April 11, 2016

Rebranding: It's Happening!

April 11, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Here’s my deep, dark secret: I designed my current logo myself, somewhere around 2011, when I was a senior in college studying studio art with a concentration in graphic design. Seriously. If you know me personally, you might be totally surprised if you haven’t heard that before because I would NEVER touch a design project today.

I share all that to say, I have learned SO much lately about the true worth of hiring a creative expert. Not cutting corners when you have the choice to invest in something great, that will elevate your experiences in life and business. Choosing to trust a creative business owner to do what they do best. Choosing to focus your energy on the things you do best, rather than trying to wear ALL the hats, and fumbling around with the ones that don’t fit quite right.

I am done trying to “make it work” myself when it comes to my branding, because while I have learned so much through this process, I am totally not a branding expert! The awesome part is, I got connected with someone who is!

February 01, 2016

Somerville Winter Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter Four

February 01, 2016/ Lorna Stell

Diane from Fashion On The 4th Floor has been killing it with the great winter styles! The last time I wore a denim skirt was probably about a decade ago, and I cringe to think of those days, but Diane makes it look GOOD with the retro boots, classy sheer plaid, and faux leather vest! Her long necklaces are perfect for adding an extra sophisticated touch. This session was SO her and she brought the energy!

January 18, 2016

Somerville Winter Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter Three

January 18, 2016/ Lorna Stell

I still can’t believe it’s 2016, can you? I know I’ve had a whole 18 days for it to sink in, but I think I’m struck by the blessing of new beginnings—this was the first year I did a no-holds-barred reflection on the past year, and made goals for myself for the new year. I struggle to keep focused on my top priorities sometimes, but just the act of setting goals has made a big difference for me! It makes it so much easier to say “no” to things that aren’t on my “top priorities” list, and say “yes” to new opportunities that will help me reach my goals.

Diane from Fashion On The 4th Floor set some goals for 2016 too, and blogging is part of them! For her, blogging is a creative outlet in a busy day to day life, and here’s what she had to say about it on Instagram recently: "This creative outlet was a positive escape from everyday craziness, something just for me! A way to #expressmyself #bemyself #shareideas & #inspiration. Feeling negative pressure creep in, I knew I needed to reassure myself & reinforce My Original Goals for 2016: #dowhatiwantwheniwant #thenumbersdontmatter #havenoexpectations & most of all, #keephavingfun"

January 11, 2016

Somerville Winter Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter Two

January 11, 2016/ Lorna Stell

When Diane pulled out these sequined pants, that was the moment. I knew I was in love. Not only with the pants, but with her creative styling ideas too (not to mention, her personality is off-the-charts)!

I LOVE a good statement piece that requires some gusto to wear, and pairing sequined pants with a casual sweater in a classy color is just perfect. This was an outfit I would love to wear myself, so I love that I get to feature it here and share with you all! This is perfect for a holiday or New Year’s Eve party, or a daytime look that you want to kick up a notch.

January 04, 2016

2015 Year In Review + 2016 Mega Goal Setting

January 04, 2016/ Lorna Stell

If you're anything like me, you LOVE the feeling clarity gives you. A sense of relief and renewed purpose. A sense of readiness, like you've just rediscovered your footing on unsteady ground. And if you're anything else like me (in this case I hope not) you have an atrocious memory!

Thinking through the last 365 days was tough! I can hardly remember what I was up to each month (which is why I'm now glad I have things like social media, my blog, and business records to remind me what I did this year). In one of the many Facebook groups I'm in, someone asked in December about yearly goal-setting resources. I realized I hadn't intentionally thought about setting goals for 2016, so I gladly picked up some free goal-setting worksheets people recommended! I have never been a big "New Year's Resolutions" girl, but I think it's likely because I never had a realistic or practical way to set and keep track of those resolutions.

I'm excited to say the worksheets I discovered for 2016 are SO GREAT! In these resources are a plethora of questions that prompted me to dig deep into where I've been in 2015 and where I want to go in 2016—this includes both personal (health, family, friendships, etc) and business (social media, finance, time management, etc). I've seen other bloggers and entrepreneurs share their goals and accomplishments in a blog post before, and I never felt like I was at a point where I could share things so personal and vulnerable (what if I failed and everyone knew?!) This year, I decided to take the leap and just go for it.

December 21, 2015

Somerville Winter Fashion + Style Photography | Fashion On The 4th Floor, Chapter One

December 21, 2015/ Lorna Stell

If you have looked around at other fashion bloggers and felt like you can't connect that well with their sweet and girly style, please go visit Fashion On The 4th Floor! Although the name is a reference to Diane starting her blogging journey later in life, age is truly irrelevant in this case. I would gladly throw any outfit on my body that Diane put together—she does bold, edgy, tomboyish and sophisticated all rolled into one SO well!

