Laurie Hasan Photography: Blog

Portrait Paintings | Central Florida Portrait Photographer

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 18:25:39 GMT

As a portrait photographer here in Central Florida, one of my favorite things is to create one-of-a-kind portrait paintings for my clients. I offer both traditional and digital painting, which is a great way to take a beautiful portrait to the next level. Whether your child, family or even your pet, a painted wall portrait makes a wonderful heirloom that can be treasured for years to come.

All of my paintings are hand painted, whether using digital or traditional brushes, and printed on archival quality canvas or artist paper.

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My traditional paintings are either created with acrylics or watercolor. The two examples below are acrylic on vintage sheet music mounted to canvas. This creates a gritty, edgy look that is very unique.

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If you are looking for a Central Florida portrait photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Unbearably Cute! | Central Florida Portrait Photographer

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:37:34 GMT

One thing I can't resist as a portrait photographer is a unique prop! Recently, I stumbled on a giant teddy bear at a thrift shop, and they let me have it for $5 (honestly, I think they were glad to be rid of it because it does take up a lot of space, and I was happy to take it off their hands.) It immediately set my imagination running wild with ideas for fun portrait sessions.

I got the opportunity to create some of those ideas this weekend with Memphis, the most awesomely cool little girl. I decided I wanted to do a series that can be made into an album. Memphis was a great little sport as I dragged her from park to park to create a variety of shots with bear and many of my vintage props that I have collected over time.

Memphis had a hard time balancing on one foot on the step stool while holding bear's hand to get this shot, but she was a trooper (and she got to take the balloon home, of course!)

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Memphis was full of giggles and conversation all day, and it really comes through in the images! She said it was hard to pretend to read a blank book, but she did a great job!

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She had never seen a vintage camera like this before, and didn't know how to hold it, but she had fun with it once I showed her. She thought it was fun pretending to take selfies with it, and liked making silly faces!

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Her dad was nervous to have her hop up on this rock for this pose, but she was fearless!

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Usually, rain is the last thing you want during an outdoor shoot, but for this pose, I was actually hoping for a sprinkle, and it actually gave us a few drops that landed on the umbrella (though I had to add more digitally).

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For the tea party scene, I spent a lot of time putting together a mismatched tea set one piece at a time from various vintage shops. Memphis loved playing with it. She helped set the table for this scene and for some reason was determined to place the spoons upside down next to the cups! She enjoyed eating the cookies, and got to take them home, too!

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Because it's summer in Florida (aka miserably hot), having actual ice cream would have been a disaster, so Memphis had to hold empty ice cream cones for this shot, and I added the ice cream digitally. She said she actually likes the cones best anyway (I told you she was a good sport!)

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And of course we had to blow bubbles, too, while bear was taking it easy in the background.

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My favorite shot of the day, if I have to pick one. By this time, we were all pretty tired, but it was a great shoot. And my favorite moment was when Memphis looked at me and said, "This was a really fun day!" What an awesome kid. Oh, and she named the bear Gerald. :)

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If you are looking for a Central Florida portrait photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Location Scouting Fun!

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 18:58:03 GMT

As a portrait photographer in Central Florida, one of my favorite things to do is to explore my area to find fresh, new locations to shoot. And boy, did we find a gem of a location recently! My better half is addicted to Google Earth, which is a great tool to scope out interesting new places to explore. Recently, he stumbled on Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange, Florida, which is a botanical garden surrounding the ruins of an old sugar mill plantation. It is about an hour away from us, so we hopped in the car and took a drive to check it out. Knowing my love of botanical gardens, I was pretty sure it would be well worth the drive, and I was not disappointed. Unfortunately, I only had my phone camera with me, but it was sufficient to scope out the gardens and get a sense of the possibilities it affords for beautiful portraiture.

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My imagination was reeling with ideas for every picturesque spot I encountered in this beautiful place.

