Grapevine Lake Maternity Portrait Session

Ya’ll, I have been dying to share this session with you! I was holding out for this sweet girl to become a Mama but her baby boy is proving to be a bit stubborn. To celebrate this little guy’s pending arrival and this Mama hitting her 40 week mark, I am going to share a little behind the scenes from this sweet Maternity Portrait Session.

I met Amanda awhile back through mutual friends and was so excited to hear from her when she reached out about booking this session. In fact, the location we chose for her shoot has a funny background story about our friendship. Grapevine Lake was the sight of Amanda’s first kayaking lesson. After a bout of choppy water and more than a few hours of paddling back to shore, Amanda decided that it would be her last kayak lesson with me. Needless to say, I was pumped that I got to take her back and make a happier memory on the lake!

At 34 weeks pregnant, Amanda, her sweet Mama, Gwen, and her first baby, a pup by the name of Sadie, joined me for a fun portrait session to capture her last few weeks before her Baby Boy makes his arrival.

Amanda had 2 requests….a flower crown and that Sadie be in the photos with her. After all, Sadie was her first baby! I was happy to oblige so I reached out to my sweet friend Brittni Williamson of B. Marie’s Flowers for help with the flower crown. Needless to say, Britt outdid herself as usual and the crown was just perfect! I loved the delphinium and the mix of greenery with the sweetheart white roses and the seeded eucalyptus. The incorporation of this bohemian element was the cherry on the sundae!

This Mama is a rockstar. She waded into murky waters, wandered around the prickly bushes surrounding the lake and even dared to follow me to edge of more than one cliff to find that perfect lighting! Although anxious about the arrival of her baby boy, Amanda was calm, cool and collected during her shoot. She was the picture of grace.

I am so happy that I had the opportunity to photograph this special time in Amanda’s life. Having just become mother myself, I felt more than equipped to capture all those special glances at the bump, those belly rubs and the glow that was exuding from this sweet girl.

Congratulations Amanda! I cannot wait to meet your sweet boy! Let him know that we are all anxiously awaiting his arrival and now that you are 40 weeks, he can feel free to join us whenever he’s ready!

To book your Maternity Portrait Session,  email therustienailhead@gmail.com to discuss pricing, packaging and details! And for all your floral needs, head to www.bmariesflowers.com and let my girl Britt know who sent ya! I promise Britt will bring your vision to life!

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Laurel Highlands Portrait Session: Abrey + Anthony

It’s past time I introduce you to Abrey and her little guy, Anthony! I got connected with these two through a mutual friend back in Pennsylvania and after a few chats, Abrey set up a session!

We met at Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on a particularly hot and humid day. Luckily for me, these guys were my last session for the day so we had plenty of time to let Mr. Anthony run around!

Mom, Abrey, was so good about dressing her little man. I love a timeless, classic outfit and this Mama hit the nail on the head. I even fell in love with their accessories. That red, white and blue ball cap was just too cute! And, Mom’s chambray dress was perfect for the occasion.

After running around in the woods for a bit, we made our way to the rhododendron bushes near the front of the park. These guys were in full bloom and I knew they would be the perfect backdrop for a few Mommy and Me photos!

As little boys tend to do, Anthony began to wander around a bit. Mom informed me that he was very much on the move these days! He was climbing stumps and picking up just about every stick he could find.

As the sun began to set, I made sure that we got this little guy wound down. Mom hd brought along a light blue and white striped blanket that coordinated ever so perfectly with their outfits and I directed this girl to just love on her little guy. Abrey snuggled Anthony and he snuggled his teddy bear!

Having just began to walk, I wanted to make sure that we captured a few of this little man while he was on the move. Under normal circumstances, the babes run/slowly/drunkenly walk to me but not this little guy, he has mastered putting one foot in front of the other and honestly, I cannot wait to see where he goes next!

Huge thanks to Abrey and Anthony for a wonderful afternoon of exploring the park. I look forward to seeing you both again!!

