Maine Family Photographer:: Sawyer Family

Fall family photo time is almost upon us! It’s pretty much my favorite time of year. And since I have apparently forgotten to blog (or maybe HOW to blog..?) for a pretty decent stretch, I thought I should get it going again with this family from our time together at a local farm...

This crew is always so fun to have in front of my camera. Plus, they all have ridiculously good smiles. Well, I’m still working on getting the little one to smile as much as the others do. We’ll get there eventually!

We found the perfect spot that gave us shelter from the sun, had almost no other humans around, and was full of things to entertain a curious toddler. I love watching kids in nature, and seeing what will grab their attention. It’s what I’m always looking to capture, and maybe it helps remind me to also slow down and appreciate the outdoors more.

Thank you, Brent, Lisa, Poppy, and Sonny! Looking forward to the next round with all of you…

Maybe I’ll even get it on the blog before one of you starts Kindergarten :)

In Times of Uncertainty, CREATE.

I haven’t known what to say lately. I have half written blog posts sitting unfinished. Then things got a little crazy and our cities and towns are in a holding pattern and people are being forced to stay home. Simple, mundane tasks now need to come with a strategic plan and a dose of caution. So my blogging silence has become even more so.

I have watched others panic, others adjust, new ways of working being implemented. The hardship and uncertainty getting to so many, and yet making us all better somehow. At least that’s my hope.

So, while I have a backlog of jobs to blog, my ongoing lovebutnotalways relationship with blogging is at another crossroads. A reminder that we photogs don’t always need to be showing what we are getting paid to do. We can share other things. Real life. Feeling uncertain. Business mistakes. Camera experiments. Images that don’t align with our current business or brand (many will not agree with me on this, but it’s ok for us to loosen the reigns every so often). I am here, working from home (which is my normal) but feeling a little isolated at this point and trying to make sure I don’t fall into a funk. Every image I want to share on the insta shows something we are not supposed to be doing right now, and I wobble between is this a thing I should be sensitive about and not share or is this a thing I should share with the reminder of hope for things we will get back to? YES. Both.

So, maybe this is the time to blog fun, happy life moments. Or images I love but don’t know where they fit in with what I do normally. A time to share and work on my craft/style/vision. This is a scary time for so many of us, but the artists are here to remind you that creating will help you through it. Creating whatever it is that brings you a slice of happy or calm or focus or even control (because that is what some may need right now) and it helps shift your brain and use parts you don’t always use in your everyday, working, living, cleaning, provide for your family kind of way.

Today I feel like I need go share some COLOR. Maybe another day it will be some gritty Black and White…

This photo of my nephew is what grabbed my attention today, both for the colors and for the feel. Plus, it’s so very Max.

Last year when the Neph hung out with friends for his birthday. Will they get to do that this year? Maybe on Zoom…

Be good to each other. Take care of you. Find a place to put your focus and let’s see what good we can put out into the world. We got this!

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Celebrating Day 21 of 21

Well. Here it is. Day 21. Day 21 of a challenge to blog for 21 days. Yikes/Wow/Yipppeeee!

Celebrate the things in life. Like getting your license. Or blogging for 21 days.

Real Talk: that wasn't easy. I’m trying to think about the pros and cons of this challenge. But it’s probably simple: Cons were 1) it was a lot of work, 2) there were so many days where I simply didn’t want to or had no idea what to blog about, and 3) for me it’s a CON when I start to feel like it’s too much MEmeMe HI look at ME. I’m a little weird about that.

But the PROS of course were I made the time, buckled in, created content, and I DID IT. Now there is actually more work out there and not just on hard drives. More stories shared. And for me, it’s worth it to get to share things that aren’t always about professional work.

Nephew.

Neighbors.

I have times when what I am photographing for people is not my story to tell, not really my thing to share first.. Head Shots for professionals starting a new job or rebuilding a brand (not my story to share before they do!), Images for an organization working on their website and needing to put the imagery out to the world when they are ready (so get the images for them, and let them share when things are ready for the world to know about them), and lately some work that is sensitive because it involves humans trying to get established after many hard months of uncertainty. So many things I don’t share on the blog, but maybe can eventually when the timing is right and whatever dust needs to settle does.

