Cincinnati Family Photos

I really enjoy photographing senior photos.   Simultaneously, we are paying homage to youth while witnessing witnessing parts of the adult they will become.  It's an exciting time full of transition and change.  Olivia and Kirby left me with a sense of hope and excitement after their session.  They both seem very driven and kind.  The future looks bright through their eyes, I really enjoyed that. 

This is a combination of senior photos and family photos.  Jill, is a wedding industry friend.  Her family runs Village Pantry Catering.  She added time to the girl's session so we could fit the entire family in some of the photos.  It was a gorgeous day at French Park.  I cannot wait until the weather gets nice, so I can visit again. 

Savannah and Andrew's Downtown Cincinnati Wedding

2017 was a year full of much love and laughter.  The clients who came into my life left me with a deep reminder of the magnitude of gratitude I have for this very special job that has been presented to me.  I document love.  I document the emotion.  I help preserve memories and moments.  The time I spend with the people who come into my life through photography help me become better at living and loving in my own life.  Its pretty damn incredible.  

I have a huge body of work I have not shared.  Time got the best of me last year.  I am still trying to find balance between being a mother, a business owner, an artist, a lover, a friend, an aunt,  sister, a daughter, ....does that ever really happen?   I feel like if I am productive every day,  I am doing IT.  I have just learned to give myself some grace. 

 I vow to spend the rest of February sharing lots of new stories, a new website, a slow integration of my art and my work , and some very big announcements. 

This is Savannah and Andrew.  Before they moved away to North Carolina for Andrew to continue his studies, they had an intimate wedding celebration downtown at The Blind Pig.  The theme of their wedding was fun.  Look at all of these smiles.  <3

Courtney and Sam Mt. Airy Forest Engagement

Back when I was huge and pregnant I got to spend some time in Mt. Airy Forest with these two love birds.  Autumn's beautiful colors provided the perfect backdrop for their engagement photos.  I am  thrilled that tomorrow I get a chance to hang out with them again at their wedding!

See you very soon, Courtney and Sam.  Thank you so much for choosing me to document your day. C

Maddie and Mark's Bell Event Centre Wedding

If you have attended an event or booked your wedding at The Bell Event Centre, you have probably seen Maddie.  She is one of the smiling faces running around making sure everything is running smoothly.  She is the kind of person who makes everyone she is around feel special.  When she contacted me to photograph her wedding, I was very flattered.  I knew it was going to be a very special day.  Maddie, Mark, and all of their friends and family were so gracious.  It was way too fun to call it work.The Bell Event Centre looked amazing for their reception.  I love the look on their faces when they saw it. CSC Special Events lit up The Bell beautifully. 

Jessica and Craig's Colorful Summer Covington Engagement

When I met Jessica and Craig in Covington for their engagement session we got around 15 minutes of photos in before it started pouring rain.  We decided to  wait it out in my car, the rain didn't stop, but it gave us a good opportunity to get to know each other.  They are a fun loving couple who I felt like I had known forever.  I love when I click with couples so quickly.  It makes spending time with them on their wedding day feel like way more fun than work.   We met up again a week later for round two.  This time the weather was perfect and I was able to take them to some of my favorite spots.  I am very excited to spend the day with them at Neltner Farm for their wedding next month.  Here are a few of my favorites from both days.  Look how cute that dress is!

Raven's Senior Portraits

Raven is one of the most creative, kind hearted young spirits I know.  For her senior pictures she wanted to do something different.  She told me she wanted her pictures to be " super trippy,  late 60s dreamy".  My heart could explode when I get these kinds of requests.  I interpret that into trust your gut and make some art.  She was a beautiful muse to create with.  I brought lots os film and all of my magic cameras.  Here are a few of my favorites from the day.  Raven is amazing with her hoop.  I have been obsessed with the videos she posts on social media.  What a beautiful form of expression!  We had to include it in her pictures. I have been experimenting with a lot of different film lately.  I love the look of this one.We snuck in a couple of polaroids on Impossible Project film.

