The Donahoe Family // Pittsburgh Family Photographer

It’s always a fun change of pace having a family of all adults in the studio. A lot of people don’t know that I also photograph “big kids,” but, yep! If I can photograph a 3-year old moving target, I promise that I can create a gorgeous image of your (stationary) family noooo problem. (I tend to book these as 1-hour Basic Sessions. An hour is usually all that we really need when everyone is old enough to sit still and take direction. ;) ) These multi-generational Pitt fans came to me for a more classic session, including some group images and images of their sons together.

The Donahoe family has been connected to mine forever, although I never had the pleasure of really getting to know them until now. And, when I say forever, in my case especially, I mean forever: Jean (mama) was working in the delivery room when I was being born. She’s a really wonderful woman and a recent cancer survivor, and the family decided to come have some formal portraits taken now that she’s healthy.

I’m going to go off on a little tangent, here… **SIDEBAR** Sometimes, it takes something big or scary like that to remind us just how important it is to have our portraits taken, so that we can exist in them forever in a way. I’m a super big proponent of this. Any time that I’m going to photograph children and the parents are on the fence about hopping in for an image or two, I will emphatically encourage them to do so. It’s never going to be the “right” time, guys, honestly. You may not ever lose the silly 10 pounds that you want to, that no one really notices but you. You may not have it allotted for in the budget *this* year, or the next, or the next, or the next (you see where this is going?). But, those images are going to be something so special to you, and beyond that, they will be SO special to your children. If you’re apprehensive to get in front of the camera, I hope that you can overcome that with them in mind, because someday, those images will be all that they have. It is so important to exist in images.

Three words to describe the session: Modern, Simple, Formal

(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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Maelyn's Got the Look // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Clients like 9-year old Maelyn and her mama are a reminder to me just how lucky I am. Not only have I been privileged enough to do what I love for a living, but I also get to meet so many amazing children and people that may have never come into my life otherwise. These two ladies have just been such an immense joy to work with and to get to know better.

On top of being ridiculously beautiful, Maelyn has such an incredibly pure heart, and once you get to know her a little bit and she opens up, she is such a feisty, little ball of enthusiasm, energy, and personality. When I arrived at Maelyn’s home for her in-home consultation, I was greeted by both Maelyn and her mama with warm hugs. I’m 1000% a hugger through-and-through, but those usually don’t end up happening until the session and until folks have gotten to know me a bit. But, not these ladies. I was literally welcomed into their home with open arms and it was the best. thing. ever.

I’m all about personalizing a session however I can and as much as I can. Maelyn’s mama is a super talented children’s clothing designer and runs her own online boutique, Avery With Grace. I wanted to ensure that we incorporated some of her lovely clothing into Maelyn’s wardrobe for the session, so I selected both a bright rainbow shirt and an adorable polka dot dress that she had made. Since we were photographing a Comp Card Session, I chose a variety of wardrobe: some dressier, some more casual, and some that was right in the middle. I also opted to photograph the session on a purple backdrop, as it’s Maelyn’s absolute faaaavorite color, and she was ecstatic about it.

Maelyn already has a signature look. Her family calls it “The Maelyn Look.” It’s a hauntingly gorgeous model stare that she can snap into and out of like a little professional. We chose to use an image of this look for her head shot on the front of the comp card, because it’s beyond gorgeous.

Three words to describe the session: Artistic, Innovative, 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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This is what Maelyn’s finished comp cards looked like. Sweet and vibrant, just like she is.

Lynzee's Ambassador Session // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

After photographing Lynzee for an Editorial Session last year and getting to know her and her wonderful family, I just had to have them on board as POSE PGH Studio Ambassadors.