To book your unique Portrait Session, email therustienailhead@gmail.com for packages and pricing details! I cannot wait to see what you have in mind!

Laurel Highlands Portrait Session: Emily + Baby Liam

GUESS WHAT!?!?!?! My best friend recently welcomed the sweetest, most handsome little baby boy into the world and I finally got the chance to meet him and photograph this little nugget!! Meet Liam Henschel, aka Baby Norris’ best friend for life!

We  met at Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania to shoot this little guy’s photos and it was super special too! Mommy and Daddy were married here and had their Maternity Photos taken here in the fall so I was glad that we had the chance to take this images in the same location.

Little Liam made his way into the world on March 26th and stole all our hearts with his squishy mug and sweet facial expressions! The first photo Mommy sent us was this little guy holding his hands like he was praying and we all about died over how cute it was.

I am especially excited about this little guy coming into the world because I just know that my soon-to-be little love and Liam are going to be besties just like his Mama and I have been all these years. In fact, his Mama and I got engaged within 3 days of each other, got married within 6 weeks of each other and now are having babies 6 months apart and I am just too giddy about it.

Liam, you are so lucky little dude. Your Mama prayed for so long to meet you and now that you are here, she is going to shower you with all her love and affection so get used to it. I also have big plans for loving on you every time I come home so be prepared little man!

Emmy, thanks again for letting me capture this special time in your life and for letting me be an Auntie to your baby boy! I cannot wait for our babes to become best friends!!

Laurel Highlands Portrait Session: The Shipley Family

Look who’s back on the Blog!! Andrew Shipley graced the pages of the blog just a little over six months ago when his Mama wanted to capture his 2nd Birthday Portraits! At 9 months pregnant with their second child, Mama, Emily, helped me chase her little guy all over Linn Run State Park in Rector, PA. Little did we know, all that running would push her into labor. Not 2 days later, Olivia made her world debut and turned this crew into a Family of Four!

Though I was sad that I missed the opportunity to see their newest addition make their way into the world, I was elated to find out that this Mama Bear wanted to have new portraits taken of the kiddos during our Spring Mini Sessions in the Laurel Highlands! This little lady was well worth the wait. Just LOOK AT HER!! Isn’t she the sweetest little thing?

 Andrew was acting his usual self, wild and a little bit crazy.  He was climbing trees and running around the reserve. Speaking of, the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College was so perfect for this little man. He was definitely in his element when we let him just run and explore this kid-friendly and interactive property!

Though he wasn’t necessarily her biggest fan at first, Andrew has come to love his baby sister. He was all about giving her hugs and tickling her belly. She, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling it. We didn’t manage to get many of them together though I kind of love that we got this display of real life brotherly-sisterly love! Sometimes you just don’t want to be hugged!

His Mama used to tell me that she could not get him to sit still for a photo to save her life. I am now under the impression that he may be saving all those great smiles for my camera and I am totally fine with it. Andrew is my favorite kind of kid. He is busy and keeps me on my toes throughout the entirety of the session!

We made our way to a swing near the entrance to the property and thanks to a little help from Grandma, we managed to get a bunch of images of these guys just enjoying the May sunshine! Props to Grandma by the way! She was a trooper throughout the shoot and we couldn’t have wrangled the both of them without her!

Grandma took Andrew for a short walk and I made sure to get a few of this sweet Mama and her baby girl enjoying some one on one time together. Emily had mentioned that her little lady hadn’t been feeling well lately so I made it a point to take a minute to stop and let these girls enjoy the breeze in the shade so Mom could love on her sweet baby girl.

And then, out of nowhere, came Andrew again! He came running up to me and gave me the biggest smile, as if to say, “Someone mentioned Dairy Queen for Good Behavior.”

It was getting hot outside and I wanted to wrap this up before we ended up with 2 cranky babies on our hands. We put a small pink blanket on the ground and Olivia put on a show. Her little curl was sticking straight up and I kinda love it. Add in that adorable yawn as if to say “It’s a Wrap” and we were finished.

I was so glad to meet this little lady finally, to see her wild big brother and I look forward to documenting these kiddos as they grow and prosper! Thanks for another wonderful day at the park Shipley Family!!

To book your unique portrait session, email therustienailhead@gmail.com to discuss your vision and Pricing and Packaging options!

Newborn Session: Baby Levi

Hey guys! Time for ya’ll to officially meet Levi Wooten. My good friends, Josh and Taylor, welcomed their first child on March 1st and I had the amazing opportunity to photograph Levi’s first portraits.  At just three weeks old, on his actual due date, we met for the first time. Dare I say it was love at first sight!?

Mama, Taylor, brought her little man over to the studio bright and early one Spring morning. We had chatted before about what she had in mind but I could not have imagined how handsome this little fella would be. Levi’s Mama brought a ton of fun props and outfits to play with so I knew then that we had a full day of shooting ahead of us.

We started off in a room full of natural light. Levi’s first outfit was a blue kitted one piece with a stocking hat. This outfit choice was simple yet masculine and I just loved it. When we attempted to change into the next outfit, Levi let us know that he needed a break. It was then that we busted out the pacifier. After that, this little guy was happy to let us put him in a fisherman knitted outfit and then a penguin suit. He just dozed off while we played dress up for awhile.

Though I love the playful outfits, I am a sucker for the timeless swaddles and clean backgrounds. To make sure that we captured a few classic photos for Mom and Dad, Mommy fed my new little friend and then we swaddled him in a classic blue blanket and moved to a different room for a little moodier lighting. With his little stuffed animal horse in tow, Levi slept peacefully through the next 1/2 hour of our shoot. These were my favorite images because the black and whites were just as captivating as the color edits and for real, look at his toes?!?

After a little nap for Levi and a few snacks for the pregnant photographer and new Mama Bear, we buckled this little guy up for a road trip to a park nearby. Though it was a bright and sunny day, we managed to find some shade for a few Mommy & Me photos at Bear Creek Park. Spring had really just begun here in North Texas and I wanted to capture this first time Mom with her bundle of joy.

Levi was a perfect angel. He slept and cooed in Mama’s arms while we strolled around the park. I think he was dreaming about Mommy and Daddy’s upcoming Wedding. Yep, you heard it right. Taylor and Josh got engaged last year, began planning their big day and then Levi decided to make his surprise appearance so this sweet Mama will officially become Mrs. Josh Wooten in a little over a month! Needless to say,  Levi and I are over the moon about their impending nuptials.

Since this little guy managed to make his appearance a few weeks early, Mommy and I thought that we would absolutely need to capture a few Easter photos. We brought this little guy’s favorite comfy blanket along and while he napped in a big wicker basket, we threw Easter eggs all around him.

Our last few shots took place at the Keller Sports Complex. We had every intention of taking a few photos on home plate but since the parks we’re locked, we settled for a few in Daddy’s baseball glove. I had an absolute blast getting to spend some time with my sweet friend Taylor and her new little love. I can’t wait to get this little guy in front of the camera again! Congratulations my friends!!

Reminder for all of our Dallas-Fort Worth Friends! Throughout the month of April, The Rustie Nail Creative Studio is offering $100 Spring Minis! All sessions are 30 minutes long and include the edited images in a downloadable gallery and a blog spotlight! These are great for family photos, upcoming Birthday pictures, exciting announcements and updating headshots. Email therustienailhead@gmail.com to book your unique portrait session.

Laurel Highlands Holiday Mini Sessions: Kaison

Hey guys! We’re back with yet another adorable baby. He is wild and crazy like his Mama and tough and bull-headed like his Daddy. Ya’ll Meet Kaison Bolish! I had the pleasure of snuggling on this goofy little guy while I was back home visiting in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania! With that devilish smirk and his sweet dimples, this little charmer is about to drop a CUTE bomb!

