This superhero, goldfish loving family did an amazing job at their North Park session! We had the perfect April day in the 60's - which was exciting for these five, who usually get their family photo taken during winter! And, fun fact - it was Nathaniel's (the youngest) birthday the day of their session! Thanks to this sweet family for adventuring through muddy grounds to get to these perfectly lit spots!
One of my favorite parts about being a wedding photographer is following up with my couples after the wedding and seeing their families grow. Jen and Larry tied the knot last May and had their first child this month! This beautiful baby girl was just 5 days old when we took these photos, and she did an amazing job. Congratulations, Jen and Larry!
A few weeks ago, I drove up to the White Barn to scout out the area for potential photo ops for Rachel and Brian's wedding - it was my first time visiting since my wedding day at the very same venue on August 14, 2015. The memories instantly began flooding back - the joy of marrying my best friend, the excitement of having all of my friends and family together in one place, the adventure of marriage waiting right around the corner. I really couldn't have planned it any more perfectly myself - my heart needed those reminders heading into this wedding season. Much like how brides can get swept up in the details of their day, wedding photographers can get swept up in a sea of focusing on the pretty details and Instagram-worthy photos instead of focusing on what's really important - the couple, the marriage, and the precious job we have of coming alongside them on the first day of the rest of their lives together. That is what it's really all about (but yes, of course I still love the pretty details and beautiful photo ops!)
Rachel and Brian's day was the perfect March day. The warm weather, soft light, and no rain (always a plus in Pittsburgh) made for a beautiful day. There were so many personal details that made their day personal to their own journey - I just have to share a couple of my favorites:
During the ceremony, Pastor Scott read heartfelt notes that Rachel and Brian had written to each of their parents. I had never seen (or heard) this done before at a wedding ceremony, and I thought it was a beautiful way to bring the event full circle. Not to mention, there wasn't a dry eye in the audience.
During the reception, Rachel and her dad danced to "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman - well, they didn't just dance to it, but acted out the story line (give it a listen, you'll see what I mean!). The song ended with dad waving, walking off the dance floor, and Rachel hugging her new husband (which led to some serious tears behind my camera, I'm not ashamed to say it!).
All in all, Rachel and Brian's day was beautiful, relaxed, and full of so much love. I was so honored to be a part of it! Congratulations again to Rachel and Brian!
Vendors:
Ceremony & Reception Venue: The White Barn (Prospect, PA)
Bride's Dress: This Magic Moment Bridal Studio
Alterations: Skye Douglass-Casey
Florist: Darlington Flower Company
Cake: Autumn's Cakes
DJ: DJ Machine
Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography
One of the main reasons why I love being a photographer is the opportunity I have to document a moment in time - a split second emotional response. Many of these types of moments that I have the privilege of photographing happen at weddings - the groom seeing his bride for the first time, the mother of the groom tearing up in the front row at the ceremony, the first dances, and many more. But this blog post has a different kind of moment - one that I've never photographed before!
Amanda and Jeff met in college and have been together for fourteen years, and married for the last few. They recently found out that they were pregnant with their first child and wanted to capture their pure reactions when they found out the gender of their baby! They brought both blue and pink items for the session, handed me an envelope, and had me paint each of their hands with either blue paint (for a boy) or pink paint (for a girl). So technically, I knew the gender of their baby before them - so fun!! To their sweet surprise, once they lifted each of their hands from Amanda's tummy, they found out that they were going to be the parents of a little boy! Congratulations to these two wonderful people - you are going to make amazing parents!
I love when couples incorporate unique elements of who they are into their engagement photos (See this link for tips for choosing a unique engagement session location), and Timber and Zack's engagement session was no exception. These two are Missouri born-and-raised and met when they were twelve years old - but didn't start dating until just a few years ago. They both wanted a location that reflected their love of the great outdoors, so McConnell's Mills was the perfect fit! They also chose to incorporate Zack's truck, as well as a few bullets (a nod to Zack's love of hunting) for the ring shot! Congratulations on your engagement, Timber and Zack!
Do you ever have one of those days (or... months?) where you just cannot wait to get away? February was one of those for me.
I have to admit, I'm not much of a beach person, but getting some sand between my toes in the off-season is one of my favorite ways to relax. While I'm not a big beach-sitter, I do love to walk on the beach and be reminded of my smallness (oceans will do that to you, I suppose). At any rate, Nick and I were extremely fortunate to be able to travel down to Myrtle with some of his co-workers and their spouses. We relaxed, walked, went the spa, hot tubbed (I think I made that up), and even had the chance to take some photos of Nick's coworker, Darren, and his beautiful wife Kim! You might recognize these two from their Geneva College engagement session last fall.
