The Sweeter Side of POSE PGH // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer
When I was choosing my 2018 studio ambassadors, I came across a really special application from a remarkable family. I was so excited that these amazing women, grown and tiny, wanted to represent the studio, and I knew that they would be absolutely perfect.
Mama bear, Jacquie, writes the loveliest blog called The Sweeter Side of Mommyhood. The blog began as a way to update friends and family on her middle daughter, Grace’s, journey. Grace was a beautiful little babe, born prematurely, who faced a world of struggles and health issues that left her with profound hearing loss. (You can read Grace’s story here.) People outside of Jacquie’s circle began to follow along with her blog and root for little Grace, which allowed the blog to blossom into what it has become today: a gorgeous, little mix of personal anecdotes and stories of motherhood, combined with crafty ideas for home decor and entertaining your little ones, recipes, and ways to be creative in your everyday life.
Our portrait session together took place not long after Grace’s successful cochlear implant surgery. So, I definitely wanted to get a good image that highlighted them and told her story, in a way. But, let’s not forget the rest of the crew! Sally, the youngest, is a spitfire, full of sass and personality in a pint-sized package. She also has vision issues and wears the tiniest, yet chicest glasses (she’s also a brand rep for Jonas Paul Eyewear). She was over-the-moon excited to have “princess hair” for the portrait session and was infectiously bubbly and joyous on set. The eldest, Lilly, is so sweet, incredibly intelligent, and the most nurturing, patient big sister you could hope to have. I was so impressed with her poise and maturity, as she balanced posing beautifully for her images and keeping an eye on her army of little sisters. Even the bitty baby of the family, Olive, joined the girls for a portrait of all four of them together!
In order to make this session extra special and magical for these lovely ladies, I enlisted the help of my favorite collaborators, Airheads Balloon Art. They created some giant balloon clusters for me in the perfect color palette to match the wardrobe that I had selected and the overall vibe of the session. Last, but certainly not least, Deanna Machi gorgeously styled the hair of all three ladies to “princess” perfection.
If you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to experience a portrait session at POSE PGH, don’t just take my word for it! You can read Jacquie’s blog about their session here.
