Lucy - Newborn Session

It was such a pleasure to meet adorable Lucy and her sweet parents. They came to the studio for a custom newborn session to capture this special time in their lives. We started out with some basket poses with Miss Lucy featuring pearls and lace. I love the dusty rose color, as well. It’s giving classic, vintage beauty, which nicely complimented the warm tones of the props.

We then moved on to family pictures. It was Lucy’s mama’s idea to contrast with the light blue and pink, and I think it looks great! Makes Baby Girl pop as she’s being snuggled by her parents. I was so excited to catch a little smile, too!

We ended our session with a Spring-y basket look, and a sweet tulle diaper cover that Lucy’s mama brought along. She looked like a tiny dancer in her daddy’s arms. Welcome to the world, Lucy!

Esra - Newborn Session

Precious Esra joins big sister Nelle and fur sister Maisie, keeping the femininity strong in their household! For Esra’s session, we first wrapped her in blue to match her nursery. Mommy & Daddy didn’t know if they were having a boy or another girl, so they went with the gender-neutral theme of stars and moons. They were also inspired by the beautiful Psalm 147:4 “He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name.”

I absolutely love the oversized cable-knit sweater trend that is happening for newborns right now. Esra looked so snuggly matching with Big Sis.

We ended the session by recreating a favorite purple look from her Big Sister’s session two and a half years ago. The girls looked nearly identical at birth, so we had to get some of the same shots for Mommy to compare and treasure.

I can’t wait to see Esra again in several months for her mid-year session! Welcome to our planet, sweet little star!

Daphne is One! - First Birthday Session

Daphne is one of my First Year Special babies, meaning her parents purchased a package to capture her as a newborn, sitter, and one-year-old. I love working with her family - she is the fourth child I’ve photographed for them - so this session was a real treat.

Daphne was born on Valentine’s Day, so her color scheme was inspired by the pastels of conversation hearts - which is also the theme for her First Birthday party. She was such an angel in the studio, giving me smiles as sweet as vday candy. I was fortunate to have her big sisters present to help coax the smiles, as well as the assistance of Daphne’s favorite songs from Wicked (a girl after my own heart).

Happy 1st Birthday, Little Valentine!

The W Family - Maternity Session

Winter…The season of waiting.

Waiting for Baby. Waiting for Spring.

As the W Family anxiously awaits the arrival of their new addition, they’ve been snuggling up inside their cozy home in the picturesque countryside watching the snow fall. Here in western Pennsylvania, we’ve had snow on the ground since Christmas. A full month of snow on snow on snow. It forces us to slow down. To rest. To wait.

I was thrilled when Darcy requested we do this session outside on their property. A few years ago, we did her first maternity session here, as well, and their land was blooming with purple wildflowers. Now, the ground is covered in white, but still just as stunning a backdrop to compliment this growing family.

Some things still grow in Winter.

Lily - First Communion Session

Receiving communion for the first time is very special in our Catholic faith. It was my honor to photograph Miss Lily as she prepares for the sacrament. Lily came to the studio for a custom portrait session in her beautiful communion dress. I was sure to have her favorite music playing, and a cozy, private spot for her to get ready with her mom.

I’m excited to officially add First Communion Portraits to my session list. Having the studio space makes it convenient to get the portraits done indoors, away from the elements, prior to the Spring communion season. However, I’m still able and willing to meet outdoors or in a mutually agreed upon church location, if that is preferred. As always, your comfort and convenience is the top priority when planning any session.

Emma - Baby Session

While Miss Emma was in the studio for her holiday pictures, we also did her mid-year photos! This little bundle sat so pretty for me, looking absolutely adorable with a simple pop of purple color along with her creamy color scheme. Of course I had to capture the detail of those little feetsies.

Taytum is One! - First Birthday Session

I am always thrilled when a client books a “First Year Special” with me. This provides them three sessions for the approximate price of two. They can use these sessions whenever they’d like, but most use them for newborn, baby (around 6 months), and first birthday portraits. It’s a great way to document the ever-changing first year of life.

I’ve worked with the M family many times before, and loved to see them again this past year with the birth of their 3rd child Miss Taytum! For Taytum’s First Birthday session we did a warm, feminine color palette that also complimented the time of year (late Fall). This baby doll was a joy to work with, and I’m happy to know I will see her and her beautiful family again in the future.

Sutton - Newborn Session

Before the holidays, I had the chance to photograph beautiful Sutton in the studio. She was comfy and cozy throughout her session, making my job a breeze as she slept soundly. I keep my studio warm with a space heater, and have all the wraps at an arms reach to keep the session flowing and comfortable. I also have a changing table for easy changes, and always discuss color preferences with the parents prior to the session day, so the experience is as seamless as possible, and the customers receive the images they imagined.

