I had the opportunity have a session with the Edwards Family. A few days before their session it snowed and both myself and Kim were excited have a shoot with snow on the ground because it adds an interesting background. My team and I went up to their house on this cool sunny day and then we met with the other family members which came to a total of 11 members. All of the children did very well this day it was impressive. For the sake of the photos everyone agreed that we would have everyone take off their jackets and I must say it was awesome looking. It reminded me of shooting in a studio with a backdrop behind them. The children were standing so still with the group shots and were so polite and eager to get into their places to make the shot look great. After the photo shoot was finished, they decided that they really wanted to play in the snow so their parents let them through a few snowballs at each other and I joined in on the fun...from the sidelines...with my camera because I wanted to catch the action and the fun they looked like they  were having. Enjoy the Edwards Gallery Bit.
 

I had the opportunity to shoot the an anniversary party for the great-grandparents of few cousins that I knew from my former job. Their Mom contacted me and said that her grandparents will be celebrating their 60 wedding anniversary. I felt so honored to be able to be a part of such a special day. Their party was held at the Victorian Candle in Hollywood, MD. It was such a beautiful sunny day for it and the main reception room had the most perfect lighting that anybody could ask for. Now as some of you might know, I turned into quit a social butterfly a few years ago...I get it from my dad and my sister. It was so interesting to hear the stories that were coming from their friends as they were telling me about how they met and got to know this beautiful couple. Howard and Shirley were such sweethearts from the moment I said "hi" and I could quickly see why after all these years of being married they were still surrounded by the love of their friends and family that they had known for many many generations. Their daughter Joanne that came up with the idea to celebrate this day, took them to the very same chapel that they said their I-do's 60 years ago on the date and she made a note that on both days from 1958 to 2018 the chapel had snow on the ground, I thought that was a nice little touch. As I was looking around the room, I admired how loving and caring everyone was and especially this couple because I cannot fathom being married for so long as I am only in my early 20's. It made me realize that everyone has their ups and downs but the people who matter the most to you will always be around. Enjoy the Reese Anniversary Gallery Bit.

I had the opportunity to have a session with Patrick. Patrick is active duty in the military and the time he was in the service for28 years. He would soon be retiring in 2 years from that date. I had him set up in a field on a farm because that is some place that sort of resembles what the military is about but at the same time it leaves and err of mystery in a sense that it was a man in his uniform. The day of the shoot was a bit chilly but in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself that it was December and it should have been colder than it was. I really enjoyed working Patrick because he was certainly an open book. He was telling me about his years in the military and didn't seem to mind my rather curious personality. (Stories of people in the military are always very intriguing for me). He was very easy to pose and since he was in uniform it wasn't hard for him to find his groove in front of the camera. I really enjoyed shooting him and I know you'll be able to see. Enjoy the Ronan Gallery Bit.

I had the opportunity to shoot one of my friends from high school who recently joined the Navy. We planned the shoot about two months in advanced through text message because he no linger lives in Maryland. Let me bring you back that frigid cold day in December. It took place on December 27th which happened to be a beautiful blue sky, sunny day. But boy were those looks deceiving. It was about 35 degrees and very very very windy so you can only imagine how cold it actually was with the wind chill. Since Taylor and his girlfriend Kayanna were not wearing any winter outerwear at all for the sake of getting gorgeous single and couple shots, they took turns warming up in the studio waiting for the other person to come back so they could have their turn in front of the camera. Taylor and Kayanna did amazing, they were so natural in front of the camera and they braved the winters cold with me as if it was a 70 degree day. Thank you to all of the brave men and woman that serve for this country. We would not be able to do it without you. 

Enjoy the Ingmire Gallery Bit.

