Trying Something New: A Creative Portrait Session With Avenlee

One of the things I love about photography is that there is always something new to learn.

No matter how many families, seniors, weddings, or events I photograph, I never want to get so comfortable that I stop experimenting. Sometimes that means trying a new lighting setup, working with a different style, or creating something completely outside of what I normally photograph.

That is exactly what this session with Avenlee was about.

Stepping Outside My Normal Style

I recently put out a model call because I wanted the opportunity to slow down, experiment with lighting, and work on a different style of portraiture without the pressure of a regular client session.

Avenlee and her mom, Erin, were kind enough to come out and let me experiment.

And here's the fun part: these weren't created in a fancy studio.

They were photographed right in my carport.

That's one of my favorite things about photography. The location doesn't have to be perfect. With the right lighting, posing, camera settings, and a little creativity, a very ordinary space can be transformed into something completely different.

Learning Through Creating

This session taught me a lot.

There were things I tried that worked beautifully and other things that showed me exactly what I want to work on next. That's the entire reason I wanted to do a model call in the first place.

I am incredibly proud of what we created.

Do I still have more to learn with this style? Absolutely. I already have ideas for things I want to try differently next time, and I would eventually love to take a workshop and really dive deeper into this type of portraiture.

But that's part of growing as a photographer.

You don't wait until you know everything before you try something new. You practice. You experiment. You figure out what works, learn from what doesn't, and keep going.

Thank You, Avenlee and Erin

A huge thank you to Erin for trusting me and to Avenlee for being such a wonderful model and letting me experiment.

Sessions like this remind me how much I genuinely love creating portraits. Not just taking a pretty picture, but playing with light, expression, color, and mood to create something that feels more like artwork.

And knowing these were created in my carport makes me love them just a little bit more.

I can't wait to keep learning, experimenting, and seeing where this new style takes me.

Christina Hartnell Photography
Serving seniors, families, couples and more throughout Northern California.

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Trying Something New: A Creative Portrait Session With Avenlee

Trying Something New: A Creative Portrait Session With Avenlee

Stepping Outside My Normal Style

Learning Through Creating

Thank You, Avenlee and Erin

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