Portraits
Oh, to treasure these remarkable moments when you are the most important person to your child. You are all that she needs to be content. She is at peace holding your hand, as she learns to navigate the world.
Read MoreI think that the word “dreamy” can be overused in the photography world but its the perfect word to describe this session. When Billy reached out about surprising Leanna with a maternity session for Mother’s Day, I was so excited for the possibilities! They decided on the Rose Gardens in the Lehigh Valley for a romantic mood, because it is a special location to them and Leanna especially loves the willow trees there.
The combination of Leanna’s toile-like dress with the willows and tall grasses was giving me French countryside vibes (though I confess I’ve never been to France.)
I’ve always admired Leanna’s natural grace and poise - she’s someone who doesn’t walk, she glides. I think that this carries through to the photos - she’s a natural.
Congratulations on the safe arrival of your sweet baby, Billy & Leanna!
Happy Monday! I’m excited to share Kimberly & Andrew’s maternity pictures with you.
When Kimberly contacted me about taking her maternity photos, we had no idea that there would be snow - but we are all so glad that it ended up that way! Dead brown foliage can truly be beautiful in its own right, but snow adds a magical filter over the whole scene, breathing new life into it.
The snow and cold could have put a damper on our plans, but Kimberly was an absolute queen, tramping through snow over 1 foot deep in chilly winter wind, all without a single complaint and while still looking beautiful. Her adventurous spirit served her well in getting the end result!
It’s always so sweet to watch Kimberly and Andrew interact. You can tell that he treasures her, and she just adores him.
We had cloudy weather up until the end, when we were rewarded with the beautiful golden sun poking through the dark clouds. It was absolutely worth waiting for! The Lehigh Valley sky really can put on quite a show!
Thank you two, for allowing me to be a part of such a special time in your lives! I’m looking forward to meeting your sweet baby boy!
Here we are, on post 3/3. I saved the best for last. Just kidding - when I was planning out the order of these posts, I realized I could say that “I saved the best for last” about any of them!
This was a truly magical day, the type of day (my) dreams are made of. On December 28th, some of my siblings, my husband and I woke up while it was still dark and hopped in the car to drive about 2 hours away to these massive sand dunes, followed by the ghost town of Rhyolite and the Goldwell Open Air Museum.
We pulled up to the sand dunes as the sky was just starting to light around the edges. After a short delay (with the van [that I definitely wasn’t driving…] getting stuck in some sand….) we parked and were headed off toward the dunes. By this point, the moon was still visible but the mountains in the distance were the most beautiful pink.
I absolutely love how drastically the lighting changes as the sun rises and sets.
My husband posed me and took the photo on the left - he has completed his “Instagram Husband” training ;)
My brother looking like a young Clint Eastwood
A couple of cell phone pics :)
While I was researching the location, several internet comments suggested getting to the dunes early to avoid the ATV crowds. I was dreading the prospect of an early morning wake-up, but it was well worth it.
After we climbed the sand dunes we headed north to Rhyolite, which has a very interesting history. It was a short-lived town but grew to a massive size during its brief life. Check this website for more info and for interesting pictures of Rhyolite in its heyday.
Looking at Rhyolite Main Street from the west
Rhyolite Jail
Rhyolite Bank
Rhyolite from a mountainside (cell phone picture)
Being in desolate places like these really does something in my heart. It makes me feel so so small but also so incredibly alive at the same time. These wide open spaces are just one of the things that I love best about the American West, and one of the reasons that I will continue to travel back any chance that I get.
‘Til next time, Nevada.
Here we are on post 2 out of 3 in my Nevada mini-series of blog posts, with another session that I’m so excited about!
Today I’m featuring my brother Isaac and his senior pictures that we took near Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. He wanted a retro 50s-60s aesthetic, and I think that we managed to accomplish it! I absolutely love his black and white checked coat, which is so his personality and really completes the look.
