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Jodie Otte, Baltimore Maryland Child and Baby Photographer bio picture  

This is the blog of Baltimore Maryland Photographer, Jodie Holstein-Otte.

Please also visit:    portfolio/portrait site  |  workshops for photographers

Jodie's work has been in many local publications such as BabySteps and Modern Babies and Children, but also in larger publications such as Parents, Baby Talk, American Baby, InStyle, People Magazine, the New York Times, and on Fox News in Baltimore. She has been published in the Big Book of Babies by J.C. Suares, and is known nationally as the photographer behind the Similac Infant Formula ad campaigns 2009 and 2010. Her work may also be seen in books, publications, and teaching material for medical professionals.

Jodie began as an artist painting traditional portraits by hand in pastels and oils many years ago, and portrait photography became a natural progression. She strives to maintain realism amongst these days of digital processing and creates images full of warmth and peace with classic rich tones using both natural light and studio lighting. She is known for her simplistic natural approach to studio lighting in her book Studio Lighting Naturally. Her nature work has been seen on greeting cards across the United States and in local gallery showings and exhibits.

Contact:  jodieotte@verizon.net  |  443.299.2752

 J. Otte Photography, Black Horse Studio, Jodie Otte 

Introducing | Baltimore newborn baby child photography studio

March 6, 2010 – 9:45 am

A formal introduction on the new studio.  We still have to finish the office and prop room, but I just couldn’t wait any longer, just had to share.

On a whim in the fall, knowing that my lease was up for the other studio, I was a bit frustrated with dealing with four flights of stairs, parking, etc., and decided I wanted to look around a little for what my options were.  I was told to “go talk to Curt” at the mill, and I drove over to the mill, but I tend to be on the shy side, and was afraid to go knocking on doors, so I almost left, but something pulled me to go find Curt anyway.  I’m so glad I did.  Curt showed me the Miller House, and I loved the building, and just had to make this move.

It’s been a lot of work, especially with the four feet of snow that we had (wow, it’s still not melted completely!), but I am thrilled to be introducing the new studio.  We will have an official open house soon, and I will get more details together, but we are full-time up and running again, taking sessions.  I’m so excited to start working outdoors as well on the beautiful 8 acres that this studio sits on…

Here it is, in Northern Baltimore County….

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

Kitchen…

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

Shooting room…

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

baltimore portrait studio

upstairs hall to bath…

baltimore portrait studio

Studio Office…. (not quite done)

baltimore portrait studio

Prop Room… (not quite done)

baltimore portrait studio

By Jodie Otte | Posted in The Studio and Monkton | Tagged , , | 34 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Christy   -  

    wow, wow, WOW!!! Absolutely stunning! I am so green with envy:)

  2. Kim Townsend   -  

    Absolutely stunning Jodie! Congrats!! I’m only about an hour and half from Balto now! Hope to meet up soon!

  3. Sandy Edesltein   -  

    you are just amazing! Love what you have done, and in such a short time, and with 3 blizzards to boot!
    Congrats!

  4. abby   -  

    oooooooh…..how I envy you! just beautiful, your have some very fortunate clients!!

  5. Shuva Rahim   -  

    Beautiful, amazing work displayed incredibly well. You should be proud of all the hard work you’ve put into this… I can only imagine.

  6. Nicole Nelson   -  

    Jodie, it’s absolutely beautiful! I love the metal signs out front. Ok, actually, I love everything! Great job.

  7. Latina Vega   -  

    WOW, Amazing! I look forward to the day I’m in your shoes, God bless!

  8. Rachel Clarke   -  

    How fun!! So excited for you!!

  9. Ro   -  

    i adore it.

  10. carrie sandoval   -  

    A complete DREAM studio! Congrats, J!

  11. Lori Clapp   -  

    You have a beautiful studio! Your camera room looks so good - I can’t imagine keeping mine looking like that! Congrats on the new place!

  12. jen w.   -  

    wow….just stunning!

  13. trang   -  

    gorgeous. congrats on the new studio. you worked hard all these years and it paid off. luv it!

  14. Wanda Roush   -  

    it’s gorgeous Jodie! love the prints on the front of the building~they look awesome! Great Job!!

  15. Jill J. in AZ   -  

    Absolutely enchanting - wished I still lived in Baltimore so I could see it in person.

  16. Angela   -  

    Congrats Jodie it’s beautiful! Enjoy!

  17. Megan   -  

    Gorgeous!!

  18. Tina Stinson   -  

    Oh la la! Love it! I bet you are relieved to have it done! Looks amazing!

  19. Camilla Photography   -  

    Wow, 8 acres? Sounds like paradise! Congrats!

  20. Dawn   -  

    Wow, wow, wow. What an incredible space. And I just love what you have done with it. your clients are going to feel very special coming here.

  21. Brinly   -  

    So studio is so beautiful! You have always been good at choosing your paint color, as I remember from you sharing that info from a long time ago. I love love love the dark grey color! Do you remember what it is and can share with us?

  22. Jessica Hills   -  

    Wow this studio looks amazing! I love it!

  23. Fotograf Trine Bjerv   -  

    Excellent photostudio and amazingly creative pictures!

