5 Reasons to Consider a Morning Photo Session

Photographing people on location with natural light is a bit of a science. A session in the middle of the day could lead to harsh light and dark shadows under the eyes of the subject, while a session close to sunrise or sunset creates an opportunity for soft, even light that flatters any subject in front of the camera.

While about 90% of all of my sessions take place in the evening (close to sunset), one of my absolute FAVORITE times to shoot is in the morning. So, why might you want to consider scheduling a morning session timeslot opposed to an evening one? Well, for one…

1.  If you’re a morning person, a morning session might be the perfect fit for you (and possibly more enjoyable!)!

If you’re already a morning person, why not have your photo taken in the morning?! I’m a BIG fan of getting the most important things crossed off my to do list early in the day – and having your photo session done in the morning will let you have the remainder of your day to work or play! Which leads me to my next point…

2.  You’ll be all ready to go for the day – looking gorgeous from the start!

I don’t know why this bothers me so much, but I really dislike “getting ready” near the end of the day (aka doing 20 minutes of hair and makeup – ha!). I love being able to get ready in the morning and then have my hair and makeup last throughout the entirety of the day. The great thing about having your photo session in the morning? You can do just that! After your session, you’ll be looking real nice for the remainder of the day – so (unless you have work or school!) plan something fun to do afterwards so you can get a bit more longevity out of your look!

3.  You could go out to BREAKFAST afterwards!

Something fun you COULD do is go to breakfast afterwards! Going out to breakfast is literally one of my favorite things in the world, which is why I had to mention it. And really, having your photos taken in the morning means you’ll probably need a little fuel for the rest of the day – no better excuse to stop over to First Watch or Bartram House Bakery! (Or wherever your favorite breakfast place might be ;) ).

4.  You might be able to miss just the first hour or so of work or school.

Sometimes, weekday photo sessions mean you might have to miss a little bit of work at the end of the day. But depending on how early you’re willing to have your photos taken, we might be able to get your photo session in before work or school (this depends on the time of year and how early the sun rises). Whatever the case, missing just a little bit of work or school in the morning can be better than missing half a day in the afternoon!

5.  The light is killer.

Morning light might just be my favorite. Something about it is so soft and sweet – even though sunset light is always gorgeous, I’ve created some of my favorite images using morning light!

Lingrow Farms: Favorite Pittsburgh Wedding Venues

In the very first feature of this new blog segment titled “venue highlights,” I’m excited to introduce you to one of my favorite venues: Lingrow Farms! I’ve had the privilege to photograph two drop-dead-gorgeous weddings at Lingrow Farms, and I always walk away from Lingrow weddings so incredibly excited to go back!

In these venue highlights, I want to share some of my favorite attributes of each venue when it comes specifically to photos – mainly, why I love shooting there, how picturesque the venue is from a photographer’s point of view, and how rain could affect your wedding photos at each venue. My hope is to help viewers see the potential of each wedding venue I highlight specifically from a photography perspective so you can ensure that your photos will be gorgeous!

Picturesque:

This category is self explanatory, because if you’ve ever seen photos from Lingrow Farms, it’s easy to see how gorgeous their venue really is! When it comes to taking photos there, everything is beautiful! From the getting ready locations (the Carriage House & Farm House) to the outdoor ceremony location in front of the pond (with horses in the background, of course!) to the rustic reception barn, to so many other locations in between – there is so much opportunity for gorgeous photography!

Rain Plan:

When choosing a wedding venue, it’s always important to consider a rain plan – for me, I always tend to consider: is it still possible to get beautiful photos at this venue in the case of inclement weather? And at Lingrow, it most certainly is! There are a few covered and indoor areas that would make it fairly easy to still get beautiful photos at this location. For instance: the carriage house, the covered outdoor wedding pavilion (usually the ceremony spot), the reception barn (there are overhangs that can be used to still get that natural light look!) as well as the farm house itself, with lots of beautiful nooks and crannies inside.

Other Mentionables:

When I was a bride back in August of 2015, one of the non negotiable items when choosing where to have our ceremony and reception was that everything had to happen on the same property. I wanted to get ready where my ceremony and reception would be because I had seen from photographing weddings how much more at ease my couples were when everything happened in the same place! No need to worry about driving from one place to the next, losing people in traffic or being late, because everything was right in the same place! That is yet another reason why I LOVE Lingrow Farms. The bride, groom, and entire bridal party can all get ready ON property, then just walk outside to the ceremony and into the barn for the reception. Talk about easy!

If you are a bride who is looking into Lingrow Farms as a potential wedding venue, I would love to chat with you more! Feel free to email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com with any questions you might have!

