Short + Sweet
Written By: Maygen Kardash
Photography by: Nicole Romanoff
Twenty minutes. When I was a kid, twenty minutes felt so much longer than it does now; I’d ask my mom if I could play with a friend and she’d tell me, “as long as you’re back in twenty minutes for dinner” and I’d jump for joy, running out the door to my neighbor Kelly’s house to play with Barbies, collect some leaves, and maybe squeeze in a Spirograph masterpiece or two. Now when I see there are only twenty minutes before I have to run out the door, I catch myself thinking, ‘why even bother starting something’. It’s a strange mindset shift but I can’t be the only one who feels it, even though of course twenty minutes should be as valuable now as when I was seven. That’s why when my sister-in-law, Nicole told me about her Short and Sweet sessions which are twenty minutes long and can be used for a variety of session styles, I immediately thought it was the perfect length for capturing those moments of childhood where time stretches on and invites play to happen without hurry.
To the delight of my little girl, Petra, Nicole had her niece Abby for the day and we decided to take a quick jaunt to the park. I often take photos on my phone like I’m sure most parents do and although selective focus can fake that DSLR look in Instagram, when it comes to gifting, ordering a canvas, or putting a photo album together, prints aren’t as forgiving so it’s important to put a professional in charge.
At the park, the girls ran to their favourite playground equipment and their excitement shone, Petra showing of how she ‘hangs’ like at gymnastics and Abby bravely conquering the rock wall in the face of a few caterpillars.
As it turned out, twenty minutes fits exactly how much it did when I was seven. Moms, I recommend meeting Nicole at your favourite playground, in your backyard, or for a rainy day spent painting at the kitchen table. Send her a note about booking your own Short and Sweet session for your own little brood or just for your babe and their bestie—these moments are precious and even if you just print copies to tuck into the mirror in your kid’s room, it’s worth it to have real photos of these moments. Or, you know, print canvases and maximize your little investment! (Pricing is just $150 for the twenty-minute session and includes 10 edited images.)
xoMaygen
p.s. The girls begged for lipstick when we got back and we couldn’t say no so we painted their pouts and Nicole caught another twenty-minute session. It's an idea that would make for a special birthday party experience: let all the little guests do each other’s nails, hair, and lipstick, and schedule a Short and Sweet session with Nicole at the end of the afternoon. I don’t know about you but I’m so busy at my daughter’s birthday that I take exactly zero photos of the fun. Problemo solved!
