krissy evans photography

Girly Girl

2012-01-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

Princess Taylor

2012-01-21T21:36:00.000-08:00

Today I had a wonderful time taking sweet Taylor's 3 year old portraits at the Cathedral of Learning. Here are just a few photos that we took of Princess Taylor.

My Buddy Toby

2012-01-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

This is Toby. He is about to turn 5 years old, and my kids can't wait to attend his super hero themed party. They have t-shirts and capes all ready!

Toby has been an important part of our lives since he was born. His mom, Megan, and I are very close friends, and we have the built in perk of having same aged kids who adore each other!

Toby is in his second year of preschool and will be starting kindergarten in September. Doesn't he look totally ready to take over the classroom like his physics teacher Dad?!

One of Toby's favorite activities is acting out the various roles of super-hero/military hero/cowboy. Here he is in the Cathedral of Learning flying around in his batman cape.

Cowboy Tobias.

In camouflage, in front of a tank mural.

And with his beautiful Mama. I had such a great time spending the afternoon with my buddy. Toby was very, very cooperative and had been talking about having his "5 year pictures taken" for two days!

A Family With Room to Grow

2011-12-07T19:51:00.000-08:00

I had such a nice time photographing this family, made up of Dad: Brian, Mom: Erin and daughter: Katie. Erin and I were in MOPS together one year, and we attend the same church. It was great fun getting to know them a bit better!

This wonderful family of three are exploring the possibility of adoption, so I tried to imagine what photos would be great for their profile book. I am so glad I was able to get to know you better, Erin, and I look forward to hearing your story move forward in the coming months!

As I was taking these photos, Katie disappeared...

Oh! There she is!!!

Brotherly Love

2011-12-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

This awesome foursome were a lot of fun to photograph. Their mom is such a great boy mom, she just rolls with all things masculine. She is completely adored by her sons and it was really great to see the fun family dynamic at work! Lots more photos to come!

Christmas Card Photos

2011-12-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

A note to my clients: the last day I will be available to take family portraits for Christmas cards is December 10th.

Also, I will be unavailable December 20th-28th.

Thank you for your support of Krissy Evans Photography!

For Dad

2011-11-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

Today I had the privilege of photographing this wonderful military family. They were on a mission-to take pictures for Dad. They are going to turn the photos into a calendar for Dad to use while he is deployed. Each kid decided that they wanted to have individual photos done of themselves to be used on their birthday month-isn't that a great idea!? It truly was a great privilege to help you with your family project!

Magazine Submission

2011-11-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

I love to get the mail every day. Even when there is nothing good in the box, I still love getting the mail. But oh my I get excited when my favorite magazine, PA Pursuits arrives! It arrives every three months and is published by the PA Tourism Office. I scour the pages, dog-earing articles that I want to re-read, and making notes about locations in PA or events that I want to take my family to. Today I sent the editor two photos from our summer travels to consider for the "reader submitted corner." If one of my pictures makes it in, I will get a free t-shirt. Obviously, this was not a motivating factor! But I think I would love to see one of my photos in an upcoming issue!

This photos shows people walking across the Kinzua Bridge in McKean County, PA. The barn photo above is from Smethport, also in McKean County.

I threw in these two photos to show you other ones that I was considering submitting...

I will let you know if they accept my photo(s) or not!

A Daughter + Dad + Dog + Mom = 1 Happy Family

2011-11-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

This is Marlo, a super-sweet 2 1/2 year old. She was a really good sport about being out in the cold (it was snowing this morning.)

This is the family dog, a sweet-natured 11 year old yellow lab.

And this is Mom and Dad (and baby #2 who is scheduled to arrive in January.)

Together they make a wonderful family!

Love this shot of Marlo snuggling with her Daddy!

Sneak Peek: Little Brother & Big Sisters

2011-11-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

I had a great time photographing my friend Josie's three kiddos today. They are super sweet kids, and all very close in age. Ellie is 4, Leah is 2 1/2 and Max is 1. This made for some tricky posing, and a couple of hairy moments for young Max! But I loved following them all over their awesome yard and surrounding woods as they chased butterflies, pointed out aspen leaves and berries, and soaked up the rare Pittsburgh sunshine!

Sign this kid up for Baby Gap! What a dapper little man!

Ellie was a good sport, and as the eldest of three, she is a great big sister!

Silly Sisters! Kids don't always like to have their picture taken, but most LOVE to make silly faces. Helps to warm them up a bit.

Leah is hysterical. She is a total snuggle-bunny, and several times ran over to me for a cuddle. She also barely stood still and was constantly singing silly songs and making funny faces. Something tells me this little girl is going to be the life of the party!

And one more of sweet big sis, Ellie.

The New Mr. and Mrs.

