Today was my first shoot with someone who wasn’t a member of my family. It’s a scary thing to start down a path that forces you to share your art with others. What I do, what this path is about, is asking someone to join me in crafting, capturing and sharing special moments. There can be so much fear and doubt in this process for the photographer and client alike. What if the pose is wrong, what if the hair is wrong, what if I can’t smile, what if I make that face I make and it breaks the camera. We can talk ourselves out of so much.
That is why I am very thankful for Rachel, who is an absolutely beautiful light. Rachel is a friend with a wonderful family who we’ve known for many years. She has a smile that comes easy and a clam, comfortable demeanor that is comfortable. Connection is crucial to successful portraits. Seasoned models can get past how they feel and do the job. The rest of us need to find that place where we can be comfortable and connected enough to explore those fun moments. Rachel has that poise and confidence that allows those moments to flow freely.
A beautiful scene helps as well. For this shoot, we chose for this shoot a park in Roseville that was bursting with spring colors, and has a great woodsy area with a rustic bridge. We moved throughout the park so we could achieve several different looks. Rachel’s mom Amy joined us for this outing, and it was a blast. Having family involved to move a light stand or hold a reflector or fix some hair is so enjoyable and gives everyone a sense of pride in the final shots. This session will probably always be among my favorites.