HERE and THERE with Cassandras Photography

My Blog has moved!

2009-06-06T00:49:00.003-04:00

I now have a NEW BLOG! The new blog allows me to post bigger pictures, plus it has links so you can share a post on MySpace, Facebook, and other sites. Check it out and subscribe so you won't miss any posts! See you over there at http://www.cassandrasphotography.com/blog!

Cassandra

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:21:00.002-05:00

Welcome 2009

Thanks to all my past customers, and I hope to see you all again this year!

Gift Certificate - December Special

2008-12-01T18:30:00.006-05:00

Gift Cards & Gift Certificates are the #1 Most-Requested gift for the Holidays. Give someone special a Gift Certificate to Cassandra's Photography this Holiday Season. They are available in any denomination! This would be a great gift for a family, for a Class of 2010 High School Senior, for a newly-engaged couple, or even for a couple with an upcoming special Anniversary.
Purchase a Gift Certificate by December 15th and get an extra $25 added to any denomination between $50 and $299, and an extra $75 added to any denomination of $300 and over!
Call 508-335-2369 or Email now to order!

Love in Downtown Plymouth

2008-11-15T18:44:00.004-05:00

Sarah and Peter wanted images to give their family for the Holidays. I did Sarah's senior pictures a couple of years ago - she hasn't changed a bit, just as lovely as ever! The two of them make such a sweet couple. We met at the Jenny Grist Mill and we walked around from there. Here's a few of my favorites!

Twins from Plymouth South

2008-09-28T13:58:00.004-04:00

Here's Ashley & Brittney from Plymouth - another set of twins I've photographed for senior portraits. Here's a sneak peak of Ashley (she's the oldest):
and Brittney:
And of course I was able to take a few of them together:

Jillian's colorful senior portrait session

2008-09-27T19:28:00.004-04:00

Jillian came down to Old Silver Beach from Clinton, MA for her session. Her family summers in Pocasset, so she wanted beach portraits. She brought the most perfect outfits with colors to go with the areas around the beach. And since I don't photograph at Old Silver Beach that often, I was having a blast finding new areas. I was loving the colors so much I didn't even want to do any black & whites! Here's a sample of Jillian's senior portraits:
As always, no seagulls were harmed during this portrait session. ;)

So long, Troy Brown

2008-09-26T10:05:00.007-04:00

My favorite Patriots player, Troy Brown, announced his retirement after playing for 15 seasons for the Patriots - the only NFL team he ever played for. I knew it was coming, and glad the rumors about him signing with the Jets didn't come true (although they could have, but he said that it wouldn't feel right wearing 'green & white'.)

I was at the game where he set the Patriots records for receptions (557), and still proudly wear my #80 jersey during Pats games.

I think what endeared me to him was the commercials he did for United Way - remember the "Bingo! I got Bingo!" commercial?
He wasn't a huge superstar - he was classy and humble and hard-working. It was fun watching him playing both offense, defense, and special teams - something almost unheard of in the NFL. His contribution played a big part in the Patriots' Super Bowl wins. He epitomizes what I love about the Patriots franchise.

So long, Troy - thanks for the rings and thanks for the memories.

Troy from South

2008-09-25T15:55:00.002-04:00

Troy is a Wide Receiver on the Plymouth South Football team. He opted to have his session at the beautiful beach in his neighborhood in Cedarville. His session was originally scheduled just a few weeks ago, but we had to postpone it due to a Mohawk. Apparently a lot of the football players got Mohawk haircuts before the first game of the season and, well, Troy forgot about his session the next day. That's the best excuse I've heard yet for a postponed session - I just had to laugh! Luckily there was no sign of the mohawk here. I wish my bad haircuts would grow out as fast!

Dag from Milton

2008-09-24T16:38:00.001-04:00

Meet Dag - short for "Dagmawi", which is an Ethiopian name. Dag is a senior at Thayer Academy, where he is the Running Back for the football team. Here's a few images from his "Walk in the Park" senior portrait session:

Jeff from Plymouth South

2008-09-23T21:51:00.005-04:00

Jeff is in the Electrical program at South. He gets to leave school in the morning to go to work on a construction job. Here's a sneak peek at his senior portraits:
His little brother came along, too. You can tell he just idolizes Jeff...

Sarah at White Horse Beach

2008-09-22T22:54:00.003-04:00

White Horse Beach in Manomet was the setting for Sarah's senior portraits. She's a senior at Plymouth North, where her favorite class is Chemistry. She wants to study food science at college.
I'm really loving the colors at the beach this time of year...from the goldenrod appearing in the beach grass in the dunes, to the spectacular sunsets. Here's a peek at Sarah's senior pictures:
Oh and a special thanks to Sarah's sister - Emily - for her help!

Alison from Cohasset

2008-09-20T21:56:00.004-04:00

Alison is a senior at Scituate High School. She's on the swim team - her best event is the IM, which makes sense since she loves all the strokes equally. Here's a sneak peek at Alison's senior portraits:
She also brought Kali, her poodle. She's so soft and fluffy and I can tell she just loves Alison.

Brianna from Bristol-Plymouth High School

2008-09-18T13:20:00.004-04:00

Last night Brianna, her two friends, her mom, and her dog Brody came down from Middleboro for Brianna's senior portraits. Brianna is in the cosmetology program at BPHS. Her favorite pastime is riding her horse. Here's a sneak peek at her portaits:
Brody, a goldendoodle, is sooo cute! He's still a puppy but look how big he is! And he was so protective of Brianna. Just a big loveable furbaby.
And more spectacular skies at dusk...