I love the chance to photograph dark and moody work with little ones, and I knew that Lynzee’s Ambassador Session would be the perfect time to do so. With the crazy talented Deanna Machi on board to style hair, I wanted to give her creative carte blanche to choose a gorgeous, editorial style that she felt would fit the mood of the session. When she showed me her styling concept, I was elated - it was PERFECT! I wardrobed the session from Lynzee’s closet, sticking to basics to really keep the focus on her adorable face and fierce hair. But, when I found that luxe leather skirt, I knew that we had to use it, too. I love the interplay of hard and soft, dressy and casual, girly with a hint of rock and roll or streetwear, and I’ll jump at any opportunity to style my sessions that way. Everyone involved in this one, big and small, totally nailed bringing my vision to life and I really love this set of images.

The Muppet Show, Starring... Koraleigh! // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

One of the best parts of being a photographer is really getting to know the families that I work with, building a relationship with them, and watching the kiddos grow up and the families grow in number. I had the honor of photographing Kellan for his first birthday last year, and now, it was his little sister, Koraleigh’s turn for her 1-year portrait session.

This Mama comes up with the MOST FUN birthday party themes that really get my creative juices flowing. When she told me that Kora’s party theme was going to be classic 70s Muppet Show, I was over the moon and instantly started brainstorming as to how to incorporate that in a modern, sophisticated way. The first thing that came to my mind was the “Mahna Mahna” song and The Snowths, so I decided to make them out of paper and put the baby right in between them to recreate the skit. And, of course, the most iconic imagery from The Muppet Show is Kermit doing his opening monologue on stage, in front of the luxe, red curtain. I snagged some gorgeous velvet fabric to make a tiny version for Kora to sit in front of, and we put her in fuzzy, green pants. (I shifted the color of them to be more “Kermit green” while retouching the images.) It was as if she knew her role, and while I was photographing this set, she kept doing her “SO BIG” arms, and it looked like she was most definitely hosting the show and excitedly introducing a guest.

I’m so grateful for the relationship that I’ve built with this family, and I cannot wait for the next party theme and creative challenge!!!

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Simple, 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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(We left this one in, because it was just too funny + adorable!)

Orange You Glad? // Pittsburgh Family Photographer

I looove donating portrait packages to various charitable auctions around the city! Not only does it help raise money for a myriad of amazing causes, but it enables me to meet and photograph wonderful families that I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet. This family came to me courtesy of my donation to The Imani Gala, an annual fundraiser held on behalf of Imani Christian Academy. You can read more about it here.

The main goal of our portrait session was to capture a few adorable images for baby Abigail’s first birthday. We decided to also create some images of the whole family together, as well as some of just the kiddos, including Sebastian, 4 1/2-years old, and Marcella, 2 1/2-years old. Dad also really wanted to capture a solo image with the babe, and it ended up being one of my favorites from the day. Right before taking a “smiley” image, Dad kissed her on the cheek as I hurriedly snapped away. It was such a beautiful little unplanned moment, and went hand-in-hand with Mom wanting a more natural feel to the session.

The decor in their home is mostly earth-toned with some gorgeous pops of color here and there. To match this, I opted to photograph the session on an off-white backdrop, but I still wanted to have some pops of color, as well. Mom delivered me my dream “color pop” when she showed me Abigail’s birthday dress for her party: a beautiful, vibrant orange number with lovely detailing. When choosing the rest of the family’s wardrobe for the session, we pulled colors from that detailing to tie everything together. Mom knew that she had a stunning green dress to coordinate with the green accents, and we outfitted the rest of the crew in tones of navy and white. I think that Sebastian’s green shoelaces were my favorite subtle detail.

I’m SO pleased with how these images turned out, and loved every minute spent with this family.

Three words to describe the session: Colorful, Natural, 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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Sienna, The Little(st) Princess // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

“Now presenting: Contestant Sienna Capri!”

This was my introduction to newly 3-year old Sienna, as she strutted through her living room, serving us her best pageant walk and smile. Accolades? She already has those in spades: pageant titles (Natural Elite PA Tiny Miss, Mars PA Wee Toddler Miss, East Coast USA Toddler Supreme Queen, + more!), brand repping for several fashion brands, being published in magazines, and a large, ever-growing Instagram following. Mom is one of the most adept, savvy mom-agers that I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and I am so impressed by the accomplishments, drive, and hustle of this entire family.

