Maine Head Shot Photographer:: Another Round of Photos for The April Cohen Team

2020, right? Haha that’s just how I start all things now that involve me being behind in whatever. So, here we are, December 2020. And after a strange year and shoots that didn’t get to happen and events that were gone from the books and other shoots that got moved to later dates, I ended up having the majority of my 2020 in photo land almost all at once making this mediocre blogger and instagrammer even more behind than I normally am. That’s so 2020!

But, here we are. December and the editing is mostly caught up, the majority of people have their images and others are about to get their print orders and I’m over here looking at my lists and reminding myself to just take it one shoot, and one story at a time. So, let’s say hi to this fabulous group of realtors known as The April Cohen Team!

The April Cohen Team, 2020.

April and I have been meeting on the streets of SoPo for years now, capturing her personality, enthusiasm, and infectious smile, for all things relating to her real estate life. This year her team has grown to be 5 people strong. It’s pretty cool to get to witness these kinds of shifts over the years.

And true to our norm, there was no shortage of laughs and middle of the street shenanigans, along with all the very professional behavior needed to get the job done. I just know I always have fun with her and her team, so it seems right that in the middle of a pandemic we still found ourselves cracking up in the middle of the street and down side alleys. All in the name of getting those images that show the world who they are.

The 2020 April.

We definitely accomplished what we set out to do - capture who they are, make sure it feels like SoPo, and laugh as much as we can. And there will be no mistake going forward what year these photos were taken!

Congrats April and team on your growth and making 2020 one of your best years yet!

Thank you Lee, Jacci, April, Gina, and Megan for being so fun and great to work with. Again. I am so going to your holiday party when we finally get back to doing those kinds of things!

Lee, Jacci, April, Gina, and Megan ready for all the things.

You can them on your social medias @theaprilcohenteam and @soporealtor or listed on The Bean Group website.

From The Archives:: Tricia, Photographer and Roller Derby Player

Slammin’, aka Tricia who I knew first in our photog circles, and then in our roller derby lives. A person of many talents, lover of dogs, and cracker of jokes. And another person I know who has had a fair amount of life changes as result of the Covid.

No work? No derby? Time to get back to the artist you are! What she’s been creating during this time has been some beautiful coasters and plant holders. It’s been one of my highlights when I sign into social media to see one of her videos showing her creative process. Art and creativity has definitely been what I have turned to during all of this, and I know I am not alone in that. Combine that with her past as a social worker, and she has a lot to share about getting through times like this.

Like everyone in this project, Tricia shared these words with me weeks before the protests. But her words remain relevant whether we are in a pandemic, a fight for civil rights, and any other uncertainty that comes along with big life shifts.

Slammin T Jammin at Maine Roller Derby Practice at the Portland Expo, sitting on the sidelines due to some shoulder pain.

Name:  Tricia Jamiol

Occupation/Business: Formerly an operations manager at a small local business, but have since been laid off due to COVID.  And owner of Tricia Jamiol Photography.

1. What is one notable change in your life since Covid19 has changed how we are able to do things? Covid19 has changed everything in my life. I was originally told to work from home back in mid March, prior to the city of Portland issuing their shelter in place order.  I was then furloughed once the order went through, and a few days after that, completely laid off.  I went from a very predictable 60+ hours where I'd be out of the house working or playing roller derby each week to suddenly having a vast amount of time that I somehow needed to fill. 

It has also completely changed how I do life outside of my home. Masks are now a requirement, as far as I'm concerned, and my fiancée and I try to venture out once every two weeks to go food shopping and get any essentials we need from places like CVS or the pet store.  I hated food shopping before this pandemic, so I really hate going now.  Paying attention to all the rules, making sure I distance myself from other people, some of which who don't seem as concerned as I do about it, and wiping everything down when we get home is mentally exhausting.  I am a former social worker and 100% realize that all of us are living through a prolonged traumatic experience. That repeated exposure, for me, means that I typically have a couple of days where I can't do much and it's taken me a while to realize that 1) I don't need to be productive to the standards we had prior to Covid19 and 2) having those breaks and space to process, cope, grieve, is absolutely necessary. 

The other thing it's changed for me is my ability to play roller derby. Derby has been a constant in my life for the past three years.  Every week I knew where I would be on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays for hours at a time. I would look forward to our Saturday bouts on an almost monthly basis and even the Sunday morning hangover bouts where my body was absolutely exhausted from playing the night before but there was no place else in the world I'd rather be.  I sometimes spent 12 hours a week doing derby related things. Covid ripped all of that away from me seemingly without warning.  As I'm writing about all of these changes, writing about missing roller derby is bringing tears to my eyes.  I miss my friends, I miss my ability to exercise, I miss being able to go to the gym twice a week for cross training.  I miss the body that I had from all of those workouts that so quickly slipped away once everything shut down. I miss the feeling of skating fast and hitting my friends at full speed while jamming.  I even miss waking up the next morning feeling like I got hit by a mack truck.  We've had a few Zoom meetings, which is nice because we can see each other, but missing roller derby hurts.  It also hurts knowing that even as states begin to open up, we won't be able to play such a contact-intensive sport for a very, very long time. 

