Fall Location Session: Charlestown

      I had a great time shooting this location session in my old stomping ground, Charlestown.
      What a beautiful neighborhood. The session was with 3 generations of Charlestown natives.      
      Enjoy...

Be Well Prepared for Your Photo Session

Positano is a dream...

"Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." -John Steinbeck

Steinbeck really does say it best. Positano is a surreal gem on the coast of Italy. I worry that I will forever search for a more perfect place. In the meantime, I will dream of my time in the sun....

"Its houses climb a hill so steep it would be a cliff except that stairs are cut in it. I believe that whereas most house foundations are vertical, in Positano they are horizontal. The small curving bay of unbelievably blue and green water laps gently on a beach of small pebbles. There is only one narrow street and it does not come down to the water. Everything else is stairs, some of them as steep as ladders. You do not walk to visit a friend, you either climb or slide" -Steinbeck

Long Hill Reservation...Getting in Touch with My Inner Gardner

             I spent the day at Long Hill Reservation in Beverly 
         getting in touch with my inner gardner. I came home with 
         so many great ideas for the garden studio. Now if it would
         just stop raining...I could get to work.

Sneak Peek...Spring Mini Sessions...

These twins are adorable. We had a fun spring mini session. More "sneak peeks" to come.

Moms Have Infinite Love for Their Children

A few months back I sent a "thank you" email to my best childhood girlfriends. I am blessed to still be close to a group of amazing women with whom I grew up. (I have even known one of them since I was in preschool.)

Through these moms and the other moms around me, I have learned that our children are all different--with different issues and challenges...different styles and talents. Children are so very different and parenting styles and traditions are also different. But, as moms, we have more in common than we don't. We are all moms trying to do our best...sometimes to just get through the day. Some of us work outside of the home and some of us do not, but we all work really hard. Our children are all beautiful and we all want what is best for all of them. We learn more from each other and from our children than we know.

And, most importantly, we all have 
infinite love for our children.

As a Mom, I treasure our similarities and differences. 
As a photographer, I want to capture that infinite love...

Below is a little bit of that thank you email I sent to the Moms who help me every day...Happy Mother's Day to you!

Email sent about 1 year ago....

"On my way home tonight after our fun and yummy dinner together, I was reflecting on our many dinners, play dates and get togethers over the past 9 years since we started to have kids. I know we were laughing tonight about the ups and downs of being Moms--and it's all so true. Frankly, I wouldn't be making it through (in one piece) without you guys. So, thank you! Thank you for laughing with me--even when sometime things don't seem so funny (or strangely seem really funny). Thank you for listening when I go on...(and on) about different issues with my little guys. Thank you for supporting me both professionally and personally. I know we all gladly do these things for each other, but they really do matter. Whenever I would feel lonely and isolated in my own little world with whatever the issue of the day or month was, I knew I could touch base with one of you and feel reconnected. None of us are alone in this, but some days it can feel that way. Those are the days that in my head I can hear you and feel you routing me on.

I am the only one who doesn't have a sister, but I feel like I have a bunch of sisters. We will all be in different place as travel along the journey. And when days get hard sometime, I remember I am not alone. Or, sometimes, I actually call you guys to get together for wine and laughs....

A Special Fashion Show for All Generations

My Little Helper.

    

Spring Mini Sessions Added

Northborough, MA Photographer

Boston: We built this city

“We built this city, we built this city on rock’n’roll”…Starship performed the song, and the local music video channel, V66 out of Framingham, created a local video to go to the song. The video, circa 1985, displayed scenes all over Boston including the CITGO sign outside of Fenway Park….. Hundreds of times as a preteen, I thought to myself, "we built this city on rock and roll…"

As an adult today, I don’t think we built Boston on rock ‘n’ roll—not exactly. We built this city on love….love for music, love for freedom, love for education, love for tradition…and just plain love for each other.

Boston is my city. Many of us lay claim to this great city—and the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. After living in the Boston area for 40 (yes 40) years and in Boston proper for 10 years, this is my city.

Tonight, as I think of the city’s spotlight event, our marathon, our beautiful Boston Marathon, being tarnished by violence, it makes me unbearably sad—and mad. We built this city. No one has the right to tear it down. It’s not always easy to live in Boston. It’s expensive. The parking is difficult. The accent is harsh. The driving is crazy. The weather is a challenge. Once you accept these things, you are in. And once you become a Bostonian, you are family. It’s a big, huge, dysfunctional family. I am so proud to be part of it.

The marathon is our passage to spring. We clean up our yards after months (and months) of snow and then we settle in to watch the runners—up close in person—or through Jack William’s eye’s on TV. When we are there, we cheer for the runners…not just the leaders, but for all the runners. Even as a child, I understood that this was one race that was not just about the winners. It's a complex concept for a kid. The magnitude of the runners running for causes such as Dana Farber and Liver Cancer is so much more important than who actually wins. All the runner are winners and they all inspire me. I used to yell from the sidelines of Comm Ave in my Boston College years to each passing runner, “You amaze me. You beat the hills. You’ve got this girl…” to random strangers. I would have tears of pride in my eyes. I know…it sounds sappy, but it’s the honest truth. And then I'd see the Hoyts. I have no words for their story. It tells itself. They are Boston.

I’m not sure how the investigation will all pan out, but I certainly hope the guilty are brought to justice. The 3 people who lost their lives on Monday represent all of us Bostonians. It could be any of us. I was that student watching the marathon on a beautiful April day, my son is that boy who plays hockey and baseball and was ready for the new little league season to start. My friends were running and their spouses and children were watching and cheering them on. It could have been any one of us. I brought my two babies right to the finish line on Boylston a few years back—still in their stroller. It could have been us. It could have been any one of us….We are Martin. We are Lu. We are Krystle. And we are Boston.

