January 10 on 10 - A Personal Project & The Pursuit of Portraits

A New Year and  a new project! As we dig into 2018, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. I am incredibly grateful for the continued growth of my business during 2017, and for the many marvelous clients who put their faith in me. I love what I do, and I am honored to be able to meet and serve so many truly wonderful couples and families. I have gotten to know some seriously awesome peeps that I probably would not have otherwise encountered. That just plain rocks. 

I will admit though, that running a full time business requires a huge investment of time and energy, and I am guilty of letting my own personal agenda tumble down the priority ladder. This year, I'd like to get back to the fun and freedom of creating for no other reason than to feed my soul.

Taking time to experiment with new tools and techniques, or to simply pick up my camera and go wherever a whim takes me, is crucial to my growth as an artist and to my sanity. To that end, and for a bit of accountability, I have joined up with a group of insanely talented artists to participate in a 10 on 10 blog circle.  (Seriously, these women blow my mind on the regular and inspire me to reach higher. I know they will inspire you too.) We will each be posting 10 images on the 10th of every month, and linking within that post to another member of the circle. 

I decided to start my blog series with some portraits for a few reasons: First, I am looooong over due for portraits of my kiddos - they are each at least 2 feet taller then the last time I did this! And while I prefer documentary style images most of the time, my mama heart does love a great portrait of those young faces every once in a while. I also find myself drawn to the portraiture of artists like Annie Leibovitz, Yousef Karsh and Helmut Newton. I've often pondered taking my work more in that direction, so it's worth exploring, right? Even if I fail, or never decide take my business down that path, I am certain to learn a few things along the way! And with this project - anything goes, so I won't hold myself to rules about lighting ratios, posing, or post processing a particular way. Freedom reigns!

So, these images of my children aren't particularly imaginative. I know. Like most kids with photographer's child syndrome, none of them are especially enamored with being photographed. They didn't dress up for the occasion and they gave me just a few minutes each. I try to be respectful of their limits and their privacy. My goal was to produce something that was unaffected and undeniably them. 

Simple portraits yes, but I love them. And truth be told, I think my kids enjoyed the extra attention. ;) Maybe next month I will delve deeper into portraits and see where I end up.  

Here are a few favorite portraits I have made in recent years. I'm curious, what's your favorite type of photography? 

Thanks for visiting! Be sure to check out the amazing images of my talented friends by continuing on with the circle. Up next, Shannon Kathleen Photography shares her artistry with you!

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