Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts


Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts
Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts
Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts
Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts
Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts
Fall Family Photos | Governor Ames Estate, Easton Massachusetts

Hi Friends! 

Sharing some photos from a session back in November. We met at the Governor Ames Estate in Easton, Massachusetts to wander around and enjoy the fall foliage. 

The Governor Ames Estate, named after Massachusetts Governor Oliver Ames, boasts a rich legacy that dates back to the 19th century. It’s just one of several conservation areas in Easton, many of which were donated by the Ames family—it’s owned and operated by The Trustees, a preservation and conservation non-profit that manages over 100 properties. 

The estate offers a harmonious blend of historical significance and natural beauty. While the mansion is no longer standing, the carriage house remains, along with sprawling grounds that include gardens, walking trails, and a lake. 

The location was perfect—between the foliage, carriage house, and open fields, we had lots of great backgrounds to work with! Additionally, the colors that the family wore — a gorgeous mix of pink, green, and burgandy—worked super well with the fall colors. We started off with grey skies, but after a little while the sun peeked out and we were treated to that glorious golden-hour glow. 

After a couple of posed photos, I stepped back and let Miss Q call the shots, and she showed us how fun a family shoot can be—we ran up and down hills, watched for airplanes and stomped on leaves. The result was a series of casual, candid moments of park fun.  

Are you looking for a family photographer in Southeastern Massachusetts or South Coast? Let’s chat! 


A Day Trip to Nantucket


For my 29th birthday last April, I took the ferry with my sister and roommate Zo to Nantucket (and my brother worked on the ferry, so technically I took it with him, too, I guess) It was foggy + quiet, but honestly, I’ll take that over crowds any day. I love some fog; it makes for gorgeous, eerie photos. We spent a few hours browsing, snacking and walking around downtown, before walking out to the Brant Point Lighthouse to take pics, stare at the horizon moodily, and throw shells into the sea. Then it was back on the ferry, back to the mainland. And as an extra treat, we wrapped up by birthday trip by going to one of my favorite places in the world—Ocean State Job Lot! (I am, truly, #blessed) All in all, a chill day, but the perfect way to usher in the (ugh) last year of my 20’s.  



Hiking in Connemara National Park

Hiking the Diamond Hill Loop in Connemara National Park | Shannon C Broderick
Hiking the Diamond Hill Loop in Connemara National Park | Shannon C Broderick
Hiking the Diamond Hill Loop in Connemara National Park | Shannon C Broderick
Hiking the Diamond Hill Loop in Connemara National Park | Shannon C Broderick

Happy Travel Thursday, friends! 

 As I mentioned in my earlier post on visiting Ireland in March, one of the places we visited during our trip was Connemara National Park. We took the morning to drive around the area, checking out the sights (including stopping at Kylemore Abbey!) and then decided to hike the Diamond Park Hill loop. And I’m so glad we did—even with foggy weather, the views were gorgeous! 

Here’s everything you need to know about hiking in Connemara National Park:

About Connemara National Park: 

Nestled on the western coast of Ireland, Connemara National Park stands as a pristine testament to the country’s natural beauty. The park, situated in County Galway, showcases a diverse landscape of rugged mountains, serene lakes, and vast expanses of bogland.  With its well-maintained trails and panoramic viewpoints, Connemara National Park provides a perfect blend of adventure and tranquility. 

Getting to Connemara National Park: 

Connemara is an hour(ish) drive from Galway—we rented a car for our time in Ireland, so it was easy for us to get to Connemara. However, there are lots of bus tours available at a wide range of price points if you haven’t rented a car. 

Hiking Diamond Hill Loop: 

There are two separate loops on Diamond Hill—the lower loop takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete, while the upper loop takes about 3 hours. Hiking both loops is an approximately seven kilometer hike. 

The path is uphill, but it’s not too steep, and consists of gravel, stone and boardwalk paths. If it’s a clear day, you’ll have panoramic views from the 445-meter peak—if not (we didn’t!) you’ll still have beautiful views on the way up and down (as well as the opportunity to see some wildlife!) 

Overall, hiking Diamond Hill Loop was one of my favorite parts of our trip to Ireland and I’m so glad that we took the time to do it. 


I took so many nice photos in Ireland—so nice that I made a calendar of them! Take a look here. 



Visiting Ireland in March

Happy Travel Thursday, friends! 

For today’s post, I’m continuing the recap of my trip to Scotland & Ireland, but before I start breaking down my trip by the different places that I visited, I thought it might be nice to take some time to chat about what it’s like to travel to Ireland in the off-season. 

Picture this: It’s July in Boston. 85, 90 degrees Fahrenheit and full humidity, and I’m living on the second floor of a triple decker with no air conditioning. And after two and a half years of mask-wearing and test-taking, the two dreaded lines have appeared—COVID. Three days into quarantine, my fever has broken, but it’s been replaced with cabin fever. And so, when my friend Kayla called me and said that she found tickets to Ireland for three hundred and fifty dollars…I didn’t ask when, or what airline, or what airport…I just said yes. Less than an hour later, I booked a ticket to Ireland for the last week of March 2023. 