Matt from Quincy

2008-09-17T23:02:00.004-04:00

I had a great time photographing Matt. He's a senior at Lexington Christian Academy. He's a star basketball player being sought after by many college coaches. He's now looking at offers from over 45 schools! Being the sports fan that I am, I could have listened for hours to his stories about all the championships he's won. But I did have take some pictures as his yearbook picture is due, well, now. Here's a sampling of Matt's senior portraits:
Lately the skies have been spectacular just after sunset - you can see the colors reflecting in the water.

Brittany from Plymouth South

2008-09-14T22:56:00.003-04:00

It was a beautiful evening at the beach when I photographed Brittany last week for her senior portraits. Why can't the nice weather last into the weekend? Anyway Brittany is enrolled in the CAD program at PSHS in hopes of someday being an architect. But she's not so sure...she says CAD is hard...but CAD is her favorite class at school. I kind of look at photography like that...it's hard - so many things to know and pay attention to - lighting, posing, making sure the camera is set correctly, making sure I don't trip over rocks or my camera bag...but I love it so it hardly feels like work.
Anyway Brittany has lovely blue-green eyes - well they change color to match her surroundings or outfit. Here's her sneak peek:
Here's some more of my playing around...I really liked the graphic element of the shadows behind her, and decided it needed a black&white-like effect.

Ali from Bourne

2008-09-11T14:41:00.003-04:00

Ali came to Scusset Beach for her senior portraits. She goes to Bourne High School. It was a little bit windy - in these cases I end up taking a lot of images to make sure hair looks good.

I do still like the wind-blown look, though..

Erin from Stoughton

2008-09-09T23:43:00.003-04:00

Here's a sneek peak at Erin from Stoughton who came down here for beach pictures. After graduating from Stoughton High, she'll be going to BU study Broadcast Journalism. A good choice for her...she's outgoing, and the camera loves her!
I bought a new program for Photoshop and I've been playing with it...I like what it does to this wall.
Having some fun....

Hilary from Plymouth

2008-09-05T13:16:00.003-04:00

Hilary is a senior at Sacred Heart. She loves to dance - her favorite is ballet. Her session was on Labor Day weekend...and I just so happend to have photographed her stepbrother Jay last year on Labor Day weekend, too. Here's a sneak peek at her session:

Alexandra from Scituate

2008-09-04T15:44:00.003-04:00

Alex came down with her mom and sister for her senior portraits. They used to live in the S. Plymouth area until a couple of years ago. It was just a little breezy, and the clouds started to filter in creating my favorite lighting conditions.
After the perfect lighting conditions, comes a perfect sunset!

Nicole from Uxbridge

2008-09-03T15:32:00.003-04:00

Nicole, a cheerleader at "BVT" came down from Uxbridge...well they first had to stop in Newton I think? Well it was a long trip for her but I'm hoping she thinks it was worth it!
Here's her sneak peek:

Cody - First early AM session of the season!

2008-09-03T11:52:00.005-04:00

Cody is a senior at Plymouth South and she actually wanted to do a sunrise session! She had come along last year on her sister Amanda's early-morning session and decided she was up for the challenge too. Being August it wasn't too cold, but it was a bit windy. We managed to get onto the beach before the sun rose to take advantage of that 'sweet' light (though since it was slightly cloudy, we had to add a bit of flash):
Then the sun came up ...
And look at the beautiful sunlight on Cody - I can actually see the sunrise in her eyes when I zoom in!
Then we headed away from the beach - and the wind - to finish up her session.

Brendan's from Plymouth South too!

2008-09-02T16:04:00.004-04:00

Here's another repeat customer - Brendan is Brad's brother who I also photographed last year. Brendan is a basketball player at South. I'm really excited to photograph a b-ball game or two at South this year!

I'm always honored to get calls from families of past seniors to photograph the brother or sister...or even cousins of a past senior. This seems to have been the week for it - it started with Kelsey and now Brendan and there's actually a couple more siblings that I'll be posting soon!

Kelsey from Plymouth South

2008-08-30T22:30:00.005-04:00

Kelsey is a cheerleader at Plymouth South - and she loves science - especially biology. I also photographed her sister Shea last year. I see a bit of a resemblance...

Lan from Auburn

2008-08-29T10:53:00.005-04:00

Lan was a lot of fun to photograph! She has a natural ability to 'pose' herself. And would you believe that she plays ice hockey!?! She says she's 'very competitive'. Don't mess with Lan! Here's her sneek peak....

Jess & Meri from Rockland

2008-08-26T16:00:00.005-04:00

Jessica and Merielle came down from Rockland for their senior portraits. (Actually Jess came down - Merielle had been camping at Scusset for the week.) These two were a hoot! I was entertained just watching Jess getting her friend Meri to smile naturally. She used some um... unconvential methods. And that's all I have to say about that! Here's their sneak peek....
Jessica....
Merielle....

Tiny Dancer

2008-08-25T15:08:00.004-04:00

Meet Jade from Plymouth. She graduated high school this past June and is heading off to college in a few days to study Arts Management and Dance. She hopes to own a dance school someday.
She also brought along her ballet shoes...

Crystal's Sneak Peek

2008-08-23T22:16:00.004-04:00

Crystal and her friend Meghan came from Holbrook for senior portraits at the beach. The wind was a bit of a challenge. But we can always find non-windy spots...
And other times we let the wind have it's way....it's all good!
And one more to show off Crystal's amazing green eyes...

