Jaime's Photography

BRAND NEW BLOG!

2010-03-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that I have moved the blog to a new domain and it's completely redone. Hope you like it! To view the new blog go to www.jaimesphotography.com/blog

Wedding goodies give away!

2010-02-28T07:08:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of Valentine's Day and simply because I love love I am having a wedding goodies give away. Read further for contest rules and details.

The grand prize winning couple will receive:
-6 hours a la carte wedding coverage
-An engagement session
-A 60-day online private gallery of engagement images
-A 60-day online private gallery of wedding images
-An online slideshow of engagement images
-An online slideshow of wedding images
-15% off any and all albums, prints and products

The 1st runner up will receive:
-25% off any package.
-A 60-day online private gallery of wedding images
-An online slideshow of wedding images

The 2nd runner up will receive:
-15% off any package.
-A 60-day online private gallery of wedding images
-An online slideshow of wedding images

To Enter: Take a picture of yourselves and get as creative as possible. I want you to send me a picture that truly shows me who you are as a couple. What makes you as a couple unique?

Details: Myself and a few other randomly selected people will be choosing the winners. I will be posting each couples photo that enters on the blog along with a few words about them. Make sure to send your friends and family to this blog and tell them to leave their vote as comment under the contest post. These votes will help myself and others choose the final winners!

Rules:
-Submissions must be made by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 31, 2010. Please send all submissions via email to jaimesphotography@yahoo.com and put “CONTEST ENTRY” as the subject.
-Submission must include a creative photo of yourselves, date and location of the wedding, and a short essay about yourselves.
-The couple must be a fan of my work and willing to give me full creative control

Fine Print
-The couple must have their wedding date set in stone, and an idea the venue desired.
-Only open to couples getting married on or before December 31, 2011
-Couples who have a contractual agreement with another photographer are excluded from this contest
-Couples already booked with Jaime’s Photography are excluded from this contest
-Submissions from couples getting married out of the area are accepted but if chosen the couple is responsible for any and all travel expenses
-The winners will be chosen on April 7th and will be notified via email and will be announced on the blog as well.
-If winners fail to claim their prize within one week, prize is automatically forfeited
-Jaime’s Photography reserves the right to use personal discretion to select images for blog and final winner.
-Prizes are only valid for the winners selected, prizes cannot be passed on.

Couples Boudoir: Boudoir

2010-02-07T17:58:00.001-08:00

Boudoir sessions are something I will be offering in the near future for women only. They make great gifts for your special someone but make a great gift for yourself as well as a way to celebrate your beauty. A friend of mine asked me to take these for her. I am not sure yet if i will be offering couples boudoir sessions or not but I have to admit I am quite thrilled with how they came out. The natural lighting in her bedroom and bathroom was gorgeous... and the tub was a bonus!
Here are a few of my favorites from their session.

Maddox & Ilan

2010-02-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

Maddox & Ilan are the first set of twins I have ever worked with and I am so excited that they are a part of my baby plan so I get to photograph them and see them grow throughout their first year. They were about two weeks old for their newborn shoot and they are so freakin adorable! Here are some more favorites from their session.

Sneak Peek little Madelyn: Children

2010-01-23T13:20:00.000-08:00

More to come soon from this session as well. A quick favorite for now.

Sneak Peek Baby Jack: Newborn

2010-01-19T18:38:00.000-08:00

Another quick favorite... more to come soon from this session as well!

Sneak Peek Baby Maddox & Ilan : Newborn

2010-01-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

A quick Favorite. More to come soon!

a Fresh Start : Personal

2010-01-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I like the start of a new year, I believe that a new year is like a fresh start... wiping the slate clean. I believe that reflecting on the past year at the beginning of a new year gives you a chance to evaluate how it was and gives you a chance to improve. I feel that everyone can improve somehow. I don't believe that anyone is perfect and I absolutely believe that I am far from perfect. I have been reflecting on my past year and I have to admit it was definitely not one of my favorites. However, the past year definitely had its pluses and I'm very grateful for that. Some of those pluses were graduating from college, working with new clients and return clients, and most of all buying my first home on my own. So I have to say it wasn't all too shabby. But after all this reflecting on that past year I have found areas where I would like to improve personally, business wise, and friendships so instead of making a new years resolution, i decided to make some new goals... If i meet them, awesome! If not, no sweat, I will just keep working at it.

Some of my goals for 2010, in no particular order

1. Laugh more, cry less
2. Learn to trust again
3. Be happy with what I've got
4. Be more laid back and not sweat the small stuff so much
5. Meet new people
6. Be more organized
7. Be more of a neat freak
8. Blog more
9. Decorate my house
10. Better appreciate my family and friends and spend more time with them
11. Book more weddings
12. Scrapbook more
13. Learn what the word relax means and practice it
14. Book a destination wedding
15. Book a wedding in a state I have not photographed in
16. Keep up with my photo albums (i have not done this since high school)
17. Eat Better
18. Meet my new neighbors
19. Find a good Chinese restaurant in town, the Wong Garden is too far:(
20. Increase sales of products besides prints
21. Increase sales overall
22. Take a road trip alone with just my camera and some good music
23. Start exercising more
24. Start offering Boudoir sessions
25. Save for a trip to fly to AZ and drive to CA and stop at a bunch of national parks along the way
26. Get in front of the camera more
27. Try new lighting techniques
28. Lay down on my couch and watch a meteor shower through my sky light :)
29. Take another road trip to Vermont in the fall with my sister
30. Start Christmas shopping early for once
31. Celebrate my birthday all week long! (July 2nd)
32. Organize my closet by color
33. Bake cookies for someone just because
34. Become a better cook
35. Do laundry more frequently rather than letting my closet get completely empty which forces me to do it
36. Buy a new computer
37. Experiment more with baking
38. Be creative in other ways
39. Save more money
40. Meet at least 10 of these goals this year

MIA: Personal

2010-01-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I just moved a little over a week ago and my office is not set up yet... I have no cable or internet :( so in the meantime my computer is still at my parents house. However please stay tuned for a few newborn shoots within the next couple weeks!