This little stinker was featured on our Blog last year for his first ever Holiday Mini Session. I met with his Mama and Papa at Grandpa’s farm for a bunch of maternal family portraits! We had the whole gang out for a fun day on the farm. You can check it all out here. Grandma and Grandpa Stickle even got caught sneaking a few kisses during the shoot!

This shoot would be a little different than the last. My longtime buddy, Kendrick aka Kaison’s daddy, was out hunting deer so Mama would be bringing baby boy by Twin Lakes Park in Greensburg, PA for a quick and easy shoot while all the leaves were  still changing colors.

Kelly showed up early with her little guy looking handsome as ever. Seeing that he had a slight case of the sniffles, we chose to keep his session short and sweet. Babies run out of fuel after about 30 pictures anyway so we just let Kaison run around the park while I snapped away! And yes I did say run. The last time I saw this little ham he was just learning how to crawl! How is this child running?!?!?

In all seriousness, I need time to slow down. Kaison is already a year and a half old!! And, I swear he gets more handsome daily.  I love watching his Mama’s Snapchats and seeing what this little butthead is up to all the time. Thank God for FaceTime and SnapChat and all the wonderful technology that allows me to still be apart of Kaison’s life even when I am 1800 miles away.

What’s left to day? He is the cutest. You know it. I know it. Everybody knows it. Heck, even HE knows it! Now let’s just hope Mommy and Daddy give this handsome fella a baby sister sometime soon so I can photograph her too! 🙂

 If you would like to inquire about booking a session when I am visiting in Pennsylvania, follow along on Instagram @therustienail for Travel Updates or email me at therustienailhead@gmail.com!

Andrew’s 2nd Birthday Portraits

Hey guys! We just got back from an a whirlwind trip home to Pennsylvania and we are just getting back into the swing of things! I had the most amazing time meeting with so many new clients, friends and family and I cannot wait to share all the Fall goodness we managed to capture while in the Laurel Highlands. Up first is this handsome little guy, Andrew!

Andrew’s Mama, Emily, reached out awhile ago in hopes of documenting her little boy’s 2nd birthday portraits and I jumped at the chance to set this up! Emily is an old friend from high school and I was over the moon for the opportunity to catch up with her!

Emily warned me that Andrew was a wild one but I don’t think “wild” is quite the right word to describe this little man. He is spirited to say the least so Linn Run State Park seemed like the perfect place to let him run wild! Because Andrew is so energetic, posing him would do no good. We planned on letting him just play in the park and I would snap as we went along.

Mama came prepared, too. She brought trucks and cars for little man to play with as we ventured into Forbes State Forest. Like every boy, the cars only entertained him for so long. Once he found a stick or a rock that peaked his interest, he wasn’t letting it go. Isn’t it funny how kids find the most joy in the simplest of things?

We hiked our way down to Slippery Rock, a favorite childhood pastime, so we could let Andrew throw a a few rocks in the stream. We took a small path over some logs ad through a few bushes until we found the perfect place to let Andrew play in the leaves! With a huge smile on his face, Andrew was climbing over all the downed tree trunks and asking Mama to investigate almost every rock he picked up! This was just the right time to capture that extra little speck of gold in his eyes! Take a look at a few of the up-close photos. This charming towhead is gonna be a heart breaker!

What you really need to know about this shoot is wrapped up in one photo. This. This photo right here is Motherhood. Emily is 9 months pregnant with their 2nd child, chasing her first born through the woods so he doesn’t jump headfirst into the freezing stream, with the biggest smile on her face! This is what I love about Mrs. Shipley. She is the kinda Mama who would rather let her little guy get dirty than stifle his wild spirit by posing him. I am so thankful for clients who trust my vision because I want your portraits to be a true representation of your child’s personality and Emily trusted me to do just that.

I kept cracking jokes about her water breaking and me pushing her in the stroller back to the car! She was such a trooper, traipsing through the park chasing her baby boy and just absolutely glowing! We couldn’t of known then but…the Shipley Family would welcome a baby girl 2 days later. Olivia Jane arrived happy, healthy and big brother is so in love!

