Jack H: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

Jack is an Eden Christian Academy senior with a lot of style (check out that tie!). Jack came prepared with two very opposite outfits in mind for his session - we went from a Men's Warehouse suit to a Patagonia outdoor jacket and hat, and both of them fit perfectly at the Hartwood Acres mansion and surrounding woods. I'm a little surprised that Jack has never modeled before, because all of the poses came so naturally to him, which made my job so easy!

Check out of favorites from his session below!

Sarah + Mike: Hartwood Acres Engagement Photos

It was SO hot and humid the morning we photographed Sarah and Mike's engagement session. I've only ever had my camera and lenses fog up from cold weather (read about our coldest shoot ever, in 5 degree weather here!), never from hot humid weather - but that day, the moment I pulled my equipment out to shoot - my gear immediately fogged up! We fought the humidity the entire session, and Sarah and Mike were such incredible troopers! They had no problem getting close (even in the heat) and were total pros in front of the camera. I love when couples aren't afraid to get close and even improvise - and these two did both things so well!

Check out a few favorites from their Hartwood Acres engagement session below!

Can I be a Wedding Photographer if I'm an Introvert?

When I was in middle school, I didn’t have many friends. It’s not because I didn’t want to have any friends – I was just painfully shy. I could barely look people in the eye, let alone hold a conversation with them, no matter what age of whoever I was “holding” a conversation with.

Because I have natural tendencies towards introversion, I used to limit myself – a LOT. I told myself I couldn’t be a leader, and that I could never EVER do things where the attention was solely on me. I specifically remember telling myself that there was no way I could EVER own a business, because who would want to work with an introvert? People LOVE extroverts and their big personalities – why would someone choose to work with me if they could work with them?

But that’s the funny thing about life. Sometimes what we perceive as a weakness can actually be a strength. Towards the end of my high school years, I started challenging myself to simply just love on people – THAT is something I could do, regardless of the personality type I had. I realized that my introverted-ness couldn’t be an excuse for not having any friends, or not getting where I wanted to be in life – so I started simply finding ways to love on and listen to the people around me.

In wedding photography, there’s a bit of a bent towards people who are extroverted. Introverts see them as having the upperhand (or so I’ve seen with some of my introverted friendtographers), but I wanted to share three tips for introverts who might be struggling with being an introverted wedding photograph. I am by no means an expert in this, but if what I share can help someone else, I’m all for it. So here are my top tips:

1.  Ask a LOT of questions – good ones.

Upon first meeting me, some people mistake me for an extrovert. Sometimes, my introverted tendencies are disguised by my love for asking questions. It’s SO easy to keep a conversation going, even if small talk isn’t your “thing,” by asking questions. But the catch is – they have to be genuine, and they have to require more than“yes” or “no” response. And at a wedding, there are so many friends and family members of the couple coming together that there is always a plethora of good questions to ask!

2.  Be an excellent listener.

When you ask a question, make sure to listen to the response. This may sound quite obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people forget to listen to the answer to the question they just asked, simply because they’re trying to think of the next question or how they’re going to respond. Asking a follow up question or clarifying a point from what the other person said is a great way to keep the conversation going and make sure you’re listening!

3.  Don’t hold back on dishing out compliments – but make sure they’re genuine.

This is one of my favorite strategies for making people feel comfortable when I’m taking their photo. Compliment the CRAP out of them! I love having the opportunity to encourage people, and, believe it or not, being in front of the camera can sometimes make even the most confident folks clam up a little bit. By genuinely complimenting whoever’s in front of your camera, you will automatically boost their self-esteem. But again – make sure your compliments are genuine, because we all know what it’s like to receive a compliment that isn’t really genuine! Keep it real by pointing out something specific, like: “I love the pattern on your dress!” or “your hair color looks perfect against this backdrop!” or “the way you just naturally tucked your hair behind your ear was perfect! Would you mind doing that again?” Anything that can build the confidence of the person in front of your camera is a great way to go!

4. Take the time you need to recharge.

Introverts tend to recharge their batteries (or refill their bucket) by having alone time, so make sure you get the alone time you need after a wedding or portrait session! This might mean unwinding by watching a movie, Netflix series, reading a book, or taking a nap. I personally love to come home and edit a few sneak peeks while I watch a show (usually the Goldbergs or How I Met Your Mother!).

If you’re an introvert chasing a dream, limiting yourself like I was – I challenge you to try putting each of these three tips into action to see if they make a difference for you! And as always, share any tips you might have in the comments below – you never know who needs to know what you have to say!

Amy + Mike: Phipp's Conservatory Engagement

Everyone knows a couple who seem to be made for each other in every way. The chemistry is undeniable. Their love is contagious - Amy and Mike are one of those couples! I met up with these two at Phipp's Conservatory, where I heard all about Amy and Mike's love for Olive Garden breadsticks, Bravo, Rita's, and minions (ummmm, does it get much better than that?!)! We spent time walking around Phipp's and Schenley Park and caught some beautiful light during golden hour.