Dinner with friends/ celebrating birthdays.

But I liked sharing little snippets of life and small moments in photos. I’d like to think I will continue to feel free to do that. I’m also hoping that from now on when the calendar says BLOG, I will find the time to do it. If I’m smart, I’ll also be better about prepping for blog posts ahead of time. A thing that as a photographer should be part of our workflow. Being human is a funny tale in being imperfect. And I can tell you many, many tales!

Sawyer wants to show me his fort upstairs.

Because in addition to sharing photo jobs, and the ongoing 365 project, there are thousands of life moments that may not get seen because they weren’t a thing for pay or they didn’t make the cut for a single photo on a certain day. But life unfolds in front of my camera on a daily basis (even if some of those days are WAAAAY less exciting than others). There is joy and laughter and uncertainty and fatigue and victory and good food and self consciousness and exploding confidence and quiet moments of thinking to capture and possibly share. It doesn’t always have to be for pay. It can be simply to document, and maybe to spread happiness and a little humanity.

Ice cream on a cold day with Molly and Kristina.

I have a project I am currently really proud to be part of. But I can’t share until they do. I want to promise to do so when the time is right. Because capturing people who love their people and love what they do is definitely a thing we could all use more of.

After School time with the niece and my mom.

There is a belief that people photograph what they are most afraid of losing. I photograph humanity. Even if it’s on a small scale of my family/neighborhood/community/friends/local business owners and non profit organizations. Maybe this challenge helped me see that a little clearer.

So my day 21 features a few photos that didn’t make the cut this year in the world of 365 photo project 2019, but that I want to be seen and shared. Little slices of life, that seem like not much at the time. But when seen with others, it’s a good reminder that these little human moments and exchangers are what end up being full of all the good.

And I’m up for that.

Pool buddy.

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Arcade Birthday Fun

Today I played a little hooky. The advantage to working for yourself. I figured since I’ve been blogging so much well after dinner time, maybe I deserve a few hours of floating and away from technology. SO, I went to Sebago Lake, floated, and came home to get back to work. Well, ran around some more, then sat down to get more photos ready for more blog posts.

So, I got to work on these photos of Evie’s birthday, where her mom wanted a photographer to document this group of friends before they head off to different schools. That age where life starts shift and with it some friendships.

Seriously, how awesome is it that her mom thought to do this? Answer: very awesome.

I decided to break this session up into 2 posts. We first met up and did friend group photos on the beach, then all headed to the arcade and I continued to follow them around. So, pretty much a dream come true for me.

I’m posting the arcade photos first, so that later it will appear in the actual right order. I’m not sure that even matters, but right now after a day of floating and a little too much sun, this is where my brain is.

Isn’t it funny how entering an arcade can feel exciting and full of promise? Sometimes that excitement is rewarded, sometimes it’s not. So, you might as well cheer your friends on when it all works out!

Tomorrow I’ll post the other photos from our time at the beach….

This post is reminding me I haven’t taken my annual Summer trip to OOB and maybe I should remedy that. SOON.

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Another slice of Life

It’s 10:39pm on day 14 of 21 days of blogging. It rained a lot today, and today’s photo shoot needed to be rescheduled. The Niece came over and played games and laughed with the broken hubs. The Neph and I went out tonight (somewhat spontaneously) for tacos. So, it was perhaps a slightly imperfect but very good day. I’m tired and ready for bed, and this photo grabbed me as a photo to use for today’s blog post.

The niece has this hooded blanket thing that says Princess across the top and the back. She throws it on her when she comes home and is done with her day. I so feel that right now.

If they made this in my size I would likely have one as well, and throw it on after a productive day. But maybe with a different word across it.

And with that I need to be done with the day and head off to get ready for whatever tomorrow is going to bring….

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: I Aunt Pretty Hard

If there is one thing you should know me (how can there only be 1?!?) it’s that I am the fun Aunt. Maybe even the best Aunt. People tell me that every so often, and it’s probably the one compliment I accept easily. I know I am good at this thing known as Aunting (so hard). Plus, I always have fun when I hang with my Niece and Neph. Because they are both fun & FUNNY. At least I think so.

