Marty's Baptism | Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church | Berks County Pennsylvania Family Photographer

Marty was recently baptized at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Reading, PA.  This was the second Greek Orthodox baptism I have observed, and it was just as beautiful to witness as the first one.  (The first one happened to be Marty's sister's baptism.  You can view those images here.)  I was honored when Marty's family asked me to photograph his baptism just a little over a year after I photographed his sister Annabella's ceremony.  His baptism date was very close to his first birthday, so we were celebrating that milestone on this day as well.

After the ceremony, the celebration continued at Dan's Restaurant in Green Hills.  The food at Dan's is always incredible, and the baptism and birthday cakes they had ordered were absolutely amazing!  Just like last time, care was taken to celebrate all of the children and loved ones in attendance.

Here is a small selection of photos from Marty's baptism and luncheon.  Thank you again to this wonderful family.

Mika and Zach | Wilson High School Prom | Berks County High School Senior Photographer

My middle daughter, Mika, is a sophomore at Wilson High School.  Her boyfriend, Zach, is a senior at Wilson this year, and yesterday they attended his prom together.  Mika chose to wear a simple yet elegant navy dress that she found online at PromGirl, and sparkling silver heels that accentuated the dress details.  Mika's hair and make-up were done at Iron Roots Salon in West Reading.  Zach picked out coordinating accessories for his suit, and did a great job picking out flowers for both of them!

Wilson's prom took place at the Wilson High School.  Since Wilson, Exeter, and Twin Valley were all having their proms on the same day, we decided to drive to Stoudtburg Village for their prom photos and avoid the local crowds.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from yesterday.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!  I can't believe how quickly Mika has grown up, and I'm in awe of the gorgeous, talented, creative, and strong young woman she has become.  I will forever cherish these photos and memories.  Thank you, Mika and Zach, for setting aside some time on your special day to create these photos with me!  You both looked absolutely stunning.

Philadelphia Lantern Fest | Maple Grove Raceway | Berks County Photographer

One of the recent additions to my Bucket List was to attend a lantern festival.  The last two times one was being held within a reasonable drive from me, I had weddings booked.  When I found out another lantern fest was being planned for June 10th, just 15 minutes from my house, I immediately snatched up tickets and blocked out the date on my calendar!  It's a good thing I did, because this one sold out within a few weeks.  It was so popular that the organizers ended up adding a second day!  (I would have gone both days, but my studio open house was scheduled to take place the following day.)

I'm not a fan of crowds, but crowds can't be avoided at lantern festivals.  So, if you go, be prepared to wait... a lot...  However, I have to admit, the more crowded they are, the more amazing the lantern display looks!  I did, however, manage to sneak away from the crowd and score a perfect viewing spot in the bleachers along Maple Grove Raceway.  My plan was to capture a few photos from that vantage point, then join the crowd below to set off my lanterns.  Once the lanterns started being released, however, that plan went to pieces.  My view from the bleachers was so amazing that I just couldn't bring myself to leave.  I am definitely going to attend another one in the future, so I'll be sure to capture some photos from the ground-level vantage point when I go back.

If you decide to go to one of these, plan to arrive early to find a close parking spot.  When you enter, you'll be given a lantern, a marshmallow roasting stick, and a goodie box (containing s'mores supplies, a lighter, and a sharpie for decorating your lantern).  There are food and drink stands for all ages, live music, face-painting, balloon-animal artists, and inflatable rides for the kids.  Again, be prepared to wait - a lot - but in the end, the wait will be worth it!!!  And this is coming from someone who detests crowds!!

My pictures just don't do this experience justice, but I hope you enjoy them anyway.  I'm so glad that I was able to attend.  The view was breathtaking, and being there with my family was the icing on the cake.  If you ever have a chance to go, I highly recommend it.

Megha's Sweet 16 Party | Center Square Golf Club | Montgomery County Photographer

Last Friday, I had the honor and pleasure of photographing Megha's Sweet 16 celebration at the Center Square Golf Club in Norristown, PA.  This was my first time at this venue, and the location was gorgeous!  The backdrop, combined with amazing evening light and warm weather made for amazing photos!  Megha was absolutely stunning, and her beauty glowed from within.  She's not only gorgeous on the outside, but has a beautiful personality as well.