Louisville Family Portraits

Are you ready for some serious cuteness?  Chris and I drove down to Louisville this week to take pictures of our friend Cole and his new family.  It was my first time meeting Mary, Cole's wife,  I adored her from the first minute we walked in their home.  She greeted me with a big hug and huge smile.  I felt like I have known her forever.  They showed us one of their favorite spots downtown where we spent some time taking relaxed pictures.  After that Mary's parents cooked an amazing dinner for us.  We got to experience southern hospitality at it's finest.  It was a wonderful day full of so many laughs.  We are very lucky to have such beautiful people in our lives.

Alright, now onto the pictures, because their little guy Max will bring a smile to anyone's face, this little dude is the cutest.

Racquelle

It's refreshing to meet young people who are working hard to plan what their impact on the world will be.  Racquelle is in her senior year this year and plans to study psychology in college next year.  She has a very sweet demeanor and calmness about her personality.   I am sure whatever career she chooses will be one that benefits people in a meaningful way.  I had a really great time running around downtown with her and her mother who I have known for years.

I just love the way her senior pictures turned out.    

Samantha and Heather's Backyard Wedding

Samantha and Heather's intimate ceremony was held in the backyard of a beautiful home owned by dear friends.  It was a gorgeous afternoon full of laughter and love.  Their close friends and family helped make the day extra special for the girls by helping with the food, flowers, and decor.  Samantha and Heather walked around with huge smiles on their faces all day.  At one point in the day I noticed Samantha tearing up, Heather asked her if she was ok.  As Samantha looked over at all of the faces of support and love she replied, "I am just so happy."  It was a moment I never want to forget.  It was a moment that reassured me, that I was right where I needed to be.  Celebrating love, documenting it, being part of something so special is the best feeling in the world.  Samantha and Heather, thank you for letting me be part of such an amazing day.  My hope for you is a lifetime of the happiness you felt on this day.Samantha and Heather are both teachers who love to read.  They used books for their table decor.  The guests were invited to take them home at the end of the day. 

Sara and Jeremy's Super Awesome Engagement Session

Sara and Jeremy are two very good friends of mine.  I cannot wait for their Fourth of July wedding coming up  soon.  For their engagement session they wanted to do something fun and different.  One night while we we were hanging out on their porch we came up with the idea of having a pool party in the their backyard with their good friends, Seth, Jamie and Emily.  Everyone dressed up and really got into the theme.  We cranked up the music and ran around the yard dancing and singing, it was so much fun!  Here are a few of my favorites.

See a behind the scenes video from out shoot here

Jeremy always has great stories.  These boots came from his dad.  He won them in a pool game, how perfect! 

Nia and Spencer's Cincinnati Engagement

Happy Monday everyone!

It has been an insanely busy past couple of months.  Though most of my time is spent at my computer when I am this busy, I really look forward to the time I get to spend getting to know my clients during their engagement sessions.  Last week I headed to East Walnut Hills for Nia and Spencer's laid back engagement pictures.   I first met Nia at a bridal event.  She was planning a huge winter wedding.  After lots of thinking,  she and her fiancé Spencer decided they were planning a wedding that did not fit their personalities at all.  They are both super chill.  They decided that is how they want their wedding to be...They changed the date, location, and cut their guest list down to immediate family and friends.  I love this so much.  Your wedding should be about you and what you want, not what you think you are expected to do.  There are no rules.  As long as you two are there, that is all that matters. :)

I walked away from this session smiling ear to ear.  I felt like I just hung out with friends I have known forever.  These two laughed, and laughed, and laughed.  Spencer is full of jokes, but he is also a total sweetheart who kept telling Nia how beautiful she looked.  Every time she looked at him, she would tell him how pretty his blue eyes were.  It was very sweet.  They like each other a lot and they weren't afraid to let me see that.  My favorite!  I can't wait to see them again next month!

Spencer proposed to Nia at Eden Park, they were surrounded by their close friends.  He got down on one knee, but then he froze up and didn't say anything.  Nia was just staring at him, like "do you have something to say?"  He is very animated, this was when he was telling me the story. 

Rebecca and Greg's Downtown Cincinnati Engagement

When I met Rebecca to talk about her wedding we hit it off right away.  I knew I really wanted to be apart of her wedding after just a few minutes of talking to her.  She smiled a lot, and she was very enthusiastic about the details of her wedding.  She is from a small town in Ohio and is heading back there later this year to marry her best friend Greg.

