{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}: Day 9 of 21

I guess it’s a Kettle corn for dinner kind of night. Because SUMMER and an outdoor festival that had ballon hats, glitter tattoos, fried Oreos, and hula hooping with the niece to a local 90’s cover band. Then I came home and had another ‘OH YEAH I need to blog’ moment. Because I made a deal with myself.

It’s Friday. It’s past 9 pm. So, while I organize some blog posts for another day, I also need time to edit them and narrow down some photo choices, and I find myself needing another blog post of s single life moment. It’s definitely this one. This Summer moment with friends. This time by the water where people unwind from their week, enjoy the air, the view, and the conversation, the water, and the street corn our friend made for us.. So, this photo reminds me of that content feeling after a day by the water with friends.

A moment I hope to repeat again soon.

I’m not ready to talk about the winding down of Summer. So I won’t. :)

{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 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}: Maine Roller Derby & Names on a Jersey

Roller Derby. A full contact sport on roller skates. So welcome to day 4 of blogging every day for 21 days as I celebrate these athletes and encourage you to do the same.

As you likely know, the US Women’s Soccer team won yet another World Cup this year. And you may have noticed a surge in people wearing jerseys with the names of their favorite soccer players on the back. I was loving reading about this, watching the inspiring videos, seeing the photos, and feeling the feels.

Progress for women in sports, when most of us know that women have been doing amazing things as athletes for years but rarely getting the seat at the table or the spot on the television. So, I’m here to remind you that right in your own backyard, whether that backyard is Portland, Maine or any other city wherever you may live, there is likely this awesome sport happening where unpaid athletes train hard and dedicate hours of their time to play a sport on roller skates and you can go cheer them on.

And maybe one day we’ll see kids walking around wearing jerseys with the names of their favorite roller derby player….

The images seen here were all taken this winter at Happy Wheels Skate Center in Portland, Maine and feature members of Maine Roller Derby. You can find more info about the league here

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

{Community} PortFringe 2019: Behind the Scenes

Fringe 2019. The Future is coming!

Are you familiar with a thing called Fringe? It’s a nation wide, few days long, public theater (but also NOT Theater) event and Portland’s version is called PortFringe. I am not a person who is comfortable on stage/in the spotlight, but I have been part of a few fringes (Thank you, Gentlemen’s Panel of Rock) as the photographer. This year I have been doing the photos for an upcoming production called Seance on a Tuesday Afternoon.

I love projects like this! One, because I love photographing people. And two, because I love capturing behind the scenes work. And that’s what Fringe is. A whole bunch of people working behind the scenes for weeks to get ready to bring their story to life for an audience.

Having worked with many of this crew before, I know they will deliver and you will not want to miss this!

Here a few photos I took during their recent rehearsal. If you look at these and think “what is going on here?!?” then you should go see one of their shows so you can find out. If you look at these and think these images are funny/interesting then you should also go see what happens. Either way, you clearly should get yourself to Fringe this year and see what all the hard work has created.

So, PortFringe kicks off this week and I urge you to get to as many shows as you can. You will be entertained, get out and see what the creative community is up to, AND the money from ticket sales is funneled back to the artists.

Go here for more about PortFringe.

Head on over to the SoaTA Facbook event page which will lead you to more awesomeness, info, and photos by me scattered throughout their social media.

Hope to see you at one of the shows!

{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!

{Personal}: An LOL Birthday

My niece recently had a birthday. She’s now 7. A few weeks ago there was a small celebration that involved photo booths, fashion shows, cupcakes, unicorns, all things LOL, a ridiculous amount of noise, and me somehow getting trampled by a bunch of giggling kids.

So, that was fun.

So once I got out of the trample pile, I was able to get back to the task of taking photos and watching my family try to navigate this level of energy with a birthday girl who doesn’t do well with loud noises. One friend decided it would be funny to have a food fight, so naturally I laughed and hoped it would happen for photo sake. But instead she just got frosting on her nose and giggled about that.

Eventually we went outside, they ran around, and had these handful of sweet moments that I’m glad my camera was there to witness/capture. These are the kinds of images that need to get printed. The snapshots of life and celebrations that you can look back at for years. I know they will want to remember who was there, how they looked (those missing teeth!), but also that very awesome jean jacket with those fantastic patches.

Photos! Or it didn’t happen. Right?

(Not really, I know. But PHOTOS so you can remember what happened :D )

So, this is not just a post about the niece having a birthday party, but a reminder to capture these moments in life (or hire a professional to do that so you can enjoy and be present) and the final piece of getting your photos printed! It’s important. For many reasons. But only having your life stories in photos on disks and hard drives and phones is not enough.