Brittney from Carver

2008-08-21T16:47:00.005-04:00

I was invited back this year to this little piece of heaven in Plymouth where I photographed Justin & Micayla last year. This time Brittney, a senior at Carver High School, was in front of the camera. She's on Carver High's field hockey team. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Megan - who I had photographed 2 years ago - She happens to be Brittney's cousin and came along for the session.
Brittney had such beautiful green eyes!
We also spotted some camera-shy wild turkeys taking an evening stroll...

3rd time's the charm...

2008-08-21T15:28:00.002-04:00

Here's Melissa - Student Council President at Carver High School. Her session was rescheduled twice because of the rain or threat of bad thunderstorms. Her session started off this week's beautiful weather. It was a perfect evening for pictures!

A Tale of Twins

2008-08-20T11:01:00.004-04:00

Here's Nikki & Matt - twins from Plymouth South. I didn't see much at all that would indicate they were even related! Nikki just couldn't stop smiling!
Matt....not so much. Typical high school senior guy.
Well with some help from Nikki and her friend, and some shameless begging and pleading from me, we got some smiles from Matt.
I did manage to get Nikki to stop smiling for a few, too... for something a little different.

I managed to get them both in the same frame for a few, too.

Best Friends from Pembroke

2008-08-17T16:07:00.005-04:00

Nicole and Abbey came down from Pembroke the other night for senior portraits. They're best friends and play on some of the Pembroke High sports teams together. Abbey used to go camping down here at Scusset, where these images were taken. It was a beautiful warm evening, but the BUGS were launching an attack! Zillions of them. Nicole and Abby managed to keep a smile on their face through it all though!
This is Abbey:
And this is Nicole:
Something a little different....

Jenna's Senior Portrait Session

2008-08-17T09:42:00.003-04:00

Here's Jenna from Hopkinton. Her family summers in Harwich. They are quite the shutterbugs themselves as while I was photographing Jenna, her mom, dad, and sister were taking pictures of themselves, too. (Hey I want to see your pictures!) The waves at the beach were HUGE! There must have been a storm somewhere, as lately the water's been like glass. Here's a sneek peak of Jenna:

Walk in the Park (and on the Canal)

2008-08-13T23:08:00.005-04:00

Jerome - from Bourne High School - isn't a beach person, he says. But he does like the outdoors so he opted for pictures in the park and then on the Cape Cod Canal. You can catch Jerome in a Bourne High drama production or singing in the chorus. His name will be in lights someday too!

Another Senior

2008-08-12T14:59:00.004-04:00

Here's Andrell, a senior and football player at Thayer Academy. We started at his house in Plymouth with the a shirt & tie shot. All the while we could hear thunder getting closer.

We then headed to Scusset Beach to hopefully beat the thunderstorm, but were turned away there because they closed the beach due to lighting. But the sun was still shining! Determined to finish the session, we headed to Sagamore Beach instead. The sun was out and it started to sprinkle - creating a rainbow:
It wasn't raining that hard and quickly stopped, and we managed to finish the session in beautiful weather. Drell was a natural in front of the camera. I can't wait to take pics at one of his football games next month!

Jaclyn's Senior Portraits Sneak Peek

2008-08-08T21:08:00.005-04:00

Jaclyn came down from Spencer, Mass (which is right outside of Worcester) for senior portraits at the beach. The weather cooperated and the sun stayed out for the most part (filtered by clouds - my favorite lighting!) Jaclyn wants to study Elementary Education after high school. She's also a forward on her school's field hockey team.

Celebrating 50 years

2008-08-08T20:47:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of photographing a family of 16 on Sagamore Beach this past weekend. Luckily the ran cleared out Saturday evening for a small window of time to take lots of pictures! This couple celebrated 50 years of marriage this past May, and a portrait of her family on the beach was her dream. Happy Anniversary!
The cousins - with attitude:
A family session wouldn't be complete without a pyramid!

Michaela & Ann - High School Senior Best Friends

2008-08-05T14:34:00.005-04:00

These 2 girls came down from the Fitchburg area for senior portraits on the beach. Earlier in the day we almost rescheduled due to a forecast of rain, but we decided to take a chance. It turned out to be an absolutely beautiful July evening at the beach.
Michaela & Ann compete in gymnastics together. Look at all those medals! Michaela was Level 7 State Champ in vault this year.

Here's Michaela:

and here's Ann:

Here they're trying to show off their gymnastic skills and jump really high. :)
The Olympics start this Friday! Swimming and Gymnastics are my favorite sports to watch. I've actually watched Olympic Gymnastics since I was a kid....I remember when Nadia Comaneci got the 'Perfect 10' score. Comment on your favorite Olympic sport or athlete!

Julia and her horse named Blue

2008-08-02T22:41:00.007-04:00

I had the most amazing session this past week. Julia, who will be a senior at Barnstable High School this year, and her horse, Blue. Her mom searched for the perfect location and found it at the Hoxie House in Sandwich. This was a brand-new experience for me, as I've only seen horses at the Barnstable Fair (where, by the way, Julia exhibits Blue), but have never been around them nor photographed them. Inspired by the beautiful surroundings, a beautiful young woman and a beautiful horse, here's a sample of the images we made:
Julie will be going to college to study Equine Science. She'll even get to bring Blue with her to college!
She needed to be talked into a doing a few images without Blue - I hope she's glad that she did. :)

And Blue...

Worth the wait...