2011-10-25T20:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my little sister and her new husband, who got married this past weekend! My sister is now a Mrs.! Wow!

Little Lincoln

2011-10-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

This little baby was such a sweetheart. He is only 4 months old, but responded to his mom and dad like he was 6 or 7 months old!

We did have to take a bottle break...love it when the dad just jumps in and starts taking care of his little one!

Lincoln's eyes and overalls were the same color blue!

Loved this sweet little outfit!

What a kind family and such caring parents! They obviously love this little guy to the moon and back! All children should be as adored!

Darling Drew

2011-10-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

This little cutie won my heart the moment he got out of his car. And when I found out we share a birthday, I was even more smitten!

He is obviously adored by his mom and dad...

I love this "deep in thought" look!

Dana, thank you so much for asking me to photograph your family! What a sweet little boy you guys have!

Fall Mini-Shoot Previews!

2011-10-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today I hosted my first mini-sessions and low and behold, despite incredible winds and constant rain this week, we had decent weather! Thank you everyone, for allowing me to photograph your children! I can't wait to finish editing all these photos so I can share them with you!

My Own Family Photos: Country Style

2011-10-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

The last time we had a family photo done was when my son and daughter were 2...nearly 2.5 years ago. We had our pictures taken at a local inexpensive assembly-line studio, before I began my foray into photography. The pictures were fine, but needed to be updated. I set aside a Sunday in October to drive the 60 or so miles home to my parent's house, and we were very fortunate to have wonderful, blue skies and golden sunshine! My step-dad took all of the family photos. He is the one who got me interested in photography, and he had my camera and his around his neck and was snapping away! Didn't he do a great job? This location was 3 miles down the road near a covered bridge and a horse farm. I can't even tell you how much I wish we lived closer to such gorgeous scenery!

Favorite Images From Our California Vacation

2011-10-04T21:44:00.000-07:00

My family and I just returned from a 9 day trip to Orange County, California to visit my husband's family. We had a wonderful time together, and I thought I would post some of my favorite trip photos.

This is probably the best photo we got of the 5 cousins together. Shortly after this photo was taken, Faith lost her cool because her feet were getting wet and grassy (I gave her grace because she was recovering from the stomach flu), and Jonathan began showing his affection a little to aggressively to baby Claire and was nearly knocking her down!

My spunky girl, who told me in the car that she would do a beautiful smile for me, which in her opinion, most definitely did not involve showing her teeth!

The very last photo of the 4 biggest cousins before we said our good-bye's.

Beautiful Megan, looking serene atop a pony!

This one show's her teeth! We were goofing around playing peek-a-boo to get a real smile out of her.

Handsome Steven, the eldest of the 5 cousins.

Faith and her daddy (my hubby) playing a game in the pool that would terrify me! I am such a wimp around water!

And last but not least, a parting shot of Jonathan! He has his daddy's expressive eyebrows and made of series of funny faces at me when he saw that I was photographing him with my zoom lens!

North Hills High School-Yearbook Picks!

2011-09-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Three Generations of Family

2011-09-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to photograph three generations of family members. Shown above (L-R) Tricia, Joe, daughters Theresa and Ruthie and Tricia's mom and Dad. I love generational photos!

Grandma, Grandpa and two sweet little granddaughters.

Can you believe these two have been married for 42 years?!? Hard to believe!

Grandma and the girls!

Daughters and Mothers!

Tricia and I have been friends for years and it is an honor to be photographing her family for the second time!

The family pup, Wolfgang.

After we took the photos inside Tricia and Joe's home, the girls went outside to play and I snapped a few natural light pictures!

Party of Five

2011-08-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

This wonderful family includes a 10 year old, 9 year old, 8 year old and two 7 year olds! This pyramid was the last shot we did, and it was all their idea. Their mom had never seen them do this before, but they obviously have been practicing on the sly!

Their mother, Rebecca, is the glue that hold the family together!

All five kids were very kind and fun, and they obviously enjoy being a big family!

These smiles made possible by their awesome mom who may or may not have been doing cartwheels!

Mama and her sons!

North Hills High School Senior: Tiffany

2011-08-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Tiffany is a young woman who loves running, horseback riding, preppy clothes and is "obsessed" with her car. It has been so fun doing these senior portrait sessions as I have really had a chance to focus on each student's interests.

And here is Tiffany with her beloved car! We took these on top of Mt. Washington.

Backyard Photos

2011-08-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

This lovely family and I have been trying to connect for their photos for several months. First the weather wasn't cooperating, and then they moved and we put things on hold. But finally (after a rain storm!) we were able to meet up in their new back yard to take some family shots!

Sometimes I think these photo shoots are the most painful for the dads...but isn't it worth letting your wife coordinate your clothes when you can get a keepsake like this?! Ha!

