"Better Than School Portraits" Kids and Teens Mini Sessions :: Newington, CT

First thing’s first - I have missed you all so much! What a weird year, right? It has been a rollercoaster, complete with loop-dee-loops and feeling like we’d jumped the track at times. I know I’m not alone in having experienced loss in recent months, as well as unexpected joy of an incredible summer with my kids.

With two weeks to go before the school year kicks off and we starting thinking of all things fall, I am excited to have a couple fall photography session offers, as well as information about sessions in regards to Covid-19.

Covid-related Session Info

Based on recommendations and to practice safe physical distancing, all late summer and fall session for the remainder of 2020 will be held outside. This can be at your home, a beach, a park, or any other agreed upon location.

I will wear a mask and will be using zoom lenses to ensure we are keeping a safe physical distance.

I will not be available to travel to Rhode Island this fall. Sessions in Massachusetts will be limited to the South Shore area around Scituate and Duxbury. Connecticut sessions will be limited to the Newington/Hartford area or the Shoreline between New Haven and Mystic.

Now for the fun stuff!

“Better Than School Portraits” - Kids + Teens Mini Sessions

These mini sessions are available locally in Newington and West Hartford, for kids and teens ages 3-18.

This year, we’ve missed out on a lot. Let’s embrace the mess and the weirdness, and document this year for your kid(s) with an incredibly special mini session!

“Better Than School Portraits” will take place outside and I encourage you and your child to think creatively about how you’d like to remember this year. Feel free to bring a couple things to personalize your session! A few ideas:

• Bring their backpack and a first day of school outfit and make it a “back to school” session

• Wear their sports uniform or dance costume they didn’t get to wear, bring an instrument they play, a favorite book or toy

• Get dressed up and make it a special, feel good experience! First communion outfits, birthday outfits, Christmas pajamas - anything is possible!

• Keep it simple and come as you are!

Cost: $175

Includes:

• 20 minutes of photography

• Private online gallery of edited photos for viewing and sharing

• Digital files to download and keep for personal use

• $25 print credit

Additional prints are available for purchase (a la carte style) through your online gallery.

If you have more than one child, I will fit all kids into one mini (which will result in fewer pictures of each child), or you can opt to add on an extra 10 minutes to your session for $25.

Mini sessions are shorter and simpler than full hour sessions. We stick to one scenic location and maximize every minute of our time together!

“Better Than School Portraits” Mini Session Dates and Locations

Fri August 28 - Mill Pond Park, Newington 4:30pm // 5pm // 5:30pm // 6pm

Sat August 29 - Elizabeth Park, West Hartford 8am // 8:30am// 9am // 9:30am

Sat September 5 - Deming Young Farm 8am // 8:30am // 9am // 9:30am

Click here to book your mini session.

Here are some fun photos from past late summer/early fall sessions - you might recognize some of these sweet faces! And keep scrolling for fall family session info!

Fall Family Sessions - $500

Fall family sessions include:

• 60-90 minutes of photography on location

• Online gallery for viewing and sharing your photos

• Unlimited number photos

• Digital files to download and keep for personal use

• $50 print credit

Family sessions typically take place at a local park, beach or otherwise agreed upon location. During our session time, we focus on getting an assortment of relaxed portraits and playful candids, including the entire family, portraits of each individual child, siblings together, parents/partners together, parent and child.

Connecticut dates (Hartford County or Shoreline areas only):

Sat August 29 - 5pm // Thurs Sept 3 - 5pm // Sat September 5 - 5pm

Thurs September 10 - 5pm // Fri September 11 - 5pm // Sat September 12 - 8am + 5pm

Thurs October 1 - 5pm // Fri October 16 - 5pm // Sat October 17 - 8am + 5pm

Massachusetts dates (South Shore area only):

Sat September 26 - 8am // Sun September 27 - 8am

Sat October 10 - 8am // Sun October 11 - 8am + 5pm

November will not be scheduled to allow for postponements and rescheduling as needed due to weather or other circumstances.