Sienna is simply adorable and a born performer. Between wanting to practice her pageant entrance and showing off the new tumbling exercise she had learned in class that day, she gave me a dissertation on her favorite Disney princesses and what makes each one of her dolls unique. Sienna’s favorite color is pink, and being that she is one of the most outgoing children that I’ve worked with to date, I decided to photograph the session on the most vibrant, hot pink backdrop possible. On top of this, the family’s living room decor is all neutral tones, and I knew that the pink would make for some gorgeous, statement piece wall art in the sunny space. We ended up creating a beautiful display of three 24x36 canvas gallery wraps that were almost life-size to little Sienna. Additionally, we assembled her first real comp card for her to use at various castings, as she is just beginning to dip her tiny toes into the world of modeling and acting, as well.

I love how these images turned out and how much of Sienna’s personality + sass I was able to capture. She really lights up in front of the camera, and I can’t wait to see this teeny diva grow up and continue to shine.

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Modern, Pretty

(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 Sienna’s finished comp cards looked like. I think that the hot pink will really make a statement about who this little one is at castings.

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These are some quick snapshots I took at Sienna’s home when I was delivering her print order. These canvas gallery wraps are SO impressive, and I’m really excited to see them all hung up on the wall. (I think that Sienna is excited, as well. ;) )

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UPDATE!: They’re hung and look ahhhmazing!!!

Born to Run with Zoey // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I really, truly love meeting the families and important people in the lives of the kiddos that I work with. Before photographing Zoey, I had the pleasure of meeting a whole bunch of her family, and let me tell you… afterwards, it was easy to understand why she’s so loving, kind, and warm. I want to so humbly thank them for being so welcoming and appreciative and gracious to me in the time that we spent together.

Mom is a fan of both vintage/mid-century and city loft/metropolitan aesthetics, and I wanted to combine those for her in this portrait session. Through lighting, wardrobe selection, and retouching/color-grading I took this session back to the seventies (still with a modern edge), but I also decided that we should go outside and create some images in the urban area surrounding my studio. (Whoa! - Miss Lexi leaving the studio is not something that happens often anymore!)

Zoey, newly 5 years old, is a gentle soul, talkative and sweet, and a bit sassy when the occasion calls for it. She also has the most amazing taste in music. What other 5-year old has a penchant for Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder?! We had several things that we wanted to capture in this portrait session, including her adorable personality. Firstly, it was nonnegotiable that I create a portrait of Zoey and her beloved Uggie, a giraffe blanket that has loyally served as her lovey and BFF. I decided to have her also wear her favorite dress in this image - this image in particular was alll for Zoey. (She was sure to tell me that this dress was her favorite when I went over for their Styling and Planning Consultation and to correct me when I referred to is as turquoise - “It’s Tiffany blue!”) Zoey has a few other treasured friends: a set of vintage-looking rag dolls that they call “The Sisters.” They fit right in with the seventies vibes of the session. Mom also found some amazing temporary tattoos that helped yield some of my favorite images ever.

The session, of course, wouldn’t have been the same without incredible hair and makeup by Tori Bivins. When it’s time for your session, I so highly recommend adding on styling services!

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Fun, Retro/Mod

(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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Montana, Ooh Na-Na // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

While I am super appreciative of all of my clients for choosing me to be the one they trust to photograph their beautiful babies, it is always incredibly flattering when someone from out of state finds me and makes the trek to the studio. So, imagine just how surprised and humbled I was when I received an inquiry all the way from Montana! 