Happy New Year! : Personal

2010-01-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and I'm living in a new house. It will be 1 week tomorrow that I have been living in my new house. I am pretty excited but I must admit it is quite strange in a way. I will have pictures to come of what the house looks like now compared to what it looked like when i bought it.

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy new year!... Some photos from New Years Eve.

The Kennedy's: Family

2010-01-02T13:13:00.001-08:00

A few favorites from the Kennedy Family photoshoot.

Cotillion: Portaits

2010-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

This post is well over due, I apologize... I tried posting this a while ago but for some reason it didnt load, and with everything going on with the house i didnt get the chance to try and post it again. So here they are. Cotillion 2009

I had a great time working with the students as i always do. Cotillion is one of the things i miss most about high school!

A few portraits of the students who didnt mind if i posted their pictures.

Please Excuse my absence : Personal

2009-12-17T05:20:00.000-08:00

I know its been a while since I have last posted but life has been non-stop for me lately. Between working on my house, placing last minute photo orders so they are in in time for the holidays, christmas shopping and work its been a little hectic. I tried posting some photos from the cotillion I photographed in November but for some reason it didnt post... I will have to try posting it again soon. Theres been a lot of work going on in the house in the past couple days. My contractor Ken Berthiaume and his son Mike have been working very quickly and i am loving the results. I dont have any photos of the updates on this computer except for one. This is a picture of my kitchen with the cabinets installed (excuse the awful quality of the photo... its from my old school cell phone) More pictures to come soon. :)

The Holidays are coming... FAST!

2009-11-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

I just want to let everyone know that with how fast the holidays are coming and the purchase of my new home I will be only taking on very few sessions until the new year. Some of the sessions I will be taking are those who are a part of my baby plan, maternity and newborns under the age of six weeks. Depending on how crazy my schedule is I may take on other sessions. Please do not hesitate to inquire. Its just with the renovations with my new home, christmas shopping and spending the holidays with my family things will be a bit busy.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)

My new home! : Personal

2009-11-16T06:39:00.000-08:00

It's official! I am now a homeowner! I just closed on my house on November 12th and its all mine! I am so excited. I originally put an offer on this house back in August and lost in a bidding war, but to my surprise the offer fell through and it went back on the market and i won the bidding war this time. :) There is still lots of work that needs to be done such as the kitchen cabinets need to be installed (that will be happening today), the doors need to be hung, the vanity needs to be installed and the hardwood floors need to be put down. Some family came by over the weekend to help out with projects and we were able to get quite a bit done. Started painting and hopefully we will be done painting everything this weekend. But for now, here are some pictures of the house when I first went to look at it. I will post some updates on the changes once I've settled in.

Madelyn : Newborns

2009-11-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

Madelyn is only two weeks old and i cannot believe how alert she is for a two week old baby. She was wonderful to work with and i enjoyed working with her and her parents.

My fav's

Liam : Children

2009-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of working with Liam and his beautiful mama again this past weekend. Liam is a part of my baby plan and will be turning 1 next month. Check out my favorites.

The Poulin's : Family

2009-11-10T16:50:00.001-08:00

Last weekend I visited my aunt and uncle and took their family portraits. It's kind of strange to call them my aunt and uncle because they are only 10 years older than me. They just recenlty built a new house in Ct and its gorgeous! Here are my fav's from their session.

Children

2009-11-10T16:38:00.000-08:00

These are some more of my favorite's from my session with my co-workers daughter.

Gavin : Newborns

2009-11-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more favorites from my session with little Gavin and his family.

Artist of the Month: Personal

2009-11-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Just wanted to announce that I have a display up at Atkins Farms in South Amherst for the month of November. I was chosen as the artist of the month and Saturday night I went and hung my 57 framed images for show. Many of my 2009 clients are featured throughout. If you are in the area or would like to enjoy a nice ride out to South Amherst I would more than appreciate it if you had a moment to check it out. My display is located in the seating area near the bakery. While your there be sure to enjoy some goodies... they have delicious food!

Sneak Peak

2009-10-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

I also had to share a few favorites from another session from this past weekend of another co-workers daughter.

Gavin : Sneak Peak!

2009-10-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

Just photographed a co-workers new baby boy Gavin over the weekend. Just wanted to share two favorites! More to come soon!

Halloween Cupcakes : Personal

2009-10-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy baking, especially around the holidays! I made a bunch of halloween cupcakes last year and wanted to make some again this year. I made about 100 cupcakes yesterday and here are a few of my favorite frosted ones. Yes i had to make one with my logo... the color of sprinkles was perfect however my recreation was a little less than perfect but hey, it still tasted good! :)

What makes your day? : Personal

2009-10-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

This morning I got an email from a co-worker at my full time job. We do not work in the same department but he has a real passion for photography and nature as do I. Reading his email really made my day! Dave I hope you don't mind that I posted this.

"Jaime,
I visited your blog this morning to see what’s new. OMG!!!!!!!!! What fantastic work you are doing. It just keeps getting better and better and better. The latest stuff just blows me away. The wedding photos and senior photos are just fantastic. I can’t imagine how you get people to turn into movie stars, but that’s just what you do. I have never seen wedding and other photos like them, and your sister, you’re going to turn her into a star!
I think what also really clicks for me is that most of the work is outside in the most beautiful surroundings. Your subjects are so at ease and natural. You get them to relax and really show the dreamy love that they have for each other and for life. It shows your appreciation for it also.
How very precious those shots will be to them when they look back at their beautiful sparkling youth many years from now.
I also found your house hunting narrative interesting. Interesting that you wound up with your first choice. Good things do come to those who wait…….sometimes. I love houses and home and am in the process of restoring my boyhood homestead……….finally I’m home. Finally home, never felt home before. It makes the hard work easy…….labor of love.
Go girl, honestly your work will make you famous and the world will beat a path to your door!
Dave"

Thanks Dave, It's very reassuring that people enjoy the work I do! :)

What a week : Personal

2009-10-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

What a week this week. Dad had surgery on his shoulder tuesday morning, thankfully he is doing well, very sore, but his surgery went well! And yesterday my cat Hunter was rushed in for emergency surgery due to a urinary blockage. He made it through surgery and through the night but we are still waiting to hear if he's progressing. Poor thing is only four years old. I hope he gets well soon. He will be spending another night at the vet's office. :(

DVD with rights : SALE!