I am so sad that I missed the birth of Andrew’s baby sister but here’s hoping that I’ll get to snuggle this munchkin and the Shipley Family’s newest little love the next time I am home visiting! It was a joy capturing Andrew’s 2nd Birthday Portraits and I look forward to hanging with this crew in the future!

Don’t forget….Dallas-Fort Worth Holiday Mini Sessions are in FULL SWING! Just wait y’all! Each and every one of these sessions is absolutely adorable and I can’t wait to share. I still have a few sessions left for the DFW area in November and December! Email me at therustienailhead@gmail.com with all booking inquiries!!

Meet the Grasmick Family!

Hey guys! I know, I know. I have been blowing up your timelines with all the Portrait Sessions from my last trip home but seriously, they all turned out so cute! In fact, the family featured on the blog today scheduled their session one day prior to the actual shoot. Totally impromptu and completely adorable. Meet the Grasmick Family!

I was introduced to Colby through our mutual friend, Kelly, and we immediately hit it off. Once she found out that I was a portrait photographer, she asked if I might be able to fit her family in the next day for a quick Mini Session. I told her to be there by 5:30 and we would make it work! I love having the chance to shoot an new client while in the Latrobe area.

Little did I know, Miss Colby just so happened to have recently become Mrs. Grasmick. She married a childhood friend of mine, Dave…aka “Doobie”. He had played football for my dad as a kid and in high school, his cabin was the place to be on a Friday night. I was so excited to see that Doob had settled down with such a lovely lady and even more excited to find out that they had recently had their first baby.

To celebrate their little guy’s 1st Birthday, we headed to the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College. They have a small pond located on one of the walking trails and Mama Bear thought it would be cute to put Baby Dean in a fishing hat and give him a little pole. Seeing that Baby Dean isn’t the best walker yet, I was worried we may not be able to get a photo of him holding the rod but sure enough, this baby boy was over the moon once we put the pole in his tiny hands!

After throwing his hat in the water and hamming it up for the camera, we headed to the Lochry Block House to snap a few photos of this Mama and her boys. After surveying the grounds for that perfect light, I made sure to get individuals of both Miles and Dean with their sweet Mama.

And, then it was Daddy’s turn for photos with boys! While Doobie lugged the baby around like a football, older brother, Miles, helped by tickling Baby Dean and making funny faces at him. The boys were perfect. Not too smiley, not too tough, just the right amount of boyish charm in each photo. I mean, look at those blue eyes!! Colby better watch out, her little guys are going to be a lady killers!

I can’t stress enough how beautiful this backdrop was. The flowers are so vibrant in the Laurel Highlands this time of year. I didn’t want to do anything too girly because of the boys but I did want Colby to have a few classic images in this collection so we headed into the adjacent garden. I told Colby to just love on her baby boy. Baby Dean was wiggling and dancing around in her arms the whole time. He was all smiles for his Mama.

I stood back for awhile and watched them all together as a family. Colby, the carefree boy mom, and Doobie, the first time Dad, are just about the best contrast. It may be that they have boys and Moms and Dads of boys tend to be a little more lax about getting dirty but I think it’s also just their personalities. Both Colb and Doob are loving parenthood. They have figured out how to give each child the right amount of attention and how not to sweat the small stuff.

Their love story isn’t half bad either. They met on the street at the 4th of July parade in downtown Latrobe and a few months later, they headed back to the same spot to get hitched. Colby’s son, Miles, stood by and smiled as he gave his Mom away to his new step dad. Simple, sweet and absolutely perfect.

Yeah, so you could say that these two seem to have it all figured out. Or at least, they look good while trying to figure it out. Doob rough-houses the boys while Colby sits back and gingerly smiles at her new husband with their children. If I had to guess, I would say that their chance encounter in front of BC Kenly’s just might have been destiny playing its’ hand.

