Natural light + soft sheepskin + sleeping baby = newborn photos. It’s a simple recipe but one that works. I photographed Gabriella when she was just one week old, and she was the sweetest baby that slept so well during the session. I will add it took a little while to get her to sleep which is totally normal and all part of newborn photography – I do have some tips and tricks of course to help. I’m sure she’s grown already since the session but it was my pleasure to photograph her when she was so new and tiny.

See the full set of images in Gabriella’s gallery here which you can view and order from for two weeks. While you’re at it, visit my facebook page and join in on the coversation.

Today is your day, fathers and thank you for all that you do. It’s only fitting that I share a preview of this wonderful family of three soon to be four! I had a whirlwind day yesterday in Rome, NY  photographing Abby and Andrew’s wedding and then a session with the S family. It ended up working out really well even though for this session we had to wait out the rain and then brave some serious mosquitoes to make it happen. In the end it was definitely worth it and it was great to see Diane and her family. Diane and I ran track together in college and so we spent some serious time braving New York winters on runs. My time running track and cross country in college and high school hold some of my dearest memories and Diane was one of the kind upperclassmen that took me under her wing when I first came to Houghton. That time goes so quickly and now she is now three weeks away from her due date (she’s having a girl!) so we snuck some maternity photos in at the last minute and of course photographed the whole family as well. Look for the rest soon and fathers enjoy this day!

This father’s day session took place a few days ago and you’re going to have to help me keep it a secret from Maryn’s dad (I’m fairly certain he’s never checked my blog or anything so we’re safe unless you leak it). I knew going in to this shoot that Maryn was an active little girl, like most one year olds. She had some toys so we played and ran and read some books, and through all of the action here are some of the moments that I captured. She has the most adorable little smile and is one of the happiest little girls, so it was a lot of fun to spend time with her and document her growing personality.

When Maryn looked at me I brought up the camera quickly to capture the honest look that she had. I didn’t have the camera as a barrier between her and I so that I could interact with her and get some of the expressions you see in these pictures. Photographing one year olds isn’t easy, but it’s rewarding. They have no programmed reaction to the camera and by being outside and playing they share so much of their personality… so much more than in a studio.

I love Raggedy Ann dolls, and so does Maryn.

We had some fun playing on the benches outside and hide and seek brought this big smile out. Adorable! These are going to be the perfect Father’s Day Present.

I photographed Eva in New York several days ago, and I’m happy to have all of the images finished today on her birthday! She is a doll, and quite the voracious reader as you will see. Once we gave her a few books she didn’t want to part with them. I also had the privilege of photographing Eva when she was born, so it’s been wonderful to see how much she’s grown up in the past year. She’s not a baby anymore and growing up quickly

There are so many images that I love from this session, and I think grouping them together would be an awesome way to display them… and if I had any advice to give people when displaying prints it would be to not be afraid of going big. Have you seen how one 8×10 looks on your wall? It looks lonely. You either need to group them together, or get something larger (16×24 at least) so it can be a centerpiece. Trust me!

She’ll be walking soon!

It was wonderful to photograph Eva again and hope she has a happy birthday! To see the full set of images head over to the gallery and create a profile to log in and see them. Enjoy!

It’s always exciting to photograph something new. Sometimes it’s the people that inspire you, the props, the location, but hopefully it’s all of the above. It’s not always easy to have those three elements come together as it takes more planning and collaborating, but as you can see it’s totally worth it. I’ve been planning on doing a unique session like this for a while, and wanted to use it as a starting point for other sessions… so this is just the beginning. I hope to collaborate like this with other couples and come up with totally unique and creative images so let me know if you want to be involved.  This photo makes it look effortless, but if you saw the car full of props we brought with us and the hiking we did out to our locations you would be impressed. Margaret and Luke were the perfect couple to try anything and incorporated their own style and personality into the shoot, which made it even more successful. I’ll write more on planning a session like this and show you the rest of the images soon!

I’m spending a few days in New York for several photography jobs before I head over to Michigan for Kate + Chris’s wedding. This morning I went over to some dandelion strew fields for Eva’s one year old portrait session. With a birthday coming up soon, it was time for some updated photos and I’m sure her family can’t wait to see all of the images! I hadn’t seen her since the newborn photos I shot when she was just a week old, so it was awesome to see  how much she’s grown. Enjoy the preview and check back for the full set soon. (special thanks to the Cool’s for letting me borrow their wagon! I need to stock up on props like this)

There’s no bigger compliment than having someone refer me. I appreciate so much when a couple – their parents, a friend – takes the time to share their experience and photos and recommend someone work with me. There’s also something about that connection that puts people at ease. It takes away some of the doubt of “who is this person” when you’re able to draw upon first hand experience. This may sound crazy but it works the same way for me. When I am able to work with such amazing clients I can only hope they will send their friends of similar taste to me.

I value the friends you refer to me so much that I’m officially enacting my 2010 referral program. This applies to everyone – you don’t have to be a current client to take part in this so everyone really wins. So before you fall off the edge of your seat, let me tell you how it works:

1. Tell your friends who are engaged to contact me
2. Your friend contacts me, mentions your name, and books their wedding
3. You receive $100 print credit and your friend receives $100 print credit
4. Use your credit within 1 year on a new session

How does that sound- pretty simple, right? I really can’t have credits last forever and ever, which is why they must be used within a year. However, you can totally refer 7 friends (or more) and store up $700 of print credit for your next session if you’d like. Now, it’s a different story if I shot your wedding. If I’m your photographer and you refer a friend, you can use credits up to 1 year after the wedding on your own photos – yes your own photos! So, after the wedding, tell a few friends, and perhaps have enough credit to get that gallery wrapped canvas you’ve been eying. One year after your wedding, you will have to follow the normal rules like everyone else and apply the credit towards a new session… but then you can do an adventure bridal session, some updated family photos, or newborn pictures when your baby is born!? haha I think I just got some stink eye on that last one.

Thank you so much to those people who have sent weddings to me in the past. I appreciate it so much and it really is what allows me to keep doing what I do. I love getting to know my brides + grooms and it is even more fun when I’m able to see them at other weddings as well. I look forward to working with more connections and sending you some prints + products in the process!

About a year ago I met up with Andrew + Arryn in Java 101 to talk about their wedding plans. They were relaxed, creative and planning a day that was focused on their commitment to each other and the friends and family that support them. That can be a hard thing to do in the world of wedding planning; it is all to easy to let things get out of control and forget where you are in the first place. If that ever happened to Arryn and Andrew it didn’t show. I looked forward to their wedding from our first meeting until I headed up to Maryland in mid December for the big day.

Arryn was an art major and more specifically a ceramicist, but she is an all around creative person and it showed at the wedding. In the collection of details above, let me walk you through the decorations and details she incorporated. The colors were red and green with an all around wintery vibe, so the tables were decorated with evergreen and berries in vases that she made. As a favor to all of the guests, she made the mugs you see pictured – each and everyone of them, which I think totaled 125 at least. One of my favorite parts of the decorations was the dropped chandelier/ceiling you see in the dancing photo. It was lined with lanterns and draped with fabric and totally transformed the room. We’ll have to see if we can get a tutorial from Arryn on how she made it, but first on to the wedding day… (update: I’ve learned that Andrew + Nate Gerard engineered the construction of the ceiling, and it was a family project that everyone contributed to- great job everyone!).

Looking fabulous, Arryn got ready with her bridesmaids and mom nearby. The yellow room they were in was perfect to light and cast a soft warm glow – getting ready rooms are usually tricky to work with but this one was an exception.

See the ceiling that I’m talking about? Honestly it was perfect for their reception and I’m so impressed. As much as the wedding was about them (as it should be) it was also about everyone who is in their lives. As a statement of marriages that have gone before them, they hung photos of couples and the years they’ve been married around the room. There is also nothing like friends at a wedding, and so I love the two pictures below, and all the others like them.

The evening finished off with cake and giving away the bouquet to Arryn’s grandmother. Looking at the picture below makes me think of family moments that you pass down through generations. It is so fun to witness and share these events, so once again thanks to Arryn + Andrew and all of the family and friends involved in the day. To see the complete set of photos go here and enter their last name for the password (You must also create a profile first for login). I’m sure they would like a nice large print to display in their home so leave a comment to help earn one for free! (20 comments=11×14, 40 comments=16×24).

I really haven’t shared anything I’ve shot for Houghton with you guys! I’ll have to catch up a little bit on that so you can see what I’ve done. Now, you should know that college photography is new for me and probably something I’ll continue to dabble in but not make it a main interest right now. I’ve just started to do a bit for my alma mater and am trying my best to translate the strengths of my portrait and wedding photography to create images that represent Houghton. It’s fun but definitely a challenge, and serves as an interesting change of pace to weddings. It’s been great to have some reasons to go back and visit, and most recently I photographed the president for an updated set of images of her. Here are a few that I shot…

I think they are a change of pace to what she’s had in the past, but we’ll have to see what she thinks! I’ll just wait in anticipation, but you can give me your opinions in the mean time. :)