  24. Joy Hamilton   -  

    Jodi - that is AWESOME - it is a beautiful location and your decor is stunning. What a great place to ‘work’!! :) Congrats

  25. Kris Whitson   -  

    Your studio is seriously to die for! Looove it!!

  26. Melissa Bonacci   -  

    ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING! THE ABSOLUTE DREAM STUDIO, LOCATION, DESIGN, ARRANGEMENT, COLORS, PROPS!!!!! WOOOOWWW! YOU ARE BLESSED! Cannot wait to see more STUNNING work!

  27. Stacy   -  

    Amazing, simply amazing. I can’t wait to see what kind of magic you work in this space Jodie.

  28. vicki   -  

    It is so beautiful! I was just wondering if you think you are going to miss those gorgeous brick walls?

  29. Cristine   -  

    What an amazing space. It’s been a lot of fun to watch it unfold and I can’t wait to see the images that come from inside!

  30. Colleen Harris   -  

    Amazing! So very jealous… I want your prop room! haha.
    I can’t wait for the images to start rolling out.
    Congrats

  31. KatherineB   -  

    Ahh…so that’s what heaven looks like - beautiful studio - wish you were in Australia (or I wish I was in Baltimore!)

  32. Jen   -  

    Congratulations on your new studio! It looks absolutely dreamy.

  33. Susanne   -  

    amazing!!!! That might not even cover it….it’s just beautiful!!

  34. Angela   -  

    OMG Jodie, your new studio looks awesome. Congrats you deserve it.

National Commercial Ad Campaign | Similac | Child/Baby Modeling

March 5, 2010 – 8:01 am

As many of you know, we shot another national commercial ad campaign for Similac Infant Formula in November of 2009.  We shot several different ads, and the first new ad has been spotted. We had a live casting call for this ad, and I am still receiving emails every day from parents who are looking to get their babies/children into modeling.  I would like to request, if you are reading this, please do not send any more pictures to my email address.  We had requested that no photos be sent even when we had our casting call as it was a live casting only.  I have had hundreds thousands of photos that were sent to my email address.  I do not keep any of these photos on file - we do not have the space for this.   When we have a model casting call, we will post details here on the blog, please keep an eye out for any future opportunities.  In fact, we will be doing another model call here shortly. Getting this overwhelming amount of emails, it made me realize that there are not many options for those in Maryland for modeling for children and what options are there, many do not know about. 

If you wish to get your children into modeling, there are two main things to know.

1.  Do not pay for a portfolio for your child.  Children change so quickly, a portfolio is worthless, unless your child is already signed with an agency.  Only then, a portfolio is necessary.  If you wish to contact modeling agencies, a nice snapshot will do.

2.  In Maryland, there are two talent agencies.   One is Taylor Royall http://www.taylorroyall.com and the other is Linda Townsend Management http://www.lindatownsendmgmt.com

At any rate, here is the first of several new Similac ads that we shot in November… If you spot any more, please shoot us an email, and let us know where you have spotted the ad.  :)

Similac Ad Campaign

By Jodie Otte | Posted in commercial photography, model casting call, modeling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Kate   -  

    Congrats, Jodie! How very exciting! :o)

  2. cynthia   -  

    Every time I see your ad’s I get so excited for you!!!!

  3. jen w.   -  

    congrats, jodie!!

Theatre Equus

March 4, 2010 – 3:35 pm

We took the kids out last week to see Theatre Equus in Harrisburg, PA… it was definitely entertaining…. However, after hearing that my 10-year-old daughter was standing up in her stirrups cantering her horse at the barn, the conversation that ensued last night went something like this…

Me: “Erynn, you are not going to stand up on Stormy and canter like Tommie Turvey…”

Erynn: “I won’t, I’m going to stand up and trot her first.”

Photographers: This is all with my Nikon D3 and 70-200/2.8 lens… it’s amazing how you can push this camera in the dark with no flash…

Tommie Turvey

Tommie Turvey

Big Horse Productions

dressage

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Stacy burns   -  

    I would have loved to meet you while you were in town!! No one ever comes to my neck of the woods.

More newborns… and some fun ;) | Newborn Photos

March 1, 2010 – 9:21 pm

I loved the way this sweet little baby girl curled…. and we had to capture a teeny smirk…

newborn photo

baby photo

Then, we had a tiny newborn baby boy… so incredibly calm, that’s where the fun began. I love when parents bring interesting props, as I like the challenge of finding a way to work with them.

baby photo

newborn photo

baby photo

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Baltimore Baby Photographer, Baltimore newborn photographer | Tagged , , , , | 12 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Anne   -  

    Is that a lasso? LOL! And I love the the little stretched-out leg on the little girl. :)

  2. Jodie Otte   -  

    Yep - that’s a lasso… he fit perfectly inside of it ;)

  3. Kim   -  

    awesome as always!

  4. Amy McCall   -  

    LOVE the lacrosse pic! Very unique!

  5. Sarah   -  

    Since that is a girl’s lax stick it appears Dad is a cowboy and Mom is a laxer. Good pix

  6. ShaRae   -  

    Just beautiful! Unique!

  7. Shannon Hunt   -  

    Gorgeous! Love the wood floors on the bottom photo and mom’s expression in the middle one. Beautiful photos!

