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[annieclaflin]

My dad has taken up Tai Chi in the past few years. He practices every weekday morning at The Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. It was here that he first met Tony, who is now his teacher. He approached Tony about learning Tai Chi and ever since, the two have practiced together five days a week.

My dad noticed the winter light one morning and asked me if I’d photograph him and Tony in it. The light was a beautiful juxtaposition between light and dark, shining through the trees in the Arboretum. And it was glorious. Of course, if was 19 degrees out this fine morning and we had to alternate between wearing gloves and going bare handed. I should note, Tony and my dad practice Tai Chi in my dad’s garage in the winter so this one day was an anomaly and a short session.

I had never really seen my dad in this element and I immediately found the movements fascinating and meditative. I can see why he’s hooked on this ritual. I was honored to be a part of this new venture he’s embarked upon in retirement. It is quite magical.

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Cora was clearly the star of the show. She is a real firecracker and lead the way during our family photography session. Kristen, Justin and Maeve followed close behind, just enjoying a mild fall day. Their backyard was sufficiently covered in golden leaves for some kicking, and a nearby field offered plenty of space for Cora to run and Maeve to crawl around. 

I’m so excited for this family to receive their prints, just in time for the holidays. There’s nothing like holding your photographs and gifting them to those you love. Photography really comes alive in print. 

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Harriet rules the roost. This lovely pup was feeling a bit under the weather for our South End pet photography session but her personality still shined through. We took pictures both at home and out and about in her neighborhood. It was so nice to be back in the South End, my old stomping ground, and to see the place through Harriet’s eyes. 

Harriet is at the same time snuggly and playful. She had fun licking her owners while posing for the camera. When we got her to her favorite outdoor spots, she was just as content to run around as she was to take a break and sit quietly. Harriet is the perfect mix of fun and faithful. 

Amanda and Joe were right there along for the ride, playing with Harriet on the basketball court and cuddling her at home. These three are a great team but Amanda and Joe are well aware: Harriet rules the roost.

[annieclaflin]

Molly W.'s NICU Story and Family Photography- Somerville, MA

I connected with Molly because we both spent time with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Upon meeting Molly, she encouraged me to reach out to NICU families as she has, and so a family photography project for NICU grads began. Molly’s story brought back memories of both the NICU and the delicate time after. Although our stories differ, I share so many of her sentiments.

Molly spoke about how isolating the NICU is - your baby is tucked away in the hospital, with you by their side, and the world keeps turning outside. Coming home can leave you further disconnected. When her son, Max, came home from the hospital, his family had to be extremely careful as he was immunocompromised.

Molly started to reach out to NICU families, trying to create community for herself, and ultimately took a role managing the family program at Beth Israel. When Molly got pregnant again, it was an ectopic pregnancy that ruptured and she nearly died. She went on to have another son, which was another high risk pregnancy. Through all of this, Molly continues to work with NICU families and is now a board member for a national non-profit organization, Project Sweet Peas, that supports NICU families and those who experience infant loss.

I began illustrating Molly’s family in their home. This is the reverential place you want to bring your NICU baby but can’t at first. Then, once your baby leaves the hospital, home becomes your whole world as leaving it can be unsafe for a premature baby. Home life is everything to a family and more to those who have been through the NICU. 

I also made some photographs of Molly’s family out and about, on the playground, doing what kids do. I wanted to show, next to the value of family life at home, the possibilities that lie outside. These are the activities that you never dream possible with tiny babies who are born early.

While they may look like so many other families, Molly’s family’s journey is remarkable. I am honored that Molly shared her NICU experience with me and that her family lent me some time in front of my lens.

[annieclaflin]

Summertime Somerville Family Photography Session

I’ve been photographing a lot of Somerville families and it’s amazing to me how people who live so close together can share so much in common while maintaining a unique family vibe.

For this at-home photography session, we enjoyed the late afternoon while making paper art. I love outdoor oasis’s. There’s something so special about one’s own little slice of nature, at home.

Vanessa and her family have a beautiful garden that I think I slightly trampled while trying to get the perfect shots. She was so nice about it though (sorry I ruined your mint, Vanessa). And next to this garden was this classic picnic table where I can just imagine them barbecuing all summer long.

And Hazel and Pascal have their own hideout in this backyard too. They were nice enough to share it with me. Still, they enjoyed coloring and making paper airplanes more than climbing up into their elevated fort. Here are some pictures of the whole family showing me their paper airplane and paper art-making skills.