2008-07-29T22:28:00.005-04:00

This family was vacationing at Sagamore Beach last week. The session had been postponed twice during the week because of weather. We finally got together last Friday night...and it was a perfect evening at the beach. I'm so glad we waited! This was a beautiful family inside and out. The two little girls had to be the most well-behaved I've ever met. And they were so cute, too! The youngest just celebrated her 6th birthday, and the parents just celebrated a wedding anniversary. I was honored to photograph them! Here's some of my favorites from their beach session:
We also had a perfect sunset to end this gorgeous evening...

Family Session

2008-07-20T13:42:00.003-04:00

Here's one of the families taking advantage of the Complimentary family sessions for my High School Senior customers. Since the 'kids' are now getting older, it's not often they all get together in one place!

Natalie from Bourne

2008-07-12T15:55:00.004-04:00

It was my pleasure this week to photograph Natalie, a senior this year from Bourne. However she and her family are moving to Nashville this week where she hopes to attend a performing arts high school. She was such fun - I'm sure her friends here in Bourne will miss her. And I bet she'll be famous someday...I can tell she's a performer at heart!
She brought one of her favorite belongings - cowboy boots!
She definitely knew how to play up to the camera - she's seen every episode of America's Next Top Model - multiple times!Who knew she could jump so high?!?

High School Seniors! Join my txt Blaster Group!

2008-07-09T10:12:00.005-04:00

Class of 2009! Join my text message group and get text messages about specials, contests, and more! Just text the word grad to BLAST (25278) to sign up. A few times a month I'll send out a text message about a special going on, session availability, or even a contest - you could win free wallets or a free session (or whatever I feel like giving away!) just for texting me back! The 10th person to join the group gets a FREE Session! Tell your friends!

Alyssa from Colorado

2008-07-05T11:44:00.004-04:00

Alyssa is a high school senior from Highlands Ranch, Colorado - just south of Denver and Littleton. She's vacationing at New Seabury and wanted her senior portaits taken on Cape Cod - for something just a little different than the rest of her classmates' portraits.

We featured her Letter Jacket in some of the images - notice the pins for her participation in Cross Country and Soccer, and for Academic Excellence.

This is one of my favorites - Alyssa is just stunning!
The day lilies are spectacular right now - they made for a beautiful background!

High School Seniors - 2 for 1 Sessions are back!

2008-07-01T12:19:00.004-04:00

(Click to view larger)

July special now going on! Reserve a beach session in July with a friend and have your portraits taken at the same time - each only pays 1/2 the session fee - $50! Great for Twins, cousins, boyfriend/girlfriends - and of course your best friend! You'll also each get 1 5x7 of the two of you together with your order! Hurry and reserve your session NOW - session times are filling up fast!

Certified!

2008-06-04T13:56:00.005-04:00

I recently received word from the Professional Photographers of America that I am now a Certified Professional Photographer!. To earn this certification, I first had to pass a 100-question written exam on the technical aspects of photography - lighting, lens and camera choice, processing images, color theory, and things like that. Then I had to submit 20 of my images from real customers' portrait sessions for review by a panel of judges made up of Professional Photographers. (Click Here to view the image gallery I submitted - maybe one of the images is you!)
With this certification, and my continuing commitment to furthering my photographic education through professional workshops, conventions, and competitions, you can be assured that your important memories will be recorded by a professional photographer committed to excellence!

Best Friends Forever

2008-05-30T16:15:00.004-04:00

I had THE BEST time the other night photographing a group of High School young men and women (mostly seniors). Samantha, a high school senior that I photographed last summer, brought a group of 19 of her closest friends down to the beach to be photographed together before they all leave for college. They came from towns all over - Holbrook, Bridgewater, Abington, Brockton, Randolph, Duxbury, Kingston....they all know each other from school (Cardinal Spellman High School & Notre Dame Academy), and/or they grew up together. They're going off to great colleges - Villanova, University of Miami, UMass Amherst, and Brandeis were some that I remember. I am so honored that Samantha chose me to record this important memory for them all. My favorite part was when the girls asked if they could change into their prom dresses. What fun!
After first review of all the images, here's a few of my favorites:All the way to the right is Bonnie, who I also photographed last year for her senior pictures.

Sports Composite

2008-05-16T14:11:00.004-04:00

This is one of my favorite products that I offer. I love going to the High School sports games to take pictures of the action. Then during the senior portrait session, we try to get an image of them wearing their Letter jacket, or with something having to do with their sport(s). Then I get to play with the images and create a composite! Here's a recently completed one of Brad from Plymouth South:If you're a member of the Class of 2009 and are interested in one of these, give me a call or send me an email (info@cassandrasphotography.com)!

More Danielle

2008-05-16T14:01:00.005-04:00

Now that Danielle has seen her images, I wanted to post a few of her favorites (and mine!)

Danielle from Sacred Heart High School

2008-04-26T21:05:00.004-04:00

Meet Danielle from Plymouth, a senior at Sacred Heart High School. I photographed her at the beach just the other day. It was a beautiful and warm evening. Notice her gorgeous naturally-curly hair! I think we'll see her on TV some day - she's going to college to study Broadcast Journalism, and she's been dancing for 15 years - her favorite styles are jazz and hip-hop. Here's a few of her images - All of a sudden in the middle of the session she decides to go chase some seagulls....!

Just kidding - I told her to do that. :)

A Fun Wedding

2008-03-20T19:12:00.011-04:00

Last weekend I assisted another photographer with a wedding. Stephanie Millner, from Alexandria, VA, was in Connecticut to photograph her husband's best friend's brother's wedding. Steff's husband usually assists her, but he is deployed in Afghanistan right now. Steff asked for help from anyone in the area, and I offered. Okay so I was nearly 3 hours away....but it was worth it - I got to see Steff again (I first met her at the Photo Safari in New Hampshire last fall), and I had the pleasure of attending a great, fun wedding!
I knew it was going to be interesting when I saw the bride's Ruby Red Slippers!

