Stephanie Clement Photography: Blog https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog en-us (C) Stephanie Clement Photography [email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Mon, 16 Mar 2020 07:32:00 GMT Mon, 16 Mar 2020 07:32:00 GMT https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/img/s/v-12/u98165819-o344115119-50.jpg Stephanie Clement Photography: Blog https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog 120 80 Best of 2019 Contest | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2020/2/best-of-2019-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Another year has passed - another year of your families making memories, growing and changing, and another year of me being thankful for YOU including me!  This is the 3rd year for my annual Photo of the Year contest and I've come to really look forward to not only giving back to my families, their friends and others who might vote and win, but I love the walk down memory lane as I choose the images to include in the contest.  There are so many more favorites from 2019 than just the ones I'm including this year - it is so hard to whittle it down.  I've selected 15 - now it is up to you and your family and friends to decide which image gets the title of "Best of the Year" and the prize that goes along with it!

There will be 3 winners:

1) The image with the most votes wins.  There are 3 ways to vote - the blog site, Facebook and Instagram.  To vote, cast your vote using the poll below (scroll all the way down to the end of the post, past images) and ‘like’ your favorite image in the ‘Best of 2019′ album on Facebook.  The blog poll will be shared on Instagram as well. The winner (an image with the most combined votes) will receive a 16×24 gallery or smaller wrapped canvas (valued at $400) of the winning image.  If the winner already has purchased a wall piece of the image, they may substitute another image from their gallery.

2) The Runner up will receive a $200 gift certificate to be used towards a full length session in 2020.

3) 1 random voter will receive a FREE spring mini session package valued at $270!  It can be YOU!  See below on how to enter in a drawing for a mini session.

How to win a Mini Session package:

There are THREE ways to win a mini session.  In order to increase your chances of winning you should do all of the following because each of the following will earn you an extra entry in the drawing:

On the Blog:

  • Leave a comment on the blog describing why YOU want to win a mini session – scroll below the images to do that.

On Facebook:

  • Share the ‘Best of 2019‘ album on Facebook – here is a link to it.  To do so just click on the ‘Share’ link to share it on your wall and then let me know that you shared the album.  Otherwise I won’t know that you did and you won’t be able to participate in the drawing.

On Instagram:

I will randomly select 1 lucky voter from across all three platforms and this lucky individual will receive a 2020 mini session!

Bonus!!!

Everyone is a winner because if you book a new Full Length session while the contest is running (by March 7) you will receive a free gift valued at $150 with your order!  So if you are thinking about having a session with Stephanie Clement Photography anytime in 2020, NOW is a great time to book.  Again, you can hold your session anytime in 2020!

Please note:

  • Voting will run till the end of day on Saturday, March 7.
  • I will announce the winners on the blog on Wednesday, March 11.
  • Please keep things fair and vote only for one image – IP addresses will be monitored.
  • I reserve the right to disqualify entries or terminate/modify contest if necessary.
  • This content is not sponsored by Facebook or Instagram.

Now that all the details have been said, here are my favorite images of 2019!  Check out the finalists, cast your vote (using radio buttons below all images, FB and Instagram) and leave a comment below for the free session drawing.


Image #1: Big Sister Reflections (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Reflection of Big Sisters; beachReflection of Big Sisters

Image #2: Mom's Treasures (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Mom's Treasures

Image #3: Soon to be Big Sis (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Soon to be Big Sis

Image #4: Cousins (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Cousins

Image #5: Ballerina (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Ballerina

Image # 6: Teddy Sandwich (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Teddy Sandwich

Image #7: Family Time at the Meadow (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Family Time at the Meadow

Image #8: Sisters at the Beach (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Sisters at the Beach

Image #9: Senior in the Lavender (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Senior in the Lavender

Image #10: Quinceanera (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Quinceanera

Image #11: Reaching Out (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Fathers and Son

Image #12: Sisters, Friends (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Sisters, Friends

Image #13: Turning One (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Turning One

Image #14: Oops! (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Oops!

Image #15: Her World (vote using radio buttons below all images)

Her World

 


 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer best of 2017 child photographer contest family photographer newborn photographer thank you https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2020/2/best-of-2019-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Mon, 24 Feb 2020 23:40:27 GMT
Senior Session Memories | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2019/7/senior-session-memories-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma It's been way too long since I've blogged here so I thought it'd be fun to post a few favorite senior sessions from over the past couple years.  My August is starting to book up with the Andover year book deadline looming, but if you are an Andover student still need to get a session booked in August, I can still fit in a couple mini's, and if you're not an Andover student and have a little more wiggle room, even better, please reach out!

From the beach, to the city, to the gardens and meadows, your senior session can be catered to you!


 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover andover photographer beach beach session north andover photographer senior senior session yearbook yearbook photo https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2019/7/senior-session-memories-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Tue, 16 Jul 2019 22:29:57 GMT
Best of 2018 Contest | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2019/2/best-of-2018-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wow!  It's been a blur of a year, but it was a fantastic one!  I took thousands of photos last year and I am so excited to announce the 2nd annual Photo of the Year contest!  I want to give back to those who make my business possible --- YOU!  Now it is up to you and your family and friends to decide which image gets the title of "Best of the Year" and the prize that goes along with it!

There will be 4 winners:

1) The image with the most votes wins.  There are 3 ways to vote - the blog site, Facebook and Instagram.  To vote, cast your vote using the poll below (scroll all the way down to the end of the post, past images) and ‘like’ your favorite image in the ‘Best of 2018′ album on Facebook and on Instagram. The winner (an image with the most combined votes) will receive a 16×24 gallery or smaller wrapped canvas (valued at $400) of the winning image.  If the winner already has purchased a wall piece of the image, they may substitute another image from their gallery.

2) The Runner up will receive a $200 gift certificate to be used towards a full length session in 2018.

3) 2 random voters will receive a FREE spring mini session package valued at $270!  It can be YOU!  See below on how to enter in a drawing for a mini session.

How to win a Mini Session package:

There are THREE ways to win a mini session.  In order to increase your chances of winning you should do all of the following because each of the following will earn you an extra entry in the drawing:

On the Blog:

  • Leave a comment on the blog describing why YOU want to win a mini session – scroll below the images to do that.

On Facebook:

  • Share the ‘Best of 2018‘ album on Facebook – here is a link to it.  To do so just click on the ‘Share’ link to share it on your wall and then let me know that you shared the album.  Otherwise I won’t know that you did and you won’t be able to participate in the drawing.

On Instagram:

I will randomly select 2 lucky voters from across all three platforms and these lucky individuals will receive mini sessions!

Bonus!!!

Everyone is a winner because if you book a new Full Length session while the contest is running (by March 2) you will receive a free gift valued at $150 with your order!  So if you are thinking about having a session with Stephanie Clement Photography anytime in 2019, NOW is a great time to book.  Keep in mind you can hold your session anytime in 2019.

Please note:

  • Voting will run till the end of day on Saturday, March 2.
  • I will announce the winners on the blog on Wednesday, March 6.
  • Please keep things fair and vote only for one image – IP addresses will be monitored.
  • I reserve the right to disqualify entries or terminate/modify contest if necessary.
  • This content is not sponsored by Facebook or Instagram.

Now that all the details have been said, here are my favorite images of 2018!  Check out the finalists, cast your vote (using radio buttons below all images, FB and Instagram) and leave a comment below for the free session drawing.


Image #1: Sibling kisses

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #2: Quiet moment

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #3: Senior at the beach

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #4: Spinning

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #5: Patriots fan engagement

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image # 6: Little sister sandwich

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #7: Extended family session

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #8: Help!

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #9: Jump!

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #10: Kids' best friend

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #11: Stylin' on the bridge

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #12: Daddy's little princess

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #13: Teens in Boston

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #14: 4 girls at the beach

 

Image #15: Siblings at Public Garden

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #16: Pair at the meadow

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #17: Trapper hat family

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #18: April showers

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #19: Puppy love

 

  Entry for Best Photo of 2018!

Image #20: Crazy eye puppy

Entry for Best Photo of 2018!


 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer best of 2017 child photographer contest family photographer newborn photographer thank you https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2019/2/best-of-2018-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Sun, 17 Feb 2019 16:55:07 GMT
In home 6 month baby milestone studio session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Methuen MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/3/in-home-6-month-studio-session-stephanie-clement-photography-methuen-ma I primarily service my clients in outdoor, natural light or in the natural light of their home when there are new little ones in the family or the weather outside isn't quite cooperating.  Sometimes in these latter situations the client would like a classic studio look, so I can bring a small indoor studio to them!  We don't need much space at all - just a nice bright room (and I can supplement light if necessary) and a small place to put a backdrop stand.  With less than 5 feet, we can create your own in home studio which is great for baby/child milestones and cake smashes!

This family contacted me asking if I could perform this service for them as part of my baby plan session offerings - they had a studio session series for their first son and was interested in the same for the newest member of the family.  This little guy was such a treat to photograph for his 6 month milestone - so sweet and expressive!  I hope you enjoy this series as much as I had creating these images for them.  And I'm super excited to be photographing him for his 9 month and 1 year milestones as party of my Baby Plan offering.  Contact me if you'd like to learn more about indoor studio sessions or Baby Plans!

 

newborn, "3 month", "andover photographer", "baby photographer", "newborn photographer", "andover ma" newborn, "3 month", "andover photographer", "baby photographer", "newborn photographer", "andover ma" newborn, "3 month", "andover photographer", "baby photographer", "newborn photographer", "andover ma" newborn, "3 month", "andover photographer", "baby photographer", "newborn photographer", "andover ma" \

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) 6 month 6 month milestone andover photographer baby baby photographer baby plan child photographer in home studio session newborn photographer studio https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/3/in-home-6-month-studio-session-stephanie-clement-photography-methuen-ma Sun, 11 Mar 2018 22:38:55 GMT
Announcing the winner for Best Photo of 2017 | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/3/announcing-the-winner-for-best-photo-of-2017-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma First of all thank you to you all... thank you to the families I've come to know and love, thank you to the finalists who did a fantastic job promoting their images these past 2 weeks and thank you to all of you who have voted and entered in the mini session contest!


This is my first year running this contest and I am humbled that we have had almost 800 votes across the blog poll, Facebook and Instagram!  That is more interaction than I could have dreamed of!

So without further ado... here are the winners of the 1st Annual Stephanie Clement Photography Best Photo of 2017!!!

1.  The Grand Prize Winner, who will receive a 16x24" canvas of the winning image (with a total of 248 votes!!!!), is Image # 9 "The Chase".

2.  The Second Place Winner, who will win $200 towards a 2018 photo session, is Image # 8 "Magical Balloon".

3.  And lastly, the 2 winners of the Mini Session package valued at $250 is.... Stephanie Koehan and Megan Cuff!  Please email me ASAP at [email protected] to claim your prize!

Because I absolutely love each and every image that made it to the final round, I think they all deserve to be displayed in their respective homes.  All finalists will receive a 30% discount off a 16"x24" canvas.  Contact me by March 15th if you're interested.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer best photo child photography contest family photography https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/3/announcing-the-winner-for-best-photo-of-2017-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Thu, 01 Mar 2018 23:45:58 GMT
Best of 2017 Contest | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/2/best-of-2017-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma (scroll down to radio buttons at the bottom to vote)

It's time to start a new annual tradition - Stephanie Clement Photography's "Best of the Year" Contest!  I want to give back to those who make my business possible --- YOU!

Last year, I took thousands of photos and it was so hard to limit those to only 20.  Now it is up to you and your family and friends to decide which image gets the title of "Best of the Year" and the prize that goes along with it!

There will be 4 winners:

1) The image with the most votes wins.  There are 3 ways to vote - the blog site, Facebook and Instagram.  To vote, cast your vote using the poll below (scroll all the way down to the end of the post, past images) and ‘like’ your favorite image in the ‘Best of 2017′ album on Facebook and on Instagram. The winner (an image with the most combined votes) will receive a 16×24 gallery wrapped canvas (valued at $400) of the winning image.  If the winner already has purchased a wall piece of the image, they may substitute another image from their gallery.

2) The Runner up will receive a $200 gift certificate to be used towards a full length session in 2018.

3) 2 random voters will receive a FREE spring mini session package valued at $250!  It can be YOU!  See below on how to enter in a drawing for a mini session.

How to win a Mini Session package:

There are THREE ways to win a mini session.  In order to increase your chances of winning you should do all of the following because each of the following will earn you an extra entry in the drawing:

On the Blog:

  • Leave a comment on the blog describing why YOU want to win a mini session – scroll below the images to do that.

On Facebook:

  • Share the ‘Best of 2017‘ album on Facebook – here is a link to it.  To do so just click on the ‘Share’ link to share it on your wall and then let me know that you shared the album.  Otherwise I won’t know that you did and you won’t be able to participate in the drawing.

On Instagram:

I will randomly select 2 lucky voters from across all three platforms and these lucky individuals will receive mini sessions!

Bonus!!!

Everyone is a winner because if you book a new Full Length session while the contest is running (by February 28) you will receive a free gift valued at $150 with your order!  So if you are thinking about having a session with Stephanie Clement Photography anytime in 2018, NOW is a great time to book.  Keep in mind you can hold your session anytime in 2018.

Please note:

  • Voting will run till the end of day on Wednesday, February 28th.
  • I will announce the winners on the blog on Thursday, March 1.
  • Please keep things fair and vote only for one image – IP addresses will be monitored.
  • I reserve the right to disqualify entries or terminate/modify contest if necessary.
  • This content is not sponsored by Facebook or Instagram.

