I’m definitely biased, but…you never need a reason to treat yo’self to being photographed.
Not convinced? Fine. If you’re looking for one anyway, your birthday is the perfect excuse.
A few weeks before his birthday, my friend Danny approached me about finally (we’ve been talking about it for over a year) booking a portrait session. He told me that he’d been inspired by the self-portraits I took for my birthday back in September. (Did I just become an influencer??)
I was absolutely honored (and super stoked) that he chose to work with me, and so excited that he was doing this for himself. Being in front of the camera can feel quite vulnerable, and I never take it for granted that people trust me to take care of them!
A birthday portrait session allows you to not only reflect on your past year, but to embrace (and, let’s be real, SHOW OFF) your friggin’ awesomeness at [insert fabulous age here]. 😉 Plus, they are incredibly fun.
The moment Danny said he wanted to do a shoot, my mind went into brainstorm mode. I told him to start planning the outfits he’d want to wear (and not leave it to last-minute – that can be so stressful!), and asked that he send me photos of them so I could mentally design his shoot – from the backdrop, to the props, to posing.
Well, we’d originally planned to do the session at the studio that I share in Shoreline, but that space is “light and airy,” plus, we don’t have very masculine furniture, and Danny is an avid hunter and wears a lot of black – he doesn’t really give light and airy vibes. After seeing his outfit choices, I knew that I wanted to find a space that would be dark, industrial, sophisticated.
Enter: The Seattle Warehouse. The moment I saw this place I knew I wanted to shoot there – and thankfully, Danny agreed! I loved the leather couches, dark walls, and walls on wheels. We could transform the space however we needed.
I also brought a few seamless backdrops and my studio lights so I’d have lots of options. We shot for a few hours and had an absolute blast. I hope you enjoy some of our favorites. (You can check out this IG reel to see behind-the-scenes footage!)
(Aren’t Danny’s shoes awesome!)
In my birthday self-portrait session, I wore a “1983” t-shirt. I love that Danny showed up with a copy of George Orwell’s 1984. A bit of subtlety goes a long way!
I also know that Danny likes scotch, and it seemed like the perfect celebratory prop to incorporate into his shoot, so I asked him to bring some. Doesn’t this look like an ad?
My favorite photos of Danny are where I captured his genuine laugh and smile. Whenever I can unlock laughter, I know that my clients are having fun and feel comfortable with me – and the photoshoot experience is just as important as the final photos.
Happy birthday, Danny! I’m so glad that I finally got to photograph you, but more importantly, I’m so happy that you chose to celebrate yourself with portraits. Thank you for such a fun day!
Well, friend, has a portrait session just been added to your birthday wishlist? I sure hope so. All you have to do is get your favorite outfits, I’ll find a location that fits your vibe, and we can create a portrait session that truly embodies your unique personality and style as you take another trip around the sun.
What would the vibe be for YOUR birthday portrait session? Shoot me an email if you want to start planning!