Don’t mess with my town. I live here and I love here. My parents lived and loved here before me. It’s a real town—made of real people. I love Boston. We are Boston!

Proudly Supporting the "Mother/Daughter Tea"

Just So Design -- Susan Ogar Photography is excited to support and announce a wonderful opportunity for Mothers & Daughters to spend a magical afternoon together. 

The 1st Annual Mother Daughter Tea will be an event filled with crafts, tea and treats, appearances with real princesses, and more. Just So Designs will be on-site to capture the special moments. Photographs with the princesses and/or mother and daughter will be available. 

May 18th 2:00 to 4:00pm

Enjoy an afternoon with your little princess while supporting the Northborough Education Foundation. The NEF is a non-profit 501(c)3 that raises money to support the Public Schools of Northborough. 

Dads--tickets to this event make a great Mother's Day Gift!

Space is limited.

Make your reservation today: http://northboroughed.org/motherdaughter-tea/

Multi-Generational Photos...Invaluable

Over the past few years, I have begun to realize how important multi-generational photos are. Maybe it's just that I'm getting older myself, but I adore the photos I have with my older relatives. Sometimes it feels as if our world is moving at warp speed...work, activities, school, sports.... The moments we spend with extended family often slow down time and get to the heart of what's important in our world. We have the posed images that document what we looked like at a point in time or the ones taken at this wedding or that party. What I like best are the images of the quiet moments, the special moments, the silly moments, the snuggly moments...

Summer Moments

Fall Moments

I enjoy the images that include the whole family, just the grandchildren, or a special pair.... Capture the moments with the family dog, a special uncle, or summer that the grandson grew taller than the grandmother...

On a personal note, I regret not having a photo of just me and my amazing grandmother, Cecile, on my wedding day. I do have other photos with her--which I treasure. Above is a photo of my parents with my children and my nephews. I took it last fall on the beach we all love. I plan to take many more...

We are pleased to support Bridges Together and announce their exciting and unique spring fundraiser. Spring into Summer: A Fashion Show Extravaganza for the Entire Family.

Bridges Together Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)3, develops and distributes theory-based intergenerational programs including the award-winning Bridges: Growing Older, Growing Together. They also
educate professionals about the value of effective programs that create meaningful links between
the generations within a community. 

Just So Designs will be donating a Family Portrait Session to an exciting list of silent auction items. We will also be on-site offering family portraits at the event itself.

Details:
A fashion show like no other, exhibiting styles for all ages -- celebrating spring and summertime events!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
2:00pm to 4:00pm
Maynard Elks Club
34 Powder Mill Road
Maynard, MA
More information: www.bridgestogether.org

The Perfect Way to Thank Her on Mother's Day

We are offering a special Mother's Day Gift Card. The card includes:

A Special 60 minute Photography Session for Mom (with whomever she'd like to bring)

1 11x14 Professional Print Mounted on Canvas

8 Wallet prints (to keep loved ones with Mom all the time)

Special Price: $200

Reserve a Gift Card by May 10th. Sessions can take place anytime (based on availability)

Vatican City

This is the hallway behind the Sistine Chapel where the new Pope walked down.

Saint Peter's Basilica 

First Communion Portrait Day 2013

Announcing the 2013 Just So Designs First Communion Portrait Day...

May 4th, 2013.

Each communion portrait comes alive, capturing the magic of this important occasion in a child's life. Just So Designs offers a large selection of beautiful products. Reserve your 30 minute session in our Garden Studio in Northborough.

Special Pricing includes your session and 1 8x10 Professional Print. 

*May 6th is also available after school as well as on location sessions

Great Event: Taste of the Boroughs 2013

Be sure not to miss this year's Taste of the Boroughs event.

Taste of the Boroughs is always a fun event with great food, beer, wine and auction items! Get a taste of some amazing local restaurants including the new Rail Trail Flatbreads of Hudson, CocoBeni Confections of Northborough and many, many more. You can even bid on one of our Just So Designs Portrait Session Package.

Sunday, March 24, 6:00pm

Doubletree Hotel in Westborough

Tickets are available at: http://www.tasteoftheboroughs.com/

Just So Senior Portrait Ambassador Program for the Class of 2014

My senior portrait ambassador program is an exciting and great way for this year's juniors to earn free products and services, while helping to promote Just So Designs Photography senior portraits for next year's graduating high-school seniors. With a complimentary portrait session and discounted prints, together with other free items, the aim of the program is for the Ambassadors to pass on the word to your family, friends and school mates about your finished portraits and the senior portrait experience with Just So Designs--Susan Ogar Photography.

Contact me today for details.

2013 Prize-Winning Images by Susan Ogar

2013 Professional Photographers of Massachusetts  

Print Competition Ribbons Awarded to Susan Ogar

I recently entered the 2013 Professional Photographers of Massachusetts print competition and was thrilled to receive 4 prize winning ribbons for my images. Some of the nations best photographers judge this annual competition. Below are the images I entered this year. The competition has several specific categories which challenge us photographers to always increase the quality of our work. 

Ravello Light
This images was taken on a recent trip to Italy. 

Party of 3

This adorable family of 3 was photographed in my garden studio in the fall.

A Song for Daddy
A beautiful moment between a daddy and his girl. 

Ready
It was "go" time for this beautiful bride. One last check in the mirror before the big day began. 

Forward
This image was created for the Conceptual Imaging/Digitally Manipulated competition category. The image was taken in Washington D.C.