Tagged: photography

Elise- High School Senior Portraits Around Lakewood

I focus on weddings around the Cleveland area almost exclusively. However, I’ve spread out a little lately to take on some high school senior portraits for students around Lakewood and Rocky River. The sessions are a welcome change from weddings. Instead of working hard for one client over months and photographing large groups of people, senior portrait sessions offer a completely different approach. I love working with a single student for a few hours at a time. The concentration on just one person can have magical results. So I was happy to take on another senior portrait session when Elise and her mother, Mary, contacted me.

All three of us wanted some variety in the pictures, so we planned the afternoon session for multiple locations around the Lakewood and Cleveland areas. After a little time in my Lakewood studio, we headed out into the beautiful October weather. We shot a little in Cleveland’s west flats, as well as locations around Lakewood.

For each senior portrait session, I like to include something personal about the client. For Elise, she was absolutely in love with her mid-eighties Mercedes Benz. This opened us up to shooting at a location I had on my list for a long time – a simple car wash in Lakewood. I knew the light streaming through the wash bay in the evening would be truly magical. In the end, the shots at the car wash turned out to be my favorite, and we happily avoided the standard car wash cliches.

Here are just a few highlights and some personal favorites –

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

Shooting in a truck parking lot might not seem like a good idea a first. However, the light passing through the golden fall leaves creates a gorgeous color palette with Elise’s fair skin and blonde hair.

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

Elise brought an amazing variety of outfits to her senior session. This allowed us to mix and match the outfits and create something unique for each location. Not to mention, she just has great style!

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

I drive by this car wash nearly daily and I have always wanted to shoot here. The light can be really amazing. I just love how the light seems to flood everything and be constrained at the same time.

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

Right as the sun was setting, we were able to capture the last photo below. I love how the light moves through the water spray. Elise’s “straight” glance is also priceless.

High school senior portraits for Elise in Lakewood and Cleveland

So that’s all for Elise’s senior portrait session. We had a great time, and Elise and Mary were very happy with the results. I was just happy I could help. Looking forward, I will have a few more senior portrait sessions coming soon and I’m really looking forward to them. The sessions are definitely a welcome change of pace. To see what we are working on this very moment, stop by Facebook for a quick peak.

Lender Family – A Sweet Summer Sunset Session

When Paul contacted me about photographing his family, I not only jumped at the opportunity, but I was also sincerely touched. Paul is a professional photographer as well, and quite accomplished. His trust in me to represent his family well means the world to me. It’s often said that good work earns the respect of your peers. Hopefully I can take Paul’s trust as a small sign that I’m headed on the right track.

After meeting Paul and his family at their home, I realized that working with a peer was only one benefit of the session. Paul’s family is absolutely wonderful. His kids are polite, but spontaneous. They are complete individuals and a dream to work with. Paul’s son mirrors his father and loves Harry Potter (hence the constant presence of a homemade wand). Paul’s daughter is a complete ham and loves the camera. No surprise – she is the daughter of a photographer. The best laugh I had all day is when the young girl said “but he’s using a Nikon, and Nikon is evil”. I guess Paul must shoot Canon, which is evil ;-).

The weather and location could not have been better. It was a cool summer evening with a never-ending sunset. Paul thankfully requested Holden Arboretum for the location, which is one of my all-time favorites. His family has been members for years, dating back to Paul’s father. They even have a dedicated bench at the arboretum.

I love family portrait sessions, and below is a visual example of why –

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

The first young girl I have met who actively searches for snails at the park.

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Above is a great example of the blue and golden hour. At dusk, most of the light comes from the blue sky, making for amazing portrait photographs. The setting sun then adds highlights of orange and peach.

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

What you can’t see is that his magic spell worked like a charm – his sister was turned into a toad (temporarily of course).

Lifestyle photography session for the Lender Family

Given how much the kids love Harry Potter, I guess bringing sparklers along was a good idea. Personally, I love alliteration, but I clearly use it too much. The next time I use an alliterative title, it’s time for an intervention.

Katie & Mischa – Victorian Wedding in Chautauqua, New York

“That’s where you are getting married” I said with a slack jaw, while staring in awe at the Hall of Philosophy. Katie was giving me a tour of the Chautauqua Institution, a gated lakeside community famous for it’s summer programming and dedication to education. I arrived early on Friday to take a little tour and do some location scouting. Because I was there early, I also volunteered to photograph their wedding rehearsal.

Katie grew up spending her summers at the Chautauqua Institution with her family. She has many fond memories of the area, so she decided to host the wedding around the Chautauqua area. It’s important to use pieces from your life to design your wedding. The wedding will take on an amazing personal feel, something everyone seeks to accomplish. Because Katie and Mischa had planned such a personal wedding, everyone had an amazing time the entire weekend. Chautauqua is a Victorian-style community, so the wedding was designed to echo the local design. Not just another “vintage wedding”, Katie’s design drew heavily on her actual memories of the area.

Katie and Mischa’s personal touch spread beyond the wedding design. You could see it manifested in their love for each other, love for their friends and for family. Their friends gave amazing, personal readings during the ceremony. The Maid of Honor gave the most heartfelt toast and had everyone in tears. The love that surrounded the entire wedding party made capturing their wedding photos easy – all I needed to do was stand back and not get in the way. The effort they put into the wedding and the love that surrounded the day really comes out in the photographs. I hope you enjoy the highlights below as much as Katie, Mischa and I did.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York

The wedding rehearsal could not have been more fun. People were rushing to hug old friends they had not seen in years. Even the ring bearer got a standing ovation when he successfully made it down the aisle without getting distracted.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
The rehearsal dinner was held on the Chautauqua Belle, an old paddle ship that cruised along Lake Chautauqua during sunset. The scenery was just amazing. However, I think the food was better. Hello lobster!

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
Katie’s dress was one of the best I’ve seen all year (or all time really). It matched her figure and wedding design perfectly. I personally loved the two-tone style and the detailed embroidery.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
First look photos are always my favorite, and they are even better with the family dog. Did I mention we love dogs! We used the porch of the Athenaeum Hotel due to a little rain passing through the area.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
Even the horse came dressed for the occasion. Metal hearts and lucky horseshoes covered the carriage and tack.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
Following the ceremony, the wedding party simply to the reception – held at the Bell Tower in a gorgeous tent. The flowers and little details were amazing. I hear the food and drinks were even better.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
After a sunset cocktail hour on the edge of Lake Chautauqua, it was time for toasts, dinner and dancing. The band played late into the night as nearly everyone was on the dance floor. I think even the grandparents got into the energy.

Katie and Mischa's victorian-inspired wedding in Chautauqua, New York
Katie and Mischa’s wedding ended up being one of my most enjoyable this year. The weather was a little worrying, but it held off until my late-night drive home. If you’re still considering your wedding plans, think about how to make the wedding personal. Buck the “industry” trends and do something important to you. In the end, considering a personalized wedding will make for a better, more loving experience.

P.S. – In hindsight, I should have stayed in Chautauqua through Sunday. It would have given me a chance to produce some nice personal work. The scenery is just so beautiful.

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