Kids really warm up to me when I ask them to do something silly.

Brother and Sister

Catching bugs in the backyard.

Handsome Rowan.

Sweet Kendall.

North Hills High School Senior: Rachel

2011-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Rachel is one of the sweetest, kindest and big-hearted girls I have ever met. She is my children's babysitter, and she has come to mean so much to our family the past two years!

She knows just about everyone our neighborhood, and is friends with nearly all the 4-legged neighbors!

She is passionate about environmental issues, and has taught my 4-year-old daughter to run up to trees and hug them!

The only part of taking Rachel's senior portraits that I didn't like is the understanding that we are closer to losing her to college!

Practicing some artistic shots.

Thanks for letting me take your photos, Rachel. And thanks for being so kind to my family! You are the best!

North Hills High School Senior-Jenna

2011-08-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh weather today was hot! hot! hot! I am guessing it was about 95* and incredibly hazy and humid. Despite the oppressive weather, Jenna, Rachel (pictures to follow) and I had a wonderful time driving all around the city finding unique backgrounds for their Session With A Friend.

We found this amazing mural completely by accident! Isn't it amazing?!

Jenna was such a lovely young woman to work with today.

Jenna told me in her initial consultation that she loves unique walls and backgrounds, so we focused of finding a variety of different walls. Not hard to do in a city as diverse as the 'burg!

A city view: standing on the Smithfield Street bridge.

A touch of country!

Jenna, it was absolutely wonderful meeting you today! Thank you for allowing me to take your senior photos!

North Hills High School Senior: Marla

2011-08-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

Friday night I had an incredibly fun session with 16 year old Marla. She was very sweet, and loved all things nature. She didn't want to use a lot of props, but she did want to wear her hair-band on her wrist as it is one of her signature styles! It was great meeting you Marla!

A Joy-Filled Family of Four!

2011-07-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful family of four and photographing their daughters, Morgan and Rebecca.

We started off the session and I knew immediately these two girls were going to make my job easy. Look how adorable they are!

We had to take a break and be a little silly!

Not only were these girls beautiful, they were also very kind and willing to do anything I asked them to.

We encountered a HUGE butterfly in the field that for some reason wasn't flying...that made for some fun up-close photos. Eventually the butterfly did fly away.

Loved meeting this family! Hope you enjoyed your preview!

Brother & Sister

2011-06-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

With nice weather on the horizon, not much on our to-do list and a lack of facial bruising!, I decided today was the day to take Faith and Jonathan out for a photo shoot since we really hadn't done one for their 4th birthday. Thankfully, they really were in better moods than this first photo suggests!

Friday Night Fun With My Kiddos

2011-06-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Sweetest Birthday Party EVER!

2011-05-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is Ryan, aka "Candy Head."

This is Ryan with his mom, Corrie. Corrie is a party planning master, as evidenced by the photos below.

The theme for Ryan's 3rd birthday was Sweet Treats. Pictured here are jello jigglers in real orange, lemon and lime peels.

Corrie had an amazing sweet tooth table set up, with an incredible array of candy and cupcakes.

She made everything by hand, including the letters " R Y A N" which were made with m&m's.

The entire family, big brother Robert, Ryan, Mom and Dad were wearing candy-themed t-shirts! So was grandma!

Corrie made this gorgeous cake.

Hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries.

Cookies!

The entire party was vibrant, unbelievably detailed and creative. Truly, a sight to behold! Thanks for inviting me to photograph the party Corrie, and I hope you enjoy the preview of your photos!

A Dad in Love

2011-05-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was editing photos for this family, and I was totally struck by the love and adoration this dad showed for his girls.

I believe this photograph will mean so much to little Sasha as she grows up and hits the turbulent times of adolescence.

Yeah for great dads!

Brothers

2011-05-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

Aaron and Nathan are brothers. Aaron is 6 and Nathan is 3. They don't always get along (come on! who does?!) but they did very well for these photos and were very fun. At one point Nathan hit me in the head with a football 9 times in a row while we were attempting a shot of Aaron. What a hoot! More photos of this family to come!

Stephanie

2011-05-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

My friend Stephanie is the wonderful designer who created my business cards. Here are a few of the shots I took of her that she needed for her business.

Welcome Little Haley!

2011-05-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

This week I have the honor of meeting a lovely family with two beautiful daughters. Big sister Sasha was extremely sweet and attentive to her newborn sister, Haley.

Haley was the first newborn I have ever photographed who actually slept through part of her session! Isn't she just the sweetest?!

Sasha had a wonderful time playing with Daddy on their great back yard playground.

Haley snuggling with Mommy.

Thank you, Matt and Melissa, for inviting me into your home!

Birthday Boy!

