Mechanicsburg PA High School Senior Photographer

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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Ask a Mechanicsburg PA Photographer: What Is Custom Photography?

For as many different family photographers as there are in the world, there are just as many different types of family photography experiences. Many of us, whether in our childhoods or as parents, have had one of those stressful photos shoots in a sketchy studio when we just stood in one spot and smiled over and over, feeling awkward the entire time. That’s why, from the first day I started performing photo shoots as a Mechanicsburg PA photographer, I wanted to create a different experience – an opportunity for priceless memories that brighten your home for generations.

That’s why I choose to provide custom portrait photography. Allow me to shed light on custom photography and walk you through the journey you can expect.

From a Mechanicsburg PA Photographer: What Is Custom Photography?

Custom portrait photography is a full-service photography experience. It’s all about taking your investment beyond just snapping pictures you’ll post on Instagram once and then forget about. Custom photography focuses on giving you a tangible way to treasure your portraits and ensuring that those finished products are of the highest quality.

Many types of photography merely give you the first half – digital files of your family photos. Custom portrait photography finishes the entire journey with you so by the time we’re finished, you have a gorgeous display in your home, ready for you to enjoy.

What to Expect from a Custom Photography Process with Your Mechanicsburg PA Photographer

Each photographer will provide a different experience. When you book your custom portraits with me, though, whether it’s newborn, maternity, family, baby, or senior photos, here’s a peek into what you can expect from the process.

Step 1: Getting in Touch

It all starts with a message or phone call from you! When you reach out to me, we’ll chat for a few minutes about what you’re looking for in a Mechanicsburg PA photographer and we’ll schedule your consultation.

Step 2: The Consultation

A magical photo session always starts with careful planning and, most importantly for me, listening. I want to hear all about your vision for your portraits, how you want to display your photos, what styles and poses you love, and more. We’ll chat about the details and I’ll plan all the essentials for your dream photo session based on your intended purpose and placement for your portraits.

Step 3: The Session

The day has arrived! By the time it’s your session date, you’ll know all about where to go and what to expect because we’ll talk about it all during your consultation. Your photo shoot isn’t just a means to an end, though. I want it to be a memory-making experience too. As a Mechanicsburg PA photographer, I’ll be able to guide you through each pose and set so you can just relax and enjoy.

Step 4: The Reveal and Ordering Appointment

After your session, I’ll get to work combing through each shot, picking out the best of the best, and doing an initial edit. Two or three weeks later after your family photo shoot, you’ll come to my studio for one of the most exciting moments of the process: the big reveal!

I’ll unveil a display of all your amazing portraits and at first, you can just take it all in and enjoy them. Then, we’ll sit down and chat so you can choose your favorites for your finished products. This is also when you’ll decide on the details like the specific products you want and we’ll place the order for your custom pieces. We source a variety of products from top artisans around the world, including:

  • Farmhouse-style framed portraits
  • Heirloom photo albums
  • Folio display cases
  • Canvas or acrylic Italian wall art
  • Amalfi panels

Step 5: The Delivery

When your items arrive at my studio, I’ll give them a close exam to make sure they’re of the highest quality. Then, I’ll give you a call right away to arrange a time for me to deliver your new artwork. I’ll bring your custom pieces to your home and even help you install them if you wish.

Booking Your Custom Photography Experience with a Mechanicsburg PA Photographer

Custom portrait photography is all about giving you a smoother, more guided process so you don’t have to navigate unfamiliar waters – your photographer will take care of it all and provide you with incredible one-of-a-kind artwork that’s ready for you to enjoy and cherish. To kick it all off, contact my photo studio today.

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High School Senior Pictures near Hummelstown Pa | Emma’s Senior Photo Session

High School Senior Pictures near Hummelstown Pa | Emma’s Senior Photo Session – Part TWO

High School Senior Pictures near Hummelstown Pa | Emma’s Senior Photo Session – Part TWO. Emma’s senior pictures were EPIC. Emma has one very ambitious dad. Because, how many parents do you know that would haul their child’s piano to a field for a photo session? He was determined to have his daughter’s number one passion captured exactly how she envisioned it. Together, we came up with a plan to carry out this vision to showcase Emma as the musician she is! AND yes, this took some very careful planning. Summer evening thunder stroms were our biggest obstacle and enemy during this part of Emma’s session. And it sure did involve some scheduling, re-scheduling and sitting in our cars to wait out the storms. BUT determination and persistence won and Emma has some of the most gorgeous senior picture memories – I must say so myself!

Not only is Emma a pianist, but she also sings! Again, we were total obstacle dodgers and improvisors. We had a plan to capture her love for singing in her church choir, but our plan didn’t go as planned. And I couldn’t be happier because we ended up with some of my favorite shots from my backup plan! How awesome are these shots?

high senior girl photographed with sheet music in hummelstown pa

It’s my passion to capture your passions. It’s makes my heart so full and happy to be able to connect with my senior portrait clients and to showcase their individual personalities. I believe you should feel beautiful inside and out and your senior pictures should reflect that.

