Laurel Highlands Holiday Portrait Session: The Yetter Family

 

Gosh, I am just loving all these sessions and I have just been dying to share some sneak peeks of this crew! I met the Yetter Family at Linn Run State Park in Rector, Pennsylvania during the peak of the fall foliage and it was pure magic!

Mama, Jess, had reached out about booking her session and mentioned how important it would be to bring their pup, Duke, along for their shoot. I knew right away that Linn Run would be the perfect place to let her little guy, Grayson and his sweet pup play!

As I expected, this gang showed up in the most perfectly coordinated outfits. Burgundy has really been the “in” color and I am not complaining. I may or may not have used this session as a little inspiration for my own family shoot. I couldn’t resist using a splash of that wine color in our baby girl’s headband. It looked so good on Jess and her little guy looked too cute in his flannel!

Truth be told, I was a little worried that this area would be past the fall foliage peak but when I arrived I was over the moon! As you can see in the photos, the colors were so vibrant. I quickly scoped out the best places to set up shop and anxiously awaited the Yetters arrival. The backdrop for their photos had me a bit giddy!

We spent the majority of their shoot just walking the trails and offering Duke the pup treats that his Mama brought for bribes! It was a beautiful fall day with lots of sunshine and even more smiles! Heck, even Duke was on his best behavior!

The Yetter Family was a blast to hang with and I am so glad I had the opportunity to shoot their holiday portraits this year. This crew has been living out of state for quite some time now but this will be their first Pennsylvania Christmas with their little guy, Grayson so let’s hope they have the happiest holiday!

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Laurel Highlands Holiday Portraits: The Shipley Family

We’re back!!  I recently took an extended leave from photography to welcome our new baby, a little girl named Lucy, but we are officially back and the holiday portrait season is in full swing! To usher in the end of my maternity leave, I choose to offer a limited number of Mini Sessions during our visit to Pennsylvania and let me tell you, those sessions did not disappoint. To kick off the holiday season, The Shipley Family is back up on the blog.

I was so happy to have this sweet family back in front of my camera mainly because this time, Dad, Jake, got to join in on the fun and the kids were so excited to have both Mama and Daddy there for a fun day of running around at the park!

This session was also a whole lot of fun because little Olivia just turned 1`the week before and Andrew had just celebrated his 3rd birthday! It feels like just yesterday that we were shooting this little man’s 2nd birthday photos!

Last year, we met for Andrew’s 2nd Birthday Photos and all that chasing around put his Mama into labor. The Shipley’s welcomed their sweet baby girl just days after our shoot! I was so sad to have missed it but their sweet Mama made sure I got to meet her little love during our Spring Mini Sessions and little Liv was just as cute as promised.

This time, we met at Keystone State Park in New Derry, Pennsylvania for a quick shoot with the whole gang! Mama, Emily, may have provided a few bribes to keep the little ones spirits up but otherwise, these guys were perfect!

We caught the tail end of the fall foliage in southwestern Pennsylvania and with the change of season brought the chilly weather! Thankfully, this gang came prepared. The Shipleys all wore warm coats and comfy boots to run around in!

We ended our shoot by setting a blanket down in the sand and letting this group just love on each other! As usual, these kiddos were full of personality, just how I like em! To check our their Spring Mini Session, head here. I love seeing how much the kids have changed in just a short 6 months since their last portrait session!

I had a blast with the Shipley Family and I look forward to seeing them again in the future! Stay tuned for more behind the scenes from our Pennsylvania Holiday Portrait Sessions!

Engagement Session: Sam & Andrew

Are you guys ready for the most adorable engagement session?!? I had the great pleasure of documenting this special time for a longtime family friend, Samantha, and her sweet fiancé, Andrew, while I was back in Pennsylvania and I have been itching to share a few highlights with you guys!

 

Samantha is the very best friend to my younger cousin, Lisa, and over the years, I have had the great pleasure of watching their sweet friendship blossom. We’ve spent 21st birthdays together and almost every Memorial Day for the last 10 years chilling by the pool. Flash forward to today and these childhood besties are still going strong hence the reason I felt compelled to love on Sam and her adorable fiancé.

 

This session has been in the books for quite some time now. When we first started talking about engagement photos, she mentioned that she would love to have fall colors in her photos since they would be getting married in October. I love that she wanted to incorporate the beautiful fall foliage of the Laurel Highlands into their shoot so I made it a point to fly back in November to help make her wish come true!

 

We could not have picked a better week for a portrait session. Though it was a little bit chilly, the colors were in full force and I couldn’t wait to capture these two celebrating their love story. We decided to meet at Linn Run State Park in Ligonier, Pennsylvania for an afternoon basking in the last little bit of sunlight before Daylight Savings hit.

 

We started our shoot at Adams Falls. We even blew off a few smoke bombs but I am not gonna lie, the shots were no bueno. My assistant, aka My Mama, wasn’t the best special effects coordinator so we ended up with a few photos of these two choking on the smell of the sulphur but I gotta give them props, both Andrew and Sam just laughed it off.

 

It is amazing how much I got to learn about these two while photographing these images. Considering how long I have known them, I thought had their personalities down to a T but sure enough, they kept surprising me. Sam and Andrew have 2 completely different personalities. Sam is wild and crazy, witty and so hilarious at all the right moments and by contrast, Andrew is quiet and stoic, smart and more than happy to let Sam take the lead 80% of the time. But together, these two have their own personality. Together, they both smile bigger and brighter. They have that sort of affection that only could only come from really knowing one another. After all these years together, I think it is fair to say that these sweethearts have got it figured out.

 

After playing around at Adams Falls for a bit, I told them to jump in the car to follow me on a little adventure. We raced our way down the mountain towards a dirt road for those really pretty natural light photos and then we made our back towards Ligonier so we could fence-hop. Yes, I do trespass with my clients’ consent and thank goodness these two are always down for an adventure. We made our way to a small stream that was surrounded with sugar maples and elm trees. When the light began to flicker in, these two got their snuggle on for some of the most adorable shots.

Our last set of images were the best. Sam wanted to add a little personal touch to their shoot. Since they got engaged in New York City, she had brought along the infamous “I LOVE NY” shirts for a few fun shots.  I even laughed out loud when I realized that Andrew had been wearing it all along under his flannel! Smart guy, he is!

 

If I were to offer any solid piece of advice to these two as they embark on this wonderful journey together,  it would be this…

 ‘It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot wash it away.” Song of Solomon 8: 6-7

In other words, love each other hard through all of it because there will be good and there will be bad but you guys, you will always have each other to lean on. Remember that and remember that marriage is work, really hard work but the absolute best kind of work too. Stay true to your love for one another and you two will be golden. Oh, and Congratulations!!

 

Dallas-Fort Worth Portrait Sessions: Pida & the Girls

IF YOU THOUGHT THE GIRLS’ SHOOT WAS CUTE JUST WAIT…

THIS TIME, THEIR MAMA, PIDA, JUMPED IN ON ON THE FUN! We met for a bohemian styled shoot on the outskirts of Fort Worth, Texas and these girls brought their A game.

Ever the fashionistas, these girls came prepared. Decked out in Kendra Scott bling, a super cozy vest and one fabulous flannel, these girls were ready to brave whatever came our way. In the past, these shoots have always become a sort of adventure and I was excited to see how this would turn out!

The thing I love the most about working with my friend Pida is that she seriously gets me. And thank God for that. I can tell her the crazy plan that I have been dreaming up and she somehow has this way of bringing my vision to life for me. She always has the right extra touch that makes the photos that much more cohesive. Truth be told, I am constantly asking her to style my shoots for me. Can we all just start petitioning for that?

In all seriousness though, these girls are never short on love for one another. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen this group of women uplift and support one other. As a single mom, their Mama Bear has done a great job of making sure that they look at life with eyes wide open, ready for whatever challenges might come their way. It’s awe-inspiring to see that kind of joy in real life and these Ladies emanate it.

Ummmm…..Flawless. That’s all I’ve gotta say about that.

Seriously, how cute are these guys? I brought this blanket scarf along because in the past, we’ve had some posing issues. I know, I know. It’s hard to believe but usually by the time, Pida, jumps in the photos, the girls are whooped. They are in a position to have used up all their giggly, fun energy but this time would be different. I made sure Mom jumped in early and the product was simply perfect. This set of photos is probably my favorite of the bunch simply because they look so relaxed.

And, then the tickling happened and these girls just let loose. Once they started making faces and attempting to do the worm, I knew I had lost control but really in the best sort of way. In all my shoots, I hope that my clients feel free to actually be themselves. To make fart noises and do impressions of their Mom behind her back and to really have a good time. A few back handsprings later, we called it a wrap on this Mommy+Me boho shoot.

As usual, I had a blast hanging out with my girl, Pida and her two childlike-wildlike wonders. To see some of their past adventures with the Rustie Nail, head here.

Don’t forget, we have our Dallas Fort Worth Holiday Mini Session Special going on throughout the month of November. The package includes a 30 minute session at a TBD location within DFW, electronic delivery of downloadable gallery + the print release. These are perfect for Christmas Cards, Newborn Sessions, Senior Photos! Email therustienailhead@gmail.com for booking inquiries and details!

 

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!

Dallas-Fort Worth Holiday Minis: Brit + Mia

Dallas Fort Worth Holiday Mini Sessions are in full swing and I could not have asked for a better dup than this Mama and her sweet honey child, Mia, to be my first sessions of the season! We met in Keller, Texas for a fun day with the Thompson gals! (you can see all the flowerchild greatness here.

This isn’t these gals first rodeo with The Rustie Nail. I actually consider Mia to be one of our Milestone Sessions because I have been photographing this little lady for quite awhile now. I’ve had the pleasure of shooting her Christmas Photos and every now and then a fun floral themed shoot in the Spring, including the Sunflower field disaster shoot. It has been such a joy to see her grow up over the years!

Mama, Brit, arrived with 2 of the most adorable little outfits for her baby girl. One was the gorgeous lace dress and the other was a simple black tutu and a jean jacket and both looked absolutely perfect on Miss Mia! This Mama always hits the nail on the head in the fashion department which is why I always look forward to these sessions so much!

I told Brit that I wanted to do something a little more bohemian for this particular shoot and she was happy to oblige. She even brought along a few dreamcatchers for the girls to twirl around with. And get this guys, she DIYed the dreamcatchers!! Is there anything this Mama can’t do??

I had such a good time catching up with these lovely ladies but I bet this won’t be the last time this gorgeous duo graces the blog! Stay tuned for the many adventures of Brit + Mia!! We still have a few Dallas Fort Worth Mini Session dates available for anyone who might be interested. Email therustienailhead@gmail.com for booking inquiries, packages and pricing!

Newborn Session: Baby Ellie

Just a little over a month ago, first time parents, Jesse and Carly welcomed this little lady into the world and while visiting back home in Pennsylvania, I got the chance to spend some time with Baby Ellie and her sweet Mama, Carly! We met on a dreary Wednesday morning at their home for baby girl’s first photo shoot!

I loved the black and whites of this munchkin’s shoot. Every single image looks so timeless and her little face, those pouty lips, those chubby toes, she just looks so perfect. This little one is going to be the cause of some major baby fever!

We propped her up on a bean bag in front of their dining room windows and Baby Ellie just napped the afternoon away basking in the sunlight. She was smiling during her dreams and giving us the biggest yawns. Props to Mama on her bow and diaper ruffle too. This Mama had all the right ideas when it came to dolling her baby up!

