BOSTON CHILDREN'S PHOTOGRAPHER, BOSTON FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER, BOSTON NEWBORN PHOTOGRAPHER

I am fairly certain the taking a summer vacation in August is out of the question for next year.  I started really ramping up just before we left, shot two sessions while out of town, came home to a CRAZY week, and then just never seemed to catch up.  I am getting there.  Or at least I thought I was getting there.  Yesterday, my 8 hours allocated to finishing up two galleries, was instead spent re-installing software and checking backups.  Earlier in the summer I dropped one of my portable drives (not unlike how I dropped my lens this weekend) and I assumed it was fine.  Slow clicking should have told me otherwise and it finally failed.  I do know the data is still on it, I can see that from the size, I just can’t access it.  Happily, I had all my RAW files backed up in multiple places, so I didn’t lose anything.  I might have to reprocess a bit, but I am fine with that.

So catching up…

Beach session availability: (and I assume “beach” is up until September 18th, unless you want “fall beach” which I actually love)

• Tuesday 8/31 evening (5PM)
• Tuesday 9/7 evening (5PM)
• Monday 9/13 – 9/17 late day (starting at 4:30ish)
• Saturday 9/18 all day

I am taking a Sunday – Thursday trip out of town starting either the 19th or the 26th, so I am not scheduling for either of those weeks until I know for sure.

Fall Sessions:

After Labor Day, I will post information about Mini-Sessions.  These are the perfect session if you are looking for quick holiday gift prints and/or a holiday card photograph.  I have a fun theme planned for this year that will require YOU to do some thinking!  You know that I love my cards, so I am working on fun concepts for 2010!  More to come!

I will NOT be scheduling ANY holiday card sessions after November 14th.* Please don’t ask.  I say that because you know I always say yes.  But saying yes that late in the season means that at BEST, you will get your images December 1 or later.  Then you will be panicked to get your card out and we’ll both be super stressed getting it designed, ordered, back to you and then you mailing it out in time for the holidays. * If you do not require a holiday card and need no guarantee of when you will get your images (i.e. might be the 2nd-3rd week in December), then you CAN ask and I will say yes!

The ONLY sessions that I will be shooting in the month of December are newborn sessions.

And how can I close without an image?  From an adorable session I had last week!  Love.

This image.

Everything about that image sums up what I love about life, summer, family, beach, water and the North Shore.  I love the light.  I love the rocks and lumps of seaweed — this ocean and that landscape is what I know.  I love the reflection of their feet in the sand.  I love that her feet do not touch the ground.  I love that they are holding hands.  I love that he is looking at her and she is screaming with joy.  I love that the youngest is trying to keep up.  I love that the parents are so happy and engaged behind them.  This will be an image that I look at when I am sad, just to make me happy.  This will be the first image on my new web site.  I love it.

OK, back to reality, land the plane.  I first shot these kiddos way back when, two years ago.  I was thrilled when I got a call for another session.  Nothing makes me happier than seeing clients I love, and seeing how their children have grown.  When they said they were at the beach, one of my favorite beaches that I grew up at, I was really excited.  And of course you know what happens when I arrive at a session… I play the name game and sure enough, I know the neighbors… and the other neighbors… and the others…. so no, there really are no strangers in my life.

The weather called for 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Seriously.  What a great job.  You can be wrong ALL THE TIME and not get fired.  Sign me up.  There was not one cloud in the sky.  The temperature was perfect August.  The was a record low tide which made for a glorious sand bar.  Kids amazing.  Parents were awesome.  Never mind the weatherman, I have a great job.

Thanks Shannon & Geoff and kids.  It was awesome.

When I started this blog post, I thought about calling it “Perfection” or “It’s a Small World” or “I love my clients” but then I realized that I’d actually used those titles before.  Really, how lucky am I that I get to meet families that are so amazing, so gracious, so nice and so beautiful?  Not only that, but it’s become almost humorous that I have the 6 Degrees thing going on as much as I do.  Caroline, a total stranger to me, found me on Google.  Then we confirmed that we’d both be at the beach at the same time (a beach near neither of our homes).  We then realized her family was staying 6 house down from the Surf Club.  Finally, it turns out Caroline & Sean went to high school with this chick (one of our BFFs).  So when I walked down the beach to meet her, I had to give her a hug (and of course you can imagine my elation when I saw the LP dresses… a girl after my own heart).

Caroline’s family was equally awesome (gorgeous sister Brooke, really nice parents, husbands, children and on and on).  You know how I love big families, seeing the resemblances (clearly all beautiful), watching the interactions.  Cousins together are so cute and make me really happy because my sister and I live far apart as well and so it’s just such a treat to have our kiddos playing together.

We made our way down the beach and I have to tell you, the lighting was phenomenal.  It just gets better and better on that beach… from about 6PM to 15 minutes or so after the sun sets.  Someone told me it’s equivalent to the light in Provence and I believe it.

I had a wonderful time and I am so glad our worlds collided!

[On a totally unrelated note, I was considering posting smaller sneak peaks... apparently word on the street is that it's more exciting to see your slideshow if the sneak peaks are smaller.  For me, I love a big sneak peak because it buys me some time if I am running late on a gallery.  I also feel like it's "me" -- I talk a lot, I obsess a lot (in a good way) and so I blog a lot!  I'd love to hear from past, present and future clients about whether you like to see a lot of images up front, or just like a select few to hold you over until you see them all in your slideshow!  So leave me some comments!]

I was really excited to photograph Charlotte because her session was a gift from Milo and his awesome parents.  I love it when friends refer friends!  It’s an honor to me to not only be referred, but to be given as a gift.  Charlotte’s parents are really neat, and of course after just a few minutes of talking, we realized we had some mutual connections and probably crossed paths before in prior lives.  Since she was wide awake (yes, I continue to emit caffeine through my pores to keep babies awake), we went outside where there was really awesome light.  It was lovely.  I want to do more outside sessions!  Actually, I want to ditch the “beanbag” altogether for newborn sessions and just photograph them in their natural elements.

On another note, if you are looking for me, I am not around.  I have limited connectivity and am slow to answer emails and phone calls.  I will be back for a full office day on Monday, then slammed the entire week from the 11-15 as I have 3-4 sessions and a friend in from out of town.  I appreciate your patience as I recover from vacation and a busy week!  When I get back I have two awesome beach sessions to blog and some fun family vacation images!