Woodbridge CT Senior Portraits – Tory

Woodbridge CT Senior Portraits

Meet Tory!

I loved Tory’s senior session. No, seriously, I LOVED Tory’s senior portrait session. It was so FUN getting to know her and, of yeah, she was a dream to photograph.

Tory and her mom came to visit the studio and we talked about her interests; who she was, what made her unique, what will trigger memories of the high school years and we came up with a plan. Now, the planning stage is one of my favorite parts. It’s not just about what to wear and where to go, it is all about who you are. What makes you YOU? And how can I capture that in a few hours in a portrait session?

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Tory has a danced so we had to incorporate that, I thought the hip hop might be better outside so we picked the outfit and I started to pick the locations. Ballet was in the studio, can you believe Tory’s mom saved her first pair of ballet slippers?

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She used to ride all the time so we wanted to incorporate that somehow and she LOVES fashion so that crept in throughout the shoot. She was a model for the day and boy, did she bring IT! Thanks to Candlelight Farms for letting us shoot at the horse barn, it was a beautiful evening and the horses were very welcoming.

Tory had loads of great clothes, and I don’t really believe in going out and buying an entire new wardrobe for your shoot, but what girl can resist a little shopping before a portrait session? She found this perfect dress and I am so glad she did!

Tory, I am excited to see what the future holds for you. Good luck in your senior year!

Janet xo

How do you want to be photographed? I would love to help you plan your unique portrait experience. Contact Planet Photo to set up a free consultation!

 

CT High School Photography – Katelyn Class of 2018

CT High School Photography

Katelyn Class of 2018

Can I just start out by saying, I love photographing Katelyn.

CT High School Photography

She has a classically beautiful face with creamy skin and expressive eyes, so the camera absolutely loves her! I have been obsessing about photoshoots in sunflowers for a couple of weeks (I know, I am weird, I get an idea in my head and I just can’t let it go…..) so I got a bee in my bonnet about finding a sunflower field and shooting there. Luckily Katelyn and her mom loved the idea. Buttonwood Farm was a bit of a drive and I have to admit, the closer we got the more nervous I was to see that it was worth it. Thankfully as soon as we turned the corner and saw the rolling fields of sunflowers I relaxed – it was TOTALLY worth the drive!

CT High School Photography

Buttonwood Farm is family owned since 1975, and they’re famous for farm fresh ice cream and growing sunflowers for a good cause. Every year they raise funds for the CT chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation selling bunches of sunflowers and inviting the public to experience the sunflower fields over a two week period. I think the amount raised in 2017 is close to $130,000 so not too shabby. The fact that they had about 50 flavors of delicious homemade ice cream just made the experience even sweeter. (In case you were wondering I got coconut and coffee but the sundaes looked out of this world…. Katelyn picked peanut butter flavored ice cream which would literally be my 49th choice out of the 50 but it was her sundae and she liked it. If you are curious, then bubblegum would be my absolute last resort, I could only eat it if I absolutely had to, flavor choice)CT High School PhotographyCT High School Photography

CT High School PhotographyWhat will you pick for the back drop for your next portrait session? Would you choose a natural location or would you prefer an urban environment? I help each and every client to style their own unique shoot.

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Planet Photo for the ultimate CT High School Photography experience

 

 

 

Family Photographer CT – Cake Smash Milestone

Cake Smash Milestone

Family Photographer Connecticut

Greta was scheduled for her first birthday cake smash with big sister Aine along to help out. Hands down one of the best aspects of my job is getting to know some incredible families. I feel honored to be the photographer that Ian and Kate have chosen to photograph their children’s first milestones. I love seeing how they grow and change and catching up on all the family adventures.

So, the family arrived with another fabulous Sweet Spot cake and we got down to business. A couple of cute outfits (Kate loves Hanna Andersson so I can usually look forward to something adorable!) Aine has been working on her British accent with some Peppa Pig so we got the music playing and let the girls dance a bit while we set up for the cake. I LOVE it when the birthday star gets stuck in to the cake! Greta was delicate at first but she ended up being covered in frosting. And sprinkles. Lots of sprinkles! Aine sat in to help with some frosting so we finally got them in the same frame 😉

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Like most one year olds Greta doesn’t exactly sit still for long and this is when I love to bring out the tub. Bubbles and warm water and most babies stay still long enough for me to get some close up portraits and capture the fun of the bath tub. That’s when I get the giggle images too – can you see Greta’s tooth? How cute is that!!!!

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If you are wondering when you should book a portrait session you can follow the milestone plan, schedule around a family event or reunion or just pick a time that works for your family. My summer shooting schedule is reduced to spend time with my family but contact me to schedule your family session. Believe me, time flies – I will have two in high school this year!!!

High School Senior Portraits CT Photographer

High School Senior Portraits CT – Will

A senior portrait session should reflect YOUR personality.

I literally twitch when I hear about the school portrait day. Girls are draped in black and the guys wear a fake jacket and bow tie so that everyone is guaranteed to look alike. Cookie cutter portraits in the year book are fine, I guess, but a senior deserves so much more to remember this important year.

senior portraits CT

senior portraits CT

When planning your senior portraits ask yourself these questions: What has defined your high school experience? Do you march in the band? Play football? Lacrosse? Tennis? Are there places that mean so much to you that they bring a flood of memories? The answers will help you choose locations, themes and the style of your shoot.