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Brotherly Love in Medford - A Family Photography Session

The weather forecast didn’t predict that the sun would come out for this family photography session in Medford. Then, while we were hanging around the house, the sun broke through the clouds. After we grabbed some family photographs, we rushed off to a nearby park to make some action shots. It wasn’t hard to get these two boys to run around and play together.

I think Owen and Shay were both surprised they could do a lot of what they do on any given day, playing around the house, for their photography session. That’s why it’s so important to me that families choose a familiar location for photo shoots: kids can do whatever they normally do in that space. When kids are comfortable and happy, it shows!

[annieclaflin]

Memorial Day Weekend - Photographing My Family

This Memorial Day weekend we will go to my family’s beach home in Maine. We visit this place every summer. I’m thrilled that beach season is among us, but I notice so many changes from the year before. Paired with the chill of early Maine summer, the season opener is bittersweet.

Last year, Hux walked over the sand for this first time. In one of the images here, he stretches his arms out to steady himself over the uneven sand. His balance was still tenuous. Now, he walks and runs with more confidence and agility. He’s turning into more of a little boy than a baby.

I am excited to make more pictures of my family this Memorial Day. In the place that I spent my childhood, I greatly anticipate my son’s childhood unfold before my eyes. I can’t wait to make and capture more memories of this time in our lives.

What are you looking forward to this summer? Where do you go to escape the sweltering heat? What do your kids love to do there?

[annieclaflin]

What to Wear: Wardrobe Guidelines for Your Family Photography Session in Boston

Everyone always wants to know what to wear on a photoshoot. I’ll include a few resources for you in this post. I’ll also weigh in on some popular suggestions. If you’re still unsure about your outfits for your next family photography session, contact me! I’m always happy to talk it out with you.

What Colors Look Good on You?

Pantone recently weighed in on what colors compliment different skin tones. You can find out more about that here. Some colors looks best with cool skin tomes while others look better with warm skin tones. Your skin tone is your co-pilot. 

What Is Your Skin Tone?

Finding what colors match your skin tone assume you truly know what your skin tone is. Allure weighs in on how to gauge your skin tone. For me, looking at the color of my veins really helped!

Color Reflects on Your Skin

Now, you’ve identified your skin tone and found the optimal colors for your skin. But here’s a caveat for photo sessions: the colors you wear reflect back onto your skin. Bright green might add a fun pop of color into your wardrobe, but can cast onto your skin tone in an unpleasant way. I suggest wearing more photo-friendly, subdued colors in the neutral palette to your next family photography session. 

Bringing All of the Colors Together

Your family will want to wear complimentary colors without overtly matching. Too many colors and patterns can detract from your family photos. Even bright white can stand out in a picture. Find a neutral color palette that your whole family can enjoy. Just as too many clashing colors can detract attention from your family’s faces and warm embraces, so can exact matching outfits. Let your wardrobe bring out the best in your family!

Wear What you Love

Your personality will shine through when you wear your favorite clothes. When you’re happy, it shows in your photographs! This is especially true for kiddos.

Let Kids Be Kids

You can urge your children to wear the clothes you want them to wear, but ultimately, they may be in a better mood if they get to wear one of their favorite outfits.

Everyone Should be Comfortable

While a family photography session is a special occasion, wear comfortable clothes that let you move around. We won’t be standing still in one place but you’ll want to make sure that your clothing does.

Plan Ahead

Adults, plan your outfits ahead of time. Kids might make last minute decisions and that’s ok! Try to give them two options to steer them in the right direction.

The Moral of These Family Wardrobe Guidelines

All of my families make their own, unique wardrobe decisions based on their style and comfort. Some of these wardrobes included strong color choices and patterns and the resulting pictures were fabulous! Don’t let these guidelines deter you from being you! And don’t overthink it. Let’s review some basics:

Choose colors that look good on you

Veer away from bright colors (including white!) and strong patterns

Choose a color palette that al of your family wears

Wear what you love

Let your kids choose from one or two of their favorite outfits you’ve picked for them

Be comfortable that what you wear won’t impede your movements

Set aside your wardrobe a few days ahead of time

Have fun with it!

For hair and makeup tips, stay tuned for another blog post on preparing for your next photography session.

[annieclaflin]

As a woman who has immersed herself in the arts, it is a hard pill to swallow that my toddler isn’t currently “museum-ready”. We used to go to museums. Now, we are in a “wait and see” period, waiting to see when Hux’s mischievous ways will wane and we can walk through a museum without him running or touching anything. For now, we’ll stick to art classes for toddlers, imaginative play at home, and sidewalk chalk at the park.

