My Mother
She asks me to take her portrait.
I ask if she loves it.
She says, “It’s not for me, it’s for you.”
I pretend I didn’t really hear it. Because I can’t really hear it.
Rubbing my back as I fall asleep in my childhood bedroom
Walls covered in the mural she commissioned that would spark stories
She listens. The greatest gift she gave me was that she made space for listening.
She was safe, and she taught me to listen to my own.
But I can’t hear her today.
Dana reached out looking for a last minute photographer, wanting to capture the moment with her family before her mother was scheduled to begin Chemotherapy that week.
My stomach lurched. Both my mother and mother in law are, thanks to G-d, cancer survivors.
Dana’s mother is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. But she wanted to keep it quiet during the session, because her brother still didn’t know about it. He has Fragile X, and she wanted him to enjoy the session.
I wondered if I would. I wondered if I would keep it together.
It was an expectedly emotional process. Both the session and when we viewed the images and came up with a plan for them. I am so grateful to begin the process of creating an album for her, one that she will be able to pass down to her daughters.
I wish Dana and her family a lifetime of health and joy.
Update:
I’m grateful that the Jewish Moms of Atlanta (shout-out!!) directed Eriana straight into my studio. She’s a woman you notice. Full of intrigue and a winding story of how she found herself on an unexpected journey: both professionally and personally.
She’s starting work at Honeywell as a Sr. Business Development Manager. She has a fantastically varied history before this in the beauty industry, and then connecting baby products to big name brands. I asked if she did relatively the same work in all of these different sectors, but nope, she’s always crushing something new. Seriously, check this woman out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erianarivera-rozo
It’s no surprise that she’s so prepared to transform herself in so many different roles, companies, and industries. She told me a fantastic story of her family origins in Columbia, and her mother’s discovery that she had Jewish lineage. The Spanish Inquisition not only caused so many to flee, but to then bury their identities. But her mother, and Eriana, embraced the discovery. It didn’t negate what they knew or who they believed themselves to be, it enriched it. It’s evident that Eriana sees each new role and revelation as an opportunity to learn, grow, embrace, and elevate.
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:
There’s a common scam photographers get, someone asking them to capture a “reunion,” and then pay the other “vendors” for them…
But I knew this one was legitimate, because the call came directly from Ramah Darom, explaining that their retreat center was hosting a family reunion, and that family portraits had been requested. Eliana, who runs the retreat center, said that she was coming to me because she and the family wanted to gift finished artwork to the matriarch for her home, as they were gathering to celebrate her 80th birthday.
I wanted to capture the sun rising behind the family over the lake. The two hour drive in the dark up through the mountains was stunning nonetheless. They really do have the most fantastic venue, and as I trekked, I reminisced about my pivotal time working there.
Ramah had put together an outstanding itinerary for them, featuring truly quality together time. I arrived as they were finishing their breakfast buffet, and then went to fine-tune the location I had in mind.
It was muddy, and there were tire tracks… and I was thrilled that the family was good sports about it, because it was PERFECT.
I got to know the family a bit. They had ventured in from all over, including California and Israel. They were a vibrant group, whom while diverse, were cohesive under Elaine’s leadership. When she and I had our selection appointment, she took me through their journey as a family. One of discovery, adventure, and risks with a big payoff. She had a clear vision for her family, and this reunion felt for her like the culmination of all her goals and efforts. She has such deserved pride for all that the generations she created are achieving.
I can only dream of glowing the way Elaine does when I’m 80. To have such sharp and radiating memories, and tangible proof of a life that was worth living. May we all experience such joy.
*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!!
Our gallery design, images straight out of camera.
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!
Remember THIS GORGEOUS LADY?
When her daughter needed a yearbook headshot, she decided to crank it up a notch and turn it into a celebration. This way, she gets to submit something extra special and customized, AND start building a gallery home of her family at home.
Shira sparkles, just like her mom.
Let me introduce you to Corrie. And then, let me tell you why Corrie is a big deal for us.
I’ve only just begun to get to know her, but here’s what’s clear: she has passion and drive, but seeks balance and tempers her decisions by really checking in with herself. She’s energized by change and opportunity. She’s very talented, transitioning from Marketing at Turner Broadcasting into Real Estate. She’s got a couple spunky kiddos who tell her exactly what they think. She really understands people. She asked my husband to take a personality assessment- and told him spot on what he was before he revealed his results.
And here’s why all of this is so important to my family…
My husband and I are both small business owners. You already know what I do. My husband got into real estate, grew his business, took on Pam, an amazing partner, and then was hired by his brokerage to coach other Realtors. He now coaches 79 Realtors, and helps them explore their goals, desires, and actualize the steps necessary to grow and better serve their clients. He was recently able to hire Candace to assist with coaching!