I had the opportunity to have a session with a toddler named Seth. His mom wanted to have a photoshoot of him because he just turned 18 months. This is an exciting time to be a parent because even though children are always and will always be curious, at 18 month their curiosity shows immensely as they toddle the world learning what everything is and occasionally touching something that isn't supposed to be touched by any human being. Alright let's get back to Seth. Seth was a joy to shoot! His mom bought a chair with them as a prop and mentioned that it was a chair that her grandfather made for her when she was Seth's age and she still has it. You can check the chair out in the Cause Gallery Bit. Seth had the biggest smile on his face at the fact that he really could do whatever he wanted in front of a girl who had a camera pointed at him. He was not shy at all and the whole time I got to see his little pearly whites. I often feel like I'm shooting a baby for a commercial but I think that if Gerber had a toddler, it would be Seth playing the role.

Enjoy the Causey Gallery Bit

I had the opportunity to have a session with the DuBrava family back in the beginning of November. It was the day that the time daylight savings ended but it was not cold at all. Molly thought it would be nice for the whole family to have a session on one of the beaches before the Thomas Johnson Bridge because the family was originally from New York and have never lived next to the water before and been able to sit on a beach and watch boats travel underneath the bridge. I told her to feel free to bring any props that make the family who they are. She chose to bring a tea set that her and her daughter likes to play with occasionally and she chose to bring a baseball set that the boys of the house to play with. The tide was high this day but this family still made the most of the scenery. I had to say, it was very very beautiful. I didn't feel like I was in the United States let alone Maryland anymore. This family enjoyed their time on the beach for the photoshoot and they are now off to moving to Sunny California. Enjoy the Dubrava gallery bit.

I had the opportunity to shoot with Emily. When I first got in contact with Emily, she told me that she wanted to have pictures taken of her dog because whenever she tries to, her dog doesn't sit too well and she's also black which makes it a little more challenging to photograph her. When we first got out to the location, she wanted to run around and explore the new "backyard" that she had. When Emily had her shoot the leaves were turning colors and there were definitely some really gorgeous fall colors. Her outfit showed that it was fall outside since she wore neutral colors. We went around an old house on the lot and she stuck out her hand and caught a yellow leaf as if nature was pulling her in to itself. I had an amazing time with Emily, the weather was really warm for being fall and she enjoyed herself as well. Take a look at the Scanlon Gallery.

 

I had a chance to have a session with the Hunley Family. At the time, this family consisted of a mom, a dad, and two twin girls. They were a family of four that were soon to be a family of five in December. This family is so awesome. I say that in all of my family blogs but that's because I really enjoy the company of parents and children all at once. The girls just started their first and very important year of school. KINDERGARTEN! They were so excited to be in school and also become big sisters in the same year. The Hunley's are having a baby boy! They brought his little tiny baby clothes with them and they were so cute and little. It always amazes me that a human being can start out so small and get as big as we all are. The girls had a good time and so did mom and showing off her baby belly together. I really enjoyed shooting the Hunley's and I know you'll enjoy the Hunley gallery!

I met Greg through work. I thought that he had that model vibe and would look great in photos. I asked him if he would let me take pictures of him and excitingly he said yes! During the time leading up to the shoot, he told me that he played drums and wouldn't mind bringing them with him. I told him that would be awesome because I love when everyone has a little flare that makes the session their own. He bought his drums to our location and played them loud and proud on the middle of a roundabout. Needless to say it drew a lot of attention which neither of us minded one bit. He showed me a bit of his daring side which was to climb in a tree so tall, that he could not simply jump down from. I loved it so much that he would do anything for me to get a shot. Greg was so amazing and I'm sure you'll be able to see his care-free personality. Enjoy the Sweeney Gallery!

I recently had the opportunity to have a session with the Bogie children. Their mom wanted me to come over to their grandparents house so that I could capture the kids in a little cave that they have made out of trees that are no longer there for various natural reasons. As always when I shoot, I like to capture the children in their natural states versus having them posed. I'm a candid photographer. Both of the children had two different personalities. The oldest wanted to sit and be model for the camera and the youngest wanted to run around and play like most 3 year olds would. Both of the children were a joy to photograph and I know you'll be able to see that. Enjoy the Bogie Family.

