Setting up for John’s session, I decided it was time to update my own headshot.
Photographing yourself? Nervewracking. There’s no “me” on the other side of the table to tell me to relax, to coach my angles. Worse? Photoshopping yourself. Always a reminder that we look at others with kinder eyes.
But I think the outcome is pretty thoroughly me, and I’m good with that.
The background was originally grey, like in John's, but I decided to warm it up and go a bit more mono-chromatic.
Here’s a pull-back of the setup, plus my helper.
I’m on to you Lucy. Every time someone new to the office needs a headshot, you send them my way. Are you the best? You are the best.
This time, Lucy told John to give me a call. He’s in my husband’s Realtor coaching program. Long time New Yorker’s, four years ago he and his wife called do-over. They loved Atlanta: the pace, the people. He craved a new chapter. So here he is, learning how to guide his clients, explain the market, and loving every moment of settling into Life Chapter Two.
I actually answered an unknown number. It wasn’t a car warranty, for once, but it was Michael Smith, who heard from Falynn that I was the person to call for headshots. A fellow Architect at OTJ Architects, he specializes in biomedical science facilities. But we clicked immediately over cowboy boots and wall art.
His home galleries are spectacular, but he’s one of the few who doesn’t need my process to arrange a spectacular array on his walls! There are definitely some perks to the field.
“No pressure, but do you guys think we can finish the remodel on this studio in time for this sweet baby’s first birthday session?”
The construction team put the pedal to the metal, and we pulled it off in time for two firsts:
My first session in the new studio!
Solomon’s first birthday!
It felt like a true celebration of firsts when this amazing baby beamed his mega-watt smile at me. I was floored. “THIS is the kid I get in the studio today?? Can I be this lucky??” I told him he needed to save the grins for the session, nervous he’d wear himself out— it never happened. The smiles persisted: his, and so, of course, mine. He was a rockstar and an angel.
Speaking of new things worth celebrating, this family just moved into a new home! And this art will get to decorate the new walls! We’ve selected a 20x30 canvas to adorn their staircase.
But what’s probably most incredible about this story isn’t what’s new: it’s what’s old. When his mom reached out to me, she told me about the sentimental and expansive family galleries that bedecked their old home. Pictures of her brother and grandfather as babies that she wished to mirror (and we literally got three of the exact same poses!), and lots of images they had brought over from the “old country” that they had restored. This is EXACTLY why I do what I do!! The cheap print labs aren’t archival, and thus the art can’t be passed down. But I create heirloom pieces. So not only will baby Solomon join the family wall amongst generations of pictures, but he, too, can be passed down with them for generations to come.
**Update!
We had designed his piece for their old home, but when they unexpectedly moved sooner than expected, we delayed installation until they were settled. What’s great about the size they selected, is that it looks perfect in the new stairway, too!
It’s magical to see it in person.
Gallery wrap! Album! Mounted prints! Turning a wedding into beautiful art for beautiful memories.
#art #atlanta #atlantaphotographer #photographer #portraits...
A couple of nights ago, we tiptoed down to the almost completed studio. I wanted to test lens length in the space, so asked kids to stand in. Didn't have a single light set up, no backdrop: just my new space, natural light in the evening in the rain. This is the result. Back of camera, as unedited as it comes.
Matthew and Mira were adorable, curled up on my couch, sipping sparkling apple from my own nuptial flutes, and poring over wedding materials with me. We chatted about how they met, the evolution of their relationship. They enjoyed each other so much. She told her mom that she knew nothing about what she wanted her wedding to be like, EXCEPT that she wanted Shayna Image to capture it. I’ve never been so flattered, and I wanted to blow them away.
Their wedding was March 1st.
The world shut down for Covid-19 March 13th.
We were scheduled to have our reveal party on the 22nd. We wanted so much to get together in person, enjoy celebrating and reliving the evening together, so we opted to postpone until we could view the images in person. But come August, we couldn’t take it any longer, and gathered with both sets of parents for a virtual viewing. The wait was agonizing!
They are both blessed with large, local families with abundant personalities. The energy that day communicated that this couple has a support system that runs deep. If you are a part of that support system, the family would love to share their complete online gallery with you: be in touch with them for instructions and password!
May the couple always feel encapsulated in the love of that day.
Mandy was a ray of sunshine. We had never met before, but as we fine tuned our spot and light for her headshot session, she took in our construction mess. The studio renovations are coming along nicely, as is the landscaping for the Shayna Image Studio and Grounds, but both are in their ugly spot of growth. She saw the end, there in the middle of the process, cheering, “THIS IS GOING TO BE SO AMAZING!!” I was excited before, but Mandy’s enthusiasm made it triple. She sees the good, the potential, even in the middle of the storm.
So it was no surprise WHATSOEVER that Mandy, while only just starting her career in Real Estate to supplement her income as an educator, is CRUSHING IT already. She has an incredible amount of people under contract, and she has only just joined a team!
The hardest times can be the most beautiful. We shut down with the world. It became apparent that every decision would be one of risk vs reward. A decision that we made, not without risk, has been richly rewarding beyond belief. We came to bond with our neighbors. We decided together to proceed as a bubble as cautiously as possible, and to socialize outdoors. These kids have come to see each other as family as much as friends.
Missing in action: Yaira, George, and Dovi. Special shout-out to Miriam Ahuva.
Outdoors is a hot bliss filled with squeals, swings, laughter, swinging, fighting, bleating sheep, zip lines, hiking through creek tunnels, scooters, felling trees and climbing them, too.
Discovery
We all hope to go back to the world. To see missed friends, restore balance, and to actually go into each other’s homes. But this time is equally precious and scary.
