Style

Sara wanted a session commemorating her son’s upshern (3rd birthday). Originally, she had in mind that we do the session before the party, since they were dressing up anyway. Ultimately, she decided to separate the two, as she wanted a low pressure session where it would be the only thing on her mind.

We shot in their home, moving only a couple pieces of furniture and taking advantage of the lovely light in their space.

We reviewed the images together, then she chatted with her amazing interior designer (I need to get her name and link her here!!), and together, we created a vision, and I edited her images accordingly.

Left: our design, virtual on the wall, Right: the actual installation

It was tremendous fun creating images to fulfill our final vision.

EDIT! And then…

Sara reached out, craving one more image. She wanted a color shot, to gift her husband for his office:

3/3

*Edit at bottom

The final installment…

Alexandra was coy when she first called, requesting to learn about three sessions in a year. She finally came out with it, and stopped claiming it would be nice to capture different seasons: she wanted to capture her family as a threesome, through maternity, and then as a foursome. She wanted to tell the story of their growth.

SEE PAST SESSIONS HERE

May I present, the family of four:

Most fun, was creating their wall gallery!

We’ll be hanging them in their living room, over a new couch due to come. I can’t wait to see them up!

I have to say, this has been a really touching journey. It’s so beautiful to be a part of people’s growth, milestones, fears, and celebrations. This family has so much joy, so much humor, so much sass and spunk. Every part of the process with them has felt like a celebration. I’m so grateful. And I will try not to cry when I see this on their walls. Thank you for this opportunity.

ClientsRachel LinkwaldJanuary 11, 2022atlanta family photographer, atlanta, atlanta photographer, art, home art, custom art, living room art, maternity photoshoot, maternity portrait, maternity, baby, siblings, sister, brother, baby brother, family, family photography

Celebrating Alane

*NOTICE* - boudoir photography to come!

Is Alane fierce?

Without question.

She’s a registered nurse who provides post-surgery in-home care. She also works events with the local police force.

When people heard I had a “Celebrate Yourself Session” approaching, they said, “Wow, she must be so confident.”

Is Alane confident in the field? You betcha. Was Alane nervous about our session? You betcha.

She reached out because she wanted to present her husband with a special birthday present, custom art for their home. But she was really putting herself out there, taking this leap. She said she’s never had a picture taken of her that she likes.

She drove to the studio DURING A TORNADO, and met Corie, our hair and makeup artist. (Thanks to Yelena for the introduction to Corie: they worked on set of the “Love is Blind Reunion” together.)

We explored different outfits, different poses, reviewed the images together, until we NAILED IT.

After the session, Alane texted, giving me permission to share her images: “Let’s show the world how amazing you are!”

Showing the world how amazing women are, TOGETHER:

We explored creating a gallery for her husband’s office, though I believe their final destination is still undetermined. She chose to have these images printed on stand-out metals, and I can’t wait to install them for her!!

Screen Shot 2021-05-03 at 2.41.16 PM.png — Our gallery design, images straight out of camera.

ClientsRachel LinkwaldMay 5, 2021boudoir, atlanta, atlanta photographer, best atlanta photographer, canon, love, marriage, portraits, portraiture, custom art, shayna imageComment

The Meta Shoot

Shayna Image recently took on assistance in the Social Media Marketing department (don’t they say ‘focus on your strengths’?) and they sent a photographer to my studio and grounds to do a session of me…doing a session. How meta is that?

I needed a family to be in the session. The answer to me was obvious. Lucy. Lucy and my husband work together.

She has a gorgeous family, with kiddos who I thought were up for the strange dynamic.
Her support of my business has been breathtaking. When a client books with me, they have the opportunity to name a referral source, who receives 15% off a session fee. Lucy has been named so many times, she’s on track to a free shoot.
Then I heard she hopes to gift the session to someone else.

It was a tricky evening. What I needed to do to get a great image of Lucy’s family was pretty much the OPPOSITE of what the other photographer, Franca, needed to get a great image of ME getting a photo of the family. If that sentence sounds confusing, it’s a taste of how the evening felt!

