Emma | Sonnenberg Gardens | Canandaigua, NY
Emma
Senior Portraits | 2022
Senior portrait sessions are a rite of passage for many high school students. It's a chance to capture a moment in time before moving on to the next phase of life.
One of the most picturesque locations for senior portrait sessions in Canandaigua, NY is Sonnenberg Gardens. With its stunning gardens and historic mansion, Sonnenberg Gardens provides the perfect backdrop for capturing timeless senior portraits.
The present mansion was designed and completed between 1886-1887 by Boston architect Francis Allen
When planning a senior portrait session at Sonnenberg Gardens, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it's important to choose the right time of year. The gardens are in full bloom from May through October, so scheduling a session during this time will ensure that you have the best possible backdrop for your photos.
Another consideration is the time of day. The gardens are open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, so scheduling your session early in the morning or late in the afternoon will help you avoid crowds and ensure that you have plenty of time to capture the perfect shots.
When it comes to choosing outfits for your senior portrait session, it's important to keep the location in mind. Sonnenberg Gardens is a formal setting, so choosing dressy or semi-formal attire will complement the elegance of the surroundings. Soft pastels, floral patterns, and light, flowy fabrics are all great options for outfits that will look great against the backdrop of the gardens.
During your session, there are plenty of great locations to choose from within the gardens. The Rose Garden which features red, pink, and white blooms, The Japanese Garden which was created in 1906 with miniature detailing in the landscape, and The Italian Garden that offers over 7,000 gold and red annuals all offer stunning backdrops for photos. The mansion itself is also a great spot for photos, with its grand staircase and ornate architecture providing a dramatic backdrop.
Blue flowers mentioned in historical documents that are planted today include, blue ageratums, blue delphinium, and blue salvia.
Whether you're a high school senior looking to capture this momentous time in your life, or a photographer looking for a picturesque location for a portrait session, Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua, NY is the perfect choice. With its stunning gardens and historic mansion, it provides a timeless backdrop for capturing memories that will last a lifetime.
White blossoms included sweet alyssum, campanula, phlox, hyacinth, and agapanthus.
The “Blue & White Garden” is located off the Northwest corner of the Mansion Veranda
This garden contains only blue and white blooms and was said to be the favorite of Mrs. Thompson, who purchased the property with her husband in 1863 as Newlyweds
Alex & Scott / Tulum, Mexico
Alex & Scott
03.24.23
This was a destination wedding in Tulum, Mexico at the Dreams Tulum Resort. Destination weddings are totally different than our normal Upstate New York weddings. But we LOVED every minute of it.
Arriving into Mexico in March, after leaving freezing cold New York, hitting that 85 degree weather was a shock to the system. And everybody there was clearly shocked as well as we saw SO MANY sunburned bodies. But that ocean air, blue water, and of course tequila drinks made us feel like we made the right choice of traveling so far to shoot.
Alex & Scott found us through one of our favorite families. We LOVE how our network of clients always comes together. They fit right in with our group as they were maybe looking to becoming friends then even having great wedding photography. After seeing their teaser gallery, they said they knew they would love their photos, but they were also so excited that they made new friends.
Cocktails and of course tacos overlooking Ocean Views
We did a day after or trash the dress shoot with Alex &Scott two mornings after their wedding at sunrise!
Sunset photos are a MUST! The sun doesn’t set bear the water in the gulf, but we still got lucky with a really beautiful sky!
Probably our new favorite Seating Chart! Last minute hair/outfit check for guests before being seated for dinner.
A Bride cant do this alone, you need your girls!
A Fathers love is like no other these two are very connected.
These rings were particularly loved as their jeweler was also a guest! These rings got their own photo shoot!
Post Ceremony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico
You cant get married in Tulum & not end your evening with a fire show on the beach
Shooting in manual mode with a DSLR camera,
We get emails and questions at least a couple of times a year about camera settings. There is no easy answer! As the more you know about shooting in manual, the more choices you have to really create exactly the scene you want. BUT we want to post for the RECORD a quick guide to shooting in Manual. Now, after you read this? If you really want to learn? Email us. Let’s do a one on one class together!!! Join our mailing list! We will be doing shoot alongs and offering various ways to learn and grow!