When Kim asked if I would be willing to snap some photos of her and Darren on our trip, I was THRILLED. If there's anything I know to be true about Kim, it's that she LOVES the beach. I'm not sure I know of anyone who loves the beach more than her, actually (quite a contrast to me!) - and I love the idea of taking photos of her with the person she loves most in one of the places she loves most. That's what it's all about!!!
An estimated 2,500 photos are taken every second. (Via source), and 90% of people have only ever taken a photo with a camera phone. With the quality of camera phones improving year by year, some camera phones are beginning to rival DSLRs in their quality and capabilities. But besides measuring levels of quality, such as megapixels or noticeable distortion, how can one improve their picture taking habits to create better, more engaging images?
One specific group who often seek guidance on the subject of photo snapping are parents of young children. Every parent wants to take photos that catch their child in their truest form, just simply being themselves. Here are my top four tips for taking better photos of your kids:
Whether it means taking a knee or laying fully on the ground, getting down on a child’s level is the best way to change up the perspective of a photograph, and makes them feel instantly more comfortable.
For good reason, many people believe that it’s best to take photos in the middle of the day when the sun is “at it’s brightest.” However, taking photos with kids facing into the bright, harsh sun often result in squinty eyes and harsh shadows. A better method is to find some open shade, where the light is even (resulting in less contrast between bright highlights and dark shadows) where kids don’t have to squint.
Kids NEED to move. They can only sit still for so long before they start squirming. But you know what? Some of my FAVORITE photographs of children are the ones where they’re doing their own thing – whether it’s running around, climbing something, making funny faces, or being tickled, kids are comfortable when they’re moving – not when they’re asked to sit still. So give your child something to do, whether it’s running from one side of the yard to the other, jumping on a trampoline, making funny faces, reading a book out loud, or playing pretend (i.e., the ground is hot lava!), there are so many different ways to keep kids engaged and preoccupied without them even realizing what’s happening – giving you a chance to snap some great action shots!
One sure-fire way to get an awkward looking portrait of a child is to tell them to smile. Time after time, I’ve found that kids whom Mom tells to “smile really big for the camera!” have squinty eyes and a big, tight smile. Much like point number three above, the best way to approach photographing a child is to 1) give them something to do, and 2) talk to them. Never stop asking them questions! Children will engage with your camera when they’re engaging and connecting with you.
What are your favorite tips for taking photos of kids? Add to my list in the comments below!
Wedding photography (and photography in general) can sometimes be seen as a glamorous “picture perfect” profession (pun intended). Sure, there a lot of fun, glamorous parts of wedding photography - like the out-of-this-world venues, perfect light, cookie tables, and fantastic cakes (I’m hungry, can you tell?). But nothing is perfect, even if the photos might make things look that way. So today, I want to share my top embarrassing/funny moments from my photography career thus far – the not so picturesque side of what I do. But really, I just want to promote the fact that we’re all human. We all make mistakes, we all have embarrassing stories, and we all have moments we can look back on and (now) laugh at! So without further ado, here are my top 6 funniest/most embarrassing moments on the job:
Once, right before one of my engagement sessions was going to begin, a bird pooped on my head. And this wasn’t just a little bit of bird crap. This was a giant, heaping, hot pile of bird crap. That’s right, folks – this is real life.
During an engagement session last summer, while I was trying to lay down on the ground to get a different perspective, and laid right in a heap of goose poop. It was all over my pants.
When I schedule a consultation with a couple to discuss the possibility of photographing their wedding, I usually look them up on social media so I know what they look like (and can flag them down) before the meeting. On this particular occasion at this particular meeting, I looked up the bride at our meeting location, then clicked the lock button and set my phone on the table. During our meeting, I went to open my phone to look up a photo to show, and BAM – there was the bride’s Facebook page, open on my phone… and they, without a doubt, saw that I had been creeping, because my phone was face up on the table between us!
During a beautiful bubble ceremony exit from the church, I accidentally stepped on the tail edge of bride’s dress. In front of all of her guests.
The other day, right after a meeting with one of the sweetest couples at one of my favorite wedding venues (the Omni William Penn Hotel), I walked straight into a glass wall, face first… with my couple still sitting there watching it unfold!
