It usually comes from family. It has come from a couple friends but most often from family. While I may not be able to capture the magnificent shots that Anne Geddes gets with children, shoot weddings and portraits as beautifully as my beautiful (and wonderfully talented) friend Rene of Rene Tate Photography, or be the next Annie Leibovitz, I do really enjoy being behind my camera and getting to capture a few images that will simply never transpire ever again. And the best part is I can get a good shot here or there and my family doesn't have to pay tons of money for images they can't otherwise afford.
So it was no surprise when I got a random text from one of my cousin's asking if I could take a few shots of her for her graduation announcements (she is graduating from UNC-Greeley at the end of May) and a couple of them together. Last minute. Translation: could they be there the next day and I could take a few shots.
Sure why not?! I haven't been behind my Canon Rebel XS for quite some time.
Next quandary: what sort of photos was she wanting exactly and what sort of backdrop (scenery, urban, etc.). Lastly, would the bipolar Colorado weather allow for us to take some decent photos?
When she showed up she was uncertain, I had few ideas, and then my brother threw out the idea of the historical farmhouse right across the street from our housing development. On one side of the street sits classic residential neighborhoods of Brighton. On the other side is historical farmland, one portion, indefinitely protected since it has been instated as a national historic site. The farmhouse has been somewhat restored on the outside (sans windows) while the barn, silo, and miscellaneous buildings remain dilapidated and decaying. Perfect for those of us with a little bit of country roots!
So off we went. The sun was shining magnificently (albeit too bright...as it was at the very top of the afternoon when the sun sits highest in the sky), blue skies, and a little bit of mud. Funny enough a blizzard warning was issued mid-shoot but it didn't matter. We spent about a half hour with Nicole finding a few spots she thought she might want to shoot.
Like I said, they aren't THE BEST portraits in the world. But for a quick 30-min session, during a part of the day when the sun was shining and blue skies, I'll take it on a fast-paced schedule.
I hope that she finds a couple in this stack that she enjoys and that will work for her. If not, we will just have to do it all over again! :-)
