The Deely Family | Berks County Family Photographer

I've been so busy lately, I completely forgot to blog a few of my early spring sessions!  I decided to catch up on them, and first up is the Deely Family!

Rory was my very first newborn client, and I have had the honor of photographing her and her family multiple times since then!  It has been so incredible watching her grow up.  Her mom and dad are some of the nicest, most genuine, most fun people I have ever met.  I feel so lucky that this family came into my life, and that my photography has brought us closer together.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from a session we had at Blue Marsh Lake this past March.  Rory and her unicorn friend wanted to get as close to the water as possible, and it made for some great shots!  Rory's grandpa even made his way into a few photos! 

Big thanks to the Deely Family for driving out this way all the way from the Lehigh Valley for our photoshoot, and for waiting out the rain so we could create these photographs!

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!

Kenyon (and Zoe) | Boulder, Colorado Headshot Photographer

Every year when I visit Colorado, Kenyon and I try to meet up to update his headshots.  Kenyon is the founder of a company called The Bucket List Life.  In that role, he tries to help people fulfill their dreams and goals, and to live the fullest life possible.  You can learn more about The Bucket List Life here.

This year, we put away the studio lights and had some fun with natural light in the basement of Kenyon's new home.  As it turns out, his Australian Shepherd Zoe is quite fond of the camera and insisted on being in a few shots herself!

Here are a few of my favorites from our session.  I love when people opt for headshots that break the traditional mold!

Chapel + Emarosa + Sum 41 + Pierce the Veil | Freedom Hall, Lancaster County Convention Center

My good friend (and my daughter's drum instructor!) is currently touring with Emarosa as their drummer.  Last week, we caught their show at Freedom Hall (at the Lancaster County Convention Center).  Emarosa was one of the opening bands for Pierce the Veil, during their "We Will Detonate" Tour.  The other bands were Chapel, and Sum 41.  Brent was kind enough to score me a photo pass, so I hung out in the pit and created some art while enjoying the show.  I'm definitely in my element when I am photographing concerts.  I really enjoy being able to combine my loves of music and photography, and to capture other artists sharing their passions with others!  Something about the lights, shadows, colors, and emotions on display during concerts just fills my soul to the brim.

Here are a few of my shots from last Tuesday.  I hope you enjoy them!  Thanks again, Brent!!

A First Holy Communion Session - for Twins! | Wyomissing, PA Children's Photographer

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of capturing photos for the Mauro Family, to celebrate their twin daughters' upcoming first Holy Communion.  These young ladies were so much fun to photograph!!  They were so happy, so cooperative, so full of energy, and so adorable!!  As we were getting ready to begin our photoshoot, I found out that it was their birthday, too!  I'm honored that they took time out of their celebration to come hang out with me and my camera!!

I love how these photos turned out, and I have been so eager to share these!  (I promised their mom that I would wait until the day of their first Holy Communion to share them on my website.)  I hope that their smiles, hugs, and dance moves put a smile on your face as well.

Congratulations, Mauro Family!!! 

Ryan, Conrad Weiser Class of 2017 | Berks County High School Senior Photographer

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to meet Ryan for his senior portrait session.  He was so much fun to photograph - and his parents are pretty fun, too!  You know what they say about apples and trees...

Ryan is graduating from Conrad Weiser in a few weeks and will be attending Penn State in the fall.  So, we thought it was fitting to capture a few photos on the Penn State Berks campus!  At the end of our session, we headed to a local football field, where he and his dad tossed around a football for a few minutes.  I could tell they were completely in their element!

I hope you enjoy a few of my favorites from our photoshoot.  Congratulations to Ryan and the rest of Conrad Weiser's Class of 2017!!

Late Night Netflix is Dead | High School Senior Session | Harrisburg Photographer

Last week, Kaiya and I took an impromptu trip to Harrisburg to snap a few photos.  We brought along one of her prom gowns, just for fun!  We started off at the Late Night Netflix is Dead mural, then wandered around the surrounding area.  There are so many great spots there!!  I definitely want to go back.

On the way home, we stopped at Stoudtburg Village for a few more photos before the rain eventually chased us away.

Here are a few of our shots from the day.  Enjoy!

Procrastinating with Momo | Berks County Pet Photographer

I have a Shiba Inu named Momo.  (Actually Momoko, but that sounds too formal, so we call her Momo).  She rocks.  If you've met her, you understand.  If you haven't met her, you really should.  She has the best personality and is so freaking photogenic!  She's stubborn and doesn't listen most of the time, but I'm the same way so I find those qualities endearing.

We procrastinated together for a few minutes today, and here is the outcome.  I hope you love these half as much as I do. <3  If you want to see more of Momo, she has her own Instagram account now!  Check her out at:  http://www.instagram.com/the_real_momo_the_shiba.

P.S.  After the photoshoot, I'm really thinking about offering pet photography sessions...

A Snowy Session with Akina | Berks County Family Photographer

You may have seen my recently blogged snowy session with Mika.  If not, be sure to check it out!!

Well, before we left the house for that photoshoot, Akina (my youngest daughter) asked to come along with us and have a quick session of her own!  I was ecstatic!!

The three of us ventured out into the deep snow together, and shot for as long as we could tolerate the cold.  They were both troopers in the cold and wind, but Akina was a beast!  When you see what she was wearing, you'll understand.  She was sporting long underwear and snow boots under her dress, but her arms were completely exposed - and she was totally fine with it!  I actually had to scold her to put her jacket back on and zip it up after we were done with our photos!  (Oh, how I miss my fearless and carefree childhood!!)  We were probably only outside for about 10-15 minutes total for both photoshoots, but it seemed so much longer than that!

Here are a few photos from Akina's snowy session.  Enjoy!  (Thank you for this late-winter treat, Mother Nature!)