I Can't Get Enough Of You Baby - Baby Portrait Photography

If you have been keeping up with these blog posts, you would notice a pattern.  Every month, these big blue eyes make an appearance on the page.  Well I am lucky enough to visit Miss Hayden every month, for a year long project of watching her grow!  

 So if you are not ODing on cuteness yet, check back next month for Four months.  Already at three, she giggles and smiles, and has a complete mind of her own.  She is a master of tummy time, and loves battle her lashes at her daddy. 

Special City, and Good Sushi - Pittsburgh Engagement Photography

For all of those who take a lot of pride in our great city, I am sure you can agree, there are certain spots around the town that really capture what Pittsburgh is.  Looking down from Mt. Washington's slopes… Driving through Fort Pitt Tunnels and having at open to streaming sun light and our picture perfect skyline… Walking through the boroughs and playing I spy for the street art the depicts that area…. And one of the most popular, and highly requested, The North Shore.  Bright yellow bridges, puffy white clouds reflecting back in our rivers, and the glistening of windows on the sky scrapers shining down from the adjacent shore line.  It is not wonder it is the number one asked spot of engagement sessions . 

One thing I try to ask couples is if there is something special they do together, i.e. play scrabble, are big movie buffs, are coffeeholics, love a sports teams, or a fun food they enjoy together like ice-cream.  In this case we went with sushi (YUM!) It was so much fun setting up a sweet picnic on the rock fountain for this couple and then letting them enjoy that for the beginning of the shot.  There are a lot of different things couples can do to make their sessions their own, and not just another "Pinterest Attempt"  Do you love to read the same books?  Do you play flag football together?  Do you have the same taste in music?  Why not show people, aside from how cute of a couple you are, but what are something that bound you together.  Make your session special to you and for all those that know you!

A Modern Family - Family Portraits

In this day and age, families come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and even species.  This modern family may not have a hit cable TV show, but they are nothing to bark at.  

Up until a few months ago the two boys ruled the house.  All attention was on them with 24/7 belly rubs, bacon treats, and jogs around the neighborhood.  But just because there is a new baby in town, doesn't mean they have been forgotten!  Even insisting on being a part of the family pictures.  And why shouldn't they be in the photo, they are her brothers.

And they take their big brother jobs very seriously.  She will be well looked after, that's for sure!

Picking Wildflowers - Pittsburgh Engagement

As a woman, I can think of very few things sweeter than the man a love coming home with fresh picked flowers.  So what could be more perfect than an engagement session being knee deep in a beautiful field of them!?  

Last summer I received a text from this beautiful bride asking if I could squeeze in a quick engagement session while her and her fiancé were home from his training.  ( Did I mention HER fiancé is MY fiancé's best friend?)  Of course there was no problem making time for them, but because they were a very special couple, I wanted a very special location for this shoot!  And I think we nailed it!  

He had proposed serval months early, right before he had to leave for basic training.  For the first few months of this new exciting chapter in their lives, all they could share were hand written letters to one another.  Finally, after months apart, they were together.  This only lasted a short while before he had to leave again for the Marines and her to go back to school.  With all this time a part, it is no wonder you can see all of the love and happiness in shining out of these pictures. 

 A photographer is still on the job, even when she is not on duty.  

Finally, together at least, and no more waiting.  The couple said their "I do's" in front of friends and family in Carmel, California this summer.  Being a guest to their wedding was a great excuse for my camera and I to head out west and witness the start of something truly beautiful. 

** I couldn't resist playing paparazzi and getting a shot of him first seeing her walking toward him,  or many of the other special moments from this unforgettable weekend **

Beautiful, in every single way - Boudoir Photography

Last year I posted some faceless shots of a beautiful boudoir session I had the privilege of doing.  Since then, I have met many women looking to do the same thing.  What was interesting, almost each one had a different reason for doing it.  Anniversaries, wedding gifts, birthdays.  Mostly all  were gifts for someone else... BUT … in the end, the majority of these lovely ladies said they were happy they also did it for themselves.  One woman's reason for this type of session was because she had gone through a lot of changes, and just wanted to remind herself she was beautiful inside and out. 

 Because I am not showing any of my clients faces, you don't see half of what these women do at these shoots.  98% percent of these woman are smiling, giggles, laughing.  Not trying to be sexy, or be a play boy bunny.  They are being themselves.  Beautiful, empowered, intelligent women.  All knowing and experiencing that they are sexy being just themselves.  No act.  And although they are being sexual, there is still a sense of innocence in a lot of the pictures.

Some you may not understand why some women would want to be so exposed, and that's ok if you don't but you must admit that the different women in these images, and any that have done a shoot like this, are pretty darn brave!  Brave and beautiful!

Chocolate Chip Cookie - Food Photography

Let's take a break from looking at pretty pictures of people for a moment.  If any of you are like me, than you have been in search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.  Well this one is pretty darn close.  I am still working out the kinks but this is one heck of a crunchy and chewy cookie. 

 Ingredients:

1 cup of room temperature butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

2 room temperature eggs

1 Tbsp Vanilla 

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Pre heat oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit 

In your mixing bowl cream together your butter and sugars.  Beat this on high until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.  Beat on high until almost as creamy as peanut butter.  

In a separate bowl, mix the final three ingredients.  **Tip when measuring flower, do not scoop flour with measuring cup.  Use a large spoon to spoon flour into the measuring cup.  This will leave it light and fluffy and not pack the flour.** Slowly add dry ingredients to butter sugar mixture. This dough is much softer than most doughs that you are use to.  

As far as chocolate, I say it's all to taste.  Personally we like a lot of chocolate, where others do not.  One thing I do HIGHLY recommend is using half milk chocolate and half semi sweet, or bitter chocolate.  Trust me on this.  I do it with every recipe and is a great balance of sweetness.  If you are adding nuts, when adding them do not add the fine nut powder that's on the bottom of the cutting bored.  This will make the cookies dry.  To be in the safe side, break the nuts with you hands.  With nuts like pecans and walnuts, this is easy to break in half or quarters and doesn't talk long.  

Add the chocolate and nuts, and stir in by hand or low speed on your mixer (something my mom always told me to do so it is more out of habit)  After everything is mixed, put bowl in refrigerator for AT LEAST an hour, you can also leave it in over night.  

Spoon cookies on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper.  Please don't roll them into balls.  The heat from your hands will make the refrigerating pointless.  And while one sheet is backing put the rest back in the oven.  

Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.  When you take them out of the oven let cool for no more than 5 minutes, then take them of tray and cool on cooling racks or munch.  

Like I said this is still a work in progress but so far so good!  Hope you enjoy!