Wednesday, June 8, 2016

MICAH...


Micah quickly became one of my all time favorite kids after his session.  I've seriously never met such a nice, friendly, polite, handsome, funny young guy.  He is going to grow up to be quite the catch, i'm sure.   His dream for this session was this right here... the woods, the camo, the gun. 


But we made sure mom had some great pictures to send to grandma too ;)

Isn't he just so handsome?!!


blessings...


This "job" has truly been a blessing to me.  And one of the biggest blessings of doing photography is families like this one.  I left this session so full of joy.   I love capturing kids being kids and that is just exactly what we did with this session.  We got the family photo out of the way right at the beginning so that it would be all fun times after.  Aren't they beautiful?

These boys were just so much fun... my cheeks hurt from smiling when i left.

 

See what I mean?  Lots of silliness, lots of memories.


And we can't forget about mom and dad, these images are treasure just as much as the whole family shots.



When i was done with all images, this one was probably one of my favorites!!!




OH sweet boys!

Because Bubbles....


I can never predict how a 2-3 year old will act once they meet me for the first time and a session.  I'm always prepared with high-fives, stuffed animals and bribery but you still just never know.  
This sweet girl was no exception.  She wasn't so sure about me at first and it took a few photos with mom and dad before she finally warmed up.  After that though, she was all smiles and giggles and cuteness.  And what child can resist BUBBLES!!!  I absolutely love this image in all its perfect childhood beauty.

After we played with bubbles, we wandered over to play in the field with these pretty little wildflowers.  She picked her favorites ones and then she sat so pretty and posed with them.
We had gray clouds at the start but right when we got to this field, the sun broke through and made these images all the more perfect.



And you know i can't resist some black and white!!
and her smile....


Wood/Wirfel Engagement

I decided to get caught up on blogging... this could seriously take a while.  I'll start though with this beautiful couple that I have the honor of capturing on their wedding day in September. And after this nearly perfect engagement session, I am even more excited to be a part of their special day!

This was one of the very first pictures we took and it was clear that the evening was going to be wonderful.




My husband and I had cheesy backdrop, super posed picture engagement pictures and oh how i would do anything to have photos like this to look back on.



Truly a beautiful young couple and they have a beautiful future ahead of them...


Congrats, Frank and Lynn!


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Newborns

Newborns.  They will knock you right on your tail with all the feels.
When I took the plunge into this photography business, I was anxious to do it all.  I started with what my heart gravitated toward, and that was families.  My passion for capturing family moments just grew and grew.  I devoted all my time to learning and growing in that particular area.   Then came the realization that in order to grow my business, I needed to start expanding.  I started with High School Seniors and then tried weddings and eventually took on the most intimidating newborns.  The thing with newborn photography is that the best photographers out there make it look so darn easy.   There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes with those so perfectly folded up, posed little nuggets.  I tried, i failed, i tried again, i failed again.  My heart wasn't in it, my heart was in the moments.  The real moments, not the perfectly posed ones.  Don't get me wrong,  I have mad respect for newborn photographers, the reason they charge as much as they do, is because it is most definitely worth it.  In this business, you get what you pay for. Mark my words.
So I'm sticking with what I know and love and that is, like i mentioned before, lifestyle and in the moment photography.  Now, i will clarify that if you book a family session or senior session, we are going to get some posed shots.  I am fully aware that most of us come from the "JC Penny Portrait" era and we can't help ourselves from wanting some photos where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling.  So, you will have that. But what you will also have is a gallery with your children snuggling, playing and being themselves.  You will see real smiles and have photos that will take you back to that moment every time you see them.  That is my ultimate goal at your session.

The real point of this post is to talk to you about my new take on those tricky newborns.  Hospital, lifestyle, newborn sessions.  *I'm still trying to figure out a unique name for them*  These sessions are nothing new to the photography world, but I definitely think they are under valued.  
My job is to come into the hospital, 24-48 hours after the arrival of your new little one. This is such a vulnerable and emotional time for the family.  And I promise you, that the memories that are captured from that time, will mean more to you than you could ever imagine.

