Month: December 2011

2011 Rewind :: Preschoolers and Big Kids – RI Portrait Photography

Posted on by Melissa Lacouture

My final rewind post and my final post of 2011!  What an amazing, amazing year!  I can’t wait for 2012 – to meet new familes and to see everyone again.  2012 is going to be a big year for new siblings!  Four of my families are expecting a new baby this year!!  I can’t wait to meet the little ladies and gents!

This last batch of photos includes some of my favorites kids and photos.  Older kids can be a little intimidating because if they don’t like you…  well you know it!  They have hit a point of self awareness.  Now all of a sudden they have opinions on what they want to do for the pictures and how they want to look.  I love it when they can have some fun with me – when they say “Take a picture of this!” and do something pretty ridiculous.  In this post is a family I’ve done pictures for around 6 times now!  They love pictures, my kind of family!  I love my sassy rockstar with her tinsel star backdrop.  The one’s in her roller skates are awesome!  A lot of these kids’ parents were my friends in high school.  My daughter also makes an appearance in this one.  She is sitting on ledge in front of the roll up grate.  Speaking of my little girl this post features her best friend from birth, her best friend from Gymboree and her best friend for school.  She is a lucky girl to have so many buddies.  Putting these posts together has made me feel lucky as well.  Thanks for letting me photograph what you love the most – your families!  Happy New Year!

2011 Rewind :: Toddlers – RI Baby Photography

Posted on by Melissa Lacouture

Toddler…  Oh, it’s a bad word for some people.  The terrible two’s, troublesome three’s.  Anyway you cut it this is the group that gets the most grief.  They are older and wiser.  They know what they want and they want it now!  This is the group that makes me work for it.  I have to wear many hats when photographing the toddler.  Sometimes I’m a total goof ball, running around, saying silly things and acting a fool to get some cooperation.  Sometimes it’s a marathon and I literally just chase them throwing optimal lighting situations and beautiful backgrounds out the window.  If the toddler wants to stand in front of a dumpster then I either have to make it work or wait until I can trick them into doing something else.  For the skittish toddler I am quiet and patient waiting for my moment to pounce.  Whatever it takes.  Parents have told me that I have the patience of a saint.  I think it’s that I just love kids.  You have to if you want them to be comfortable with you.  They can smell phony-ness a mile away.

I actually own one of these crazy toddler creatures.  He is the type I would have to chase around to get a nice picture.  I’m starting off this post with my two favorite pictures of him from 2011.  I can’t get enough of his hair!  I love it so much that it drives me crazy!   Next up will be the kids!

2011 Rewind :: Babies – RI Baby Photography

Posted on by Melissa Lacouture

I have two children.  The plan has always been to have two and only two, one boy and one girl.  Luckily the plan worked, but sometimes I have moments when I am going to miss not having another baby.  This is where all your babies come in!  I just love being around your babies!  During a portrait shoot you are probably a little annoyed that the little bugger has been smiling at everything all morning and now that the camera is in front of them they decided to be “so serious”.  Meanwhile I’m so happy just hear them make funny noises or watch them marvel at a piece of grass or maybe a rock.  Being around your babies helps me get past those feelings about missing out on having another one.  It takes the edge off, so to speak.

So thank you, Babies of 2011, for giving me my baby fix and just for being so darn cute!  Tomorrow it’s that dirty word that starts with a T – Toddlers AKA 2 year olds!!

2011 Rewind :: Newborns – RI Newborn Photography

Posted on by Melissa Lacouture

I have to say looking at all the family portraits that I posted yesterday made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Today’s post is no different.  After the family comes together the newborn baby makes it that much stronger.  I’ve had the absolute pleasure of documenting the new edition for some families.  I love all the stages and ages for different reasons.  What I love about doing a newborn shoot is that one moment when for just a split second they look right into my camera lens.  Those are always “the one” picture from the portrait session.  I also love just being around them.  They are only new for a short, short period of time.  I love watching them stretch and yawn, but above all I love listening to them breathe.  Being new to air and all they sound like they have been smoking for the past 20 years.  Maybe not so cute for an adult, but when an 8 pound cutie pie is doing it it’s adorable.

So in this rewind we are checking out some of the highlights from my newborn shoots of 2011.  Tomorrow…  Lot of babies.

2011 Rewind :: Family Portraits – RI Family Portrait Photography

Posted on by Melissa Lacouture

Although I’ve been doing wedding photography for coming up on 9 years this portrait “branch” of my business only started in October 2010.  I will give you some background…  In September of 2009 I sent out an email to my closest friends and family explaining that I wanted to do a family portrait day.  I told them I would be in Roger Williams park for a certain amount of time and that they could pick a time to come for… say 20 minutes or so to get a nice portrait of the family.  Did I mention that I was offering to do this for free?  Photos are so important to me so I wanted to make sure that the people closest to me had some nice ones of their loved ones.  Only one person did it (thanks, Marisa!).  Then in September of last year I thought “I’m going to try to do a family portrait day again, but this time I will post it on Facebook and actually charge money.”  My husband said when I came up with the idea he thought “It’s going to be so sad if no one does it again”.  My family portrait day turned into three days, I booked 20 people, and 99% of those people have been repeat customers or referred future clients to me.  I would say my business started there.

In the past year I’ve met so many great people and made new friends.  I never would have dreamed year ago that I’d have a web site, a studio, and so many wonderful clients.  2012 is going to be a really exciting year for me.  I can’t wait to start on the plans that I have.  Before all that happens I thought we should take a stroll down memory lane and leave 2011 with a bang!  Here are some of my favorite family portraits that I’ve taken over the past year, definitely not all of them but a nice mix.  Enjoy the family love!  Next up will be newborns…