Ashley & Nick: Robin Hill Park Wedding Photos

This was a wedding many years in the making! Ashley & Nick met through their mutual friend Matt (who was also their officiant on their wedding day).

Here's the short story: Nick was a childhood friend of Matt's, and Matt had just met Ashley at Robert Morris. He thought they would be a good match (Matt-ch? ) and introduced them... and the rest is history!

Ashley and I met at Robert Morris University - she was in the photography program (and is an incredible photographer!) and I was trying to sneak a photography minor into my schedule, so we had some overlapping classes together! I was so honored when she asked me to photograph her wedding day!

Their wedding day was probably the most perfect fall day you could imagine. The weather was just right, the sun was shining... and the venue was gorgeous! Robin Hill Park is such a beautiful gem. I can't believe I hadn't been there before!

Ashley & Nick, a huge congratulations to you both on your wedding day! Thank you so much for letting us be a apart of it!

Todd Family: Historic Harmony Family Photos

I had the BEST time hanging out with this incredible family in Historic Harmony! Also, general PSA - feeding your children milkshakes before a photo shoot is definitely encouraged! 😉 But seriously - these kiddos had so much energy, which made our time together so much more fun!

When I first started photographing families, I used to struggle with photographing kids who had lots of energy… until I figured out how to use that energy to my advantage! One of my favorite things about photographing kids now is that they’re naturally moving allllll over the place. They want to move, laugh, talk, and giggle, so I love to lean into that with using some fun games and questions to get them laughing and having a good time. The less they feel forced to smile, the more fun they can have, and the more their natural smiles will come out! (But for any moms out there who might be reading this - don’t worry! I always make sure to get a few of everyone looking directly at the camera!)

Thank you for the incredible honor of taking these photos for you, Todd family! You all are such a blessing!

Photography Gear for Beginners

Besides asking what gear I use, the second most frequently asked question I get is “what camera should I buy if I’m just starting out?”  And today, I wanted to take a second to answer! If you’re just starting out and buying your first digital camera, know that all of this is a process. It’s best to start on what’s called “entry-level gear,” learn it inside and out, then work on upgrading to pro grade equipment. Trust me – every photographer who has started has been there, including me!

And, as a side note: truth be told, it’s not the camera that makes the photographer, it’s what the photographer does with the camera that really makes the photo (though, high end gear does help as you start to progress after learning your basic gear inside and out! ;) ). Even as you’re starting to learn photography, do not be discouraged. Don’t focus on comparing your images to someone else who’s been working as a pro for years. Focus on learning and growing from where you are.

I should also note that since I currently shoot in Canon, I'll be recommending all Canon gear below! There are some wonderful pieces of Nikon gear out there, too, but unfortunately, Nikon isn't in my wheel house, so I'll stay away from recommending anything I don't have any personal experience with!

CAMERA BODIES

For beginning photographers, I recommend an entry-level DSLR camera. “DSLR” simply means “digital single lens reflex,” which Wikepedia defines as “a digital camera that combines the optics and the mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor, as opposed to photographic film.” Okay, let’s be real: that’s a little confusing, but basically that definition just has to do with how the camera makes an image. The technicalities behind how a camera works can be somewhat confusing, so today we’re just going to stick with the basics for the purposes of this blog post!

In the simplest terms, I always recommend beginners buy a camera that can:

• Switch lenses, so you can experiment with other lenses.
• Has 18+ megapixels, to create photos with higher resolution than your phone.

My very first DSLR Entry-level DSLR was a Canon Rebel T1i, which I don’t even believe they make anymore – haha! But if you’re looking for a DSLR line that is easy to learn on, I would recommend one of the newer versions in the “Rebel” lineup, the Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera. With the ability to change lenses, 18+ megapixels, and wifi capabilities, this is a great camera to start out on! I also recommend buying the camera as a “kit,” which simply means that a lens and different accessories are included. This will give you a lens to start with so you can start practicing right away (most cameras and lenses are sold separately).

LENSES

As I mentioned above, a “kit” lens (which just means a lens that comes with a camera!) is a great way to start out. With this kit from Canon (including the Canon EOS Rebel T6), you can also get a starter lens! Most kit lenses are a shorter focal length, which means you’ll have to be really close to your subjects. If you’re looking for a zoom lens (to photograph further away subjects), I would recommend this Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto!

