06 – Slice of Life Families - Shelley Paulson Photography Blog

06 - Slice of Life Families

July6th

No Comments

Ciske Family {slice of life}

Posted in: 06 - Slice of Life Families

I love the Ciske family! Amy is one of my oldest and closest friends, Nick is a great friend and is helping me with my new blog implementation. He’s a WordPress expert who just started his own company (yes, that was a shameless plug, but I really do think he’s great and highly recommend him!). And their sweet daughter just makes everyone smile. :)

If you are interested in a session for your family, please visit the “Slice of Life” page on my site. I have some session openings in July and August, but dates are filling up pretty quickly!

Photographer’s Notes: I used my 35mm 1.4 lens for the wide angle photos, and my 70-200 2.8 for the zoom photos. Mixing up focal lengths can give you a nice variety in your photo sessions and gives your clients more options to choose from!

My favorite from the session. :)
June7th

4 Comments

The Bohlenders {slice of life}

Posted in: 06 - Slice of Life Families

I’ve been photographing the Bohlenders since there were just six of them (grandma included!). Since then, they’ve adopted three and birthed another. They are now a family of nine and there’s rarely a dull moment. They have a passion for adoption and have started The Zoe Foundation to help other people have large, crazy families!

Sessions like this have so many variables, I just try to keep an open mind and keep my camera in front of my face, you just never know what’s going to happen! You’ll see a mix of posed portraits and unguarded moments here, which are the key to my “slice of life sessions.” It’s life, as it happens. :)

Photographer Notes: The closeup portraits were taken with my 85mm lens. I love that length for closeups because it minimizes distortion, yet allows me to stay physically close to my subjects, so I can interact with them and bring out a lot of great, genunine expressions.

I have to admit that I’ve struggled to connect with Zoe in past sessions (she would see me and run the other way) and had to fight the anxiety that she would not connect with me. This time it was very different and we made a great connection. The morning after the session, she came down the stairs and declared, “Miss SHelley took my picture last night!” This, to me, was a great victory and so were the photos!

Zoe IS the princess.

But she shares her crown with little sisters.
March31st

1 Comment

Winter Fun with the “K” Family {slice of life}

Posted in: 06 - Slice of Life Families

And I mean FUN!

Last month, I had a “homework” assignment from my mentor to do a practice session with a family and shoot the “Shelley Style” to try and explore what direction I would like to take with my children/family photography. I chose my friend Shawna’s family, because I knew I would have a lot of fun being around them!

I am working on a new web site and blog, which will include information about the kind of family photography I will be offering, which will be a mixture of documentary photography and relaxed, honest portraiture. I am hoping to launch by April 24th!

Photographing “C” was awesome! I just had to ask him a few questions and he and we had a great conversation, photography being a by-product. ;) I also happen to think his faux-hawk is cool.

Hands can say so much about how a person is feeling.

I showed him this photo after we were done and he said “I don’t remember doing that!” …and I though “exactly!”

Another “C”! She is super spunky and we also had a great conversation. She’s sweet through and through!

I was really looking forward to photographing “V”. She and I are a lot alike and I knew we’d click photographically.

She has amazing eyes.

Shawna! She’s one of my favorite people on the earth! She’s fun and also authentic. I feel like I could tell her anything.

We shot these in her room, with awesome green walls, which made a wonderful backdrop for her beautiful skin tone, eyes, and hair. The light was beautiful too – direct sun in the window, bouncing off a white bedspread.

Snack break. :)

We moved the shoot outdoors, and I managed to get my Jeep stuck in the snow. Some very nice truck owners pulled me out! Life is an adventure. :D

This shot was her idea. She actually had a lot of ideas for me. I think she’s my future assistant! ;)