I met Rebecca and Greg downtown Cincinnati for their engagement session.  We hung around one of my favorite spots talking and getting to know each other better.    Greg told me the story of when he knew Rebecca was the one.  They went to college together.  It was Halloween and he wasn't feeling good.  Instead of going out with friends, Rebecca cancelled plans to stay home to take care of him.  He appreciated her giving heart, he said he knew she was the girl he wanted to be with.  They were both cracking up the whole time he told the story.  I am so excited for their wedding later this year, it's going to be such a good time!

Cincinnati Boudoir Photography Memorial Day Inspired

I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with this beautiful woman the other day.  When we were going through her outfits for the shoot,  her American flag swimsuit caught my eye.  It wasn't until I was editing that I realized Memorial Day was coming up.  Sometimes things just happen perfectly.  Summertime, here we come! Before heading outside, we shot a few in her apartment.  I love how these turned out.  Hannah,  you are so gorgeous. 

Cincinnati Family Portraits

Today I want to share a special session I recently did on a tree farm in Kentucky.  Bonita and her family were my very first post on this blog back in 2010.  I was thrilled when she contacted me to set up another session.   When we were discussing where to go for the session she mentioned her grandfather's farm in Kentucky where Bonita grew up.  Her grandfather just recently passed away and she thought it would be a beautiful tribute to him.  I was thrilled with her idea.  I met her on the farm and ran around with her and her children for a couple of hours.  It was a very special experience.  He children have so much personality and they adore their momma so much.  They loved exploring the place where she grew up.

Happy Couple Duo Kickstarter

Last night I had the pleasure of tagging along with Katy and Zachary of The Happy Couple Duo while they made outdoor art.  They are planning a huge move across the country later this year. They want to stop along the way creating temporary light based art installations.  I think it is a brilliant idea.  The couple is from Cincinnati so before they embark on their journey they decided to begin the project here.  They started a Kickstarter called Traveling At the Speed of Light to help fund some of the equipment they need to be mobile and weather proof while creating these installations.

I met Katy and Zachary at one of my favorite parks, International Friendship Park, where they planned on lighting the 'Castle of Air' sculpture.  I was utterly inspired watching these two interact with each other and the environment on this project.  They are an artistic force.  They work very hard to make these ideas come to life.  If you decide to help fund their efforts, I can say you will honestly be supporting two very dedicated artists.

I fed off of their creative energy and managed to create some very cool images of them using their lights.  I am excited to push this even more when we  collaborate on some future projects.

 Please visit their Kickstarter page to read more about their story and offer a donation if you can.  Every single donation comes with a generous gift.  If you are looking for wedding or event entertainment/lighting they are offering string music, DJ, and lighting  as one of the donation gifts.  Check it out here.

For me, one of the greatest things about this project was seeing how people reacted to it.  Every single person who walked by stopped to chat with the couple about what they were doing.  And every single person was memorized by how beautiful it was.   The sculpture during the day. 

Cincinnati Maternity Photos

  I first got to know Casey when we worked on this 70's inspired shoot  a couple of years ago.  We became instant friends.  She is someone I consider to be a muse.  Whenever we get together, ideas start flowing naturally.  She is such a beautiful woman both inside and out.  I am very lucky to have her in my life.  She is going to be a wonderful, loving moma.

When Casey said she wanted me to shoot her maternity session I was very excited.  We had been talking about doing a darker shoot for awhile.  We used this as our opportunity to push ourselves in that direction.   We came up with sexy, dark, powerful, images that I absolutely love.  Casey is a goddess! I can't wait to meet her little peanut.