Now that all the details have been said, here are my favorite images of 2017!  Check out the finalists, cast your vote (using radio buttons below all images, FB and Instagram) and leave a comment below for the free session drawing.


Image #1: Daddy's Little Girl

daddy, daughterImage #1: Daddy's Little Girl

Image #2: The Whole Family

"pet photography", "family photography"Image #2: The Whole Family

Image #3: Thumbs Up!

siblingsImage #3: Thumbs Up!

Image #4: Who's Walking Who

"pet photography", "Boston Common"Image #4: Who's Walking Who?

Image #5: Sweetness

Image #5: Sweetness

Image #6: Daddy's Girls

Image #6: Daddy's Girls

Image #7: Make a Wish

Image #7: Make a Wish

Image #8: Magical Balloon

Image #8: Magical Balloon

Image #9: The Chase

Image #9: The Chase

Image #10: Siblings in the Meadow

Image #10: Siblings in the Meadow

Image #11: Parents to Be

Image #11: Parents to Be

Image #12: Family Love

Image #12: Family Love

Image #13: Bundle of Joy

Image #13: Bundle of Joy

Image #14: Mommy Hugs

Image #14: Mommy Hugs

Image #15: Class of 2018

Image #15: Class of 2018

Image #16: Big Brothers

Image #16: Big Brothers

Image #17: Solstice Stones Fun

Image #17: Solstice Stones Fun

Image #18: Teen Portrait

Image #18: Teen Portrait

Image #19: Sisters at Sunset

Image #19: Sisters at Sunset

Image #20: Teddy Tea Time

Image #20: Teddy Tea Time

Vote here!

 

Thank you!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer best of 2017 child photographer contest family photographer newborn photographer thank you https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2018/2/best-of-2017-contest-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wed, 14 Feb 2018 22:10:27 GMT
Thank you for a fantastic and rewarding 2017 | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover, MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/12/thank-you-for-a-fantastic-and-rewarding-2017 I've been remiss on blogging in quite some time but wanted to take a moment to thank you all for my best year yet!

Looking back at 2017 melts my heart. I love spending time with you all - playing with your kids, getting to know new families and catching up and building friendships with the returning ones. Thank you all for trusting me with capturing your special moments!

Happy New Year!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) 2017 andover photographer child photographer family photographer newborn photographer thank you video year end https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/12/thank-you-for-a-fantastic-and-rewarding-2017 Sun, 31 Dec 2017 20:45:56 GMT
Meadow Mini Sessions | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/9/meadow-mini-sessions-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Fall is such a beautiful time at one of my favorite spots in Andover.  If you hit it just right, the trees are bursting with color, and even if a little past, the richness of the grasses with the tree backdrop makes it a great spot to host a day of mini sessions.  Here's a sampling of some families who joined me last year.

I am currently planning on a day of mini's on October 14th.  Contact me to book yours!

family photography, brothers, siblingsMeado Mini Sessions family photography, brothers, siblingsMeado Mini Sessions family photography, brothers, siblingsMeado Mini Sessions family photography, brothers, siblingsMeado Mini Sessions

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer brothers child photographer family photographer meadow mini session siblings https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/9/meadow-mini-sessions-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wed, 20 Sep 2017 22:26:35 GMT
Sunflower Farm Full Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/sunflower-farm-full-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma The end of summer has us all busy trying to savor the last rays of summer sun and prepping for back to school, but it also leaves me excited for the much too short time window at our local sunflower farm for sunflower sessions!  Mini sessions are a great way to capture the beauty with your family and many know a photographer that offers those, but my favorite way to enjoy the farm is through the lens of a full length session.  They offer us more time at the farm which allows me to get more creative with my images, to give you more variety with your images, and to leverage all the beauty the farm has to offer.  Just behind the sunflowers is a beautiful field.  I time the session so we can leverage the beautiful colors the setting sun creates.  Check out some favorite images from a full length session from last year below.  Contact me to learn more or to book your session.

Sisters, sunsetSunflower field session, back field

Sunflowers, farm, sisters Sisters sunflower session, back field

sisters, sunset, sunflowersSisters sunflower session at sunset

sisters, sunflower fieldSisters at sunset in the sunflower fields sunflower, silhouette, sunset, sistersSunflower farm sunset silhouette

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer child photographer colby farm family photographer newbury photographer sunflower sunflower session https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/sunflower-farm-full-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Tue, 29 Aug 2017 22:22:02 GMT
Tea Party Sessions! | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/tea-party-sessions-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Now booking tea party sessions through the end of summer!  Perfect for your little one and their favorite furry friend, siblings, mom & dad and child/ren, your daughter and her BFF, possibilities are endless!  This concept can be scheduled as a mini session or as a portion of a longer family session.  Limited availability through September 1st.  Contact me for more information.

Teddy bear tea partyTeddy bear tea party Teddy bear tea partyTeddy bear tea party

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover photographer child photographer family photographer tea party https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/tea-party-sessions-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Tue, 08 Aug 2017 22:40:30 GMT
Time to book your senior sessions! | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/time-to-book-your-senior-sessions Your senior's last year hasn't started yet, but for many living in the Andover area, those yearbook photos have to be submitted by the end of September.  Before they get too busy with school activities, now is the perfect time to get their session on the calendar!  Depending on what you and your senior are looking for, I have several options ranging from a shorter mini session (great for the boys!) to a full session which allows for additional time to incorporate an interest into some of the images (instrument, sport, etc) and/or an extra outfit.  Contact me if you're interested in learning more!

highschool, senior, senior photography highschool, senior, senior photography highschool, senior, senior photography highschool, senior, senior photography

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) beach photography session high school senior senior senior photography teen photography https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/8/time-to-book-your-senior-sessions Sun, 06 Aug 2017 14:32:42 GMT
Holt Hill Family Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/6/holt-hill-family-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Can't beat a beautiful spring evening walking to the top of Holt Hill!  When this mom wanted to bring her family up there for their session, I knew that it would be a special one. Mom's goal was to have a portrait of each of her trio and then finish the session lifestyle fashion.  With 3 children under 6, it's all about playing so this worked out perfectly.

Once we got past the "are we there yet", "I'm thirsty" and "I need to go to the bathroom" stuff, we started with individual kid portraits on some rocks by the trees.  With little ones who love to run and play, giving them something to sit on or lean against helps to keep them focused for a few minutes.  

siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones

After I knew we had the individual portraits that mom wanted, we moved out to the beautiful lush green fields at the top of the hill for some family photos.  We were all about the fun - we played some games, the kids and I had some special secrets we kept from mom and dad - making it fun keeps the kid engaged in what we're doing and allows us to capture some pure and natural family interactions.  

siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones

siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones

Next we went back to photographing the kids together.  First we made some dandelion wishes and lastly played on the solstice stones.  They loved seeing the directions on the stones and telling time by standing on the top pillar.  You can see in the one image that we're all pointing North :).

siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones

siblings, toddler, child, child photography, solstice stones

Interested in planning your family's session?  Contact me for more information.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover andover family photographer andover photographer boston family photographer child photographer family photographer holt hill ward reservation https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/6/holt-hill-family-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wed, 21 Jun 2017 23:44:04 GMT
How to use those images: Kitchen doorway | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/6/how-to-use-those-images-kitchen-doorway-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma

 

Last year I posted a fun way to get a lot of images up on the wall in a small space using 5x5 square prints.  Here's another little project I recently completed that I wanted to share.

We live in a national historic district house (aka lots of doorways from french doors, low light and wall space is sometimes at a premium).  This little space between the main doorway into the kitchen has been an unused space that I've had my eye on but it's not a lot of real estate.  

I recently thought it would be fun to showcase my 4 kids here - both my human kids and my "fur kids".  To give it some visual interest I used both horizontal and vertical images. I also wanted to give them a little "pop!" so I printed them on metal which gives a bit more contrast and color and with it being in the kitchen makes it very easy for cleaning/less places for dust etc to settle.  I also went wide - instead of a standard size I went wider to custom 8"x12" dimension which fit the space better and worked well with the images I chose.

All client sessions include an in person gallery review and ordering session.  In these sessions, we work together to design beautiful pieces and displays custom to your home.  I retain all client images indefinitely so I can also design displays using past images or infuse past with current images.  Contact me to learn more!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover art boston child custom design family metal north personal photographer prints project wall https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/6/how-to-use-those-images-kitchen-doorway-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wed, 14 Jun 2017 18:07:51 GMT
1st Birthday Balloon Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/1st-birthday-balloon-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma This little sweetie, Annabelle, had a Baby Plan which means she has a 3 session package for her first year of life and we timed it for 3 months, 8 months when she was sitting and then 1 year old.  For her 1st birthday, mom wanted to do something extra special but not have a cake smash.  After going through a few ideas, we decided on a Dr. Seuss/hot air balloon theme.  

We started out doing a few photos with big brother and her family to get into the groove and then brought out a pastel rainbow of balloons attached to a fun basket.  She had fun in the basket but enjoyed it even more when we turned it upside down :).  

  1st birthday Dr. Seuss and Hot Air Balloon session 1st birthday Dr. Seuss and Hot Air Balloon session

Then we moved to a blanket for a few portraits and some Dr. Seuss book time with big brother.  He's so amazing with her and she absolutely adores him. 

1st birthday Dr. Seuss and Hot Air Balloon session

If you're interested in learning more about the Baby Plan package or would like to schedule your own family session, contact me.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover family photographer andover photographer boston family photographer child photographer north andover north andover family photographer north andover photographer pet photographer stevens coolidge place https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/1st-birthday-balloon-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-ma Wed, 31 May 2017 23:20:34 GMT
Football Inspired Senior Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/football-inspired-senior-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-photographer I love when seniors want to incorporate their passions into their senior session and this one was super fun to plan! To capture the variety Jordan and his family wanted, we split his session into 2 locations on 2 different dates - first starting at a local green space to capture some portraits and then moving to his high school's football field.  

We did some basic portraits at the first location.  These are perfect for the yearbook, printing for the home, family and friends, and to include in graduation announcements.

senior, high school, senior photographyAndover Senior Session

Next, we moved to the fields and had some fun!  Jordan was up for anything and I knew that I wanted to include all the aspects of the environment.  We started in the stands with the great lines of the bleachers, then moved to the goal post and finally wrapped up with a cool 50 yard line shot with him laying down resting on his helmet.

senior, senior photography, andover photographerAndover Senior Session

Mom loved all the images and really wanted a large wall piece that incorporated a selection of his football images so I worked with the family to create a collage of their favorite images which we printed large - 24x36.  It looks great framed on their wall! senior, senior photography, andover photographerAndover Senior Session

Even if your yearbook photos have been finalized and submitted, there's still time to schedule your own personalized senior session.  Contact me for more information!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover family photographer andover photographer boston family photographer child photographer high school high school session north andover north andover family photographer north andover photographer pet photographer senior photographer senior session stevens coolidge place https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/football-inspired-senior-session-stephanie-clement-photography-andover-photographer Thu, 25 May 2017 23:47:28 GMT
Spring Family Session at the Park | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/spring-family-session-at-the-park When this spring session lined up perfectly with blooming daffodils and apple trees, I was super excited to enjoy the space with this family!  This young family has a little one who just had her first birthday and the sweetest 2 year old lab you'll ever meet.

To schedule your spring session, contact me.

 

 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) andover family photographer andover photographer boston family photographer child photographer north andover north andover family photographer north andover photographer pet photographer stevens coolidge place https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/5/spring-family-session-at-the-park Fri, 12 May 2017 00:05:24 GMT
After the session - it doesn't stop there | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/2/after-the-session---the-artistic-process-doesnt-stop-there There's so much happening before your session - location decisions, outfit consultations, etc. - and then the session itself.  But for me, the process doesn't stop there, it's only just begun!  I thought it might be helpful to share what happens after your session, when I take your gorgeous images and add a dose of my artistic vision to each one.  

Portrait transformation

The first thing I do when I get home is download all the session images.  My family knows they can't even talk to me - I always make a beeline to my computer and download all the RAW files (we'll talk about what RAW is later!).  I've heard way too many horror stories of photographers who left the card in their camera only to find they accidentally delete them or have an issue.  Once they're on my computer, I know they are safe as I have them there and I have 2 separate backups running every day to a hard drive and to a secure cloud service.

Next, is the "culling" process.  I whittle out the less ideal images for a multitude of reasons - I look at composure, facial expressions, lighting - there are so many variables and if there are multiple family members in the images, I retain the best images for each person in a particular pose or moment.

After I have the reduced set of images, I do a first pass of editing in Lightroom.  I have an idea in my head of what I want each image to become.  I apply some basic adjustments such as exposure, highlights and shadows.  The RAW term I used before?  I shoot every image in RAW format as it captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. Because no information is compressed with RAW I'm able to produce higher quality images, as well as correct problem images that would be unrecoverable if shot in the JPEG format.  When your images are how I'd like them, then I open them in Photoshop.

In Photoshop, I have a basic process.  First, I remove anything I don't want in the image - I don't want anything in the image that will distract the eye from what I want the focus to be.  Some things I've removed - electric wires, trash in a park, a car, a leash on a dog, strands of hair in the wrong spot, a purse, an entire person, the list goes on and on! Second, if some "swaps" are needed, I apply those.  Swaps are so important when there are large group photographs and definitely when there are sessions with littles!  Littles are often on the go and are not going to want to stay in one spot with their family, so this is when head or expression swaps are so important.  Someone's eyes are closed in an image where everyone and everything else is perfect?  If I have a less ideal image where that person's eyes are open, then I swap it out.  I want every image to have the best starting point for the rest of my magic.  What don't I don't do?  My policy is that if there's something that could have been done in advance, then that is not included as a basic service (you can ask me for additional retouch costs though!).  Some of these include - touching up your roots, removing wrinkles - wrinkles from sitting in a car yes I do remove a few of those, wrinkles because your teenager didn't iron his shirt, that will be extra :).