  8. Fotograf Trine Bjerv   -  

    Amazing pictures - I love them :)

  9. Jen   -  

    I love the contrast of daddy and babies texture. Scruffy vs soft.

  10. Sabine   -  

    I just love your Work :-) Your a true inspiration! I’m planing on becoming a professional one day too. To have my own Photo studio would be my dream! I love those hardwood floors! It looks so perfect with a new Baby. Just absolutely amazing!!!

  11. Alyssa   -  

    What great ideas! Beautiful compositions!

  12. Anya Coleman   -  

    Oh goodness,these are stunning!
    LOVE YOUR WORK!!!

1…2…3 Newborns in a row | Baltimore Baby Photography

February 28, 2010 – 7:51 pm

Three newborns in a row… all girls… sweet as can be…

newborn
baby
newborn
newborn
newborn

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Baltimore Baby Photographer, Baltimore newborn photographer | Tagged , | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Anya Coleman   -  

    LOVE,LOVE,LOVE!
    Gorgeous as always!

  2. Fotograf Trine Bjerv   -  

    how cute :) lovely pictures - I liked them a lot :)

  3. mandy   -  

    Pure sweetness! I usually love the sleeping photos, but this one bundled in the green with his inquisitive eyes are simply perfect. I would definitely need those hanging up in the nursery!

Hacked!

February 26, 2010 – 6:49 pm

I apologize, my website has been hacked.  This is the first time this has happened in six years.  The service provider is working on fixing this.

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Monica   -  

    I know how you feel. I had that happen a few weeks ago. It was horrifying.

  2. Dottie Di Liddo   -  

    OMG! How does that happen? I didn’t even know that was possible. Did they put a virus in it? People can be psychos! Sorry you’re having to deal with that!

  3. Tammy   -  

    This happened to me a few weeks ago as well, and I’ve seen it happening to a few other photographers here of late. I’m wondering if we are all using the same service and they have a glitch in the system???

Catching up… | Baltimore Maryland Children’s Photography

February 17, 2010 – 9:09 am

So our new portrait studio is coming along nicely; however, it has been a drag not being able to do all the finishing touches quickly with all that snow closing us down for a while.  We are still doing photo sessions of course, but not outdoors.  It’s a shame, we now have 8 acres to work on, and it’s completely snow covered…. but that’s okay, eventually spring will come ;)

I’ve been so busy painting and organizing, I have neglected my blog.    Yesterday was the first day in a while I felt like I was starting to catch up.  I’m waiting for many print orders right now, as UPS hasn’t delivered in over a week due to the snow.  There’s new studio furniture we’re waiting on as well… so for the next few days, I have some blog posts ready - finally! ;)   Beautiful children….

Children
Children

Baltimore Children Photographer
Baltimore Children Photographer

Baltimore Children's Photographer
Baltimore Children's Photographer

Child Photographer
Child Photographer

By Jodie Otte | Posted in baltimore child photography, child photography | Tagged , , | 10 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Jodie Lagana   -  

    Beautiful as always Jodie :)

  2. Kim   -  

    Adorable!

  3. Robin M. Anderson   -  

    Such lovely colors and sweet children. Beautiful captures. As a former Marylander, and current Floridian, I miss those lovely fall days with rich color and gorgeous light. Great post.

  4. Lisa Kryschuk   -  

    Beautiful work as always Jodie! You know how to bring out a childs personality so well. Gorgeous colors!

  5. Jennifer O.   -  

    Your work is always gorgeous!

  6. jenn   -  

    These are so gorgeous…your color is beeeutiful!

  7. Anya Coleman   -  

    I love you work.

  8. Nicole Nelson   -  

    They are all so beautiful!

  9. Robyn Osten   -  

    Hi Jodi. Love the last one! Gorgeous. Do you mind sharing the apeture on this pic? ;)

  10. Anya Coleman   -  

    Love ,love ,love.

Maryland Blizzard Part Two…

February 12, 2010 – 12:51 pm

…and guess what? More snow in the forecast for Monday…. And so it continues… having to re-dig-out.  Some snaps from yesterday…

My house snow-covered…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Looking through the garage door…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Out back…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Bird tracks…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Dean with the snow blower… what a disaster…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Bored of having to dig out again to the chicken coop, I decided to dig some stairs…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

This was our little pond….
Maryland Blizzard Snow

The dove I rescued…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Erynn figured out if she crawled on all fours, it distributed her weight more evenly making it easier to cross the yard…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

Barrett’s favorite job…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

We sure didn’t have a shortage of eggs…
Maryland Blizzard Snow

And introducing for the first time…. Drum roll please…. Dean’s beard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL ;)
Maryland Blizzard Snow

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged , , , | 5 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Missy   -  

    Wow, Jodie…craziness!!! We looked just as bad down here in DC. I’m so over it! And ready for spring!!! LOVE the stairs you dug…lol…creative! Stay safe and we’ll all pray for a slow meltdown! :)

  2. Camilla Photography   -  

    Wow, that actually makes me grateful to live in Utah! :)
    I love your window picture!

  3. Jessica Jacob Photography   -  

    That is A LOT OF SNOW!!!!! Love your stairs. ;)

  4. Dena   -  

    Sure is pretty, when you don’t have to deal with the headaches!

