Adventure Portrait: Patrick (Marietta Children's Photographer)

As your little one grows up, it is so exciting to watch them enjoy their favorite activities. Whether your child is quiet and observant, or rambunctious and talkative, Adventure Portraits are a fun and non-stressful way to capture their personality. During our Planning Meeting, we'll discuss your child's interests and incorporate those interests into the session. Love animals? Let's go to the Atlanta Zoo like Cole. Love to play dress-up? Let's put a bunch of clothes and jewelry in a trunk, find a full-length mirror and play!

Last year Patrick was really into trucks, especially fire trucks. So an Adventure Portrait at the local fire station was a huge treat. He also loves sports and especially loves ice hockey so this year we headed to the ice skating rink. He challenged me to a race on the ice on the ride over to the rink and guess what? He beat me! Yay, Patrick!

It's hard to believe that Patrick is four years old. I've been photographing him since he was 5 or 6 months old, and now he's a big kid!

Click the image below to view a slideshow of Patrick's Adventure Portrait. (warning: there is music on the slideshow so turn down your sound if you're at work.)

Picture of the Day - Day in the Life Adventure Portrait

Playing with dad
Adventure portrait session on the
Chattahoochee River Cochran Shoals Trails

Blog Action Day 2010: WATER

Blog Action Day 2010: Water from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

Across the world today, thousands of people are blogging about water issues facing people everywhere. As a proud blog writer, I think it's important to join in the conversation and raise awareness of the need for attention to this most basic human need.

Here are some interesting facts about WATER: (used with permission from http://blogactionday.change.org/)

1. Unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Unclean drinking water can incubate some pretty scary diseases, like E. coli, salmonella, cholera and hepatitis A. Given that bouquet of bacteria, it's no surprise that water, or rather lack thereof, causes 42,000 deaths each week.
2. More people have access to a cell phone than to a toilet. Today, 2.5 billion people lack access to toilets. This means that sewage spills into rivers and streams, contaminating drinking water and causing disease.
3. Every day, women and children in Africa walk a combined total of 109 million hours to get water. They do this while carrying cisterns weighing around 40 pounds when filled in order to gather water that, in many cases, is still polluted. Aside from putting a great deal of strain on their bodies, walking such long distances keeps children out of school and women away from other endeavors that can help improve the quality of life in their communities.
4. It takes 6.3 gallons of water to produce just one hamburger. That 6.3 gallons covers everything from watering the wheat for the bun and providing water for the cow to cooking the patty and baking the bun. And that's just one meal! It would take over 184 billion gallons of water to make just one hamburger for every person in the United States.
5. The average American uses 159 gallons of water every day – more than 15 times the average person in the developing world. From showering and washing our hands to watering our lawns and washing our cars, Americans use a lot of water. To put things into perspective, the average five-minute shower will use about 10 gallons of water. Now imagine using that same amount to bathe, wash your clothes, cook your meals and quench your thirst.

While these facts may be grim, there is hope for real solutions as more and more people around the world are waking up to the clean water crisis. Earlier this year, the UN declared access to clean water a human right and groups like charity: water and Water.org continue to work tirelessly to bring water access to the developing world.

________________________

The vulnerability of this once-thought infinite resource became a personal realization a couple years ago here in Atlanta when we had been in a drought for so long that water restrictions were put in place across the entire state. I remember capturing water from the shower in a bucket as the water warmed up so I could later water the plants outside. I remember being so conscious about unnecessary running water, like letting the water run as I brushed my teeth or washed dishes, and it seems that now that we are no longer in a drought that no one is talking about the need for conscious water use anymore. I am happy to report that turning off the water when I'm brushing has become habit and I don't think about it anymore, but there are many more things I could do to help preserve this resource and to help provide clean drinking water for those who need it.

This website does an amazing job of explaining why safe drinking water is so important, its affects on the people who have no other choice but to drink unclean water, and what you can do to help. The organization, charity: water, donates 100% of it's donations to help build wells where safe drinking water is not available.

I'd love to start a conversation so please feel free to leave a comment below (look for the "comment" link).

• Has your perspective of water changed throughout the last few years or maybe after reading those scary facts above?
• What do you do to help conserve water or provide clean drinking water to others who need it?
• What do you think is "doable" to make a change in your everyday life to conserve water?

If you have a blog and would like to join the conversation, visit Blog Action Day 2010 website to learn more.

STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds, Episode 18: Just for Fun

Just for fun and smiles...

(thanks to my sister-in-law for showing me this and brightening my day.)

Photography as Art

Buying family portraits for your home used to mean little 5x7's and 8x10's in small frames on desks, mantles and shelves. Not that there's anything wrong with displaying your favorite people around your home - but today there are so many great options for incorporating photography into the fine art in your home. If you have ever struggled with what to put up in your living room, above your mantle or even in a stairway or hallway, let me tell you a little secret. Get really close to the computer and listen...

Pictures of your family are the most personalized and one-of-a-kind art you can ever buy. They have the ability to bring back rich memories, make you laugh and truly fill your home with warmth and love. There is no other art that can be this meaningful so forget those old rules!

Take a look at this wonderful use of family pictures. With the intention of adding to this wall as the four children grow, we've left space in-between the framed pieces. And by making use of the vertical space and working with the step formation of the stairs, this is a great way to display a series of pictures and most importantly, to enjoy them everyday.

Happy Anniversary to my best friend

Two years ago today, I married my best friend. It was, what I thought, the best day of my life, but honestly, life after the wedding is so much better than I ever imagined. Happy Anniversary, Nick!

See ya! We're off to celebrate!

The Museum School Project - Installation

The long-awaited day finally came last Thursday. With all the planning, scouting, organizing, finding sponsors, photographing, post-processing and finally installation, Exhibition Night at The Museum School was a great way to bring the project to a close and to see the product of so much time and thought. (Learn about the project concept and pre-production here and view the photo shoot video here)

Thanks again to Salon Red Kids for sponsoring the project, our fantastic lab for printing the photograph on fine art metal (and discounting the cost for us), Jen Singh for all her help and organizing, Ms. Pomfret for being a wonderful teacher and model, and all the kids for being great models and their parents for volunteering to help with this unusual project.

The best part of the evening was hearing from the classroom parents how much they liked the piece and how much it meant to them to have it in the classroom. It's a great honor to create a piece of art that means a lot to the entire school community.

And here is the final piece in the classroom. It was printed on high-gloss fine art metal - super-durable and quite striking.

STuFF - Sara's Totally Fantastic Finds, Episode 17: Pickles & Ice Cream for Expecting Parents

Pickles & Ice Cream Event

This weekend we are going to be at a great event for expectant moms and dads. Stop by to get great information (and great discounts) from childbirth instructors, doulas, chiropractors, yoga & fitness professionals, massage therapists, and other vendors specializing in the needs of new and expecting parents.





The event is sponsored by Baby Steps, PSS Injury & Wellness Center and Dance 411.



Where: Dance 411 - 475 Moreland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30316
When: Saturday, October 9th, 4-6pm (ChiroTalk at 5:30pm)

Come by to say hi!

Horse and Carriage, Henna Painted Hands and Bollywood

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to photograph an Indian wedding with Drew Newman Photography. Drew and I have known each other for a while, but this was the first time we got to work together. It was also the first time I ever photographed an Indian wedding. Since I have always been interested and fascinated by cultural and religious customs (thus my degree in Social Anthropology) I was really excited to see all the details of the weekend celebration. I only shot for 8 hours of the three day event and I was exhausted. I don't know how Drew does it. :)

Here are some of my favorite shots from the morning Barat (groom riding in on a horse and carriage to meet the bride's family) and the final reception that evening.

The groomsmen dancing and singing to some awesome bollywood music.
I must admit that I was dancing while I shot. It was impossible not to.


The groom's father happy as can be.


Ronnie, the groom, getting down, while both families circle him.


Neely, the beautiful bride, celebrating at the reception.


Stunning clothing, jewelry and Henna painting.


Just the girls - singing to Beyonce's "Put a Ring On It"

The Museum School Project - continued

Things are really coming along with the project. The shoot was a huge success. With lots of help from Jen Singh and the Kindergarten teacher, Jennifer Pomfret, three K students played in a beautiful park near our studio while I snapped away. My vision came to fruition and I am so excited to share the final art piece next week. Below is a short documentary of the photo shoot. (Thanks to my hubby, Nick, for "video'ing.") And thanks to the parents for volunteering their excellent models. :)

In other related news, two businesses have stepped up to sponsor the project and I couldn't be happier. Salon Red Kids, a local Decatur hair salon specializing in kids cuts, and the photo lab who prints all our fine art metal prints have both contributed to making this project happen. Thank you both so much for your support. I know the school truly appreciates your generosity to make this happen.

Holiday Deadlines

We're gearing up for a busy season of holiday portraits and I don't know about you, but I'm ready for cooler temps and changing leaves.

Don't wait until the last minute to book your holiday session. All Portrait Packages include a Planning Meeting and a Design Appointment, so keep in mind that the entire process often takes 3-4 weeks (and that doesn't include order production time). We have limited availability for sessions based on the following deadlines.

• October 31st - Deadline for regular-priced Portrait Sessions (after this date, any holiday portraits will be subject to a 25% rush fee)
• November 15th - Deadline for all Album orders.
  
• November 21st - Final deadline for all holiday Portrait Sessions
• December 1st - Final deadline for all orders for holiday cards, framing, jewelry/ornaments, Wall Collections, Collages, Fine Art Canvas and Fine Art Metal
• December 8th - Final deadline for all single enlargement orders

Holiday Portraits at holiday time. The holidays are a perfect time to photograph your family because everyone is in town! Our natural at-home portrait sessions incorporate everyone from newborns to great-grandparents, and everyone in between. Large family? We love capturing the essence of family relationships and no family is too large for us. We structure our sessions around fun holiday activities like decorating the tree, wrapping gifts and playing games. Contact the studio to schedule your session.

* If you need to schedule or order beyond these dates, we will try to accommodate you the best we can, but rush charges will apply.

NEW - iPhone, Blackberry, iPad Custom Skins

Introducing SKINS! What's a SKIN? It's a durable 3M vinyl that transforms any phone/PDA into a one-of-a-kind art piece. Select your photo and we'll create your customized skin just for you. What's better than being reminded of your favorite people everyday and showing them off to everyone you know?!

The skins are low-profile and won't interfere with docking, charging or any other accessories. They don't leave any residue behind so when you're ready for an update, simply peel off the old one and replace it with a photo taken during your most recent session.

All orders placed between now and November 1st are eligible to receive a FREE custom iPhone, Blackberry, or other cell phone/PDA skin.*

iPhone/Blackberry/all other cell phone skins = $75 value
iPad skin = $100 value

*Free with a minimum order of $700. One per family. Orders may not be combined. Promotion is only valid at Design Appointment.

Book your session now by contacting the studio at 404-nine six six-7272.

SpokesMAMA Winner - First Day of School

"The SpokesMAMA Contest - First Day of School" winner is Wendy Heller! Congratulations Wendy! Wendy is an interior designer, mom of three and wife to Rabbi Josh Heller of Congregation B'nai Torah. Wendy's middle child and only daughter is Amelia. Amelia is an exuberant and fun five year old. She started Kindergarten at The Epstein School, a Jewish day school in Sandy Springs. Amelia loves her new school uniform (can you believe it?!) and loves school.

I arrived before she awoke to find her peacefully sleeping in her bed.

After she woke up, her mom put her hair in a bun for ballet class.
She was kind of excited to have me there taking pictures.

Then she got dressed in her uniform. I love the bit of personality
she added to her uniform in the shape of this adorable belt.

After waking up her big brother, they both headed into their baby brother's room. Look at this anticipation of him being photographed by me in his crib.

Before she headed downstairs for breakfast, one last hug of her favorite buddy.

Breakfast of champions - cereal and chocolate milk.

On the way to school...

Have a great day!

Our current SpokesMAMA Contest is for a mama of a newborn. For more information and the online application, click here.

The Museum School Asks Us to Create a Permanent Art Installation

The Museum School, a new charter school in Avondale Estates, has asked seven local artists to create an art installation for each of the classrooms. I am honored to take part in creating an inspiring and motivational environment for the students in one of the Kindergarten classrooms. I love that the school has made art such an important element of their students' education. If I hadn't had the chance to explore art in school, I would never have had the interest or passion to become a photographer. It's so important to give our kids exposure to many different disciplines and art is something that should never be put on the back-burner.

I thought it would be fun to show you step by step how I go from concept to the final installation. Since I have never done anything conceptual like this before, it will be a learning experience for me as well as you!

STEP ONE
So step one is brainstorming, note-taking and budgeting.

I was given the school's mission statement. Each artist is to interpret the mission statement, find something they can identify with, and create something that explores that idea. Here's the mission statement:

Our mission is to inspire students, teachers and the community to collaborate to develop strong critical thinking, interpersonal and academic skills in our students, which will prepare them for real-world success.