2009-10-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

For anyone who had a session with me prior to 2009 I am offering the DVD with rights at a discounted price! The DVD includes all edited images at full resolution and includes the rights for personal use. Meaning you can make all your own prints, use them for slideshows or making your own albums. These make great Christmas gifts!

Portrait Price: $299 (regularly $799) a savings of $500!
Wedding Price: $599 (regularly $1499) a savings of $900!

For a custom DVD case featuring a photo on the cover add $45

For more information or to order please email me at jaimesphotography@yahoo.com

This is a one time offer for sessions prior to 2009 so hurry! Offer ends December 15, 2009!

Naomi's Country Girl Shoot : Portraits

2009-10-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

Was just in the mood for shooting one day so my sister volunteered to model and her friend volunteered to be my assistant. Thank you to Sapowsky's Farm for letting us use your hay field and thank you to Dickinson's Farm for letting us use your corn field.

Some of my fav's. to see more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/naomi

Overwhelmed with a chance of Oh My God what did i get myself into!?

2009-10-17T17:02:00.001-07:00

Ever since I was in high school one of my biggest goals in life was to buy a house on my own. Never did I think that I would really ever reach that goal. I always assumed that by the time I was ready to buy a house and move out I would be engaged or married. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be buying a house, moving out, and living on my own with just my cat Levi at the age of 24. I have to admit it's been a bit of a stressful process looking at houses. I started about a year ago I would say but was not really all that serious about it at the time, I would just look up houses online and at the time I assumed I would only get approved for $100,000-$120,000 on my own so most of the houses I was looking at were located in Springfield. Now being such a country girl and living in such a small town my entire life... the thought of living in Springfield on my own was a pretty scary thought. So I put the looking on hold for a while. It wasn't until this July that I decided I wanted to go and get preapproved and find out what price range I could actually look in. Well to my surprise I was approved for more than $120,000 and I was told that for a person my age I have excellent credit... It really pays off when you pay your credit card bills on time and in full and I was also able to pay off my car loan 2 1/2 years early and my personal loan for the business was paid off in 5 months! :) I don't like being in debt so I aimed at paying those things off ASAP. Well anyway back to houses. I started seriously looking in August of this year and I seriously looked hard! I dragged my parents out with me to look at about 30 houses in a month and 1/2's time. I think we were all getting sick of looking at houses but I really wanted to get that $8000 tax credit! Huge help!

So in August I put in an offer on the 4th house I saw. I absolutely loved it. It had a great yard, was located in a nice town on a quiet street and was 10 min to work. It also was 3 min from my aunts house, 5 from my uncles, and 15 to my parents and on top of it... not much further out for my photo clients to travel to. Well to make a long story short, it was a forclosure and I got into a bidding war with about 30 other bidders and lost to a lower cash offer... even though my offer was over asking price. I was pretty bummed. The layout, location and age of that house did not even compare to the others I looked at!

So a couple weeks later I put an offer on a house in Chicopee near my moms cousins house... they were not willing to come down in price enough, and i was not so crazy about the layout of the house and the kitchen needed some major updates... however the location would have been worth it. So this house did not work out either.

Maybe a week after that I put in an offer on another house. This one was in Ludlow. Good size house... funky layout however but great yard and location... They were not willing to come down at all in price either. They were at a firm $175,000 and I can't afford that on my own... bummer on to the next one

There was another house in Chicopee near Comp but they would not come down in price either... was hoping that the fact that my family new them a bit would help but no. Oh well... still did not quite compare to the first house.

Then I put in an offer on a house in Aldenville Chicopee, great layout, nice yard, walking distance to my grandmothers and 4 big bedrooms with big closets. Well seeing I put in my offer 3 days after it went onto the market they weren't willing to come down in price either. :( huge bummer

By this time i was starting to get really discouraged and I know people say they've looked for over a year but I really didnt want to lose out on that $8000 tax credit. Well luckily my dad sort of became my new real estate agent in a way and contacted the listing agent of the first house I put an offer on. He was pretty persistant. But to make this really long story a little shorter, the original offer fell through, the house went back onto the market, I made my offer a second time, got into another bidding war with about 15 people this time, the bank countered my offer and I accepted! :) I am currently in the process of purchasing the house hoping to close the first week of November and hoping to move in before December. It's been quite a roller coaster of emotions. I'm really excited to be moving into my own place on my own for the first time ever but at the same time extremely nervous! Things may be a little tight for a while but I am excited to start this new journey.

I just started packing a bit this week and it is a very overwhelming process. I really dont even know where to start. I have sooooo much stuff! But while packing I became a little sad. I am excited to start this new journey but at the same time I'm a little sad to be leaving home and everything I am so used to. It will take a little getting used to but I think it will all work out just fine.

Once I close and progress starts I will be sure to post some photos of the house now and once i get settled. :) But for now... a picture of some packed boxes and an empty dusty bookshelf.