I had so much fun being surrounded by Megha and her family and friends.  Their love for her is contagious, and it was an honor to be able to capture this milestone in Megha's life!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from their celebration. I hope you enjoy them.  Happy birthday, Megha!  I hope 16 is your most amazing year yet!!

Annabella's Baptism | Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church | Berks County Photographer

Last weekend, Annabella was baptized at the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Reading, PA.  This was the first Greek Orthodox baptism I have observed, and it was such a beautiful ceremony!  There were so many stunning details and traditions to photograph and observe.  I could have spent hours photographing the interior architecture of the church alone!

After the ceremony, the celebration continued at Dan's Restaurant in Green Hills.  The food was incredible, and the decorations were simple yet beautiful.  I could tell that special attention was taken to make sure that all of the children in attendance had a wonderful experience!

I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to photograph Annabella's special day!  Here is a small selection of photos from her baptism and luncheon.

Kaiya and Mitch | Wilson HS and Cocalico HS Proms | Berks County High School Senior Photographer

My oldest daughter, Kaiya, is a senior at Wilson High School.  Last year, as a junior, she decided to forego prom.  She wanted to wait until this year to attend.  This year rolled around, and she ended up going to not one, but two proms!  Her boyfriend, Mitch, is a senior at Cocalico High School.  So, they attended his prom on April 22nd and her prom on May 6th.

Cocalico's prom took place at The Eden Resort and Suites in Lancaster.  I was shooting a wedding that day and was unable to take prom photos, but I came up with a backup plan.  Kaiya and Mitch agreed to stop by the Reading Museum so my friend and fellow photographer April Westhafer could snap a few photos of them (which I later edited).

For Cocalico's prom, Kaiya wore a stunning navy dress from Rent the Runway.  I love that website and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a dress for a special event or photoshoot, without the added commitment of purchasing it!  Kaiya's hair and make-up were done at Iron Roots Salon in West Reading.  Mitch rented his tux from Fifty-Fifty Tuxedos in Sinking Spring.

Wilson's prom took place at the Wilson High School.  Since Kaiya and Mitch had a "floral" backdrop for their first set of photos, we decided to go with more of an urban backdrop for this session.  This time we ended up at the GoggleWorks.  (This is also the location of my new photography studio which will be opening in June!!)

For Wilson's prom, Kaiya wore a gorgeous navy dress from Macy's in New York City and elegant nude heels (also from Macy's).  (Big thanks to her aunt Amy and uncle Yoshi for offering to take her on a prom shopping excursion in NYC!)   Kaiya purchased material on Etsy and made her own beautiful choker!  Kaiya's hair and make-up were again done at Iron Roots Salon in West Reading.  Mitch rented his tux from Fifty-Fifty Tuxedos in Sinking Spring.

Here are a ton of photos from both April 22nd and May 6th.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!  I can't believe how quickly my little girl has grown up, and I'm so amazed at the gorgeous, talented, strong young woman who she has become.  I will forever cherish these photos and memories.  Thank you, Kaiya and Mitch, for taking the time out of your hectic prom days to create these photos with us!  You both looked absolutely incredible at both of your proms!

An Exciting Announcement! (aka Everything Happens for a Reason)

Everything happens for a reason.

Last weekend, on a whim, I suggested that we stop by the GoggleWorks to see if there were any studio spaces currently available that would be perfect for setting up my studio. (I've been thinking about it for a while, but now the timing just felt right.)

As we walked around, I saw a few spaces on the 3rd floor that I thought might work, and I made a note to see if they were available. Then we made our way up to the 5th floor. Even though this area is away from most of the other artists and has a different "vibe" than the studios on the 2nd and 3rd floors (no natural exposed brick, less of the warehouse feel that I liked), I wanted to check it out anyway. I'm so glad I did!

