One of my oldest friends, Erika, came out to visit me a couple of months ago. While she was here we decided to get in a dating profile/ portrait photo shoot. I have shot a lot of dating profile portraits over the years and it’s hard type of photography to perfect. The goal is to have these great photos that somehow don’t look like you went out and had a portrait session with a professional photographer. I try to get photographs that look like you just happened to have a friend (with photographic skills) who just happened to catch you looking great out in the park one day. 
We also decided that since we were out staging a portrait shoot anyway we may as well go further than dating profile portraits and take some fun personal portraits too. I have known Erika for years and she has and great quirky and fun personality so we had a little fun with this shoot. 
Erika had this great vintage inspired dress with her so we decided to go retro and stage a little vintage picnic for her. 
I love these close-ups of her lying in the grass! 
After our ‘picnic’ we just took some more fun shots around the park. 
Some of these portraits work for dating profile pictures and some of them are just for Erika to have. Once we are adults we rarely have portraits taken of ourselves other than engagement, wedding, or family portraits. But personal portraits are such a great gift to give to yourself! It’s a little bit of pampering during the shoot and then these images afterward that make you feel beautiful and amazing! We all need a little bit more of that in our lives. 
What I love about this session is that the images are as fun and unique as Erika herself. I think that’s what portrait sessions should be about- a photographer working with you to capture your personality in the most beautiful and flattering way possible. 
Thanks Erika!
Sorry I made you hike forever! Hopefully these photographs make up for it!
Look at that smile!
I gave Megan this blanket to ‘picnic’ on but she decided it would make a better dress. She wrapped it around herself and started walking the ‘runway’ on top of a picnic table! 
I love his chubby little cheeks in this one!
It’s amazing how toddlers can look a baby in one photograph and then a much older child in the next! 
Austin got really into playing with his mom’s hat. I love these two- he looks like he’s ready for a motown recording session! 
Thanks Brittney for sharing your adorable family with me! 
Being a second shooter is very different than being the main photographer. It can be both fun and frustrating. You have to take a back seat and worry more about the main photographers images than your own, which can be sometimes be hard for some photographers (me included 
).
