And I thought…and I thought…and I thought… My head felt like it was spinning. Images popping into my brain at a million miles per second. And yet as the other workshop attendees told the story of their favorite images as children, I tried to remember…there were just so few pictures of me as a kid. I was the last of five. (That explains it.) Yet the images still kept coming…the few photographs I remember of me as a kid. Images of my family. Images of the people I’d lost. And images that I’d captured of my clients. Even images that were shot by other photographers of people I didn’t even know… I didn’t share with the group a favorite image, because there wasn’t just ONE. There were tens, maybe hundreds (well, that might be an exaggeration), what felt like thousands at that time. And for the past few weeks, I haven’t stopped thinking about those favorite images and trying to narrow it down to one. But there isn’t just one. Because each of the images I imagined in my mind were unique and favored for different reasons. But there is one thing they all had in common…

They were MOMENTS.

They weren’t of subjects sitting perfectly posed wearing matching white shirts and khaki pants. They weren’t of a bride and groom handsomely dressed with perfect make-up and not a hair out of place looking straight at my camera. They weren’t of me and my siblings all dressed in the same clothes sitting with backs straight and hands folded in our laps (mostly those are the ones that just make me think, “what are my parent’s thinking?”)…

Instead, the images flashing through my mind were photographs that captured a memory. They were a moment in time and a feeling at that very moment. The images told a story. They weren’t manufactured or manipulated in any way by the photographer. They were REAL.

Unfortunately, my scanner isn’t working so I can’t show some of the images that popped into my mind. But let me describe…

There’s one of me. Maybe I was 2 years old. I’m sitting at a kid-sized picnic table on the side of the Cape house. I’m just sitting there with my blue and red striped shirt, my white shorts and (my then real!) blond hair with little curls at the end. My face is sun-kissed, my shoulders are hot-pink, and my eyes are really blue. And I am happy. There is a smile on my face and in that smile a huge gap between my two front teeth. There is a wet beach towel by my feet. It’s not a perfect picture. In fact, I think the picnic table is more in focus than I am. I don’t actually recall this picture being taken. But I remember the FEELING of being there. When I look at that picture, the memories of the long trips down from NH with 5 kids in the station wagon with the paneling on the side and a uHaul attached to the back come flooding back. And me on top of the luggage in the way back. And smelling the salty air as we crossed over the bridge. And my constantly scorched back and nose. And the smell of Noxema to cool it…

There’s another maybe taken a year earlier. There’s me and my 4 siblings all in the outdoor shower after a day at the beach. My oldest sister is standing behind me. She looks like Olive Oil – really skinny and tall with her every rib showing wearing a striped bikini that is falling off of her tiny frame. My brother has straight-across bangs. My other sisters are wearing their swimsuits and fighting for shower spray. Then there’s me, wearing only a diaper with my hands palm up, my head down wondering where the water is.  The other kids are laughing. Again, I don’t remember it, but it’s a picture of all of us together. Laughing. And it brings memories of Cape Cod summers back to me.

The other pictures of all of us together seem rather lame in comparison. We were usually only photographed at a special occassions. Maybe it was a First Communion, or a birthday party, or a graduation, or a holiday, or a wedding… We’re all dressed up, standing in a line. Sometimes with a “cheesy” smile, sometimes a frown. No feeling, no interaction. The pictures happened because our parents made us. Then there was those times my Mom hired a photographer… The time our next door neighbor in high school took our family photo. Mom had dressed the girls in coordinating quilted jackets she’d made for us. Brother was dressed in a button-down. These pictures could be on www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com. There was also the time Mom hired a pro photographer… that turned out even worse. The woman showed up too late in the evening and the pictures of us are a silhouette against the sunset. The funny thing is that we are all spread apart on the lawn almost like we don’t know each other…

There’s a picture of my niece that I snapped on the front porched of my parent’s house one summer evening. She was four, I think. And I was obsessed with (B&W film) photography at the time and had her modeling on the beach for me. After we finished on the beach, she went up on the porch and I just happened to snap at the right time. She is leaning over the railing and laughing. The light is hitting her face perfectly. This is the image that made me want to be a photographer. It brings back those feelings of being so excited to photograph and hopefully it brings back memories for my niece too.