2. What has been most challenging? See above re: derby.  Whenever I am grieving the loss of normalcy, 99.9% of the time it's because I'm missing derby.

3. Have you found any silver linings you care to share? Going from having no free time due to my job, roller derby, and my photography business, to ending up with what seems like an endless amount of free time, has given me a silver lining during this whole situation.  I've been able to throw myself back into my art.  Art, prior to derby, was how I processed things, how I de-stressed, and how I connected with myself on a deeper level. Sometime within the past year I stumbled upon epoxy and resin art on Instagram.  I had been wanting to try it for a while but I didn't feel like I had the time to do so.  I also had absolutely no idea where to start or what I needed to buy for it, so even researching it seemed unobtainable because of my busy schedule.  As soon as I was able to work from home I decided to buy the necessary supplies and give making coasters a shot.  Due to not having any patience, I completely botched my first set, as they never cured and were sticky and horrible-looking. It took another try with a bit more patience to get a new set to cure properly, and from there I've just been experimenting with different pigments and techniques and I'm having a blast with it.  The coasters have been super popular and I'm starting to branch out into different types of coasters (haha, this just cracks me up for some reason) as well as experimenting with alcohol inks, which is another type of fluid art.  You can make coasters out of alcohol ink, too!  I HAVE SO MANY COASTERS!  

Covid19 has given me the gift of being able to find a medium that would potentially allow me to create art for a living, which is something I've always wanted to do.  I am absolutely horrified by what it is doing to the world, but also, somehow, grateful for it.  It is a weird juxtaposition that I have some serious cognitive dissonance with, but I'm working on accepting the fact that sometimes, bad things happen and good things are able to bloom because of it. 

4. Are there any shifts you are hoping to stay in place as we move forward?

Going forward, when things return to "normal" I truly hope that I'm able to grow my art making in a way that allows me to do it for a living.  I've always wanting to work from home and have always wanting to be able to support myself through my art.  My photography business was a small way that I was able to tap into some of that, but because I focus on weddings, I never felt that I could fully devote myself to doing it full time. 

5. What are you most looking forward to being able to do again?

Hitting my friends!! When we finally have the ability to practice again with contact, I will literally be the happiest person in the whole world.  I cannot wait for roller derby to start up again.  With the news of Happy Wheels likely being able to open back up this fall, I am stoked. 

6. Anything else you want to share..?

I hope, after all is said and done, that we as a human race wake up. With the way things are currently, it makes me anxious to read up on the news. There's so much hate and greed that I can't really comprehend any of it.  I feel that this virus has brought humans to our knees, and in doing so, we were given a gift of a healing planet and the ability to see our impact on it, as well as each other. I hope, after all is said and done that humans can learn to be more kind. More kind to each other, to other living things and to our planet. 

Also, and I think this is super important: that people be kind to themselves in times like these.  I was a facilitator at the Center for Grieving Children for 14 years.  I helped run bereavement groups and during my time there I facilitated every children's group between the ages of 3 and 18 years old.  I've learned that with death, we need to grieve in order to come out the other side of it. Connecting with others who are sharing similar losses, talking about struggles, life, and accomplishments, and hearing others' stories is incredibly important when it comes to healing one's heart.  Obviously, we are losing so many people to this virus.  Being in Maine, I feel we are lucky in that our number of causalities and infections is relatively low compares to other places in the country, but with that said, we are still going through something incredibly hard.  You may not have directly lost someone, but you have definitely lost a sense of safety, normalcy, or predictability.  Those losses are huge and each of us has the right to grieve the loss of those things that are important to us.  I haven't seen my parents, sister and her family since early January.  I miss them terribly.  Thankfully, we have FaceTime, which is huge, but it doesn't replace the ability see, touch, and be with those people. Some days I am a grumpy asshole, other days I'm bawling at commercials on TV, some days I take naps for 3 hours because that's all I can handle that day.  I think it is important for others to know that this is okay.  That it's okay to take a break from life, whether that's cleaning up the house, or doing whatever chore you set out to do that day.  If you don't have the ability to take that break, then reach out to someone you trust and chat with them.  Share your feelings. They're probably feeling the same!  We are all in this together, and if there's one thing I've learned from the Center it's that those with shared experiences tend to feel more at ease knowing that someone else walking the same path they are.  Obviously, we don't wish bad things to happen to others so they can walk on a crappy path with us, but if life throws you a curve ball that you need to deal with, it's nice to have company or a listening ear.

***

Thanks Slammin’! Thanks for sharing so much whether it’s your words or your creativity. Looking forward to 1. Skating with you and 2. taking a coaster making class with you. Because, YES, I was and still am serious about that!