We wear heart shades, take selfies, dance, sing, watch roller derby, go to the movies, eat ice cream, shop, and laugh. And, they let me photograph them, introduce me to their friends, and tell me about their lives.

And without meaning to, they sometimes remind me to slow down, dance or laugh it out, and not let some stuff get to me.

So, yes I get to be the fun Aunt (and maybe the crazy Aunt, depending on the day) and that probably tells you plenty about me. Feel free to judge me accordingly.

And we love to use the hashtags #heartshadesquad and #auntingsohard. Feel free to join us in either or both!

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: A 365 Outtake

It’s past 8 pm and I haven’t gotten to today’s blog post.

*GASP!*

The Niece and the Hubs getting ready to beat me at Hangman.

But that’s what happens on a full day when you didn’t prep ahead of time. Or it’s just a reminder to get some things done early. I’ll try to remember that in the future.

No promises, though. :)

Today the niece and I sent some fun mail to some people who may not know it’s coming. We made things and wrote cards together, then headed to the post office with hopes of making some people smile. Yesterday the ankle injured hubs got his cast off, and is moving on to a boot with crutches, and then eventually walking again.

So, it’s been a productive few days.

I came home, sat down to blog, scrolled through some images, and chose this photo of these two. Seemed like the right fit after today’s goodness.

And now I’m going to crash because I feel that kind of tired where words are not coming easy…

{Maine Event Photographer}: Good Faces

I think I may have recently met my new favorite person to photograph…..

Yes, that fun face on the left. I kept photographing these kids at a recent event at Wolfe Neck Farm in Freeport and I couldn’t get enough of her expressions. I’m not sure of her name (but I can easily find out), and I don’t know if I will get the chance to photograph her again, but if I can find a way to get her in front of my camera again I will be bursting with excitement. But play it cool on the outside. OF course.

This is a thing when photographing people and events. Capture what is happening, start to see the faces that keep grabbing your attention. It’s a process, like editing, where you look at the overall total and then start taking it down to smaller chunks and moments that will tell the story of the event or this group of people. And then moments like this one happen, so your camera gets ready in hopes of capturing more. Then, in this case, you find yourself laughing while editing and maybe having too many photos to narrow down because there were just so many good faces.

Kids are great this way. That honesty of making whatever face they want in any given moment.

Power Engineers… photos are coming your way today. It was so fun to spend a Summer afternoon with you all!

{Maine Family Photographer}: King Family

It’s that time of year! Time to get outside, get your toes in the sand or grass or water and call up your favorite photographer to get your family photos done. Maine beaches/forts/trails/ are waiting!

Meet the King Family. Years ago I photographed Ben & Michelle here before they were married, back when they thought maybe it would just be the two of them. Then a few years later I photographed their wedding (and then said goodbye to the wedding industry, but I swear it has nothing to do with them!). Then we finally got to head back to our favorite fort and beach with a few extra fun humans with us.

So, again we laughed and played and ran around and captured who they are at this time in their lives.

This blog post is the perfect example of why I needed to give myself the challenge of blogging for 21 days - I started this post in June! So, I guess I’ll get around to finishing and publishing it now.

Thank you, Kings! You are ridiculously fun to photograph. I’m looking forward to doing this with all of you as the years go by, and then trying to get your kids to recreate some of these photos when they are teenagers. My hope is they will be super into it.

:D

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Summer Moment

This human and this Summer moment on this Lake in Maine.

Which could be a moment happening multiple times in multiple places. I didn’t pick this image on this day for my 365 Photo Project, but I keep coming back it. This is my niece, on the 4th of July on Thompson Lake. But it could be any child by any body of water on any given Summer day.

Which is one of the many things that make photography so great.

Maine Family Photographer: Morales Family

I like lists. I like crossing things off the list as they get done, and seeing the list get smaller and smaller. I REALLY like those days when I get lots of things crossed off the list. I know I am not alone in this. Today I made a list that will guide me as I head into blogging for 21 days. A list that will give me a sense of accomplishment as it gets bigger, which is opposite of my usual to do lists. This will be a GOT IT DONE list, and will have 21 things checked off at then end. Maybe more. We’ll see.

So, it’s day 3 of blogging every day for 21 days (I keep repeating that so it will become habit). I want to share some favorite photos, some stories behind a photo, or just sessions that are more focused on the images and less on the words. It’s going to be a real mixed bag around here.

