Snapshots by Susan

Snapshots by Susan Snapshots by Susan is the photography of Hull based photographer Susan Hagstrom.
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You know the phrase, "The shoemaker's children always go barefoot?" Well, that applies to photographers and their lack ...
09/06/2026

You know the phrase, "The shoemaker's children always go barefoot?" Well, that applies to photographers and their lack of ability to get to our own photos that we take for pleasure! I STILL haven't had the appropriate amount of time to dedicate to the photos I took in Brazil in April. But here's a photo I wanted to post and apply a tip to it.

I remember hearing that it's very difficult, if not impossible, to make an iconic image of an iconic landmark while on vacation. In this example, there have just been too many photos made of Rio's Christ the Redeemer, and access to it is very limited (unless you have a drone). But of course, you still want to have photos of it. I was traveling with my Leica Q and its fixed 28mm lens so my only real option was to to include the landmark as part of a panoramic image, taken from the top of nearby Pão de Açúcar, or Sugarloaf Mountain. We took a gondola to the top, giving us this stunning view of the city, including a beach, city buildings, the gondola and Christ the Redeemer in the upper right-hand of the frame.

I took some close-up images of the statue with my iPhone, and it's possible that I will be able to edit them to result in something interesting but I do like this image and the sense of both geography and city culture that it gives the viewer.

I look forward to editing the rest of the images from the trip and sharing them!

Leica Q 28mm lens hand held no flash
ISO 100
f/8
ss 1/125th of a second

Family photo season is in high gear and it's always a challenge to come up with new posing ideas, especially when workin...
09/03/2026

Family photo season is in high gear and it's always a challenge to come up with new posing ideas, especially when working with a repeat client. I'm so grateful for loyal clients and in this case, I have been photographing the Williams family since 2018. We have used several different locations, and that's a good way to get variety into the photos but I also try to come up with new composition ideas so the photos don't look stale.

In this case, I say there's nothing wrong with asking your preferred AI site for posing ideas! You can also check out photos online. Of course, I then put my own signature spin on the composition but checking out lots of photos is a good way to get inspired and there's no shame in that game.

In this case, we did the photos right at Gunlock Beach, which I keep telling people is quite the hidden gem for a photo location. Since I have known the kids for so long, it's easy for me to instruct them and ask them if they are up for certain ideas. Here, I just asked them to walk in a line over the rocks and as you can see, they understood the assignment. I took lots of photos but I like this image because they are all in the process of stepping. I also like the varying heights of the kids. I have left some negative space to the right so they can "walk" into the frame. To me this is just a timeless image that could be enjoyed in both color and black and white.

Many thanks to all of my long-term, loyal clients, like the Williams family. I appreciate you so much and you push me to strive to be better with the passage of time.

Canon R5 24-70mm lens with flash hand held

I had to share one more image from my Marshfield Fair gallery from this year. I think I audibly gasped when I saw this ...
08/30/2026

I had to share one more image from my Marshfield Fair gallery from this year. I think I audibly gasped when I saw this scene coming together. I found the juxtaposition of these nuns next to the wild colors and action of the carnival ride to be pretty compelling. This isn't the kind of thing you come across every day!

If you remember from the last post, I was using my Canon R6 with a Light Leak lens that has a focal length of 28mm. This is good for street photography and forces the photographer to get closer to the subject, resulting in a more intimate image. I took a few frames of these scene, waiting for this one, in which the person's head on the left turned a bit to reveal some of her face.

The real tip here is just to bring your camera with you wherever you go and keep your eyes open!

Canon R6 28mm Polar Pro light leak lens, hand held, no flash
ISO 400
fixed f/11 aperture
ss 1/400th of a second

The annual trip to the Marshfield Fair is a cherished tradition in my family and yesterday's outing did not disappoint. ...
08/27/2026

The annual trip to the Marshfield Fair is a cherished tradition in my family and yesterday's outing did not disappoint. The wide array of colors, interesting people, action and food makes it a photographer's dream.

I wanted to do something different so I put my Polar Pro Light Leak lens onto my Canon R6. The focal length is 28 mm, which is great for street photography and forces me to get a little closer to my subject. This lens creates images that have a nostalgic vibe with sharp centers and faded edges. You can control your ISO and shutter speed but everything else is set, you can just concentrate on composing your images.

In this case, I saw these ducks floating and the water had a very interesting look to it, even before you add the lens effect. Add some reflections and a a human element and I think it's a very engaging image. You do need this kind of lens to make images like this or you can get this effect with some editing software. But if you go to the fair, you can make an endless amount of interesting images with only a camera phone.

The fair is in town until Sunday, August 30th.

Canon R6 with Polar Pro 28mm light leak lens, hand held no flash
ISO 400
fixed f/11 aperture
ss 1/60th of a second

Today's tip a little different. It's a tip for creatives in general, and the tip is to be generous with your art, espec...
08/23/2026

Today's tip a little different. It's a tip for creatives in general, and the tip is to be generous with your art, especially when other creatives are involved.

After shooting an event, like a wedding, I love to share photos with the vendors. I send photos to the band, the dj, the wedding venue etc. No strings attached. It takes very little extra effort for me and it's always very appreciated.

In this case, I was taking photos for South Shore Home Life & Style at their annual Boss Bash. The Boss Bash is a celebration of local restaurants, shops and services who were voted the best by local magazine readers. These types of events are fun to photograph. People are eating, dancing and enjoying themselves but others are there working, just like me. So, it's fun to try to catch them in their element. In this case, I caught Jackson Blue, local videographer, with his signature smile and camera in tow. With the band in the background, it becomes a perfect environmental portrait. I was excited to send this to Jackson and he was so appreciative, giving me a real sense of satisfaction.

It's always nice to get credit for work and even nicer to get paid, but I try to remember to help other creatives when I can so I recommend giving it a try.

Canon R5 24-70mm lens with flash hand held
ISO 6400
f/18
ss 1/60th of a second

If you haven't yet had a chance to see the Great Elephant Migration on the Comm Ave Mall in Boston, I urge you to do so ...
08/20/2026

If you haven't yet had a chance to see the Great Elephant Migration on the Comm Ave Mall in Boston, I urge you to do so before they leave, on September 13th. Whether or not you are practicing photography, it's an amazing sight that would appeal to people of all ages and it's FREE!

I headed into town, specifically to see the elephants and try to photograph them in an interesting way. With 100 elephants on display, you have to spend some time, looking at all of the angles and details before diving right in. It was a cloudy day but this is a great subject for that. The sky doesn't have to be part of a single image. Photography themes to work on could include macro photography, black and white, discovering textures and shapes, sweeping landscapes and framing.

In this case, I saw the little girl heading over to the baby elephant and I moved so that she and the baby would be perfectly framed within the large elephant's legs. I love how the image consists mostly of legs and the fact that the little girl is dressed in a pink tutu just adds to the whimsy of the image.

There's no special equipment necessary to make an image like this so if you go to the exhibit, be sure to bring either a camera or a phone and be patient. I guarantee that something interesting will happen!

"The Great Elephant Migration is a global fundraising adventure to amplify Indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race to share space." Read more about it at thegreatelephantmigration.org

Leica Q 28mm lens hand held no flash
ISO 800
f/5.6
ss 1/1250th of a second

It's senior portrait session time, when high school seniors are having their yearbook photos taken. This is an exciting...
08/16/2026

It's senior portrait session time, when high school seniors are having their yearbook photos taken. This is an exciting time for seniors but also can present some anxiety for them so I do my best to make them comfortable. I always suggest they wear something they like and something that makes them feel good. I have them choose a location that is meaningful and easy to navigate. Finally, I use composition tools to make the most pleasing image possible.

In this case, Luca was a perfect model! He is on the crew team and wanted a location with boats in the background. He chose the Cohasset Sailing Center and we did the shoot right before sunset. In this image, I centered him between the colorful kayaks and paddle boards. They are angled in a bit, perfectly framing the subject and drawing the eye toward him. I don't use a shallow depth of field when shooting, to ensure that the subject is in focus but then I blur the background in post production, giving some separation between the subject and the background

This image was shot near the end of the session, when Luca was very relaxed and I think he displays a very candid and natural smile.

I'm booked up until after Labor Day but contact me if you want a September/October appointment. Best of luck to all of the Class of 2027!

Canon R5 24-70mm lens hand held with flash
ISO 400
f/7.1
ss 1/160th of a second

Today's tip is to remember to have fun with your photography journey! Not every shot needs to be super deep. Any image...
08/13/2026

Today's tip is to remember to have fun with your photography journey! Not every shot needs to be super deep. Any image that makes you smile, is a success.

In this case, I was up at Fort Revere in Hull, preparing to do some photojournalistic shots of the graffiti when I spotted a collection of whimsical scenes in the yard of a house that leads to the fort parking. I parked my car and walked back to the yard. It was covered with garden gnomes, themed vignettes and this adorable scene of lobsters at the beach.

I got down on the ground so that the lobsters were prominent in the foreground of the image. The girls with umbrellas on the lifeguard chairs add some background interest and do a good job of completing the story of the image, which to me, is a carefree, summer day at the beach.

There's no special equipment needed to make an image like this. So if you see something fun that makes you smile, make an image!

Leica Q 28mm lens
ISO 100
f/4
ss 1/1000th of a second

Today's tip is that you can get creative when using the compositional tool of a "leading line." A leading line is an el...
08/09/2026

Today's tip is that you can get creative when using the compositional tool of a "leading line." A leading line is an element either natural or man-made, that leads the viewer's eye straight to the subject of the image. In this case, can you see how the bubbles act as a leading line that goes straight to the little girl?

This was a post-shoot, unexpected bonus. Grandpa turned on the bubble machine and this little girl ran back and forth through the bubbles. I put my camera on continuous mode in order to take lots of photos at once, keeping my focus on the subject. I also used a fairly high shutter speed since my subject was moving. I have some shots of her running toward me, which I think is more impactful, but this is a safer option for posting since I wasn't able to clear it with her parents.

Canon R5 24-70mm lens hand held no flash
ISO 500
f/16
ss 1/160th of a second

If you live in Hingham, the August edition of Greet Hingham magazine should be hitting your mailbox soon. This was one ...
08/06/2026

If you live in Hingham, the August edition of Greet Hingham magazine should be hitting your mailbox soon. This was one of my favorites to shoot and also one of my favorite covers to see in print. (the image here is slightly different from the cover image, which is a vertical)

The feature story is about the Fleet 46 twilight racing competitions that take place weekly in HIngham Bay and includes sailors from the Hingham and Hull yacht clubs. In particular, the feature highlights the Wilsons, a longtime sailing couple from the HIngham Yacht Club.

The Hingham Yacht Club Commodore very generously offered to take me out during the race so I could have an up-close and personal look at the action. I used my Canon R5, a medium zoom lens, 70-200mm, and a fast shutter speed. The lighting was gorgeous and when the boat tacked away from us, putting the silhouetted skyline in the background, I knew I had my shot.

I hope you enjoy the cover and I hope you enjoy the story abut summer sailing.

Canon R5 70-200mm
ISO 200
f/7.1
ss 1/1600th of a second

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