To the Class of 2022, you have proven how resilient you are for numerous reasons. This pandemic hasn’t exactly been fun, nor easy for you, but you carry on with grace, strength and ambition. Not only are you incredible for navigating Covid complexities, but Mother Nature threw many curve balls last summer including lotsa rain, heat and bugs when I photographed you. Thank you for making “senior season” fun despite literally everything. Wishing you success, fun and joy!
In 1997, I attended the graduation ceremony for Wellesley College where Oprah delivered the commencement address. Her speech was pivotal for me because it was then and there that I realized I needed to complete MY degree. So I quit my job as a nanny, and headed back to college. During this speech, she said, “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life because you become what you believe.” She moved mountains with her words so onward I went changing the course of my life.
Class of 2021, I’m not going to go on about all the things you’ve missed out on this past year—too many to list. I’m a big believer of focusing on the positive and the “big picture”, and that would be your futures. Futures full of love, fun and success because I’ll take a line from Oprah and tell you that this is heading your way. Your lives will be filled with greatness because of the strength you have shown during these trying times. Now’s the time to celebrate all that was, and all that we be. Congrats!
Well, here I am as the mom of a junior and soon to be senior. I stress soon to be in future tense because my daughter is still a junior in high school and will not be a senior for another 6 months. I am also a senior photographer with 7 years of experience photographing, and more importantly, communicating with seniors and their parents. I understand fully the stress of staying on top of things. Junior year is filled with testing, all the logistics of prom, booking/attending college tours, etc, etc. We are teetering on the edge of sanity most days while helping our juniors stay afloat, too. They need us parents to stay even keeled when they’re overwhelmed. Trust me, I have witnessed and absorbed all of this the last 7 years with my seniors and parents. Some of our kids may be unable to express their stress, but we see it, we sense it and we feel it, too.
I’m here to tell my fellow Class of 2021 parents to breath and take the stress of booking a senior session off your plates until late spring. In fact, I book most of my seniors late spring/early summer and even LATE summer for those who drop the ball, and there are many who do! It’s easy to see why, so don’t beat yourselves up over it. I squeeze all my seniors in. My flexibility and compassion for teens and parents has contributed to the growth and success of my business. My clients understand fully that I have their backs. After all, most of us are still ironing out our summer plans which makes booking a session kinda tricky at this time. So breath, parents. Enjoy the waning days of this school year and save booking a session for now. I am here, I am you. When you’re ready to book (whether sooner, or later) I’ve got you covered.
Whoa, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve blogged. I always intend to, but when it comes to putting pen to paper, or rather, fingers to keyboard, blogging gets put on the back burner. Plus, it’s impossible sifting through all the images and choosing just one! But winter is the perfect time to play catch up and blog.
Class of 2020, you are the greatest, smartest and most gorgeous class. The world is waiting for you so go knock it right out of the park!
I photographed this sweet, little star with the coolest nursery on the block, in December. Her mom and dad beam love and adoration for her, and it was pure joy to capture the connection and love between them.
The writer Toni Morrison said, “You're general, but you're also specific. A citizen and a person, and the person you are is like nobody else on the planet.” How true is this, that we’re all part of a greater good, but what we bring to the world is individualistic. I photographed dancers, artists, athletes, future world leaders, etc. Each one of these incredible young adults will bring their many gifts and talents to the world and we will all benefit. Go get ‘em Class of 2019!
Senior year goes by in a flash of insanity mixed with fun, and maybe a little sadness as we say goodbye to our high school years. Congratulations to all my Class of 2018 seniors who will be graduating this weekend! So very proud of each and every one of you. Now is the time to celebrate all that was and all that will be!
There's something uplifting about walking into Bittersweet Co. in Hopkinton. Maybe it's the smell of freshly ground coffee beans, or the hint of lavender that goes into a latte, but ultimately, it's the joyful and inviting staff that'll keep you going back. The delicious sandwiches, salads, quiches and yummy baked goods are the icing on the cake (no pun intended). But these days, we could all use a friendly smile and this is what you'll get when you say "double shot of espresso, please." If you haven't been, go hungry and under-caffeinated and you'll see for yourself the magic that is Bittersweet Co.
Senior sessions are winding down with just a few more sessions to squeeze in this month. It's truly been a wonderful "senior season" as I call it. Here are my August seniors. Enjoy.
Senior sessions are well under way here at BMP. July sessions were held at Pratt Pond and York, Maine. I was thrilled when one of my senior's requested a beach session, which was just as lovely as photographing in a field here at home. We're so fortunate in New England to have an amazing natural world with flower-filled fields and gorgeous beaches. It's easy to take this for granted when you experience it every day, but it's a constant reminder about how lucky us photographers are here in New England. AND how lucky I am to photograph amazing high school seniors like these 3 girls every summer.
When I'm busy during the summer and fall photographing high school seniors, and families, I rarely photograph my kids. Sad, right? I decided it was time to pick up my camera to photograph my children doing their every day things like playing with legos, enjoying the snow, and just being in the moment.
