Rochester, MN Photo Shoot | Nicole Mills Photography | Ally
Ally has been gracious enough to model for me several times over the past few years. I first met her in 2016, when Nicole Mills Photography was still an in-home basement studio. At that point, I was all about tulle (OK, I still am....kinda. I think EVERY girl/woman should be photographed in tulle at least ONCE in her life!), and I'd made this big black and gray tulle skirt...and needed a model. Ally was the choice, with her dark hair, dark eyes...and totally serious, intense stare! She'd recently gotten braces, so wasn't keen on doing any big open mouthed smiles...and that was just fine, because she's absolutely gorgeous, regardless of the expression she's wearing! We mixed her glam look with her volleyball, and we got some amazing images that I feel show multiple sides to this lovely girl...her fierce, competitive side, and of course, her absolutely charmingly beautiful, feminine side. I'm a firm believer that girls can do anything, be anything, and of course, wear tulle while they're doing it...if they want to! And as usual, if there's a mom watching in the wings, I like to include her in at least one photo, even if she wasn't planning on it...luckily I keep a huge wardrobe on hand for just such an occasion...thanks for participating Mama!
The next time I photographed Ally, we decided to head downtown Rochester. I'd made this fun and funky paper skirt and knew the city lights and colors we'd find downtown would be the perfect background for this photo shoot. I called on Ally again, and she was all in, thankfully! We met downtown, got her changed into this Nicole Mills original and she proceeded to get lots of attention from just about everyone we passed on the street! Ally did great, even with all the eyes on her, and this time, I got plenty of big smiles, as the braces were off finally. This was great, because this paper skirt made out of encyclopedia pages, was all about fun and laughter, so I'm happy that she was able to bring out the big smiles. This skirt was super simple to make, but yet made a huge impact in these photos...it will remain one of my favorites, and in the Nicole Mills Photography studio wardrobe, I'm sure! And again...we got Mom in a photo or two. :)
I try to remember to hand over my phone to Mom (if she's willing to act as my assistant!) for a little behind the scenes action! Thanks Mom! :)
And just before Christmas, I asked Ally to come up to Nicole Mills Photography in Pine Island to model a kind of silly Christmas skirt I'd made. I'll admit, I lost inspiration on this creation shortly after I started on it, but I wanted to see it through, as I'd decided it would make a pretty good display for my studio front window, and it did! I had also made an interesting head piece that I had her model...and that, I was quite proud of. 24 hours earlier, it had been a swag on my front door. But, after taking it apart and rebuilding, we had a beautiful head piece for her to wear in a few photos. I love being able to take the time to let my creativity flow. Sometimes it works (the head piece), and sometimes...not so much (the Christmas skirt!). Ally was a good sport, though, and let me drape this extremely heavy skirt on her and she did the best Christmas tree impersonation I've ever seen.
The Christmas skirt sat proudly in my studio window for the month of December and all of January (while I was down enjoying the Florida sun), but now she's heading to a new home! She's too big to keep in the studio, and honestly, I've already got ideas for a different skirt or gown for next Christmas! Stay tuned...
First, a little behind the scenes action fun.
Thank you Ally! You'll always be one of my favorite models!
Nicole Mills Photography specializes in photographing girls and women of all ages. If you live in SE Minnesota and are looking for a photographer that is dedicated to her craft and will provide you the most amazing portraits you've ever seen of yourself, then please get in touch with Nicole Mills Photography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Located in downtown Pine Island, the Nicole Mills Photography studio offers everything you need to make your portrait experience one to remember forever. You'll find a full studio wardrobe to choose from, including beautiful gowns, casual separates, and even unique, custom designs created by Nicole for a one-of-a-kind portrait you and your family will treasure forever.
Nicole Mills Photography offers fully stylized sessions both in her Pine Island studio and outdoors in Rochester, MN and surrounding areas. Whether you're looking for senior photographs, maternity, business head shots, or simply some beautiful images of you and/or your family, Nicole Mills Photography provides unparalleled service, quality of work, and unique artwork you'll want to hand down for generations to come.
Now serving: Rochester, Pine Island, Byron, Kasson, Mantorville, Oronoco, Stewartville, Zumbrota, Wanamingo, Eyota, St. Charles, Elgin, Plainview, and more.