How to Choose Locations for Your Mechanicsburg PA Senior Photos

Your senior portraits are an exciting milestone in your life and they’ll serve as a lifelong link to this moment in life before you embark on the adventure of adulthood. As a local photographer I can’t wait to help you create the Mechanicsburg senior photos of your dreams, and a big part of the planning is choosing the locations for your photo shoot. Here are my top tips for finding the perfect photo locations for your session.

The #1 Tip: Use Your Photographer’s Expertise

When you hire a professional photographer, you’re not just getting someone to wield a camera – you’re also getting all the photographer’s expertise too. I’ve been photographing seniors and other photo sessions throughout the area for years, so I know all the best spots! During your pre-session consultation we’ll talk about the types of looks you want for your portraits and I’ll be able to recommend locations based on your vision.

Consider the Mood or Tone of Your Mechanicsburg PA Senior Photos

One of the aspects of senior photography I love most is that they can have so many different ideas from one person to the next because they’re all about celebrating who you are at this time in your life. Where you take photos can immediately set the tone for your portraits, so we’ll choose your locations together based on the looks you want.

For example, if you want an edgy or industrial vibe there are plenty of locations with that look, or if you want something that has more of a girly and lighthearted tone we can choose a field of flowers or something with that type of atmosphere. These are just two examples but there are countless looks we can create and I can always find a location that matches the vibe.

Think About Meaningful Locations

For some seniors, there are certain locations that mean a lot to them or are a big part of their lives, and these can make fantastic backdrops for your senior portraits. For example, if you’re a baseball player, we could take photos at a local baseball field. You don’t have to incorporate meaningful locations but it’s an idea to consider.

Keep an Eye on Convenience

Of course you want to have the perfect locations for your photo shoot, but particularly when we’re going to several locations, convenience does need to play a part. It would take a lot of time out of your session if we have to drive 20 minutes or so between locations, so ideally, we want to choose locations that are within a few minutes’ drive.

Planning Your Mechanicsburg PA Senior Photos

Ready to get started planning the senior photo session of your dreams? Let’s jump in! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start dreaming.

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Choosing a Sitter Session Photographer for Your Mechanicsburg Baby Photos

Sitter session photography is a favorite for so many parents…and for me too! We get to capture portraits of your adorable baby as their little personality is just starting to show, while they’re still babies and before they become an unstoppable crawling machine. As with any other photo session, though, the results depend so much on whether your photographer is the right fit for you. Here are a few of my top tips for choosing a photographer for your Mechanicsburg baby photos.

Check Out Portfolios

Art is subjective and baby photography is no exception. You want to find a photographer who has the same taste as you and who creates artwork in a style you love. There’s no replacement for looking through photographers’ portfolios and seeing whose style stands out to you and has a look that you want on your wall.

Find Out Their Process for Mechanicsburg Baby Photos

There’s so much more to having a great baby photography experience than just getting great photos. Every photographer has a different process for their client experience. Some focus on efficiency, for example, so the extent of your planning might be a few emails back and forth, and the photo session might be the first time you meet your photographer.

In my case, on the other hand, my process is more collaborative with you. I want to know your vision for your baby’s portraits so I can bring it to life, and I’ll help you with all the details like planning your outfit for the session. We’ll consult before your session to put this all together so that you won’t have a thing to stress about when your photo shoot arrives.

Consider What Items They Supply

This is part of the photography process that differs from one photographer to the next too. For example, I have a client closet full of beautiful outfits and accessories for babies, as well as an excellent stock of props. This makes your life easier because you don’t even have to choose or buy any outfits for your Mechanicsburg baby photos, so you don’t have to worry about finding outfit colors that go with your color scheme, knowing what types of outfits will and won’t photograph well, and so on.

Think About What Other Photo Sessions They Offer

I always recommend to families that when you find a photographer you work well with, keep them! Having the same photographer take your family portraits and your kids’ milestone photos as they grow up will make each session better because we’ll both get to know each other and I’ll know your style and what you like. Plus, all of your portraits will have a similar photographic style so they’ll really look like they’re all chapters of the same story.