While we were walking, we came across a little cafe with tables and chairs - which I knew immediately we had to use, because one of Mike and Amy's favorite things to do together is to go out to eat (no wonder we connected so well! ;) ). I love finding ways to make slight nods to a couple's hobbies, loves, and interests! Without further ado, enjoy a few of my favorite images from Amy and Mike's Pittsburgh summer engagement session!

Meet Baby Violet: Emsworth Family Photographer

I had the privilege of visiting Miss Violet and her family just a few short weeks ago to document a little day in her life! This sweet little lady was born prematurely and with a few complications, but now she's over a month old and capturing everyone's hearts with her sweet smile and personality!

For Violet's session, we used a little inspiration from baby Emerson's newborn session (see it here!). We used quite a few different set ups in Violet's family's home, including the most beautiful little porch with the most beautiful windows. Caroline, Violet's mom, even had some different flowers and props set up and ready to go so we could easily jump from one spot to the next. I loved spending the day with this sweet family, and I hope you enjoy some of my favorite photos from their in-home session!

Abby & Ollie: The Inn at Stonecliffe (Mackinac Island) Wedding Photos

I think I went a little crazy with the number of photos I included from this wedding in this blog post, but I won't apologize! This wedding was so near and dear to my heart in so many ways. For one, I remember when Abby and Ollie started dating (we all attended the same middle school AND high school!) quite a number of years ago. Their personalities, ambitions, and values seemed to fit together seamlessly right from the start.

Then, a little over two years ago, I photographed their proposal AND engagement session (see it here!), and shortly thereafter, Abby asked if I would travel with them to Mackinac Island, Michigan to photograph the day they had waited years for. To say I was honored would be an understatement! Photographing someone's wedding is a huge honor, but being asked to travel nine hours to an island in Northern Michigan to photograph for my first destination wedding was a whole 'nother story!

So, two years after their engagement session, we traveled by car, ferry, and horse drawn carriage (no cars are allowed on the island!) to the beautifully quaint Inn at Stonecliffe on Mackinac Island - set two miles back into the island, away from the hustle and bustle of the main town. After spending the first few hours repeating over and over "I can't believe we're here!" to my husband, who joined me for the trip, we settled in for our first night in the mansion.

The next day (the day before the wedding), we photographed a day-before session (see it here!) on the coast of Mackinac because - why not?! When in Mackinac, you take all of the photos you can!

And finally it arrived - the wedding day. We began the day by photographing Abby's bridal details, moved on to a first look, then portraits around the Stonecliffe property, and then finally, the ceremony, which took place slightly overlooking the Mackinac bridge (which, fun fact, is 5 miles long). At the reception, Abby and Ollie incorporated some Mackinac favorites into their details - Mackinac Island is known for its fudge (they have nearly 15 fudge shops there!), so guests were treated to a box of fudge as a favor! Later that evening, we pulled the bride & groom out and stole a tandem bike (bikes are the main form of transportation on the island) to incorporate into their portraits. And then the evening ended with the most picturesque sunset!

This is a special one, and I think you'll be able to see why in the photos below. The love and joy these two have for each other radiated throughout their entire day, and I'm sure will continue to radiate throughout their married years together. Thank you for giving us the honor of photographing this day for you, Abby and Ollie! We love you guys!

Vendors:

Ceremony/Reception: The Inn at Stonecliffe

Hair/Makeup: Vintage Glam on Market

Florist: Weber's Floral & Gifts

Videographer: Scultped Films

Mackinac Island Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Lessons I Learned From Photographing My First Wedding

I used to look at wedding photographers and think they had the best, easiest job in the world. They show up, take some photos of some stuff that’s happening, go home, and send the files to their clients ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom – job done, with a couple hundred (or thousand) dollars in the bank!

Then, I photographed my first wedding.

I had no idea what the going rate was for wedding photography, so I charged a few hundred dollars, and when my first couple signed and sent in their contract, I felt great! “Easy money,” I thought to myself. “Now I can just focus on being creative!” I wish that was the only thing I had to think about.

In the few months leading up to my first wedding, I quickly realized that there were so many things I wasn’t prepared for. Did I have the right gear? How was I going to light a dark reception space? How was I going to know what was happening throughout the day and where to be? Was I going to have time to pee?!