We worked our way from the garden to the big red barn located near the entrance. Miles climbed up on Doobie’s shoulders for the photos which I thought was such a great touch for the photo. From their simple wardrobes to the genuine smiles on their faces throughout the shoot, you can see that this session was a piece of cake. We were in and out of the park in less than 30 minutes; just a family of 4 taking a walk around the park. It was an absolute pleasure meeting and spending time with the Grasmick’s and I hope to have many more chances to photograph this family when I am in the area.

To book your unique Portrait Session or to inquire Pricing, Packages and/or Travel Mini Dates, shoot me an email at therustienailhead@gmail.com. I would love to hear your vision and help bring it light!

Visiting Daddy’s Alma Mater: Saint Vincent College

Hey guys! I am so excited to share this particular Portait Session with you all because I have waited far too long to photograph this adorable family! These sweet babes, Jake & Elliana, were one of the first sessions that I ever did. Elliana wasn’t more than a month old the last time I had these 2 in front of the lens and I am so pumped to see how my work has evolved since then.

If you don’t know them, it is past time you met the Greece Family! Tony, his wife, Emily and their two adorable kiddos are my first cousins. Tony is a local school teacher and Emily is the girl you go to when it’s past due for a new hair “do”. Just this past year, they moved into a new home in Latrobe, PA and I wanted to help them decorate their house with new family photos.

We chose to set up the shoot at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College mainly because Tony graduated with his masters here not too long ago but also  because the scenery here would make the perfect backdrop for their shoot! Located just off of Route 30 in Latrobe, this place around sunset is a gorgeous stroll.

I wanted to get the “Family of 4” shots done first simply because kids have no patience and I wasn’t about to test the patience of two small Greece children. We set up the first image along the driveway into the Reserve. The flowers are in full bloom this year and the image would look perfect with the Cathedral in the background.

After running around in the flowers for a bit, we managed to make our way down to the big red barn located near the entrance. Since the little ones have the shortest attention spans, I figured I would start shooting the individual portraits of Elliana first and boy, is she a ham! This girl was sniffing all the pretty flowers and showing me all the pretty bracelets she had worn for her shoot. Though chalk full of giggles at first, this Mama’s girl made sure we knew who runs the show!

After snapping a few photos of Emily and Elliana in the gardens, we headed to the back of the barn to snap a few of Tony and his little guy, Jake. I was thinking of different Father-Son poses when my little buddy suggested that he sit on Daddy’s shoulders. With the barn in the background and my little buddy squealing “Angaweena!!!” to get my attention, the moment was picture perfect.

Like most Family Sessions, my sweet cousins wanted to focus on the kiddos but I always make an effort to get a few good pics of Mom and Dad together. It’s almost like after kids come into the fold, couples forget that their love story should be documented too! But, I wasn’t about to let them get off scot-free. I made sure to get a few photos of Tony & Emily posing “prom-style”.

We made our way down to the historic Lochry Block House and snapped a few more of the whole family together in the adjacent garden before we decided to head for a walk around the paths in the park. We passed a small pond and marched our way towards the Observation Deck all the while catching up on life and what we’ve missed since my last visit home.

It was so nice to catch up with them. But, even better spending time with the little ones. I feel so lucky that after all these years, Tony and I have remained close. Like most cousins, we have this shared history of family dysfunction but beneath the surafce of forced family interaction, Tony, Emily, Russ and I have formed this genuine friendship. When they got engaged, we got the call. When we got engaged, they got the call. When they found out that their family would be expanding, we heard the news of Jake’s arrival first. Through a flood of Facetime tears, I met Jake just hours after he came into this world and when I found out they were expecting their 2nd baby, I immediatey bought my plane ticket to be there when Ellie was born.

During that visit back home, I had the great pleasure of photographing my new baby cousin for the first time. She was so perfectly pink, just the prettiest baby I ever saw. She had big blue eyes and the tiniest little toes. I couldn’t of imagined then but later that day, Tony and Emily would honor me by asking me to take on the role of being Elliana’s Godmother. Cue the ugly tears guys.