But keep in mind that some baby photographers only photograph up to one year old. While it isn’t a deal-breaker, it does help if you can choose a baby photographer who also takes other types of portraits so you can work together as your children grow up.

Selecting Your Photographer for Mechanicsburg Baby Photos

Choosing a photographer isn’t easy but these tips can help you find the perfect fit for your sitter session. To find out if you and I are a great fit for your baby’s portraits, let’s chat! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s connect.

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Why Are Harrisburg Newborn Portraits Taken Indoors Only?

The trend for a lot of professional photography today is to take photos outdoors – that’s the case for family photography, for example, as well as senior photography and maternity photography. But you might notice that it isn’t the case for newborns, and as a newborn photographer, I can attest to this. But there are reasons for it! Here’s why Harrisburg newborn portraits are typically only taken indoors.

Controlling the Environment

During a newborn photography session, we want your little one to sleep as much as possible. In the studio, we can set up the environment so it’s irresistible for a nice nap – soft lighting, quiet sounds, cozy warmth, you name it. Outside, we don’t have control over all those elements. If a loud vehicle drives past or an unexpected rain starts, that could be all it takes to wake your baby and make it hard to get the sleepy portraits parents love (plus it leaves you with a not-so-baby baby when you go home).

Quaint Lighting

Outdoor lighting can be harsh and overly bright. Not only might that make it harder for your little one to sleep but it’s also just not necessarily the look you want for newborn photos. We want newborn portraits to reflect the gentle sweetness of your precious baby, and in the studio, I can create the nice soft lighting that helps to create this look.

Safety for Harrisburg Newborn Portraits

This one is so important! Your baby is precious and we want to keep them safe during their photo session. There are so many risks outdoors that we don’t have indoors – overheating or sunburns, bug bites, and so on. My photo studio is specifically set up for safe and beautiful newborn photo sessions, with things like cushions made to keep them from rolling or falling.

Planning Your Studio Harrisburg Newborn Portraits

If you have a baby on the way or a newborn in your home, I’d love to create a safe and stunning newborn photo session for your growing family in my comfortable and well-appointed studio. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat!

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Common Questions About Sitter Session Photography Answered by Your Harrisburg Baby Photographer

A sitter session is such a fun milestone to photograph for your baby! It gives us an opportunity to get adorable portraits of them sitting sweetly and showing their developing personality before they start crawling so fast that it will be hard to keep up with them. If your little one is approaching that milestone, you might be curious about sitter session photography. As your Harrisburg baby photographer, I’m happy to fill you in!

What Should I Bring to a Sitter Session with My Harrisburg Baby Photographer?

This will depend on your photographer but in my case, I aim to make baby photography as easy on parents as possible! My studio is fully equipped with everything we need including outfits, sets, props, and accessories. All you have to bring is anything you’ll want to keep yourself and your baby comfortable during the session like bottles or other feeding items. I’ll take care of the rest!

Can My Older Kids and I Be in My Baby’s Sitter Session Portraits?

Baby photography celebrates milestones that bring joy to your whole family, and I think it’s beautiful to include the whole family in your baby’s sitter session photos. During your pre-session consultation, we’ll talk through all the details so you’ll know what to wear and what to expect.

When Should I Schedule My Baby’s Sitter Session?

Scheduling can be tricky for sitter session photography because every baby hits the milestone of sitting unassisted in their own time. I recommend reaching out a few months before you expect your baby to reach that milestone so I can set aside time in my calendar. Don’t worry, we can pencil in a general timeframe when you book and then set the specific date once your baby has started sitting up on their own.

Booking Your Sitter Session with a Harrisburg Baby Photographer

As a Harrisburg baby photographer, I have the joy of celebrating so many babies’ special milestones, including the sitter session for the beautiful baby girl featured here. I’d be honored to do the same for your little one! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning your session.

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Should You Have Mechanicsburg Cake Smash Photos for Your Baby’s First Birthday?

