A while back I did a post about photographing kids being kids and nothing proves that point more than these three shots.   This is Olivia, Austin and their cousin Ellie.  I shot the three of them together last fall and I must not have really frightened the children too much because their parents called me back to shoot them again this year.

I have to say we got really lucky with the day.  It was 70F last weekend – in November! – in Ohio!  That sort of thing never happens.   We took advantage of the weather to do quite a few shots outside and these three were easily some of my favorites from the session!

O-H!

Once again the LoC studio turned into a haunted house on Halloween day!

That’s yours truly as the disgruntled gargoyle/Vikings fan.

Yesterday I had the privilege to take my friend Janice out to Mentor Headlands Beach and take some maternity photos of her.  This is fourth pregnancy and you wouldn’t even know she’s eight months along.  Big sister Johanna is hoping for a little sister to even out the teams since she and Mom out numbered by brothers Tyler, Cameron and Dad.

Thanks Janice! I can’t wait to take pictures of the little one when he or she gets here!

Turned the camera on me and my family last night to get us a new family portrait for the wall.  You’d think a photographer would have lots of pictures of their own family, but that isn’t the case.  I have lots of pictures of the kids because I can still boss them around and take away their candy if they don’t stand still, but when it comes to the adults – especially together – a picture is a rare thing.

While I was out taking Connor’s Senior Portraits (see one post below) we decided to kill two birds with one stone and take the family shot as well.

I like how these turned out, but about 30 minutes later the sun started to redden up the sky and become a great backdrop. Unfortunately, I was back in Cleveland by that time.

Another Senior Portrait session last week.  I think I’m getting the hang of this.

This time around I headed up to Vermilion and Huron to take picture of my nephew who is graduating from Benedictine.

We spent the first part of the session on the street of Vermilion. I like to just walk the streets of a small town like this and take advantage of the different locations that we come across. You never know what to expect but the results are always great.

There were on the front porch of some older property house that was for sale.

Then we headed to Huron and hit the beach for a few shots.

I know the newest Pocket Wizards didn’t get the best reviews, but I’ve been using the Mini TT1 and Flex TT5 with my 5dmkII and 580EXII with great results. Usually just hand holding it with an smaller umbrella, or as the case is here, bare and letting the TTL do it’s thing.

Nothing brings out the cameras like the first day of school. My oldest son, all 7.916 years (he turns 8 in October) had his first day of classes today. He said he was nervous all morning, but when that bus finally pulled around the corner and he saw the regular bus driver he hopped right on and off he went.

I have no idea what ever happened to the pictures from my first days of school. They aren’t that important to me now. I imagine they are in box at my mom’s house.  If I were to come across them I’d be thrilled and relive those first days like they were yesterday.

I suppose these photographs won’t be that important to my kids years from now, but, the thing is, they are important to me now.  And hopefully, like me, while they might have forgotten about them they would think it would be great to stumble upon them and relive their first days.  They make a memory.

So, if I could wedge one advertisement into this post it would be to get family photos – not just digital ones that will get lost when the computer crashes, or the email gets trashed.  Print some pictures, but them in a shoebox or an album and tuck them away to be found later once the initial thrill of hanging them on the fridge or setting them on the fireplace mantle goes away.   You’ll be glad you did.  So will your kids.

Apparently, shooting Senior Portraits in Hudson can attract a lot of attention.

About two shutter clicks into my session with Marissa last weekend this guy and his buddy started pounding on the glass. One of them even came outside and said something like “I love you!” before running back in. Crazy!

Almost as crazy as Marissa telling me she wasn’t photogenic. Right….

We started off just walking around the square in Hudson. Plenty of good places (except for next to the bar) to shoot right there on the street and in the park.

Check out the heels!

We moved onto a second location. This one also had lots of windows, but, fortunately nobody was pounding on them.

And one more shot with some killer shoes in it.

Enjoy those shoes. She’ll be trading them in for, get this, Marine issue boots next summer!

Good luck Marrisa! Have a great Senior year!

Last night was the third annual Exposure Cleveland Group Gallery Show opening. If you weren’t able to make it down then you should be ashamed of yourself! But never fear, it’s up for three more weeks at Mastroianni Arts Gallery.

It was a great time and hung out with folks that have become good friends over the past few years. I give Jim props for keeping it going. Looking back, three years ago at the first anniversary show was the first time I had publicly displayed any of my photography. Since then I’ve gone on to show at three other galleries all on my own and start up this little place here – Left of Center Photography.

A lot of my growth behind the lens can be traced right back to the great group of photographers that make up Exposure Cleveland.

Thanks Guys and Gals!

Here’s just a few of the great faces from the group…

Summer has finally arrived in Cleveland – at least for a couple of days. To beat the heat last night the kids busted out the Slip-n-Slide.

If there is a perfect way to take portraits of kids, it has to be when they are being kids. The smiles are real. Their personality shines. There is no reason a photographer can’t come to your house and just follow the kids around for a bit – playing ball, riding bikes, being, well, kids!

Besides, my studio isn’t big enough for a Slip-n-slide!

Hope you’re enjoying the summer!