Top 5 Things To Do In Cincinnati This Holiday Season

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It’s officially November, the Queen City is starting to gear up for the Holidays. If you’re looking for things to do in Cincinnati this Holiday season, you’ve come to the right place. 

One of the reasons I have loved growing up in Cincinnati is how beautiful the city gets during this time of year. 

There are so many things to do in Cincinnati when it comes to the Holidays. 

Our city is family friendly, you will be able to find a lot of activities that your entire family can enjoy. 

I know the holidays can be a stressful time but sometimes taking a step back and remembering what they’re truly about can help you look forward to this time of the year. 

The holidays are about spending time with your family. 

Whether you’re new parents that are spending their first holiday together as a family or a parent of college students that are coming home for the first time, it’s important to cherish the moments you get to spend together. 

I am confident when I say that our beautiful city will provide you with memories to last a lifetime. 

By the time you’re done completing all the things in this post, you’ll never dread this time of year. 

Let’s talk about things to do in Cincinnati during the Holidays. 

 Top 5 Things To Do In Cincinnati This Holiday Season

1. Visit Santa

Visiting Santa at the mall is likely a tradition that you remember when you were growing up. 

I know I have countless pictures of my sister and I at the mall meeting Santa. 

Lucky for you, Cincinnati has so many places where you can meet Santa. 

Kenwood Mall is one of our biggest shopping centers with over 150 stores. 

Don’t worry about the mall being busy though. This year you can reserve a time to meet with Santa so you don’t have to wait in the long line. 

It gets better. You can predetermine a picture package you would like to purchase when you go to meet Santa with your kids. 

Another mall you could meet Santa at is the Florence Mall in Northern Kentucky. 

This mall takes the Santa fastpass one step further by allowing you to reserve times for your pets to meet with santa. We all know pets are important members of the family, so including them in your trips to the mall to meet Santa will guarantee to create lifelong memories. 

Florence Mall also has options to reserve a time with Santa for your children if you decide to shop there over Kenwood. 

One final place where you can get picturesque Santa pictures is at the Hotel Covington. 

Every year, for one day only, they have Santa in his sleigh stationed in their lobby for families to come and take pictures with. 

Make sure to stay up to date with their calendar so you don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet Santa at the historic Hotel Covington.

2. Festival of Lights

One of my favorite Cincinnati traditions during the holidays is the Festival of Lights. 

Now entering its 37th year, the Cincinnati Zoo hosts the Festival of Lights every year. 

The zoo completely transforms during this time of year to a magical wonderland. 

Usually, you can expect to see spectacular light shows and various light related events throughout the zoo. 

This year, however, families can partake in a Fiona scavenger hunt and take pictures in front of a festive backdrop in the Hippo Hut. 

If you’re in the city during this time, the Festival of Lights is an absolute must see. 

Besides seeing the lights, you get to see the zoo and all of its amenities. 

Some of my fondest memories are at the Festival of Lights. 

If you don’t have time to see Santa at one of the locations mentioned above, Santa will also be at the zoo during this time. 

Opening day is on November 16th and will operate until January 4th. 

3. Christkindlmarkt

One of the aspects of our city that I think makes us so unique is our deep German heritage. 

From Oktoberfest to Christkindlmarkt, Cincinnati does not shy away from embracing our German roots. 

Christkindlmarkt is “the oldest and most authentic German Christmas market in the Cincinnati Region”. 

Don’t worry if you don’t know what a German Christmas market is, I didn’t know at first either. 

At Christkindlmarkt, you can enjoy: 

  • German music
  • A lantern parade
  • A petting zoo
  • Caroling
  • Carriage Rides

Besides that, you can also indulge in authentic German food including bratwurst, sauerkraut balls and cream puffs.  

If you’re worried about getting your holiday shopping done, don’t worry. Christkindlmarkt has vendors that sell authentic German gifts like nutcrackers and advent calendars. 

Finally, they have a raffle where you can win one of three amazing gifts. 

Christkindlmarkt will be a unique holiday experience that can become a new tradition for your family.  

4. Family Photo Session

One of the stressful parts of this time of year is getting together a Christmas card to send to all of your loved ones. 

You have to decide what picture to include, what design to choose and what to say on it. 

Have no fear, I will take care of all your family photo needs. 

Carrie Lynne Photography offers a number of different services that will be perfect for your family to get the perfect photo for that Christmas card. 

When you book your session, you can choose from a few different family photo packages that fit your holiday schedule. 

Here is an example of a heart warming family photo that you would feel excited to share with all of your friends. 

I truly believe that winter is one of the best times to photograph newborns, because newborns take the best pictures when they’re warm and cozy. 

I’m not kidding and my pictures prove it! 

5. Ice Skating on Fountain Square

A great way to finish your holiday trip to Cincinnati is to go ice skating in Fountain Square. 

From November to February, the square is taken over by an Ice Rink. The rink opened on November 2nd so it’s ready now for your family to enjoy. 

You don’t have to worry about owning ice skates because you can rent a pair for $4 before you go on the ice. 

I know I used to be hesitant about ice skating because I wasn’t very good at it but at Fountain Square you don’t have to worry about that. You can rent special skates and aids that will assist you on the ice. 