I had a chance to shoot with Sebastian. I met him in school and we lost touch through the years but he still let me take pictures of him despite that fact. When we first started, he jokingly told me that he was a model, a Calvin Klein model to be exact. I thought it was just a joke but, when we started he was acting like a model by staging and posing himself. He barely needed me to tell him what to do except when I wanted to change locations. After all of the sitting and posing, he wanted to invite his dog in the pictures as well. She sat for a little while then she wanted to run away like any dog would that has to sit for a camera. I asked him if he had something that made him himself, he told me he played basketball and to see if I could get a few shots of him in action. I wanted to try something different with him which was to shoot the little details that also make him himself. We both decided that his gallery should be in black and white so it is! Enjoy the Torres Gallery.

I had the opportunity to shoot a little league football team. I had the chance to sit on the side line and just shoot the action of football. I don't know too much about football but the Coach Crystal wanted me to take a few shots of them in the game while she does the coaching. As the games went on and I started shooting more, I found myself getting really excited about my ability to catch the action shots on the other side of the field. When I was watching the boys through my viewfinder I could see the emotion of wanting to get a touchdown. It was truly amazing to be able to shoot when they had the ball. Look through this gallery and I'm sure that you will feel the emotions of these boys.

I had the opportunity to have a session with Baby Seth. He might not be a baby and is more of a Toddler but this was his 18 month old photo shoot. Seth must've known that he was having his pictures taken because he turned into a baby model. Normally Seth is all smiles and running around seeing what everything is but on this particular day, he took my directions like an adult would. He literally did not leave a place until I gave him the okay. He sat in his chair, on the hay, and on the stool just fine. He gave me smiles and claps but he DID NOT get up until I said "alright Seth, lets go over here". It was the coolest thing I saw all day. Enjoy the Causey Gallery. 

I had the opportunity to have a session with Morgan. She is pregnant and is due in December with her baby boy. She wanted to have her session somewhere near water and the great thing is, Maryland is surrounded by water. Morgan was wearing this beautiful blue maternity dress in celebration that she was pregnant and despite the fact that we were shooting in public, she let the people go by without a worry that her baby belly was showing which is okay because that is how every single one of us started out. Pregnancy is a celebration of life! She wanted to also capture herself doing a few yoga poses because yoga was very important to her during this pregnancy. And one of her boyfriends favorite things to do is sail, so the sailboats in the back are also very important to him as well. Morgan's session was absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy the McKay Gallery.

I had the opportunity to photograph the Edwards Family. This family consist of two boys. Noah and Caitlin are from Iowa which means that they are used to the farm life. It was very apparent that it might've been in their blood because as soon as the boys were able to put their hands on a tractor they were super excited and wanted to stay their for the rest of the day. So much so, that they were a little upset when they had to leave the tractors. Being around farming equipment and excavators is what makes them happy and I know you'll be able to see that in their gallery. Enjoy the Edwards gallery.

I had the opportunity to photograph the Gass family. I know Casey because I used to work with her and she asked me if I would be able to shoot her family. Of course I said YES! We went to a park around the area that they live in and it was sort of a cloudy day which made it easier because I didn't really have to find a shaded area. This family really enjoys having their dogs around them and also wanted me to include them in some of the photos. Their two dogs and one cat had a lot of personality. So much personality that they wanted to do their own things instead of sitting for the boring old camera. Well I'm not really around too many animals to know if that's their norm or not but despite their best efforts to get away, I was still able to get a few snaps of them before they ran. Enjoy the Gass Family.

I had a shoot with the Buzzell Family. This family consist of two little girls that are 3 and 1. By the end of the shoot I nearly died from all of the cuteness. The Buzzell family is so great to be around. I had a blast with them. We started on a little walkway and I brought a little pumpkin with me along with a few other little knick knacks that I had for the girls. Now, Rob (the dad) is such a funny, goofy guy, I resonated with him because so am I. I don't think there's a time that you can be serious around him and the oldest daughter Emily. They definitely are the pranksters in the family. Both of the girls were such a big help to have around because they wanted to help me carry my props to all of our locations despite the fact that the props were a little bigger than they were. But you know kids, they like to take on this giant world all by themselves. I really enjoyed my shoot with the Buzzell's and I hope you enjoy the Buzzell Gallery.