Nevertheless, her family crushed it, and we got a couple of lovely images to show from it all! These images were taken in the creek and on the paths behind the studio.

Much gratitude to Lucy and her beautiful family. And I look forward to you all seeing the forthcoming “Behind the Scenes at Shayna Image” pictures!

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The Annual Insanity

It was time! The annual family self-portrait. It was a disaster, as always. Without someone behind the camera, its a silly face free-for-all. I don't want to tell you how many images I had to splice together. But I will. Outtakes below.

We took the settee, one of the exciting new pieces of furniture I purchased for the studio, behind the house/studio. I love having tons of gorgeous, natural spots to draw from for photographic backdrops, all right here.

How did this image happen? I set up my camera on my tripod, tethered to my computer. My computer was set to fire 20 times 5 seconds apart, and we did three rounds. My light and diffuser were slightly right, triggered remotely by the camera/computer. Then, I took 4 different images and fused them together into this one.

4 different images?? That’s not normally necessary for a client session. But a client session has me behind the camera, coaching. When I’m in front of the camera, this happens…

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I’m dying to see this on canvas. Next step for us is to pick our space, and use my software to see it virtually on the wall, to ensure we’re choosing the correct size. Can’t wait to show the finished product!

Rachel LinkwaldJanuary 8, 2021children, kids, editing, Jewish, selfie, family photography, family, heirloom, beth jacob atlanta, keller williams, outdoors, woods, portraiture, portraits, photoshop, photography, photographer, realtor, art, shayna image, atlanta, custom art, loveComment

Co-conspirator

Melissa is an artist. Not by trade or practice, but creatively, in her mind. By trade and practice she’s a Maharat, a leader, and a guide. But she gets these incredible creative bursts, and I get to execute them! She saw my headshot, and wanted a twist for herself. My favorite messages are from her, saying “I just had this crazy idea for a photoshoot…” See one here.

Darker, more dramatic background? Or brighter? What do you think?

We wanted something rich, dramatic, but still as colorful and vibrant as Melissa! The only purple in the original image was in her headband, but I infused the color into our backdrop and her necklace to build cohesion.

Here’s the setup behind the scenes!

More to come!

Alexandra is an artist. When she reached out to me, there was a perfect understanding of what we are trying to accomplish when you work with me. She wanted us to build art together. She did, however, throw me for a loop when she asked about the process of booking three sessions in a year.

I told her I have a two-session discount that could easily be adapted…but why three sessions? Clearly there was a goal…

She mumbled a bit, talked about capturing different environments… then came out with it: she was expecting!! She imagined a gallery in their home that tells the story of their evolving family through this time: a family of three, a family maternity session, and as a family of four.

I definitely squealed through the rest of our consultation.

Our session was delightful, learning all about Adam’s work as Executive director of local synagogue Or VeShalom, which I had the pleasure of attending for a few years, and getting Stella’s full spunk. They are such a dynamic family! But what was truly fun was capturing this image, with Stella completely unaware of why we were taking it:

We’ve been waiting all these months until Chanukah to finally make the announcement. May this family have nothing but joy going forward.

Speaking of going forward… it’s almost time for their second session!!

Happy Firsts!

“No pressure, but do you guys think we can finish the remodel on this studio in time for this sweet baby’s first birthday session?”

The construction team put the pedal to the metal, and we pulled it off in time for two firsts:

My first session in the new studio!
Solomon’s first birthday!

It felt like a true celebration of firsts when this amazing baby beamed his mega-watt smile at me. I was floored. “THIS is the kid I get in the studio today?? Can I be this lucky??” I told him he needed to save the grins for the session, nervous he’d wear himself out— it never happened. The smiles persisted: his, and so, of course, mine. He was a rockstar and an angel.

Speaking of new things worth celebrating, this family just moved into a new home! And this art will get to decorate the new walls! We’ve selected a 20x30 canvas to adorn their staircase.

