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!

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!

Just My Little Dude

This child is almost four. This is hard to believe. My last picture of him at this spot he was reaching for the wind chime and couldn’t actually reach it. Now, older and taller, he is closer to the chime and a little further away from being my baby.

Pretty New Location

Isn’t this spot gorgeous? I did a shoot last weekend for a 1-year-old here and need to remember to schedule daffodil sessions next spring. It had rolling hills of daffodils, old stone walls, old stone steps, paths, a pond (with an island that had yet more daffodils) and then some more daffodils.

Mini Session Marathon Sneak Peeks

Last Saturday I held a series of mini sessions in what I confess is my favorite location, Westmoor Park. All the participants enjoyed (or, at least I hope they enjoyed) a 30-45 minute session with some shots in the barn and some in the fields.

I love barn light. Really really love it.

There were a variety of victims. Errr… subjects. Families, 3-year-old twins, 1-year-old twins, children with more fashion sense than I can ever hope to have, older kids, younger kids and special needs kids. It was a wild ride of photography and, for many people, playing in the park afterward. There are chickens to see, a free roaming rooster to ogle, a very friendly horse (and, no, my hair is NOT a snack despite what he seemed to think) much open space to run in, barn cats that like even young, active children. Westmoor Park is such a hidden treasure, tucked away in West Hartford, and I always like to be able to introduce more people to it.

Each mini-session guaranteed 5-10 images (though I’ve finished proofing one and thanks to my lack of self discipline there are 18 final pictures from which to choose) and the $100 fee is wholly applied to the initial order which, of course, makes the actual session free. I am thinking about doing one more set of this style of mini-sessions for the holidays. But, enough of my prattle. Here are some pictures…

Library Snapshot Week in West Hartford

I love the West Hartford Public Library and so do my kids. The children’s preschool room is truly incredible with fabulous comfortable sofa benches, a train table, doll houses, a puppet theatre, a play kitchen and more along with books galore. My kids ask to go there regularly and along with the basic “free-ness” of the library they also validate parking for the closest parking garage which is great in the winter when, well, I’m not walking the 4 blocks to the library with two three-year-olds if I don’t have to. They getting there isn’t so bad, it’s the getting them back home, tired, overexcited and grumpy, that’s less than fun.

Given how much I love the library volunteering for Library Snapshot Week was a natural fit for me.

The primary purpose of this community-based project is to showcase the library through photographic images. During Library Snapshot Week selected photographers will take pictures of our library, the building, patrons, staff, etc. Of the photos taken, some will be chosen for display in the Noah Webster Library Gallery, on the library website, or used for library promotional purposes, but all for the benefit of the community.

Over 30 photographers participated coming in both one Sunday morning for what I called “still-life day” and then taking pictures through the libraries during one week. Over 1,000 pictures were donated to the library for them to use promoting their services, 20 of which were selected to be hung in a gallery show.

Two of mine are there, including this one:

The exhibit will be up until March 31st and I encourage you to drop in and take a look.

Sweet Sweet Sweet at 1 Month Old | Farmington Baby Photographer

I thought, OK, we’ll try it. I mean, I try to keep expectations low for baby pictures if the baby is getting on in days. You know, by the time you are the ripe old age of 9 or 10 (days) you are starting to find the world too interesting to sleep all the time and, well, without sleep you only get photos like this one.

Of course, that isn’t so bad. I think it’s awfully sweet. In all truth, if I were working out of an actual studio and paying overhead and such I’d be hanging that one as a giant sample on the walls. We had been shooting up in this room for a while and were about to head downstairs to to the “head in hands” shot when big sister and baby brother settled in for a snuggle. I couldn’t resist. And I just love the result.

The head-in-hands is a classic I almost always do. These are mom’s hands; we did a set with each older sister as well for the perfect triptych.

And, despite being such an ancient baby this guy slept like champ too.

6 Months! | Connecticut Baby Photographer

Oh, how this little guy has grown! He is one of my baby package clients and this means I get to see him four times this year. This was the third and, just like at his newborn portrait session and three-month portrait session he was a smiling, adorable flirt. I love 6 month session; for one thing, of course, unlike at a newborn session we don’t have to get the baby to sleep. This session is all about smiles, sitting on your own and giving kisses to mama. This little guy delivered on all accounts.

I hope you enjoy your sneak peek. The whole gallery should be ready soon!

Photo Shoot in Field and Diner