Leanna and Billy • A Dreamy, Romantic Maternity Session • Lehigh Valley Photographer

I think that the word “dreamy” can be overused in the photography world but its the perfect word to describe this session. When Billy reached out about surprising Leanna with a maternity session for Mother’s Day, I was so excited for the possibilities! They decided on the Rose Gardens in the Lehigh Valley for a romantic mood, because it is a special location to them and Leanna especially loves the willow trees there.

The combination of Leanna’s toile-like dress with the willows and tall grasses was giving me French countryside vibes (though I confess I’ve never been to France.)

I’ve always admired Leanna’s natural grace and poise - she’s someone who doesn’t walk, she glides. I think that this carries through to the photos - she’s a natural.

Congratulations on the safe arrival of your sweet baby, Billy & Leanna!

Kimberly & Andrew • A Magical Snowy Mountaintop Maternity Session • Lehigh Valley Photographer

Happy Monday! I’m excited to share Kimberly & Andrew’s maternity pictures with you.

When Kimberly contacted me about taking her maternity photos, we had no idea that there would be snow - but we are all so glad that it ended up that way! Dead brown foliage can truly be beautiful in its own right, but snow adds a magical filter over the whole scene, breathing new life into it.

The snow and cold could have put a damper on our plans, but Kimberly was an absolute queen, tramping through snow over 1 foot deep in chilly winter wind, all without a single complaint and while still looking beautiful. Her adventurous spirit served her well in getting the end result!

It’s always so sweet to watch Kimberly and Andrew interact. You can tell that he treasures her, and she just adores him.

We had cloudy weather up until the end, when we were rewarded with the beautiful golden sun poking through the dark clouds. It was absolutely worth waiting for! The Lehigh Valley sky really can put on quite a show!

Thank you two, for allowing me to be a part of such a special time in your lives! I’m looking forward to meeting your sweet baby boy!

Sand Dunes and a Ghost Town • NV post 3/3

Here we are, on post 3/3. I saved the best for last. Just kidding - when I was planning out the order of these posts, I realized I could say that “I saved the best for last” about any of them!

Nevada Series #1 • Nevada Series #2

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This was a truly magical day, the type of day (my) dreams are made of. On December 28th, some of my siblings, my husband and I woke up while it was still dark and hopped in the car to drive about 2 hours away to these massive sand dunes, followed by the ghost town of Rhyolite and the Goldwell Open Air Museum.

We pulled up to the sand dunes as the sky was just starting to light around the edges. After a short delay (with the van [that I definitely wasn’t driving…] getting stuck in some sand….) we parked and were headed off toward the dunes. By this point, the moon was still visible but the mountains in the distance were the most beautiful pink.

I absolutely love how drastically the lighting changes as the sun rises and sets.

My husband posed me and took the photo on the left - he has completed his “Instagram Husband” training ;)

My brother looking like a young Clint Eastwood

A couple of cell phone pics :)

While I was researching the location, several internet comments suggested getting to the dunes early to avoid the ATV crowds. I was dreading the prospect of an early morning wake-up, but it was well worth it.

After we climbed the sand dunes we headed north to Rhyolite, which has a very interesting history. It was a short-lived town but grew to a massive size during its brief life. Check this website for more info and for interesting pictures of Rhyolite in its heyday.

Looking at Rhyolite Main Street from the west

Rhyolite Jail

Rhyolite Bank

Rhyolite from a mountainside (cell phone picture)

Being in desolate places like these really does something in my heart. It makes me feel so so small but also so incredibly alive at the same time. These wide open spaces are just one of the things that I love best about the American West, and one of the reasons that I will continue to travel back any chance that I get.

‘Til next time, Nevada.

Isaac • Retro Vegas Senior Session (NV post 2/3)

Here we are on post 2 out of 3 in my Nevada mini-series of blog posts, with another session that I’m so excited about!

Nevada Series #1 • Nevada Series #3

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Today I’m featuring my brother Isaac and his senior pictures that we took near Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. He wanted a retro 50s-60s aesthetic, and I think that we managed to accomplish it! I absolutely love his black and white checked coat, which is so his personality and really completes the look.

* Hello, fancy cars! *

Isaac is a sarcastic and fun-loving guy who knows his own mind and loves video games, American liberty… and his niece and nephew ;)

After graduation, Isaac is planning on enlisting in the US Army, following his 2 older brothers and father before him. I’m really proud of my brothers for their service, though the big sister in me doesn’t want them to do anything remotely risky.

