Is this personal work or client work?
This was a client session from October 2015. I really love the backstory to this session. Another client contacted me after her newborn session, to purchase a gift certificate for her mama friend who had an upcoming birthday. Her friend, the mama in this session, had never had a professional photography session.
What about this session was most memorable?
The sweet connection between Jenna and her then six month old Henry was something really special. That little fella only had eyes for his mama! The other thing that really stood out was how expressive he was. I got big toothy grins, little impish grimaces, contemplative expressions, curious glances and everything in between. Watching him explore the leaves, grass and then the sandy shore of the Mississippi River was so much fun for me. Seeing Jenna enjoy it so much too made it even sweeter.
Where there any hurdles?
I include a phone or in-person consultation with all my sessions, so we had already broken the ice in a phone call about a week before the session. We had absolutely beautiful weather and great light on that mild October day here in Minnesota. The only hurdle for me was culling the images from the session. I ended up delivering several more images than I normally include in a mini session and I was especially happy to do so in this case. I believe giving clients a little more than they expect is a way to set yourself apart as a photographer and that a little generosity goes a long way in building long term relationships with the clients you serve.
Your best photographer/session advice?
Figure out the kind of photography that makes your heart the happiest and then create opportunities to do that kind of shooting. Through the years, I’ve done a lot of event photography, family sessions, headshots, newborns and weddings. While I love each kind for different reasons, I’ve learned that I come alive when photographing mamas and their babies/children. I suspect that may have something to do with the season of life I am in as a mama to three young boys (5, 3 and 20 months). Another thing about capturing that connection that motivates me is the visible transformation when mama relaxes in our session and her inner light shines love on her littles. It only gets better from there when she sees her images and truly begins to understand how beautiful she is in her perfectly imperfect mama skin. I believe that once you figure out as a photographer what kind of photography makes you happiest, your passion for your subject becomes very obvious and goes a long way to creating connection with your subject. If you haven’t figured out your niche, keep trying new things until it clicks for you. And when it does, you will know.
What gear was used to achieve these?
Nikon D810 and Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 (carried in a grey Journey by SHUTTERBAG)
About the photographer:
I am a part time child and family photographer based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. My husband is a police officer and together we are raising three boys – including one who was recently diagnosed with autism. My passion for connecting autism families with professional lifestyle photo sessions has led me to serving as a photographer with Spectrum Inspired. I dream of someday: raising goats Up North, traveling to Ireland and sleeping for eight uninterrupted hours. In the meantime, I will be grateful for crazy chaos that is the here and now. And caffeine.
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