Archive for the ‘children’ Category

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

welcome to my home.  meet Tavish and Pierson,  my two little partners in crime.  the pond behind our house dried up a few weeks ago, and we saw thousands of tadpoles flopping in the sun.  We knew we couldnt just stand by and watch them bake, so we decided to intervene. we filled up the boys plastic swimming pool, armed ourselves with buckets, and scooped up hundreds of tadpoles from the muck and placed them in the water.  the remaining tadpoles that we didnt have room for we filled the pond with a little bit of water from our hose.  not too much, but just enough that they could be submerged in water.  we did this every single day for two weeks, until finally… there were no more tadpoles, and they had turned into frogs :)  my favorite part of this was watching my tough, rugby playing husband quietly sneak off to fill the pond up with more water, just too make the tadpoles a bit more comfortable.  He wouldnt probably admit it, but he’s such a softie, even when it comes to tadpole lives.

i can NOT remember what film stock i used here… was it Tmax 400?  ilford 3200?  i’ll find out when Indie sends my film back.  regardless, shot with contax 645.

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

Just a couple film shots of Dina’s portrait session.  i just love film grain. so.so.so.much.

shot with fuji Pro 400h, 80mm f/2.0 on my contax 645

my loves.

March 17, 2012

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

I just got my new film camera, and this was my first full shoot i did with it.  of course, i brought my two favorite subjects outside to play around, and because Mommy had her camera Tavish wanted to bring his too.  he’s got a Holga camera (it’s film too) and he loves to load the big negatives by himself and wind it up.  he’s got the ‘click!’ and advancing film down, we’re still working on making sure he holds the camera still when he takes a picture.  it’s hard for a 3 year old to slow down, especially this one.  Currently, he wants to be a photographer… and also a dolphin trainer and a monster truck driver.

Tavish has always been easy to photograph, i just let him play and he’s happy doing his own thing. Pierson, on the other hand, has proved to be quite impossible.  he wants to come over and investigate, which leaves me with nothing to photograph in front of my lens.  but he’s just so.damn.beautiful.  it kills me. those curls, and those eyes, and his bright personality.

Tavish gave me a hug in the parking lot of the grocery store last week.  it was an incredible one, where he really squeezed meaningfully.  it was so wonderful i commented about it: “what a nice hug, babylove. thank you.”  he said: “i know mama. it’s cause our hearts are connected when i hug you”

our hearts are connected.

shot with a contax 645, fuji  pro 400h, f/2.0

what to wear for a child's session

image credit: http://tig-fashion.blogspot.com/

I need to start off by saying that there really is no right or wrong for this post. every photographer will tell you something different,   and it will fit their style of photography and (hopefully) you’re style if you’re hiring them.  Some photographers urge bold colors and shocking contrasts, other’s will encourage matching, and others will want you to include props.

my style is much more whimsical, soft, airy, and dreamlike.  if i could plan my ideal session it would have little girls in thin cotton and lace nightgowns, and little boys in jeans with no shirts.  we would be shooting at sunset or sunrise, in a field, or by the water.  they would swing on swings hung from giant oak trees, and a misty fog would lay on the ground.  So, if any of you want to make that happen… i’d be more than happy to photograph it!  i enjoy photographing the children the most, but of course, i love the connection between parents and their children.  Newborns with their mamas in the window-light of a giant window with billowing curtains, and little boys holding frogs and lizards, pulling wagons through the field.

so, it goes without saying that when i photograph children, less is absolutely, positively, more.  I know you love that giant flower headband that you just bought on Etsy to go with the Hot Pink polkadot dress, and so do I, but for me as an artist, it doesnt inspire me the way the innocence of a cotton shift dress does.  And, i’m also not sure that you’re going to fully love that hot pink polkadot dress on your living room wall in a giant frame.  if it doesnt say ‘timeless’ to you, it might not be a good choice for the investment you make in quality photography.

what to wear for my family portrait session?

what to wear for my family portrait session?