If you get cold and thirsty, there is a full concession stand that has Hot Cocoa and alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages. 

If you really want to make an evening out of it, you can rent a warming tent to sit in when you get tired from skating. 

Ice skating on Fountain Square will be the perfect end to your holiday adventure. 

Holiday Wrap Up

The holidays can be a magical time, especially when you spend them in Cincinnati. 

It doesn’t always have to be about who gives the best present or how long you wait in line to see Santa. 

What really matters is spending time with the people you love and building memories that will last forever. 

Some of my fondest memories come from around this time and I’m sure you can relate. 

Cincinnati really does become a magical place around this time of year. It can really be a surreal experience to see the city lit up. 

You will find multiple unique adventures to embark on while you’re in the city. 

I can guarantee that you’ll want to come back next year to explore some more. 

It’s only November so there’s still plenty of time to plan your family trip to Cincinnati this holiday season.

There are so many fun things to do in Cincinnati around this time, these are just some of our favorites. 

What are some of your favorite Holiday traditions?

Cincinnati Portrait Photography- Thank You!

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How crazy is it that it’s already April?! I feel like I was just setting my new years resolution goals like, yesterday. And no, we don’t need to get into whether or not I am still sticking to them (haha).

I like to occasionally make a sappy post here and there, because you guys will never know how grateful I am for your business. As a Cincinnati Portrait Photographer, I get to meet so many awesome people. Not only do I get to meet so many great people, you guys always welcome me into your home, and your family with open arms!

I believe I have some of the best clients around, and you deserve a post just devoted to saying thank you.

I recently was able to get this video made that shows majority of my photos, and puts them in a unique story board. Watching videos like this always spark emotion because I am truly passionate about what I do. I love getting to see how many different faces I’ve been able to capture over the years. The constant love and support I’ve gotten from all of you is another bonus. Including some of the very special reviews I’ve received.

Studio Portrait Photography

This review is one of my favorite reviews ever because it’s genuine and gives you a good look into what I do, and why I like to do it.

Carrie Lynne Photography is awesome! She did the “first year” for each of our children and a family session now that they are older. Family pictures with little kids is not super fun in and of itself (with tears, potty issues, and other shenanigans) but Carrie finds ways to make it fun and always captures the perfect moments. There have been several times when I walk away thinking “oh my, there is no way she was able to capture a moment where all of us were looking at her” but she does. And the photos are BEAUTIFUL!! We have done photos at parks, downtown, and in her studio and they have all turned out beautifully. I highly recommend her for all of your family and newborn photo needs!

This review captures everything I would love to communicate with you guys! Yes, first year photos can be difficult especially for the parent, when it comes to preparation. However, no matter what the circumstance is, we make it fun, we work with what we got and I promise you’ll love your photos.

With all the possible tears, potty issues, outfit malfunctions, whatever the case may be, I am determined to get a smile in between and during those moments. Children are children and sometimes it’s those photos that make the best ones and really capture real life.

This is one of my favorite portrait sessions recently. I love how we were able to incorporate so much color. Cake shots are always so much fun for everyone involved (especially the children). If you’re worried about your child smiling during the photo session, just bring a cake! It works 99% of the time.

Lastly, portrait photography can be taken in my studio and even outside, such as downtown Cincinnati or your local neighborhood park! I’ve always been drawn to portrait photography because even though you can get a stunning landscape photo, I think it’s the people behind the photos that make them so special. Human life is so precious and having the ability to capture it, is such a blessing to me. Whether its a newborn or an adult portrait photography session, it’s so special to me. Every person has an individual story, and each person continues to evolve and change throughout seasons.

Home Portrait Photography

I am so grateful for clients who welcome me into their home to capture photos. In home portrait sessions are always some of my favorites because the pictures come off so genuine and natural. Sometimes people get nervous and tense of with a camera in their face, but an in home photo shoot always seems to help calm those nerves.

Being in the comfort of your home allows you to relax and be your authentic self. It’s also super fun to look back at old pictures and remember some of the furniture, wall paper, and decor you had in your home.

This home session, we were able to get some individual shots of the newborn baby, the parents together and even big brother! This is a great way to capture the entire family at once. The newborn photos are a great reason to schedule a photo session, but it’s just as important to capture the entire family together.

This family did such a beautiful job coordinating outfits and look how photogenic they are! They truly made my job so easy and so much fun.

No matter what the occasion is, it’s always a great time to get your photos taken. Now that spring is among us, the sun is going to stay out later and later giving us the best opportunity for sunset photos.

Outdoor Portrait Photography

I’ve mentioned the benefits when it comes to studio and in home portraits, but sunset photos are hard to beat! Nature can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to photography. When mother nature decides to cooperate, it’s game over!

These gorgeous photos I captured during sunset and they are stunning. The natural lighting and beautiful colors of the sky, are breathtaking. The way the sun was able to illuminate this mother to be’s belly was my favorite part.

Final Words

If you have worked with me before, I just want you to know that I appreciate you and I am so thankful you chose me to capture you and your family! I look forward to being a part of all of your big life moments.