2011-05-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

Martin Jr is 1! Happy Birthday little one!

It's Fun Being One!

2011-04-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Luke!
I had a wonderful session with Luke, Allison and Nate. Luke turned one a few weeks ago, but we had to wait for this dreary Pittsburgh weather to clear up a bit. It was still muddy, but the sunshine was a welcomed sight! Thanks Allison and Nate, for the opportunity to photograph your beautiful family!

Holding on to Dad...Luke is a serious little fellow, and we this picture shows it!

Mama and son.

Cincinnati Reds fan!

Can't get enough of those dimples!

VICTORY!

What a gorgeous family!

Taking a little walk with Mama.

I imagine these bright blue eyes are going to get him out of a lot of mischief in the future! Just one wink, little Luke, and I am sure your teachers will forgive you!

Testing the very cold creek water.

Reflections in a Bubble

2011-03-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Practicing On My Kids With My New Lens

2011-03-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Canon EF 75-300mm Telephoto Zoom Lens

Where Have I Been?

2011-03-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

Oh my, oh my did I lose my motivation...the constant grey and brown scenery of Pittsburgh, the sloppy ground, the lack of sunlight (people always think of Seattle as being a cloud-covered city, but I think the 'Burgh could compete for worst weather!) But here's the thing...it is March 1st and spring is in the air! And I am itching to start capturing the return of bike riding, playing at the playgrounds, children rolling in green grass under blue skies....ahh!

These pictures were taken on a recent trip to Mystic, Connecticut. I enjoyed taking them, but realized I really prefer taking pictures with people in them!

Email, call, or leave a comment if you would like to schedule a spring session!

A Sweet Little Princess

2011-01-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Taylor is the adorable daughter of one of my closests friends. She is such an adorable child, and I had such a good time playing with her today! We had a tea party, worked on a puzzle, played with her babydoll and danced and jumped and generally had a great time!

Triplets in the NICU

2011-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Need a reason to have your infant(s) photographed? Take a look at these sweet little babies, who were this tiny for only a few weeks! Photography is the perfect was to capture what the memory blurs over time.

Maternity Photos: Elizabeth

2011-01-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

My dear friends and neighbors, Elizabeth and Matt, are only weeks away from welcoming their second son into the world.

Elizabeth, you are so beautiful! Motherhood becomes you!

The Picture That Made The Christmas Card

2011-01-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Sweet Ally B

2011-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

This little darling was at my house today with her mama. We were having our annual after-Christmas party. Eleven of us get together every year, returning from Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina to attend the annual gathering in Pittsburgh.

I think I managed to take three pictures of the adults, but lots of little Ally. Look at her eyelashes! They are so pale they are almost white, and I can't get mine to curl back like that with an eyelash curler!

Here she is with the cell phone she swiped from one of the ladies. If she grows up to be anything like her mama, she will make a great friend some day. Better start practicing those phone skills!

Toby: 4 Years Old

2011-01-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was able to see Baby Max again, and his two adorable big sisters, Ellie and Leah.

Ellie, who was smiling because her brother was "playing" peek-a-boo with her. Love those genuine smiles!

Sweet Leah. I think she hugged me about 30 times!

Another Leah picture.

Daddy and son.

Miss Ellie.

Mom and Dad.

Classic kid pose!

I did not include the photos of all five, because they were taken for their Christmas card, and I don't want to share that one for them!

A Wonderful Gift

2010-12-07T20:07:00.000-08:00

Audra, Alan and their daughter Elizabeth will be celebrating Christmas as a family of three.

But the stork will soon be making a special delivery!

Elizabeth knows that there is a baby in her mommy's tummy...

But I am sure that is a hard concept for a just-turned-two-year-old to grasp.
Here she is showing off her VERY favorite ornament. Her parents reported that she takes this bulb on and off of the tree dozens of times a day.

Baby Samuel will be here soon!

Merry Christmas Audra, Alan and Elizabeth! A wonderful gift is just around the bend!

Farm Life

2010-12-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

This weekend my mom and I took my kids to Lancaster County, PA.

We stayed at a farm, and we bottle-fed calves!

My kids really took a liking to this tom cat, which is ironic because they pay very little attention to the very nice cat in our own home!

A neighboring farm.

The girl on the left was one day shy of age 7. She reminded me so much of "Fern," the main character in Charlotte's Web. She was so sweet with Faith and Jonathan, showing them how to prep the calves bottles, helping them wash their hands, and she knew exactly how she was to do her chores-such an impressive young lady.

So glad I packed the boots!

These boots are currently on my front porch awaiting a serious scrub-down!

I was raised in the country (but not on a farm), so it was fun for me to learn more about farm life alongside my children.

