Why I love what I do…

My goal in every session is to capture the subject…. not make the subject look like what I think he/she or they SHOULD look like.  That’s why I love my job!  I’ve had sessions on lots of different venues/locales, and I’ve loved them all.

This past Sunday I had the privilege of doing senior yearbook session with one of my best friends sons.  When I met my friend this young man was 2… as I’m gazing through my viewfinder at him during our session I can’t help but remember back to those pre-school pictures she showed me of him all those years ago… I turned to her and said “I can’t believe I’m taking his SENIOR pictures!”

Another thing that made this session unique is that sitting this guy in a meadow of wildflowers wouldn’t fly… he wanted graffiti! He took me to a skate park… I’ve never been in a skate park before in my life.  I was so excited.  I loved the idea of doing something urban, with gritty edits that I knew would just fit HIM! 

And a nice non-graffiti for Mom!

Don’t get me wrong I still love my meadows, and foliage, but it’s so much fun to do something different once in awhile!

Fall in New England…

Are the Barry Manillow lyrics echoing in your mind right now?  "… time in New England took me away…”  Anywho… I digress…

This morning in spite of the downpours on the way there we ventured out to go apple picking with our MOPS group (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers)… thankfully the rain stopped long enough for us to pick our apples, and enjoy some homemade cider donuts (Yummm… how have I gone my whole life without trying these?), and some fresh pressed cider.

The rain drops on the apples did make for some fun shots though…  It occurred to me today walking through the rows of pumpkins, and mums at this quaint farmstand that autumn is a photographer’s dream time of year…

Of course… my daughter could have cared less about apples & pumpkins… Mommy was letting her jump in puddles!!

CAKE SMASH!!

One of my first clients a year ago was this tiny little one…

Now she came to my studio yesterday for her one year old cake smash!!  It was sooo much fun!

Yearbook Fun

I love my high school senior sessions (well I love all my sessions but all of them for different reasons which is an ENTIRELY different post)… Seniors are so fresh, optimistic… full of possibility! 

We had a gorgeous day on Saturday to go to one of my favorite local parks for our session.   She also wanted some of the more traditional yearbook poses so we spent some time in studio too!  She was a great model with such a relaxed, natural smile, and way about her.

Before the shoot… I was testing my new black backdrop with my daughter’s help… doesn’t she look thrilled?

She REALLY didn’t want to hold the flower, but I said.. let’s just give it a try… I’m glad she humored me b/c I think it’s a really cute shot… probably won’t make the yearbook cut though.

More yearbook appropriate…

The outdoor ones are my favorite though….

Autumn Specials

I hope you all had a nice long weekend!  I’m an autumn girl so I’m soooo excited for this time of year!  Crisp air, apples, baking, cozy sweaters, beautiful colors, not to mention FOOTBALL!  LOVE IT!

I just updated my website with the specials for fall… Click here -----> Fall Specials … Maternity/Newborn sessions are on special, and I’ve extended the high school senior yearbook promotion for another 30 days.  Both offers include a free proof album.  Details on the website… go check it out!

       

Clicking it Up a Notch!

I’m clicking it up a notch from over at “Clicking It Up A Notch”





The rules are it must be a photo I took in August… I LOVE this one from my newborn session last week!

Back To School Photo Tips

I know in some parts of the country kids have been back in school for awhile… Here in New England they’re just heading back now…

What would all the excitement, nerves, smell of new pencils/paper/crayons be without Mom & Dad trying to get the obligatory first day of school photo?

I look back at these photos it brings back such memories of that time… the anticipation.  When I see this photo (I hope my brother doesn’t kill me for posting it… sorry Rob, but you’re rocking those Wranglers!)… I remember my new dress… a new watch I had, and I thought I was all that b/c there was a pin under the collar of this dress that was also a watch.  I also had my Holly Hobbie lunch box!  I was ALLLL about Holly Hobbie back then… bedspread, wallpaper, sheets, lunchbox (wish I still had that lunchbox… I digress). Gotta love the Dorothy Hammil haircut too!  What I’m trying to say is looking at this ONE photo brings back all those memories of childhood.

So… here are some tips to capture those memories for your children too!

1. Take a picture, and PLAN for it!  With all the hustle & bustle of the first day of school… packing lunches, completing checklists, getting clothes out, etc… checking the camera may be an afterthought as you’re on the way out the door with only minutes to catch the bus.  Instead… 1-2 days before get your camera out, make sure it’s charged, and the memory card isn’t full.  If you’re really ambitious do a ‘dress rehearsal’, and get everyone dressed for pictures the day, or week before around the same time of day you’ll be leaving.  Have them hold their backpacks, lunchboxes, etc.  If you’re doing it the morning of allow an extra 10-15 minutes.
2. One of my favorite things to do is have the kids have their backpacks on, turn their back toward me, and then have them look over their shoulder at me.                                                  
3. Chalkboard… I saw this on another blog, and thought it was sooo cute.  Get a small chalkboard, and write the year “1st Grade” and have your child hold it. LOVE it!
4. Don’t forget the same for the LAST day of school… it’s so fun to compare… this was from my daughter last year… first day of nursery school, and last day!
5. Try to take the photo at the same spot in your home/yard so you can see from year to year how these little ones are growing waaay too fast!