[annieclaflin]

How to Hang Artwork on Your Walls

I love hanging artwork. It’s like unwrapping a present when you stand back from a previously bare wall and view its new adornments. I also really dig going to other people’s homes and seeing how they’ve arranged art on their walls - their choice of display speaks to who they are and how they view the world.

I understand that hanging wall art can feel like a huge undertaking. There are may ways to do it, and how you choose to proceed will depend on:

Other objects in the room

Celling height

The number of artwork pieces you have

There are also many different hanging styles - some people prefer tighter groupings in a gallery wall, when images are meant to play off on another, and some pieces command more space to themselves. It doesn’t have to be perfect - a little quirkiness adds personality to your space. Here’s how to get started :

ITEMS TO HAVE ON HAND

Tape measure

Level

Picture-hanging hardware

Pencil

These are your friends. Your eyes can play tricks on you and it’s better to get it right the first time.

Here’s a trick: if you hang something with a wire on the back at the wrong height - tighten or loosen the wire accordingly, to hang the work lower or higher, depending.

WHERE TO HANG

The average viewing height (the eye-level of your average human being) is 54 - 60 inches, so that should be the center of your piece.

When hanging artwork above furniture, aim for the bottom of the piece to be between 6 - 10 inches above the back of your couch, to tie it in with the room.

Although fireplaces tend to have empty space above them, please, don’t hang any artwork above your fireplace - heat will slowly destroy it. 

These numbers are just starting points and YOUR height and preferences will dictate where your artwork will ultimately hang.

Now that you have an idea of WHERE to hang art, here’s HOW to find where to position it on a wall. I would suggest getting some kraft paper and cutting out pieces that are the same size as your frames. I’m linking you to this article, because it explains where to actually nail your holes into the wall. Here’s a quick primer and some of my own advice:

YOUR ANCHOR POINTS

Find the center of the wall. Mark it with your pencil. 

Find 60 inches from the bottom of the wall. Mark it with your pencil. 

This helps you remember the basic anchor points if you lose track of the math. 

For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to pretend you’re hanging one piece of artwork. The link above will help you with more complicated hanging. I’ll use numbers so you can follow along:

measure the height of your artwork (20 inches high)

divide the height of your artwork by 2 (20 / 2 =10 inches)

measure the distance of the hanging point (the wire on the back of the artwork or any other fixture on the back of the work) to the top of the artwork (5 inches)

add half of the height of your artwork to 60 inches (60 + 10 = 70 inches)

subtract the wire height (70 - 5 = 65)

Mark this spot on your wall (65 inches) and that’s where the bottom of your wire hanging hook will go

Nail a hole through the hanging hook, put your artwork on the hook, step back and enjoy!

For more complicated hanging jobs, you may want to enlist the help of another person, especially if artwork is heavy.

After a while, you’ll get a feel for the numbers and this process will become like second nature to you. I promise, it gets easier and it’s fun! Cheers to you for braving the art-hanging storm.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I’m always interested in seeing artwork configurations in other people's homes, so show me your walls!

[annieclaflin]

Printed Photographs and Letters

The vanishing tradition of the printed image weighs heavily on my mind in this day and age, when everything is elusively digital. I treasure the pounds of printed photographs I have from my childhood and art school days. Each time I leaf through old images, I’m transported to a different time, place, and state of mind. Photographs are no different than letters in this respect as they are evidence of a time that has passed.

My mother recently bestowed upon me notes that I wrote her when I was younger. They took me back as I explicitly remember writing them. I remember watching my own handwriting change with practice over many years. I remember the joy I took in creating each card. I remember the love I felt and expressed with each message to my mom.

When I found this photograph I took of my niece almost a decade ago, I immediately felt the same way I did when reviewing the old notes I wrote my mom; I was entranced in childlike wonder. The curls in my niece’s hair are like the curls I used to embellish my letters. The small details in both the image and the notes are descriptive of moments foregone.

I implore you to honor relics in your lives - save your kids’ artwork, notes, and letters. Take pictures of your kids and PRINT THEM. Digital images may get lost when your hard drive crashes, but you can always look at prints (they’re archival now)! And if you frame those prints, you can enjoy them everyday on the walls of your home. 

If taking photographs of your family and printing them is too much to think about amidst the chaos of parenthood, outsource it. Call me and I’ll help ypu preserve this time in your family’s life. It’s my pleasure and it’s what I do. We’ll print the images big and frame them or put them in an album. And Mother’s Day is coming up tin May so treat yourself with a spring family photography session. Book now by clicking here. I’d love to record your story.