If you haven’t worked with me before, I hope this post inspired you to give me a shot (or a photographer in general). I believe getting professional photos taken, are priceless! If you are interested in booking a session with me, visit carrielynnephotography.com and check out my information page. On this page, you can choose the best package for you.

Decorating Your Nursery For Newborn Portraits

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Decorating your baby’s nursery has always been a fun and exciting part of pregnancy whether it’s your first child or your fifth child. You have an excuse to completely redecorate and a new creative outlet that allows you to make a cozy and welcoming room for when your child enters the world.

Whether you’re big into decorating or not, having a nursery that you enjoy and can picture your newborn eventually sleeping in, is priceless. However, this room isn’t just for your baby, but a room you will spend a lot of time in when it comes to changing diapers, breast feeding, reading books.

This room should be a room that you enjoy just as much as the baby does. Because let’s be real, the baby could care less as long as they are fed, warm, and comfortable. Another reason you should invest in your newborn room, is because you are bound to take hundreds of hundreds of newborn baby photos. Whether you take these photos on your own with my do it yourself picture guide, or you hire a professional newborn portrait photographer like myself, this is a room you will want to be picture ready.

In order to help inspire you to create the nursery of your dreams, here are some recent interior decor nursery trends.

Black and White Monochromatic

One of the hardest parts of decorating a baby’s room is deciding on the color scheme. Especially for people who don’t know the gender of their baby, they would go with a gender neutral color choice like yellow or green.

Since black and white neutral baby decor is now trending, it makes it easy to transition the room into a baby girl or a baby boy theme. Instead of going all out with a pink room for your first baby and then having a baby boy and having to go all out with blue, sticking to black and white makes your life a lot easier.

If you wanted to add a pop of color, it’s very reasonable to add a couple pink or blue pillows to the room. Adding a couple pillows is a lot more affordable than repainting and redecorating an entire room.

A neutral baby room is also great when it comes to your baby photos. You won’t have to worry about framing the pictures and them not matching the room you want to put them in. Neutral photo settings are also timeless, no need to worry about trendy colors going out. Black and white is always a safe, but fun bet.

Monochromatic Baby Decor Room Includes:

  • Accents of green plants
  • Accents of wooden furniture
  • Wicker baskets

Geometric Prints

Geometric prints are on trend for more than just baby nurseries. There is a correlation here with the black and white trend as well. Outside of nurseries, geometric prints are common on wallpapers, statement pillows, rugs and much more.

Although we mentioned there is a correlation between the black and white trend with the geometric print trend, the geometric print trend is acceptable in other colors.

Key elements of a geometric baby nursery:

  • Geometric wall
  • Geometric rug
  • Geometric pillows
  • Geometric bedspread

Bohemian Baby

This one is my personal favorite, because I am loving the bohemian home trend. I have a decent plant collection and I love the mix between neutrals with a pop of color in the rug. The best part about this room decor is that it will match the rest of your house if you are also into this decor.

Once you have kids you understand how challenging it can be to update and decorate rooms with kiddos running around. This room is great because it will stand the test of time. This decor has more of a mature vibe to it, so you will no longer have to worry about your 10 year old living in a room that was decorated for a baby. All you would have to do is take out the crib and the bedroom is good to go. It could also be easily transitioned into an office.

Key elements of a bohemian baby room include:

The Enchanted Forest

This room is an adventure in and of itself! It’s so fun for you and your child. This room encourages creativity and adventure within your child which is so healthy. However, out of all of the room options, this one may become outdated the quickest.

However, it depends on how you go about it. Choosing a more mature floral or greenery would allow your child to grow into the room. This would definitely create an appropriate environment for a fun newborn or child photography session. In home sessions are just as fun if not more fun than an outdoor session. What I love about in home sessions is the fact that, I get to capture your child in their natural element. They are comfortable in this space because it’s their home and this makes a big different for a child especially when there is a camera in their face.

Also 2019 has been a year of genuine authenticity with photography and social media. When you look back on your child’s life, you want to remember exactly how it was, not necessarily a staged studio portrait session.

Key elements of an enchanted forest nursery include:

  • Canopy over the crib
  • Forest wallpaper or floral design
  • Dream catcher
  • Wood accents

Final Words

I hope these four nursery ideas inspired you to have the cutest space for you and your baby in 2019. This space is important because you will create your mother and child bond here, this is where your child will get rest and go through their growth spurt, where they may take their first steps, and pull themselves up in their crib. This room is important for you and your child.

These four trends allow you to create a fun and cozy space for your child while allowing you to easily transition them into other rooms, or a more mature room as your child begins to grow up. These interior decor trends also allow you to more easily take a gender neutral approach and be surprised by the gender if that’s what you choose to do.

As you get the nursery room ready to go, make sure you remember to book your newborn in home photography session. These sessions are best if they are scheduled around two weeks out from your due date. If this is your first newborn session, I have a magazine available that goes over everything you should expect and prepare for as you get ready!

Top 5 Ways To Use Your Family Portraits

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One of the reasons I started my photography business is because of how important portraits are to me. Often times pictures can be overlooked and underrated. You may just assume you can snap a shot on your iphone and instantly upload it to Facebook and you’re good to go. I think if used correctly, portraits can make a powerful difference in your home. 

