kristen tells all | ESSENTIAL IMAGERY, Philadelphia photographer

You'd love to have a family portrait session that fully captures who you are, how you connect, and how much affection surfaces when all the members of your family are present within the camera frame.

We're happy to capture your family in our studio, complete with gorgeous light and minimal distractions, or in your comfy-cozy home full of familiar toys and routines. No matter where our session takes place, we'll delight in your delight. And we'll encourage you to pay attention to one another instead of the camera, because there's no 'add happy' button in Photoshop.

We don't care whether you're barefoot or wearing fuzzy slippers, and we won't be sending over a twenty-page list of suggestions about what to wear. (We can make you look beautiful in sweat pants if you love each other.) We just want to capture your family. Your habits, your quirks, and your love. And when you view the images we've created together for the first time, we want the depth of love you feel for your family to grab you by the collar and bring tears to your eyes.

The video below provides a peek at how portrait sessions unfold. If you have questions or would like to schedule a portrait session, click on the 'Contact' link above or call 215-206-3689. Oh -- and thanks for stopping by, lovely!

-- Kristen & Haunani, Essential Imagery owners

P.S. That's Kristen up in the header -- Haunani is camera-shy.

Category Archives: kristen tells all

READY TO ROCK AND ROLL

We’re back from vacation and ready to rock! Images of Europe will be coming soon — and I’ll wrangle some touristy Hawaiian photos out of Haunani, too. We’re booking back-to-school/fall/holiday goodness now through the end of November right this second, so don’t put off your portrait planning any longer!

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SUMMER IS FOR LOUNGING.

Summer is for taking it easy and having a bit of downtime, which is precisely why I’m off to Europe for the next few weeks, and why Haunani is off to Hawaii.

The studio is closed through August 10th, when Essential Imagery will resume late summer and autumn portrait shoots for your lovely families and pets!

If you’d like to experience my European adventures with me, head on over to the Facebook page. There will be plenty of pain au chocolat and other delights there soon. Regular blog posts will continue through the magic of the interwebs, so you can keep hanging out on the blog, too. ;)

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POUTINE IS NOT THE ANSWER.

My friend Doey and I flew to Toronto to see our friend Dawn. She used to be a New Yorker, then she got a swanky bank job and started fiddling with databases, which required a move to Canada. It was so good to be able to spend time in Toronto during the city’s three minutes of summer. ;)

Yes, I have a tutu like the one shown. No, you can’t see photos of me bowling in it.

Doey on the left, Dawn on the right. Canadian specialty Poutine [french fries + beef gravy + cheese curd] out of focus in the bottom right. I give every food a fair shake, but the cheese curd…yar…gross.

You know there was shopping. Lots of shopping. And giggling and squealing and girl talk.

Isis, world’s fattest cat, and a totally-out-of-focus-but-not-my-fault-and-I-love-it-anyway photo of we girlies rockin’ throwback shades.

These were all shot on film (OY, the airport security hassle of 15 rolls of film in your carry-on!). I love the way these images narrate the experience: fun, friends, sunshine, love.

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A PORTRAIT IS A TREASURE WAITING TO HAPPEN

I love Uncle Dale very much. He passed away a few years ago, and it wasn’t until today that I saw a photograph of him dating prior to 1982.

He smiled for his military photo. I love it. This photograph is well worth the four-hour drive, the Turnpike tolls, the 32 ounces of coffee, and the hotel stay that happened for me to find it.

This photograph also reinforces the lasting and rather priceless qualities of today’s portraits. When the hard drives have crashed and the CD data has become obselete, the professional photographs you’ve commissioned will still be around. And they’ll mean more to your family members than you can possibly imagine.

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TORONTO IN POLAROID

Toronto, Canada. Instax mini polaroids. Birthday weekend for Dawn, college roomie extraordinaire, and myself.

The Forest Hill section of the city is remarkable — self-sufficient, lovely, home of the well-curated and downright delightful Type books. Dawn, Doey, and I spent an hour or two perusing its vast collection of great gifts and fabulous reads. We eyed up the Chocolate Buffalo (yes, pain au chocolat is too convenient. Chocolate Buffalo fits better anyway.) in What a Bagel! We stared in horror at Ketchup flavored potato chips. I accidentally ate a raisin bagel with dill cream cheese. We danced in Dawn’s apartment. We took walks and I eeped! at puppies, dogs, mutts, and mongrels. It was a smashing good time.

The walk signs in Canada do not feature walking men, but striding men. Big, bold confident people who move about with pep in their step. Up next — how to get three American girls sick faster than you can say ‘monkey,’ and why it’s never okay to wear a dress to an amusement park.