Urban senior portraits - twins (double the fun!)

I have been thinking about senior portraits. I think one of the reasons that I love them is because these guys are really at a crossroad in their lives. Where will they go next? They have this one last year of having things (relatively) predictable and normal, and then they have to make some big choices. It's exciting to see where they want to go next!

I loved taking these twins' senior portraits downtown. I've been photographing them for a few years now and their mom had been warning me that senior portraits were coming... where did the time go? Anyway they liked the urban thing, so we took an evening and spent some time downtown.




They're twins, but certainly not identical twins. One really cool thing this brother did this summer was go on a 50 mile canoe trip at Navajo Lake. It sounds so amazing!


This brother went to a band camp instead - he is a talented musician. (We are planning some studio portraits with instruments later on in the year.)




Here's a super cool thing about these guys - they both have finished their Eagle Scout projects and I think they're both almost ready to get their awards. It is such a huge accomplishment to get this done. I thought both of them did such great projects too - one brother got a neighborhood nature trail renovated and cleaned up, and the other did a really great gardening project with the charitable garden Seed 2 Need in Corrales. Congratulations!


I think it's pretty hard for most senior boys to feel comfortable in front of the camera, especially for the hour or more we spend on a senior session. This brother has a real talent for it.


I was telling their mom that I think most of the senior boys I photograph are doing it just to make their moms happy, not because they want pictures for themselves. Good for them! I have a son and someday I will *persuade* him to do the same. These guys were upbeat and a lot of fun to be around, so if it was all just for her, they really pulled it off.






I think an urban setting is especially good for senior boys, so if you're looking for ideas, try driving around downtown for inspiration!


If you are interested in senior portraits, downtown or anywhere else in the Albuquerque area, I'd love to talk with you about it! You can call or email me. I have more information about my senior graduation photography here, or if you like the locations we used for their senior portraits, you can see these and many more ideas here.

Watery creative children photography - in a stream in the Jemez

My kids love to go camping! I don't personally LOVE love to camp, but since we got a tent trailer a couple of years ago, it's more fun and less messy. We spent the weekend in the Jemez, enjoying the stream, grass, wildflowers, meadows, and trees. (Sometimes I feel like such a terrible mom when my kids ask "Is this a forest, Mom?" That is what happens when you raise kids in the high desert.)

I have had these pictures in my head for a long time, and the beautiful little stream in the Jemez was perfect. My daughter loves to wear dresses, and in fact had brought nothing but dresses to wear while camping. Her long blue dress was perfect for what I was thinking. She had so much fun getting really wet in the stream with me! It was a little cold but I convinced her that it was worth it.


(I did have to promise her a big print for her room.) Her favorite is the image above, where she is pretending to sleep. My favorite is the image below.








I love this because she couldn't resist the huge grin. It was just too fun to pretend to be interested in the stream or a flower or something.






We have been giggling ever since about how funny it was to get into a stream fully dressed!


She also helped me out with some dandelion blowing pictures. We loved all the wildflowers! I wish we had a place in town that looks just like this... but I guess this is why people get away to the mountains.






If you are interested in some creative photography in a location like this, it's possible! Give me a call or email and we can chat about a session for you or your family. You can also see some other examples of creative children's photography here.

What do you get from my birthday mini-sessions?

This morning I realized that I have done a very poor job of following through with my birthday portrait party blog posts! I tend to announce them but I don't usually post the results.



So! I have collected a few examples from this summer's mini-sessions to post and I'll fill you in on a few details. These sessions are very quick and easy. Weather permitting, I love to do them outside!

Sometimes I put up sets or props (like the teepee above) and sometimes I work extra hard on my garden and enjoy using that. Here's an example of a set that I had a lot of fun with.


Sometimes it is stormy and then we move inside for studion portraits instead. One of my summer mini-sessions ended up with all the afternoon pictures inside, but I loved them too! A couple of examples:


Can't resist all the cute expressions!


The glam backdrop I got out worked so well with the girls that I saw. (If a boy had come, I would have had to swap it out!)


And how about an award-winning gymnast??? I love it.


I also love it when parents bring a favorite prop. This darling little boy's mom says he sleeps with this ball. And each evening he brushes it's "teeth".


I don't necessarily care if it's really your child's birthday, either. When I started doing these mini-sessions, they were more specifically for birthdays, because that's when I tend to remember to do portraits of my own kids. But back to school is another great occasion, or just really any time is fine with me.


We try to have a lot of fun with these sessions. They are usually VERY quick and easy - generally it takes longer for you to get here than it will take to get some great portraits of your child.


I do schedule a little longer if you tell me that your child has a hard time getting comfortable for photographers, or for a baby or toddler. Although this little guy didn't need it - we were done in less than 5 minutes, not including some mom chat time afterwords.




For these mini-sessions I don't charge a session fee, and I have some special packages that are discounted from my normal rates. You don't pay for anything until you see your pictures later (usually within a week).


Many of my clients end up purchasing the digital files, but I also have print packages and a la carte ordering if you'd like something specific. I always include one print with the files because I have this horror of clients purchasing digital images and never getting them printed.


My next mini-sessions will be September 5th. I have a lot of the timeslots full already, but I still have some times open throughout that day. If you don't love your kids' school portraits or you would like something custom of higher quality, give me a call! I would love to meet you and your children.


And I offer a bonus if you bring a friend! I'd love to answer any questions that you may have, or set you up with a timeslot on September 5th. Just call or email me.

Soccer senior portraits in the East Mountains

One thing I really love about senior portraits is meeting great seniors in interesting and new places. This senior attends East Mountain High School so I drove to their side of the mountains to take her senior portraits. I have been to the "other side" of the mountains before to do senior portraits, but usually that's when we're looking for snow and just not getting it in town. I've never gone past the turnoff to Sandia Peak, so this was new to me.

This gorgeous girl is a soccer player, which is my family's favorite sport, so I especially enjoyed working with her. She's been playing since she was 6 (or was it 7?) years old so it's been a big part of her life. (I know how that goes.) I love her game face.





And her gorgeous smile too!


I was really glad that we could use her school field for pictures.


To me, one of the best things about senior portraits is being able to incorporate both their interests, and hopefully locations that are meaningful to them as well.


It's always a little nerve-wracking to juggle for a camera - she did a great job.


Of course there is more to life than soccer!






I really needed a tall ladder, or to climb up to the top of the bleachers, to see the logo on the gym floor. But I still think it's fun like this. (And they didn't even want a chair on the gym floor, let alone a ladder...)






If you are a high school senior, or a parent of a high school senior, I'd love to chat with you about senior portraits! We can talk about how to incorporate your interests into your session, so it can really be unique. Give me a call or email for more information!

I have more information about my senior graduation photography here, or if you like the locations we used for her senior portraits, you can see these and many more ideas here.

Minisessions for birthdays or back to school portraits

It's time for birthday and back to school minisessions! These are super quick and easy - a great way to get beautiful portraits at a discounted price. I don't charge a session fee for these and I do them throughout the day, so hopefully there is a time that will work for you. Plan on 6-8 great portraits to choose from. You can call or email me if you'd like more information, if you'd like to see a price list, or if you'd like to sign up for a timeslot.




It doesn't really need to be your child's birthday, but if you have a summer birthday, this is a great opportunity for individual portraits at a great price. Or if your child's school portraits tend to leave something to be desired, this is a great opportunity to get a choice of much nicer portraits and gorgeous quality prints, or even digital files.


And I offer a bonus if you bring a friend! I'd love to answer any questions that you may have, or set you up with a timeslot on August 8th or September 5th. Just call or email me.