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Will is a member of the New Milford High School Band so we incorporated some images with his mellophone into his shoot. He is also a really accomplished tennis player and a member of the high school tennis team, who has spent many summer days on the tennis courts of the New Milford Tennis and Swim Club, so we had to stop there!

Take a look at Will’s senior portraits, I am so glad they didn’t settle for the cookie cutter option! Including his sister Meg (and Tipper the family dog) into a couple of shots was great, I even encourage parents to jump in if they are available.

I can’t wait to hear what the future holds for Will but his parents will always have these portraits to remind them of this special time.

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Are you graduating high school in 2017? It is not too late to schedule a senior portrait shoot!

 

 

We Are The SEEN – Finalist

We are the SEEN – Finalist Tony Harkin

You might have seen some of my recent posts about the We are the SEEN competition. I am sure some of you have been asking yourself, what’s the big deal? Well, let me tell you!

This year I joined a group of renowned senior photographers so that I could offer something extra special to Planet Photo Seniors; the chance to be featured in a national senior magazine and take part in an editorial fashion shoot in California. My Planet Photo Tribe Seniors are invited to submit an application and Tony was interested in applying. Next year I will be offering the We are the SEEN competition application as part of my Headline Senior Sessions.

It’s not just about the images (although don’t get me wrong, designing a session for submission is a really fun part of the process!) but each applicant must tell their story; why other seniors would want to see and read about them in the We are the SEEN magazine. What makes them unique? What makes them different?

This year there were over 800 applicants from all over the United States. Tony was a finalist. That’s the big deal. We’ll be doing something to celebrate his success in the new year, maybe our own shootout in New York city….. He won’t be traveling with me to Palm Springs as one of the “12 Undiscovered” but I am still incredibly proud of his achievement in the competition and throughout the year as part of the Planet Photo Tribe.janettaub-tonyharkin-compcardblog

I want to share Tony’s comp card and some of the other images we submitted with his application and I am including his story for you too.

“As I began to write this essay, I glanced around my bedroom. I had been attempting to come up with ideas for the better part of an hour, and was left with basically nothing. My eyes flitted about the room, and I realized that from my vantage point, the items I saw defined my whole life, my interests, hopes, and past. My 17 years of life were encapsulated in this collection of eclectic objects
One of the first things you see when you enter my room are my bookcases. I have two, one against a wall, one in my closet. Both are packed tightly with my books, as I personally own and treasure over 100 books. The books traverse all genres, authors, and eras, from Harry Potter to Stephen Hawking, with some Bertrand Russell and Shakespeare in the middle. I’ve always tried to learn as much as I could, and I love learning new trivia and facts, even or especially when they seem meaningless. This helped me a lot when I was 12, because I ended up getting on the show Kids Jeopardy (yes the real one, with Alex Trebek and all). Here my head for trivia really payed off, because I ended up winning. That love for knowledge continued. A few years ago, I got a question about the capital city of Madagascar wrong, and to better myself, I memorized every country’s capital, from Abu Dhabi to Zagreb. I always want to be as informed as possible, to help myself try to make a valid contribution to this world we live in.
My eyes slid past my bookcases and landed on my desk. I have a giant wooden desk that dominates the space, and currently it’s covered with college application materials. As a soon to be graduating senior, most of my free time is spent trying to figure out where the next 4 years of my life are going to be spent. Right now, I’m trying to attend Columbia University, my favorite college in my favorite city. Columbia has one of the best academic pedigrees available, while being in the largest city in the US, surrounded by theaters, museums, and restaurants. The only other major object on my desk is my record player. It was a gift last Christmas, and I use it nearly daily. I always need to have music playing in the background when I am trying to do homework. My music collection is almost as eclectic as my reading choices. My parents instilled me with an appreciation for the classics, so there is a healthy amount of artists like the Beatles and Billy Joel, but I also love newer artists that release work on vinyl, such as Jack Garratt and Raleigh Ritchie.
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Currently on my floor is my dance bag. For 10 years I have danced daily, for multiple hours, in ballet, jazz, tap, and acrobatics. I am lucky enough to have a phenomenal studio in my town that has managed to grant me some element of grace. My friends, passions, and future have all been defined by dance. Tap and acro gave a formerly nervous, fidgety kid an outlet for his explosive energy. Jazz helped me communicate my meaning, and ballet imbued me with strength. Possibly most importantly, they helped me realize that when I am older, I want to be a performer. Most of all, I want to be in musical theatre, perhaps one day even on Broadway. I haven’t been able to find anything that gives me the unbridled joy of performing, and hope to do it all my life.
My eyes complete their journey about the room and end on my mirror. For a moment I stare at my reflection. It’s the end of the day, so I’m wearing glasses over my tired eyes. My messy brown hair is tousled over my eyes, and I’m in a comically large brown sweater. Something clicks in my brain. I was supposed to write about my story, but my story is never ending. As long as I take my breath, my story will be evolving. I can not wait to see where it takes me next.”
Tony Harkin, November 2016

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we are the seen

Do you want to be one of the We are the SEEN 12?

