Judy Licht Photography

People always ask, what do you like to shoot?

Performances and actors' portraits might be my favorite.  Finding a character who responds to my camera is my favorite gig.  It's great to make a connection, and it's even more exciting to motivate subjects to push beyond their everyday facade.  Photography energizes me, and when there are sparks — whether it comes from acting, kids running circles around each other on a playground, teens dancing at a party, or couples embraced in a warm moment — finding a fresh dynamic gets me click click clicking and always wanting more.

A mom just called me for shots of her son in a play that our high school put on in the fall.  I was happy to find the photos for her, and here are a few of them.  So please contact me if you know any actors or drama ensembles looking for a photographer.

Wednesday night, I photographed Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, and yesterday, Rabbi Fred Reiner posed for me in the sanctuary.  Less than 24 hours separated the events, which gave me the idea for today’s blog headline.  Both shoots were great!

Here are the photos..

This weekend, we celebrated our friend Benjamin's Bar Mitzvah.  It was very relaxing for me, because I was a guest.  Benjamin did a fantastic job.  Who knew he was such a performer!!!  He chanted beautifully.  He had great timing, presence, and a sense of humor.  We all knew he would be great…even still, he revealed an outgoing side of himself on stage that was new to us, and exciting.  Still, I think we are all hanging onto our images of him as one of the youngest kids in our group of families…which is why, this weekend, though I saw the man he is becoming, I couldn't let go of one of my favorite images of him.  Take a look…

Bright Lights, Big City…

Local artist Lena Frumin has been busy in her studio painting cityscapes for the auction for Alice Deal Junior High School.  Her work is beautiful…take a trip around the world with her and see for yourself.

Repeat clients are the best.  Over the years, you develop a rhythm, a voice, and a vision together. Laurie Gonyea and I were two moms back in elementary school when we met and started working together.  She has a knitting business, Knit Outta the Box, which sells all different kinds of kits from baby sweaters to texting with your cellphone mittens.  I featured her latest shoot last month.  Today, I thought I'd show some of her earlier photos, back on her front porch, when she started to figure out where she was going with her talent.  Check out her great products at http://www.knitouttathebox.com

Check out Laurie's new products at http://www.knitouttathebox.com

My mother-in-law reminded me — just a couple of hundred times — that I hadn't taken a family photo of my own kids in years.  Well, the cobblers kids don't have shoes, either…  My children balk and battle me when I want to photograph them.  With all the resistance, I wasn't in a hurry to aim and shoot.  But my mother-in-law was a great catalyst.  She started bugging them, and they would never let her down.  We scheduled our first appointment for a Thursday night at 8 o'clock, but one of my kids was a no-show.  So we bribed them with a great breakfast on Saturday morning, and happily, I can say, my kids came downstairs all smiles for a great time in my living room under the lights. 

Thanks guys…you look marvelous!!!

Take Heart…

I love photo shoots with the creative women in my neighborhood who are busy making new products and developing their businesses.  Laurie Gonyea, founder of Knit Outta the Box, is a dynamo, always bringing out new products she has designed. This afternoon we spent two hours shooting her mittens.  She made one pair the old-fashioned way with no finger or thumb slots, and she made another with holes for thumbs and index fingers, so mad texters and iphone & blackberry dialers won't get left out in the cold with nothing to keep their hands warm.

Check out these fun, colorful mittens.  You can see more of Laurie's products at http://www.knitouttathebox.com or she's on Twitter @KnitOuttaTheBox

Visit Urinetown to see a great play directed by Harriet Bronstein. 

 Please excuse any technical glitches.