The Experience

Between the ages of 7-12, I was the proud owner of several velvet Christmas dresses. It was the 90s. Velvet was hot. And it was really hot when worn in the summer.

No sane person would wear a long sleeved velvet dress in the summer – unless they were my mother’s child and they were getting their not-quite-annual portrait taken. Trust me when I tell you that every single one of those pictures belongs on the awkward family photo website. I repeat, we were wearing velvet. Christmas. dresses.

And yet, in spite of the cringe-worthy awkward poses and contrived smiles that hid our dislike of wearing velvet in the summer, those photos are still proudly on display at my mom’s house. They are the pictures of our childhood, and they showcase the dresses my mom always, very lovingly, made a size too big so that we could wear them for several years before outgrowing them at which point she’d have to make new ones and it would be time for another formal portrait. However, aside from the handmade velvet dresses, they don’t say volumes about who we were in those days. They are mostly snapshots that catalog how we looked and grew from year to year.

And that is what I love about what I do…it’s not about getting just a pretty picture, it’s about who you are, letting your personality shine through. It’s about showing how you love. And remembering how it felt.

I put the photos that I love from weddings and portrait sessions up here, but I haven’t said much about what goes on behind the scenes to make them happen. So I’m changing that. Every Monday, from now until I run out of things to say, I want to tell you what to expect. I want you to know what you’re going to get out of a portrait session or from your wedding photography. Because this might not be what you’re used to. But there are a few things you should know up front, before I tell you anything else:

1. I strive to create images that are imaginative, authentic, and/or cheerful. In order to do that, I need you to be you. That’s all. I'll make sure the rest falls into place.
2. I will be your guide. You’re not in this alone. I will talk you through every step of the process and make sure you are comfortable. 
3. At the end of the day, I want the act of making the pictures to be as memorable for you as the images you get. It’s about playing a family game of tag, kissing in the rain, spending beautiful moments with the people you love the most. 

And along the way, there might be a few (happy) surprises. 

I want to show you how this will be different from your local department store portrait studio. Because I am so not a fan of wearing velvet in the summer.