Gina & Brennan : Trash the Dress

2009-10-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Gina and Brennan are another non married couple who volunteered to be my models for a trash the dress shoot... they were also my models for an engagement session I did back in February to expand that area of my portfolio for an upcoming bridal show. You can see those here Thank you guys for being such sports and getting into the cold water on a chlly day and being up for getting a little risqué I love how they came out.
I also want to send out a big thanks to Sapowsky's Farms for letting us use their corn fields and Shabby Sheep for letting us use their tire swing. :)
A bunch of my fav's. To see more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/gina&brennan

Debby & Mark : Married!

2009-10-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Debbie is a close family friend and is the mother to my sisters close friend and the aunt to two of my close friends. I have known Debbie for quite some time now and it was a real joy to attend her wedding on Labor Day weekend and to help her nephew Ryan, a close friend of mine from high school, photograph her wedding. The weather was gorgeous and so wasn't she! Her dress reminded me very much of the white dress Marilyn Monroe wore in the famous portrait over the steam vent. Debbie and Mark looked so incredibly happy and in love on their wedding day and I am super happy for the two of them.

Debbie and Mark, thank you for letting me be a part of your special day! I wish you both the best of luck and happiness for years to come. :)

Bridget : Senior Portraits

2009-10-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is Bridget. Bridget is my cousins, cousin. The last time i remember seeing Bridget she was still a kid. She has definately gotten older as we all do and is now a senior in high school. I had a great time working with her last weekend shooting her senior portraits at Mt Holyoke College. Check out my fav's!

Stacey : Senior Portraits

2009-10-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

I had a blast working with Stacey last weekend photographing her senior portraits at the Summit House in Hadley. The colors of the trees were beautiful and im so happy the rain held out even though some of the clouds didnt look so promising. Check out a few of my favs from her session!

Alyssa & Eric : Trash the Dress

2009-10-16T20:31:00.001-07:00

Alyssa and Eric are freinds of mine and they are not actually married or engaged but they volunteered to model for me for a trash the dress shoot as I have been wanting to add to this area of my portfolio. Slideshow to come soon.

Here are a bunch of my favorites from their shoot last weekend.

Valerie : Trash the Dress

2009-10-09T07:49:00.001-07:00

Valerie is not actually married, but she volunteered to model for me for a trash the dress session and I'm glad she did because we had a great time! We took these last friday, we went up to Vermont for the day and drove around to several different locations and were there almost all day! Valerie I must say you were quite a trooper for getting into that freezing cold water! Now thats commitment haha.

While taking the photos at the waterfall my foot slipped and I kept on sliding down the rock of the falls and I was so afraid that I was going to end up in the water with my camera and my bag with 3 lenses in it. While sliding my 70-200mm lens fell out of my bag but luckily I caught it and walked away with only a soggy foot. Fewffh!

Here are a bunch of my favorites from Valeries Trash the Dress session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/val

I know these next two to some may seem a little morbid but I think Valerie showed great emotion and I love the way they turned out. These two may be two of my favorites from the entire session.

Caitlin & Josh : Trash the Dress

2009-10-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have known Caitlin since she was a little kid. She used to live down the street from me and her and my sister were good friends. I always remember her having a crazy hyper non stop kind of personality haha. Its been years since I have seen her and she's not that crazy hyper little kid I remember. Shes definitely a confident, beautiful, young woman. I was very excited to shoot a trash the dress session with her husband Josh even though we did not necessarily trash her dress. It was a fun, edgy, sexy, shoot! Check out a bunch of my favorites from their session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/caitlin&josh

Travis : Senior

2009-10-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I had a great time working with Travis last week photographing his senior portraits. He definately got me laughing when I would ask for a serious look and he would instantly start laughing.

Here are my favorites from his session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/travis

Jacob : Senior

2009-10-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Jacob decided on Quabbin Resevior for the location for his senior portraits. I Have not ventured much out there and it was nice to see the gorgeous views... definately going back when the leaves turn some more! Jacob was a pleasure to photograph, here are my favorites from his session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/jacob

Ashlea : Senior

2009-10-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ashlea chose to have her senior portraits done at Stanley Park in Westfield. It was a gorgeous day and I had a great time working with her. Ashlea said she was very into photography as well and I would love to see her grow as a photographer.

My favs from her session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/ashlea

Musician: Chris Greenwood

2009-10-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Last month I had the pleasure of photographing musician Chris Greenwood. You can check him out at www.myspace.com/chrisgreenwood

Here are some of my favs from his session. To view more go to www.jaimesphotography.com/chris

5 Dillon Boutique

2009-10-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago I took some photographs of 5 Dillon Boutique located at 9 Dillon Street Holyoke. The boutique sells both gently used and new clothing as well as trendy and vintage clothing. Besides just selling clothing they sell refurbished furniture, and also sell jewlery, shoes, and other decorative items. It is a very cool little boutique and you should definately check it out. Here are some shots of the store.

Trash the Dress please check this out

2009-10-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Please check out this link about trash the dress sessions that was featured on the today show http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/33190828#33190828

I came across this type of photo session a couple years ago and instantly fell in love with it... the only problem... i cant find many brides who are at all interested in this so i have looked for models to wear some gowns i bought for fairly cheap.. more to come on 3 recent trash the dress shoots.

My motto: you pay X amount of money for a wedding gown... you wear it once, and pay more money to get it cleaned and preserved.. your odds of ever wearing it again, or your daughter wearing it... slim to none.. lets face it styles change, it is not very common for daughters to wear their mothers gowns these days. So why not put that gown back on and have a fun, sexy, edgy photo shoot with your lover and not worry about it getting dirty.

I also offer these sessions for teens in their prom gowns. Go solo or bring your boyfriend or a group of friends. Either way they are extremely fun!

You can view some of these sessions at www.jaimesphotography.com
for prom gowns go to seniors... then click on "trash the dress"
for wedding gowns go to weddings.... then click "on the day after"

Thank you!

2009-09-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

With the recent anniversary of 9/11 I just wanted to send out a big thanks to all of those who serve our country and to their family members. Your courage, strength, and dedication is truely amazing! Thank you for all that you do!