Facebook and social media are great places to store your photos because they are automatically time stamped and easy to access no matter where you are. However, what if something were to happen to Facebook or Instagram? The same can be true for physical copies. What if something happened to a physical copy of a photo? Either way I suggest having multiple copies of photos stored in various locations just in case.

The message behind this post, isn’t to make sure you never have to leave your photos behind, but more so, to inspire you to use your new family portraits in a way you may never have thought of. Here are five great ways to get the most out of your family portraits.

Blow It Up

If you have a great family photo, why not get the most out of it by blowing it up. Bigger is always better, right? Okay this may not necessarily be the case, but if done right, a blown up picture makes a great statement in your home.

Most people get their photos printed to put in a 5×7 frame, but I think there is something so great about going above and beyond and blowing the photo up. Artwork, and mirrors are very popular when it comes to filling up blank spaces, but you can only have so many mirrors, and why not use your family portraits as a piece of art?

I recommend hanging the picture on a giant wall either in your family room or your living room. I believe that what often times makes a house feel like a home is when there are family photos. A home becomes a home when there are memories spent there with loved ones.

If you know ahead of time that you are going to blow up this family photo, I would pay special attention to the clothing that you choose to wear for that photoshoot. Make sure that the color scheme of your outfits also coordinate with the color scheme of your home decor. For example, you most likely wouldn’t want to blow up a holiday family portrait because red sweaters and fuzzy coats may not look the best hanging on your wall in the middle of June.

Photo Album or Book

If you wanted to keep your family portraits more private and personal to you, a photo album or printed book is a perfect alternative. Photo albums have been around for a very long time and I believe they aren’t going anywhere. Even with the popularity of Facebook, having all of your photos kept in one special spot and decorating it if you choose to do so, is irreplaceable.  

I remember how much I valued the photo albums that were created for me during my childhood and since then I have tried to carry on the tradition.

I feel as though decorating and creating photo albums is definitely becoming more of a past time, and simply because they are time consuming. Picking out the background paper, cutting the pictures, adding labels or stickers and all of the additional things you can do to it takes a lot of effort.

It’s definitely much easier to simply click the upload button on Facebook, but the thought and personalized touch that goes behind creating a photo album speaks volumes. If you just simply aren’t impressed with your decorating or crafting abilities, there are multiple other ways you can create a book or photo album without touching a pair of scissors or tape.

Companies like Shutterfly have made your lives as easy as possible. All you have to do is still click that upload button but instead your photos are printed into a photo album type book. This alternative gives you the best of both worlds.

Wall Decor Photo Collage

A photo collage is a great way to display your family portrait collection. A photo collage is a great way to get representation from multiple family members. If you have a large family or extended family and it’s important for you to include everyone then this photo collage will be your best bet.

A photo collage takes a little bit more effort in terms of design, and picture frame hanging, so make sure you are up for a little bit of a challenge. If you know that you are interested in a photo collage, but aren’t sure where you should begin, I recommend heading to Pinterest and finding inspiration.

Are you going for the random but organized look or do you want all of the your frames lined up symmetrically? Do you want to have all matching frames or do you want to have all different kinds of frames? Do you want to have all of the same size photos or a variety?

And maybe you have no idea the answers to any of these questions, but once you check out Pinterest and find your inspiration, that should clear up any of your uncertainty.

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Picture Frames

If you’re more of the traditional type, then stick to your guns and go that route. Print your 5×7 photos and frame them, however make sure these photos are high quality and strong family portraits. If these photos are going to be displayed, they should be the best of the best photos.

If you don’t think that you have any high quality photos, I encourage you to contact me to schedule a photoshoot. High quality photos are irreplaceable and they capture a moment in time that could otherwise be easily forgotten.

Holiday Cards

Tis the season! Family portraits aren’t just for home decor, but for sharing the holidays with your friends and family. A Christmas card is one of the best ways to wish everyone close to you a happy holiday and keep in touch with people you may have lost regular connection with.

Christmas cards are fun to receive every year and see how much certain families have grown and changed over just one year. A Christmas card is another great way to timestamp moments.

The Benefits of Holiday Family Photoshoot

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Some people say memories made with your family are the very core of a person’s being. I share this belief. See, a person’s family is what shapes a person into who they will become. It’s the time spent with them that fine-tunes an individual. And what better way is there to make these memories and moments than to go for a holiday family photoshoot.

Although said lightly, this idea has over the years been a highlight for a lot of families. Family holidays are breaks from our everyday busy lives. They are reliefs to the human soul, body, and mind. For children, these family holidays make some of the “fondest childhood memories”. The excitement, the love, the experience and the getting to know each other better are just some of the small benefits.

Below are a few reasons why you should consider booking a family photoshoot for the holidays.

1. Create Memories

This is usually the number one reason people will book a family holiday photoshoot. You create moments and memories that bring you closer. Such memories that once the holiday is over, and you’re back to your everyday hectic life, you can go back to those moments by checking on those photos. In the wider sense, memories can transport us back to that time of feeling; the smell, the touch and sound, and ultimately put us back in that time of life. Especially having children who grow up so quickly, it’s important to capture those memories together.

