Spring Mini Sessions in April!

Call today to secure your session  207-318-0467 

Create something beautiful for your home. Let me capture your child in this moment. 

Girl

The dichotomy that is being a girl in America with all the elements of pressure that it entails. That is what I want to explore in a continuing series of portraits with girls of all ages. 

The messages that we grow up with that inform us on the shoulds of being a girl...be pretty, be chaste, be smart, be passionate, be a career girl, be true, be a mother, be tender, be strong, be yourself. 

Pursuing what it means to receive and translate all those messages into creating who we are from day to day. How to throw them off or embrace them depending on what's truly inside of us. The fear that comes from, so many things, like standing up and saying no. The drive that comes from endless possibilities.

I seek to find and reflect back the ideas and emotions surrounding these conflicting demands from our culture. I want to explore these ideas through portraits of girls in a storytelling way. I haven't figured out my exact path. I tend to work more as I go along. I have ideas I will try and fail at and will share what I can as the process unfolds. I also still, always, wish to creates works of art. Art with emotion is how I would describe it. 

Here are two different directions a recent session with my own daughter took. I have been planning on portraits with this red backdrop and a red dress. Charlie and I went into the studio to play and she directed much of what happened. She is like a wee sage to me. She is clear on what she wants and feels. And yet, I still see in her the mixed feelings from everywhere that influence her too. 

May these images capture your imagination and heart. Each frame is it's own story and dream.

Call me if you want to join this project and create art with me. 207-318-0467

In Dreams - Jen

 Yah for toothless grins!

Addison's Dream Session...so very dreamy

Addison walked in and was immediately in control of the studio. She was clear on what she wanted to wear and how she wanted to play and dance. I love seeing a girl her age with such confidence and I hope that it stays with her throughout her life! She was comfortable in her own skin which I respect so much. But then it helps when you are 7 and the world is your oyster. (:

It also helps that mama is also a photographer (an acquaintance of mine) so she is also clearly comfortable posing in front of the camera. She did just what I asked of her and knew how to hold a pose! And that hat was obviously made for her!!

Also I really love the juxtaposition of how grown up a child can look like in that first black and white portrait below and then how a portrait will record such an important milestone like the process of losing your teeth and tell you exactly what stage a child is in. The gift of capturing portraits is not lost on me. I have such joy at working with children and getting them to open up for me. And also in knowing that in even 10 years when Addison is 17 this portrait will mean even more for her mama and for herself when she looks back at it.
 

                                                                                       Love who you are. Right now. - Jen

The Dream Sessions - Playing dress up

When I see these portraits they make my heart skip a beat. I mean that. They take my breath away. I just started offering these sessions. The first one I did was with my own daughter this summer (another blog post about and with those portraits coming soon). When I was in the studio with her I realized, like it hit me over the head, I had to do these for other children. I am in love with this whole idea. My idea was to keep it simple. I wanted to give kids the chance to play, dress up, and have fun while I observed. I sent out the word after my daughters session and I have since done a few more sessions and the idea has taken off. I am so excited to be able to offer the opportunity for kids to come have fun and create works of art for the family.

I love my daughters huge dimples when she smiles, but I am just as in love with her totally intense stare and the way she takes things in. My guess was that other parents feel the same way. I wasn't 

wrong. My favorite portrait from this session (and one that I am so obsessed with in general - I made a 20x30 canvas of it for my studio) is the one right below. You can't really see her whole face. There is a bit of mystery as to what she might be thinking. I wondered what her mom would say about the portrait or if she would like it. She was clearly blown away and she loved it. My guess was right that it's not just the huge smiles that you adore in your child, but the intimate, quiet, thoughtful moments as well. 

Each child has their own intensity. Their own world that they create. You remember when you made up whole movies, scenes, and worlds? As parents we get to observe this time in your child's life. This unique time when play and what you imagine is still so real. I have watched my friends children grow up and I have watched this time slowly fade away. When real life sets in and the innocence is fading for one reason or another. I feel like most grown ups, at some point, all talk about this idea. We can look back and remember, maybe barely, a time when we loved play for plays sake. When everything we played was about saving the world, being dressed up for a party, or pretending we had 6 brothers and sisters (yes, as an only child this seemed really cool). (:

I know that too soon this time will have passed. My question to you is "Will you clearly remember the way she feels right now? The intensity in her eyes as she imagines a dream in her own mind?" 

 If you are interested in booking a Dream Session then call today to book your session and preserve the moments for her...for when she is all grown up, so she can remember too. 207-318-0467 or jen@jendeanphoto.com

In Life and Love- Jen

babies in tutu's...are irresistable.

what else do you need to say? they are ridiculously cute. the it hurts kinda cute. and these girls were super easy...well, except for my own daughter who is the three year old. she was tricky, but you would never know from the photos how hard i worked to get them! (: