First Landing State park is so beautiful and I love photographing portraits there!!
Portraits are supposed to be fun! Posing and staging is only half of it! Personally, Candids are my favorite! One of my favorite things about Devon is her ability to make any session fun. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tantrum, nervous mom getting her first boudoir shoot since kiddos, a Dad that “really hates getting his picture taken” or that senior that is only doing portraits to appease Mom and Dad… It’s a fun experience here at DSP!
Here are some of our favorite candids that we absolutely love!
“I love my baby brother!!!!… Sooooooooo much!”
“Don’t mind me… just struttin’ my stuff with the newest fad… Wear necklaces around our teeth!”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEAUTIFUL MATTHEWS SISTERS!!!
“Nothing like a cold ocean touching your toes to make you run like the wind!”
Keep checking back for more candids on the blog!
Anybody who has talked to me about working with Devon has heard me say “I don’t work with Devon just because she pays me…” and that statement is more than true…
I started as a client, I wanted to do newborn portraits for my son Bradley and I tried to do them myself… I procrastinated and finally said I need a professional to do this! Devon was sweet and understanding and we did a “newborn” style shoot when Bradley was three months old. I was so happy to have newborn portraits, even if he wasn’t really still a newborn. She was so patient with me as a new mom, especially one that was suffering from Post Partum Anxiety and didn’t know it at the time.
We loved them and the experience, this woman even got my husband to enjoy getting his photo taken. I even got him to agree to do family photos once a year! So the following year, we did Bradley’s one year portraits…. this was so much fun! Devon had just gotten back from her latest trip to Ethiopia with Habesha Mama so we got talking about what she does there for kids in need. It was such an incredible story that just made me love her as a person even more. (keep an eye out for a post about Habesha Mama if you’d like to hear about it!) We talked and laughed and bonded.
The following year, Andrew was born. Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to get newborn portraits right away! Andrew was 13 days old when we got his newborn photos and I will treasure them forever! This time Devon learned more about me, she found out I was a real estate photographer, and had some significant experience with graphic design.
The following year… (yes, I got my husband to do pictures FOUR years in a row with Devon!) for Andrew’s one year portraits we were already family. My kids looked forward to seeing her, and my husband was not nervous about pictures and as a result, I wasn’t stressed out about getting ready for pictures.
After his cake smash, during our inevitable hour chat, Devon told me that busy season was coming and what was on the horizon for her and Devon Shanor Photography. I told her that if she ever needed a hand I would be happy to help out! A few months later, she took me up on it! It started as a small edit here, to collages, and evolved into so much more.
Here we are in the fifth year, I’m integrated into Devon Shanor Photography more than I ever expected to but I LOVE IT. A little bit of graphic design, little bit of office management, little bit confidant, little bit organizer, and so much more. Jack of all trades is an understatement when it comes to what I do for Devon Shanor Photography…. But let me tell you, Devon SAW that in me.
I work for Devon… not just because she pays me, but because it’s like working with family. There is a comfort and openness that I’ve never had working anywhere else. My opinion is valued and appreciated, and my skillset is valued and even encouraged to grow. There is an honesty and respect that you don’t usually see in big work place politics. We aren’t scared to put each other in their place. She tells me I’ve gone off on a tangent and got distracted (ADD… Just saying, it’s brutal!) and I’m not scared to tell her that the fifteen different folders for the exact same thing really gotta go. There is respect, love, friendship, Christ, honesty and so much more working with Devon, because that’s WHO SHE IS, and it’s who we have become as a team. Devon always says this, but Dev, MY TURN! I LOVE MY JOB! 🙂
So I know what you’re thinking, just reschedule the session and the problem is solved. Well not so fast, the fabulous smash cake had already been delivered and there was no way we were going to let this sugary goodness go to waste. We ended up doing lily’s cake photos as planned and did the family photo session a few days later. Lily and her big brother Tristan were naturals in front of the camera. Tristan liked my camera so much he wanted to help me take the photos. We just might have a future photographer in the making!
