5.21.23 Philadelphia Distinguished Gentlemans Ride

Thank you to J&J Studios for inviting me to cover the Distinguished Gentlemans Ride 2023. I was thrilled to join along for the ride to get some action shots of this incredible crew raising money for prostate cancer.

Six Tips to Prepare for Your College Graduation Photography Session

You've finally pulled the trigger and booked your graduation photo session! This really is an exciting process and I’m here to make everything go as smooth as possible. Some planning can make your session easier, give you confidence, and help you make the most of your session. Here’s my list of a few things to ensure you shine during your session.

• Plan Your Outfits Early: Graduation portraits are always done in April and May so plan your outfits in advance. A lot of folks like to wear white dresses and you get snag some great spring sales. Wear the cute shoes you’d like to have photos in so you can avoid having to wear heels or dress shoes come commencement. Note when your cap and gown will be in. You might have to borrow a gown for your session if you want your photos done early. Be sure to check with your University.

• Bring Props: Be sure to bring all your graduation apparel, the cap, gown, medallions, sashes. I love it when people bring props to add some variety to your session. Folks have brought everything from bubbles, balloons, champagne, scientific lab gear, to confetti poppers. Confetti poppers look really cute but please be mindful to bring one that is biodegradable and not harmful to the environment. With so many flowers around your campus, we can always find something fun to do.

• Put Together a Vision Board: Have a specific look or vision in mind? Take the time out to save some inspiration. Whether it be a Pinterest board or saved images from Pinterest, I’m happy to accommodate and build your ideas into our session.

• Rest and Hydrate: Self-care is self-love. Get plenty of rest beforehand so you feel refreshed and ready to go. Hydrated skin is healthy skin, so remember to drink water. The morning of your shoot, cleanse, tone, and moisturize as usual. Enjoy that glow!

• Tips and Tricks: Bobby pins and safety pins are a must-have for both your graduation photos and commencement. Bobby pins can be a game changer to ensure that your cap doesn’t fall off while you’re walking! They blend in nicely with your grad cap too. Safety pins can be used to clip back oversized clothes, keeping your sash in place, or to keep your master’s hood hood in place. Don’t forget your tassel, it goes on the right before your graduation and to the left after. We photograph with the tassel on the left, because you’ve earned your degree!

• The People You Owe It All To: Taking graduation photos with your family, friends, partner, (and pets!) in advance are a great way to ensure that you get professional photos of everyone together. The day of commencement is so hectic with so many people trying to grab photos - save the chaos and avoid distracting backgrounds and invite them to your shoot too.

Still looking for a photographer? There’s still time! Contact me.

3.17.23 St Patrick's Day Wedding at the Cescaphe Ballroom

3.17.23 Jill and Chris went all green for their St Patrick’s Day wedding. We started out getting ready at the Old City Marriott, one of my favorite hotels for photos. We jumped on a rustic trolley and visited a few of the most iconic Philly photo spots: City Hall, Merchant Exchange Building and the First Trust Bank for portraits and bridal party photos. We then made our way to the Cescaphe Ballroom, which was set for the ceremony! Tears were in the crowds eyes as Jill’s friend sang opera during to open the ceremony, as her brother walked her down the aisle. The ballroom itself has many photo opportunities, include the bar! I had the couple dance and pose on the bar, surrounded by candle light. The highlight of the night was certainly the flower cannon that shot pink and white pedals into the air during their first dance. Truly excited to send off this full gallery. Wishing these two lovely humans the best. xx

Close up of custom wedding cuff links with a dog on it.

11.6.22 Kristine & Robert at Kings Mills

You can't go wrong picking a wedding date in November! It has everything you want in a fall wedding, with temperate weather and the pop of the color changing leaves. It’s so hard to predict with the fall foliage will change, but this wedding fell on the perfect week! The woodsy area around Kings Mills Manor made a perfect orange backdrop for the ceremony. Kristine’s dad decided to officiate the wedding, which left everyone with big smiles. Post ceremony we captured portraits and had a lot of fun playing with the long cathedral veil. We ended the night with a sparkler send off, and sent the couple off to the happiest of tomorrows.