After reading and re-reading this statement too many times to mention, the word that I keep coming back to is "interpersonal." This word is all about relationships - relationships between teachers and students, students and parents, teachers and parents, the community and students, and on and on. And I think the goal of any relationship is to be supportive and helpful, to be respectful and really to create a community of caring people. Well, I have to say that this concept is right up my alley of photographic expertise. I mean, every portrait session is all about relationships. I explore the facets of loving relationships between moms and daughters, brothers and sisters, and grandparents and grandchildren. All the laughter, the hugs, the tears and the consoling - these everyday moments say so much about the relationships we have with our family. So when I take this concept and expand it to a classroom, a school and a community, it's easy to make the jump because in an ideal world, it's just a larger version of our own loving families.

CONCEPT
The question now, how do I explain and explore that relationship in a photograph?
interlocking hands, teacher helping a student read, parent's hand on her child's back or in a big congratulatory hug - this is a good start, but a little too predictable and not as out-of-the-box as I'd like. I put aside the brainstorming for a few days and pick it back up when I have an epiphany. (Of course, I was in bed when I had the epiphany. There's something about laying in bed at night or first thing in the morning. It always seems to be my most creative time.)

The new concept is the image of the teacher leading the kids through a museum or across the street on a fieldtrip of sorts. I always remember that scene from Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Ferris and his friends join in the long line of kids holding hands walking through the museum. I love that image because it's just so innocent and lovely. Each of the children must hold onto the hands of the child in front and behind them. If anyone loses contact, everyone behind them will then be separated from the group as well. They are counting on each other. And at the same time, the teacher is leading the group, setting an example and keeping a watchful eye on them to be sure no one gets lost. What a perfect depiction of interpersonal connections, support and community.

DETAILS
The parameters of the space I will have are pretty straightforward. A wall about 4x4 feet or 2x3 feet in one of the Kindergarten classrooms and my work will be permanently installed. That space is a great size because it gives me the option of a single photograph, or, as suggested by the "artist organizer" Jen Singh, multiple pieces. As soon as she mentioned that option, my mind immediately went to all the Wall Collections I create for my clients and which collection might work best. So, I'm thinking of creating one image which will be split between three fine art metal panels. Fine Art Metal will be the perfect medium for this space because it is nearly impossible to damage, can be hung from the ceiling or attached to the wall at one or four spots, and most importantly, it looks really contemporary, crisp, clean and beautiful. By spliting the image into 3 panels, each panel will take on a life of its own. Each panel will be a portion of the larger image and will work together to create the whole installation.

BUDGET
I don't have much of any which is.... ok, I think. I contacted Jen and asked if she could find one teacher and about 4-5 Kindergarten students to be my models = FREE. My time = FREE. Fine Art Metal prints = ? Not sure about this one yet. I plan to contact the vendor who creates the metal prints for me and see if they'll be willing to donate the pieces or at the very least discount the price of them. It is for a good cause!

SCHEDULE
The school is hosting an exhibition night to celebrate the art going into each classroom on October 7th. Everything must be hung by October 5th. So I have to get moving on this! I contact Jen and schedule the shoot for Tuesday, September 14th. This will give me time to come up with the final concept in my mind and some alternatives if it's just not happening. And it will give me a chance to edit, retouch and order the prints in time.


WHAT'S NEXT - finalizing plans, renting any necessary photographic equipment and photographing the kids!

New Wall Collections - Fine Art Canvas & Fine Art Metal Portrait Art

It's been a frenetic week at Sara Speert Photography. We've been busy meeting with clients, completing orders and putting together our biggest Georgia snail-mailing ever - over 1,000 pieces! If you're not already on our mailing list, you won't want to miss this. Sign up to receive our monthly enewsletter and our quarterly mailings.

In addition to everything else we've been busy with this week, we've added 12 new Wall Collections to our catalog. Wall Collections are a series of individual images placed together to create an art installation. These new Collections are available in Fine Art Canvas and Fine Art Metal which really make a statement. They don't require traditional frames and they have the look of original, custom-made art. And that's because they are!

The most meaningful art you can have in your home are artistic images of your family. It's the perfect combination of art and family that will bring smiles every time they're seen.