Next, I crop each if necessary and then edit faces.  I zoom right up close and remove extra hair that may be distracting, brighten eyes, sharpen eyelashes, take care of blemishes and yes, even smooth out a wrinkle or two.  I don't like to over edit, but I do want everyone to look their best, so if a little woke up with a scratch on their face, a newborn has eczema or a teen has a pimple, I do take care of those in the most natural way possible.

Once that's all set, then I apply my artistic vision.  I create a vision for each session and that varies based on location, lighting, etc.  Based on the vision, I may have had to adjust for the brightness of the sky - do I need to pull back highlights or light out of the sky to pop the clouds, do I need to brighten the foreground/the individuals in the image to account for wanting to capture the definition in the sky.  Some other thoughts going through my head - do I want to warm up the image, do I want to add more light to the center of the image or draw the eye to a particular section by brightening or darkening it, do I want more contrast, do I want to brighten or add vibrancy to the color in the image, do I want to add more blur or sharpening, there are so many decisions to be made and it helps to be really adept at Photoshop to make my vision come to life.

And that, my friends, at a very high level is how I take those captures of a moment in time and transform them into beautiful art for your home.  This process takes time yes and hopefully you've come to appreciate a little why fine art photographers do charge a bit more than others, but it also takes a connection with each and every family member I photograph.  As I edit your images, I'm taken back to our session or even prior sessions if it's a family I've photographed a few times over the years, and I'm smiling, I'm remembering the funny things we did or what we talked about.  This is why I love what I do.

Included in this post are a couple "before and afters" of personal images I've taken in the past couple weeks so you can see the transformation.  

Portrait transformation

 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) editing my vision photoshop post processing session https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/2/after-the-session---the-artistic-process-doesnt-stop-there Mon, 06 Feb 2017 13:19:56 GMT
Photographing Winter | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover MA https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/1/photographing-winter Winter is my favorite season next to fall and for photography buffs (phone or DSLR, you know who you are!) it doesn't have to mean you have to take a break until spring.  It does mean you have to get creative some times though!  Like this morning, while it would have been lovely to get out there for a walk, the 8 degree temps definitely had me cozied up inside with my sweater and a hot cup of coffee.   I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite ways to satisfy that photography craving over these next winter months.  

And local folks... stay tuned... Assuming we don't stay with these sub 20 degree temps, I'm going to offer a free/no cost to you photo meet up locally for us to get out there, get some fresh air, share some photography tips and have some fun (kids and your/their point&shoot/phone/instant cameras will be welcome!).

#1 - play in the snow

This is the easiest one with all the snow we get in New England!  Last year was a bit of fluke for us and I'm already looking out the window at a blanket of white.  Although I hope my kids want to make snowmen and snow forts with me forever, with them in their tween/teen years, I know that time is coming to an end soon.  Document that!  And don't ask them to pose all the time - capture them being them.  Bright hats, scarves, mittens look so pretty against the blanket of white.  And don't forget your furry friends!  

photography, snow, audubon, airedale, portraitPlay outside!Photography fun in the snow!

#2 - take a walk

It's so easy to stay indoors but get out there!  Not only is it a way to get exercise but it will clear out those stuffy noses in a jiffy :).  Keep your eyes open for the beauty of your environment - wider scenes, the beauty of nature.

andover, nature, phillips academy, photographyTake a walk!Get some fresh air and take your camera!

#3 - go on a fieldtrip

Take advantage of what's around you.  My family loves to head into Boston and there is so much to offer.  We love the museums but my kids also love to take the elevator up to the top of the Prudential building - it's an awesome view and you can see everything from the river/MIT to the airport to Fenway and more!  There some fun interactive exhibits up there too.  My kids love the citizenship quiz game.  While you're experiencing these great things, don't ask your kids to pose, pretend you're a documentarian and just snap them exploring.  I love to look for reflections so I can hop in the picture too.  Or go on a factory tour - Taza in Somerville is a fun one!

photography, fieldtrip, prudential center, mfa, ica, tazaFieldtrip!Enjoy what your city has to offer!

#4 - play with flowers

Flowers can always brighten up our days - pamper yourself and buy some flowers next time you're at the store and have some fun with them!

flowers, photography, airedale, dog, iris, tulipPlay with flowers!Buy yourself some flowers and get creative!

#5 - get creative indoors

Document your time indoors!  I find this to be the easiest as the kids don't always need to know you're taking their picture!  Document your cooking and don't forget to get into the frame sometimes yourself!

indoor photography, new perspective, food photography, crafts, foodGet creative inside!Look at your every day and capture those moments!

#6 - take advantage of those small snippets of (relatively!) warm weather

Lastly, sometimes we luck out with warm weather!  Last year we had very warm (60's) days in January and we took advantage and went to the beach!  If your kids are like mine, they don't mind the cold ocean temps and will get their feet wet and if they do mind, just play in the sand, walk the beach looking for treasures and enjoy that warmth.

plum island, newburyport, beach, photography, winterTake advantage of the warmth!Get outside in the winter and take advantage of the warmth!

Stephanie Clement is a natural light family photography serving the Andovers and surrounding areas.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) family tips winter https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2017/1/photographing-winter Tue, 10 Jan 2017 13:37:19 GMT
Project 52: Catching Up with May and June's Images | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/7/project-52-catching-up-with-may-and-junes-images-andover-photographer May and June were busy - blissfully busy as the start of warmer weather and the end of school season always is.  And I was snapping away with my Project 266 (photo a day) and my Project 52.  Follow my project 366 here on instagram.

So this is a quick "catching up" post - I hope you enjoy my photos of the week as much as I enjoyed creating them!  I may have mentioned this before - I find this one much more challenging than the photo a day.  Following a prompt with busy days that turn into busy weeks makes it hard for me to have the time to think creatively and express the prompt the way I want or more often WHERE I want... there are only so many hours in a day :).  

Week 18: "Favorite Time of the Day" My favorite time of the day is sunset, I love to capture the beauty whereever I may be, I love to play with silhouettes.  Can do the same thing at sunrise but having to get up at 4:30am in the morning isn't happening these days :).

Week 19: "Mom" Same evening trip as week 18's photo... We decided to take a drive out to Rockport, MA which is well known for it's "Motif #1", a red fisherman's shack you see in the background.  We were exploring separately, me with my daughter, my husband with my son, and my daughter found this old rowboat overlooking the scene.  She was a month away from turning 11, so definitely on the edge of becoming a tween, and she sat in that boat while I was taking photos of Motif #1 and then asked if I'd hop in - that she was embarking for a pirate's island.  And in that moment I was so proud to be her mom and thrilled that she still has that imaginative play in her.

Week 20: "Up" We found ourselves at a really cool playground along the Charles River in Boston.  My kids were climbing, so I laid down on my back on the ground and shot straight up.

Week 21: "Relax" My 13yo doesn't allow me to take his photo much any more, but a toad crossed our path while playing badminton together.  He caught him and then he "relax"ed with the toad on his racket for a while.

Week 22: "Summer" Nothing says "summer" in New England much more than lobstah!  Our airedale wanted in on the action!

Week 23: "Fun" Fun for me this week was pausing for 15 minutes after an evening session at a local garden to photography the pretty roses.

Week 24: "Dad" We spent our Father's day at the Harvard Art Museum and then at a favorite bbq spot in Somerville, MA.  

Week 25: "Hot" Nothing much better than hanging out at a gorgeous park in VT at the end of a scorching day with the beautiful warm evening light watching your kids explore... in this case, my daughter on the swings.

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) photography project project 52 vacation https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/7/project-52-catching-up-with-may-and-junes-images-andover-photographer Mon, 11 Jul 2016 22:34:04 GMT
The Girl with the Infectious Smile | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/the-girl-with-the-infectious-smile-andover-photographer Anyone who knows this child knows she smiles... a lot.  And when you see her smile, you cannot help but smile also.  I wanted to start off with some basic portraits that would showcase her beautiful red locks and freckles with that smile and then we roamed around looking for something different to do.

I mentioned that I wished I brought some flowers and she said she knew where she could find some.  I'm so glad she did!  We did try to be serious, but that lasted only a few moments.  She had said her mom wanted her to try to be serious too ;).  

After the serious part, we got back to some fun.  Her dress was perfect for twirling.


Want to schedule your own spring "Just the Kids" session?  They meant are to capture your children in a way that everyone be relaxed and have some fun - that's how we capture the best moments!  Through our initial consultation we'll discuss your child/children favorite interests and design the session around that or we use that information to keep the session lots of fun.  Locations can be a stream, the beach, a garden property, hiking trails or even your own house or backyard - and if you don't have any ideas, I have plenty we can choose from!  We can do a relaxed, informal session or plan around activity like kite flying, fishing, playing with parachutes, bubbles or balloons, the possibilities are endless.  And then our session isn't only fun, it's also a memory.  If you' are interested in portraits, we'll do some of those too.  Contact me to learn more.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) child historic building portrait spring tween https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/the-girl-with-the-infectious-smile-andover-photographer Wed, 01 Jun 2016 02:28:08 GMT
Father's Day Framed Fine Art Special! 25% Off! | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/fathers-day-framed-fine-art-special-25-off-andover-photographer 2015 and 2016 clients!

For Father's Day this year, make use of your images from your session and order a framed fine art print for the special Dad in your life!  The special runs through May 31st to give plenty of time for delivery!  Contact me to learn more!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) father's day promo sale https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/fathers-day-framed-fine-art-special-25-off-andover-photographer Wed, 18 May 2016 00:09:14 GMT
Sweet Twin Boys | An Abbreviated Newborn Session | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/sweet-twin-boys-an-abbreviated-newborn-session-andover-photographer I was so happy when J and J's mom reached out for me to do their newborn session!  Mom wanted a few awesome images for her baby announcement - she had tried on her own, and quickly realized she needed some help and needed it quickly.  

We designed an abbreviated session targeting exactly what they were looking for.  Newborn sessions typically take up to 2 hours, even longer with twins, with most of the time spent feeding, changing and soothing :).  But with a target in mind, we focus on that target and then anything else in the hour was icing on the cake!  I'm so glad I was able to help them out.  Such a sweet mom and dad and sweet twin boys.  

Mom had two outfits and backdrops in mind - more neutral leveraging their nursery rug and then white/bright with their quilt.  We started with the rug and right on queue - neither twin wanted to sleep at the same time so we went with it!  one was bright eyed and even gave us a slight smile and the other after some soothing was out for the count.  As they weren't swaddled, we ensured we got the "twenty toes" pic for their announcement.  Tougher than it seems!  Awake newborns without swaddling are all about the kick!  Given they weren't both quieted down in this outfit we agreed we would move on and focus on the together poses swaddled with the white quilt.

The white wraps and animal themed quilt proved to be a great decision - the swaddling definitely helped sooth them.  Sleepy boy continued to sleep and awake boy tried really hard to keep those eyes open.  We got a couple shots with the two of them where it looks like he's whispering secrets into his brothers ear.

We found the basket was the only way they were truly happy.  The nestled in feeling settled both of them.  We took some of them both in the basket and then were able to get some sweet shots with their coordinating animal friends for their announcement.

I don't ordinarily recommend an abbreviated session like this for newborns, but if mom/dad can set priorities and be happy with about 5 similar poses and then everything else is icing on the cake, then I'm happy to oblige and make it work.  The outfit switch for these guys was an aggressive goal but we made it :).


 

I highly recommend my "Welcome to our Family" sessions which are meant to be an experience - first of all we relax, we keep things natural, and then we spend most of our time capturing YOU interacting with the newest member(s) of your family and then I also spend time with the baby ensuring we capture every precious little morsel.  Later when they're older and grown, these images will be a treasure and will bring you back to that moment when your little one entered the world.  They are best scheduled when the baby is between 5 and 14 days old, but if you missed that time window any time is always a great time to photograph babies!  I also help you with announcements and print/wall products. Contact me to learn more.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) babies baby child family newborn newborn photography twins https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/sweet-twin-boys-an-abbreviated-newborn-session-andover-photographer Tue, 03 May 2016 11:07:02 GMT
Announcement: Spectrum Inspired Photographer | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/spectrum-inspired-andover-photographer I am so excited to announce that I have been selected to join the international organization Spectrum Inspired which connects families touched by autism to a talented pool of lifestyle photographers.  As part of this relationship I will be offering a 30% session discount to these families.  

Their mission:

"Spectrum Inspired is an organization that connects families touched by Autism to professional photographers who have a true passion for celebrating every child’s unique spirit."

Why was a driven to join this talented group of professionals?  My own family has been touched with autism, I have friends whose families have been touched by autism and I have photographed children with autism.   So I have walked the path.  I understand firsthand that it's not always easy to capture the innocence and spirit of these children and that professional photography is not often able to be a family's priority.  I understand firsthand the unpredictability and I understand the struggles that may arise.  I understand firsthand why many families fear having a third party have a peek into their lives.  But I also understand that these children are very special to us, they have unique expressions and emotions just like any other child, their families want to concrete those memories in photographs, and that these children deserve to be seen.