  5. Kris   -  

    I love these pictures. In Denmark we have had snow for a long timw now butwe have a severe lack of beautiful blue sky and sun. Beautiful family you have there.

    Fellow ILP’er Danca

Updates…

February 8, 2010 – 9:52 pm

I am such a bad blogger right now! I have not been able to keep up.  I have, however, been able to keep up a little more with Facebook - so see below if you want to reach the fan page for J. Otte Photography… been showing all sorts of old photos of the historic building we are now preparing as the new studio.  It’s turning out lovely - but lots and lots of work between photo sessions.  Every spare moment is now being spent on painting and decorating the new place.  Photos on the progress have been placed on the Facebook page, will post more here at a later date.

In the meantime, Marylanders, are you about out of your minds?  What’s with these blizzards?  I’ve lived in Maryland all my life and never saw so many blizzards in one year.   We’ve been rescheduling photo sessions like crazy!

I did manage a few snaps this weekend - nothing spectacular, I think everyone is worn out and sore from shoveling!

Just thought I would take a moment and share —

Nothing like a morning shoveling to the chicken coop… I kept thinking - almost done, almost there… and then realized I had to cut out for the door, and then another path to the feed, and then another path to the door to the run…
blizzard in maryland

My poor puppies couldn’t figure out the snow up to their necks…
blizzard in maryland

My boy… hating his chores…
blizzard in maryland

We were finishing up last night, and we heard whinnying… two Arabian horses slid down our driveway (yes, slid… it was very scarey) and into our front yard… they seemed to like visiting. Dean and I had to put a halter on one and get them back to their owners. One stepped and fell into our little koi pond… Dean said - that would be just right, all the work we put into digging that pond… “Hey, how did your pond break?” “a horse came out of nowhere and stepped in it….” LOL! ;)
blizzard in maryland

So here we go… round 2 of this weeks blizzards - calling for 16 to 24 inches tomorrow night. Wow… and I hear a little rumor more on Sunday/Monday????

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged , | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Karin Curtis   -  

    Beautiful shots. This is my first winter in Maryland, and I’ve always wanted to live somewhere that gets lots of snow. I picked the right year to move!!

  2. Sierra   -  

    send that snow to maine!:) we’ve had two little storms for the entire winter..we’re going insane, we’re used to be getting dumped on during the winter months! beautiful shots!

The BIG BIG NEWS! | Baltimore photography portrait studio

January 11, 2010 – 7:13 am

Okay, we have been busy busy busy busy!!!  My email boxes are so full right now, it’s unbelievable, and I promise, all will be answered and taken care of today.  I have a shoot first thing this morning, and I will spend the rest of the day answering emails and phone calls.  We finished up our first childrens/baby/maternity photography workshop of the year on Friday (we only have a few seats left for workshops this year - http://www.jodieotte.com/mentoring.htm - Our furthest attendee is coming from the UK - how fun is that! :))

At any rate, the big big news?  What is the big big news?  Well, I was getting ready to sign another lease for my current studio, and right before we started shooting for the next Similac ad in November, I happened upon another studio situation.  It all seemed too good to be true, but there it was, staring me in the face, and I had to make a decision.

Yes, we are moving into the new studio in February.  It is about a minute or two down the street from the current studio.  We will be using this entire building, and it sits on 8 beautiful private acres.  The gentleman who has renovated this building, has done a tremendous job.   Here’s a picture.

Baltimore child and baby photographer Jodie Otte studio

Here are two little “storyboards” of the decor going in the shooting area and the coffee-shop-style kitchen…
portrait studio furniture

portrait studio

Needless to say, we’ve been placing orders on furniture, we have 34 gorgeous canvases that will be hung all over the building (I finally have great wall space), I have all new photography sets coming - everything from a shabby chic look to barnwood to stonework, and spring… wow, spring is going to be amazing shooting outdoors. We even have a stream going through the property!

So get ready, while I am still booking sessions right now, most are taking place starting the second week of February and we even have some booking up to August, so please contact us to get on this schedule! We also will be having an open house once everything is in place and settled, so stay tuned for the news.

*****

Also, we’re on Facebook —- http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/J-Otte-Photography-Black-Horse-Studio-Jodie-Otte/121000892458?ref=ts

baby photographer

Come join us for updates on the progress!

*****

By Jodie Otte | Posted in baby photography, child photography, photography workshop/seminar | Tagged , , , , , | 12 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Kristin Cook   -  

    How gorgeous!!! congrats!

  2. carla   -  

    How lucky are you!That is a photographers dream studio.

  3. Mandy   -  

    Yay! I cannot wait to see what you guys are going to do with it! How fun.

  4. John B.   -  

    Looks great, I love that area.

  5. melanie   -  

    wow, it’s beautifull!

  6. Karey   -  

    That is unbelievable! Congratulations.

  7. Marc Weisberg   -  

    Jodi, Your work is STUNNING! Congratulations and much success in your new digs. So cool to have different shooting zones. I’ve been looking for a couch similar to the one you show above in your post. If you get a sec. shoot me an email and let me know the maker. BTW: The baby on the saddle is breathtaking!!

  8. Louisette   -  

    Best regard to your nice fotos from Louisette in Belgium.

