Welcome to my blog!

I'm Johanna, and I'm a photographer.  You have no idea how great that sounds every time I say it.  I love being a photographer!  Aside from my family and friends, nothing gives me greater joy than capturing life's everyday moments with my camera.  This is where I get to show you how much I love what I do. It is here where I hope you will see why I am so passionate about my work, my art.  You see I've got a superpower.  I can freeze time.  Pretty cool, huh?  I think so.

jog that {fond} memory

Valentine portraits are a favorite tradition in our family. Every year, to decorate for the holiday, I put out all my favorite images from Valentine’s Day past, and I think about the happy memories they evoke. Then I add the current year’s images to the bunch and know that I will always have these pictures to help me recall those precious times.

It gives me great pleasure to know that I can make images that do that for other people too!

Last year, one of my favorite Valentine mini sessions was of an expectant mom and her adorable little boy. The portraits were a surprise for her husband, his daddy. They were playful and fun, and I had a great time shooting them.

I’ve used some of the images from that session to show off more of my beautiful Valentine cards that are available to purchase with your mini session images.

Another favorite Valentine session was of a group of extended family – 3 families separate, but together. It was so much fun to see them all in the spirit of the holiday, wearing red, wearing heart motifs, enjoying the gathering. It was a great start to a fun family tradition!

Here are some additional cards with images from those sessions.

This year, maybe you could start the tradition!

Check out my Valentine mini session information and call 516.280.3471 or email me to schedule your session.

having some fun with my Valentines

I wanted to show you a couple of the cute cards available for your selection so I grabbed my kids and “tortured” them with a session. Luckily, my kids are natural hams. :) I found these adorable shirts and we had fun with some simple props.

Most often the colors and the sentiments on the cards can be customized to suit the image. Check back tomorrow for many more cards, including a grouping of beautiful shabby chic designs featuring some of my clients from last year’s Valentine mini sessions.

will you be my Valentine?

2010Vmini

A few more details:

Valentine cards are available for purchase. As a special offer, purchase $200 worth of additional prints OR book a regular session during February or March and receive 25 GORGEOUS press printed Valentine cards with an image from your mini session with my compliments! That’s a $75 value!

Please contact me right away to secure your spot. Session fee is for one child. Additional child $20. Two children maximum per session. Please inquire about scheduling multiple, consecutive sessions to accommodate additional siblings.

Non-refundable deposit of $100 is due at the time of booking. Cash or check preferred. All major credit cards accepted.

canvas beauties!

Aside from a handsomely-framed large print, there’s hardly a better way to display your images than with a large canvas or better yet, a canvas grouping. There’s nothing like seeing your images printed on a high quality canvas! As with a session album, canvases are keepsakes to be treasured.

You might remember these gorgeous children from one of my sessions last year. This client ordered one image of each of her three children in 16×24″ canvases, and these canvases are now beautifully displayed on the wall in their living room.

canvas1

I recently had the opportunity to complete a canvas wall gallery with images of my own children. This grouping is in my family room, and I can’t tell you the impact these have had on me and my family since they went up just last month! They are a source of great pride and joy, and I truly have an emotional reaction every time I see them!

canvas_wall

Canvases can be custom made in almost any size and look great in both square or rectangle shapes. A wall display of canvas sizes and shapes is a great way of enjoying the special images from your session. Enjoy a daily dose of wonderful memories!

By the way, hanging these could have been a nightmare, but my husband and I followed the method used in this article – we didn’t have the grid-backed wrapping paper, but we did have a wide roll of plain white paper and it worked like a charm. The whole project went super smoothly, all of the canvases are evenly spaced according to my original plan and calculations, and afterward, my husband and I were still talking to each other! I kid you not. :)

albums and canvases and collections, oh my!

Whew! The holidays sure came dashing through the snow, huh? It was a very busy season, and although I thought about it often (like I needed another source of guilt!), there was simply no way I could spare the time for an update. Many of you have asked if your session will be blogged. I didn’t think you cared! :) I will endeavor to share those images of your beautiful children and families over the next few weeks.

Over the next few days I would like to share with you the beautiful treasures that went to my lucky clients recently.

Session albums are one of the best ways to preserve your family memories, and when you hold one in your hands for the first time, you can’t help but say “Wow!” For me, it is so much fun to watch my client’s face light up when they see their album. I am so proud to be offering a product of such a high quality and one that has that wow-factor!

This family session celebrated a little boy’s upcoming fifth birthday. This child is adorable, sweet, fun and full of life, and the images captured of him and his equally sweet family that day are included in this album for them to remember and cherish forever.

session album

Exciting new things are planned for 2010! Some fabulous new product offerings will be unveiled as well as additional types of sessions, perhaps a little face-lift for the blog…

There will be a call for models next week, so stay tuned for the details to see if you, or perhaps a friend, can take advantage of that opportunity.

As always, I love to photograph an expectant mama and papa, and then, of course, their precious newborn. Those newborn sessions, as my clients can attest, can be long and challenging, but the rewards are oh, so great! You will receive a complimentary mini maternity session when you book your newborn session. Call early! I photograph mamas-to-be at around 34 weeks; mamas having multiples even earlier! Newborn sessions are for newborns less than 2 weeks old.

Additionally, I am looking for several candidates to be my senior representatives from the graduating class of 2011. Yes, 2011! If you know of someone that might be interested in a fun senior session with many benefits, please ask them to contact me at johanna@johannasophia.com. I am also still photographing seniors graduating this year (2010). Don’t miss the chance to capture the memories of your son or daughter at this incredible time in their lives; the end of their childhood and the beginning of their bright and promising future as adults. We can hope! :)

All kidding aside, I have truly learned so much this past year, and that is due in no small part to the many sweet, loving, adorable, often energetic little clients, and the wonderful families I have had the great privilege to meet. I am blessed to have met you, to continue to be a part of your lives (for those repeat-offenders), and privileged to have photographed your family!

Growing pains abound and there are many things I will strive to improve upon in 2010, both professionally and personally! Thankfully, one thing remains the same. I love what I do and will continue to make images that express that love and capture the special, exciting, wondrous and even more importantly, the ordinary moments in our lives. Happy New Year to all!