Author: Erica Shirley Photography

Seniors – Class of 2017

Portraits, Seniors

High school is such a formative time in the lives of young adults. I am always honored to photograph senior portraits of soon-to-be graduates. It is a welcomed challenge to capture each individual’s personality at this stage in his or her life, just before “the future” begins!

Henry:

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Henry was a pleasure to photograph! He is such a sweet, genuine guy and has a great sense of humor. His senior photo session at Kettle Cove was full of witty jokes and thoughts about what his future holds. He said he can’t believe how fast senior year crept up on him but is enjoying every moment and is excited for the next phase of life! His “calm, cool, and collected” personality is a sign that he will take whatever life throws at him and turn it into something great! Henry seems to know exactly who he is and embraces every moment of what life has to offer!

Lilly:

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Lilly is the eldest child of a family that I have been a nanny for for years. I met her when she was just 11 years old and I can’t believe she’s now a senior in high school! It was a blast to be able to take her senior portraits at a beach we have visited so many times over the years.

I have absolutely loved watching this energetic, silly, intelligent little girl grow into a stunning young women with the world at her feet! I have zero doubts that she will create her own path to success and happiness and lead such a fulfilling life. I cannot wait to see what the world has in store for her and what she has in store for the world! Love this girl always. I’m so looking forward to watching her continue to shine!

Hannah:

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Hannah is another beautiful young woman that I have been able to watch grow over the last 5 or 6 years! A friend of Lilly’s, these girls grew up together and are now so close to graduation even if it may seem like a lifetime away!

Hannah is truly one of the kindest teenagers I’ve ever met and really does have a heart of gold. She is always smiling and adores her family – her little sister Abby even hopped in for a sister photo! Fort Williams was the perfect place for Hannah’s senior session with the gorgeous natural scenery and, of course, the ocean nearby. Hannah will definitely make a difference no matter what path she chooses to take in life! Here’s to the future and finding what makes you love waking up each and every morning!

It sounds so cliché but I really can say that the best advice I could ever give to those just starting out on the journey of life is to do what you LOVE and love what you do! Don’t blink, make memories, and take lots of photos! 😉 Good luck Class of 2017!

Kaneki and Kagune – Ida’s Cosplay

Portraits

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This was one of my all-time FAVORITE sessions to ever photograph! I was absolutely inspired by Ida’s cosplay creations and had this insane urge to capture them on camera the moment I saw them! I was blown away by her talent and creativity, not to mention the dedication it takes to create these masterpiece costumes!

This particular cosplay was a “gender-bend” of a male character, Ken Kaneki from the Japanese manga series, Tokyo Ghoul. I had a blast learning about the story-line and how Ida really brought this character to life! The red extremities are called a Kagune which I learned is actually a weapon that this character has protrude from his body.

The whole concept just fascinated me. To this day I still say this was one of my favorite sessions yet! I loved that I could get more dramatic with my editing and really bring out the vibrancy that Ida worked so hard to achieve in this cosplay.

Props to Ida! Plus, this is only one of many cosplays that she’s done for conventions across New England! She even has a cosplay Instagram account – Check out more of her creations here: Instagram

6 Makes Perfect

Children, Couples, Engagement, Family, Portraits

I loved photographing this beautiful blended family of six on the Eastern Promenade in Portland! Erinn and Blaine are the most adorable engaged couple and have brought their four children together to form this energetic and charismatic family! Their kids are fantastic friends and it shines in how they play together and have that silly sibling banter. I had so much fun photographing the impromptu “silly faces” and sweet smiles of this bunch.

Erinn and Blaine are in the process of planning a destination wedding – how fun!! Their whole family will fly to paradise for what I’m sure will be an unforgettable wedding and then the kids will return home after a mini-vacation so mom and dad can enjoy a well-deserved honeymoon! I love that their whole family gets to not only “make it official” but also gets to have a fun vacation together weaved into the celebration – such a cool idea!

Congrats to the happy couple on your engagement and your wonderful family! Wishing you all many many years of happiness, silliness, and life-long memories!