We ended this shoot by wrapping up quickly and heading to the Red Brick for pizza with our friends and family! I am so thankful for any time that I get to share with these guys especially because our time together is few and far between since I am in Texas. Tony, thank you, for being such a great role model and constantly encouraging me to chase my dreams. I’ve always looked up to you and I am so happy to see all your dreams coming true. Emily, thank you, for being the best addition to the Greece Family. You are kind and God-fearing, ambitious and graceful. I could not imagine a better match for my big cousin! Jake, thank you, for dubbing me “Angaweena” and for just being the smartest cookie in our family. You are one crazy little guy who always knows how to put a smile on my face. And, Elliana, thank you, for reminding me that life comes full circle. You remind me so much of another sassy little girl we all used to know. Though we miss her everyday, you help keep her memory shining bright. You are a light in the world little girl and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.

For more information on how to book your Family Portrait Session, please contact me through email at therustienailhead@gmail.com and I will provide you with our Pricing and Packages! If you would like to book a session or to inquire about our Fall Mini Sessions in the Laurel Highlands and our Travel Dates, just give me a ring at 724-216-8185 and we can get you all in the books!

Donovan’s Christmas Shoot

Over Thanksgiving break, I had the most amazing opportunity to hang out with a few of my favorite people and help them work out a surprise for this little guy’s Grandma! This Christmas, Donovan and his aunt Casey had the idea to surprise his MeeMaw with some good old fashioned portraits. After months of waiting for the right chance to pull this off, we managed to pick a perfect time, light-up night in Ligonier, PA. The diamond in Ligonier has served as the epicenter for this quaint town in the hills of Pennsylvania since the days of George Washington. A long sought after attraction, Fort Ligonier, brings thousands of visitors  to this serene town in the mountains each year. And their Christmas display is something out of the movies. Actually, this very scene is found in many a movie including the recent holiday hit, The Coopers. Check it out folks!

As Casey and I discussed her vision, I knew that this would be the best place to start. I even brought my sisters along to keep Little D in a good mood! Though I won’t lie, he seemed pretty excited to be a part of the photos, an uncommon trait found amongst even the littlest of fellas. With his friend Elfie in tow, we made our way from the Gingerbread House to the Letters for Santa Box and finally onto the tree in the gazebo! It was perfect. Donovan smiled and giggled and when he started to wander, my sisters were just the right thing to pull him back into the shoot. They were directing him and posing him. I literally love that this business of mine is slowly but surely becoming a family business. Seeing my sisters work so hard to produce the image they want is a reminder that they have so much of me in them. Poor girls…lol

After we finished up at the Diamond, we made our way to Rolling Rock Farms for a few pictures near a creek and up to Linn Run State Park to let the kids run at the playground at Adams Falls. Casey was so sweet and had though of everything. She had brought reindeer ears, an beautifully colored blanket (that I just might steal) and even a wreath with a big red bow. This shoot was definitely all about Christmas but you can totally see the family undertone in these images. Though a usually shy kid, Donovan was totally into being a part of the photo shoot. He loved his outfits and kept telling me how comfortable he was. Which is huge because it is so hard to dress a kid so he can run around and play and look good enough for photos too.

This shoot was a complete team effort. Casey had brought things to keep this guy smiling and had dressed him in a way that allowed him the freedom to play. My sisters were essential. They were singing songs and tickling him. Having them there totally took the shoot up a notch. It was perfect. From the way that Little D wanted to surprise his Meemaw to the fading leaves of fall, this shoot was full of Christmas cheer!! And we hope you are too! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone here at The Rustie Nail! We hope that 2017 brings you loads of love and laughter!!

For Information on how to book your unique Portrait Session, shoot me an email at therustienailhead@gmail.com. Throughout the month of December 2016, I am offering $150 Mini Sessions in the Dallas Fort Worth area. These sessions include a 45 minute session within DFW, 15-20 Digital Images delivered in an Online Downloadable Gallery and Print Release. Perfect for Christmas Card Photos, Surprise Holiday Proposals and even Gifts. You can buy this deal for a limited time as a Gift Certificate in 2017!