New Eyes for a New World

Marchet writes:

This week, I had the privilege of photographing an amazing little one-month-old and his mom for my Early Motherhood Project. Don't those little eyes look like they have a whole galaxy in them? And despite lack of sleep, I think mom looks great! Mom and dad have a great blog that includes a fun "time-lapse" sequence of the pregnancy I think you may enjoy.

Photographing a one-month-old brought so many memories back! Only a year ago, I was in the same situation: a new mom who couldn't quite believe she was actually a parent. I was unsure of my natural abilities, but I was willing to learn and absolutely committed to do the best I could for my little one. As the months passed, I gained more confidence as a mom and I began to enjoy it. I've heard that when a first baby is born, a mother is born too. So, I've learned to be easy on myself as my baby has grown into toddlerhood and I have grown into parenthood. To my model and her little boy, "Welcome to the world, little one, and welcome to parenthood, mom. You're both going to do great!"

Why Candids?

Candid photography is all about taking risks: you're never really sure if you're going to get the shots you want. You're constantly moving around, trying to get your subjects to fill the frame without interfering with the action, and then there's the background to worry about. But when I look at all of my photos from a session, it's the candids that I love. Why? Candids capture a lot more personality than posed shots. You can see the relationship between subjects when they aren't trying to "look good" for the camera. I am wrapping up my Early Motherhood Project soon, but I was so glad to include this mom and her little one in the series.

This mom and I talked about my style of photography before the shoot, and I mentioned how as a photographer, I can see the beauty in other people that they can't necessarily see in themselves. After the fact, I realized that a lot of that has to do taking candids: we're at our best when playing and laughing and smiling with our families. Check out our Pricing page for rates on a candid family photo session of your own.

Black and White or Color?

I took this photo awhile back of an acquaintance's grandson. I especially loved this boy's green boots because it added such a fun "punch" of color. But I thought it would be nice to see this photo in black and white too. So I converted it and all of a sudden, the eyes and face pop out of the image. Sometimes converting the image to a black and white clarifies what the most important element of the photo is. In this case, it definitely worked.

Trio in the the Trees

This beautiful trio were wonderful models for my Early Motherhood Project. Despite bright sun, we found some shady spots in the backyard and in wooded lot nearby. I love how vibrant and alive the sisters look in their red shirts against the green background. I also love shooting mom with both her young child and her baby; after all, early motherhood is often about taking care of more than one child.

Being One

Marchet writes:

My little boy and I spent a great morning at Webb Bridge Park with a friend and fellow blogger who agreed to model for my Early Motherhood Project. Her little guy was busy! He was swinging, playing, eating, smiling, fussing, and even walking as proud as he could be across the floor of the pavilion. Such independence comes with being one, and this little guy was out to prove it!

Today's sunny light made harsh shadows and bright highlights, something I usually try to avoid. However, I found that the contrast was perfect for black and white images like the ones on the slide. It's opportunities like these that help me learn as a photographer. So far, the Early Motherhood Project has been a tremendous success: it's helped me expand my portfolio, get out of the house to meet other moms and babies, and say "thank you" to my models with a free CD of their images. I will be finishing this project in a few weeks, but I'll start a new one after that. Ideas for new projects are welcome!

Lakeside Family Photo Shoot

Marchet writes:

We spent our Saturday afternoon today at a beautiful little lake with this couple and their baby girl. It was great to have Jacob on the shoot to assist and also take photos. He has a great eye for backgrounds, and I appreciate his honest critiques of my work.

During the shoot, we typically spend a lot of time talking while we're working--sharing stories, getting to know each other, finding out what we should try to capture about this family. One thing was obvious throughout the shoot: Daddy adores his girls. He was so attentive of both his wife and daughter. I've been shooting a lot of moms and babies (including this pair) lately for my Early Motherhood Project, so it was a nice change to photograph the family with the daddy too!

Although I love portraits of faces, my favorite shots from today are the full length photo at the top of this post and the second one of the shoes. The first photo really works technically: the light, depth of field, and perspective were perfect in that shot. The shoes are just fun. I generally shoot with color in mind, but occasionally black and white really suits the image as in this case.

Quiet Wonder

This mom and baby pair braved cool weather to model for my Early Motherhood Project (see previous post for details if you are interested in modeling). Just six months old, the baby boy was full of quiet wonder for all the spring beauty around him. And I love how the soft pink and blue hues echo the mother's gentle caregiving.

It's been such an amazing experience meeting moms and taking candid shots of them and their babies. I will be working on this project until the end of this month, April. After that, my new project tentatively called "School Days" will feature school-age children and teenagers.

A New Look

Marchet writes:

Today was a wonderful day. First of all, our blog has a new look: a professionally-customized design by Missy Saunders. I entered a contest that launched her blog header and customization business, and I won! She has been absolutely incredible to work with. I had specific ideas about how I wanted our blog to look, and Missy created a design even better than I could have hoped for. If you have a blog and are interested in having your blog header and other blog elements customized, don't pass this opportunity up. Missy is still starting out, so her prices are very affordable. She does beautiful work. Check out her blog designsbymissy.

Secondly, my little boy (see cutie pie in picture) and I went location scouting at Roswell Area Park this afternoon. We had such a great time in the sunshine and fresh air. The trees were in full bloom (absolutely gorgeous pinks, purples, and whites), and the light was great for photos.

I like taking a model when I do location scouting so I know how the background and foreground will look in the actual picture. Since I shoot a lot of babies and children, it's important to get locations with nice features close to the ground.