Canada Eh!

2009-09-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my family and I went up to Quebec to visit family and attend my grandfather's brothers 50th wedding anniversary party. It has been about 10 years since the last time I have been up there and it was nice to visit again. I love how much farmland there is in Canada! The ride there was great for sight seeing, hills and hills of farms and bails of hay and the cows and old barns, just beautiful!

This is a collage of some of my favorite canadian foods and some of the signs from town.

This is dad atop a hay bail... wish i could figure out how to do a slideshow of the images of him running and jumping onto the bail.. it was pretty funny.

This is the barn where my grandmothers brother makes maple syrup.

This is the same brothers cat... this cat was gorgeous and i love how they had him shaved to look like a lion

A cross my grandmothers brother put atop a mountain that is visible from his backyard.

Me and my sister at the 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

My grandfather's brother and his family

Two of my grandfather's brothers and his sister

My grandmother with her sons Mike and Peter

Me, Naomi, Mom, Grandma, Aunt France, Aunt Linda, Katie and in front Becky and Brianna

My grandfather's brother and sister-in-law with their great grandaughter

A shot of their 50th anniversary rings, i believe these were a gift from their children

Aunt Linda and Katie

Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Peter

Aunt Kim and Uncle Mike

Mom and Dad

Corey and Naomi

Aunt France, Becky and Brianna

The Camp

Brianna and one of the kittens from the farm

The rest of the images are of the farm and home where my grandmother grew up in Quebec, Canada and one of Becky and another kitten from the farm.

Seniors!

2009-08-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

I would have to say that last week was the hottest, most humid and most uncomfortable week of the summer weather wise. And last week was my busiest week for seniors. Devin, Jenna, Joe, and Bethany all came last week to have their senior portraits taken. I enjoyed working with each of them and am truely happy to be given the chance to do so! And as I have said before, I have the most amazing, beautiful/handsome clients ever!

Here is Devin. Check out a few of my favorites from his session.

This one is my favorite from Devin's session!

Next is Jenna. We did her shoot at Mt Holyoke College. A few of my fav's from her session:

Stunning! Love this one!

Next is Joe. We did his session at the Summit House and a few in-studio shots as well. A few of my fav's from Joe's session:

My Fav!

And last but definately not least Bethany. Bethany is the third family member of her family whose senior portraits I have taken. I also photographed the whole family last summer. Bethany's senior session was done at Mt. Holyoke College as well. Check out a few of my fav's from her session:

From Bethany's session this one is my absolute favorite. I think she looks gorgeous in this one and the colors are just awesome! The background was some rusty metal art project... wish i could take it home!

Ok. I wont lie, the computer screen is a little random... but hey I like different. I thought it worked well and she definately worked it out!

Website is back up!

2009-08-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

The new website is up and has been... just hadnt had time to get back to the blog recently. However it seems that on some computers my logo and contact info are cut off.. i will have to go back and fix that!

Anyways what have i been up to? Well lots of stuff! I just recently got pre-approved for a mortgage and started house hunting. Made an offer on a house and still waiting to here back... keep your fingers crossed! I have also been doing some photo work and finishing up my last college course and of course working full time at my other job. More photos to come soon of recent sessions and from the 3 scheduled this week. Stay tuned!

Website is currently down

2009-07-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I have been working on a brand spankin' new website for the past few months and it's finally web ready... the site is currently down because I did not have enough time to load everything last night. Should be back up and running very soon!

Have a great day!

Vintage Style

2009-07-25T14:45:00.001-07:00

Everytime I drove by the motel in these photos I always said to myself "I have to do a photoshoot there, I just have to". Something about this motel just really caught my attention. It's old, overgrown with weeds and really just rundown and forgotten about. I wasn't really sure what kind of photoshoot I wanted to have at the hotel but then I thought, something 50's vintage style would be fun. So I had my sister and her two friends Shaina and Rachel dress up and model for me. (It's so nice having a sister who is always up for modeling for me... even when my ideas are a tad crazy... like the time I had her dress up as an angel in a graveyard. hehe) Here are a few of those from about three years ago.

Now a bunch of my favs from the vintage shoot at the motel...

Atkins Cruise Night

2009-07-25T14:29:00.001-07:00

Every Monday night, weather permitting usually, Atkins Farm in South Amherst has a cruise night. Those who bring their hot rods to show them off get a ticket for discounted ice cream. Atkins also cooks up some burgers and dogs on the grill for dinner but don't forget to get your ice cream for dessert... and leave a little tip (my sister will appreciate it, she works in the ice cream shop):) Oh, and if your not in the mood for burgers and dogs, they make some KILLER sandwiches in the deli! The turn out for these cruise nights is great. I went this past Monday to get some shots of the sweet cars. Check out a some of my favorites... want to see more? go to www.jaimesphotography.com/cars

Daniel's Senior Portraits

2009-07-25T14:24:00.001-07:00

I know this may sound a bit repetitive but its true, I always enjoy working with my clients and it wasn't any different working with Daniel. Daniel is going to be a 2010 graduate. Check out some of my favs from his senior session.

Jenna & Keith are Hitched!

2009-07-22T05:09:00.000-07:00

Last month I photographed Jenna & Keith's wedding ceremony at Stanley Park in Westfield. It was a gorgeous day, one of the few days that it was actually sunny during the month of June. It was a nice change amongst the weeks and weeks of constant rain.

Jenna and Keith, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day. I wish you both lots of love and happiness for years to come!