DSLR cameras offer photographers the ability to shoot in manual mode, giving them complete control over the exposure settings of their photographs. This control can be overwhelming for beginners, especially when it comes to understanding the three main exposure settings: ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. In this blog post, we'll explain these settings and offer tips for shooting in manual mode.
ISO
ISO is the sensitivity of your camera's sensor to light. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the camera is to light, which means you can shoot in low light conditions without using a flash. However, a higher ISO also increases the amount of digital noise in your images, which can make them look grainy and less sharp.
For outdoor photography in daylight, you can usually use an ISO of 100-400. For indoor photography or low light conditions, you may need to increase your ISO to 800 or higher. When shooting in manual mode, it's important to keep an eye on your ISO to ensure that your images are not overexposed or underexposed.
Shutter Speed
Shutter speed refers to the length of time that the camera's shutter is open. A faster shutter speed allows less light to enter the camera, while a slower shutter speed allows more light to enter. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second, such as 1/100 or 1/2000.
A faster shutter speed is ideal for freezing motion, such as in sports photography, while a slower shutter speed is ideal for creating motion blur, such as in long exposure photography. When shooting in manual mode, it's important to adjust your shutter speed according to the scene you're shooting to ensure that you're capturing the desired effect.
Aperture
Aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens through which light enters the camera. Aperture is measured in f-stops, such as f/2.8 or f/16. A smaller f-stop number (such as f/2.8) means a larger aperture, allowing more light to enter the camera. A larger f-stop number (such as f/16) means a smaller aperture, allowing less light to enter the camera.
Aperture also affects the depth of field in your images. A larger aperture (smaller f-stop number) creates a shallow depth of field, with a blurred background and a sharp subject. A smaller aperture (larger f-stop number) creates a greater depth of field, with more of the image in focus.
When shooting in manual mode, it's important to adjust your aperture according to the desired depth of field for your image. For portrait photography, you may want to use a larger aperture to create a shallow depth of field, while for landscape photography, you may want to use a smaller aperture to create a greater depth of field.
Conclusion
Shooting in manual mode with a DSLR camera can be challenging, but it also offers complete control over the exposure settings of your photographs. Understanding ISO, shutter speed, and aperture is essential for capturing the images you want. Remember to keep an eye on your settings and adjust them according to the scene you're shooting. With practice, shooting in manual mode will become second nature, and you'll be able to create stunning images that truly capture the moment.
Photo a WEEK, Entrepreneur challenge.
I have personally tried this so many times. (and failed) Photo a day, a month….This time WE are going to try it as a business. More as a “journalling” of our stressors, wins, and just thoughts about running a business.
The goal is weekly.
This means we will post a photo and then some sentences about that photo. Somewhat of a chronicling of a year in the life of a business owner.
2023 - North Glow Creatives - Chelse & Paul
Week 1: January 1- January 8
Below is the 1st photo. I know. It is not a photo. But it is more of a vibe. (insert emoji of a nervous overwhelmed smile here).
The first week of the year for us is a mix of a blank slate, a need to breathe, And a lot of questions.
Can we do this again this year? Can we be more successful? Is everybody taken care from the storm/balancing act/chaos that was December? Are we happy? Do we need to adjust our pricing? Are we profitable? Are we happy? When is the sun coming back?
Pause.
Reset.
Move forward.
Let’s do this.
How to Announce Your Engagment? With some help from some people, who have seen it all!
There are so very few opportunities in life to really get excited!
every. single. one. of them should be celebrated.
You are engaged! It is a big deal. We thought of a bunch of fun ways to announce it! (and P.S. we love being included.
Most OBVIOUSLY, a photograph or better yet video of the RING.
A Selfie? A Hashtag? Use your new Last name.
With a fun Caption: Like “Beyonce” but with an “F” | Goodbye Miss Hello Mrs.With a letter board? or a Mug that says something fun on it:
Make a Wedding-Specific Account:
Make a separate account specifically for your wedding journey. You can post pictures from the proposal, and all the wedding preparations. People can tune in and out of this part of your life. When they are looking for all the details. These are typically joint accounts shared between the couple, so both partners can post exciting news and updates on it.
Engagement Photo Session?
Ring Photoshoot?
The ring is kind of the star of the show here. Everybody wants to see it. Up close!
Make a Movie or a Reel.
