Marley Is Fresh as a Daisy // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

The annual #POSE4PICKET contest that I hold with The Picket Fence always brings such wonderful people into my studio and into my life. Every year, we give away an incredible prize package: an Editorial Session, three images, and a Tea Collection outfit. This year’s winner, Marley, stole my heart from the moment I saw her entry photo, and even more so once I met her.

Marley is silly and spunky and full of personality. She has the most beautiful natural hair and makes the best sassy, little faces. Keeping in mind the three words that Mom picked, I wanted to capture all of the personality and highlight her beauty and the gorgeous, warm tone of her skin. So, I opted to photograph the session on a light pink background, but to tone the images to look a bit vintage and add a bunch of warmth. We chose a 70s theme and even got to include her baby sister, Kamara, in a few of the images. They had great wardrobe in their closet to echo that vintage vibe and I LOVE the Tea Collection outfit that The Picket Fence contributed to the session. It was incredible and SO fitting for the theme. The striped pants are everything and looked so comfy that I was jealous they weren’t available in my size. Going into the session, I had a vision of the final image you’ll see in this blog. It happens like that for me sometimes, where I see the finished image as a flash in my brain, and it’s just a matter of making it a reality. With kiddos, that can sometimes be a roll of the dice, but Marley executed it so perfectly - look at all that attitude!

Some fun facts about the session:
1) The caftan that Marley is wearing in the final image is 70s vintage, a fabulous hand-me-down gift from her grandmother. I melted when Mom pulled it out of the closet and showed it to me.
2) The overalls that Kamara is wearing are also vintage Osh Kosh and used to belong to Mom. I love including cherished, hand-me-down garments in sessions and these were two of my favorites that I’ve photographed.
3) The records came from my dad’s collection. He has a massive record collection and great taste in music.
4) I poked my finger with a sewing needle so many times making those daisy curtains that it went numb for a bit, but, WORTH IT.

Three words to describe the session: Natural, Retro/Mod, Sweet

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Doing a Double Take with Gus + Josie // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of photographing two different sessions for the Bigley family. I’m sharing them here together as a great example of the variety that you can expect when you work with me multiple times. Same kiddos, only a couple of months apart, but two completely different looks and feels to these sessions. Our first session together was all about fun, vibrant colors and showcasing the kiddos’ personalities to create wall art for their home. I even managed to capture a few quick images of tiny Bianca on their first visit as she darted and played around the set, enabling us to make a beautiful canvas triptych for the family living room featuring all three of their beautiful children. The second time they visited the studio, we shifted gears and focused on creating images for Gus and Josie to use when applying to modeling agencies, starting out with their best feet forward. No matter the session, Gus serves up a fierce, moody face that is so wonderful to photograph and a special talent for a kiddo his ago. I decided to embrace that and lean into it for his modeling portfolio. Josie is eternally bubbly and adorable and fabulous at taking direction. Her little smile lights up a room, so we kept her modeling images lighter, joyful, and more precious. I am so excited to see where this journey takes them and I look forward to being along for that ride, snapping away with my camera as they work their tiny magic.

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Lovely Lynzee // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

In my last blog, I shared adorable baby Gio’s session with you. In this one, I’d like to share his big sister Lynzee’s updated portfolio images. I could go on and on about just how talented this little girl is, although perhaps I shouldn’t say “little” anymore. I have had the joy of knowing and photographing her since the beginning of 2018, and in that time I have watched her grow up SO much. She and her family have become so very special to me and have been such wonderful ambassadors for the studio. Doing what I do allows me to really get to know and love so many of you - such a precious gift that I’m given.

Lynzee nails a moody expression like no other, so I tend to photograph a bunch of that with her. This session, we also included some smiles and softer expressions for variety in her portfolio (she crushes those too). There’s really nothing she can’t do. I can’t wait to show you what we’re about to create together in a couple of weeks! We’re doing something that’s really outside of the box for POSE PGH, but stylistically aligned with things I used to photograph years ago when I worked with adults. (I definitely plan on doing much more of that moving forward. Let’s make art together!) Also, please check out her incredible Marc Defang rhinestoned sneakers in the second image. It was a treat to get to work with such a fun accessory. This session had it all: some more high-fashion hair draping, artistic windy images, leaps, vogue-inspired posing, the list goes on and on. Definitely a recent favorite.

I also want to add a quick note of gratitude and props given to Tori Bivins, who is an incredible stylist that has been working with me practically since the studio’s inception. She styled Lynzee’s hair in this session and is responsible for a lot of the gorgeous hair and makeup that you see in my portfolio. She has been such a talented, valuable part of what makes your experience glam and luxe, so I’ve decided that every kiddo should get to experience the magic she works. Moving forward, all of your sessions include complimentary hair styling so that your babes will look their best and truly have the “model for a day” experience!

