Ally and Aaron Cincinnati Photographer

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I have wanted to do a session like this for a while.   I love the intimate moments and conversations that happen in the bedroom late at night or first thing in the morning,  I call this special time Pillow Talk.  It's when you and your lover are alone and free to share your dreams.  It's where affection is over flowing.  Even when you are far apart,  you still want to touch feet or hands.  It's where you are still a child and tickle each other until you cry.  It's holding, kissing, touching, breathing, smelling, embracing, laughing, talking...it's love.  Problems are solved and bonds are formed during this special time together.

I started a Pintrest board about 4 years ago to post intimate images of couples that moved me.  Recently I posted on my Facebook page that I was looking for a couple that would be interested in setting up an intimate shoot inspired by my board.  Ally responded immediately and I was thrilled.  I had become friends with Aaron a little while back when I met him at a local eatery where he works.  We connected via Facebook and Instagram so I had seen lots of photos of the couple together.  I knew they would be perfect for this photo session.  As soon as I arrived at their beautiful home that was overflowing with gorgeous natural light,  we began the session.  There was lots of kissing and nuzzling.  Everything happened very naturally.  These two are in love,  the outpouring of emotion was beautiful.  I am very grateful they allowed me experience and document a piece of it.

Cincinnati Maternity Photos

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  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

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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

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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

iPhone Self Portraits

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Self portraits are a form of therapy for me.  I usually feel the urge to create them when I am going through some kind of change or when I am feeling lost from my life path.  The process of creating self portraits allows me to release whatever it is in me that is holding me back from being fulfilled.  It also allows me to get away from the part of me that is connected to stress and reconnect with my muse.  At the time I made these everything in my life had changed in a very short amount of time.  This was my way of getting through it.  I had just got an underwater case for my iPhone which was perfectly timed with the way that I was feeling.           

New Website!

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It had been way too long since I had last updated my website.  I have been in the process of rebuilding for years now.  I would work on it for a few months then get busy and neglect it again.  The company I used for my old website was great, but I needed something a little more user friendly when it comes to updates.  A friend of mine turned me onto Squarespace.  Once I started playing around with it, I knew I found my new platform.  It is very easy to navigate and to update which is key for me.  I feel like I am a pretty good photographer, but when it comes to web design I need things to be simple.  I also need to throw a shout out to GoDaddy.  I have been with them since I bought my first domain.  Their customer service is out of this world.  The representative sat on the phone with me for over an hour explaining SEO and other foreign web lingo to me.  Im telling you, I am web illiterate, I feel like I have a basic understanding now. They also made the transition to a new site so easy.

  With my new site I decided to have sections for all of my work, not just weddings.  I have debated with myself over and over about having a seperate art site.  Lately a lot of my wedding clients are mentioning some of the more artistic shoots I have done when discussing what they want for their wedding.  I absolutely love that.  I decided that all of my work represents me and my aesthetic, so why not just put it all out there.

 I added an inspiration blog to my site called The Daily Dose.  It is my little place on the web where I can share what inspires me.  It's like a my virtual scrapbook.  I hope you are able to find it inspiring as well. :) I am still using this blog to share all of the awesome weddings and photo sessions  I shoot.

My new site still has the same web address as my old one www.nikitagrossphotography.com.  I promise to update it often, so please stop by and say hello!