Waiting for Their Miracle Daughter: A Surrogate Pregnancy

2010-11-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Meet Kathryn and Phil, aka "Mom" and "Dad."

Kathryn and Phil are about to become parents, via a surrogate pregnancy.

Their precious daughter is due to arrive in approximately eight weeks.

I think they are just a tiny bit excited!

Their good friend, Lacie, is acting as a surrogate for them.

Although some might consider this photo a "blooper," I'd say it pretty much sums up their friendship and affection for one another!

This picture is mom and dad's hands over their daughter, who is currently hanging out with Lacie.

What a unique journey these three are on!

Kathryn and Lacie

"Mom" says it all...so much hope and promise in that little three lettered word.

Everyone is eagerly waiting for your arrival little one!

"He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.

Praise the LORD. "
Psalm 113:9 NIV

Meeting Baby Max

2010-11-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

My good friend Josie recently welcomed her first son into the world.

Ten tiny, precious and prayed for toes.

Big sister Ellie holds up "E for Ellie!"

Big sister Leah loved smiling for the camera.

I set these scrabble tiles up with Max's name knowing Josie's husband proposed to her in a scrabble game.

Wonderful little boy to carry on the family name.

All over the Internet you will find incredibly artistic newborn photography shots with peaceful sleeping babies in bowls, hanging from door knobs (not kidding) and other uncomfortable scenarios. I confess that I have no idea how to do that! All the babies that I have photographed (from 5 days on) have been wide awake! And very aware of their comfort level!

Please put some clothes on me mom!

Ellie holds baby brother's hand.

Still awake!

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them."
Psalm 127:3-5

Tiny Tot

2010-11-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

One of the organizations that I do volunteer work for is YoungLives of North Hills. The program is geared toward teen moms and their children. On Friday, YoungLives met for an awesome Thanksgiving meal and meeting. I was asked to photograph the evening. This photo is of a one-month old baby boy, asleep in the arms of one of the volunteer caregiver's arms.

Family of Four

2010-11-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was photographing the birthday party of a gentleman who was turning 70. This is an impromptu picture of the son, his wife and their two boys.

Tips For Photographing Your Kids

2010-10-27T19:52:00.000-07:00

One of the best tips I can give moms and dads about photographing children is to #1: Catch them in a good mood! These pictures were taken as we were on our way to the Children's Museum, and obviously they were in very good spirits!

#2: Ask them to hold hands, and let them be silly!

#3: Ask them to run away from you! And then have them turn around and come back.

#4: Quit while you are ahead! After these next two shots, Faith announced "I'm done!" and so we were. Better to not force it so your kids aren't groaning and rolling their eyes when they see you pull out the camera.

Any tips you would like to share?

Three Year Old Photographer For Hire

2010-10-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

Would anyone like to hire my daughter?! She took all of these pictures of her dad and I while on a train ride this weekend. She knew exactly what she was hoping to capture: "Make a funny face, Daddy! Mommy, look surprised!"

Post #101-Poking Fun at Photo-Obsessed Parents

2010-10-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

A post from The Meanest Mom about parents going overboard in the pumkin patch struck me as quite comical. Read it, and let me know what you think!

I See You!

2010-10-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

My Little Girl

2010-10-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

All-American Katie

2010-10-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Katie is truly an all-American kinda girl. She plays fast pitch softball, loves the Pittsburgh Penguins, is sentimental about her childhood stuffed animal, plays the tuba, and was a great sport about climbing into a creek bed for her pictures. What a fun client!

Painting Pottery

2010-10-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

Pre-view of High School Senior Katie, In Black & White

2010-10-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today I had the delightful privilege of photographing a lovely young lady named Katie. Katie is one of those girls who does everything! Dance, hockey, fast-pitch softball, and she even plays the tuba! Needless to say, we had a lot of great props to work with!

More Katie photos to come!

Irony

2010-09-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

Stopped in my tracks when I saw this moldy life preserver with frayed rope. I guess it would do in a pinch, but it certainly doesn't instill confidence!

Sisters: Ruthie and Theresa

2010-09-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

This is one-year-old Theresa.

She was very sweet-natured and loved having her picture taken-but most of the time she was running away from my lens-what a fun game for a little girl!

This is big-sister Ruthie!

Theresa brought along her beloved puppy.

Ring-around-the-rosie!

"Mom!? What do you mean you don't want me dragging my sister around by the arm?!"

Chasing shadows.

Mama with one of her lovely daughters.

And for good measure, here is Wolfgang, and...

Penny, the family dogs.

Thanks Tricia, for allowing me to come photograph your daughters! It was a fun morning!

When Your Child Actually Asks You to Take Their Picture

2010-09-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Senior Portraits: Booking With A Friend

2010-09-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

When booking your senior portrait session, consider booking with a friend! You will each receive 10% off, you can have some pictures taken together, and you can help me make each other laugh for your session! Really, these girls were so much fun, and I think they really enjoyed being together for their photo shoots.

