big family get together. We ended up not using it for that, but the girl scouts did and they loved it. I would recommend this for a business that is doing team building and scouts type stuff. Note: The can has changed and I’m not sure if they added new stuff to it, but it might be even better now?!
A Bit Harder
So, I bought this game about a year ago and it may hit too close to home for you right now, but that’s ok! If you have anyone who REALLY likes hard strategy games, this might be the one for them. Honestly, we brought this on vacation with our friends, and the guys were youtubing videos on how to play this and we still had deep discussions on what was the right way to do it. It is a highly rated game though. A bit too much for our house though!
In conclusion
I know that’s a lot of games, but we actually own MANY MORE than what I listed!!!! It’s crazy.
The games we usually bring with us on trips are: Spot it, Phase 10, Catan, and Quirkle.
When Christy Whitehead isn’t writing about all her crazy board games, she owns Christy Whitehead Photography, a studio in Jacksonville, Fl. She specializes in maternity, newborn, families, cake smashes and corporate work.
+Please note these may be affiliate links and we may make a little bit of money when you click on one to buy! Please let us know how you liked the games or if you have any new ones we should try!
Since the studio is temporarily closed because of quarantine, I’ve been doing a lot of sewing. Mostly masks-for myself, my family, the medical community and anyone who has asked.
I’ve also been getting asked what templates I used, so I figured I’d make a blog post to share everything I’ve found about mask making in one blog.
But before I get into all the mask making info, here are some local groups you can join, donate too, help, buy from, etc:
Give Back
The Coding Sharks School, in Jax, needs donations to make shields for medical workers.
We have a group for the 904 area where medical personnel post their needs and also mask makers come to sell or donate masks. You can join it on Facebook here.
Cotton fabric–many use the fleece on the mouth side for comfort.
You can pick up fabric at Joann‘s (order online and they’ll deliver it to your car. ALSO, if you go in, they were giving away a free mask making kit, one for each customer. It should make 2-4 masks). Download their app on your phone for coupons.
Fabric.com is another good one, but because of COVID they are limiting the types of things you can purchase, so the cheaper fabric is sometimes not available. Scroll to the bottom of their page and sign up for their newsletter to get 10% off.
Spoonflower is kind of like Etsy but for fabric. You’ll find some fun ones there.
This material is supposed to be better than N95: Haylard H-600 2 ply
You can see a video about it here:
Elastic
The local stores seem to be running quite short on elastic. You can buy flat or round elastic.
Flat elastic holds better for sewing and you don’t have to knot the ends, the down side is, it probably bothers ears more and you want to make sure you lay it correctly while sewing so it lays flat in use.
The round skinny elastic is what I bought and what I use. I figured it would be better for wearing. The only downside I’ve found is I have to tie the ends to help keep it from coming out of the mask. I bought this from Amazon, it’s 109 yards. I’ve made over 100 masks and I don’t think I’ve used even half of this! Def. a great value.
Side note, if you want to make the mask more fitted around the nose, you can buy some pipe cleaners. Standard size, cut in half. I tried to order them off Joanns.com and they didn’t have them, but they did have them in store, and you have to go inside to get them. Or you can order some off Amazon.
This has a video on how to make one but also goes into how to clean a mask.
If you decide to buy N95s:
On the news, N95 seems to be the best, but when I went to buy them online, I found different codes, if you’re concerned about where you buy them from I found this list of codes as to where each comes from:
Three fun, easy, and educational rhythm activities to do with your kids during quarantine
By Alisha Ramcharitar, Owner/Founder, Just Add Rhythm LLC
Developing any kind of schedule during this quarantine can be tough. Parents have to multi-task like never before – handle the household, home school, work remotely, and somehow safely get groceries.
How can you keep the kids entertained during those long stretches at home?
Here, we give you three simple ideas for your kids to access the fun and benefits of rhythm from home – no instruments required.