From The Archives:: Dava of Portside Real Estate

Dava found me years ago as she was starting a new real estate business known as Portside Real Estate. Since then her company has gown and grown and expanded to have several locations in different zip codes. I have been doing the head shots for her company since they started, and it’s been pretty great to watch from a distance how much her company has grown and her life has shifted. She also remains one of my most decisive family photo clients. Nobody picks their final images as quickly as Dava does!

Whenever I see her, she has a smile and a hug for me, and I think it’s safe to say we are always glad to see each other. I can’t imagine how tough things were when this all started and gears needed to shift, knowing how many people’s livelihoods were relying on her. I know for many the tough part was the uncertainty and not knowing how long things would be shut down (and that is still the hard part even though things have started to shift), but I think for some too much time spent in that worry is not an option. Dig in and find a way. And maybe be grateful for some of the shifts that start to happen. Shifts like more time with your kids and at home. More time to listen and think and come up with solutions. Something a lot of smart, hard working people I know have managed to do. Dava is one of those people.

Dava and her boys in front of the Portland Museum of Art.

Name: Dava Davin

Occupation/Business: Portside Real Estate Group, Founder + CEO

1. What is one notable change in your life since Covid19 has changed how we are able to do things? I unequivocally know that I would not want to be quarantined with anyone else but my handsome, kind-hearted husband, my two smart and funny boys, and the cutest pup in Maine. 

2. What has been most challenging? Figuring out how to make this time the best it can be for the 100ish Portsiders. Sleepless nights of trying to solve the puzzle when the pieces keep getting sucked up by the vacuum. 

3. Have you found any silver linings you care to share? Oh yes, I have been strangely inspired by all of this to be a better leader, to serve more people, and to do my part to be helpful. We don't know what we are capable of until we are knocked down. 

4. Are there any shifts you are hoping to stay in place as we move forward? The less full schedule, having dinner every single night with the ones I love the most. 

5. What are you most looking forward to being able to do again? Hands down, seeing my mom and dad, those two beautiful humans that taught me to follow my dream and take risks, to work hard, and see the beauty around me. 

***

So, thank you Dava for years of photos and for sharing a piece of your story with me for this project! Looking forward to the days when Portsiders are gathering and raising money for another great local organization… whenever that can happen again!

From The Archives:: Rachel

Next up in the From the Archives project is Rachel. I photographed their wedding and have done a few shoots for her and her husband, Chris, for their entrepreneurial endeavors. Lucky us, we got their recent round of photos done this winter, before our lives shifted so drastically. We slid down ice trails in the woods by their house, and laughed and captured various bits of each of their personalities for various marketing needs. This image remains one of my favorites from that day.

Name: Rachel Horton White

Occupation/Company: Soulful Work Intuitive Consulting, Founder/Owner

What has changed for you since this all began? At the beginning, the only thing was switching to virtual client sessions and my children being at home for me to homeschool, along with my mother's help. However, since then, my grandfather got the virus, and we decided to move to a new house, which we are currently hunting for. 

What has been the hardest part? The past 2 weeks have been some of the hardest in my life. The hardest parts are conflicts with a few family members and my sadness at the vast amount of disinformation and fear being spread and absorbed. The stress of worrying about my grandfather's health and now looking to move has been quite overwhelming. 

And what, if anything, has surfaced as a bit of a silver lining during this time for you? My children are enjoying exploring in nature and doing hands-on projects. We have had nice connections with some neighbors and seen more people out in the streets and families together than ever. My business and the work I do with spiritual seekers and clients who I feel a deep connection with has brought me great joy. I have been blessed to have people seeking out intuitive readings with me from around the world

Are there any shifts you are hoping stay in place as we move forward?  I like the simplicity of cooking at home and finding family activities to do here. Our society was consumerism in overdrive and it imploded. I realize now that we really don't need to go out to eat or to entertainment to enjoy ourselves.

What are you most looking forward to being able to do again? I am looking forward to going back out into the world and seeing people in person as opposed to just on the computer. I can't wait to hang out with friends again and have cookouts and potlucks! 

Thank you, Rachel, for trusting me to capture you and for sharing a bit of your story during this time!

From The Archives:: Jan, Midwife & Nurse

Jan is someone I have known for decades, and every few years we get to do family photos together. And because I love this photo of her in her kitchen in this shirt, I knew I needed to include her in this project. Besides, a nurse’s perspective is one we should definitely be hearing during this.

Thanks Jan for taking risks and making sacrifices every day to keep others healthy!

Janice Locke 

Occupation/Business: Nurse Midwife, Central Maine Medical Center.

