Time to say goodbye to beautiful White Sands National Monument / Photo Sessions by Karina Schuh Photography

Familien Portraits

I will never forget White Sands National Monument. It ist he most magical and peaceful place that I know. So much beauty. Many people that live around Alamogordo, NM want me to shoot their sessions at White Sands. As there is a lot of military here in the area, people are moving a lot, stay for a few years and will be deployed somewhere else. To remember this stunning place, many families booked their sessions out at White Sands with me. I even booked seniors, engagement couples and families from other States of the U. S. who were drawn by the beauty of White Sands.

Some weeks, I booked four sessions out there and I got never tired of it. Of course, taking photos out there is not as easy as it seems because the sun is very bright and the white sand reflects it even more. To get the right skin color, I try to be careful with the direction of the sun that skin tones look nice and even. There is no shadow to work with and when you have people with no hair in front of you, it makes it even harder. An overcast day would be perfect out there to achieve the perfect colors.

But everybody has so much fun out there, in the biggest sand box of the world. And everybody is happy and enjoyes the magic. Jumping, running around, digging, sliding, all these things are possible for all kinds of ages.

My time here in Alamogordo is over. Since my husband has been deployed here at Holloman Airforce Base since 2009, we have had the possibility to get to know Alamogordo and surroundings as well as the U.S while traveling. Now, we are moving back to Germany and a new chapter in our lives will begin. We will never forget the time here in Alamogordo with its kind people and the sunshine. 

The following photos show a German family that moved to Alamogordo, just last year. They come from the Baltic Sea and love the beaches so much that White Sands created the perfect environment for them. Look, these pictures tell their story.

The Importance of Business Head Shots | Alamogordo Business Portraits created by Karina Schuh Photography

A great portrait is a hugely important part of how we present ourselves – but it doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal. Weather it is for your social media account, your website that need to stand out, your company’s portraits, or for a job application,  in the commercial climate of extreme competition, having a unique and creative headshot is essential. Your photograph will give an immediate impression of you to your customers or future business connections.

A business head shot does not take a lot of time but the more time you invest, the better the selection of your photos to choose from. For some people it is very important to get their make-up and hair done before and for others it is not that important. Depending on how you feel best, we are creating the best atmosphere to make you look the best. Business Portraits can be done in the studio. There is a selection of different backdrops. They can also be done outdoors, called environmental head shots, and they can also be done at your work place in your everyday environment. There are a lot of options depending on your needs.

When considering clothing options, texture can be terrific. Avoid baggy clothes. Avoid bright patterns. Your clothes should fit well so you don’t appear boxy. Dark colors (deep red, blue, green and black) usually work the best, but sometimes bright colors can be amazing (see some of my work). Choose colors that bring out your eyes (if you have blue eyes, look for nice grey/blue shirts as well as pure blue). Generally, keep the shirts darker than your skin tone (though white and cream tones, especially for women, can be gorgeous).

For men, layering is wonderful- a blazer and collar shirt, for example, or a t-shirt and light fall jacket. Also, thermals, crew necks and v-necks are fantastic!

For women, layering can work as well, but it’s usually a good idea to keep it simple. Sheer material is very nice, and spaghetti strap tank tops, scoop necks and v-necks are wonderful. Make sure to keep your neckline open. By the way, any of these rules can be broken to great effect. Bring whatever makes you feel attractive, even if it is contradicting everything I just wrote.

Take a look at my work and let me know how I can create a great photograph for you.

This is my latest work! Thank you Homeowners Financial Group Alamogordo!

https://karinaschuhphotography.com/galleries/business-portraits/

 

Wish of A Lifetime – Documentary Photography of a Family visiting the Trinity Site, New Mexico and remembering husband, dad and uncle Sam Levy –

The organization ‚Wish of A Lifetime‘, contacted me a few weeks ago to ask me if I would be able to create a family’s memories visiting the Trinity Site in New Mexico. The Trinity Site is the place where the first atomic bomb was tested on July 16, 1945. Jo Byrnes (90 years old) last wish was to visit the site where her former husband and dad of her daughters, Sam Levy, was with 17 years the youngest volunteer assigned to the crew that attended the explosion of the first Atomic Bomb in New Mexico.  „He was one of the 500 soldiers who camped of the perimeter of the Trinity Site and were ordered to rise and stand attention when the bomb was being prepared for detonation. Their campsite was about 9 miles out from Ground Zero, the epicenter of the explosion of the bomb. Sam Levy and the entire crew were prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice as they carried out their orders. The atomic age was born, Eureka. All men on this maneuver did survive the explosion physically.“ (letter from Jo Byrnes to Wish of a Lifetime). Later, they found out that Sam Levy like many others from the crew suffered post traumatic stress disorder and many of these men died sooner than their life expectancy.
Sam Levy, Jr. gained his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts at University of Denver. He was only 59 years old when he died in August 1984.
Now, almost 71 years after the Manhattan Project, Sam Levy’s wife, Jo and their daughters, Susan and Lori as well as their nice, came to the Trinity Site to understand their family background that was alway a part of their lives. Wish of A Lifetime made it possible. And I was privileged to create these memories for their family.
On April 02, 2016, many people visited the site. At 1 pm we met Jo, her daughters and her nice at ‚Ground Zero‘. When we arrived at the monument, Joe and Susan were standing in front of a photograph showing the group of volunteers including Joe’s husband. They could not believe that they found a picture that was showing him at his young age of 17 years. I and Greg Easthouse, who did the videography, stayed with the family and found out many, many more interesting things about the Manhattan Project and their family. Suddenly, we were part of the story. At the McDonald Ranch, we found another image showing the group of volunteers including Sam. Everybody was overwhelmed by this dramatic story.
Thank you ‚Wish of A Lifetime‘ for including me in this amazing project. And thank you to Jo and her family who welcomed us like family members. We will never forget this day.