Spring 2025, we are finally here!

Winter has felt very long this year. In Maine just last week it was snowing, but the crocuses are popping up and it’s beginning, finally, to feel a little like spring.
Leaning into the quiet, monochromatic season gives me a lot of quiet time.  I have been thinking a lot about community and how mine is scattered all over the world. I miss so many people. If I put a pin on a map in the spot where each person I care about lives it would look like a constellation of people who I love. All different points of light that have shone onto my life as I have gone along. There are far too few photos of these people, and far fewer of me with them.

What does it mean to make a brief moment, something so ephemeral, into something tangible?  Why is it that society has embraced showing a version of ourselves that is sometimes, not always, but perhaps quite frequently fictionalized?  Americans are in love with watching shows and movies that depict a fictional story, but when it comes to sharing our own truths, we shy away.  

How do I best create space for honesty in a session? In my life? In my day to day of just being a person while hopefully each day, in some tiny way, a bit better person than the day before?  

Last fall I took a really wonderful class online. It was called “At Play” and it was taught by a really wonderful teacher, Celina Bailey with Illuminate Classes. It was all about experimenting with technique, trying things that are risky, pushing the boundaries of creativity, and making space for the unexpected. I loved it. This winter I have been continuing these techniques with the hope that if I can push my own practice outside of “the lines” then when I’m working in sessions, I’ll be able to tap into creativity, and make not just family photos, or wedding photos, or headshots, but art, with my wonderful clients. 

As the days get longer and we look forward to summer I have a few things going on:

Family, lifestyle, and newborn sessions:

I’m booking sessions in the evenings and weekends in May and starting in June I will have full availability on most weekday evenings in addition to weekends. 

Weddings:

I am booking for July-November 2025 right now for small weddings, elopements, and micro weddings in Southern Maine. 

Interested in having me photograph you, but you’re outside of New England? I would love to hear all about your wedding, send me an email.

San Diego: I love you. I want to make a San Diego trip happen in 2025. The only way that I can logistically do this kind of cross country trip is if I have clients lined up in advance. If you live in Southern California and would like to book a session, click here. I would be so thrilled to see you again.

Goodbye 2024, Hello 2025!

The end of the year always flies by and this year was no exception, now that we’ve made our way to 2025, the crazy holiday dust has begun to settle and I am FINALLY sitting down for my quarterly update. 

I loved 2024, it was a wonderful year where my photography business was pushed along by some of the loveliest experiences, beautiful events, and kindest clients I could ever hope for. The fall is always the busiest season and this year was no exception, but sure enough, once it turned to winter during the darkest days of the year, even though I was making incredible work all year long, grateful for all of the opportunities that came my way, I found myself feeling as if I had just not done enough this year.

On New Year’s Eve I sat myself down and looked at every gallery, both business and personal, the photos I made for myself and the ones I made for commercial purposes and everything in between and realized that I had done A LOT. 

The thing that keeps coming back to me is that even when I am out with my camera by myself, the work that I do as a photographer is a collaborative process.  It is not just a dialogue between myself and the subject in front of my camera either, it is a collaboration between what is in front of the camera and all of my own history, the research and work I’ve done in pursuit of this craft, the innovations of others that I am piggybacking on, the women with cameras that have fought for a place in this industry, and the ever changing world. It is also a collaboration with the person I am in the moment as well as what has not happened yet - the documentation of the present so that tomorrow we can remember. 

I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have photography as my job. 

Since this is getting long, I want to just send out a few updates:

For the winter and early spring, I am available for photo sessions and events on the weekends, starting the week of March 20th, when the days are starting to get a bit longer, I will open up some availability on Friday evenings as well. Interested in getting on my books in advance or are you planning an event this year? Email me now!

I have decided to only photograph weddings that are smaller than 100 guests, or are elopements, courthouse ceremonies, and backyards wedding celebrations. It feels very weird to turn work away, but I have found that the smaller ceremonies are the ones that I’m already getting hired for. Making these definitions actually changes very little for me, but I think it’s important to be really clear about the work that I am looking for. 

