SDP In Studio

Suni Danielle Photography

A few years ago I dabbled in studio sessions. I did not have much in the way of props, lights or even experience. I would do children, newborn and even some themed sessions, but only on days I had enough natural light coming into my studio. I was super busy in warm months with my SDP families and needed the slower winter months to play catch up and prepare for the next busy season. Then February would roll around and I felt a NEED to shoot. I advertised for some super cute indoor sessions, but was still at the mercy of the weather/sunlight.

 It gave me great anxiety when I would hear other photographers talk about how wonderful having a studio with consistent lighting and how convenient it was to shoot while their older children were at school and to be "done" working when they got home. I just didn't have the desire to be devoted to newborn photography or learning studio lighting (which is nearly a must in Indiana where the gloomy winter days are more the rule than the exception). Posing newborns is as much an art as photographing them. They're fragile, yet sturdy. They're schedules are inconsistent at best. The new parents are anxious. It's so much about how confident you are in working under those conditions. And I wasn't. Not really. I still took newborn bookings and found I was able to capture some shots that I liked and the clients loved. That was enough.

Until it wasn't.

I wanted to be good at it. I didn't want to feel defeated after each session. I don't wanna work every evening the weather is beautiful from April to November. I don't want to shoot on weekends. I do want to get better at studio lighting so I can be more consistent during slower times. I want to be in charge of my schedule and put my family first. I needed to able to utilize my large gorgeous studio space in between outdoor portraits.

So I attended a few in person workshops. Took some online workshops. I even purchased some studio lights. I did a few more newborns. I STILL did NOT love it. I liked it, kind of. I didn't want to devote 2-3 days a week to being "stuck" in my studio. I called a colleague turned friend and begged her to come help me with my new daunting lighting. She obliged. I learned a LOT. It made sense. I was eager to photograph some babies!

I asked some local photogs to come out and help me and put into practice what we had learned at a local newborn workshop (safety in numbers right?!).

We had 4 babies in 5 hours. Some slept well, some didn't. Something clicked. The posing. The LIGHTING! I am hooked. I want more babies! Families are still something I plan to shoot for the rest of my life. But now having a couple of these little miracles in the studio each month is fulfilling and amazing!

 I will be posting lots more of the newborns I have coming into the studio in coming weeks, but here are a few from our RVP shootout back in February.

#Johnsonscelebrate15

Suni Danielle Photography - Indianapolis Photographer 

          It's about 50 degrees, a little overcast, but warm for early March. My hair turned out well. My dress is too big. It was supposed to have cap sleeves attached. That didn't happen.  I forgot my mascara for all the portraits we had done before the ceremony. I am hungry. But too nervous to eat.  Jenny's hair looks good. She has such thick hair. Wonder what it looks like grown out?  Kristy is SO tan. Lets be real she's over tanned. It's March in Indiana Kristy. You live in Florida. You didn't NEED to fake bake. Tricia is always so encouraging, what an amazing mother she'll be. Elisa came so far to support me on this day. Nikki always looks adorable. And Carla, the only one who's married. She so caring and motherly. I hope we stay in touch.  Keleigh, stop with the banging on the piano. Gosh she's cute with those fat little cheeks. Hali looks so grown up today. I think she's excited to be here. Ok. Time to do this. Dad won't cry. Does dad cry? Mom probably won't stop crying.
     
         I honestly don't know how fifteen years have passed. I would love to show you some images from our wedding day. But there's not many. I have a leather bound album with "traditional" church shots and one....ONE...shot of the two of us together outside the church. A framed 8x10 thats no longer hanging, but propped up behind my dresser in my bedroom. I should hang that somewhere. I should do a lot of things today. Kraig is coming home soon to finish up laying concrete in the dog's pen. I am going to help him. That's how we're celebrating our 15th anniversary. He asked me if we should wait and do that another time. But when? Starting tomorrow we're traveling non-stop from Louisville, to Bonita, Champaign, to Lauderdale, then Jamaica,  and then back to Bonita. So no. We HAVE to do it today. But I wouldn't have it any other way. We've never been big on celebrating ON a day. We celebrate randomly. We are blessed to have that flexibility. We both own successful business that we're passionate about. Our kids are in a school that we LOVE. Our parents are healthy and semi-retired and live within miles of us. We built our forever home 5 years ago and we pinch ourselves all the time as we take it all in.

        This is what fifteen years looks like for us. Full. Blessed. Good.

       God has blessed us. Our cups runneth WAY over. We will enjoy today. In our muck boots. Feeding chickens and wrangling our kids and dogs. I giggle. This is NOT what we thought 15 years would look like. I am so glad this is it though. We will be celebrating this entire year. Follow our "Crystal Year" with #Johnsonscelebrate15

Photo credit Apples and Honey Photography

Tristan Senior Session

Suni Danielle Photography/Indianapolis Photographer       

        Spent a wonderfully warm afternoon with Tristan last week in Fountain Square. He has recently gotten a new ride and he wanted to be sure to get some shots of it in his senior session. We ventured around the block and found some cool spots to shoot in. I have worked with his family on a few different occasions and was glad to have her ask me to capture this special milestone in their lives.

       Tristan has this cool, James Dean feel about him and was totally laid back and easy to work with. I am looking forward to warmer weather and more fun sessions like this!

       Here's a few from this urban senior shoot.

Glitter "Like a Girl"

         Indianapolis Photographer/ Suni Danielle Photography

 I will be the first to admit how annoying Pinterest can be as a photographer. And though this idea didn't originate (for me) from Pinterest, I can see how so many people like it. I do have my own boards I pin to, but I refuse to copy another photographers ideas. I love being inspired by others, but want my style to reflect MY brand.
         Having said that I will admit I saw another photographer a few months back doing glitter/glam sessions with little girls. She was part of a Facebook group I am a part of and I commented how adorable they were and asked her where she was located. I considered driving my girls to her to do them. But she was quite a ways and said "you should do them in your area"! I shrugged it off as kind of a mess to deal with and didn't want to "copy" her idea. She insisted moms here would LOVE them! That was a few months back and as busy as I was, I just couldn't see finding the time to do them.
        As luck would have it, I had a beautiful little gymnasts in the studio for some fun shots in her uniform and saw the glitter out of the corner of my eye in my girls' art space (which is part of my studio). I asked mom if we could try it...and the rest, as they say is sparkly history!!


      30 sessions later I am SO glad I did them. I am not sure my husband would say the same as our home has glitter in places we may never get it out of!

      Here are JUST a handful of my favorites. I may be offering another fun opportunity this summer so keep checking back!