{"id":3372,"date":"2013-05-07T17:43:28","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T22:43:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/?p=3372"},"modified":"2013-05-07T17:50:55","modified_gmt":"2013-05-07T22:50:55","slug":"what-makes-marmalade-photography-different","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/what-makes-marmalade-photography-different\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Marmalade Photography Different"},"content":{"rendered":"

I once was asked “What is it that you think sets your work apart from the other photographers I see listed in Google?”<\/em>\u00a0 At the time I recall it being pretty easy for me to answer, I was a big fish in a small pond at the time, not many photographers specializing in the kind of work I’m known for and have been lovingly creating for my clients since 2005.\u00a0 This was in 2007 and I was competing with some VERY talented photographers in the area but we all possessed our own niche of the market here in Chicago and we each had a unique voice.<\/p>\n

Maybe you’re reading this as a potential client (or fellow photographer) wondering what it is that sets Marmalade Photography apart from the literally HUNDREDS of other photographers in the area.\u00a0 So instead of talking about myself for another 500 words let me illustrate to you in what went into creating some of my favorite mother and child relationship photos:<\/p>\n

\"Professional-photographer-North-Shore-Chicag\"I think this image above was taken in 2009 on location.\u00a0 This image was in the clients’ guest room (where all the good light seems to be), with her 2nd child.\u00a0 This was our fourth session together.<\/p>\n

I love this image for several reasons, the most important being the loving way Beth is interacting with her son – her expression is of joy.\u00a0 I’m also a huge fan of photos where one of the subjects is looking straight into the camera while the other subject(s) interact.\u00a0 This is sort of inspired by my love for the Impressionist movement (modern illustrator Pino Daeni’s portraits of women and children as well as old school Impressionist Mary Cassatt come to mind as some of my biggest inspirations for my mother-child work).<\/p>\n

I chose to photograph this interaction in this well lit guest room.\u00a0 I liked the soft colors in the room, the off white backdrop of the room.\u00a0 The tapestry on the wall lends to the soft feel as does the yellow pillow in the foreground.\u00a0 I think Beth’s clothing as muted highlights her guest starring role in this photo which is all about her son (dressed in darker clothing).\u00a0 All of it work together to create this soft feel.<\/p>\n

This next image takes us back to the beginning of my professional photography career, in the Fall of 2005.\u00a0 My neighbor Sara commissioned me to create some photos for her and her family that fall, I owe her a huge debt of thanks for not only trusting me in those early days but also for helping to create one of my all time favorite mother-son images.\u00a0 I was still so green as a photographer but I definitely see where my influences were coming from.<\/p>\n

\"Channahon-Illinois-Professional-Photography\"<\/p>\n

Again, without knowing (at the time) what it was that was inspiring me I now realize it was a heavy Impressionist influence.\u00a0 The connection between Sara and her son is all physical.\u00a0 He’s embracing her neck closely and she is in absolute bliss with little Luke in her arms.<\/p>\n

Even in 2005 I possessed a desire to set my work apart from others’, my goal was to create storytelling images.\u00a0 At the time little Luke was just a preschooler, a bundle of cute blonde hair and a winning smile.\u00a0 Sara was one of those moms that just seemed to glow <\/em><\/strong>in the presence of her children.\u00a0 Looking back now I realize that while I loved this image for what it was eight years ago, I seem to fall more in love with it every time I run into it now.\u00a0 It’s simply one of those images that feels genuine, because it is.\u00a0 Sara was<\/em><\/strong> glowing with motherhood, she seemed to embody motherhood.\u00a0 I’m so proud of that image.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This next image was taken last year:<\/p>\n

\"Family_portrature_Chicago_Suburban\"<\/p>\n

This is Lisa and her little girl last July during our third session together.\u00a0 I first photographed this pair together out at the Wilmington studio during one of my Mom & Me mini session events about three years prior.\u00a0 I love this image not only because of their connection (physical and not through interaction like in the image before) but because they’re so obviously happy to be in each others’ arms.\u00a0 Again a spontaneous moment sort of posed looking but with 100% genuine emotion.\u00a0 Inspiration: a slight Mary Cassatt influence.\u00a0 Lisa’s winning smile is truly reflective of her personality and sense of humor.<\/p>\n

Lastly, let’s spotlight another of my all time favorite images.\u00a0 This is from 2007, was taken at my waterfall location.\u00a0 This little guy was having a lot of fun with his brother in the water.\u00a0 They were splashing and hanging out and he paused to sit by his mom for just a few moments.\u00a0 To be honest this photo was taken sort of spur of the moment, one of those images that befits the Diane Arbus quote that I love so much:<\/p>\n

“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” <\/strong><\/p>\n

I love this capture because moms do seem to be this sort of “home base” or “safe zone”.\u00a0 After this moment passed he was back up, busy splashing and playing in the warm water of the waterfall on that hot July day.\u00a0 Truly I believe this is one of those moments that could’ve easily passed by without notice if I hadn’t been standing there, camera in hand.<\/p>\n

\"elmhurst-child-photographer\"<\/p>\n

Mothers should reflect on this short amount of time they have to spend with their children before their children grow up and leave home.\u00a0 As mothers we are truly gifted with an amazing gift: the gift of time and teaching.\u00a0 Our children are entrusted to us and it is our guidance that shapes them into the adults they grow into being.\u00a0 As my legacy I am proud to photograph these relationships.\u00a0 I believe that I see things that wouldn’t be seen if I wasn’t standing there with a camera in hand and with the knowledge it takes to snap that image.<\/p>\n

I believe that your opportunity at being a mother is something that should be commemorated.\u00a0 All too often we are behind the camera photographing our families and never in front interacting with them.\u00a0 I have always held this belief that photographers are given this amazing opportunity to promote motherhood, to allow moms to have a chance to be in the family images, even more importantly to be front and center.\u00a0 I make it my goal to create portraits moms are proud to be part of, portraits that allow them to shine as their beautiful hearts and souls do and to highlight the beautiful relationship they have with each child.<\/p>\n

What makes my photography different than others?\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> I realize the importance of these mother-child images.\u00a0 My experience and knowledge as a photographer contribute to beautiful images of you with your children.\u00a0 It isn’t simply about posing and looking cute, it’s about connection and love and creating timeless images that you will love long after your children have children of their own.\u00a0 Let’s be honest: anyone with a camera can take a lovely photo but it takes someone who understands relationships and has dedicated themselves to creating art centered around them to create beautiful, believable works of art for you.\u00a0 Think about that as you look through the Marmalade Photography archives.\u00a0 Think about that as you dream of being part of your family’s images.\u00a0 Think about that as you select a photographer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I once was asked “What is it that you think sets your work apart from the other photographers I see listed in Google?”\u00a0 At the time I recall it being pretty easy for me to answer, I was a big fish in a small pond at the time, not many photographers specializing in the kind…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[661,108,65,552],"tags":[553,554,556,555],"class_list":["post-3372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chicago-child-photographer","category-chicago-family-photographer","category-chicago-professional-photographer","category-mother-child-photos","tag-mother-child-photos-2","tag-the-marmalade-difference","tag-what-makes-marmalade-photography-different","tag-what-sets-us-apart"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3372\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marmaladephotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}