Slowing Down and Finding the Connection

I LOVE capturing portraits. Always have. There's just something about photographing people that I find so interesting.

I recently traveled to California to attend a workshop with one of my favorite photographers, Chris Orwig. He's been photographing people for a long time and has written some really great books about his approach to portrait photography. I've admired his work for years, so I was pretty excited to have the opportunity to learn from him in person.

I came home with lots of ideas and inspiration, but the biggest takeaway for me was pretty simple.

SLOW DOWN.

Sounds easy enough, right? Ha!

Most of the time, I'm photographing kids, babies, and families. And if you've ever been around a photo session with little ones, you know that slowing down isn't always an option!

I'm usually working with a limited amount of time, whether it's because the light is changing during an outdoor session or because a two-year-old has decided they've had quite enough of me and my camera. Kids are SO much fun to photograph, but let's face it, their attention spans aren't always on our side!

I've always felt like if I can get some great images AND send the kids home happy, without anyone being annoyed with me or their parents, that's a WIN!

But this workshop really got me thinking about being more intentional with the time I do have. Not necessarily taking longer, but slowing myself down enough to really see the person in front of my camera.

Recently, I held some Limited Edition sessions at Station 2, a really cool venue in downtown Wilmington, NC. It was the perfect opportunity to try putting some of what I'd learned into practice.

And I have to say, I'm pretty darn happy with what came out of those sessions!

I photographed some great kids and ended up with portraits that just feel a little different to me. They're more than cute pictures of kids. There's a little more depth to them, a little more personality, and hopefully a little more connection.

Some of that comes from the character of the space itself, which provided such an interesting backdrop. But I think a lot of it came from simply slowing down. Taking a minute to connect. Paying attention to the little things. Not feeling like I needed to constantly be clicking the shutter.

And that's something I really want to focus on in the coming year.

Don't get me wrong, I will ALWAYS love capturing kids being kids! The giggles, the silliness, the chaos...I love all of it. Those are some of my favorite images!

But I also want to spend more time creating portraits that make you stop and look for a minute. Portraits that make you wonder about the person in the photograph. Who are they? What's their story?

Because everyone has one.

Some people have lived long, fascinating lives with stories written all over their faces. Some are just little people whose stories are only beginning. And then there are all the people in between.

I want to photograph more of them.

Not just what they look like, but a little bit of WHO they are.

I don't know exactly where this will take me, but I'm excited to find out. I want to keep learning, trying new things, and pushing myself creatively. And maybe, along the way, tell a few stories worth sharing.

So, here's a little invitation...

Do you know someone with a story?

Maybe it's someone who's lived an interesting life, someone who's overcome something difficult, someone with a unique personality, or just someone you think the world should know a little more about.

Young, old, or somewhere in between...I'd love to hear about them!

Reach out and let's chat about capturing their portrait and maybe even sharing a little of their story.

I think this could be really fun. ❤️