Baby Bradley is no longer a baby, toddler hood here we come! Bradley may not be able to talk quite yet, but his smile is infectious… this little guy loves to laugh!!!! We had such such a great shoot with mommy and daddy. It was awesome to get some family portraits because daddy was about to leave on deployment. We thank you for your service Aaron!
Bradley absolutely loved his cake smash. Unlike most of my one year olds, he didn’t want to put his cake away, he would have eaten all of it if we had allowed it!
We absolutely love how the portraits turned out and I am so grateful to photograph this adorable family once again!
Another amazing year has passed. Last year at this exact time, I was just so thankful 2015 was almost OVER. It was a year filled with so much sadness and loss. I prayed for 2016 to be a BORING year at least! I just wanted to get past all the pain of 2015. God answers prayers and more. Like he states “There is a time and a season for everything.” The BORING year I was praying for didn’t happen, instead He gave me so much more.
Personal highlights of 2016… I started the year off on a cruise with my family. The first cruise we have done together and it was a beautiful welcome to the new year! In the spring, I visited NYC with my son and godson and got to see my childhood crush, Will Smith (aaaaahhhhhhh) film the movie Collateral Beauty. (Seriously, I was like a giddy child- and the coolest thing was it was an unexpected surprise to see him on set!! Thanks to an amazing friend who set it up!) In the summer, I visited Ethiopia again, with Habesha Momma, and got to start the process of opening a home for homeless and trafficked children. I also FINALLY got to take my husband to NYC. I love NYC and Brett has said for years “NEVER” when I ask if he’d like to go with me. However, he finally agreed and we had a fabulous time together enjoying the big city!
One of the biggest personal and business highlights was I moved my business out of my house and into a true commercial space!! It was a HUGE leap of faith but I am so very thankful I took the risk. I LOVE having my own space. I’ve been a successful photographer for years BUT having my own name on the outside of a building makes me feel “I’ve made it!” It has been an amazing whirlwind of a year! I had a phenomenal Open House in my new space and felt so much love poured out. I have been blessed by the opportunity to photograph so many amazing people, families and projects. I truly love my job and don’t take for granted the fact that I am given the gift of creating moments in time for each of you.
This blog every year is one of my hardest… to go through the year and pick my favorite images to share. Each one of you are so special to me, all of our shoots hold special moments and laughs. In every single session- I am creating memories that I pray will be cherished for generations to come. Narrowing that down to 15-20 images to show my year in review… it is SO HARD! But here are some of the highlights I was able to narrow it down too… and once again thank you. Thank you for trusting me, thank you for supporting me, thank you for allowing me into your family.
Turning two is a pretty big accomplishment and grandma (GiGi) wanted to celebrate with a photoshoot! Little Jaita totally rocked her two year old session. (Of course, like any two year old, she wasn’t completely cooperative and attentive the entire time… but with a little patience and bribery we made it work.)
We included her momma’s favorite team, the Cowboys, much to dad’s surprise (not HIS favorite team) Elmo and her favorite baby doll. Jaita is such a beautiful little lady and I love seeing her sassy little smile every time I get to photograph her!
Can this family GET any cuter?!?! I had so much photographing CJ’s first birthday portraits as well as their family portraits. They haven’t done family portraits yet AND mom and dad hadn’t done any portraits together ever, so this was an extra special shoot for them. And when I say they ROCKED this session, I meant it! Denise and Christopher are a stunning couple and made my job so easy! The light was perfect and CJ was such a little model and his adorable smile melted my heart! I would have shot for another hour if it hadn’t gotten dark and chilly.
The images that resulted from this shoot are STUNNING! Denise cried when she saw them and honestly, that is one of the favorite parts of my job. I know it sounds terrible, “I like making my clients cry” but when they are crying tears of joy because they have never had such beautiful images of themselves… well, I might have shed a tear or two myself!
Denise and Christopher, thank you so much for allowing me to capture your family. It truly was an honor and I can’t wait for our next session!
Sandy is 80 years young and still showing everyone around her how to love life! Her smile and her family wanted to surprise her with a birthday celebration! Her granddaughter Liz serenaded her with some amazing Jazz music and family from all over came to surprise her!