Fun fact - the navy blue coat was my dad’s, which he wore in HIS senior pictures :)

Congratulations on (almost) completing school, Ike! Proud of you and can’t wait to see what awesome things you do in your adult life.

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Nevada Series Part 1 • Part 3 coming soon

Katie & Jesse • A golden afternoon in the desert (NV post 1/3)

Welcome to the new year! I’m very excited to share this upcoming “mini-series” of blog posts featuring photos from several different photo shoots/opportunities that I was able to have in December while visiting my family.

Nevada Series #2 • Nevada Series #3

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I’ll start off with featuring my STUNNING sister and her husband on a rugged desert mountainside with deep blue skies and golden sunlight (cue all the heart eyes). You may have seen on my IG/FB last week, but I am so excited because I finally get to be an auntie! Being able to take pictures of my sister and her little family was so special to me.

I love watching Katie and Jesse interact because they truly do complement each other, and they have a lot of fun together! Being around him puts her at ease, you can tell she finds security in their relationship. And when she’s near him, he really takes care of her and anticipates her needs.

* By the way, can we notice and appreciate the outfits/styling that they picked out!? Total models. *

Congratulations, Katie and Jesse! I love you both and can’t wait to meet your little bean! <3

A Quick Before/After - Home Style!

Hello friends!

It’s been only a month-and-a-half since my last post - a new record in consistent posting!

I’ve been busy lately, but not with photo sessions. 2 weeks ago, my husband and I bought a new house! So today I’m bringing you a short before and after of my kids’ rooms in our new home, since they are the rooms that we focused on painting first.

So this post isn’t technically photography related, but I myself LOVE a good before & after and thought I would share for others who like them as well!

The rooms aren’t completely styled yet, as I have some furniture to refinish and more things to hang on the walls. Without further ado:

Before move in / process photo

G’s room - photos taken during different times of day. In the early morning her room just GLOWS with peachy/golden light.

It’s probably my favorite room in the house so far!

For both kid’s rooms I wanted to do a fun accent with paint. For G’s room I lightly marked the corners and the highest point of each scallop, but I painted them freehand. Same with T’s yellow below. I wanted the accents to have a whimsical feel, and I think that if I had taped and stenciled, the lines would have been too sharp and stuffy.

Before (Listing photo) - these walls took so. much. paint.

Progress! I wanted a very happy/sunny room and I think I achieved that.

T’s room - western/desert themed

On a philosophical note, why do so many people love before & afters? What makes them so satisfying to our inner psyche? I think for a lot of them, no matter what type they are (appearance, home, clothing, furniture, etc) they show that things CAN be changed, oftentimes even easier then we think. It is interesting to see how what you have can be made totally brand new. Please let me know your thoughts on this topic! I’ve been thinking about it a lot the past weeks as we have been working on our home. Join the conversation below!

Sunshine in Las Vegas & An Easy DIY

As a child, autumn was always my favorite season. Something about the brisk, chill air made me feel alive. Now, as I’m getting older, I reaaaally appreciate being warm. Thankfully, last month I got a break from this PA winter by going to visit my parents and siblings in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I had had a photo idea percolating in my head for some time that I was excited to try out during our trip. I love the look of light leaks in old pictures. Of course, there are many photo-editing apps that one can use to get the same effect, but I wanted to try another way, and cellophane popped into my head almost immediately.

I had used some cellophane in a craft with my son, so I had plenty of extra sheets to use. What I did was cut several sheets of cellophane into little pieces and strips, and then held the strips in front of my camera lens to achieve the look that I wanted. I could have taped the cellophane to the lens instead of holding it, but I wanted the option to quickly remove it for some shots.

I also knew that I wanted an urban location for the shoot so that the colors of the cellophane would really stand out against the neutrals of the cityscape. 2 of my siblings agreed to help me as my models, even though it meant waking up before sunrise to beat the traffic that would have been around during the Las Vegas sunset.

If you also like the light leak effect, I encourage you to try the cellophane method! It’s a super easy way to add some color and interest to your photos. It is something that I may be incorporating into future shoots where it would complement the overall feel, such as senior sessions.

While it was wonderful to have a Vitamin D break from the real world, it has also been nice to get back into my routines here at home in PA. Now I’m just hoping for more sunny days on the horizon!