The organization understands the financial burden often placed on these families, so there is also a scholarship fund available.  Visit their website to learn more and complete the application process.  Please share if you know a family who might be interested.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) autism lifestyle portrait spectrum inspired https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/5/spectrum-inspired-andover-photographer Mon, 02 May 2016 12:51:47 GMT
Project 52: April's Images | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/project-52-aprils-images-andover-photographer April has come to a close - what amazing weather we have had here in New England!  Still, we were able to get away for the kids' spring break to Mexico.  The trip was amazing and we'd definitely put it on our list for a return trip some day.  You can check out some of my iphone photos here.  I also used our time here to catch up on a few weeks of the project 52 challenge.

The prompts this month were:

  • Spring - I went with the "spring break" theme.  After last winter, we vowed we wouldn't be here.  So much snow!  So this week I used a sunrise photo I did on the coast of Cancun.
  • Emotion - I chose "joy".  This is my daughter having an awesome time wave jumping.
  • Humor - This was a hard one.  I waited and waited for inspiration for this one.  I ended up photographing our 2.5 year old Airedale at a local park.  I hadn't done a portrait of her in some time and if anyone knows the breed, you know that they're clowns.  And clowns = humor!
  • Flower - Tulip.  I felt this top down, almost symmetrical composure needed the square crop and thought it converted nicely.  I like the stark contrast.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Boston Photographer Child Photographer beach pet photographer photography project project 52 vacation https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/project-52-aprils-images-andover-photographer Sun, 01 May 2016 01:21:59 GMT
A Girl and Her Dog | A Spring Session | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/a-girl-and-her-dog-a-spring-session-andover-photographer

I love when pets join us on our sessions!  Typically a dog or two, sometimes a kitten and even once a cockatoo!  

This little girl brought her "brother" along to her spring garden session.  He is such a sweet, old soul.  Including him was very meaningful as he was getting along in his years and unfortunately I was sad to learn that later he had passed away.  I'm so glad I could photograph these siblings and concrete these cherished moments for them in photographs.  

He joined us in the garden for a bit and then we had some fun.  Miss A is a beautiful, spunky spirit!


Want to schedule your own spring "Just the Kids" session?  They meant are to capture your children in a way that everyone be relaxed and have some fun - that's how we capture the best moments!  Through our initial consultation we'll discuss your child/children favorite interests and design the session around that or we use that information to keep the session lots of fun.  Locations can be a stream, the beach, a garden property, hiking trails or even your own house or backyard - and if you don't have any ideas, I have plenty we can choose from!  We can do a relaxed, informal session or plan around activity like kite flying, fishing, playing with parachutes, bubbles or balloons, the possibilities are endless.  And then our session isn't only fun, it's also a memory.  If you' are interested in portraits, we'll do some of those too.  Contact me to learn more.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) child garden pet photography portrait spring tween https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/a-girl-and-her-dog-a-spring-session-andover-photographer Thu, 28 Apr 2016 01:22:00 GMT
Phonetography - tips & favorite apps | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/phonetography---tips-favorite-apps-andover-photographer

My family just returned from a fabulously relaxing time away in Mexico.  When packing for the trip, I definitely wanted to bring my "big girl camera" and lenses as we were staying at a beautiful resort with it's own nature preserve complete with coral reef (highly recommend Club Med Cancun!) and had some fun cultural excursions planned.  But I also knew my kids didn't want to be constantly under the microscope either and I didn't want to lug my equipment around.  So for most of the trip I simply used my iPhone 6s.  Phones can take awesome quality photos these days - they wouldn't do well for large prints, but for supplementary memory documentation for an album I plan on making, it certainly does the trick!  And beyond the phone, there are some great apps out there to give better control of the capture and post editing.  I'll share my favorites here, what I love about each and my workflow.  I do edit every photo I plan on utilizing.  Once you've practiced a bit, it really doesn't take a lot of time.

The apps I use the most are: Camera+, VSCO, Retouch and Tadaa.  I also sometimes utilize Mextures and PicTapGo.  Mextures gives some great effects for lighting, black and white emulsions and landscape enhancers.  PicTapGo I use for quick shares with family and friends or posting images to Facebook.  I find this one degrades the image quality quite a bit so I use it for images I don't plan on printing but that I do want to enhance a bit - crop, sharpen, brighten, etc.  Not all of these are available for android, but there are similar ones out there.  The links I provide below are all for idevices.

So here goes my workflow.

Capturing the image.  I most always use Camera+.  It does have a small cost of $2.99 but it does give you better control by allowing you to easily touch the screen for point of focus and point of exposure.  You get 2 icons to move around your screen.  By assigning the point of focus, you get the control of where you want the focus to be rather than the camera which is great for all sorts of uses but particularly good when you're photographing people.  Assigning the exposure ensures it compensates for for light properly.  There are great bonus controls like Macro and Burst.

Editing the image.  Here is where I follow a workflow and may end up using 1 - 3 apps on my phone to finalize an image.

  1. Is there anything I want to remove in my image?  If so, I use TouchRetouch which is free.  This helps remove distracting elements - an individual, a car, a sign.  I used this app in both the "sombrero teddy" and black and white "departing" images.  For the teddies, there was an outlet & light switch on the wall that distracted the eye from remaining focused on the teddies.  I was able to use my finger to lasso the outlet and click a process button.  It takes a sample from what is around the area you're removing to make the replacement.  In the black and white, there was an individual on the left close to the wall that I didn't want to include, so I did the same there.  If you have a busy scene, it sometimes doesn't work quite right, but practice with zooming way in and you'll find it works quite well!
  2. Do I want to add creative blur, straighten or crop to my image?  If so, I use Tadaa which is also free.  I like this app for cropping as it gives me one additional option for crop of 16x9 and has an easy straightening tool which is great for landscapes or if there are lots of lines in the image.  I also use this to add lens blur which doesn't happen often on the phone.  Adding lens blur adds more focus on the subject matter.  I utilized this on the image at Tulum (the stone temple along the ocean) and on the black and white.  In the temple image, I wanted to create some foreground blur to help draw the eye right to the structure.  I did this to the black and white as well as I didn't want the foreground walkway or the thatch beach umbrellas to be an area of focus.  They were part of my composition, but not where I wanted the eye to land, so blurring helped put the focus on the great lines of the structure over the wallkway and my kids waiting underneath.
  3. What is my artistic vision for the image?  This is where I decide whether to use VSCO (free with in app purchases for additional filters) or Mextures ($1.99) and then I'll use the same app to enhance anything else like exposure, contrast, highlights/shadows, sharpening, etc.  Most often I will use VSCO. First, I will choose a filter - there are free ones and also some available for purchase.  There are a few that I typically use and there are both color and black & white.  Once you start utilizing the app, you'll find your favorites - those that match your style and preferences for the end result.  And then sometimes, I don't even use a filter if the image is how I want it.  After the filter is applied, then I go into settings which are all controlled by easy sliders.  Image too bright/dark, adjust the exposure.  Add some sharpening, clarity or contrast.  If it's a bright day, I will often play with the highlights and shadows which will pull back detail or eliminate shadows on faces.  

Posting the image.  I have a personal facebook account which is very straightforward.  If you love photography, I highly suggest instagram.  There are a lot of great individuals to follow and it's fun to see what others are doing and even connect with local businesses.  I have both a business page and personal page.  I keep my business page primarily for posting sneak peeks for some of my sessions and promotions.  My personal page I use mostly for my Project 366 (this is a leap year) - a photo a day, every day.  

This sounds like a lot, I know.  And usually I go right to step 3 which takes just a minute once you've practiced and found what you like to use.  But it does make a difference and can make your images shine!  Feel free to comment, message or email me if you have any questions or if you'd like some guidance on getting started!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) iphone phone photography phonetography https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/phonetography---tips-favorite-apps-andover-photographer Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:02:08 GMT
Project 52: March Images | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/project-52-march-images-andover-photographer I find this "project 52" much more difficult - I'm following the weekly prompts and it's much harder for me to stay inside that box.  Not necessarily because of the being forced to be creative to achieve the prompt, but all week long I wonder if another idea will pop up and often I end up being behind.  I'm so proud for wrapping up the past 5 weeks only one day late :).  I did end up taking these very much backwards as the opportunity arose.

Week 9 - Self Portrait - It's a bit ironic but I don't like being in pictures!  This week pushed me to get in the frame.  I had a lot of fun with this one.  My daughter and I went to this favorite spot in a nearby mill town.  She posed, I applied the settings as I wished, then we switched spots and she clicked for me.  Took a few dozen to get a sharp enough image but I think we made a pretty good team!

Week 10 - Rule of Thirds - A few thirds in this image : the horizon, her left foot which is the focal point, her shadow which is also a leading line to her.

Week 11 - Green - This was the hard one.  Green was a prompt for St. Patrick's Day week but I just wasn't finding any inspiration.  This artichoke was part of our Easter dinner.

Week 12 - Favorite - A few favorites here... my favorite girl, in one of my favorite places to photograph, with one of my favorite photography techniques, the silhouette. 

Week 13 - Your Choice - Loved how this old ship hull framed the church, street light and buildings in Salem, MA.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Boston Photographer Child Photographer beach food photography pet photographer photography project project 52 self portrait silhouette https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/4/project-52-march-images-andover-photographer Sat, 02 Apr 2016 01:13:27 GMT
Sweet Baby A | Newborn Home Session | Woburn / Andover Baby Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/3/sweet-baby-a-newborn-home-session-woburn-/-andover-baby-photographer I met this family last fall for a family session when they were expecting sweet baby A.  Big brother and sister are a fun pair with great energy and I just loved watching little sister mimic everything her big brother does.  It's very evident she loves him very much and looks up to him!

Fast forward to this February when Miss A entered the world and I was invited to photograph Miss A and her family.  I love home lifestyle sessions, particularly with newborns and their families.  This is where families spend their time, create their memories, spend their time and I feel honored every time to be welcomed into their homes to capture those precious moments.  And with Big Brother and Big Sister being young themselves, this allows them to be super comfortable and in their own space.  

We don't need a lot of room for these sessions.  Many clients think that they could never have a photographer come to their house - it's too small, it's too dark, they don't have time to clean.  That is all ok!  I have 2 kids of my own and I've been there and continue to be there.  Almost always I can find a nice bright spot and worst case I have some artificial light to help.  For this session we started in their kitchen/small play space where there was a nice large sliding glass door to the back yard.  It created some very pretty light to take some photos with Miss A in the basket solo, with her parents and siblings.

Next, we moved to the master bedroom.  Bed photos are so much fun for everyone!  Usually there's some nice bright light and it's where kids love to snuggle up for a story with their parents so older siblings always have a blast.  In these images we have baby girl as the focus with her family surrounding her with lots of joy and love.

"Welcome to our Family" sessions are meant to be an experience - first of all we relax, we keep things natural, and then we spend most of our time capturing YOU interacting with the newest member(s) of your family and then I also spend time with the baby ensuring we capture every precious little morsel.  Later when they're older and grown, these images will be a treasure and will bring you back to that moment when your little one entered the world.  They are best scheduled when the baby is between 5 and 14 days old, but if you missed that time window any time is always a great time to photograph babies!  I also help you with announcements and print/wall products. Contact me to learn more.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) babies baby child family newborn newborn photography https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/3/sweet-baby-a-newborn-home-session-woburn-/-andover-baby-photographer Thu, 17 Mar 2016 01:20:49 GMT
Project 52: February's Images | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/3/project-52-februarys-images-andover-photographer I'm still continuing along the Project 52 journey but got really swamped for a few weeks so I just finished up week 8 today, whoops!  For those who missed my first post of the year, you can check that out here.

The next 4 weeks' themes were:

  • Week 5 - Lifestyle - A trip to Plum Island on a warm day the first week of February.  Rare treat for New England!
  • Week 6 - Red - Raspberries macro style.
  • Week 7 - Love - I had planned on using a portrait of my daughter and I but she grabbed one of her favorite teddies, Arthur, and this just screamed "love" to me.
  • Week 8 - Makes me happy - I'm a transplant from Pennsylvania.  Living in Massachusetts where we can be out and about and take a spontaneous trip to the beach makes me very happy.  It makes me happier to watch my kids have fun in 40 degree water - crazy, I know, but they have always loved taking advantage of the warmer air and super cold ocean temps in the spring (or winter, I guess!)

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Boston Photographer Child Photographer pet photographer photography project project 52 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/3/project-52-februarys-images-andover-photographer Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:26:36 GMT
Why you should print and display your family's photographs https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/why-you-should-print-and-display-your-familys-photographs Today's culture centers around digital technology and it is so easy to snap a photo now that everyone has a camera with them everywhere they go --- via their cell phone.  We capture these moments.  Many of us will text, email, Facebook or Instagram them to share with friends and loved ones.  I utilize these methods just as much as the next person - post a photo of my children and their friends at the Science Fair or a concert or enjoying time outdoors.  It's quick, it's easy and being a transplant in Massachusetts it's such an easy way for grandparents and other family and friends to stay connected in my family's life.  Kids grow up too fast, sharing these moments help stay connected.

But how many of those images have you printed?  And of those you printed, how many are on display in your home?  

Let's discuss the printing concern first.

We're living in a world where technology is advancing faster than it ever has before.  10 years ago or even 5 years ago, did we know how iPhones, iPads and android devices would transform how we communicate and interact with each other?  Our images are stored on all these devices, on our computers.  Many of these devices break, they are lost and so are our precious images of our families.  And then there are those of us who diligently back up our files and studies have shown that even then we have to be aware of "software rot".  Software rot is data that becomes unusable as the hardware and software required to access it disappears. Anyone who's tried to access old word processor documents, get data off a floppy disk, or an old VHS or cassette tape knows how annoying it can be.  When we don't print, we leave ourselves susceptible to having those captured milestones and moments being lost forever.  The safest way to ensure we don't fall victim to our images being unreadable is simply to print them.  And better yet, store those prints in a safe, environmentally controlled place.

