P Family | CT family photographer

There is one family that will forever hold a special place in my heart. Not only because they are amazing friends, but because they were my first official portrait session when I opened my business 5 years ago! Ok, wait....they're awesome for those 2 reasons AND because they always crack me up during their sessions. Honestly, I love when people don't take themselves too seriously because it always me to see the real them and to capture things that might look awkward otherwise. Granted, sometimes they intentionally look awkward to make me giggle, but that's exactly why I love them.

Farm Wedding | CT wedding photographer

I am a huge fan of outdoor weddings. I love them even more when they're in a location that's special to the bride and groom. The wedding was on a farm owned by the groom's family in Berlin. A farm with some old barns, cornfields, large open land, and chicken coops is like a dream for this photographer! They were also so sweet to work with and had so many beautiful, hand-made decorations.

The Eyeglass Lass | New London Small Business

It's time for another local business spotlight! Yes, I know...I've been severely neglecting my blog lately. Like all year. However, I'm still working on my goal of trying to bring local businesses the attention they deserve!

Today, I visited The Eyeglass Lass on State St. in New London. Let me tell you, this lovely lady has a passion for all things optical! I met Siobhan years ago while I was shopping for new glasses in the mall. She was so patient as I put on frame after frame....after frame....and gave me her honest opinions on what looked good on me. Now she has her own shop and it's AWESOME!

So let's start with her expertise. Siobhan is a licensed optician. That means you're in very good hands. Her future plans include having the equipment to cut lenses right there in the shop, which could mean same day service. For now, she is working with a lab to have complete glasses in your hands in as little as a couple of days!

I always ask business owners what made them want to take the plunge into self-employment. You can tell that Siobhan is in it because she simply loves helping people see. Not only that, she wants you to feel good about your glasses. What it all boils down to is that glasses are a necessary accessory for many people and she wants to boost your confidence and help you look in the mirror and love what you see. She said that by owning her own business, she can help people on her terms and that means more people getting the glasses they need with the care they deserve with no pushy sales tactics. As she says, "people need to see".

What sets The Eyeglass Lass apart from other shops is that Siobhan specializes in finding frames that you can't find anywhere else. She finds "new old stock" vintage frames, which are generally overstock (yes, that means never worn) from the 60s, 70s and 80s. In fact, even her new frames are generally nothing you'd find in any of the big name stores. She carries a couple of the popular brands that people are always looking for (Ray-Ban, for example), but she hand selects her frames that she loves and makes sure she has a selection for every budget. Just because this is a boutique doesn't mean her prices are outrageous! She has frames anywhere from $40-$400.

(Selection of vintage frames)

Siobhan is also looking forward to working with the New London Public Schools to be able to provide one new pair of glasses to one student in need from elementary, middle, and high school each quarter. Great, right?

The Eyeglass Lass has already helped dozens of customers find what they're looking for and she's only been open a month! So if you need new glasses or just want something fun and funky, go to 277 State St and let Siobhan find the perfect fit for you!
Open 11-8 Monday-Tuesday & Thursday-Saturday and Sunday from 12-4

A more personal note | Be photographed

Photographers are fairly notorious for not being in front of the camera. Sometimes I look through my thousands and thousands of family memories and realize I'm in very few. Of course! It's what I do. I'm behind the camera all the time. If you're a photographer, you probably feel the same way. I want my kids to grow up and see these moments, but will it be weird when I'm not in the majority of them? I want to be WITH my kids in these images!

So, what does a photographer do? Well, if you saw my post back in October, you may remember that I gave my camera to my mom and had her attempt a family portrait for me. It wasn't perfect, but I love it. A few years ago, I brought my camera to the beach and ended up handing my camera to my sister so I could pick my son up out of the water. She got such a great candid of me with him. I made it a 16x20 and hung it in my living room.

The other thing I just started doing was teaching my kids more about photography. I got myself some lights, put the camera on a tripod and just let them snap away. It was awesome! They actually insisted on photographing me. Then they took turns sitting with me while the other one played photographer. They didn't always nail the focus, but they don't have to. They were having fun and I got to help them create memories AND be in them! 

Now, I don't want this post to be directed only at photographers. It's for everyone. It's a reminder to be seen. Don't hide from the camera. Make memories! Be remembered! If you are constantly hiding from cameras, stop it. If you've never had a family portrait done, do it. If you think nobody wants a picture of you, you're wrong. I could go on and on about the importance of pictures, but there are tons of blog posts already floating around out there, so I'll leave it at that.

Now for what my kids were able to capture of me.....

We make silly faces, and lots of them.

I was teaching them the difference between using 1 light and 2. I love how this one came out

This one is actually a total candid. My son just wanted a little mommy time. I'm so thankful my daughter got this moment.

Again, silly faces are her default. She can't help it, she learned it from me.

Now go make memories!