03 – Portraits - Shelley Paulson Photography Blog

03 - Portraits

July6th

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Keith and Melissa {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits

I have decided if I wait until my new blog is done, I will be desperately behind in blogging, so I’ll be catching up on blogging the next few days!

Melissa and I used to board our horses together and she has also assisted me at weddings. I was honored when she asked if I would photograph her and her husband Keith to celebrate 10 years of marriage!

We did the session at Bunker Hills Regional Park. Little did we know, but it must have been the height of tick season! We wandered into an area that was thick with them and quickly realized we were COVERED! I am not exaggerating when I say that I pulled 15-20 crawling ticks off my body!!! After the session, we went back to their house and I pulled 4 off that had attached. As I drove off, I pulled another off my earlobe. It was like a HORROR MOVIE! Except the session itself was so fun, it pretty much made up for the tick attack! :)

Here’s what Melissa had to say about the session: “Hey, lady! These are AWESOME!!!!!!! Thank you so much for coming out with us, getting covered in tick, and still shooting some amazing photos :)”

Photographer notes: When you’re going to do a photo session in the spring in deep woods – WEAR REPELLANT! Bring some for your clients too. ;)
June9th

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Christina and Katrina {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits

My friend Christina was helping me out on the Bohlender session I recently posted. On our way home, we got to talking about how much I like shooting around abandoned houses. She lit up and told me about one we were just drove by. We turned around and went back to investigate.

It’s an old Frank Lloyd Wright style home that has been abandoned for many years. The roof has caved in in places and most of the home is boarded up. The remnants of the house and the surrounding area were rich with texture and interesting architecture. We decided right there that the next morning we would come back and do a session with her and her sister Katrina. I was giddy.

On an unrelated note, I was squatting in the grass for a shot and heard the grass moving. Yup, it was a snake! I screamed and ran. I’m such a girl.

We had a really fun time exploring the area around the home and taking photos. These sisters are so, so close and such a delight to photograph. That morning will always be a special memory for me.

Photographers Note: We didn’t get to the site until around 9am, so there was a lot of bright light bouncing around, mostly off of trees and grass/weeds. Many of my photos had a strong green cast to them, especially in the skin tones. I used the hue and saturation sliders in Lightroom, as well as some adjustment brushes, to remove the color cast.

Christina was making up stories about the home and the property. It was quite the narrative, if I could only remember, I’d tell you. ;)

So lovely…

I love Katrina’s smile. :)

Christina found a turtle and had a nice time chatting with him. See the hinge?

About two weeks after this session, Christina shaved her head…just for fun…crazy girl! I love her. :D
May26th

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Jenny & Caleb {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits

I’m sure by now, you all know I have a second “home” in Kansas City. It isn’t a physical place, but a community of friends who feel like “home” to my heart.

Jenny was one of the first friends I made there. We share a great love for photography, music and God, which instantly bonded us. We’ve been talking for years about doing this session, but this was definitely the “right” time for both her and for me. Her husband Caleb helped me out the day before this session when the battery on my Jeep decided to die (stuff like that tends to happen when you’re out of town without your husband!). Caleb is a mechanic and he fixed my Jeep right up in true hero fashion. By the time we got to this session, we are all so comfortable with each other that the photography truly felt like a beautiful side effect of spending a lovely morning with friends.

Jenny sent me the most touching e-mail after seeing these photos. I asked her if I could share some of it here, because she so clearly expressed back to me exactly what I hope people experience when I photograph them:

“I can’t really express to you even what the session meant to us. Both of us were touched deeply by it somehow… we fell more in love with each other and we really felt the Lord. Caleb mentioned how it really felt like a date but also how it was like the Lord was whispering to us in the midst of it. As we were in the house with the broken window… I felt Him so near. The gift of you as a photographer is so evident… your photos truly are so emotional… I feel like I’m seeing myself in some ways in a way I never have. i’m a little surprised by this… Maybe I’m getting too introspective! ha! But I feel like I’m seeing something in my eyes I didn’t know was there… don’t know how to explain it. It is a strange feeling… but still a gift. You made us so comfortable that day… we so enjoyed YOU and it felt like such a glorious adventure!! And you know how I love adventures and beauty! How much more an adventure with a dear friend and the man that I love on a glorious morning!! And now we have this tremendous ‘keepsake’ of these photos. Wow. We have never had real professional photos and I TREASURE the fact that you were the first for us… these photos will forever mean a great deal to me.”

They had a great time, fell more in love, felt God’s touch on their hearts, and Jenny saw herself in a new way…I could not ask for more. I am so humbled. I love my job. :)

The location we were shooting at had a few abandoned homes on the property. Jenny is adventurous, so we went inside. I think I’m now hooked – I love the texture!

I think Jenny has crazy beautiful eyes!

« Previous Entries

Keith and Melissa {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits

Christina and Katrina {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits

Jenny & Caleb {portraits}

Posted in: 03 - Portraits