  9. Connie   -  

    Incredible!! *Jealous* ;)

  10. Alyssa   -  

    How beautiful! What a blessing to have this to use for your photography studio!

  11. Jen   -  

    Your new space looks amazing. How wonderful to have the entire building AND 8 acres. A dream come true. Congratulations!

  12. Nicole Nelson   -  

    I loved your workshop! Wish I could see the new studio, it looks awesome! Can’t wait to see more pictures of your progress!

Just a Reminder

December 28, 2009 – 7:34 am

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays! ;)

I just wanted to remind, the studio is closed until January 4th.  However, if you are pregnant or have just had a baby, please email us at jodieotte@verizon.net so we can go ahead and get you on the schedule.

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | no comments         Add a Comment

One more… Flying Squiryl

December 21, 2009 – 6:03 pm

One more snow shot for today… I know I have been taking a lot of pictures of my dogs, Moose and Squiryl - especially Squiryl.  That’s because she is so crazy and 9 times out of 10, she’s the one hogging all the attention…  I’m hoping during my partial week off after Christmas, I’ll be able to share some of my own family, who seem to get pretty neglected when it comes to pictures this time of year…
Speaking of the busy-ness… ;)  if you are pregnant or have had a baby, please call right away at 443-299-2752 so we can get you on the schedule.  We are currently not taking any child sessions or family sessions until January.  We are booking in January and beyond.  You may get a head start on booking spring sessions as well!

german shorthair pointer

By Jodie Otte | Posted in animal photography, pet photography | Tagged , | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Jennifer O.   -  

    That is an awesome shot!

  2. Dana   -  

    Jodie, I love seeing your Squiryl pictures. She reminds me of my childhood dog. She is so funny!

  3. Audrey   -  

    Great capture Jodie!!

Snow Part 3 - December Blizzard

December 21, 2009 – 11:10 am

So we made it outside yesterday after the snow finally stopped.  That was quite the dig-out.   Here are a few pictures…

Out the back door…
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
Yes, my kids used a kayak to sled in… it was too deep for anything else.
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
Our chickens refused to come out of the coop…
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
snow in maryland
Erynn made herself an igloo
snow in maryland
snow in maryland

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized, personal/family | Tagged , , | 8 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Kimberly Sullivan   -  

    Love the b&w photo of the dog, beautiful!! Of course, they all are great!

  2. Heather Green   -  

    I’m loving the shots of the GSP in the snow, I grew up with those dogs…I miss having them :)

  3. Vanessa Howard   -  

    I am really enjoying my subscription to your blog! Thank you. Is that your dog? If so, what are pointers like around families? They intrigue me, but not sure what they are like in a busy family…

  4. Jodie Otte   -  

    Vanessa - the German Shorthair Pointers are just like Weimeraners and Vizslas… they are VERY loveable, love attention (try to be lap dogs even though they are too big) but they are NUTS… I mean CRAZY PSYCHOTIC springs of energy. She keeps us entertained, but is quite the hand full… we have seen her hang from tree branches by her teeth. ;)

  5. Karmel   -  

    These are beautiful photos! Your dog does look CRAZY PSYCHOTIC!! I just wanna dive into that snow, no snow here at Christmas we are usually at the beach! I will have a white christmas one year!

  6. Amy   -  

    Jodie… these are fantastic! I can’t wait to meet you on the 21st. Although the snow looks beautiful, I’m hoping it’ll be a tad warmer when I arrive. This Louisiana girl is not accustomed to snow, ha! See you soon.

  7. Kacey   -  

    Your photos are gorgeous! We have a GSP too!! Samantha “Sammy” is her name! She just turned 8 and is still running wild! She is the BEST family dog EVER!! My kids torture her and she just takes it :-) Happy New Year!

  8. Prema Buck   -  

    Wow so very beautiful!!

Snow Part 2 - Blizzard in Norrisville, Maryland

December 19, 2009 – 7:25 pm

This is my bedroom window — notice something odd about it?  That’s over 2 feet of snow piled up against the window… and yet it’s still snowing!  I promised myself I would take lots of pictures the next time we had a real good snow, so be prepared - I’ll be shooting and sharing quite a bit tomorrow between snow boarding with the kids (if I can find our old snowboard….) and hot chocolate… and pumpkin bread…. yeah, I need pumpkin bread… in fact, I think I need that right NOW!

blizzard

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged | no comments         Add a Comment

Snow Snow Snow

December 19, 2009 – 1:42 pm

Been so busy getting all the Christmas prints ordered and ready for shipping, and today, we braved the snow to get to the post office to get these prints out!  Here’s a view of our trip out… a little weather report of sorts from my Blackberry…

White Hall Road
snow in maryland
I-83
snow in maryland
Main Street Stewartstown, PA
snow in maryland
My road, finally home!
snow in maryland

We did slide off the road into a ditch, and my husband miraculously got us out… I don’t recommend driving today!  It’s almost 1 p.m., and we definitely have at least a foot - it was up to my knees when I went out to feed the chickens ;)

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Jennifer O.   -  

    Wow, you’re brave! Your clients better love you for this!

Studio Lighting Naturally - last day!