So today’s list included: Post to IG | EDIT | laundry | EDIT! | find pot holder loops (because the niece and I have plans for crafty fun times) | Make a blog list | BLOG | get the broken husband out of the house | Barre class | make potholder | EDIT | read.

(Yes, I have some editing to do, haha!)

Most of things are getting done. So may I share with you a few faves from a quick session with the M fam, from a day cooler than today, where snuggles were needed and silliness was unavoidable. I loved every minute of it.

And now I think I need to add BUY TOPHAT to my list.

Thank you, Victoria, Alberto, Sylvio, Wilow, and Lucas! Let’s do this again soon…

A Challenge: 21 Days of Blogging {day 2}

Sometimes we get in ruts. Sometimes can happen more frequently for some of us creative types. I may be in one now, but also not really. Things in my life have shifted the last few weeks, and my focus is a little more broken up than normal. So, I got up to write before I started my work day and realized I simply needed a challenge for myself to get out of a little weird stuckness.

Stuck over a a simple thing: Blogging. I do it then I don’t. I have past blogs I never transferred to this newer website. Images and stories and all the SEO stuff no longer visible. I have things to say, stories to share. But I blog infrequently, so it then ends up feeling like a chore. And then sometimes that makes things feel forced.

So, this morning I took some time to write while having my coffee and the next thing I know I made an agreement with myself to take on a 21 day blogging challenge. Blog daily. For 21 days.

Apparently, there is some scientific evidence out there explaining why it takes 21 days of doing something everyday to make it a habit. I have done this before when I kicked off my 365 photo challenge in 2018 - I started the year with both the photo challenge and following a 21 day habit building worksheet. One could argue that it must have worked since it’s now August of 2019 and I’m still photographing every day.

There is something about blogging and having to find original things to say about a job i’ve been doing for years. We can’t all keep saying this is the best photo shoot ever and still sound and feel sincere. However, truth be told that is how many of us feel after our photo sessions. I know I for one feel alive after shoots. I still have some occasional nerves beforehand, almost always have a blast during, then feel awesome after. But, it’s harder to get that emotion to come through when you are blogging about it months later, and I think that is where I might be right now. It feels insincere to try to muster up those feelings when I have waited far too long to make the blog post. If I was a better blogger I would be writing more in the moment. Perhaps.

But the stories are still there. The images waiting to be shared. Sometimes you just need to sit down and get things done. A few years ago I agreed to blog every day for a month (but again, that blog is not here haha) with a fellow friend. She cheered me on, even checked in on days when I was late. The possibility of blogging daily may seem daunting on one side, but for me what I like is the chance to share smaller posts, freedom to share personal work, little bite size chunks of a blogsnack, rather than a 5 course meal of this big event and all the best moments. The number of shoots I have sitting in folders and not on this blog!! Ugh. SO, yes take it in smaller, life size, easy to digest chunks and just get sharing!

So, that was a long way of saying welcome to my 21 day blog challenge! Which, for accountability’s sake kicked off on Thursday, July 8 (when I finished/posted the 365July photos). Join me if you wish! Readers and other blogging types welcome….

365 Photo Project {July}

July. The time of year we Mainers live for. Personally I don’t live for the heat too much, but do live for the time of year when jumping in the water as much as possible is a thing that can happen.

This July was a little different than others. I kept my calendar lighter than normal, and took some time off the week of 4th of July. Then my better half fell off a ladder, and things shifted. So, we are a few weeks in to healing from a fall - no driving, no working, not able to put weight his right foot. So, there have been doctor appointments, paperwork, casts, surgery, a lot of sitting, binge watching The Walking Dead, and simply trying to heal. So, this July delivered a bit of a curveball, and has changed some of our daily routines.

But there was also a trip to New York with my brother and nephew, a mini college reunion, a World Cup win for Women’s Soccer (!!), time by lakes, ponds, oceans, and pools, gathering with friends for food and conversation. So, a disruption of normal routines, but still lots of good life stuff and camera time.

Here are a few of the daily winners as life played out in front of my camera…

7/1.

7/2.

7/3.

7/4.

7/5.

7/6.

