Heading to last night's family shoot for the new cover of The Water's Edge, I realized that my photos have now appeared on a full year of the magazine's covers. By shooting these family feature assignments, I've met some of my neighbors while spreading the word about my business.
I'm grateful for the exposure from these covers, but I wonder if they might mislead readers about what to expect from a family session with me. In each feature session, I get the image The Water's Edge requires, but I also do much more.
The cover format requires a vertical color photo with room for the magazine's masthead and other information. Thus far, the editors have selected only cover images that show the entire family. While I certainly do those shots in any family session, that's not all I do.
Here are the original images used for each cover, as well as another favorite of mine from that session. My favorites tend to be more interactive, emotive, and personal than what ends up on a cover.
September
November
December
January
March
April
May
June
August
At every family session, I always get the posed family shot. Most clients expect one, and many select that image for a holiday card or photo gift for a family member. Once we have that shot, I quickly move into the photos that make my heart sing--those of families at ease with themselves and one another that show who they really are.
You'll have to wait to see the cover photo from last night's shoot, but I am confident that this one--a personal favorite showing a candid moment among three sisters--will not be it.