If your baby’s first birthday is coming up, a custom first birthday photo session is the perfect way to mark the occasion in a fun way that also creates sentimental portraits your family will love. It’s become a popular tradition to have Mechanicsburg cake smash photos as part of your baby’s first birthday photos. Should you have a cake smash photo session for your little one like the little guy in these photos? What are the pros and cons, and some fun alternatives if you decide to go a different way?

Why is Cake Smash Photography a First Birthday Tradition?

Why do we take cake smash photos as a first birthday tradition, anyway? It’s become popular in the US in the last decade or so. No one’s quite sure where the tradition started – it may be an homage to a Mexican first birthday tradition, or a callback to the tradition of brides and grooms smashing cake in each other’s faces at their wedding. Or maybe it’s just because when you give a baby a cake or cupcake to celebrate their birthday, they mostly just smash it between their fingers and play around with it, and cake smash photos capture that cuteness in a more aesthetic way than taking snapshots during their birthday party.

Regardless of where it started, cake smash photography can be a cute and fun way to celebrate your little one’s first birthday!

Are Mechanicsburg Cake Smash Photos the Best Option for Your Baby’s First Birthday?

Cake smash photography is entirely a question of personal preference. I love working with families to honor their baby’s landmark first birthday, whether they choose a cake smash or not!

There are, of course, pros and cons. A lot of parents love cake smash photos as a fun and lighthearted tradition. It can be so cute to watch your little one playing in the cake and exploring something new, getting adorably messy in the process.

Some parents just aren’t fans, though. You might not like the messy aesthetic. Some parents feel that a cake smash encourages their kids to eat sugar or exposes their kids to sugar before they’d like to, or that it encourages their baby to be messy with food.

It all comes down to your vision for your baby’s first birthday photos – there’s no right or wrong here.

Ideas for First Birthday Photos Without a Cake Smash

If you don’t want cake smash photos, you can still get a fabulous first birthday photo shoot for your baby! In fact, my first birthday photography sessions include many different portraits and sets, and for parents who want cake smash photos, this is just one part of the session.

Some parents like to split the difference and still have a “smash,” but with something besides cake. These can be a fun way to do a twist on the tradition! For example, instead of cake you could use:

  • Watermelon or other fruits
  • Donuts or other pastries
  • Pasta
  • Pancakes
  • Pie

Booking Your Mechanicsburg Cake Smash Photos or First Birthday Photos

First birthday photography is a beautiful way to celebrate a milestone for your family, and whether or not you want a cake smash, I’ll create fun and sentimental portraits you’ll be able to cherish. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning your baby’s session!

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Why You Should Still Get Family Photos with Your Adult Children: Camp Hill PA Family Photos at Every Age

If you flip through my gallery of Camp Hill PA family photos (and just about any gallery of family portraits, actually), you’ll mostly see photos of parents with their young kids. And sure, young families make up most of my family photography clients. But I’ve watched so many families enjoy the magic of family portraits when their children are adults too. There are so many reasons why family photography is still so important when you have adult children.

Celebrating Unique Stages of Life with Camp Hill PA Family Photos

One of the most beautiful things about families is that these are such living, dynamic relationships. Your relationships with your children (and often your relationship with your spouse or partner) are so very different when your children are adults than when they were little. Your relationships will even continue to change throughout your children’s adulthoods as each person in the family changes.

A family photo session creates lifelong mementoes of not only what your family looked at this moment in time but also mementoes of who you each are and of the bonds you share at this time in your lives. Your family should be honored and celebrated just as much at this age as you did when your children were kids.

Photographing Your Expanding Family

As your children grow up, chances are that your family is about to expand! Maybe your children will bring a spouse or partner into the family, and/or have children of their own. Having family portraits throughout the years is a wonderful way to someday be able to look back and watch as your family grew and changed. No matter what age your child is today, you’ll one day cherish the memories of this time and you’ll be so glad to have professional portraits to bring back those memories.