The twist? While helping others launch and scale their businesses, Billy determined that his clients deserved more attention and a higher level of service. SO NOW THE FAMILY HOME GROUP HAS CORRIE AT THE HELM!! She is here to help the business explode: to provide top-notch service, and to execute the vision Billy has always had for his real estate team.
If you have ever started your own business, you understand the excitement, the nerves, the amazement, of seeing your baby to a place where you bring in leadership.
Corrie is the match we’ve been seeking. WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, CORRIE!
I remember jumping, sweating, learning… Liora and I used to take a dance workout class together. It was a hip hop class- choreography oriented. What’s strange, is I can’t even recall how we became friends before that. I know we were, it feels like we always were, but I can’t flag the start.
But I remember the pause. Already a brilliant pastry and paint artist, she returned to school to pursue a degree in the medical field. She wanted to put all her love into her education and her family. I’ve also seen her bloom in her art.
Liora ultimately is pursuing a career as an ultrasound technician. Currently, she’s applying to phlebotomy and medical assistant positions. Besides proficient, this woman is so kind, empathetic, and warm, she’s guaranteed to bond with and soothe anyone she assists.
Meeting Laura made my head spin.
She found me from recommendations on Facebook. We clicked on our consultation call, but knew so little about one another.
Then BOOM— here come the crazy ways our paths complimented each other.
She works in Real Estate Law (my husband coaches realtors and has a sales team.)
She’s been on the board of a local theatre, Synchronicity Performance Group (I worked as a professional actor in Atlanta for a decade.)
She’s explored her Jewish practice through the years, and has been particularly impacted by relationships (uh, ditto.)
Her daughter was in BBYO (my husband and I met via the youth group.)
The people and experiences we shared in common were incredible. I did not see that coming!
But isn’t every moment we have in this world an opportunity to find unexpected connections?
We’re 2/3s of our way through documenting the Kofinas year of growth. Remember this session??
Alexandra and I are building a gallery wall that chronicals the growth of her family over the course of this year: from family of three, to maternity, to family of four.
That leaves us with one session to go for the year… and my heart is pounding just thinking about it.
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…
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!
Hannah’s approach to real estate is much like finding a dating setup: start with a wonderful client, and know that their perfect match is out there… it’s her job to bring the two together. She has a broad understanding of Atlanta (just ask her about free activities to do with your family!) and what makes it special.
We crafted her session for here at the Shayna Image studio, with the goal of showcasing her glowing personality, professionalism, and the backdrop of her specialty.
Reach out to Hannah via her website: www.hannahsells.com
And check out the fantastic video created by FilmTribe she made that showcases all that Jewish Atlanta has to offer!
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!!
MAZAL TOV to the Wenger family, on Gila’s Bat Mitzvah!! Everyone was so excited to celebrate her, even if the plans had to be carefully rethought. I’ve had the opportunity to capture this family through the years, and seeing Gila evolve into such a poised young woman was stunning. Leading up to the event, we strategized the best methods to memorialize the occasion with family as lasting art in the safest way possible.
Click each image to enlarge.
Each of the girls radiate. Strong individuality, but all emanate kindness.
The Wengers were able to celebrate, albeit in a non-traditional way, with those they love most.
From the beginning, they knew they what they wanted for their home. We planned out the galleries that they will enjoy daily and for a lifetime to come.
The girls in the hallway (image unedited for mockup)
The images to the side are for individual bedrooms.
They wanted images from our previous sessions in 2012 and 2017 to be incorporated. I can’t stress enough, as a photographer, the importance in investing in backup data systems and being organized about it. I was able to pull up the original images from both years, and spruce up both so that their gallery would look more cohesive.
In my own home, I have a gallery with prints from multiple years, and I confess I often spend time reveling in the growth of my own littles. I’m thrilled that the Wengers will be able to admire the story of their family in their living room.
May they have many more celebrations to come!!
Update 1/12/2021!
We were pushed off a couple of weeks due to HSL, but were thrilled to complete the installation today!!
Adrienne and I continue to evolve together, both in friendship and artistically, through the years. We first bonded in middle school choir. Decades later, she’s making a living as in interior designer and muralist. And we keep hiring each other! Beginning with murals in my children’s old rooms, most recently she’s the artistic brain behind my photography studio (hire her!) And I’ve had the chance to create her maternity, newborn, and last year’s family picture. Which brings us to this year!
Mike, who tours with the band, Hinder, playing bass, endures Adrienne’s and my endless reminiscence year after year. He has such a softness with his girls.
I actually answered an unknown number. It wasn’t a car warranty, for once, but it was Michael Smith, who heard from Falynn that I was the person to call for headshots. A fellow Architect at OTJ Architects, he specializes in biomedical science facilities. But we clicked immediately over cowboy boots and wall art.
His home galleries are spectacular, but he’s one of the few who doesn’t need my process to arrange a spectacular array on his walls! There are definitely some perks to the field.
“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.
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.
**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!
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.
