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Storytelling Family Photography

Paula Swift

Storytelling Family Photography

Paula Swift

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

12:30 AM

Hybrid Meeting (See Instructions/Get Zoom Link Emailed)

United Parish of Auburndale

64 Hancock Street

Auburndale, MA


Paula Ferazzi Swift, M. Photog., Cr., CPP owner of Paula Swift Photography a Boston area portrait photographer, spent 10 years chasing fires and covering news assignments all over Central Massachusetts as a photojournalist at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette ('95-'05).


Paula started a photography business where she could utilize her photojournalistic skills to photograph the relationship children shared in front of her cameras in a fun and natural way. Capturing fleeting moments during a session; when a child thinks no one is watching, the hugs a parent shares with a shy child, or even a toddler running away from the camera giggling. Paula approaches her sessions just like a fire…ready to go at a moments notice, but in a stress-free way for her clients.

Paula will talk about briefly about her experience as a photojournalist and how she implements those skills in capturing beautiful, timeless and storytelling portraits of children in today’s competitive photography world. She will share images and the story behind how she captured them techinally and emotionally.

Information that Paula will share during her program will include...

  • How to capture those unexpected moments

  • How to get shy children to warm up to you

  • How to keep children involved in their photography session

  • Use of props to keep the session looking natural

  • How to incorporate pets

  • How to capture children on the go

  • How to let children be themselves during a session

  • Learn how to sit back and watch a moment happen

  • Favorite gear to used at sessions

Paula Swift

Paula Swift, M.Photog, Cr., CPP started her portrait photography business in Framingham, MA in 2004 and then moved into a new studio in Sudbury, MA in December 2013.


Paula’s work has appeared in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Boston Globe, New York Times, LA Times, Esquire, Time, Newsweek and internationally via the Associated Press wire service. Paula was a staff photographer at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, Mass from 1995-2005. Three of Paula’s images were part of a Pulitzer nomination and finalist entry in 2000 in feature photography for the photography staff’s coverage of the deadly Worcester warehouse fire that took the lives of six firefighters in 1999.


Paula’s portrait work she has won two Kodak Gallery, Hallmark Award, Photographic Degree of Excellence by PPAM, Loan and General Collections at IPC, 2014 Photographer of the Year bronze medalist at PPA’s IPC. In February 2015 Paula received her Master of Photography at the Professional Photographer’s of America Imaging USA in Nashville, TN and her Photographic Craftsman degree in San Antonio, TX in January 2017.­­ 2014, 2018 and 2019 Paula was recognized as a Bronze Medalist for her entries at the Professional Photographers of America International Photographic Competition. 2024 Platinum Medalist in Sports photography for her creative photo from the Boston Marathon.


In May 2017, Paula’s book Storytelling Portrait Photography: How to Document the Lives of Children and Families published and is available on Amazong, Barnes & Noble, Hunts Photo & Video stores and she will have them on hand on each of her programs for purchase and to personally sign. The book offers ideas for creating a strong and lasting client connection, eliciting memorable moments, finding storytelling locations, inspiring natural action and reactions, and capturing the inter-relationships between siblings and between children and their parents.


She is a native of Longmeadow, Mass where she first learned to develop film in her parents’ basement.  She attended Fitchburg State University where she received her Bachelors of Science in Communications Media – Photography in 1995. Paula lives in Framingham, Mass. with her husband Chris, their three sons, a yellow lab named Swifty and two rescue cats named Buzz and Jojo, who are her daily inspirations.

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