The venue had really interesting architecture.

Kelly & Josh were so much fun - they just loved 'playing' in front of the cameras.

Everybody at the reception had a great time, too - they even did Karaoke at the end. Everyone who participated were such great singers!

Click on the images to see them a little bigger.

Print Awards - Professional Photographers of Mass.

2008-03-01T11:16:00.001-05:00

I attended the Professional Photographers of Mass. convention last weekend. I entered some prints in the competition, and I'm happy to say I was awarded a blue ribbon for my print of Andrea, a high school senior I photographed last summer:And Red ribbons for:
Dina - a senior at Silver Lake HS...
And of course I had to enter a flower:
I was also awarded a red ribbon for a folio of images from Megan's senior portrait session last summer!

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-21T09:42:00.003-05:00

I braved the cold last night and went outside to view the eclipse. The weather people predicted it was going to be partly cloudy, but I saw crystal-clear skies - so that was a pleasant surprise. Of course I had to take pictures...I promised my 6yr old nephew in NH I would. It was so cold my fingers were numb (can't operate a camera with gloves on.)
The moon is particularly interesting to me, probably because my Zodiac sign (Cancer) is "ruled" by the moon. But for everyone, according to one astrology site, this lunar eclipse is calling on us to "put aside worry and fear and embrace our faith....it is wise to review past patterns and seek mentorship with those we trust as we move through our daily lives." Sounds like good advice!

The Class of 2008 - Video Premiere!

2008-02-17T15:57:00.002-05:00

Here it is! The best images from the Class of 2008 High School Seniors - turn up the volume on your speakers, click the arrow to play and Enjoy!

Remembering the Good Times - Patriots Game

2008-02-09T00:11:00.000-05:00

So the Patriots lost the SuperBowl. It was a fun season, right? It was exciting (I know because I don't have any fingernails left). They had a perfect regular season. I can't wait until it starts again!
I went to the game vs. the Steelers back in December with my daughter Lindsay and her fiance Brandon. I brought my 'backup' camera (left the good one at home safe, warm - and out of beer's way) into the game to take some 'engagement' pictures of Linds and Brandon. Some of these are going into a book I'm creating that will become the wedding guest signature book at their wedding reception. Here's a few of my favorites:
I want to be one of them for just ONE game! :
Go Bruins! Go Celtics! Go Red Sox!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T17:50:00.000-05:00

To my family, my friends, and my customers - here's to a prosperous, safe 2008!

Battle of the Rock

2007-11-24T10:23:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Plymouth South High School for winning the Thanksgiving Day "Battle of the Rock" over Plymouth North, 17-7.
Thanks to the Defensive line, North was held to just one touchdown
Thanks to Sophomore Blaine Theisen, who ran for 2 touchdowns...and thanks to Senior Captain Luke Osberg's insurance field goal just before the half!

In YOUR Backyard - Holiday Family Portraits

2007-11-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

This family decorated a little bridge that goes over a stream in their backyard. The goal of this session was a family portrait for their holiday cards. I also took some 'not-so-christmassy' ones, too. So think about your own home and what you could decorate: a front porch, front steps, patio...you may even have a tree that you could decorate.
Advantages to having a portrait taken at your own home: no stressful travel time; if it's cold, you can run inside to get warm for a few minutes; if you forget something, you can run inside and get it; everyone is more comfortable...all resulting in a more personal, tailored-to-you portrait!
Oh and I also got a few of the kids by themselves while waiting for mom & dad to come out - here's Samantha:

and Jarrod:

In My Backyard this Morning...

2007-11-19T10:10:00.000-05:00

So far when I've looked out my window into my backyard, I've seen a turkey, some deer, various small woodland animals (squirrels, chipmunks and even a hedgehog and possum), lots of birds - but today was the first time I saw a coyote:
Well I think it was a coyote - it didn't have a collar so I don't think it was someone's dog. The pictures aren't that great - I grabbed my camera and didn't have my long lens on it, I was shooting through a screen and put the camera settings on automatic - so this is the best I got before it ran back into the woods. I'm going to keep my camera ready for the next few days to see if he/she comes back. And I'm also going to reconsider getting a cat....

Alyssa

2007-11-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

Alyssa's sunrise session on Saturday started the BIG last-chance-before-yearbook-deadline weekend sessions. I managed to fit in 10 seniors on that weekend - the weather was bright and sunny, though cold at the beach. The sunlight makes her look warm though!
Alyssa put on her coat to get warm, and I turned the session into a little fashion shoot.

Before School Session

2007-11-08T22:04:00.000-05:00

Cory is another member of the sunrise session club. It was cold, windy morning - but since he's a hockey player for Plymouth South, he's probably used to that - and getting up early.

Cory is another member of the sunrise session club. It was cold, windy morning - but since he's a hockey player, he's probably used to that - and getting up early.

Still More Seniors...

2007-11-08T21:40:00.000-05:00

I still have plenty more seniors to post here. Even though most of the Yearbook deadlines have passed, I don't want to leave anybody out. Next up is Robin from Plymouth South. The day started out lousy, but by afternoon it had cleared up beautifully - although just a little cold. But that's to be expected in October...

It's all about Me!

