Spring Mini Sessions 2018 Recap

One of my favorite books I've read recently is entitled "Love Does" by Bob Goff. If you've never had the privilege of hearing or reading this man's words, I HIGHLY recommend checking him out! Bob's mission is simply to love the people around him extravagantly - and not just the people who make it easy to love them, but the people who are tough to love - the people who annoy us, get under our skin, make us want to bang our head against a wall - you catch my drift. Anyways, while reading this book, I came across a story that totally blew me away.

One teeny tiny important detail you have to know about Bob Goff is that he is the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Uganda, and that his book "Love Does" is actually the name of his nonprofit that starts schools in areas of the world that are in unrest - like Uganda, Iraq, Iran, etc. One of the stories in his book details the first time he started one of these schools with his friend. They sent out, like a bajillion letters, telling parents and families that they were going to open a school for their kids, and only a few came. I think the number was between three and five (it's been a while since I read this book!) But really, it's not the exact numbers that matter in this case, just the HUGE difference between how many flyers they had sent out and how many kids had actually showed up.

What do you think his and his friend's response would have been? If it were me, I probably would've sulked. Why the heck did only three people show up! All those flyers with such little payoff. How do I know that would be my response? Because, truthfully, I was tempted to feel that way with these mini sessions, which were halfway booked. My immediate response was to be annoyed. Upset. To let myself feel like I had failed. But then I remembered this story, and I was challenged when I remembered that that was NOT Bob's response:

Bob had a freakin' field day. I remember him saying something in the book like they were too busy fist bumping and shouting for joy that they got ANY kids to come to even think about being disappointed that more hadn't shown up. This man decided that those kids were the exact kids that God had wanted he and his friend to love that day. And you know what's really awesome? God blessed their faithfulness with what they were given and grew that school over the years into hundreds. And now there are multiple schools in multiple countries just like that first one.

Who are we to think that what we've been given isn't enough? Maybe it's actually exactly what God wants us to have. Maybe it's what we're supposed to have. And maybe we're just called to love the people that God puts in front of us - whether it's one person or one hundred people.

So, what does this long introduction have to do with this mini session post? I'm glad you asked 😉

When not a ton of people jumped on these sessions, I was a little bummed - slightly disappointed. I was tempted to feel like I had failed because these time slots weren't overflowing with people. But then - I remembered Bob's response, and I realized how incredibly BLESSED I was to be able to serve and love on these three families who were trusting me with the honor of photographing the people they loved most. And I don't say that just to say it - I truly feel that God brought exactly who he wanted to be here to these sessions!

To the families who I had the honor of working with - THANK YOU! I was blessed by each one of you and am SO thankful to be able to continue loving on you all!

And if you're interested in reading the book that inspired this post, click here! My husband, also an avid Bob Goff fan, wrote a bit about Bob's content and it's awesome! Check it here!

My Favorite Lenses (Canon)

I think it's safe to say that every photographer has a favorite lens or two - or, at the very least, a lens or two they use more than the others to achieve a specific look and feel!

There are TWO lenses that I use most often when I'm photographing weddings, engagement sessions, senior sessions, and family sessions - both of them have been strong work horses for me and help me achieve the look and style that I have created for my brand! The first lens is my favorite (and one that I love so much that I actually have two of, just in case something happens to one of them!):

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 art dg hsm for Canon

What I Love:

The thing I love MOST about this lens is how versatile it is! I use this 50mm for senior portraits, couples, wedding details, and pretty much everything in between to achieve a sharp focus point with a dreamy-creamy background. I used to use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM, but I've actually found this one to be more reliable when it comes to lens sharpness and overall image quality.

What I Use it For Most:

I use this lens most for portraits, especially for close up senior portraits. I love to set the aperture to the widest it will go (f/1.4) and completely knock out the background of my photos - or at least, create a dreamy affect!