There’s also a picture of me and my son, Quinn. The picture was taken right after he was born. He’s naked lying on my chest with the white cap on his head. I’m looking tired, a little groggy, bloated like a tick, yet happy. Quinn looks like ET – wrinkled skin, huge eyes, skinny neck. This is one of the few pictures I have of me and my kids. I’m hoping that someday they’ll look at this picture and remember me – bloated and ugly even.

Another favorite is of my husband as a kid. He’s maybe one and is sitting in a little nook in his Grandmother’s kitchen in a diaper and his Grandfather is feeding him a bottle. I never met his Grandfather. He died of MS long before I even met Andrew. But this image of the two of them tells me a lot about this man and who he was. And when Andrew sees this image, the memories of his Grandfather come flooding back and so do the stories about him.

I have umpteen images of my kids that are favorites. They are not the ones where I make them stand next to each other in coordinating outfits. They are the ones that I just happen to capture of them having fun and being themselves.

Another favorite is at a wedding I shot a few years ago. It is of the mother of the bride and she is dancing, there’s a huge smile on her face and she looks like she’s having the best time ever! Over a year later, I ran into the sister of the bride at the post office. And she saw me and told me that her mother had recently passed of cancer. She told me that the images that I had captured of her mother that day on her sister’s wedding were the last pictures that they had of her. And she couldn’t thank me enough for the “gift” that I had given their family of those images. That they depicted exactly who she was and that’s how they will remember her. We both stood in the post office and hugged and cried. And I felt terrible for the loss of this woman who was so loved. But in my heart, I also felt so happy and honored that I had been there to capture who this woman was and create that memory for her children. Every now and again, I run into the sister of the bride. And every time, a we get a little teary-eyed. And every time she can’t thank me enough for the gift I gave their family…

I could go on and on about my faves… but I think this post is getting long enough! (are you still with me out there?)

So, what I would like to do for your family is create a YOUR favorite picture. Or maybe what will someday be your kids favorite picture. A memory, a “gift”, if you will. I would like to capture your family just being you! No matching outfits. No white shirts. No khaki pants. I want your kids to dress themselves! Because some day they will look back and remember that favorite shirt and it will bring memories flooding back about that time and that place and those people and that FEELING… I want to  come and observe your family doing what you do. It could be an every day activity at your home, a trip to the park, a day at the beach, building a sandcastle, playing a game of wiffle ball, a round of mini golf, going out for ice cream, bowling, out on your boat… whatever it is your family does together I want to be there to capture it! The silly faces, the hugs, the laughter, and even the tantrums, the frowns, and the siblings fighting…

Forsessions scheduled in the month of June, I will offer this LIFESTYLE SESSION for $350 including 5×7 proofs of my favorites plus all the digital files on DVD. This is a HUGE discount off my regular pricing for portraits which would be priced at $1000+ including the digital files.

The lifestyle session includes:

- the session fee

- up to 2 hours shooting time

- location and activity of your choice

- (10) 5×7 proofs of my favorites from your session

- All digital images from the session on DVD with permission to print

- online password protected gallery of your images to share with your family and friends

- no white shirts/khaki pants/no matching outfits!

If you would like to take advantage of this June special on KML Lifestyle sessions or have any questions about what this entails, please email me at kml@kmlphotography.com or call the studio at 508-274-2598! I look forward to capturing you and your family as you are!

Here are some images from one of my favorite family sessions last year.

Look at those lips! L.O.V.E.Snuggles with Dad.The beach was cold…but still fun!Super cute family! It was a pleasure to photograph you all and I wish you all the best for a safe journey. Thank you for your service to our country!

Just check out this party she threw. AMAZING!

Green eggs and ham.Hello Birthday Boy! (He just woke up from his nap). I love that Jen and Jared coordinated their clothes to the Dr. Seuss theme.
Party favors. Cake in a Mason jar. How cute is that!One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.And check out the Cat in the Hat cake! Truffula Trees and Hat cake made by the talented Lisa at Delicious Desserts.Mason wasn’t too psyched about his hat.But he didn’t seem to mind it once he got the cake!Happy Birthday, Mason! I can’t wait to watch you grow…

I am so happy with the look and feel of film and that fact that I don’t have to spend hours in front of the computer processing it, I am really psyched to incorporate more of it into my sessions and weddings this season. Today, I was excited to see that one of my recent shoots was featured on Style Me Pretty. And even more excited, that out of 27 images they featured, 13 of them were shot on film!