Trust me.

Friends. xo

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!

{365} Photo Project: April

April. Month 4 of the 365 photo project for 2019. A time in Maine when we think YA winter is over! Maybe. Well, ok here’s some more snow and actually it’s still kind of cold but also here’s a bunch of rain and also some occasional sun so might as well start trying to wear flip flops but keep your boots in the car just in case. At least that’s how it goes for me.

April was an interesting month in my world. Things shifted in my life and some changes were made and some drawn out things were over and I felt perhaps more focused. There was also some family health stuff that was tough but also came with some victories and showing of great support. Birthdays, doctor visits, worry, laughter, silliness, tacos, snow, rain, ice cream, sweat, and hard work. So, maybe it was like any other month..

It wasn’t. But thankfully my camera helps remind me of that.

4/1.

4/2 | Signs of Spring | Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

4/3 | Soy. This was a tough day for law enforcement in Maine. His dad is a trooper and we showed up at their house with food and distraction. We thought we were distracting him but kids are pretty great at being silly enough to make adults forget tough stuff, even if for just a few minutes.

4.4 | Boston with the brother for a follow up post cancer surgery.

4/5 | Trying out a new camera. I didn’t end up buying it :D

4/6. | When the sky gets all crazy and you’re headed to the grocery store. | South Portland, Maine.

4/7. | The Neph and his pals celebrating a birthday. His. He turned 16 this month!

4/8 | Visiting my pals at Mad Gab’s | Yarmouth, Maine.

4/9 | Oh, hi snow! Went out in my pj’s and into my neighbor’s yard because 365 life.

4/10 | A happy accident while walking around Portland/ perhaps my one selfie for the year in this project.

4/11 | I got to see these two and remember how much I miss collaborating with them. SO get ready for their upcoming Port Fringe project!

4/12 | Finally got to meet Molly. And have ice cream together and smear chocolate on our teeth.

4/13 | On this day the family celebrated the Neph’s 16th birthday and took a family photo in matching shirts celebrating my brother’s 2nd win against cancer. This was my favorite image of the day, but I went back and forth because I ‘thought’ I should share a more birthday like photo. But this is not only my favorite of the day, but one of my favorites from the month, and I had to remind myself why I am doing this project and what I’m working towards.

4/14. I didn’t sweep, but maybe someone in my house did on this day. Who really knows?

4/15 | Once April hits I start to spend afternoons or the second chunk of my work day on my three season porch (which is also a writing or napping spot). Sometimes I work, sometimes I need to get away from computers, and sometimes I look at the light and try to find new things to photograph. This day this caught my eye. I decided to take 2019 off from doing the TRI For A Cure, and then my brother got a second cancer diagnosis and I had a moment of feeling conflicted about my decision to take this year off. However, I now know I made the right choice. Not sure why, but taking this year off is the right thing to do.

4/16. This was my 365EFFYA moment. Where all the carrying my camera all over the place paid off with this quick moment between friends as we all started to head out the door and go home. I stopped here to say hi, even though I wanted to go home. I got the bonus of seeing more people I knew and had my camera out when this happened. Multiple levels of why I am glad I was there and glad I am doing this thing where I photograph people living life.

4/17 |The Neph. He is a hand talker but maybe I am too…? IDK :D

4/18 | Birthday Fun | El Rayo | Scarborough, Maine.

4/19 | I have been watching her a lot lately. 6 is hard sometimes and she is filled with fun energy and sometimes frustration. She was sick this month for about a week. It seems like April was a challenging month for her but she’s 6/almost 7 so she bounces back and plays hard and laughs that awesome laugh and we high five and take photos and talk about life stuff and she makes up new rules and tells me what to do and we invent games and compliment each other. It’s all pretty great.

4/20 | Saturday Night View because SNL and couch napping.

4/21 | Easter. She insisted her uncle and I sit with her on a bench that really wasn’t big enough for all 3 of us. :)

4/22 | i GOT A MIRRORLESS CAMERA! So here’s a photo I took with it. More soon…

4/23 | Sopo side of the bridge.

4/24 | Time to sweat then play with the old nifty fifty.

4/25 | She wanted me to come over to see what she was wearing to school the next day. It was this - a fox outfit. It has a tail.

4/26 | This is where a thing called Social Media Breakfast happens these days.

4/27 | Birthday party for the niece. Hard to pick on a day with so many funny kid photos!