This summer I plan on having full availability both during the week and on the weekends for all types of sessions as well as weddings and events. 

Finally, I am starting to plan for my visit to San Diego which will most likely be during the summer months and will update as soon as plans start to take shape. 

Thank you so much for your support, I am so grateful for the adventure that being a photographer has been and so excited for what is yet to come! Onward!

Today I looked at my calendar and I was like,  “It’s September! It’s quarterly newsletter time!” 

It’s been BUSY as of late and time has a way of moving extra fast when there is a lot going on. These last three months have been incredible and there’s a lot to recap and a lot to look forward to as well!  

I had an amazing time in San Diego, and I’m already looking at dates for my next visit for 2025! 

My summer in Maine was beautiful, filled with as many beach days as possible, soaking up the sun, keeping my kids occupied and myself busy photographing families, artists, and events. I also traveled somewhere new - Western Tennessee,  and it was such an incredible experience. I climbed an ancient burial mound, got gently bitten by a greedy camel, went into full sensory overload on the Honky Tonk Highway in Nashville, shepherded my two children through aforementioned Honky Tonk Highway, cried at the Alexander McQueen exhibit in the Frist Museum of Art, ate AMAZING tacos, watched the world famous Peabody Ducks strut the red carpet, and saw the Mississippi River for the first time in decades. It was a lot and it was wonderful.

There is something about travel - the good, the bad, all of it - that sparks my creativity. Coming home I felt like I had refreshed my perspective and that is always a good thing. 

This year I have been doing a lot of self reflection about what kind of work I love doing and why. I decided after a lot of thinking and planning, to begin another community art project. You may remember a few years ago I worked on a project where I facilitated people in my community to make photos using film cameras that were turned into zines. It was so rewarding to be connected to people in this way that I wanted to create another project that is oriented around community. So, the Community Portrait Project was born. You can read all about it here. 

Lastly, if you are interested in booking a family photo session don’t hesitate! The fall season fills up fast and is over before you know it. So, please let me know if you want to get on my books for fall family photos.

The best way to book a session is to EMAIL me!

I hope this change of seasons is a good one for you! I love the fall and hope you are well as the seasons shift! Take care until the next time!

It's June, whoa!

Ya’ll. 

It is June. 

I don’t even understand how this has happened. 

I feel completely unprepared.

So, because this feels last minute, and I hate doing things last minute. I’m going to try to be brief and to the point, because we all are maybe feeling like June snuck up on us.  

The last three months have been incredible, full of wonderful opportunities to practice my art and continue the work of my life. 

I am so incredibly grateful.

It has already been the best year so far and the real heroes in this story are the people who invite me into their lives and homes and art studios and weddings and give me the opportunities to photograph them.  Then as if that weren’t already the most wonderful thing,  send more people my way. 

It is magic. 

I will be in San Diego from June 21-24th and just like the last three years, I am bringing my cameras. There are still a few sessions that are available and if you would like to book photos, you can do so here. 

I would love it so much. 

I would love to see my San Diego client-friends and photograph you.

Does it feel a little rushed? Yes. 

Is that just how things are lately? Also yes. 

As summer gets closer and closer like a speeding train on fire, I want to let my locals know that I am booking through the summer. I’m traveling a bit this summer, and my availability is likely to be less available through July and August. So, all this to say, if you are thinking about getting on my books this summer then reach out NOW. Just send me a message, we can find a time that works.

Interested in pre-booking for fall, so you have a plan for those holiday cards? Email me [email protected] to get scheduled early.

That’s all for now, ginormous, incredible thanks.

Kerry C. 

Marching Forward - It's the Quarterly Newsletter

I feel like daylight savings snuck up on me this year. I was entirely unprepared to have 7am feel like 6am. While abrupt, the shift this last week has really brought it home that longer days are on the way and the little leaves of my tulips popping through can only mean one thing - Spring will be here soon. Winter is always a quieter time where I dedicate free hours to catching up with all things administrative, learning new skills, practicing technique, and honoring the slower pace that the season brings. 