2007-11-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

I, like most other photographers it seems, really dislike having my picture taken. So it's pretty convenient that I'm usually the one holding the camera - because I'm behind it and the lens is in front. Well our local group, Professional Photographers of Cape Cod, during one of our recent meetings - took photographs of each other then we watched a slide show of all of the images. This was really kind of terrifying: first - having my picture taken, then having other photographers comment on it. Well it wasn't so bad after all. These images were taken by Carol Lundeen, a fabulous photographer from Roslindale who is a member of our Cape Cod group.

She had some fun ideas...
This next image was taken by Keith Howe of Nebraska outside of a restaurant while we were waiting for our table after the NH Photo Safari. It was dark outside - and the light source was a couple of recessed spotlights outside the restaurant. Keith is a Master Photographer, Master Craftsman, and Master Artist - degrees awarded to him by the Professional Photographers of America. It was an honor to meet him - and be photographed by him. I mean, look what he can do while waiting for a restaurant table!

Continuing Education - Photo Safari in NH!

2007-11-04T22:20:00.000-05:00

I'm all about learning more about photography and new techniques, and through my memberships in local and national Photographer associations, as well as participating in online forums, learning opportunities are abundant. At the beginning of October I went up to New Hampshire to attend a couple of Photography programs. First one was a workshop on Glamour Lighting presented by Jackie Haggerty of Illinois. I hear she's featured in this month's Professional Photographer magazine (I don't have my issue yet). I've 'known' her online for about a year now - and she's come a long way since then - a rising star in the Photography world for sure! I can't wait to try out some of her techniques!

The Photo Safari was the next day and started at 6AM at Jeff Dachowski's studio in Manchester, NH. It was led by Keith & Holly Howe of Nebraska - attending were about 20 photographers from all over the country who met on an online forum. It was really neat meeting people that I've 'talked' with for a while online in person. We had 6 models and drove around Southern NH photographing them while learning how to find the light, manipulate the light, and posing. Oh and we managed to have a ton of fun too!
Here's Keith & Holly:
And here's a bunch of photographers listening to and absorbing every word they say!

A Family Portrait - Finally!

2007-11-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

This family portrait was rescheduled from what seems like the only day in August that it rained. We finally settled on Columbus Day weekend - and wouldn't you know it - we had summer-like weather on Saturday! So I traveled down to Cold Storage Beach in Dennis to photograph this family in celebration of the parent's 25th Anniversary.

Plymouth South Hockey

2007-11-04T21:59:00.000-05:00

Here's Brian, who plays hockey for South. He also happens to be a big Red Sox Fan. We had time to hit the beach, and to go over to the jetty on the canal to catch the sunset.

Bonnie from Holbrook

2007-11-04T21:46:00.000-05:00

Bonnie is Samantha's best friend - she goes to Notre Dame Academy, where she's on the track team. She was SO excited to have her picture taken, and was having a great time - even the relentless wind didn't bother her. I tried to show off her gorgeous hair and beautiful blue eyes. Afterwards she gave me a hug and asked me to photograph her wedding - whenever that day comes. I'll never forget that!

More Seniors!

2007-11-04T21:39:00.000-05:00

Well I'm finally past the Plymouth South 'get the yearbook photos in' crunch and now I have some time to post more images from senior sessions. I'm just now getting to posting sessions from October! First up - the lovely Danielle from Plymouth South...another one who got up bright and early to get to the beach before sunrise.
I'm thinking I should make up t-shirts for the ones who get up early - "I survived a sunrise session with Cassandra's Photography" - what do you think? :)

Luke - Plymouth South Football

2007-11-02T14:36:00.000-04:00

Luke is a football player (a lineman and the kicker!), and his dad also happens to be one of the football coaches at Plymouth South, so football is obviously a big part of their life! Therefore Luke wanted to be photographed at Plymouth South High School, and I was happy to - I love going to different places. It's both fun and a challenge!
Here's a sample of Luke's senior pictures..
Tonight is the last Panther home game (vs. Quincy) until Thanksgiving. I'll be there tonight cheering them on (and taking a few pictures, of course!)

Amanda from Plymouth South - Early Morning!

2007-10-19T12:03:00.000-04:00

Now that the yearbook deadlines are close, the morning sessions are picking up. Here's gorgeous Amanda who got up early (we started before sunrise!) on a Saturday morning for her session. She brought along her mom, boyfriend and her sister (who'll be a senior next year). It was pretty windy at the beach....but the further away we got from the water, the calmer (and warmer!) it got.

Megan from Middleboro

2007-10-19T11:55:00.000-04:00

Megan came all the way from Middleboro to Scusset Beach for her senior portaits. It was another fairly windy evening and the moon was still full.

Melissa

2007-10-19T11:36:00.000-04:00

Melissa also goes to South....This day I remember being very windy - AND it was a full moon - very cool!

Another South Panther

2007-10-19T11:24:00.001-04:00

Here's Chris - he plays basketball and baseball at Plymouth South. We covered all of Scusset Beach - and ended up at the jetty along the canal at sunset. This was back when it was warm, btw...still catching up

Tayla from Bourne High School

2007-10-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

Tayla said she shopped at the Clothes Den in Sagamore Beach (in the Towne Paint Plaza) for her outfits. I haven't had a chance to stop in yet - it just opened a few months ago - but she said the clothes are great there.

Stephanie

2007-10-11T22:20:00.000-04:00

Another sunrise session. We actually found a dead shark on the beach. Ok, it was small - a fisherman probably caught it and left it there. Early mornings on the beach are definitely interesting. Stephanie caught her first sunrise, too:

I love the quality of the early morning light. It's softer than the late afternoon light, not to mention the beach is nearly deserted so there's nobody asking questions and walking into the background.
I think I'll start doing them earlier in September next year....though it does mean getting up earlier. I'd love to do them in the summer, but you'd have to be at the beach at like 5AM...any takers for that in the Class of 2009?