December 11, 2009 – 7:22 am

I just wanted to let you all know, it’s the last day for the Studio Lighting Naturally sale below.  I’ve had the book out a few years, and this is the first sale I have ever done with it.   It’s selling out very quickly!   The sale will remain on until midnight Eastern Time tonight.  See below to place your order.  And yes, this does come with the DVD which includes a video, actions, a write up on pricing, etc.

On another note, I’ve also been asked about workshops.  Yes, I am still doing workshops.  I currently have the following times available.

January 21st (one day) - one more seat available

February 25th and 26th

March 11th and 12th

All other dates are full at this time.  I do make occasional exceptions for those who wish to have one-on-ones or want a time slot with just you and one or two of your friends.  If you are looking to do this and choose your own date, please contact me at jodieotte@verizon.net and we will discuss if this is a possibility.  Also, more details at www.jodieotte.com/mentoring.htm Workshops include everything from studio lighting naturally to natural light to working with newborns, kids, and pregnant clients.

 Thanks!  And have a great weekend!

Oh, let me post one picture while I am here ;)  I envisioned this late one night, and this is a first try.  It took a while to find an item shaped this way to use, but I’ve had that item for about six months, waiting for the right baby to come along.  To my surprise, this one-month-old was the right one!  I’m still not completely satisfied with this shot (I didn’t want to use the fluff, but we were having “sticking” problems), but I’ll play more and more with this setup as I have the chance to.  This is one of the images that is going up at the new studio.  Oops… did I say new studio?  YES!!!  More details on that later! That’s HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE news!!!! ;) 

newborn photographer

 

By Jodie Otte | Posted in The Studio and Monkton, natural lighting, photography workshop/seminar, photoshop actions for photographers, studio lighting naturally | Tagged , , , | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Brenda Landrum   -  

    I just had to comment on this image. It’s STUNNING!!! I am drawn in, trying to figure out what that is. Gorgeous image!

  2. Emily Smith   -  

    Beautiful! How creative! And how wonderful to be getting a new studio!

Studio Lighting Naturally Book SALE

December 8, 2009 – 9:03 am

See these books?  Ready for immediate shipment.  $50 off through this Friday, the 11th. Happy Holidays!!! Learn how to shoot with studio lighting in a more natural way with natural-looking results (more info here — http://www.jodieotte.com/books.htm )  Also, feel free to scroll down - lots of studio examples here.  Everything indoors below is in studio, not natural light.  This book contains all of the studio lighting I teach in my workshops.

So many photographers steer away from artificial light, afraid that it will be too harsh and fake and will never be able to maintain that natural soft look, that we all love so much. Many natural light photographers become intimidated by the equipment choices - there are just so many options out there.  Also, many photographers are in areas where natural light is a luxury in the fall and winter time and not always ideal. You can delay child sessions due to weather and such, you cannot delay newborn sessions.

Learn simplicity to shooting with artificial lighting, learn techniques to achieve a more natural soft diffuse lighting with tiny subjects, and more dramatic and beautiful lighting to flatter expectant clients.

Studio Lighting Naturally


By Jodie Otte | Posted in natural lighting, studio lighting naturally | Tagged , , , | 6 comments         Add a Comment
  1. xiaozheng   -  

    It’s great!

  2. Kaylene Brewer   -  

    Does the sale book contain the DVD as well?

  3. Jodie Otte   -  

    yes it does :)

  4. Sarah   -  

    Looks great, can you ship to the UK? Thanks

  5. Jodie Otte   -  

    yes, we ship to the UK :)

  6. Marina Pershina   -  

    Lovely!! How about shipping to Russia? Moscow?

Snow.

December 8, 2009 – 8:31 am

Well, on Saturday up here in the cornfields, we had a little over 6 inches of snow.  The ground was warm, so it didn’t lay on the ground like it laid on the vehicles - but putting a ruler up on top of my jeep, it was a little over 6 inches.  Can’t wait to see how much snow we get this year! ;)

snow in maryland

My backyard Sunday morning…

snow in maryland

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged , | 1 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Karen Pfeiffer   -  

    Ohh Jody. Thank you for sharing these - I wish I could jump through the photographs and go running through the snow. Here it’s about to hit hot hot hot weather and I think I’d much prefer what you’ve got right now. I loved living in Germany because of the snow over winter. I miss it! Thanks again for sharing. You live in a beautiful part of the world.

Porcelain | Baby Portraits

December 7, 2009 – 8:25 am

Porcelain - that is the word to describe this baby’s beautiful face!  She was so sweet and pleasant.

Baby
Baby
Baby

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Baltimore Baby Photographer, Maryland Baby Photographer, baby photography, studio lighting naturally | Tagged , , , | 7 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Mariah   -  

    Beautiful.. as always! :)

  2. Jennifer O.   -  

    What a gorgeous little girl!

  3. Cherri   -  

    These are absolutely beautiful!

  4. Jane Photo   -  

    She is so beautiful. Great job with these, Jodie.

  5. Fotograf und Fotostudio aus Osnabrück   -  

    I like the light and colors!

  6. Natasha Meyer   -  

    I was wondering what lenses you used to take the newborn shots? How is her face so clear.. Prime? I just got a 50mm 1.4 for my canon. Do I need to get a 2.8 to get clear shots like that? Thanks!