[annieclaflin]

Recharging at the MFA

I thought today a perfect holiday to take myself out on a date to see the MFA’s Ansel Adams show. I’m still reeling in photos and text and am a bit speechless but at the same time fully inspired and brimming with words about the exhibit. The MFA did an outstanding job of creating a dialogue between past and present landscape photography of the West. The contemporary portion spoke loudest to me, evoking all of my love for the photographic medium.

As I walked through each room of photographs today, I felt like I was walking through my own history with photography. Ansel Adams provided me with a technical base for photography. Through his text books I learned how to expose and develop black and white 4x5 film. I then immersed myself in contemporary photography, taking the traditional rules and breaking them in color. Although my approaches to the photographic medium have changed, the subject for me, and for the photographers I saw today is very similar - we all admire and want to elevate our subjects, to interpret what photographers did before us, and pay homage to the past by re-envisioning it in the present.

A few photographers really spoke to me today and reinforced the ideas that have fueled my photographic career. I fell in love with Catherine Opie’s out-of-focus Yosemite landscapes. They reminded me of the blurry portfolio I created at MassArt, each of the photographs representing a landscape plagued by erosion. By transforming the landscape visually (through a long exposure and flash), I preserved it in its own right, and created a memory to outlast its natural lifetime. 

This is the beauty of being a fine art photographer - you can see what others may not. In the same day, two of us traveling together can have different experiences. One may note a shiny penny on the sidewalk while another may notice the light on a cloud in the sky. Neither view is better than the other, they’re just different. 

In my most recent work with families, I revere the interactions people have with one another and their surroundings. These are interactions that families may not see themselves because they are so deeply immersed in their own experience. With my camera, I capture each family in their present moment. Just like vanishing landscapes, family photographs are legacies and proof that we exist now in a different way than we will in the future.

[annieclaflin]

Old Dog Friends from California

This warm weather reminds me of our days in California and the human and canine friends we made there. Every morning, Hux, Meep and I headed to the local park to get some fresh air, walk, and hike. I would carry Hux on my back while Meep ran across the grass, up and down hills, and in and out of bushes. We met other dog owners and parents who also rose early, sometimes before the sun came up. It was a special time in a special place with special people. Hux, Meep and I made some friends there who we will never forget.

When I found out we were moving back to the East Coast, I decided to make environmental portraits of the friends we made from our local park. The context of the park was as important to me as this was the only place I ever saw these people and their dogs, despite their importance in my life. We all continually remarked that the mornings we spent together at the park, with our dogs running circles around us, made our days better.

The first portrait I took was of Winston and his owner, David. I pulled them over to the bottom of a nearby trail and didn’t ask much of them except to stay relatively still. I love this image of David and Winston looking off in different directions, yet totally relaxed in each other’s presence. David and Winston were a little bit like line wolves in the park, keeping to themselves but socializing when invited in. I respected their autonomy and also really enjoyed their company. David and I talked about young kids as his grandson is the same age as Hux.

I was most excited to photograph Sandy and her dogs as she is one of my favorite personalities from the park. Sandy is a rock ‘n roll, fun-loving woman who adores dogs. After we left California, Sandy started her own dog walking and sitting business as well as her own jewelry line named after her dog, Hannah. With Sandy’s strong and bubbly personality, it doesn’t surprise me that she took her career into her own hands.

I remember Jenny as the fellow Bostonian in the group - she is super friendly but also full of vinegar. We used to shoot the breeze about all of Boston’s idiosyncrasies. I’m still waiting for her to come back to her hometown for a visit, but it’s always difficult to pull an Angelino out of the temperate Southern California weather.

Vlad is a true gentleman. A pack of us used to take the dogs on a hike around the park and once, when the trail became a little more difficult than we had anticipated, Vlad ensured I safely made it through. He took such amazing care of his dogs, Lola and Sega, and would take them on the road with him when he had to travel cross country in his truck. I often imagine the happiness they felt in each other’s company on the road.

Finally, for this edit of the Serrania Dog Park Project, I photographed Javoris and his pup Zeus. Javoris had recently moved to LA from Atlanta for work in the medical industry and was still getting his sea legs when I met him. Zeus and Meep immediately hit it off in the park, so Javoris and I would spend time talking (or not talking as was his slower Southern style). Sometimes, it’s nice to be in the company of someone without feeling like you have to say a word.