Click here to schedule your session.

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Shannon Sorensen is a family and small business photographer based in Central Connecticut. She is available for newborn, children and tweens, family, senior, engagement, and anniversary sessions; elopements and intimate celebrations; creative entrepreneur and small business branding; personal branding and product photography.

2017 Fall Family Photography Sessions Are Open!

Happy September, ya'll!

I am so excited for fall. I know there are many out there who refuse to acknowledge pumpkin anything before September 22....but I'm not one of those people! I practically tapdanced when I woke up to a chilly 55 degree morning. It's supposed to be in the 80s next week for a couple days and I will be confused and grumbling about New England weather and not knowing if I need a sweater or a bathing suit.

It's. All. Good. 

Fall is an exciting time of year! The leaves are changing, kids are back to school, we start thinking about the holidays (and holiday card photos)! For me, it's busy season and I go go go until Thanksgiving. Last year was amazing, and I learned a few things along the way to make some adjustments this year that I believe will benefit everyone!

Fall Schedule

At the moment, I am only planning on September and October travel dates. I will open up November in a couple weeks. 

9/2-9/4 Connecticut - available for full sessions local to Hartford County.

9/9-9/10 Connecticut - available for full sessions throughout the state.

9/16-9/17 not available.

9/23-9/24 Connecticut - not available 9/23. Available for full sessions local to Hartford the morning of 9/24.

9/30 Connecticut Mini Sessions in the morning at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford; 10/1 Connecticut Mini Sessions in the morning at Lake Mohegan in Fairfield. Contact me for times and availability if interested.

10/7-10/9 Connecticut - not available 10/7. Available for full sessions throughout the state on 10/8 and 10/9.

10/14-10/15 Massachusetts - available for full sessions local to Scituate, Duxbury, and Plymouth.

10/21 Massachusetts Woodsy Mini Sessions in the afternoon at Bird Park in Walpole; 10/22 Massachusetts Mini Seaside Sessions in the morning at Scituate Harbor. Contact me for times and availability if interested. 

10/28-10/29 Connecticut - available for full sessions throughout the state.

Mini Sessions - quick and (fingers crossed) easy!

As you can see, I am planning one weekend of mini sessions in Connecticut and one weekend in Massachusetts. Other than those dates, I will not be booking any other mini session dates this fall. If you are not able to book a mini session on those dates, I would love to chat about scheduling a full session! 

Mini sessions are a great opportunity to get a few updated family photos, or to capture a milestone such as maternity, engagement or senior portrait. Mini sessions exclude newborn photography. Newborn babies may be included in a family mini session, but will not be posed and photographed on their own. 

Mini session investment - $200

Includes: 15 minutes of photography, online gallery of 10 fully edited photos, $50 print credit to be used through your gallery towards any print products, and (this is new!) any image you order as a print, you will also receive the digital file of that image. 

Full Family Sessions - fresh, modern and personal

Gone are the days of stiff posing and plastered smiles! I work closely with each family to plan a session that is personal and tailored to her or his interests or family dynamics. From location to wardrobe, including pets or some fun personal props (think little red wagons, bikes, a trip to go apple picking or to the pumpkin patch), these sessions are less formal and more documentary style. I will guide you through your session so that you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. I want to see laughter, snuggles, play and JOY!

Click for more info on pricing: senior portraits // newborns

Full family session investment - $350

Includes: 60 minutes of photography, online gallery of fully edited photos, $100 print credit to be used through your gallery towards any print products, and (this is new!) any image you order as a print, you will also receive the digital file of that image. 

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Contact me as soon as possible to book your session! You can email me at hello@shannon-sorensen.com, or use this contact form. I am SO excited for this season and look forward to seeing your beautiful families!

Tower Family :: Duxbury Massachusetts Children Family and Maternity Photographer

This morning I'm excited to share this sweet family session with you. It is all things kids and maternity and family photography that I love. Miss Gracelynn and her parents met me on a gorgeous Saturday morning in Duxbury at Shipyard Lane Beach and we all ditched our shoes and felt the wet sand squish between our toes for the duration of the session. 