After my somewhat-impulsive vacation decision, I started to wonder why the tickets were so cheap. Was it a flash deal, or was this going to be a dark, miserable and rainy trip? 

(Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. But we’ll get to that below!)  

According to this article from Kayak , February is the cheapest month to purchase plane tickets to Ireland—but the average cost of a flight in March was just five dollars more than February, making it the second-cheapest time to purchase flights. And while St. Patrick’s Day brings plenty of visitors to the Emerald Isle, the rest of the month is considered the “off season” for tourists. 

So what is it like to visit Ireland in March? 


Weather

During our trip in 2023, we experienced a little bit of everything when it came to weather—rain, wind, fog, and sun. (Honestly, it felt a lot like New England!) For the most part, the rain was fairly gentle (excluding one heavy storm in Connemara National Park). And we never experienced any of the weather listed above for particularly long: after a few minutes, or a few hours at the latest, the fog, or rain would clear away. 

The default weather for the week was overcast and 40-55 degrees. At no point did it feel particularly cold— I wore a fleece-lined waterproof jacket almost every day and was fine. The one bummer, for me, as a photographer, was the lack of sun, but that was in many ways to be expected. 

Accommodations

We were able to book accommodations (a mixture of Airbnbs, hotels and hostels) ahead of time fairly easily. In Galway, we booked the cutest stone cottage, located in the heart of downtown; in Kinsale, we stayed at a lovely inn with a lovely breakfast. A last minute stop in Limerick saw us in a hotel, but there were rooms easily available. The only place that we struggled to find affordable accommodation was Dublin, but we stayed at a hostel on O’Connell Street that put us in the middle of the action. 

Crowds 

I am a big fan of traveling in the off-season, largely because I am something of a grumpy old woman who hates big crowds and (at the risk of sounding like a snob) throngs of tourists. Traveling through Ireland in March, therefore, was perfect for me. When we arrived, there were some tourists in Galway and a handful in Dublin, a tour group that hiked the same mountain in Connemara with us, but otherwise it was massively quiet. 


Overall, I really enjoyed traveling through Ireland during the off-season in the month of March—between the nice(ish) weather, easy to book accommodations and lack of crowds, I thought it was the perfect time to visit. And hey, with tickets so cheap — you might see me there again in March 2024 (or 2025, or 2026…) 




Holiday Family Photos | Downtown Mattapoisett, Mass


Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick
Holiday Family Photos | Shipyard Park, Mattapoisett, Mass. | Shannon C Broderick


Maybe it’s the red dress, or the firs in the background, but as we approach the holiday season, I can’t help but think back to this family shoot from last year on the beach in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. The client wanted candid, documentary-style photos for holiday cards, so we spent some time running around in the late-afternoon sunshine, letting their daughter explore. 

We took these photos in downtown Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. I love the South Coast, and Mattapoisett is so pretty (think Gilmore Girls, but coastal!). I also love that at this location, there are three different places to shoot within a couple hundred feet of each other. Shipyard Park has a super cute gazebo with views of the ocean—there’s also the Munro Preserve, a small one-acre park with greenery and more waterfront views. Finally, the Mattapoisett Town Beach is also nearby, offering pristine white sand, a playground, a lifeguard chair, and, yes, even more ocean views. If you don’t want to choose between the park and the beach, Mattapoisett is the place to go for your family portraits. 

With three distinct backgrounds/locations within walking distance, we had the opportunity to get the most out of a shorter timeframe. While the beach in late fall can be a little chilly, we were the only people there, which meant the background was lovely (plus Miss Q looked so cute in her coat!). 

Are you looking for a family photographer in Southeastern Massachusetts or South Coast? Let’s chat! 




A Weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland

In March, three friends and I took some criminally cheap flights to the other side of the Atlantic. We started in Edinburgh; my sister studied there for a semester in 2018, which meant that she was able to play tour guide and take us to lots of cool places. Our weekend in Edinburgh was also marked by several mini reunions, with family & friends, which made the time extra special :) 

Here’s everything that we did/saw/ate in 36 hours! 

Friday

The flights were cheap for a reason, and the reason is this: In order to get to Edinburgh, I had to fly from Boston to Keflavik, then Keflavik to Dublin, then Dublin to Glasgow. Once I got to Glasgow, I took a bus to the city center, where I hopped on a train to Edinburgh. This took approximately 21 hours and made me feel like a re-microwaved burrito, but thankfully my angel sister met me at the Edinburgh train station with a Gregg’s Steak Bake (the real reason I returned to Scotland, let’s be honest) and I felt refreshed & renewed & ready to see the city.

We stayed in Stockbridge, which I loved and wholeheartedly recommend—it’s a slightly bougie neighborhood with lots of cute shops and curved closes lined with Georgian Townhouses. It’s also significantly quieter/less touristy than New or Old Town, and only a 15-20 minute walk to both of those places. 