One of my favorite parts of a family photoshoot is seeing families reunite with their family members who may live out of state or went away to college. Everyone comes together, leaving all their work and worries to focus on this holiday. Happiness radiates around this point in time. If you’re with them, you get to see beautiful sceneries, like say, you were in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2. Relaxation

The benefit of a family photoshoot, unlike when you’re with your friends, you don’t need to put up appearances. Since they’re family, I’m assuming you all know each other well enough; the journey, struggles and joy that have been met, passed through, and experienced. I’ll tell you this. There is something about being understood and accepted. It does something to you. It provides you with comfort and acceptance.

I love being able to capture the different personalities and relationships among family members.

3. Nurturing Family Relationships

Going on a family holiday photo shoot allows you and your family to build and grow your relationships. Sure there is social media now. You could use FaceTime, but nothing beats being with your family in the car, at the photo shoot location talking, sharing stories, and recalling family moments. These moments are to die for. The laughter that comes from remembering something ridiculous that your mom, your dad or your child did at a certain point in time.

4. Knowledge Will Be Gained

Spending time with your family means everyone gets to learn more about each other. You get to catch up and discover new things about each other. It creates a feeling of understanding, connection and, belonging.

Where Can I Use These Photos?

The question remains, where is the best possible place to put the photos you took on your holiday family photoshoot. Where would be the perfect place where everyone would be continuously reminded of the moments you’ve shared together. There are many places a person can place pictures in a home. It’s endless really. But I’ll only be talking about a few below.

1.  Living Room

The living room is the primary place in a house. Do you get the point? It’s where your visitors sit while they wait for you. It’s where you and your friends talk about the stress of work or the latest gossip in town. It is where your family photos should be. Stick them on the walls. Just a few will lighten up your living room. They would also make the atmosphere more intimate and the room cozier. I recommend using a sleek wall shelf and placing them asymmetrically, at different heights.

2. Kitchen Gallery

Family photos shouldn’t be limited to just your living room alone. Think of it. Why not put reminders of the moments you’ve had with your loved ones in the kitchen as well?

If you still enjoy having some decor on your refrigerator, there you go! Everytime you go to grab a bite to eat you can be reminded of how thankful you were to get to spend that quality time with your family members.

3. Dining Room

How about the dining room? Place some photos on the wall adjacent to the dining table. That would turn the atmosphere into an intimate one when the family is all gathered around to have dinner.

4. Facebook

Facebook is also an excellent place to keep your memories. It is one of those places where you get to keep your memories for as long as you possibly can. Sometimes myself, I still go to my Facebook page and look through my photos. It reminds me of what has been, the emotions at the time, the sound, the touch etc. Putting these photos on Facebook also lets your friends and family have an idea of what you and your family have been up to – the fun and experiences everyone had.

5. Christmas Card

Another way of saving your memories is to put them in Christmas cards. Say you wanted to send a Christmas gift to your grandparents, or a family member who has been asking of your own family. Send them a Christmas card with your family photo in it. Seeing that will make them happy. Christmas cards have been a tradition for a very long time and I really hope it doesn’t go anywhere. I personally, love receiving Christmas cards from friends and family.

Cincinnati Portrait Photography

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Another photographer once asked me a question that has stuck with me through the years. It’s this: Say your house is burning down and you only have 10 seconds to grab something, what would you make sure to get above everything else? People’s first instinct is to get something invaluable, an item that they can’t buy or get back with home insurance money, and that’s their family pictures. I think that answer is extremely telling, because although the pictures aren’t the most expensive item in the home, they hold the most value to people and symbolize a special moment in time that you can’t get back.

With Facebook, printed pictures aren’t as crucial as they once were, but it’s like reading a paper book versus. a Kindle. There is something different about having a hard copy photo and being able to frame it in your home. The same can be said about how everything’s different when you work with a photographer who understands how to capture these moments in time that you can look back on forever.

When I embark on a new photography session with a client, my goal isn’t to just capture this one moment of your life and wish you the best. I love to create lasting relationships with my clients and “go through life” together capturing all of life’s biggest moments.

Engagement Portraits

 

Where many families start their journey in the pursuit of marriage and being together the rest of their lives, an engagement photoshoot is one of my favorite moments to capture. Whether it is in the literal moment of the engagement happening live, or if it is an after the fact photoshoot, it is an honor for me to see the excitement and sparks between these two people madly in love.

With the rest of their lives ahead of them and the dreams and passions the couple’s start to pursue together there is nothing more memorable to capture! Although most couples have been dating for a considerable time before getting engaged, the engagement is truly the beginning of forever together.

Engagement photo shoots are some of the most interesting and playful photoshoots I get to take a part of. I love getting to hear the story behind how the couple met and even sometimes including those special places in the photoshoot. For example, if there is a favorite coffee shop between the couple, or maybe they met at the college they went to, being able to include those special memories and moments in the pictures makes all the difference.

I hope that these photos help capture all of the emotions, feelings, and memories associated with this special moment in time. After the engagement, comes to the wedding and then for some people, the beginning of a family.

Maternity Portraits

 

Maternity Portraits are another special moment in time, that are always worth capturing. Pregnancy is the beginning of your bond and forever relationship with your child. The importance of maternity photography is to capture the excitement and anticipation of the entrance of a new family member.