Sand, Sea Shells, and a Surprise Proposal

Children, Couples, Engagement, Family, Portraits

This was SUCH a fun day for so many reasons! My friends Brittany and Andrew decided it was time their son, Desmond, make his first trip to the beach! Plus, this was Father’s Day of 2016 so it was a special way for this little family to spend the morning. Desmond loved the sand and had a blast collecting little beach treasures like sticks and shells. While Desmond was busy exploring, Andrew had a different mission:

The night before, Andrew had contacted me and told me he had a plan for this day – to PROPOSE to Brittany! I basically almost peed my pants with excitement! I know how perfect these two are together and have seen them go through ups and downs and always come out the other side stronger. I’ve seen them go through the journey of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood and just know they are meant to be together ’til the end and beyond! Needless to say, I was SO ready to take on the task of capturing this proposal on camera!

Brittany had brought a picture frame to the beach to use as a photo prop which was the perfect way to grab some photos of just Brittany and Andrew down by the water. Little Des played beside me in the sand while Andrew went and positioned himself to pop the question! I could ramble on but it’s so much better to see the story play out in photos:

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SHE SAID YES!!!

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Such a perfect family and a perfect day! Brittany was in shock but then cracked everyone up when she jumped into Andrew’s arms with joy! She was tickled that Andrew selflessly used his Father’s Day of all days to propose! I wonder if Des will be the ring bearer 😉 I better get an invite to your wedding haha – can’t wait to see you two tie the knot! Will be a day to remember for sure, just like this one! Could not be more honored to have been there for this moment! Love you guys ❤

Mickey, Mess, and Milestones

Children, Family

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Little Jacob turns ONE! What a fun photo session of silly Jacob’s one-year cake smash! He came with his mom, Jaimie and dad, Matt to Payson Park on this sunny day. Jacob was all decked out in Mickey Mouse attire and ready for his Mickey cake! At first he wasn’t too sure he liked the feeling of the frosting on his fingers but his apprehension quickly faded and he dove right in!

Jacob is so expressive which I love! He likes to ham it up for the camera and is always giggling and having a grand time. He definitely made a dent in his cake and his clothes had the mess to prove it! There was a momentary lapse in the giggles as stuffed Mickey got a little dirty in the frosting but oh my goodness look at Jacob’s pouty lip! SO cute! Once he and Mickey were cleaned up, it was right back to all-smiles!

Happy 1st Birthday, sweet boy! You are one fun-loving little munchkin and I can’t wait to see you and your family again in the future!

Baby Boy Bump

Family, Maternity, Portraits

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This was such a beautiful late-summer day with parents-to-be Casey and Kevin. We went to the Maine Audubon Gardens in Falmouth which was the perfect setting for these maternity photos! Casey and Kevin have since welcomed their baby boy, Spencer into their family and he is just the cutest!

I remember how excited they were on this day to get these photos done and even more excited for their baby boy to arrive! Even “big brother” Trigger the Rottweiler was excited for baby Spencer to make his way into the world.

There is nothing more beautiful than bringing life into this world and all of the anticipation that goes along with it!

Congratulations to Casey and Kevin on your new addition! You make an adorable family and I can’t wait to see pictures of little Spencer as he grows from a newborn into a sweet little boy!

Pups and Pics

Pets

This was a fun puppy play date over the summer! My friend Meghan got a new puppy, Mica (black and tan) and we just had to snap some photos while she was still a baby! She even had her best bud Bode the golden retriever tag along to being a playmate and co-model!

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Isn’t she beautiful? She looks so regal when she focuses on the camera but boy is she full of playful puppy energy!

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Bode and Mica are best friends. Bode is Mica’s “uncle” if we’re going by the human family tree. Mica is one happy “niece” sitting by his side.

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Silly Bode is a goofy boy!

My sister and Meghan are close friends from grade school. Sophie, my sister’s dog, came along for the play date and these three hit it off!

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What a rough life it is being a dog… 😉 It doesn’t get better than photography and furry friends!

Mini Session for Mini Reese

Children, Newborns

Little Reese was only five weeks old when we did this fun little mini shoot! She and her parents live very close to this beautiful field that was the perfect backdrop for these sunny shots!