Create a Shared Heirloom for Distant Family Members

It’s so common these days for young adults (and middle-aged adults) to move away from their hometown. Whether they’re moving for a new job or military orders, to be near their partner’s family, or just for a change of scenery and to strike out on new adventures, sometimes these moves can be sudden. A portrait of your family together is a fantastic way for all of you to keep a piece of each other in your homes, no matter how near or far you are.

Creating New Family Memories

As your children grow up, they get busy with their new adult lives – careers, dating, friends, travel, the works! Before you know it you have less and less time to spend together. But a family photo session is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some quality time together and create fun memories while also creating an heirloom that will last.

Contributing to Your Own Legacy for the Future with Camp Hill PA Family Photos

It might not be the most fun thing to think about, but one day you will leave this world and your children will want photos to remember you and all the times you shared together. They don’t only want to remember you as you were in their childhood but as you were in later years as well. It’s a beautiful gift for them to have portraits of your family across the many different chapters of your lives.

Booking Your Camp Hill PA Family Photos

If you want to celebrate the changing stages of your family’s life, it’s so important not to overlook your children’s adult years. To get your Camp Hill PA family photos on the calendar, reach out and let’s chat!

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Harrisburg PA Family Photography is for Nontraditional Families Too!

When you see family photos online, whether you’re looking for inspiration for your own family portraits or you’re flipping through the family photos your friends and relatives are posting on Instagram, you probably see a lot of the stereotypical nuclear family. You see a lot of portraits with mom, dad, and 2-3 kids. But as a photographer who has the privilege of bringing Harrisburg PA family photography to life on a daily basis, I believe in inclusion and have a special place in my heart for photographing beautiful nontraditional families.

The gorgeous single mom and her baby boy featured in this post are just one of the many nontraditional families I’ve had the privilege of working with recently. For any nontraditional families who wonder if your family portraits can be just as wonderful as the ones you see online, yes they can! Here’s why.

A Custom Harrisburg PA Family Photography Experience

There are certain poses and dynamics you’ll see often in family photos, and sure, those poses might not transfer over to some nontraditional families. But truthfully, that doesn’t matter much at my Harrisburg PA family photography studio because every photo session I perform is customized.

From the start, I’ll meet with you to learn about your family, your style and your personality. I’ll create a custom photo session that’s purely designed for your family, no matter who your family includes.

Telling Your Family’s Story

It’s important to me to communicate that family photography isn’t just about creating pretty artwork and it’s not meant to make every family look like a Norman Rockwell painting. It’s about your family and what makes you special! Your portraits are a way to tell your family’s story in a form that will last for generations. They should capture your personality in a meaningful and authentic way and highlight the love among your family.

Beautiful family photography is an experience and an heirloom that every family deserves, and there’s no family who can’t get stunning family portraits that they cherish. I would be honored to create your heirloom portraits so contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat!

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When to Book First Birthday Photos in Hershey PA

Your little one’s first birthday is an occasion you start dreaming about as soon as your child is born. It marks the end of what might be the most life-changing year for your family, and a year of amazing growth and change for your little one. What better way to celebrate than with first birthday photos in Hershey PA?

If you’re looking ahead to your child’s first birthday cake smash photos, how soon should you book your session and start planning? As a baby photographer, I’m happy to share my advice.

The Short Answer: Book a Couple Months Ahead

I accept a limited number of photo sessions each month to make sure that I can give every client my undivided attention to make their portraits special. That means my schedule tends to book up a few months in advance. If you want your baby’s photo session to be right around their first birthday, I recommend that you contact me 1-4 months in advance to schedule your session.

The Longer Answer: Taking Other Factors Into Account

Booking a couple of months before your child’s birthday is great if you don’t have a particular date you want their portraits to arrive. But if you do have specific plans for your photos, you’ll want to plan ahead further.

For example, some parents want to unveil the portraits at their baby’s first birthday party. In this case, you’ll need to plan the photo session far enough in advance to allow time for editing and for ordering your wall art or any other display you choose. How far in advance you book can vary because some displays and prints may take longer to arrive than others, and we can discuss your specific plans when you book your session.