From gender reveals to capturing different growth stages through trimesters, these nine months are nothing short of an extremely exciting time, especially if it’s your first child.

Just like newborn photoshoots, there is a lot of growth going on within the womb during pregnancy and for mother’s, a maternity photoshoot is a fun way to capture those stages of change. Different woman respond different to pregnancy and therefor it makes it a very unique experience and truly a one of a kind moment for you and your family.

In the past, I feel like women tried to avoid cameras and documentation due to the fact that they had gained weight, and were no longer confident in their bodies. You can notice a change in the way maternity clothes have shifted as well.

A decade or so, maternity clothing was typically big and baggy, you were almost trying to cover up your belly. In terms of swimwear, pregnant women always opted to wear a one piece swimsuit or a tankini if they even have the nerve to wear a swimsuit, and now woman are choosing to rock bikinis despite how pregnant they are (I love it!). In addition to bikinis, woman are confidently rocking body-con dresses, and really anything that shows off that gorgeous baby bump.

I absolutely love that our culture has decided to take a brand new approach on pregnancy. Pregnancy is now considered a beautiful stage of life, no matter how many extra pounds you have packed on during the process. The reason it’s beautiful is because it’s natural.

The natural aspect is definitely a goal of mine when capturing maternity photography! You don’t want anything too staged or “photoshoot like” however, the goal is to capture you in your natural element. Maternity portraits don’t all have to be just about you as the mother as well. This is another great time to bond with your partner and be excited about this life stage together.

Naturally, after the maternity portraits, I would love to schedule your next newborn photoshoot within two weeks of the delivery date or birth of your child, and this is why.

The natural aspect is definitely a goal of mine when capturing maternity photography! You don’t want anything too staged or “photoshoot like” however, the goal is to capture you in your natural element. Maternity portraits don’t all have to be just about you as the mother as well. This is another great time to bond with your partner and be excited about this life stage together.

Naturally, after the maternity portraits, I would love to schedule your next newborn photoshoot within two weeks of the delivery date or birth of your child, and this is why.

Newborn Portraits

 

One of the reasons baby photography is so important, is because their bodies are rapidly changing and growing during the first few years of their life. We can all agree on that!

According to the Mayo Clinic, this is how much your baby can grow just in their first year of life:

From birth to age 6 months, a baby might grow 1/2 to 1 inch a month and gain 5 to 7 ounces a week. Expect your baby to double his or her birth weight by about age 5 months.

From ages 6 to 12 months, a baby might grow 3/8 inch a month and gain 3 to 5 ounces a week. Expect your baby to triple his or her birth weight by about age 1 year.

So just in one year, your baby has tripled their weight and grown a few inches (that’s crazy!). This is why getting your newborn portraits (and scheduling them ahead of time) is crucial to capturing these important stages of growth.

I recommend getting your newborn portraits taken within the first two weeks of birth. This ensures that the newborns still curl up in that womb-like position, don’t mind be unclothed, and stay asleep and restful longer to ensure the best photos!

Children Portraits

Newborn and infant photography is for those “cute” moments. You’ll never get those tiny fingers and toes back, and that soft baby skin, but the great thing about children photography, is that it begins to really capture the personality of your child, which makes it so much fun!

When I work with children during photoshoots, I don’t want this to be a dreadful moment for them where I am forcing them to “say cheese” behind a camera because their parents paid me too. I really want this to be a fun experience for the children, where they can be goofy and show their personality through the images.

No matter the age of the child, I think every stage in life is worth capturing. Whether it’s their first day of first grade, or their high school graduation pictures, all moments are big moments and you never want to regret not taking the time to document those achievements or celebratory moments.

Family Portraits

 

My true passion and heart strings are pulled during baby portrait sessions. It also gets good when the entire family gets their picture taken at the same time and you see different personalities come together.

You may think as an adult or as a teenager, you just kinda look the same! Unless you get a dramatic haircut, or have some weight change, there is no big dramatic image change. Everyone seems to think that about themselves, however looking back at old photos will prove you otherwise (assuming you take pictures).

I think it’s so important to not only get pictures of your newborns, but have pictures to look back as a family in general. And trust me, when that child grows up they’re going to appreciate the fact that they can look back on those infant pictures of them as a child, and they are going to appreciate being able to see what the rest of the family looked like back then as well.

“Did Dad have a beard?”, “Did Mom have bangs?”, “Did my brother Michael lose his front teeth yet?” I know for me, that is one of my favorite parts of looking back at old pictures, just noticing different style changes and appearances. Not only looking at how you looked as a child, but the rest of the family, helps you recap certain memories in your mind and paint a better picture of your childhood.

Final Words

Hopefully this post has helped you get a sense of my photography and the value I hold on creating relationships with my clients. Especially when it comes to family portraits, if the children have worked with me before they tend to be comfortable and confident in front of the camera.

Life is not just about the “big” moments of engagements, and pregnancy and high school graduation, but life is just as much about capturing all of the “small” moments in between. So whether you have something worth celebrating and capturing or you just want to get your family dressed up to take some cute and cozy fall attire shots, then that’s great too!