Truth be told, starter or “kit” lenses aren’t that great. They certainly get the job done and are perfect for learning, but if you’re interested in taking your photos a step further right away, I would HIGHLY recommend the Canon 50mm f/1.8, which you can purchase for just around $125 (definitely a steal for a lens)!

ACCESSORIES

Now that you’ve decided on your camera body and lenses, there are a few accessories you might want to consider investing in:

A cross body strap is helpful and, trust me, your neck will thank you! Most cameras come with a strap that allows to camera to hang around your neck, but investing in a cross body strap that will sit on your shoulder is worth every penny. Your neck will thank you! There are a few on Amazon (a floral one here, a black one here, and another floral one here), and even some on Etsy that can be customized with your name and style (my camera strap has a llama on it!).

A bag or backpack to carry your gear is ESSENTIAL! Make sure you keep your gear safe by buying a bag with padding (unless your camera kit comes with one!) A few of my favorites include:

• Camera Shockproof Backpack
• Amazon Basics Large DSLR Gadget Bag

Also remember: unless you buy a camera kit, you’ll also need to make sure you have a battery for your camera, a battery charger, and a memory card. Here are a few recommendations based on the Canon 6t recommended above:

• Battery & Battery Pack
• Memory Card (16gb Sandisk SD Card)

Below is a wrap up of all of the gear discussed in this blog post! Have any more gear related questions? Feel free to drop me a note in the comments below! And best of luck on your photography journey!

Connor K: North Hills Family Photographer

One of the hugely rewarding parts about being a wedding photographer is seeing families grow from two to three! Maryann and Kevin (whose wedding I photographed just last year - see it here!) welcomed baby Connor into the world just a short while ago - and I was so honored when they asked me to take his newborn photos! This little guy already has the sweetest disposition and is so very loved!

Tessa's First Birthday: Mellon Park Family Photography

Can anyone believe it's JULY already?! I feel like I blinked and June was over! If there's one thing that gets me excited about summer, it's the beautiful golden light, especially in one of my favorite parks in Pittsburgh - Mellon Park!

I met up with sweet little Tessa and her parents for her first birthday, to celebrate with a photo session! This little lady loves to walk, hug, and hold car keys, and just has the sweetest personality (and the cutest curly hair!). Below are just a few of my favorites from this family session!

What is the Best Time of Day for Photos?

Recently, I had a sweet mom of a senior ask why I limit my session timeframes to the morning and the evening – right after the sun rises, or before it sets. I love this question, because I can see how it might seem counter intuitive to schedule a session during the not-so-bright times of the day – but there is a great reason for doing so!

When taking photos outside, the sun is the main light source. When the sun is rising and setting, it’s at it’s lowest point in the sky (hang with me here!). In the middle of the day, the sun is at it’s highest in the sky – typically, right overhead, which is known as the toughest time to take photos. But why?

When the sun is right overhead, the light is very harsh. The light often creates big, shadowy circles under the eyes (which is very unflattering) and is harder to control because it’s just so bright! But in the morning and evening – the sun is lower, and the light is softer, which makes it easier to control the light and eliminates the dark shadowy circles that will often appear under the eyes in bright light! In addition to being lower and easier to manage, the light typically has a warmer temperature to it, which flatters the skin!

However – there is an exception to this rule. On a cloudy day, the sun is still the main light source, but the clouds act as a diffuser, diffusing the light to make it soft, manageable, and more flattering to facial features.

So what it comes down to is this: scheduling my sessions in the morning and late afternoon/evening makes it easier to manage my main light source (the sun) and flatters my clients (no dark circles and warmer light).

5 Online Tools to Organize Your Business

I like to consider myself an organized person (but don’t look at my office right now – it’s a disaster zone!). Much more than staying physically organized, I love being organized with my processes and information.

When I first started photographing senior sessions, family sessions, and weddings, I would maybe photograph three weddings for the entire year and a portrait session per month. It was easy for me to stay "organized" because, well, I didn’t have too much work. But then, slowly over time, I started getting busier. And busier. And soon enough, I was in wayyyyyyy over my head without any rhyme, reason, or rhythm to my madness and it was driving me INSANE. I was the girl in high school who toted around a planner, calendar, and separate binder for each class (organized by assignment and month), but I wasn’t translating that organization into my business.

