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What? Holidays already? Yes, I have been conducting holiday portrait sessions. Some have been more general portraits that will be used in cards. Others really speak to the season. That's what we have with this family. I couldn't have been happier when they came dressed in red. Great contrast with the green house. They are regulars of mine, so maybe they're starting to read my mind! :-)
I visited Three Oaks, Michigan for the first time 2 years ago while photographing the South Shore of Lake Michigan for The Times of Northwest Indiana and loved it! What an amazing quaint little place just a few miles off of the lake! I keep joking with my husband that I'm going to open a summer studio there. The kids and I can live there during the week, and he can visit us during the weekends :-) Well, we may never actaully move there, but I love that I get to work there from time to time.
While we were visiting once, I stopped in to talk to a gallery owner I met through a mutual friend and loved her gallery. Studio B has amazing character (as does much in Three Oaks), and beautiful pieces all made by local and Chicago-area artisans. Both being hard-working mothers with our own businesses and creative drive, we definitely connected and set tentative plans to work together some day. Fast forward two years. I've had the pleasure to work with Studio B on several projects. Below are a few shots of the charming gallery.
They are open for the season through mid-November. So, if you are looking for Christmas gifts, this is a great place to hit for something beautiful and unique...
When I have someone interested in photographing their baby, the mother often does not want to be in the picture. As new Mothers, we don't usually feel our best (how about tired, spit-up upon, too much baby weight to lose, etc...trust me, I know :-) I was thrilled, then, when one Mom called me and asked specifically for a Mother and Child image. We had a lot of fun at their home, taking breaks to feed the baby, trying to get her to go to sleep, getting the 3 year-old interested in joining in on the game. It was certainly a full morning! But I was so glad we did it at their home. It gave everyone the space to relax and decompress when necessary (and with a 3 year-old, it's always necessary...trust me, I know that one as well :-) Below is just one of the beautiful images we got. I don't know why more new Mothers don't want this shot. It is priceless! And they will never be this little again...JFp
And of course, the baby in the basket - Who doesn't love it that a wee person is small enough to fit in a basket!?
What happens when you set a family loose on the New Buffalo, MI beach on a cool Fall day? A whole lot of fun! This was a truly enjoyable session. We did some formal shots earlier in the day, but nothing tops having fun in the dune grass. Here are a few for now, Mom and Dad (and Grandma). I'm really just now downloading the cards, so it will be a while before I get the rest to you, but I can't resist a first look at my favs from the shoot. Enjoy! JFp
"The best camera is the one that's with you."
Isn't that the truth? I'm a busy Mom, and while I love creating the perfect portraits with all of my equipment, I can't lug the equipment around while I have kids in tow. So, my iPhone has been my snapshot camera. And there is definitely a place in the photography world for the snapshot. And there's a lot of room for creativity in the snapshot as well. The one thing I haven't liked about my iPhone camera is the lack of creative control that I get with my pro cameras and software. Enter the iPhone app Best Camera. Developed by photographer Chase Jarvis, this handy app allows you to edit (includes cool color filters), save, and share your iPhone images straight from your phone! Love it!!! Here's his sight : http://www.thebestcamera.com/ Check it out. And here are two quick shots through Best Camera...JFp
I'm always thrilled and humbled to receive positive feedback: "I have been showing the book to everyone. Dale's grandma said that she has been alive for 89 years and it is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. A million thank you's!!!"
