Hey ladies, I have some exciting news to share! Right now I’m in the process of setting up a boudoir marathon. It will take place at Grape Arbor Bed and Breakfast here in North East sometime in September or October. The plan is to have a makeup artist and hair stylist on hand to make you all look utterly gorgeous. It looks like there will only be room for 5 or 6 of you, so let me know if you are interested right away so you don’t miss out on this great opportunity. It will probably be the only time before Christmas that a marathon shoot will take place — note: your man is gonna love this! More details to come soon.

On Monday night we had one of the most fun engagement sessions! Our October wedding couple came out to North East to play a bit. We started out at Mercyhurst North East and then Allison and Danny donned some NFL jerseys and we were off to the football field. I love that they don’t cheer for the same team, so much more fun! I also love getting the opportunity to know the bride and groom better before their wedding. Its very beneficial to both us as photographers and the couple to get more comfortable with each other. Danny and Allison are such a great couple, I can’t wait for their wedding!

I want to share with you a very special family portrait promotion that HNP is participating in along with an elite group of photographers from around the country. This October, we will celebrate “Family Portrait Month,” a wonderful opportunity for you to update your family portrait, and at the same time help support Operation Smile, which treats children around the world who suffer with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Along with other studio members of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), we have pledged to contribute $25 per family portrait session to PPA Charities.

What’s more, we want you to benefit from this special offer: If you make a donation of at least $10 towards Operation Smile you will receive a free 8×10 from your session.

Recording the faces of children and their families is our greatest pleasure. That’s why we believe so strongly in the work of Operation Smile. Each year this incredible organization of more than 5,000 volunteer doctors, nurses, dentists, and specialized health-care professionals, perform free reconstructive surgeries for children suffering with facial deformities. It costs only $240 to perform a life-changing cleft lip operation. More than 100,000 children are born with a facial deformity each year in Operation Smile’s 25 partner countries.

We also believe that Family Portrait Month is a wonderful way to teach children the value of reaching out to others. Even small children can understand the importance of Operation Smile’s work, and they are eager to help these needy children.

We hope you will join with us in helping to make this vital work possible. Don’t forget that the holiday season is right around the corner, so there’s no better time for a family portrait, which is always appreciated as gifts for family and friends and to send along with holiday greeting cards.

Currently, HNP is only one of a handful or photographer’s in northwestern Pennsylvania participating in this event. If you are interested in a family portrait session and to help a child get their smile back, please make your appointment as soon as possible. The calendar is filling up already!

Last Saturday night we headed over to Mercyhurst North East to meet up with Paula and Gary for their engagement session. It was so much fun, they were one of those couples where you can see how much they love each other and are just playful and happy to be around each other…i.e. easy to photograph! It didn’t hurt that they were such big Earnhardt fans, either! After shooting at MNE for a bit we headed over to their amazing place on the lake where we could really incorporate their true personalities. Here’s a set of images from their shoot. The last one is so close to being my favorite, I think it says a lot about who they are. Hope you enjoy!

 

I hope you guys have a beautiful wedding in Tennessee and have fun and be safe white water rafting!! Thanks from both of us for such a fun evening.

Just wanted to update you all real quick, I dropped the Image of the Month section of my site, since I’m constantly updating my blog and showing you lots of great images I don’t feel that I need a monthly image. I do need to get on updating the rest of the site though, don’t I?! If I get some free time some day I definitely will get around to that.

Second thing — I had a weekend full of photo shoots and I will be sharing some images from a couple of the sessions very soon. Look for a new post sometime tomorrow!

Heather

As promised, a sneak peek at Krista’s senior session. Last night we had a marathon shoot with Krista from North East High. We started out in the studio in the wonderful air conditioning! And then we went out and braved the heat and humidity at her family’s farm and then we hit up the beach in time for sunset. It was so hard to narrow it down to even these few shots!

A couple of portraits from the studio:

Here are a few taken at her farm:

And finally, some beach shots! She put on an old prom gown and got right into the water, and we made some really great shots. Here is just a sneak peek at them…

Krista - thanks for coming in and letting me be part of your senior experience, it was fun working with you

Last Monday Will came in and we made some portraits for his first birthday. He was such a cute little guy and I’m glad he warmed up to the camera! Here are a few shots from his session.

Up next on the blog: Teasers from Krista’s senior session from this evening.

I ran out of time before my trip so I’m posting this a bit late. This was from John and Patti’s wedding on July 28th. They got married at the Sunset Inn on Lake Erie. It was a very pretty setting on a very hot day. Here’s a preview of their images:

A close up of the rings and her beautiful bouquet.

The happy couple upon entering their reception.

The newlywed’s first dance.

Thanks for allowing us to be part of your special day! It was a beautiful ceremony and you all looked so great!

Just a heads up - I am heading to Boston tomorrow morning and will be gone through Sunday so the studio will be closed until Monday. I am planning on posting some sneak peeks of the wedding from last Saturday before I go and I’ll have some portraits from Will’s session on the blog when I get back! And hopefully some shots from my trip as well.

Happy August!