8 Uses for Your Engagement Photos

Having your engagement photos taken is one thing, but doing something with them is a whole ‘nother story! It can be easy to have your engagement photos taken, maybe use them for a save the date, then put them in a drawer. (I know the feeling – it took me a year to print my engagement photos after we had them taken, besides our save the dates!). So, I made a little list of a few of my favorite ways I’ve seen my clients use their photos to inspire a little creativity!

1.   CREATE SAVE THE DATE CARDS.

 Truth be told, this is why most people have their engagement photos taken, but I think it’s worth mentioning any way! Save the dates can come in so many unique varieties personalized to you and your significant other. Instead of just creating a card with a photo, you could go with a bookmark, a magnet, or even a sticker for someone to put right on their calendar!

2.  DESIGN A WEDDING GUEST BOOK.

Most certainly one of my FAVORITE ways to see engagement photos used! A wedding guest book is the perfect way to feature lots of photos from your session and knock out something on your wedding to-do list.

3.  MAKE SOME GIANT PRINTS OR CANVASES!

This might be another more obvious thing to do with engagement photos, but it’s one that doesn’t always necessarily happen. Printing out your photos is the best way to preserve your memories to hang around your house as daily encouragement. Plus – a giant canvas of an engagement photo looks AMAZING right outside the doors of your wedding reception!

4.  DESIGN A WEDDING WEBSITE.

Engagement photos are perfect to use on a wedding website. Pro tip: wear colors for your engagement session that compliment your actual wedding colors to build a cohesive look throughout your wedding website!

5.  USE THEM AS "THANK YOU" CARDS (OR POSTCARDS) FOR YOUR SHOWER.

How easy (and how much cheaper!) would it be to use one of your engagement photos on the back of a postcard for thank you cards for your shower?!

6.  GIVE THEM AS GIFTS TO PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND RELATIVES.

Christmas, birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day – whatever you can think of, your next holiday is covered! Sentimental gifts are always a win with relatives. One of my personal favorites to make for my relatives is a Christmas ornament! (I also love to make at least one photo Christmas ornament for myself each year to commemorate whatever took place that year!)

7.  USE THEM AS DECORATION FOR YOUR SHOWER OR WEDDING DAY.

Get the most use out of those photos by actually using them in your shower and wedding décor! Framed prints and canvases integrate beautifully into any wedding style or theme.

8.  MAKE PHOTO STAMPS OUT OF THEM!

This is one of my FAVORITES and one of the most unique uses I’ve seen! Before I saw Rachel and Paul’s stamps (below) on their save the dates, I didn’t even realize you could make customized stamps from something like engagement photos! Customized stamps are a great way to add a little personalized touch to your save the dates, shower invites, thank yous, or wedding invites!

What are some other ways you plan on using (or have used) your engagement photos? Is there anything you would add to the list?

Meghan J: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

Thankful for seniors who aren't afraid of rain! 💪 It's not everyone's style, but it sure can get you some unique photos, and Meghan was totally up for it!! We loved hanging out with this incredibly smart lady yesterday evening at Hartwood Acres and were SO impressed by her post-high school dream of attending Harvard or Brown University. Meghan loves ice cream, is going to Nationals for debate (yas girl!) and has been to a ton of different countries (most recently Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic!). You are going to do great things, Meghan!

Favorite Books for Personal & Creative Growth

If you were a late nineties or early two-thousands kid, you might remember the school book program where reading a certain number of books would earn you your own personal pan pizza. Oh my gosh, I LIVED for that challenge because it included two of my all time favorite things: books and pizza. I already LOVED to read as a young child, but adding in pizza to the mix was like the cherry on top of the sundae (or maybe the pepperoni on top of the pizza??) Regardless, it was amazing!

Throughout the years as I became busier and busier in high school and college, my love for reading became more of a duty to read. Classes, after school activities, and part time jobs put my love for reading on the back burner (or at least for reading books that I actually wanted to!) until about midway through college. Then I read a book that catapulted me back into my love for reading: “Start” by Jon Acuff, a simple book about starting something you love. At the time, I was starting to take my business more seriously as a real source of income and purpose (and not just as a hobby), and this book hit me right where I needed to be hit to get off my butt and actually pursue this thing - which, today, happens to be my full time job.

I realized after reading that book how important reading was to me, and once again, my love was sparked again. I’m not the most consistent reader, as I’ve only read anywhere from 4 to 8 books per year for the last 5 years, but nevertheless, my love for knowledge still remains.

There are some books I’ve read over the past few years that have completely changed my view on the world, on my work, and on what I’ve been called to do and pursue, and today I’d love to share them with you!