Rachel and Lauren have lived across the street from each other since they were three years old, and have never been away from each other more than a week at a time!

Rachel said this picture would make her mom cry.

Robyn, #12 and Lauren, #27 play volleyball together.

These fun loving girls had a blast with the freedom to make their session what they wanted it to be!

I hope you girls remain close for the rest of your lives! Friendship is a blessing!

Senior Portraits:Lauren

2010-09-09T04:22:00.000-07:00

Lauren is a very kind high school senior in my neighborhood who always stops to say hi to my son and daughter. She was very fun to work with, and the wind cooperated nicely by blowing her hair for me!

Senior Portraits: Robyn

2010-09-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Here is Robyn, a lovely girl that lives in my neighborhood and who will officially be a senior with the start of school tomorrow! The bottom two pictures show the Pittsburgh skyline in the background.

NICU

2010-09-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

This week I had the unbelieveable joy of meeting a set of preemie triplets in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Born at 32 weeks, 6 days, they are remarkably healthy, adorable, and so very tiny. For my fellow mothers-of-multiples, the stats are as follows: Baby Girl-3lbs 13 oz's; Baby Boy-3lbs, 13 oz's; Baby Boy- 4lbs, 4 oz's.

In order to respect the family's privacy, I have not included any pictures of faces. The setting definitely presented challenges, with zero natural light, dimmed overhead lighting, plastic isolette's, nurses needing to do their work, and very tiny rooms...but I was honored to visit and photograph these delightful 2 day old babies. Welcome to the world little ones!

Little Miss Taylor

2010-08-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

These pictures are of 18 month old Taylor, who is so delightful and sweet, and who I promise, despite the last photo, was having a good time! Several of the outfits she is wearing were her mother's, sewn by her Grandmother.

Senior Portraits: Rachel

2010-08-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today I had so much fun photographing three 17-year-old high school seniors. Here is a preview of Rachel...with 600 images to edit, it is going to take me a few days to get them all done, but I couldn't wait to share a few fun ones.

5th Annual Fashion Show Benefitting the Alzheimer's Association

2010-08-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was able to enjoy a wonderful evening of food, fun, friends and fashion benefitting an organization close to my heart, the Alzheimer's Association. Carol Kinkela, owner of Carabella hosted "Guys and Dolls," a runway fashion show at the Oaks Theater, a short walk from her classy boutique in Oakmont. The featured designer of the evening was Pittsburgh's own Kiya Tomlin.

The Real Faith

2010-08-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Having two children to practice my photography on has been very convenient, but also presents a unique issue. My son, Jonathan, is easier to photograph than his twin sister. He engages with me better when I pull out the camera. He is a bit of an actor, so he hams it up for me, and has such extreme reactions to activities (high and low!) that there are more opportunities to capture his personality in my lens. I used a photo of him in a local art show, one on my business cards, and another made it into the Beaver County Times. So it makes me exceedingly happy when I can capture a bit of the real Faith, this time covered in a thick layer of chocolate ice cream.

Pittsburgh At Night

2010-08-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Taking photos at night is something that I need to keep practicing. It is incredibly difficult to hold the camera still enough to prevent camera shake. I really should have tested out our video camera tripod to see if it would fit my camera, but these pictures were taken on a whim.

Notice the abnormally bright lights in the center of the picture? That is PNC park, and there was a baseball game going on.

I love how the building's reflection is in the river.

This picture was from further down on Mt Washington, toward the Monongahela incline, not the Duquesne. What a beautiful city we live in. I can not even imagine how it used to look when all of the steel mills were in operation. I love learning little factoids about our city, and one of the most intriguing to me was that the businessmen working downtown needed to change into a clean shirt at lunch time (and they worked inside!) and that the street lamps were on 24 hours a day because it was so smokey from the mills. What a difference from today!

Mini-Session with Six-Month-Old Allie B.

2010-08-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

My long time friend Joanie and husband Chad have a knack for turning out absolutely beautiful children. Meet Allison!

This pretty little red-head is the fourth in line, and the first with red-hair.

These are the first pictures taken of her where she is sitting up! Great job Allison!

Can you believe those adorable baby cheeks???

So fun to capture a smile!

In this picture her brother, Eric, was laying down beside me in the grass making her laugh.

I think she is practicing her cell-phone hold!

The pants were a little big and started to slide down, but look at how happy she is to be on her fee!

I like this picture because it shows off her impossibly light eyebrows and eyelashes.

Here big sister Anna and big brothers Eric and Caleb join her.

Are these cute kids or what? I am amazed at the variety of hair color.

Joanie and her precious daughters.