I try to consistently convince people that you don’t need an excuse to capture life. I think everyone should do it regularly because the only regret that comes is having too little of photos, not too many.

What A Perfect Photography Client Looks Like

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We know that the photos we create here at Carrie Lynne Photography hold a special place in the lives of our clients, and feel that it’s our responsibility to make sure that as few obstacles as possible stand in the way of capturing perfect moments for everyone who books a session with us.

We’ve gotten pretty good at this over the years, but what do you do if the obstacle standing between you capturing the best possible photos for your client is…your client?

When you’re a professional photographer running your own business independently, it can be easy to find yourself spending more time than you’d prefer solving common problems again and again.

Thankfully, with a little help and preparation from a client, minimizing these common problems is super easy and can maximize the opportunities to capture the best photos during a shoot.

Whether you’ve already booked your session or are still doing your due diligence, keeping this list of ways to be the perfect photography client in mind can go a long way toward making sure you get the absolute best possible photos out of your session.

The Best Photography Clients Do This

#1: Communicate Well in Advance

When you book your shoot, the more information you can provide our team, the better. The simple fact of the matter is that the more information we have about what specifically you’re looking to get out of your photography experience, the better we can work to meet your needs and ensure your satisfaction.

Just letting us know what you’re looking to get out of the shoot, what the photos will be used for, and a specific date or two that would work well for you goes a surprisingly long way. When the day of the shoot come around, we’ll be totally on the same page and ready to spend every minute of our session as productively as possible.

#2: Show Up On Time

This one is pretty simple, but absolutely bears repeating: please show up for your session on time! We do our best to accommodate late arrivals, but sometimes we have multiple sessions booked on one day and are unable to make up for lost time.

The more time we have during a session, the more options you’ll have at the end of the day, so being punctual and prepared at the established time is a really easy way to get the most out of your shoot.

#3: Have Outfit Changes Ready to Go

This one ties into punctuality and preparedness as well: if you’ll be taking photos in multiple outfits, having those organized and ready to go goes a long way.

Changing outfits in the middle of a session can take a surprisingly large amount of time away from taking photos, especially without proper organization beforehand.. You don’t necessarily need to be a quick change wizard, but eliminating unnecessary time spent here can maximize the usefulness of your session.

#4: Have a Positive Attitude

This one might be the most important of all: having a positive, upbeat attitude during your shoot can absolutely transform the quality of your photos more than perhaps anything else on this list.

For many, having professional photos taken can be a stress-inducing experience — it’s easy to feel uncomfortable in front of the camera and worry about whether or not you’ll be happy with the results.

However, just going with the flow, responding well to coaching by your photographer, and overall having fun during your shoot will ensure you’re radiating positivity and happiness in your final photos. Just keep an open mind and enjoy the experience!

#5: Ask For What You Need

Ideally, you’ll have communicated with our team super effectively before the shoot date, but once the shoot has started, having the assertiveness to make any requests you might have can preemptively solve a lot of problems.

If there’s a specific background you’d prefer, or a specific pose you’d like to try, just let us know! We’re happy to accommodate reasonable requests and do what it takes to get you the photos you’re hoping for.

#6: Pay On Time

Finally, after your shoot is completed and you’ve got some truly amazing photos to treasure, timely payment is sincerely appreciated.

We’re an independent business that relies on prompt payment from our clients to pay bills and continue to grow. Not having to chase down payments for shoots we’ve completed frees us up to book new sessions and help our other clients get amazing photos as well!

Ultimately, if you can keep these best practices in mind, you’ll be ensuring as little as possible stands in the way of you and the best possible photos we can capture. Even better, you’ll also be saving both of us a bit of potential stress, which we sincerely appreciate!

Ready to book your session? Drop us a line and we’ll be happy to help get you ready to take some gorgeous photos.

Why Capturing Professional Quality Child Photography Pictures Is So Important

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Now more than ever, we live in an era of constant documentation, communication, and media creation. Seemingly from the moment your new bundle of joy enters the world to the moment they ship off to college, every member of your family, no matter how old, is equipped with an increasingly powerful pocket-sized camera and ready to snap and share photos at resolutions and speeds that were impossible even a few years ago.

In leading tech publications, multinational corporations go to war over megapixel count, each trying to convince you that their smartphone camera is as perfect as smartphone cameras can possibly get. Some of these smartphone shooters have even started to mimic the aesthetics of hundred- or even thousand-dollar DSLR cameras, providing even first-time photographers with background blur and high dynamic range. Meanwhile, increasingly high-quality cameras are even being integrated into sunglasses and other wearable technologies.

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In short, it seems like it’s never been a better time to have photos taken of your family. As each of you grow and change over the years, the availability of multiple high-resolution cameras available to capture memories at a moment’s notice seems more and more like a safe assurance.

So, in a world where cameras are more available than ever before, why hire a professional photographer at all? Even further, why hire a professional photographer to snag pictures of your little one, whose incredible cuteness is sure to be documented extensively by a veritable paparazzi of fawning family members?

It’s a perfectly valid question. Here at Carrie Lynne Photography, since the dawn of the point-and-shoot, it’s one we’ve been asked more times than we can count.