1. "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown

This book HAD to be first on my list because it was such a game changer for me. Brene Brown has dubbed herself as a “shame researcher,” which basically means that she talks to people about shame, guilt, love, insecurity, security, and all of the topics that fall under that general umbrella. In this book, Brene uses cold hard facts mixed with emotional vulnerability as a guide to experience “a wholehearted life” to help readers “let go of who they’re supposed to be and embrace who they are.” This book helped me see my struggles with insecurity and self-doubt in the face of truth, and for that, I am eternally thankful! If you're interested, check it out and/or buy it here!

2. "The Best Yes" by Lysa Terkeurst

Do you have trouble saying no? I know I do, and back whenever I was first recommended to read this book by a friend, I wasn’t sure if I actually wanted to stop. I remember thinking what’s so bad about saying no if I’m chasing my dream/passion? How can I say no and still pursue what I love and what I’ve been called to do? Won’t I come off as a jerk? Well, Lysa goes through all of this and more! This book really is a must-read if you struggle with being a people-pleaser and with saying “yes” because you just don’t know how or when to say no! Interested? Check it out here!

3. "Creative Confidence" by Tim Kelley & David Kelley

One of my favorite parts about this book is the vast amount of case studies Tim and David offer, as well as their belief that everyone, regardless of job title, position, or career path, has the ability to foster incredible amounts of creative confidence. They inspire readers to think outside of themselves by using empathy to build services, products, experiences, and teams that not only are outside of the box, but all of the way on the other side of the room! This book is a must-read for everyone who wants to develop more creative confidence. Check it out here!

4. "Love Does" by Bob Goff

I read this book for the first time in February of 2018 and literally cannot stop thinking about it. This book is a collection of stories about how Jesus has worked in Bob Goff’s life. It was such a challenge to me to love people more openly and fiercely, regardless of their background or issues. We all have issues; we all have struggles. And Bob demonstrates how important it is to love people in today’s world. It’s just amazing.

And BECAUSE this book is so amazing, I've it's being lent out to someone else and I don't have a photo of it - ha! But if you'd like to see the book and read a little bit more about it, check out the link below!

5. "Girlboss" by Sophia Amoruso

If you want to be inspired to chase your dream, then this book is a must-read (especially if you’re a female)! Sophia talks about her life story and journey from rebel to CEO of an incredibly successful online clothing business, giving practical advice along the way for how the reader can follow their dream and pursue their passion along the way. I try to read this book at least once a year because it’s just that inspiring to me! Buy it here!

Shelby & Anthony: Mount Washington Pittsburgh Proposal

There are not many Saturdays where I don't already have a wedding or session scheduled, but somehow, Anthony contacted me the week before he was planning on proposing to Shelby and I had NOTHING going on! To say I was PUMPED to photograph Anthony proposing to his girlfriend of seven years was an understatement!! These high school sweethearts met as a freshman and sophomore and have been dating ever since (much like my husband and I, who met our freshman and sophomore year, too!)

Throughout the week, we planned out the proposal, and Anthony decided on the platform of Duquesne Incline for the big moment. I stood towards the back of the platform, pretending to take photos of the Pittsburgh skyline as I watched for them from behind my camera and darted in and out of the incline building between bouts of rain. Thankfully, Shelby had absolutely no idea who I was, so I was able to hide in the open!

The pair meandered around the platform, taking photos, before Anthony stopped Shelby right in the middle of the platform, pulled out a ring box, and got down on one knee. I remember Shelby saying "you're really doing this right now!" as he slid the ring onto her finger and the crowd of people behind them erupted into applause and shouts of congratulations!

After I introduced myself to Shelby, we ran around Mount Washington for a few more photos before Anthony's second surprise for Shelby - a dinner reservation at the Le Mont Restaurant, with the most spectacular city views!

Shelby and Anthony, aside from being SO easy to get along with, are incredibly kind, joyful, and truly seem like the best of friends. It was such an honor to document this moment for you both! Congratulations, you two!!

Spring Mini Sessions 2018 Recap

One of my favorite books I've read recently is entitled "Love Does" by Bob Goff. If you've never had the privilege of hearing or reading this man's words, I HIGHLY recommend checking him out! Bob's mission is simply to love the people around him extravagantly - and not just the people who make it easy to love them, but the people who are tough to love - the people who annoy us, get under our skin, make us want to bang our head against a wall - you catch my drift. Anyways, while reading this book, I came across a story that totally blew me away.