2021 Seniors – Start planning your session now.

Are you going to be a 2021 senior next year? Now is the time to start thinking about your senior pictures! I’d love to connect with you. I want to learn all about you and your passions so that I can capture images that will mean something to you forever. We’ll carefully plan to capture your vision and i’ll share my own thought and ideas with you! Let’s chat about making some magic with your senior photos and reserve a date just for you. To get started, send me a quick message HERE.

Connect with me on INSTAGRAM to catch more senior picture peeks and other fun images!

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Senior Photos near Harrisburg PA | Emma’s Senior Pictures

Senior Photos near Harrisburg PA | Emma’s Senior Pictures – Part One

Senior Photos near Harrisburg PA | Emma’s Senior Pictures – Part One! Hey high school juniors! It’s that time of year to start thinking about booking your senior pictures! I believe your senior photos should make YOU FEEL beautiful inside and out. And that is my goal and I am confident that we can achieve that together. Just take a look at this beautiful 2020 high school senior, Emma!

This girl is absolutely gorgeous on the inside and out. And she’s talented, incredibly smart and so sweet. I felt like Emma and I connected right away. Instantly I knew her session was going to be one of a kind and her senior pictures were going to be seriously AWESOME.

high school senior girl photographed in field of flowers near hershey pa

I’m pretty sure Emma, her parents and I got to know each other pretty well through her senior portrait process. We very carefully planned out her session together, so that Emma’s personality would shine through her images. We dodged a lot of summer thunder stroms, had to postpone a few times because of unpredictable weather, but we finally made magic happen!

Emma and I spent an afternoon and evening together. We had lots of laughs and picked all the greatest spots we could find for her senior pictures in Harrisburg, Hershey and Hummelstown. But this is only part ONE! Just wait till you see Emma’s senior pictures part TWO! This girl has got some musical talents and passions and there was no way we could leave that out. That is who she is! I genuinely believe your senior pictures should illustrate exactly who you are at this time in your life. Life offers so much growth and change, but the memories of who you are right now are something you will want to remember forever.

Let’s plan your 2021 high school senior session!

Emm’a senior pictures are beautiful in all the ways. Yours should be too! I will help you with that, I promise! It may seem early to start planning, but it’s not! I want to get to know you, all about your passions and interests. What makes you light up and get excited. And that’s what we’ll plan your senior session around! I am starting to book summer senior sessions for 2021 high school seniors now! Let’s chat. Send me a quick message HERE to talk about planning and reserve a date for your senior portraits!

Want to see more senior images and other fun sessions? – connect with me on INSTAGRAM

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Newborn-Maternity-Family and High School Senior Photographer in Mechanicsburg PA

Newborn-Maternity-Family and High School Senior Photographer in Mechanicsburg PA | 2019 year in review!

As a Newborn-Maternity-Family and High School Senior Photographer in Mechanicsburg PA 2019 was awesome! I’ve captured some of my most favorite images this year. I’ve snuggled, loved and photographed some of the most adorable babies in all of Central PA! I am totally sure of it! I’ve giggled with kiddos, ran around like a nut with toddlers, channeled my youthful soul while capturing high school senior pictures and watched my repeat client families grow up a little more this year. I mean, it will be hard for me to write this post without a few tears. Guys – this is not just my job. This is a genuine labor of love here. Some will say “you shouldn’t be emotionally connected to your job,” but I disagree. I do this with my whole heart. I look back on a year and feel so blessed to have crossed paths with each and every one of my clients. Some it was for the very first time and others who feel like they’ve become old friends. You guys are all gold to me. Every one of you holds a special place in this photographer’s heart of memories.

Now, for a moment of transparency…because, let’s be real-2019 wasn’t all sunshine, unicorns and glitter. It included some unexpected hurdles to jump at times- I guess you could say. This 2019 year required some serious faith to get through the things that are out of my control and the drive to conquer all that is within it. With those two things, the most amazing family, a few very close friends and a whole handful of the greatest clients any photographer could have – Here I am! Happy, healthy, and ready to take on 2020 and all it’s new adventures!

All of these moments that we turned into tangible, keepsake memories mean everything.

Not only to you, but to me. I have a genuine value for family and the people we love most. I know how much it will mean to you forever to have these memories of the babies,children, spouses and EVEN PUPPIES you love. Time will change us all. We’ll grow older as will our children. These moments you allowed me to capture for you are frozen forever. That is priceless. Thank you for trusting me to capture these memories for you this year. Thank you for allowing me to guide you through this process and allow me to help you choose tangible, heirloom artwork for your home so that your children’s children will have these special family memories. They’ll be just as important to you decades from now as they are today!

Let’s talk about 2020!

As we say goodbye to 2019 it’s important to plan for the future! Silly resolution time, I know! But, I’m excited! I’ve got big plans for the new year and I’m looking forward to connecting with all of you who will be a part of it! I will, however, be scheduling limited sessions each month. This keeps me on my A game so that I can give each of you a personal and custom portrait experience. Most important, I’m a mom myself, so being present for my daughter is my biggest priority. I’m all about “being the best version of ourselves” and a good start for me is by not overfilling my plate. I want to give everyone I care about the best version of me! So, with that being said…plan, plan, plan ahead! Yep, I know…lots of us a procrastinators, but it’s best to book your session several months in advance! If you’re expecting a baby this year – it is best to schedule your newborn session before your 3rd trimester. That way, all is set when baby arrives! Newborn session openings fill FAST! If you’re thinking ahead to spring and summer – now is a great time to get the planning started! It is MY MOST FAVORITE time of the year for family photography! Absolutely, positively the most beautiful time of the year! And Fall…welll….i’m still recovering from the past few months. We’ll revisit the idea of fall again soon! Hahaha!

Let’s chat about your family!

I’d love to chat about what makes your family special and how we can capture that for you. I’ll sit down with you and carefully plan all the details to how we will photograph your special people. I’ll walk you through my entire portrait process. Send me a quick message HERE to get in touch with me!

Do you follow me on INSTAGRAM? Catch all the sneak peeks and fun updates there!

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Family Photographer in Harrisburg Pa

Family Photographer in Harrisburg Pa - The Norman Family

Family Photographer in Harrisburg Pa - The Norman Family. I love when families get together as a large group to be photographed together. It shows just how much they value one another and having visual memories together. Families are ever evolving and changing. To have a memory of your family just as it is now, at the ages you are and at the stage of life your children are in is always something so special to remember. No matter what season in life you are in. These are your people. This is your tribe. There is nothing more important than the ones we love.

The Norman's Fall family session was purchased as a very special Mother's Day gift in the spring. HOW SWEET IS THAT? How many gifts can you give your mom that she is LITERALLY GOING TO HAVE FOREVER!? Gifts you are going to have forever, your children are going to have forever and they're going going to be able to pass to their children. There are not many that I can think of! This may have been a Mother's Day present, but I think Dad is getting just as much joy out of seeing his family's portraits on the walls of his home everyday too!

Families that have fun together are the best! If you know me, you know I am not at all a "super serious" girl. I thrive on laughter and humor and totally encourage all of this silliness! These memories are just as important as the sweet ones!

It's time to book NOW for Fall family portraits!

It's that time of year...FALL portrait season! It may still seem early, but it's absolutely NOT too early to book your fall family portrait session. Openings almost always fill before the actual fall season begins. Send me a message HERE today to start planning your own custom portrait session!

Would you like to see more fun session peeks? Follow me on Instagram!

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Alexxa’s Downtown Harrisburg Senior Session

I am so excited to share Alexxa's Downtown Harrisburg Senior Session!  She just entered her senior year at Boiling Springs High School.  When Alexxa booked her senior session with me, I knew just the perfect location to suit her style.  She didn't want the typical "sunflower field" senior pictures that are common amongst high school senior girls these days.  I loved this about her! She is original and wanted that to reflect in her portraits. So, we did just that. We choose to start her downtown senior session in Shipoke, Harrisburg.  All the colors, textures and dimensions of the downtown Shipoke scenery were a perfect fit.  Later, Alexxa's choice location at the Capitol building proved to offer a beautiful result as well! Her outfit choices were perfect and the evening light was magnificent! Alexxa's fun and super easy going personality made this senior session one of my favorites!

Alexxa, what can I say? You killed it, girl! I absolutely loved working with you and you look absolutely stunning in ALL of your shots! Narrowing these down was truly a tough job. Thanks for choosing me to capture these memories for you! I hope cherish these images as much as I know your momma will!

 

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Summer might be over, but there is still time to book your senior session! I have a small handful of dates left for September & October, book now to make sure that you get on my schedule. Fall is a beautiful time of year to have your senior pictures taken in Pennsylvania. Mid-September through mid-October typically has favorable weather, perfect for photo shoots. Leaves will just be starting to turn and the trees will still be full and bursting with color! CLICK HERE to complete the contact form to book a senior session!

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Taylor is a SENIOR! :) {Mechanicsburg PA High School Senior Photographer}

This beautiful (senior!) girl is Taylor. I first met Taylor when I photographed her for the cover of Central Penn Parent magazine when she was in middle school. I've been blessed to work with her and her super fun family every year since her cover shoot! It's hard for me to believe she's going to be a senior already. Taylor is truly a one-of-a-kind girl who is beautiful on the inside and out! She's one of the sweetest teens I've ever met and had the pleasure of working with!

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