* Hello, fancy cars! *
Isaac is a sarcastic and fun-loving guy who knows his own mind and loves video games, American liberty… and his niece and nephew ;)
After graduation, Isaac is planning on enlisting in the US Army, following his 2 older brothers and father before him. I’m really proud of my brothers for their service, though the big sister in me doesn’t want them to do anything remotely risky.
Fun fact - the navy blue coat was my dad’s, which he wore in HIS senior pictures :)
Congratulations on (almost) completing school, Ike! Proud of you and can’t wait to see what awesome things you do in your adult life.
Nevada Series Part 1 • Part 3 coming soon
Welcome to the new year! I’m very excited to share this upcoming “mini-series” of blog posts featuring photos from several different photo shoots/opportunities that I was able to have in December while visiting my family.
I’ll start off with featuring my STUNNING sister and her husband on a rugged desert mountainside with deep blue skies and golden sunlight (cue all the heart eyes). You may have seen on my IG/FB last week, but I am so excited because I finally get to be an auntie! Being able to take pictures of my sister and her little family was so special to me.
I love watching Katie and Jesse interact because they truly do complement each other, and they have a lot of fun together! Being around him puts her at ease, you can tell she finds security in their relationship. And when she’s near him, he really takes care of her and anticipates her needs.
* By the way, can we notice and appreciate the outfits/styling that they picked out!? Total models. *
Congratulations, Katie and Jesse! I love you both and can’t wait to meet your little bean! <3
On a recent golden summer afternoon, Jennifer, her mom, and I met up to work some magic!
Read MoreAs a child, autumn was always my favorite season. Something about the brisk, chill air made me feel alive. Now, as I’m getting older, I reaaaally appreciate being warm. Thankfully, last month I got a break from this PA winter by going to visit my parents and siblings in Las Vegas, Nevada.
I had had a photo idea percolating in my head for some time that I was excited to try out during our trip. I love the look of light leaks in old pictures. Of course, there are many photo-editing apps that one can use to get the same effect, but I wanted to try another way, and cellophane popped into my head almost immediately.
I had used some cellophane in a craft with my son, so I had plenty of extra sheets to use. What I did was cut several sheets of cellophane into little pieces and strips, and then held the strips in front of my camera lens to achieve the look that I wanted. I could have taped the cellophane to the lens instead of holding it, but I wanted the option to quickly remove it for some shots.
I also knew that I wanted an urban location for the shoot so that the colors of the cellophane would really stand out against the neutrals of the cityscape. 2 of my siblings agreed to help me as my models, even though it meant waking up before sunrise to beat the traffic that would have been around during the Las Vegas sunset.
If you also like the light leak effect, I encourage you to try the cellophane method! It’s a super easy way to add some color and interest to your photos. It is something that I may be incorporating into future shoots where it would complement the overall feel, such as senior sessions.
While it was wonderful to have a Vitamin D break from the real world, it has also been nice to get back into my routines here at home in PA. Now I’m just hoping for more sunny days on the horizon!
Well, here we are again. Not only at the end of a year, but at the end of a decade. It is also time for one of my favorite types of blog posts, “Best Photographs of 2019”! These are my own personal favorite photos that I took during the year.
In May I photographed my sister Katie’s wedding in Colorado. I don’t usually shoot weddings, but doing Katie and Jesse’s intimate family-only wedding has made me consider adding elopements and intimate weddings to my offerings. Look forward to a full blog post from this wedding sometime in the new year!
Also in May, I took some prom pictures for the classy Malorie.
Summer was the time for lush outdoor family sessions.
Winter has seen new babies arriving into the world - I’ll also be blogging about this sweet baby sometime next month.
A few more favorites from the year:
Unfortunately, 2019 was not a big year for personal projects.
Besides taking pictures of my siblings and working at a photography studio in the mall (oh boooy), shooting self-portraits was how I learned about photography. I really got to work on lighting, posing, creative ideas, and photo editing. I basically lived in my bedroom, listening to music and scrolling Flickr for inspiration. I don’t have nearly the same amount of free time as I did in my high school/college days, but I still plan to make time in 2020 to make some concepts a reality.
