Posted in photo tips

I’m a visual learner, meaning it helps me to see something visually before I can commit it to memory.  That could be why I am so addicted to magazines and Pinterest. Oh, and why I am a photographer in the first place!!  🙂 If you want me to understand the point you are getting across then SHOW me something, draw me a picture, show me some color swatches…SOMETHING I can look at.  So, one tool I use with my clients to communicate the vision we have for their photoshoot and/or wedding photography is to create an inspiration board for them.  I’ve been thinking recently about how well this works and am starting to ask clients to create inspiration boards for us to communicate the vision THEY have for their photos.  I love collaborating with creative clients.  This is my most favorite part of my job!  You give a little and we’ll give a little and together MAGIC will happen.

Of course, not everyone has access to photoshop so I thought I would give our readers some tips on easy and FREE ways to create an inspiration board.  There are many options, but these are a few of my favorites.

  • *Up first is the most obvious and my procrastination of choice–Pinterest.com

With Pinterest you create boards and virtually “pin” photos to that board.  I love how easy they make it and especially LOVE that they give credit to the website it was “pinned” from and it’s easy to find the original image and accompanying post.  Makes it handy when looking for the instructions for a DIY project or recipe.  The only thing it is missing is the ability to actually create an inspiration board. I also wish it had a share on Facebook feature or a way to embed the board.  Oh well, nothing is perfect. 😉  I generally use Pinterest to gather the images and then pull the images into photoshop and create an inspiration board myself.

pinterest inspiration boards of rustic vintage and country chic favoritesP I N this to pinterest

  • *My next favorite inspiration board maker is from the most beautiful Wedding Blog alive–Style Me Pretty

Style Me Pretty has thousands of gorgeous images contributed by their oh so stylish vendors and they have a fabulous tool for putting those images together into your very own inspiration board.  It’s VERY easy to use.  VERY, VERY easy.  The hardest part is getting distracted by looking at all the amazing photos and all the creative details!  The best part is they make it easy to share your board on Facebook and to embed into a blog or website.  Here is the board I created in just a few minutes.  If only Saylor and I could have another wedding…………sigh.

  • And last, but not least for those of us who have a vision, but want the super easiest way to create an inspiration board–Mosaic Maker from Big Huge Labs

This is a super simple tool to use.  It has a few layout choices or you can decide how many images you want to include. You simply copy and past the URL from any image or upload your own and it makes the board for you.  You can then download it to email, print or upload to Facebook.  This is a board I created for a client for a shoot we just did using the Mosaic Maker.  Easy peasy!

Just in case you need some more “inspiration” to make your board check out these great articles from Weddingbee about making inspiration boards:


There are as many ways to make an inspiration board as there are things to inspire you so choose the way that works best for you!  Have fun with it and get inspired! Don’t forget to give credit to the creator of the beautiful images you use in your board! 

Also, be on the lookout for an exciting announcement in the next few days that might get you even more motivated to make your very own inspiration board. 😉

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  • Alex

    Oh how I love pinterest! Great post – I also love to create inspiration boards for clients! It helps us to all get on the same page visually 🙂

Posted in personal

What is it with summer that makes me into an instant insomniac, with no regard for time or schedules? I lose hours doing nothing at the pool or surfing the internet (does anyone say SURF the internet anymore?). Isn’t summer great?!!
I have to admit, I’ve got several summer crushes and want to share them with you. 🙂
Here are my TOP FIVE summer crushes:

1. A Beautiful Mess–by Elsie Larson I’ve followed this lovely little blog for several years.  Elsie is one of my scrapbook heros and I LOVE her personal style.  Her adorable drawings as buttons just make this a fun blog to read!

P I N this to pinterest

2. THIS wedding–Speaking of the adorable Elsie Larson her recent wedding has my heart pitter-patting.  I can’t get enough of the handmade details!  Check it out! The hour or more of your life you lose won’t be missed at all. I promise!  Photo below by the amazing Arrow & Apple. LOVE their work!

