Emilie Kavanagh

It’s hard to imagine this was a year ago! Wandering High Point Market with a crew of talented women was one of the high points of last year! (See what i did there?) It was such a new experience seeing things from another side and being able to capture so much of it. To all the amazing, creatively talented people there this week, please fill up my feed with all the things! I will be living vicariously through you!

I don’t do self portraits often. Honestly, I hate being on that end of the camera. It’s weird and awkward for me, so I can totally relate to my customers when all eyes are on them. But finding a place where I am comfortable and happy makes it better. Where is your safe place?

I am so excited to show you another great project I started during quarantine. ❤️ Until it is completely live, here’s a little sneak peek! ❤️ I’m so in love!

I’m sure if this was my kitchen, I’d be ok with doing some real cooking. However today most people are out on the grill. Happy 4th everyone. Enjoy the day and your family. Stay safe. ❤️(kitchen by @brennastudiob, photographed by yours truly, @emilie_smith_photography)

I am often asked if I offer digitals and the short answer is yes. However once I probe, the truth is people want longevity. That is something that a high quality finished art print or a album can offer. Digital is temporary. Clouds, hard drives, external memory... they all fail or get outdated. Prints have been proven to last a hundred years if treated properly. And nothing beats seeing a print.

It’s ok every once in awhile to let someone else take over. This was one of my few quarantine projects before I got knee deep in being teacher-mom. But right around this point in the project I looked up and realized someone else is way better equipped to handle this. So I’ll reach out to my good friend @brennastudiob. ❤️ Sometimes you just have to let the professionals do what they do best, so you can do what you do best.

I missed seeing many of my students this spring. I say mine as a teacher would, but truthfully I only see them one, maybe twice, a year. However, I have always enjoyed watching them get to their final year. So a little late, but congrats class of 2020. If you would like to capture the excitement and success you feel, please contact me. I would love to help preserve this moment for you! Class of 2021, it's not too soon to start planning your senior portraits!

Being away from family is hard. Mine is mostly in the northern US but there are a few spread across the rest of the country and a few out of the country. We were fortunate enough to be able to zoom on a few occasions while sheltering in place, but it made me more aware of how much I miss being near them. Being separated from people is not in our nature and while technology can bring us closer, it will never replace the real thing.

For a photographer, seeing your images in print is one of the most exciting things. Even now, when I see my images in clients homes, I get a big toothy grin. Seeing them in 2 amazing publications was super fun! 2019 was an amazing year and 2020 has been kinda bumpy, but I'm ready for it.

I am often asked where people should have their photos taken. There are a handful of places that remain very important to me. Those are the places I feel the most comfortable and the most in touch with my self. Many are hard to get to for a quick photography session, so worth the trouble. For your next photography session, be it a family session or a business shoot, think about the places that make you feel the best. If you are really excited by the idea, shoot me a DM or comment below!

After a long fight, my grandmother passed away last week. In the midst of my sadness, my oldest looked at me and said, we need more pictures. And immediately I felt my whole body go soft. Those little bits of memories trapped in time held a special place in his heart and he totally got it. The tension slipped away. We create special memories when we capture something through the lens of a camera and those moments get passed down to the next generation. The power of photography is simply amazing. What will you capture today?

School for us officially ended this week. Filled with lots of frustrations and successes, we all survived. Somewhere towards the end of it all I remembered something I told my mother a long time ago. When there is something I know I want, I go after it. There is no success or failure. It’s just a destination. This was not one of those things. I wanted to quit before it even started. But oh the things we do to make sure our children survive... I am back and ready to start photographing. Please let me know if I can be of service to you! Photographed: Brenna of @interiorsbystudiob in the most charming living room I ever did see.

Thinking about all the kids dealing with transitioning to online schooling. It’s certainly not a new thing, but it takes a certain kind to be good at it. Keep going. You are learning new skills that you can take with you for the rest of your life. I’m sure there are a ton of adults are kinda jealous of the lessons your learning now. And to all the adults helping and learning how to work from home... I’m there with you!

We took a walk today. Not a big surprise. It’s pretty typical for us. But I managed to pull out my camera and con my kids into walking the dog. (Still assuring them that I will be in charge of... you know... the not so fun parts...) The best part was getting to test out my new SpiderPro system. Can I just say... I’m in love! Thanks @spiderholster for making my shelter in place week 3 the best week yet!