These images only represent is a small portion of my dog park friends and their pups. I wish I had more time to photograph all of them. At least I have images to remember all my friends. That’s what photography is all about for me - remember a time and place with people who help define who I am. You are the company you keep and each one of these people speak to my personality and my heart. My crew and I miss them and those early mornings dearly.

[annieclaflin]

What Do Those Numbers on Your Camera Mean?

Friends of mine (many times moms who want to capture their children’s everyday experiences) often ask me to help them use their cameras wisely. I love this question, but often feel I don’t have the time to answer it quickly. Hence, this blog post.

The following is a preliminary overview of the three elements involved in exposing an image. This will take time and practice to understand and implement.

There are 3 elements that your camera uses to expose an image. These elements are all related to one another and are often represented by the exposure triangle. Changing one element will affect the others. These elements are:

1. ISO. Your camera is sensitive to light, so you have to tell it how bright the scene is. ISO is denoted by numbers ranging from roughly 100 (used for bright light) to 6400 (used for dim light).

2. Shutter Speed. Shutter speed controls motion. Shutter speeds can range from 1 second (this is slow so use a tripod to avoid camera shake) to fractions of a second (this is faster and, on the higher end, will freeze action).

3. Aperture or f-stop. Aperture controls depth of field, or how much you want in focus from you, the photographer, to the horizon. Use f2.8 when you want very little of your subject in focus and f22 when you want everything in focus.

Now let’s talk about some situations and how you can apply these elements. I’ll use some family pictures I took on a recent trip to a dude ranch in Wyoming to illustrate various uses of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.

ISO - Where are you taking pictures?

OUTSIDE: Imagine it’s a warm and sunny summer day on a dude ranch in Wyoming. If you need sunglasses because it’s so bright, set your ISO to a low number like 100, like I did here with these horses grazing in the pasture.

INSIDE: Even if you have a ton of window light in your home, it's darker inside than it is outside. In this cabin, with some daylight coming in from outside, it was still dark enough for me to dial my ISO UP to 800. However, when I photograph weddings, I can easily find my ISO set at 6400, depending on the venue and circumstances.

Shutter Speed - How much activity is in the scene?

LITTLE ACTIVITY: In this scene, I caught my niece and brother-in-law looking down at the rolling river beneath them. I photographed this scene at 1/250th of a second, but you can probably use 1/60th of a second for people who are standing still. This may seem fast, but remember, shutter speed relates to motion and no matter how still we are as photographers, we’re still living, breathing human beings that move slightly even while seemingly not moving at all. I usually photograph subjects who are moving (see: kids), so I generally stick with a higher shutter speed.

LOTS OF ACTION: My niece and nephew were running around the ranch and I wanted to make sure to capture them. I knew I had to freeze their motion (otherwise my nephew would be a blurry figure), so I used a fast shutter speed of 1/500th of a second.

Aperture - How much do you want in focus?

EVERYTHING IN FOCUS: We were in the mountains and the scene was breathtaking. I wanted a picture of my sister against this backdrop while keeping some of both the foreground and background in focus so, I closed down my aperture down to f8. If I really wanted the mountains to be in focus, I would’ve closed my aperture all the way down to f22. This is the sort of thing landscape photographers generally do to get most of their images in focus.

SELECT FOCUS: With my family in the foreground at sunset, I thought it would be nice if the mountains behind them weren’t in focus because you can still get a feeling for the landscape. The silhouette of the mountains against the sky is enough to set the scene. I had my aperture opened up to f5.6, but if you really want to push open an aperture, try 2.8. 

And now comes the confusing part. All of these elements (ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture) work in relation to one another and changing one means changing at least one more element to balance exposure. It’s kind of like a teeter-totter if a teeter-totter had three ends...?

For now, your light meter in your camera will tell you how to expose an image properly. When you’re looking into your viewfinder or at the back of your camera when the LCD’s lit up, it’s that straight line that has a bunch of ticks, a “-” sign at one end and a “+” sign at the other. If you point your camera where you want to take a picture, you want your meter highlighted right in the middle. 

If you’re just starting out with your camera and photography in general, but want to take pictures of your family with something other than your iphone, put your DSLR on ‘auto’ exposure mode but start to notice what your camera chooses to do. While you observe the different ways the camera adjusts for changing light (because light is always changing,) look at your pictures and notice what happened with each of the three elements. Keep at it and you will soon be able to tell the camera what you want it to do instead of the other way around. You can also try workshops at places like NESOP to learn even more.