And over the years, despite incredibly impressive advances in the field of child photography, our answer hasn’t really changed too much: we’re not in the business of simply capturing photos, we’re in the business of creating memories that last forever.

For us, “forever memories” mean a lot more than raw megapixel count or exposure settings: it’s about capturing our clients and their loved ones in a way that they can hold onto endlessly. We know that these photos are about more than “just another photo of the family”: these are the special moments that get cherished, hung on family room walls, sent to relatives near and far,  and pleasantly remembered for years and years.

Put another way, these photos become heirlooms. And creating an heirloom is about more than a set of tools, no matter how powerful.

Yes, smartphone cameras are more powerful than ever. And yes, the seemingly exponential rate of their improvement shows little signs of slowing down. It’s all but an inevitability that within a few years, everyday consumers will have access to cameras built into their smartphones that are at least able to emulate the aesthetics of professional child photography setups that are worth thousands of dollars today. In fact, for owners of the most recent iPhone and Google Pixel devices, this is already starting to become a possibility, as professional lighting presets and DSLR-esque background blur are already available to consumers.

The fact that these powerful tools exist, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that the results that they produce will be worth sharing with your folks, much less at the standard of “forever memories”.

When I say this, I’m speaking from experience: every year since I was little, my own family has tried to capture a professional-grade family photo as an heirloom around Christmastime. In recent years, we’ve tried to capture these photos ourselves, both with selfie cameras and the assistance of grandparents given a brief crash course on how to operate a DLSR. The results have been, well, less than impressive.

Ultimately, the eye of a trained professional who has spent years helping families create outstanding family photographs is itself an asset. When you take the time and the expense to enlist the help of a family photographer, you’re not just gaining access to high quality equipment, but also to the skills and talents of a hardworking professional who has devoted their life to creating beautiful family moments that can be cherished for ages.

And especially for families with little ones who seem to grow up faster and faster all the time, capturing these professional photos is so, so important.

It’s so easy to get lost in our hectic day-to-day schedules and not take time to cherish the individual moments that make up the fabric of our lives. Seemingly before we know it, we’ve looked up and everything is a little different: months or years have passed, our kids are suddenly so much older than they once were, and we can’t help but wonder where the time has gone.

Those moments aren’t truly lost: they’ll be with us forever in our hearts and minds. But the opportunity to have something tangible to recall them by, to see the face of a loved one as they were in a specific moment in time, smiling brightly and captured in pristinely high detail, is a gift whose value cannot be understated.

Every year, looking back on the photographic memories I’ve created with my family is a distinct pleasure and a huge privilege. It’s an experience I truly wish every family had the opportunity to share with their own loved ones. They really do last a lifetime.

So yes — take those selfies and those candid shots. Surround your growing kids with smartphone cameras and cloud storage solutions. But also find the time to make forever memories with the help of a consummate professional whose keen eye can help create priceless forever memories that you and your family will remember for the rest of your lives.

 

Looking for a professional photographer to create precious memories of you and your family? Carrie Lynne Photography has been creating gorgeous photos of families and children of all ages for years. Visit our website to view packages and pricing and book a session in our Cincinnati studio or at your favorite outdoor location.

Cincinnati | Northern KY Family Photographer – 2016 Year in Review

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Cincinnati | Northern KY Family Photographer – 2016 Year in Review

It’s that time of year to do my annual blog post!! I am awful at writing, was always a math nerd so I crap out after one sentence in one post and push blogging to the bottom of my to do list (which I don’t get through until the January of the next year). 2016 was a fantastic year for me, I did more sessions than ever- maybe too many in the fall if you ask my husband :P This year, I am taking on new challenges and have some new mini sessions and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out! For now though, here is a recap of my 2016 sessions- I think I got most of them in there! Hardest task ever is to compile this image, haha. Enjoy!! If you are finding me for the first time, please head over to my Facebook or Instagram page to see recent work!! I keep both of those pretty much updated. Hope to see you soon!!

Anderson OH Baby Photographer | My Littlest Guy

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Anderson OH Baby Photographer | My Littlest Guy

I am SOOOOOO behind on my blog. Each year when January rolls around, I try to promise myself that I will keep it up to date but life gets busy and I let it slip. No promises but maybe I will update more than a handful of times next year – 2016 will be my year, haha!! I have enjoyed my newest little guy over the last 7 months, he has a killer smile and a sweet disposition when he wants to. I’m not going to lie though, he has been HARD. He cried 95% of the time he was awake for the first 4 or so months. Thank goodness he was a summer baby and I could take him for walks during that time!! He is now almost 8 months old and I am cautiously saying that he is losing the fussiness and becoming such a joy! Even just in the last week there has been a noticeable difference! Colicky babies sure do test you, but I am so grateful for this precious guy and I can’t wait to see what he turns out to be! Here are some pictures of him at 6 months and of his room that is finally coming together! Better late than never!!

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To view pricing information for baby photography or book a session, click here.

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Contact Me

Cincinnati, OH 45244
(513) 374-9629
carrie@carrielynnephotography.com

My Awards

Best Portrait Photographers in Cincinnati
Best Maternity Photographers in Cincinnati