Next, the display of those prints.

The photographs of your family belong on the walls and tables of your home.  And beyond being a great way to decorate your home, there are other benefits as well!

Psychologists have studied the effect of having family photographs displayed in the home and found that those children with photographs displayed in the home grew up with greater confidence and sense of belonging than those who didn’t. They had stronger feelings of value and a better understanding of where they came from.

And it's not just our children who benefit.  When I'm having a rough day (we all have them -- sad news, children are fighting like cats and dogs, long work days), seeing the photographs of my kids and family are a sure way to boost my spirits and put a smile on my face.  It won't solve your problems for sure, but every time I pass the wall where I hang both my childrens' 6th month milestone pictures, it gives me a little boost and forces me to pause and be thankful for the people that I have in my life.  

Lastly these framed prints, these wall hangings, the keepsake albums... those are what our future generations will treasure.  I love to go through my grandparents' photo albums.  Not only does it capture the memories, it connects us to the past, to our heritage.  Just picture your children or your childrens' children stumbling across an old box of prints or an old album.  Now if it were a DVD or a flash drive, would they bother to load it up on a computer or would they even be able to due to quickly changing technology?  

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) keepsake albums printing your images wall gallery https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/why-you-should-print-and-display-your-familys-photographs Sun, 28 Feb 2016 23:30:00 GMT
December Meadow Session | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/meadow-session-andover-photographer The warmer temps and the golden late afternoon light this winter take me back to this December session at a local meadow.  

I love this location, it offers so much beauty all four seasons.  This particular afternoon was just perfect - the autumn leaves had all fallen, but what was left behind was a lovely blend of golden and brown tones which played off the afternoon sun.  

"The Whole Family" sessions are to capture your family in a way that everyone be relaxed and have some fun - that's how we capture the best moments!  Through our initial consultation we'll discuss what your family likes to do together or where you like to spend time and we plan your session around that.  Locations can be the beach, a garden property, hiking trails or even your own house or backyard - and if you don't have any ideas, I have plenty we can choose from!  We can do a relaxed, informal session or plan around activity like kite flying, fishing, playing with parachutes, apple picking, the possibilities are endless.  And then our session isn't only fun, it's also a family memory.  If you' are interested in portraits, we'll do some of those too.  Contact me to learn more.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) family golden hour lifestyle meadow portrait tweens winter https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/meadow-session-andover-photographer Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:43:08 GMT
Winter Headshot Session | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/winter-headshots-andover-photographer Where I mainly focus on newborns, children and families, it's not often I get a request for headshots.  When Jennessa from Celebrate Studios and Just Jennessa reached out and was up for an outdoor winter headshot shoot, I was super excited for the opportunity!  

I plan my winter sessions very loosely - we have lucked out with temps in the Boston area, but even for the sessions where bundling up fits in with the style, we want to keep temps at a certain level with low wind and little to no precipitation.  So with Jennessa, we did the same.  We targeted a week and put a plan A and plan B on the calendar and sure enough, we got hit with a snowstorm and ended up with "plan B" and I'm so glad we did.  The afternoon winter light was just perfect and added a beautiful boost to her images.  

Looking for an updated, fresh looking headshot?  Contact me to learn more.

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Phillips Academy adult headshots portrait winter https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/winter-headshots-andover-photographer Sat, 13 Feb 2016 16:35:17 GMT
Kickoff to my Project 52: January's Images | Andover Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/kickoff-to-my-project-52-januarys-images-andover-photographer For those who followed along last year, you know that I LOVE photography projects!  Last year I completed my "project 365" - a photo a day, every day.  This year, I'm doing 2 projects... a "project 52" - a photo a week using a prompt (I plan to blog those images) and a "project 366" - it's leap year!  this project will be 99% phone photography based and shared only on my personal instagram page.

I'm excited to do the Project 52 with fellow photography friends this year not only for the continued comradery but I'm going to try my best to use the weekly prompt.  I find it so much easier to "shoot what you feel" rather than being limited to a single prompt.  It forces creativity.  Photographers will sometimes do similar by setting other limits - only a single lens, a single subject, etc. 

The first 4 weeks' themes were:

  • Week 1 - New Beginnings - A best friend's newborn twins.
  • Week 2 - Outside - Tree at sunset.
  • Week 3 - Up Close - My pup's smile.
  • Week 4 - Light - Frozen bubble.  (not quite cold enough, will hopefully be trying this again soon!)

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Boston Photographer Child Photographer pet photographer photography project project 52 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/kickoff-to-my-project-52-januarys-images-andover-photographer Tue, 09 Feb 2016 18:25:46 GMT
Family Session at Andover Town Green | Andover Family Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/family-session-at-andover-town-green-andover-family-photographer Winter sessions are some of my absolute favorites and those at locations which have special meaning to the family makes it even better!  I was excited when this family reached out and wanted to schedule one at our beautiful town green.  They has a wonderful fun and loving energy as you'll see in some of their images below.

"The Whole Family" sessions are to capture your family in a way that everyone be relaxed and have some fun - that's how we capture the best moments!  Through our initial consultation we'll discuss what your family likes to do together or where you like to spend time and we plan your session around that.  Locations can be the beach, a garden property, hiking trails or even your own house or backyard - and if you don't have any ideas, I have plenty we can choose from!  We can do a relaxed, informal session or plan around activity like kite flying, fishing, playing with parachutes, apple picking, the possibilities are endless.  And then our session isn't only fun, it's also a family memory.  If you' are interested in portraits, we'll do some of those too.  Contact me to learn more.

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Town Green family pets portrait teen winter https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/2/family-session-at-andover-town-green-andover-family-photographer Thu, 04 Feb 2016 23:21:40 GMT
A Very Special Adoption - Newborn Twin Session | Andover Baby Photographer https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/1/a-very-special-adoption---newborn-twin-photography-andover-baby-photographer I am so thrilled that this session was my very first of 2016!  

When you're a photographer and a best friend who lives a few states away adopts twins, you pack up your gear and road trip!  Of course I loved catching up with mom and dad and their furchild (cute photo of him acknowledging that the twins have rocked his world below), but I'll admit the photography session for the little prince and princess was the pinnacle and of course we already have some of their milestone sessions already planned out :).  "Auntie Steph" couldn't help but splurge on the cute little frog prince and princess knit hats.

My "Welcome to our Family" sessions are meant to be an experience - first of all we relax, we keep things natural, and then we spend most of our time capturing YOU interacting with the newest member(s) of your family and then I also spend time with the baby ensuring we capture every precious little morsel.  Later when they're older and grown, these images will be a treasure and will bring you back to that moment when your little one entered the world.  They are best scheduled when the baby is between 5 and 14 days old, but if you missed that time window any time is always a great time to photograph babies!  I also help you with announcements and print/wall products. Contact me to learn more.

"andover baby photographer", "north andover baby photographer", "boston baby photographer"Newborn Twins Photography Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover Baby Photographer "andover baby photographer", "north andover baby photographer", "boston baby photographer"Newborn Twins Photography Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover Baby Photographer "andover baby photographer", "north andover baby photographer", "boston baby photographer”Newborn Twins Photography Session | Stephanie Clement Photography | Andover Baby Photographer

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) babies baby child family newborn newborn photography twins https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2016/1/a-very-special-adoption---newborn-twin-photography-andover-baby-photographer Wed, 27 Jan 2016 11:49:45 GMT
Project 365: December's Catch Up https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/12/decembers-catch-up Wow!  December was a blur with wrapping up the busy season of family sessions and then Christmas festivities!  I just realized I haven't shared my images in a while (though I have been taking photos every day).  There are 5 more days left of this project!

Week of November 29:

This week was the start of the Christmas season for me - Grandma was visiting for Thanksgiving, I took the pups' photos in their hats and Holly the Elf came back from the north pole.  

Week of December 6:

I began the week with a celebration of the end of my busy season with a Boston Holiday Lights photo walk.  It was great to get down there with fellow photographers!  I tried a self portrait in an ornament, my son had his first concert with his band (he's singing Pink Floyd in this image) and a few other fun shots.

Week of December 13:

I dedicated this week to favorite ornaments... from the top... This montage is a reminder of our first pups before babies - our Scottie Chester and our Airedale Kayley, the next one is a reminder of our wonderful trip to Ireland, the next montage is for our current Airedales - our breeder gave us the two handmade stockings last year, the glass tree is part of a wedding gift, Hershey's Cocoa is dedicated to where I grew up in PA, we got the next one on our honeymoon in Hawaii + my grandmother always played this song at Christmastime and lastly, this Santa is from a cute little French shop in town and was in my stocking a few years back.

Week of December 20:

Christmas week!  More elf shenanigans, a naughty kitty on the table, cookie decorating, an xmas portrait of the kids and one of our Airedales refusing to leave the room as my daughter played with her new robot.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Andover Photography Boston Boston Photographer Child Photography Christmas pets portrait project project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/12/decembers-catch-up Mon, 28 Dec 2015 03:05:00 GMT
Project 365: Another 3 weeks of images! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/11/another-3-weeks-of-images Another few weeks have passed and I've been taking my photos but have just found time to post them on my blog.  Even if it's 9:30pm at night when I remember to take a photo, I am thankful to have that pause in my day.

Week starting 11/8:

  • Pretty sunset, taken at the tree farm after a day full of mini sessions.
  • Horseback riding prep.
  • Homework
  • Frost
  • Our pup smelling my flowers.
  • We stumbled upon a Ben Affleck movie set!
  • Another beautiful sunset.

Week starting 11/15:

This was a fun a week!

  • Magnificent tree at Minuteman National Park in Concord MA.
  • Drum performance time!
  • "Mindflex"
  • "Eye"
  • Dried blossoms along a pond.
  • Mancala

Week starting 11/22:  

Winding down from a weekend of tree farm mini sessions (12!) and Thanksgiving with family leads to either end of day or family shots :).  So thankful for all the wonderful people in my life.

  • Our 2 year old Airedale giving me "the eye".
  • Our 1 year old Airedale - the nose knows!
  • Funny shot from my kids' xmas card photo session.
  • Our tree with just the lights.
  • Beautiful day spent in Boston with grandma!
  • Thanksgiving cousin football time, complete with mustaches!
  • Birthday celebrations.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Andover Photography Boston Boston Photographer Child Photography Family Photography birthday portrait project365 sunset https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/11/another-3-weeks-of-images Mon, 30 Nov 2015 00:26:25 GMT
Project 365: Busy Season is Here! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/11/busy-season-is-here Fall is the start of a family photographer's busy season - everyone loves photos with the changing leaves and as Halloween passes the scramble for holiday gifts and cards begin.  I did take my photos every day, but I'm just slow at posting them here.  Here are 3 weeks worth :)!

Week starting October 18

I tried embracing autumn this week - the colors were starting to fade and there were more leaves on the ground than in the trees.

  • My daughter on her end of lesson trail ride.
  • Each of our Airedales having some leaf fun.
  • Reflections at a local state park.
  • Evening at an old mill building.
  • My daughter playing with leaves.
  • A headless horseman at a local "haunted trail" Halloween event.

Week starting October 25

Halloween week!

  • My kids in their costumes - headless horseman and "anime kitty cat".
  • Our youngest Airedale as "Mr T", complete with mohawk and chains.
  • My daughter on the crest of a hill at night.
  • I tried "spookifying" my daughter.  This photo was taken inside late at night against a plain wall and I added textures and elements.
  • My daughter's pumpkin book report project - book entitled "Woof".
  • Someone decided she wasn't going to help make the scarecrow any longer.
  • Reflection of a statue in a pond at a favorite artist's property.

Week starting November 1

  • I participated in a craft fair - very interesting and fun experience!
  • A church at a local college.
  • A pear on my dining room table, playing with artificial light.
  • The day after Halloween we let the kids pick out some candy to decorate some pancakes for lunch.
  • I <3 this season.
  • Love photographing the donkeys while my daughter does her riding lesson.
  • Beautiful reflection taken on the way home from a session.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Andover Photography Boston Boston Photographer Child Photography Family Photography autumn halloween portrait project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/11/busy-season-is-here Fri, 13 Nov 2015 02:25:16 GMT
Project 365: Fall is here! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/fall-is-here My favorite time of the year!  these are my favorite colors, my favorite temps... nothing's better than jeans and a favorite sweater, boots and a walk with the changing leaves.  The foliage season is very whacky this year with the warm spell last month, we're just starting to get there now.

  • My 2 fur-kids at the park.  Double trouble!
  • My daughter at riding lessons, a favorite time for me to take pictures.
  • Looking up, love the contrast of the foliage against the bright blue sky.
  • Tried a new photoshop technique.  I blended a foliage photo with a portrait of our 2 year old Airedale.
  • I had no clue Harriet Beecher Stowe was buried in town, stumbled upon the grave site by accident.
  • A fun swing ride at the Renaissance Faire.
  • Last bite of the cider donut - a New England autumn tradition.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Photographer Andover Photography autumn horses pets project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/fall-is-here Mon, 19 Oct 2015 21:47:17 GMT
2015 Holiday Mini Sessions Now Available! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/2015-holiday-mini-sessions-now-available Now booking HOLIDAY MINI SESSIONS!

*** Book before the end of October and receive a promo code for $20 off cards, prints or canvases! (no obligation to purchase, you get a full print release for your images!) ***

I'm so excited to be offering mini sessions for the holiday season at a local tree farm! I'll have a few cute props/styling for your family to choose from or bring your own! Think cozy blankets, tree decorating, hot cocoa! First come, first serve!