I photographed my kids indoors for the most part because, well, it was winter in New England and we all know how cold it can get here. PLUS, my goodness, is indoor lighting cool! Side light that streams in through windows first thing in the morning, sunset light that glows, and even rooms flooded with light make for beautiful documentary style images. Photographing my kids inside is nothing new to me, I've been doing so since they were newborns, but this time around, I decided my personal project for the winter would be photographing them on a daily basis. So happy that I did, and will continue to do so because I know they'll love looking back at these images---some day :) Here's a few for you!
I first photographed this little guy when he was an adorable newborn. I was thrilled when his mom asked if I could photograph his cake smash session to celebrate his first birthday. Baby W's session took place at Bittersweet, so we had lots of open light, furniture and cool decor to work with. I love getting playful images of babies, and of families sharing in the fun of the session together, too. Everything came together just beautifully for this super-sweet celebration for the cutest baby around! Oh, and check out that colorful cake!
We had another beautiful fall in New England. The weather cooperated for most of my sessions and the foliage was spectacular! I adore my family shoots and feel honored to be part of my families' worlds while we're together. I invite my families to relax, have fun and just be. Cuddles, sweet embraces and laughter are my jam and there were plenty during my fall family minis.
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in the 5 years of photographing kids and families, it’s to lose all expectations of perfection and to allow your sessions to unfold as they may. Kiddos are either up for it (having their photos taken) or not having it at all. If they're not feeling it, It's up to me to pull tricks out of my bag, and allow the magic to unfold on their term. Kid sessions are high energy, and unpredictable, but always fun. There were many adorable kid images from my 2016 sessions. Here's just a sampling.
Photographing high school seniors is an amazing privilege. There's something about capturing seniors on the verge of beginning a new chapter in their lives that is not only fun, but incredibly special. You get to witness the excitement, and sometimes overwhelming feelings that come along with teens creating their futures beyond high school. It's my job and my honor to make them forgot about essays and applications for the hour that they're with me, and just have fun! Thank you, Class of 2017 :) Have an awesome senior year!
During the quieter months of winter, I spend my time preparing for my upcoming sessions. You’ll find me pinning ideas and poses on Pinterest, drooling over other photographer’s images on Instagram and Facebook, and taking part in online breakouts for inspiration and learning. I recently participated in the most amazing breakout by Jesh de Rox called Moment Design. The takeaway from this breakout is the importance of making genuine connections with your clients, rather than just take pictures. Of course! This breakout was a real game changer for me and EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. The methods I learned taught me how to elevate my sessions by making my clients feel amazing and comfortable while having fun, too!
I photographed these 2 smart, lively and beautiful high school seniors last month at Pinecrest. We dodged gophers, mice, golf balls and carts, and had the best time at this gorgeous golf course. I absolutely love senior portrait sessions because there’s so much anticipation mixed with excitement in my clients, and you can sense this during their sessions.
I've been wanting to photograph lifestyle newborn sessions forever. Something about those first, exhaustingly sweet days with a newborn that begs to be captured. I have photographed my own three as newborns, so it's been a goal of mine to photograph LS newborn sessions for my clients---maybe more of like a dream come true?!
The weather was June perfect for this little rose petal's session, so I was able to photograph both indoors and out. Ideal! I heard nothing but sweet baby coos, and admired her rosy plump cheeks and overall adorableness during our time together. Melt! She is one lucky baby to have such thoughtful parents, and a fun big brother, too! Welcome to the world baby C :)
Had an early spring maternity session with this adorable family at Pratt Pond. It was a cloudy, cool morning, but they braved the elements and were amazing! There's something about cloudy days for photo sessions that make me happy because I know the images will have soft and dreamy tones.
Maternity sessions are pure magic, filled with love and anticipation. My goal for maternity sessions is for mom to feel both relaxed and loved, and of course, to capture precious keepsakes of a miraculous time. Many congrats on the birth of your beautiful baby!
There is wondrous anticipation, and a world full of excitement for expectant couples; this is especially true for first-time parents. Months of appointments, ultra sounds, and those magical kicks from baby lead up to the big Birthday! It's amazing to photograph couples at this joyous time and share in a bit of the excitement.
I photographed this couple a few weeks before their beautiful baby boy was born. They are a gorgeous couple who ooze love and devotion for each other. I mean, seriously, how adorable are they :) Many congrats and enjoy the wonderful ride that is parenthood, Molly and Brian!
I simply adored this sweet, sibling session on yet another, gorgeous fall day. It's safe to say that we had an amazing autumn in New England. A photographer's dream. The foliage was bold, and the weather was warm and comfortable for family photo sessions.
These sweeties kept the laughs rolling during our time together. They have an adorable and fun dynamic between them, which made it more playtime than a photo session. The icing on the cake was when their beautiful mom stepped in for a few shots, too. Sweet!
