PHOTOGRAPHY OFFERINGS

I offer fine art photography prints and usage licenses, portrait and event photography, photography mentoring, and project work.

If you would like to see samples of my work beyond what I showcase in my website photo galleries, please contact me for a link to my portfolio of more community-oriented and commercial work.

I also offer clutter clearing photography (heirlooms, art work, and other personal possessions) to support your decluttering and creative projects.

  • I am astonished by the splendor of common, ordinary things and believe that if we look closely enough from the right angle, we can find something to appreciate about a place or living thing – and perhaps gain insight into our own nature, as well. As such, I regard photography as a vehicle to awaken, uplift, and inspire new ways of “seeing and being”.

    When I am in nature, certain images stop me in my tracks and fill me with awe and wonder. At the time, I might not know why I am so drawn to them but sense they are part of a greater story, language, pattern, or blueprint that connects us all. Touching such images intimately with presence invites them to speak to us deeply, expand our hearts, and awaken or strengthen something integral within us.

    With “beginner’s mind”, I lean in with my camera and let go of what I think I know about a subject, to just be with the mystery of it. I listen to the vast intelligence that comes through the natural world, zooming in to contemplate fascinating and usually unnoticed details and zooming out to consider the totality and our relationship to it. Through photography, I tell a story of empathy, gratitude, awareness, and how we can connect with the natural world as a refuge for mind-body-spirit and be “naturally resourced” during challenging times.

    I express my contemplative vision through images that reveal beauty, connections, and universal patterns and rhythms. Photography is a meditation practice through which I discover and do my best to illustrate that everything is our teacher, and loveliness is everywhere and in everyone, if only we train our eyes to see it.

  • A former classroom teacher, Susan Meyer dabbled in nature photography for many years while other pursuits took center stage.  During challenging times, she turned to nature photography as a resource for cultivating spiritual and emotional sustenance, renewal, and gratitude amidst the full catastrophe of life. Nature photography began as her medicine and evolved into a vocation.

    Susan lives on the banks of the Upper Hudson River, which is her muse. Several of her images of the river have received top awards in the annual Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor photography contest and are exhibited along the Empire State Trail in Schuylerville, NY. Her photography has been featured in juried exhibitions throughout the region.

    She has received community arts grants for her exhibition of Hudson River ice photographs in the Saratoga Arts Gallery (2024), teaching a youth nature photography series through Schuylerville Public Library (2022), and teaching an adult nature photography series through Schuylerville Public Library (2021).

    A native of Saratoga Springs, New York, Susan received degrees from Goddard College (M.A.) and Ithaca College (B.A.). In addition to being a photographer, she is a meditation teacher, contemplative writer, and experienced educator. She delights in discovering fresh ways to weave together these strands of service and artistic expression to benefit others. In this spirit, she published a deck of Loving Wisdom Cards that fuse her contemplative insights and images.

  • Solo

    • Hudson River Ice (Juried Exhibition 2), Saratoga Arts Gallery, Saratoga Springs, NY (2024) 

    • Home on the Hudson, Country Corner Café, Saratoga Springs, NY (2023-2024)

    • Diverse Landscapes, Saratoga Springs Public Library (2024)

    • Home on the Hudson, Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center (2023)

    • Refuge by the Sea, Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library (2022)

    • A Path Back Home, Saratoga Springs Train Station (2021)

    • Water Dance, Sacandaga Valley Network Art Gallery (2020)

    • Frozen, Saratoga Springs Public Library (2020)

    • Mindful, Saratoga Springs Visitor Center (2019)

    • Waterfalls I Have Loved, Saratoga Arts Reception Area Gallery (2018)

    • Sunrise, Sunset: Upper Hudson River Reflections, Saratoga Springs Public Library (2017)

    • Impressions of Fall, Hadley-Luzerne Public Library (2015)

    Group

    • North Country Arts Annual Photography Show, Friends Gallery, Glens Falls, NY (2024)

    • Through Inland Waters: Champlain Canal at 200, Folklife Center, Glens Falls, NY (juried, 2023)

    • Upstate Waters, Sacandaga Valley Arts Network Gallery (2021) *Best in Show Honorable Mention

    Member Shows

    • Saratoga Arts (2016-2024)

    • Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (2023-2024)

    • North Country Arts, Glens Falls, NY (2023-2024)

    • Community Arts Grant (New York State Council on the Arts regrant) though Saratoga Arts (2024)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (second place and honorable mention, 2023)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (second place, 2022)

    • Best in Show (honorable mention), Upstate Waters, Sacandaga Valley Arts Network Northville Public Library Art Gallery (June - Sept. 2021)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (first place and honorable mention, 2020)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (third place and honorable mention, 2018)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (two honorable mentions, 2016)

    • Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Photo Contest (third place, 2014)

PURCHASE MY PHOTOGRAPHY

Allow my photography to bring the healing power of nature into your home or work environment, and transform it into an oasis with visual anchors that inspire presence, calm, and connection.

All images in my nature photo galleries are for sale in a variety of formats. Either choose common sizes from the dropdowns in my shop or email me for a quote on any size and product you want.

Browse my current Gallery Collection of ready-to-hang, former gallery pieces for sale. (Prices shown include local delivery within 20 miles of zip code 12871. Postal charges and sales tax are extra.)

portrait sessions

Description

Capture the essence of who you are with a personalized, on-location portrait photography session. I believe that every moment tells a story, and your portrait should reflect your unique journey. Whether you're seeking a stunning family portrait, a defining yearbook photo, an empowering headshot, precious maternity or newborn portraits, or a creative personal project, my sessions are designed to bring out your essence. Book your portrait photography session today, and let’s co-create timeless art you’ll cherish forever.

I also offer "friends" senior portrait shoots if you and one or more of your friends would like to have yearbook photos done at the same time. This can be a really fun option and is also a way to split the cost! For a friends session, you'll have fewer proofs to choose from than you would from an individual session, and the smiles and expressions will be as genuine as can be because you'll be with friends! 

What You Get

  • A client welcome guide that contains lots of useful tips and information to help prepare you for your session

  • A personal consultation to go over ideas and create a shared vision for your session

  • Links to my idea files on Pinterest 

  • Your choice of a 20-minute mini session (select location), a standard 60-minute session, or an extended session

  • Your own private, password-protected, online proof gallery to view, share, and optionally purchase your photos

  • Professional retouching services: Complimentary, professionally edited, full-resolution .jpg downloads of 3-5 of your favorite images 

  • Hours of behind-the-scenes work from initial consultation to delivery of images

how it works

  • All of my photography sessions take place on-location. Possibilities include (but are not limited to): a park, school campus, apple orchard, pumpkin patch, sunflower field, and even your own back yard.

  • Pay 50% to schedule a session, and the remainder prior to the start of the session.

  • Once you select your favorite images, I make the edited files downloadable for you to share online and print them at your lab of choice. (I offer local and online recommendations.) No pricy print packages or high-pressure sales!

CLIENT REFLECTIONS

We are in awe! We love the photos so much! We keep looking at them over and over. Thank you, thank you! It was such a great experience, and being able to be creative with you was so much fun. Over the weekend after our shoot, it really started to sink in even further that we are going to be parents. Now we have these awesome photos to look at and you to thank as one of our memories on this journey to parenthood! It’s such an exciting time for us, and we cannot wait to frame them and put them up next to our baby’s crib. Thank you for a comfortable and easy-going experience. You brought out the true beauty of me becoming a mother and [my husband] becoming a father.

-Michelle T.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to co-create with you and nature. I feel truly seen and feel I can offer myself to the moment in this way more because of how you saw me. Thank you for holding a safe and sacred space that allowed me to drop into my deeper self and fly! Your unobtrusive yet supportive and affirming presence made this an amazing experience.

-Hillary L.

FAQs

What does a photography session cost?

Prices vary depending on a variety of factors (including distance, location, length of session, number of people, complexity), so please contact me directly.

DO YOU OFFER MINI SESSIONS?

Yes! I offer 20-minute mini-sessions either through block-booking or at Hudson Crossing Park in Schuylerville.

when and how will i see the proofs?

You will receive a link to your online photo gallery usually within five days following the photo session. Since I use an online gallery, there is no need to schedule a follow-up meeting to go over your proofs and order print packages. No high-pressure sales here! You can take your time to review your images in the privacy of your own home and select your complimentary images. Your gallery will be available for 60 days, during which time you can select and download your choices.

I normally hand over the files for your favorite shots so you can order prints affordably on your own. I do not make money on selling print packages. However, if you'd prefer to order prints through me, that is also an option.

how do i order prints?

First, you choose which images you'd like to have made into prints. Then I make those full resolution images downloadable from your online gallery so you can have prints made through your lab of choice. (I will give you a short list of labs I recommend.) Most photographers do not do this, and it is a way to minimize your out-of-pocket cost for prints.

If you do not want to order prints on your own, I can do it for you. The cost will be determined by the number and sizes of prints you'd like. For a rough estimate, you can check out what I charge for prints in my shop. However, package discounts are available, so your cost for portrait prints most likely will be lower.

do you photograph weddings?

Generally, no. I occasionally will photograph intimate weddings in more relaxed settings. Wedding photography tends to involve a different skill set, pace, and stress level than I choose to work with.

will you give me the raw files to edit on my own?

In the interest of maintaining brand integrity, I do not hand over unedited, RAW files to clients.

DO YOU have a studio?

No. I keep operating costs down by working on-location.

what forms of payment do you accept?

Venmo, Paypal, Zelle, credit card, and cash. Prices listed or quoted are the cash discount price. For other payment methods, add approximately 3%.

photography mentoring

Description

Elevate your photography skills through customized mentoring sessions designed around your unique goals. Whether you're a beginner seeking to understand the fundamentals or looking to refine your skills, these sessions provide a supportive and constructive container for creative growth.

Focus primarily on technical and composition skills and/or integrating mindfulness. Mindful photography goes beyond seeing and creating pleasing images; it’s about how you relate to the present moment. A mindful photography practice fosters focus, presence, patience, beginner’s mind, seeing beyond forms, and heart qualities such as caring, connection, and gratitude.

Invest in your photography journey, and empower yourself with the skills and confidence to create images that convey your inner vision.

What You Get

  • 1:1 mentoring session(s) that allow for deeper discussion and exploration of concepts

  • Personalized guidance focused on your specific areas of interest, from technical skills to creative composition and editing techniques

  • On-location shoots, where we can explore different settings, subjects, and lighting

  • Mindfulness integration to whatever degree you’re interested

  • Downloadable resource sheets

  • Access to valuable resources, including recommended reading materials and instructional videos

How It Works

  • Sessions can take place face-to-face, over Zoom, and/or on-location

  • The number of sessions is up to you

  • During an initial consultation, we create an outline of topics to cover during the sessions

  • You will receive photography assignments to work on between sessions

Do you want to let go of possessions you've been holding onto that have outlived their purpose? Photographing sentimental objects can make it easier to release them and free up space for new possibilities. I can provide you with professional quality images of personal or family heirlooms, children’s art work, your own art, or other collections you want to remember but don’t want to take up space in your home.

With great care, I photograph objects that are dear to you in a way that conveys their significance, using simple backdrops or more artful, natural contexts. I'd love to help you declutter your life in this way!

ART WORK & HEIRLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY