Seniors 2011 - Briann

Today I photographed a girl from Moon, where I went to high school, Briann.  She and her mom were both super cool and brought all sorts of fun things to take pictures with - pillows, a doll and teddy bear, and a blow dryer and brush because she's going to school to hair.  Her first outfit matched the pillows which was awesome!

She did her hair and put on a hat for yearbook headshots.  I should probably have taken some fliers or something to the high schools at the end of last school year.  Maybe I will this year, maybe I'll just do the senior portrait business card thing again.

We also went outside for a bit and to the park, where Briann played in some leaves.  Super cute pictures from that.   I have a shot on my facebook page where she looks kind of like a Final Fantasy ad, her eyes are glowing so beautifully.

I just a day or two ago got a rabbit fur coat from my aunt, and HAD to make use of it.  Old Hollywood, yes please!  I asked Briann to model it and a vintage hat for me, so after the park we came back to the studio and set that up real quick.  Quite pretty if I say so myself!

Seniors 2011 - Jason

My "first" guy senior portrait session!  "First" is in quotes because my first senior session, like 3 years ago, was a guy.  This was before I started shooting as elena dee photography and I wasn't as good back then, so Jason gets to be the first official guy senior portrait for me.  He goes to Freedom and is the boyfriend of Cheyenne, whose pictures I did last year.  He's a sweet kid, just joined the Marines, so of course we needed some shots of him in uniform.

We did some of those inside as well, and then he changed into his formal outfit.  This kid takes the BEST headshots!  Seriously gorgeous.  I was excited to be able to use dramatic lighting - it doesn't work as well on girls and they tend to prefer the soft all over sort, but Jason specifically told me (and his mother) that he wanted to look "badass."  Dramatic lighting for the win.

After the studio, we hit up Hopewell Park.  I really gotta find a new location - the park is tried and true, but I don't want to over use it.  It's fall now though, which is new and exciting, and we photographed in a couple spots I haven't used much.  Again with the amazing headshots!

10/10/10 - Wedding favors and the undead

10/10/10 was, in Pittsburgh, World Zombie Day.  You know how I love zombies, so of course I had to go.  But first, there was a wedding.  I didn't actually shoot the wedding though, just the set-up, for The Venue At Harmony Ridge.  My dad is friends with the people who run it (Greg and his wife Ricki) and Ricki wants to advertise my photographic services to her wedding clients.  To do so, I took some pictures for her to put on their website.  Most of the images were of the venue set-up, but I did some portraits of the bride and her mother as well.

After all that, I was able to go to Zombiefest with my friend Emily, where we ran into all sorts of interesting looking people.  A photo I took of my friend Kym and the group she was with even ended up on the news the next day!!  http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/25352531/detail.html  Go to 2:15 to see the clip on Zombie Day and my image!  As for the other pictures I took, they're pretty sweet too.

 This is the one that ended up the news, most likely because Kym (on the far right) used it as the default for a group she made on Facebook to share photos from zombie day.

 There must be brains in that cup.

 These guys really played it up!

 Child zombies are the best.  Child soldier zombies?  LOVE!

 Look at the sign!  It makes me giggle.

 Her eyes are so big and wide, it's scary

 Where's Zombie Waldo?

ELVIS IS ALIVE!  Or at least undead....

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

http://www.october15th.com/ 
http://nowilaymedowntosleep.org

As a member of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, I've learned that October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.  I don't have any children, but I know people who do, as well as others who have experienced miscarriages and photographed two session for NILMDTS.  Just because a baby doesn't get to grow up doesn't mean they weren't a significant part of their parents' lives.

The infants I photographed were completely different situations and, sad as it was, I'm glad I could help their families even a little bit.  The first was a beautiful baby and photographing him was an experience I will never in my life forget.  His parents are amazing people.  The second was a tiny fighter whose family and doctors did all that they could.  Both children were, and still are, loved.

My heart goes out to these families and all others who have lost a child.  The gift of memories in the form of professional photography was one I am glad to provide, despite the sorrow that comes with such a job.   I feel that if I can help people with my talents, I should do so.  The photographs I and other NILMDTS photographers provide are reminders to parents that even though their child may not be with them anymore, their memory lives on in their hearts and in ours.