The "Where are they now?" Portrait Project is underway!

So, if you missed the last Blog post and announcement you can find it here...
http://www.nylorajoy.com/2016/05/where-are-they-now-i-need-your-help.html


With the flood of emails and messages I am not the only one really excited about this.
We had an instant response and we already have some appointments scheduled for this project.


I started a Private Event Page on Facebook so that you can get all the details there.  Just shoot me a message that you want to be invited.  I made it private simply because this very special project is only open to our past baby and children clients.  So once I confirm you are a past client I will add you.  :)


We will have some new specials coming up for new clients in the next couple months so you will not be left out.  We love you all.  :)


Again, we are still looking for more of our past baby and children clients so we are asking for your help! Please let your friends know we are looking for them too. 


I'm thinking it might be fun to post some old images from years ago to see if you recognize anyone!   So maybe later in the week you will see some of those too! 


If you haven't checked out our new website you can go to www.PhotographyByNylora.com
Follow me on Instagram at: nylorajoy


In love and light,


Nylora

Where are they now? - I need your help!

It has occurred to me recently how fast time goes.




"They" always tell you it does but you never truly understand, until you understand!




In the past month we have said goodbye to a young girl (a friend of my daughter) who was taken away too soon, attended a wedding of a friend (who said she would never marry again, but after raising 3 boys, is blissfully in love), attended a funeral of a man that we thought would live forever but died suddenly while on vacation at the age of 80, attended and photographed the prom preparations of my nephew, attended the graduation of my son from College and now we prepare for my daughter to become a teen in just a few short weeks. 


All of these things are a big deal in life. 




With all of these life events happening, it has become even more apparent to me how quickly time goes by. And, sadly, that life is finite. But at the same time, I also realized that, in all of these things came celebration, a celebration of life (yes, even in death). Often we don't really think about these things until something happens (good or bad) in life.  But time passes quickly.  Minutes turn to hours, hours into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, months into years.  In those minutes, hours, days etc. life happens.  Soccer and softball games, orchestra and choir concerts, field trips, dentist appointments, home work, family gatherings, births, birthdays, meetings, work, and before you know it another year has wisked by.


This brings me to the reason of this post.  As my own daughter is soon turning into a teenager next month I decided I needed to update her portrait before it is official.  As I sat editing the images after the session I had a flashback to an image that was taken of her when she modeled for another photographer (the amazing Jen Hillenga) when she was only 3.  I went and pulled it up and looked at that image next to the new image that I created this week. As I sat looking at the two side by side images I was reminded how fast that 10 years has gone by!  She is different, older, more mature, yet, to me, still the same little girl. 

3 years old

(almost) 13 years old

 This got me thinking  I have had my photography business for over 15 years.  In those 15 years I have photographed literally hundreds of babies and children.  I would love to see them all and see how they have grown and changed and who they have become (and are becoming).  This is where YOU come in! 


Where are they now?
If I have photographed your children please contact me.  I want to do it again!
If you have a favorite portrait of your child that I created for you I would love to create another.
I am not sure how many people will take me up on this offer but please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested, (I don't want you to miss out on the chance if I get a huge response) and I will send you the details.  Maybe this is the reason you have been looking for, for a new portrait?   We will be offering special pricing for my past clients for this shoot!  It is so good that I do not want to post it here so please leave your name in the comments if you are interested or shoot me a private message on FB or email me. I would love to feature as many as possible on my blog!


I would really love to see you again and see if we can make this happen!
How fun will it be to have a portrait of your child then and now.  I can tell you it is pretty special! 


Please share this with anyone you know that you know I have photographed in the past.  I would really appreciate the help in getting the word out.  Time goes so fast!  Don't wait till they are any older to do this! This is the time.


Here is another image from my daughters session that I love - she is truly growing up too fast! 

In love and Light,


Nylora


If you haven't seen my recent work you can visit me at:
My website www.PhotographyByNylora.com
Follow me on Instagram @NyloraJoy
On Facebook at Photography by Nylora

What makes a Professional Photograph?

Photography has changed so much over the last few years. This is a long post so bear with me here....





When I first because a photographer I shot film (ok, maybe I'm dating myself a tad) but that is where I started and how I learned.  There was no "chimping",  you couldn't see what you were getting for an exposure, or an expression until the film came back developed.  I would take about 12 rolls of film with me to shoot a wedding. you didn't over shoot or you wouldn't make it to the end of the wedding.  You didn't take 20 shots of the same pose, you couldn't.




This was the same for portraits - One roll of film per shoot! 24 or 36 exposures tops!  you had to get it right, you couldn't do a family or children's portrait session in dappled light under a tree because there would be light Sun spots that were over exposed all over your clients faces and clothes - not pretty (this part has not changed - although I see it happening all the time).