These little girls could not get any more stunningly gorgeous. Emma, 9 years old, and Esabelle, 6 years old, are talented dancers who especially love to tap. Eden, 3 years old, looks up to her big sisters and loves to twirl and dance and pose around the house. We, of course, needed to include the baby of the family, Jette, 1 year old, for a lovely group portrait that ended up printed on a large canvas as the perfect gift for Dad. These girly girls were incredibly sweet: an adorable mix of shy, bubbly, poised, silly... I could go on and on. We wanted these images to be both personal heirlooms for the family and images that could serve as portfolio images/head shots for talent work. With this in mind, combined with Mom's personal style being more on the chic, classic side, I decided to shoot this in a really clean way, reminiscent of a late 90s designer denim advertisement. (I wardrobed them in shades of denim and white to stick with this vibe.) I knew that with their porcelain skin and light blonde hair, they'd just POP so gorgeously on a black backdrop, and I desaturated the images a good bit in post to make them look even more angelic and dewy. I really hope that I get to work with these girls again if they're ever back in the city - this session was just so dreamy and this family is so lovely!

Hair and makeup by Tori Bivins.

Three words to describe the session: Modern, Stylized, Sophisticated

(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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Morgan is the Sweetest! // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

The old nursery rhyme that girls are made of "sugar, spice, and everything nice" was most definitely written about Morgan. This little one holds such a special place in our hearts after her session. She is so genuinely sweet and effervescent and we loved spending time with her!

Morgan is your average little girl in many ways: she loves singing, dancing, and princesses. And, don't get her started on Sidney Crosby! However, Morgan is unique and special in many, many more. She has an incredibly creative imagination and warm, pure soul. (She told Miss Lisa and I that we were her new girlfriends and that we would all go on a friend date to Target together soon - I just might hold her to that!) Morgan is also an incredibly strong girl. She was born with developmental delays and overcame everything to become a charming, independent, gorgeous young lady. She even has a yearly lemonade stand to help raise money for The Early Learning Institute and give back - what a HUGE heart this kiddo has!

I wanted Morgan's images to be very soft and pretty, creating a "princess vibe" through wardrobe, color palette, and retouching without being overly literal. I wanted her to feel and to look like a million bucks, and a fan blowing that lovely long, blonde hair around was the perfect addition. As you can see from the images, we had a day full of laughter and smiles, and looking at them takes me right back. I didn't realize when I selected that cupcake shirt from her wardrobe that it would be quite so fitting to her personality and the day we had together. Morgan is, undoubtedly, the sweetest.

Three words to describe the session: Cute, Whimsical, Pretty

(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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Tori's 2018 Comp Card // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

When your little one is represented by an agency, they'll need to have their comp card/portfolio updated about every 6 months. Kids grow and change SO quickly (too quickly, I know)! Tori, now 7 years old, was due for a refresh, and I was super excited to have her in the studio again.

All children are different. With some, I'll carefully choose their poses and carefully tweak each little finger until it's in the right spot, and that makes them feel more comfortable and confident. Some kiddos are more free-spirited and I just let them do their own thing and am along for the ride, snapping away. And then there are some, like Tori, where it's a true collaboration: half of the time spent doing "Miss Lexi's poses" and the other half spent letting the kiddo make their own magic with them somehow nailing the most genius, adorable, I-never-would-have-thought-of-that poses. So, I won't say that I love photographing Tori (though, I most certainly do). I will say that I love COLLABORATING with Tori.

Now that she's a bit older, I knew that we could do some more dramatic, controlled lighting and aim for a more "fashion-y," mature vibe. Since we were creating a new comp card, I wanted to ensure that we had a good variety in wardrobe and mood. (Some casual, some dressy, some fierce, some pretty, etc.) When styling the session, Mom wanted to incorporate the gorgeous red dress that Tori had worn to a father-daughter dance earlier in the year and I was living for it. I also have to give Mom huge props for always trusting the zany wheels that turn in my head, even when I'm saying things like, "This coat, but backwards!" and "Yes, the oversized, fuzzy blue onesie!"

This is one of my favorite sessions that I've photographed to date. While I really do love photographing sessions that are light and fun, I have to admit that I'm more and more drawn to this moody aesthetic and hope to create more of it moving forward. There is just something so beautiful in the juxtaposition of the angelic innocence of children and a more mature, editorial perspective/style. 