December 07, 2015

Wholehearted | Failure

December 07, 2015/ Lorna Stell

At one point when I was talking with someone recently, I said "I don't even think about failure anymore." To be honest, I hadn't even realized that until I said it out loud, but it's true! This year I have learned to give myself so much space to be, and this is one of the ways it's paid off. It was such an unexpected relief to say this out loud, and have a reminder that life is all a process.

November 30, 2015

Arlington Autumn Small Business Portrait Photography | Musician and Composer Ruth Shyu

November 30, 2015/ Lorna Stell

I've created portraits for several entrepreneurs, professionals and musicians lately, and usually they're about my age in their 20s or 30s. Often, their careers or new businesses are still fairly young and they're trying lots of new things and dreaming big. Everything is new and exciting (and often scary)! Working with Ruth was different in a very cool way because she's so full of experiences, having moved across the country and put in years of hard work honing her craft, building her skills, and being her own boss. She's faced and overcome some significant obstacles over the years, so I really cherished my time with her and the opportunity to hear her stories, while talking about what it means to be creative for a living.

This was just another example for me of why it's SO important as a creative person and/or entrepreneur to be in community with other creatives and entrepreneurs! The support we can offer each other and the special ways we can lift each other up are priceless.

November 23, 2015

A Special Event for the Animal Rescue League of Boston—Dec. 2nd!

November 23, 2015/ Lorna Stell

If you have a couple free hours on Dec. 2nd, then come out to Boston to mingle, sip some wine, and enter a raffle for awesome prizes! If you have a dog at home, bring them out with you to have me take their holiday photo (doggy hats and antlers will be involved)! Tickets are only $10, and proceeds will go to support the Animal Rescue League of Boston. ARL Boston rescues domesticated animals and wildlife from suffering, cruelty, abandonment and neglect. They receive no public funding and rely solely on the generosity of individuals like yourself to help animals in need.

November 16, 2015

Collaboration with City Sports

November 16, 2015/ Lorna Stell

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that I've posted a few photos here and there in reference to my work with City Sports. And, if you've been following the brand in the news lately, you might also know that the company and all of its stores (spanning 6 states) are being liquidated as of just 11 days ago.

I have to say that this whole chapter of my life has come as a pleasant surprise that I'm now very grateful for. I never thought I would ever do product photography, much less for an athletic company (I care about being healthy, but I doubt I could ever call myself athletic—I'm a yoga 1-2 times per week kinda girl). Little did I know that product lay downs could be done creatively and tastefully! Thanks to the help of the apparel buyers, graphic designers and merchandisers in the corporate office, I got to do some unique product photography for some of the City Sports emails, social media posts and store signage. I love that it was always a collaborative effort that brought in many people's visual perspectives. Today, I want to share a lineup of some of my favorite images I took for City Sports, partly as a way to bid farewell to this chapter of life and work.

November 09, 2015

Charles River Esplanade Professional Portrait Photography | Andrea Schroll

November 09, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Let me first open this post by saying social media is really cool, but for reasons that have recently surprised me! It can be too easy to get sucked into aimlessly scrolling through Facebook's or Instagram's feeds (speaking for myself here!), but with intention, the power of social media can totally be put to greater use!

I discovered this firsthand recently when Andrea and I connected in a Facebook group. I had put out an "open call" to other entrepreneurs and small business owners, just looking to make some friendly connections with other people who share similar values in life and business. Andrea responded to my post online, and we ended up chatting over coffee for a couple hours soon after! It was so exciting to meet another woman at a similar place in her business, and get to talk about business and life in general with her! I didn't expect to book any photo sessions from a little Facebook post, but as we sat talking, Andrea told me she wanted new professional photography to use for her business. I couldn't wait to plan this session for her and bring fresh, personalized imagery to her brand!

October 26, 2015

Squantum Point Park Senior Portrait Session

October 26, 2015/ Lorna Stell

When I was first chatting with J's mother on the phone about scheduling his senior portrait session, I think I was told at least three times, "Oh, he's a very no-nonsense kind of guy." In this case, "no-nonsense" apparently means being an amazingly easy going portrait subject! J knows what he does and doesn't want ("Yeah, let's not shoot by the giant rusty piece of metal...") but was also down to try a bunch of my creative ideas. I have to say, this is the perfect combo when it comes to portrait sessions! This guy even sat on a big (possibly dirty) piece of driftwood in his khakis for me (and for the record, I offered my own blanket for him to sit on)! Our time at Squantum Point Park was everything I could have hoped for, and I think J and his mom and sister would agree!

October 12, 2015

Personal Style | High-Top Black Sneakers

October 12, 2015/ Lorna Stell

If you know me outside the internet, you know I wear a lot of black. It's been my go-to color for over a decade, and you know what that means: Black never goes out of style! It's easy to match with nearly everything, and looks flattering on everyone I know. It can be unassuming, but can still contain so much depth through texture. I tend to wear wardrobe basics in black with one or two pieces of an outfit in an accent color (usually blue or red). Lately however, as the days have gotten colder, this has led to a predicament in my shoe collection.

