When I am out & about and people start asking me what I do I get asked a lot about my “style.” What is my style? Well shoot, I don’t really know yet. You may have noticed that my new business tag-line is MODERN PORTRAITURE and this theme will continue as my style continues to develop but this process is really a natural one and for now, well…my style is just exactly what you see here! I love children in vibrant color. I love newborns in black & white. I love catching sweet & sincere moments that evoke a sense of happiness and wonder. I love to catch a child just as he or she is.
One element that I have found emerging in all of my work is a dominant focus on the eyes. I am in love with the emotion & sparkle that come from a child’s eyes. Newborns I prefer asleep, but they are a whole different story. In my children’s portraiture you will always find a sharp focus on the eyes…it’s what I am attracted to and what bothers me the most when not focused properly. Many of my friends have asked me what my “trick” or “secret” is when catching that sparkle, which we refer to as a “catchlight” in the photography world. The first key is finding a natural reflector so the eye can catch the light bouncing off that object. Photoshop does help, but the magic really starts with precise focus when shooting the image. This is something I have only just begun to learn and takes years to master. A good camera helps, but it certainly isn’t a guarantee for that perfect shot.
Luckily, I have yet to shoot a child without stunning eyes! Here is a wrap up of a recent shoot…with some children whose little eyes just sparkled! Usually I don’t shoot babies until they are sitting up & around 6 months old, but this family made a special request and even Hannah, their sweet 3 month old gave me some beautiful sparkly smiles!
[look at his EYES!!! This is one of my favorite shots in my portfolio! You can’t plan shots like this. They just happen & you better be ready!]
[He went about a mile a minute, so I chased him all over the playground]
[It took Emma a while to warm up to the camera, but as soon as she caught a glimpse of herself in my special “reflective” lens filter, it was like she was looking in a mirror!]
[Ethan was so good in front of the camera…but the shot on the right is how I will remember him! He’s ALL boy!]
[Look at her baby blues!]
[The picture on the left is a good example of why I wait a little longer to shoot small babies. The siblings just look precious, but little Hannah is a lot more difficult to stimulate into a good facial expression on command. When she is by herself, like on the right, it’s not much of a problem, but when shooting more than one child, it is very difficult to get a shot of everyone that you will LOVE. I prefer babies sitting, but isn’t she a sweetie pie? Simply lying there in the grass?!?]
Thank you P family!! I have enjoyed getting to know all of you over the past couple of months & look forward to many more good times to come!