It’s important, during these sessions, that we let the child guide the session.  if you find beauty in childhood, you’ll find beauty in the dirty mouth.  in drinking out of the hose.  in blowing bubbles and not worrying about the soap getting on his shirt.  you’ll be ok with him picking up a frog. these Childhood sessions are my favorite, more than any other type of photography.  it is true, and it is real.

what to wear for a family session?

what to wear for a family session?

what to wear for a family session?

my style choice changes a bit when i photograph the family all together, with Dad included.  i still like to stay timeless, but Ethereal and whimsical sort of fall to the side and leave a bit more room for style and fashion. full family sessions become a bit more editorial and a bit less documentary.

we did our own family shoot this year with the fantastic Esther Louise, and this is what we decided to wear.  little punches of color and pattern in the boy’s clothes, and a little mix of bohemian and classic (to match our personalities).

what to wear for my family portrait session?

what to wear for my family portrait session?

The biggest myth i can bust here is that you DO NOT NEED TO MATCH.  actually, please, dont.  it is so fake and contrived, and as a photojournalistic photographer i’m doing my best to keep it real- i just cant with matching outfits.  coordinate, sure, but don’t match.

ladies, i love flowy dresses- you can read all about my obsession and get fabulous ideas in this post.  Fellas, stay in the same style genre as your wife, if she’s a little dressy, you should be too.  if she’s going a little vintage, dont go all ‘sporty’.  actually… try not to go sports at all.  unless we’re doing a session with you and your son on the baseball pitch, lets leave the baseball hats and the logos behind.

If you’re looking for what clothes to wear check out polyvore.com and pinterest.com for inspiration. figure out the style of session you want to do (urban downtown? country field? seaside?) and then pick a color pallette with at least 3 tones and incorporate textures, patterns, and accessories that fit the feel of the location, and your own personalities.  check out this post for some of my favorite inspiration boards.

Some Do’s:

  • Do stay in the same style group together.  If you’re going formal, you all need to be formal and likewise for casual.
  • the attire should match the location.  very rarely does a form fitted feminine business suit fit the style of a country road and golden sun filled field.  of course, rules are meant to be broken, but only carefully with thought. better to have bohemian in bohemian, and formal with formal.  if you’re going for a theme (say, a retro Pan-Am feel at an airstrip with some old Cessnas) your attire needs to not only match the era, but also the location.
  • Dress for the weather.  there is no sense in having a well planned outfit but having the children freezing and unhappy during the shoot.  it will show through in the photographs and there is nothing i can do for that.  have backup outfits ready for cold weather.
  • If you want to retain some cohesiveness without being matchy-matchy, set a color pallet and pick clothes from that with different textures and patterns.  Textures, patterns, and layers give interest to your shoot just as those same elements give interest in interior design.
  • De-stress beforehand, even if that means having a glass of wine. the kids can read your level of stress and will act accordingly.
  • Flowy dresses are always a big bonus- anything that shows movement will translate beautifully to photography.
  • Do get hair and makeup professionally done- it makes such a huge difference in how you feel during the shoot and the final product afterward.
  • have snacks for the kids ready, and make sure they get a good nap in.  that goes for you too, they can read your stress.
  • Trust your photographer, and the locations I have scouted.  Remember, it’s all about the light, then the connection between you all, and very lastly, the location.  A boring parking lot can be completely transformed once you step into the best light.
  • Give me some space when i photograph the little ones.  hovering parents saying “smile honey! smile!” does not help, no matter how much you want it to.  i will only stop when i know we’ve gotten great images, so you need not worry. and besides, the very best images are not when they are smiling at the camera.