7/7. World Cup WATCHING!

7/8.

7/9.

7/10.

7/11.

7/12.

7/13.

7/14.

7/15.

7/16.

7/17.

7/18.

7/19.

7/20.

7/21.

7/22.

7/23.

7/24.

7/25.

7/26.

7/27.

7/28.

7/29.

7/30.

7/31.

So, July felt like a weird month, yet still a good one. I came home from a trip and the next day the hubs had surgery, so healing part two started almost 3 weeks after the initial injury. it’s a weird thing to have your life be forced to a slower pace, but there’s also something in there that may be good somehow. Maybe that’s gratitude.

We’ll just keep doing things one day at a time, sort of like this project….

365 Photo Project {June}

It’s only July 8th as I sit down to write this blog post and already June feels like it was forever ago. I did a thing this past week for July 4th - I took a semi vacation! There was just so much water to be jumping into and people visiting and offices not holding regular business hours and any other things to help me lose my focus. So, I mostly checked out, and though I meant to do this post several days ago I am glad I tuned out for several days because I think I needed it. So, when I look at these photos from June it already feels like awhile ago because I am climbing out of my little tuned out staycation time warp.

June showed up and then Summer decided to finally get here. It brought sun, rain, out of town visitors, good food, live music, a few late nights, laughter, sweat, dancing, goodbyes, splashing around in water, and people doing awesome things to help and lift others. So, again a pretty good month! And again, thankful for daily photos for the reminders of the good moments that otherwise may not really be remembered because they seemed so simple at the time.

Here is a glimpse at how my camera and I saw June….

6/1.

6/2.

6/3. Maine Roller Derby Practice | Portland Expo | Portland, Maine.

6/4. Nabil and Scott reunited | South Portland, Maine.

6/5. Spry in my kitchen.

6/6. Walk to ice cream with Lisa.

6/7. Happy Birthday to this guy!

6/8. PortFringe rehearsal | South Portland, Maine.

6/9. Hanging on my brother’s back deck and the Neph needs help with his tie.

6/10. Home.

6/11. Midnight hola hooping because need to get my photo for the day!

6/12.

6/13.

6/14. Last day of school for the Neph. He wore his No Colon Still Rollin shirt which is one of the many reasons why he is an awesome human.

6/15. PRIDE PARADE! Portland, Maine.

6/16. These cute neighbors.

6/17. This delicious meal | David’s Restaurant | Portland, Maine.

6/18. Reggie | PortFringe | Portland, Maine.

6/19. Neighbors.

6/20. At Portside Real Estate’s annual Rooftop REcharge to benefit Girls On The Run | Portland, Maine.

6/21. Bayside Rooftop | Portland, Maine.

6/22. When Hello Newman and Maine Roller Derby cruise around Casco Bay together | Portland, Maine.

6/23. Sometimes I put on the ancient nifty fifty and find things to photograph at f 1.8.

6/24. This Summer’s Pool buddy got new goggles.

6/25. Some friends visited from NYC, so I photographed her daughter, Lila, while we waited for a table at Eventide | Portland, Maine.

6/26. Lying around waiting for class to start | Tula Studios | South Portland, Maine.

6/27. Brother and niece and my new mirrorless camera | Scarborough, Maine.

6/28. Summer floating friends | Auburn, Maine.

6/29. My dad would have been 79 on this day. So, food and family silliness is how we choose to honor him on this day | Sinful Kitchen | Portland, Maine.

6/30. Fan weather

{365} Photo Project: May

May. Month 5 of photographing life every day. The month where we all seem to come alive in Maine. I love seeing and hearing neighborhoods with kids getting outside and playing. Bikes come out, sidewalk chalk gets used, people start gathering outside to chat, eat, and laugh. This May was a wet one here in Maine, but my camera and I managed to capture combinations of chilly damp days and the happy relief of getting some sun in our eyes. And, as is always my goal this time of year, I made sure to get by and IN the water.

Eating, hanging out, capturing events, seeing live music, recitals, birthdays, walks to raise money for important causes, traces of shifting seasons, laughing, and even trying indoor climbing for the first time… all got to be part of what made May a pretty busy and great month. Thankful for this project to remind me of the good that continues to happen month after month…

5/1. Thunder and the Niece at the 2nd annual Red Storm Strikes Out Cancer Walk in Scarborough.

