Angeles' Senior Session
Well it was hot-as-a-griddle outside during high school graduate Angeles’ senior session on Boston Common, but you wouldn’t know that from the photos. She did an awesome job keeping a breezy manner for her shoot!
Joseph and Gerard
Joseph was visiting Boston with his husband Gerard when he contacted me through my Instagram page. The two were looking to have a family session along with their dog Donatella Versace. Donatella Versace?! Sign me up!
I was honored that they wanted to work with me, someone they found out of the blue via IG, and I thought it was a great thing - a photo shoot - to add to a vacation getaway.
They graciously made the trek up to Salem so we could avoid the Boston city crowds and have a session at Salem Willows.
In the midst of this sometimes isolating pandemic, a session with this lovely pair and their sweet pup was a welcome pick-me-up!
(click to enlarge pics)
Photographing a Bobcat!
Last summer I was contacted by my alma mater Ohio University. They hired me to photograph a fellow Bobcat in my area who had been chosen to make a local TedTalk about her passion for running. Passion to run a half marathon in all 50 states before reaching age 50, to be exact.
Woah!
The first time I photographed Tiffany, I got up god-awful early for good light and we wandered her neighborhood in south Boston and found great spots to capture both her, and the beautiful place she run in.
A week of so later, I visited her at Salem State College and photographer her there too.
You can click here to read the story about Tiffany, an amazing woman, and here are some shots that didn’t run. One of my favorites is the one where I asked her to be all serious, standing in the sun, and she just couldn’t do it. What a smile!
Post Those Photos in Real Life!
Happy New Year!
If one of your goals for this next decade includes finally getting your photos displayed in your home, this write up is for you!
One of the most exciting things to see when I return to clients’ homes for an annual shoot is photos from past sessions displayed on their walls or on tables in frames. In this fast-paced world it’s so easy to take those digital files and tuck them away and never get around to printing them and enjoying them.
A while back a friend of mine asked for help with laying out her photo wall. It was a lot of work, but I had a blast going through her photos, helping her choose which to go on the wall so that in the end, the story of her family ran the length of her staircase.
I thought I would share some pointers in case you wanted to take some photos from a session with me, and create a display with them. Of course, if you have the drive, you can take photos from your personal collection and apply these rules too, but for this example, I’ll use photo from all one shoot I had recently.
How to choose what goes on the wall
Choose an anchor photo. The anchor photo is the largest photo, or one of the largest photos, and tends to be centered among all the other photos in your wall layout. It should be one of your favorites. In the example below, I chose two siblings having a moment.
The goal is for your wall to tell a story. Avoid an entire wall of people looking straight out at the viewer and create visual interest by choosing photos with a variety of expressions, crops and compositions.
Consider a photo that is a break from the expected but still contributes to the overall look. In this layout, the photo of the hands holding the pinecone accomplishes this.
Make sure your subjects fill the frames differently. Don’t fill your wall with a bunch of full-body shots. Have some with medium crops (waist up), tight shots of faces, and looser shots that show the subjects within an environment that tells a story or adds to the overall effect of the collection.
Layout and hanging directions;
What you’ll need -
brown craft paper (comes in a roll)
painter’s tape
frames in a variety of sizes
prints of your photos (they can be small 4x6s for the time being, and printed at home. They don’t even need to be in color.)
hanging supplies for when you are actually working on the wall.
toothpaste
Gather up all the frames you want to use. In my home I prefer simple frames so the focus is on the images, but variety of styles can be can be great too.
Do a search online for “photo wall layouts” or explore Pinterest using the same search words for layout inspiration. I found the layout I used in this entry HERE.
Once you have your frames, lay them out on the floor in a rough layout of how you’d like them to be on the wall. I start with the largest frames, then balance the whole wall out by adding the smaller frames around them.
Place the photos (remember, they can be just small quick prints at this stage) on the frames on the floor. When you’ve made a final decision of which photos you want in which frames, you’ll know how large each photo needs to be printed according to the frame it’s with. Consider taping the small photo to the glass of the frame for safe keeping once you’re sure you want it in that particular frame. Remember to print your photo to fit the size of the mat within in the frame, not the frame itself.
Photograph the whole collection on the floor. Immediately email that photo to yourself.
Slide the brown packing paper under each frame one at a time. Cut the brown paper to match the size of the frame and make a quick stick figure sketch of the corresponding photo onto the brown bag (or, just take a copy of the photo that’s on the frame and tape it to the brown cutout).