Addie was in the last few weeks of pregnancy at this point and we talked about having young kiddos and how freaking exhausting it is to be pregnant the second time around. It's so bittersweet nearing the end of pregnancy. You are excited, but also faced with the reality of 'oh my goodness we are doing this again and all the diapers and sleepless nights and hormones and leaky boobs' and to boot needing to also stay focused on the kiddo who has had my whole heart the past couple years. 

Oh my, it's complicated. Beautiful, but so complicated.

I wonder daily if I'm ruining Lily's life. I know I'm not, but bringing a sibling into her life will not be without bumps. And there's the feeling of uncertainty in changing up our family routine. Four and a half years of just the three of us and I've gotten so used to how we work as a family, our dynamics and that will all change. And when Lily expresses that she doesn't want anything to change, I know deep down she's excited and it'll be wonderful most days, but oh, it digs a knife in my heart and twists it around ever so slowly. 

But then I get to hang out with families and watch them grow and see all the fun they are having, siblings playing, family snuggle piles, and I can't even wait. Everyone tells me that the moment you see your baby, the love grows. Your heart expands and you immediately see that you are not dividing your love, but doubling it.

So to the mamas out there who are having their second, third, or bless you, fourth or more, I raise a glass (of water) to you and give you a hug in solidarity. It is not easy and for all the fear and anxiety and uncertainty for what's to come, my hope is that we can embrace the beauty and love of motherhood, whatever form it takes in our lives, and give ourselves some grace that we are badass and capable of so much more than we'll ever know. 

And now I'd love to share some of my favorites with you of my time with Gracelynn, Addie and Jason!

Claire + Ben :: Duxbury Massachusetts Backyard Wedding

Claire and Ben celebrated their emotional wedding surrounded by family and friends in Claire's parents' backyard in Duxbury, Massachusetts this past July. Among endless gardens of some of the most gorgeous florals and plantings, accented with small succulents and herbs for placecards, so much homegrown love went into this day. Claire and Ben put all of themselves into creating a celebration that reflected them individually and as a couple. Ben, a chef, orchestrated an amazingly delicious menu that smelled divine and tasted like the best homecooked meal you could imagine. 

It was everything a wedding should be - personal, heartfelt, modern with respect for tradition, an intimate feeling of closeness and importance to every single attendee... I could go on and on, but I will instead share some of my most favorite images from the day. 

We started the day taking photos in some of the Duxbury conservation land, then moving on to the Shipyard Lane beach on Duxbury, Bay, and back to Claire's parents' house for the celebration to begin.

Their ceremont consisted of Jewish and Quaker traditions mixed with their own personal touches. It was such an honor to witness. The guests were just as much a part of the ceremony as Claire and Ben, truly making it feel like a family and community celebration. One of my favorite things was the time they set aside for words of encouragement, where any guest could stand up and say some words, prepared or from the heart, a poem, advice, anything to encourage and support Claire and Ben as they begin their married life together. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. 

I could go on and on, but I will instead share some of my most favorite images from the day. 

Jo :: Duxbury Beach Small Business Marketing Photography

Jo is a beautiful soul. We spent a Saturday morning together at Duxbury Beach to make some photos for her business website, so she could put a face to her voice. Jo is a psychic and runs Heartfelt Angel Connections in Hanover, Massachusetts. I'll admit, I did not know what to expect when I met her. We talked about how psychics can sometimes be stereotyped to look or act a certain way, and as she said, she needed these photos to show her clients that she's a woman, a wife, a mom, a friendly face and a warm personality. 

We actually spent quite a lot of time talking and I went home after this session knowing we were brought together on this morning for a reason. We talked about taking big leaps, even when you feel you're not ready, and being brave and throwing caution to the wind. It was a gorgeous sunny morning at the beach and I love the images we made.

Here are some of my favorites!