5/2. This was a delicious and fun meal.

5/3.

5/4. One of my faves from the month. I love people’s different body language and gestures.

5/5. For years the Neph has been holding an annual bake sale to raise money for The Maine Cancer Foundation. This year he raised money for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and for their walk where he was being honored as one of their heroes of the year. Pretty cool kid, right?

5/6. Hi Spring!

5/7. Another rainy day, another photo shoot. Kallie from Portside Real Estate at the end of her photo session before we both jumped into our cars and out of the rain.

5/8. These two. Laughing and reading books after school.

5/9. The Niece turned a whole year older this day. Happy 7th birthday, Button!

5/10. Recital Dress Rehearsal. Waiting to go back stage.

5/11. Family birthday party for this one.

5/12. Mother’s Day. We went out for ice cream with my mom. This one stayed home in her cozy hoodie robe thing.

5/13.

5/14. Someone got a dollhouse for her birthday…

5/15. Small Business Awards. Lots of Mainers doing some great things!

5/16. Only one of these is for me.

5/17. The Ghost of Paul Revere and the Perry Brothers playing at the Zachau Construction celebration for 50 years in business | Brick South, Thompson’s Point, Portland, Maine.

5/18. About to walk for Crohn’s & Colitis. This image cracks me up because every face seems to lead you to another face doing another thing…

5/19. My high school pal and I tried this thing and it was only sort of scary and I’m only sort of bad at it. And we laughed about how it’s on land where people maybe partied when we were in school. Maybe.

5/20. Hooligans.

5/21. City Hall | Portland, Maine.

5/22. Bikes, books, unicorn castle time, and heart shades for this one on this day.

5/23.

5/24. My friend’s kid, Maggie is one of the coolest people I know. She plays guitar and violin. IN A GIRL BAND.

Maine Academy of Modern Music event | Bayside Bowl | Portland, Maine.

5/25. On this day I met Willard! Then went in the water while my friends floated in a giant unicorn.

5/26. MOVIE time with these two.

5/27. Neighborhood artist.

5/28. Prepping for this year’s Port Fringe. Keep your eyes peeled for the schedule and be sure to go see Seance on a Tuesday afternoon!

5/29. The other Beetle.

5/30. Met this handsome guy on a shoot.

5/31. On a rooftop. Or a boat. Almost doesn’t matter because it’s eat and drink outside season!

Ok, May that was busy and fun and now I’m ready for more sunny days by the water!

Happy Mother's Day from JBP!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you working hard and loving fiercely in the name of raising good humans! In my many years of photographing families, there are lots of great moments with moms, but here’s a few favorites I pulled after spending time with my mom today…

Thank you to all you moms out there who do what you do every day! And thank you for trusting me to be in your space with my camera, waiting to capture a hug, a laugh, a tear, or a moment of imperfection.

And to those who struggle on Mother’s Day for various reasons, I want you to know I am thinking about you as well.

If this is the year you want to get your family in front of my cameras, I am ready for you!

Everyday Life: A Roller Derby Baby Shower

Sometimes I need to remind myself to share the photos and the stories that are for fun or for friends or family (those three things are often overlapping) and not just for pay. So, let’s do that!

Recently a fistful of people I know gathered in a roller rink to celebrate a baby we’ll all get to meet soon.

So, please enjoy a few of my favorite photos taken on a day Baby Lyko’s already big fan club celebrated her…

Get ready for some fierce games on skates!

Another derby baby.

Roo and Mad Dog.

More derby babies. That smile!

This is so Spry.

xo

The serious business of decorating onesies.

This is the kind of games we do at a baby shower in a roller rink…

It feels like it wasn’t long ago we had a baby shower for this one…

I have to say, this may be the most fun I have ever seen people have at a baby shower. While the pressure of gifts and following traditions were not part of this day, skating, laughing, eating, and celebrating definitely were. And that is really refreshing.

I have watched too many friends feel uncomfortable with the spotlight or the insane baby shower games (like,’ let’s all use this string to guess how big our friend’s belly is’ is almost no one’s favorite game). Seeing friends take that pressure off felt like a way better way to get ready for a new human to enter your life. And it won’t be long until we get to meet Lyko and spoil her with little outfits covered in skates or just hold her while her parents need a tiny break or a nap.

