Fall Photos For All!

Queer, LGBTQ, partners, solo headshots, gay, lesbian, bi, trans, cis, straight, grandmas and grandpas, caregivers to children and animals, all kinds of folks and families!

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It’s Fall in New England, which means a couple of things. First, it means you can throw on those Uggs and order a PSL, pile some pumpkins on your stoop, and hang up that skeleton you’ve had in your closet. Second, but no less vital, it’s time to think about some Fall Photos!

One thing to note is that fall photos are for everyone. I really mean this. I’ve had amazing sessions with groups of roommates, individuals wanting new headshots, people with puppies, families with kids, families without kids, poly families, engaged couples, siblings wearing matching flannel, folks of so many family configurations, gender presentations, and identities represented. It’s a charming time here in New England, and beautiful photos are for all. Unless your name rhymes with Ronald Plump,* I’m here to photograph you. I really mean it.

Fall sessions are beautiful and fun. I know that investing in photography sometimes feels frivolous or spendy. I’m here to tell you that it is 100% worth it. In 30 years, when you or your kids are scrolling through the hologram album of the future, don’t you want to be able to pull out your ancient archival prints to show off how cute and cool you were at the end of the twenty-tens? Because you are, you know. Cute and cool—even if you feel tired from work or parenting, even if it’s tough to make it through your days as the light is getting shorter and the temperatures are getting cooler. This is a beautiful moment in your life, and it’s really great to have photos to document this particular state.

So get in touch about a photo session this fall. I don’t have a lot of spots left, so this is your chance. I offer a few different price points so that photos can be accessible to a lot of people, and there’s no pressure to spend a ton of money on an album after. Just a fun walk in the park, or afternoon at your house, and memories to last forever.

*Please note: If you have a name that rhymes with Ronald Plump but you are not the president of the United States at this frightening moment in US history, I will absolutely take fall photos of you.

B + K's Plant-filled, Queer Providence Love Fest at the Roger Williams Botanical Center

In my line of work, I get to meet a lot of cool people. And I’m meeting them at a really great time, as they focus their energy on planning a wedding, proclaiming their love and inviting family and friends to witness their partnership. B and K are two people who are so cool, so easy to be around, that I immediately felt a connection to them and was delighted to be their wedding photographer.

B and K pass as a straight couple, but their queer community and identities are incredibly important to them. As a photographer who is deeply involved in my own queer communities, I was a great fit for these two darlings as they sought to create an event with as many LGBTQ vendors as possible.

The wedding itself was at one of my favorite venues, the Roger Williams Botanical Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence is a quick trip from Boston, and the miles are worth it for this incredible space. The venue is on the grounds of the botanical center, and B and K were able to have an outdoor ceremony by the gazebo, and hold the cocktail hour and reception in the gorgeous greenhouse spaces filled with lush plants. As someone who fills my own home with an ever-growing collection of plants, this was a dream come true.

B and K stood up and made vows about their commitment, and they did it surrounded by the most important people in their lives. To give you a better idea of where they were coming from, here are their own words about their relationship and creating space for a wedding together.

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K. (she/her) and I (he/him, they/them) were acquaintances during college. About 5 years after graduating a mutual friend reintroduced us. I was immediately smitten. K was living in San Francisco and I was living in Washington DC. The distance made it impractical to date, so we wrote letters for four months before exchanging phone numbers. Shortly after, I went to San Francisco to visit K, and we decided that we wanted to try to be together. I moved to San Francisco 6 months later.

We lived in California for four years, then moved to Rhode Island to be closer to family. K proposed to me on 5th the anniversary or our reintroduction.

The wedding planning process was very challenging for us both. As a queer couple with passing privilege, perspective vendors frequently treated us according to heterosexist assumptions. It was hard to see ourselves represented in the images and ideas we encountered. When interviewing vendors we would let them know that I was the bride and see how they responded. We tried to chose vendors who could see us fully. Finding vendors that reflected our community and our values was the best decision we made for our wedding.

K and I got married in the Roger Williams Botanical Center on May 11th, 2019. We received such a warm response from our community (and our vendors). I think our family and friends could feel how hard we worked to show them our whole relationship. We're so grateful for everyone that helped make our wedding day so special.

—B

And here are just some of the gorgeous images created at their love party. It was a beautiful day, and one to remember forever.