Here are a few Wall Collections we've been working on for our New York clients this week. (In case you're wondering, yes, all our collections are named after Sesame Street and Muppets characters. We like having a laugh whenever we can. "I'd like the Miss Piggy Collection, please." "Oh, this is a great Collection - it's bold and sassy." Love it!)

Clara's portrait in the Ernie Collection

Place the Ernie Collection above a fireplace
and it becomes the focal point of the room.

Tali and Liora's portrait in the Bert Collection

Place the Bert Collection in a Dining Room and
enjoy using the space in a new way.

SpokesMAMA Contest - Newborn UPDATE

UPDATE to the SpokesMAMA Contest

We've EXTENDED the DEADLINE for applications!
NEW DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 7TH

Learn about the SpokesMAMA Contest
and apply for your FREE newborn portrait session.

Picture of the Day - New York City Children's Portraits, Part 3

A great weekend of portraits in NYC reminds me how lucky I am to have this job. I mean, really, I get to know some amazing families and document the love that surrounds us. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities that it's easy to not notice the small moments that are so rich with personality, love and laughter. Feeling completely refreshed after this weekend, (don't we all need that from time to time?) I am so excited to see the variety of moments I captured. Check out my first post and second post from my weekend of family portraits in New York, Brooklyn and Long Island City.

Clara is 3 years old and is so vibrant and expressive. She loves dressing up as a princess, jumping, playing with her new guitar and puzzles. She and her parents were so welcoming, in fact, they invited me to stay for dinner after I finished shooting. So nice! I just loved capturing Clara's playful personality and adorable new haircut.

Today's Picture of the Day is a children's portrait from Brooklyn.

SpokesMAMA Contest - Newborn

Contest ends on August 15th!

Newborns have the ability to capture your heart and bring you joy that you didn't know was possible. During the first two weeks, they love to stay in the fetal position and sleep, and sleep and sleep. They are happiest in your arms and can sleep peacefully just about anywhere, including on daddy's chest. These peaceful snuggly moments, the ones that express your excitement, your awe and the beauty of your love, are the moments we love capturing for our youngest clients.

The winning SpokesMama will receive a free ABC Storytelling Portrait Session package which includes a Planning Meeting, a 2-hour session, a Design Appointment and fifty (50) 5x7 folded birth announcements. This package is valued at $500.

The SpokesMAMA will also receive a 25% discount on her second session during her year-long 'tenure' or a $125 discount off her choice of a Growing Baby Portrait Package or an Annual Portrait Package.

Spread the word and help us grow!

In exchange, the SpokesMAMA will tell her friends and family about SSP. She'll take every opportunity to share the photos that were taken during her session and talk about her experience. She'll use social media, printed fliers, email, etc. to refer other like-minded families to us. (Printed pieces will be provided by SSP.)

This application is for mama's of newborn babies. In order to be selected, your newborn (0-2 weeks old) must be photographed in August or September 2010. (If this does not apply to you, visit our blog for announcements of future contests.)

APPLICATION DEADLINE is Sunday, August 15th. Good luck!

Apply here to be the SpokesMAMA.

Picture of the Day - New York City, Part 2

If I could somehow express gratitude in a photograph, I would for my dear friends, Gidi and Dana. Gidi and I have known each other for years since our semester abroad in college at Tel Aviv University. His wife Dana is one of those people you feel like you've known for years even if it's only a day. She's a self-proclaimed "Mayor of Park Slope" so when we started talking about me traveling to Brooklyn for a weekend during the summer to photograph their family, I knew she'd promote me like nobody's business and help me book a bunch of portraits throughout the weekend. She definitely came through but the best part was her excitement about seeing the pictures.

So, Dana, I know you are checking this blog from vacation, so here ya go - your Picture of the Day.

We had a great morning playing at DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). And as you can see, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline provided a quintessential New York backdrop. I loved it! I could have spent all day there.

If you are interested in having us come to your city or meet you on vacation for family and children's portraits, please contact the studio at info (at) saraphotography.com. We travel all over the US and internationally.

Pictures of the Day - New York City, Part 1

I just returned last night from a weekend of family and kids portraits in New York City. I have always wanted to travel to different cities to photograph families, and this is the first time I traveled with the sole purpose of portraits. It was a wonderful way to meet new beautiful families and get reinspired to find new and exciting ways to photograph the love of a young family.

Gabi's pictures make me smile, awww, and giggle so it was really hard to choose just one picture to feature as a Picture of the Day. So I chose three!

Thanks, Emily, Elan and Gabi!