One teeny tiny important detail you have to know about Bob Goff is that he is the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Uganda, and that his book "Love Does" is actually the name of his nonprofit that starts schools in areas of the world that are in unrest - like Uganda, Iraq, Iran, etc. One of the stories in his book details the first time he started one of these schools with his friend. They sent out, like a bajillion letters, telling parents and families that they were going to open a school for their kids, and only a few came. I think the number was between three and five (it's been a while since I read this book!) But really, it's not the exact numbers that matter in this case, just the HUGE difference between how many flyers they had sent out and how many kids had actually showed up.

What do you think his and his friend's response would have been? If it were me, I probably would've sulked. Why the heck did only three people show up! All those flyers with such little payoff. How do I know that would be my response? Because, truthfully, I was tempted to feel that way with these mini sessions, which were halfway booked. My immediate response was to be annoyed. Upset. To let myself feel like I had failed. But then I remembered this story, and I was challenged when I remembered that that was NOT Bob's response:

Bob had a freakin' field day. I remember him saying something in the book like they were too busy fist bumping and shouting for joy that they got ANY kids to come to even think about being disappointed that more hadn't shown up. This man decided that those kids were the exact kids that God had wanted he and his friend to love that day. And you know what's really awesome? God blessed their faithfulness with what they were given and grew that school over the years into hundreds. And now there are multiple schools in multiple countries just like that first one.

Who are we to think that what we've been given isn't enough? Maybe it's actually exactly what God wants us to have. Maybe it's what we're supposed to have. And maybe we're just called to love the people that God puts in front of us - whether it's one person or one hundred people.

So, what does this long introduction have to do with this mini session post? I'm glad you asked 😉

When not a ton of people jumped on these sessions, I was a little bummed - slightly disappointed. I was tempted to feel like I had failed because these time slots weren't overflowing with people. But then - I remembered Bob's response, and I realized how incredibly BLESSED I was to be able to serve and love on these three families who were trusting me with the honor of photographing the people they loved most. And I don't say that just to say it - I truly feel that God brought exactly who he wanted to be here to these sessions!

To the families who I had the honor of working with - THANK YOU! I was blessed by each one of you and am SO thankful to be able to continue loving on you all!

And if you're interested in reading the book that inspired this post, click here! My husband, also an avid Bob Goff fan, wrote a bit about Bob's content and it's awesome! Check it here!

My Favorite Lenses (Canon)

I think it's safe to say that every photographer has a favorite lens or two - or, at the very least, a lens or two they use more than the others to achieve a specific look and feel!

There are TWO lenses that I use most often when I'm photographing weddings, engagement sessions, senior sessions, and family sessions - both of them have been strong work horses for me and help me achieve the look and style that I have created for my brand! The first lens is my favorite (and one that I love so much that I actually have two of, just in case something happens to one of them!):

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 art dg hsm for Canon

What I Love:

The thing I love MOST about this lens is how versatile it is! I use this 50mm for senior portraits, couples, wedding details, and pretty much everything in between to achieve a sharp focus point with a dreamy-creamy background. I used to use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM, but I've actually found this one to be more reliable when it comes to lens sharpness and overall image quality.

What I Use it For Most:

I use this lens most for portraits, especially for close up senior portraits. I love to set the aperture to the widest it will go (f/1.4) and completely knock out the background of my photos - or at least, create a dreamy affect!

Sample Photos:

If you're searching for a more cost effective way to test out this focal length, I would recommend giving the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens a try. Priced at $125, it's a great way to try out the 50mm focal length at a reduced price! (This lens isn't as sharp or as fast as the Sigma 50mm 1.4 ART, but for those just starting out, this is a great lens to try!) And if you'd like to go a step up from the 1.8, give the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens a try! It's a bit more expensive and a step up in quality from the Canon 50mm f/1.8.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon

What I Love:

This lens is another one of my favorites for its far reach, which is something I especially love when photographing couples! I love having the option to back super far off from a couple, but still get those intimate, close up shots while they're interacting, or even wider shots that are clear and crisp!

Another thing I love about this lens is how SHARP it is. This is by far the sharpest lens I have ever owned!

What I Use it for Most:

I definitely use this lens most for couples and for wedding ceremonies so I can stay as far back as possible! I also love being able to create wider shots by manipulating backgrounds and scenes with this lens through lens compression, which is when elements in the background of a photo appear larger and closer to the subject (almost compressed looking, opposed to looking at the scene through a wider lens or with the naked eye), resulting in a different sort of composition.

Sarah + Mike: Armstrong Farms Wedding Photos

A year ago, I photographed a wedding at the White Barn for two awesome people - Brian and Rachel (click here to see their wedding photos!), the brother and sister-in-law of Mike, who just so happened to be the best man. Shortly after, Sarah, Mike's fiance, reached out to me saying that the two of them were getting married, planning a wedding, and would love for us to capture it! And of course, I was so excited to work with this amazing family again!!