Then came automatic digital cameras.  You can get them pretty cheap. The good thing about that is that almost everyone can get one.  :)  I personally believe everyone should have a camera, and I believe everyone should use that camera, and I believe everyone should PRINT the pictures you take with that camera. 




Correct me if I am wrong, but most of us (me included) cannot afford to have our own paparazzi follow us around and document every detail of every day of our lives! But if you have a camera you can do that for yourself!  (this is why camera phones are so popular!) you always have it with you and can get your quick shots whenever you want.   That is the GOOD thing. I truly believe this!


But, before I lose you... The reason I chose to become a professional photographer as my career is because I feel SO strongly about the importance of having beautiful portraits of your family (and being IN them - that is hard to do if you are always the one taking them!)  Although it is fantastic to have all the snap shots from your own camera (or phone), I truly believe you should have a professional portrait at least once every other year! I will talk more about the importance of this in future blog posts but for now I will get back on track with "What is a professional Photograph".


A few of the things that make a professional portrait are:


The right Lighting, the right posing (or not if you are looking for a more "candid" look - yes there is still posing involved to make them APPEAR candid), knowing your camera, the best time of day for location shots, the right location, clothing consultation, composition, eye path, eliminating distractions (no trees growing out of someone's head), color correction, being able to make quick decisions when something is not working, post processing, focus, PRINTING and many others... these were all just off the top of my head.


If you have made it this far (Thank you if you have!) I want to share a before and after with you that I took recently.  The left image is the straight out of camera image taken in the studio.  The right is the final image with the work that I put into it after it was taken (post processing).  As a professional photographer what I am creating everything from the consultation to the finished prints.  I take great pride in the portraits I create and I feel that if I wasn't giving you the best portrait I can give to you I have not done my job.  Color correction, removing bruises, acne, stretch marks, bug bites,  skin softening, eye brightening, adding "makeup" in some cases - all help create a finished portrait that you will love and that I will be proud to put my name on! 

Thank you again for sticking around till the end.  :)  I will post again soon.  But probably not tomorrow as my son is graduating from college and I am sure we will be busy all day

(taking pictures and being a proud mom!) !

In love and light,

Nylora

website:  www.PhotographyByNylora.com

Find me on Instagram:  Nylorajoy

Find me on Facebook at Photography by Nylora

:)

     

This is Age 5!

This little lovely came in for a session this morning.
I have been photographing her since she was literally a twinkle in her mama's eye and she is a beauty! It is a reminder of the importance of working with someone from the time they are small.  The benefit is that they are very comfortable with the same person, and you can get some incredible images! 




This is age 5. 




What a fun age to photograph.  At 5 they have their little personalities, they follow directions well, they haven't started to lose their teeth yet, they like to dress up, and they love having their portraits taken.  I love taking their portraits at this age.  They are little ladies!




These are just a couple of different looks she gave me.  I spent a bit of time setting up the shot, fixing her hair, straightening her dress, crossing her ankles and placing her hands in her lap.  This was the first image we got!

Then I rearranged the couch a bit sat her back down and changed her position and I got this beautiful expression! 

Yes, I do love age 5!  :)




In love and light,


Nylora :)


www.PhotographyByNylora.com

Prom Season is upon us!

Can you believe it has already been a year since last years prom?!  I can't!


I love seeing all the gorgeous couples!  All dressed to the nines in the "perfect" prom gowns and tuxes to match!  I love it all!


We are offering studio sessions again this year for anyone that would like professional portraits!   We offer 3 different times to get your portrait created! 


1.  The day of your prom after your hair and makeup is done and you are dressed and ready to go.


2.  Prior to the prom.  We like to schedule these the day of your Trial hair and makeup appointment at your salon.  Just bring your gown with you for a 30 minute portrait session.  This is popular because there is no worry of trying to get everything done before you date comes to pick you up!


3.  The week after prom!   Again, there is no rush and you have an excuse to wear the gown again! 


The cost of the session is $99 and include the session, a print of your favorite image and up to 3 digital files that you can share on any social media and with your friends and family!


Call today to reserve your appointment time as they are limited!  We would love to see you!


These are just a few from last years prom season!

Book #2 is all about Photographing Bellies!

It is true!


If you had told me that I would write a book I never would have believed you!  If you had told me I would write a SECOND book I would have thought you were crazy!   But it is true!  My second book is due out in November!


After my first book was released I was asked by the publisher to do another! After some thought, I decided that it seemed only natural to do it on prenatal portraits!  So, my next book will be all about photographing pregnancy!  This is exciting for me because for the past 13+ years that has been my specialty.  

In this book I will talk about inspiration for sessions, lighting, posing, dressing, and much more!  As I had slowly been transitioning into a more fine art look to all of my sessions I created the "Belly Couture" portrait line for my studio.  What made this session different from my traditional belly sessions is that I "make" gowns for each session, for each woman, using fabric and accessories for a one of a kind look.