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Gio's Dino-mite! // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I’m wordy. Not just a little bit: wordy, wordy, WORDY! In another life, before I realized that my heart was with photography, I was going to school for journalism. I’m always trying to do things justice by using the perfect words and going into great detail. As my volume has greatly increased at the studio (a wonderful blessing!), I’ve realized that I unfortunately need to reel in my blogging quite a bit if I’m going to keep up with blogging every session (which I really want to maintain). A lot of you have mentioned to me that you really enjoy reading them, and that’s incredibly humbling. I appreciate you all so much and appreciate any time you’ve spent reading my musings. I hope to keep up with this indefinitely.

A lot of you are familiar with my studio ambassador, Lynzee, and her family. They’re wonderful people and I enjoy every minute I spend with them. Little Gio is Lynzee’s baby brother, and this was the first time that I had the opportunity to photograph him. He is such a trip, ALL boy, and full of personality and spitfire. I always appreciate when my clients let me step outside of the box and do something more unexpected. I’ve had a lot of fun playing around with colored lighting recently, and I wanted to use that for Gio’s session and give the whole thing a bit of a moody vibe. Gio delivered a wide range of expressions for me, from big smiles all the way to tiny crocodile tears. But, he was of course happiest when in the company of his army of beloved dinosaurs.

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Fun, Colorful

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Little Magic Misses // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I hope that in these strange times you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! I spent the whole day cooking and sipping wine with my pod, my partner and our three, beautiful kitties (wine was only for us, but don’t worry, turkey was shared with them) and passed out on the couch promptly at 8:30 PM. I have so very much that I am thankful for. We even had a little group text going with myself and all of my cousins, who still usually have our own “kids’ table” at our Thanksgiving gathering despite being in our thirties. It was nice to still be together in a way, even when apart. One of the things that I am most thankful for this year is you, all of you. This was the year that I was able to finally leave my part time job behind and focus exclusively on POSE PGH. You enabled that. I met so many incredible new families, and I am beyond excited for what the future holds for us.

This family, in particular, I feel so blessed to have gotten to work with. This session was my very first one back in the studio after the Covid shutdowns, and I could not have returned on a higher note. Madeline, 13 years old, and Emma, 9 years old, are gorgeous, talented dancers with good hearts and bright personalities. Their dad loves the song “Little Miss Magic” by Jimmy Buffett, and their mama was hoping to conceptually incorporate it into their Editorial Session as a surprise for him. (This song is such a gorgeous tribute from a father to his daughter. Highly recommend giving it a listen.) How fun! I love a good challenge! So, I listened to the song a few times and put on my thinking cap.

The three words that mom chose to describe the session for me were an absolute gift for an artist. Create something unconventional and artistic? Yes, please! I never want to go too literal - I want to feel the song and the lyrics in the images that I create, almost like miniature music video stills. The first lyric that really popped out at me was “She loves to ride into town with the top down, feel that warm breeze on her gentle skin. She is my next of kin.” From this, I envisioned the girls in portraits together bathed in warm, glowy light with their hair blowing in the breeze. Now, to bring in the “magic.” This one had me stumped for a little. How can I physically manifest “magic?” Aha! Glitter! Once that fell into place, it was off to the races for my brain. I immediately saw flashes of images of the girls with their hands covered in glitter, posed gracefully around their faces and leaps with glitter flying in the air (another lyric is “one day she's gonna learn how to fly”). I also wanted to create images of them spreading the glitter/their magic for others. But, these sisters have very different interests and personalities, and I always want to tie that in, too. Madeline is a teenager, now, artistic and into fashion, a fan of the horror genre. Emma is happy-go-lucky, crafty, and loves the outdoors. I wanted to show this duality through a visual yin and yang of sorts, with their magic being the element that connects the two. For Madeline, I wanted to go darker and more mature with a darker gray background and black glitter - a little more “witchy” on the magic scale. I wanted Emma’s to be light and effervescent, bright silver and rainbow glitter on a white background. I also included a final image of their glittery hands united to further emphasize that through their differences, there is a beautiful unity.

We ended up printing these in several different mediums that were perfect for the individual images. The glowy image of the girls together was right at home as an acrylic block portrait. The unified glittery hand image was soft and lovely as a canvas gallery wrap. And, the album we created from the full session is destined to become a sample for my studio, because I love it dearly. I am so, so grateful that I got to work with these Little Magic Misses and their wonderful Mama, and like Jimmy and their dad, I can’t wait to see what they’re “gonna be.”

