Time for another Featured Photographer, and can I just say that I really really love this woman?  It is my pleasure to introduce you to Nicole Ridella of  Ordinary Days Photography from Marin County/San Francisco Bay Area.  I adore her work.  She captures the innocence of children in a very simple and classic way.  And, let it be known that she is one of the sweetest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  And she’s a great mom.  And really awesome.

Yes.  Yes, let it also be known that I love Nicole Ridella. 

Feel free to check out her blog and her new Facebook page.

Why do you love this image?

I love the eye contact and the little girl’s personality. We were playing at a park and when I called her name, she peeked around this structure at me and I was happy to catch her little grin.

What were your settings with this image?

ISO 800, SS 1/160 and f3.2.

What do you love about Photography?

I love that photography helps me remember all kinds of tiny details I would otherwise forget. A few of my favorites include a photo that reminds me that when my youngest daughter first learned to walk she held her arms straight out in front of her a la Frankenstein and a photo of my older daughter as a baby dressed in Christmas jammies, trying to remove the child-proof cap on an outlet in our hallway (yes, she was more interested in electrocuting herself than she was in her Christmas gifts!) I also love older photographs from my childhood that remind me of summer vacations and my grandfather who loved his Polaroid camera and was forever trying to usher us grandkids into a group so he could take our photo. I love the memories that photographs hold.

Who or what inspires you?

I find inspiration everywhere: in nature, in music, in paintings… I also am inspired by the way children live their lives, always right in the moment and so filled with wonder and excitement.

What do you believe in?

Love. Family. Friendship. Capturing memories. Laughter.

A good portrait means…

that 20 years from now it will bring the viewer back in time to the exact moment that I snapped the shutter. If I do that, capture the moment so completely that the memory doesn’t fade, I have done my job.

What 3 word describe you?

Happy. Fun. Relaxed. At least, those are the things I strive to be!

What is the one gadget that you can’t live without?

Does my camera count as a gadget? Because it is the one non-human thing I really couldn’t live without.

Tell me about your ideal client.

My ideal clients are the ones who trust me – the ones who know I know what I am doing and sit back and let me work.

How would you describe your shooting style?

Relaxed! I make a big effort to be relaxed and fun so my little subjects don’t get upset. I want them to leave a session with me feeling like they just had the most wonderful playdate ever!

Stay tuned next week when I introduce you to Jennifer Ricketts Photography.  She’s another one that I will just have to profess my love to.