Today I photographed a beautiful, intimate family party.  In fact, its beauty stemmed from its intimacy.  But I’ll talk more about that when I post the full session.  Right now I’m going to post a preview.  And before I do that, I’m going to talk about something technical.

Shooting a party is different from a family session in pretty much every way possible.  If I arrive at your house for a family session, you can be pretty sure it’ll take you a week to put your furniture back in order.  I’ll move your sofa, your lamp, your drapes, the toys.  I’ll change your comforter, rearrange pillows and blankets.  I’ll strategically place books, food, flowers.  You get it- I’ll take over.

But a party.  A party is a different bag altogether.

I approach a party differently- I photograph it AS IS.  This is because I try to become an observer.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I talk to my subjects.  A lot.  A whole lot.  About life- theirs and mine.  But I don’t ask them to please move here into better light, I don’t rush to close the drapes or open them, I don’t arrange furniture or interrupt conversations (well, not unless it’s REALLY necessary).  I feel like my job at a party is to let them worry about enjoying themselves while I worry about working around harsh light, physical obstacles, and focal lengths.

This means parties are much more difficult than normal portrait sessions.

But in the challenge lies room for growth.

I can’t ask them to back up, tell that joke again, and all laugh just as they did right then, this time with my correct camera settings.  So, it forces me to 1.) learn how to change my settings faster and 2.) work with the photo that I’ve taken when I get back to my computer.

This particular session, however- perhaps inspired by the BW high contrast documentary photography in Shutterbabe, perhaps inspired by this photo taken by Benj Haisch (he’s a photographer that I follow and admire, but wouldn’t really consider a soulmate when it comes to my style):

and definitely inspired by a 1950′s feel- I found myself loving photos that are definitely NOT my normal style.

They’re rich in contrast.  They don’t necessarily show a whole face.  They’re definitely black and white images.  They’re more artsy than my normal style.  But somehow I’m drawn to them.

Especially this one- he’s waving good-bye to his Great Grandma.

They’re really, really different from what I normally present to my clients.  Will they like them?  Will they order them?  I honestly can’t say.  But I love them.  The more I look at them, the more I love them.

I don’t think I’ll purposely change my style in the future, but I think it’s exciting to know that I’m capable of surprising myself.

I’ll post the full shoot summary very soon- and it WILL be my normal style.  I just wanted to share a bit before I head off to bed.

Happy Friday!

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Tags: children's photography, event photographer, family photography, Finland, lasten valokuvaus, professional photographer, Turku