Sample Photos:

If you're searching for a more cost effective way to test out this focal length, I would recommend giving the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens a try. Priced at $125, it's a great way to try out the 50mm focal length at a reduced price! (This lens isn't as sharp or as fast as the Sigma 50mm 1.4 ART, but for those just starting out, this is a great lens to try!) And if you'd like to go a step up from the 1.8, give the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens a try! It's a bit more expensive and a step up in quality from the Canon 50mm f/1.8.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon

What I Love:

This lens is another one of my favorites for its far reach, which is something I especially love when photographing couples! I love having the option to back super far off from a couple, but still get those intimate, close up shots while they're interacting, or even wider shots that are clear and crisp!

Another thing I love about this lens is how SHARP it is. This is by far the sharpest lens I have ever owned!

What I Use it for Most:

I definitely use this lens most for couples and for wedding ceremonies so I can stay as far back as possible! I also love being able to create wider shots by manipulating backgrounds and scenes with this lens through lens compression, which is when elements in the background of a photo appear larger and closer to the subject (almost compressed looking, opposed to looking at the scene through a wider lens or with the naked eye), resulting in a different sort of composition.

Sarah + Mike: Armstrong Farms Wedding Photos

A year ago, I photographed a wedding at the White Barn for two awesome people - Brian and Rachel (click here to see their wedding photos!), the brother and sister-in-law of Mike, who just so happened to be the best man. Shortly after, Sarah, Mike's fiance, reached out to me saying that the two of them were getting married, planning a wedding, and would love for us to capture it! And of course, I was so excited to work with this amazing family again!!

A few months later, we scheduled an engagement session for Sarah and Mike (see those photos here!) which they TOTALLY ROCKED in the heat and humidity (which was a whopping 100%!!). I feel like I learned so much about these two during their session just through the way they interacted with each other. So loving, so kind, so gentle. So, so in love. (You know a couple is truly in love when they snuggle together in 100% humidity!)

Thankfully, though, their wedding day was much less humid - almost the perfect temperature, actually. From the moment I stepped inside the farmhouse where Sarah and bridesmaids were getting ready, I knew it was going to be an amazing day. The whole day, including her bridal details, were sprinkled with meaningful details that pointed back to the couple's story. Her bridal details alone included: a ring from the bride's grandma, a cork from the champagne bottle popped at their rehearsal dinner, and lace to be wrapped around the bride's bouquet from a friend who also wrapped it around hers. Perfection.

After getting ready, Sarah and her dad placed roses on chairs in the ceremony space for a few relatives who watched the day unfold from above. It was an incredibly thoughtful and emotional moment!

From Armstrong Farm's Fieldstone Farm, we journeyed over to where Mike and his groomsmen were getting ready (Westminster Farm) for an intimate first look between the bride and groom, followed by bridal party photos around the property and in the barn, followed by the ceremony overlooking the rolling hills of Pennsylvania and a cocktail hour featuring some Cinco de Mayo inspired food and beverage holders! After a bit of celebrating, we stole these two out into one of the fields for just a few more photos!

I am so excited to share Sarah and Mike's beautiful day!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Armstrong Farms

Florals: Crystal Robinson of Darlington Flower Co.

Cake: Main Street Bake Shop

DJ: Pittsburgh All Stars

Makeup: Brazil Raine

Hair: Profiles Salon

Bride's Dress: from MB Bride by Rebecca Ingram

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Invitations: Minted

Linens: Lendable Linens

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Second Photographer: Kim Tryon, Kim Hadden Photography

Wedding Photography Bucket List

We all have those crazy, far fetched dreams - bucket list items, if you will - that don’t seem real until you put them out into the world. The more I’m alive the more I realize how much of a team sport life is - I’m learning over and over that I can’t do it all on my own. Sure, that might seem obvious to some who are naturally awesome team players, but the control-freak inside of me wants to do it all on my own. I think starting a business points to the fact that, sometimes, you have to be willing to do it all on your own.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

And it doesn’t mean I have to stay there.

So today, I want to share one of my huge wedding photography dreams with you! If you’ve been following along on the blog or over on Instagram, you might’ve caught onto the fact that my husband and I are BIG Disney fans. We’ve gone a total of three times since we’ve been married (don’t worry, we’re still big time killing our debt!), and we’ll have only been married for three years in August. We talk about going other places for vacation, but somehow, we always seem to end up asking each other, “what if we just went to Disney?!?”