 I also spent time this winter in a really special class; untangling the complicated web of feelings that surround motherhood, working, reconciling the complexities and heartaches that accompany big life changes, and doing a deep dive into what it means to be a “mother.” This group was led by a wonderful teacher and friend of mine, Sarah Clark; check out her work HERE.

As we approach the longer days, I’m getting ready for spring and summer by having my online booking up and ready for both family and maker’s sessions. What is a maker’s session? In short, it’s a portrait session for you and your business, art practice, or life. A little bit of lifestyle and branding, a little bit of environmental portraiture, and a glimpse into your world.  

This month, book a session online using the code MAKERS20 and get 20% off of your session fee. Don’t see a session date or time that works for you? Email me! [email protected] The coupon goes away on April 1st, 2024, but sessions can be booked for dates through September 30th, 2024.
Still curious about what a “Maker’s Session” is? You can read more about it HERE.

Ok, and one more thing…

Last year I had an absolutely incredible wedding season. I still have a few dates available for weddings, so if you know someone who is planning a wedding, send them my way! If they book their wedding photos with me, YOU get $50. It’s easy, they book, you get paid. Consider it a “finder’s fee” and yes, I’m serious. Word of mouth is how I’ve grown my business from the ground up and it’s because of my wonderful clients. So, help me grow and we win together. 

I hope you are making your way towards summer with hope. I am so grateful for the life that I have and the opportunities that have come my way. May we all work together to build a future that is peaceful. 

It's the Winter Newsletter, December 2023

The last three months have felt like I was on a wild ride.  Time has been in overdrive and if it weren’t for all of the photos to look back upon, it would be a blur. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how incredibly thankful I am for the wonderful clients, beautiful events, and awesome people who have brought me into their worlds to photograph them over the last year. I am so inspired. 

2023 has been busy, it has been such a wonderful year and my goals going forward are to continue to grow - as an artist and a business owner. 

One of the most pleasant surprises this year was the volume of weddings that I photographed. I have been photographing weddings literally from day one, but I never really thought of myself as a typical “wedding photographer.” Wedding photography is such an incredible job. Here’s the thing, I am never going to be a high-volume photography studio.  While I dream of someday outsourcing the aspects of small business ownership that are more challenging, for now, I am the CEO of everything. 

Something that has risen to my attention throughout the course of this year is that in order for me to be present for my clients, to fully be able to give my best in a sustainable way, I need the days both before and after weddings to be clear, so that I can properly prepare.  The work that I do after a wedding can be intense, and while that is the invisible work that clients never really get to see, it is important to me that I dedicate enough time to it so that I don’t get overwhelmed.  So in 2024, I am only going to be booking one wedding per weekend and my books are open now! Feel free to pass my email along to friends and family who may be looking for a wedding photographer. It is [email protected]

Having said that, I may have a bit less weekend availability going into the wedding season next year. If you’re interested in booking a family session or are looking to get going with some headshots, lifestyle, or a small business session, I am going to be continuing to update my online booking every Sunday for locals only sessions.  Don’t wait until you see an opening! If you are interested, email me to get on my books in advance, or you can go here to book.

Thank you so much for all of your support. Winter is always the most difficult time of year for me and having so much work to be proud of and so many things to look forward to literally gets me up in the morning. I am nothing but grateful for the people who have hired me to photograph them, I couldn’t do this without you! 

Is it fall yet?

This summer was such a fast one, here in Maine, it was also a very rainy one, which meant lots of time spent figuring out how to keep kids from getting bored, plenty of quiet rainy days reading, and possibly a touch too much screen time.  

The best silver lining of this very rainy summer is that the flowers here are out of control. I have never seen a blooming season quite so vibrant in Maine, it’s really spectacular. If you live in Maine, have you noticed the incredible flower season we are having? The hydrangeas around the corner from my house are breathtaking and I swear that plants and trees that I’ve never seen flower before are just bursting with buds and blooms. 

This fall I have a lot going on and I am so happy to share about it. I’ll be making my way to San Diego from September 15th through the 18th. Returning to California every year has been one of the best things I have ever done for myself and I am nothing if not completely humbled and inspired every time I make my way back. San Diego will forever own a piece of my heart and spending time there is so special. 