1. What is one notable change in your life since Covid19 has changed how we are able to do things?

Work is very different. We’re all being asked to use vacation days to save money for the organization. Some staff have been furloughed. Providers were asked to take a 10% pay deferment. Like most healthcare facilities, we are financially struggling. Office days, we’re doing a lot of Telehealth prenatal and postpartum visits. Routine appointments/procedures are being postponed. The hospital itself feels like a ghost town. When we get to work, we line up at the front door to be screened for symptoms and get our daily mask. Both staff and patients are required to mask. Labor patients can only have one support person- no big birthday parties. Expectant moms cannot leave the room to walk the halls in labor, nor use the labor tub  (that was a tough pill to swallow.) They have to wear that infernal mask when pushing out their baby which interferes with breathing. But we are fortunate at CMMC (so far) no laboring mother has had Covid, therefore has not had to face the impossible prospect of being separated from her infant after the birth. Of course, our unit is prepared to care for covid positive labor patients if/when the time comes. It feels like a very prolonged calm before the storm.  Everybody’s a little on edge and vigilant.

2. What has been most challenging?

My world has become smaller. I’m either at work or at home. I used to be out and about a lot: restaurants, concerts, road races, kid’s activities. I haven’t even seen my partner since March 17th. Because we both work in the medical field we are both higher risk to be exposed and spread virus to vulnerable people. We’re being conscientious, but it’s hard. 

3. Have you found any silver linings you care to share?

Well, even though I’m bringing in 10% less, I’m not spending much so I’ve actually been able to save a bit. For this I am very fortunate. I know so many are struggling.  Also it’s been nice having more quality, unstructured time with the kids. My kids are doing well and that always warms a mother’s heart.

4. Are there any shifts you are hoping to stay in place as we move forward?

Maybe more general awareness that we’re all connected. That our choices impact those around us. I love the sparks of kindness, helpfulness, generosity and compassion that arise when we look out for each other. It’s cliche, but we all really are in this together. I hope that spirit sticks around once we have treatments and vaccines. Oh, and I hope people keep washing their hands.

5. What are you most looking forward to being able to do again?

Seeing people, being social, hugging my parents. I just really miss hugs. I’m a total hugger

Jan and her daughters during our last family photo session.

I am ready for one of those hugs when the time allows! Thanks Jan for sharing!

xo ~ jb

From The Archives:: Edie From Locations Real Estate

Edie Fontaine is the co-owner of Locations Real Estate in Falmouth, Maine. My photo life has brought me to her several times over the past few years. Each time I hang out with her and her team there is a lot of laughter. So, of course I had to reach out to her and include them in my current photo project.

Mo & Edie, Portland City Hall.

Even though we just did another round of photos for their company right before everything went crazy, I am sharing this one from the archives because it remains one of my favorites of her and her business partner/friend, Maureen Zemrak. And I know this image is also hanging in Edie’s house, so that makes this photo matter even more to me. If you take the time to print, frame, and display a photo then it’s an image that makes you feel something. It’s a moment that matters. And that’s worth sharing.

So, thank you Edie for making me laugh. And for being open and honest as we navigate this strange new normal we are all in in…

Edie Fontaine, Broker/co-owner of Locations Real Estate Group

“I think the most notable change is I have been forced to slow way down.  I really haven't taken what anyone would consider a vacation in about 20 years.  Ive noticed that I'm LIVING in my home now as opposed to home being a landing spot in between appointments.  I discovered I really like my house!

The most challenging thing so far is keeping my "worst case scenario" personality in check!   I really can't think about this global pandemic, shutdown, toilet paper emergency too deeply or I will become full on agoraphobic.  Right now the thought of going into Hannaford is like dipping my toe in a rolling pot of nuclear waste.

Silver linings - time with my youngest son, Taemin.  One of the finest 12 year old boys you could ever hope to know.  We are reading together, talking about life and reconnecting in a way that I would never have been afforded without this crisis.

I'd love to stay as connected to home and family as I am now.  I'm not sure that life lines up that way, we tend to lean way into the familiar.  What has been familiar, is working at a breakneck pace.

I'm looking forward to the time when I can safely injury myself and go to the hospital without leaving with a COVID-19 parting gift!!!  Slightly accident prone, I am.

I'd like to share that I officially understand now what a shit show this world is.  I discovered you can't trust "grown ups".  I understand too that we are capable of astounding things, like sheltering in place, wearing masks, and the willingness to do this with relative ease because if not we can hurt people.  That's encouraging to me.  Lastly, I find myself feeling like getting back to normal may not be what we should be hoping for.  I'm not sure "normal" was all that worthy of our affection.”

You can find Locations Real Estate (and their recent new photos!) here

From The Archives * Gab of Mad Gab's

We are in strange times. And it seems like every day is a new adventure, a new challenge, a different step in what we can and can’t do. I am in the boat that we have both an obligation and an opportunity to be better citizens right now. This is our chance to slow down down and also step up. Listen to the experts, maintain social distance, find new ways of connecting and new ways of living our day to day.

But, no joke - I know that’s not easy!

So, I’m here with a new photo project. A dip into my archives and a reach into people’s current lives to see how they are doing, coping, adjusting, and if there are things they hope stick around as we try to start to move forward. The community of people my camera and I have spent time with are proving to be extra awesome on the human scale, so I am going to share their stories. Or small chunks of them.

