This image was taken during a recent session for one of our Baby’s First Year plan members. Baby Chase, as he is known throughout our studio, was in the perfect mood the day Loretta photographed this session. Here is an image from his set that we’re planning on submitting to the Professional Photographers of America Magazine Cover Contest!
As a photographer, we face challenges every time we pick up the camera. From lighting to posing and into post-production retouching, we’re constantly working with things that are sometimes out of our control. This past weekend was no exception.
Friday night was filled with footballs games. The first was between the Junior Varsity teams for Minisink Valley and Middletown at the Minisink Valley High School. With the sun beaming brightly and very low in the sky, we had to contend with harsh shadows on all of the players. We were constantly adjusting our settings for the optimal shot. Later that night was the game between the Varsity teams for the same schools on the brand new Middletown High School field. While the lighting was perfect, the night was cold and keeping our fingers warm was enough of a challenge!
Saturday morning brought the same cold air as we set out for an entire day photographing the Minisink Valley Youth Soccer teams – all 900+ kids! As the clouds peeled back and let the sun shine down, things began to warm up … but gave us those harsh shadows that we love to hate.
Sunday morning followed with much warmer weather and a family session in New Jersey. With an energetic kid, a 7-month old baby and two extremely nice parents … there was nothing challenging about the day … until we packed up and got ready for something we knew would be tough for the both of us.
Our final shoot for the weekend was a portrait session. Not of a family or a child in the traditional sense – but of one family’s dog, Zeus, who was very much a child to them in his own right. Unfortunately, Zeus was dying of cancer. We had been asked to take some portraits of him (since he had never had them done) before his time came.
Knowing that you are taking some of the last shots of someone is an honor and a heartache at the same time. Having experienced this same feeling personally a little over a year ago, I know how hard it can be. So as we arrived, this incredibly massive Great Dane greeted us by the car and as we got our gear ready, settled down in the backyard under the shade of trees. As we maneuvered around each other, Zeus seemed to pose every so often and allow me those few short moments to capture him as if he were a perfectly crafted statue.
The hardest part of the session came when I needed to put down the camera – wondering if I could just get one more shot. We eventually packed everything up and headed home to try and take care of any last minute things before the weekend ended.
However, I was informed today that, sadly, Zeus was put to sleep yesterday to avoid any further suffering and pain. Our hearts and wishes go out to his parents.
Here were some of the shots from the best session all weekend …
Pregnancy and birth are miraculous journeys. This amazing time of life is full of mystery, anticipation, joy, hope, and wonder. Feeling the powerful energy of birth and new life, watching as a new family is born unto each other. These things humble and amaze. These are the things that we celebrate when a baby is born.But there is another aspect of pregnancy and birth. There is an unexpected place in this journey where some families may find themselves. When a baby dies, a world is turned upside down. There is confusion, sadness, fear, and uncertainty that cannot be explained. There is sorrow where there should have been joy. During this time, it might be impossible for families to know what they might need in order to heal in the future.
This excerpt was taken directly from the website for an incredible organization called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. This organization provides a helping hand and a healing heart for families overcome by the grief and pain of losing their newborn child. While the idea of photographing their baby may not immediately occur to them, offering a gentle, compassionate photography service done in a sensitive manner is the heart and soul of the organization.
Image Courtesy NowILayMeDownToSleep.Org
The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS) administers a network of nearly 3,000 volunteer professional photographers in the United States and eight International countries. At a family’s request, a NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer will go to a hospital or hospice location and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session. The portraits are then professionally retouched and presented to the families on an archival DVD or CD that can be used to print portraits of their cherished baby.
We at Wanamaker Photography may not be emotionally ready to accept such incredible responsibility, but we feel the need to contribute to this organization any way we can.
Image Courtesy NowILayMeDownToSleep.Org
We have decided to label May 2008 as “Mother’s Month” in recognition of all the moms that have children and for those who have suffered the loss of a child. During the entire month of May, for any Maternity, Newborn or Young Child portrait session booked, we will donate $50 to the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation, in your name, to help them continue this wonderful service.
To help give you a closer look at what the organization does and how it got started, we’ve edited a video (based on footage obtained from Photo Vision) that will take you on an emotion trip to the event that started it all. Sandy Puc, one of the founding members, recounts her first session with a little boy, named Maddox, who’s life was cut short before it even had a chance to really begin. Before you watch, I highly recommend that you keep a box of tissues close by!
If you are interested in more information on Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, please visit their website, with information for Photographers and Families alike, at http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org. If you are interested in more information about our sessions, please contact us directly at 1-866-832-4001.
I hope this video impacts you as much as it did me!
This past week, Loretta photographed Baby Brady for the start of his First Year Package. During the session, Mikayla (his older sister) became Loretta’s new assistant. She loved holding one of our little white reflectors while Loretta grabbed some absolutely adorable images of Brady.
However, the moment Loretta took out our blue and purple mats, Mikayla decided that she wanted to switch jobs and become a model instead!
Using the Mark III, the image was captured at F5.6 at 1/125 with ISO 160. She had one Alien Bees 800 light with a large soft box set off to the right of our assistant/model at 1/8 power.
My first post…how exciting!! Chris keeps me so busy that I don’t have time to blog really. So now he made me stop what I was doing to post my first blog. Today was my exciting day with Baby Brady. I took the information I learned at Jack Reznicki’s lighting and digital photography training camp yesterday in Philadelphia and applied it today. It is amazing how easy it is to compose an image just by utilizing your surroundings.Â
Baby Brady was so well behaved, I wish I have 10 kids like him. He was very mellow and only complained of the flash with small little grunts. For a 6-week old, he was very strong and able to hold his head up pretty well. I tried hard to get the traditional “First Year” session poses and succeeded! These images were taken with our Mark III and a 28-105mm lens lit with one Alien Bees 800 light and one white reflector held by Baby Brady’s big sister, Mikayla. She was such a great “assistant” and so excited to help.
Enjoy the photos!
This last picture will make anyone smile!