Jane - Newborn Session

Sweet baby Jane was a real-life doll for her session. A cherub on a cloud of blankets. She is so blessed to have such a loving family surrounding her in her loving home.

Lennon - Newborn Session

Sweet little Lennon joined her family just in time for the holidays. She was such a precious doll for her session with her mommy, daddy, and fur-brothers (one of which is named Moose). It was a joy capturing her beauty, and the pride in her parents’ eyes as they stared lovingly at their early Christmas gift.

Aydan Benjamin - Newborn Session

Aydan came to see me at about seven weeks new. He was an absolute dream to photograph with his adorable face and long lashes! I loved that his family brought along some personal items for a few shots - including very special “Champ” boxing shorts to pay homage to his mommy’s late step-father who was called Champ. I absolutely love the tiny boxing gloves too! Mama Said Knock You Out! Daddy Said Knock You Out!

The B Family - Mini Session

Give me all the perfectly imperfect images. I love them! So many times I have told families not to sweat it if their children aren’t looking at the camera or smiling perfectly. Instead, I instruct them to lean into that concept of imperfection. Let them hug and play. Let them hold a little treasure they’ve found on the forest floor. I honestly prefer those types of images over the perfectly posed ones. It shows life as you are living it right now at this stage. And more often than not, after the kids have gotten their wiggles out and become more comfortable, they hold still for a smile at the end.

The B Family - Mini Session

It was fun to photograph my clients, The B Family, and meet their newest addition! We get together every Fall to update their family portraits, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn another little man would be joining them this time around. The kiddos were all smiles running through the fresh, thick blanket of leaves that had just fallen, and the sun highlighted them perfectly behind the remaining colorful branches.

The M Family - Mini Session

I enjoy having my returning clients recreate sessions they’ve loved from the past, and I also enjoy the M Family and their sweet little blonde babies, so this was a real treat! After four years, their mama wanted to recreate a session they had originally done with their one-year-old twins, but this time, to mark the twins turning five and their new addition, Miss Taytum, turning one oh so soon (although, we have a First Birthday session planned separately for her December birthday)!

We visited the town of Harmony to get the same background as we did in 2020, and the family also wore buffalo plaid outfits just as they did four years ago. Mama has some beautiful wall art of the past session, so these images will make a great addition to their home. It was such a fun little session!

Daphne - Mid-Year Baby Session

Daphne is the 4th beautiful baby in her family, and I’m so honored to have captured all four of these siblings as babies. All four of them have the most beautiful eyes and sweet smiles. It was fun to do an autumn theme for this session in the dreamy common area behind Daphne’s house. The sun was setting, and we got just enough time between pop-up rain showers to get these precious autumnal shots.

The F Family - Family Portrait Session

It was great to see The F Family again for some updated family portraits. It had been a few years, and was great to see how the kids have grown - including Wally! For our location, we wandered the alley ways of downtown Zelie to find just the right backgrounds. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Emery is One! - First Birthday Session

I love a theme, and Emery had a great one - Apple Pie! The reason behind it is especially sweet. When Emery’s parents were expecting her, they didn’t know if they were having a son or daughter, so they referred to their baby-to-be as Sweetie Pie. After Emery was born, they continued their pie theme with her monthly pictures, as Mommy baked a different pie for each month. So, of course, when it came to choosing a First Birthday theme, it was obviously going to be pie! An apple pie was just right for her Fall birthday.

Happy 1st Birthday, Emery!

Ryan - Newborn Session

It was a pleasure meeting Baby Ryan and his family for his at-home session. It’s clear that the whole family is in love with their newest member, and I think the feeling is mutual seeing how Ryan lovingly stared at his family - especially Mama! By the end of our session, he was sleepy and settled, so we were able to do a “froggy” pose to match the framed newborn photo of big sis Mary.

Welcome to the world, Ryan!

The S Family - Extended Family Session

It was an honor and a pleasure to create these images of the S Family in their hometown of Hermitage, PA. Regularly, I do my sessions closer to home, but when my son’s speech therapist, who has become a dear friend over the years, made this special request for her family, I was happy to oblige. After some rescheduling, we ended up with the perfect evening! It was absolutely beautiful out, especially with the setting sun in the distance.

We ended the session with the whole family wearing their Pitt gear as a special nod to Grandpa, who was an All-American football player at Pitt in the late 60’s. It was clear that the grandkids absolutely adore their grandparents, and idolize their grandfather. There was so much love between all of them, and I truly enjoyed capturing it.

The G Family - Family Mini Session

The G Family is always a bright spot in my summer schedule. For four years we’ve been meeting to capture their family, and watching the children (and dog) grow every year is a delight. This year, we got a stunning summer evening as bright as their smiles!