DSRs PhotoBLOG | Ann Arbor Children’s and Teen Photographer bio picture

Thanks for visiting!

 

I begged my grandmother for a camera at the age of four; since then, I've never been without a camera!

I shoot mostly young people-- children and teenagers. I try to show their spirit and energy with honesty and sensitivity and to capture some of the gestures, subtleties, and nuances that define who they are. I try to spend enough time for kids to become comfortable with me, and me with them. Nearly always, the kids I shoot are aware of the camera, but are not posing for it.

I shoot custom lifestyle portraiture in a style that is simple and honest-- natural expressions and natural poses-- in an environment that is casual, relaxed, and fun. I have a studio, but prefer to shoot using natural light in settings where children will be most comfortable and free to be themselves. I hope to capture each child's true spirit and personality along with all of the gestures, nuances, and fleeting moments that define who that child really is.

My work has been published and exhibited. I am working-- very slowly-- on a book.

And Here’s Another….

And so many many more….

model portfolio

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Gayle - Love the colors. This is a great one too. Can't wait to see the rest

Amy - Another great one!!

Sue - Simply georgous!

Ali - Beautiful! She's lovely.

What a face!

Since I couldn’t show you a face for the iheartfaces contest last week, how about a face this week!  I had the pleasure of shooting this young model last weekend.  She is just a natural in front of the camera!  And do you see the dimples?  I have soooooooooo many amazing pictures of her.

Ann Arbor Photographer

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Mindy - David, I think her dimples are so great! My favorite part of this image has to be her sparkling eyes!! I hope you share more of her portraits!!

Amy - LOVE IT!

Gayle - OMG Wow I am proud to be her mom. Thanks for bringing out her eyes and dimples

Sue - Wow, GREAT shot!!!

Lisa Holloway - She is stunning David...what a great shot! Love her smile and her eyes just sparkle. Very pretty girl!

Jana Kunz - What a beauty!

i ♥ faces (except there’s no face here)

I’m normally not the contest-entering type, but I just ran across the iheartfaces website, and it seems like a cool idea and the weekly contest this week is all about hands, and I have a thing for taking pictures of hands, and the karma seemed right, so here I am.   I may have posted this pictures before.  There are sooooooo many technical things wrong with it, but it is still one of my all time favorites.   I would tell you to go “vote” for me on the iheartfaces website, but that’s not really how the contest works.  I don’t even think there’s a prize (or maybe there is, I wasn’t really paying attention).  Anyway, here’s the pic.   Taken in the days of film!

iheartfaces

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courtney - what a ROCKING image, David! This is the kind of image that makes my heart leap and remind me why I love photography so much!

Shannon Morgan Photography - I love this.... love the story that it tells, and even more that it was shot with film!! Great entry!

BeckeyZ - Sweet! This is an awesome shot.

Kelly @ Illustrations Photography - I love it too....awesome!! Thanks for sharing! PS...No prize, just a new iheartfaces button that says you're a winner and lots of pride. :-) Enjoy!!!

Teresa Hart - Cool photo! Love the vibe of this one!

jean smith - um, you should win. SERIOUSLY. this image is FANTASTIC.

Angie Seaman - This image ROCKS! Love it! Blessings, Angie

Nikki - Moving! this is what it's all about....wish it was mine! (:

Gina - This is an absolutely fantastic image! Thanks for joining in the fun!

Pics by Mic - Rock on! This pic is too awesome, great job!

Sandi - Awesome! Love it!

Beth - Wow, love it! It really evokes feelings, well done!

breckenrcook - beauty

Phaedra Photography by Niki Edgett - LOVE THIS!!

Marvett Smith - Oh yeah, I love it. Everything about it. I think you have a winner here.

Julie Rivera - Awesome! This image immediately grabbed me. Technical issues? I see none, for it speaks to the viewer. Great entry!

Shannon Morgan Photography - CONGRATS David this is an incredible image, well deserved!!

Andrea - I'm so glad you joined in on the fun and came out on top out of almost 900 entries! This is a very powerful image.

Jean Smith - Super huge congrats!!! As soon as I saw your image earlier this week, I knew this should be the winning image. It is FANTASTIC.

Life with Kaishon - Your very first entry and you won! WOW! That is so awesome. Your picture is great. I love that it was taken with film! I hope you will enter again and again. It is great to meet new photographers there and see their pictures and ideas. There is no prize for winning but everyone at I heart faces will think you are a super star for a week : ) Is that a good prize?

DSR - Thanks everyone! I was very excited to win, but mostly because I really do love this picture.... Always have.... And glad for the opportunity to share it. Glad that the judge (and you all!) like it!

Anya Coleman - Nice shot!

Linds - Congrats on winning! I love this picture-- very captivating!

Heather Kelson - CONGRATS on first place!! AWESOME foto!

Danielle - LOVE IT!! I knew this was a winner the moment I saw it...my mom was a total hippie and I can imagine her right next to the lady with the tambourine...great job!