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There are so many unique spots in this small, 10-acre park. Once upon a time it was going to be an amusement attraction called Bongoland (so named for a live baboon they had on display) with dinosaur sculptures, but it could not secure financing. The dinosaurs are still there, though! Such an amazing place, and it is free admission.

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And of course, the sugar mill ruins, which have been lovingly preserved, are an interesting sight to see.

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What a wonderful place! I cannot wait to visit again and create somebody's portraits here. If you are looking for a Central Florida portrait photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Creating for a Cause

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 19:15:42 GMT

One of my favorite things as a portrait photographer in Central Florida is when I get to combine my many artistic interests into one project. Even better is when that project is for a good cause!

My better half, who is a documentary film-maker, works with the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Florida to create a variety of educational video series for kids. Their purpose is to use storytelling to create awareness and foster environmental stewardship in young minds. I am very proud of him and his work, and I am happy to be able to contribute something to this wonderful ongoing project!

On the film shoots, I help where I can with making props, manning the slate, carrying equipment, etc. But what I find really exciting is that I am able to bring my graphic design, artistic and photography skills to the project to give the packaging and promotional materials a nice, polished visual presentation.

Throughout the shoots, I take photos of the actors and locations in order to create the DVD jackets, posters and DVD menus. Because I am formally trained in graphic design, it allows me to use all of my skills in one meaningful project.

Here is the DVD menu screen for The Sleuths of Seagull Island, the newest series that we are working on. It just wrapped the first episode, and we recently screened it for the first time. It was so much fun to see the reactions of the young actors who were seeing themselves on screen for the first time, and the kids who were part of the premier audience really got into the story!

I highly encourage anyone who wants to make a difference to get involved in a local charity, non-profit organization or community outreach program and volunteer your time and skills to help their efforts. It will give you a great deal of satisfaction knowing that you are using your talents to help a great cause.

If you are looking for a Central Florida portrait photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Bridal Beauty

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 14:01:23 GMT

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to use my passion as a portrait photographer to collaborate with a few Central Florida businesses on a promotional photo shoot. Working with Rock Gorgeous Hair (Orlando), the event venues The Abbey and The Mezz, and the bridal salon One and Only Bridal Boutique, we wanted to showcase the services we all have to offer a bride for her special day.

We worked with three lovely models, and I spent the day capturing everything from hair and makeup to the final shoot.

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It was a long day for all, but everyone had such a wonderful time collaborating, and the final images were worth the effort. The ladies looked amazing, which made my job easy!

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If you are looking for a Central Florida portrait photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Beautiful Bella

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:22:42 GMT

One of my favorite things as a Central Florida portrait photographer is when everything falls into place just right and allows me to create special portraits for a family that they may not have otherwise had. This lovely family wanted some portraits together, but mom and baby had to leave for home later that day. The only time we could do it was high noon - not the best time to shoot, especially in the Florida heat. I initially hoped to find a location close to them to make it easier given their limited time together. Unfortunately, the only place I found nearby turned out to be, let's just say, not as nice as it looked in the photos online. So I had to think on my feet! I remembered a small park a little further away where I have visited many times but never photographed there before. So we loaded up the cars and headed over.

By the time we got there, little Bella had fallen asleep. Seeing an opportunity for some lovely mother and baby shots before she woke up, I asked Mary to stand beneath a beautiful flowering tree at the edge of the path.

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Bella awoke soon after, so I was thrilled to capture this perfect little quiet moment.

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I have to say, this baby is so loved by everyone, and I was so honored to be able to capture this in these images! Her aunt Sarah can always make Bella smile!

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Bella's grandmother DJ is head over heels in love with her!

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I was a little concerned that because of the heat and the long car ride baby might be a little fussy, but I needn't have worried. She was so happy and smiling throughout. I couldn't click my shutter quickly enough to catch all of her expressions!

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On shoots I always make sure to bring a couple of carefully chosen chairs and other small props for variety so we aren't limited to park benches or the ground. This worked beautifully on this day.

