Fall Session Day 2012

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Last weekend, I hosted what I hope will be an annual event - Fall Session Day!  While our initial plan was to have the event (a day filled with half-hour photo sessions) take place at Endicott Park, a Boy Scout event was going to happen on that same day at Endicott. Not wanting to take on the challenge of working around hundreds little uniformed boys, I switched the location to Lynch Park in Beverly. Although it was chilly, it was a great day. It was so nice to see families that I have worked with in the past and meet some new people too!  Everyone did such a great job during their sessions. We had toddlers and teens and itty-bitty babies too, and all our sessions still went smoothly, even with that distracting, tempting playground luring some away from the camera!

I'm so very grateful for my wonderful clients. I really do enjoy working with all of you!  Thanks for making it such a fun and I felt, successful day!

The Hochbergs

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So, I'm on vacation this week, but as I have booked a few sessions it is clear that I am not very good at actually BEING on vacation. No matter! I love my clients and I am happy to get them some nice photos of themselves and their families.

My friend Donna, who I went to high school with and see regularly still today, hired me to photograph her family as a gift to her mom. What a nice daughter!

It was fun to see her extended family since I don't normally see them and as I recall, her brother Sam was in diapers the last time I saw him (hopefully he never sees this blog entry since I'm not so sure how thrilled he'd be that I just typed that...um, look at the nice pictures below! Distract distract!).

Donna bought a home a few years ago and with it a barn. In that barn - this very cool blue door. So, of course we used it!

It was a fun session, and poor sleepy Max, who was dangerously close to naptime managed to hang in there just fine for it. Well done little one!

Lynch Park with Sandi's Family!

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It's always a great thing when clients come back for more.  I was so flattered to hear that Sandi enjoyed her family's session and the photos that resulted last year so much that she wanted to book another session this year. Hooray! This time we decided to check out Lynch Park in Beverly. We couldn't have asked for a better scenario; the temperature outside was just right and the light was perfect!

I love to see from year to year how the kids have grown, too. And have I mentioned how grateful I am to have so many awesome clients?

Jade's Cuties

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When I arrived at Jade's house, I introduced myself to her daughter, Sierra, and asked her to show me her room. I often do this to help kids feel more comfortable about me being in their home; by showing interest in all their cool stuff and engaging them in conversation. It helps me too, to get to know them a little bit. She proudly showed me all her pink and purple things. Including a clock which let her know when it was ready to wake-up, ready to get out of "time out" and so on. (A lot of us could use one of those "time out" clocks, I think.) With little wings on and a skirt of tulle, I knew she would be up for some fairy-like jumping on the bed. So, with Mom's permission, jumping ensued...as did the rest of our session with her, her parents, and little brother, Brayden.

Aayan is 2 and...

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there's a brother on the way! I am always happy to hear from Rumana. I have been photographing her and her family since Aayan was 6 months old.  I photographed him again at one year old.  This time, with another on the way, she asked for a few maternity shots as well as a session for Aayan's second birthday.

When I arrived, her husband Safraz took little Aayan upstairs for wardrobe prep while we shot a few photos in some lovely window light in her home. Before long, we heard the beep beep beeping of a car locking and unlocking. There was a pause. A moment of silence while Rumana thought and listened. Then he called upstairs, "Safraz!  He has your keys!"

I have my favorite pictures of them, too.

Noah is Three!

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This is what happens over time. They get bigger. It's just fact. Today's photo shoot with Noah took place in my home which is currently in renovation mode. With the clean painted walls and good window light, I thought it would be a nice change. I think it was pretty successful and Noah did a great job despite all the interesting distractions ("What's that?" he'd ask, pointing at paint brushes and paint cans and...saws.)

Hugh, Tom, Tia and Matthew!

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Hugh got in touch with me for some photos of his family...and their very large Mountain dogs. Hugh knows of me through my brother who is an employee of Hugh's, but also, Hugh won a photo session of mine at the Blossoms At The Beebe a few years ago. He kindly gave it to his sister. A few photos (man, did I ever edit tightly!?) can be seen HERE I arrived at their home and was immediately greeted my their massive and very sweet puppies. The children, Matthew, 4, and Tia, 7, were great kids, and energetic and wonderful photo subjects!  I learned quickly that the best way to get a genuine smile out of Matthew was by threatening him, "Whatever you do, Matthew, donnnnnnn't laugh!"

This was followed by his peels of laughter.

Since they live in my town, I asked Tia where she went to school. "Walton" she said.  That's where I went! I told her.  And she replied "Did you have Miss (So-and-So)?"

This was followed my my peels of laughter.

Cailin and her Clan

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When one-year-old Cailin's grandmom Vicki got in touch for a session, I thought it would be a fun challenge to photograph the whole extended family during their Thanksgiving weekend visit. The session went well; the light was cooperative, little Cailin was in good spirits, and even the puppy was a good poser! A big group session like this one is great because you can get extended family shots, plus little nuclear family shots done all in one go!

Heather and Jeff

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I met Heather and Jeff on the Boston Common. I mean, I didn't literally meet them there...we planned it. Oh, you know what I mean! We wandered the common for a bit and when rain led us under a bridge (and a bunch of other people too, making it impossible to keep shooting) we chatted about this and that. Heather is a (saint!) second grade teacher. Jeff is a doctor. What kind of doctor?

A surgeon!

What kind of surgeon?

An orthopedic surgeon.

Oh? Where?

At Mass General.

Oh, yeah?

Yup!

Do you know Dr. Smith?

Yes, I work with him!

Oh, cause he put this in me! (here's the part where I over-share and pull out my keychain which has on it a small strip of metal which Dr. Smith put in years ago and then took out nine months later).

Fortunately, Jeff doesn't seem phased about this, or my game of "Can You Guess Where It Came Out Of?". He thinks for a while, but because of it's odd bend at the end, he is stumped and I win the game "My collarbone!" I spill the answer.

He is appropriately impressed as is Heather.

The rain stops and so does my talking about myself and my ridiculous injury and we get back to taking pictures of this beautiful couple. And I do mean beautiful. I have the pics to prove it...