MUA: Christine Rice, Location: Mainstay Rock Bar,  Shoes:  Jeffrey Campbell, Hat: Miller Hats

Michael

I passed by Michael one day while walking in Eden Park about 4 years ago.  He was in a lawn chair next to his truck carving walking sticks.  I had my camera with me so I asked to take his picture.  The picture sat on my hard drive forever as I got sidetracked with work.  One day I was cleaning out folders and found it.  I ordered  a print in hopes that one day I would be able to give it to him.  Last year, out of the blue I thought about Michael and his picture.  I was on my way to a shoot so I cruised by Michael's "spot" in the park and sure enough, he was there.  I stopped nervously to give him the photo.  I handed it to him, let him know when I took it and was on my way.  As I drove away I realized I hadn't even told him my name.  I felt so rude, so I drove back by to properly introduce myself.  When I walked up to his truck, which he was now sitting in, my heart melted.  On his lap he had the picture I had taken and another from over 30 years ago.  He was looking at both with a huge smile on his face.  He told me how much he loved his picture and that his children would love it too.  We talked for awhile and he showed me some of his sticks and how how makes them.  They are beautiful pieces of art.  I am so happy I went back and got to see his excitement and learn more about him, of course I bought one of his sticks.  Since I had my camera with me, I asked to take another picture.  Hopefully now that the weather is nice I can catch him again to give him a new print.

This was the one I took 4 years ago.

Here is Michael last year.I think Michael takes baths in the fountain of youth.  These are the two he was looking at when I pulled up. Michael making his sticks. 

Shooting for Cincymusic.com

Music was how I began my life as a photographer.  I was 19, my boyfriend was in a band and I needed my own creative outlet.  I enrolled myself  in photography school with no clue of  how to turn on a camera.  Once I figured out how to use it, I would bring my camera to their shows and rehearsal space and practice as much as I could.  Back then I was shooting film, and my very inexperienced so most of those images will stay buried in the archives.  Though it's fun to look back and see how much I have grown since then.  OMG I just added it up, I have had a camera in my hand for almost 17 years, wow! :)

  Bands are still one of my favorite things to photograph.  I love the energy that is exchanged at live shows.  Part of me feeds off of it.  I used to take my little sister to Warped Tour every year.  I would sneak my camera into the venue to grab some pictures of the bands and the crowd.  A lot of my friends are also in bands,  I try photograph them as much as I can.

 Recently I got the chance to shoot some shows for Cincymusic.com.  It has been an awesome opportunity.  I dont have to worry about getting my camera snatched from me or getting kicked out, and I have the best seat in the house.  It's also nice to be able to help promote the bands I photograph.

I put together a small collection of images I have shot this winter.  You can go to cincymusic.com to see the full galleries plus lots more.

I linked all of their facebook pages so you can dig a little deeper if you want.  The Tongue and Lips, Valley of the Sun, Honeyspiders, Electric Citizen, mr. Gnome, The Sword, Roky Erikson, Black Angels, Blackberry Smoke, American Sharks, In This Moment, Devour the Day

Like a Dream iPhone Friday

2014 Portrait Project

When I first started photography school over 15 years ago I would take my camera with me where ever I went.  Every birthday party, cookout, and visit to my mother's was documented in some way.  I would take long drives out Rt. 8 in Kentucky to take pictures.  I was learning and getting lots of practice,  I was discovering my passion for taking intimate pictures of the people and places around me.   Through the years as I turned photography into my main source of income and I started to notice something was slowly getting lost, my enthusiam for personal work was disappearing.  I stopped taking my camera to family functions, because my passion turned into work, in my head every picture I took would add more work to my growing heavy load.   I was warned by many people that this would happen, always claiming I wouldn't let it happen to me.  As I was looking back through my images from last year I noticed something was lacking, my life.  I had documented the lives of  my clients, but had no images of my own family and friends.  I document tidbits of my life everyday via my iPhone, so I'm not claiming to be a total slacker, but as much as I love that phone, my family and friends deserve nice professional images too.

On January 1 I decided to do what a lot of photographers do,  I started a daily photo project.  Since my favorite thing to photograph is people, I decided to start a portrait project.  At first,  I was only going to photograph people I know, then I decided to expand it to photographing strangers as well.  My goal is to shoot a new person everyday for as long as I can.  So far it has been an awesome experience.  My camera is with me a lot more, so I am not only photographing people, but also my surroundings, and the things I see.  I have been getting so much positive feedback, some people even telling me they cant wait to be part of the project.  It has been challenging at times, but I needed a good challenge.  I am excited to see where it takes me throughout the year.

 I posted some of the images on my Facebook page this month.  I think will also do a monthly post on my blog.

I want to thank everyone for participating so far.  Here are some of my images from January.