Elmira Dance Photographer. Degas portraits

Each month I try to create photographs just for me.  I have a list of personal projects or ideas and with the help of some great people, I am able to create for the sake of creating.  In January I wanted to do a Edgar Degas inspired ballerina portrait.  If you haven't seen his work, here is a quick google image search to see what I mean. 

One of his most famous pieces is his Blue Dancers, which I think is absolutely lovely.  So I took my idea to facebook and got some great responses.  I was able to connect with Agata, my dancer and conveniently she owns a dance studio which we were able to use for the portraits.  Her and her fiance were so generous to allow me to come and do this.  They own Bringing Tap Back located in Kitchener and I truly appreciate their help in this.  They offer classes for kids to adults (even beginners)

Anyway, I couldn't wait to get home and edit the images.  I used a new technique which is shooting through a piece of tulle.  It helped me to create that blue feel for some of the images.

Please enjoy a few of my favourites.

To see more, please visit http://www.greenapplephotography.ca/Ballerina/i-k2KWSDX

"Each new person is a new mystery..." ~Tamara Lackey

I recently applied for a scholorship to a workshop of one of my fave photogs, Tamara Lackey.  She's an amazing photographer, and a beautiful soul.  I had to describe why I was a portrait photographer.  Here's my response:

 Portraits are everything.  I love showing families what it really looks like to be them - to be together - to be one.  I also love what it represents to my own children.  That following your dream IS an option for them.  That doing something you love - everyday - is so important for our own lives.  Our health, our sanity and our well-being.  But it also takes a lot of work and dedication; and those are good things.  It means we are invested in what we do.  It means the best for our clients' families and our own families.

Here's what I see.

“ Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph. – Matt Hardy

You've scheduled your child for a portrait session.  Finally and Yay! Someone else can try to encourage your child to co-operate with the camera.  Even my own kids constantly turn away, make grumpy faces and cry when mom is taking pictures.  For some reason, someone different (and experienced) can always get the best out of your child - even if its for only a few minutes.

So how do you prepare your child for a portrait session?

1. Don't make a big deal about it.  The more you talk about it and try to coach them, the more nervous they will get.

2. Dress them in something comfortable.  That doesn't mean they need to be in play clothes, but ensure that their clothing isn't tight, scratchy or uncomfortable in some way.

3. Prepare your photographer.  Let them know if your child is super shy, very outgoing or extremely energetic (oh wait, that's every kid!)

4. Let them be.  The best images come when your child is completely themselves.  As a photographer, I want the child 100% focused on me.  When mom is popping up saying "Look here.  Smile sweety. Don't put your hands there." It can be very confusing and overwhelming for a child.  I often tell Mom and Dad that they are off the hook.  No discipline, no coaching, no nothing...they can step back for a few minutes and I will call them if I need to.

5. Reschedule if they are sick.  There's nothing worse than trying to get a smile out of a little one that isn't feeling well.  Your child will not be happy, mom won't be happy and that doesn't make a positive experience for anyone.   Plus, I don't want to get sick either. 

6. Most importantly, let your child know that they will have fun!  Portrait sessions shouldn't be stuffy and boring - especially for kids.

Happy Birthday Thomas!

"A good video can make all the difference." ~ Brian May

Hello internet! CreativeLIVE recently announced it's newest workshop Newborn and Babies with Sandy Puc' and as my video entry states, "I'm super pumped about it". For every CreativeLIVE workshop, they invite several people to attend live in Seattle. All you have to do is create a video and get chosen.
So check out my dorky video!

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

To all my brides.  This is how I strive to make you beautiful.  It's something I've always done, but seeing a true STAR say it out loud makes me feel legit!  And for my grooms...I'll make you look cool!  Promise.  How could you not with your beautiful bride on your arm?




Thanks for taking the time to watch this amazing photographer!  I only hope to be as successful as Jasmine Star.

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."~ Khalil Gibran

For some reason, I love taking pictures of feet.  Especially the feet of little people.  I have no idea why.  But I just love those images.  Their cute toes, snazzy socks, or perfect little shoes.  I love their feet when they are jumping, sitting or grabbing their toes.  There's just something about their feet that says so much about them...I don't know exactly what it is.  Here are a few of my favourite feet!

Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind. ~Patanjali, translated from Sanskrit

The Window Box is a cute (and very tiny) floral shop in downtown Elmira.  It has amazing window displays and I'm not going to lie, I stare EVERY time I walk by.  I highly recommend you walk by - and stop in sometime.  All this staring, lead me inside the door on a February morning.  I briefly spoke with Christine, the owner, and congratulated her on her newly aquired business.  She seemed lovely.  After visiting the shop and seeing all the great floral wall decor she had on display, it made me want to do that too.  In fact, I used to do a lot of garden photography and I missed it.  Like a good massage, or an amazing dessert, garden photography makes me go "Ahh."  I decided it's time to get back into the garden.  But since it was only February, I had to wait.  And wait. And wait. Finally I got my chance.  I met with Christine last week and she is going to display my floral art in her shop.  I'm super excited.  I LOVE portrait photography, but this gives me a chance to be alone with my camera, quietly in the garden.  It's my photographic yoga.  Quiet, soothing and solitary.

