Anyone who has done a photo session with me knows that I am not a hands-off photographer at all. I fix hair, move necklaces, hold babies, tickle the tummies of toddlers, and just generally come in close contact with my subjects (with permission of course!) So Covid has brought my business to a total standstill. I can’t shoot with a mask on, because my glasses get foggy, and I can’t shoot with a mask off because I just am not the kind of photographer who can wield an 85mm lens while giving directions from way back. Of course, this has immense personal implications because I really LOVE connecting with clients (and client friends) while photographing! Being in the woods, or any form of nature, photographing people really is my happy place. I miss you all so much and I miss running through the woods and fields from behind my camera.
I have done only three sessions since Covid began. Three extremely joyful photo sessions. In the early fall, I went onto the rocks and into the river with beautiful and graceful Cara for a combo yoga/fine art session. I did a senior photo session with Rylie and her very special family whom I hold close to my heart. I feel honored to have been able to capture this family and their love throughout the years. Most recently I went into the woods to capture Jason, an extremely talented painter do his thing. Jason and I have been planning this session for, I don’t know, maybe 2 years now? It was so much fun, I want to go do it all over again today! It was worth the wait.
I will start with Jason… What is there to say? He is an amazing painter and a really fun person to spend the day with! We had a great time. I ran around and took images while he painted. He forgot a green that he needed, and I forgot an extra battery for my camera, it was hot and he lost his keys, we had to hike back up to look for them and they were in his truck the whole time! But the joy of being in the woods while we both created in our own styles is undeniable in the images below. I hope you love them as much as I do!
For Jason’s session, I brought a few of my Lensbaby lenses. The Twist 60 obviously loves Jason! I also shot a roll and a half of film which I need to send out for processing. I can’t wait to see the film images, but for now, it is all digital.
We had fun, there was a lot of laughing, but I still managed to get him to pose for a few serious portraits!
Next, we have Rylie’s senior session. This session took place at The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp in Ashford CT. This camp has played a big part in Rylie’s young life. I am honored to have been able to capture these images. Rylie is a joy to be around, she is smart, kind, poised, strong, and of course, beautiful!
I have been capturing the super close sibling relationship between Rylie and Cooper for years now. You can see some past sessions here and here and here and here. We had to get at least a few of them together and of course a few of Cooper’s toothless smile! These two have always shown so much love in our sessions, they have a beautiful relationship. I hope Cooper doesn’t miss Rylie too much when she goes to college next year, but I don’t see how that will be possible. They will all miss her, but luckily they do come home for holidays and breaks.
Last but not least is Cara’s yoga session on the rocks by the river in Vermont. This was actually our second yoga session in this location. Cara is one of my very dearest friends, she came for a photo session with her two children on a rainy cold day years ago. We met outside of our cars to decide if we should proceed with the session or not. She said, “Let’s just do it!” And that was it, I had to keep her in my life. Anyone willing to head into the woods with two kids at the crack of dawn on a cold rainy day is a keeper in my book! That session was really fun, and I still love the images we created that day, I love seeing them hanging in her home when I visit!
After the yoga portion of our session was over Cara became my model. It was a little quid pro quo, but she did get naked, put on a see-through dress, and a deer mask to pose in the river for me. I told you she was a keeper!