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Vendors:

Photography - Michelle Schapiro Photography

Floral Design - Kathan Teepe of Sweet Pea Farm

Venue - Roger Williams Botanical Center

Caterer - Blackstone Caterers

Favors - Celebrated Co

Rings - Lamarche Fine Jewlery

Tailoring - Marysia's Custom Tailoring

B outfit:

Jacket, pants, shirt, shoes - Men's Wearhouse (B looked amazing, but Men’s Wearhouse could work on a more inclusive name, don’t you think?)

Bowtie - SmithLab

Hoops - Madewell

Plug to earring converters - Koala Art and Design

K outfit:

Jacket, pants - Calvin Klein

Silk top - Cuyana

Shoes - Everlane

Necklace - Hannah Blount

Stacking rings - Able

Earrings - Seaworthy for Of A Kind

Officiant- Rabbi Elizabeth Goldstein

Hair: Hair Lab, Providence

K's cut and styling- Cassie Anderson

B's cut, color and styling- Jenna Ray

Brookline Queer Brunch Kitchen Engagement Session

Okay, so most of the time I shoot engagement sessions in the park. I think the majority of photographers spend an inordinate amount of time in their local parks, to be honest. Parks are beautiful, don’t get me wrong! I love the way the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain has such incredible, thoughtful variety of plant life that at any time of year you’re guaranteed to find something lovely. But when my clients Dimitra and Kristin approached me with a plan to cook breakfast together for their engagement photo session, I was ecstatic. And I hadn’t even tasted their cooking at that point!

I met D and K at their home in Brookline, in the cutest little neighborhood. I loved the way all the houses on their block were painted different colors, or had different styles of architecture. We went up to the kitchen, and we all got to work.

Food and coffee are important to this couple. They love to cook meals together, and they met at work in a coffee shop. So for their engagement photos, D and K knew they needed to stay true to themselves. They prepared a gorgeous breakfast, and when they were done even saved a bowl for me. That’s how to get to my heart, dear clients: feed me delicious food.

I love that these folks picked a venue for their photos that allowed them to feel comfortable, and showcased what’s important to them: love, good eats, and great coffee.

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MIT Chapel Boston Love Party Wedding

I love what I do. As a photographer, there is so much joy in making images of folks who love each other in a way that's just palpable — you feel it every time you are around them. This couple, Mareena and Reggie, are like that. They sort of glow with love, and their wedding day was certainly lit up by that glow.

I asked Mareena to write a narrative about their day and the relationship that lead up to it, to go along with some photos we chose. Here's what she had to say:

Reggie and I met my freshman year at Florida A&M University. He was a junior, newly minted frat guy, and I was newcomer on the FAMU yard. We were friends for 7 months before we started dating; the friendship stage was largely due to me playing hard to get, according to Reggie.

We became a solid unit over the four years we dated, mainly because in the very beginning of our relationship we agreed to allow our relationship to grow at its own pace, without any outside pressure. Being older than me, Reggie decided to pursue his master’s degree in Tallahassee, which allowed us to stay together and keep building our relationship. After four years together, it was time for me to graduate and go off to graduate school in Boston, and it was then that Reggie asked me to marry him. Since day one, Reggie has always made our relationship a priority, and never shied away from stepping up to the plate to be the man that I want, so saying ‘yes’ was an absolute no brainer. I knew I found ‘my one’.

As fiancés, we moved to Boston so I could start my doctoral program in nuclear engineering at MIT. Needless to say, we both had a lot on our plate, me getting oriented in my new school setting and Reggie working tirelessly to get his marketing start-up, Ghost Note Agency, off the ground.  We decided to wait to get married until I passed my doctoral qualifying exam. Secretly, as the bride, I wasn’t looking forward to the wedding planning process, but once I passed my exam, Reggie and I agreed we would plan the wedding as a team. Really, I would be the captain and Reggie would be the coach, providing me the much-needed pep talks and context for those more stressful moments.

Going into the planning, we firmly decided that we would have the wedding we wanted. Neither of us are high maintenance, so we wanted a wedding that felt effortlessly fabulous, and focused on sharing this special occasion with those who are dearest to us. We knew we wanted to party, and highlight the big city personality of Boston, and we focused our planning on those elements at each step. Luckily our ‘effortlessly fabulous’ wedding aesthetic lent to our desire to keep a responsible budget. Since we are both in our mid-twenties, and currently building our lives, we wanted to be as clever as possible in achieving the looks that we wanted without breaking the bank.