I will be starting a new round on Planet Photo models in the spring, let me know if you want to hear how you can be part of the 2KEIGHTEEN Senior and Teen tribes. All of my Senior Tribe along with Headline Seniors get the opportunity to enter the competition. I don’t know where the final shootout will be next year yet but I can guarantee it will be an experience you will never forget.

Contact me for more information!

Janet xo

 

Happy Birthday Gemma

A sunset walk at Silver Sands for Gemma’s 3rd Birthday Portraits!

Gemma’s mom Joya never disappoints when she is planning for birthday portraits! Gemma had the most adorable dress for her 3rd birthday and it was amazing to catch up with them all again.  It got a little chilly towards the end of the evening but nothing that a snuggle in Daddy’s arms couldn’t fix. Does she look familiar? Here she is as a newborn, on her first birthday and on her 2nd birthday. I love watching her grow up.

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Happy Birthday Gemma!

Love, Janet xo

 

Senior Photographer New Milford CT – Elizabeth

Senior Photographer New Milford CT

Congratulations Elizabeth!

Meet recent Brookfield High School graduate Elizabeth. She is a hard working student, an accomplished Irish dancer and a beautiful girl inside and out so you can imagine how fun it was to be a part of Elizabeth’s senior session. She has also been part of the Planet Photo Model Team and we will miss her when she leaves for college! She will be heading off to school at UConn in the fall and I have no doubt we will be hearing great things about her achievements there.

Elizabeth chose a natural, rural look for her portraits and we planned her outfits to fit the mood she was going for. I have photographed her a number of times through the years and it is always a pleasure.

Senior Photographer New Milford CTSenior Photographer New Milford CTSenior Photographer New Milford CT

Good luck at college Elizabeth!

Thank you for choosing Planet Photo for you senior portrait experience.

Janet x

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Graduation Portrait session with Devin

Taking Sides

– A Graduation Portrait Session with Devin

Have you ever considered how light can affect your perception of a situation, how film makers set the scene by manipulation the light? Dark, moody, dramatic, romantic, harsh, bright, airy, soft, golden, broad, short. The list is far longer than I have listed but a photographer is also able to use this lighting bag of tricks to convey feeling and meaning in an image.graduation portraits
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This portrait series of Devin was part of a lighting challenge to use broad and short light.  She is an intelligent and confident young woman about to embark on a new chapter in her life. College life awaits her in the fall but this summer is a time to celebrate her transition; her past, her present and her very exciting future. I can’t wait to hear what the future has in store for this exceptional woman.

“Master-Series-Taking-Sides”

Oh by the way……Devin and I were chosen as part of the We are the SEEN master series #bestofthebest, so head over to see us and other examples of broad and short light from some of the leading senior photographers nation wide. I am constantly challenging myself to grow my photography skills and to offer a unique and modern portrait experience for my clients.

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CT Family – Welcome baby Greta

CT Family Photography

Welcome Baby Greta!

I was thrilled to welcome a new baby to this lovely family. I have followed Aine’s progress since she was a tiny baby to now; an energetic and enthusiastic, chatty big sister. It really is one of the nicest parts of my job to watch these children grow and change. Greta was a dream model baby and raised the question of nature or nurture one more time, was she so relaxed because she is number 2 or will it be part of her innate personality to be mellow??? I think some babies are born more relaxed than others but knowing what you are getting into and being able to interpret cues faster doesn’t hurt either! She really does look a lot like her big sister, I wonder if she will have Aine’s curls too?

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Doesn’t she have the most adorable mouth? It’s the details that we think we will remember forever that I love to capture. She will change and we’ll have the portraits to look back on.

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Look she smiled for the camera 🙂

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So sibling shots are usually a combination of bribery, coaxing, distraction and a very fast shutter!!! Aine was busy and she has that extremely healthy mix of love and indifference towards her baby sister. I am sure they will be great friends in the future though. There is nothing like the bond between sisters.

Congratulations to the whole family!

Janet xo

Couldn’t be cuter – Aiden – CT Portrait Photographer

Couldn’t be cuter….

Aiden!

CT Portrait Photographer

I met Nichole and Joe at Weir Farm in Wilton, CT. I seem to have been jinxed with bad weather forecasts when I book a session at Weir Farm so we switched our time to early in the morning and we did it again, we beat the rain!!! It was worth the gamble, I love it there.

wilton ct photographer

I love all kids (well most of them…. 😉 but I can honestly say that Aiden was one of the cutest 7 month olds I have ever met. Usually I have to jump up and down, make silly noises and pull out all the stops for a baby to look in my direction, not the case with Aiden. His smile was turned towards the camera from the get go and he was such a charmer. Seriously, look at that little face!

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A family session in an outdoor location is perfect for small children, we essentially went for a walk together and we got to hang out and catch up. I never want it to be stressful, I want the smiles to be genuine because we are having fun and the laughs to be real. The love between Nichole, Joe and Aiden was completely authentic.

I really hope to see this wonderful family again soon.

Enjoy!

Janet