Studio Magazine Volume 3 | Important Information for Parents Planning a Baby, Family or Children's Portrait Session (Brought to you by Natascha Lee Studios in Broomfield, Colorado)

I’m thrilled to announce the latest Studio Magazine, Volume  3 by Natascha Lee Studios.

You’ll find tips and tricks helpful for anyone planning a baby, newborn, children, or family photo session – not just for those in Broomfield, Colorado and surrounding areas, but for anyone looking to have a professional portrait session.

It also includes what to bring, ideas on what to wear, checklists, some of my favorite recent portrait sessions, etc. – it’s all there.

Click below to read the latest Volume!

 
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Every Mother Counts

I want to share this powerful film clip, and powerful, radical idea. Let’s all take a media break on May 13th, and join in solidarity.

Every Mother Counts

Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally.

Every Mother Counts seeks to engage new audiences to better understand the challenges and the solutions while encouraging them to take action to improve the lives of girls and women worldwide.
[caption id="attachment_1232" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="Photo courtesy of Every Mother Counts"][/caption] Every Mother Counts was founded by Christy Turlington Burns after the completion of her documentary debut, “No Woman, No Cry” which tells the personal stories of pregnant women and their caregivers in four countries as they try to avoid adding to these troubling statistics.

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Pick Just 5 : About the Artist at Natascha Lee Studios

5 Fun, Well-Known Facts About Me:

  • I live halfway between Boulder and Denver, with my wonderful husband and amazing kids who bring me more joy than I ever thought possible.
  • I love to give back and donate, and one of my favorite ways is microfinance through www.kiva.org
  • I love soccer, yoga, dance, travel, and the ocean. My husband insists that “electronic gadgets” should be included in that list.
  • English is not my first language. I am fluent in my third and fourth languages, mediocre in my second language and have completely forgotten my first.  (My father was an inventor and we lived all over the world through much of my childhood.)
  • As an artist/photographer, I adore that moment when people see a piece of art that they connect with, be it pottery, painting or photography.
Here’s a photo that combines several of my loves: Traveling through Egypt, we stopped at a small cafe. The tables and chairs were rickety and old, the walls were peeling, and the air redolent with foreign perfumes and tobacco. And above us was this stunning light fixure. I first saw it reflected in my coffee cup: light figure reflected in coffee from egyptian cafe by Natascha Lee Studios]]>

Kiva.org Love from Natascha Lee : Westminster, Colorado Baby and Family Photography

Kiva.org fan, joined them early on, and have now down over 100 loans to women in developing countries. Microfinance allows people to help themselves, investing in their own businesses and future.  Their tag line is “Loans that Change Lives.” Super smart philanthropist Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn & co-author of recently released The Startup of You, just donated $1,000,000 so that folks can try out Kiva.org for free. He will cover the cost of your first loan. They are hoping that, like most of us, you will so enjoy the experience of helping others help themselves that you will continue to loan.

Click here to do your first loan for free. But hurry, because these loans are “going” fast:  http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/NataschaLee
Since I just can’t do a post without a photo,  here are a couple of adorable kids I met in a small Mexican village:

Photo of two kids in Mexico for Kiva.Org posting

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WPPI – Professional Photographer's Conference | Natascha Lee Studios

I’m in Las Vegas at the WPPI Professional Photographers Conference.

It’s exciting and humbling to learn from the luminaries of the photography world.

As many of you know, I’m a big fan of “giving back”, and I would like to share information on a talented man who is a  bit like the “Bono” of the portrait photography world:  Jeremy Cowart.

Yes, he took the photo of Tebow that appears on the cover of the book. Great backstory: Turns out Jeremy took it back when Tim played college ball, in just a quick 5 minute photo session Jeremy did pro bono for the gym in exchange for free workouts. Fast forward a few years and it’s on the cover of Tim Tebow’s book. You never know how precious your photos will be while they are being taken.

Jeremy also founded Help-Portrait, a wonderful organization of volunteer photographers donating their time and talents to worthy causes.

Little Lady Bug Broomfield, Colorado Baby Photography by Natascha Lee Studios

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Kiva Love – 100 Loans & Guatemala Trip | Natascha Lee Studios loves Kiva.org – Microfinance

I love Kiva.Org! They use microfinance loans to help people in developing countries help themselves. I had set a goal to make 100 loans by the end of the year, and I’m thrilled to say that I made it! I even decided to “amplify” my impact by doing a photosession give-away for folks who made their first Kiva loan in August 2011. (Congrats to Sam & Andre who won.) Here is a link to my loan porfolio, if you want to check out the 100 women I have loaned to over the last few years. And, here is one to Kiva.org, should you feel like making a loan yourself! Someone asked me how I got involved in microfinance to developing countries. Well, if you have read the “Giving Back” section of my website, you know that I actually grew up in developing countries like Jamaica and El Salvador.  There, I saw the difference that a small helping hand can make to someone struggling with poverty. I also had the good fortune to volunteer and work with Water For People.  I traveled with them to Guatemala, and got to see first hand the kind of impact that empowering, accountable assistance can provide. This means loans and learning rather than handouts and charity. And, because a photographer just can’t make a post without a few photos, here are some pix from my Guatemala trip:    ]]>