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.

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

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

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EDIT! And then…

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

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Redfin LOVES PHOTOGRAPHIC GALLERY WALLS!!

I received an email from Redfin, the Real Estate search engine, that said, “We are excited to let you know that Shayna Image has been chosen to be featured in Redfin's next blog article, "How to Curate a Photo Gallery Wall in Your Home”". We've selected notable experts in the field to provide homeowners with some creative ways to curate a beautiful photo gallery in their homes.”

Scroll through to read my tips, and also to get some great advice from fantastic print photographers across the USA:

CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE HERE

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“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:

1. My first session in the new studio!

2. 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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

Coming this week to your wall, Tracey!!

I can’t wait to hang this metal of your angels with you.

…And see how your mom is loving her gallery down in Florida! Capturing cousins is magical.

As I see it, there are three different directions you can go in when styling your shoot:

1. Classically breathtaking

2. True to you

3. Designer’s dream

Today, we’ll look at #1, Classically breathtaking. You are the art. Clothes fit the following criteria:

• Fabric that moves.

• Neutral colors like white, creams, beiges. Avoid patterns.

• Timeless pieces.

If you are pursuing this look, avoid jeans, which will always communicate the current era. We are going for breezy and classic.

Click above to open Pinterest board for inspiration. Special shout out to Eliana Naomi whose gorgeously curated boards helped launch my search.

Check back next Friday for Part 2: True to You!