BYO Drum
Recently, I hosted a Quarantine Songs Jam Session for families on Facebook Live. Beforehand, I invited all participants to find items around their house they could use as instruments – Tupperware containers, pencils/pens, pots/pans, salt and pepper shakers…you get the idea. Invite your kids to get creative, and don’t be afraid to join them! Schedule a family fun evening where everyone BYO’s their most creative idea to the jam session. Play along to our Facebook Live session:
Next, let’s try a game. This is a crowd pleaser during our in-person sessions for all ages, and it’s super simple. One person plays a short excerpt of a song on their “drum,” and everyone else has to guess what it is. The obvious challenge is that because you’re only hearing the rhythm and not the melody, it’s harder to guess the song correctly.
Of course, we encourage everyone to pick songs that most people will be familiar with (like nursery rhyme songs, Christmas or holiday songs, patriotic songs, etc.). The example I usually give when I demonstrate is the Happy Birthday song (aren’t we all sick of singing that while we wash our hands).
Check out this Spotify playlist of songs almost everyone knows the words to (just be sure to check which few songs are explicit if you choose to play the recording) for some pop-inspired ideas.
Part of the fun is trying to figure out how to actually play the song on your instrument. Once someone guesses it, you can all try to play it together – and have a laugh if you mess up!
Rhythmic Breathing
Finally, being stuck at home and dealing with this quarantine can be stressful. Your kids might feel anxiety or worry about the health and safety of themselves, their family, their friends. They might be wondering when it will end, and when they can go back to school, back to their usual activities. Or, they (and you!) might just need a mental break.
We can help them manage some of that stress or anxiety with a rhythmic breathing exercise called the Stopwatch Technique. Percussionist Jim Donovan (formerly of the band Rusted Root) leads transformational rhythm programs to empower people to use sound to improve their health. He developed this simple technique that aligns slow, deep breathing with light rhythmic tapping on your lap. Follow along with Jim’s video here:
We’re all in this together
Did you find these activities fun and helpful? Drop a line on Facebook to let us know how the kids enjoyed them, and be sure to follow us.
We’re all in this together. Please reach out to us if we can offer you any additional resources, exercises, or techniques to try! Rhythm is fun, and it’s also been proven to help improve our mental, physical, and emotional health. Let’s get drumming!
Alisha Ramcharitar, M.A. is a global bridge between West African culture and corporate and community wellness. The Founder of Just Add Rhythm, she leads interactive, innovative programs in the Jacksonville area and throughout Florida. Alisha is a REMO endorsed and HealthRHYTHMS® trained facilitator. She and her husband are the proud parents of an energetic baby boy and an even more rambunctious Goldendoodle. She’d like to think she’s as good a ukulele player as Zooey Deschanel.
Cute ways to incorporate photos into your arts
& crafts projects.
Children love to be creative. Whether it’s finger painting on a Saturday morning or a new macaroni portrait of the dog, arts and craft projects are a fantastic way to not only get them to have some fun by exerting those creative juices but it’s also great for keeping them busy for a while.
If you’re
always taking photos and are looking for new ways to display them, incorporating
your latest shots into your child’s next arts and craft project is the perfect way
to do just that.
Below are some
fun ideas.
Frame your memories. There are so many fun frames that you can make with your children that
can be used to display your favorite
photoss. If you’re heading to the seaside for your next
holiday, make a point of bringing back a few shells that can be used to create
a cute frame.
Create a puzzle. Choose one of your favorite photos, enlarge it and print it. Stick the photo on some sturdy
cardboard and coat it with an acrylic spray to protect it. Cut out some puzzle
shapes and let your child put the photo back together again. OR, check out this method for making a Lego
puzzle: https://www.icanteachmychild.com/lego-picture-puzzles/
Craft a fridge magnet. Get your child to draw something from their imagination but leave a
space for a photo in the picture. Laminate the drawing and attach magnetic
sheets or tape to the back for an instant photo frame for your fridge.
Make a mobile.
A mobile is a unique way to display your family tree. Checkout sites such as
Pinterest for inspiration. There are tons of creative templates to use.
Make a coaster. See those photos year round with a cool tile coaster, or put it on an
easel for display. Maybe even put your child’s hand print on the back!