The moment when big brother gets to hold the baby for the first time.  His excitement and concern.  He has no idea how much his world is about to change but in this moment he is taking his new job very seriously. You can almost see the thoughts going through his head.   That's a moment you can never get back.

And mom, you don't have to be done up in the perfect new outfit.  You need to be real.  Just staring into the eyes of this beautiful blessing.  I can still remember looking into the eyes of my firstborn for the first time.  Nothing else in the world mattered, I was just in awe of this miracle that God created.  


The details... the toes, the fingers, the faces, the hair.  It all changes way too quickly.  Oh how I wish I could go back in time and have these precious details to look at again.  Its the little things that mean the most. 



And dad's.  Sometimes they get overlooked.  There is usually so much going on behind the scenes that dad is taking care of.  Nothing gets me more than this.  A dad and his baby.  Men have a tendency to keep it all inside and not show the emotion that they are really feeling.  But a picture like this shows you exactly what he is feeling.  He has this new little person that he is responsible for raising up.  Dad's have a huge responsibility on their shoulders when it comes to bringing a new life into this world.  Sometimes I think they get overlooked.  Maybe they don't have the ability to feed the baby from their own body but that doesn't mean their role is any less important.   A picture like this is worth million words.


I'd love to capture these moments for you and your family.  Sessions like this remind me why I started in the first place.  If you have questions or concerns, I will walk you through the details, I want nothing more than for this to be an amazing experience for you.

If you or someone you know, in the Akron/Canton area is expecting, May-Aug. 2016 and would be interested in working with me, I am offering these Fresh Baby, in hospital sessions 50% off to 3 families.  The regular price is $225.  These sessions take place in your hospital room, typically 24 hours after the birth of the baby.  They last around an hour and you will receive a gallery of 50+ images with full printing rights.
Email me at LindsaySagephotography@gmail.com for more info.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Looking Ahead...

The new year is upon us.  So hard to believe we have closed the doors on another year here at LSP.  I won't bore you with numbers but I will tell you that so much good happened this past year.  While I am a sucker for reminiscing and I think it's a good thing to look back to where I started, this year is about moving forward.  I am so happy with where I am on this journey and I'm confident in the progress I have made both as a photographer and a business woman.   I still have a ton to learn and I will never stop growing but I have made the choice that 2016 will be about building up on the foundation I have laid down these past 2 years.  I have at least gotten my feet wet in all the areas of photography I am interested in and now in 2016 I can grow the areas that I love and that I am passionate about.  It is time to move forward and leave behind the things that do not make me happy, the things that are not in line with what LSP is all about.  

In 2016 I will no longer be doing (or attempting to do) newborns.  Newborns are not my thing.  I don't get excited about newborn sessions, I don't have the desire to invest in props, in lighting, in mentoring.  I just don't want to be a newborn photographer.   There are so many amazing local newborn photographers that knock it out of the park. They are trained, they have invested and they are just flat out amazing at what they do.   That's just not me.  Why be mediocre at something I have no heart for.   I am choosing to excel and invest in what I am passionate about, in what I love to do. 

So what is it that makes my heart pitter patter?  Families, lifestyle, children... documenting these moments that would otherwise be forever gone.  Instead of the posed newborn photography, I will be offering hospital or in home lifestyle newborn photography.  These will take place 1-2 days after delivery in the hospital OR in home 5-7 days after delivery.   These will be documentary style and will focus on capturing the connection between mother/baby, the little details that are so soon forgotten.  The dry flaky skin, the wrinkly fingers and toes, the umbilical cord, the first bath, the first time a sibling meets the baby.  All things that will be captured and edited timelessly and beautifully.  
I am still in the process of building my lifestyle newborn portfolio.  If you or anyone you know is pregnant and due between Feb- May 2016 and would be interested in a discounted session, please email me at lindsaysagephotography@gmail.com