Three words to describe the session: Artistic, Innovative, Unconventional

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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California Dreamin' with Kayden + Roman + Micah// Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

We’ve had an unexpected spell of gorgeous weather in Pittsburgh for the past few days - a little oasis of 75+ degrees in the middle of November. I decided to write this blog tonight during our final little glimmer of warmth before we plunge into winter. It’s my last “summery” session, and if I blog this any later, it might make me cry a bit. I am NOT a cold weather person. Haha.

The relationship between Kayden (who just turned 7!), Roman, 5 years old, and Micah, 2 years old is darling. Kayden is an incredible big brother, doting and nurturing, always thoughtful and considerate of his siblings and keeping them in line. Roman has this amazingly sweet disposition and huge heart, and he looks up to his big brother tremendously. And, then there’s Princess Micah. During their session, Micah gave us a literal workout. She is feisty and adorable. As mom aptly described her to me, she is “petite and fiery.” When you take these three unique little personalities and put them together, there is a harmony, like when the varied instruments in an orchestra come together to create beautiful music.

The family home is filled with gorgeous natural elements and colors, wood, and live edge pieces. I wanted to craft their Editorial Session to match the decor and boho style, and since Mom chose the word “natural” as one of her three, I really honed in on that. I decided to give the session a boho/prairie/Joshua Tree feel, and when I found that gorgeous desert backdrop, everything else clicked into place so quickly. The wooden piece the kids are sitting on in the first image below was actually made by their dad. I like to incorporate elements of Dad into the images whenever possible, so when I saw that perfect piece, I was delighted. For the last set, we played around by the studio window weaving the kids in and out of branches of various plants that I have in the space. I wanted them to have a sun-soaked feel, Los Angeles meets the jungle. In order to add to the overall vibe of the session, I styled the wardrobe more casually, filled with earthy tones and denim. The white dress that Micah is wearing belonged to her mama when she was a little girl, so we called an audible to swap that in last minute. Using garments passed down from generation to generation, preserved with care and love, is such a special addition to an already special day in the studio.

Soft, warm images like these were made to be printed on canvas, and we created a stunning collage of canvas gallery wraps from the desert set that I can not wait to see hung up! I also can not wait until I get to photograph this special family again.

Three words to describe the session: Fun, Natural, Classic

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Could Mikaela Be the Most Beautiful Girl in the World?// Pittsburgh Senior Photographer

It has felt beyond incredible to be back in the studio these past few weeks with all of you and your babies. And, no matter how big your babies get, they will ALWAYS be your babies. With that being said, here is the second of two of my pre-COVID session, post-COVID-induced-blur blogs!

I don’t get to photograph “big kids” very often anymore, but when I do, it’s a special treat. I started my career only photographing teens and adults. Believe it or not, I had never even really photographed a child until about 5-6 years ago. So, when I get to photograph someone older, it kind of feels like visiting your hometown after you’ve moved away to a different city.

Mikaela is an incredible young dancer. She came to me to create some images for her that highlighted her dance abilities, but with that fashionable twist I put on things, so that they could help her segue into modeling. I love working with dancers, because they have incredible flexibility and awareness of their bodies, and I love to work with that and mold it into more editorial poses that highlight that without being “dance pictures.” We spent a magical few hours in the studio listening to some of Mikaela’s faves like Prince and Ariana Grande. (Definitely a fun little reprieve from Baby Shark. Hahaha.) I am so proud of what we created and how wonderfully Mikaela posed and slayed it.

To top everything off, Mikaela was just recently signed MMG-NY! So, you know what that means…

***SNAPS FOR MIKAELA!!!***

Three words to describe the session: Simple, Fun, Stylized

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words lead to the creation of different images.)

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Monochromatic Magic // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Wooooo, boy. 2020. What a year, guys!

This is my first blog post in the green phase (…a sentence that wouldn’t have made any sense to me a year ago). Like a lot of you, I went through a bunch of stages throughout lockdown and the following months. There was the “drinking wine in my pajamas and doing jigsaw puzzles all day” phase. That was followed by the phase where I felt helpless and disconnected, so I did everything I could to be a helper to others and to reach out to people with love and support. Then, there was the phase that I’m still in: the “girrrrl, get your butt in gear” phase. No more wine day-sipping (sad face). No more pajamas all day (double sad face). After losing months of time, I am so excited to be back to doing what I love, even if it means putting on real clothing. Haha. Right before the pandemic hit us hard and we shut everything down, I had two sessions that I love love loved. Unfortunately, they were directly followed by the wine/pajamas/puzzle blur, so I never got around to blogging them. Now that I’m back in the studio and creating a ton of images that I’m excited to start sharing soon, I wanted to be sure to give these sessions their due.