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Glen Magna North Shore LGBTQ Karaoke Wedding

Glen Magna North Shore LGBTQ Karaoke Wedding

Have you ever wished you were a rock star? Well, despite my utter lack of musical talent, I sure have. And Emily and Jordan's gorgeous, musician-friendly wedding at Glen Magna in Danvers, Massachusetts let me feel, at least for one evening, that I was part of a family of rock goddesses, gods, and other mythical creatures.

The day felt incredibly special and personal, with everyone getting ready in the historic Massachusetts estate, Glen Magna, that would serve as the backdrop for the entire event. Friends were visiting the Boston area from Nashville, and many were experiencing New England for the first time. And what a day to experience it, with gorgeous weather (at least at first) and the greenest grounds you could imagine.

The good weather didn't last, but by the time it started pouring, everyone was fully immersed in the party held in the tent, with live karaoke and special songs dedicated to the couple. I've never been to a wedding that had such an amazing concert as its reception, and it's not one I'll soon forget.

Here are some of my favorite images from the day:

Boston Professional Body Love Expert Rachel Estapa

What do you get when you have three professionals devoted to their work all together in one rented studio space?

Magic. That's what.

Rachel and Adam and I all worked together for the first time way back in 2013, for their charming Boston seaport wedding. I should have known they were my ideal clients when they actually shifted their planned wedding date so that I would be free to photograph the big day. Over the years, we've found many chances to work together again — on portraits of them together and separately, for the career each is pursuing with incredible passion and dedication.

Rachel is the founder and CEO of More To Love,™ where she has created an incredible community of self-love and yoga for every body. The work she does through yoga and coaching is nothing short of amazing, guiding people to find their place in the practice of yoga and in their own bodies. Working with Rachel is always a dream, because she has the most genuine smile and an ease in front of the camera.

Rachel's husband Adam is a licensed optician who also happens to be legally blind. The work he does is both personal and professional, helping his patients navigate the process of getting glasses and lenses, while also having an intimate knowledge of what it's like to go through the world as a person with low vision. Adam, too, just exudes warmth in front of the camera, though he's happiest telling a story about work or something funny that's happened to him lately rather than being still for a pose.

Our task on Sunday was to get together and create portraits of Rachel and Adam, and incorporate their work into the photos we made. We headed to our Breather space on Newbury Street, and got to work. We spent time taking traditional headshots in front of a backdrop, then moved on to images of yoga breathing, mindful journaling, and even the use of a lensometer! It was a blast helping these two create images that highlight their careers and passions.

Until next time, friends.

Arnold Arboretum Queer Soon-to-be-Marrieds Lovefest

Sometimes when I meet a prospective client, we just click. When I sat down with G and C in City Feed in Jamaica Plain, I felt like we had known each other for ages. They have such a beautiful warmth to them, both as a couple and as individuals, and it’s wonderful to be around them. We talked at length about their love, their vision for their wedding day, and chatted about life and all the good stuff we value. We even ended the conversation with an offer to babysit my kid, to give you an idea of what sweet people G and C are.

For their engagement session, we braved a stormy day and crossed our fingers the rain was really finished. We took a nice walk in the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, and found so many beautiful signs of spring to provide a backdrop for their photos. One of the coolest things about shooting in the Arboretum is that you walk fifteen feet and find yourself in an entirely different world. From forsythias to rock formations to tall grass, G and C were game to try anything in their photos. It was a joy to photograph their love, and I am so looking forward to doing it again this summer for the big day!

Beacon Hill and Fort Point South Boston Church Wedding

From the archives:

This warm, gorgeous wedding is just what I want to see on a chilly day. As we in Boston and New England brace for a storm this weekend, it’s nice to remember that in a few short months, we’ll start to see signs of life again. Because really, what is a wedding if not a signal of new life?

M + J were married at St. Cecelia’s in Boston, and spent some time in the Public Gardens and Beacon Hill doing portraits. It was an absolutely lovely event, filled with family and friends, and tons and tons of love.

After the portraits and ceremony, we headed to hip Fort Point wine store Mayhew, where everyone enjoyed delicious drinks and carefully curated snacks.

One of the nicest things about this day was how true these two stayed to themselves and each other. They picked a church where they had connections and a priest who really “got” them and their partnership. Then they

Cheers, lovebirds!

Professor G Academic Headshots in Jamaica Plain

Professor G

I was lucky enough to work with Laura on her professional headshots. An academic, Laura often needs a photograph for a talk she’s giving, or for press on her recent publications and book. It’s easy enough to get someone to snap a quick photo of you, but when you’re putting a face on intellectual discourse, you want to stand out and look your best. That’s where I come in.

