MEET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
Hello! My name is Shoshanna, but everyone just calls me Sho. I am a boutique photographer specializing in children and families, creating photographic artwork to decorate your home, intended to be passed from generation to generation. I hold your hand through a full service boutique experience - from a personalized design consultation where we discuss clothing, styling, and art placement on the walls of your home, to an ordering presentation where I help you select the best images specifically for you. I am not the photographer who passes out digital files and sends my clients home to figure out what to do with them. When you work with me, the result is printed, tangible, heirloom quality photographic artwork, designed to be hung in your home and enjoyed every day.
Why am I so passionate about getting big, beautiful printed artwork of your family on the walls of your home? Because, I’ve experienced first-hand the positive, daily impact that printed family photos can have on a family’s mental health. When my kids were only 3 and 6 years old, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood. Although my doctor assured me I had a very high chance of surviving, I worried about how my cancer treatment would impact the mental health of my kids, especially my daughter. Even at 3 years old, she was extremely empathetic, always concerned about how others were feeling. She would often point out people in books, and tell me “that person looks sad,” or “that person looks happy,” and ask what was causing them to feel that way. So, knowing that my cancer treatment would dramatically change my appearance, I arranged to have professional family photos taken a couple days before my first chemotherapy session. We selected a few of our favorite images, and had them printed, framed, and hung on a large 50” x 40” space on the wall of our kitchen. I chose the kitchen because it is the heart of our home, where we gather the most often, so I knew we would see these images multiple times, every day.
My goal was to remind my kids how much we love them, and how their mama looked, felt, and acted before getting sick. And it worked! When all my hair fell out, and my skin was covered in rashes, my daughter would often point at those images on the kitchen wall, and I would assure her that my hair would grow back again, good as new, and that my skin would also get back to normal. She definitely benefited from having those daily reminders, and I could see how the images helped reduce her fear and worry. However, what I didn’t realize, was the positive impact those printed images would also have on me! Because they were on the wall in our kitchen, they were literally the first thing I would see each morning. On those days when I felt horrible, and could barely drag myself out of bed, I would see those images of our family hugging and laughing, filled with joy, and it would remind me of who and what I was fighting for, and fill me with determination. And I have to tell you, even now that I am THANKFULLY cancer free, those images still inspire me. I still have bad days where I’m feeling tired and grumpy; but, if I glance over at those images of my family, I always feel better. They help me Remember the Love every day, and I want every family to experience this same boost to their mental health. I want every family to have big, beautiful photographic art that reminds them that they are important, they are loved, and no matter what struggles they may face, they are worth fighting for, every single day.