I love a golden hour session at Hartwood Mansion. The property is so magical, with no shortage of nooks and crannies to explore. Families who choose this location will get a variety of backgrounds in one locations, which is great for gallery variety.
The summer flowers were in full bloom, making the gardens absolute magic for The K Family. Their girls, especially sweet 3-year-old Ryleigh, felt like princesses inside a story book.
It was so fun to meet Jordyn and her mama at the studio for her First Birthday Session! Right from the start, Jordyn was all smiles and full of energy. I loved her birthday theme of watermelons - perfect for a summer birthday!
She finally sat down when we placed her watermelon cake in front of her. She knew exactly what to do, neatly feeding herself little bits of cake, at first, and then smashing it. She even stuck her little foot in it! So cute and funny!
It was so nice to meet you, my new little friend! I hope your birthday party was “one in a melon” kind of fun!
What a special session this was. As our nation celebrated it’s 250th birthday, The P Family welcomed their dear parents/grandparents visiting from Taiwan. Natasha’s sweet parents were clearly so proud of their daughter and the life she and her husband have built here in the United States. It is truly an honor to capture these images of family being together.
It was such a pleasure meeting Lucy and her parents! I always enjoy incorporating a few special items into a session, so when her parents asked to bring along some things relating to their hobbies, I was all about it!
Lucy’s parents met on the golf team at Robert Morris University, and golf is still such an important part of their lives. They also both grew up in rural areas, and have a love of hunting - a hobby they still enjoy together. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until little Lucy is learning both sports right alongside them.
It’s clear both Mommy and Daddy are so in love with their baby girl. I have a feeling that being her parents has already become their new favorite thing to do. Welcome to the world, Sweet Lucy!
It was a pleasure to photograph The F Family on a beautiful June afternoon on Father’s Day weekend. I had photographed their individual families for years, but had never photographed the entire extended family together. What a special occasion for them all, especially Pap and Grandma.
As someone who enjoys both art and history, I can’t help but think about where these portraits may end up in the future. Some day they may very well be in the hands of a person who is yet to exist - looking back at their family tree. Extended Family portraits are so important. They are freezing time and preserving memories for not only the people in the portraits, but those future generations, as well.
Thank you for entrusting me with your future memories. You’re such a beautiful family!
From double-scoops to double adorable! It was wonderful to see The S Family again. I first met Mom and Dad in April for our two-part maternity session, beginning with some fun shots at The Meadows where we highlighted a favorite pregnancy craving - ice cream!
In May, their precious new additions arrived and their family doubled! The new family of four visited the studio for their newborn session.
The sweet boy-girl twins wore classic pink and blue for their first ever session.
They also requested some starry sky themed photos, as well, and I just happened to have the perfect background packed away from years ago. They were so sweet lying together in the same wrap. Sissy loves to snuggle her brother.
Welcome to our big, beautiful world, you two! I can’t wait to watch you grow!
This was a first for me, photographing a family of seven at my studio. I loved the beautiful pastel color palette this family chose, and the sweet snuggles they shared.
After the family photos were complete, the older siblings left, leaving Baby Jacob alone with his sweet, calming mama. He snoozed soundly for us, as I posed him in various wraps, and his mom enjoyed some fleeting moments of peace and quiet. I always try to make my studio feel like a cozy oasis for busy parents, and a calming atmosphere for babies, of course. Jake must have enjoyed the space too, because he kept giving me little sleepy smiles. What a bundle of joy!
I met the Z Family for a quick afternoon session at North Park in May. We were blessed with a beautiful spring day, and the kids were all smiles.
Although golden hour is such a magical time for lighting, I can do morning or afternoon, as well. I completely understand that with baby schedules, sometimes there is no other choice. Just give me a big ol’ shady tree, or the shadow of a brick wall, and we’re golden! (see what I did there) Keeping your family happy and comfortable is the most important thing!
This sister/brother duo have some of the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever photographed. They were a joy to work with, and I hope to see them again some day as they grow.
I just love these kids! They are always fun to photograph, and I was honored to be asked to capture such an important time in their lives. It is so special to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time, and even more special to get to do it along side your best friend - your sibling!
God bless, Joseph & Amelia!
Baby Junyi and his family visited me in May. This boy is so loved. He is surrounded by two caring parents, a proud big sister, and his sweet Nainai - which I learned is “grandma” in Mandarin Chinese.
This little man loved being wrapped and slept soundly. We ended the session with a shot of his little feet which will soon undergo treatment. This sweetheart has some challenges in front of him, but he will most certainly be successful with the love and support of his dear family.
Welcome to the world, Junyi! It was a pleasure meeting you!
I was so happy to visit Joseph’s nursery for his in-home newborn session. I remembered just two years earlier when I was there to photograph his sister, and the room looked totally different. His mommy and daddy did a great job transforming the space to an adorable baby golf theme featuring olive green and natural wood tones. The family wore the perfect colors to compliment their surroundings, and big sis Olivia was all smiles!
Olivia, who just turned two a day before her brother was born, was so attentive, and even shared some of her play food with her new baby brother. Such a kind sissy!
We ended the session with some shots of just Joseph in his crib and snuggled in a basket. He slept soundly, and even gave me a few little smiles. He is such a sweet little guy, and I can tell he is already so loved. Welcome to the world, Joseph!
