Among the Unseen

An adventure filled day in Saratoga Springs, NY was quite the success! I haven’t been this happy about how each and every photo came out from a shoot in a while. The difference between going on an adventure and bringing my camera along from a planned out shoot, is the amount of freedom I have in shooting. During a job for a client or even a model shoot, there is normally a theme or some sort of purpose. I do have a wide range of creative freedom, but its important for me to stay on task and get the shots I need to, also. While on an adventure, there are no set expectations. I am able to become fully spontaneous and only take pictures of things that I want to. It is an amazing exercise to create art out of essentially nothing. Making the ordinary extraordinary is honestly something that I LIVE FOR.

One of the unique parts of this adventure was exploring a part of Saratoga that I had never been before. Normally when I think of Saratoga, I think of downtown with all of the busyness. This walking path was right next to there, but still seemed tucked away and separate from the small city. It felt like a completely different world and the more you looked and ventured off the path and the more amazing it became. There were many spots on the path that I would have had no idea that they existed if I didn’t take the time to explore a little bit deeper. On a normal day I would have passed right on by and never would have been able to take in all that I could.

Benny and Rion

We are super excited for Benny and Rion’s engagement! When Rion and I first discussed doing these photos, she told me that her and Benny weren't typically the type of people to get their photos done. Even with that being the case, the shoot couldn’t have gone any smoother. The only negative was that a mosquito bit me in the face, but I guess since i’m an on location photographer, its all part of the job! I was very surprised at how comfortable both of them were in front of the camera, and I’m happy that I was able to give them a fun experience to remember!

One of my favorite parts of their engagement shoot was that they asked to bring their dogs! Dogs are always a really fun part of any shoot (probably because i’m a dog lover). Aside from the cuteness dogs bring, they bring the fun into any shoot and break any awkward or serious barrier. Although they may not be the easiest subject to photograph, I love having our clients interact with their doggos, and we always get the biggest smiles!

Rion’s ring was also sooo pretty to photograph. Incorporating even just the subtlest peek of her ring into a shot was fun to compose. Benny brought all of the silliness and Rion brought all of the cuteness to every photo ;) They really are two peas in a pod, and watching them interact with so much love for one another was such a beautiful thing to capture. But don’t take my word for it; just look at these photos instead!

Double Prom Day

I haven’t gotten around to writing this blog post because of all of the shoots i’ve been blessed to have to edit during the month of May. Also being sick this past week did not help. BUT, better late than never. On May 18th, I was able to shoot 2 prom shoots back to back. A lot of you may be thinking, what’s the big deal? And I will tell you that running around and taking photos for one prom shoot, let alone two, is a lot of work. You’ve got everyone in the prom party to take photos of plus the parents, family, and friends that came along with them. It’s my job to make sure I fit every shot into their time with me. Group shots, family shots, single portraits, and shots with their best friends. And along the way to fix all of your lovely ladies’ trains to make sure you look fabulous!

The first shoot of the day was at Saratoga National Golf Course. I got to shoot with Hunter, Taylor, Isabel, and Avey! Everyone looked amazing and I loved how laid back the group was. They were open to almost anything and very easy to pose and interact with! The sun was very high in the sky, considering it was 1pm, so I resorted to one of my favorite lighting techniques, backlighting! With the golf course in the background, and the bright sun coming from behind, the prom party was glowing! The family and friends that had come to support them were almost overwhelming (in a good way) with excitement and love. Thanks to everyone who came out that day.

Shortly after, I headed on down to Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga for my next shoot. There was some last minute confusion with some small construction that had been going on there, so we went back to the Saratoga National Golf Course as our backup plan. A lot of times with photo shoots, weather or other last minute things can pop up and get in the way, so being flexible is key! When we got there, all 12 kids got off of the bus. If i’m being honest, I don’t want to name all of them because I’m scared I will spell some of their names wrong, since I didn’t get every prom goer’s information :/ (If you’ve worked with me you know that I am not the best with names, BUT I do remember faces!) We walked down past the second tee on the course and found some shade under a tree. I figured this would be the easiest way to evenly light a group. We got all of the group and family shots that we could out of the way first and then moved on to dates and individuals. After, we moved down by the water and got some of my favorite shots. I love some of the candids I got of the ladies and more “fun” photos that I got of the guys. Thank you to everyone who came out and showed their love and support to these high schoolers! These are memories they will never forget.

And last but not least, thank you to my love/assistant, Aaron Messina, that day for helping me significantly with lighting, social media, and mental support! I wouldn’t have been able to run around as successfully as I did with out you!