Sibling Portrait Session {Children Photographer, Austin, TX and Santa Fe, NM}

On a recent family portrait session in Santa Fe I photographed Leah and her two very special daughters, Anna and Greta. It was a gorgeous fall afternoon; a perfect day to spend photographing two giggly sisters and their mom. I had photographed Anna and Greta twice before and I was really looking forward to spending the time with them. I have enjoyed watching them grow (through my viewfinder) into two little ladies with two absolutely distinct personalities. Artfully capturing these sisters as they interact brings me joy–and definitely gives me a case of the giggles. Anna and Greta's connection reminds me of the close bond between my sister and I. (Except for yesterday when she lovingly told me she was going to "mute me" while we were having a video conference call if I didn't stop talking). Having the ability to capture these images for not only mom and dad, but also for the children to enjoy as they grow into adulthood really makes me feel good about what I do as a professional photographer. Photographing Anna and Greta always involves playing. When I arrived to their home Anna was boinging away on her pogo stick and Greta tried to be shy for about a minute and a half before booting a soccer ball across the yard. Even Jack, their sweet dog has been warming up to me. After spending some time at their home both outdoors and also indoors, we headed to an area I had spotted on my ride to their house; a space nearby where the trees just oozed with fall color and the afternoon light was exquisite. I love the warm feeling of the late afternoon light and the way the girls seemed to fit perfectly into the scene with their contrasting purple dresses. I could spend days photographing Anna and Greta. I am incredibly thankful to be invited me back to their home again and again.

 

 

 

Norah Levine is an Austin based children portrait photographer and pet photographer. She photographs in homes and on location. She also travels to Santa Fe, New Mexico frequently for sessions. Please view her website for more details www.norahlevinephotography.com

Outdoor Dog Portrait Session... fall in love with these pups!

Happy Fall, everyone! I hope it has started out perfectly. Since it's going to be 100 degrees AGAIN here in Austin, Texas it doesn't quite feel like fall yet 'round these parts! So for this post I'm channeling a perfect fall day in the crisp mountain air I spent photographing and frolicking with two dogs I completely adore. As a photographer who LOVES color imagery I can't get enough of the fall colors: golds, reds, oranges. I loved the contrasting colors of the leaves and the clear blue sky in these photographs. I also enjoy the way the dogs' coloring and texture really adds to the warmth of the scene. I usually photograph pets in their home environment, but if my clients have a special request for me to create art of their pets or children in another location I am more than happy to oblige. One of the challenges of photographing dogs in an open space is that there can be many distractions– like fun noises, other pets and people walking by just asking to be chased and oh-so-many smells that have not yet been sampled! During my pre-consultation and planning meeting with my clients I discuss the benefits of each location in order to ensure that I can create images and artwork that is perfect for them. These particular dogs are exceptionally well trained and can go off-leash, which certainly helped for me to create more pleasing imagery of them in a safe way. I did a lot of following, playing and observing in order to capture their exciting outing in the breathtaking fall scenery of the Santa Fe mountains.

So get out and enjoy this time of year with your pets! Soak in all the colors and welcome the change of the season with your loved ones.

Norah Levine is an Austin children portrait photographer and pet photographer. She photographs in homes and on location. She also travels to Santa Fe, New Mexico frequently for sessions. Please view her website for more details www.norahlevinephotography.com

 

Pet Photography Booth Austin, Texas

I was recently asked to create a photo booth to photograph dogs here in Austin, TX at an event called Pupapalooza. I don't typically photograph events, but I thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to get out into the pet community here in Austin and to support a cause close to my heart. All of the ticket sales from my photo booth went to the Austin Humane Society and the Animal Trustees of Austin.  Although the day was hot, I felt I had a pretty good turnout in my booth! I created the background with a board from Home Depot and some chalkboard paint. I filled the chalkboard with "dog" words–sometimes the dog's name to add a little special "flair" to the background. I wanted the booth to be fun and to express a candid feeling while maintaining a beautiful quality of light and color. Pet owner's and their beloved pets joined in on the fun and in exchange for their tickets they received their very own custom photo booth strip! This was absolutely a perfect way for me to meet some of Austin's dogs and their people and for me to play around with my photo booth idea. Special thanks to all of the participants in my booth for their support and to my helpers for making the day run smoothly!

Family Photos with Dog Included!

The opportunity to photograph children and families is always a welcomed one. The chance to photograph children and dogs together is fantastic! I was asked by one of my favorite clients to photograph her daughter, Chandra; two grandsons, Alex and Banks; and their dog, a chocolate poodle named Jack. The family was vacationing in Santa Fe and had asked me to photograph them while I was in town to teach my photo workshop. I was thrilled that our schedules coincided.

I've got to tell you about these two incredible children. Meet Alex, one of the most energetic 8-year-olds I've ever encourntered. This kid's got it all—wit, inventiveness, extreme curiosity, the gift of observance and as many random facts as you could shake a stick at. I could have gladly  listened to him all day and he would have still had thoughts to share at sunset.  The small detail in this scenario was that I need to create portraits of this wonderful child, and this usually requires a bit of "quiet time."  After a great deal of entertaining conversation I reminded Alex that we needed to take some photographs. He politely inquired if I needed for him to "go get some tape for his mouth." I passed on the offer, but thanked him kindly as we both giggled.  I have no doubt that we'll be hearing more from Alex in the future in one way or another.

Next I spent some time with Alex's younger brother, Banks. A gorgeous brown haired 6-year-old with a sweet sparkle in his eyes. Banks and I started out with some negotiations involving the removal of his skeleton imprinted flip flops. The sandals were cute but didn't seem to fit with the simplicity of his outfit. This negotiation sparked some serious giggling and play between the two of us. In the end I won the negations with an arm wrestling match. (I'm willing to try anything.) Banks was a great sport and his laugh was completely contagious both to myself and my assistant who was there to share in the whole experience. Banks starts kindergarten this year and I just know he'll take the classroom by storm.

The group portrait included the family's new dog, Jack. Jack was extremely well-behaved and had such a sweet demeanor. I love his dark, expressive brown eyes and his rich chocolate coat. Incorporating pets into family portraits is always a fun way to capture the whole family and allows everyone to relax a bit. Sometimes people find it hard to be in front of the camera but when pets are involved  it can be easy to let the nerves go. (I think this is true of having pets in our lives in general). I'm thankful that I was able to create portraits of this wonderful family and to capture moments of these two boys both individually and with their family dog.

Norah Levine is an Austin children portrait photographer and pet photographer. She photographs in homes and on location. She also travels to Santa Fe, New Mexico frequently for sessions. Please view her website for more details www.norahlevinephotography.com