Hi again, ladies and gents!

Let me stop for a second to tell you that I am seriously the luckiest photographer in the world. My clients are always so wonderful to work with. That’s true of my session with the Davis family, too!

I met Marilyn and Charles Davis at a gala a few years ago, and after Marilyn had her first baby, a friend recommended me to them to take their first family portraits.

Mike (my new co-tographer, I can’t wait until you meet him!) and I met up with them on a Sunday at one of my favorite shooting locations, Watkins Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland and, although chilly, the weather was perfect for portraits. We love shooting in the fall, when the leaves are so colorful and nature has so much character. While the weather was fine, it was the Davis family that made this shoot such a treat. Charles and Marilyn arrived color coordinated, and were so sweet to each other as well as naturals in front of the camera.

 

As if they weren’t beautiful enough, now comes baby Malia.

Malia, Marilyn, and Chuck were awesome together, and it showed. They had awesome things to say about us too.

“We loved working with you and Mike.  You both made the photo shoot really easy and very comfortable for all of us.  You both made us feel like we had known you for years, even though we had just actually met that day. Our daughter usually starts to cry when she is around new people in new environments, but we didn’t have that problem with either you or Mike.  You both have a great eye for pictures and even were easy going enough to let my husband direct some of the poses,” said Marilyn. I am thrilled whenever I receive such glowing reviews from my clients!

 

 

 

Wardrobe details of the shoot:

• Charles – Top: Target & Banana Republic; Jeans: American Eagle; Shoes – Cole Haan
• Marilyn – Top: Macys; Pants: Stitch Fix; Shoes – Coach
• Malia – Nordstrom

Marilyn also has terrific advice for parents taking family portraits with small children. “Make sure you feed children before the shoot.  If you have babies, I wouldn’t try any new foods the day of the shoot, just in case it doesn’t agree with them. [Also], try your best to have the photo shoot not coincide with nap time. Bring the toys, props, or people that will get your kids to smile.” After shooting family portraits for over 10 years, believe me, this is top notch advice!

I hope you enjoyed the Davis’ family portrait session! The Davis family is using photos these for their holiday cards, and I’m currently booking more holiday portrait and event sessions every day. Call or email me to book one for yourself!

Until next time,

 

Insana

insana@insanacollins.com

 

I began my career in photography the way many others have. First, I started taking pictures as a hobby, so much so, that people requested that I take their event photos. Then I learned more about photography and purchased the best camera. More people requested photos. Then I wanted to get better, so I read books, took classes, attended conferences and studied on YouTube. Even more people requested photos. Then I practiced, practiced, and practiced. Got better equipment. Upgraded my camera and lenses. And just like many photographers before me, my easiest subjects were none other than my family members, out of sheer availability.

It’s been eight years since I’ve decided to dedicate my time and energy to professional photography, but my family photography experience hasn’t changed one bit. This means that when we have special events like family reunions, I’m the first in line to capture the day. This summer’s Collins Family Reunion was no different.

I’m honored that I can take professional photos of my family. It requires the right equipment, of course, the skill to make people smile, stand up straight, look thinner, and above all, corral large groups of people who are constantly distracted by one another. This is a family reunion after all!

The reunion went off without a hitch and I can’t wait until next time! The smiles of aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and cousins made it all worthwhile. I hope you cherish your family the way that I cherish mine,

Insana

Cue the sultry music for this post, gang!

Today I’m featuring Rae, a stunning woman I photographed in January at a private home in Bowie, MD. This boudoir session was particularly special, as she’d wanted photos for a long time, but just never had the motivation. Rae told me, “I’ve been wanting to do a boudoir session for years but never had that special someone to do it for. Well I do now, and since Valentine’s Day was right around the corner, I said, why not! I wanted to present pictures for my special guy as well as take some for me. Sometimes “we” women just need a little reminder on how sexy we really are. My pictures will remind me of that for years to come.”

As you can see, Rae is incredibly beautiful, but looks aren’t the only thing she’s got going on. She loves to bake, travel, and host parties too!

Even though she was a little nervous before our shoot (who wouldn’t be?), Rae was able to relax pretty quickly and we got some awesome shots.

“I was extremely nervous about how I was going to look in the photos. I’m not a size 4, so I wanted to make sure I was sexy, but didn’t look like I was larger than I am… I was also nervous about my comfort level of the poses. I’m pretty conservative and I didn’t want to do any awkward poses that made me feel uncomfortable or that were to raunchy. Insana put my nerves at ease! She encouraged me,  coached me, made tasteful suggestions and took my thoughts into consideration. She even gave me a few techniques to use while posing to help me get the best shot, as well as make me feel relaxed. It was like two old girlfriends hanging out, instead of a photo shoot. Laughs galore!” said Rae.

She brought 3 different outfits for the session and each looked amazing on her. A white button down with heels, a snow leopard kimono with a bra and panty set, and a gorgeous blue lace gown with matching panties from Victoria’s Secret.

Since we had such an amazing shoot, I asked Rae to share a little bit of advice for others who may want to have a boudoir session in the future. Here’s what she had to say:

“I would suggest coming to the photo shoot with an open mind. Insana suggested several poses I never would’ve thought of and they came out looking fabulous!”

That’s definitely solid advice!

No more talking – let’s get to the pictures!

 

Rae absolutely rocked her session! She had fantastic energy and it made the shoot so much fun. As for her favorite part of the shoot: “I can’t stress enough how much I loved every single moment of my session!! The side jokes between Insana and I, the excitement I felt after I nailed a pose, the actual posing itself and of course standing in front of a stranger with next to nothing on, while she takes pics of me. Lol!! This session made me feel beautiful and gave me a brief insight on how models must feel on a daily basis. For a shorty like me, that’s probably something I would never experience in the real world. Good times!”

Until next time,

Insana

p.s. Rae took the boudoir surprise a step further and ordered a 12-month color calendar for her honey! Take a look.