Every once in a while, I photograph weddings with other photographers as a “second shooter” – basically, to aid the main photographer on the wedding day. Typically, while the main photographer is photographing the bride and the bridal party, the second photographer photographs the groom and the groomsmen. Once, when I was working with another photographer and had arrived to photograph the groom and groomsmen in their hotel suite, the groomsmen introduced me to the “groom” and let me believe that he WAS the groom for 15 minutes… before the actual groom walked in. -_-
So there they are. My top 6 most embarrassing / funny moments that have happened to me on the job! Other photographers & wedding vendors – don’t leave me hanging, bearing my embarrassed soul alone. What is one of your most embarrassing / funniest moments from a wedding, event, or photo session?!
Choosing an engagement session location can be a daunting task. With so many options to choose from, especially in Pittsburgh, where do you even begin? As a Pittsburgh wedding photographer, there are a few specific clarifying questions I like to ask my couples to help them think outside of the box for their session to choose a location (or theme) that’s unique to them.
Let’s go back to where it all began. Having a session where you first met is a great way to incorporate your relationship history. Tess & Phil, in the photos below, met at Seneca Hills Bible Camp. They decided to go back for their engagement photos!
Was your first date in a restaurant? At the movies? In a theatre? At a bar? At an ice-cream shop or bakery? Let’s go back to that spot! In the photo below, part of Sarah and Steven's first date was at the Bartram House Bakery. Going back to that spot made for some adorable photos that have sentimental value!
Usually, there are certain dates that stand out above others. Is there an anniversary date that stood out above the rest? Did your fiancé plan an epic Valentine’s Day date that you wish you could relive? While discussing options for their engagement photos, Jess and Todd (below) mentioned that they love hanging out on the North Shore around PNC Park. The city made for a perfect backdrop - plus, with the added sentimental value, it was a no brainer for their engagement session location!
Do you love to eat out together at a certain café? Do you have a coffee shop you visit on a weekly basis? Do you love to cook or bake together? Or maybe you love biking, hiking, or canoeing on the weekend. The options are truly endless!
Let’s go back to the start of your engagement.
Is your fiancé a police officer? In the military? A fire fighter? Trina wanted to incorporate Jeff's love for fire fighting into their engagement photos, and the results are stunning and so personal to the two of them!
This one might sound crazy, but movies and books can be so inspirational. Do you love “Tangled?” Buy a couple of floating lanterns and set them off over a lake at sunset! Love the movie “Up?” Buy a bunch of rainbow balloons for us to play with during your session!
Are there any questions you would add to this list? How did you choose your engagement session location?
It’s hard to believe that spring is right around the corner – come May and June, so many of my lovely seniors who I photographed will be graduating and moving on to bigger and better things. The class of 2018 seniors will be stepping up to take their place. As a senior photographer in Pittsburgh, one of the top questions I get asked is “when is the best time for senior photos?” Really, there is no right nor wrong time to have senior photos taken, but most seniors and their guardians are surprised with my number one answer: summer! Here are my top 5 reasons for why you should have your senior photos taken over the summer:
It’s safe to say that everyone keeps busy during the school year. Whether you’re a senior balancing class, homework, clubs, and practices or a parent balancing cooking, cleaning, working, and chauffeuring kids from one activity to the next, the school year is generally a very hectic time for most. Having senior photos taken over the summer will allow both senior and guardian more time to prepare outfits and enjoy the session without the busyness that a school year brings.
One of my favorite parts about photographing seniors over the summer is the beautiful scenery. Everything is green, flowers are in bloom, and the sunsets are magical. For as much as I love the beauty of autumn in Western Pennsylvania, there’s something just as (if not more) beautiful about the gorgeous fields, lush greenery, and bright, blooming flowers that summer provides!
Much like the first point, with so many activities and commitments during the school year, it can be hard to find a time slot in the midst of a crazy schedule and endless demands. Scheduling senior photos over the summer will allow for a more flexible time frame. Bonus: if you’re a parent who works full time, photos over the summer can be taken later in the day, due to the sun setting later in the evening.
Yearbook deadlines can put an enormous amount of unneeded stress and tension on something that should be special and fun. Scheduling over the summer ensures that there is no possible way that dreaded senior picture yearbook deadline will be missed!
What’s your ideal time of year for senior portraits? Let us know in the comments below!