Beach Time

2010-07-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

This past week I took my three-year-olds to Geneva-on-the-Lake, a small town on Lake Erie in Ohio. We were there just over 24 hours, but had a great time. I brought my new camera, a refurbished Fuji waterproof point-and-shoot that I just threw into the diaper bag with out worrying about sand, sunscreen, rain, etc. This picture is of my daughters shoes, exactly where she left them as she ran to play in the sand. It was their first time at the "beach," and when I told them it was time to go, she cried saying "But I wanted to go to the beach!" I guess she didn't realize that giant amounts of sand + water = the beach.

Maternity Shoot:Pregnant With Triplets

2010-07-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Liz and Art met in college, both were studying technology education. Their similar passions and faith in God sparked into romance, and they have been married for just over seven years. I have known Liz and Art for 10 years, and was a bridesmaid in their wedding. It has been really cool to see their journey through life thus far, and it will be awesome to witness them parent their three miracles.

I picked these adorable shoes up at Target to use as props. I really like the way they symbolized THREE babies, to differentiate from singleton maternity photos.

Liz was 28 weeks pregnant at the time of these photos. Doesn't she look great?!

Another prop I was trying out..."FAMILY"

I asked Art if he wanted to pray over the babies while he had his arms around his wife. There is something very sacred about capturing a prayer or blessing over another person.

The mama to-be!

Liz and Art were good sports, letting me pose them with frequent breaks for Liz.

Thanks Liz and Art, for the opportunity to photograph you on the cusp of the greatest adventure of life-parenthood!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream!

2010-07-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

There is a treasure at 2801 Penn Ave.

That treasure is Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor in the Strip District of Pittsburgh.

(excerpt copied from Klavon's website)

Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor originally opening in 1923 as a pharmacy by our Grandparents, James and Mary (nee:Stefanowicz) Klavon (klah-VON). Their only child, our father, Raymond was the star of our favorite 'drugstore' story.
In the wee hours of St. Patrick's Day morning, March 17, 1936, our father who was then nineteen years old, stayed in the store with his cousins for the annual ritual of preparing for rising river waters. This consisted of moving stock and equipment in the basement up onto tables or to the first floor. Back then Pittsburgh's spring thaws usually brought about a foot of water in the basement lasting a few days. This year, unexpectedly, the water rose higher and faster than usual forcing Dad and his cousins to climb and climb quickly. The following morning they were rescued by rowboat through the window above the telephone booths. This was particularly funny to the eight of us because the father we knew was built much like Santa Claus, and that window is very small. How the heck did he climb up there and get through that small window?. If you look closely you can still see the flood damage to some of the wood veneer and mirrors. The Allegheny River reached almost to the ceiling. When you stop by make sure to look above the phone booths!
In 1945, Dad married our wonderful Mother, Martha Dullard. She's a neighborhood girl born and raised one block away from this store on 29th and Smallman Streets.
Since reopening Klavon's as an "Ice Cream Parlor" we have told many stories of Grandma and Grandpap and our visitors often share their 'parlor' memories. We expect most 'older folks' like ourselves to enjoy this place; we though are both surprised and gratified that so many young people are fascinated with Klavon's, the history, the tales, the ambiance and our roots.
What a wonderful legacy from our Grandparents; may "Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor" be our tribute to them.
Stop by and sip an Old Fashioned ice cream soda or phosphate, look around and enjoy the hundreds of old medicines, apothecary bottles and other 'drugstore' treasures. All are original: including the woodwork, the 16 foot marble soda fountain, the "Bastion Blessing" stainless steel, the inlaid terrazzo floor, the Art Deco light fixtures and even the banana split dishes. Grandpap said the fountain stool seats were fashioned after Coca-Cola bottle caps. We even sell the same ice cream as our Grandparents, Pittsburgh's own Reinhold's Ice Cream.
Visit us and enjoy . . . we'll save you a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Quite interesting to read the labels on some of these old medications!

A Bell Telephone Booth!

I would encourage all Pittsburghers to check out this local treasure! My husband took advantage of our visit to introduce our three-year-old son and daughter to "pop-rocks," that crazy candy that snaps and pops and tickles your tongue. My husband enjoyed a hot fudge sundae with chocolate and peanut butter ice cream, and chocolate whipped cream! Our daughter had a dish of refreshing strawberry ice cream, and our son chose two long strips of "Dot" candy. Those paper backed dots kept him occupied for a long time!

I was still pretty full from my Pittsburgh-style steak salad at another Strip District favorite, Rolands Seafood Grill, so dessert for me was a feast of the eyes, reading those quirky medication bottles and oohing and ahhing over all the nostalgic toys in the display cases.

Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor is rich in history, full of fun and a special part of our wonderful town. Check out their website: Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor for hours and their complete ice cream and lunch menus.