Hair and makeup by Tori Bivins.

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This is how Tori's finished comp cards look. Again, we aimed to strike that important balance: a warm, smiley head shot, a moody image, a softer, pretty image, a casual streetwear image, and a luxe, elegant gown.

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Mom ended up having some wall art created from the session, as well, and the prints were super gorgeous. We did these ones as two 12x24" triptychs on luster paper. Tori claimed pretty much every print for her bedroom, so maybe with some negotiation, Mom can hang one of these elsewhere in her home. Haha. Looking forward to seeing them framed!

Lynzee Fights Like A Girl // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

In trying to come up with a way to describe Lynzee, 6, the word "powerhouse" kept coming to mind. This pint-sized diva is the reigning USA National Miss Ohio Junior Princess, signed by multiple modeling + talent agencies, a brand rep, and an incredibly talented competitive dancer with quite the Instagram following. (Seriously, I curtsied when I met her - she IS royalty, after all!) And, as of not long ago, she can add "wonderful big sister" to her resume. I was lucky enough to meet so many members of Lynzee's family throughout our time together, and it was truly heartwarming to see a family that is so tight-knit and supportive. Congratulations to all of you on your beautiful new addition!

I knew that I wanted Lynzee's Editorial Session to be as vibrant and sassy as her personality, so I decided to make this one really colorful. I worked together with Lynzee's family to come up with a theme, and we settled on the concept of loving yourself and being enough, with a dash of "girl power." For the former, I handmade oversized conversation hearts with encouraging phrases, and totally covered my living room in tiny styrofoam bits (whoops!). For the latter, I saw this image of Lynzee in my head where she was wearing a white babydoll dress, hair in high pigtails, on a purple backdrop, wearing pink boxing gloves with her tiny arms flexed. (That's usually how my creative process works: I see flashes of finished images and work backwards to create them.) Unbeknownst to me, someone close to Lynzee had survived cancer, and several members of her family even have tattoos of pink boxing gloves, a la Fight Like A Girl. It was really serendipitous! That image is my favorite of the session, especially since it holds a deeper meaning to her family.

We also had the amazing Tori Bivins with us that day, who styled Lynzee to perfection. I loved the gorgeous volume of Lynzee's hair when it was all crimped.

I had such a wonderful time working with her and her family that I decided to ask Lynzee to be a 2018 POSE PGH Brand Ambassador, and to my delight, this multi-talented cutie is now *officially* on Team POSE! I look SO forward to working with her again later in the year! 

Three words to describe the session: Cute, 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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Movie Night with The Weiss Family // Pittsburgh Family Photographer

While I very much enjoy meeting new families and clients, there is also a special place in my heart for getting the opportunity to photograph friends and folks that I've known for a while. I met Leigh-Anne 8 or so years ago through a networking group when I was just starting to find my feet as an artist (I was still freelancing on the fashion/commercial side of the industry at the time). She has been a ray of positivity in my life ever since. She and her husband, Dave, own Airheads Balloon Art, a company that I've had the pleasure of collaborating with on some of my most memorable and standout portrait sessions: the AMAZING balloon rainbow, the adorable, oversized balloon dogs - all the work of these folks. They really know how to make an event special and how to bring your vision to life, and I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to return the favor a bit.

Finally meeting their children and getting to photograph them, as well, was such a trip. DJ, 13 years old, enjoys sports like most tween boys, but is also the epitome of a comedian/"class clown." His personality, jokes, and the faces he'd make had us in stitches. (You can see one such example below in his "football catch" image. It's difficult to hold your camera when you have tears of laughter welling up in your eyes.) Cat, 11 years old, has this sarcastic wit to her that is equally hysterical. She's currently in the middle of a "unicorn phase," and was sure to wear her snazziest unicorn shirt and horn. We also wanted to capture some images of her vibrant, eclectic style and disposition through some shots of her jumping and shakin' it. The family recently adopted a gorgeous rescue pup they named Noodles through Steel City Greyhounds. Noodles has become such a joyful addition to the family, so I insisted that Noodles be included and come to the studio, too.