Get creative, but make it short! Ha! Ain’t nobody going to sit through more than about a minute worth of your engagement announcement?
Was the proposal filmed? A Trailer with cute things about your wedding?
We HIDE you POP The Questions
Use your Pet?
Toast? Or get messy!
We love everything engaged and getting married. We even do engagement videos. Let us help! We have sooooo many ideas!
northglowphotography@gmail.com
XOXO, Chelse & Paul
ONE. It happens once.
There are some things worth celebrating. Listen, I’m a mom. Of 3. We spend a lot of money, and time and planning a lot of things. BUT there are some that are just more special then others.
Turning one, is not only possibly one of the cutest baby stages, but also that was a HARD year. The first one. Whether it is your first child and you stumbled or thrived. They look incredibly different from newborn. OR it is your last child, your last baby party.
This feels like a hard sell. BUT, if you know me, then you know it is not because I want your money. It is because I want you to have these photos. I’m not a photographer for the money. bwahahahahahah. If you only… anyway, I get distracted. I’m a photographer because i’m obsessed with photos. Memories. People.Family.Moments.
Also it’s fun, cute and a ridiculously fun way to decorate your house. And it literally costs likely around the cost of a trip or two to Wegmans. And you eat that. And can’t ever look at it again.
The one session is whatever you want it to look like!
We love cake smash, family, siblings, cute outfits, bubble bath or a photojournalistic session at home.
There are a couple of pricing choices:
Just the Babe: 1 outfits, Cakes smash & Bubble bath. About 30 minutes. You get to choose 10 files to keep. $350
All the Fun: Family, 2 outfits, Cake and Bath (if you want it) on location or at the studio, Choose up to 30 images from your gallery: $600
As with all sessions we take a non-refundable $100 deposit to hold your date and time.
Schedule by hitting the “contact us” button on our website or emailng us: northglowphotography@gmail.com
2020, The Pandemic Wedding, We did it. Finger Lakes, Wedding Photography.
2020.
It brought us all to our knees.
Affecting every plan.
So much soul searching, questioning, and figuring out how to make the right decisions.
Kind of like a relationship?
Once you get through all the falling to your knees, changing of your life path, asking yourself if you found the right person, you want to celebrate!!!
This year made celebrating with a group of people different.
It broke our normal expectations. Things like weddings and how they look and feel are deeply ingrained for so many of us. We envision them. Some of us even before we meet our partner. They are a right of passage.
If you were able to get past the part about the event not looking and feeling like you envisioned, then you had to live with the fact that not all your people could be there with you.
Needless to say, no event we were a part of was normal or typical. They were however, I’m going to say it: INCREDIBLE.
In their own unique way.
Couples spent their money differently. They thought about the people at their events in a new uniquely caring way. They highly valued the time spent. They were so grateful for whatever it was that happened.
No put downs to our past couples, because you all are amazing people, you know that.
BUT this year, in our opinion, brought out the BEST in some people. We were so impressed and lucky to be able to capture these events. Even though we were sometimes not as close physically and connecting with our client’s and their family’s was more of a challenge. We still loved it and made it happen.
The masks, the biggest challenge. At first, nobody wanted to even remember they were a part of the year, so we avoided them in photos. Then we realized that a major role of having a professional at your wedding event was telling the story of your day. If we were leaving out masked people, we were leaving out the people. So.
Also, PS, by the way, if you didn’t know: USING A CAMERA WHILE WEARING A MASK, is a #$%^&*( challenge. Your viewfinder fogs completely. So, it’s kind of like shooting blind, or actually shooting blind. Which, isn’t a very creative process. BUT, we figure it the heck out! (cause that’s what we do).
When all was said and done, people got married. They did! They celebrated! They started their journey together. Maybe they will have a larger event another time, maybe they won’t. Maybe weddings will change as we know it. There are some great new things?!?!? Like: 50 people rather than 200 means like crazy good food, incredible florals, and time to actually have fun with your people. (one positive. I will post about all the other positives, promise).
2021, we are coming for you. We have some kick ass couples scheduled and we know they are going to make beautiful things happen.
Wedding industry. We need help. BUT we are so strong, scrappy, creative and we will PIVOT. Side bar though, we need to get together on the same page to do it. Let’s talk about that because we are ALWAYS stronger together. It can not be every person for themselves. We have our people, but we want all of us to be our people.
