Lovely Young Woman

SUCH a beautiful girl. This young woman was one of the models at a workshop I went to recently and she was just amazing. I love getting to work with girls this age. They are so self-possessed and just hovering on that paper thin line between childhood and adulthood and over the course of a session you can see them go back and forth between the two.

My OTHER Gorgeous Senior Rep

I have two beautiful young women who volunteered to be my senior reps this year (or, rather, next year). This woman is SO much fun. She hardly stopped laughing the entire session and has SUCH a gorgeous smile. And, really, how can you not love someone who brings a Buddha to her session? Thank you for being just such a delight to photograph; I should have your goodies out to you soon!

Gorgeous Girl Child and Workshop Ramblings

I went to my first photography workshop this weekend and I’m still recovering. The other photographers were awesome and I ate brains.

No. Really. Jen Snyder, who is my long lost dork twin, ordered “lobster with sweet breads” at dinner the first night. Sweet breads are brains. Who knew? She didn’t, and neither did I. They taste like garlic.

Back to the photographers. Summer was so much fun. She does some of the most beautiful color newborn work I’ve ever see and she can get joy out of the most recalcitrant child. Leiba was the coolest, most inspiring wench imaginable and Zoe, who organized the workshop, shoots the most beautiful scenes and intimidates the hell out of me because she is just that good. As for the teacher, well, I am Cheryl Jacobs‘ crazy stalker and some day she’s going to find me living under her porch so I can pluck every last bit of knowledge from her brain.

Brains. Mmmmmm….

So, we took a lot of pictures – go figure at a photography workshop – and this particular child was one of my favorite models because she was such a bit of mischief. And those freckles!

I call this one “Her Ladyship Sits for Her Portrait.”

Expect more of more kids as the days go by…

My Beautiful 2011 Senior Rep

After a slew of babies I got to go out and shoot a teenager the other day. No NO. With a camera. Sheesh. And she was GORGEOUS. We’d had to reschedule once because she had a driver’s test that, in classic DMV style, had not happened on time. But, thanks to the reschedule, we got to go out during the gorgeous light of the end of the day.

Senior rep is a good gig. I get 1 or 2 high school seniors to model and they get brag books, 411 cards and discounts on prints as well as referral cash for every session they send me. I have one more rep to shoot this week and then it’s onto full on senior portrait season.

Oh, wait… you want to SEE this beautiful young woman. Oh. Well. I suppose I could manage that…

The Last Morning

Peony

Making the Most of Location Photography

When I tell people I shoot on location they tend to freeze. What does that mean? Can I suggest some place? And, of course I can. Parks, fields of wildflowers (aka weeds), old barns all make wonderful, classical places to get a picture taken. But if you want something a little funkier, a little more interesting, well, that’s where location photography really shines.

This one was shot in the Farmington River. Little Miss wanted to wear the “mermaid dress” and get in the water. Dressing up AND getting wet – does life get more fun? I waded out, carrying the 3 million pound camera and the child and placed her on the rock and asked her to just hang out for a few minutes. I stood in the right place, on very painful rocks, and we got this.

This was shot in a diner. I tried to put his hair into a ducktail (hair style FAIL – I can’t style my own hair, why would I think I could style his?) and dressed him up in jeans, a white t-shirt and a faux leather jacket and took him to a 50′s style diner at an off time so it would be basically empty, bought him his first milkshake ever and started snapping.

If you are thinking “I want something like THAT” let me know. There is nothing wrong with parks, wildflowers or your back yard and you’ll get shots you’ll adore taken in your spare room but I am always happy to head out someplace odd to get that one special shot. Like where? How about a carnival? Or an amusement park (though, yes, you’ll have to pay my entrance fee). The candy store. Who IS your child? What does she beg to do, where does he shine? Is your child an avid baseball player? Maybe his Little League game is the best place for a portrait. Does she live to swim? Maybe the pond is where to go. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries of what a “location” is – that’s the best way to get something that is emblematic of your family and your child!