Once I return from my trip I will be in the busiest season of the year for me, filled with weddings, events, and family sessions. I could not be happier to be so busy, it does make my availability for new and last minute bookings limited for a while though. 

I will be keeping my online booking and availability up to date as best I can as well as announcing the coming week’s availability and last minute openings every Sunday evening on my Facebook and Instagram feeds. If you are interested in getting  fall family photos taken and don’t see an appointment time that works for you, please just reach out!  If you have an event that you would like me to photograph, contacting me with as much advance notice as possible is the best way to go.  

You can always send me a message at [email protected] if you are interested in a session, have a question, or just want to say hi.

Online Booking, Summer Solstice Sessions, and San Diego in September!

I can’t believe how quickly this year is flying by. Here we are, it’s June, school is about to be out for summer, and things are starting to heat up.

After years of handling all of my bookings directly, I decided to make a jump to online booking. Right now this is limited to one hour sessions, but it’s a start, and I have hopes to expand my online booking options to series, events, and weddings, as the summer goes on.  I wanted to make things easier for everyone, especially with the pace of life lately. Making my booking easy and accessible to you is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, so I am so thankful I finally made it happen.

Summer Solstice Sessions: June 21st I am offering 45 minute sessions at either Kettle Cove, or Crescent Beach in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I have a few slots still available and I would absolutely love spending time with you taking photos on this very special day, the longest of the year.

Also, I am SO EXCITED, because I’m going to be in San Diego in September! I have had to delete an excessive amount of exclamation points in typing this email, because I can’t contain myself, I am really stoked, and yes, I am bringing my cameras.

I hope your spring has been a beautiful one!

P.S. Happy Pride Month, my friends! I hope that everyone reading this feels safe and supported being your most authentic self! You are loved. You are important. You belong here. 

New Years 2022!

I can’t believe that 2023 is here. The last year has been incredible, full of wonderful work, tons of learning, and experiences that have changed me for the better. 

Over and over, I am humbled by how generous people are to let me step into their world for a while to take photos with them. Being a working artist can often feel so vulnerable, but the warmth and genuine interactions that I have had in every single session this year have reinforced my love for this work. Having incredible clients is such a gift.

This year, I started a long project, facilitating community members and students across Southern Maine to make images using 35mm film cameras and again, I am just blown away by the enthusiasm and creativity of my students. I can’t wait until the final finished project is put together, so I can share it with everyone.

Each year, I like to send a list of 5 things I found that I want to share:
1. Libélula Books. My friends opened up a bookstore in a historic building in Barrio Logan. Libélula is a beautiful store, it is a celebration of books and culture and when you walk through the doors it is everything that a book store should be. If you are in San Diego, please support them! They are wonderful people doing wonderful things. 

2. Vivian Maier “ The Color Work” by Colin Westerbeck and Joel Meyerowitz.  Vivian Meyer made over 150,000 images in her lifetime, but chose to show them to no one. Her work would have been lost after her death, except that a man bought a box full of undeveloped film at an auction and discovered a body of work that is remarkable. I actually get choked up when I look at Vivian Meier’s images. They are so beautiful. 

3. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” If you haven’t watched this movie yet, please go do this. This movie is a treasure that had me actually in some sort of hysterics while flying home from San Diego.

4. “Ologies” It’s my favorite podcast ever. It’s a science podcast for grownups. Equal parts funny and informative. I love learning and this podcast is satisfying for so many reasons.

5. Finally, I want to share with you a poem, “Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude” by Ross Gay. This poem was brought to my attention earlier this year and I was struck by its energy and how it proclaims gratitude without the oppressive toxic positivity that is so inescapable. In the poem the author is visited by a robin in a dream and…

  …I knew upon waking

it was telling me

in no uncertain terms

to bellow forth the tubas and sousaphones,

the whole rusty brass band of gratitude

not quite dormant in my belly-

it said so in a human voice,

“Bellow forth”-

and who among us could ignore such odd

and precise counsel?

I just wanted to close by saying thank you. This year has been incredible. I am constantly filled with unabashed gratitude for the people who bring me into their lives for a while to make art with them.  Being a photographer is truly the best job in the whole world and I am thankful every day that I get to do it. 