I like her because she smiles at me and means it. ~Anonymous

 "Say Cheese".  As a photographer I strongly dislike - ok - hate that expression.  The result is a (pardon the pun) "cheese-y" smile that's fake and unnatural.  I'll admit when photographing kids I'll ask them to say "cheeseburger" but the goal is that they find it funny and laugh - naturally.  So how do I create natural moments for my clients?  I talk, laugh and interact with them.  I tell them stories, tell them horrible, awful jokes, and let them interact with one another.  With their children - they play.  With their fiance - they play.  With their spouse - they play.

Here are some of my favourites.

www.greenapplephotography.ca

www.greenapplephotography.ca

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www.greenapplephotography.ca

The event of getting married is a lot of fun. It’s a party— you plan it, everybody comes, they celebrate... ~Dr Phil McGraw

One of my favourite things to shoot are weddings details.  I love getting close-up, shooting angles and capturing those really creative things that make each couple so unique.  When I got married, I feel like I spent a lot of time on those puny pieces  - the things that had my ... er...our mark on them.  The things that (I hope) made our guests say "oh wow...that's great" or something equally nice.  I love shooting those items at weddings because I know the work that goes into them, the thought, the time, the energy.

While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

I love photographing children.  I Love when I meet them for the first time (or maybe not) and I get to see their little personalities come out.  Some are timid and shy, others loud and energetic.  No matter what, I love it.  Children allow you to see into their soul.  They are not guarded or careful - they just are. As a photographer, I want to capture who they really are.  How they act, what they love.  And let's face it, they don't stay that way for long.  They are constantly changing: in appearance and behaviour, in likes and dislikes.  I'm never looking to capture a stagnant moment - children are not stagnant.  I want to see them move, explore and bring their life into my photography.  Enjoy a few shots of these beautiful souls.

 Watch for info on my upcoming Mother's day photo contest.

“If it makes you laugh, if it makes you cry, if it rips out your heart, that’s a good picture.” – Eddie Adams

I'm drawn to emotion in photography.  Drawn to those moments when no one realizes exactly what you are capturing when the photo was taken.  It even happens to me.  Sometimes I don't even remember a particular shot and "see" it for the first time during my edits. I like the atypical, the non traditional and the natural.  I had some friends over for photos last week and caught a few of those moments.

Copyright Green Apple Photography

Copyright Green Apple Photography

Copyright Green Apple Photography

Copyright Green Apple Photography

I love...LOVE...this shot.  The way mom and dad are looking at their son as he stumbles into the frame.  It's an amazing moment.

A meeting over coffee

"You meet people who forget you.  You forget people you meet.  But sometimes you meet those people you can't forget.  Those are your 'friends'."

I've always considered my clients to be friends.  Especially my wedding clients.  Afterall, I am spending most of the best day of their life with them.  I'll be there while they are getting ready, as they try to calm their nerves before the ceremony, as share their first married kiss, and as they dance and party the night away in celebration.

For this reason, I take meeting a newly engaged couple very seriously.  I like to meet my clients over coffee. Just like I would with a friend.  I'm not in it for the "sale" or to force them to hire me - I'm really there to meet them, and for them to meet me.  If we click and I can offer what they are looking for, I would expect them to hire me.  If we don't hit it off, I would hope that they find someone else.  This may seem like backwards business, but I truly feel that a wedding is a special day. The bride has chosen a maid of honour, her bridesmaids and of course, a groom very carefully.  They are people that she wants around her on the wedding day (and beyond). I feel like the photographer should be no different. After all, when the toasts have been made, the bouquet tossed and the coffee is cold, Your memories and photos are what remain.  My goal is that your memories will be as amazing as your photos.

Joe

So, although it may seem weird to blog about my husband, he is a major part of my life and my business.  If you keep up with my blog, you'll remember from "Takin' Care of Business", that Joe is really the reason that I started shooting weddings again.

While shooting weddings, we definitely are opposite.  Joe really enjoys taking candids and keeping out of sight.  I, on the other hand, love to interact with the bride and groom, the wedding party and guests.  Joe is very technical minded while he shoots. I am very focused on are the artistic qualities of the image.  Joe takes care of backing up images on site (and worrying about it too).  I just hand him my full cards and I'm on to the next shot.  Joe is the left side of the brain, I am the right.  Ok I don't even know if that is correct.  I could be the left and he could be the right - but you get the idea.

So it sounds like it's all rainbows and sunshine - it isn't.  We have our - ahem - "moments" as well.  But I honestly am truly happy.  I would never be the photographer that I am, without him.  He allows me to be who I am.  I hope he reads this because even though we spend a lot of time together, I don't get to tell him how much it means to have him in my life as much as I would like.