Kaleigh and Andrew College of the Holy Cross Engagement Photographs

When Kaleigh and Andrew reached out to me to schedule their upcoming engagement session, it was a no-brainer where we would go. I mean, what better location than College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, the exact place where they first met? 

Kaleigh and Andrew first met while attending College of the Holy Cross their freshman year. It took a couple years but they started dating and have now decided they are going to spend the rest of their lives together.

I think my favorite part about this shoot was when they both told their story to a group of girls who are currently attending the college. It was evident on both of Kaleigh and Andrews faces how in love and excited they were to be  starting the process to move on to the next stage in their lives.

These two will be getting married soon, and I cannot wait to hear all the details about how their wedding day goes. Good luck on all the planning and thanks for letting me be a part of this journey toward your marriage! 

Amelia's First Birthday Cake Smash

Hey Guys!

Let me begin by saying that I had the greatest time doing the session I'm about to post. This was the second time I've worked with the Amelia and I loved every minute of it. 

What other times in your life other than your first birthday can you just enjoy smashing and making a mess with a delicious cake. Clearly, Sam and Tim have done an amazing job during Amelia's first year. Hopefully I'll get to work with them all in the future again. 

Dreams Punta Cana Warriner Destination Wedding

Endless skies, azure water lapping at the shoreline, sandy beaches, and sunshine warming you up from your head to your toes... Sounds like a dream, yeah? Well, that was the recipe for Kayla and Dan’s wedding held at Dreams Resort Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Obviously, it was a perfect, photo-worthy day:

Kayla wore a lovely wedding dress that fit seamlessly into the sand and blue skies, and I love that Dan wore casual khakis and sandals that fit the setting perfect. 

And I know what you’re thinking… what kind of shoes does a bride wear to a beach wedding? Definitely not heels… The answer is: Barefoot sandals that were as stylish as they were  practical!

My only question now is… when can we go back?! But seriously, congratulations Kayla and Dan! May your future be filled with beaches and days as glorious as this! 
 

Choosing the best way to display photos in your home

Now that your session is over, it’s time to decide where you are going to put your photos and what will look best in your home. 

Canvas – Canvas prints are a great way to get large affordable photos on display in your home. We offer beautiful canvases stretched over varying thicknesses of wood to make it stand out more or less depending on your preference. These photos are free-floating and do not require a frame.

Framed on Wall – Dress your photos up with stylish frames to match your home décor. All our framed photos are done by a professional framing company.We offer a variety of print sizes for you to choose from. Contact us for more details and we can get a custom frame that is designed specifically for you.

*When hanging photos on your wall (framed or canvas) you can choose to hang a single photo, or a group of photos in a collage to change it up. 

Framed on Shelves, Desks, Tables – If you are renting or don’t want to put holes in your walls from prints or canvases, you can also frame your prints and place them on shelves, desks, or tables around your home. (You can do this in addition to the wall hangings if you’d like.)

Photo Boxes – Customized photo boxes are totally in! These are very popular among our clients. This is a great way to display your photos, and you can keep more prints inside or use them as a keepsake box to house your precious memories.

Wall Calendars – Enjoy your photos all year long with these beautiful wall calendars!

Albums/Coffee Table Books – If you just can’t pick out a few photos to display in your home and you need more space, you can always get an album printed up and place it on your coffee table or bookshelf. Pull it out and look through it to remember how fun your session was, and how much your family loves each other. Books are a great way to sit down with family and reminisce about your life around the time the photos were taken.

How to Get Real, Genuine Smiles From Your Kids

Kids are completely unpredictable. They can be adorable and laughing uncontrollably one minute, and the next minute, turn that charm off completely. They will typically smile for you all day long until you put them in front of a camera, then they freeze up like a deer in headlights. We want to avoid the gritted teeth and bug-eyed forced smiles during our session. 

Here are some things you can do: 

• Make a list of things that your child thinks are funny and send it to us prior to the session. This way, we can be prepared and add these things into our bag of tricks. 
• Give us a list of icebreakers for your child. Tell us the kinds of shows they watch, music they listen to, friends’ names, favorite story, etc. This will give us something to talk to them about, and will help them forget they’re in front of the camera.
• Practice phrases at home to see which ones evoke the best smiles from your child. (Please, oh please, avoid “Say cheese!” unless that really works for you child.) 
• Try out a couple of jokes with them. During the session, we can ask them to tell us a joke and this will typically loosen them up as they tell it to us.
• If there is a song that your child loves, load it up to your phone and bring it along with you, or be prepared to sing it for them during the session.
• Prepare a bribe (such as a toy, a trip to the zoo, etc.) and show it to them, or remind them of it, during the session.

Getting a good smile can help make the session more enjoyable for everyone involved and these simple tips will help that happen. What do you do to get your children to smile? Let me know in the comments!

7 Tips to Prepare for your Fall Photo Session

Fall is one of the most popular seasons of the year for portrait sessions. Nature is doing its thing with all those vibrant colors, plus you get a chance to really play up your wardrobe with accessories in the crisp weather.

1. Make use of accessories and clothing that play up the "fall" feeling. For example, leather boots, cable knit scarves and comfy cardigans look amazing on the whole family and can really bring a picture to life. Tip: neutrals do really well in the fall against all that foliage. 

2. Timing is everything. Start paying attention to that shift in weather as summer melts into fall. Once the leaves start changing, call us up and book a session. I know that I like to plan fall sessions, so chances are I've got a session ready for you. 

3. Location is everything. If it's fall, you better believe we're playing outside in the gorgeous weather. I have a lot of locations to choose from that have particularly pretty backdrops. I'm also open to your suggestions. 

4. Plan for a mid-afternoon to early-evening session, when the light is just gorgeous. The days are shorter in the fall, so we need to plan accordingly to get that golden hour light.

5. Play in the environment. Chances are there are leaves on the ground or a few buds lingering around. I may have you throw leaves up into the air or something similar. Remember, this shoot is all about capturing your family bond and having fun, so let loose and get into the season! 

6. Pack the necessities. It can get chilly in fall, so you may want to bring some necessities on hand. I recommend a lip balm, moisturizer, warm packs for your hands, tissues, and, of course, warm apparel. 

7. Wear comfortable shoes and accessories. Since we're going to be outside, we'll probably do lots of walking. If those boots look amazing, but kill your feet, scratch them. If the scarf looks adorable on Timmy, but it's scratches his face and makes him unhappy, it's better left at home.

Mount Wachusett Delmore Wedding

Hello! 

I've got another beautiful wedding for you guys today! The happy couple consists of Jen and Chris Delmore, two people that anyone would love to know. 

Their wedding day was truly breathtaking. Getting married on Mount Wachusett with an incredible view behind them was very fitting for this active and outdoor loving couple.

We had a lot of fun taking wedding pictures, as well. They decided to not see each other until Jen was walking down the aisle. 

The wedding was on a lookout from Mount wachusett, the reception was at the base of Mount Wachusett. 

The Delmore's were such a delight to work with and I wish them many wonderful years to come.