We had such a fun day at the studio with Luca, Michael, and Alessia creating this series of images. Mom’s personal style skews more towards modern/streetwear and she was looking for some simple, classic black and white images to display in her home. That combination made my heart sing when I heard it. I decided to photograph the session on a black background and use some moody lighting to help elevate things and pump up the drama. For the first look, I chose a more casual, streetwear-centered wardrobe, while we got a bit fancy with the second. (I always like to have that variety and range in wardrobe for a session. A lot of times, our first intuition for a portrait session is that we want to get dressed up for the special day ahead. While that photographs beautifully and will make for adorable images, it can take us by surprise just how much we also love and end up gravitating towards images that are photographed in casual looks.) We mixed up the posing with some hard and soft (I’m a sucker for a “serious face” group portrait) and included some sweet poses to better show their adorable bonds as siblings.

I was so SO impressed with just how well these three kiddos took direction. Luca instantly understood everything I asked of him and nailed every pose. Alessia is so young and precious, but listened like a little adult and did amazingly. I was most blown away by Michael - what a ham! A lot of the time, the fellas won’t be as “into” the portrait session as the ladies, but Michael couldn’t get enough. HE directed ME and had multiple important wardrobe pieces that he wanted to be sure he was photographed wearing.

This one left me craving more black and white sessions. If you want some beautiful black and white portraits of your babes on your wall, please get in touch!

Three words to describe the session: Simple, Classic, Stylized

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words lead to the creation of different images.)

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She's Still Sienna from the Block // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I have had the immense privilege of working with Sienna and her family several times, now, and it has been so much fun keeping things fresh and photographing each session with its own, unique vibe. I can’t believe just how quickly this pint-sized powerhouse is growing up in front of my eyes, and we’ll keep evolving together as she grows and changes. With how well she takes direction and poses now, I can’t wait to photograph a 7 or 8-year old Sienna. She’ll be beyond unstoppable.

For this session in particular, we wanted to go very heavy on the styling and include a lot more accessories than we had in the past, making it extra editorial. I had to highlight her gorgeous new custom suit from David Alan Clothing, but decided to give it an easy, relaxed feel by pairing it with slides and sunnies. Next, we styled two 90’s-tastic looks (my faaaavorite). For the first look, we went for “Sienna from the Block.” Haha. Her tiny Fila sneakers absolutely kill me and have inspired me to potentially reinvest in a pair for myself after 25 years. I wanted to give the second 90’s look more of a pop-punk meets Spice Girls vibe, so I mixed patterns and bright colors. Space buns + Doc Martens were both nonnegotiable. The last set of images was styled to match a monochromatic idea that I’ve wanted to execute for years, and Sienna did it such justice, effortlessly giving me fierce hair tosses and perfect expressions. I suppose you could say that I’ve entered my “blue period.” ;)

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Q&A with K&M // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

These are such strange, uncertain times. Like you probably have been, I’ve been adjusting to my “new normal” and doing a great deal of reflection (as well as a great deal of spring cleaning and snacking!). While there have been some novel up-sides, like basically never putting on real pants, there is mostly just an eerie sense of absence and a nostalgia for the not-distant-at-all past. I miss photography. I miss the kids and families that I work with. I miss hugs and high-fives and Jojo Siwa dance parties at the studio. I am doing my best to stay connected with everyone. That sense of connection despite physical distance is what will maintain our sense of humanity and community. If you’d like to join my little community, we have a VIP Facebook Group. I’ve been posting games and other activities and just generally keeping in touch that way. We’d love to have you join us!

One of the things that The Great Pause has given me the time to do is catch up on my blogging. When people look back at whatever my legacy may be, they are never gonna say, “She was always so on top of her blogging!” Profuse apologies for that! ;)

After talking with their mama, I was so excited to meet and photograph Kaiton, almost 3 years old at the time, and his baby brother Milan, 5 months old, for so many reasons. First off, look at these two - how gorgeous are these boys?! I love getting to photograph kiddos with warm complexions like this, and I decided to use a white backdrop for the session so that all of that beautiful melanin would really shine and pop. Kaiton is such a genuinely sweet-natured, gentle child. He will absolutely talk your ear off, but it’ll be in such a quiet tone that you need to listen closely so that you don’t miss any of his important questions; he’s incredibly inquisitive and perceptive and mature for his age, and they ARE important questions. Milan is the smiliest little dude. I don’t often photograph babies as young as he was, so I was admittedly a bit nervous. (As much of a wildcard as kids can be in the studio, babies are even more so.) Boy, did I feel silly afterwards, because Milan was so happy and effervescent and patient with us. One of the things that I love most about this family is their commitment to encouraging and celebrating their kids’ authentic selves. We all know that’s my number one goal and reason for doing what I do, and hearing mama speak on the subject was heartwarming and took all of my words right out of my mouth. I seriously cannot wait to photograph these two again, if for no other reason than to have the opportunity to sit in their living room for a bit and let Kaiton further educate me on lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners and other devices of the noisy variety that pique his interest.

Three words to describe the session: Bold, Colorful, Fun

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Marco's Like a Rainbow // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Working with Baby Marco and his mama was such a wonderful, special experience. Mama has a chic bohemian style and a great artistic sensibility, and is a self-described “big fan of the rainbow.” Marco loves bold colors and is fascinated by the movement of light and shadows. I wanted to combine all of these things in a way that would honor both of them, while also creating unique wall art for their (perfectly) eclectic home decor. I always deeply appreciate when my clients trust my vision, particularly when I am doing something more outside of the box. For most of the session, I used colored lighting to create a lovely rainbow of shadows that kept Marco engaged and photographed beautifully. I toned the images to appear a bit on the warmer/vintage side in keeping with a more bohemian feel. Marco was a joy to photograph - pleasant and smiling the entire time and popping into these tiny poses that looked as if he was actually modeling, posing, and aware that these images will be around for posterity in the future, so he had better ham it up. (His reclined pose in the second to last image in this blog absolutely kills me.) Can’t wait to watch this tiny one grow and work with this family again in the future!

Three words to describe the session: Artistic, Colorful, Natural

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Annie Belongs Among the Wildflowers // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I was lucky enough to meet 3 1/2-year old Annie’s mama almost a year ago and have been hoping to photograph this gorgeous little one ever since. Courtesy of Annie placing in this past year’s #POSE4PICKET contest, I finally got my opportunity to do so!

Annie is such a multidimensional child. She is sweet and shy and can be more of a “quiet observer,” as mama described her. But, when she warms up and becomes comfortable - watch out! This high-spirited babe lights up and becomes a playful, vivacious chatterbox who wants to tell you all about her doggie, Hank, and her favorite episodes of PJ Masks. I really wanted to capture this duality in her portraits. Children like Annie are exactly why I love to do in-home consultations prior to portrait sessions and meet the children ahead of time. That way, by the time I’m actually photographing them in the studio, they know me and are more comfortable with me and we can create images that are more authentic and relaxed.

Mama has a great bohemian, eclectic style, especially in her home decor and there are gorgeous pops of fuchsia all around. For this reason, I decided that Annie’s session would have a vibrant fuchsia background to tie into the existing color schemes and pop beautifully as wall art in her home. I styled the wardrobe in neutrals, mustard, and light denim. I loved that the patterning on the mustard dress was leafy and so organic. And, y’all… when I saw that amazing layered frilly top, I audibly gasped in excitement.

Annie loves the song “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty, and I hope that she eternally stays so sweet and free-spirited and forever belongs among the wildflowers.

Three words to describe the session: Natural, Artistic, Fun

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Some Day Sienna's Prince Will Come // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

It has been so amazing getting to know Sienna’s family over the past year or so. Every time that Sienna has been in the studio with me, I’ve seen subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes as she grows up and becomes more and more of a pint-sized professional. With how hard she and her family all work and the incredibly supportive network they have in their corner courtesy of being such wonderful people, it should come as no surprise that she was the WINNER of this year’s annual #POSE4PICKET contest that I run in conjunction with The Picket Fence. She won a complimentary Editorial Session, three 8x10 prints, and a gorgeous Tea Collection outfit to wear during her session. (If you missed this year's contest - be sure to enter next year!)

It had honestly been too long since I had gotten to photograph an Editorial Session, so I was itching to really go all-out on this one. (An Editorial Session is a 2-hour long stylized session that I photograph as if it’s a themed magazine editorial spread. This could include multiple backdrops, fun props, unique set pieces, and so much more!) Sienna’s online moniker has always been “Princess Sienna,” so it seemed only fitting to create the ultimate princess-themed extravaganza. Being that she’s a pageant winner many times over, I knew that she’d have some incredible gowns and accessories for wardrobe - the bigger and sparklier, the better. For the rest of the session, I decided to incorporate some classic princess story elements in my own modern way, like Cinderella losing her shoe and a princess kissing a frog prince. And, what would a princess be without her crown? How about a GIANT CROWN? This incredible giant princess crown was made entirely of balloons courtesy of my friends at Airheads Balloon Art. (They never fail to amaze me. I just go to them and say, “I need an enormous XXX made of balloons,” and they make it happen beautifully.)

While I love creating imagery in general, my ultimate goal and thought process is always about creating stunning statement wall art pieces. I knew that a dark teal backdrop would make Sienna’s gorgeous, warm skin glow and that with some dramatic lighting, we could make some magic in the interplay, especially if these were printed as large metallic wall art. I chose wardrobe pieces with bright color pops of pink and purple for further contrast (including that luxe pink and mustard Tea Collection ensemble, courtesy of The picket Fence), and also pulled a breathtaking sequined gown from Itty Bitty Toes that looks insanely realistic and almost 3-dimensional on the metallic paper. From this session, I designed a glamorous metallic collage for Sienna’s bedroom wall, with the second image below as an arresting 20x30 focal point in the center. I’ll definitely share photos of the display when I can!

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#BrotherlyLove // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Oh my goodness, y’all. This year’s busy season is getting the best of me like never before! To say I’ve been burning the candle at both ends is a bit of an understatement, and I’m paying for it right now - I came down with the worst chest/throat cold the other day and have been sidelined ever since. The silver lining in this cloud of congestion is that I’ve finally been forced to focus on the stuff that I’ve been slacking on while I’ve been running around everywhere, including BLOGGING. Holy cow, this one is overdue!

Before I get into talking about this adorable session, I want to mention that in the midst of my busy season (just because I apparently like to make things more difficult for myself), I’ve been preparing to finally publicly share the series that I’ve been pouring blood, sweat, and tears into for the past year. (As have all of the amazing folks involved with its creation.) If all goes according to plan, especially if I’m still stuck in my house, I should be posting it all on Monday. EEK. I’m equal parts excited and nervous and just SO ready to put it out there. Stay tuned!

These handsome, little fellas found their way to me via my auction donation to Women Who Rock, an amazing annual charity concert and event that benefits Magee-Women’s Research Institute. I swear, I meet the most wonderful families through my charitable donations. Enter Milan, 3 1/2 years old, and Miko, 2 1/2 years old, the most high-energy, hysterical, coolest little dudes. These brothers looove super heroes and action. During their consultation in their home, they got to show off their best Kung-Fu Panda impersonations, leaping around while karate kicking and chopping. I knew that these guys needed a really vibrant, fun, bright session to best capture their personalities. Milan and Miko’s family were in the process of redecorating their home when we met, with a plan to incorporate mustard-colored accents. I proposed that we photograph the session on a yellow backdrop. I could shift it in post-production to be more “mustard” and tie into everything and it would be a great color for a high-energy vibe. As a result, we created a stunning image collage for their entryway, with a gorgeous canvas gallery wrap of the image of the brothers sweetly hugging right in the center.

It’s always fun to see how the kids’ personalities transform once they’re on the set in the studio. Milan was a natural, posing like he had modeled a thousand other times before, while still interjecting with the occasional super silly 3 1/2-year old funny face. Miko softened in this really incredible, sweet way and I managed to capture his tiny, tender spirit. When they were together on set, though - that was party time. They just had such a blast together, which was heartwarming to be privy to. To top it off, Mom is also a female entrepreneur who owns her own salon, and as a result, these boys had the most FABULOUSLY-styled hair. I’m so excited to work with this family again next year and to watch these #brothers grow up!

Three words to describe the session: Modern, Artistic, Fun

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

Maggie is 100% Adorable // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I love donating portrait packages to auctions that benefit charities and other good causes. For the past several years, this has included an annual donation to Gemini Children’s Theater’s Royal Ball, which supports their ability to provide performing arts opportunities to children and their families in Pittsburgh. Fostering children’s passions and arts education is SO important. I’ve loved the art of photography ever since I was teeny tiny, and I’m so fortunate that I was surrounded with the support and resources to follow that passion.

This year, my tiny client via this auction win was (newly) 2-year old Magnolia, or Maggie for short. Maggie’s mom was just about to have a younger sibling (how exciting!), so this portrait session was this cutie’s last hurrah as an only child and a fun, special day for her to remember. Because of this, I decided that we would photograph the session on a bright pink background, her favorite color. Maggie is utterly full of personality, impish and upbeat, but simultaneously sweet and gentle. She also likes some pretty rad music, such as Lizzo, Brandi Carlile, and Paul Simon. Coming from a family that loves and plays music, Maggie also enjoys playing all of the various musical instruments in her house.

I have SO enjoyed getting to know this lovely family, and I can’t wait to watch Miss Maggie grow up. A couple of days after I delivered their prints, Mom delivered a healthy, beautiful baby girl. So, a HUGE “congratulations” to all of them, including Maggie, who is going to be a fabulous big sister!

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Simple, Fun

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Georgia's Heart Will Go On // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I have been so very excited to share this session. Beautiful, little Georgia has been my studio ambassador for the last year and half, and it has been a highlight of my career thus far getting to know her and her family and watching this tiny one grow. She was always a bit of a ham in front of the camera. (You can check out her first session with me when she was only 1 1/2 years old - already living her best life on set.) In the past couple of years, she has grown from this chubby-cheeked, adorable, silly baby to a truly stunning little girl, full of personality, character, and poise (but, still, totally silly!).

Since Georgia has started dancing at Studio 19, she’s become so adept at pointing her toes and posing in this statuesque, graceful manner that photographs like a ~* dream *~. So, of course, there are many images that highlight that. But, she’s also still so little, and that youthful joy and innocence spills out in bursts of giggles and energetic hair flips that scream, “Lexi, click the shutter now, now, now!” Georgia also loves to do this somewhat interpretive form of dance where she enters a trance-like state and feels the music on this incredibly deep level for a 3-year old. Her current jam for this is “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion. The two images below where she has her eyes closed in her frilly pink dress were created by my just going along for the ride, as it were, as she dramatically performed her little heart out to the song.

I know that every time I photograph Georgia, I’m in for a fun day and for the creation of some gorgeous imagery.
I’m SO proud to have her as a POSE PGH Studio Ambassador.

Georgia also completely embodies just why I do what I do and my approach to photographing children. This child absolutely lights up once you get on her on the set. She’s only 3 years old, but she relishes in her “model moment,” and that has been my experience time and time again on this journey. If the portrait session is framed as their special day, a day of pampering catered to them, and the environment is relaxed and light and fun, children actually l-o-v-e it and you can create some gorgeous imagery beyond the old, stale “sit still and say cheese” stuff. Also, even being so young, she has developed such a strong, individual personality. She is, undoubtedly, her own (little) person. When a client books a portrait session with me, I really strive to get to know the children ahead of time so that I’m capturing their essence. That’s all that a photograph really is, after all: a frozen moment in time. As parents, there are so many moments and things about your babies that you wish you could freeze and hold onto forever: that look they give you when they’re feeling mischievous, the way they smile like their dad (but with a missing front tooth), that silly dance they love to do. That’s what I want to capture. In the Instagram era where it seems like everyone is trying to put things into these perfectly-composed square boxes, we need to remember the perfection in the tiny, imperfect moments. That’s what you really want to remember. That’s what you will remember. I hope that my images can capture as much of it as possible for you to look back on fondly years and years from now.

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Shortly after our session together, Georgia was officially signed to the Docherty Model and Talent Agency!

***SNAPS FOR GEORGIA!***

Viva La Vida // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Vida, now 3-years old, is one of the cutest little girls that I’ve ever seen in real life. From her sparkling blue eyes to her gorgeous mop of curls, she is like a living doll. (And, she certainly photographs like one, as well!) Vida loves all things girly like playing dress-up and glitter, and has the most adorable affinity for Lady Gaga. We seriously got the best smiles out of her for her close-up portraits by just yelling “LADY GAGA!” over and over together. When we met, Vida was just beginning her foray into modeling, so we scheduled her a Comp Card Session to get her set up for success. In the brief time between our session and now, this little one has been BUSY BUSY BUSY. She’s already been featured in multiple magazines, including with my images in Madison Magazine’s July issue. I’m so excited to follow along with her journey and continue to photograph her as she grows up. One last little anecdote before I wrap this one up: When I arrived at Vida’s house to deliver her printed comp cards and stunning acrylic block, she proudly answered the door wearing these gorgeous bejeweled kitten-heeled shoes. They were a purchase for Halloween, but Miss Vida needed to fabulously strut around in these, her first pair of heeled shoes, immediately, just because. And, that’s just how fabulous and hilarious and sparkly Vida is every day.

Three words to describe the session: Bold, Fun, Colorful

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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This is what Vida’s finished comp cards looked like. Definitely bold, colorful, and fun like her personality!

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Here is Vida’s feature in Madison Magazine’s July issue!

**SNAPS FOR VIDA!**

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Just received my copy of Madison Magazine’s July issue featuring my images of little Miss Vida! 💖💛 . Blogging this session (and a few more) soon! I’m behind again. 🙈 . . . . . . #childrenphoto #childphotographer #childportraits #kidsburgh #pghcreative #pittsburghphotographer #makeportraits #kidsfashion #kidsbabylove #stylishkids #babiekinsmag #lapetitemag #sandcastle_mag #412project #412 #instagoodmyphoto #thatsdarling #steelcity #pghkids #pittsburghkids #igkiddies #poshkidsmag #discoverportrait #letthembelittle #steelcitygrammers #pittsburgh #pgh #posepgh

A post shared by Luxury Children's Portraiture (@posepgh) on Aug 21, 2019 at 4:52am PDT

That's What Friends Are For // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Right now, we are smack dab in the middle of the #POSE4PICKET contest - the biggest giveaway that I host all year. It’s always so incredibly adorable and fun, and another wonderful opportunity to partner up with The Picket Fence, the best boutique in Pittsburgh.

If you like contests and giveaways, however, you will LOVE the POSE PGH VIP Facebook Group. I host smaller ones regularly in there where I give away prizes ranging from gift cards to mini-sessions. I swear, I have the most wonderful people in that group, and I love that it gives me the opportunity to get to know you better outside of the studio, too.

A few months ago, I held a VIP Group “Share the Love” Giveaway where two moms who were friends both won their own mini-sessions at the studio for their kiddos. They got to all come in and experience it and spend a lovely afternoon at the studio together. All of the girls are dancers at the same studio and it was really special to see the way that they encouraged one another throughout the sessions.

I wanted to photograph the sessions on a new bright red backdrop that I had just ordered, so I styled the kids in light denim and white to keep things editorial, but youthful and colorful. I also opted to light everything with a good bit of contrast in order to give the images some punch and make the vibrant colors really shine. The first set of siblings I photographed were Amelia and Nathan. Amelia has the most gorgeous blue eyes and disposition and Nathan was just a natural in front of the camera and so wonderful to spend time with. Their interactions when they were posed together were adorable - so easygoing and supportive. Next up were Sydney and Morgan, who wore the perfect twirly dresses for some fun dance images. Morgan is effervescent and sweet and Sydney is so gentle and kind. I wanted to capture that beautiful sisterly bond between them, so I photographed them in softer poses together. While our primary goal was to create some beautiful memories and wall art for their homes, we also made sure to photograph a winning head shot for each of the girls to use in the upcoming dance season.

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#POSE4PICKET only happens once a year - so, please join the VIP Facebook Group! I might never have met these two amazing families without it, and I can’t wait to meet you someday, too!

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True Blue // Pittsburgh Family Photographer

This session was for another wonderful family that came my way courtesy of a charitable auction donation. I truly treasure the ability to give back to the city that has given me so much however I can, and donating my services to charity through auction packages is a fabulous way to do so and to meet so many new, fabulous people.

Little Annie, 3 1/2 years old at the time of our session, was a bundle of energy and cuteness. She picked out her favorite green princess dress to wear for her images, and danced and twirled the time away. Annie has gorgeous blue eyes, and I love that I was able to capture her literal “wide-eyed innocence” in her solo portrait. Baby Charlotte had the most adorable little smile, and you could really see the beautiful bond between the sisters during our time spent together. Charlotte definitely admired Annie and wanted to keep up with her, while Annie clearly adored Charlotte and was a loving big sister, holding her hand, guiding her, and snuggling her tightly. Mom and Dad mentioned potentially stepping in for a family image, and you knoooow my thoughts on this: DO IT! So, we created a lovely family image, as well.

As per usual, I aimed to match the family’s decor. Their family room is filled with darker blue tones and off-white. In order to create images that would still pop a little bit on their walls, I photographed the session with more contrasty, bright lighting and a white backdrop, but pulled everything back in post-production to be warmer and softer. When choosing the wardrobe, particularly for their group image, I chose tones of blue and gray, with a color pop of dusty pink for the baby. I love the harmony of how the colors all mingle so nicely.

Three words to describe the session: Simple, Classic, Sweet

(All of my portrait clients choose three words from a list of how they'd like to describe their finished images. You can click on any of the three words at the bottom of this post by the little tag icon to see past sessions that chose the same word. You can also see how different combinations of words leads to the creation of different images.)

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Simon Says, "Pose!" // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I soooo love working with the Arias family. They are so hardworking, inspirational, and gorgeous, and I love that I’ve been able to photograph their babes several times recently. After focusing on Princess Sienna last session, we wanted to shoot some beginner modeling images for Baby Simon this go-around. He is just the happiest, smiliest, most easy to photograph little nugget and we had such a fun, adorable day together. I still photographed the session in a very editorial style, which I don’t often get to do with the bitty babes, but it was a breeze with Simon, and I was so amazed with how well he gave me eye contact throughout the session. And, those eyes, man… the cutest! We were also able to create a few canvas gallery wraps for display in the family’s home, so that Simon could join his older sister in adorning the walls. Now, when you enter, you’re greeted by that tiny 4.5 toothed-smile as a 16x24 canvas, which is delightful.

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At the end of the session, we brought in Sienna for a few images. I was so overjoyed that I’d get to photograph her again - she absolutely lights up on camera. She needed some head shots that would help her win the pageants she’d been entering, as she kept coming soooo close and just narrowly missing the top spot. I’m elated to hear that the head shots we created together have been just what she needed and that she’s been routinely getting the highest photo score, winning “most photogenic,” and snagging first place in her recent pageants. (Sienna is a talented, little rockstar, but if you want your little one to do well in a pageant, you neeeed the right head shot. Sound like just what you need? Let’s chat!)

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I am also so ecstatic that, with some help from my images, Sienna has been signed to Click Models.
If you’ve got a gorgeous kiddo and lotsa hustle, we can make a great team.

***SNAPS FOR SIENNA!!!***