Hooray for repeat clients! This was the third time I was able to photograph the Sutherland family. I first photographed them in 2008 and then again in 2010. I could use these 3 photo shoots to show a progression in my skills as a photographer. In the 2008 shoot I was using a now obsolete 6-megapixel digital camera and then in 2010 I had upgraded and was getting even better photographs. Now in 2012 I have even newer camera gear and am getting wonderful family photos. It goes to show that skill and great gear can work hand in hand for improvement.
In the previous family photo shoots we had photographed at Wheeler Farm and the Utah State Capitol. This time the family wanted something more downtown, urban, and perhaps a little edgy. We photographed in the morning with some nice light and we had long shadows. We also photographed in the shade with my portable lighting kit giving me the edge in these portraits.
We didn’t want to make people walk all over so we stayed relatively close and photographed against the cement wall with ivy running on it, in the middle of the court yard with the sun coming from behind the family (creating a more edgy portrait), and then on some of the bridges, and around some of the sculptures. We did the whole family and then individual family units. It has been fun to see the new additions to the family and how much the kids have grown over the last few years.
Hopefully I’ll have to opportunity to photograph the family again in the future!