First Look: Amanda and Adam's Engagement Session

The best thing about starting a business is that you can bully your friends into becoming clients! I believe the first words I said after "congratulations" to Amanda when she told me that Adam had proposed were "you have to let me do engagement portraits!" Fast forward six months and we finally got together for them!

Here's a first look at some of the pictures that we shot on Sunday. I was a little worried that the colours would be too drab now that all the leaves have turned brown and gotten crunchy, but as you can see, it didn't stop us from getting some great shots! And the benefit of waiting? We got some great Christmas shots too!

running

I really love running. In fact, most people use the word "runner" to describe me. On Saturday, after getting back from 9.75 miles with some friends, I headed with my camera to the Nearly Naked Mile to support some other friends. I was so happy I had my camera with me, because if I can't run, taking pictures is my next favorite thing to do!

I had seen some really great pictures after the New York City Marathon last year, as well as some spectacular ones from the Army Ten Miler this year. And I really wanted to try to get some images that were "good race shots" as well as some that make you feel what it's like to race. Basically, I did a lot of what the hired photographers there were doing (so that's good - I looked like I knew what I was doing!) and a lot of experimentation. While loading the pictures onto my computer this morning, I realized some of my mistakes and can't wait to try again.

Here's a quick preview of what I took though!

accidentally awesome

Have you ever done something that was accidental and turned out to be amazing? I know that I am supposed to be critical of my own works, but sometimes I just look at a picture that I have taken and think "wow, that is pretty good." This is certainly one of those images for me.

How it happened:

I was taking some shots of lego men during a photo walk for a photography tutorial guest post about high lighting your subject using a blurred background. When I was done with the lego men, we decided to go somewhere else and along the way had to cross the golf course. There was some discussion about if you had to get a release if you couldn't identify a person in an image, and I shot this.

To me, it really screams GOLF. Though maybe that should be FORE!

Alex at his football match!

I needed an escape a couple of weekends ago, after getting the news that my uncle had passed away. My friend Sonia was watching her son, Alex play football just down the road from my house, so I grabbed my camera and invited myself along. Poor Alex then had to put up with me taking photos of him during the break and after the match. Though he seemed like he didn't want his picture taken when I asked him to smile, he certainly was more than happy to show off with the ball when the match was over.

That's one of the things about kids, they really want to please adults, you just have to wait them out and work on their terms. I really enjoy taking pictures of children. They are actually my favorite subject! But I can see how they might intimidate some photographers. My best suggestion would be to just start taking pictures of kids being kids, and maybe after a few minutes ask for very simple things. Like "hold still and look at me, please" or "can I get a silly face?" Most of the time after a silly face, you get a really great, genuine smile!

Crickett

Meet Crickett! Let me tell you, this girl is awesome! Since I am one of those people that always has a camera with them, it's just perfect that I'm friends with a girl who's always ready to ham it up for the camera! These are the pictures that I snapped of Crickett while we were out apple picking a few weekends ago. I think that these shots convey the simple truth that sometimes it's not about the photographer or the composition, but merely the energy of the subject. Crickett is always good for some fun, energetic photos, she's even fun without a camera around! ;)

apple picking and the broccoli prom

Two weekends ago I went apple picking with a bunch of friends, organized (and all linked together) by Annie. I mentioned going to my mom and she offered to bake me an apple pie. I called her from the farm and told her I didn't plan on bringing home any apples unless she wanted some. She said "don't worry about it, just take pictures and have fun." Funny, I hadn't mentioned that I had brought my camera with me ;) Guess my mom knows me too well!

Lucky for me, it was a cloudy day - which makes midday, outdoor photos a lot easier! It was pretty much just me snapping some pictures while we all goofed around. On the way, Kevin and I had been joking about how romantic broccoli picking would be... Only to discover everyone else had made the same joke on the way there. Then Etienne and Annie posed for some "broccoli prom" pictures. It was a great day at the farm!

James at 4 months

I really wanted to get some traditional baby portraits of James while Erin and Jeff were here, but the best I could do was snap a few pictures while we had lunch at Town Center on their second to last day in town. The noon sun proved difficult for both me and James. But I think I got a couple of good pictures. Too bad I didn't think to ask for a picture of the three of them together!

I also realized that I should make some business cards. While we were there a couple asked how old James was and said that they were expecting. That would have been the prime time to whip out my business card and offer my services as a baby portrait photographer! Lessons learned.