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Reese is so loved and is such a sweet little girl! She was on the verge of a nap during her mini session which made for these peaceful sleeping poses as well as some “waking up” shots with her big dreamy eyes.

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I just love love love photos of babies’ hands, feet, hair, and all of their little features!

Reese’s mom, Nicole, brought these awesome balloons to the shoot! They made for a cool, soft prop to add to these photos 🙂

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Okay, time for a real nap all snuggled up with Mom! Such a cutie!

Thanks to Nicole and her growing family for coming out for this fun mini session! See future blog posts of little Reese and her cousins, coming soon!

Fiancés and Furry Friends

Couples, Engagement, Pets, Portraits

This past spring, I had such a fun engagement session with future husband and wife, Paul and Kristi, at Six Flags! (view that session here) Once summer weather arrived, it was time for part two of capturing this couple’s love! Their fur babies even joined in on the fun!

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We met up at Long Sands beach in York, ME for this beautiful pastel-colored session!

Seriously, how cute are these two? They are each fun-loving and adventurous as individuals; then when they’re together, they just mesh perfectly!

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There was a clear favorite photo from part one of their engagement session involving their reflection in a puddle at the theme park. We wanted to somehow incorporate it into part 2! Could this location or this couple be any more beautiful? Nope!

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Kristi and Paul love their fur babies as children which is awesome because, as those who know me are aware, I’m a crazy dog lady! HA! Needless to say, I was thrilled to have their furry children, Teddy and Graham, join in on the engagement-photo fun!

Look at these lovable goofballs – they just love to play!

Family photos 🙂

Ugh, the love! ❤

After the pups were tuckered out from romping around on the beach, we made our way up the coastline to Cape Neddick Lighthouse (also known as Nubble Lighthouse). How dreamy are Kristi and Paul looking out over the island?! It’s funny because you never know what people are thinking while taking these photos but I just love that these two have such a unique love. To me it’s like they are looking into the distance as they make plans for their future, while still living “in the here and now” and enjoying every moment!

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These two are best friends, you can clearly see that just by being around them, but there is definitely a deep-seated love and determination for their commitment to one another. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to photograph their wedding next May, not only because I love photography and the intense, exhausting, wonderful demand for creativity that it requires, but also because I love when my clients become my friends and I get to witness the happiest, most beautiful moments of their lives! Here’s to T-270 days, you two! 😀

Bye Bye, High School! – Miranda’s Grad Party

Events, Family

Now that summer is sadly nearing an end, it’s fun to look back on the past school year as we gear up for a new one! This new school year will bring exciting changes for Miranda, a recent high school graduate from Thornton Academy. She’ll be heading off to UMaine Farmington in the fall to start her journey to becoming a teacher – how exciting! I have no doubt that she’ll make a fantastic teacher with her love for learning and her kind, bubbly personality!

Here is a look back on her graduation party a few months ago:

How cute is this setup?! I love the black and gold decorations and the twinkly lights! The whole “feel” was so welcoming and everywhere you looked there was another cute detail. Props to Miranda’s mom Bethany and step-mom Jen for making this come together!

Everyone had a blast with this DIY photo booth – smiles all around!

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Selfie time!

Miranda had so many friends and family members show up to celebrate her accomplishments and the exciting future she has ahead of her!

Little did she know, she had a big surprise in store…


A brand new car! She and her friends piled in and even took it for a quick spin around the neighborhood.


As Miranda opened her cards and gifts, she was so grateful and grinning from ear-to-ear to be surrounded by all those who love and support her. Since Miranda has been cheering for many years, her mom made a super cool quilt out of all of her cheerleading t-shirts! What a creative and thoughtful gift that Miranda can take with her to college!


As the daylight faded and nighttime fell, family and friends gathered around to watch a bittersweet slideshow of Miranda’s life up until this point. Tears were shed at baby photos and laughs were had at snapshots of those silly pre-teen years. The night ended on such a happy note as everyone wished Miranda the best of luck on this new chapter in her life. I don’t think there’s any doubt she has a bright future ahead!

CONGRATS, Miranda! And so the adventure begins…