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It was a pleasure and an honor to photograph this sweet baby and her family! I consider it a privilege that I could create some treasured family memories for them.

If you are looking for a Central Florida family photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Make your own Backdrops!

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 17:24:37 GMT

As a portrait photographer in Central Florida, I love to shoot on location, and in fact that is primarily what I do. But occasionally it is necessary to shoot indoors, maybe because of the weather, a client request or special needs, or if I have a particular look in mind that requires more control over the lighting or environment. So it is important to have options for shooting indoors that will allow me to create beautiful and memorable portraits.

Pre-made studio backdrops can be expensive, and if you can't find the right look for your vision and style, it can be frustrating. But with some ingenuity and creativity, you can make your own! And you don't have to be limited to plain sheets, ordinary walls or curtain panels.

In this case, I had a large roll of heavyweight mixed media paper left over from another project. So I just pulled out my watercolor paints, chose a couple of coordinating colors and used a foam brush to apply them. Watercolors dry quickly, so it did not take long before I had a new backdrop to use.

I tried it out on the most finicky client I could find - my cat Jasper!

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By just taping one end to the wall and rolling it out, it created a smooth, continuous surface that blurs beautifully at a wide aperture to achieve a lovely painterly effect.

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Creating several backgrounds with different colors and using different materials is an inexpensive way to achieve a variety of looks.

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Choose colors and props that will complement your subject, and you will be good to go!

If you are looking for a Central Florida family photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Lenses Don't Have to Break the Bank

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:06:22 GMT

As a portrait photographer in Central Florida, I am always looking for ways to create the best images for my clients. From finding new and interesting locations, to keeping my skills sharp with practice and studying new techniques, photography is an ongoing and exciting learning opportunity. Unfortunately, the latest and greatest lenses and technology can be prohibitively expensive. But with some bargain-hunting and a willingness to learn, there are gems to be found that don't have to break the bank.

While a fancy, expensive new lens may be out of budget (such as the $2200 NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED that I would love to have), consider an older lens instead. Rather than go into debt for a lens I can't afford, I found an old manual Nikon 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AIS lens in a used camera shop. The best part: it works beautifully, and cost me a whopping $19!

As you can see, it produces really nice results! The compression at 105mm is very pleasing, the focal points are nice and sharp and the background has a lovely softness.

No, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the expensive lens, and it is completely manual, which means I have to make all the adjustments and settings on the lens rather than through the camera. This required a little bit of practice and patience. That can be scary at first, because you have to really pay attention and make sure everything is sharp. But I consider that a good thing because it forces me to train my eye rather than rely on the camera, which is how it should be!

The moral of the story is that you don't need the fanciest, newest equipment to get beautiful results if you are willing to look for older equipment that you may not have given a chance before!

If you are looking for a Central Florida family photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.

Central Florida Portrait Photographer | Finding New Locations

(Laurie Hasan Photography) — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 14:24:04 GMT

As a Central Florida portrait photographer who shoots on location, one of the most exciting things is finding fresh new places to shoot. We have an abundance of beautiful parks and natural areas (hello beach!), but I am always looking for someplace new to keep me on my toes and give my clients a unique experience. I certainly found that this weekend when I had the pleasure of photographing this family at Dreamcatcher Horse Ranch and Rescue Center in Clermont, Florida. This wonderful non-profit organization is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned, injured or surrendered horses. They were so friendly and kindly allowed us to do a photo shoot at their facility with their beautiful animals.

Sonny the horse was very curious about his little visitor!

We were lucky to get to spend time with one of the rescue's residents named Decco, a beautiful Paint horse. He was so mellow and patient with us, and let us give him lots of pats throughout the session.

Decco was such a wonderful animal, and he let me create his portrait, too!

This was such a fun day, and I hope to return in the future. If you are looking for a Central Florida family photographer, feel free to contact me here for more information. I would love to create your next unforgettable family portraits.