Ultimately, if you do have a specific date when you want to have your child’s cake smash portraits or one year portraits, reach out to my studio as early as possible. That way, we can talk it through and I’ll give you a recommendation on when we should schedule your session.

Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday Photos in Hershey PA

Let’s chat about your vision for your baby’s one year portraits! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and we’ll start planning the fun.

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Hershey PA Family Photography: 3 Common Concerns You Don’t Have to Worry About

The idea of organizing a family photo shoot can be stressful for many parents - I get it! You already have a busy schedule, so how will you find the time for the session, finding outfits, and all the other details? What if you spend all that time and don’t like how you look in the photos? I completely understand, and I’m here to help! The good news is that you don’t have to stress about your Hershey PA family photography as much as you think you do. These are some common concerns I’ve noticed among parents and why you can set your worries aside.

Picking Out Family Photo Outfits

This is a part of the planning that many families stress over, but when you have the help of a professional photographer, it’s so much easier than you think! During your in-person consultation, we’ll talk about color palettes and what I suggest for your family. As you’re choosing outfits, you can even send me pictures and I’ll let you know what I recommend.

Looking Your Best in Your Photos

So many people worry that they won’t like how they look in their photos, especially if you don’t like how you look in selfies and quick photos you take on your phone. But trust me, having a professional photographer is a whole different ball game! The families in the photos you see throughout my website aren’t models, they’re real people in the local area that I’ve photographed. Rest assured that I’ll guide your posing and other details to make sure I highlight your best side (and do the same for everyone in your family).

Creating a Display for Your Family Photos

Another common worry families have is that they’ll invest their time, energy, and money into a beautiful family photo shoot and then be lost when it comes to displaying those portraits. After all, it’s not easy to find a great printing provider, figure out a display design that will look wonderful in your home, order the prints, and then hang them up. That’s why I make sure my clients can skip all that work! We’ll meet together to go over your portraits and choose your favorites, and I’ll help you design and order a stunning display that’s perfect for your home.

Let’s Get Started with Your Worry-Free Hershey PA Family Photography

So much of the family photography experience depends on the photographer you hire. I make sure that every one of my clients has an enjoyable, low-stress experience. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning yours!

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Why Not to DIY Your York PA Newborn Photos

Your baby’s first portraits will always be a treasured heirloom for your family. But the idea of investing the time and resources into a professional photo shoot sounds overwhelming for some parents, so naturally, some families try to take their own newborn photos. While these can still be photos you love, it can also be heartbreaking if you try a DIY approach and it doesn’t go the way you hope. In fact, there are several reasons why I advise against DIY York PA newborn photos.

Your Baby’s Safety

Safety is my top priority in every newborn session, and I know that it’s your first priority for your baby too. There are tricks and techniques to newborn photography to create the looks and poses you want while making sure that baby’s head is supported and baby is safe at all times, and unless you have had specialized training in newborn photography safety, you have no way to know these practices. Many of the newborn photos you see on Pinterest aren’t just posed and photographed the way they look, so it’s important not to try to recreate them on your own

Missing Your Window

For many different projects, you can try a DIY option and then, if it doesn’t work out the way you had hoped, you can call a professional to take over. With newborn photography, though, that isn’t really an option. Ideally, you want your baby’s newborn photos to be taken in their first 10 days after birth…but it can take a few months to get on a photographer’s schedule. So if you try to take your own newborn portraits but they don’t turn out as great as you had hoped, you will have missed the time window for your ideal newborn portraits.

Getting Quality Portraits

Simply put, your baby’s newborn photos are special, once-in-a-lifetime portraits, and you deserve for them to be amazing! Even though phone cameras and consumer cameras have come a long way, they just aren’t a match for the quality newborn photos you’ll get from a professional photographer who has in-depth experience and knowledge, not to mention a professional-quality camera.

Planning Your York PA Newborn Photos

Getting professional newborn photos can be an easy, low-stress process – after all, it’s designed for families who have just given birth and are adjusting to life with a newborn. I’ll make the experience a relaxed and enjoyable one so you have nothing to worry about. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat!

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