The details:
- $125 for a 30 minute session - 5 edited digital images, full print release. They will be provided in an online gallery for downloading.
- November 15, 21 and 22 between 9-11am and 2 - 4pm.
- Payment is required at time of booking. Reschedules only for rain.

I will comment on my facebook post as time slots are taken. Contact me for more details or to request a time slot! Looking forward to documenting memories with your family!  

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) Andover Andover Photographer Andover Photography Boston Boston Photographer Child Photography Family Photography Hampshire Massachusetts Maternity photography Merrimack Valley New Newborn photography North Andover North Shore Senior photographer Stevens Coolidge Stevens Coolidge Place Trustees Trustees of Reservations baby photography child christmas christmas mini session christmas photography christmas session family holiday holiday mini session holiday photography holiday photography session holiday session lifestyle lifestyle photographer maternity newborn portrait portrait photographer senior https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/2015-holiday-mini-sessions-now-available Thu, 15 Oct 2015 01:52:26 GMT
Project 365: 3 week catch up :) https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/project-354-3-week-catch-up Fall is a busy time for both photography businesses and family life but I got my 365 project photos done!  Hope you enjoy them!

Week 1:

  • Lovely apples at Boston Hill Farm in North Andover.
  • Found this guy sitting in the perfect reflection at the same farm, love the bright blue sky in the reflection and the clarity of the calm pond.
  • Sunset reflecting in a creek during an evening hike.
  • My oldest using an old camera to work on a mushroom project.  I love when they have fun with photography!
  • Our one year old Airedale - the kids asked for a mohawk so I gave him one!  We will keep it until Halloween!
  • AMAZING photo walk with Hunts Camera on the Cambridge side of the river.  This is the Zakim Bridge.
  • My daughter and her pony at riding lessons.

Week 2: 

  • This donkey came right up to me at my daughter's riding lessons.  There are 3 that roam the property.
  • I love how airedales tilt their heads when listening intently to you!  
  • Anniversary flowers.
  • My daughter was off to 4 days of Outdoor Ed!
  • And then at her request for her special return meal, I baked her a rainbow layer cake.
  • Apple picking.
  • The lunar eclipse. 

Week 3: 

  • Spent some time at a local farm with my oldest - corn maze, etc. - and this was his favorite, the ginormous corn pit.
  • My sleepy airedale.
  • Hydrangeas from the yard.
  • Peaceful reflection at a nearby state park.
  • Apple.
  • My son's new pet, a corn snake.
  • We went candidate hopping with friends and saw Carly Fiorina and she signed his cast!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/10/project-354-3-week-catch-up Mon, 12 Oct 2015 11:52:36 GMT
Project 365: Another 2-weeker :) https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/9/project-365-another-2-weeker Last weekend was busy for a great reason - sunflower sessions!  There were a little past peak but I was so pleased that a few of my clients persevered through the weather issues as we got some awesome images.

Week starting 9/6:

  • Sunday: Last minute shot, want to play some kick ball?
  • Monday: A true, "real" shot of my kids on a hot, steamy, humid day at a local Mass. Audubon property.  
  • Tuesday: Butterfly on one of our butterfly bushes.  Not many came this year, haven't seen one monarch.  We think this is a Great Spangled Frittilary.
  • Wednesday: Hydrangea petal.
  • Thursday: Phlox out in the garden.
  • Friday: Flashlight playing created one of these.  With some editing I made this into an Andy Warhol inspired print.
  • Saturday: Evening scoping of the sunflower fields.  The sky was gorgeous!

Week starting 9/13:

  • Sunday: Busy day.  Hubby made apple cider sangria!  yum!
  • Monday: One of my favorite carousels.  This is in Boston on the Rose Kennedy Greenway and has children inspired characters to ride.
  • Tuesday: Nothing says "fall" like a dried sunflower head.
  • Wednesday: Loved our kitty (honorary Airedale Terrier) in this light.
  • Thursday: My daughter and her best friend wanted to try this shot :).
  • Friday: I love how this horse's tail caught the light, appearing he has a tail of fire.
  • Saturday: Date night on Andover's Main Street.  Shot this photo with my iPhone, it's the nearby intersection.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/9/project-365-another-2-weeker Sun, 20 Sep 2015 17:52:13 GMT
Project 365: Double header https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/8/project-365-double-header End of summer and I got a little backed up so here's to posting 2 back to back weeks for my 365 project!

For 2 weeks ago, I got a new toy midweek - a pinhole lens.  Pinhole photography is a very early form and consists of a very small hole for which you need to have extended shutter speeds.  There's no opportunity to set focal points.  I was able to play a little bit towards the end of the week.

  • Sunday: Wolf Hollow in Ipswich.  Such an amazing story of these animals.
  • Monday: Massachusetts Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in Ipswich.  The chickadees will come on your hand to feed off sunflower seeds.
  • Tuesday: Hubby picked me up a present - isn't my photographer wine bottle holder cool?  Just need to add some curly hair to it. 
  • Wednesday: Always wanted to try some ice cube/water photography.
  • Thursday: Sunflowers at dusk.
  • Friday: Trustees of Massachusetts property in North Andover.  Had about 5 minutes to play with my new pinhole lens on the way back from getting take out :).
  • Saturday: Pinhole photography at Public Garden in Boston.  This is the George Washington statue.

This past week has a little bit of everything.

  • Sunday: Boston Harbor by the aquarium.
  • Monday: My son posing in a $25 Target find.  I substituted his badminton racquet for a real saber at his request :).
  • Tuesday: I've been wanting to photograph my grandmother's engagement ring with a German bible that I got when she passed away.  I love the 2 halos of hearts formed by the lighting.
  • Wednesday: Peach picking.
  • Thursday: The human kids left the Twister game and someone still wanted to play!
  • Friday: Iphone photo of a deer at York Wild Animal Kingdom.  
  • Saturday: Sunrise at Long Beach in Gloucester, MA.  I love the reflection of the sky in this shallow tidal pool.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/8/project-365-double-header Sun, 30 Aug 2015 19:43:00 GMT
Project 365: Just an average summer's week! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-just-an-average-summers-week Just an average summer's week for us!  

Sunday - I lasted all of 2 minutes to take a photo of my son fishing, the mosquitos!  but he was determined to catch something!

Monday - My daughter wanted math lessons.

Tuesday - This is a "hairy woodpecker" who started frequenting our feeder.

Wednesday - Went pond exploring and found this cool toad.

Thursday - My daughter with her piggy.

Friday - My fisheye rental lens came and my main guy Sherlock was willing to help me play around with it.

Saturday - Mother/son date day at a local amusement park.  Took this iphone selfie on the sky ride.

Have a great week!

Just 

 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-just-an-average-summers-week Mon, 20 Jul 2015 11:43:11 GMT
Project 365: Perspectives https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-perspectives Hi all!  I'm in a photography mentoring group and we were challenged to think about perspectives this week so I tried to incorporate that in my daily 365 photos!

Sunday: Way down low, our almost 2 year old airedale across the yard.

Monday: Down low on the floor, our kitty :).

Tuesday: Up high, this is the chapel at Phillips Academy.

Wednesday: Down low of the water lilies.

Thursday: Shot through the trees.

Friday: Used the stone wall as a tripod and used leading lines.

Saturday: Laid on my stomach and waited as the pups played.  This is my favorite, I feel like I'm eavesdropping on a conversation.

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-perspectives Mon, 13 Jul 2015 21:34:16 GMT
Project 365: Catchup week https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-catchup-week End of school and a trip back to PA to visit family and friends got the better of me so this blog is going to cover 2 weeks.

First up is the week of June 21st which kicked off with Father's Day.

  • Sunday - Father's Day we went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and then treated Dad to some bbq at Redbones in Somerville - yummy!
  • Monday - I finally invested in some bird feeders and have been having lots of fun with it.  We now regularly get lots of different types!  
  • Tuesday - This little chippy comes to visit every day too now.  Thought it was so cute how he was scaling the pole to the feeder.
  • Wednesday - Strawberry picking!
  • Thursday - My daughter opted for a low keep outing to a fun center for her birthday this year.  This is the group of girls helping her blow out her candle in her ice cream cone.
  • Friday - Love my zinnias!
  • Saturday - Travelled to PA, very very rainy down there.  I did get to the grocery store to pick up some PA favorites - scrapple, Utz chips and pretzels, Taylor pork role, ring bologna and best of all, tickets to Hershey Park!

Page down below the photos for this past week's postings!

This week started in PA and ended back at home.  

  • Sunday: I was so lucky to have 3 mini-sessions with friends from high school while home.  We did them at Lehigh University.  This is the chapel on campus, where my husband and I were also married.
  • Monday: Fireflies/lightning bugs by the dozens!  My kids have never seen them and they were out in high numbers.  We just don't seem to get them up here.
  • Tuesday: Travel home day.  I had the crazy idea to walk across the George Washington Bridge which goes from NJ to NYC over the Hudson.  There were lots of people walking, jogging, biking but we got about 1/3 across and the wind was so strong that we backed out, the kids were too scared.  But I did get this photo of the view.
  • Wednesday: Halfway day!  My friends and I have been in this journey for half the year so far!  So I did half a portrait of my son :).
  • Thursday: Performance day for my daughter, performing for my husband and I.  Baby steps for her to get to a full scale one.
  • Friday: We finally got to see the sky sculpture at the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston.  It was pretty cool!

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/7/project-365-catchup-week Sat, 04 Jul 2015 22:58:50 GMT
Project 365: Perspectives https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-perspectives Busy week of birthday celebrations, a broken arm (not me!), a nighttime photography class and photo shoots.  This week I tried to focus on perspectives in my normal every day life.  

Sunday - Happy birthday to my daughter!  went in at an angle here to create interest and catch the pretty light from the candles on her face.

Monday - It was a very long day including trying to put this new loft bed together.  She was hanging out there for the first time, she is looking pretty tired herself :).  This makes it seem as if we're peeking in on her.

Tuesday - Rainy day, not much inspiration but then our female airedale was caught in the act going after my garden.   I'm shooting this from the base of the steps up to a little porch area which creates more interest.

Wednesday - I don't have a macro lens but it's on my very long list :).  This is a garden bed which has lots of foxgloves, I love them so much and some years they really proliferate and others they don't.  

Thursday - This was the day of casting for my son's broken arm.  I was ready to take a long wide-angled photo of him with his cast watching TV and our younger airedale laid down in between - photo bomb!  But it's cute and it works!

Friday - Wonderful time at a nighttime photography class in Newburyport.  I was able to practice some long exposure photography.

Saturday - Photo shoots in Public Garden and since we were there early, I was able to grab this shot without people.  Love the mix of the old with the new here.

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-perspectives Sun, 21 Jun 2015 21:05:13 GMT
Project 365: Nice weather week! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-nice-weather-week Finally a week where we had some decent weather!  It was great to get outside every day and enjoy it.

Sunday - Much to their display, I coordinated their clothes before church and we headed to a local garden afterwards to take some photos for a Father's day gift.  My family I think is my toughest customer, there was some head swapping here :).

Monday - Gorgeous night for some boating.

Tuesday - Some fun in the yard with our pups.

Wednesday - Hot day, we made some impromptu ice milk!

Thursday - My son wanted to visit the gardens again from Sunday.  Here he is "tadpoling".  Loved the reflection at dusk.

Friday - My daughter and her pony before her lesson.  I love the hazy light.

Saturday - Blue Man Group in Boston as a birthday celebration for my daughter, awesome show!

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-nice-weather-week Sun, 14 Jun 2015 17:17:27 GMT
Project 365: In like a lion, out like a lamb https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb This week started off rough, lots of rain for the first half with a doozy of a thunderstorm on Sunday - the kind that had thunder which makes you jump and hit your head on the ceiling and unfortunately the kind that makes your youngest child and both dogs super scared.  But towards the end of the week it improved with Saturday being in the low 70's and sunny - a perfect day to spend an afternoon in Boston.

Sunday - My youngest and the two pups supporting each other in the storm.

Monday - Took a drive to Phillips Academy in town and tried some out of focus photography.  The raindrop effect on my car window reminds me of a watercolor that got caught in the rain.

Tuesday - Uninspired day 3 of rain this week.  Took a walk around my yard and I loved the tones of this plant in the pot.

Wednesday - My oldest had a band concert so I picked up some Italian pastries for a treat.

Thursday - The previous night's photo of my son the bassoonist, he couldn't hide in the back this time :).

Friday - I ended up doing two this day.  First was our cat enjoying an open window with one of our Airedales behind.  The windows are rarely open so they both enjoyed this olfactory treat.  It was also my husband's birthday and we made him his favorite - Lemon Meringue Pie. 

Saturday - Beautiful day in Boston and we came across this lovely playground at the Fens.  The kids had a blast on this spiral which you could stand inside and spin super fast.

Have a great week!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb Sat, 06 Jun 2015 22:07:50 GMT
Project 365: Urban photography and musical sort of week https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-urban-photography-and-musical-sort-of-week The past 2 Saturdays I have been able to take an "urban photography" class in a nearby old mill town with a couple fell photographer friends.  It's been lots of fun and it has really forced me to notice.  Notice perspectives, notice details.  And even more difficult - the photography for the most part didn't involve people.

Sunday - The American Flag flying in Lawrence, MA and taken during my class.  The sun was right behind the blue and I thought it produced a cool effect.

Monday - My son does a lot of experimenting.  This time it involved concentrating hydrogen peroxide on my stove.  

Tuesday - Final elementary band concert of the year.  Instead of doing yet another typical photo, I played with a magnifying glass effect.  

Wednesday - The kids were playing tag with a scooter and a bubble gun, how fun is that?

