Going through this gallery, I thought about strengthening the compositions. I used to deliver horizontal and vertical images. I quickly learned that it’s better to shoot horizontally all the time. That way, if a client wants to fit a photo in a verticle frame, that’s still an option. This means, clients, you can get creative with cropping. Here are a few tips to consider.

The forecast for their day called for heavy rain, and unfortunately, it did just that. Routinely, I book two dates just in case of bad weather. That is Plan B. But later, we realized a family member could not make the 4-hour trip back for the backup date.

I’ve taken her photos since she was a girl and, as far as I can tell, she’s always possessed confidence. Can’t you see it in the pictures? With her kind of poise, success is sure to follow no matter what path she chooses in the future.

Blink is right! Where did the time go? Joy is right too. I’ve enjoyed watching this family grow up for the last 12 years. This year, they wanted to reenact some of their favorite photos. So I had to blow the dust off an old external hard drive to dig out some of the images they referenced.

This kid should be a model. Okay, full disclosure, this is my nephew. But, also, and I don’t type this lightly. Yes, he’s good-looking, but more than that, he can quickly transform his look just with his expressions. Model agencies love that.

Even though teenagers have packed schedules, a Mini Shoot like this only takes a small amount of time. I don’t think this Mini Shoot lasted more than 15, maybe 20 minutes at the most.

The last time I photographed these kids was…11 years ago. It’s fun when clients come back, and I see kids grow. From this far back, I can see I grew too as a photographer! I now notice that I placed brother and sister the same way as I did eleven years ago. Let’s see what else I can dig up….hold on.

Have a said this already? I love families. Young families are a hoot. I love them because I remember those crazy days of trying to get my kids dressed and organized for whatever special occasion.

I kinda know these kids. I take custom, mostly outdoor, school photos for a local preschool, so I remember these siblings. Once I started with this shoot, I remembered, ah yes, they are a bit reserved. Which is totally great, I am that way too, I understand.

Absolutely! Bring your dog! The dog is a part of the family, and I think it is important to document them in the family. This guy was great, especially considering that we were at the entrance to a dog park. It’s like a slow parade of dogs coming and going from the park. Good dog!!

These girls were so excited that they got a chance to include their dog in the family photos. The family dogs I’ve worked with have been well behaved so far. And I think it’s important to document them.

In the past few years, this one especially, I’ve received specific requests for Mini Shoots. Which tells me they have grown in popularity. Mini shoots are an excellent way for families with small kids to get their family photos taken with the least amount of stress on everyone.

It’s always an encouragement to me to take photos of high school seniors. So far they have been so sharp, it just gives a person hope for the future. There is nothing like this age. They are still have a foot in childhood, and another tentatively placed in adulthood.

Click Pro Photographers is an association of trendsetting women photographers actively pursuing excellence. To apply, I needed to submit a portfolio of 150 images that needed to pass muster on seven different aspects of photography. This post contains images from my final set.

Getting family photos taken shouldn’t be a chore, but rather a fun family event where you get pictures to remember your time together. At least, that is what my goal is, especially with my full family shoots.

During these crazy times, life goes on, and milestones need celebration. The little lady in pink turned one during the shutdown, so like many things, this shoot was postponed a little.

One sleepless night I wondered how long ago was that photo taken? Could I still find it? What if my external hard drive crashes? I will lose that face forever. Along with all the other pictures of the way my kids were back when they were little. All the vacations, all the special occasions along with the everyday moments, would they be lost forever?

Do you have a special milestone coming up? Why not document the occasion with a photo session. This little lady just turned one, and her family wanted to capture it with some fun portraits.

Ever try to take photos of a two-year-old? The set up is perfect, but then baby wants to move! This little lady kept trying to run off. What do I do? Let me take you behind the scenes to show you one way I solve this problem.

If you have clicked around my website you might know the answer – it’s Greene Valley Forest Preserve. But why would I push this location over others in the area? I’m not against other sites at all. I’m just very familiar with Greene Valley so no matter if it’s sunny or cloudy I know just the spot.