Make an ornament! Use the photo transfer method mentioned below to transfer the image
onto a ceramic ornament.
Doing a
photo transfer is a great way to do many projects: http://www.architectureofamom.com/2014/11/photo-transfer-ceramic-ornament.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+ArchitectureOfAMom+(Architecture+of+a+Mom)&crlt.pid=camp.EpAnoqboi8df
Using
family photos in your next arts and crafts session is the perfect way to bond
with your child and share some beautiful memories. Have fun!
Christy
Whitehead is a professional photographer in Jacksonville, Florida. She
specializes in newborn, families and headshots. Don’t feel like making your own
art wall? Christy has lots of cool portrait options from prints mounted to wood
or even printed on metal.
Tips
for what you need to consider before you pay that photography deposit.
Finding the perfect photographer can be overwhelming. There are a couple of important things to consider before booking.
What style are you looking
for?
Photographers
have different styles so you need to decide on someone who can help you achieve
the end result you are looking for. This applies to everything from wedding and
maternity shoots to family and corporate shoots. Ask the photographer for some
examples of their latest work to evaluate whether they can cater to your needs.
Quality?
Look
at their website and Facebook page. Are the portraits in focus? Are the colors
off? Is the posing good?
Photographers
typically only post a couple of their best photos from a session, so if the
ones posted aren’t that great, it’s not a good sign.
Research and review.
Before
you invest in a professional photographer you need to do your homework. Get
online to find a few customer reviews, browse around their website to view
their latest work and have a look around their social media pages to find out what
others are saying about them. These platforms will also give you a good idea of
their personality and style.
We
have a ton of positive yelp reviews and Facebook reviews.
Some
other important points to consider when researching photographers are:
Budget. Do their services fall within your price range? Do they have a payment plan?
Expertise. Are they experienced enough to give you the results you are looking for?
Location. Are they based in your area and are they willing to travel to a specific location if need be? Do they have a studio?
Quality. Is the quality of their photos good enough? Look at aspects such as sharpness, exposure, and saturation.
You
don’t want just anyone handling your sweet new baby. Check to make sure the
studio is licensed and insured. How many newborns have they photographed? What
safety measures do they take?
Where
are they photographing your baby or family? On railroad tracks–that is illegal.
In a glass jar–highly dangerous! Hanging in a crocheted blanket from a tree
limb–scary!
What about after the
session?
Does
the photographer provide any retouchups? Head swaps?
Our
studio does full retouchups, removing acne, marks, etc. This is included as
part of our service.
Who to choose?
Get
in touch with the photographers you are considering and ask any questions that
you might have. It’s important that you chat with the photographer over the
phone if not in person as this is the best way to get to know them and find out
whether you’re comfortable with them and feel they can do the job you need them
to do.
It’s
important that you pick a photographer that you have confidence in. While there
is nothing wrong with helping out your hobby photographer friend who has just
started out, it’s best to choose an experienced photographer for important
events and occasions that you can’t relive.
Our studio does studio and on location portraits and we’d be happy to discuss your session ideas with you.
The first
year of your baby’s life they change so much from day to day. While I highly
recommend professional portraits, here’s some tips for capturing a few moments
on your own as well.
Newborn photographer in Jacksonville, Florida. Specializing in custom sets like this Toy Story set.
Let’s
talk Lighting
Lighting
is your friend, but not all lighting is created equal. Have you ever noticed
how sometimes photos have a yellowish tint? Yeah, you can thank those indoor
lights. So let’s look for some window/natural light.
Position
your baby so that their head is closest to the window, and their little booty
is parallel to the window (if you want mainly face photo) or farthest away from
the window (if you want full body).
In studio,
I use a big light that acts very similar to a window light and position it just
to my right, and maybe slightly to my back.
Keep in
mind, shadows are your friend! Without shadows, you’ll have a flat image and
you won’t see all those cute little baby rolls.