So, here’s a taste of Jamaica on film.

Bob Marly shots. DANGEROUS!Ahhh. This is the life!

Anytime you need a drink while you are lounging on your beach chair, you put the little red flag in the sand and a waiter or waitress comes over! Oh, I think this should happen at home!

This was honestly the best vacation EVER. We relaxed, we played tennis, we swam, we ate, we drank, we saw great music, we got sun and we laughed and laughed and laughed… I think we need to go back every year for my birthday!

Spring is a great time for portraits of your family, the kids, for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, or just to update your walls. The daffodils have sprung, the golden light is back after a gray winter, the bugs aren’t out yet, and the Cape is still tranquil before the tourists arrive. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of this special!

SO, HERE’S THE DEAL…

Schedule any outdoor or on-location session (family, kids, baby, couples, etc) during April, May or June of 2012

and book it by Mother’s Day, May 13th

NEW CLIENTS will receive $100 off their portrait session

RETURNING CLIENTS will receive $100 off their portrait session AND an additional $50 off if they refer a new client

(which means NO sitting fee for families of 4 and under!)

All sessions will include:

• a scheduled rain date, in case the weather doesn’t cooperate
• up to one hour portrait session at the location of your choice (Spohr Gardens or Bourne Farm would be great!)
• multiple poses, various groupings and candid photography
• a sneak preview of a few of my favorites on Facebook (with your permission)
• a scheduled ordering appointment roughly one week later to view your gallery of images and make your purchases 
• 30% off prints and products (see here for a la carte pricing)
• 30% off CD of digital files with permission to print

The fine print… The spring portrait special is valid only for sessions booked and paid for prior to May 13th and only for outdoor or on-location sessions in April, May or June. The special does not apply to weekend dates in June nor to previously booked sessions. Space is limited, and this special will not be offered again in 2012, so book early for best selection of prime dates!

To book your spring portrait special session, please call the studio at 508.274.2598.

venue: Highfield Hall, Falmouth

styling & floral design: Courtney Dunbury – Courtney’s Floral Creations, Falmouth

cake and cake truffles (yum!): Lisa Raffael, Delicious Desserts

linens and table settings: Becky Nye – Rentals Unlimited, Hyannis

hair: Stacey Kuehn, Stacey Kuehn Hair

makeup: Emma Josselyn

The horse on the left was GIGANTIC (and scary!). Wait until you see the ones where she actually rode him. They are AMAZING – but I’m saving those

Elysia and Burnet are one of those couples that are just oozing love for each other.  You can feel their love just by observing the way they look at each other, touch each other, laugh together… Just see for yourself!

We met up at Land Ho! and had a quick drink before moving outside for a few shots. (This is not their dog. He was just hanging out in this Jeep next to me as I was photographing and I thought he was cute .

We were planning on heading down to the beach, but Elysia mentioned we may want to stop at her Grandmother’s house. I’m so glad we did! The light was AMAZING and the trees were just so cool with the vines climbing them and the backdrop of the old buildings. I love it!
Ahhh! Hello, Gorgeous!

This was my first session I broke out my Contax 645 film camera for.  While I had used it for personal projects, I hadn’t yet dared to bring it out in front of clients. I’m so glad that I did!  This is one of my first frames, and it’s definitely one of my faves from the session (thanks to the gorgeous models)!

I could have stayed at that location for hours photographing the two of them. There were endless possibilites…but sticking with the plan, we moved on to Rock Harbor.

This was completely undirected by me. This is just them. I am one lucky photographer! I have so many more favorite of the two of them that I think I’ll make a new engagement book for my studio.  I feel so lucky to be a part of their Wequassett Resort wedding this summer and I’m psyched to get to know them better and be a part of their lives. These are two amazing and sweet people and I’m thankful to be their photographer.

Meet the girls!

I love this next series… A little love amongst the chaos.And baby sister. How cute!

When I got into photography as a business, it was back in the film days. Digital was just coming about, but it was too expensive and the popularity had not yet spread. But it wasn’t long until digital/Photoshop was all the rage, the prices dropped, and I was on board.

Since then, I’ve spent an endless number of hours in front of the computer “processing” the pictures I’ve shot. Most people don’t realize that digital images, just like film, needs to be processed. Instead of sending the film off to the lab, the images are uploaded to the computer, saved in various locations, culled, processed using Lightroom and Photoshop, then saved again, backed up and exported for the web, uploaded by ftp onto a gallery, and put on FB for all to see… All in all, it takes A LOT more time to process the digital files than it does to develop film.

And maybe that too is the reason I love film so much!

Right before Valentine’s Day, I did a business shoot for Courtney’s Floral Creations. Read about that here. Alongside using my Nikon D700 digital camera, I shot using my Contax 645 with a roll each of Fuji 400H and Kodak Portra 800.

The rolls of film were sent off to Richard Photo Lab in Hollywood, CA. They are scanned and color corrected by the professionals at the lab and sent back to me via .ftp. Sometimes there are minor adjustments to be made, but for the most part, these are straight from the camera (and from RPL).

I don’t know what it is about these images that I like more than the ones that I shot with the digital camera… To me they are more raw, more natural, more real, more beautiful and soft. This is more like what I see with my own eyes in real life… and you will definitely see me shooting more film in 2012!

All preserved in a box and awaiting for your daughter or granddaughter to say she wants to wear it for her own wedding. Mine, on the other hand, is in a ball in the back of my closet…somewhere. I never preserved it. It was a wear-one-time kinda thing for me. First of all, I didn’t anticipate a daughter. And now that I have one, I can’t wait to go shopping with her and pick out HER perfect wedding dress (well, I can wait  - she’s only five).

I mean, really…what are the chances that your girl will want to get married in your dress?  I say slim. For instance, in the eighties the trend was lace and big, puffy sleeves. Women getting married now would not be caught dead in that! Someday down the road the highly adored sleeveless and ruffly dress of today will be “soooo 2012″.

So, being it February, and being rather bored, my sister Erin and I decided we would do a “wear it again” session. Whether it’s called wear it again or trash the dress, it’s all the same… Put your dress on and take pictures that you never would have dared take on your wedding day. It could be the day after your wedding, a few months later, your five year anniversary, ten year, when you’ve reached your weightloss goal of your wedding day weight, Valentine’s Day, because you hated your wedding day photos and want some awesome shots , or in my sister’s case, just because…

It was kind of a last minute, “today is nice, let’s do this!” decision. And so on her way down to the Cape, she stopped to get her eyebrows waxed. She told the woman at the salon what she was up to and they insisted on doing her makeup for her. BONUS!

Taking the dress out of the box felt a little weird – like we were doing something wrong. But a little like Christmas too. After all, it had been over 15 years since she last wore the dress. And would it fit? Or would I desperately be clamping the back of it shut? With just a slight bit of sucking in, it fit! Woohoo!

A glass of wine to relax a little…

Honestly, most of the session was spent with both of us laughing like this! But here are some of my favorites when we weren’t cracking up. Love this series.

This is one of my favorites.

After some shots in my backyard, we took it to the beach. It was CRAZY windy and poor sister was so cold – but a trooper!

Editing these pictures was really strange. Although people for years have asked us if we’re twins, I never realized how much we look alike. It was like looking in a mirror. She turns to one side and she looks exactly like me, turns to the other and she looks like our sister, Kerri. Totally weird! That could be me on the right. Erin was even a trooper when the wellies filled with water! After we had fun with the dress, it was time for some more serious shots for her website.

In honor of Valentine’s Day and my first wear the dress session ever, I am going to give away a FREE WEAR THE DRESS SESSION! All you have to do to enter to win, is like my Facebook Page by clicking here, and post a comment below here on my blog. Say anything you want… that you love the pictures of my beautiful sister, tell me why you deserve a free wear the dress session, or just say hi!  A winner will be selected at random on Wednesday, February 22nd. The session will be free including a disc of my favorites from your session. Happy Valentine’s Day and good luck!

PS – this session was shot on both digital and film. D700 and Contax 645 – various film stocks.

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