Sitting Details
Portrait photography shoots are most fun when you can capture people, couples and families doing what they love, in an environment in which they feel comfortable. Think about a place you go that makes you feel happy and relaxed; a place where you can feel your facial expressions soften and your posture becomes natural. I love photo shoots like the ones above, in which I am able to take pictures of you interacting with a favorite place, along with contextual shots that can be combined in an album or on a website to tell the story of who you are. These are the types of photos that when you look at them again, you can almost smell the fresh Seattle air, feel the smooth stone in your hand and remember the way the light fell upon your dear one’s hair. When you are getting ready for your portrait shoot, think about the following…
Lifestyles—Portraits that reflect your lifestyle. What you believe in. What is most important. What you feel. Who you are.
Natural Settings- Soft tasseled grass. Smooth water surface. Leaning against a Ponderosa Trunk. Glowing summer evening light. Relax as the breeze flutters your hair. The best portraits happen when you are in your element.
Children’s Worlds—Favorite dresses, items on her dresser. Coolest rock, picture he drew and hung on the bottom of the top bunk bed. Your child’s world today, documented and preserved—precious personal history for the most important people in your life.
Developmentally Appropriate Photography—I call it the bucking baby. Back arches, face contorts. NO! I don’t want to sit here in this cool (or for a kid, possibly boring) place and have that lady snap my picture 300 times. They don’t say this of course. It’s more like scream, buck, run…scream, buck, run. On a good day, it is more like, “what is that lady holding? I’m going to run at her and grab it. For the next hour. I will keep doing this until I get tired and grumpy and then I’ll cry.” Good luck getting a photo. And yet, taking photos of your toddler doesn’t have to be like this. If your kid wants to run—let’s set something up that works for that! Little Red Riding Hood running through the forest. Playground time. It might seem elaborate but it is pretty simple. You dress them up and I chase them around, capturing them having fun, doing what they do at this age! Priceless!
Tender Moments—Mom smooths her baby’s hair. Dad kisses his son’s forehead. Grandpa puts his hand on the small of Grandma’s back as they are on their evening walk. The portraits stick with you are the ones that remind you of how you felt in that moment—and how you feel now.
Celebrating New Families—when they are babies, you wonder what are they going to look like when they are older? And when they are older, you think—of course they look like this, they look the same. Yet at the time, you never could have imagined it! A client once said that the portraits of her baby continue to grow in value—something you don’t pay much attention to when they are younger—a look, a way holding their head—you don’t realize it at the time but the code of their personality is contained in those tiny gestures. The baby girl who always bangs on the table becomes a drummer. The boy who always picks up rocks becomes a geologist. It is hard to say just how important these photos may be to your little one someday—as they trace the path of their lives to learn who they are today.
Furry Friends—nothing less than family—remember the way that old dog swims and how grey cat stares at the birds out the window.
Couples in Love—You’ve been together for years. Some days you are so busy you barely see each other. But there are those times—when you look in each others eyes and still get that skipped heartbeat. I want to capture that moment.
Favorite Places—the local park, the place where you got married, the place you met, the living room…where are your best memories?
Generations—From Grandma’s laugh lines to smooth baby skin—you come from a long line of wonderful people. Celebrate that history.
For questions, e-mail Keesha Davis using the contact form or call (206) 659-3868.
