Mikayla and Matthew

I love when a mom contacts me to take photos of her kids because she’s seen photos I’ve done for a friend, b/c that means she already expects greatness, which pushes me to deliver, as I always strive to do!  We had strategized before our session, and mom came prepared with some of the kids’ favorite things.  It was great for Matthew, especially, to be able to play.  He’s at that toddler boy stage where he’d rather run and play than stand still and pose for me, and I was more than happy to follow him around snapping up shots.  We even managed to engage him long enough to get them both looking and smiling at the same time - every mom’s dream portrait!

Sense of Wonder: Sporty Industrial

And last, but certainly not least, at the Sense of Wonder Workshop, we shot a session with concept and styling by Tonya Poitevint Photography, and credit goes to her for posing the first few group shots.  She specializes in lifestyle photography, and wanted to demonstrate something we could easily pull together, as all of the girls’ clothing was acquired locally in her small town in Oregon.  This shoot wasn’t without challenges, as it rained once again, and we were confined to a small covered loading dock bay at the back of the Kelby One studio.  But where there is challenge, there is opportunity, and it was amazing to see the different shots and angles we came up with. 



Models | Zara, Ava, Sophie, Kaylie (in group shots, L to R)

Sense of Wonder: Studio Session

This session was supposed to be our mid-day harsh daylight lesson!  The weather had other plans, and we were grateful to take things indoors to the studio at Kelby One (you know, including but not limited to the producer of many Photoshop books and lots of Photoshop training).  I didn’t last long on set in the studio before I started shooting lots more behind the scenes (see this post), but I did get a few captures worth sharing.  Credit once again goes to Brooke Logue Photography for her vision and for directing the girls.


Models (left to right in last B&W group photo) | Sophie, Ava, Iyla, Zara
Styled by | Leslie Schor
Wardrobe | The MerryLoveJoy Company
‪#‎senseofwonder‬

Sense of Wonder: Old McMicky’s Farm

Our second photo shoot on Friday at the Sense of Wonder workshop was at Old McMicky’s Farm in Odessa, FL.  Once again, the girls were styled head to toe, and the scenery and their interaction with the animals and each other was beyond compare.  While I was able to spend some time with the girls individually, once again, I have to give credit to my fellow photographers and instructors for the direction they gave to the girls as well.  A special shout-out to Brooke Logue Photography for directing the mid-street play and much of the action with the animals, and ByEvy Photography for the lantern in the barn.  Also, Kathy Porupski was amazing with handling the animals and making the girls feel comfortable with them.

Instructors:  Brooke Logue Photography, Tonya Poitevint Photography, Pete Collins, Steven Gustafson
Fellow Students (in the order they appear in the group photo shot by Steve):  Stacy, Angie, Tiffany, Evy, Lindey, Me, Betsi, Claudia, Monika



Models (left to right in last group photo with horse) | Kaylie, Ava, Iyla, Sophie
Styled by | Leslie Schor
Wardrobe | The MerryLoveJoy Company
Ava’s Shirt | The Striped Fig Clothing
‪#‎senseofwonder‬

Sense of Wonder: Playful Parking Lot

This was our first shoot at the Sense of Wonder workshop in Tampa this past weekend.  The students divided up, and those that wanted to discuss their cameras stayed inside with Steven Gustafson and Pete Collins, and those of us who were ready to shoot went outside with Brooke Logue Photography and Tonya Poitevint Photography for a photo session. 

The models are sisters, Ava (big) and Iyla (little), and Brooke and Tonya gave us great tips for scouting out spots for them to play, and for encouraging the girls to engage in play and forget about the cameras for a moment, because that is where the magic happens. Many of the families I photograph are conditioned to “cheese” for the camera.  Since these two have participated in the Sense of Wonder workshop before, and they’re professional models, they knew what to expect. See this post from my way home from the workshop where I practiced my new skills with my niece, who is conditioned to “cheese”, so yes, the techniques seem to be repeatable!

Since I had not participated in previous workshops, I did not know what to expect.  Working with so many photographers at once was a bit shocking for me.  Most of them used a long lens, making it easy to stay out of each others’ way.  I’ve included a behind the scenes photo from Kathy Porupski to give a sense for the scene.  I also have to give credit to my fellow photographers, who may have been giving the models direction.  I was shooting with Brooke, Tonya, Kathy, Angie, Stacy, and Monika.

I just love that this session took place in the parking lot behind the hotel.  We found a cool bus, some woods, a railroad track (I was shooting the bus while some of the group went to the track), a pretty path with some greenery, and some more industrial spots that worked.  I will never look at a parking lot the same way again!

The setup ((I am in the Gators sweatshirt) shot by Kathy Porupski).



The shot!


Styled by | Leslie Schor
Wardrobe | The MerryLoveJoy Company
‪#‎senseofwonder‬