Once we wrapped up the indoor photos, we decided to bundle Ellie up in fur vests and swaddles and venture out into the yard for a few natural light photos. I always love this part of the shoot. I wanted to make sure to get a photo of Carly and her little love in front of the house, especially with all those leaves changing around their property. I just love the idea that one day, 20 years from now, Carly and Jesse will be able to show their daughter pictures of the house they first brought her home to that fall in 2017.

And can we talk about how fabulous Carly looks?! I may be prejudice because I adore redheads but this Ginger Mama is simply stunning! You can tell that Motherhood definitely agrees with her in all the right ways. She has all the right moves to calm her baby girl down in an instant all the while making it look so effortless. And that hair, seriously, both these babes are gorgeous! And yes I am still crossing my fingers that little Miss Ellie will sprout some ginger locks any day now!

Though the weatherman was calling for some pretty nasty stuff, we managed to get all our outdoor shots in with only a small drizzle coming down. We didn’t want to keep Ellie out too long anyway so once we had snapped a few photos in their front yard, we headed inside to see the nursery. Ellie’s room was adorned with butterflies and blankets embroidered in shades of lavender, perfectly fit for a princess.

I had so much fun with these babes that we decided to extend our shoot so Daddy could join in on the fun! Stay tuned because Part II of Ellie’s Newborn Shoot is up next!

DFW Holiday Mini Sessions slots are still available to those of you who are interested! Inquiries about booking your unique session can be emailed to Angelina 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!!

Fall Mini Session: Little Hippies

A few weeks back, I got to meet up some of my favorite little ladies for their Fall Mini shoot! Zoee, Paizlee and Mia are always down for a night of dressing up and this go-around would be no exception. We met in Keller, Texas with the intention of brewing up a little bohemian magic.

When I first explained to their Mamas what kind of shoot I had in mind, they both were anxious to see what kind of a vision I really had in mind. I kept it simple. Think Hippie, Flowerchild-like, without all the tie dye. I brought my favorite Grateful Dead tapestry from college along and threw a Magnolia trimmed wreath together to match the girls’ floral crowns and wah-la, hippie-chic!

 

Little Mia was up first.  This child could not be more photogenic. Every time we put her in front of the camera, she just shines. She is always such a trooper. Just take a look at her last session with us here. This little lady and her Mama braved trekking through a sunflower field for their Mommy+Me Session. Now, tell me that flower crown isn’t the icing on this princess’ cake?

 

Zoee and Paizlee were up next! These sisters have the greatest chemistry and I am always in awe of their connection. They know how to push each others buttons yet can still finish each others’ sentences through a fit of giggles. Though so very different, their bond is so very complimentary. It’s clear to see that when push comes to shove, these girls have got each others’ backs.

After a few rounds of Ring-Around-the-Rosie, the girls were eager to bust out the Dreamcatchers that their Mamas had brought along. They pranced their way through the park and each girl made sure to blow a few wishes around.

Before too long, the sun began to set and because it wouldn’t be a Fall Mini Session without a chance to play in the leaves, we let the girls dive in. They had a full on war throwing leaves at one other but Zoee really got a kick out of it. She has this contagious laugh that just resonated through the group.

As usual, these girls were the perfect start to a busy Fall Portrait Session season.  This could not have gone more perfectly. The flower crowns, that golden sunlight and the giggles of 3 exuberant little ladies is exactly what I had in mind. I love the boho feel of this moody portrait session and I can’t wait to see where these girls take me next time!

For Christmas Card inspiration, take a peek at these girls’ Christmas shoot from last year! We had a Hot Cocoa party at Bear Creek in Keller, Texas and it was out-of-this-world cute!

And, don’t forget that we have our DFW Holiday Mini Special going on throughout the month of November! The package includes a 30 minute session at a TBD location within DFW, electronic delivery of your downloadable gallery and the print release. For more details, email me (Angelina) at therustienailhead@gmail.com.