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But what’s probably most incredible about this story isn’t what’s new: it’s what’s old. When his mom reached out to me, she told me about the sentimental and expansive family galleries that bedecked their old home. Pictures of her brother and grandfather as babies that she wished to mirror (and we literally got three of the exact same poses!), and lots of images they had brought over from the “old country” that they had restored. This is EXACTLY why I do what I do!! The cheap print labs aren’t archival, and thus the art can’t be passed down. But I create heirloom pieces. So not only will baby Solomon join the family wall amongst generations of pictures, but he, too, can be passed down with them for generations to come.

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**Update!

We had designed his piece for their old home, but when they unexpectedly moved sooner than expected, we delayed installation until they were settled. What’s great about the size they selected, is that it looks perfect in the new stairway, too!

Test drive

A couple of nights ago, we tiptoed down to the almost completed studio. I wanted to test lens length in the space, so asked kids to stand in. Didn't have a single light set up, no backdrop: just my new space, natural light in the evening in the rain. This is the result. Back of camera, as unedited as it comes.

Mira and Matthew

Matthew and Mira were adorable, curled up on my couch, sipping sparkling apple from my own nuptial flutes, and poring over wedding materials with me. We chatted about how they met, the evolution of their relationship. They enjoyed each other so much. She told her mom that she knew nothing about what she wanted her wedding to be like, EXCEPT that she wanted Shayna Image to capture it. I’ve never been so flattered, and I wanted to blow them away.

Their wedding was March 1st.

The world shut down for Covid-19 March 13th.

We were scheduled to have our reveal party on the 22nd. We wanted so much to get together in person, enjoy celebrating and reliving the evening together, so we opted to postpone until we could view the images in person. But come August, we couldn’t take it any longer, and gathered with both sets of parents for a virtual viewing. The wait was agonizing!

They are both blessed with large, local families with abundant personalities. The energy that day communicated that this couple has a support system that runs deep. If you are a part of that support system, the family would love to share their complete online gallery with you: be in touch with them for instructions and password!

May the couple always feel encapsulated in the love of that day.

Heal with Hanna

Hanna hears you. Life is full of struggles and transitions, and she invites you to breathe through it all with her. Check out her Yoga and Healing practice, with zoom offerings during this time, at http://healwithhanna.com/ , https://www.facebook.com/healwithhanna, and https://www.instagram.com/healwithhanna/

Her Moment

In the tumbling chaos, the confusion, the isolation, the anger…

A moment by stillness. Toes muddy and cool. Tranquility and exhalation.

I watch her grow into her gracefulness. She seems to have a wisdom about all of this that I desire. She beams still over inconsequential moments. She radiates contentment while I struggle.

Have you heard of the syndrome, “Photographer’s Child?” It’s murmured frequently in my profession. Because we love our built in test-subjects, and they too soon are “over it.” So I make a point to insist that they permit me to take our family portrait once a year, and try otherwise to leave them alone.

Ah-ha! Reverse psychology! Now, every time I have a client come, they beg me to take their picture, too.

So we tromped into the backyard. I had to coax her into the mud by the creek. Her dress originally was purple. Her shirt was a vibrant turquoise. My daughter asked if we could print it for her room. My son also wants a print of himself for his room, though he was satisfied with our last studio session:

Connection

Elisheva bid on a session with me at an auction to support The Jewish Fertility Foundation some time ago. We got together for a socially distanced session at her home, in front of her favorite tree.

Among her favorite things, which include a passion for helping children, American Sign Language, and promoting exercise health, is snuggling her sweet children and puppy. The images that made her coo weren’t perfectly posed, but rather when there was a connection. She loved this image, but unfortunately, puppy Oreo’s face was hidden behind them. That’s why you hire a photographer who can photoshop! I can’t wait to see her face when she holds the finished mounted print.

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Best of the Situation

Remember this friend/client, who convinced me to do my version of a corona porchtrait for her?

It was a beautiful session. Perfect weather. She had great ideas in mind. And seeing her children again, even if many feet apart, was bliss.