Pat - Panther Football

2007-10-11T22:04:00.000-04:00

Pat plays on the Plymouth South Football team. He was the first senior this year to do an early morning beach session. What a sport!

Here's Erika!

2007-10-11T14:29:00.000-04:00

She goes to South, too. I need to say thanks to ALL of you at Plymouth South that I've photographed and have spread the word about me - it's been so much fun and I appreciate it so much! Oh and it's not over yet - still have about a dozen or so to go before the yearbook deadline!
I had SO many favorites from Erika's session, I had a hard time picking just 3 for the blog. So here's just a few of my favorites (because they're all my favorite, honestly!):

Shea

2007-10-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

Shea also goes to Plymouth South. She's thinking about being a photographer after high school.
That flower isn't really on the wall. If you know Shea, you'll get this one. :)

Catching Up...

2007-10-11T11:30:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've had a chance to post some of the sessions. I don't want anyone to feel left out, so I've picked my favorite images from recent sessions.
First up: Julie & Renee from Plymouth South - they're best friends so they did their session together. Here's Renee!
And here's Julie!

Hampton Beach, NH

2007-09-25T16:21:00.001-04:00

My very best friend, Patty, lives in Merrimack, NH and recommended me to her friend whose daughter is a senior at Merrimack High School. Beth wanted to be photographed at Hampton Beach on the rocks. I just happened to be 'in the area' and welcomed the 'change of beach'!
Beth is well on her way to owning her own dog-grooming business! Dog-grooming is what she loves to do. Here she is with her dog, Charlotte.
The drawbridge is behind Beth in this image - I got 'stuck' on it for about 10 minutes while some boats came in and out on my way to the session.

By the dawn's early light....

2007-09-21T20:37:00.001-04:00

Now that afternoon sessions are no longer available, I'm going to morning sessions. I had my first one of the season this morning - started at 6:30AM. It was absolutely gorgeous weather...warm, no wind, and a slight haze which softens the light a bit. As we walked onto the beach, a flock of seagulls (no, not the 80's band :) were hanging out at the water's edge. As we got closer, most of them took flight...and I caught this image:
Now who would NOT want to be photographed at this time of day? Sunrise sessions are easy...you're probably getting up early to get to school anyway...and you get to go into school a little bit late. Maybe even stop at the Blueberry Muffin in Cedarville for some breakfast after the session. Sounds good to me!

More of Meghan

2007-09-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's been busy! I haven't been able to keep up this blog as much as I'd like, but I've got a few minutes now so I wanted to post more of Meghan like I promised.
She was a lot of fun to photograph - willing to try anything! She runs on the PSHS track team and her favorite class is Latin!

Happy Birthday Meghan!

2007-09-13T14:44:00.000-04:00

Who says the session's over when the sun goes down?
Last evening I photographed Meghan, a senior from Plymouth South. She told me that she's turning 18 today. So here's a birthday 'surprise' for her! I'll post more of her images when I'm done proofing, but I wanted to get one up for her today. Though I'm not going to tell her. Hehe.
Anyway I made her jump like 50 times (or so she'd say, but really it was only 10). And we even got her boyfriend Louie to jump a few times, too.
So Happy 18th Birthday Meghan!

A Wedding, Convention, Football & Spaghetti

2007-09-12T23:28:00.000-04:00

I'm just getting back into proofing and doing orders after a really busy weekend. I assisted another local photographer at a wedding on Saturday - we started at 11AM in Carver, and ended at midnight at the Venus de Milo in Swansea. Then on Sunday morning I drove to Sturbridge to attend the Professional Photographers Association of New England convention, which ended yesterday.

Brad is a PSHS Panther football player. The night of his session was also the night of the traditional Spaghetti dinner for the football team. We got the session in and finished at just about the time dinner was starting. I hope there was some spaghetti left for him!
I happened to just 'find' this football laying on the beach. It actually belonged to a couple that was hanging out and enjoying a nice evening. Thanks to them for letting us borrow it!

Kacey from 'South'

2007-09-11T12:59:00.001-04:00

We had absolutely beautiful weather and light for this session. And Kacey was a natural in front of the camera. I had a hard time narrowing her images down to a somewhat reasonable amount. Here's just a tiny sample of them:

Took time out on Labor Day Weekend...

2007-09-08T08:37:00.001-04:00

To photograph PSHS seniors Jay and Travis. They hang out together all the time and had a great time making fun of each other while in front of the camera. Here's Jay:

Travis plays football (an offensive lineman) so its difficult to get out of practice on time to make it in time for outdoor images...which is why we scheduled for the holiday weekend. The sun is setting so quickly now, it seems. But we can still make some cool images even after the sun goes down!

Christina...

2007-09-06T16:37:00.000-04:00

Christina is a senior at Plymouth South, too. Her favorite subject is History, and she's hoping to have a career as a Guidance Counselor. She has such pretty hazel eyes - and she did a lot of smiling for her images - which is good because she has a great smile! These are some of my favorites:

All the way from Holbrook...

2007-09-05T22:13:00.001-04:00

Meet Samantha, a senior at Cardinal Spellman High School in Brockton. She's hoping to attend the University of Miami after high school. She, like me, thinks that summers are just too short around here.
I did learn an important lesson during this session: Just because the dunes and beach grass areas no longer have the fencing, ropes, and "Keep Out" signs around them, does NOT mean it's okay to go in them. Thank you to the nice park ranger lady who informed me, very nicely and politely, to stay out of the dunes/beach grass for now on. :)

Sarah from South

2007-09-04T21:46:00.000-04:00

Sarah's a senior at Plymouth South in the Cosmo program. I had so much fun photographing her. I had a really hard time narrowing down her images to a manageable amount, too. Here's just a small sample of her images!