One of the activities that the family really enjoys is staying home and having movie night together. As soon as I found this out, I was super inspired and knew that we could have a lot of fun and make some great images by recreating movie night in the studio. Leigh-Anne nailed the wardrobe, getting matching pajamas for the whole family (including a bandana for Noodles!), and I set up my lighting to mimic the glow of a television set. The session culminated in a popcorn fight for the ages - we all smelled buttery and delicious for the rest of the day.

I hope you enjoy these images as much as we did creating them!

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

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Georgia on My Mind // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

While we have tons of fun during every session, I will say that this one, in particular, was such a blast! Georgia, 1 1/2 years old, is this tiny bundle of joy and exuberance, with beyond infectious laughter, adorably chubby cheeks, and dazzling blue eyes. She's a real character and she had us all cracking up for almost the full hour that we spent together.

Georgia's mama loves crossfit and takes Georgia with her. As a result, Georgia loves to work out just like Mommy, often alongside her, mimicking the different exercises. She has her own miniaturized workout equipment and can do squats and planks like a pro!

I decided to photograph the session on a white backdrop, use more contrasty lighting, and style Georgia in super vibrant clothing to emphasize the bright colors and let her personality shine. Once I saw the mini-workout equipment in their home, I knew that we HAD TO use that, and styled her a "workout outfit" with poppy neons to match. One of the outfits that I pulled had some intentional 90s flair to it. (I really can't help myself, guys. There's usually at least one every session.) When she was on set, it was as if she knew, and she popped into this corresponding pose that just screams "Whasssssup, boyyyeeeee?!"

We had the images printed on metallic photographic paper, including one that was used in an acrylic block portrait, and it was STUNNING. If your session is on the more vibrant side, metallic + acrylic is definitely the way to go!

I love every one of these images so dearly, and I can't wait to watch this little one grow!

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

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La "Bella" Vita with Arabella + Kai // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I love, love, LOVED photographing these two vivacious little ones.

Arabella (Bella, for short), 6 years old, is an amazing big sister to her baby brother, Kai, who was around 7 months old when we photographed their session. Bella enjoys participating in pageants, fashion, and all things girly. She is incredibly sweet and extremely talkative and inquisitive. I so enjoyed just chatting with her for a bit during our in-home consultation and checking out her Monster High doll collection. Kai had recently begun crawling, and there was no stopping those wheels now that they were in motion - he was a little speed racer. Kai is also quite possibly the smiliest baby that I've ever met, and there was constantly so much joyful expressiveness in that little face + sparkly eyes.

I chose to photograph the session on off-white to match the family's wall colors, while selecting wardrobe that would make the kiddos really pop in contrast. I also made sure to include a beautiful white fur coat that Mom had worn as a little girl and passed down to Bella - I adore when we can incorporate a garment with sentimental meaning in the wardrobe, and it perfectly matched the sophisticated, wintery vibe we were aiming for. That photo of Bella is probably my favorite from this session. She looks like an old Hollywood starlet, ready for her closeup.

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

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Red, White , and Blue with Sam + Claudia // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I want to start this one off by saying that I hope you all had the most wonderful holiday, whether that was Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Festivus - whatever. I hope that it was fabulous and that you got to spend some quality time with your loved ones eating way too much food! I have unfortunately been pretty sick for the past few weeks and fell behind on a bunch, including my blogging, so I'll be playing catch-up a bit. I felt this session was the perfect one to share heading into the New Year - pretty lights, shimmery party outfits, and joyful, little giggles!

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I was totally overwhelmed by just how adorable Sam, 2 1/2, and Claudia, 1, were when I first met them at their gorgeous home. Respectively post- and pre-nap, they were personable, curious, and a joy to be around. I knew that we would have a wonderful session together.

In their questionnaire, Mom told me that creativity was "welcomed and encouraged," which is totally music to a photographer's ears! I decided to take this opportunity to play around with some more creative lighting for a portion of the session, incorporating some vibrant colors (for vibrant kiddos!) and playing around with motion blur. In order to also keep the session simple + sophisticated, I photographed the kids in classic white tee/denim outfits on the black backdrop for a sleek, editorial feel. We kept blue as the thematically dominant color throughout in order to match the gray/blue color scheme of the family's home and unify the three different sets of the session. Lastly, we got to incorporate the blankets that the babes sleep with - their most cherished, fuzzy possessions! (Whenever possible, I jump at photographing little ones with their favorite stuffed animals + loveys. Those images tend to hold such sentimental value with time.) Keep your eyes peeled for the first image, where Sam is making the most hilarious "model face." It cracks me up every time that I see it.

We had the super colorful images from the first set printed on metallic photo paper as wall art for their home and HOLYYY COW, I loved them SO much! The colors absolutely jumped and danced off of the paper. I'll be sure to share a look at these on social media soon - I just had to print a few samples for myself from this session, too!

Three words to describe the session: Simple, Artistic, Sophisticated

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Little + Big Things with Meera + Arjun // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

One of my favorite parts about what I do is really getting to know the families and the kiddos that I work with. I think that it's essential in creating custom portraiture that's expressive of someone's true self (even if that someone is only two years old). Each little one's personality is so different, and when given the opportunity to shine through in their images, you can really create some magic.

This was my second time having the privilege of working with this family. The first time, we photographed a modeling Comp Card/mini-portfolio for 6-year old Arjun (more on that later in this blog!). This time, though, it was his 2-year old little sister Meera's turn. And turn, and turn, and turn she did! Meera just could not stop her tiny, happy feet during her session. You can see her adorably dizzying dance on the second slide of the Instagram post below.

A post shared by Children's Portrait Studio (@posepgh) on Jul 18, 2017 at 8:57am PDT

For Meera's session, we decided to keep things pretty consistent with the session we had recently photographed for her brother - same background color and lighting. This gave their family the opportunity to display all of the images together in their home. We also had Arjun join near the end so that we could photograph some lovely portraits of them together. While Meera is an all-around joy of a kiddo to be around, my favorite thing about her was the mischievous, little twinkle that she got in her eye before she was ready to really ramp up the spinning and dancing, again. So happy that I managed to capture a few images with that sparkle!

Meera also just had a birthday a few days ago, and is now the big THREE.
Everyone be sure to wish her the happiest of years ahead!

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

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Now that I've talked about some adorable, little things, I'm SO excited to share the great, big things that have been happening, as well! Arjun has had some excellent opportunities since our session together and I'm super excited for this fella. In the same month, he was featured in Fashion Kids' Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful Issue AND chosen by Child Model Magazine as their FACE of the Day. Holy cow, Arjun! This merits many, many snaps.

**SNAPS FOR ARJUN!**

It's all about FACE! Winner receives $500 and invitation to shoot for our magazine, for feature in an upcoming issue! Enter your photo at childmodelmagazine.com​ FACE of the Day Arjun Arya Photography | Lexi Shapiro . . . #childmodelmagazine #childmodel #kidmodel #modelstatus #faceoftheday #photocontest #winner

A post shared by Child Model Magazine (@childmodelmagofficial) on Jul 19, 2017 at 1:12pm PDT

Ambassadors 2: PGH Boogaloo // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

In my free time recently, I revisited my 2017 POSE PGH Ambassador sessions and chose two more images from each to retouch and share with you all. (They're just too adorable not to!)