Fast forward a few years to today, and I’m photographing 20+ weddings and 50-60 sessions per year (such a blessing!), and I’ve had to force myself to get organized and find systems and processes for marking, booking, creating, culling, editing and sharing the work my clients hire me to do. Today, I wanted to share five of my favorite online tools for staying organized and streamlining my work process in hopes that someone else out there can benefit from these tools that took me way too long to find! So without further ado – here are my five favorite online tools for staying organized within my business:

1.  Wunderlist

I absolutely love to do lists and Wunderlist allows me to organize, categorize, and set dates/deadlines for all of my tasks. This no-fuss app has quickly become one of my favorites for its power and simplicity. Wunderlist lets you easily create folders with subcategories (for example: “2018 Weddings”), create sub-lists within a folder (for example: “John Smith + Amy Flowers Wedding”) and create tasks within that list category, as well as sub tasks within those tasks (for example: "edit wedding photos)! If you’re an organizational nerd like me, I know you’re going to love it. And bonus: you can even collaborate on lists and invite people to contribute (for example: my husband and I have a “Groceries” list to help us keep track of what we’re running low on - we haven't run out of ketchup since - score!).

While users have the ability to upgrade on Wunderlist, I find the free version to be full of features and highly convenient (considering it syncs between my desktop and phone app so I can add to-dos while I’m out and about). Check out my breakdown below:

2.  Mile IQ

Mile IQ was a newer find for me – actually, I discovered it while filing for my 2016 taxes when my accountant highly suggested that I keep track of my mileage (believe it or not, on location wedding/portrait photographers do a lot of driving between scouting locations, meeting with clients, and photographing sessions!). I absolutely love Mile IQ because it automatically keeps track of my drives. AUTOMATICALLY. Did I mention it was automatic? Like, that I don’t even have to think about it?! Talk about genius! I just leave my location on my phone on, and it tracks my driving and then lets me categorize those drives as “personal” or as “business” (with sub categories – and you know how I feel about sub-lists!!), along with literally showing a map of where you drove to/from. If you track mileage for business, this app is a must have!

I should also mention that the first forty drives while using the app are free – but if you drive more than 40 trips a month, Mile IQ has the option to upgrade for just a small monthly maintenance fee.

3.  Grum

One of my favorite (and most engaging) social media platforms I use to interact with current and potential clients is Instagram. In the past, scheduling posts to automatically publish at a specific time wasn’t a possibility for Instagram… until Grum came along. Grum.co allows users to not only organize content, but also to schedule content to automatically post at a specific time (i.e., when most of your clients are actively online). By now, you might be starting to recognize how much I love automation. I love it because it allows me to create a bunch of content in one sitting, schedule it out, and then not have to think about it again until after it’s posted. Though Grum isn’t free, it’s only roughly $10 per month, or $120 annually – which (to me) is worth every penny!

4.  Hootsuite

Hootsuite is very similar to Grum, except a user can manage and automate all of their social media profiles instead of just Instagram (except Instagram can’t be automated via Hootsuite – it can only remind you to post at a specific time). Hootsuite allows the user to organize and automate both Facebook and Twitter posts – plus track analytics, create campaigns, and organize contacts all from their simply laid out dashboard! There is much more to Hootsuite that I haven’t had a chance (or need) to explore, but if you’re interested in reading about additional features, I highly encourage you to check out their website! Hootsuite is free for to use for the first three social media platforms (with the ability to upgrade).

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5.  Acuity Scheduling

Acuity is a newer online tool (for me) that I recently began using for the 2017 photo season. I tend to spend a lot of time communicating back and forth with my clients trying to figure out the best date and time to schedule a session. With Acuity, I’m able to send my clients a link where they can view my calendar of available session time slots and book a specific type of session without any back and forth. I’m all about making things simple for my clients, so deciding to invest in Acuity Scheduling was a no brainer for me! Acuity also allows the business manager to set specific appointment types for specific times, as well as send follow up questionnaires to learn more about the booking client. Acuity has a variety of different paid plans – the free version has a very limited number of features, but it still very intuitive!

What are you favorite online tools, apps, and tricks for staying organized? Are there any online tools you would add to this list? Drop your favorite organization tool in the comments below, I always love to find new tools to use! But in the mean time, enjoy checking out the online tools listed above!

Why We Need to Support Marriage

I love wedding day toasts. Typically, by the time the wedding day rolls around, I've gotten to know my couple fairly well, but listening in to toasts by the father of the bride, best man, and maid of honor always leave me with an expanded perspective of who a couple really is. 