Angles
Next thing
to think about is the angle you take the photo, you don’t want to shoot so that
you don’t see up into the baby’s nostrils, as that’s not flattering and creates
a “black hole.”
Don’t
forget to step back and get full body, as well as get close and get details.
If you’re
doing a naked baby shot, you also have to think about all those little bits.
You want everything tucked in so you don’t see their genitals. Push comes to
shove, a little blanket can help cover things up.
Don’t be
afraid to experiment. Shoot straight on, stand up higher and get a shot from
above, etc. Even going on the shadowed side and shooting back at the baby can
create a nice effect.
Positioning
A large
bean bag that is a bit stiff is a good place to start with posing your little
one.
Some large
throw blankets work great over the bean bag to not only help keep your little
one warm, but also give you a nice soft backdrop.
Rolled
towels are great for putting under the blankets to help prop them up.
Props
or No Props?
Some
people prefer very simple and clean. Either baby completely naked or with a little
outfit on they want something that represents them and their personalities.
I often
try to do both. But it’s something you’ll have to think about when you’re
thinking about your own photos, what do you like?
Poses
Some
different popular poses with your little one.
Families together.
Siblings with the new baby.
Depending
on the older child’s age, you might want to position them laying down next to
each other, or have the older child sit on the ground with the new baby in his
lap. (I would have a spotter though, just in case!)
With each parent, individually.
Naked,
skin on skin with dad is fun, especially if he has tattoos. Or if he’s military
or has another uniform, that can be a great way to customize it.
Swaddled.
If you’re
having a hard time getting your little one settled, a swaddled baby is
typically a happy baby!
Baby on tummy.
This gets
a nice cute shot of their whole little body laying down in that cute little
pose, showing off their toes and fingers.
Hands on arms/elbows, front view.
This is
more of a straight shot of your little one, but can include a little bit of
their whole body. But the focus is more on the face.
Head in hands.
Get dad to
hold the new baby in his hands, it shows how little the baby’s head is at this
time in his life, compared to daddy’s hands.
Wedding rings on toes or fingers.
This would
be especially sentimental if you plan on gifting your child with those rings
one day.
Baby on his back.
This can
be a very natural pose for little one and if he has gas, the tummy pose may
irritate them, but this pose is usually pretty comfortable.
Buckets and baskets.
Using a
bucket or basket is popular with newborn photographers
Props.
Special
toys can be a great way to make your session extra special. Oversided teddy?
Make it look like your little one is sleeping in it’s lap. Grandma make the
little one a special little doll, have her hold it.
Special
items, like a wedding dress or veil is another nice idea to incorporate.
Use the
crib as part of your session. Pose your little one in there on their belly,
face towards you and shoot them through the bars or from above.
Types
of Newborn Photography
There are two
main different types of newborn photographers, lifestyle and studio/posed.
Lifestyle photographers are photographing things as
they happen naturally. So if you like this style, you like the photos of the
chaos of everyday situations—the house the way it is, the kids doing what they,
want, etc. The only problem with doing this type of session yourself, is
lifestyle sessions typically include YOU, the parent.
Studio/posed photography is how I typically shoot.
While I shoot families with their little ones, it’s in studio, posed for the
best possible results. While the family photos would be exceptionally hard to
get on your own, since you need to hold the little one AND take the photo, posing
your little one for some photos of only them.
Cameras
Cell
phones have come a long way, but even as a professional, I still struggle to
get great shots from my cell phone, so if you’re struggling, you’re not alone!
I shoot
with Canon professional SLR cameras, if you want some info about what I shoot
with and what I recommend, check out the For Photographers section on my
website for info about education and gear.
https://www.jaxphotographer.com/photographers/faq-gear-getting-legal
Safety
Baby rolling, or kicking out. Little ones like to push
and kick, always be careful of where they are on a prop, make sure they aren’t
too close to an edge or on an unstable prop, like a bucket without help. I have
an assistant or parent sit near me, within reach in case they need to grab the
little one, as safety is of the utmost importance.