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Over the Rainbow with Gianna + Arianna + Isabella // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I am so incredibly fortunate that I get to work with kiddos as precious and loving as Gianna, Arianna, and Isabella. From the moment I walked into their house for their consultation, these little ones made me feel like I was their new best friend, and I couldn't get enough of their personalities or their hugs (my favorite!). Gianna, 7, was a miniature professional. She spent the whole session popping into her own poses and making us laugh hysterically. She's a spitfire and a comedian. Arianna, while on the shy side, is incredibly sweet. She is thoughtful, considerate, and, dare I say, "detail-oriented" at 6 years old? (She insisted that we be able to see her beautiful pink shoes in her images, and adjusted her dress accordingly.) Isabella, the baby of the family at 3 years old, is the most affectionate, snuggly little lady, with a twinkle in her eye and just a touch of mischievousness. 

On my "getting to know you" questionnaire, every client chooses three words that they would like to describe their finished images. After reading mom's selections of "artistic, whimsical, and colorful," and seeing the colorful decor in their home, I knew that this would be the PERFECT session to bring to life my vision of a super vibrant rain + rainbow-themed spring session. Of course, I enlisted my good friends at Airheads Balloon Art to work their magic and create this seriously awe-inspiring 7-foot balloon rainbow. It made for such a magical day for both the girls and myself!

A portrait session at POSE PGH is all about creating statement pieces and works of art for your home. Check out this gorgeous image wall that the girls' mama created with her prints! (She was kind enough to send me a snapshot.) The white frames perfectly offset the rich, luster prints and the darker brick wall. I am so pleased to see it all come together so beautifully, from a vision in my head all the way to cherished artwork.

On to the images!...

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

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Arjun on That Beat // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

I love meeting kiddos like Arjun. He's 6-years old and full of all that being six entails (abundant energy, sweetness, and innocence), yet incredibly intelligent, focused, and one of the BEST little listeners that I've had the pleasure to work with. Arjun LOVES to get his groove on, particularly playing Just Dance. All that he needs is a good beat and it's game time! ("Beat It" and "Juju on That Beat" are particular favorites.) Arjun is also learning Tae Kwon Do, so for some of our more "fun" images, he got to show off his impressive high-kicks.

In addition to generally wanting beautiful images of their little one, Arjun's family came to me to photograph a Comp Card Session to get Arjun's modeling portfolio started. He did such a spectacular job during our session together, and I know that his future is incredibly bright, whether that means modeling or med school. ;)

I definitely wanted to highlight Arjun's lovely warm skin tone and shiny black hair, and decided to photograph the session on gray to accomplish both. During our Styling and Planning Consultation, I saw this stunning white kurta and knew that it would photograph like a dream and be the perfect way to celebrate Arjun's heritage in his images. My personal favorites, though, are the images where he is dressed in his fancy-pants-iest suit and tie. He told us that he was a businessman and that he'd be going to the office. (Don't be in too much of a hurry for that, Arjun!)

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

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2017 Ambassador Preview: Coleton + Hadlee // Pittsburgh Children's Photographer

Choosing Coleton + Hadlee to represent POSE PGH as 2017 ambassadors was pretty much a no-brainer. Not only are these kiddos GORGEOUS, but they are also full of personality (and full of energy, as I'd come to find ;) ). Coleton is a very athletic 5-year old and plays many sports. Mom told me that Coleton has "a smile that lights up the room," and I couldn't agree more - it was seriously contagious, made more adorable by his missing teeth! Hadlee, age 3, gentle and sweet, is a tiny fashionista who even has her own signature style, and she will seldom be seen without a matching bow in her hair. (The bigger, the better.)

Mom owns a dance studio (check it out here) and these kids loooove to dance, so I decided that we'd spend the session celebrating that. We paid homage to many classic dance scenes in cinema (below, you'll see Singin' in the Rain and Risky Business) and I created a custom dance step backdrop for some more freestyle shaking-of-groove-things. I finished the images off with a light vintage toning to match the color palette of Mom's home decor.

Here's a little preview of Coleton + Hadlee dancing the day away!

Three words to describe the session: Whimsical, Vintage, Pretty

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