Becca - LOVE this shot -- great job and congrats on winning!!

Amy - Congrats on the win!!

Lisa Holloway - Amazing shot David...it evokes so much emotion! Congrats on the win!

Laura - This photo just transported me back to a time many years ago. Brings back lots of memories to this middle-aged woman. :-) Totally in love with this shot! Thanks so much for posting it.

So Much Fun!

This trio was lots of fun, and they made me feel right at home by dressing in Maize and Blue!  I got a workout, but in the end, we got GREAT  pictures!

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Maryam - David- Thank you so much! The portraits are BEAUTIFUL!! We are so excited to see the rest. Maryam

DSR - Glad you liked them! Your kids were fun to shoot! Won't be long for the rest!

jean smith - Gorgeous children and beautiful images. Lovely David!

Jana Kunz - These turned out great, such beautiful children. :)

allie - Wow. Such rich, beautiful, colors. Gorgeous images!

Zoe Berkovic - You did it again, captured not only images, but soul!! Do you have an ad up asking for clients only with gorgeous eyes?

Lisa Holloway - These are fabulous David...the way you capture children never ceases to amaze me. Beautiful kids!

Jen Mahoney - Oh my goodness, could these children be any cuter? You've captured them beautifully, David!

Holli - Gorgeous kids!!! I love the light and the first one is STUNNING!

heavenesque - Goodness!! These are fabulous!!

LisaS - Just amazing work David. The color, the client, the comp - beautiful!

TaraMc - So beautiful and soulful. Gorgeous work.

Life with Kaishon - What beautiful children! And what beautiful images! outstanding : )

The Leica Yearbook

Each year I participate in a the Leica User Group’s annual Yearbook project.  We each get two (and only two!) pages to show off our  work.  Here is what I  submitted this year:

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Ceci R - stunning pictures..where is the construction scene? Is it A2? Beautiful little girl! These are prize -winning photos!!!!

Jen Mahoney - Ah, the shot of the little girl is stunning! So light and airy!

Zoe Berkovic - That black and white shot makes me sigh. Love it!

Lisa Holloway - Great shots David...the little girl is just breathtaking. I love the way you capture children!

courtney@courtneyleighphotography.com - love the urban landscape, but that second one is ever so lovely, david! :)

Jana Kunz - This sounds really fun! I would love to have one of those cameras - $$$! LOL

Tori Piercy - Gorgeous shots!

Audrey - Great shots David!

Linda LaFave - David..I can see you are a very talented photographer BUT the black 'n white picture is so precious! You captured her beauty! That is also my grandchild, Soma Belle... but even if she wasn't mine, the pictures are lovely to look at which is what I need since I live 2,000 miles away! Thanks for photographing Soma!

Lance - That girl is the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen in my life(I'm partial, I'm her daddy)! You've captured her wonderfully! Thanks!

Sherri Kishpaugh - Ahh...my beautiful grand-daughter! Your photography is spectacular, and I am amazed by your talent. You have a very special place in our hearts for many reasons!

Jennifer Jacobs - I love this one of Soma Belle!! You are amazing and we appreciate the time you put in to doing this for us...she's beautiful!

Life with Kaishon - Oh my gosh. I can't imagine how hard it was for you to pick! Wow. I am going to be a facebook fan right this second : )

HNY! 2010! In 3-D!

I blogged last year about my tradition of sending handmade New Year’s cards.  Well, I sent out this year’s cards earlier this week, most people on my list should have gotten them already, so now I’m sharing with you!

If you’ve somehow misplaced your 3-D glasses, I do have some leftover and will send a pair to anyone who leaves a comment asking for them (You can e-mail your address using the link above so that you don’t have to post your address in the comments).  Like they say:  “While supplies last”.   And no…. the 3-D glasses you brought home from the Avatar movie won’t work!

Wishing everyone happiness and peace in the new year….  Happy 2010!

HNY_2010_web

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Jackie Jean - It just so happens I have quite a few 3d glasses lying around so I had to grab a pair and try it out hehe . . . and it worked very cool, my son thought is was cool too. :-) Happy New Years!

Lisa Holloway - I got your card, and was so excited to get it! Thank you David! Quentin (2yr old) has been running around with the 3D glasses you sent since they arrived in the mail...he's so funny!

Lisa Holloway - And I forgot to add, Happy New Years!! :D

Lori - what a great concept, love it! happy new year!

shawn - What an awesome idea (and a great image)! And I hope you have a wonderful 2010!!!

Jana Kunz - How fun! Happy New Year!!

Life with Kaishon - You are so creative! I love that! : )

Only Six Months Old, but Soooooooooooo Sweet!

She just learned to sit up, so we shamelessly took advantage of her new skill, with only a teeny bit of paranoia that she might fall and clunk her head (she didn’t!).  Isn’t she a sweetie?

Hazel_DSR7569_kc

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ali - This is wonderful! What a cutie, and I love that sweet smile.