One of my favorite toasts ever was given by a father of the bride at one of my weddings a few years ago. He talked a lot about the couple, about their relationship together, about his love for his daughter - and then he took a spin on the typical "father of the bride" speech and started talking directly to the people in the room. He challenged them to love on this couple long after the wedding day. To check in on them, and to find ways to support them in their marriage. He noted something in that moment that everyone already knew, but that he said anyways: marriage is tough. And often times, even in marriage, it feels as though we're living in isolation. We unintentionally isolate ourselves from other people and try to fix the broken pieces of ourselves all on our own, but in reality, we need to be supporting and uplifting each other, not just on the wedding day, but years and years after.

So today, I want to put a little challenge out on this little corner of the web: send a married friend a little love today. Write them a note. Or send them a message. Or show up in their lives somehow - today, tomorrow, next week - and show your support of their marriage. We have enough marriage-bashing jokes going around. What if we started to change our perceptions and words towards marriage to reflect the good instead of the bad?

My Funniest / Most Embarrassing Moments: Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer

Wedding photography (and photography in general) can sometimes be seen as a glamorous “picture perfect” profession (pun intended). Sure, there a lot of fun, glamorous parts of wedding photography - like the out-of-this-world venues, perfect light, cookie tables, and fantastic cakes (I’m hungry, can you tell?). But nothing is perfect, even if the photos might make things look that way. So today, I want to share my top embarrassing/funny moments from my photography career thus far – the not so picturesque side of what I do. But really, I just want to promote the fact that we’re all human. We all make mistakes, we all have embarrassing stories, and we all have moments we can look back on and (now) laugh at! So without further ado, here are my top 6 funniest/most embarrassing moments on the job:

1.  A Bird Pooped on my Head

Once, right before one of my engagement sessions was going to begin, a bird pooped on my head. And this wasn’t just a little bit of bird crap. This was a giant, heaping, hot pile of bird crap. That’s right, folks – this is real life.

2.  Laid in Goose Poop

During an engagement session last summer, while I was trying to lay down on the ground to get a different perspective, and laid right in a heap of goose poop. It was all over my pants.

3.  Got Caught Facebook Creeping

When I schedule a consultation with a couple to discuss the possibility of photographing their wedding, I usually look them up on social media so I know what they look like (and can flag them down) before the meeting. On this particular occasion at this particular meeting, I looked up the bride at our meeting location, then clicked the lock button and set my phone on the table. During our meeting, I went to open my phone to look up a photo to show, and BAM – there was the bride’s Facebook page, open on my phone… and they, without a doubt, saw that I had been creeping, because my phone was face up on the table between us!

4.  Stepped on the Dress

During a beautiful bubble ceremony exit from the church, I accidentally stepped on the tail edge of bride’s dress. In front of all of her guests.

5.  Walked into an Invisible Wall

The other day, right after a meeting with one of the sweetest couples at one of my favorite wedding venues (the Omni William Penn Hotel), I walked straight into a glass wall, face first… with my couple still sitting there watching it unfold!

6.  Fell Victim to a Groomsmen Prank

Every once in a while, I photograph weddings with other photographers as a “second shooter” – basically, to aid the main photographer on the wedding day. Typically, while the main photographer is photographing the bride and the bridal party, the second photographer photographs the groom and the groomsmen. Once, when I was working with another photographer and had arrived to photograph the groom and groomsmen in their hotel suite, the groomsmen introduced me to the “groom” and let me believe that he WAS the groom for 15 minutes… before the actual groom walked in. -_-

So there they are. My top 6 most embarrassing / funny moments that have happened to me on the job! Other photographers & wedding vendors – don’t leave me hanging, bearing my embarrassed soul alone. What is one of your most embarrassing / funniest moments from a wedding, event, or photo session?!

Carlson Family: Hartwood Acres Family Photographer

There are so many things I love about this session. Beautiful family, beautiful light, gorgeous location - all the works! You might remember the youngest daughter of the Carlson clan, Callie, and her senior session a few years ago. The whole family came together one last time before their girls headed off to new beginnings and summer adventures. Here's to the future and to new beginnings for this sweet family!

Jenna Hidinger Photography is a Zelienople photographer who specializes in weddings, senior portraits, & family portraits.