Barbara Bean - “After a long year of pandemic separation, our family was eager to memorialize our Berkshire reunion. How lucky we were that our daughter found Barbara on a community social media page. A miracle worker she is: our group included an uncooperative grandpa, wrinkly necked grandma, photobombing three year old, sleepy newborn. She dealt with it all, with grace, enthusiasm and good humor. We all had great fun, and best of all, we loved the results!”

Katy Broggi - “Barbara is the only photographer we will use for our family photos. She’s great with the kids and they’re not always easy to photograph. Turnaround time for pictures is always super quick. Barbara is flexible with locations and has a variety she will suggest if you’re not sure or scope out new ones. I highly recommend her!!!!”

Lisa Anne - “Barbara was a fantastic photographer to work with.  Her attention to detail was impressive and she manipulated light and angles to get the perfect shot. The entire shoot with Barbara was energetic, engaging, and so much fun!  I haven’t had professional photos taken since my senior portraits in 1990! Barbara instantly made me feel at ease and comfortable to let my personality shine through. I’d recommend her to anyone!”

Jennifer Ward - “I’ve worked with Barbara twice now. She took our family photos, which was the first time we had that done in 5 years this fall. The background was awesome (fall foliage & really well done graffiti) behind the Clock Tower building. The session was super fun...a very far cry from the owner-posed Olan Mills sessions in front of a bookcase backdrop. The photos were among my all time favorites. I went back for a second session in her studio. What a great reason to get dressed up. Especially after a year of spending way too much time at home wearing t-shirts and yoga pants. Plus with the filters she uses and retouching...she can make anyone’s complexion look amazing. She most definitely will be taking the Ward 2021 family photo.”

Evan Valenti - “My first ever professional photoshoot with Barbara! I’m not a huge fan of pictures of myself, so heading into this I was a little nervous. I wasn’t sure if I was confident enough to pull this off. But, Barb made it so easy for me to just be myself (I’m a goofball, which comes out in some of these). This was such a FUN experience! It never felt like a photo shoot. It felt like we were just having a conversation. She let me try things out to discover my own personal Blue Steel. I had SO MUCH FUN! I laughed so much during this session, and now I have some great photos. Thank you to Barb for dealing with my goofy self!”

Roberta McCulloch-Dews - “Barbara has a tremendous knack for bringing out the best in her clients! As someone who has been photographed by Barbara twice - the first time outdoors and the second in her studio - I have experienced her phenomenal skills supplemented by a warm, easygoing personality and sense of humor. She will work with you and put you at ease so that your personality will shine through. If you’re looking to have photographs that capture the “real you,” then Barbara is your go-to!” 

Aruni Futuronsky - “I dreaded getting new photos for my website.  My pictures were outdated yet too many lockdown-pounds had found me during 2020.  Anxiety filled me while I walked into Barbara’s studio.  And then, everything shifted. Barbara’s comfort with the process was a balm.  I found myself relaxing and beginning to enjoy our time together.  We played, experimented, tried different backdrops—she continued to utilize her interpersonal skills to connect and to ease me.  It was the easiest and most comfortable photo shoot I have experienced. The pictures, you might ask?  They are wonderful.  My family and friends argued about which was the best, several being in serious running.  I am beyond-satisfied, not just with the results, these lovely pictures for my professional use, but with the experience—I felt seen, supported, and respected. Check out Barbara—not only is she a skilled photographer, but her communication, her capacity to connect--she’s wonderful.”

Kate Lauzon - “Barbara has such an amazing spirit, it was easy to open up in front of the camera for her. I don't particularly like having my picture taken as I have a goofy smile/smirk...but she brought out the fun and happiness from me and my kids. I don't think there was a single picture I didn't like. I am really happy that I was able to experience this with her and I look forward to the next session.”

Jennifer Kerwood - “After the pandemic took away way too many traditions for my high school senior, we wanted to capture some traditional senior photos with her friends. Barbara scouted the locations and timing, and the girls had a blast despite some surprise frigid temperatures. Most importantly, we have beautiful memories that capture this moment in their lives.”

Peggy Amato - “After a tough year of not being able to see family and my grandchildren not having class photos, I thought what a great gift - photos! Not really sure how a thirteen and eleven year old would feel about this, so I turned to Barbara. She was a blast and quickly got my grandchildren on board. The pictures are perfect! Even the kids love them! Barb is professional, fun and a true delight to work with.”

Ty Allan Jackson - “I’ve had the good fortune of being the subject of numerous photo shoots and few have given me the level of comfortability that Barbara Schmick does. Barbara possesses the amazing skill of delegating the perfect shot along with being patient with the subject to get the image just right. She’s keen and adventurous while also composed and calm. It was indeed a pleasure to work with her. She’s a true professional.”

Tiffany Rumbutis - “I was so thrilled with our family photos and working with Barbara. You can tell photography is her passion! She put an extra effort into scouting out the perfect location and time of day so the lighting was absolutely perfect for our photo shoot. Barbara has an eye for detail. She was able to capture special memories for our family with a beautiful fall foliage Berkshires background. Barbara kept the kids engaged and entertained! We all had a blast. She is patient, smiling, always wants YOU to be happy! I can’t recommend her enough!”

John Krol - “Barbara is an absolute pro. I've worked with her professionally for nearly a decade and her photo shoots are fun, easy going, and most important, the quality of the images is second to none. She brings out the personality in her subjects and the best of you shines through. Five stars in my book!”

Rachael Plaine - "I am so grateful for our Porchtrait session with Barbara. She is an incredibly talented photographer and captured the most beautiful, heartfelt, love filled images of my 3 year old daughter Iyla and I (with our dog Samba!). Her warmth, care and passion made us all feel so comfortable and shine through her work. It was truly a pleasure and a joy to work with her and I hope to do so again! Barbara was a beacon of light in a challenging time and has created lasting memories for us that we will cherish forever."

Heather Kirkpatrick - “Barbara was amazing to work with. We had crazy cold conditions and limited time for good light. She was flexible and willing to work with me on multiple locations and outfit changes. I enjoyed her personable attitude. She made it easy to be myself for my pics.”

Robert Doerr - “As I am in the real estate business I thought it would be a good idea to have some decent, professional shots taken for advertising and publicity. Searching around I found Barbara’s site and thought it had that certain look which best reflected my sense of taste. It turns out I’m very pleased with the results. The session was relaxed and fun. I could tell she knew what she was doing. As she shot she commented and gave me feedback about what I was doing to make things work. It worked. Just recently I met a friend with acting and modeling connections in New York City. With a word or two to some connections she sent off some of my photos to three agencies. Two contacted me. One, a prominent one, offered me a three year modeling contract. I think it’s hilarious, but they needed an older man with a certain look. Barbara brought out that ‘je ne sais quoi’. There was magic in her work somewhere.”

Joshua Burgos - “In the insurance/financial planning industry, it's the gold standard to have professional photos of yourself to showcase who you are in a clean and well represented way to your prospective and current clients. Barbara has achieved all of this and more for me during my experience with her and I couldn't be happier. Barbara is friendly, easy to converse with, uses masterful photography technique, offers a great price, and makes it comfortable for those clients who don't like their pictures taken in general. I will be utilizing her services for my next photography needs and I absolutely recommend others do the same. Great job, Barbara.”

Christa Collier - “When it was time for new headshots, I knew where I wanted to go. I had known Barbara for a few years through friends and had seen her amazing work. She is fun to work with and makes the whole experience so easy. Whether you are newbie or an old hat at getting your photo taken, I highly recommend her!”

Herman Ogulnick - “Barbara was so helpful. She is a seasoned professional. I felt very comfortable posing for her and she captured my essence. I would recommend her highly. Thanks Barbara”

Michael and Christina Wynn - “We asked Barbara to shoot some family portraits for us, specifically so that we could have some to pick for our holiday card. This was my second time working on a shoot with Barbara, and both times were AWESOME! She's patient and creative, and a pleasure to work with. This year's card is going to be amazing. We highly recommend her for your photography needs.”

Jennifer Finn - “We recently had head shots done for our business website. Barbara was very professional and the head shots turned out great! Highly recommend.”

Lynn Wallace - “Barbara came to our home for an outdoor photo shoot in the Fall of 2020. She was timely, upbeat and made the entire experience stress free and fun. With a great eye for the best places to shoot, she set us up while being mindful of things we don’t like to see in pictures (like I’m sensitive about having a double chin, lol). Her redirects were great and we got pictures we truly loved and looked great in. Our shoot was complicated as we were outside with a toddler, a cat and a puppy! We had a hard time trying to pick our favorite shot for our holiday card! I highly recommend!”

Janis Broderick, Elizabeth Freeman Center - “Barbara is extraordinary, wonderful and truly talented. For many years now, Barbara has taken photos first at our Walk a Mile and now our Rise Together for Safety and Justice community walks. Her photos capture both what’s happening at the walks and their energy. She is everywhere, atop benches and barriers, taking candid and posed shots. And she is fast, delivering always quality photos shortly after the event. We love you, Barbara!! Thank you for all your support of the work we do at Elizabeth Freeman Center!!”

Susan Gordon, Elizabeth Freeman Center - “Barbara's photos are amazing. She captures the spirit of our events and the essence of the people she is taking photos of. Sometimes I think she must have an identical twin working with her because she is every where.”

Leslie Loffredo, Elizabeth Freeman Center - “Barbara is amazing! I recently witnessed her move through the crowds at the Rise Together for Safety and Justice walks that benefit the Elizabeth Freeman Center. With her keen eye and from every angle possible, she managed to capture the spirit and energy of our groups as we gathered and then moved through town. We couldn’t have asked for a more thorough documentation. Thank you, Barbara, for so kindly sharing your talent!”

Jaime Kalisz - “Barbara chose a beautiful location for our son's senior photos. She spent ample time with us and gave us many beautiful shots to choose from.”

Erin Hanson - “I truly never thought I'd say this about having photos taken of myself, but I so enjoyed working with Barbara on my head shots. She knows exactly how to get the best angles, lighting and sincere smiles out of her (somewhat reluctant) subjects. The resulting photos both captured my personality and showed me in the "best light." She is a gifted and patient photographer and so lovely to work with. I can't recommend her enough!”

Mike Corbett - “Barbara was an absolute pleasure to work with. Being in the Berkshires oftentimes means having to contend with the elements, and Barbara was a total professional, taking beautiful senior photos for our son, Donnie, while having to contend with sleet and snow. The pictures came out so well and she was always quick to communicate every step of the way. Highly recommend!”