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Happy Holidays to You!

December 28, 2016
28 Dec 2016

I’d like to wish you and your family a happy holidays!! One of my clients, Allissa, set hers off right with holiday photos of her family. Two-year-old Bryce and 4-year-old Brynn were a joy to work with and wore the cutest outfits!

 

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Mom Allissa got their adorable outfits from Macy’s, and suggests not feeding your kids pancakes with sugary syrup before your portrait session because they were “bouncing off the walls!” They certainly were energetic, but that just makes for more interesting photos!

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“I chose Insana because her portraits always have lovely lighting. She also understands how tough it can be to wrangle relatives into a photo; she comes from a large family!” said Allissa. With 6 brothers and sisters, I can agree!

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Allissa decided to use the photo above for her family’s holiday cards. Great choice! I hope your holidays are as joy-filled as Bryce, Brynn and Allissa’s. And have a Happy New Year! :)

-Insana

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Real Family | Jenkins Family Portraits

August 16, 2016
16 Aug 2016

Hi there!

I come from a pretty large family (did you know that I have six brothers and sisters?) so that may be the reason that I love, love, love family portrait sessions. There is a lot of coordination that goes into sessions like these, from scheduling, outfits, personalities, hair and makeup, and weather, but in the end, it’s all worth it. Check out this portrait session of the lively Jenkins family in Maryland.

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Summer and fall are absolutely the best seasons to take photos like these! If you have questions about this session or want one like it for your family, just email me at insana@insanacollins.com. :)

 

Until next time,

Insana

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Milestone Birthday | Melissa’s 30th Birthday Celebration

June 28, 2016
28 Jun 2016

Summer is here and I’ve got new photos to share with you!

I recently had the chance to photograph Melissa Davis’ 30th birthday celebration. Melissa chose the theme “Cherishing the Moment” for her milestone birthday, and this fun-loving and outgoing woman DID JUST THAT!

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We all know how time consuming and stressful event planning can be, which is why many reach out to event planning coordinators to tackle the tasks. For those who decide to tackle the project themselves, Melissa gave great advice for making it a success!
1. Start EARLY searching for whatever it is your looking for such as venues, decorations, ideas, outfits, etc. Never think it’s too early to start searching!!!
2. Never hesitate to ask questions when working with vendors. It’s always important to know what you’re getting for your money.
3. Make a budget when planning an event. Keep in mind that simplicity is best at times – you don’t have to always overdo it or do too much.
4. Always have a backup plan because you never know if something may fall through.

Check out the vendors Melissa used who, according to her, “helped made my event extra special and unforgettable”:
Hair: Deborah Morman, Stylist/Owner of Debs Dooz
Make-up: Rickya Dodson, Licensed Make-up Artist/Hair Stylist
Decorations: Shaka Gray, Melissa’s BFF
Graphic Designer: E-Jay Smith, E-Jay Designs
DJ: DJ Dark Night
Catering: Kimberly Martin, La Fontaine Bleue
Cake: “The Cake Lady” Diane White, Owner of Kake Korner Bakery
Photographer: Yours Truly!

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Melissa stated that the most memorable moment of her milestone birthday was the out pour of love from her parents, family, friends and co-workers. She shared that “The love was just overwhelming and heartfelt and this made my birthday unforgettable and, most importantly, memorable. I honestly felt like God answered my prayers and gave me all my heart’s desires. I can truly say that I lived in the moments and that I cherished every moment that was given to me. I prayed about my birthday party and I felt that God allowed me to have a successful party and so much more. God really blew my mind!!”

 

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See what Melissa has to say about her photo session experience:

“My experience with Ms. Insana Collins was hands down amazing. I couldn’t ask for a better person to do the job. I was searching hard for the right photographer to capture the unforgettable moments at my birthday party. Deep down inside I knew I had to pick the right one. I reached out to several photographers for the job at hand and I asked several questions, but it was something special about Insana. She was very professional, prompt to my response, patience, accommodating and so sweet. Even though I never met Insana [before the party], I just felt like she was the right one for the job!!! She made me feel comfortable and sure about my decision. When the results came back, she blew my mind away. In fact I believe she was God sent because she was a referral to me. When I saw my photos from my event I just cried and I relived the moments all over again. Insana truly has a gift and it definitely shows in her work. I was beyond pleased with the results and I would recommend her for sure to anyone who’s searching for photographer. She’ll NEVER let you down.”

 

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Melissa and I never met before her party, but we left feeling like lifelong buddies. It was such a pleasure being a part of this milestone birthday celebration and an honor to provide Melissa with the lasting memories.

I’m happily accepting wedding, event, family, and commercial photo sessions. I hope to hear from you soon!

Until next time,

Insana :)

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Real Portraits | Dr. Bobby and LaVera Manning

April 6, 2016
06 Apr 2016

I recently photographed Pastor Dr. Bobby Manning and his wife, First Lady LaVera Manning of the First Baptist Church of District Heights, located at 7234 Lansdale Street in District Heights, Maryland. I first met Bobby and LaVera years ago at my own church in Glenarden, Maryland, and remember when the young pastor began leading at FBCDH.

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Before our shoot, I asked Dr. Manning about his ministry and marketing goals. “As as church, our primary marketing goal is to continue to expose the surrounding community to the ministries of our church,” he said. “We will expand the scope of our communications to a larger group of people, both online and surrounding our physical location.”

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FBCDH’s mission is to “Connect With Communities to Cultivate STRONG Christians.” The Mannings contacted me to take new professional portraits of them to use to creatively go beyond the walls of the church to be a blessing in the community around them, and help people to grow stronger spiritually. They’ve hosted laundromat takeovers, food giveaways, children’s fairs, and other events that help meet the needs of the community in practical ways. I was delighted to photograph inside the church itself and further their mission.

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Photographing these two was so fun! LaVera had her own makeup artist, Vanessa, who did a fantastic job! What made this shoot really special were their joyful attitudes and quite honestly, the love they showed for each other. It’s infectious! The First Baptist Church of District Heights has existed for 64 years and with young, energetic leaders like these two, I’d check them out! To learn more, visit their website at http://www.fbcdh.org/.

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Until next time,

Insana

 

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Portraits | Madison the Dancer

November 3, 2015
03 Nov 2015

Hey guys!

Today I have a real treat for you, which comes in the form of 8-year-old Madison. She’s a dancer, and her mom wanted to showcase her talent in the best way possible, especially since she’s beginning to dance more competitively.

You can tell from the pictures that this little girl is energetic–an important trait for a young dancer.  She’s a constant performer and seems to enjoy herself…a lot!

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We met up at a private studio in Fairfax, which I loved because of the range of indoor scenery. Madison’s mom, Monica, handled Madison’s hair and makeup herself.

Not only is Madison a talented dancer, she’s also received voice training from Shirley Ables, a member of the Grammy-award winning gospel group, Shirley Ables and the Joy Gospel Singers. As you can see, Madison’s parents have a lot to be proud of.

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Her parents also did a really wonderful job choosing outfits for our session.

“We wanted her head shots to accent her natural look, and the dance shots to allow the focus on her dancing ability so we chose a bright pink shirt for the head shots, but a more muted color, simple leotard for her dance shots,” said Monica. I second that info!

Okay, moving on to what you’ve been waiting for. For your viewing pleasure, pictures of Madison, the dancer!

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This family was just awesome to work with. I totally look forward to shooting with Madison in the future. “Overall, it was a great experience. Insana is very patient and kind and can really capture beauty with the lens,” said mom, Monica. :)

Until next time,

Insana

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