My absolute FAVORITE time of the year... Spring!

Spring has arrived, South Jersey!

 Isn't it just wonderful?! This was a very very cold winter!  It at times felt like it was not going to leave, but it did... and now everything is blooming away! For April, the weather has been rather blissful! Yes, we've had some rain, but the majority of days have been filled with sunshine!!  Throughout this text here, I am showcasing some photos I took recently in the Shooting Star Garden!

I hope you like and as always, it is an offering on a photo location to my clients!   I've been sooooo busy! I think I have a total of 16-17 sessions (I'd have to look in my planner) scheduled until June right now. I'd say for a new business to the area, that's a great start!  Every single day, I am working hard to improve myself and just get better. I hope to be a "shooting star" in 10 years and known worldwide.  Yup, that's my goal... and if you truly knew me, you'd know that this will happen, hahaha!  Anything I put my mind to, I have accomplished tenfold so I'm adding photography to medley.  I am looking to grow this business to one of the bests in the area!

If I'm not working or doing sessions, I'm investing my time in education,, spending time with my kids and well, spending time with my kids! They're also excellent models when I want to try something new!  Of course, as a mom I take pride in them too. Well, duh!   

Dogwood lovin Spring in South Jersey!

Weeping cherry blossom in background for spring photo shoot.

Garden baby and all smiles.

Boy having fun near the stream in Salem County, NJ.

Little boy having fun.

Little boy on a bench posing for a photograph.

Little girl in on the moss in the spring garden.

Checking out her boots and enjoying the garden.

Daffodils in Salem County, NJ. Coming to life.

Bleeding hearts blooming.

Weeping Cherry Blossom.

The grounds here at Shooting Star have been nothing but superb this spring.  Right now, the weeping cherry and magnolias are blooming, tulips, hellebore, grape hyacinths, standard hyacinths are blooming.  The daffodils are still in bloom.  We have hundreds of them EVERYWHERE.  All the perennials are rising to the surface... It's definitely spring!I actually saw a hummingbird trying to feed off of our cherry the other day! It was a great start to the season!! The Kwanzan cherries have popped open some blooms and should be fully alert in a day or two.  I love it! If I had to choose between my garden or photography, it would destroy me. Both are my absolute favorite hobbies.

 I could never decide between the two!These last few weeks, I've been taking the kids out to play in the garden and to try some new tricks on them!  They've also "helped" me a little to prepare it for this spring by cleaning out all the flower beds and weeds!  I am so blessed to have these gorgeous grounds.  It is a true oasis and right here in South Jersey!  Sometimes, I need to pinch myself because it is just so magical!  I love strolling through the grounds and walking down the terraces to the stream.  I find it to be my garden of Eden and I am so very blessed to be able to offer it to my customers for their photo sessions.  

My customers LOVE it!  It's truly a splendid and unique offering that most photographers don't have.   So if you ever want to have a beautiful private session... look no further! I can offer that too you... including a stream!  Our hundreds and hundreds of lilies are starting to break through too! Ohhhh, I cannot wait! I time everything so there is always something in bloom from early spring all the way through fall! It's incredible! 

Happy Shooting, my friends! 

Dee  

Sky Overlays for Photoshop For Photographers

Introducing our Spectacular Sky Overlays Collection: Unlock the Secrets of Captivating Photography

Here at Shooting Star Photography LLC, we understand the power of capturing breathtaking moments that leave us in awe. We know that as photographers, you constantly seek new ways to push boundaries and create stunning visual experiences that command attention. That's why we are thrilled to present our extraordinary collection of Free Sky Overlays.

Our Free Sky Overlays are an invaluable resource designed to guide you in transforming your photographs into mesmerizing works of art. Seamlessly blending with your existing images, these overlays instantly add a touch of magic to your compositions, infusing them with vibrant colors and awe-inspiring skies. Whether you're looking to enhance landscape, portrait, or wedding photography, our collection offers a wide variety of stunning options to cater to your artistic vision.
Unleash your creativity and transport your viewers into a world of wonder and enchantment. Picture capturing a romantic sunset over a glistening lake, a dreamy cotton candy pink and blue sky framing a majestic mountain, or billowing clouds dancing gracefully above a sprawling cityscape. These Sky Overlays will help you tell stories with your photographs, allowing your imagination to soar and your images to leave a lasting impact.

Downloading and using our Free Sky Overlays is a breeze - simply visit our link below and access this invaluable resource, free of charge. Seamlessly integrate the overlays into your editing workflow using industry-standard editing software, and watch as your images come to life with ease and grace. Enhance, transform, and create awe-inspiring photography that will captivate viewers around the world.
Remember, the sky is not the limit; it's only the beginning. With our Free Sky Overlays, you hold the power to unlock infinite possibilities in your photography, taking your artistry to new heights. So don't wait - join the thousands of photographers benefiting from this incredible resource and let your imagination soar with our Spectacular Sky Overlays Collection today!

Used sky overlay 2.

Used with beach sky overlay. In the freebie pack.

Free Sky Overlays

My photography business has only been around since October of 2014, but it sure is starting to pick up! I'm starting to book sessions and I keep on learning or scratching as they say!  I'm still continuing with my classes and I just keep trucking ahead and trying to improve slowly as I go.  Just a side note, I will always try to improve... even if I end up 25 years in this business! I just want clients to have the best memories and photographs!

Anywho, I decided to put together some sky overlays and get them up here on the blog!  It shows the creativity I have outside of portrait photography.  I took this when I got into landscape photography a looong time ago!  I figured why not? Lets put some skies together!

I noticed as I've been in this business (for the short time already) that a ton of skies look the same and photos tend to look the same! You look at it and you're like... "Oh that's from so and so.. I have that too!”  Instead of admiring the image itself! They were probably purchased from some of the shops on the internet or perhaps some free sites. I am even guilty of buying them. This girl loves her skies.

!I was perusing through some old photographs of mine (I started out in landscape photography) and I was AMAZED at some of the sunset shots I got waaaaay back then! I decided to put some together into my own overlays for portraits (you can do this too!) and what is better than using your very own?!

If you decide to download, all of the files are saved as 300 dpi, in PNG format and sized at an 8x10... which should be a great size to start.  If you need to adjust or make them bigger, just hit your shift key!

Just a heads up! These can only be used in Photoshop and of course CC, but I believe you could use these in GIMP as well!I dunno try to test them out! I'm curious to see what you can do with them!  

There's one blur overlay sky which is great for using when you have a photo that you've shot in a wide aperture.I know a few photographers that actually follow me here on this blog so I decided to give back and give thanks to them!  Maybe you can use them? Hey, they're free!  You may like toying around with them!

Here's the link! You'll need a dropbox account and I hope you find some use for them as I am starting to do.  You just have to sign up!  I don't like using overlays too often, but sometimes they are perfect for that right photo or maybe the sky is a bit washed out... These are great to use in that case!

Free sky overlays.

If you decide to use them, post a link below! I would love to see what you came up with and the creativity.

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee