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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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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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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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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#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.)