Part 2- The First Studio Mini Sessions!

Oh I am so super excited to share these. I am so excited for my studio space in downtown Eau Gallie's art district (Melbourne, FL) and even though indoor sessions have never been my favorite, these mini sessions with the beautiful filtered light in my studio are going to be such a fun addition to my on location shoots! I couldn't have asked for better test subjects. As I mentioned in the sneak peak (if you haven't seen that one go back!) the mini session is for one subject but the brave Ryals family attempted three in a row (one for each girl) so I snapped a few group shots as well and seriously how cute are these girls??

Lots of changes coming for Angel Gray Photography. We are offering more services than ever, super sized customer service and brand new collections. AGP is teaming up with an awesome designer in town for all our custom holiday cards, baby announcements, save the dates and wedding invites,,, etc! Such a great opportunity for AGP clients to be able to use the image files free of charge with a partner design team! I'll keep mentioning new things here as we approach the grand opening of the studio. Some of the changes will take effect gradually. Everything (including blogging and order fulfillment is taking a pause next week while my family moves to a new home in town) but hopefully I'll get enough done before I'm out of commission and buried under boxes of stuff I think I'd rather just give away at this point!
Next up on the blog: Letlow maternity, Baby Ivory, Gruber family and Aimee's 18th!

Ryals Girls and First Studio Mini Sessions!

So, I'm opening a new studio. It is beautiful and in one of the oldest buildings in Melbourne which I adore since I love old stuff. I actually have to hold myself back from you walking in and feeling like you accidentally got the antique store instead. Thankfully I have friends to help with all that decor stuff I am terrible at! Although I call it a studio, only one of the four rooms is really intended for use shooting. It is the size of a bedroom so the only kind of session I will be offering there is a "mini session" for one subject. Think babies (although newborns are still best at home,) children, quick senior shoot, headshots, etc. I LOVE that there is so much natural light coming in that I don't need anything extra as far as flash goes. I also love not using a back drop but of course there are times that is appropriate as well. You may wonder why I have given you an example that includes 3 girls (didn't I say ONE subject?) Well, the Ryals family decided to be my guinea pigs and actually attempted 3 mini sessions in a row, which I felt entitled them to a little group bonus. (Don't try this at home, most children would have freaked out after 90 minutes in a confined space that is hardly childproof right now.) I loved this one so much and had to share it in the sneak peak so Leslie will know that if I don't see this big in her house somewhere we can't be friends anymore. Just kidding. But really.
The studio is coming along although I wish I could just stay there a week straight and get it ALL DONE. Only now my family is moving too (like next Friday?) so I have to press pause - darnnnn it. Lots in store for my fun new space though and of course a grand opening shin dig. Hung a TV last week for viewing your images on, getting the walls prepped for my new displays, wedding clients might even get a cocktail party as the kickoff to their online gallery - the most exciting part for me being the champaigne. Okay so enough said on that - more to come about the studio and the Ryals girls...

Gideon

I photographed Gideon's senior portraits a few weeks ago but have just now come back to them to share with you. He was super comfortable in front of a camera which was great (and unusual for most guys!) He has already seen a few of these but hopefully the rest will be fun for him! When I think about people his age, I always think it is just around the corner that I will run into him and see the adult he has become. It will feel like a shock because it will seem like he was a teenager just a few days ago. He might be wearing a suit or carrying a bag of tools or even a child on his back... It's amazing to me how that jump from high school to adult life seems to happen so fast. I don't know Gideon that well, but I know enough to believe that whatever he is "wearing" five years from now, he will be giving his best.

His brother and sister were there so we shot a few of them while Gideon changed clothes. BTW, let me just say that although I work on a large, flat screen, HD monitor, I am uploading on a laptop right now and appalled at the poor color and screen resolution! Is this what "you" see?? Yikes, okay so do me one favor and at least try hunching down to view your screen straight on. Please? thank you. I will sleep better.

The Hurd Family

I photographed the Hurd family a couple weeks ago in Melbourne Beach at Ryckman Park. This shoot was extra special because Carol purchased my donated package at a Parker's Pals fundraising auction. Follow the link for more info. In a nutshell the organization provides support to families who have a young child with cancer. It was started by a friend of mine (and Carol's) who lost her son to cancer but realized along the way that there is a gap in the system for children under three and their families to receive help and support. She started the organization and she also has a blog you can visit here that provides "candid reviews" of all kinds of products for moms, babies, children, organics, etc. That candid reviews part is one way of saying that Jamie is a straight shooter so you can trust her to tell it like it is. Go over there and look around, if you have a product you'd like reviewed, let her know!
Back to the Hurd family.... beautiful girls, loved the outfits... more below....

love it. the big sister.

love those pudgy arms, just like my baby Davis... mmmmmwah

should i comment here and ruin the moment?

I can totally feel this. Who else?

Love the pout. Who needs smiles when pouts are so good.

Wardrobe change.

Be still my beating heart.

Each girl had or has a birthday recently so they each had the corresponding number of flowers. cute.

"yes we really are almost done and going for ice cream!"

I think Carol was afraid it didn't go well. Speak up and tell her it did! :)

The Fitzgerald Family

I met the Fitzgerald family a couple weeks ago (yes the blog is lagging a bit but this summer is crazy with family and business moves so it's probably going
to stay a tad slow here on the posting!)
So, this little guy was nothing but sweet and so funny too! Enjoy!

my favorite above

This is a cool new thing I'm doing with framing only half an image.
No it's not.