I had the opportunity to shoot with Justin. He told me that he was a body builder so I asked if he would let me take pictures of him. I wanted to be able to shoot his muscles that he clearly worked so hard to get and maintain. Since I didn't want to bring all of my photography equipment in a gym, I let him come out to my neighborhood gym. I assumed that since he was used to being in competitions and on stages being the center of attention, he wouldn't be shy in front of a camera. He wasn't! He did great and was busy talking to my sister and doing some of his own routines that he would do in his normal gym sessions. Justin did an awesome job and I know you will be able to see. Enjoy the Evans gallery.

I had a session with the Ahern Family. I've known this family for about 5 years when I used to watch the kids at my former daycare job. I've basically up until this point watched them grow up and I was lucky enough to have a session with them while they are still a little on the younger side even though they will beg to differ. Li contacted me and asked if I would be able to have a session with her children and her parents since her parents do not live in the area. The day of the session, my sister and I went to their house and watched the kids run in the back yard and have fun with their grandparents. I was able to capture those precious moments of them all together while they did what they loved to do best. Both children had the biggest smile on their faces and Aaron was photo ready. Every time I held the camera up thinking I would discreetly catch him in the moment, he would look at me, smile, and say "Ms. Katera, how do I look"? I laughed at him and told him how great he was doing but it was almost like he had a sixth sense to sense when I put the camera on him. The Ahern family are also raising chickens in their backyard (how cool is that!). Li asked if I could get a few snaps of them with the chickens and I certainly did as Arianna dashed toward her grandma laughing because she thought that she got away from my camera. My camera thankfully was a little faster than her!! All in all I really enjoyed my time at their house and I know you can see why! Enjoy the Ahern Gallery! 

Kelsey is a good friend of mine who I met when I was slightly younger because our dads work together. She is someone that I know to always smile and just has a very pleasant soul. Kelsey's session was in the fall, when the leaves on the trees were slightly starting to change colors and some were also falling to the ground. Although it was the beginning of fall, there was a good amount of trees around that gave her the nice autumn background. It was a little chilly that day so naturally Kelsey had on a brown sweater. I had just bought a white pumpkin a few days before so I let her use it as her prop. It really gave Kelsey a nice contrast to what she had on already and complimented the fact that it was the start of (dare I say it again) fall. Kelsey had an amazing shoot and she chose a sort of dangerous pose which was to sit in the road on a busy Saturday at 6:00 p.m. But, we had my assistant to look out for us so that we would not turn into a Flat Stanley. BECAUSE as always a clients wish is my command and safety is the number one priority. Enjoy the Madrigal gallery.

So I have never really explained the concept of the locked gallery. All of the galleries that you see on my website need a gallery password. "But why?" Well the answer is quite simple and a lot of people including myself really appreciate it when you know the answer. Let me walk you through the process. After I have a session with you I will let you know in approximately two weeks that your gallery is finished and ready for viewing. The gallery is locked to everyone because I like to be able to let that client have the first look at their own gallery. When I invite them over, this is a chance for them to see their gallery for the first time as well as give me feedback on what they like. This is also an opportunity for them to be able to change things around on their gallery to their own individual liking. They will then be excited to show everyone and also feel great about the pictures they have chosen to be on their thumb drives as well as be able to post it on their social media platforms. I hope that gives you a little more understanding and that you set up a session date as well so that you too can have a gallery on my website. Enjoy!

