I am loving what I am doing lately!
Families: I love love love spending time with families. Plain and simple, the unpredictability of kids is a blast and a challenge for me that I love to embrace. I can't even tell you the amount of times a toddler boy has just pulled his pants down and peed on a bush during a family session. To mom's total embarrassment and to my laughter, I just snap a photo of cute little booty cheeks and mark it as a memory. Or when a little one won't even budge for a smile until big sister comes over to give some tickles. Kids are innocent, full of life, crazy, dramatic, and they grow up too fast.
Babies: Newborns are squishy and adorable, nurseries are newly decorated, and mom's just want someone to capture all the work they put in creating this life. I can finally understand that now too, while currently growing my own mini human.
Homes: I love our living spaces and how families (or designers) come with creative ideas to make where we spend most of our time special and beautiful.
For a long time I fought shooting family portraits and newborns. I thought, "no I am a wedding photographer, and I can only be good at one thing. kids are crazy and that is scary. What happens if I can't give someone what they want? What if a kid misbehaves or doesn't smile? What if I am not good enough?" I think so much of what holds us back are things that may seem scary. Fear. Being willing to fight through a little bit of that before you settle into a new comfort level can be hard, but so rewarding.
I have been a photographer for 10 years, actually longer if you count when I got my first DSLR, which was in 2006. I have been fighting my own "business" for awhile now. I am informal, casual, and simple about how I run the "business" side of it. (not the shooting part-that I put my whole heart in to) To be completely honest, I am TOTALLY ok with that, and I hope you are too. I don't want my clients to feel pressure, or to come to a session stressed out. I don't want to charge SO much that they can't use me. (I do need to charge something though, remember said mini human, It needs clothes and stuff) I don't want to get overworked so that I run out of creative ideas or passion and energy to make kids laugh and have a good time. so, I am ok with casual and simple for now. (that means, text, call, message me about a session, we will pick a time, and I'll be there. Simple)
I think most of my clients will say that during a session, their kids are taken care of. I genuinely enjoy them and keeping them somewhat entertained. I hope that my photos and families represent how much I care about genuine, beautiful, memories.
Since being pregnant, and the big infertility announcement below, I haven't blogged much because I have been busy! Shooting! But, I did want to share a bit of what I have been up to this year so far with Sarah Shields Photography.
I love you all, thank you for your support.
I have only a handful of October dates available once I return from maternity leave and then I won't be shooting probably for the rest of the year (unless it is an in-home newborn session). Contact me if you want to get on the schedule.
Available October Full Session Dates: October 8, 17, 24. hurry they are almost gone! ($395)
October Mini Sessions: Oct 1 + 3. (4:30, 5:15, 6, 6:45) $250 (30 minutes-location TBD)
love you friends!
Sincerely, Sarah