My Candid Moments

I love photographing newborns. It’s amazing to me that at just a few days old they already each have distinct personalities.  This is what makes my job so fun, working with so many wonderful people to help capture their special memories.

One of the most special times in anyone’s life is the birth of a child.  They grow and change so quickly moment to moment, that I love to help my clients capture that feeling of newness after the birth of their children.  I know it sounds cliché but each newborn is already developing its own ‘personality’ to me.  This makes each newborn session and adventure.  Baby C was no exception he was so much his own little personality, laid back, relaxed and ready to ‘play’.  I think he would have slept through anything and hope for his parent’s sake he still loves to sleep.

I think that the most successful sessions are those that have three things a happy baby, a WARM room (think 78-80 degrees) and a relaxed Mom.  When you put all three things together you get some amazing images.  Like this one of Mr. C just sleeping away!

I also love it when I can use personal items, which then make your images unique and one of a kind. For baby C we got to use two special blankets and I just love this image of him just hanging out on the blanket his great-grandmother made for him.  It does not get any better than this!

Everyone always asks where I get the hats! Let me say ETSY!  I can spend hours and hours there just looking at all the beautiful wares, by other talented artists.  It makes me sad that my own kids are developing their own personality and wanting to do their own thing, rather then what I have chosen!

I just love this hat on Mr. C – what about you?

Wow the summer is truly flying by this year.  I am not sure where it is going, but do know we are having fun, but at the same time I long for the structure school starting will bring to our days.

Yesterday was one of those “fall” like days, that reminds us the heat of summer will soon be leaving us for a while, and I the pleasure of meeting Mr. S and his family for a Celebrating Adoption session.  These are free sessions that I donate to families that have recently adopted a child (well technically the session should happen in the first year after adoption).

Mr. S was like every almost two year old I know — busy and on the go. I love that age because the smiles are so genuine (when they happen) and they are so clearly curious about life.  In fact Mr. S loves the water so much we had to focus our session at Lake Nokomis in areas where the water was hidden from his view.  I do not often get to go down into “the cities” and had forgotten the wonderful charm that Lake Nokomis and the area around it has. The old buildings are still up at the main beach and are a beautiful reminder of our cities history.  The lush trees and paths around the park are the perfect spot for family photo sessions.   In fact I plan to take my tribe down there soon, just to explore the area and have a mini session of our own.

I truly enjoyed photographing and playing soccer/football with him.  He has such an lovely smile and was so quick — almost too quick for even me and my camera. However, don’t worry Mom and Dad I got so many different expressions from fun and silly to an outright laugh, I hope you like your sneak peak!~

Thank you for all who have inquired about the spots for the casting call.  We have now filled all the openings we had for free sessions for August and September.  I still have a few spots open for November and December.  IF you still wish to have Candid Moments photograph your newborn we are offering a 20% discount on our session fee for anyone who books by August 15th.

Thanks
Shannon

A casting call is when I want to try out some new ideas, but need models as my own kids are the wrong ages or unwilling to assist me.  The Benefit to those who volunteer is that you will get a FREE newborn session and a free 8×10 image from your session.  In return I get to try out a few of my creative ideas. Please note that I never do or will put your baby in harms way (say hang them from a tree branch) or put them in uncomfortable positions.  My goal is to capture them naturally just as they are in that moment. Creating art for your walls that will last you forever.

My current casting call will be for those who are expecting over the next three/six months.  I will have a limited number of sessions open for Newborns.  They will be filled on a first call first schedule basis.  The only requirements are that the session be done on location at your home and that your child be between 5 and 14 days at the time of the session.

Please contact me if you or someone you know is interested!  All those who are do not make the casting call will receive a certificate for 50% off the session fee for a six month or newborn session.

I know a few of you are wondering why I have been absent from the blogging scene the past couple of weeks.  I have been busy with some EXCITING changes that are coming to Candid Moments.  I am beyond thrilled about them, but the plans are not finalized yet so I can not share with everyone, EXACTLY what they are.  However, it’s BIG and FUN and well, I am excited.

What I can share is that tomorrow I will have my first ever CASTING CALL.  You may wonder what a casting call is, it’s when I have a creative idea and really really want to try it out, but my poor children are either a. the wrong age or b. so OVER Mommy and her camera that they run the second I say photo.

More tomorrow!

I just love summer, with it comes so many fun things.  The smell of fresh cut grass, staying up late, sleeping in and of course the beautiful light that happens right before sunset!

The other night Miss K was out helping her Dad cut the Grass and I just had to grab these snaps.  She was on a mission and I think Vince wishes that her little mower actually cut the grass so he would have been done faster!

I know this is usually a Monday thing, but this week Monday got away from me. I am preparing for a garage sale this week and was knee deep in kids clothes for most of the day yesterday.

Today’s post is my boy and one of his buddies. I like to think of them as J and J as both there names start with the letter J, they are buddies and have been since they were a mere 18 months old.  My J still remembers that he played at the other J’s house when I had Kate, they are as different as can be but both wonderful boys who still like to play together.

I can not believe that the school year has ended here in Minnesota.  I had the pleasure of meeting the K family last weekend for a photo session.  Ms. F is a spit fire, she really keeps her parents running.  We decided to have the session at their home in Hanover, so that she would feel comfortable with her soundings.  I love that we got to play with all her favorite things, but boy did I have trouble keeping up.  Ms. F I was told was not good about give smiles for the camera, but I think we found a couple! I am not sure if she was smiling at me or laughing because I had fallen on my back side, either way I will take it!

Enjoy your peak – I am working hard at getting your gallery to you soon!

1. I can not believe that school will be over in three days!  Where did the year go? Here is is in Sept…

2.  What happened he seems so grown up all of a sudden?  Wearing converse and holding a skate board like a pro????

3. Now that ’summer’ is nearly here we can have some real fun.  We can play in the water.

4. We can ride bikes around the neighborhood.

5. What are your summer plans?  Don’t forget to schedule your family portrait session I am already booking into July and August, summer really goes fast around here.

I am lucky to do what I love and while most of the time I work on location, there are a few exceptions and clients will come to my home studio (aka my Living and dining rooms).  In getting set up I can SOMETIMES get one of my children to pretend to be the client so I can test lighting output and the position.  Since I am always setting up a bit differently, I find I have to test and work through things each and every time I set up!

These two images represents Kate being who she is — a little girl very very into her babies! I think we have at least five if not more favorites and she is never far away from one or more of them!