Whether you are considering adding prenatal portraits to your studio, or if you have been doing them for years and need some new ideas or inspiration than this book is for you!


It is available now for pre-order on Amazon at a special low price! Purchase it now to get the lower price.  Once it is released and hits the shelves at Barnes and Noble you will pay list price.  To order now and get it as soon as it is released follow this link below!


Please feel free to share this post with anyone that you think may be interested in learning more about pregnancy photography! I would truly appreciate it!  Thank you in advance for your support!


In love and light,


Nylora :)


http://www.amazon.com/Maternity-Portraits-Photography-Mother---Be/dp/1682031004/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463073243&sr=1-6&keywords=maternity+photography

Lauri West receives National Award!

So for those of you that have been to the studio and have met Lauri I have some exciting news to share!




Lauri West of Concord NH, was presented with the PPA National Award for meritorious contributions to professional photography at the 57th Annual Professional Photographers Association annual conference.




This award is not given out every year and is only given to the person that is most deserving and chosen by the National Award committee based on recommendations by the association members that feel the person is deserving of such an award.


The following is just a part of why she was chosen as the 2016 NH National Award Recipient:

"[Lauri] has perfect attendance since becoming a member, not missing a monthly meeting and attending every board meeting since becoming the NHPPA Secretary.  [She] can be described as the driving force behind many of the jobs in NHPPA.  She has organizational skills like no other and could do most jobs blindfolded.  The NHPPA board members know that she is always there for them with whatever help that is needed.  She always goes above and beyond in everything she does.

[Lauri] is a true asset to our profession and the association."




Congratulations to Lauri West for this outstanding achievement!

Lauri West holding the 2016 PPA National Award

What is your Dream?

Although portraiture is currently the main part of my business, there are things that I do to keep myself inspired with the creative side of things. 


On of those things is composite work.   What that means is that I like to take pieces from other images I have photographed and put them together to create a scene, or what I like to call magic!


These images can, for the most part, take quite some time.  Partly, because I actually have to photograph each piece independently of each of the others.  This way my vision can tell the whole story.  Sometimes this starts with a title, sometimes from a dream, sometimes from a story or song.  I am inspired to make these images many ways.


Two summers ago my family and I went to a zoo.  What I thought would just be a great family day turned into much more!  As I was photographing the animals (yes, I always have my camera) I started creating stories in my head.  Of course I like to photograph people so I thought what if I created an image using the animals and then added woman and girls to those images to tell a story!  Well, this is when my Animal Series began.


These are a few of the images that I have worked on this far.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I have enjoyed creating them....

"Beauty and the Beast"

"Living the Highlife"

"Tanzanian Moonshine"

I am continuing to work on these images as the stories come to me, and as I find girls/women that "fit" the story.  I feel it is important to note a couple of things 1) It is very rare that I work with professional models.  Most of the people in my images are either people that  I have photographed in the past or that answer a "model call" when I post that I am looking for someone with a specific look for my photographic story.  2) We do not actually sit anyone on these animals.  In all of the cases above the animals were photographed in the zoo and the models women were photographed in my studio afterwards to fit the look I needed.  :)  (Yes, people will ask me that.)

I am always looking for new subjects and stories.  If you are interested in a particular composited image for your own home (or child's room)  I would be happy to talk with you further about the details.  We can design it around your own room décor and use you or your child to create a custom piece for you. 

To see more of my work you can visit my website at www.PhotographyByNylora.com

Thank you again for following me!

In Light and Love,

Nylora :) 

So much to say...

This weekend was incredibly busy and emotional on MANY levels.  


This week I will try to post everything I have been thinking (trust me it is a lot).


I would love it if you follow my blog.  My goal is to post things that keep you interested and share some insight on the things that make me tick.


Let's start with Mother's Day (and realize this might be going backward through the weekend).
I'm hoping all of you mom's had a great day with your loved ones yesterday!  Mine was very nice.  The whole family came for lunch.  My son Stephen is now and adult and it changes a lot of things.  He had to work this Mother's Day.  However, since he works at Best Buy he was able to come by during his lunch break and that was great! 


My mom and dad were both here along with my brother and sister in law and 2 of their kids (minus 1 niece), my sister and brother in law (minus my nephew) and of course Bob and Syd.  I love it when my family come together especially with my 2 year old nephew because he livens everything up!  But we always all have a great time!   I know how lucky I am to have them all here!


Yes, there was complaining when I said I needed a new picture (there always is - but isn't that part of the fun?!)  "My hair isn't done", "I wore the wrong shirt", "I need to lose weight" etc. etc. etc. (btw.  you think they would know by now that there WILL be pictures taken when we have a get together!)  But do you think any of this will truly matter years from now when we are looking back on these pictures? :)  This was the picture that I got yesterday with my mom and my brother and sister...

