A first birthday is a great time to schedule a portrait session. Our babies learn and grow so much over the first year, so there is so much to celebrate! And while you’re at it, it’s a great opportunity to update your family portrait, which is exactly what this sweet family did. I’ll start of with this photo of the big and little sister – how precious to have a photograph of these two to look back on?
Bubbles are a favorite activity for little ones during sessions and this big sister was pleased to help with the bubble-making!
Little ones learning to walk is pretty high up there in my list of favorite things to photograph. So proud!
And Cranberry Woods has these amazing paths through the woods that make for great and safe walking shots. No roots to trip on!
We stepped a little farther into the woods for this family portrait.
This mama wanted to document her daughter’s first taste of cake and even made the cake herself! Very impressive!
While this little sweetie was timid, she definitely enjoyed her cake!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2018-05-18 15:13:402018-05-18 15:14:20Cranberry Family Portraits: First Birthdays and Celebrating Milestones
I had the pleasure of photographing my nieces a few weeks ago while visiting my family in Central PA and these sweet girls and their mama were so ready for this photo shoot! That’s one of the many things that makes photographing little girls so much fun – they enjoy the process. Even the youngest enjoyed her time in front of the camera!
One of the challenges we faced was that their preferred location for group shots was an enclosed garden with limited access – think banker’s hours. While you can photograph portraits anytime of day outside, there really are just two ideal times of day: within an hour or two after sunrise or an hour or two before sunset. For this first set of photos, we didn’t have that option, but were blessed with overcast skies at 4 p.m.! Hallelujah!
The sun peeked out again toward the end of our time in the garden, so we ducked under this pagoda for softer light.
After sunrise or before sunset, the light is softer and lower, which is beautiful and means less unflattering squinting and shadows. AND it’s more forgiving for the photographer because while I’m shooting in manual mode, I don’t have to make as many adjustments for the light and can focus on staying with my client and capturing emotion and personality. For their individual portraits, we were able to do just that at a public location closer to sunset.
And the following morning, just after sunrise, we did another mini session with this sweetheart who just turned one!
My talented sister is a blessing to her daughters in so many ways, but one way that she completely outshines any other mom I know is the birthday parties she throws. Just look at these handmade flowers for her littlest daughter’s first birthday party! What a fun backdrop for a few portraits in their own home!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2018-05-16 12:46:082018-05-16 12:46:08Spring Siblings Session: Timing is Everything
I love photographing babies simply swaddled or dressed in a basic onsie. It’s funny how when a parent is getting ready for their baby to arrive, it’s so much fun to shop for their clothes and get all of the warm, fuzzy feelings that go with anticipating our baby wearing them. So when I suggest dressing a baby simply for my sessions, I know that’s hard to do as a parent. We are so excited for our baby to be photographed and there are so many outfits to choose from, but I think this recent session illustrates how lovely and timeless a simple swaddle or onsie can be.
One of the benefits of dressing a baby simply is that you don’t have to do an outfit change, which irritates most babies and by going with a soft onsie or swaddle, the baby is comfortable and more likely happy. This little guy sure way.
Even their dog was super relaxed!
They had great window light on the landing of their stairs, so we made a quick stop on our way up to the nursery.
More great window light in the nursery too! Just love these images of mama with her baby.
And dad gets a turn too.
When you’re a baby, yawning is adorable.
This might be one of my favorite shots of the session. Just look how this little sweetie is studying his dad!
This last one pretty much sums up how meaningful this time can be. Two adoring parents and a brand new baby, what a great start to this family’s story!
I’ve been blessed to photograph this two-year old sweetheart since he was 4-months old and it has been a treat to photograph his family over the last two years. I love their desire to document their little guy’s development and that they’re not coming to the session with an expectation that he’ll want to sit and pose. Because when you’re two, you’re always on the move, unless your napping that is. I’ve learned with my own sons that it’s best to try and capture the moment rather than try to force a vision and I’m seeing more families opt for less stress and go for a lifestyle approach. I think you’ll see, it’s more authentic and so rewarding to get shots that show our child’s personality.
We met at Avonworth Community Park off of Camp Horne Road. It has a great playground for little ones to explore.
This little cutie loved the swings, so we spent a good bit of our time capturing him swinging with his parents taking turns pushing.
And then he wanted his friend Mickey to swing too!
He also liked this tree which had perfectly low branches for climbing.
While lifestyle photography aims at capturing moments, getting a family portrait is definitely on my mental checklist. It may not be posed and depending on the situation, I might have a stuffed Mickey Mouse on my head! It worked.
What a great way to start the morning!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2018-04-27 15:07:052018-04-27 15:07:05Lifestyle Sessions: A Great Choice for Young Families
I have been waiting to photograph this session since before my friend was pregnant—I just knew she’d be a good mom and was so excited when she shared her news with me! Well, the session was just as delightful as I had anticipated. Actually better, thanks to this mama trusting her gut instinct!
This little sweetheart has been having tummy issues and just wasn’t feeling good, so her mommy new it would be best to reschedule. And thankfully with the prayers and support of her friends and the wisdom of her doctor, this sweet baby is feeling so much better! Her mom said she was uncomfortable most of the time, so for her baby to go from being mostly unhappy to only crying when she needed something was a huge blessing!
I just love the personality of this sweet girl at just over two months!
She even smiles for her first family portrait! Disclaimer: this is not the norm for any newborn, but being slightly older helps!
After a few portraits by the light of the front door and some of them on the couch, we moved to mom and dad’s bedroom which had lots of lovely natural light. Isn’t this a sweet scene? Watching your baby sleep is such a joy!
And I like this image too because while it could seem like it should be an out-take, my friend is looking at her husband to see his reaction. It was a moment where I feel like she was thinking, “should I pinch myself? Is this real?” I should ask her if that was what she was thinking, but I think that’s part of a natural response to becoming a parent.
We moved this little sweetie three times during her nap and she would rouse each time, but her mama had all of the soothing tricks down and could easily help her baby fall back asleep.
When they were pregnant, they chose not to find out the baby’s gender and decorated the nursery with an outer space theme. What a beautiful and creative idea to inspire their little girl as she explores her world!
My friend has many talents and this planetary mobile is one of her many inspiring creations!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2018-03-16 12:22:152018-03-16 12:22:15Pittsburgh Newborn Session: Knowing When to Reschedule
Cranberry Family Portraits: First Birthdays and Celebrating Milestones
/by kmillerA first birthday is a great time to schedule a portrait session. Our babies learn and grow so much over the first year, so there is so much to celebrate! And while you’re at it, it’s a great opportunity to update your family portrait, which is exactly what this sweet family did. I’ll start of with this photo of the big and little sister – how precious to have a photograph of these two to look back on?
Bubbles are a favorite activity for little ones during sessions and this big sister was pleased to help with the bubble-making!
Little ones learning to walk is pretty high up there in my list of favorite things to photograph. So proud!
And Cranberry Woods has these amazing paths through the woods that make for great and safe walking shots. No roots to trip on!
We stepped a little farther into the woods for this family portrait.
This mama wanted to document her daughter’s first taste of cake and even made the cake herself! Very impressive!
While this little sweetie was timid, she definitely enjoyed her cake!
Spring Siblings Session: Timing is Everything
/by kmillerI had the pleasure of photographing my nieces a few weeks ago while visiting my family in Central PA and these sweet girls and their mama were so ready for this photo shoot! That’s one of the many things that makes photographing little girls so much fun – they enjoy the process. Even the youngest enjoyed her time in front of the camera!
One of the challenges we faced was that their preferred location for group shots was an enclosed garden with limited access – think banker’s hours. While you can photograph portraits anytime of day outside, there really are just two ideal times of day: within an hour or two after sunrise or an hour or two before sunset. For this first set of photos, we didn’t have that option, but were blessed with overcast skies at 4 p.m.! Hallelujah!
The sun peeked out again toward the end of our time in the garden, so we ducked under this pagoda for softer light.
After sunrise or before sunset, the light is softer and lower, which is beautiful and means less unflattering squinting and shadows. AND it’s more forgiving for the photographer because while I’m shooting in manual mode, I don’t have to make as many adjustments for the light and can focus on staying with my client and capturing emotion and personality. For their individual portraits, we were able to do just that at a public location closer to sunset.
And the following morning, just after sunrise, we did another mini session with this sweetheart who just turned one!
My talented sister is a blessing to her daughters in so many ways, but one way that she completely outshines any other mom I know is the birthday parties she throws. Just look at these handmade flowers for her littlest daughter’s first birthday party! What a fun backdrop for a few portraits in their own home!
Pittsburgh Newborn Sessions: Keeping Baby’s Wardrobe Simple
/by kmillerI love photographing babies simply swaddled or dressed in a basic onsie. It’s funny how when a parent is getting ready for their baby to arrive, it’s so much fun to shop for their clothes and get all of the warm, fuzzy feelings that go with anticipating our baby wearing them. So when I suggest dressing a baby simply for my sessions, I know that’s hard to do as a parent. We are so excited for our baby to be photographed and there are so many outfits to choose from, but I think this recent session illustrates how lovely and timeless a simple swaddle or onsie can be.
One of the benefits of dressing a baby simply is that you don’t have to do an outfit change, which irritates most babies and by going with a soft onsie or swaddle, the baby is comfortable and more likely happy. This little guy sure way.
Even their dog was super relaxed!
They had great window light on the landing of their stairs, so we made a quick stop on our way up to the nursery.
More great window light in the nursery too! Just love these images of mama with her baby.
And dad gets a turn too.
When you’re a baby, yawning is adorable.
This might be one of my favorite shots of the session. Just look how this little sweetie is studying his dad!
This last one pretty much sums up how meaningful this time can be. Two adoring parents and a brand new baby, what a great start to this family’s story!
Lifestyle Sessions: A Great Choice for Young Families
/by kmillerI’ve been blessed to photograph this two-year old sweetheart since he was 4-months old and it has been a treat to photograph his family over the last two years. I love their desire to document their little guy’s development and that they’re not coming to the session with an expectation that he’ll want to sit and pose. Because when you’re two, you’re always on the move, unless your napping that is. I’ve learned with my own sons that it’s best to try and capture the moment rather than try to force a vision and I’m seeing more families opt for less stress and go for a lifestyle approach. I think you’ll see, it’s more authentic and so rewarding to get shots that show our child’s personality.
We met at Avonworth Community Park off of Camp Horne Road. It has a great playground for little ones to explore.
This little cutie loved the swings, so we spent a good bit of our time capturing him swinging with his parents taking turns pushing.
And then he wanted his friend Mickey to swing too!
He also liked this tree which had perfectly low branches for climbing.
While lifestyle photography aims at capturing moments, getting a family portrait is definitely on my mental checklist. It may not be posed and depending on the situation, I might have a stuffed Mickey Mouse on my head! It worked.
What a great way to start the morning!
Pittsburgh Newborn Session: Knowing When to Reschedule
/by kmillerI have been waiting to photograph this session since before my friend was pregnant—I just knew she’d be a good mom and was so excited when she shared her news with me! Well, the session was just as delightful as I had anticipated. Actually better, thanks to this mama trusting her gut instinct!
This little sweetheart has been having tummy issues and just wasn’t feeling good, so her mommy new it would be best to reschedule. And thankfully with the prayers and support of her friends and the wisdom of her doctor, this sweet baby is feeling so much better! Her mom said she was uncomfortable most of the time, so for her baby to go from being mostly unhappy to only crying when she needed something was a huge blessing!
I just love the personality of this sweet girl at just over two months!
She even smiles for her first family portrait! Disclaimer: this is not the norm for any newborn, but being slightly older helps!
After a few portraits by the light of the front door and some of them on the couch, we moved to mom and dad’s bedroom which had lots of lovely natural light. Isn’t this a sweet scene? Watching your baby sleep is such a joy!
And I like this image too because while it could seem like it should be an out-take, my friend is looking at her husband to see his reaction. It was a moment where I feel like she was thinking, “should I pinch myself? Is this real?” I should ask her if that was what she was thinking, but I think that’s part of a natural response to becoming a parent.
We moved this little sweetie three times during her nap and she would rouse each time, but her mama had all of the soothing tricks down and could easily help her baby fall back asleep.
When they were pregnant, they chose not to find out the baby’s gender and decorated the nursery with an outer space theme. What a beautiful and creative idea to inspire their little girl as she explores her world!
My friend has many talents and this planetary mobile is one of her many inspiring creations!