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 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.

{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.

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: 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!