Thursday - I went to a favorite spot and these poppies were so gorgeous!

Friday - My son bought himself a new instrument, an electric bass.

Saturday - Back to my final day of urban photography.  I was drawn to this fern which was able to take hold in this old brick wall.

Have a great week!

project 365

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/6/project-365-urban-photography-and-musical-sort-of-week Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:52:07 GMT
Project 365: Is it May or April? https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-is-it-may-or-april This has been a COOL week - temperature wise that is!  It's like it's still April around here.  So you see jackets and sweatshirts in some of these photos.  But at least it was a great weather wee, lots of sunshine!

Sunday - Day trip up to Maine, this photo is taken along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit.  The boys were rock climbing below.

Monday - More horseback riding photos, I love to take pictures while she rides.

Tuesday - Our 20 month old Airedale is a speedy girl, here she is playing with her tennis ball.

Wednesday - I was given "3 clicks" this night to take of my son, he is not loving being in front of the camera these days (I took 5!). 

Thursday - Our 12 month old Airedale smelled something good!

Friday - I took the same Airedale for a walk on a property I will be shooting at tomorrow to scope out the current color/flowering plants.  He's so handsome.

Saturday - Had fun today with an Urban Photography class in a neighboring old mill town.  This is detail in an old bridge with a bridge, river and mill buildings in the background.  Sort of like a picture within a picture :).

Have a great week!

 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-is-it-may-or-april Sun, 24 May 2015 01:14:57 GMT
Project 365: Celebrations https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-celebrations This week had a couple celebrations in our family - Mother's Day and then my daughter's First Communion which included Grandma coming to visit.  Grandma visits mean some extra special experiences.

Sunday - The boys were away over the weekend and were returning in the afternoon so the girls headed to Boston.  It was a gorgeous day and included brunch at Max Brenner's where my daughter always enjoys the popsicle fondue, yum!

Monday - This photo is from the night before, we packed up a quick picnic dinner once the boys had returned and hit the beach.  The sunset was gorgeous and it was fun to capture their silhouette. 

Tuesday - Horsing around with the horses during my daughter's riding lesson.

Wednesday - Our youngest puppy turned 1!

Thursday - Greek salad for lunch!

Friday - Tradition is to go to American Girl for lunch when Grandma visits.  My daughter had ordered hot chocolate and "someone" was trying to steal some whipped cream.

Saturday - This photo my son took :).  3 generations - my daughter, myself and my mother.

Have a great week!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-celebrations Mon, 18 May 2015 01:48:46 GMT
Project 365: Hubby Away https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365 A quiet week this week in terms of having time to do some extra "me time" things.  I admit I'm spoiled having my hubby work in the same town we live and schedule activities and appointments accordingly as he's a huge help.  So when he's out of town, it gets a bit crazy!  But we did manage to get a few fun things in.

Sunday - A friend moved to Cape Cod a few years ago and had an open offer to come down for a photography day.  She was a lovely host and we saw so much!  This is a shot of 3 clammers on their way back in with their haul.

Monday - Only 2 of oodles of tulip bulbs planted maybe 5 years back still bloom.  These are them!

Tuesday - May the Fourth be with you.  My son was up for some nighttime photography for Star Wars Day.

Wednesday - My daughter on her after lesson trail ride.

Thursday - My son and husband went out of town for the weekend, returning Mother's Day afternoon, so my son gave me a present early.  He picked this out himself.  It says "I love you to the moon and back".

Friday - Girls weekend!  We hung out at the movies Friday afternoon to see Disney's Monkey Kingdom.  She loves the DisneyNature movies so it was two thumbs up!

Saturday - We also went plant shopping so had some work to do getting these plants installed.

Have a great week!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365 Tue, 12 May 2015 00:59:25 GMT
Project 365: Back to the grind! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-back-to-the-grind Back to the grind after April Vacation!  

Sunday - Photo from the previous evening.  We were headed back from Burlington to St. Albans and the sun was setting.  My family wasn't too thrilled we me stopping in the middle of Route 7 when I saw the sun shining through the clouds and these cows close to the road, but I'm glad I did.  Check out the stare from that bull!

Monday - I love watching our pups play.  Today I practiced fast motion photography with these two.  They have so much fun together.

Tuesday - The barn my daughter rides at has some free range donkeys.  This guy just kept munching away.

Wednesday - Walk to school day at my daughter's school.

Thursday - I just love that my son decided to spend some of his savings on this inflatable boat.  He likes to go out with his dad and the canoe is too heavy/unwieldy for him still so this is perfect.

Friday/Saturday - My daughter's First Communion is coming up in a couple weeks.  Friday I photographed the invitation with her dress and headband.  Saturday I did a mini session with her at a local park.

Have a good week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/5/project-365-back-to-the-grind Sun, 03 May 2015 22:22:27 GMT
Project 365: April Break https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-april-break A bit behind this week but only because we were able to get away to Lake Champlain/St. Albans for a few days, the kids had off all week for April Vacation.  It was chilly but as my son said - it's better to be freezing in VT than warm at home (even though home wasn't so warm either :) ).

Sunday - The day sort of got away from me.  At the end of the day, the kids wanted to play tennis, it was getting dark but it was warm out so we went and the sky was gorgeous!  Can't see much of the kids in this photo but it was amazing to sit back and watch the kids play with that amazing backdrop.

Monday - Can you believe NEITHER of my kids realized what Patriots Day is and why it's the start of April Vacation?  My son had an appointment in Lexington so we took a short detour to visit the Battle Green at Lexington Common.  It's the location of the first shots fired in the American Revolutionary War.  This is new information for us - it's also one of 8 locations in the country where the American Flag is permitted to fly 24x7.  Other locations may, but it must follow proper lighting protocol.

Tuesday - We changed our foundation borders and had grass planted where spring bulbs once sprouted.  This lone flower was left and caught my eye.

Wednesday - No inspiration, I took a walk outside and nothing.  Coming back into the house I saw my reflection in the door.  And then in editing I wanted to do something a little different.  If you enlarge, look closely, I put my reflection inside the camera lens area as well so it's a reflection of a reflection of sorts.

Thursday - Ahhhhh, VT.  We LOVE VT!  This farm property was on the way to our house on Lake Champlain in St. Albans.  This tiny little hut was in the middle of the fields and we all kept guessing what it was used for, it really drew us in.

Friday - My handsome boy, Sherlock!  It was super windy which helped with that cute ear "wave".

Saturday - The property owner lent me his 400mm lens to play with.  I got some eagle shots on Thursday, but they weren't very grand due to me not bringing a zoom lens.  No eagles on Saturday although we all tried to find them!  I practice a lot with some gulls, herons and these geese.  The mountains were gorgeous along this point, always having this purplish gray color, the scenery isn't enhanced at all, this is nature's raw beauty.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-april-break Mon, 27 Apr 2015 16:07:41 GMT
Project 365: One Boston https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-one-boston What resonated with me most this week was being in Boston for what Mayor Walsh named "One Boston Day" - a day for people to perform acts of kindness towards others on this 2 year anniversary of the bombing.  After an event at the State House I walked over to the marathon finish line.  The memorial brought tears to my eyes, but what I chose to share from this day was a photo from Old South Church's resiliency project.  They had a couple large posters stating "Resiliency is...." and invited people to write what it meant to them.  I stood, watched and read comments for a while, it was a very touching way to remember the day.

As for the other days this week:

Sunday - We spent time with my kids' nanny from years back who now has children of her own.  My son loves spending time with them and I caught a special moment in an archway of a local "castle".

Monday - Prepping sugar cookies for a New England airedale gathering tomorrow.  Froze them for when I had more time to be creative. :)

Tuesday - Finally!  Crocus blooms in the yard!

Wednesday - Resiliency project by Old South Church.  I love the "T" sign in the background.

Thursday - "Cheated" and used a photo from Wednesday.  I walked to the ducklings in Public Garden to see if they would be donning a wardrobe.  Sure enough, Momma Duck had the whole familyi in their spring bonnets.

Friday - After work I decided to decorate the airedale cookies, I think they turned out pretty well!

Saturday - Went to a wine tasting with a dear friend and these caught my eye.  Our local liquor store had a remodel and now has a high focus on craft beers.  I have always loved looking at the labels, they're so creative.

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-one-boston Sun, 19 Apr 2015 01:55:49 GMT
Project 365: Day 100! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-day-100 My project 365 group hit triple digits this week!  I am so proud of the women in our group and proud that I have been able to capture and post a picture for every day so far.  Some days (most days) are hard to find time and inspiration - I work, the weather has been rough, people have been sick - but that has forced me to work even harder to find something, anything, to capture - something that will help to make this year special and memorable.  That has been a goal of mine - every photo needs to have special meaning to ME.  Something about OUR lives.    

Thank you to everyone who has followed me on this journey so far!  

So for this week - 

  • Sunday: My daughter looked pretty framed by our front porch checking the loot in her eggs.
  • Monday: It was (sort of) warm out so my son and I hit the tennis courts at the high school.  I loved the sun burst over the school.
  • Tuesday: My Easter lily finally started to open.
  • Wednesday: Special dog tags came for the pups.  Sherlock's is self explanatory.  Eden's namesake is Lake Eden in VT, where we rent the same lake house each summer.  She was born about 45 minutes from there.
  • Thursday: Eden never shows her tummy.  She was in the mood so I put her in a "stay", went to get my camera, fiddled with it, and she gave me this "will you just hurry up and be done already" look.
  • Friday: Day 100!!! poor weather AGAIN, so I went along with it.
  • Saturday: A nice day finally!  The boys went canoeing/fishing while the girls hiked with the pups.

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-day-100 Sat, 11 Apr 2015 23:49:04 GMT
Project 365: Spring is here! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-spring-is-here I think we can finally say we have spring in New England this week!  Perfect timing for the easter prep too!  We took advantage of the good weather and had a few fun outings.

Sunday: We visited the MIT Museum which is a hidden gem in Cambridge.  Afterwards we grabbed a snack at Flour and walked to the Charles.  I knew I wanted to take a photo of the skyline, I did quite a few and then realized the iron fencing would make a great frame of the Pru.

Monday: Feeling like spring, I had bought some hydrangeas.  Hydrangeas always make me reflect on the Easter season.

Tuesday: I have these doggie bunny ears and knew I could entice Eden to pose for me.  Borrowed my daughter's bunny to complete the image.

Wednesday: Lots of April Fool's pranks in our house this day, but the best one of all was a surprise trip into Boston.  Not until we parked and walked outside did the kids realize what we might be there for - the Big Apple Circus!

Thursday: Sherlock's turn for a photo shoot.  He's only 10 months and not as cooperative.  I took a lot of great portraits of him with this basket (the ears wouldn't have stayed on), but after we were done and before I had a chance to clean up the basket and eggs, he just sort of crashed next to everything.  That's where I got this cute paw shot as if he fell asleep waiting for the bunny or is in a chocolate coma.

Friday: Road trip to Rhode Island for the day for the zoo and the beach.  I loved this old pair of kangaroos - they're 19 years old, the grandma and grandpa of the bunch.  

Saturday: Finally got to decorate our eggs this afternoon. 

Have a great Easter and a great week!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/4/project-365-spring-is-here Sat, 04 Apr 2015 22:57:38 GMT
Project 365: Back to normal https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-back-to-normal This week was back to normal, no more special weeks for my kids/fur kids.  Back to finding special moments in my day to capture.  I've found that not only has this project given me opportunity to improve my photography but it's also changed my outlook with finding positive moments to capture each day.

Sunday - I had purchased these lovely tulips the previous week.  They looked pretty in my kitchen window light.

Monday - I typically always have sourdough starter on hand.  I made a new recipe which will be my new "go to" bread recipe.  My husband had found this old potholder over the weekend.  My grandmother had made it many years ago.  Great pop of color.

Tuesday - Finally we had some good days to get the sap flowing in our maple trees!

Wednesday - I have been wanting to capture the gaze between my daughter and our youngest Airedale for weeks.  Before school they were spending time together and I had to quickly grab my camera.

Thursday - It was a very foggy day.  I had to deliver some images a couple towns away at dusk and I knew this bridge was nearby.  I used a very slow shutter to capture the lighting like this.

Friday - I had to work in Boston this day and was uninspired in the 20 minute break I took outside.  On the way home I stopped at a cemetery with a lovely old stone bridge and tried doing some shots of my reflection.  It was gray and dreary, definitely need to try this again when it's brighter out.

Saturday - We stopped at the MSPCA while out running errands and spent some time in the barn.  This horse drew me in, she's old, she's thin and I couldn't help but stop and watch her for a while.

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-back-to-normal Sun, 29 Mar 2015 20:00:47 GMT
Project 365: "Son" Week https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-son-week Last week was all about my daughter, this week was about my son.  His turn to make some special choices and choose parts of him he'd like to showcase and remember.

Day 1 - He currently loves the top of the Prudential Center in Boston.  He loves to be up high, to look at the city, to enjoy the exhibits they have there.  We combined it with a trip to Max Brenner (fabulous chocolate themed restaurant) for lunch.

Day 2 - He switched from alto sax to bassoon a few months ago.  It's a complicated instrument in every way from assembly to playing it.  And it's huge!

Day 3 - This is his second year tapping our maple trees.  He loves to cook, he loves to create, and maple syrup is just another way to do just that.  It is so yummy, so much better than purchased.

Day 4 - He has a pet tarantula - more specifically, a Mexican Red Rumped Tarantula named Pepe'.  He wants to be an entomologist one day so every year he treks to Cornell for "Insectapalooza" where this (not so) little guy came from. 

