When I was first starting my bussiness I dreamed of what my perfect idea of a place would be to live and work from. I never wanted a store front studio that was dark and intimidating to kids and grownups alike. I am sure we have all had the experience of bieng forced to sit on a shaggy old rug and told to maintain some awkward pose all the while bieng told to say cheese or smile. I knew from the very beginning I would never have that kind of place. Instead for the 1st 10 years I was a ” Natural light ” photographer. I would go in to people”s homes or meet in public parks or gardens. While I always loved the art of taking portraits I was not always happy with the surroundings I was working in. I found that public gardens and parks were not always the ideal spot to work in. Public places are,well public. There is nothing more frustrating than to be ready to snap the shutter only to have a family with picnic baskets walk right behind your subject and sit down. I found that that most people felt uncomfortable having their portraits taken in public places and children found all the “traffic” a distraction. I found lighting to be a problem as well in when the light was perfect the time of day wasn’t. I love to work with children and early mornings are always best for them but so much of the time the in large parks or gardens the late afternoon light was best. Ten years ago I finally realized my dream when my husband and I obtained a beautiful old farm house and had it moved to our present location. We did major renovations on the home by adding a 3hrd story and a huge front porch as well as a 13oo sq. foot 2 story studio. The studio is full of light and french doors as well as a large wall filled with antique staind glass panels. We have spent the last 11 years building amazing gardens. I had in mind for so many years my ideal settings for taking the most beautiful natural portraits and we have built them all. We have mutiple garden paths bordered by beautiful flowers and picket fences. An old fashoined swing hangs in a jasmine covered arbor. There is a 100 yr. old log cabin at the dege of the woods with a stone wall next to it. A lily pond with a sweet white bridge crosses over a pool with goldfish and liltpads full of frogs. A vintage 1946 chevrolet stylemaster is a huge hit with teens as well as 2 old rusted any decaying 1940 automobiles found by a short path into the woods.All of these settings were custom built with the light in mind so the light is always perfect when the little ones are at their best. At the edge of the woods beautiful arbors beckon you to come inside and explore the mystery of the shady paths leading into the deep woods. Every year we ad new areas and put in new plants. The garden continues to grow in beauty and in scope. People call it “the Secret Garden” because it is so magical to old and young alike. I call it heaven on earth and I feel so blessed to be able to create cherished and lasting memories in such a beautiful place.
