Story Time
Let me tell you about who I am and what makes my world go round.
How I Roll
Leave perfection at the door, I don't hold space for it
Nobody is perfect and I think the most amazing things happen when we embrace our messy yet beautiful reality.
Our humanity.
For me, an ideal session is where my client is able to forget everything except for the love and connection between them and their loved ones. Let the kids run free and don't worry about the small stuff.
I also say again and again, I can't photograph what isn't there. I can only document what is your authentic self and tell your family's story if you're trusting me to see you as you are.
What I mean by that is this: please be the glorious imperfect human you are, without hesitation. Don't worry about parenting styles, being different, nerdy, having a loud laugh and so on...
Embrace it all!
I'll do all the rest.
Where I'm From
Born and raised in Germany
I was born and raised in Germany, and always loved languages and other cultures.
At a very young age I dreamed of leaving Germany and living in a different country because I thought it would just be so cool and full of adventure and never ceasing wonder.
I've been annoying English teachers since 3rd grade, asked after lessons if they'd have time to quiz me on pages of vocabulary I'd studied in my free time. Yeah. That was me - haha!
Later on this 'dream' actually came true, although I had definitely grown older and it was no longer something I actively thought about. But I ended up meeting my husband online in an art forum. After years of Skype calls and meeting in real life ... We knew we were soulmates.
My whole family still resides in Germany and I have been stateside for 9+ years as of 2022.
I've been living and photographing families in Massachusetts for the past 5 years.
What Motivates Me
Becoming a mother and learning about the value of portraits
Being a mother is obviously a major turning point in anyone's life and can shift someone's perspective or priority on things.
And that's exactly what happened to me.
I used to photograph mostly professional models in Southern California and dabble with ideas of becoming a commercial photographer. While I do license images commercially with the help of stock agencies I started photographing families because I thought ... Maybe I'd be good at it.
I enjoyed the change of pace. Even, if there tends to be a lot of chaos included with every family session.
Kids truly are powerhouses!
As you read above, my family lives in Germany and that can mean that visitation is rare. We don't get to connect all the time and can't take snapshots every other week.
I learned rather quickly how valuable a portrait can be.
Over the years I have come to understand, that not everyone values memories as much as I do.
Often, relatives are just a car drive away. So why bother with a full on photoshoot every time ?
But distance to my family - and now having one on my own has brought me to realize just how short life is.
And especially how short a childhood is.
Sounds a bit dramatic, but essentially it's true and how I feel.
Family Photography just means a lot to me and I will always rise to the occasion to advocate for it.
Documenting Your Life Truthfully -- My Philosophy
Whether you're the nostalgic, emotional type or not - one day you will look back at your life and realize that the photographs you own are doing a better job at visualizing your children's childlike face than your memory.
Maybe you're having a rough day, lost someone, or you're having a fantastic day and just became a grandparent, whatever season of life you are experiencing, whether 5 or 20 years have passed - the last thing you'll want is to hold your photographs and see nothing but a bunch of strangers. In clothes you never wore, not being truly yourself.
Your memories matter.
It is my mission to focus on telling your story truthfully.
I want you to remember just how it felt, and what it was truly like
Reviews
The Peou Family
"Serena did our fall mini photo shoot with my toddler. She was so patient and understanding. We had such a wonderful experience with her. Highly recommend!"
The Mayes Family
Serena’s work is absolutely breathtaking. She has worked with my family in a variety of conditions, and I am always so so happy with the product that she delivers. My kids love doing photo shoots with her, too. She’s professional, and an incredible artist. I can’t recommend her highly enough!
The Spitz-Gassnola Family
Where do we even begin? From start to finish Serena was not only professional and efficient but showcased true kindness, respect, understanding, and generosity. We have a unique family dynamic and Serena made sure to handle it delicately while truly capturing it's essence. We are so grateful that we invested in not only her and her beautiful work but, the overall experience she provides. We will truly treasure these photos forever and look forward to working with her again in the future to capture all of life's beautiful moments.