And a big thanks to Ryan for being my second shooter! :)

As you can see this goose wanted in on some of the action. haha

Taking a break from being behind the camera

2009-07-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

I figured it was time for some updated photos of myself so I aksed my friend at Jayson's Photography if he would take some for me. I wanted something a little different so i brought my grandfathers old suit case along as well as one of my vintage cameras. I am not a huge fan of being in front of the camera, it has always made me feel very uncomfortable... maybe because i dont think i photograph well, but luckily that doesnt matter so much seeing im always the one behind the camera... thank you to all you who enjoy being in front of the camera! But anyways here are a few of my favorites from my photoshoot.

Today is my babies birthday!

2009-07-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

Okay okay i dont really have any kids but I do baby my animals like they are my kids, especially my cat Levi. He is the most affectionate cat I have ever met. He is so mellow and loves to cuddle every morning usually from 4a.m. till i get up. If i move he will move so he is right in front of my face and if I am sleeping on my back he will sleep right next to me with his head on my shoulder and is paw across my chest. I wish i could take a picture of it because some people just dont believe me. But anyways Happy birthday to my kitty Levi. Here are a couple cute pictures of him.

And because I love my other animals too here is Casey (the orange tabby) and Hunter (the grey fluff ball)when Hunter was a kitten.

Here is another of Hunter by himself.

And i can't forget my cute dog Shelby.

The Weller Family

2009-07-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the opportunity to work with many families when it comes to portraits but a couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of working with the Weller Family. I work with two members of the Weller family at my full time job so it was neat to work with them in a different way. I loved that this family was up for something not as traditional as what most families seem to be looking for so we tried a couple different things. Check out some of my favorites from their session.

Sarah & Sean get hitched!

2009-07-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

This has been the most unique wedding ceremony I have ever attended or photographed. Unique in a really cool way though. I must admit I wasn't super excited to have to get up at 3 a.m. to get myself ready for this wedding, but this is one I will definately not every forget. Sarah and Sean were married at 6 a.m. yes thats right 6 a.m. in the morning on Father's Day. The weather was predicted that it would rain all day, but luckily for Sarah & Sean there was just enough rain for good luck and the rain stopped once it was time for the ceremony to start. Sarah & Sean, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day. I wish you two the best of luck and happiness! :) A few favorites from their day.

The Griswold Family

2009-07-13T17:53:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago I had the plesure of photographing the Griswold family at a graduation party. The Graduation Party was for my 2009 senior Rep Tabitha and two of her family memebers who were also graduates of 2009. This is the largest group portrait I have taken to date. Take a look a few of my favorites.

a little bit about me

2009-07-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

I know I havent posted much recently, I have been quite busy with my full time job, school, photo sessions and trying to have somewhat of a social life. Things have gotten so busy that I feel like it's starting to take a toll on me. I've been having trouble sleeping, haven't had much of an appetite (which is not me, I LOVE food!). So last weekend I decided to have some me time and put work and school aside for three whole days. It helped a bit.

But onto more fun things. Last Thursday, July 2, was my 24th birthday. I can't believe I'm already 24, it seems like I just graduated high school. I will be 30 before i know it! :( haha I have been looking through some old photos and thought I would share some of myself through the years.

Just a warning with the first one... if a little blood bothers you please scroll down quickly... this is me on my birthday in 1985. fresh out of the oven, not R rated! haha. I must say though that I find these types of images very rare and I think they are incredibly awesome. So glad my dad was into photography then. :)

This one is of me and my best friend Sara, I am maybe 1, i am the one dressed like a boy. haha

This next one is me the first year i went out trick-or-treating, mom dressed me as a cowgirl. I think i am two in this photo

This one is me about 2 i think as well, in my little french bikini a relative made for me. I had all the boys chasing me then haha.

Me at 3 wrapping christmas presents.

Can't remember when this was, but one of my birthdays with my best friend sara and my cousin Justin.

The day my sister was born. Dont let that smile fool you. I was not to thrilled haha. I was actually quite jealous. from what I've heard these were the first things i said to her:
grabbing my mothers arm..."This is MY mommy" Mom: I'm her mommy now too. ... grabbing my fathers arm...."Well then this is MY daddy". haha sisterly love.

My first day of Kindergarten 1990

And two other random ones.... some more recent ones of myself to come. I am having my friend Jayson from Jayson's Photography take some photos of moi because i think its time to update :)

Ink

2009-05-31T18:27:00.000-07:00

About six years ago when I was 18 I went out and got my first tattoo. I got the Japanese symbol for happiness tattooed on my lower abdomen on the left side. I always wanted to get more but was never really sure of what I wanted or where I wanted it. Me and my sister had talked about getting matching tattoos a while ago but this weekend went and got them. It is the outline of two stars. The larger star signifies me (the older sister) and the little star signifies her (the younger sister) check it out. I will have another photo soon with hers as well.

p.s. for anyone out there who says tattoos don't hurt. They're Lying!

My 1st

My 2nd

Harold Grinspoon Foundation

2009-05-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

A while back I took an entrepreneurship class at Westfield State College as an elective. For this class we were required to write a 15 page business plan... oh did I mention I took this class during the two week winter session. It was a lot of work but well worth it. My business plan was based on my photography business. Well a couple months ago my advisor asked me to resubmit the paper to him so he could submit it in for the Harold Grinspoon Entrepreneurship awards. A few days later i received a call from my advisor telling me I won a $1500 award for my paper! Can you say AWESOME! I don't normally win things and to get an award like that I was super excited! On April 29th a banquet was held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke for all the award winners. The winners including myself each got a table to display our work and talk about our businesses while guests came around and checked us out. Below are a few pictures from the event.

All the award winners

Me and my sister

Me at my table :)

Jess & the girls

2009-05-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I photographed my friend Jess with her two beautiful daughters. Check them out!

Liam

2009-05-31T17:54:00.000-07:00

This little guy is just soooo adorable! This was my third time working with Yolanda and Brian and as always it was a pleasure. Check out a few of my favorites from their session.

