Philadelphia Newborn Photographer | Ciaran

Ciaran Quinn is kinda sorta (but not by much) Irish. That doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I got to meet him mere days after he was born. I arrived at Lindsay and Andrew’s home in Philadelphia (I’m not good enough to know neighborhoods – it was a beautiful street kinda sorta near Penn Treaty Park). I was welcomed by the new parents and their first children: Dudley, a 6 year old Schnauzer mix, and Stella, a 5 year old Collie mix.

It seemed like only yesterday (2009) that I was photographing the two love birds in their recently engaged excitement in LOVE Park. It was fantastic to see them again all grown up with marriage and puppies and house and baby!

I hardly believe it myself but I was there for hours and Ciaran was wide-eyed for pretty much all of it. He was taking everything in.



Don’t you just love this nursery? I could do an entire post on this room alone – including the handmade maps (Neverland, Wonderland, and Land of Oz), whimsical mobile, and fluffy clouds all over the walls.



He was so amazingly alert. Just 10 days old.




It was a lovely day so we took a walk to a local park to see if that would help put him to sleep. And it did.



…Until we got home.







This was truly a lifestyle session for the entire family. I loved it!


The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.
~ Thomas Jefferson

Delaware County Model Photographer | Newtown Square | Leslie [teaser]

I spent the evening with a gorgeous and talented signer songwriter in Newtown Square the other day. Here’s a little teaser from our session for her promo pictures!

Main Line Newborn Photographer | Collins [teaser]

This is Collins Lillian. Good luck convincing anyone that she is not the sweetest thing ever.

Main Line Engagement Photographer | Villanova University | Jamie + John

It’s something pretty awesome when I ask a couple how they mat and the groom-to-be responds, “It was 8 years ago in college. I saw her across the room and I was thunderstruck.” The relationship didn’t flourish right away but they became close, spending a lot of time on the Campus Activities Team at Villanova University.

Lives went on and he moved to New York. The reconnected at a New Year’s Eve party three years ago and sparks flew. Of course he had to kiss her at midnight. They did the long distance thing for a while until he moved down here.

I met up with them on the insanely gorgeous campus at Villanova University for their engagement photography session. The day was overcast and surprisingly chilly but these two were incredible.

There is an archway on campus. Legend has it that anyone who kisses under it will be together forever.



I got quite the tour. There’s also “The Oreo”, a big black and white circular sculpture in the middle of the place.




Jamie grew up in Maine and goes back to visit her family often. She was there last Labor Day and wanted John to come up but he had already made plans with a friend for a concert. She drove up that night and he flew in on the red eye to get there in the morning. There is a beautiful lighthouse in town where her mother told her to go to run an errand. She arrived there to find John with a ring. It’s a pretty classy move to show up at the most beautiful spots in your hometown to pop the question and somehow arrange for the weather to be absolutely perfect. He designed her ring based on her grandmother’s ring.






These two are goofballs. Some conversations are held in animal noises. Cats are currently trending.




Please check out John’s face in this picture! He makes some hilarious faces!



And so studly too! I think it was around this time that we discussed their frequent 90s dance parties, sometimes when no music is playing. Jamie had NKOTB playing through her head during the session.




We had a great time and I am so looking forward to seeing them again this year for their Philadelphia wedding.



I'll be loving you forever
Just as long as you want me to be
I'll be loving you forever
All this love's for you and me, yeah
~ New Kids on the Block, “I’ll Be Loving You Forever”

Philadelphia Wedding Venue Spotlight | Morris House Hotel

There is a secret garden of a wedding venue smack dab in Philadelphia and you would never know about it unless you were looking for it. It’s called the Morris House Hotel (home to M Restaurant) – a sweet boutique bed and breakfast built in the Revolutionary era and exudes colonial elegance.



Inside there are 15 rooms, a library, fireplaces, comfy sofas, and a superb staff.








But the real highlight is the courtyard. The courtyard garden can host a wedding that you’d never expect downtown: greenery, historic charm (226 years worth), fountains, flowers, ivy, bricks, and steps away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s absolutely perfect for the couple who wants an escape to a beautiful garden wedding but doesn’t want to leave downtown Philadelphia.






The “tent” is really just a tent by name. The ceiling is as clear as glass, giving you a great, open feeling with sights to the high rises around. I have Synergetic to thank for providing the uplighting (just wait til you see it at night!) and Beautiful Blooms for the centerpieces.

It’s an awesome space. If you end up at Morris House Hotel for your wedding; give me a call!

Philadelphia Engagement Photographer | Kelly Drive | Carla + Ben

There’s something that happened during my session with Carla and Ben that hasn’t happened before: we were talking and laughing so much that I didn’t even get the juicy details about their relationship – how they met (perhaps gardening but I could have made that up) or even how the proposal went down. Sheesh!

What I can say is that these two are magnificent human beings. We scheduled the session along Kelly Drive for primo springtime nature. I swear it’s one of the most beautiful roads in the entire city. They live in New York (Ben is from the area; Lower Merion to be precise!) and we had originally planned the session for a week or two later. I was worried that we were going to lose our blossoms if we waited so I asked if they could come down stat. I saw them that weekend and we had a blast.




They brought along Salvatore, their rescued Corgi Pitt mix. A canine that I frankly consider far more regal than these two. Carla and Ben are really big into animal rescue groups, Carla running half marathons to raise money for them.



After we assured Carla that there was no third rail to worry about, we ventured onto the tracks.




A strange thing was happening while we were there. It was a big trance/techno party, complete with DJs spinning, food, drinks, hula hooping, tents, kiddie pools, bunting flags, and a lot of color.






They are total goofballs. To give you some indication, they have super hero names: Meldoff (the evil one) and Branman (the good one), combinations of their last names.




And adorable.




But really mostly goofballs. How many couples bring mustaches to an engagement session?!!



As a bonus, I got to get in on the action. Rawr!



It was just too good. I am so excited for their wedding in June at Quarry Hill Farm!



And I will love to see that day
That day is mine
When she will marry me outside with the willow trees
And play the songs we made
They made me so
And I would love to see that day
Her day was mine
~ Beirut, "Postcards from Italy"