So, last night, after everyone left, I was catching up with all the Mother's Day posts and challenges on Facebook and I was blown away by all of the "mom's" favorite pictures of being a mom!  So many of them were images I have taken through the years.  Of course I have many of my "regular" clients that I see often.  But sometimes I see a family only once, or it can be a few years between visits. But last night there were images being shares from some people that I only photographed once.  It really made me think.  Of ALL the images I am sure that they have of themselves with their Child(ren) they posted one that I had taken for them as their favorite.  This was an incredible honor to know that I was able to do that for them!  For that I am truly grateful to do what I do.  Honestly, there was easily a dozen images that came up on my feed!  It blew my mind!


So if you are reading this post and you were one of those people that posted a photograph that I have taken.  Thank you.  Thank you for allowing me to capture a special image for you!  It truly made my day to see it!  <3


In Light and Love,


Nylora




  

Meet Nicole...

I choose to specialize in women portraiture. 


I choose to do this because I feel there is a real problem with women and self confidence.  If I can help someone feel better about themselves because of the experience they had here I have done my job.  


You see, I am not JUST taking pictures, anyone can do that.  It is so much more than that. Of course each person that comes to me for a beautiful portrait of themselves leaves with the portrait, but sometimes they leave with much MORE than that.


Here is one of those stories...


Meet Nicole.

Nicole is a beautiful woman.
She is a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a mother to 3 adorable children.
Nicole puts those children and her family above herself like so many women do.


After having her twin girls she was unable to lose the weight she had gained from the pregnancy.
Then she had her son that was born with an airway defect. And, she was diagnosed with postpartum depression. This kept her from leaving her house, and spending anytime with friends and changed her life.


Nicole said "The postpartum depression was out of control, I lost my urge to do anything for myself and gave up on my looks. I felt like I was settling for something that was so unlike me. It was a rut I had not a clue how I would escape."  The last thing she wanted to do was to be in pictures.  "I want my children to have memories of me. I don't want to look back and never be in any pictures. I wanted a change but didn't know how to move forward."


She decided to come to me for a Modern Beauty Session.  We talked about it for a bit and we scheduled her for an appointment at Salon K for her hair and makeup appointment and her appointment with me here. Nicole told me she was so nervous to do this that she almost cancelled at the last minute!

Thankfully, she kept her appointment. "After getting my hair and make up done I felt so relieved. I felt like wow maybe I can look good. The experience was absolutely amazing and I am happy I followed through." 


"I would highly recommend a modern beauty session. I truly feel like it got me out of the rut I was in. If you have lost your confidence and need something to remind you how beautiful you are consider doing this for yourself and your family. Nylora is absolutely wonderful to work with and I didn't feel like I needed to hide anything with her. She made this entire process so easy and fun. I will be forever thankful."


Here are a few of the portraits I created for her....

THIS is why I do what I do!  Nicole got a glimpse of who she is again. 
A beautiful woman who can be proud of who she is and what she has accomplished!
This is how her family and children see her, she just needed a chance to see herself this way again.
Yes, she is a wife, a sister, a daughter and a mother. BUT she is also a beautiful person!


Thank you for trusting us to help you see this again Nicole!


Happy Mother's Day!  




In Love and Light,


Nylora :)

It's not too late....yet! This one is for the Moms!

Mother's Day.


The day that we celebrate mom and all that she means to us. Whether she is your biological mother, your adopted mother, or just someone that has been like a mother to you THIS is the day to celebrate her.


We have extended our Mother's Day Special just for this reason!  We have SIX certificates left at this special price.  While we may offer special pricing another time this year, I will guarantee it will not be this big!   That is why we are limiting the number that we are offering.  So if you are thinking you want to take advantage of this now is the time to do so. 


I've had a woman buy it for herself, I had a husband buy it for his wife and 2 buy for their moms.  What will You use it for? 


Over the next few months I will be posting (with permission) women that come to the studio to have their portrait created and why they decided to do it.  I think it will be a truly eye opening experience. 


While "glamour" photography can have negative connotations (thanks to the glamour shots of the 80s/90s) I think you will see that we are making them more modern and more timeless so that you and your family will have a beautiful portrait of you (or your mom) for years to come!   And, why shouldn't we all have that? 


So, while this particular special is recommended as a gift for mom, we would invite you to come along and be included in one or two shots at the end of her session!  I am sure she would love that too! You could even schedule it on a day you can taker her to dinner after she has her hair and makeup done for the session!  A complete day of pampering!  What a great gift!


Please don't wait, there are only 6 more available and only a few days left until Mother's Day! 


Make this year's gift one for a lifetime! 


email me at nylora@photographybynylora.com to order your gift certificate!