Senior Rep Jaci

2009-04-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday I had the pleasure to photograph Jaci, she is my senior rep from West Springfield. Her mom was extremely sweet and I'm thankful she didn't mind driving Jaci around to the different locations we went to. And also a big thank you to Jaci's friend who was in charge of the reflector. For Jaci's session we started at Mt Holyoke College, then went to Atkins Farm, and ended in studio. Check her out!

Senior Rep Joey

2009-04-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

This is Joey, my senior rep from Chicopee Comp. I have known Joey since he was about 10 yrs old, and I can't believe he is already going to be a SENIOR! Man do I feel like I'm getting old fast. Anyways with Joey i wanted to do something a little more masculine, so for his session we went to Marks Garage on 202 in Granby, Dickinson's Farm, an old run down building in Granby, and finished his session in studio. Check him out!

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Senior Rep Jamie

2009-04-14T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have to say I have been very lucky when it comes to my seniors, in fact all of my clients, each and every one of them is just gorgeous, and the guys... well they're just as handsome! This is Jamie, my senior rep for Granby High. Saturday, the weather on MSN said the rain was supposed to stop at about 1 so i thought PERFECT! Jamie's shoot wasn't until 2 so i thought we would still be able to get lots of outdoor portraits and no rain. Well... come 2 o'clock it was still raining... so we started with her in studio portraits first and hoped the rain was done once we finished... well it didnt. It wasnt raining as hard as before but it was still raining. Jamie however didn't seem to care, so we headed up to Mt Holyoke College and did her outdoor portraits in the rain. She was definately a trooper and I really admire that. Many would have rescheduled because of the rain, but i have to say that i think the rain really added to her session, it gave her portraits a completely different look and I have to say I'm really diggin it! Because this session was so different for me and was a little more of a challenge i had a really hard time picking my favorites because i had so many. Check her out!

I thought this was the perfect session to try out some textures. In the shot below i added a little texture but took it away from her skin and hair. There is also some texture in the 2nd to last shot.

Hillary

2009-04-14T05:31:00.000-07:00

Hillary seemed a little hesitant to getting senior portraits done, but I'm glad she came. Shes a beautiful girl and it was great to get the chance to photograph her. Did i mention i love that green shirt! Check her out!

Senior Rep Krystyanne

2009-04-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

This is my cousin Krystyanne who is also one of my senior reps for Chicopee Comp. For her session we went to Puffers Pond out in Amherst, a set of train tracks in Belchertown and ended with in studio shots. Check her out!

Senior Rep Angelique

2009-04-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome time working with Angelique last weekend. Angelique is my senior rep from Cathedral, and she is a great golfer. So for her session the employees at the Chicopee Golf Club on Burnette Rd were nice enough to let us take some shots out on the green. For other shots we headed out to a set of train tracks in another part of Chicopee and ended with some in studio, i havent yet finished editing the in studio shots, but once they're done i will post a few. But for now...Check her out!

a few more from Amberly's Maternity Session

2009-04-14T05:16:00.001-07:00

More from Pat & Sara's Wedding

2009-04-14T05:13:00.001-07:00

oops

2009-04-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, so its been a while since i've last posted. I apologize, things have been a little crazy around here. Coming very soon will be more of Patrick & Sara's Wedding, more of Amberly's maternity shoot, and many of my favorite shots from my first three senior reps, Angelique, Krystyanne and Jamie's sessions. I am also working on making some major website updates within the next month or so. So be sure to check back very soon!

Hope everyone had a nice Easter!

Amberly's Maternity Teaser

2009-03-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Almost two years ago I photographed Amberly and Jason when they were pregnant with their first child Alexsa, now Alexsa is 18 months old and Amberly is pregnant with her second child. This past weekend I had the opportunity to work with with Amberly and Jason again and I got to meet cutie pie Alexsa.

Baby Milt

2009-03-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing this little cutie Milt and his two older sisters, and of course we did a few with mom and dad and even grandma. Below are a couple favorites of Milt and his sisters.

Wedding Sampler

2009-03-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

The Wedding Sampler at Atkins Farm on Saturday, February 27th went very well. It was nice to meet several new people and to run into a few old friends. For anyone who came to visit my table at the Sampler I am offering 10% off any wedding package(sorry this does not include A la carte items). I also wanted to say congratulations to Mike Regan who won our drawing for a $100 gift certificate!

Atkins Farm Wedding Sampler

2009-02-27T07:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow from 12-4 I will have a table at Atkins Farm Wedding Sampler which will be held inside the store. Please be sure to stop in and visit! My table is located near the bakery.

Take care and have a nice weekend! :)

Patrick & Sara's Wedding Teaser

2009-02-23T19:12:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to photograph my friends Patrick and Sara's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and these two are so incredibly lucky to have each other! The reception was held at the beautiful Hotel Northampton. At one point during the evening we snuck away from the reception and headed across the street to the Calvin Theater for some shots under the Calvin sign that was lit up, and though I'm not really sure how it all happened but Patrick and Sara became part of Ronan Tynan's show for about 10 minutes. In today's paper in the local section they were mentioned in the article about Ronan Tynan. But enough talking already, check out some of my favorite shots from their special day.

In the photo below, one of Sara's maids of Honor, Dana, requested the song " I hope you Dance" by Leanne Womack for Sara. You can tell Sara and Dana share a very special friendship, many tears were shed as they danced together and talked about how much they will miss each other when Sara goes away to medical school in April.

Kix Concert for kids

2009-02-23T19:07:00.001-08:00

A couple weeks ago I attended the Kix concert for kids benifiting St. Jude and March of Dimes. It was an awesome concert and was for a great cause! Check out some shots from the concert. I have to say that Jake Owen and Jason Michael Caroll were my favorite acts. Hott! ;) haha

Jake Owen

Jason Michael Caroll

Darryl Worley

Leanne Womack

Some of the kix crew

Forgotten

2009-02-17T17:34:00.001-08:00

This past weekend Lyndsay and myself went out on a little shooting adventure, it's been quite a while since i've had a chance to do some freelance stuff. Check out some of my favorites below!

