Category:Real life

Stonetree Creative - Barn in snow in Maine

December 1, 2019

Bethel Named America’s Best Ski Town 2019

So What Makes It the “Best Ski Town”? Bethel, Maine was just named America’s Best Ski Town by USA Today as part of...

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Stonetree Creative - Northern lights on a farm in Iceland

June 17, 2019

A Journey to Iceland: Part 2

…Continuing the story from Part 1 of my journey to Iceland… When I started writing this second installation of the story, I wanted to...

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Stonetree Creative - Boat on Rocks in Iceland

April 23, 2019

A Journey to Iceland: Part 1

I sat in the audience transfixed by the presenter on stage. He was dynamic, engaging, childlike, funny, but held the confidence of a master...

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stonetreecreative

There are no words for this level of love. #canont

There are no words for this level of love. #canontpmlove

Today I was awarded the level of Portrait Masters

Today I was awarded the level of Portrait Masters Associate Photographer. While at the end of the day, your life won’t change by knowing this, it is a milestone for me. I opened Stonetree Creative in 2018 and only started taking portraiture seriously 18 months ago working my ass off to get better at the craft.
To receive this accreditation, my work (more than 50 photos) is reviewed by 5 international photography masters and judged to be at a consistently high professional standard. As one of only 10 photographers at this level north of New York, I’m proud to be able to do what I do here in Maine and New England.
So anyway, today was a good day. #theportraitmasters #mainephotographer

“When I look in the mirror, I am slightly remind

“When I look in the mirror, I am slightly reminded of self-portraits by Durer and by Rembrandt, because they both show a degree of introspection. I see some element of disappointment; I see a sense of humour, but also something that is faintly ridiculous; and I see somebody who is frightened of being found out and thought lightweight.”
—Robert Winston

Classic beauty never goes out of style.

Classic beauty never goes out of style.

“All I'm gonna do is just go on and do what I fe

You are fine art.

You are fine art.

It’s time to step back out into the world. What

It’s time to step back out into the world. What do your headshots say about you? If you can’t easily answer that, then we should sit down and talk. You deserve to be seen for who you are.

Tara brought every bit of her personality to our s

Tara brought every bit of her personality to our session and when she pulled out this retro-vibey look, it floored me. I love helping people explore different sides of themselves. I feel grateful every day that I get to do what I do.⁠
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Not sure I can find a better way to start the week

Not sure I can find a better way to start the week than with a picture like this of @grapeape_insta on her bike with @kharma_in_maine just along for the ride.

Like my good friend says, “if that don’t start your fire then your wood’s wet”

#portrait #portraitphotography #portraitphotographer #photooftheday #photographer #creative #studio #studioportrait #makeportraits #mainephotographer #photostudio #maine #faceyourfears
#blackandwhite #theportraitmasters #girlsthatride #dogsonbikes #catahoula

Love life. Live it on your terms. #comeasyouare #y

Love life. Live it on your terms. #comeasyouare #youareenough

Wear big hats and fill them with amazing memories

Wear big hats and fill them with amazing memories of a life well lived.

I just cannot get enough of this shot of @grapeape

I just cannot get enough of this shot of @grapeape_insta on her bike. Rad people are rad.

Sometimes you just find a person with a smile that

Sometimes you just find a person with a smile that brightens a room no matter where they are. Heather of the @goodfoodstorebethel is one of those people. You can’t help but to be happy around her. That is an incredible gift. #comeasyouare

“If photographers are responsible for creating o

“If photographers are responsible for creating or reflecting an image of women in society, then, I must say, there is only one way for the future, and this is to define women as strong and independent. This should be the responsibility of photographers today: to free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection.”
—Peter Lindbergh

A heartfelt thanks to @coolidgea28 for taking part in my “Come As You Are” project.

Brian (@the_woke_career_coach) is an old friend an

Brian (@the_woke_career_coach) is an old friend and incredible human. He drove several hours from another state to come to the studio, and I had the pleasure of helping him create some personal branding images. For that I am so thankful. Now more than ever, it's the perfect time to show the world who you really are.

GEAR:
@fujifilmx_us X-T4, 35mm f/2
Flashpoint XPLOR600 w 39” @elinchrom_ltd Rotalux deep octa

#portrait #portraitphotography #portraitphotographer #photooftheday #photographer #creative #studio #studioportrait #makeportraits #mainephotographer #photostudio #maine #personalbranding #faceyourfears #blackandwhite

Part of being able to do what I do in the studio i

Part of being able to do what I do in the studio is because of constant work at trying to master the nuances of light. After a full day of work, I decided to start playing with lighting setups. This is a single strobe in a 39" Rotalux deep octa, feathered, slightly angled toward me at camera right and half flagged. Black vflat camera left. Backdrop is exterior grade home insulation.
@fujifilmx_us Fuji X-T4, 35mm, f2, 1/160, ISO 80

[I posted this in a private group yesterday, but f

[I posted this in a private group yesterday, but felt like I should share it here as well]⁠⠀
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I feel like a certain vulnerability needs to be expressed, so here goes.⁠⠀
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For as long as I can remember I have despised the body I am in. I can remember being ridiculed and embarrassed about myself as far back as 4 or 5 years old. I was fat-shamed most of my life, made fun of, and because of that have had some serious body dysmorphia in adulthood.⁠⠀
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I am NEVER photographed without a shirt on, and rarely let myself be seen by anyone except by the women in my relationships, and even then, I still feel shame. I have significant fear about being in front of the camera, but every image of me chips away at that.⁠⠀
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Intellectually, I know that this is all in my head, and that I could be a lot worse at 46, but the fact is, these old hang-ups still remain.⁠⠀
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I've learned to be gentle with myself over the past few years, giving all those different parts of me some space, untangling the emotions, and rebuilding myself into a much better version. Will I have a six-pack someday? Highly doubtful :-) but that's not what defines me. How I treat myself and other people is.⁠⠀
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So this morning, as I walked into my studio wearing 5 layers of clothing (it snowed here in Maine last night), a voice in my head kept screaming "it's time to be free" so without giving it thought, I took off my shirt and started taking self-portraits.⁠⠀
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If you know me, my jean jacket is basically part of me and that remained on as a talisman...something that would let me get through this moment. So here are 5 shots from about an hour ago.⁠⠀
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No, I'm not naked, topless, or even showing much skin, but the EMOTION behind my making these images was a HUGE step forward for me. I treated myself like I treat my clients, and I felt beautiful. To me, this is growth.⁠⠀
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I say all that solely to say this:⁠⠀
Love who you are.⁠⠀
Right in this moment.⁠⠀
Forget about your money issues, your business, your family, the news, and everything else that is causing you doubt, anxiety, or feeling like you are not enough.⁠⠀
You are perfect exactly as you are.⁠⠀
Be free.⁠⠀
Be compassionate.⁠⠀
Just be.

"Living In My Head" ⁠ ⁠ Self-portraits, for me

"Living In My Head" ⁠
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Self-portraits, for me, mark moments in time. ⁠
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Much like a journal, I can read my expressions in the images and recall exactly what I was thinking. ⁠
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Self-portraits help me to remember my growth, or lack thereof, my failures, and my successes. ⁠
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I could explain what they mean, but I'd rather have you listen to the story they tell you about you.⁠
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#theportraitmasters #infinitecolorpanel

The answers to the pain, the doubt, and the sadnes

The answers to the pain, the doubt, and the sadness are out there. I promise. Just let the Universe do what it does. You’ve got this.

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