Use those brown cutouts to then lay out the wall, using the photo you took of the frames for reference, and taping the brown rectangles to your wall with the painter’s tape.
Move your brown paper placeholders around until they feel right on the wall, being careful to leave breathing room around the frames. Consider the height of the frames as well. Do you want to add more frames later? Is there room to do so? Will little ones be able to reach them where they are currently placed and is that a concern?
To figure out exactly where to place the nail on the wall, dab a spot of toothpaste on the teeth of the frame hanger, and gently place the frame where it will ultimately go, leaving a toothpaste mark on the brown paper. You can then hammer the nail straight through the brown paper, right where the toothpaste is. Then simply removed the brown paper and replace it with a frame!
When I want to update my wall, I will often add photos to the frames currently hanging, leaving the previous photo behind the new one in the frame.
Holiday Card Design Advice
One of my favorite things about the holiday season is when the cards start coming in. I hang the cards on my wall, and thanks to the popularity of photo cards, before long I have my own little gallery up. It’s great!
Here are some thoughts about what I personally think makes a holiday card really pop!
1. In my opinion, card recipients want to see a clear, beautiful portrait of you and your family/kids/dog, front and center. Make your photo the feature of your card by avoiding designs that take up half the card with sentiments. The sentiments are lovely, of course! but even better is your smile. If you do choose a more elaborate card, use very simple photos (like tight headshots) so that there are not competing design elements, creating a busy, un-peaceful mess.
2. If you’d like your family’s photo to be the featured photo, zoom in on the action - your faces! Sure, you may have gone to the beach this summer and want to share that news, but a beach shot where your family is tiny in the frame just doesn’t feature you the way your card-recipients want to see. Save a shot of your guys burying each other in the sand for the backside of the card, which will contribute to telling a little story about your year!
At right is the original crop, which I zoomed in on for the best effect on the card. When zooming in, be conscious not to crowd the subject by coming in too tight.
4. After you have a well-lit, nicely cropped shot of the whole family for the cover photo (or maybe just the kids, that’s cool too), use the back of the card to share photos that tell the story of your family. Avoid similar photos - four pictures of your kids from the waist-up smiling in the same manner is kind of boring. A shot of your daughter playing a game of soccer and another of your son engrossed in a project are more interesting, and for those who haven’t seen your kids in years or perhaps haven’t even met them, well, they’ve just learned something about your child! Also, if you’ve included a nice cover photo of the whole family looking into the camera, you don’t need a replica shot on the backside, so - go candid!
Do you like a card that’s more design-heavy? Consider a simpler photo, like the ones used in the below samples. Converting your photo to black and white can help avoid clashing colors too.
Click on the thumbnails below and roll your mouse over the opened photos to read more tips. Again, these are all made from shoots during my sessions, but I encourage you to add your favorite candid shots from the year to share with your recipients! (I used mpix.com to create these cards samples).
Happy designing!
Strings and Smiles {BOSTON AREA MARKETING PHOTOGRAPHER}
Just a sampling from a shoot I did recently for Johnson String Instrument annual catalog. Everybody was great to work with, as always. C, in the jeans top, was charming and has the most amazing skin! And E, in the red and white dress (and on the big comfy chair), I mean c’mon! How can you not smile when you see it’s clear that she loves to laugh? (Oh, and the grown-ups were fine to work with too )
Johnson String Instruments
I've been working with Johnson String Instrument for many years now. The maker, seller and repair shop for high end string instruments hire me to do many different types of shoots for them. Be it product shots, details of beautiful instruments, shots of the luthiers and staff working, portraits and headshots, images for their annual catalog, coverage of their special events, concerts or master classes, I am always pleased to hear they need me.
Here's a sampling of images taken for them over the past year.
The W Family {Boston Family Photographer}
Lizzi told me she found me on a random web search, and I feel lucky for that! When I met her and her family at Menatomy Rocks Park, there was something very familiar about them. Maybe it was that their eldest daughter brought Harry Potter to the photo shoot (the book, not the actual wizard), or that when Lizzi contacted me for a session there was a slight sense of urgency because the aforementioned Harry Potter-loving eldest child's front teeth were growing in! I felt this was the kind of urgency I could get behind. These are my kind of people.
They had an easiness about them that was a joy to be around. Photo sessions can be stressful, but you wouldn't know it if you were watching them!
