OUT WITH THE OLD

It's been another wonderful year of capturing images for me.  Albeit cliche, I have put together a collection of my five favorite images of the year.  Of course, these are only representations of bigger categories, since I have made thousands of images over the last 12 months.  I'm so lucky to have a diverse business, dividing my time between events, portraits, magazine shoots and real estate photos.  I try to spend half my time on those things and the other half trying to be creative, taking workshops, learning from speakers and the talented members of the South Shore Camera Club and working on the HCAM show, Point and Shoot.  I hope you enjoy this blog and share it.  I look forward to learning and sharing my photos in 2015.  Happy New Year!

Tradition

The above image was accepted into several juried competitions in 2014 and was one of hundreds of images that I shot while vacationing in Japan.  A very memorable and beautiful trip. 

Georgia

I love taking portraits, especially of families and children.  I have been taking portraits of Georgia since she was about 2 or 3.  Personality plus!

                                                                 Seal Rocks, San Francisco
At the end of our Japan trip we stopped in San Francisco to re acclimate ourselves.  Took this shot of Seal Rocks while on a bike ride around the city.  One of my all time favorites from last year.

                                                                  Deep End
Took this at Sebasco Harbor Resort while at a family reunion this summer.  It was a foggy day and the giant concrete pool caught my eye.  Hoping to enter this in some competitions this winter.

                                                                Pure Joy
Ok.  This is my granddaughter Elyse so while this probably won't win any prizes, I just love the look of joy on her face and when I look at this, I can hear her laughing.  No better sound on earth.

WICKED LOCAL

One of the recurring jobs I enjoyed most in the past year was being on assignment for South Shore Magazine.  It gives me an opportunity to work within a set of boundaries but to exercise some creativity within those boundaries.  All of the assignments are local and all of the subjects have been so cooperative.  They are all local entrepreneurs, trying their best to offer a great product or service to all of us living on the South Shore.  Many of the assignments involve a portrait so I try to capture the subject in their environment.  If I'm lucky, we can be outside and if not, I deal with available indoor lighting.  I look forward to continuing this collaboration in the New Year!

(business from top to bottom:  Foreign Motor Works, Qunicy, South Coastal Animal Hospital, Weymouth, Jenna's Drive In, Weymouth, Marsh's Lliquors, Norwell, Woods Seafood, Plymouth, The Snug, Hingham.)

NEW YEAR, NEW HEAD SHOT

Are you on Facebook?  LinkedIn? Twitter?  All of the above...and more?  It may be time for you to update your pro pic.  These days more than ever, we are being judged by images on our social media pages.  It's the first image seen by a prospective client and it's the first chance the viewer has to form an impression.  Is your LinkedIn image old?  Blurry?  Formatted incorrectly?  All of the above?! When I take a corporate head shot, I put the client in an appropriate setting.  John (above) is a designer at Transitions Kitchens and Bath in Norwell so I posed him where he's comfortable; in the kitchen!  Your head shot can be inside in your office, or outside your building, formal or inform.  The most crucial thing is to have it taken by a pro so it's crisp, clear and correctly formatted.  Give your website or social media business page a fresh new look in the new year and update your head shot!

DEVIL IN THE DETAIL

When I shoot a wedding I try to force myself to pay attention to the details.  One way I do this is to put a macro lens on my extra camera...and then USE IT!  

Last weekend I helped Laura and Jason capture the moments of their special night.  I'm supposed to be an extra set of eyes and do my best to SEE things that might be overlooked or forgotten in all the excitement.  Of course, I have to get the biggies:  the kiss, the toasts, the first dance.  But I think by capturing the details particular to their wedding,  I make their photos truly special.

SAME AULD LANG SYNE

And as I turned to make my way back home, the snow turned into rain. -Dan Fogelberg


Something about the end of that song gets me every time.  And here I am, almost to the end of another year.  It's been filled with a wide variety of projects but the one project that keeps me acutely aware of time is my Hidden Hingham calendar project.  Each season brings new hidden beauty to Hingham.  I stay busy all year round, taking photos and trying to think of new places to reveal.  I have lost track but this is at least the 5th year for the calendar and most likely the final year.  I have relocated to Hull so yes, I could still take photos of Hingham but it's more time consuming and I'm pulled in a few other directions now so at least there will be a hiatus.  I am very happy with a few new places I discovered in the past year.

This shot, taken off Kilby street at Foundry Falls, is probably my favorite.  How could I have lived in Hingham for 20 years and have no idea this existed? It made it to the cover of this year's calendar.  A few of the other shots may not be so hidden but if not, hopefully they offer a new perspective to a familiar place.  Enjoy and if you are interested in purchasing a calendar, contact me at susanhag@comcast.net.  The calendars are still $20.  

One of my New Year's resolutions is to be more timely with this blog so we'll see how it goes.  Til then, thanks for following.  Subscribe and share if you like it and keep looking for the hidden beauty that's all around.

Paddle boarders near sunset in Hingham Harbor

X-mas lights in World's End

From World's End looking out to Hull

THE MAINE EVENT

A Mother's Day girls weekend resulted in a whirlwind tour of the Maine Coast and a whole lot of photos.  This was a first for me and I only had a taste but I can see why people are drawn to the quaint mid coast shoreline.  Our destination was Cushing but we also managed to get to Port Clyde (above), Camden and a VERY quick (like two minutes) stop at Portland Head light on the way back to Boston to make it just in time for Mother's Day brunch.  Looking forward to continuing my exploration of the Maine Coast when I attend a family reunion in Sebasco in mid-July.

BOSTON STRONG

    

I think the only thing more thrilling than running in the Boston Marathon was to be a spectator at this year's historic race.  To be among the thousands of cheering fans all along the route was truly thrilling.  There were many moments when the crowd just lifted runners who had stopped to walk.  I was in Kenmore Square and at that point, runners are tiring and though nearing the end, still have to muster up some strength in order to finish.  The relationship between the crowd and the racers was amazing and I think everyone there knew that they were part of something very special.  I had never taken Marathon photos before and I didn't have the best vantage point but I was grateful to have been there and to have had an opportunity to document history.

  

WALKING ON SUNSHINE

I get it.  A blog is supposed to be timely. It's supposed to be about stuff that's happening "now." I don't seem to be able to manage that.  Yet.  But it's good to have goals.  Anyway, as I sit at my desk and watch the snowflakes falling outside my window, I think back to the wonderful sun-soaked days I spent on the beach in Naples just a week ago.  There is no shortage of scenic flora and fauna in the sunshine state and my family was (somewhat) patient with me as I dragged them to several wildlife refuges.  Among them, J.N. "Ding" Darling and Big Cypress were my favorites.  

 

ROCK YOUR WORLD

Trekked out to Sachuest Point a few weeks ago with the South Shore Camera Club in search of Harlequin Ducks and other wildlife.  The ducks were few and far between but rest of the rocky landscape was quite beautiful.  

FROZEN

Baby it's cold outside but if you can stand it, you can find a lot of beauty in snow and ice.  All of these images were taken in and around World's End.