My sister and I went to meet our aunt and cousin for dinner at Under the Stairs (delicious!), where we split a bunch of plates. After we got a drink with one of my sister’s friends, and then it was off to bed. 


Saturday 


We started off Saturday by walking to Old Town, stopping to peruse local farmer’s markets near Edinburgh Castle and in Grassmarket. We sampled some Mary’s Milk Bar, then checked out Victoria Street and the shops nearby, including Armstrongs & Son Vintage. 

Some of us went to Edinburgh Castle, while others went to the National Galleries of Scotland. Later we had drinks in Grassmarket Square, followed by an evening at the Oz Bar, which is always fun (Other fun spots: try Three Sisters for a rowdy night, or Hoot the Reedemer for boozy ice cream) 


Sunday

We woke up early to walk to the Salisbury Crags.  In the past, I’ve climbed to Arthur’s Seat, toward the top, but this time we did the Crags, upon Brenna’s recommendation. I ran to the foot of the park, which was lovely (I’m a BIG proponent of running on vacations, even if it’s just one time, because I think it’s such a fun way to explore) and then we battled the wind to the top to enjoy the views. 

Brenna’s friend works at Mary King’s Close, an underground tour of Edinburgh; afterwards, we went charity-shopping all across the city, and walked around Stockbridge. We finished off the day with dinner at TK. 

All in all, a beautiful little weekend, catching up with faraway friends and visiting a (slightly) familiar little city :) 


Engagement Photos | Chorney Property, North Attleboro

Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Engagement Photos at Chorney Property, North Attleboro, Massachusetts

I met Kathleen on my first day of high school, way back in 2008, which means that we’ve been friends for an astonishing 15 years (gross!).  It’s been a pleasure watching her and Zack fall in love & start a life together, and when she asked me to take her engagement photos last February, I was so honored and excited. And of course, Penelope, Kathleen and Zack’s pup, came along and stole the show with her sass (and that cute bandana!) 

Kathleen suggested Chorney Property in North Attleboro, Mass. as the spot for their engagement photos. I’m so glad we decided to take their engagement photos there; Chorney Property has so many different places to take portraits, and we were the only people there, so we truly had the place to ourselves. 

The property can be a little tricky to find—it’s located on the corner of Metcalf Road and Ellis Road in North Attleboro (exact location linked here). It consists of three fields, connected by small trails. The trails wrap around the perimeter of the fields—there’s a boardwalk that connects the first two fields, while the third is accessible via a wooded path. We had a nice variety of backgrounds to choose from, as seen from the images above; there were open fields, forests, a stone wall, a stable (not accessible via the property, but in the background) and the boardwalk. It was gorgeous in February, when we took these photos, and whether it’s beautiful fall foliage, or green fields, or long grasses or some pristine white snow….I imagine that it would be the perfect background for engagement or family photos year-round. 

Kathleen and Zack (and Penelope!) thanks so much for letting me capture your engagement photos for you! 

Looking for wedding or engagement photos in Southeastern Massachusetts? Let’s chat! 


My first time in D.C.

Tourists at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Last month I hopped on a plane (for the first time in two years!) and flew down to Washington D.C., to visit my friend Kate. It was my first ever time in D.C., which is a little embarrassing—  by my count I’ve been to 10 European capitals, but never the capital of my 👏own 👏 country 👏—but better late than never! 

I stayed for just 48 hours, so it was something of a whirlwind trip, but I really enjoyed it. In addition to hitting the main sights, we visited the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Gallery and the Air & Space Museum, wandered through Capitol Hill and Embassy Row, and rode the Metro (which I was extremely excited about). Kate is a coffee connoisseur, so I got to sample some of the best pastries + lattes that the DC metro area has to offer—and since one of the things we bonded about when we first met in Mannheim, six years ago, was books, we checked out a handful of bookstores as well (my favorite was Capitol Hill books). All in all, a great way to spend two days, and a great first visit—and now I can’t wait to go back (hopefully there won’t be…27 years in between visits) 



montreal

brenna and i tempted fate in february and booked a trip to montreal for two days—so, naturally, we arrived shortly before a huge storm dumped a foot of snow on the city. but it was still fun! we tromped around the city and worried about parking and stayed in two separate airbnbs. 

i’ve been watching a lot of movies + tv lately (with the pandemic, who isn’t?) and i’m starting to take apart each scene while i’m watching—note the lighting, the composition, colors, tone, etc. it’s a lot of fun, and it’s weird to think that i didn’t used to do that, that my vision has physically changed. 

when brenna and i went to montreal, i started noticing that my photos themselves are were taking on a slightly cinematic feel. it wasn’t enough to take photos on the trip—i wanted each one to be a magical little moment, perfectly composed, its own little story. which is what i want, anyways—what i’ve always wanted. and i’m still far from being a good/great photographer, i think, but it’s really nice when you get to see a shift in your work come across so obviously. 

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