Oh sweet Baby Nora! This adorable baby girl really fought us on the sleep, but we did manage to get a few “long blinks” here and there. I, personally, love the shot of her looking straight into the camera. What a doll!
Her beautiful name, Nora, is a derivative of her mother’s name, and has been repeated throughout her family tree. That is so special!
I also adore her little, pink newborn tootsies. I can tell she is so very loved by her Mommy and Daddy, and she knows she’s safe in their arms. Welcome to the world, Nora!
It was a joy to have Sophie in the studio for her First Birthday Session! She was so pleasant and cooperative. We started her session off in front of the Flower Wall, which perfectly matches the colors in her nursery at home.
We then celebrated her “Berry First Birthday” with a cake smash! We couldn’t help but smile at her little tongue peeking out. Someone must be cutting a tooth!
She really worked her cake smash, and even smooshed her little tootsies in there. Happy 1st Birthday, Sophie! You’re as sweet as strawberries!
I had a blast working with this Mommy-and-Daddy-to-be! We started our session at The Meadows to pay homage to Mommy’s favorite pregnancy treat. The staff were so accommodating to let us come in first thing in the morning to use their space. Mom and Dad enjoyed pink and blue Italian Ice to showcase their boy/girl twins, and of course, got a double scoop cone for double the baby joy!
We then met up at sunset in Cranberry Woods for some beautiful shots among the trees on the nature trail. These two were so much fun, and had each other (and me!) laughing the whole time. What lucky babies to be born to such sweet parents.
Daddy wore his "dad shoes”, which they had used as part of their pregnancy announcement. I found this to be such a fun and sweet touch. Can’t wait to see this couple again in another month when those dad shoes are official!
When Grace’s mommy reached out to schedule her session, Grace was already older than the prime Newborn Session window of 5-10 days old. We were nervous that she might not stay asleep, but this precious angel proved us wrong. Not only did she sleep soundly, but she gave the sweetest smiles, and let us pose her, too!
I always take into consideration any preferences the parents have for their baby’s session, so for Grace’s we went with simple and neutral. I love the way these turned out! Capturing the tiny details in black and white is one of my favorite ways to photograph a baby. Her adorable, perfect nose, sweet fingers and toes, peach fuzz on the back of her ears, the newborn stretchies, and - my favorite - the swirl in her hair.
This sweetheart was alert for the end of her session, and looked right at me with her big, beautiful eyes. God bless you, Grace! It was a pleasure working with you and your mommy.
It’s The Great Bambino! Little Teddy is turning one soon, and came to the studio for a baseball-themed First Birthday Session. He is adorable, and knocked it out of the park!
Teddy’s mommy, originally from Long Island, NY, had him dressed in the absolute cutest lil’ Yankees jersey, personalized with name and age.
I love all things vintage, so I leaned in to the classic baseball props, decorating with antique baseballs, a mitt, Mickey Mantle kids bat (all courtesy of my parents basement), popcorn, and classic Coca-Cola bottles. My studio is conveniently located next to an antique store, so I was able to find the vintage Coca-Cola crates! That store is quickly becoming my happy place. I could spend hours perusing the rooms.
Thanks for stopping by the studio, Ted! You are the cutest lil’ slugger. Happy 1st Birthday!
This is 4! Miss Piper is always a dream to have in the studio. Not only is she as cute as can be, but she is sweet, kind, and follows direction so well! For her session, I pulled out the pretty blue details of her dress, by adding some flowers and sweet little chair to the simple set-up.
As an added bonus, Piper and I are both big Wicked fans, so having the soundtrack playing helped bring on all the smiles!
Thanks for coming by the studio, Piper!
I first met up with Sebastian in the Fall for a few quick and easy yearbook portraits, with plans on reconvening in the Spring for a more extensive session in warmer weather. Well, we got the beautiful day, but not the warm temperatures. That’s okay! Sebastian was a pro, and toughed it out.
The Mars Railroad is a great location to get many different industrial backgrounds in a small area. The historical site has the old train station, a historic red caboose, and of course, the tracks!
We also took some neutral portraits in front of the garage. These images make a great addition to Sebastian’s senior gallery, which already included some great shots of him in North Park.
Sebastian is planning to study radiology in the Fall after his graduation from Ambridge. I wish him all the best!
Isla’s parents chose the perfect “Sweet One” theme for her First Birthday Session, because this little girl is so, so sweet. She started her session very quiet and shy, but soon loosened up giving me some adorable little grins as she explored her set-up and played with the sprinkle confetti.
I always love to capture a few close-ups of the sweet little one-year-old face, and I adore portraits in black and white. It really highlights the little features, which in Isla’s case, included her adorable little teeth and gorgeous lashes.
We ended her session with a cake smash. She was hesitant at first, but then started to neatly eat her cake. Such a happy little “sweet one”. Thanks for coming to see me, Isla! I wish you the best first birthday!
Sometimes I love just doing a sweet and simple portrait session, and letting the little one’s personality be the theme. For this mini session, I incorporated Noelle’s favorite colors - pink and purple - and let her run the show. I focused in on her sweet little face, let her hold her toy car keys, and hug her stuffy, because ultimately…this is two!
My goal for these milestone birthday sessions is always to capture exactly who your child is at that moment in time. So you can look back on these images, and be transported to them at that age. This quick and easy session did just that, and I hope these will be treasured for years to come.
Happy 2nd Birthday, Sweet Noelle!
