Connecticut Shoreline’s senior portrait and documentary style family portrait photographer
Hello!
Anyone can photograph with the invention of smartphones but how often does the camera roll get off the phone? Passionate for imagery, people and documenting. My intentions are to create tangible works of art and provide an extraordinary experience.
I see photographs as narratives, composed in a visual time capsule. An "in the moment" creative, that’s awed by my surroundings and drawn to natural light and composition. Documenting actively, with a wanderlust spirit and a natural appreciation for the beauty found in just about everything. Since I was a little girl I've been making things and I've always been fascinated with photographs and the stories they tell me, especially the in-betweens that old photo boxes and albums are filled with. Photos where people are somewhere, interacting without posing… in a wonderfully dated setting- maybe a grandparents recognizable couch or something gets in the frame-those are the captures that make my heart jump. These images communicate the flashes of life we’ve forgotten but when documented, find a place on our personal and historical timeline to go back to and cherish again.
My photography practice began early. In high school, I learned the technical skills for shooting and developing with film. Went on to earn a BFA from The University of Arizona, where the desert landscape brought me to an entirely new mindset to discover and capture in my artwork. I landed an internship at the Center for Creative Photography, everyday handling the works of and learning from masters like Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Wynn Bullock. I stepped into teaching creatives in the 1990’s.
Motherhood brought me back to making my own art again. As a mother of two inspiring and highly active and now adult children, I spent countless hours, joyfully capturing their seemingly ordinary moments which I found absolutely beautiful. As they got older, especially the teenage years, there was a lot of convincing -haha- but I thank them for putting up with me! They taught me patience and appreciation for capturing an age group that is the most adamant about not liking to have their pictures taken, yet seem to have the most pictures of themselves taken. I used photography to communicate extraordinary treasures, timeless captures that have recorded my own children forever, and in my heart; my service provides this for others.
As I continue to teach the technical skills of art, design and photography at the high school level, my personal creativity thrives as a practicing artist and photographer. It is an honor and I am humbled by each invitation I receive to join in people’s lives and photograph them; having the opportunity to document their connections and experiences, telling their story through the still image.
As for my style, I love color but black and white even more. I create with both. I work with natural light and how it plays off subject, connects with environment, and illuminates composition. My artistic approach looks for the natural beauty, with documentary like results that intend to capture the natural vibe. The polished look of lifestyle portraiture is very popular and included in my photo sessions however, I angle from a photo journaling perspective. I’m drawn to the incredibly genuine moments and beautiful expressions that reveal someone’s natural shine!
My family lives in a beautiful part of the country, along the shoreline of the Connecticut River Valley, minutes from Long Island Sound and a short drive to bustling cities full of energy and vibrancy. There are no shortage of remarkable locations for portrait sessions near me. I do travel to create. New York, New Jersey, New England, California. Arizona and Oregon are a number of locations I’ve traveled to for portrait sessions. If I’m in an area outside of Connecticut, I’m available. Join my email list through CONTACT ME for location updates.
Contact me to book a portrait session, join my email list, or find out more information. I can’t wait to meet you! Thanks for visiting!
Claudine
Instagram @claudinedavisphotography