We spent under an hour walking and chatting our way around the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. We stopped in a few scenic spots and went to work creating these beautiful images. Laura was a breeze to work with (Those eyes! That ease in front of the camera!), and we created a great product that she can use professionally. It was quick, easy, and (I think?) painless.

If you’re in the market for an improved headshot (I’m looking at you, cropped-group-photo-on-LinkedIn…), send me an email. I’d love to work with you on your portraits!

What to Wear to your Session

What to Wear to Your Session

I’ve had a number of clients come to me and ask what to wear to a portrait session. Obviously I’m not qualified to pick out everyone’s outfits for them (you’d all wear jeans and black t-shirts if I were a stylist, and I shudder to think about how boring that would be), but I do have some tips from my experiences with photo shoots. So here’s the Michelle Schapiro Style Guide. Let me know if you have any ideas to add!

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1. Coordinate, don’t match.

When you are considering what to wear for a photo shoot, a lot of people have a tendency to think about matching. Matching, while super cute for tiny babies, is not ideal for couples or families (unless, of course, you’ve got a particular idea in mind for an amusing holiday card involving everyone wearing the same Wolf Howling at the Moon tee shirt from The Mountain). Instead, you want to pick outfits that complement each other. So if your girlfriend wants to wear a cute sundress, you probably don’t want to wear ripped jeans and an old t-shirt. Likewise, if you’re planning on wearing your favorite bright pink dress shirt, she might want to avoid wearing all earth tones. Think about finding common ground in your outfits–same level of fanciness, colors that don’t clash horribly. And please, no white shirt and jeans family uniforms. You’ll thank me later.

2. Dress up, dress for your body

You want to pick something that is flattering to your body and is also a little snazzy. That does not have to mean black tie, however. T-shirt and jeans are totally fine, but I would recommend clean jeans and a neat-looking tee. A nice way to class up your comfortable jeans is with an Oxford shirt. For folks who land on the femme end of the spectrum, it doesn’t need to mean dresses. Dresses are great, but what you want to do is pick clothes that flatter your body. Nothing super tight or super baggy. Think about what you might wear if you were going out on a date; you want to look good and feel good, but you don’t want to be so dressed up you’ll be uncomfortable. Pick something that makes you look great and feel awesome.

3. Don’t be afraid of color!

Many people automatically shy away from color in their portraits, instead grabbing the nearest white collared shirt or black dress. This works for some people, but I’d argue that you’re better off bringing some color into the mix. Think about how nice that blue shirt looks on you, and how well it brings out your eyes. Or that pink scarf that adds some pop to the black dress you love so much. Same goes for pattern. Fear not plaids, stripes, or polka dots. A little pattern goes a long way in photos, so as long as you’re not planning a full suit of pink and purple polka dots, you’re probably okay.

4. Even if you’re Michelle Obama, bring something to cover your arms

Even though your arms are totally strong and look great when you are moving around, there’s something about still photographs that often emphasizes the upper arm area in a way that is not true to life. If you are thinking you’ll want to wear something sleeveless, I’d advise bringing along a cardigan or another sort of arm-covering garment just in case. If you’re really lean or know that you love the way your arms look, bare them freely! T-shirts and other short sleeves work great as well. Truly, you know your body best, so don’t stress!

5. Bring a backup!

This advice is particularly relevant for kids, but it works for adults as well. It might be that when you arrive, you realize your green shirt is the exact shade of the tree you want to stand near, and it makes you look like you’re one with the leaves. Or maybe we do some intense choreographed dance photos and you get a grass stain on your elbow. Having another shirt on hand is a great idea, especially for small children with propensities for mess-making.

6. Accessorize!

Do you look cool in sunglasses? Have a nice statement necklace? Maybe your kid loves wearing a bandana around their neck. Wear or bring some cool accessories to include in your outfit. It’ll take you from basic looks to the next level.

7.Be yourself

It is, after all, you we want to capture in these photos. Don’t wear a dress and cowboy boots just because you saw someone wearing it on Pinterest if you’re really a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of girl. Don’t make your children wear matching dresses and bowties if they are rough and tumble kids who love wearing Red Sox shirts and mismatched socks. Find an outfit that is a nice, clean version of your favorite thing to wear. You’ll appreciate it years later when you look back and say, I love how well this captures us at that moment, rather than What was I thinking with that outfit?

Any questions? Just ask!