• Fall Session Round-Up {boston portrait photographer} •
OK, I'll admit it; I'm putting on my lazy hat right now. Well, no, not really, but I am putting a collection of my favorite shots together from my sessions this season and sharing them with you all together, rather than doing multiple blog entries.
I attempted my annual fall session day before I left on vacation in October, but both the actually event day and it's rain date got cancelled due to stormy skies (shakes fifts at the heavens!). When I returned, I managed to schedule a second attempt, and my clients were excited to try again. Until it began to rain after I got only one session out of the way.
So, off to the second rain date we went (or does that make it the third? I don't know, I've lost track at this point). Some got their shots done on that sunday rain date, others went out of their way to meet me in the middle to get their sessions completed. I hope everyone loved their results!
Thanksgiving is coming, and I'm feeling thankful indeed.
European Adventure
I feel really fortunate to have super friends and to be able to travel. Annually, I join two of my friends, Nirvi and Libby, on a girls trip somewhere. In the past we have visited Leesburg, VA (lovely shops and great wineries!), New Orleans, Puerto Rico, and Quebec.
This past year (because she's wicked smaht), Nirvi was promoted from her role at Politico in DC to Politico in Brussles, Belgium (Oh no! We'll just have to have the girls trip in Europe this year!).
Nirvi, Libby and I spent a few days in Paris (though Libby, who hails from FL, was delayed a day by Hurricane Matthew). Then Libby and I continued on to Nice, France where we were joined by her friend Samantha for a few days. After that, Libby went back to the States and I visited Nirvi in Brussels. And then, since I was over there anyway so why not, I traveled to Barcelona for a few days alone, because I've always wanted to go there.
Click to enlarge (and click-through), roll your cursor over the open photos to see a caption.
Please remember that while I am happy to share these with you, all of the images on this site are copyrighted, so don't let me catch you selling t-shirts with a my photo of a crepe-maker on them!
• Johnson String Instrument/Carriage House Violins Catalog {Boston business photographer} *
I love working with Johnson. It's a nice change of pace and being around such craftsmanship is always so interesting and inspiring to me! Click on the shot of Amelia below to see the recent work I did (with the help of creative directors Maureen Wall, Heather Shaw and Silvija Kristapsons) for their catalog. It's designed by Pat Nieshoff
Advice for Your Family Photo Session
Hiring a professional photographer can be a bit daunting. You've committed to a date and time, find yourself at the mercy of New England weather, and crossing your fingers the kids won't get sick, and the grown-ups will feel camera-ready. Nor'easters and stomach bug outbreaks aside, here are some tips for looking your best and rocking your session. Keep in mind that these are suggestions, not hard and fast rules.
If you go with the same color, mix it up by choosing varying styles.
WHAT TO WEAR
For reasons no one understands, white seems to add ten pounds to everyone. Pastels and other muted toned like pale grays and beige makes most of us look pasty. Stick with colors you know you look good in. Don't be afraid of bold, unless it's really not your style. It will contribute to the personality and pop! of your photos. That said, 'got a new white dress you feel fabulous in? Then go for it!
If you're in a group, wear colors form the same end of the color spectrum, without being matchy-matchy. Everyone in identical chinos and white polos will leave you looking like you belong on a real estate billboard in Florida. WE DON'T WANT THAT! Select colors that compliment each other, but aren't identical. If you go with the same color, mix it up by choosing varying clothing styles to show each person's individuality.
Choose accessories which will show off your personality but not detract by being too wild or flashy (unless that's what you want!).
IF KIDS WILL BE IN YOUR SESSION
When dressing little ones, including babies, avoid shirts with charming phrases on them as they will be hard to read in your shots. Avoid fussy (think sailor suit). If they're not used to hats and headbands, skip them. You won't get natural shots of your child if they are uncomfortable with what they are wearing. Dressing your child (or letting them dress themselves!) to show their personality will only add to your photos.
Some of the best shots are when you're just enjoying each other!
Props. If your shoot is taking place in your home I will often use what I find there. Does you're little one have a ragged bunny she can't part with? Let Bunny join the session! It will add some sweet nostalgia to your collection. Bubbles are fun to have on hand too.
Don't forget to schedule around nap time and meals, and whatever you do, don't let your little one get hangry. Make sure they are fed and have had a potty-break beforehand.
BREATHE! If you are relaxed, your child will be relaxed. How would you feel if you had multiple people barking at you to "smile!". Not so great, right? Come to your session with an open mind and breathe deep. Not all wonderful photos are of subjects smiling right into the camera. If you're doing group shots, bring along a toy that I can hold to keep their attention during group shots. Don't be shy about singing a song or telling a knock knock joke. Make silly faces. Or, simply take a walk and leave it to me! I'll make fart noises until we get the shot!