Robyn's Nest Boutique
Robyn,
When I showed up to take photos of your grand opening of your brick and mortar, I stood photographing your “Babes support Babes” t-shirt that greets you at the door, I pressed my camera against my face hard, like I always do, when I cry. Happy tears of course. I love watching you be you. You DO NOT STOP. You will keep going so far. I’m so happy I get to document any part of it. It is crazy inspiring.
I love you!
Chelse
To anybody who has met Robyn and followed her journey. You know she is an absolute success. I’m going to tell you my why:
She is REAL. She is selling her clothing and accessories by showing you what they look like on herself and women of all sizes and shapes. She is gorgeous. And makes you want EVERYTHING SINGLE THING. She is straight up about every item. Which thing will look better on which shape, which one is lighter weight….
She CARES. And it shows. She remembers what damn size you wear. What you like. What you purchase. She WANTS you to look amazing. Like actually. Not only about your clothes, but about you. Thats called, being genuine.
She is GRATEFUL. This one. She says thank you always. For her girl gang, her clients, her family. She gets emotional every time.
She kept pushing forward during a time when a lot of people feel like giving up. That is not easy. She’s following all the rules and making women have something to look forward to.
She deserves every bit of praise and success.
Too much? Nope. Now also her stuffffffffff is all I buy. I like Lucky Brand, Free People, Anthropology, and Robyn’s Nest. But seriously. I am a giant clothing snob. And I love everything I get there. Don’t trust me, just got check it or watch her from your home and shop! People, I’m doing it because I love this lady, but also for the damn clothes.
Yesssss, those are our photos! If you have a shop, restaurant, product, we love this stuff. AND we get obsessed with our people, and we tell our people about you, all and that stuff matters.My clients have become obsessed with Robyn. So check with us, we can take some kinda cool photos of you and your business.
Check her out:
https://therobynsnest.commentsold.com/store
XOXO,
Baby # 2, maternity. With your number 1.
One thing is maternity photos by yourself, another, is with your first baby.
THAT is something amazing.
This age, is STINKING CUTE.
We love that our clients trust us and feel so comfortable when they are with us. WE look so forwarding to seeing them. It is about the photos. BUT the photos turn out better because we know what they like and they feel like themselves. This baby boy has the most amazing blue eyes. He is on the GO! Keeping mommy very busy. Luckily he has the best big brother and sister.
It is so sweet to be able to see a client at Maternity, Newborn, 6-9Month, and ONE. The images you get from that first full year are such a gift. We have various packages including whatever you want, very custom. First-year, or you can always purchase individual sessions. We have a couple of discounts when you are doing more than 1 session in a year’s period.
Let’s talk about your session?!?!?
www.northglowphotography.com
585-489-3551
northglowphotography@gmail.com
Newborn, at Home. Rochester, NY Newborn Photography
Sometimes we come to your house for newborn photography. And we walk around and love everything about it. Your light, your furniture, your nursery. It is perfectly you.
I love looking through parent’s photo albums. Curly-haired me, in their first homes. I love their wallpaper and furniture. All so vintage and perfect looking. These photos have so many purposes. BUT a huge one is that you are recording their life story. Uniquely, for them to relive.
This little girl’s mommy and daddy have some pretty beautiful style.
And…they make great parents.
Calling all Seniors || Cap & Gown Sessions
2020, is a year.
BUT let’s do some fun things?!?!?
Cap & Gown sessions are a really fun way to capture GRADUATING. That is kind of a huge accomplishment.
Make this session what you want. We have a couple of options available:
Just you with cap and gown and 1 outfit. Outside. 30 minutes. Includes 15 digital files: $275
Bring your friends: A group of up to 5 friends. 45-1hour, Cap and gowns and 1 outfit. Group photos and Individuals of each person. 3 individual photos each and 5 group photos included: $450 (products or additional images available to add on).
BOOK
northglowphotography@gmail.com
Let’s celebrate this.
SOFIA & SCOTT | LA LUNA | 08.24.2019 |
We get so lucky with our couples! Sofia and Scott had such a beautiful day at La Luna in downtown Rochester. It was so much fun to hang out with these two all day. We just wish Snoppy could have been there with us!