If a pandemic teaches us anything, it may be who we can rely on when things get weird. The people who are trying to work and be good humans and do the right thing are the ones I want in my corner on any given day.

First up, Gab! Owner of Mad Gab’s and big time hugger, high energy problem solver, and feeder of all the people who enter her world….

Gabrielle Melchionda, owner of Mad Gab’s Inc.

Name: Gabrielle Melchionda
Occupation/Business: Mad Gab’s

1. What is one notable change in your life since Covid19 has changed how we are able to do things?  Having my crew work remotely or not at all. It’s very lonely and quiet, and on some days I feel like I did in my 20’s when I was a one-woman-show.  (except I’m almost 50 now, so I get tired way easier). I went from being on high-alert-disaster-recovery focused, to high anxiety, to calmer, focused, and determined. 

2. What has been most challenging? Not being able to hug people I love, and feed them. 

3. Have you found any silver linings you care to share? Yes! So many!  I have found a space for gratitude that feels significant. I’m appreciate inside, and quiet, despite my extrovert nature, I have re-discovered puzzles, and I’m cranking on my book! Also, like many small business owners, I feel like we’re all in this together. Most of the other disasters we’ve survived were ours alone, but in this moment there is solace in knowing we are all going to work through this together and somehow we will figure it out. 

4. Are there any shifts you are hoping to stay in place as we move forward? I am excited to continue my local farm delivery service, and morning self care ritual. 

5. What are you most looking forward to being able to do again?  I’m excited to share space, have dinner parties, and hug. (see #2)

6. Anything else you want to share..?  I want to share this: I believe that in spite of all the horrors and realities of what we’re going through, this is an involuntary pause that we can look at as possibility and promise, and I believe we will find our way. If we embrace what we are given, find gratitude and kindness, we will get through this, and perhaps, become better versions of ourselves.

Having been to Gab’s place for dinner, I can say without hesitation that the world is a better place when you can meet in your friend’s kitchen and leave with a full belly and full heart.

Thank You, Gab for all you do and share. I’m honored to have you kick off this project! And looking forward to gathering around a table with you over eats and ‘all things welcome’ conversations.

xo ~ jb

You can follow along with this project on Instagram @judybeedlephotography :)

From My Archives I Got An Idea

I have a favorites folder on my hard drive. Usually I have one for every year. Favorites in the form of photos. I have found myself scrolling through the favorites folder more than once since we have been in this holding pattern/ new life adjustment time of not knowing when we can work like we used to or what changes may lie ahead. I look through and at first feel happy. There is a lot of joy, people laughing, celebrating, hugging, smiling. I see patterns in my work, and I feel good about some of these moments I have captured.

Portland Pride Parade, 2019.

Then I also have a mild sadness of wondering what the future holds for these kinds of life events my camera and l love to capture. Pride parades, birthday parties, theater events, weddings, sporting events, concerts, fundraisers, collaboration projects, family reunions….

I try not to think about it too much, to be honest. But that’s how I keep my head somewhat above water as we navigate the ever changing somewhat new normal of the week.

Friends in a pool.

So, I decided I needed to pull from these archives and tell some stories. Photos from before, coupled with stories of now. A very safe and wicked socially distant way to do some sort of photo project right now. And hopefully a way for us to connect while we can’t hang out.

I went through the favorites folder(s) and reached out to some humans I know and have good photos of, then asked them a series of questions. One by one, they responded. So the first chunk of this project is gearing up and getting ready to happen!

Please join me as I start a photo project I’m calling From The Archives * a very distanced photo project. I will share here at times and on instagram all the time. Feel free to follow along - you can find me @judybeedlephotography or click on the instagram logo here on my website. Perhaps some of you will see some familiar faces….

As people I have photographed share their stories with me, I find myself feeling extremely grateful for the people I get to work, share my community, and hang out with. So maybe that’s my silver lining.

Can’t wait to celebrate life stuff with people again. But I will wait because we need to.

Give Me Your Huggy Smiles

Is it better to share past moments as a reminder or better to share present moments, even if they seem less happy? Is it too hard to see reminders of what you can’t be doing right now?

Maybe. For some. But for others we need the reminders. The smiles. The glimpses of moments that make us feel, that remind, that ground us both in the past and in the present, while looking forward to what may come. Folders and folders of images unshared, blog posts unpublished. And I find myself looking at my work differently these days.

Leaguemates! Maine Roller Derby skaters Slammin’, Wrex, and Ax at Happy Wheels, December 15, 2019.

In December our local roller rink closed. This winter a story was published sharing news of the possibility of another rink to be built. In March the Corona Virus showed up on our shores and everything started to change and shift quickly. Weeks into school closures and stay at homes orders, I find images in my folders needing to be shared. Friends sharing final moments on skates, at a roller rink that no longer is, way before we knew that soon all sports and gatherings of people would also come to a halt.

So, do we share these moments and risk feeling sad? Or do we share and remember and smile? Find a thing to focus on, a thing to get back to…?