That hug.

Everyday Life: Haircut time for the Niece

Photographing your life everyday has its challenges and also has its rewards. Thankfully, because it is meant to make you work on your craft, even on the days you don’t want to. So challenge accepted!

It rewards you with the moments you and your camera get to capture the fun, everyday stuff of people living and loving life.

Button feeling fancy with Maggie at Mimosa Salon.

The days I spend laughing and connecting with people are the days my camera and I look forward to the most. So, when the niece was getting her hair cut one day after school I decided to show up with my camera.

If you have been following any of my work you may know I’m a fan of this kid and love photographing her. But I also LOVE photographing people working with their hands. So, this was a winning combo for my camera and I.

In the world of photographing your life every day, sometimes it’s a challenge to be creative every day, to find new things and interesting ways to capture them. But the other challenge comes from the days when you photograph a lot and then have to pick just one.

A good problem to have, right? So, on this day when my niece laughed and chatted and watched herself in the mirror, I knew picking just one would be a real challenge. So, I decided a haircut with a 6 year old is blog- worthy stuff and that way I can ultimately share more than just one.

That Face.

This was a good day in the world of 365 photo project life, but also in the world of being an awesome aunt. A fun ladies afternoon of laughing and photographing and seeing the Niece have fun and smile. Hopefully, Maggie and the crew at Mimosa Salon will let us do this again someday!

{365} Photo Project: March

Here we are, month 3 of 2019. March is a funny time in the Northeast. There are sparks of hope for warmer days, coupled with snowstorm excitement.. Ice cream stands dare to start to open for the season and Mainers line up next to piles of dirty snow to get that taste of the Summer treat.

Frankly, it’s a bit confusing.

So, my camera and I spent time inside, but also tried to get out more, and chased light around my house, neighborhood, and community. Fun with the niece, and food with friends. Splashes of color and looking for something that would work well in black & white. My journey with the 365 project seems like a mixture of predictable and we’ll see what happens! That feels right.

Here is how March and I walked together. Ups and downs and laughs and aches and pains and challenges and rewards and ending feeling like a shift was happening. Seems like the right way to end the month and the winter season….

3/1 The niece {Button} and my mom {Jamma} being entertained by animojis.

3/2 My Pal Karen and I like to get together every so often for what we are now calling “Pirate Brunch”. I am on a quest to photograph the people in my life, and I finally got her! :D

3/3 After the Neph’s one act play.

3/4 Snow!

3/5 These. I have missed them.

3/6 Office time.

3/7

3/8 Button at the salon. My new favorite thing to photograph.

3/9 Brother in law broke his leg. Last time we saw him he was recovering in the hospital. Progress!

3/10

3/11

3/12

3/13

3/14 My kitchen shows me different light and colors and it’s pretty great.

3/15 THAT JOJO BOW! More ladies hang time with Button and Jamma.

3/16 Selfies at roller derby where all my derby pals talk to her and make her feel awesome and I’m super grateful for that.

3/17 Projects for Spring.

3/18 I didn’t go in, but I liked the light and the composition so I dropped my grocery bags and took a photo. or 5.

3/19 Home nook. Metal owl by the hubs.

3/20 Feeling uninspired on this day, so I went to Smaha’s to get some yummy eats and saw this as I was headed to my car. So, again, I dropped my groceries and took out the camera, framed it a few different ways, put the camera away and picked up groceries and continued on my merry way like one does when photographing in alleys or on other people’s property.

3/21 Hung out with this kid after she got off the bus. I think this was the second outfit of the afternoon.

3/22 My Friends are fun.

3/23 Sopo.

3/24 Hangman and personal space invasion with these two xo.

3/25 More kitchen colors, etc.

3/26 Pasta steam. This is something I keep wanting to get better at shooting. So, just in case you see a similar photo again during this project…

3/27 I decided I might like Yin Yoga.

3/28 This day’s cycle class kicked my butt. I have been working on not letting that happen in the future. Or at least not as badly as it did this day. Anyway, this little space on the wall spoke to me.