Strap on camera. This may sound crazy, but if
you’re photographing above the baby, make sure the strap is on your wrist tight
or around your neck. The last thing you would want is to accidentally drop the
camera on your little one!
Glass jars, etc. There was a time when people
put babies into glass jars with their heads sticking out, etc. This is
dangerous. What if the baby kicks out or something happens and the jar falls
and cracks? I would only hope that all photos using things like glass jars are
being photoshopped and not really done.
Railroad tracks. What most people don’t realize is, shooting on
railroad tracks is illegal. Even adults who know what they are doing have been
caught by surprise and killed, here in the US, so just avoid the railroad
tracks.
Fabric hanging. Sometimes, people request a shot of their little
one inside a wrap, lifted off the ground. When we shoot this, we do this on top
of a bean bag and there is a spotter right there to help in case the little one
were to fall, etc.
Taco Pose.
A lot of
people love the shot with the babies legs all the way to the front near the
baby’s face. I’m not a huge fan of this shot. Not all babies will do this pose,
some just aren’t this limber. Also, if they have gas, tummy issues, or anything
else that is bothering them, they may not want to do this pose at all.
Head on hands.
This is a
popular request and we do it quite a bit. But what most people don’t realize
is, this shot is typically composited. Basically, we set the baby up in the
pose, and my assistant holds their hands at the bottom, under the chin, I take
a photo, and then she moves her hand to hold the baby’s head and I take another
photo. Then I combine these shots in Photoshop, to create what looks like the
baby is resting on her hands. Little baby heads are quite heavy and it would
not be comfortable for them to rest on their hands, if they can do it at all.
So if you’ve tried to do this shot and couldn’t, this is the secret of how I do
it!
Help!
Even with
all these tips, I don’t know that I could even go over everything I’ve learned
over the years on how to create the best newborn portraits while keeping your
little one’s safety in mind.
If you’re
struggling to take photos of your little baby, or just overwhelmed with the
thought of it, give me a call, (904) 891-0359 or shoot me an email Christy@jaxphotographer.com
Christy
Whitehead is a pregnancy, newborn and cake smash photographer in Jacksonville,
Florida. She has been voted best photographer multiple times and has been
featured on Buzzfeed multiple times for her fun and geeky photos.
I’ve lived in Florida most all of my life and I’ve only ever found ONE shark’s tooth. My husband loves to go to the beach and walk and look, but we just never find them.
I’m one of those people that for gifts I rather give experiences, so for Father’s Day, I found Fossil Florida through a friend and booked Chase for a 4 hour private fossil/shark’s tooth dig for 4 people.
My father in law, Felix, my hubby, Andy and my daughter Spencer woke up early one Friday morning to meet up with Chase in Gainesville.
My haul!
We were hunting for about 3 hours or so and I found about 120 shark’s teeth, plus sting ray teeth, an alligator tooth plus some other stuff, including a broken Megladon tooth.
I posted a photo on Facebook and EVERYONE was asking me how we found so many shark’s teeth, where, etc.
I have been back since, when my brother came to town, but we just went by ourselves, not with Chase. I HIGHLY recommend going with Chase. One of the biggest reasons is his knowledge.
He is super friendly, great with kids and REALLY knowledgeable about everything you find and run across. He loves what he does and you can tell! Plus he goes to different places all over the state to hunt!
My daughter found a huge Megalodon tooth that she is sooo proud of. My father in law found a tooth that Chase absolutely loved, my FIL tried to give it to him, but he refused, but politely offered to turn it into a necklace for my FIL.
Cell phone photo of my daughter, Spencer, and her Megalodon tooth!
Chase said he has found arrowheads while doing the digs also!
We had a great experience and I wanted to share it with everyone and with this week being Shark Week, and Chase just having his first boy (shark theme nursery, of course!) this last month, this seemed like the perfect time!
He provides EVERYTHING you need for your hunt and is a great host that keeps digging and refilling your sifter with sand/fossils! All you need is a bottle of water, swimsuit and maybe some snacks!
Read all the way to the end for my review and a DISCOUNT CODE!!!
Cell phone shot of Chase and his daughter hunting!