I recently had a photo shoot with one of my friends named Mayokun. He was really excited to have a photo shoot with his new truck that his friend gave to him and he was also sporting one of the shirts that an African designer made for him and his entire family. Mayokun's shoot was interesting because at this time of year, the sun is setting a little earlier which gave him that nice golden hour yellow sun at an earlier time than I was used to. Mayokun has a goofy personality and he really likes to make the people around him laugh. I wanted to capture him in the moments of being the clown that he is and it didn't take long for me to be able to do that. About 10 minutes into the shoot after getting set up, he cracked a joke that was enough to even make my quite mom Maria laugh. Which if you know her on a personal level you know she is just more of a smile-and-nod kind of person. My sister mentioned that to him and I was able to catch him in the moment when he could no longer hold back his own laugh for the camera. Enjoy the Ojo gallery.

I forgot to write a blog post about the Wose girls. Their gallery is an oldie but goodie. Mama Wose was kind enough to take me under her wings and teach me a few tricks about photography. She invited me over her house to take a few pictures of her and the girls. She so happened to have a nice luscious, green, corn field behind her house which her oldest daughter was so interested in. I was taking a few pictures of Toddler Wose and she decided to take me for a tour of her back yard. The lighting in the back yard was AMAZING I was told by Mama Wose and I had to see it for myself. Now, Toddler Wose was exploring her back yard which I let her and I followed her lead while trying to maintain a distance where I would be able to see her face and her reaction to the bugs and the corn we were walking through. It was a little challenging at times because we all know toddlers do not just stop and stand in one place, they like to keep moving around, especially when they are the leader. I did get some really pretty candid shots of her though. I then went on to Mama Wose and Baby Wose. Even though it was still light outside, it was past Baby Wose's bedtime and she was certainly feeling the effects of it, but she powered through it when the camera was on her. And she gave me what I like to call a signature "Gerber Baby' look. She should audition for the Gerber baby because her facial expressions had so much personality. I sure had a lot of fun with these girls and I hope you enjoy the Wose gallery.

I had the opportunity to shoot a friend that I had in high school named Rafid. I haven't talked to him in years but when I did again it was like we never lost connection. His session date had to get pushed back a week later because it had been raining on the anticipated date. But let me tell you about Rafid. His personality is very laid back and he doesn't care about too much in life but for some reason when it came to being in front a camera, he locked up. That's totally okay, it's what everyone does at times including myself. But I wanted to capture his personality and his love for his car. He told me that he was "going to get nervous in front of the camera" and to that I had to tell him that he would do great because he was "gorgeous". From instincts and being a girl I told him that he was a "gorgeous little man". He looked at me as if I said "go mow the lawn by hand" he quickly told me "that's not something you say to a guy, you call them handsome" This comment made me chuckle. Growing up my dad had many cars that he loved. He would wash them every week, make sure the tires were shiny and make sure that the windows were finger print free because he had two young kids. The way that my dad acted around his cars was the same way that Rafid acted around his. You can tell when a man loves his car by the way he carries himself. I definitely saw that while I was shooting him and I think you will too. Enjoy the Nizam gallery.

For some reason, I have always been a fan of the aviation industry. I love it as a whole, and I loved it so much that I wanted to be a flight attendant or a pilot and fly for the rest of my life. But my parents wanted me on the ground and to respect their wishes, I chose a job that would keep me on the ground. If I had my choice, I would live closer to an airport so that I could always watch the planes take off and land all day. The noise doesn't bother me because I'm used to  being around loud planes now. There is something that is really freeing looking at planes. Apart from the fact that I like aviation in general but it is neat to see that an object bigger than a car is made to fly. It can start in one destination, go in the air to be barely visible then come down in another place anywhere in the world. Basically it's the key to curiosity and wanderlust. I don't know about you, but I think that planes are beautiful. I don't know why. I was born into a family that would rather stay on the ground for all of their lives and I just have a curiosity about the sky. Since I like to spend time at airports, you might just see more planes in my portfolio in the future.

