First Street Photography
When I was a child we had a cottage up north on First Street. It was a place that I could truly be myself. There was no social pressures from school, no need to dress a specific way or fit into a box. I could let my imagination go wild. I had access to lakes, beaches and forests that I were my playgrounds and my inspiration to make art. I was surrounded by people that loved me unconditionally and thought I was the most brilliant, funny, amazing person they had ever met. Those weekends up north gave me a foundation of confidence and self worth that is priceless.
I named my business after that little cottage. I want each and every one of my clients to feel loved, appreciated, seen, heard and celebrated for who they are in their soul. I learned that I was an amazing person at a little cottage on First Street. I hope that all my clients learn the same lesson through their portraits at First Street Photography.
Meet your photographer…
Capturing love one image at a time is my dream come true. My father was a wedding photographer and I started as his assistant in 1996 when I was 16 years old. Branching off to build my own company at 19 was exhilarating. In 2006, I began focusing on child and family photography after having my own daughters but as a 16 year old, I always tried to capture people as the best version of themselves. That focus on capturing real moments is still something that drives me today. I take time to get to know my clients to be able to capture authentic, truly beautiful portraits.
At a wedding or portrait session, my approach is two-sided: I like a classic, more formal portrait, the image that will be carried on into the future through the family history books. While this image can be posed, I still capture natural movement and the subject’s natural confidence. After the more formal image is captured, the fun begins. I invite my clients to cut loose, show a range of expressions because it’s the small moments of emotion that show our soul. For children especially, without a photo, you don’t remember exactly how your daughter looked blowing raspberries or the joy in your son’s eyes when he sees his favorite toy truck.
I love preserving moments that are fleeting: a couple on their wedding day, the way a family interacts together, the look on a child’s face while playing peekaboo. These moments won’t be the same tomorrow but a photograph stops time. I know that an image has the ability to transform the way someone views themselves. It can be a powerful experience to see yourself through someone else’s eyes. For me, people are beautiful, glittering, magnificent souls. I am so fortunate to be able truly capture who my clients are at a particular moment of their lives. It really is the best part of my job. To be witness to the making of a new family is an honor and a blessing. To capture the history of a growing family is a joy. To be able to capture love one image at a time is a dream come true.
Love,
Vesna Zdravkoski
House on First Street