“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest.” Ernest Hemingway
Just leave it to Hemingway to perfectly describe how it feels to live in Boston in the springtime! After months of suffering through the cold weather, we have finally made it to the other side and it feels SO good!! We can open the windows and walk outside barefoot ( well, almost ) and exercise outdoors and play in the yard after dinner. Isn’t it AWESOME??
Over the last eight years photographing families, I have found there are certain things that work exceptionally well in helping people relax while I take their picture. One of these things is quite simply making good conversation! This can be anything from talking about where families live, where they work or what they love to do in their free time. Being a bit of a chatterbox while I’m photographing them helps people feel less nervous or awkward and this translates into the most natural images! At every photo session, I search for a topic of conversation that allows me to bond with my clients. Perhaps it is becoming a parent for the first time, or it is the decision of whether or not to raise your kids in the city, or it is simply the latest episode of Top Chef!
At this particular newborn session in Jamaica Plain, I was over the moon to see
Having lived in Roslindale, Massachusetts for almost a decade, I am very familiar with the number one outdoor destination in the area — the Arnold Arboretum. Occupying 281 acres, there is just nothing that compares to the beauty and diversity of trees, shrubs, and plants you can find here. It is a fantastic place for a walk or hike any time of year, but my very favorite time to come is in the springtime! Everywhere you turn there are flowers blooming and it seems like every week brings something new to see. I love to come with my own family for hikes, but it also happens to make a quintessential backdrop for photos. I am so excited to highlight my favorite images from this gorgeous Arnold Arboretum family photo session!
This session felt a little like I that iconic scene from
Over the years, I have been inside countless client homes for photo sessions. I love meeting people in their personal space, seeing how they live and hearing their life stories. No two at-home sessions are ever alike, which is easily the best part of my job! I love the thrill of not knowing what to expect when I open a client’s front door and then searching for beautiful light, color, lines and texture. I thrive on the anticipation of what new treasures await me at each and every client home.
I can safely say that the treasures hidden behind this family’s front door were
I remember when my first son turned one, friends, family and even strangers suddenly started asking me when I would have another. Apparently, the first birthday is a milestone after which it is socially acceptable to start bugging parents about getting pregnant again! Personally, I couldn’t imagine having another baby right away. I was too exhausted from stressing out over every detail of my son’s life ( can you say helicopter parent?) to consider having another!! But over the years, I have photographed numerous families with two babies under two, and there are definitely some positives to this scenario!
I always love to see returning clients, but I was a little more excited than normal to visit Charlotte & Jack for their one year session this past December! You might remember from reading my blog last year that these very special twins were born at just 27 weeks! I met them for the first time when they had just come home after being in the hospital for several months. You’d never know they were
Living next door to super cool people like this Mom & Dad is pretty great. But when they also happen to have a brand new adorable baby boy, and you’re a newborn photographer it’s pretty much the icing on the cake. I stopped by to visit them just a day after they came home from the hospital and
If I had to guess one of the top reasons why people don’t have professional photos taken of their family, I would say that they think it’s too much effort — it requires too much organizing and planning and preparing. Who has time to be picking out coordinating outfits and worrying about timing and location and posing and bribing your kids to smile and all the other details when they are busy running around from work to daycare to soccer practice to the grocery store, etc!! Who needs that kind of stress in their life?
Nobody. And I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that hard.
When I receive inquiries for photo sessions, people often ask me to recommend a place to go that has a beautiful backdrop for their family pictures. And I think this request makes a lot of sense — it’s amazing to have your family’s photos taken when spring blossoms are in full bloom or fall foliage is at it’s peak. But I have to say, over the last seven years of photographing families, the sessions at home are almost always my favorites.
This family is not a new client of mine and it’s not the first time I’ve
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might remember Charlotte & Jack — two of the most beautiful and amazing twins ever. The first time I photographed them, they had just come home from the hospital, after having been born early at just 27 weeks! Their parents were just settling into life with babies and getting the hang of juggling everything that comes with raising twins. What a treat to see them now… six months older and also six pounds heavier! I’m not exaggerating when I say