4/28 | Here’s a peak into my brain while doing a 365 project… many days when I work from home or don’t see too many other people and I ask myself WHAT IF and What would it look like if…? Let’s see what it’s like inside the dishwasher. Ok, That’s cool, actually and I like the light and color in the top rack. So, not let’s try it with the 35, the 50, the 85 and see how that works. Went with the one shot with the 35 at 1.4

4/29 | Pasta!

4/30. Afternoon hang time with these two/ when the Neph puts on a Hairspray song and the Niece pops out of the laundry basket she was trying to stuff herself into.

So, there we go! April in a nutshell, minus all the moments that didn’t get captured and all the photos that didn’t make the cut. It almost doesn’t matter that May started with coats, scarves, and mittens while getting ice cream, because today as I post this the sun is out and Summer is on its way!

And I think roughly all of the people I know are so ready.

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: 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)*

Stories Behind Photos: How much do you want to know?

How much do you want to know about a photo? The whole story? Enough information to understand the image on a small level, but leaving some curiosity? Nothing at all so you can enjoy it for yourself?

This is something I think about. I am not necessarily in one mindset over the other, because I see the benefit of sharing information but also understand the need to let people form their own opinions. I do know I often won’t read super long posts and over the top descriptions of images. Yet, it seems lately people respond to my images more if there is at least some context included. Some story. Some information. Some way to connect us and make us feel something.

So how much do you want to know? Do you want to know more about the people who trust me to be in their space with my camera(s)? Does a little story or background help make the image stronger? Does it help you/any of us connect more?

Maybe it doesn’t really matter. I know sometimes we want images to speak for themselves, but I personally love to know the stories about a photo subject, even if it’s just a little snippet of information. Photos do connect us, and stories can make that connection even stronger.

Spry.

Here’s an image I like because I know the subject and it shows me things about her that I know or have observed in the roughly 7 years we have known each other. But if you don’t know her, you may or may not like the image, and it may be for different reasons. If you know her, you may react as some of my pals have liking the photo of this person you know and enjoy.

I photograph Spry sitting on the bench between roller derby jams often. I gravitate to her during game time when I am there with my camera. It may be because we are friends, but it may also be because sometimes she is sitting in just the right spot, or because her face is expressive/animated when she is sitting with her team mates. Maybe it’s the Maine tattoo on her shoulder, or the way the MRD logo stands out when not covered by a ponytail or long hair. Maybe it’s because I know one of these will work out and will give me an image I like.

And when I look at this one I also see that hand gesture and head tilt - a very human moment. How much more do you want to know? Because I also want to point out when I see that hand gesture I chuckle a little because of that crooked pinky from that time she broke it all these years ago, I believe from a mechanical bull riding accident. But maybe that’s her story to share and not mine.

Did I tell you too much?

Or do you still want to know more?

Personal: My {2018} 365 Photo Project

In 2018 I decided to take part in a 365 photo project with a few other photographers in my area. The challenge is to make a photo EVERY DAY for the entire year. In 2017 I had done a photo a week project, and loved how the project made me bring my camera out more often. It’s easy as photographers to silp into only bringing the gear out for paid shoots, and maybe the occasional family gathering. I needed a reminder of how much I love to photograph every day life.

So a photo a week turned into a photo a day. And now that the year is done and the images are edited and the slideshow has been made, I can see that this was no small task. A year stretching out on the horizon seems like an exciting oportunity and a daunting task at the same time. 365 chances to make a photo! But also holy cow 365 days of making photos!! I had to break it down for myself, so it would not feel overwhelming.

First, I had to develop the habit. I did a 21 day habit building exercise, where i wrote every day about this habit and then put the lesson to work. The mindset here is the belief that it takes 21 days for something to become a habit.

Second, I decided to take things one month at a time, but also one DAY at a time. I felt a sense of accomplishment when I was hitting the end of my first month, and then struggled with feeling like I ended the month with an image I wasn’t happy with. This happened a few times if I’m being honest — I would feel great about another month under my belt, but then finish with an image that wasn’t that strong.

{reality check: THAT’S OK}

SO, Third, I reminded myself that YES there are 365 opportunities but some days will be better than others. Some days we are just better at some things, some days we are making sure we get to the end of the day. Learning to be forgiving and let some days feel maybe mediocre, and remind myself that part of this project was about honesty and a splash of perseverance. And the less exciting/inspiring/focused days are like resting spots between the days where there is fun, food, conversation, love, and adventure. So, take them all.

At first I had a small struggle realizing the other photographers doing this had children and adorable fur babies. A constant plethora of photographic subjects. I work from home a lot, have no kids, no pets, and a better half who doesn’t like the attention of a camera. I loved the work I was seeing from others, partly because there was so much energy and honesty. They were capturing these amazing chunks of their everyday life, and the messier the better. I buckled in for a long winter of figuring out how to work around the lack of subject matter in my living space.