October 05, 2015

Why The Chilly Months Are The Perfect Time For A Day In The Life Family Session

October 05, 2015/ Lorna Stell

In her usual way, Ruby let out a mischievous giggle after spilling a pile of flour on the countertop. She peered over her shoulder to see if her mom thought it was funny too, and mom gave her a smile and raised eyebrow that said, "You know you're cleaning that up, right?" After wiping off the counter and washing her hands, Ruby returned to the mixer. Coming up behind her, Ruby's mother cupped her daughter's head in her hands and gave her a kiss on the crown. It was the kind that can only say, "I love you to the moon and back, even with all your crazy silliness."

It's moments like these that can't be scripted or posed. This is real life. Sometimes life gets messy, but there's no story without a little mess. These are the things that bond families together. No other family has a story like yours, and that's why I really believe in the value of these photographs.

September 28, 2015

Work-Life Balance | Information Overload

September 28, 2015/ Lorna Stell

I'll admit it: Sometimes I'm thorough to a fault. I'm a research nut. If I could read articles and learn new things all day, I probably would. So, when I decided to take the plunge and officially call my freelance photography work My Business, I was pretty pumped that this weird research habit of mine could be put to good use. Adopting the title of Entrepreneur opened up a whole new world of things to learn and skills to hone that I couldn't wait to take on!

You can probably guess what came next…my email starting to fill up with hundreds of daily newsletters, my desk becoming more and more covered by paper lists of "things to look into," and my mind becoming tired and spacey after hours of staring at a screen.

Can you relate to always feeling like there's "more," and not wanting to step away from your computer or phone screen for fear of missing something important?

If so, maybe it's time to ask: What am I doing about this to get closer to a healthy balance of work and life, and limit my screen time so I can be more present in the world around me?

September 21, 2015

Adventures in Maine | Part Two

September 21, 2015/ Lorna Stell

I'm excited to share the last two big sites we saw in the second half of the week, because I would recommend both of them! You might notice we spent a LOT of time in Acadia, and that's because it's huge (and really pretty)! It's much larger than I realized, and we could have probably spent our entire week here seeing different landmarks and hiking trails.

September 14, 2015

Adventures in Maine | Part One

September 14, 2015/ Lorna Stell

When I first discovered photography, my camera came with me almost everywhere, and I would explore and experiment with it non-stop. I feel so happy and refreshed to have gotten back in that headspace. I loved being in the moment with my craft and my favorite man in these beautiful landscapes. But, what's even more special is knowing that as a family, Andy and I will have these photos forever to remember this time in our lives, and the wonderful places we've been together. In this digital age, our lives seem to fly by so fast, and it's so easy to get pulled away from staying present with those we love. For me personally, these photos, and the trip itself, are a wonderful reminder to keep coming back to what's important.

August 31, 2015

Getting Camera-Ready | Skincare

August 31, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Today I'm writing for those of you who have had the thought this summer, "Oh yeaaaahhh…I need to get photos taken." It seems like I hear that comment every week! Whether you're thinking of headshots for that company publication or your LinkedIn profile, or of family portraits with your kiddo who has only had cellphone snapshots taken of them past newborn age, or of photography to market and boost the image of your blog or small business, this post is for you. Read along to learn about one major way you can get camera-ready!

I'll be honest: sometimes I majorly think ahead. I'll plan details for events that are coming up days or weeks ahead, and sometimes overlook those same details when the event arrives because I'm thinking even further ahead by that point! I annoy even myself with this habit sometimes, and I'm doing my best in this phase of life to slow down and be more present! However, I decided today to leverage my habit for planning details and share the spoils with you all! These are some tips I would give to any client who has an upcoming portrait session with me.

August 24, 2015

Boston Summer Lifestyle + Professional Portrait Photography | Mary Casiello

August 24, 2015/ Lorna Stell

Today, I'll be honest, I'm pretty psyched to share this portrait session with you. Partly because my portrait subject, Mary, and I both love how the photos turned out, and partly because this day was a really awesome one.

It all started two months after Mary's Day In The Life session with her family, when she got in touch with me again to say she was looking to get some updated photography for her website, and for posters advertising her musical performances. Let's just say I was totally thrilled to hear that!

Mary was a TOTAL trooper on this hot and sweaty August morning! We enjoyed our time taking a stroll around Larz Anderson Park and stopping where the scenery and the light looked inviting, and it made a great opportunity to catch up too!

August 10, 2015

Getting Organized: The Passion Planner

August 10, 2015/ Lorna Stell

I often have times in my business when I feel like my to-do list of things to tackle is SO long, and each thing is so big, I don't even know where to start. When I begin going down that thought path, you better believe I get a lot less productive! It becomes so much easier to put things off that just feel like "too much for today." I have really felt the need lately to get more organized and more focused in my work, and just haven't been happy with my level of productivity. I knew I'm capable of doing so much more and utilizing each day to the fullness of its potential. I could FEEL the potential in myself and my time, but didn't know how to get there!

So then I thought, "What if I tried using a planner again?"

Blog