You might be wondering, what does Disney have to do with your wedding photography dream?

Well… the current biggest item on my wedding photography bucket list is to photograph a wedding on Disney property. At one of the resorts, or in the parks - but, the ultimate dream would be to photograph a wedding at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort!

We recently went down to Orlando (February of 2018) and for the last few days of our trip, we treated ourselves to a few nights at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. It wasn’t the first time we had stayed there (actually, it was the third!) but every time we walk away loving it more and more. And GUESS WHAT:

One evening as we were strolling around on the Boardwalk at twilight, eating some free ice cream samples (we might be able to afford staying at the cheapest room at the Boardwalk by a hair but affording the food is a whole ‘nother story!) I saw a white vision out of the corner of my eye and whipped around to see a bride, a groom, and a photographer all walking towards the “Dance Hall” reception venue on the boardwalk. I immediately told Nick “we’re following them” and as he started to protest how much of a creep I was being (which, I totally admit, I was) I pulled him along with me and we walked behind the threesum all the way to their venue, watching as they stopped to take photos against the gorgeous Boardwalk Bay along the way.

I was being a little bit of a creep, but I realized something that night: how much I want to photograph a wedding at the Boardwalk. It seems a little silly to even type because I know how much of a long shot it is without family or friends in the area to pass along my name, but nonetheless - it’s still a dream, and if it’s meant to be, it will be!

I also thought this would be the perfect time to share a few of my favorite photos from our anniversary photo session at the Boardwalk for our first year of marriage (taken in November of 2016). Enjoy (and see some of the little reasons why we love the Boardwalk so much!)

Elena L: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

I think senior sessions at Hartwood will always be some of my favorites - but a senior session at Hartwood in the SPRING with beautiful, fluffy, pink trees totally takes the cake! And of course - so does Elena!

Elena is graduating from Fox Chapel High School this spring and is headed to the University of Pittsburgh to continue her education! These sweet lady plays tennis, loves Chinese food, and obviously has an amazing sense of style (you have to see her two amazing dresses and pant suit she wore for her session - literally the perfect outfits!). I LOVE when seniors show up with some beautifully colored outfits - and Elena's fuschia dress happened to perfectly compliment the pink trees!

I can't wait for you to see this session! And congratulations to Elena on her last few weeks of high school! :)

Koreen + Kurt: Hartwood Acres Mansion Engagement Photos

There are few things I love more than a couple that are best friends - and these two most certainly are! Koreen and Kurt laughed their way throughout their entire engagement session, which made my job SO dang easy!! And really, we couldn't have hit up Hartwood at a better time. The trees were in all of their pink, spring glory - which perfectly complimented Koreen's gorgeous dress from Altar'd State!

And now, for a little back story from Koreen and Kurt!

How did you two meet?

We went to high school together. We met a few years later at a party, and the rest is history!

What do you and your fiance like to do for fun?

"We really enjoy getting to go for a walk together in the evenings. It's a great way for us to find out what is happening in our day to day lives. It's better than sitting on the couch kind of talking and staring at our phones. [Can I get an amen there?! - Jenna] We also enjoy going out to eat and watching movies."

How did he pop the question?!

"He took me out to my favorite restaurant (A Taste of India). Slid the ring in a box across the table and said 'that's for you' I thought that it was maybe another charm for the Pandora bracelet he has been filing up for the past few years. Once I opened the box and saw it was a ring I was shocked! I had every emotion happening all at once. He said 'well what do you think?' I said 'Yes! I can't believe this is happening right now!' When we got home he got down on one knee and asked me."

And now, without further ado - a few of my favorites from Koreen and Kurt's engagement session! Thank you two for trusting me with these precious memories - I cannot wait for the wedding!!