All photographers know that there is a certain value to a print. It's the same value that has gotten lost over the years of cameras being everywhere. The camera became so small. It could now fit in your hand, your back pocket, and your tiny clutch. The camera became so small that with the click of a button... or I should probably say, the touch of a screen all you need is 10 seconds and a fast thumb to instantly take 100's of pictures for them to go into a virtual cloud. You say you want to take that picture to look at it in the future and remember that great time that you had with family, friends, or in a certain gorgeous location. But you don''t... and sad to say it you probably never will. I'm not just saying this spiel because I am a photographer, I also study psychology. Which in turn lets me know how people's minds work. The human brain likes to have things "just in case". That's where the printed picture comes into play. When you buy a print, you get the great feelings and excitement in your body. You get to have a "first reaction". Then you can choose a print size and maybe even choose the frame. Next comes the spot that you want it in your house. Which room do you put it in? Which wall do you put it on? And when you put it on the wall, you have to make sure it is not crooked, not too low, not too high, but just right. And after you've done all that work, you can actually relive that moment in time again by looking at it every time you walk by. Whether it be your wedding, pregnancy, birth, first day of school. You get to look at those moments and share it with the many guest that come to your house. Which print will you invest in next?

I had the opportunity of having a session with Ms. Farren. Faith had an interesting session day and I had a great learning experience because the particular day was rainy. During the week I was monitoring the weather for that day and I was getting a little nervous because I saw that it was supposed to be rainy. I texted her during the week with a little "hey it's gonna rain, would you like to change the session day?" She responded with a brave enthusiastic "It doesn't to me, we could have a session in the rain!" I thought she was right and I thought that it would be a really cool opportunity to have a session on a rainy day. The day came and the rain held off during the day but as it got closer to the shoot it would be safe to say that there was a steady mist. Faith is already a gorgeous person anyway and for my first session in the rain she NAILED it. I am always very surprised by the people that I shoot and I am grateful for every last one of them. She was such a trooper and this day was actually fairly cold. She had on a stripped dress and she was the one to actually suggest places and poses that she wanted to do. I was behind the camera with my rain jacket on and my hat trying not to get wet and she was embracing all that mother nature gave her. She was even brave enough to sit on the wet road and help me watch out for passing cars. I was getting nervous for her at some points but she stuck through the cold and made me feel like an editorial photographer. Enjoy the Farren gallery.

May 26th 2017 was the day that my sister graduated from college (Towson University). She was well on her way to becoming a teacher. It was a great day for me as a sister because I got to witness my sister accomplish a goal that she had set for herself and stuck to since she was at least 9 years old. I was only 6 at the time but I would watch her as she would line up her teddy bears and dolls in front of her chalkboard that my parents had bought for her, and she would teach her bears and dolls all the information that she knew at the time. As she got older her dream was a little far stretched but with time, patience, and a whole lot of God she got there. It took me a while to finally post her gallery because I kept forgetting that it was on my memory card but just look at the beautiful graduate I get to call my sister. All the hard work and prayer put behind her in her gallery. I am so so proud of this girl and I would like to say as much as my parents but I'm pretty sure they have an immense amount of proudness to be able to watch their daughter reach a goal that she had set for herself at just 9 years old. Enjoy Keonna's Graduation Gallery.

Now Keonna is my sister. As most of you might know she is my best friend. I love having her around and especially when I am having a photo session with someone or a family. We have this great sister bond that we can kinda communicate without even opening our mouths. She knows what I'm thinking and I know what she's thinking. We get each other. Except for in the area of Photography. You see, Keonna is a Teacher, that sort of means that she is book smart. So at times I really have to help her with street knowledge things like "move the deflector in a bit" or "step out of frame" which is completely fine. I know that not everyone in the world gets photography talk and knows how lighting works. And I know that teaching is a skill, craft, and gift from God that I know I do not have. Well, the reason that I just told you all of that is because when we get together to have a shoot, usually the person that is with us will bust out into laughter at the things we say to each other. It's just the way we express our love to each other because we have been doing it since we were little. But it always makes the person in the middle of the shoot feel like they are a part of our sisterhood, thus in turn it gives me gorgeous pictures to give to my client.  