I quickly started to realize that I was in way over my head – so I started doing everything I possibly could to prepare myself! I rented gear, contacted the bride for additional information about the day, told myself that I didn’t need to drink water on the wedding day (I’m pretty sure I was dehydrated that day). A few problems arose in my panicked state:

• I rented some “nice” gear, but I had no idea how to use it
• I rented a camera that took CF cards instead of SD cards and found myself having to purchase enough memory to hold a wedding from Best Buy the day before the wedding (I didn’t even know CF cards existed before that!)
• From everything that I had purchased and rented, I found that I actually lost a significant amount of money trying to be prepared

So, for anyone out there who might be interested in getting into wedding photography – I am SO excited for you!! Photographing weddings is so much fun – sometimes stressful – but being able to love on and encourage people through one of the best days of their lives (while photographing emotion and beautiful details) makes my job SO worth it! Here are a few lessons I learned from photographing my first wedding – take from this list what you feel will help YOU!

1.  Know your gear inside and out.

One of the worst things for me about that first wedding was how little I knew about my gear. I was used to shooting on one camera, but switched over to another more intricate camera for the wedding day without having much time to practice with it. What was the result? Me, fumbling around with my gear for the entire day instead of focusing on loving and serving my couple.

2.  Know how much it’s actually going to cost to photograph the wedding.

What are your expenses? Is there an extra piece of gear you need to purchase or rent in order to complete the job? Will you need to pay someone else to second shoot with you, or an assistant to help carry your bags? Will you be taking any toll roads to get to the venue?

3.  Clarify the terms of the agreement beforehand.

A few questions to ask yourself might be: How many hours of coverage will your couple be receiving? How many digital files (or print products) can they expect to receive as a result? Will you be editing the files? How will you be sending the files to your clients?

4.  Get all of the information you need beforehand so you don’t have to bother the bride the day of the wedding.

When you know what’s going on the day of the wedding, you can create a game plan to make sure you have enough time to get all of the important and requested photos. Being prepared is KEY!

5.  Drink some water and eat some food throughout the day – seriously!

This one might be just me, but at that first wedding – I didn’t eat or drink anything all day. In fact, my second shooter (who’s now my husband) literally had to force the camera out of my hand and hide it from me so I would sit down and eat something (because really, no guests want photos taken of them while they’re eating). It’s okay (and necessary) to take a little break when you’ve been shooting for 8 to 10 hours!

And above all – enjoy it, and go with the flow! Know that your job is so important, not only because you’re capturing what moments will be remembered for years and generations to come – you’re also capturing how they will be remembered. And that, my friends, is what makes this job such a special & unique one.

Andddddd in the spirit of transparency, I wanted to share a few images from the first wedding I ever photographed as the primary photographer four years ago (complete with my old crazy watermark and everything!)! I have to give a HUGE shout out to my first couple who trusted me to photograph their day - I can't thank you two enough for trusting me to photograph your day, especially when i was just starting out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Abby & Ollie: Mackinac Island Engagement Photos

I am so excited because today I'm sharing a little peek Abby and Ollie's wedding weekend on Mackinac Island in Michigan! I loved having the opportunity to photograph these two the day before their wedding on the shores of Mackinac. We traveled from The Inn at Stonecliffe (about two miles back into the island) by horse and buggy (this island is the coolest!!) to find the perfect spot along the coast. And on top of that - the midday light even cooperated so it wasn't too, too bright! I'm so excited to share more from their beautiful wedding weekend, but for now - here's a little peek into their day-before session!

The Peters Family: Pittsburgh Family Photography

I don't take many newborn sessions, which made this one all the sweeter and more special! Brooklyn was just over one week new when I visited her family to document one of her first few days in the world - and what an honor it was! Congratulations on your sweet new baby girl, Peters family!

Why I Can't Define Myself as a Photographer

When you first meet someone, what's one of the first questions you ask them? You might ask for their name, and then possibly what they do for a living. I recently started reading a book called "The i-Factor" by Van Moody, and it's completely changed the way I think about my identity.

I've found that so often we forget that we are more than the sum of our parts. I might define myself as a photographer, but I'm not defined by what I do. I'm learning that if I tie what I do too closely to who I am, I lose myself. And if what I do for a living ever changes - I'm in for a MAJOR life crisis. 

“I’m not defined by what I do. If I tie what I do too closely to who I am, I lose myself.”

I'm learning that I'm not just "Jenna the photographer." I'm Jenna - an encourager, someone who looks for the best in people, and someone who cares deeply about helping others feel loved. Those things won't change, and they can be carried with me into whatever I do.

Now - don't get the wrong idea here, I have absolutely NO intentions of quitting photography. In fact - just the opposite. I recently left my part-time job to pursue this crazy dream full time! But in that decision came fear - fear of losing part of who I was because I was giving up something I love almost as much as photography. But really - knowing who I am and defining myself apart from what I do is one of the first steps towards having the confidence to succeed!

I share this in hope to encourage anyone else who's chasing a dream out there, however big or small, and however far along in the process you are. Whatever you chase, be careful to define yourself by your "who" - then your "what" will fall into place.