Some Dont’s

  • only bring props that you feel are intrinsic to you as a family and that are interactive. props that are not able to be interacted with (like her baptism outfit from 3 years ago, or the basket you’ve been weaving) may not translate into photography as well as, say, the radio flyer wagon your kids love and can pull them through the field.  the quilt you made for them when they were babies that you all love to wrap up in. the swing hanging from the giant oak tree in your yard, her favorite babydoll that she sleeps with every night, or his toy plane he loves to zoom over his head. You get the idea- but the main objective is to photograph the love and connections in your family, not the items in your life – unless they relate directly to your love.
  • Don’t put off shopping until the last minute and wear your clothes for the first time on your shoot.  You want to know what you can and can not do in them.  If you feel restricted, it might not be the best choice. We’ll be having fun during your family shoot, and you might be spinning your children around, running through a field, or dancing in the street.
  • Your shoes will be shown in photos, so don’t forget about that style!
  • Sometimes less is more- but that doesn’t necessarily apply to clothing! The less skin exposed the more we focus on your faces and the connection between you all, and the more timeless your photos will be.
  • Don’t leave tags on- the less time I spend photoshopping out stray tags, the sooner you will see your images. a photographers worst nightmare is hearing “but you can photoshop that, right?”  from their clients.
  • Dont be late.  We are on no one’s time but the sun, and when that sun sets, it’s all over.  so unfortunately, sessions can not be extended, and the time you loose will have to be forfeited.  better to be early than late!

what a mommy is

October 7, 2011

tampa child photographer

Today, Tavish came running into the living room saying “mommy mommy mommy!!!”  and curled up on my lap with his head on my chest and arms around my shoulders. i asked him:

“tavish, what IS a mommy?”

“i dont know, can you tell me?”

“why dont you tell me? what do you think a mommy is?”

he paused a moment, thought about it and responded:

“love. i think a mama is love

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

It’s August, and our huge wedding season up north in Wisconsin.  it’s been a lot of travel, and a lot of chaos, but i found some time to get together with Ali and Dusty and baby Rowan.  You’ll recognize them from the winning photograph of the Canon Imagin8ion Project-  the birth photograph that is inspiring Ron Howard’s next hollywood production.  Rowan is now 10 months old, and a solid little chunk of rolls and strawberry blonde curls.  I’m amazed that it was this little baby who Ali brought forth naturally with the supportive help of her husband Dusty.  how great it is to see everything come full circle. :-)

I can hardly believe that these sweet cheeks are the same as these-  it feels like i just photographed her beautiful home birth. she is more and more beautiful just like her mama.

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

tampa family photographer

Baby Collins is part of our Baby Plan series, where we document maternity through the first year in photographs.  I can not wait for our final session at her first birthday… i’m going to start brainstorming some fabulous ideas for this family.  :-)

So our marathon for Jason Decent was spectacular, it was such an incredible turn out.  I was hoping to fill the majority of the slots with photo sessions, and i ended up booking the ENTIRE day!  i had a half a minute to scarf down some food!  it was so awesome, so rewarding, and the people i got to photograph were incredible.  I know i can kind of tend to be a sap on here, but seriously… I got to photograph great people who were donating their money to such a great cause all day long.  And, now that print orders are all through, i get to send a heafty chunk of money to Julie and Jason to help offset the costs of fighting brain cancer.

This is not just about helping someone who is going through a rough period.  This has everything to do with cherishing the time we have here.  showing it, expressing it, capturing it. The other day someone mentioned they really wanted to get photos of their family done for their son’s first birthday, but it had already come and gone.  and that maybe her child wasn’t the right age to be photographed anymore.

i literally felt my heart collapse in my chest.  literally.

EVERY age is magical, it doesn’t matter if they are one year old, or one year 4 months and 15.5 days old.

look at that little boy with the freckles and the missing tooth.  what if his mom had waited until his teeth were grown in?  that is one of my favorite images possibly ever. and the little girl holding the flowers with the dirty fingers… incredible.  The little boy who’s parents are kissing him on both cheeks… he is 2 but hasn’t yet developed the ability to walk.  Why would his parent’s need to wait until he had developed the ability to walk to do a session? he is incredible exactly how he is. i’m not interested in capturing perfect pictures, i’m interested in documenting love.  There is no better time than the present to do that.

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

 tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

tampa wedding photographer

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