I recently had the opportunity to have a session with one of my friends named Lauren. She had the best weather any photographer could ask for. It was cooler than most days this summer and a little breezy. The outfit that she chose was spot on. It was sort of an asymmetrical dress that gently flowed in the breeze. Now let me tell you about Lauren. As one would always prepare me with the talk about how uncomfortable they are in front of the camera, she ATTEMPTED to give me that same spiel. Key word there is "ATTEMPTED". My job as a photographer is to make people feel comfy so I told her "I'm the same friend that you would talk to and have goofy conversations with, the only difference is I have a camera up to my face. I'll still talk to you as if I didn't though". This girl KILLED IT and I don't use that lightly. I really mean SHE KILLED IT. It also helped that I had my sister Keonna holding the deflector for me and and playing music in Lauren's favor on her phone, they were just having a grand ole time by themselves. She was seriously like shooting a model. I know you'll be able to see it from her photos! I hope you enjoy the Miller Gallery.

Anytime I have a session with a client, I feel very fortunate. I was fortunate enough to have a session with the Alt Family. We were able to have a session on my family farm in a secluded area with tall hay. It made for some gorgeous photos of them through the hay. This day was brutal but you wouldn't be able to tell just looking at the pictures. Since we make session dates weeks in advance, there is no way to know what the weather will be like on that given day. Now, the days before the session was a little on the cooler/less humid side. But, mother nature decided to throw her seemingly worst conditions at us. She gave us heat, sun, and humidity and boy it was a HOT HOT HOT session day. I felt horrible for the whole family and they kept having to tell me they were doing fine. The session lasted just a half hour and was the quickest session I have ever done but I got some really beautiful shots out of it. This family was amazing to shoot there wasn't one complaint from them the entire time and they did all that my photographer wishes asked them to do. Thank you Alt Family!

I recently had the pleasure to have a session with the Agland Family. This family is from Australia, and they were such a joy to work with and I love their accents. The family consisted of two grandparents, a mom, a dad and three girls under 4 at the time of the session. The oldest daughter turned 4 a few days later. It was very easy to get shots of the girls and since I am a candid photographer, I was able to follow them around and get some great photos. Since the family is from Australia, they were able to have Shane's parents fly in town for a month which gave me room for a lot of interesting scenery. The three girls were very easy to capture because they wanted to go run and see what the other sister was up to. Shane and Meghan were such sweet people to talk to during the whole process, they have such a calm spirit that puts even the photographer at ease even when some things might feel like they aren't going so well, such as the weather on that particular day. I was hoping for a nice sunny session but we all know our good old friend Mother Nature sometimes can't quite make up her mind to agree with your plans. This day it happened to be around 60 degrees and very cloudy but we as a team still managed to get some beautiful shots. Thank you Agland Family!

I have been taking classes and learning a lot about photography in general but my one special topic to learn about at this moment is the Family Portrait. I grew up in a family with a mom, dad and one older sister. By me being the youngest born and the "baby girl", I was almost always in conversations where my sister and my dad would take over the conversation so I did minimal talking. They were always told they had the gift of gab and I was just the "quiet one" my mom and I both the "quiet one". Some people might argue that that was just our personalities. Well as I get older, and more on my own I have to talk more than I'm used to and especially owning a business that is very true. I'm writing this because in a session with a family you have to do just that. TALK! Photographers know how important it is to talk to their clients before and during a shoot. It makes them more comfortable in front of the camera and it put them at ease with what their children are doing. That is the type of shots that I aim to get. I like the pictures where the children and the parents in the photos are genuinely laughing. When the children are cracking up so hard that I can see their uvula (dangly bit of flesh that hangs in the back of your throat). Or when a child might be doing something that the parents might not approve but those very pictures are the ones that show the children as they are now and the same ones that will be on the accent wall in the house and hanging up for 30+ years. When I am talking to my clients, I want them to feel like I am the best friend that they haven't seen in the past 3 months but they want to catch up. I want to make the children feel like I am their imaginary friend that they haven't talked to since yesterday. But you can't get there if there isn't a conversation going on. Hopefully now when I post a picture of a family doing unconventional things, you might think "what were they talking about to get that shot".