I think we share. We keep pushing forward and tell the stories and share the moments but somehow remember and focus on the now at the same time. Because believe me I never thought I would be so badly craving having my camera capture a hug between friends/family/teammates/strangers. I always knew that’s where it was for me, I never thought I would have to know what it feels like to not be chasing down those moments.

So, while I normally gravitate to the photos where people are less camera aware, or are at least not mugging for the camera, I am suddenly wanting more and more of the silly huggy smiles FOR the camera. These shared bits of happiness between people.

So, YES I can’t wait to get back to gatherings of humans for my camera to capture. But I also know some things will be forever changed. And that is somehow ok, even if we don’t know yet what it means.

Last Maine Roller Derby bout at Happy Wheels, 12/15/19. Happy Wheels Skate Center, Portland, Maine.

All images in this post were taken at Happy Wheels Skate Center, Warren Avenue, Portland, Maine on December 15th, 2019 during the final roller derby bout at that facility.

For now, we skate separately on our neighborhood streets and basement floors…. waiting for the days when we can gather in groups and skate our hearts out.

Be safe & don’t forget to hydrate!

xo ~ jb

365 Photo Project {September}

September. Do you remember? Of course I do, because I have the photos. Otherwise, I would likely forget much of it.

As September rolled around, I’ll admit I was feeling unsure about continuing this project. Lots of little things and distractions and excuses and some days where my heart just wasn’t in it. And that can be hard when you are trying to push yourself and grow creatively. But there are other days when I can’t wait to see what I get with my camera. So, life balance. But September marked that point when I thought it’s possible I should be done with the 365 round 2. But I’m still here, still chasing light, still sticking my camera in people’s faces, still seeing how I can push and learn this mirrorless camera, still documenting people living life. A handful of days where I forgot or didn’t want to shift gears from whatever I was doing or was actually bored by what I was capturing are really just those points that help push you further, rather than stopping in your tracks.

Besides, September is pretty much a favorite for us Mainers. I’m still wearing flip flops. But also a scarf. Still jumped into water when I could (and still might in October). Still making potholders with the niece, and seeing the Neph on stage. Still laughing with friends and trying to find new details in my house and trying to get more human interaction/less time in front of a screen (hard in this line of work, in this day and age). And putting in the quiet work to get me to some shifts as we head into a new year in a few months. So, September you seemed to go by in a blur, but also seemed to stand still at times. Either way, I’m always glad to see you.

9/1. Our last hoorah weekend at my pal’s camp.

9/2. Everyday things that grab my eye.

9/3.

9/4.

9/5. Reminder to look up sometimes.

9/6. Friend Birthday shenanigans in OOB.

9/7.

9/8.

9/9. Our sidewalk apple tree went crazy this year. But mostly just dropped apples to the ground.

9/10. Got a new book to read.

9/11. Alison. She and I met at a photo conference a few years ago. Then her family packed up their lives and moved to Portland. So we try to get together to eat food, drink drinks, and talk about life. And sometimes laugh about the terrible hashbrowns neither of us could manage to eat.

9/12. Paige. I used this moment to play with some B&W editing and I love some of the tones not just in her face, but around the rest of the image. Taken with the Nikon Z6 (as are many others in this post/project).

9/13. Potholder mayhem.

9/14. Met this human at an event. I could relate to many of her facial expressions.

9/15. Sundays & potholders & snacks. LET’S DO THIS.

9/16.

9/17.

9/18.

9/19. The Totally Awesome Vegan Food Truck at Portside Real Estate’s Annual Autumn Equinox | Maine Audobon | Falmouth, Maine.

ps, they live up to their name!

9/20. Agents of Change Conference | Portland, Maine.

9/21. Floating day!

9/22. Delivering Smiles (aka home made potholders) to friends. And this goodbye hug.

9/23.

9/24. Took the Neph to a college fair, so naturally we took a photo under this sign. But in fairness I wanted the better light.

9/25. Home.

9/26. A fractured tooth no longer lives in my mouth. So here’s a selfie of my laying around with an ice pack on my face.

9/27. More found things that catch my eye.

9/28. About to see the Neph in Matilda | Lyric Theater | South Portland, Maine.

9/29. Hula hoop dance off with the niece.

9/30. Lazy time.

So another month down, another shift into another season. I feel like October is going to be pretty great. And not just in front of my camera…

😁🎃

365 Photo Project {August}

August. What even was that?

An interesting month, I guess. Kicking off with surgery to put the broken hubs back together again, humid and/or rained out photo shoots, crafty fun times for this Aunt (and the broken Uncle), a handful of plunges into water, news of a local favorite restaurant closing, ice cream, silliness, good conversation, plotting, some Netflix binging, and way more time with the hubs than pretty much ever.

