I couldn't be more thrilled with the article! Although I am not sure how long it will be up...I am posting an excerpt from it for your reading pleasure.
Mother explores relationships in pictures
By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Special to the Herald News
Marianne Drenthe, 35, of Channahon began Marmalade Photography last year to offer people photographs of their loved ones that were more than artificially posed portraits with forced smiles and stiffly folded hands.
Instead, she wanted to capture a slice of them for them and preserve it on film.
"I like to explore relationships, family type connections, like mother/daughter and mother/son," Drenthe said. "I love to get them in the mood and then catch them in a special moment, the way a person laughs or the way someone looks at you."
She hopes to branch out into shooting engaged couples and has just begun wedding photography, as Drenthe is especially intrigued with the young, fresh love between newly married couples.
"I also wanted to capture people's children, so they can remember what it was like when their children were that small and they cuddled them. Not many photographers do that."
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This is because Drenthe's photography sessions with her clients are time intense. It can take several hours just to get the right shots.
"I work mostly on location," Drenthe said. "I go to people's homes and interview them to get some insights into their life, instead of just showing up and shooting right away.
"I take a lot of outdoor shots, in woods, farms and parks. I like working with natural lights; I don't work with any type of lighting set up right now. I also like taking things, like a fancy, velvet '70s chair, and place it in the middle of the woods. This is not your typical studio stuff."
Any post touch-up work that Drenthe does is meant only to enhance the natural moment, not replace it, she said.
Favorite shots
One of Drenthe's favorite photographs is that of a woman receiving a kiss on her cheek from her curly blond haired 3-year-old son. Both mother and son are wearing black. The picture's setting is natural, with a barn in the background.
"She's got this great big huge smile," Drenthe said. "It's a pure smile of joy."
Another one of her favorite photographs actually graced the cover of Drenthe's family Christmas card last year. Drenthe's daughters, 5-year-old Madeline and 4-year-old Lauren, are playing "dress-up." Both appear to be oblivious to the presence of their mother's camera.
"On top of Madeline's head is a pink headband with a frilly thing on top," Drenthe said. "She's looking at her sister — her sister's eyes are closed — gazing at the necklace her sister is wearing. You can tell that they're sisters and best friends, that they've got a connection."
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Her interest in the medium developed at an early age. The youngest of five children, Drenthe had a brother 17 years older than she who also liked photography. Even though she was only 5 years old at a time, Drenthe's brother allowed her to play with his camera.
From that point on, Drenthe and a camera were a nearly inseparable pair.
"Sometimes I'd go to birthday parties and take lots of pictures, and it wasn't even of my kid. Well, somebody's got to do it," Drenthe said. "This time thing passes by quickly. You've got to document it."
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"Sometimes I don't remember the things my children did until I look at the pictures," Drenthe said.
01/29/06
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