The Muse: Serena Rosalie Grimson, from the Unraveled Academy

muse (noun) a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist

The Muse is our way of bringing inspiration to the creative world. Seeing a photographer for just one picture is not the whole picture… so we are bringing you more, to give you a deeper look into the artists who inspire us and we call, muses.

What was your “muse” or inspiration for this shoot?

I wanted our family shoot to capture our quirky personalities, and keeping the kids engaged in the styling was key. I drew loose inspiration from The Royal Tenenbaums - Richie’s sweatband, Eli’s cowboy hat, and, of course, I took any excuse to wear a Margot-inspired faux fur jacket. I tossed a bunch of fun items into a pile, suggested a few clothing ideas, and let the family get creative.

The “emergency moustaches,” as my kids like to call them, were a spontaneous addition that I was fully on board with. Family photo shoots can be stressful, but I wanted a fun and easygoing experience. By giving my kids the freedom to create their own characters, the atmosphere stayed light and fun, which made the whole experience so much more enjoyable.

The shoot itself was a spur-of-the-moment decision. We were just playing around with outfits and props, then the vibe felt right, and we figured, why not now? We grabbed a random chair, a suitcase, my old rickety tripod, and headed to a deserted backroad we like to explore now and then. I didn’t give many prompts—just a few “Christmas card” poses to start—and then we let it flow naturally.

The end result was perfectly us, and I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

What gear did you use for this shoot?

I shot with my R6 Mark II, Sigma 35mm 1.4 and then I used a rickety old tripod and Canon camera connect app as my shutter remote.

Serena Rosalie Grimson | Edmonton, Canada
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