As we arrived, the person who was currently renting Studio 541 was in the process of moving out. Literally, they were moving out that minute of that hour of that day. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't have timed my random visit any better! I had walked by this space a handful of times before and was always in awe of the size of the space (it's actually two separate rooms), and the gorgeous natural light that comes in through the windows. The wooden floor and high walls are pretty amazing, too. And, it was opening up THAT DAY! I had always pictured myself in that space, whenever I had walked by during previous visits. I thought to myself there was no way that this space wasn't already spoken for.

As soon as I got home, I emailed the GoggleWorks and inquired about the three spaces I was interested in, hoping at least one was still open (and hoping beyond all hope that 541 wasn't already spoken for). I heard back two days later - All three were open! Then I asked about the rent, hoping (but doubting) that it was something that I would be able to fit into my budget. It was. :)

And, since I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, I jumped on this opportunity to rent Studio 541. It's happening! The lease is signed, the security deposit and first month's rent have been paid, and the lease begins ON MY BIRTHDAY!! How freaking awesome is that??? I get the keys on April 11th, and then the real fun begins! After I repaint the space and furnish it, I'm going to be hosting an Open House. You are all invited! I can't wait to celebrate and share my excitement with you!!

Thank you so much for your support over the years. I still can't believe this is happening! (And my family is pretty stoked that my photo gear is moving out of the house so we can reclaim a lot of space and start making our house look like a home again, instead of a studio.)

I am so stoked.

Everything happens for a reason.

 

 

P.S.  Starting April 11th, my studio address will be:

201 Washington Street
Studio No. 541
Reading, Pennsylvania 19601

"No One Fights Alone" Golf Tournament | A Personal Session

This morning, I stopped by the Chapel Hill Golf Course to take a few photos for a friend.  Over 70 people competed in the "No One Fights Alone" Golf Tournament to show their support for Bill Haines, Jr. and other local individuals who are battling cancer.  Countless other people showed their support through donations and other behind-the-scenes efforts.  It was an honor to donate my time to this important cause, and to this incredible family.

Bill, I haven't known you long, but it didn't take me long to discover that you are loved by many.  I'm honored to have been a small part of this day, and to have been able to capture a few memories of this journey for your family and friends.  You are most definitely not facing this battle alone.  We're all rooting for you to kick cancer's ass.

Vans Warped Tour | Scranton, PA | July 11, 2016

I never imagined that my Starbucks chai tea addiction would lead to such incredible opportunities!  A few years ago, I met Brent while ordering my typical "venti no water chai".  He quickly became one of my favorite Baristas!  We found out we had a lot of common interests, including tattoos, music, snowboarding, and caffeine!  I also quickly found out that Brent happens to be a pretty incredible drummer, and asked him if he was willing to take on my middle daughter as a drum student.  He agreed, and he's quickly become an extended member of my family!

Brent started touring with Emarosa this year when they found themselves in need of a drummer.  A few months ago, Brent helped me get a photo pass to shoot Emarosa at the Chameleon Club.  Last week, Brent came through for me again and hooked me up with a photo pass for Warped Tour when they were in town (well, as close to being "in town" as they were going to get).  The rest of the family also got all-access passes, and it was a pretty incredible experience for all of us!  I want to provide my daughters with experiences that they will remember for the rest of their lives, and I think this one definitely qualified!

Here are a few of the MANY photos that I took at Warped Tour that day.  Everything took place in Scranton, around the Pavilion at Montage Mountain.  Brent, thank you again for the opportunity to shoot this event!!  It's been an honor being able to follow along as you chase your own dreams.

 

 

Fireworks on the 5th of July

Each year, a family in my neighborhood organizes an incredible fireworks display.  They purchase these themselves, and just recently started asking for donations to help with the cost.  It's become a wonderful tradition that brings many families in our neighborhood together, even if only for one night.  This year, due to downpours on the 4th of July, they were held one day late. The wait was worth it - this year's show was even better than in the past!  My neighborhood rocks!

This was my first 'real' attempt at taking fireworks photos.  I love how they turned out, and I can't wait to try again!