I get a Marilyn Monroe vibe from this one!

A Plymouth South Panther

2007-09-04T15:34:00.000-04:00

Ben is the running back on the PSHS football team. He also happens to share that position with his little brother. There ought to be some interesting sibling rivalry going on at the games this season!

More from South...

2007-08-30T09:55:00.000-04:00

Here's Evan, a senior at Plymouth South. He elected not to play football this year because of old injuries, so instead he is playing golf. He says golf is injuring his wallet, though. :)

From off-Cape...

2007-08-29T20:21:00.001-04:00

This is Kerri-Anne, a senior at Dedham High School. She's on the yearbook staff at her school, and she also plays Field Hockey. She has such a pretty smile and I love the way her hair curled at the bottom.

Out & About all over the Cape!

2007-08-28T14:24:00.000-04:00

I photographed a couple of families recently on the Cape who came from all over the US, but came here for a vacation and to celebrate a special occasion.
This family landed in Wellfleet for an 80th Birthday celebration - and we got together at Duck Harbor Beach for pictures.
Most of this family is from New Jersey and they came to the Cape to celebrate a 50th Anniversary. I photographed them at Mayflower Beach in Dennis:
These 3 sweet, lovely girls came down to Scusset Beach as a surprise for their parents. (Although they did 'spill the beans' before they got here!) Katie, the oldest, is headed to UNH this fall. I think her little sisters are going to miss her, though they won't admit it.

More Twins!

2007-08-19T17:15:00.000-04:00

Meet Kylie & Steven - seniors at Plymouth South High School. They are twins - but they don't look that much alike at first, but the more I look at their images, the more similarities I see. They're both great looking - that's one similarity! :)

Plymouth South Seniors

2007-08-18T20:20:00.000-04:00

Meet Alex and Rob - my first seniors from Plymouth South this year. Alex plays basketball for South. She has such beautiful blue eyes and a great smile.
Rob also plays basketball, as well as baseball, for South. He was a natural in front of the camera.
Don't they make the cutest couple!?!?!

More Seniors!

2007-08-14T21:52:00.000-04:00

A couple more girls from Shepard Hill High School in Dudley came down on Sunday for their Senior pictures. Andrea came to this country from Venezuela when she was 6 years old...she told me she did some modeling as a kid. She's a natural in front of the camera. Sure made my job a little easier! Mandy reminds me of my best friend in High School (shout out to Lisa!). I love the way the slight breeze at the beach blew her hair.

A Family in Brewster

2007-08-09T15:20:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful evening to be at the beach (Paine's Creek in Brewster, to be exact) - even tho it was overcast. No wind and beautiful soft lighting (no squinting!) makes for great beach portraits.
While the kids were goofin' around for the camera....

Mom and Dad shared a quiet moment to themselves while enjoying the scenery.

Life is good!

More Seniors - Twins!

2007-08-07T15:47:00.000-04:00

Justin & Micayla will be seniors at Plymouth North this year. They chose a location personal to them - the beautiful open space field across the street from their home. How lucky they are to have this view! I imagine the Pilgrims and Indians walked on this land at one time.

Latest Senior!

2007-08-01T12:41:00.000-04:00

Meet Wendy, who came all the way from Dudley, Mass. for her senior portraits. She and her friend Brooke were lots of fun! There was a gorgeous sunset and we stayed at the beach well past the sunset. They were such troopers, in spite of the comments from the fishermen...

Marching On..

2007-03-01T19:51:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted to this. Where did February go?
I spent all last weekend at the Professional Photographers of Massachusetts annual convention. It was in Plymouth, so I would just drive up early in the morning and drive home at night (by the 3rd day it was getting really hard to get out of bed!). I had a great time, and listened to wonderful and talented people speak on such things as portrait lighting, nature photography, marketing, digital workflow, and weddings.
The other part of the convention is the Print Competition. Professional Photographers submit prints that are judged by photographers from other states - some of them Master Photographers, and some are even nationally-known.
I finally got the nerve to enter for the first time this year and I'm happy to say I received one blue ribbon and 2 red ribbons! My blue ribbon print is of a Passion Flower and is titled "Exotic Beauty".
In honor of this, I'm starting a new feature - "Photo of the Month". I'm going to post a new image every month that can be purchased in either 11x14 or 16x20 size, signed and matted. Subscribe to my email list to be notified of the Photo of the Month, or email me. Enjoy!

Snow!!

2007-02-02T22:25:00.000-05:00

How cool to wake up to snow! I wasn't expecting it, I thought we were going to get rain. I jumped out of bed, had a sip of coffee (I can't do anything before I've at least tasted coffee!) and grabbed my camera. It wasn't just a flurry - it was big fat snowflakes. They're so heavy, you can hear them landing on the ground.

Alas, it didn't last long. I want just one big snowstorm this year. The kind where the wind howls and creates huge drifts, the power goes out for a few hours, school is cancelled (sorry parents!), the streets aren't passable till the plows come, and I have to shovel the driveway.
I love snow, and I'm not even a skier. I just like the photo opportunities it provides.
The groundhog didn't see his shadow today, so my snowstorm hopes are fading fast. Of course there's lots of images to capture in the Spring, too.
Stay tuned....