Shana - Wow, is she adorable. Just look at those eyes!

Jen - Adorable!

Kristel - So very sweet! Great work David!

Holli - She has amazing eyes! Super cute capture!

Jen Mahoney - What a sweet little babe! That baby smile is perfect!

Desiree Hayes - LOVE LOVE LOVE! What a fabulous shot and awesome processing too.

Jana Kunz - So cute!! I love the softness of the image. :)

Therese Marie - That is ADORABLE!!!!

monyeen - she's a cutie pie. beautiful images.

Lisa Holloway - She's absolutely beautiful David, what a perfectly sweet picture. I want you to come do pictures of my baby girl!

wendyb - awwwwwwww. beautiful!

Zoe Berkovic - Beautiful lihgt! You have a way of capturing so much soul!

Jane - Absolutely lovely!!!!! Great light too, btw!

shawn - She's beautiful and you have captured her perfectly!

Kinda Sorta One Year Old

So this is a kinda sorta one-year-old picture.  I won’t say that she was this serene for our entire time shooting together, but we did have our moments

Elena_DSR7462_k

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Ali - Beautiful eyes and cute little piggy tails - way too cute!

Courtney - Oh, David! This is so sweet! I want to see the rest of the session!

Therese Marie - She is ADORABLE, love those eyes. I wanna see more too :)

Jenny McMasters - Her little face absorbs me! I adore her big blue eyes and her sweet little face! Beautiful capture David!

Jan - What a stunning little girl! Love this one!

Amy - Reminds me of a "whoopsie" doll :)

holly - BEAUTIFUL.....she pulls me in!!

Jana Kunz - OMG, what a little honey!! She is beautiful. :)

Audrey - What a precious face!!

Mindy - BEAUTIFUL!!! Her eyes are so...just WOW!!!

Kristin - Precious! I love her eyes and her pigtails! Great shot!

Lisa Holloway - David, she is beautiful!! I love her eyes, and the intense look. Gorgeous shot!

Martha - I love this shot! There is so much going on behind her beautiful eyes, don't you think?

This Picture Makes Me Smile

It just does.

All_DSR7220_K2

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Ali - Me too! What on earth were you doing to get such a great set of expressions?!!

Lori - Love the sun in this -- and also love the expressions. The little guy looks like he's about to get away with something!

DSR - Ali: You have NO idea. Lori: He did!

Laura - As the incredibly proud mom of these kiddos, I can't resist sharing that "the little guy" waited only one day after this shot was taken to give himself a haircut, leaving a good square inch hole in his bangs. He gets away with plenty more than I'd like to admit! Kudos to David, not another in the world can get a decent group shot of these three...it's a little bit like "whack-a-mole"...one pops up and the other dives down. Thank you David for your patience, perseverance, and much-needed sense of humor.

TaraMc - Love this! What fabulous natural expressions and gorgeous light.

Robyn - Lovely David. Your colour is so crisp and fresh.

Jeni - Gorgeous David!! What great expressions and personality coming from each of them!

Jan - I can see why! Love it!

Amy - Super cute one!

Wende Trew - I LOVE this image!! Def. put a smile on my face!!

Jen Mahoney - I think it's lovely! The varied expressions on each face....so fun. The backlight is so great!

Melanie - Too cute! Love the different expressions you captured!

Kristie - I love this photo! Takes me back to my childhood!

Jana Kunz - It makes me smile too. :)

Snakes on a Blog! (More Photos from the Australia Workshop)

So one of our photo shoots was done with a carload of snakes on an Australian beach.  Sounds pretty weird, but it was all in the spirit of helping us to practice the advanced lighting skills we were learning.  It felt like old times to me since I spent two of my college years living in a house with six real (and wannabe) herpatologists and their many many snakes.  Here are a few of the pictures….

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And this last one of our incomparable instructor, the amazing JoeyL (Joey Lawrence).   You can see some of his work at his website here:  JoeyL’s Website .   And when you are done ooh-ing and ah-ing, consider that he is right now all of 19 years old and he has already been shooting professionally for years.  Seriously.   And yeah….  He told us he was afraid of snakes.  So maybe there is a lesson here in how confronting your fear leads to success.

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Jan - I think I just had a small panic attack. LOL Your photography is AMAZING though. LOVE the off-camera lighting!

Jana Kunz - Wow, your lighting looks amazing!!!

Becky Earl - SO jealous you went to this! Must have been amazing! Love the images you got!!!

wendyb - wow! amazing.

Ann - These are amazing! The lighting in that first image is stunning.

Audrey - LOVE the lighting!! So true about facing your fears....looks like it was worth it, great shot!

Jackie Jean - Yeah the snakes would totally creep me out lol ...you rocked these though, I really love the first one!

Christen - Wow that's crazy!! Couldn't get me to model like that! :) They are awesome though, great job!

Courtney Miller - FANTASTIC work, David! You guys had so much fun, I can tell!

KaraRL - Amazing! I think you are right about confronting our fears!!