Duluth photographer captures vacation reminiscences with themed units – Duluth News Tribune

DULUTH — Every yr for the previous 25 years, Lynnette Steen has created a backdrop and theme for her vacation portrait classes at her images studio, Lynnette’s Portrait Design. And yearly, Steen takes the time to seek for new parts that may add to the vacation feeling.

“I’ve had an actual literal cabin front on here. We’ve had a barn, just the front face. I try to keep it more of a winter theme so it doesn’t scream Christmas and my clients can keep it up for longer,” Steen mentioned. “One year I bought a big sheet of acrylic to make it look like a skating rink. And we almost always have some form of fake snow, mostly because the children always like playing with it.”

Why are vacation portraits so essential to Steen?

“Portraits capture the moment and serve a lifetime of memories,” Steen mentioned. “Photography has become very disposable. The average American takes six pictures a day. But when you have a portrait that captures a person in a way the average photo never could, that’s worth everything.”

Steen has labored in images for round 40 years. She did not initially got down to be a photographer, however she was advisable for a job at Grandmaison Studios below Dan Grandmaison and Tim Slattery. She took on a extra proactive function within the images facet of the enterprise and began her personal studio when Grandmaison retired.

What engages Steen most with images is working with youngsters. She has purchasers that come again yearly for a vacation picture and will get to see youngsters develop up. She has pictures of purchasers she took once they have been 2- and 3-year-olds juxtaposed subsequent to their commencement pictures.

“Time goes by so quickly,” Steen mentioned, “but a portrait keeps the story of your lives alive for generations. It can become a family heirloom.”

Steen mentioned she added the vacation portrait expertise as a result of she observed that many malls now not provided that as an choice. She mentioned vacation pictures may be slightly bit “old-school” to some, and that they won’t be everybody.

“I’m not for everybody. It’s pretty rare for photographers to have a studio with studio lighting. Most of them do outdoor light and that’s wonderful too,” Steen mentioned. “But it’s Minnesota and it’s nice to have an option where I can control all of the elements like lighting and temperature.”

Steen encourages her purchasers to convey with them some aspect that may make their portraits stand out extra — a big household decoration or a bunch of mistletoe, for instance.

“It adds to the story,” she mentioned.

Steen mentioned she usually lets younger youngsters toss the faux snow round on the finish of a portrait session.

“I tell them if they can be patient and wait until the end, I’ll let them play with it. And sometimes that’s how you get the cutest moments,” Steen mentioned.

Teri Cadeau is a options reporter for the Duluth News Tribune. Originally from the Iron Range, Cadeau has labored for a number of group newspapers within the Duluth space, together with the Duluth Budgeteer News, Western Weekly, Weekly Observer, Lake County News-Chronicle, and sometimes, the Cloquet Pine Journal. When not working, she’s an avid reader, crafter, dancer, trivia fanatic and cribbage participant.