  7. Ieva, Lithuania   -  

    I love your photos. Special bw ones. I love how pure and light they looks.
    p.s. sorry for my english, it’s not my mother language.

The many expressions of Will | Baltimore Child Photography

December 4, 2009 – 8:40 am

It always amazes me how many expressions a child can have… Will was great - what a personality!

child photographer in baltimore
child photographer in baltimore
child photographer in baltimore

By Jodie Otte | Posted in baltimore child photography, child photography | Tagged , , , | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Briony   -  

    these are adorable and the color is so vibrant. what a lovely collection of images!

  2. Diana   -  

    Jodie, I just stumbled on your blog while browsing your photography site and lo and behold! So cool to see my baby on here, and you are so right, he has many expressions to go along with his personality….can’t wait for the open house…:)

Siblings | Baltimore Children’s Photography

December 4, 2009 – 8:18 am

The elusive sibling portraits.  All child photographers around the world cringe!  LOL!  I will freely admit that as a photographer, I prefer to photograph children by themselves, but of course that is because it is a lot easier…  But photographing siblings together, though challenging,  has its rewards! ;)

siblings 
siblings
Oh wait!… mom is pregnant with #4!!!! :)
siblings
siblings
siblings
siblings

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized, baltimore child photography | 1 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Jennifer   -  

    Fabulous! So much life and joy you’ve captured! What a joy for your clients to have these!

Still catching up | Baby and Child Photography

December 3, 2009 – 8:45 am

Babies and children in studio… :)

baltimore maryland photographer
baltimore maryland photographer
baltimore maryland photographer
baltimore maryland photographer

baltimore maryland photographer

By Jodie Otte | Posted in child photography | Tagged , , | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Wendi Chitwood   -  

    WoW so precious! What sweet little, big sisters… beautiful shots!

  2. Stacey   -  

    Oh my goodness…I’m crying my eyes out! Jodie…the photos of the girls are amazing, I’m completely speechless. Your work touched my heart in such a profound way, and I am forever blessed. Thank you, thank you, thank you…from the bottom of our hearts.

  3. Jodie Otte   -  

    Aww Stacey, I am so glad you like them! There’s more but these were my favs! :) I’ve got some sent to print for you already, but I’ll have it all up and ready for you by this weekend, and you have plenty of time to get some for Christmas! :)

Unique | Baltimore Child Photography

December 2, 2009 – 8:21 am

I’m making an effort to spend a few minutes a day through Christmas, blogging client images - ;)

I feel blessed to get to work with families and be a little part of their lives for a brief moment.  I’m a very emotional person, and I find I pick up really quickly on the vibes of others, and get a chance to really see their personalities and who they are in this brief time….  Every family is so unique and different, these children were no exception.  They wanted to do their own thing for this portrait, and of course I let them.  In looking at them here, their personalities are spot on with the picture…

child photographer
 

By Jodie Otte | Posted in baltimore child photography, child photography | Tagged | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. lorissa   -  

    LOVE this shot!!! The perfect family photo.

  2. melissa   -  

    Love it!

Newborn . Babies . Children

November 30, 2009 – 8:12 pm

So yeah, I’m a bit behind on blogging.  I don’t know where to start back up again ;)  To my customers, I have 20 client galleries being published this week, so if you are waiting, yes, yours should be up this week :)

Here are a few sessions - we’ll start with these, will show more later.   Two newborns, a baby, and a child…

newborn
child
newborn
child

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Baltimore Baby Photographer, Baltimore newborn photographer, baltimore child photography | Tagged | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Inland Empire Wedding Photographer   -  

    What a sweet shoot, awwwe :)

  2. Jennifer O.   -  

    Shot work is gorgeous!

Holiday Cooking | Autumn Bake

November 24, 2009 – 9:36 am

While recovering from the virus attack (per the post below), I was reinstalling software last night which can feel like it takes forever!  I decided to do a bit of cooking.  I do like to cook when I have time, although my husband, Dean, has the natural talent for it; but I live the life of busy and stressed business owner, and I don’t have a lot of time for cooking.  Well, here’s multitasking at its finest - software uploading and cooking an Autumn Bake at the same time ;)

 Autmn Bake Vegetarian Cooking
I’m not a vegetarian but I do enjoy variety.

Autmn Bake Vegetarian Cooking

Four main ingrediants - Millet, Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, and Butternut Squash

Autmn Bake Vegetarian Cooking

Probably turned out a bit too liquidy but I thought it was pretty good myself… definitely goes well with the fall colors outdoors.

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged , | 2 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Shannon   -  

    I’m not a vegetarian but your making me hungry. Nice shots.

  2. Emily Weaver Brown   -  

    that sounds really good! I want that recipe!