That first picture? It’s actually a composite of three different images:

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As I left, her amazing daughter asked, repetitiously, “When the sickness is over, can we come to your house? Can we come one day, when it’s over??”

I feel like this whole experience is a constant contrast of tender and heartbreaking. A craving and appreciation of connection.

Corona Woman

I am Corona Woman!

Hear me roar. Or cry. Or call out in gratitude. Or fear.

I wear all the hats and I want to cast them to the ground. Sometimes I do, and hide in the closet. Sometimes the hats stack nicely.

I am so proud of myself. And ashamed.

All these people are me.

I am Corona Woman. A self portrait dedicated to all those who are doing all the things all the time at the same time right now.

About the portrait: this is 6 separate images taken over the course of one morning in my dining room. I had one speedlight behind the camera and one bare-bulb strobe off right, both bouncing from the ceiling. I tethered my camera on a tripod to my computer, and set it to automatically take 15 shots of each story. I inched myself around the space so that I would have a variety of positions to assist with overlap. Then I spliced them together in Photoshop . I edited the now singular image with a heavy hand of dodge and burning to make it pop. Yes, my little one was actually fighting during the session (he rescinded his protest and requested to take part after he saw big sis was excited.) I desperately wanted to tidy, but didn’t permit myself to move a single item, so this is life during Covid-19 in all its glory.

Reunited with Wonder Woman

Rebekah was a dear friend in college, we bonded performing in a production of Tommy. Fast forward, the lady is rocking as owner of the Center Stage Arts Studio in Ohio, is the proud mama of 6, and military wife.

She and her family (four brothers), were gathering outside of Atlanta for Thanksgiving, and she wanted to take advantage of the gathering. I was equally excited to make art with her as I was to simply catch up with someone who has always been a magnetic match.

This week, some metals are shipping out to Vegas, for her brother and sister-in-law!

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Rebekah is the queen of keeping it real, and pushing for her dreams. A true Wonder Woman.

Sparks

A year after mounting her metal gallery to her kitchen wall, Rebecca was ready for a session for her holiday/new year cards. I love how the fire of the menorah is a perfect metaphor for Michael and Rebecca’s children. They are such little sparks, with a passion for performance, and fiery personalities.

May they and all their loved ones have a snuggly and meaningful 2020. And may their children shine through life.

ClientsRachel LinkwaldJanuary 31, 2020atlanta, atlanta photographer, best atlanta photographer, bright, custom art, cousins, children, kids, Jewish, family photography, family, portraiture, shayna image, holiday cards, chanukkah, menorah Comment

Good Wishes

I rifle through the stack of mail, and see something personally addressed. The anticipation of opening a holiday card, in a sea of impersonal correspondence, is tangible. I slide my finger through the envelope, and find warm greetings bedecked by images that I poured my soul into. The elation of creating art… and having it mailed back to you!

I am so grateful that Adrienne Rodden, whom is an incredible interior designer and muralist I’ve known since High School, hired me for the third time to capture the journey of her family- and that I continue to have opportunities to hire her, as well!

For Always

When the cousins come to play from the other side of the world, you make sure the memories last.

Proud Grandma is so excited to admire her sweet babies on her walls daily (on standout Matte Metals), and gift a mini album to her own mother.

Designed for her wall using the unedited images.

If you are a parent, or a grandparent, you know the struggle of getting multiple children engaged in the same moment. I hold your hand through the process, and help you envision your ultimate image. One that captures the spirit of each of your loved ones.

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Update! The gallery has been installed!

Last of the strands

I have such a soft spot for pre/post upshern sessions. It’s such a sweet, sentimental session: the last moment of your baby truly being a baby! That soft, feathery, uncut hair. And then the dramatic transformation after the ceremony.

(You definitely want to click each image to expand)

And here’s our plan for their living room!:

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Even more exciting? We have our follow-up session to come! You’ll have to hold tight a few months to see this sweet big boy with his new do’.

This family was a referral from Melissa, and there’s nothing like working with someone who is there because they trust someone that loved their experience and art, and are ready to embrace the same. Thank you to everyone who shares my name and work.