Footprints on the ceiling... a little freaky i wont lie!

Liz & Eric

2009-02-16T16:29:00.000-08:00

Liz & Eric are one couple who responded to my facebook message and are engaged. Check out our fun shoot in Northampton!

Gina & Brennan

2009-02-10T13:32:00.001-08:00

I recently sent out a message to all my facebook friends looking for engaged couples to photograph to expand my engagement portfolio for an upcoming wedding show I will be in at Atkin's Farm on February 28th...(stop by and see me if you can!)

Anyways I got many responses, but many of the couples were not engaged, but really couples portraits are the same as engagement portraits minus the ring. Well Gina was one of the very first people to reply to my message and even though her and her boyfriend are not engaged, we pretended they were.

I had a really great time working with these two. They were naturals. I had a very difficult time choosing my favorites, I liked so many of them! Below are many of my favorites.

Thank you to everyone who replied to my facebook message! :)

I love my new camera and lenses! : )

2009-02-01T18:16:00.000-08:00

I just recently purchased the new Canon 5d mark II and I LOVE it! So this weekend I was really itching to use it so I grabbed my sister and took a drive to Holyoke to get some outdoor shots. I really like my new 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM lens as well! Thats what I used for all the shots below.

In the shot below i asked for a sexy face... and this is what i got. haha

This is obviously not of my sister but the vines growing on this building had a ton of character, I had to take a shot of it by itself, it was just so cool looking.

Baby Liam

2009-01-28T18:47:00.000-08:00

Back in December I photographed Yolanda's maternity portraits seen here and here and two days later a healthy baby boy was born. Below are a few of my favorites from Liam's newborn session.

Marybeth & Eric are expecting!

2009-01-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Marybeth and Eric this past weekend and had such a great time photographing their maternity shoot. Below are a few of my favorites.

High School Cotillion

2009-01-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

This is one of the things I miss most about high school. I really enjoyed going to the cotillion's every year and just being able to get all dressed up and have a great time! I remember I used to get so excited about them that I would actually end up going home sick from school... stupid nerves. But anyways I have had the opportunity to photograph the past three cotillions from my old high school and here are a few from this years cotillion this past Novemeber.

Pin Up Style

2009-01-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

I took these this past fall but could not post them beause they were a Christmas gift. Now that it's the new year i would like to share a few of my favorites.

My favorite!

New Years Eve

2009-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures from New Years Eve

The lovely hosts Vivian & Lloyd

Myself, Naomi, Shaina & Sarah

Christian, Myself & Ryan

Corey & Naomi

Josh & Jessie

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Its been a little while since i've actually gotten the chance to sit down and post and I have been wanting to post these few pictures i took right before christmas. I have a display at my full time job and I change them up seasonally and I didnt have many christmas/winter photos so i took these few in early December and wanted to share.

I hope everyone has a Happy and Healthy New Year! Take care everyone!

There will be some photos of my New Years Eve to come soon!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T20:34:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! : )

More of Yolanda's maternity session

2008-12-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some more of my favorites from Yolanda's session. Yolanda delivered a beautiful, healthy baby boy just a few days after her session just in time for Christmas. Enjoy!

Sneak Peek at Yolanda's Maternity Shoot

2008-12-08T17:35:00.001-08:00

More to come soon but for now a few fav's!

Marisol & Angel got Hitched!

2008-12-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

I got the opportunity to photograph the ceremony of Marisol and Angel's wedding this past weekend it was a beautiful ceremony and a great group of guests.

My Favorite Shot!

Love the red shoes!

Family

2008-12-08T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is a recent shoot I did of a small group of cousins. A few of my Fav's. These were taken at the Westfield Ma Library.

Charlene

2008-11-22T15:49:00.000-08:00

Charlene looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine! Check her out, and her cute dogs too!

Juliet

2008-11-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

This little girl was such a cutie! She was definately working it for the camera. Check out some of my fav's below.

John

2008-10-26T16:27:00.000-07:00

This is my 4th session with this little guy. The first session with him he was still in his momma's belly. He is now two and a bundle of energy, I definetly got my workout photographing him.

Him in momma's belly

Him at a couple months old

Him at 1

and a few of my favorites at the age of 2

Patrick & Sara

2008-10-14T17:56:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing my friends Patrick and Sara who just recently got engaged this past June. When Patrick proposed at Magic Wings in Sunderland I went and hid behind the trees to photograph Patrick getting down on one knee and proposing his love for Sara as he asked for her hand in marriage. Sara had no idea I was there. At the time we did not know each other so it made it easier for me because i didn't feel i needed to be as discrete as I would have had she known me. For Sara's birthday Patrick gave her a hard cover book I designed displaying the images I took when he proposed and I am ecstatic to say that Sara loved it. After meeting Sara for the first time to go over their wedding details I immediately saw why Patrick fell in love with her. Her personality is contagious she is a sweet and loving individual. I am excited to photograph their wedding in February!

Here are a few images from Patricks proposal:

And now for some of my favorite images from their engagement session

Catching up on my blogging

2008-10-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

I just recently started this blog, and seeing it was very late in the season i just want to take this chance to post some of my favorite photographs from each senior's photo session. Also, a BIG THANKS to my 2009 senior reps: Tabitha, Neal, Taylor and Lindsey! Thanks again!

Tabitha

Neal

Taylor

Lindsey

Jamie

Samantha

Iesha

Paulina

Emily

Lexy

Stephanie

Alicia

Josh

Nikole

Kylie

Kawinthi

Molly

Emily

Genn

Blue eyed Beauty McKenna

2008-10-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

This little cutie is McKenna, earlier this year I photographed her at the age of three months, look how fast she is growing! Just a few of my favorites from her session.