So, what else gets me excited?  Families.  Documenting families with children.  I love taking a family out into the woods or out onto large open land and capturing all their beauty.  We are always certain to get some posed shots for grandma but the shots that will be cherished 10, 15, 20 years from now are the shots of daddy spinning his little girl and the laughter you will hear as you see that huge smile on her face.  
Or when you pull out that photo of your shy little 2 year old with his head nestled on his mommy's shoulder.  The feeling that you want to remember the rest of your life but you know with each passing year the memory will fade.  
This.  This is what I love.  This is what I'm passionate about.  This is what makes me giddy about photography.  

You want to know what is more perfect than a photo with everyone smiling at the camera?  A photo where you see the genuine look on someone's face... the actual face that mom and dad make when they are looking at their sweet baby girl.  The look on their faces that lets you see just exactly how smitten they are for that child.   That is 100x more perfect and in 10 years you will be able to feel that emotion and remember that day a lot easier than if you were all force smiling at the camera.   This is what makes me feel all the feels. 

Couples!  I love love <3  Yep, I love mushy things, I love gushy things.  I love seeing a couple in love.  Therefore I love capturing love.  This love is different than capturing the love between parent and child.  And with that being said, I must talk weddings before I go any further in my love talk.   I have done a handful of weddings now, being a wedding photographer is a lot like being a newborn photographer.  There is a great amount of time involved, a great amount of investment and definitely a specific skill that is needed to be a great wedding photographer.  With as much as I love love, I don't love photographing weddings.  It is stressful and time consuming and I have found that I do not have the desire to grow in the wedding photography business.  I would, once again, rather focus that time, money and energy on being the best at what makes me feel best.    For 2016 I will only be offering wedding packages May - September and they will be for small, outdoor weddings only.  I feel that in order to perfectly capture an indoor wedding, off camera flash must be used and at this time I just don't feel it is beneficial for my business to invest at this time.  

Back to couples though, I love engagement sessions, crap you don't even have to be newly engaged... couples should get their photos taken.  I've done a few empty nesters recently and I can tell you, sometimes they might feel a little awkward but the photos are priceless not only to them but to their children.   Having a photo of your parents engaging with one another, the look your father gives your mother, the way she still giggles when he whispers something to her.... it needs to be capture.  You  need to take the Olan Mills Church Directory picture of your parents off the shelf and buy them a couples session for their anniversary this year.  It will be priceless, I promise!! 















Ok, I'm almost done.  I hope I haven't lost you yet.  Here's what we know so far, in 2016 LSP will be focusing on families, couples and lifestyle newborns.  All that means, is that I will be focusing my efforts on these types of sessions.  February-May I will be focusing on building my lifestyle portfolio. In July of 2016 I will be attending a workshop with the amazing Sarah-Beth Photography based out of Indianapolis.  She is the best of the best in family photography and I can't wait to learn from her.  All of this will be in preparation to have one of the most amazing Fall seasons, where I can give my clients the best of me.  

Lastly I just want to clarify a few things that I will NOT be taking on in 2016:
Styled Newborn Sessions
ONE year cake smash sessions
Indoor Weddings
Styled Studio Sessions


I am going to stick with what I know and love... aside from the newborn lifestyle sessions, all of my sessions will continue to be done at an outdoor location.  My sessions will take place 60-90 minutes prior to sunset (Spring is 6-6:30pm start time, Summer 7-7:30pm start time, early Fall 6:30pm start, late Fall 4:30pm start time).  

So I've covered most of it but not all (high school seniors, children), a detailed list of what I will be offering and the investment involved will be posted on my website under "investment" so check that out or email me at lindsaysagephotography@gmail.com if you have more questions.


If you've stuck with me through this post, thanks! It means a lot to have your support. I hope to work with you in this upcoming year, I think it's going to be realllllly good!!!


Lindsay