P I N this to pinterest

photo by Arrow and Apple

3.  Kendi Everyday–Dressing fashionably and doing laundry are not on my list of talents.  I am fascinated by people that ALWAYS look cute and put together.  HOW do they do it?  I mean, seriously?  And the bigger question is how do they keep it all clean, organized and coordinated without slipping into a deep depression of laundry misery?  Enter Kendi Everyday and her 30 for 30 remix project.  As I read about how she chooses 30 items of clothing and ‘remixes’ them into 30 different outfits over the course of 30 days I can see the light at the end of the laundry tunnel.  If I only have 30 pieces of clothing then I could actually keep those folded and put away and not be drowning under the laundry mountain that resides on the floor of my closet!!!  Let’s be honest, I’m probably going to have more than 30 pieces for each season, but 50 sounds reasonable and managable!  Along with soaking up fashion ideas, I am LOVING her series on creating a working closet.  Can’t wait to get started on creating my own working closet!

P I N this to pinterest

4. Modcloth.com–Once I have Purged, Accessed and organized my closet I am going to need to purchase a few items to complete my wardrobe and THIS is the place I’m going to do it.  I have been drooling over their lovely, vintagy dresses and tops forever.  I love that you can create a love list. Check out what I love right now…you know, just in case you want to buy me something. 😉

P I N this to pinterest

5. HBO Go and Netflix–Watching all the past series that I have missed.  This may have contributed to the above mentioned insomnia.  Don’t even ask about how I lost the entire month of May while I watched all 100 episodes of Nip/Tuck.  Seriously, DON’T ask.

P I N this to pinterest

So what are YOUR summer crushes?  Would love for you to share with links please! Have a fabulous weekend. 😉

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Posted in personal

On Friday we celebrated the first year of Girl Scouting with Mia’s Daisy Troop.  It was a fun cookout/pool party and all the families of the girls were invited.  It was such a fun time!  The girls have really had a blast together this past year and I can’t wait for their troop to grow together in the future.  It’s truly a special group of girls.  I’m happy to say that I’ve also made some good girlfriends during this experience.

Check out the slideshow of the photos Saylor and I took of the celebration.

Troop 2702 End of Year Party from Cindy Mills on Vimeo.

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  • Wanda

    Great show! I can see that group shot being passed around on FB in about 20 years.

Posted in true photo stories

[full-image]P I N this to pinterest[/full-image]

I am a storyteller.  I can’t help it.  It’s hereditary.  My grandfather was a storyteller.  So what if he told the same stories over and over and over again?  I loved listening to them.  I believe that stories are important, each family has many of them, large and small, and those stories strung together are what make up a family history.  History, it’s not just for countries and cultures.  EVERYONE has history and it’s what makes them into the person they are and are going to become.  I once heard a preacher say in a sermon that our lives are a book and each event and person we meet become a chapter and a character in the story of our lives.  This had a huge impact on me.  I try to look at every incident in my life, good or bad, as a chapter in my novel.

Perhaps, this philosophy is why I am so passionate about photography as a way to document and tell a story.  Every wedding, every family and every session we do we approach from the perspective of ‘what story can we tell about these people’.  I truly believe that even the most mundane, everyday activities (making pancakes on Saturday morning) can be a beautiful moment and should be captured for the future.  Holidays, birthdays, and family vacations are important, but it’s the stuff of everyday life that really tell a family’s story.  A quiet hug, a scraped knee, bathtime…….that’s life.

I know I’ve mentioned before that I get quite attached to our clients.  We really like to work with our clients to tell their ongoing story so we are thrilled when we get the chance to work with a couple over and over again.  I’d like to share some photos of a couple that have trusted us to do this for them over the last few years.  I’m sure you will recognize some of these photos, but I really love the story they tell (see how that worked out) when put side by side.

plano wedding storytellerP I N this to pinterest

I specifically chose the three photos above because Maria is looking at the camera in each one.  These photos together tell HER story of bride to mommy.

wedding, maternity and newborn photos in dfwP I N this to pinterest

The second set of photos tell me a beautiful story of Christian as protector. WOW!

I took these photos myself and I still can’t get over how when they are placed together to tell Christian and Maria’s story how powerful they become.  Photos are truly an heirloom.

What story would you like to tell?

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Posted in personal

I’ve never pre-ordered ANYTHING.  Like, NEVER, in my life have I ever ordered something before it went on sale, but I just pre-ordered this because watching the video made my heart pitter-pat with the possibilities.  Check it out. 😉

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  • Wanda

    This is right down your alley!!!