2011 Rewind :: Family Portraits – RI Family Portrait Photography

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…

Ada’s Portrait at Roger Williams Park – RI Baby Photography

The initial plan for Ada’s portrait was to take a ride up to Lincoln Woods.  Ada has been going there with her mom since she was a peanut.  She comes from an outdoorsy family that loves to be close to mother nature.  When her mom spied this amazing hut during a walk through Roger Williams Park she had a whole new idea for Ada’s photos.  Her mom, Mandy, is a super talented artist.  Just look up at the top of my web site.  See that banner?  Mandy designed it.  The hut inspired Mandy to add a little something to our photo shoot.  She texted me “I’m bringing something for the photos.  I went to RISD so bear with me”.  I totally trust Mandy and knew whatever she had in mind would be (as she would say) rad.  When she showed up with this cool bird mask for Ada that she made that morning I was very excited to start the shoot!

There she is!

Mandy jumped in for some pictures.  Unfortunately Ada’s Daddy is camera shy.  That’s right, Derrick.  I’m calling you out.

Love this one!

What a beautiful day in November!?  The weather has been so crazy!  I’m not complaining though.

Ada is used to maneuvering through the woods.  I think she is better at it than I am.  It’s in her blood.

Wearing Mom’s necklace as a headband…

Tickling her face with the grass…

The many expressions and emotions of Ada…

Seriously!  What a gorgeous day it was!

She was very excited to show me all the rocks she found.

Such a beautiful little girl.

Alex’s Senior Portrait – RI Senior Portraits

When the Lifetouch Senior Portrait brochure showed up at the house Alex ripped it up and said “Meesha is taking my senior portrait”.  Meesha is me and Alex is my brother.  There is a big age difference, I won’t say exactly how much of a difference.  Let’s put it this way – he has referred to me as his “Mother Sister”.  I can still remember my Mom and Dad leaving the house to go to the hospital to have the new baby (I was a teenager and totally freaked out seeing my mom in labor so I decided to stay home).  I remember hearing him cry in the middle of the night, getting up to help change a diaper.  Now he is a senior in high school and the best uncle ever to my little ones.  It’s sort of unbelievable.  Alex, I love you and I’m so proud of what a good person you’ve grown up to be!  Thanks for letting me take your senior pictures.

It’s different taking your brother’s pictures.  People usually listen to me, but Alex sort of just laughed at me or refused to stand where I wanted him to.  Not many people fight me.  I guess that’s what little brothers are supposed to do.

Alex plays bass and guitar.  I can’t wait to go see him play in a band!

I had to put in a couple of outtakes.  As I said he is a great Uncle.  My daughter insisted on joining us for the shoots and got in on some of the picture taking action.

Not the best assistant but she is cute.

Emma and Nicholas at Roger Williams Park – RI Children’s Photography

If you follow my site then you must have seen these kids.  How could you forget them?  When their Mom asked me to do some Easter pictures there was a lot of plans.  She was going to get a bunny, but the bunny was too much of a diva.  It couldn’t make it to the shoot because it needed a salon day.  Then she was going to bring some Easter-y kind of stuff for the pictures and forgot it all at home.  For those of you who have more than one kid and a puppy you can understand how these things happen.  When your kids are as cute as Emma and Nicholas you don’t really need anything!  Those eyes are enough cuteness for one person to handle!

Peek–a-boo!

I love these!

This is such a great time for pictures!  All the blooming trees are so colorful.  If you blink you will miss it!  It is here and gone in a flash.  I’m so happy I got to take advantage of them while they are here.

Throwing flowers up in the air