Restore Computer Repair | Baltimore, Maryland

November 24, 2009 – 9:32 am

So what’s been going on?  After I photographed 13 babies for the 2010 Similac Ad Campaign, things have been quite crazy to say the least.  We’re in full blown Holiday-Rush, and I barely have a moment to stop and think, let alone blog!  No worries, I have a ton of client images to share in the upcoming weeks when I have a moment.  I also have a HUGE 2010 announcement ;)

At any rate, I want to do a shout out to a company that I am so so very thankful for.  Last week, I had a major virus hit my business computer.  As soon as I saw it hit, I powered down everything, and called Sam Palm of Restore Computer Repair.  Sam went above and beyond and fixed my computer, saving 200-some gigs of information.  My computer is clean and up and running again, and I cannot be any happier.  For you locals, I cannot recommend this company enough. If you have been following my blog, I don’t fill it with plugs to other businesses, so you know this had to have been a great thing for me to mention it here. ;) Thanks again to Sam (and his wife Tammy, who had to have her husband’s time taken up this past weekend), you guys are the best!

Restore Computer Repair

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | no comments         Add a Comment

Long time no post!

November 9, 2009 – 11:13 pm

Thank you to all the parents who brought their beautiful babies to the casting call last Monday. I photographed 128 babies! The Agency and Client chose 13 babies for the final commercial shoot which will be taking place Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, and these parents have been notified.

To all my customers - I will be back to answering emails and voicemails on Thursday.

And because I can’t post without a picture. This one is totally off subject — My daughter, Erynn, told me for the Barn Halloween Party, she wanted her horse to be a pirate, and she be a parrot, so I made it happen for her with a bit of felt, scissors and hot glue ;) - I think it turned out pretty cute!  Stormy even wore her eyepatch with no fuss…

Halloween costume for horse

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Becky   -  

    OMG, that is fantastic!!!!

  2. corey   -  

    What a cute idea! You did a great job!!

  3. mandy johnson   -  

    good job Martha!! hope your commercial shoot went great!!

  4. Jeni   -  

    that is so stinkin’ cute!

Casting Call Final Info

November 1, 2009 – 7:58 pm

You may have received the following info by email, but we are posting it here as well…

LOCATION: 1900 Monkton Road, Monkton, MD 21111

ARRIVAL: Please arrive any time between the following: 9:30 and noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

PARKING: Please park anywhere that you are able. You may park anywhere for the NCR trail as well as in areas that may say Tenant Parking or Permit Parking (including grassy areas). You may also park roadside of the building - there are about five parking places there where the mailboxes are that are often missed. Due to limited parking areas, please exit quickly after your baby has been photographed to make room for another.

WHERE: Originally, we were going to do the casting in the studio (on the 4th floor) but due to the stairs, we have decided to move the casting to the main level “streetside”. What that means if if you are looking directly at the front of the building (there is a vegan market and coffee shop on main level), follow the porch area to the right side of the building - you will see a sign at the entrance to the room we will be using.

We are trying to get you in and out of the casting quickly for your convenience as well as to keep the flow of people in/out. If there are any concerns, we will have two assistants to help.

Clothing is not a concern - all babies will need to be photographed in a diaper as that is the way the ad will be photographed at the final shoot.

Notice: As you know, this is a casting call. There is no fee. We should have the final decision from The Client as to which babies are chosen for this ad. If your baby is chosen, you will be sent a timeframe on November 10th or 11th to bring your baby back for the actual Similac photo shoot as well as more details.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

By Jodie Otte | Posted in baby photography | Tagged | 1 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Sharri   -  

    Will you be doing any casting for older children? 6 and 12 year olds???

Muddy Creek Meadows trail ride… | Horse-back riding

November 1, 2009 – 7:28 pm

A weekend ago, Erynn (my 10-year-old daughter), Ally (my 20-year-old stepdaughter), and myself had a girls’ day out on an almost 5-hour trail ride through Pennsylvania.  It was an absolutely beautiful day!  There were 53 riders altogether - yes, 53!!!!   Here are some pictures I took that day while riding - Hey photogs — it was a true “shoot from the hip”.  I couldn’t look through the viewfinder, so I literally just clicked the shutter in full sweeps in all directions… here’s what I managed to get out of it…  this isn’t with my professional camera, I wouldn’t bring my professional camera out on something like this ;)  Also, our nightmare - shooting at high noon with a camera that doesn’t handle dynamic range very well… boy was it bright.

 horse back riding
Where are you going? Can we come too?

horse back riding
When I finally felt comfortable enough to start shooting.

horse back riding

horse back riding
Ally (on left) did really great. She had a crash-course in riding that day only after two real riding lessons. She cantered for her first time as well as jumped for her first time. Erynn (on right) on Stormy.

horse back riding
buzzards

horse back riding

horse back riding
True photographer’s child - hard to get her to look at the camera.

horse back riding

horse back riding

horse back riding

horse back riding

horse back riding

horse back riding
 

By Jodie Otte | Posted in personal/family | Tagged , , , | 3 comments         Add a Comment
  1. Stephanie   -  

    WOW!! Gorgeous!

  2. Els   -  

    Simply stunning, regardless of which camera you used! Those autumn colours make my heart beat faster, I miss this type of scenery now that I live in Australia.

  3. Mariah   -  

    Beautiful! I’m jealous!

MODEL CASTING CALL - HOURS

October 28, 2009 – 10:56 am

We are opening up more time for the casting call.   Please stop in between 9:30 and 12:30 and 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.  If you wish to come at the “quietest” hours, that will be in the morning, and in the afternoon around 3 p.m.

More info coming…

By Jodie Otte | Posted in Uncategorized | no comments         Add a Comment
AJAXed with AWP