Hanna hears you. Life is full of struggles and transitions, and she invites you to breathe through it all with her. Check out her Yoga and Healing practice, with zoom offerings during this time, at http://healwithhanna.com/ , https://www.facebook.com/healwithhanna, and https://www.instagram.com/healwithhanna/
Brian is someone who makes an easy connection, and rolls with the punches. He’s launching his career with Keller Williams, and upon meeting it’s easy to imagine how enjoyable he would make the entire home-buying process.
In the tumbling chaos, the confusion, the isolation, the anger…
A moment by stillness. Toes muddy and cool. Tranquility and exhalation.
I watch her grow into her gracefulness. She seems to have a wisdom about all of this that I desire. She beams still over inconsequential moments. She radiates contentment while I struggle.
Have you heard of the syndrome, “Photographer’s Child?” It’s murmured frequently in my profession. Because we love our built in test-subjects, and they too soon are “over it.” So I make a point to insist that they permit me to take our family portrait once a year, and try otherwise to leave them alone.
Ah-ha! Reverse psychology! Now, every time I have a client come, they beg me to take their picture, too.
So we tromped into the backyard. I had to coax her into the mud by the creek. Her dress originally was purple. Her shirt was a vibrant turquoise. My daughter asked if we could print it for her room. My son also wants a print of himself for his room, though he was satisfied with our last studio session:
Yes, Little Man is in his pajamas.
Elisheva bid on a session with me at an auction to support The Jewish Fertility Foundation some time ago. We got together for a socially distanced session at her home, in front of her favorite tree.
Among her favorite things, which include a passion for helping children, American Sign Language, and promoting exercise health, is snuggling her sweet children and puppy. The images that made her coo weren’t perfectly posed, but rather when there was a connection. She loved this image, but unfortunately, puppy Oreo’s face was hidden behind them. That’s why you hire a photographer who can photoshop! I can’t wait to see her face when she holds the finished mounted print.
Falynn is a heavily pursued architect, who recently transitioned firms and was ultimately wooed by OTJ Architects.
Her ingenuity keeps her creating and building both professionally and personally. Based out of Washington D.C. and Atlanta, she’s continuously impacting both her work and her community. I’m proud to have been a project of hers myself, one could say, and be able to admire her not just as a brilliant woman but as a dear friend.
Remember this friend/client, who convinced me to do my version of a corona porchtrait for her?
It was a beautiful session. Perfect weather. She had great ideas in mind. And seeing her children again, even if many feet apart, was bliss.
That first picture? It’s actually a composite of three different images:
As I left, her amazing daughter asked, repetitiously, “When the sickness is over, can we come to your house? Can we come one day, when it’s over??”
I feel like this whole experience is a constant contrast of tender and heartbreaking. A craving and appreciation of connection.
I am Corona Woman!
Hear me roar. Or cry. Or call out in gratitude. Or fear.
I wear all the hats and I want to cast them to the ground. Sometimes I do, and hide in the closet. Sometimes the hats stack nicely.
I am so proud of myself. And ashamed.
All these people are me.
I am Corona Woman. A self portrait dedicated to all those who are doing all the things all the time at the same time right now.
About the portrait: this is 6 separate images taken over the course of one morning in my dining room. I had one speedlight behind the camera and one bare-bulb strobe off right, both bouncing from the ceiling. I tethered my camera on a tripod to my computer, and set it to automatically take 15 shots of each story. I inched myself around the space so that I would have a variety of positions to assist with overlap. Then I spliced them together in Photoshop . I edited the now singular image with a heavy hand of dodge and burning to make it pop. Yes, my little one was actually fighting during the session (he rescinded his protest and requested to take part after he saw big sis was excited.) I desperately wanted to tidy, but didn’t permit myself to move a single item, so this is life during Covid-19 in all its glory.
Rebekah was a dear friend in college, we bonded performing in a production of Tommy. Fast forward, the lady is rocking as owner of the Center Stage Arts Studio in Ohio, is the proud mama of 6, and military wife.
She and her family (four brothers), were gathering outside of Atlanta for Thanksgiving, and she wanted to take advantage of the gathering. I was equally excited to make art with her as I was to simply catch up with someone who has always been a magnetic match.
This week, some metals are shipping out to Vegas, for her brother and sister-in-law!
Rebekah is the queen of keeping it real, and pushing for her dreams. A true Wonder Woman.
I’ve been shying from requests from front porch/yard portraits during this time. I want to stay true to the custom art that my clients expect, I want to be meticulous about safety, and I want to make sure my own family is holding it together.
Then, a repeat client who had been amongst those inquiring hit me hard last night with a: “THIS TIME IS CRAZY! AND I WANT TO REMEMBER IT! I want to add it to our home gallery, because it’s a great way to remember this insane time beautifully.”
After processing it with her, I realized I can indeed accomplish all three while creating art with my clients and neighbors to commemorate this period.
$400 includes:
Photography session outdoors on your porch or in your yard, from a safe distance.
Virtual consultation where you select your portrait, and we envision custom alterations.
Optional gallery design included: see your image(s) in different sizes and configurations in your actual space.
A calibrated, heirloom, mounted 8x10 art print, with the accompanying 8x10 digital image.
Option to change print size, material, and add additional images. Upgrading your mounted print to wall art begins at an additional $235.
SIGN UP FOR A SLOT ON SUNDAY, MAY 3RD, AND RECEIVE $35 OFF.
The first three images were combined to create the final portrait.
Sign up for your slot here. We will chat on the phone afterwards to discuss your vision, narrow down timing, and answer questions.
Melissa wanted to start building the ultimate gallery showcasing the growth of her family. She not only wanted to include images from our shoots this year and the last, but also baby pictures from before her family lived here, and even wedding portraits. She also craved a bold, beautiful metal by her front doorway.
Check out the story on Facebook or Instagram, and hear what Melissa thinks of it!