Small Business Shout out of the week: Dirty Water Distillery: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

Late last week I was hired by Destination Plymouth to photograph some of the small businesses around town related to nightlife in the area.  I met some fantastic people and business along the way and this is one of them. I spent a long time with one of the co-owners learning a lot about his life and their backgrounds.  We talked about the process and about life in general.  As with any food or drink, though the most important thing is that the product stand on its own as something amazing and I am hear to tell you that their product does just that.  I sampled the Honey Rum.  It was so smooth and the taste was truly out of this world.  I could have put it over ice in a glass and sipped it with nothing else.

They also had some great pairing suggestions too.

The tours right now are by appointment or if you happen to walk in while they are there.  The tastings are free and the price point is totally reasonable.  I will definitely be going back!  What a great addition to the South Shore.

Their products are currently available at the following locations:

Bars/Restaurants (Plymouth) Nosh Tavern Driftwood Publick House New World Tavern KKaties Burger Bar Blue Eyed Crab Speed Well Tavern Bars/Restaurants (Outside of Plymouth) Atwood's Tavern (Cambridge) C Salt Wine Bar and Grill (Falmouth) DJ's Family Sports Pub (Hyannis) Orta Restaurant (Pembroke) The Public House (Brookline) Solstice (Kingston) Liquor Stores/Retail Piopi's (North Plymouth) Empire Wine and Spirits (Kingston) Pilgrim Wine and Spirits (Plymouth, by Home Depot) East-Side Market and Wine Shop (South Boston) Bay State Foods and Liquor (Brookline) Blanchard's (Marshfield) Cotuit Liquors (Marstons Mills) Liquor 'N More (Dennis) Moonshine Liquors (Hyannis) Village Vinyards (Plymouth)

Or contact them directly at http://www.dirtywaterdistillery.com

Last Call for Cameras and Cocktails tonight at Alden Park!: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

So excited for my next round of Cameras and Cocktails with Alden Park.  Alden Park has been such a fantastic venue to work with.  I would highly recommend their function room to anyone looking to host small group gathering.  And tonight we are going to have so much fun! Here is my little elevator speech for Cameras and Cocktails! If you have some time tonight, its not too late to come and join us! Drink, Socialize, Have Fun, and Take Crazy Pics!
Tuesday 6/24/14 - Cameras & Cocktails - In a Snap! 
at Alden Park Bar & Grill in Plymouth, MA
A night of fun; A lifetime of better pictures!
Come and enjoy the cocktails and take some crazy photos with your friends!

Get your friends and join us for some fun! This isn't your boring old lecture session on cameras and how an F stop differs from your aperture settings. Get insider tips and tricks on portrait photography and have a great time while you do it! Don't have a fancy camera with lots of different lenses! No worries, these tips on composition and posing will work whether you are using the camera on your phone or a top of the line camera!

You need to pre-register so sign up now!

29.99 per person

Maternity Session: Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer

This has been one whirlwind weekend; Beach Mini Sessions on Saturday, Maternity Session on Sunday, and in between on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I was taking photos around town for Destination Plymouth.  Today is time for one deep breath and then tomorrow is family photos in the morning and another night of Cameras and Cocktails in the evening!  Whew!!! My maternity photos were a highlight.  It was for a wonderful family that I have done sessions for multiple times in the last couple years.  I love so much seeing them and working with them.  Also seeing little miss "S" growing into such a beautiful little girl!

This was one of my favorite photos from the weekend!

TBT: Me and my sister: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

So clearly this is not a picture I took but I just love having fun Throwback Thursday Posts! My sister and I are twins.  We are very close which is not true of all twins or all siblings unfortunately.  When she gets pinched I don't feel it.  I can't read her mind.  Often though we are on the same wavelength.  You can call it a twin thing or just chalk it up to being raised in the same family.  I am very proud of my sister and all that she has accomplished.  You probably so my previous post about her business, Archiplicity.  She has been designing residential and commercial buildings for 18 years.  She also rock climbs and scuba dives.  She works hard to make sure that her friends are taken care of and gives a lot of herself away to make sure that others are happy.  Today I celebrate my twin!  I also would love to give a shout out to my friend Ed Nute who took this picture of Jenny and I when we were little.  I won't call any of us out by saying how long ago this was!

Photography Tip of The Week: Pay attention to your background: Professional Photographer South Shore Plymouth

There are certain things you start to pay attention to when you take lots of pictures.  When you feel like you have gotten the aperture right and the shutter speed right.  Your exposure is good.  Now how does a good photo become a great photo?  It's attention to detail.  If you want your subject to stand out you pick simple but picturesque backgrounds.  If you are taking snapshots on the fly and you can't control the background then you shift your subjects to make sure that there is no tree growing out of their head or a pole!  Seems simple right? But if you don't pay attention to the small details you pictures look cluttered and your subjects get lost.  Or worse, they look laughable because some object is protruding at just the wrong angle!  I try to pick simple backgrounds; a row of tall bushes, a brick wall, the beach when no one is there.  When you have control over your environment it eliminates anything that might get in the way. Happy Shooting!

