Picking up on my tradition brought to Poconos, I had the second Mama’s Love free portraits event in my local studio.
Making It Work
I did it again! My Mama’s Love free portraits, as a form of the client appreciation event, have been offered in NYC since 2012, but for the first time in 2021, I opted for my local Poconos community for it. I happened to be free on Sunday that year, and it got packed with almost 30 signed-up families!
Mother’s Day weekend was unavailable with other jobs the following year, 2022, so I had to skip the free portraits event. The same was about to happen this year, but I felt so bad about missing it again! I decided to give Friday a chance instead of Sunday, the actual Mother’s Day.
Trade-offs
This brought a few inconveniences, of course. The main one is schools. Although the original concept was to treat my adult clients’ moms, I later expanded to offer to clients themselves, as long as they bring their kids to look like moms. With students in school, half of the day was out of the picture, leaving less room for booking. On top of that, working moms would have even fewer options left in the evening.
And, of course, wouldn’t it be easier to dress up and put special makeup on the actual Mother’s Day if you have some family plans to dine out? Coupling this with a free photoshoot the same day is sooo enticing!
Alas, this Friday, a weekday, didn’t let many participate. A few booked ones even had to cancel last minute because of new conflicting plans or chores. I only had a third of the previous Mama’s Love free portraits event volume. These families, however, were so beautiful and heartwarming to work with!
Friends: Old and New
Most of them are already known to us as longtime clients and friends. There were two moms whom I met just a month ago during my big shoot for Pike Gymnastics. They came with their daughters again, this time not as athletes but as elegant young ladies. One of those moms is becoming our new friend!
It was touching to hear that, for a few families, occasions like Mama’s Love free portraits event are the only affordable opportunity to have a printed family portrait done. Many professional photographers would righteously consider it a worthy reason to earn and support their own family. I know, I know… In my own community, I decided to have a mix of business and personal stances. And as we all know, giving back to the community is always good.
Thank you to all who participated! A special thanks to Olga, who treated us to a super cool and heavy pack of tea bought in China, and to Egle, who brought treats to Veya.
Mama’s Love Free Portraits
Some families inspired me for funny poses (after I did the regular ones), and I was comfortable experimenting with more dramatic lighting with others. Altogether, the set is a cool mix of moods and visuals.
No Formal Portraits for My Girls
By the way, no portraits of my family this year—Veya got pretty sick and could hardly be around. She needed care throughout that night, so my wife slept in her room on the floor. Veya swooshed under her blanket in the morning, and this is what I saw when entered the room. Shot on the phone; the light effect is natural here.
Behind the Scenes
Here’s a lively behind-the-scenes video of this Mama’s Love free portraits event. I couldn’t resist and stayed late to post this reel the same night.