Some Summer moments, but also the feeling that Summer disappeared while we were driving around to appointments, grocery shopping, sort of adulting, and watching six seasons of The Walking Dead. Some days where I didn’t feel like I had my heart in this project because my brain was needed elsewhere. Other days where I felt like I was definitely putting in the effort to continue to grow at my craft. So, a month like no other in some ways, yet like so many months in other ways.

August 1 / Scott Surgery day and the day I didn’t pick up my camera. So here is a photo from another day I the broken guy diaries.

8/2. 1st day of surgery recovery. This was my view for a large portion of the day.

8/3. Band in a barn.

8/4. Niece visit to entertain the healing broken guy. Instead she took his scooter and rode around the house.

8/5. One of those ‘waiting for a client to show up’ photos.

8/6. Pool Time. Same pool I spent my Summers in as a kid. Back in my day floats were not allowed! *please read that in your best old timey voice*

8/7. Post Photo shoot view.

8/8. Crafty fun times with this one. We started our potholder party fun times that we plan to continue for roughly until the world runs out of potholder loops. Oh, and I painted her nails.

8/9. That’s handy.

8/10. Broken guy wanted some plants, so I stopped everything to get him to a plant place :D

8/11. Brothers.

8/12. Tacos! And this tasty beverage.

8/13. Scooting around like a pro.

8/14. Check up day!

8/15. The day we ‘mailed smiles’ which is our new thing based on our potholder party fun. Assemble packages, write notes, add glitter to some, hit the post office, then hit the pool! But this image won for the day, even though there were 20 others I also liked.

8/16. Summer Fest turned into Hula HoopALOOOZA for us! So fun.

8/17. Wall in my office.

8/18. Got to hang with these friends ❤️

8/19. The lawn needed mowing. The lawn mower wouldn’t start. The broken guy got a part and got it fixed. Then stood on his crutches trying to get me to mow the way he likes. I can guarantee you it didn’t go his way. 😁

8/20. In the yard.

8/21. Another play date with this one. She brought ALL HER GAMES.

8/22. Sebago Lake.

8/23. CAKE!! Last Supper at Silly’s with these pals.

8/24. Lake day with some derby pals and we stopped for ice cream.

8/25. Broken guys is healing. This photo actually shows progress, even if it doesn’t look that way.

8/26. Happy Hour and people watching with my pal, Gab.

8/27. One of those 365 moments where I love the shift I see from my regular work, even if it doesn't grab other people the same way.

8/28. GLITTER and a laptop.

8/29. Having out after the first day of school. I added some of the glitter to her nails…

8/30. Another fun afternoon in the pool with the Niece and then she sat right in a super good spot of sunlight and we chatted about snacks and other things.

8/31. Camp with my super long time pal and her daughter. There is always a little September sadness at their camp. This year it’s more since this may be our last time here together. I know of a good camp for sale if anyone wants to buy it and let me hang out with you!

A lot can happen in a month, as this project continually shows me month after month. But when you are hurt, have surgery, can’t drive or work, looking back over a month’s time is also pretty crazy. Broken guy made serious progress from August 1 to the last day of the month, making us both feel like we are over that hump. Or at least the worst part of it. Which is great since technically the best month of the year is now here!

Bring it, September.

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Roller Derby Practice

Do you know what kinds of people play roller derby?

All kinds.

All backgrounds. All sizes. All careers. All of it.

So, maybe it takes a certain something in your personality to get you to the point where you walk through that door and sign up to try out, but that one small thing in any of us isn’t enough to say ‘everyone who plays roller derby is ( fill in the blank )…’

Because they aren’t all one same thing. Except human.

‘Roller derby is bad ass!’ people love to say.

Yes, it is. But that doesn’t mean everyone who plays fits into your mold of what bad ass might be. Because social workers and art teachers and writers and cooks and doctors and students and engineers may be sharing the track and the bench at any given time. The loud with the quiet, the assertive with the shy, the hot mess with the super orgnanized. All of it.

Last night after my photo shoot, I met up with a friend for dinner. She had something she wanted to give me. It was a book of roller derby photos she found in Montreal. By a photographer who had also been a skater. So, that was pretty thoughtful and also a pretty perfect thing to gift me.

When I looked at it I felt like some of the photos could have easily been taken of my league, at one of our practice spaces. I looked for my friends in some of the images. It’s possible that thoughtful gift may have influenced this post which I didn’t really think about until I got to the very end of this quick post.

Fun how art and life keep influencing each other….

{Maine Lifestyle Photographer}: Summerfest

If there’s one thing my niece is used to, it’s me following her around with my camera. I have been doing a photo a day project since the first day of 2018, and a photo a week project in 2017. So, that’s a lot of months of me always showing up and having my camera. And often turning it towards her.

I recently went to SummerFest, so of course the camera came out. I never thought about it much before, but at this outdoor celebration of Summer it occurred to me that perhaps at times it might look like she has her own personal photographer following her everywhere.

But how can you not want to photograph this face or that balloon hat?

So, here are a handful of photos taken with the new Nikon Z6 as I followed my niece around while still learning what this new camera can do…

Darts!