TBT: Love my cousins: Professional Photographer South Shore Plymouth

I love sorting through and finding old photos of me and my family.  I also love restoring them for other people.  This is a great picture of me, my sister, and my cousins Adam and Jennie.  It reminds me of the fun time we used to have spending part of the summer in PA with them.  Unfortunately age has not been kind to the corners of this photo but lucky for me I know how to fix that!  I hope you are enjoying throwback thursday as much as I am!

Small Business Shout out of the week: Oceanside Animal Hospital: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

I have been trying to support and sing the praises of local businesses around me every week and this week is no exception.  This week I want to tell you about another great place, Oceanside Animal Hospital. Oceanside Animal Hospital is located in Sandwich, Massachusetts at the corner of Tupper Road and Route 6A. They are a new full service animal hospital and retail boutique.  This is where I take my dog, Charlie and my sister takes her dog Max.

The level of care and compassion at Oceanside is the best that I have ever had.  I feel comfortable and confident that my pets are always getting the best care.  I can tell you as a pet owner that I have definitely not always felt that way.  In fact, I have had a handful of really bad experiences with other places.

Oceanside treats their patients and owners like family.  They are warm and caring and their level of care and attention to their patients is fantastic.  If you are looking for a vet, this is the only place I will go.  Oceanside can be reached at Phone (508) 744-3838 Email info@oceansideanimal.com and website http://www.oceansideanimal.com

Photo Tip of the week: Capturing kids pictures: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

One of the hardest things to do is to take a great picture of your kids.  I have a few tips to make that easier: 1. Pick their best time of day for pictures whether you or hiring someone or taking them yourself.  I find that for most kids that is morning.

2. Make sure your kids are well fed.  Also bring snacks, drinks, and treats to make things easier.

3. Play and interact while you are taking their pictures, it brings out the bright side of their personality.

4. If they are having a tough time, give them some time to reset.  Whether I am taking pictures for other people or myself I find that this comes in handy to change the mood.  I am more worried about getting the right shot than about the time on the clock.

Happy Shooting!

This Past Weekend's Beach Session: Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore

The season is now in high gear and I am having so much fun.  I have been having so much fun meeting new people and reconnecting with people I have photographed before.  This is my second session with V.  Her first session was her cake smash session and it is so much fun to see how much she has grown and what a beautiful little girl she is.  She is also so amazingly sweet and fun!  I loved spending time capturing her and at one of her favorite places...The beach!

Beach Mini Sessions are coming June 21, 2014 only $99: Professional Photographer South Shore Plymouth

So I am so excited my mini sessions on the beach are almost upon us!  I just got another sign up yesterday!  It's going to be so much fun!  If you have not yet heard, mini-sessions are a smaller more compact session.  For $99.00, you will receive a 30 minute session, 8-10 digital images and one 8x10 print from your session.  Although most people typically think of this as family photos I have all different groups coming, families, couples, maternity photos, and a group of long time girlfriends just to name some.  I still have sometime available if you are interested, Call now!  508-244-4073 or email me at kathy@themirroredimage.com

Throwback Thursday: The first day of the rest of my life

So last Thursday was my 4 year anniversary with Dave.  So technically this post should have happened last week, but my dad took precedence :)  This is the first picture Dave and I ever had taken of the two of us by my very good friend Laurence when we were with her in Metz, France.  The funny thing is that I knew then that we were meant to be together.  So did Dave.  He went back to Colorado and told everyone that he was moving to Boston.. her didn't know when but he was.  This was the beginning of many of the great things that have come my way..Dave and Lucy..the two best things that ever happened to me!

Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore: The best cheap investment for photography gear

Okay, so as photographers we all want lots of big fancy things to help us do our job better.  What I have come to realize is this.  The person behind the camera is more important than what equipment you have.  Its what you do with what you have.  Also, when you finally go out and buy a lens that you have been yearning for, you need to protect your investment.  I make it a rule of thumb to put a UV Filter on every lens I own.  The cost is 10-15 dollars more.  The most important thing to remember is this..if you scratch your filter you are out $10-15 and if you are scratch your lenses you can loose anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars.  Which choice would you rather make?

Creative Photo Shoot: The Elements with C'mor Color Lush MUA

So every once in a while, about 4 times a year, I try and do a creative photo shoot that has nothing to do with anything other than remembering why I love photography.  Cynthia Morales, owner of C'mor Color Lush was introduced to me by a friend and we set out to showcase our talents!  Here is our result!

Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore:Beach Sessions June 21, 2014

So just a couple weeks away now and I have our first beach mini sessions for the summer! I am so excited to be out on the beach with some people I know and some I will get to know.  That is one of the beautiful things about this business!  I get to meet new people all the time!  Here is how a mini session works.  You book a 30 minute session on June 21, 2014 with me (there are a few slots still available) in return you receive 8-10 digital images and one 8x10 print.  You may order more prints but they will be priced separately. Just take a look at the last mini session I had!

Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore: Family Photos at Castle Island #Family

This has been a whirlwind couple weeks with photo shoots and family visits and taking care of a two year old to boot!  But I wouldn't change it for the world.  I am baking a cake, posting a blog entry and ordering an album all at the same time while Lucy naps! That has been the whole last month really with no end in site.  But, when you love what you do, you make it work and I love what I do.  Taking these family photos allowed me to connect with an old friend that I have not seen in 5 years. I loved being able to reconnect and to take her family pictures with her mom and brother.  Take a look:

Professional Photographer Plymouth South Shore: TBT: My Dad #ThrowbackThursday

So anyone who knows me knows that I have a very tight family.  My father is one of the closest people to me.  I could always count on him to be there for me to help in any way and he was always present.  One of my favorite memories growing up was sitting with my father at night and having him read to us.  Not only did that help to instill a love of reading that is strong to this day but it also gave me something special to remember when he spent much of his time commuting to and from Boston each day. Tomorrow my father will be retiring and moving on to another chapter in his life.  It's amazing how quickly time passes.  So today I want to wish my father well and celebrate the man that he is and how lucky I am to have him for my Dad!

Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: Small Business of the Week: Martha's

So I am working on getting the word out there about some local businesses that I really appreciate having around.  Local Business is so important to me.  It keeps our communities thriving!  Another thing that is really important to me is the environment and the local food movement.  I believe that this is so important that I choose to put my money where my mouth is and spend more to support the local farmers and other local vendors in the area who also support this movement.  With all the environmental toxins, all the health hazards and environmental repercussions of mass produced meat and pesticides, we need to think about what we are putting in our bodies for food and what we are putting on our bodies the clean, moisturizes, etc... The list goes on.  

What I want to highlight is a local chef that has been doing it right from the very beginning and providing the community with amazing food to boot.

Martha Stone of Martha's in Benny's plaza in Plymouth has been providing fresh, local delicious food to the community for quite sometime and never ceases to amaze me with what she can cook up.  Martha can do more with a hot plate than most people could do with a state of the art kitchen!  If you haven't had a chance to try her cooking you will not be disappointed.  I have been sampling her delectable dishes since she had Martha's Galley and I was still in high school.  I won't call either of us out by saying how long ago that was.

Martha's is located in Benny's Plaza on Court St in Plymouth MA.

Read more about her and her business her!  Nice Job Martha!

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Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: Photo Tip of the week: Taking better family photos!

So now that it is getting nicer out and summer is coming more of us are thinking about taking vacations and getting out and about.  In addition to wanting to have loads of fun on your trip, you probably want to capture some moments that remind you of the great time that you had. Here are some things that I find helpful.

1. If you are driving bring a tripod.  You want a picture of the WHOLE family.

2. When you set people up look for a location with a bench or some rocks, something that will make it easier to stagger people.  Photos are so much more interesting that way.

3. Stay away from bold prints.  If one person is wearing a brig floral caftan, that will certainly be the focus of the picture!

4.  If you have kids, take pictures in the morning.  That is usually their best time and the time they are most willing to listen to direction.  Also I am not above bribery (carry a little treat with you, a couple M&M's go a long way!

5. Mid afternoon is the best time to capture great lighting.  It's called the golden hour and you have great light if you think you can get you family to pose then.

6. Save noontime for lunch not pictures!  There is usually a hazy film on your images when the sun is right over head.  I try to avoid taking pictures at this time if I can help it!

If all of this seems like a lot, consider calling a photographer located where you are staying and having them meet you for an afternoon.  Family Photo Shoots are affordable and you won't regret having some great images to cherish!  Happy Shooting!

Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: Family Photos and Party all Rolled into one

So here is another great idea that people don't always think of.  How about inviting a photographer to a couple hours of your next family gathering and having some professional family photos done?  I have booked some events like these in the near future and more coming.  It is becoming a more popular idea.  For a little more than what you would pay to get your own family photos done you have captured a moment to remember and you have your family on film as well.  Here are some of my favorites from the most recent event.  

Plymouth South Shore Professional Photographer: Throwback Thursday: Baby Lucy

So I planned on doing more photo restoration projects for Throwback Thursday, but my little baby who is no longer a tiny baby is feeling under the weather today.  This is actually day 3 of her cold and she is bouncing back, tired and sniffling but otherwise good.  Of course that made me digress to think of my cute little baby when she was a cute little baby and then start looking through some of the cute little pictures that I have loved the best of her.  Here is just a selection of Little Lucy thus far!