Stark Family: Cranberry Township Family Photos

What an incredible pleasure it was to take photos for this family!! You might recognize Chance from his Baden senior photos last year (featuring a motorcycle and fire - see more here!), and as always, it is always such a blessing to be able to work with the same clients multiple times! :)

For a location, we decided on one of my favorites for family photos - Cranberry Township Park! This spot in particular is one of my secret favorites. The light is always so beautiful there! As a side note, if you're interested, I'll be hosing a mini session date as this EXACT spot on Friday, May 11th. If you're interested in learning more or signing up, click here!

We had SO much fun during this session for so many reasons. This sweet family is so laid back and easy going, and quite obviously love spending time together. Because Chance and Cooper (the boys) both play baseball, and Kyle (dad) works for the Pittsburgh Pirates, they decided to bring along some baseball gear to incorporate into their photos (which I love!). A couple of bats and a few gloves were the perfect personal touch for their portraits! During the session, there was also some intermittent frog catching in the pond nearby - Chance quite literally caught one with his bare hands!

I just love this family and am so excited to share their photos! Check out a few of my favorites below!

Get a Dose of JHP Straight to Your Inbox!

JHP FINALLY has an email list and I couldn't be more excited about it!! Over the course of the last year, I've had numerous current, former, and soon-to-be clients ask if there is a way they could stay updated on a monthly to bi-monthly basis with things like mini-session dates, cancellations, print specials, the latest blog posts new offerings, discounts, and the like, and I'm finally excited to open up this email list to anyone who would like to join!

With all of that being said, let me tell you a few things this email list is not:

• Spam (I cannot STAND when people send me useless emails!)
• A constant sales pitch (who wants to be sold to all the time?! Not me!)

If you are someone who is looking to stay updated on all things JHP, then this email  list is certainly for you. Sign up below!

Another Embarrassing Story & Lesson Learned

I'm heading to a wedding in May (as a guest - yay!) and stopped at the mall a few weeks back to try to find a dress. Inevitably, I ended up in Macy's because I couldn't find anything fancy enough anywhere else. Big department stores make me so nervous - I don't know why!! I guess I'm more of a small store kinda girl.

This Macy's in particular has three floors, so I needed to use an escalator to get upstairs. So, I walk up to the escalator, jump on, and think to myself, why is it so hard to get up this escalator?! So I start running up it, finally realizing that I was running up an escalator that was actually going DOWN. What the fudge?! I'm not sure why I didn't stop when I realized that I was actually headed in the wrong direction, but, regardless, a few older women cheered me on (I kid you not!!) as I finally reached the top in a flop sweat.

I looked around and saw a couple of people chuckling to themselves. I can't imagine how absurd I looked running up that escalator in 2.5 inch heeled boots and my giant winter jacket, purse flailing, arms pumping. Actually - I can imagine it, I just don't really want to! I'll leave that mental image to the people who were "blessed" enough to witness my fight or flight response kick into action ;)

I realized soon after that whole ordeal feel like I did on that escalator in my everyday life.

I take the wrong direction towards a bad thought pattern or feeling because I wasn’t paying close enough attention to how it would (or could) affect me – then I have to work twice as hard to get through something that wasn’t even a problem to begin with. Anyone else? I basically made my own problem, just like I did that day in Macy’s on the escalator.

Thank the good Lord for his reminders, though - "Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life," Proverbs 4:23 (CSB). Another version (CEV) says "Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life." It's amazing how not guarding our hearts and minds can lead to much more strife and unrest than God intended us to live with.

What about you? What piece of your mind or heart needs some guarding today from a destructive thought patten? Whether you believe what the Bible says or not, I would contend that the implementation of this single piece of truth could make a huge impact on your day to day life.

Kayla + Colin: McConnell's Mill Engagement Photos

Kayla and Colin were so much fun to photograph at McConnell's Mills! Their bubbly personalities and kind demeanor made them so easy to get along with right from the start. We even figured out right before the session began that not only did Colin graduate from the same college as my husband (Geneva College), but that these two also go to the same church as we do (Grace Community Church)! There were so many connections happening, which always makes sessions that much more fun!

Also - Kayla brought the most adorable "love" shaped balloon with her that we were able to incorporate into the photos - so cute! (And just in case you were wondering, it's from Target!)

So without further ado - here are a few of my favorites from their golden light filled session!