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

Hola, everyone!

Oh how I just adore the family I’m blogging about today. I’m lucky enough to say I’ve been photographing Shinavia’s family for eight years now! I truly can’t believe how much her son, Logan, has grown and changed since I first met him, especially since I’ve known Shinavia for over 20 years.

Today, Logan is 9 years old and on his way to the 4th grade.  And, it goes without saying, his mom Shinavia and I have become even better friends over the time we’ve worked together. It’s hard to not become friends with someone like Shinavia, frankly; she’s such a peach!

When Shinavia called me to take their photos again, I immediately began counting down the days to our session! And as for the day of the shoot, I had a blast! They had a pretty great time, too, posing between running around the playground and making funny faces.

About our shoot, Shinavia said, “I liked that [our session] was very spontaneous and free. We didn’t have to pose a lot because with kids, they don’t focus for long so ask them to keep posing isn’t going to work but capturing those cute moments are key.”

• Location: Watkins Park
• Shinavia’s Wardrobe: Marshall’s
• Logan’s Wardrobe: Children’s Place

Once Shinavia saw her photos, she said, “I love the photos because I think they capture our personalities. They show how loving and playful we are towards each other. You can tell he’s my only child and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Okay, enough text. Check out the awesome mother/son duo, Shinavia and Logan.

I’ll be scheduling another family session like this in August. If you’re interested in your own individual or family portraits, shoot me an email at insana@insanacollins.com or a text to 202-738-9007 to book. Until next time!

Insana