Amazing music from The Swooners. What a crazy talented group of musicians.
Thank you Sofia and Scott for letting us spend the day with you!
Audrey | Class of 2020 | Senior Portraits Rochester NY
Tips for Senior Portraits!
Hair and Makeup makes a huge difference, we recommend Linda Howard for the job! The picture perfect outfit is always very important for a senior shoot, some of our clients favorite stores are Aeropostale, American Eagle, H&M and Hollister. Another crucial element for a perfect senior shoot are great locations. We always seek out fields full of all kinds of flowers, streams and creeks for beautiful backgrounds. We also adore interesting brick walls and architecture. If you ride a horse or play an instrument or a sport we love to highlight these in senior portraits!
Audrey checked all the boxes and her photos turned out amazing!
Kristen & Matt | Beautiful Portrait Location & Stellar Sunset | Cornell University Wedding
Venue: Cornell University (Willard Straight Hall)
Event Planning: Terra Rosa
Florist: Michaleen’s
Hair: Whitney Woodmansee
Makeup: Lisa Amato
Cake: Jessica Cunningham
Vintage Car Service: Kenn Young
There really isn’t anything quite like Cornell University for a wedding backdrop. With all of the history and beauty that goes into the campus, it’s hard not to feel inspired! Add to that a couple like Kristen and Matt, who are so in love and who both have amazing families and friends to celebrate with them, and you can’t possibly be short on interesting subjects for pictures. We had such an amazing time with these guys, and we hope that shows in the pictures that we captured.
NATALIA & ANDREW COTTAGE PARADISE ENGAGEMENT SESSION KEUKA LAKE | 08.16.2019
It is even more special when it is someone we LOVE.
Heather & Chris | Loft Wedding with the Best Kind | Studio 180 | Rochester NY |
Venue: Studio 180
Caterer: Farmhouse Table Foods
Hair Stylist: Rachael Desantis
Cake: Scratch
What a combination of a crazy great time and really beautiful planning! Heather and Chris created a day that didn’t take themselves too seriously, a venue that is beautifully creative and gorgeous food! Can food be gorgeous? (yes).
Both their ceremony and reception were at Studio 180. This loft space on St. Paul in Rochester is kinda special to us. It is were North Glow met. (Paul and Chelse). We love getting to be in our old digs. John Larkin has created such a totally unique space. The furniture! The light. The details. Always all in the details.
Farmhouse Table Foods is always impressive. Their spread is almost too gorgeous to eat. So much artistry. They use so many outside the box ingredients. Delicious and genius.
Our portrait time happened right outside Studio 180 in the nearby city streets. We love getting to do something unique with each couple. After spending time during their engagement session with us, we all know exactly what to expect and it turns out perfectly!
Thank you Heather & Chris for having us there with you! We loved it!
CAROLYN & JOE | JULY 27th 2019 | COBBLESTONE CREEK CC
Venue: Cobblestone Creek
Florist:
Where do we start with Carolyn and Joe… We had such an amazing day with these two. Two of the kindest families we’ve worked with!
Carolyn’s family surprised her with our video package that she wanted so badly. What made it even better were the tears of joy at the salon when she found out the morning of!
A beautiful day at Cobblestone Creek Country Club gave us some amazing backdrops to top it all off!
Thank you Carolyn and Joe for allowing us to be a small part!
CIARRA & CHARLIE CANADICE LAKE ENGAGEMENT SESSION
We’re so happy that Ciarra and Charlie chose to have photography and videography with us! We thought adding an e-session mini film for our couples that booked us for both would be a super cool way for everyone to get comfortable with each other before their wedding day.
What a crazy beautiful evening we had for this shoot after having to cancel the first due to rain! We had so much fun with these two and we can’t wait for November to roll around so we can do it all over again! Thanks Ciarra and Charlie for making us laugh!
Katie & Bryan | Killed every Detail | Lodge at Welch Allyn Wedding | Skaneateles NY
Venue: Lodge at Welch Allyn
Florist: Wegmans
Hair: Indigo Loft Salon
Makeup: Monti Makeup Artistry
Dress: Heart to Heart Bridal
Bridesmaids dresses: Joevals
Cake: Patisserie in Skaneateles
Band: Prime Time Horns
