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.
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.
Taytum - Baby & Family Session
Little Miss Taytum is on her second of three sessions of her First Year Special package. This package gives the client three sessions (newborn, baby, and first birthday) for the price of two! It was a real treat for me because, I also got to see how much her brother and sister have grown since I did their twin sessions nearly five years ago.
I love summer evening sessions. The figurative and literal warmth in the images always draws me in. Since we knew we’d be outside on a warm summer night, we had planned to do a milk bath for Taytum’s individual shots, and can I just say - this was one of the neatest milk bath sessions I’ve ever captured. Taytum’s amazing mama brought her own breastmilk to use! I was so impressed, not only with her supply, but also with the fact that she is a regular donor to local milk banks, so babies in need can receive a mother’s milk. Such a noble cause, and a strong mama!
Nursing or bottle fed, breastmilk or formula, fed is best no matter how you do it. <3 As long as that babe is happy and loved.
Evelyn is One! - First Birthday Session
It has been a pleasure to capture little Evelyn throughout her first year. This darling girl is so precious, as is big sissy Hadley. The girls looked like two miniature princesses running around the Hartwood Mansion garden. Every time I do a session there, I feel like I am in England at a stately manor. I was a little disappointed by the lack of blooms in the area for early May, but the M Family brought all the beauty we needed to get some great shots.
Happy 1st Birthday, Sweet Evie!
The B Family - Portrait Session
If you’ve ever wondered, “why golden hour?” - this is why. No other time of day can you get these streams of sunlight, these vibrant colors, these highlights. I so enjoyed playing with the B family in the leaves, and meeting their 15-month-old new addition! All four children are so sweet!
The B Family - Portrait Session
It’s always a joy watching this family grow from year to year. Their kids are energetic and fun, which makes for great candid shots. When kiddos aren’t into sitting still, I simply make movement a part of their session. A family doesn’t have to be sitting or standing perfectly still to get a great photo, in fact, a lot of times movement makes the photos look more natural and interesting. So families with little ones - don’t ever fret when your children are running around and exploring the setting around them. We can make it work!
The F Family - Family Session
I am the lucky aunt, godmother, and personal photographer of this little man; my nephew Leo! He is the absolute sweetest little squish! It was my pleasure to photograph his family for their first family Christmas card! I don’t know how they’re going to pick favorites - he is absolutely adorable in every shot…and this is only a few of them!
The B Family/Ariana is Six Months! - Family and Baby Milestone Session
I have been photographing this beautiful family since they started their journey as parents over three years ago. I was thrilled when they contacted me to say…Surprise! We now have a baby girl! Ariana is simply adorable, and it was so fun to photograph her in her gorgeous outfit, complete with the sweetest rolls! The B Family requested that we do a family session, and also focus more on Ariana to mark her six month milestone. I was happy to oblige them, as a family portrait session can be whatever the client wants. If you’d like to focus in on a certain family member, or have more candid shots versus more posed…just ask!
Omar is One! - First Birthday Family Session
It feels so good to be shooting outside again! We had a beautiful evening for Omar’s First Birthday Session featuring some family pictures, as well. Omar could not have been any cuter, and his big brother too! I love a set of adorable brothers. They absolutely nailed their session, and were a great start to the spring photography season!
The B Family - Family Portrait Session
It was a pleasure to meet the B Family for their session back in October. We had pushed the session back many times because of weather, but got a perfectly warm Fall day to finally do the shoot. They were easy subjects to photograph, as the kids were filled with sweetness and personality, and the entire family just radiates love. I enjoyed capturing them in their element; playing on the trail which they frequently visit for family walks since moving to Pittsburgh.
The K Family - Family Portrait Session
The K Family looked great for their session on a picture-perfect fall afternoon. They have an amazing property out in the beautiful countryside, so only had to walk out their door to find the perfect location. Baby Holden was a doll, and so happy!
The M Family - Family Portrait Session
This session was a lot of fun! The M Family booked a full Portrait Session, but used the time to capture family, six month, and 3rd birthday photos. That is something that I am always willing to do! When booking a session, what you choose to capture with your allotted images is up to you. If you want to include a milestone, or several, I am more than happy to work with you. It was so fun to highlight their little ones and their family interests - ballet (Mom’s a dance teacher) and diggers!
The F Family - Family Portrait Session
It was a pleasure to meet the F Family, and capture some new images for the walls of their new home - including their new addition, Wally! After many weather delays, we finally had a beautiful summer evening to do their session.
Braxon is Four! - Birthday Session
I first met Braxon when he was a few months old, and I photographed his family during a beautiful golden hour session. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of documenting his birthdays (with the exception of last year - darn 2020) and watching him grow. When his mom contacted me this year for his birthday session, she told me their family is growing too, so we did a very special 4th birthday session with Braxon, while also featuring the soon-to-be family of 4. For the location, we met up in downtown Zelie where the family has put down their roots, and recreated a few classic shots from our past sessions as well as snapped some new ones.
Happy 4th Birthday, Braxon!
The B Family - Family Portrait Session
This session is exactly why I love the golden hour. The streaming sunlight perfectly illuminated the B family as they had their first photos as a family of five! They made my job easy with smiles as warm as the setting sun.
The B Family - Family Portrait Session
I love it when clients come to me with a specific idea for a session. My dear friend Kristin wanted to capture her family in a care-free, candid way, and I was so happy and flattered to help! We used some fun prompts as well as natural props from the forest around us to create these fun images. The sun was setting through the Fall foliage to cast the perfect warm lighting on this beautiful family. These are some of my favorites from the session.
The S Family - Family Portrait Session
I was so honored to take these photos of my friends, The S Family, because it was their first session with their new addition, Baby Bennett! Bennett was born near the beginning of the pandemic, so getting newborn photos were understandably out of the question. Now that Bennett is thriving, it was the perfect time to get some family pictures taken outside.
The family chose Hartwood Acres as the backdrop, and it was my first time shooting there! I’ve already since been back with another client. As any local photographer will tell you, it is a popular place to shoot! You literally have to wait your turn to photograph in the popular spots in the garden and near the home, but it is worth the wait, as is getting a chance to photograph this beautiful family of four.
Welcome to the world, Bennett!
The P Family - Family Portrait Session
The P Family chose to have their session at North Park because of all the family memories they’ve made there. Their mama requested some up-close, natural portraits of each child, which is my favorite style to do! A great way to fill the walls of their home with the sweet details of their children’s faces at this most precious time in their lives.
The Q Family - Family Photography Session
There are so many little gifts that nature gives us in each season. During the late summer, I am absolutely in love with the flower fields in our area. The grass is high, and many of the plants (like this patch of some kind of milkweed) are starting to shed their seeds. The days are still long and warm, and the sun is still casting gold on all of the magical, floating pods that drift like angel feathers in the summer breeze. It is poetry in a picture, and I am so glad the Q kids decided to play in these milkweeds!
Candid shots are always my favorite, and the Q family gave me some gorgeous ones, along with perfect poses, as well.
The P Family - Family Photography Session
The P Family had lots of gorgeous shots during their session. Sweet little Millie was such a doll - I love her outfit! It was a pleasure meeting them for a magical sunset session in Cranberry Woods!