Is this personal work or client work?

I take clients on a very limited basis, so, like most of my work, this was personal.  I had a vision in my head and my eldest (who is my muse) was game to help me bring it to life!

What about this session was most memorable?

Like all of our sessions, just spending time with her makes a session memorable.  She’s almost 13 and I treasure every second I get with her. When we shoot together, we talk.  And I mean REALLY talk.  We cover the serious, the silly, the mundane, the scary, the big, the little–all of it.  Its a gift to have that one-on-one time with her.  Aside from the mommy-daughter stuff, this was a location we’d only recently discovered and we had a lot of fun exploring it together.  She and I have been taking photos together her whole life, and she was just as inspired with ideas by our setting as I was.

Where there any hurdles?

Hurdles….just a few!  We were working against a strong and chilly breeze coming off of the water, so the tutu would split in exceptionally awkward places.  We were doing most of this shoot barefoot and, at one point, she got a splinter but was a total trooper about it.  She still nailed the shot we were after!  And then, of course, there’s the pre-teen attitude.  It’s not always sunshine and blissful moments and that’s ALWAYS a hurdle!!

Your best photographer/session advice?

You are not like any other artist out there.  Ditch the “supposed to” feelings:  what you think your work is “supposed to” look like, how you think you’re “supposed to shoot”, how you think you’re “supposed to” edit, what you think you’re “supposed to” produce.  If you are doing what you love and are shooting things that make your soul sing then your work will reflect that.

What gear was used to achieve these?

Canon 7D and a Lensbaby Sweet35

 

About the photographer:

Hi!  I’m Nikki.  I’m a Florida-born mom of 2 kids, 2 dogs and 1 cat and wife of 17 years to the love of my life.  I am a beach lover, coffee drinker and pizza eater who loves to travel and prefers to laugh.  I specialize in natural light photography and am always on the prowl for a new technique or challenge. When I’m not taking pictures, you can find me in local thrift stores looking for furniture that needs rehabbing (my other love/obsession).

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