Good luck!

[annieclaflin]

When Holiday Sessions Are Over - Newton Family Photographer

I’m still glowing in the aftermath that is holiday family photography sessions galore. This particular in-home family session had a little extra sparkle in it with Violet in charge. I shared a few of these images on Instagram but wanted to show more depth of the session and the potential for what an in-home session can really be.

Violet and Copley were the apple of the camera’s eye this December. I love Copley’s solo portrait - this little dog commands so much of the space. But Copley is no match for Violet who obviously owns the joint. This little toddler kept me moving as she made coffee for her parents, organized Christmas ornaments, and accessorized everything from shoes to arms. Violet accomplished more during our photo shoot than I can most days!

It’s bitter sweet to look at this magical in-home holiday family photography session. There’s such an emphasize at the end of the year on family life close to home and I’d like to bring that emphasis into the new year. While outdoor family photography sessions in the Boston winter represents a different kind of fun (think LOTS of movement to keep warm and maybe some snowball fights) sometimes it’s nice to make fun where you already are. I’m ready to photograph some cardboard box houses when you’re ready to have me.

[annieclaflin]

Addie’s in-home family Photography Session - Boston Family Photographer

I was thrilled when I heard from Anna and Josh that they were pregnant (yay!) and wanted me to photograph their family with their new baby girl, Cora, a few weeks into her life. But I’m calling this Addie’s photography session because she was the star of the show. I knew her parents before they had Addie and before the newest addition to their clan. I hadn’t met Addie before I walked into her house for our photography session. She was born just before Tom and I moved to Los Angeles from Boston so we’d both had lives with Anna and Josh that the other didn’t know about.

Addie was right there when Anna opened the door on the day of our photography session. Addie was wearing the awesomest black and gold combo. I could immediately tell she sparkles as much as her gold skirt. Addie let me do light tests on her and danced in front of the camera. It was easy to engage Addie from the beginning, or maybe I should say, Addie easily engaged me right from our first encounter.

As usually happens with kids during a photography session, Addie’s enthusiasm for the camera wore off as our photography session progressed so I got to catch her in some more quiet moments in her room and snuggling with her parents. It’s really cool to see the people your friends have for kids and Addie is a truly special one. She has many sides, is both introverted and extraverted, imaginative, quiet and lively. She is a great combination of Anna and Josh. Like her parents, she’s super cool and creative. I’m interested to see who Cora will becomes as she gets older. How will Anna, Josh, and Addie’s personalities shape her? Who is she innately (she seemed pretty chill during my visit, but she’s also very young)?

Thankfully, now that I live in Boston again, I have Anna and Josh back in my life. And now that they are a bigger family, there’s more of Anna and Josh to love. I can’t wait to spend more time with these two and watch their girls grow up with them. This family is a bunch of strong characters who continue to inspire me personally and artistically. I’m looking forward to giving back to them some of what they give to me as friends.

[annieclaflin]

Liz, Cesar and Naya - Boston Family Photography Session at The Public Garden

I’ve been looking back at this past year and what it means to give and receive gifts. I recently received a lovely holiday/thank you gift from Liz and it reminded me of our family photography session at The Boston Public Garden. Every time I get to take pictures it’s like a little present - it invokes the same anticipation and excitement of unwrapping and discovering what’s inside. Then, when I edit the photos I see all the images together and relive the story of a family’s photo session. It’s like re-reading your favorite book and loving it more each time you pick it up. Liz’s family’s story brought me so much joy.

Recently, Liz expressed to me that she was a little nervous about having her picture taken. I wouldn’t have known it as she remained so calm and willing to follow my lead, which is sometimes to just let people interact with their environment naturally. I love when someone who is hesitant about being in front of the camera can open up and trust me enough to follow the flow of the photo session. I just wanted to thank Liz for letting her take my picture. It takes so much guts to get in front of the someone else’s camera. It’s one more gift that photography gives me - it lets me connect with people on a different level. Thanks for letting me connect with you and your family, Liz.

On a more personal note, 'Ms. Liz' has given so much to my family. Saying she takes good care of my son is an understatement. Liz gives all of herself to Hux,  going above and beyond what I expect of a caregiver. She shows Hux what it means to be a friend, what we should expect from others, and how we can exemplify goodness in the way we act. I’m at a loss for words right now. I don’t know how else to describe how grateful I am for Liz and how much my family appreciates her. We aspire to demonstrate to Hux the values that Liz instills in him. We are better people for having her in our lives.