From Chase: We are super excited about shark week, my daughters are making shark art and Wednesday I am displaying my shark tooth art at Art Walk in Jacksonville!
My grandmother was a pro at finding shark teeth at the beach, I would walk next to her and not finding any as she picked them up right and left.
I remember always looking at her piece of art my aunt made for her with their findings from a trip to Fernandina Beach–It has hundreds of shark teeth and even a nice 2” Megalodon!
I always looked for them at the beach, and in the shell cart path ways at the golf course, but it wasn’t until a friend of mine showed me that you could find them by diving in the dark creeks I grew up swimming and fishing in.
The first time I went looking in a creek, over 10 years ago, I found a 2.5” Megalodon tooth and I was hooked! My favorite place to hunt fossils is scuba diving or snorkeling in Florida waters like deep creeks/rivers. The fossils accumulate in the gravel when the water ways wash through the ancient layers.
The teeth I found–Christy
I have found the fossilized teeth and bones of many of Florida’s extinct and living animals, from alligators and dolphins to horses and bears. Shark teeth being the most common of course.
In the past year, I have picked up approximately 100,000 shark teeth of all different shapes sizes and colors. The majority of them going into my fossil Florida artwork, the largest of which contained almost 10,000 teeth alone!
One of Chase’s pieces on his website. Florida COMPLETELY made with fossils!
A large variety of recognizable shark teeth and other fossils go into our interactive fossil dig kits as well!
One of my favorite finds is a 3.5” perfect ancient dolphin/whale relative known as a delphinodon. They aren’t found too often and it’s the only one like it I have seen!
Anything funny ever happen? I once took a family to a small private creek and ran across a 7’ rat snake, I grabbed it by the tail and tossed it off in the woods. The family was a little surprised, but that’s how Florida is.
How do you see your company in five years? I will continue making art, leading private guides and expanding our jewelry and dig kit lines.
Sharks lose an average of 30,000 teeth in their lifetime, that times millions of sharks, and 400 million years, there are still many to be found!
We will be expanding our private guide areas, and looking to start taking children’s groups in the future!
How can people book you?
DISCOUNT CODE to get a free mini dig kit with any purchase from the website: Sharkblog
Details of some of the teeth I found. The bottom right is an alligator tooth. Cell phone photo of our gang. Chase provided the sifting pans and the bags to put our teeth in.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christy Whitehead is a photographer in Jacksonville, Florida. She often shoots product photography and head shots in her studio and on location.
ICongrats parents, you made it! You survived summer break. Here’s some ideas for those back to school portraits.
The first
day of school is a milestone for all kids and parents. I always try to catch a
photo of my kids on their first day to show how big they were, what they wore,
etc. Over the years, it’s fun to look back on those images and to see how much
they’ve grown from one year to the next
Below are
some really cute ideas that you can use to make your child’s first day of
school photos memorable and unique.
Get a
shot of the outfit. You’ve spent the time choosing the perfect outfit for
this day so why not hang it up somewhere and get a shot of it before they get
dressed? Lay the outfit out on your child’s bed and take a shot from above or
place it on a cute hanger and hang it against the door. Then, once your little
one has it on, let them give you their best model pose with it on!
Use a
blackboard. Incorporate a cute blackboard with a frame into the photos. Fill
the blackboard with facts such as the date, their age or even what they want to
be when they grow up. Easels also work really well for this and will give you
more space to be creative.
A
drawing. Get your child to draw themselves on their first day of school and
include this in your photo. Or have them write their name
and incorporate that into the photo to show off how their penmanship has
changed as well.
Show
their progress. While taking a picture on the first day of school is a
must, make a point of taking a photo on the last day of the school year too. It’s
always kind of sad to compare the two photos for me. Another sweet idea is to
get your kid to pose with their first day of school photo from the previous
year to show their progress. Or have them wear the same outfit as the first day
of school!
By having fun and making this moment a big deal for your
children, you will instill confidence in them and prepare them for the day and
year ahead. Good luck parents!