A few months later, we scheduled an engagement session for Sarah and Mike (see those photos here!) which they TOTALLY ROCKED in the heat and humidity (which was a whopping 100%!!). I feel like I learned so much about these two during their session just through the way they interacted with each other. So loving, so kind, so gentle. So, so in love. (You know a couple is truly in love when they snuggle together in 100% humidity!)

Thankfully, though, their wedding day was much less humid - almost the perfect temperature, actually. From the moment I stepped inside the farmhouse where Sarah and bridesmaids were getting ready, I knew it was going to be an amazing day. The whole day, including her bridal details, were sprinkled with meaningful details that pointed back to the couple's story. Her bridal details alone included: a ring from the bride's grandma, a cork from the champagne bottle popped at their rehearsal dinner, and lace to be wrapped around the bride's bouquet from a friend who also wrapped it around hers. Perfection.

After getting ready, Sarah and her dad placed roses on chairs in the ceremony space for a few relatives who watched the day unfold from above. It was an incredibly thoughtful and emotional moment!

From Armstrong Farm's Fieldstone Farm, we journeyed over to where Mike and his groomsmen were getting ready (Westminster Farm) for an intimate first look between the bride and groom, followed by bridal party photos around the property and in the barn, followed by the ceremony overlooking the rolling hills of Pennsylvania and a cocktail hour featuring some Cinco de Mayo inspired food and beverage holders! After a bit of celebrating, we stole these two out into one of the fields for just a few more photos!

I am so excited to share Sarah and Mike's beautiful day!

Vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Armstrong Farms

Florals: Crystal Robinson of Darlington Flower Co.

Cake: Main Street Bake Shop

DJ: Pittsburgh All Stars

Makeup: Brazil Raine

Hair: Profiles Salon

Bride's Dress: from MB Bride by Rebecca Ingram

Bridesmaid Dresses: Azazie

Invitations: Minted

Linens: Lendable Linens

Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer: Jenna Hidinger Photography

Second Photographer: Kim Tryon, Kim Hadden Photography

Wedding Photography Bucket List

We all have those crazy, far fetched dreams - bucket list items, if you will - that don’t seem real until you put them out into the world. The more I’m alive the more I realize how much of a team sport life is - I’m learning over and over that I can’t do it all on my own. Sure, that might seem obvious to some who are naturally awesome team players, but the control-freak inside of me wants to do it all on my own. I think starting a business points to the fact that, sometimes, you have to be willing to do it all on your own.

But that doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

And it doesn’t mean I have to stay there.

So today, I want to share one of my huge wedding photography dreams with you! If you’ve been following along on the blog or over on Instagram, you might’ve caught onto the fact that my husband and I are BIG Disney fans. We’ve gone a total of three times since we’ve been married (don’t worry, we’re still big time killing our debt!), and we’ll have only been married for three years in August. We talk about going other places for vacation, but somehow, we always seem to end up asking each other, “what if we just went to Disney?!?”

You might be wondering, what does Disney have to do with your wedding photography dream?

Well… the current biggest item on my wedding photography bucket list is to photograph a wedding on Disney property. At one of the resorts, or in the parks - but, the ultimate dream would be to photograph a wedding at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort!

We recently went down to Orlando (February of 2018) and for the last few days of our trip, we treated ourselves to a few nights at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. It wasn’t the first time we had stayed there (actually, it was the third!) but every time we walk away loving it more and more. And GUESS WHAT:

One evening as we were strolling around on the Boardwalk at twilight, eating some free ice cream samples (we might be able to afford staying at the cheapest room at the Boardwalk by a hair but affording the food is a whole ‘nother story!) I saw a white vision out of the corner of my eye and whipped around to see a bride, a groom, and a photographer all walking towards the “Dance Hall” reception venue on the boardwalk. I immediately told Nick “we’re following them” and as he started to protest how much of a creep I was being (which, I totally admit, I was) I pulled him along with me and we walked behind the threesum all the way to their venue, watching as they stopped to take photos against the gorgeous Boardwalk Bay along the way.

I was being a little bit of a creep, but I realized something that night: how much I want to photograph a wedding at the Boardwalk. It seems a little silly to even type because I know how much of a long shot it is without family or friends in the area to pass along my name, but nonetheless - it’s still a dream, and if it’s meant to be, it will be!

I also thought this would be the perfect time to share a few of my favorite photos from our anniversary photo session at the Boardwalk for our first year of marriage (taken in November of 2016). Enjoy (and see some of the little reasons why we love the Boardwalk so much!)