Day 5 - He also takes Russian, he has such a knack for languages.  He also is fantastic at acting.  His Russian class taped a play at the local high school this week.  He played the part of a teacher.

Day 6 - He wanted to chase a sunset one night.  We were a little late, but was I was able to catch a silhouette of him.

Day 7 - His favorite restaurant these days is a conveyor belt style sushi spot.  You sit at your booth and tons of different types go by you and you just take what you'd like and pay at the end.  Every plate is color coded for price.  His sister enjoyed PB&J sushi instead :).

I'm still not sure what this next week will bring, perhaps I'll do a week on me!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-son-week Sun, 22 Mar 2015 01:30:29 GMT
Project 365: "Daughter week" https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-daughter-week Well, last week was "dog week" so we decided each child would also get their week.  And to improve my odds (and their moods) their week includes special things like choosing a family activity, me cooking their special meal and dinner out to their favorite restaurant.  The week is all about them and capturing their favorite things.

The week started out at the Mass Audubon Ipswich Wildlife Sanctuary for their maple tours.  My kids love doing tours and my daughter loves the wildlife sanctuary as if you bring some seed, the chickadees and if you're lucky a titmouse will land on your hand!  This first photo is of her patiently waiting for everyone to get their maple sample for us to all to do a toast.

My daughter also is a bit of a hoarder - she won't admit it though - of stuffed animals.  We do have a purge rule now (everyone one coming in, one goes) but she has a LOT.  We pulled them all together and loaded up her bed.  She looks so cute in the middle of the colorful display!

She is also a huge Minecraft fan.  She and her brother love to play together, they're so creative with what they've built.  They've tried to teach me and it hasn't gone well.  I have her pictured in b&w in a pretty light stream in Zack's room while they're playing together.

My daughter also had her first band concert this week, she's pictured in the 2nd row playing the flute.  She also takes piano and drum set lessons, she's so musical!  Snare wasn't her thing so I am teaching her the flute for now and she's doing great.

She also loves horses and takes riding lessons.  She's pictured here on her pony doing her 2 point.

Friday I asked my daughter what else she'd like me to capture this week and she said her rock collection.  She loves rocks!  She loves to go to museums and even has a rock identification board game.

Lastly, we didn't get to do a trip we planned due to a rainy day so we ended her week by tracing her on paper (we couldn't believe how tall she really is!), coloring her with her favorite outfit completely with horse print leggings and she wrote a "concrete" poem around the whole thing with her favorite things.  She's so proud of it and it's now hanging in her room.

Up next...... my son's week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-daughter-week Sun, 15 Mar 2015 12:25:37 GMT
Project 365: Dedicated to our "fur kids" https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-gone-to-the-dogs Everyone who knows me knows I'm a tad Airedale obsessed.  We currently have what I like to say "2 under 2" - a 9 month old (Sherlock) and a 17 month old (Eden).  Also, I will admit I love dog photography - dogs solo or incorporating dogs into family photographs.  It takes patience, but I consider them full fledged family members so I think they should be included in family photos at some or every point.

I hadn't planned on this week being "dog week", but it started out that way Sunday and Monday and then I decided I'd just go for it.  

Sherlock is a bouncy puppy so his were more caught in the moment.  Eden is a bit older and so I took advantage of her excellent "stay" command to do some fun things - wearing a St. Patrick's Day "hat" and dressing her up with flowers.  We need every bit of feeling of spring on the horizon in these parts as we can get!  

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed taking them.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/3/project-365-gone-to-the-dogs Sat, 07 Mar 2015 21:41:18 GMT
Project 365: 2 months down, 10 to go! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-2-months-down-10-to-go I can't believe it - 2 months completed in this 365 photography journey.  59 days!  Already, I can start to see change, this project has definitely improved my eye and I feel my style is starting to deepen.  I definitely have an image of how I want a photo to emerge, both from the camera and through editing.

This week as a bit all over the place.  Starting from the top left... 

  • In between appointments I decided to drive through a lovely cemetery in town.  I have always loved this chapel and with its gorgeous circular accent above the doorway.  It's actually one of my preferred locations to shoot families - lovely old trees, a gorgeous pond complete with stone bridge, gorgeous weathered gates and a neighboring meadow.  Beautiful afternoon light.
  • One day this week was much too cold for me to walk the dogs - single digits and breezy - so I decided to hit the road and drive around Phillips Academy between the kids' buses and my work day.  I have always loved this old tree, the branches are gorgeous, and the mounds of plowed snow added additional detail for the black and white conversion.
  • Horseback riding started back up and these ponies were so beautiful in the afternoon light.
  • A couple indoor florals in my dining room morning light.  The last of my valentines bouquet and gerber daisies my daughter picked out.
  • Sunlight has not been a common occurrence lately.  Our 18 month old Airedale has been searching for light and she found it one morning in our dining room.  I like how it hit half her face and the background is pulled into darkness.
  • Lastly, I actually got in front of the camera.  I HATE being in front of the camera, but a goal this year is to get in front of the lens with my family a few times.  In this photo we were having fun on top of the 6+ foot mounds in our front yard so I thought I'd try out my camera timer.

Looking forward to the start of spring this month!

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-2-months-down-10-to-go Sun, 01 Mar 2015 02:48:50 GMT
Project 365: Snow, snow and more snow https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-snow-snow-and-more-snow The Boston area has snow - a LOT of snow.  We might even be at/near the all time record by this point.  

People are drained, you walk around after a snow and you can just feel that drain in the neighborhood as we clean up.  There is no where to put it and we've even had to shovel snow to make room for more snow.

I love snow but even I have found myself sick of it.  So I challenged myself this week to shoot a "snow picture" every day - try to find the positive in it all.  This week's photos include:

  • Abby on top of a 7' mound being "queen of the world"
  • Eden trying to retrieve "gems" (treats I threw into snow a couple feet deep)
  • Eden's snow encrusted nose
  • Sherlock captured in perfect "tuck butt run"/snow zoomie mode
  • A local apple orchard - the trees appeared like skeletons to me
  • Dreaming of summer with a photo of dried blooms on our butterfly bush
  • A pond at our local state forest during (yet another) snow storm.

Here's to another week, hopefully one filled with gentle melting.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-snow-snow-and-more-snow Sun, 22 Feb 2015 15:36:24 GMT
Project 365: Love and Snow https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-love-and-snow Another snowy week, another week with snow days.  We are now shoveling to make room for new snow, snow banks are taller than us.

We started the week Sunday with snow (of course) and a tour of Taza Chocolate in Somerville - a must do!  Monday was another snow day, kids home from school, but due to orthodontic appointments we had to head into town.  This allowed me to stand in the middle of Main Street and take a shot.  Not too many times I'll get that chance again.

With another snow day on Tuesday, my daughter decided to see what it's like to jump rope in snow - it's HARD with boots on!  

Wednesday, I received surprise flowers from my son.  All on his own he used his teen account debit card to order his mom some flowers - what a great heart he has!  Thursday, my daughter wrapped up her homemade valentines for her class.  They turned out so cute - animal envelopes stuffed with goodies, complete with ears made from various duct tapes.  

My son had a planned surgery Friday (promised not to photograph his face) and then more snow Saturday.  I have always loved the clock tower at Phillips Academy and it looked so pretty with the vast snow covered landscape in front of it.

As I write it's snowing - again - and this time another 12+ inches.  Kids and dogs don't mind!  Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-love-and-snow Sun, 15 Feb 2015 03:15:47 GMT
Project 365: Snowed in https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-snowed-in February is here, the groundhog has predicted another 6 weeks of winter and I am writing this at the end of one snowy week as we're bracing for another 12 - 18".

We started with the Pats in the Superbowl (and we won!), Zack made us some of his "famous" french onion dip complete with onions he caramelizes himself.

Inside shots rounded out with Abby's socks (we LOVE fun socks in this house!) and her owl nesting doll set.

Outside, Abby is helping to dig us out, Sherlock is in our sidewalk "tunnel" and frozen branches produce pretty bokeh in the late afternoon sun.

Enjoy your week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/2/project-365-snowed-in Sun, 08 Feb 2015 20:29:23 GMT
Project 365: Chilly, snowy week! https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-snowy-week-go-patriots Tough week for being outdoors with low temps and winter storm "Juno" dumping 30" of snow!

Shot inside a bit - the bright colors of a greek salad, the detail of Mr. Cuddle's ear in the sunshine and Eden wearing her "cone of shame" as she recovers from her spay.

The storm was lots of fun for Sherlock - poor Eden was on bed rest.  The photo below is of him taking a break from hopping through the 2+ feet of snow.  The snowdrifts at sunset were beautiful to capture as well.

It was Patriot's Day at school - Go Pats! 

Lastly, as the kids and I were walking to our local sledding hill I noticed my reflection in my son's glasses.  With some angling, I was able to capture a fun shot of both kids!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-snowy-week-go-patriots Sun, 01 Feb 2015 01:58:53 GMT
Project 365: The great outdoors https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-the-great-outdoors This week I tried to look at ordinary moments in different ways.

We've been trying to do a light hike at least once a weekend, I was able to capture the kids having a moment through the trees and the "baby" and I also hiked up a small hill where the sunrise was still gorgeous.  

I am so thrilled I noticed our reflections in the exterior wall of the Institute of Contemporary Art.  I've ordered this family "portrait" in metal and cannot wait to see how it turns out!

I work for Putnam Investments and driving into the parking lot Wednesday I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous morning sky.  Putnam sponsors the Patriots so these banners are everywhere.  I think it turned out gorgeous and just about a week before the Super Bowl!  

I had my first attempt at long exposure photography with a gorgeous old mill building near the kids' music facility.  We showed up early, I have always loved this spot so set my camera to 30 second exposure to see what happened (while also laying on my belly and using a curb as a tripod - mental note that I really need a tripod!).  So happy with the results!

My baby girl got spayed so the still life is in her honor on Friday.  And finally lastly I took the little guy out for some energy release and he was soaring, ears were flying, through the snow at our local park.  Didn't make much of a difference though, he was rearing to go all day! The contrast of him running down the hill with the freshly falling snow still clinging to the trees created a perfect picture.

Have a great week!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-the-great-outdoors Sun, 25 Jan 2015 21:59:07 GMT
Project 365: Capturing some favorites https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-tough-week-for-photography This week really made me think of how to get some creative pictures - heavy work and after school activity demand most days and very cold on the others.  

I loved that this week I was able to capture the kids doing something they love - Abby creating via her robot design homework and Zack reading in "his chair".  And I love I was able to capture the kids musically - they're both extremely musical.  Zack was in his first band concert on the alto sax, great grin once he forgot I was taking his picture!  And Abby recently started the flute and is doing fantastic.  

The other days lent for some creativity - my tea on a very chilly day, lunch date with hubby and Dumbledore the bearded dragon.

Here's looking to what is hopefully a less hectic week with more time to think about this fun project!

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/project-365-tough-week-for-photography Sun, 18 Jan 2015 02:05:29 GMT
Project 365: A doggone cold week https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/a-doggone-cold-week It's been a cold one this week!  The "winterless" winter has finally ended.

So what did we do since it was cold, kids were back to school and I was back to work?  The coldest days the people stayed cozy inside but that didn't bother the pups at all, even at zero degrees they wanted to romp around out back nearly nonstop.

Over the weekend I groomed Eden (and took a photo of her snoozing on Zack's yogibo during a break), I played with my new Olloclip iphone lens attachment from Mike and Sherlock was a very willing participant with his smiles while begging for a tummy rub and we even got an inch or two of snow where Sherlock and Eden acted like the puppies they are.  The light that afternoon was a gorgeous golden color, so happy I was able to capture it.

Abby obliged my photography the other 3 days.  I snapped a photo while she was drawing a picture for a friend, just loved the reflection in the table.  She jumped for joy in some fun boots to have a dusting of snow on the ground  It warmed up a little bit today so we all went back to the Ipswich Wildlife Sanctuary where Abby spent a lot of time handfeeding the birds again while Zack was on a mission to ensure he walked on every island on the property.   We were there late afternoon and the afternoon was so pretty heading into the woods.

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/a-doggone-cold-week Sun, 11 Jan 2015 00:21:43 GMT
Project 365: Why I'm starting a 365 photography project this year https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/why-im-starting-a-365-photography-project-this-year Last fall a photography friend asked a bunch of us if we wanted to join a "project 365" group together and since I'm up for any new photography challenge I jumped in with both feet.  Now that the new year is here I put some thought to what I hope to gain from the experience.

An archive of our daily lives - Needing to find a moment each and every day will give us an archive of our year in a way I would have never captured before.  It won't be of just vacations or special outings.  For practicality, it will have breakfasts, quiet moments, the good and the not-so-good.

Improved perspective - I will push myself to look at things differently.  For example, if my daughter is drawing, what is the most interesting way to capture that moment.

Gain exposure to new techniques - Being in a large group of photographers - some professional, some just as a hobby - will expose me to new styles of photography, new styles of editing, new tools, new locations, new equipment. 

Be part of a greater "thing" - In the end, all those other benefits are fantastic, but there is something to be said of the comradery of being in a group of motivating women all focused on the same goal, all cheering and supporting you along the way.  

And in the end, I'm hoping to finish.  I'll try to be flexible - use an iphone, make up a day if necessary.  

Here are my photos from the first calendar week in January - January 1, 2 and 3.  Hope you enjoy following this journey as much as I enjoy taking it.

 

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[email protected] (Stephanie Clement Photography) project365 https://www.stephanieclementphotography.com/blog/2015/1/why-im-starting-a-365-photography-project-this-year Tue, 06 Jan 2015 17:53:50 GMT