HOW I WORK. Your session might include lots of moving around. I might plop your kids in the middle of your bed (provided you don't mind) and let them jump around for some fun action shots, or maybe on my way to your home I notice an interesting stone wall in your neighborhood. We may end up takin' a walk to hang out on that wall. If you have a place that's special to you, don't be shy about letting me know. This helps you get a variety of shots, and it keeps things fresh and helps prevent boredom for kids and grown-ups too. Alternatively, I may come into your home and find everything we need for the perfect session is right there in front of me. You just never know. Just remember to go with the flow and enjoy the experience!
I look forward to working with you!
My Ann Arbor; A Recent Visit to My Parents' Alma Mater, U of M
This entry is a bit of a personal one mashed up with professional. I spent all of last week at a symposium for the University Photographers Association of America (UPAA) of which I am a member as a staff photographer for Boston University. Every year the symposium is hosted by a different university, and this year was a special one for me because it was at the University of Michigan, which is where my parents went.
The conference was great. I relearned a lot of things I forgot about, made some new friends, had some interesting conversations about our field and the challenges within it.
Simultaneously, I got to know the place where my parents met. During the spare time we had between lectures and clinics and shooting competitions (photography, not skeet) I wandered the campus and found the places my parents lived when they were here in the early sixties. I experienced something I have never experienced before; sentimentality on someone else's behalf. I felt an emotional pull to Ann Arbor somehow. The campus was beautiful and it's downtown alive and peaceful at the same time (of course it is summer time and the student population is down, so there's that!). I visited the sorority house my mom lived in and could see her in my mind, walking out the door with her books in her arms, heading up the walkway to class, many years younger than I am now.
One of may favorite pictures of my parents is from their time together at UofM. It's black and white and dreamy and they lounge on a lawn together, my mom in her sixties bob hair style and my dad laying in the grass looking cool holding a cigarette. It was taken by my uncle Billy when he was visiting them from Switzerland as a teenager.
I told anyone at the conference who would listen about the picture and how I wanted to try and have my photo taken in the same spot. Anyone Who Would Listen was very nice about me going on and on about Mom and Dad, and one shooter even joined me wandering the main campus trying to find where, exactly, photo was taken (thanks again, Peter!). We even tried asking at the grad student library but no one was sure where it was taken. So, no reinactment took place (being a photographer and not a model, I was OK with that).
Before I left for this trip, I also asked my dad where he lived, and so I headed to Mary Court where I introduced myself and told the young woman sitting on the porch "My dad lived here in the sixties!" She thought this was very cool. Since spring semester was done, I asked her if she was in a summer session. No, she told me, and continued on about how she was soon leaving to teach english in South America, and her roommate, who was just inside, would be leaving that afternoon herself. "It's sort of a sad day for us" she shared "we've lived together since freshman year." I told her that if she'd like I would take their portrait. She beamed and went inside to collect her roommate and I photographed them together on this porch where I could see my dad sitting playing his guitar.
The other thing I did was visit my mom's childhood home in Detroit. I was relieved to find her neighborhood in good shape, and sad to see so many other surrounding neighborhoods not doing too well. I approached the house, nervous, thinking about all the stories Mom's told me about growing up on this street so long ago; the field at one end where the kids played all sorts of games, and about the one mean kid who taped his guinea pig to his train set, how many great memories she had of her dad who died too young and so on. It was a modest home, and when I approached, the owner was very skeptical. I had a photo of mom in my hand which I'd brought along, and I explained what I was doing there and asked if I could take a few photos. She smiled at my story and my picture of my mom with her birthday cake and two dolls, one in each hand, and said of course I could.
So, below is a collection of my favorites from my trip. To learn about what's going on in the photo, just scroll your cursor over the picture and a cutline will come up.
New Year, New Deals {Boston photographer discounts}
Click HERE to see our most recent newsletter and learn about more ways you can save with a CSP session!
Holidays! {Boston Portrait Photographer}
I've been a bit neglectful of this here blog, so here is a little slideshow of some photos I shot for clients seeking holiday pics. Not wanting to share photos which clients might want to share themselves on their holiday cards, I decided to keep them to myself til after the new year. I think it's safe now. Also for your viewing pleasure is my own silly holiday card featuring my pup Harlow!
