Elsie & Ben - Portrait Session

I recently had the opportunity of shooting portraits for a couple of great kids; classmates of my own son and daughter. We had a good time inventing individual poses and then we set about shooting some of brother and sister together. Luckily, a few of the pics of the two of them together did not include bunny ears!

I started out shooting with a flash but didn't really like how it was flattening the images out. So, I switched to just shooting with natural light and I was much happier with the images I was able to get. Here are just a few of my favorites from the session.

 

 

 

Patiently posing together, the loving brother and sister.

Brother and sister in their natural element!

Ginger Fox #1

I shot portraits of Erika and her new puppy, Ginger Fox, back in July. I'm just starting on the post-processing and here are just a few shots from before we really got started. Poor lighting? Maybe, but I love the interaction between the two of them. Watch for more puppy pics in the near future!

Coaxing our subject out for the photo shoot

Kisses

Cold Nose Tickles

Puppy Love

Perspective: Kid in Foreground

A few weeks ago I posted some pictures that played around with the differences in perspective down on the boardwalk in Old Lyme. The comment was made that the closer-focused shots would be more interesting if there were something more interesting to look at in the foreground. I happened to be back on the same boardwalk again last week and I just happened to have a good-looking kid with me. So, I threw him in the foreground of some similar shots... Yeah, I think the claim might be made that they are more interesting than the empty boardwalk shots...

 

 

 
We call this one his guapo pose.

 

 

 

May Day at Florence Griswold

This afternoon I noticed my daughter was scrapbooking photos from last summer. I was impressed with a few of them and since I didn't post them before, here they are.

Each Spring the Florence Griswold Museum has a Community Free Day on the first Saturday in May. This past year I took the kids to enjoy the art, to bask in the warm weather, and to partake liberally of the free ice cream!

This shot of the great tree leaning out over the river is the one that really caught my eye today. It's no wonder this was an artists' retreat.

You can tell that this kid was thrilled to be out in the sunshine.

The Rambles is a site specific stickwork sculpture.

Guests are encouraged to wander around and through the sculpture.

Outdoor portrait.

We found a fuzzy dead bee.

We took turns petting the fuzzy dead bee... Which led to problems that were later discussed in our private family blog here. If you happen to want access to the family blog and you don't already have it just let me know...

Self-Portrait at 20 Below

I didn't have a thermometer with me, but with the wind chill this morning I really believe it was 20 below. It had been a very long time since my fingers were this cold. They ached for 10 minutes while I tried to warm them up in the car.

 

You Can Help Pic a Winner

I am entering some photos in the upcoming Guilford Fair and I need help. I am struggling to choose between these two photos. I am allowed to enter only 10 photos total in various categories. I have narrowed down my top 9 choices and am now left choosing between these two for the final slot. Which one could win that blue ribbon? If you have an opinion let me know soon. Thanks!

 
SNOW-DUSTED LIONESS
John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids, MI, Nov. 2008

 
NEVER TRUST A SISTER!
Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, 2006

If you want to see my other entries you can check them out in this gallery...

Guilford Fair Photo Contest - 2010

Chateau Sur Mer - Newport, RI

Here are a few select shots from a recent trip to Chateau Sur Mer one of the oldest mansions in Newport, RI.

 
These mushrooms seemed a bit out of place on this perfectly manicured croquet pitch. I had never seen a croquet pitch before, least of all one with fungi sprouting up in the middle of it...

 
Squinty-eyed kids being good sports for the photographer

 
Girl in a HUGE English Oak

 
Chateau Sur Mer. Even the picture brings back the smell of "old" that permeated this grand place. Not just old money, but old in general.

Wow!

 
One of my favorite portraits...

Still Little

 

Behind the Lens

 

Anguish

 

Pure Joy, Served in a Bowl

 

The Pedro Shoot

Pedro arrived at the park with family in tow. Picture-taking ensued...
See the entire album

Pedro heard a rumor that I was taking pictures in the park so he rounded up his favorite people and headed right over for a photo shoot with the last of the Autumn leaves as a backdrop.

We had a lot of fun on this shoot. This family was quite creative so we tried all sorts of poses. I even got Pedro to look at the camera once or twice...

Group Shots

I actually had to crop Pedro's head in from another shot to make this one work… Can you tell?

Can you spot 'Uncle Rico'?

Couple Shots

My favorite of the entire shoot…

Individual Shots

Pedro's attention span was a challenge with all the squirrels (and kids) running free in the park...