But I also knew my option was to work with what I had or go looking for something. As a winter hibernator, I was actually glad for this project and the times it made me bundle up and head out the door. Drive until you find something, head to the beach until your fingers hurt from holding the camera, go visit your family or meet your friends for nachos, even if you already ate. Chase light and life and see what happens. And on the days where that doesn’t happen, slow down and look at things around you and figure out how to photograph it.

I had many moments throughout the year where I was so glad I was doing this project. Glad to the point of feeling incredibly grateful. Grateful for the push, the support, the drive, and for the people in my life and the things we share. I brought my camera to a rally against gun violence. I saw friends and strangers stand together to have their voices heard. I watched people feel the emotion of this time and felt the weight of the moment as I witnessed some of it unfold through my viewfinder. When I loaded the images something looked strange in some of the frames, and I grew concerned I had done something to my gear. But I was in the middle of photographing life every day, so let’s keep going. The something became more of a problem and when I brought me camera to get cleaned I was told there was a hair sharing space in my camera. I looked back through my photo a day project and realized I brought my camera to the hair salon the day before the march. The price of bringing your camera everywhere!

Some days I took over 200 photos, some days 2. One day I looked at my phone will watching Saturday Night Live and saw a post from my photo pals, which made me jolt up in panic that it was 11:42 pm and I had yet to take a photo! I scrambled to get my camera and figure out what to photograph in my dark house. Behold, the refrigerator door! Because when you open it, there is light. Anddddd then I was wide awake for awhile.

I photographed my friends having as much Summer fun as we could in the short time we get it here in Maine. The laughter, the food, the floats, the drinks, the singing. I listened to my friends talk about their struggles with life and family and such, and had moments of wishing the relatives who criticize these friends could see what I see. Photos unfolding in front of me telling the stories of friendship. There are times when this project was humbling that way.

And, of course, the multiple times I got to be with my niece and nephew with the camera. I really like them (super obvious, I know) and actually want to hang out with them often, but we all have lives. This project had me making more efforts to visit and do things with them. Summer evenings in the unicorn castle, excuses to get ice cream, or just show up and play. I would get my photo (and sometimes end up with too many to edit) and would get to hang with them. Works for everyone! Plus, the amount of photos I had at the end of the year to give my family members… it was actually somewhat overwhelming. I printed off close to 300 prints to give to my family both to thank them for supporting my through this, but so they could see how a year in our lives looked. PLUS, the importance of printing your photos! That’s another topic for another blog post. Or several posts.

So, 2018 is a wrap. I’m so glad I got to capture as much of it as I did. Since I didn’t feel like stopping on 12/31/2018, I have continued on with a repeat project for 2019!

Thank you for following along!

Here’s to more real moments for all of us in 2019! xo ~ jb

Family Photos:: Winter Fun with Jan Fam

The holidays are over, and a new year has begun. I like this time of year as a chance to regroup, reassess, maybe reorganize, and get ready for the year ahead. In the world of family photos, this time of year tends to be very quiet for me. But the thing is, family photos in the snow are actually really fun!

I know. Sounds crazy. But trust me. The only catch is snow day photo shoots are not for everyone. They are, however, great for the fun, silly, outdoorsy, or adventurous ones. And after we are done having fun in the snow, it’s a great excuse to hang out and do something warm and cozy back inside. Hot chocolate, baking, pj’s for the rest of the day… or grab the sleds and keep keep the outdoor fun going.

Jan and her girls, always up for whatever.

This year I got to hang out with Jan and her girls again. Lucky us, because it snowed the night before their shoot. So what started with pj’s and a photo-bombing cat, moved outside to the yard with fun, jumping, and laughter. Plus a color palette that had this photog nerding out a bit.

These colors!

I’m not sure if it was the snow that had us laughing almost the whole time, or just how hilarious they all are when they are together. Either way, my cameras and I were loving it. The light was great, the fun was plentiful, and even the parking lot made for a good back drop because that is the magic of a fresh pile of snow (and most of the cars moved out of their normal spots for plowing).

It would have been easy to decide we should reschedule (except not really, considering the time of year). But we knew this would give us photos we haven’t gotten at our other sessions. I’m so glad we both agreed it was game on because we would not have gotten these images and these colors had we rescheduled.

So, I’m here to encourage you to schedule the photo shoot, not worry about the weather, and find a way to capture you and your people living and having fun together. Sounds like a great way to kick off 2019!

Sisters. xo