I hope that you are healthy, happy, and well. I hope that 2023 is a wonderful year. I hope that we get to see eachother again soon! 

Workshop News and Buy the BOOK!!

It’s FALL! My favorite season. The sweaters are coming out, the soups are going on, and I’m stocking up on vitamin D so I can make it through the winter. 

October 2nd was the fall 35mm photo workshop at Ft. Williams Park and it was a beautiful, blustery dream. While we were out exploring the park, my student Rebecca said, “This is like a walking meditation with a camera.” I couldn’t agree more. That is exactly what I want it to be. 

The next workshop date will soon be set for the spring. I am currently considering running them in April, May, and June 2023. So, if you are interested in signing up, please let me know. You can email me at [email protected] I will be contacting interested students as soon as the next date is set.

Over the course of the next few months, we will be going into winter, which is not exactly the best time to try and organize outdoor photo walks. Having said that, I actually adore a walk on a snowy day, camera in hand. If you and a friend, or a group of friends, or your whole family in Maine want to go on a winter photo walk, I would absolutely love it. Photo walks last around 2 hours and can start and end at a cozy location of your choice. 

Lastly, I want you to know about something that has been in the works almost as long as the workshop.

It began as a conversation. My husband went out on a photo walk/child-free date with me and he had questions. Luckily, I had answers, a LOT of answers. So many that I had to sit down and organize my thoughts, so I started writing them all down.  What started as a bullet-point list to hand out to workshop students turned into a long essay. Then it turned into a slideshow, then it turned into a book. 

I have never aspired to write an instructional manual.  What I do aspire to do though, is to create an environment where people are invited to slow down, pay attention to even the smallest of details around them, and take photos using film. I want to have conversations about light. I want to talk about color, story, composition, and missing the moment to stumble onto something even better. I want to give you permission to spend time just marveling at this world, finding beauty everywhere, because it truly is everywhere.

I decided to put all my thoughts into a little booklet that is given to all of my photo walk students. The book is included in the experience of the workshop, but now it is available to everyone who can’t make it to a workshop as well.  

email [email protected] to buy your copy!

Lastly, this workshop series has received a generous grant from the Maine Arts Commission, which I am so thankful for. It is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

A Second Round of Workshops!

Summer has, as expected, flown by. My kids will be going back to school in just a few weeks and I find myself spending these last days of summer trying to fit as much as I can into every day.  It is exhausting; but, if I’ve learned anything it is that summertime is fleeting, if I let it go to waste, I’ll regret it.  I know that these last weeks, days, and moments of summer are precious.  Especially up here in New England, where the crispness of fall has an edge to it and winters are long. 

The second round of the 35mm film photography workshop and photo walk will be taking place on Sunday, October 2nd at Ft. Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I am so in love with the Maine coast and Ft. Williams Park has an abundance of beautiful things to photograph so it’s going to be an amazing location. Just a quick drive south of Portland, Maine. Ft. Williams Park is home to a huge variety of landscapes and environments. There is a beach, tide pools, playgrounds, a lighthouse, cliffs, old military barracks, gardens, and so much more. It is breathtaking and there is really almost too much to take in. It is one of my very favorite places.

If you are interested in the workshop, but can’t afford to pay full price, there is the option to pay what you can on a sliding scale (for a limited time.)

 I was awarded a 2022-2023 Springboard Artist Grant from the Maine Arts Commission to cover the cost of tuition - $149 for students over the course of the next year. I am absolutely thrilled. 

One of my biggest concerns with photography as an art form and an industry is that it is cost prohibitive for many people to even try. I began photography not consciously aware of this. Even in the earliest days of learning about photography I sought creative ways to make it more affordable for myself. Now, I can at the very least, facilitate a workshop and photo walk that will be available to people regardless of their ability to pay. There is no application or proof of income required.

If you want to be there, I want you there. 

The only problem is that the funding and class size is limited. So, if you are interested in the workshop and would like to take advantage of this really wonderful opportunity, sign up before it is too late!