We said hi to our pals Hello Newman.

So after glitter tattoos, darts, a train ride, pony ride, saying HI to Hello Newman, kettle corn and fried Oreos, we found some hula hoopers and took turns with their extra hoop. Which was ridiculously fun and also a great test for the new camera and to see what I can get it to do.

Pretty much a perfect Summer night.

And I have to say, the niece has got some serious hula hoop skills!

{Maine Event Photographer}: Palm Springs Wedding

Once upon a time, I did photograph weddings. Then I decided it was time to break up with them. So, I say I don’t do weddings anymore…

But sometimes the right people can convince me to pack up the gear and show up to their wedding and work my way through a big life moment I know matters to them. Sometimes that happens twice with the same friends, the second time came with the promise of a trip to Palm Springs. A trip to California? How fast can I say yes?!?

Jamey & Kori’s California Wedding | Palm Springs Air Museum.

So, these two fantastic humans first got married in my yard in Maine in a sweet ceremony with a small group of people. Then later it was wedding part two in the desert, at an air museum. Seriously. This ocean girl loved LOVED this background and light! Plus, I got to see these people I care about share their love with an even bigger group of people who love and support them.

So, I (pretty much) don’t do weddings anymore. Except every so often when things line up right and maybe I just can’t resist because I know it’s going to be just that awesome. And this wedding was!

Thank You, Jamey & Kori for being such important people in my life, for getting married TWICE, and for including me in such a big way both times!

xoxo

{Maine Family Photographer}: Evie's Birthday Fun

Hello Saturday! Here we are, 16 of 21 days of blogging…. with these fun friends celebrating a birthday together at the beach.

Sometimes as humans we don’t do everything with the intention we originally set out with. Sometimes life happens. Sometimes things take longer than you planned. Sometimes a restaurant you love announces it’s going to close and your friends want to go while we still can, so the task that kept getting put off throughout the day ends up being pushed aside. Because honestly, time with the people who matter is often worth more than a blog post. So, ooooops I missed yesterday! But also… totally worth it!

Which brings us to yesterday’s post that is now today’s. These Friends. This time in their lives celebrating a birthday, laughing, playing, and being together before things in their lives shift. Before different schools and different activities set them off into opposite directions. Glad Evie’s mom had the foresight to realize this is a time and an event that needs to be photographed. For them.

The snapshots of friendship, of a warm evening together, of a slice of time in their lives. This was a photo shoot that hit all the points for me. Snapshots of friends, then just document as they hang out, laugh, be silly, and go to an arcade. Freedom to capture what was happening as it unfolded. No emphasis on trying to make the kids look perfect, but instead just capturing who they are now.

Yes please!

Sisters xo.

Photos with friends but of course a few with Mom as well.

Sometimes after posing for a photo you just need to dance it out. Makes sense - there is a birthday to celebrate and there is still an arcade to get to and prizes to win and eventually cake to eat. I know it’s hard to contain all that excitement!

Sometimes a group photo turns into a mini mosh pit. I’m ok with that. :)

Thank you, Evie and friends for being so fun to follow around with my camera!

The next/ really the previous post contains the images from our time in the arcade. This was one heck of a birthday! Glad I got to be there with my cameras to document it.

{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 Family Photographer}: Summer Vacation Family Photos

When you are vacationing in Maine, it’s smart if you also include time to do family photos. The Buchanans did just that, so between family gatherings and duck boat tours we hung out together in Portland.

Portland has so many spots that make for good photos, and there are ways to dodge the other tourists - even though it’s not always easy on a busy Summer day in Portland’s Waterfront!

I love the colors they chose, and the good mix of silly and …. well behaved :)

So, if you need a little inspiration for a Summer urban photo shoot with good smiles (seriously - note the lack of fake kid smiles!) and great outfits, please enjoy these images from my time with the Buchanan family…

Those eyes and smiles!

I can’t remember what was so funny, but whatever it was it was worth it to have these smiles happen.

I can’t get enough of this one.

haha! I love it when one of the siblings brings the silly.

And also this because it’s pretty funny……

😁

{Maine Portrait Photographer}: Lifestyle Session for a Writer

I recently had the honor of spending time with Stephanie and photographing her for a second time. I photographed her a few years ago, then it was time for a new website and a shift in the look for her imagery so she contacted me again.

Stephanie Cotsirilos, writer | Portland, Maine.

If I had my way she would need to re-do her website every year because I like hanging out with her, and I like listening to her ideas and figuring out together how to get the images that will work for this next step in her life. Her background in theater, law, consulting, and writing make her a person of many talents and multiple experiences. And I love being around that.

She took her life and her talents from NYC to Maine, and now lives, creates, and writes here. This time we used her home in Portland with its amazing light and pockets of color to showcase her and varying looks depending on what she needs for different forums and marketing pieces. You can see more at her new site here

So, thank you once again, Stephanie for trusting me to capture who you are, and for the lively conversation while we make it all come together!

{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 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.