Shadow of a Butterfly

2010-07-22T13:48:00.001-07:00

piccolo FoRNO

2010-07-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

In December, I presented empty pizza boxes to Debbie and Nance, with a message scrawled inside: "Merry Christmas! This box entitles you to one delicious lunch or dinner at piccolo FoRNO restaurant!"

It took a lot of scheduling in pick a date to go to lunch...we pulled up and saw the sign: CLOSED! Drat! Who would have guessed they would be closed on a Sunday??? Six months past Christmas, I finally made good on my IOU's. I was too busy devouring the salty-goodness that is their woodfired pizza to take any pictures of the pie!

Three Sons

2010-07-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Boy and Horse

2010-07-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

Elements in Nature: Summer

2010-06-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

Miniature Rose: Edited Version

2010-06-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

This was taken in my front yard. The bloom is on a miniature rose bush that my Aunt Lori bought me several years ago. This picture is straight out of the camera.

This picture was edited in Picasa. I added "glow" to the area surrounding the rose. Not really my style, but I could see how it might be a good effect for a bridal shower, church program, etc.

This one was edited to turn the background to black and white while leaving the blossom in full color.

Just wanted to show these because they were good editing practice.

"Run Dash! Run!"

2010-06-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

One rainy weekend, we watched the movie "The Incredibles" over a two-night period with Jonathan and Faith. And ever since then, Faith loves it when we call her "Dash," the name of the little boy in the movie who could run at super-speeds. In this series of photos, I told "Dash" to run. What I forgot to mention was that she should stop. And yes, she pretty much knocked me over!

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

For all who gave freely for our freedom, we honor you.

Desserts at a Baby Shower

2010-05-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

These pictures were all taken in a dark room lit only by candlelight. Beautiful setting, difficult to photograph. (I did not use my flash.)

The Soon-To-Be-Parents: Devin & Jen

2010-05-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

Loved this Bathroom!

2010-04-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

10 Day Old Baby Luke

2010-03-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Color Saturation

2010-03-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

Manual Focus

2010-03-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today I shot some photos of the kids in manual focus, rather than auto focus. These pictures are straight out of the camera, completely unedited. Of course, photographing your kids eat does not have the greatest outcome, but cheese or no cheese, I thought these were fun photos.

Playground Perspectives

2010-03-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures from the playground that I took while spotting my kids on the equipment. I was trying to capture a different angle, but "mothering" them at the same time. Kissing boo-boo's, shouting warnings and directions and breaking-up fights are par for the course when I pull out my camera. Perhaps I should start practicing on inanimate objects?!

A Baby Shower

2010-02-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

Super sweet shower favors.

The youngest guest.

The beautiful mom-t0-be.

A guest with her daughter.

Taylor's 1st Birthday Party

2010-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Taylor's mom made her a lovely princess teddy bear cake.

Taylor's dad prayed a beautiful blessing over her.

From Taylor's One Year Photo Shoot

2010-02-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

Faith Loves Eating Snow!

2010-02-08T10:39:00.000-08:00

Beauty in the Blizzard

2010-02-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

We received 20+ inches of snow in Pittsburgh in less than 24 hours. During the kids' naptime, I strapped on my snowshoes and walked through my neighborhood, camera slung over my shoulder. God did such a great job when he created snow. So beautiful.

Blog Give-Away

2010-01-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Check out my parenting blog and leave a comment for a chance to win!

A Few Fun Photos From the Children's Museum

2010-01-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

I grouped these photos together because (a.) they were all taken at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum and (b.) they are taken from a different perspective than portrait photography. Note the varied focus and depth of field. Admittedly, most of what I captured happened by accident!

In the lower left corner of the red picture, you will see Jonathan's face.

When Black and White Works

2010-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

I like black & white photos just as much as everyone else, but sometimes, it falls a little flat. I find that black and white works best when there are clear differences in color shading, light and shadow, and it never hurts to throw in a bit of metal to really make a b & w image work. These pictures were taken at Toby's 3rd birthday party, most of which were on or around a shiny firetruck the neighbor/fire chief drove over for the party!

Turning a Bad Photo Into a Good One

2010-01-16T21:28:00.000-08:00

Crop out the blurry section of the picture.

Experiment with color options.

Voila! Picture salvaged!

Hands, Eyes

2010-01-16T21:18:00.000-08:00

I read a tip that said when photographing children, focus on individual body parts like hands and feet.

Toby

2010-01-16T20:04:00.000-08:00

Toby's mom asked me to take a picture of him, so I took advantage of his jovial mood while we were eating lunch at Olive Garden. He was seated in front of a window, which was great, but provided too much light. I closed the blind to allow difussed sunlight to come through.