3/29 I surrendered to a sick day.

3/30 A roller derby baby shower.

3/31 in the final days of 15 he sat in a chair, chatting with me, and played with his sister’s homemade ‘fortune teller.’

So, that was my March! I am sure I am not alone in being ready for Spring to show up and for more time outside. And with that, I am off to get caught up on April images….

{365} Photo Project: February

As I type this February is now behind us. I have been adding photos here all month so I would be ready to share and blog about another month of living the 365 photo project life. When I look at the images again I can see those days where we (or really I) was in the thick of it being February. So many indoor photos of homebody life, or occasionally getting outside only to meet up with people back inside. The days when I photographed a detail like my car or my kitchen counter or my floor, with only a few photos of anything happening outside. Maybe that will change now that March is here! (she types this as she looks out her window at the snow falling and another coating of white starting to cover the dirt and the pavement…)

But, here we are and here is how my February unfolded in front of my camera….

2/1 Olivia | Scarborough, Maine | waiting her turn to be photographed after her mom.

2/2 A hit to the face at roller derby | Happy Wheels | Portland, Maine.

2/3 Brothers on Super Bowl Sunday.

2/4 Trader Joe’s Parking lot | Portland, Maine.

2/5 at trivia | Gorham, Maine. ps we won!

2/6 On my floor.

2/7 Another slice of my life.

2/8 Another afternoon with Jamma and Button.

2/9 VW.

2/10 Hanging with the niece and neph, and creating animojis until my battery wears down.

2/11 Crafty.

2/12 Snow Storm happy hour with Amy.

2/13 Snow storm day, so here’s more finding light and home decor.

2/14 Valentine’s and afternoon distraction.

2/15 Leaving the Hospital | Portland, Maine.

So, confession time: I have a policy with myself to not change my mind once an image is picked, but on the 15th I posted a different photo and I now feel I made the wrong choice. So the photo above is the better photo, in my opinion, than the one I posted on FB. The one I chose originally was a little more dramatic and had more colors and light happening, but there are technical issues with it that bother me. SO, I went back to the one I felt I should pick. Yet I still question if choosing this one is the easy choice. The bottom line though is this image is better technically, and I like the different pockets of color. AND the human in the corner. I was intentional on my part to keep him in the frame.

On a personal level this was also a week where more than one family member was in a hospital for varying (hopefully temporary) life setback kind of things. It’s possible my head was not in the best place during this week, so my decision making was a little clouded. It’s also possible I wanted to somehow capture what was going on that week, but didn’t want to share other people’s personal happenings on my FB page because that’s not really my place.

This is one of those 365 photo things I still haven’t mastered. At times I am definitely protective of other people’s privacy, which seems like a contradiction when photographing and sharing your life everyday. But I know it’s not always my story to share, whether that’s a family member having medical things or even clients needing photos but not wanting them shared until they are ready, since it’s their story and their message…

Privacy in an era of oversharing. Ha! A whole different topic, so let’s get back to February and photos, shall we?

2/16 Roller Derby spectating with my heartshadesquad pals | Happy Wheels | Portland, Maine.

2/17 Sunday lunch and shopping with GG and Ablock | Sebago Brewing | South Portland, Maine.

2/18 Kitchen | Playing with my old 50 and shallow DOF.

2/19 Kitchen Copper.

2/20 Broth time.

2/21 Basement Sweat Station.

2/22 the day we celebrated National Margarita Day.

2/23 at Crisp | Scarborough, Maine.

2/24 OMG it’s my kitchen. AGAIN.

2/25 Art in a coffee shop | CIA coffee shop | South Portland, Maine.

2/26 Family.

2/27 Oh, there’s a snowflake in one of our windows I forgot was there!

2/28 Brunch with Chem | shooting with the nifty 50 and my coffee comes to me in this mug | Sinful Kitchen | Portland, Maine.

And that’s a wrap for February! I always want to end it like a film set with a big “THAT’S A WRAP EVERYONE” and we all clap, but also that’s more attention than I really like. So for now, just a quieter mini high five to myself and other photog pals for completing another month in the world of documenting your every day life, every day of this year.

* (Insert Judd Nelson fist to the sky final image at the end of The Breakfast Club here and every month of 2019)*