New toys and skyline adventures...

I bought myself a new toy last weekend. It came in the form of a brand new Canon 5d Mark III camera and I couldn't wait to use it. So I drug Blake downtown to follow me around as I did the tourist thing and took pictures of the skyline. It was an absolutely gorgeous day (if you didn't count what felt like 240% humidity) and I lasted about ten minutes before I was begging to go home and eat ice cream. I did however get some great pictures- which Blake attributes entirely to the new camera but I like to think that my beautiful city had a small part to play.

Keep smiling,
Kaylina

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It's Voldemort's Birthday

It's been a pretty incredible year. Last August I launched my website and in the last twelve months I've had the privilege of shooting nine beautiful weddings, not to mention the great engagements, family pictures, and senior portraits I've been lucky enough to photograph. This summer marks my website turning 1, my business turning 2, and a lot of big milestones in my personal life as well. I graduated college in May, got engaged in July, and started my dream "big girl" job earlier this month. But all of that pales in comparison to this... my kitten, Tom Marvolo Riddle, is celebrating his 1st birthday today. He might not know it, but it's a very special day.

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Why I Love PASS

I recently made a pretty big change in my photography business- I kicked DVDs out the door and said "hello" to PASS. PASS is a newfangled photo gallery that I am IN LOVE with and would marry, given the opportunity. Let me say that the change wasn't easy. I was so nervous at first- I knew that my clients love that satisfaction of physically having a DVD of all of their pictures in their hands, but after passing my last two weddings I'm completely sold and I'm never looking back.

Here's what my side of a typical wedding used to look like - I would spend an amazing day with a beautiful bride and post a sneak preview the next day. A week after the wedding I would post a blog post with 10 static images and approximately 50 images in a video slideshow. Two weeks after that I would upload all of the pictures to an online proofing site. I would then wait for the bride's approval of the pictures (normally took another 2 weeks) before I could burn them to disc and send them her way where the DVDs would arrive on her doorstep 3 days later (if the post office didn't lose them). Which brings the total turn-around time to approximately 6 weeks.

This is where PASS deserves a cape and a mask (because it's my hero)... brides get their images in 2 weeks!!

A screen shot from my most recently PASSed wedding

As soon as I upload the pictures to PASS they are hers. A bride can download them instantly, share them on social media, and email them to friends. Or she can make a gallery of her favorites that guests see when they visit the gallery. And that's not even the best part. PASS is compatible with all smart phones and tablets, turning your phone into an instant photo album. Guests of the gallery can save their favorites, order prints, and sign the guestbook. Yes, clients no longer get a disc, but I can think of a million (give or take a few) reasons that that's okay. Discs get lost, broken, and scratched and you can't pull a disc out of your pocket and flip through the pictures for your friends.

If my ranting hasn't sold you yet or you'd like to check out PASS for yourself, check out this super helpful video. I'm super excited about this change in my business and I love being able to share images with my clients in a new, gorgeous, and fast way.

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Gary + Andrea : Lancaster, Ohio Wedding

It was raining that morning, but nothing was going to dampen Andrea's spirits as she prepared to marry Gary, the love of her life. She had planned for the light drizzle, having bought matching umbrellas for the bridal party and was not afraid to use them. Her day was going to be perfect- she was about to tie the knot in front of all of her friends in family in the gorgeous Lancaster church her parents had said "I do" in many years ago. So who cared if it rained a little? A wet knot is harder to untie.

Andrea was stunning in her dress and took the time to share special moments with all of her guests before the day was out. She gave a small ornament with her father's picture on it to both of her sisters to match the one she would carry in her bouquet as she walked down the aisle. And although he could not personally be there, his presence was definitely felt by the three sisters during the touching Father-Daughter dance where Andrea's uncle stepped in to do the honor.

Gary and his groomsmen are the kinds of guys who will welcome anyone into a party as long as they're there to have a good time. They were a tight-knit group who have known each other long enough to share a few embarrassing stories if prodded. And they like to share. They were such a delight to work with and I knew the instant they started showing off their GQ modeling poses, that this day was going to end in a great party. 

Gary and Andrea- I hope you two are having an amazing time in Cancun! Thank you so much for letting Blake and I spend the day with you and photograph all of the special moments you two shared. Your love for your family and friends is inspiring and I can't wait to see what your future holds!

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

The morning of the wedding Andrea sat down to open a gift from Gary- a Pandora charm bracelet for her with the first charm being a mini bride and groom.

The rain stopped after the ceremony so we stole a moment during the reception around sunset to take some shots of the newlyweds in this gorgeous light. 

Andrea and her little sister have a small obsession with the "awkward prom pose" so I knew that she'd be willing to do the cheesy, but super cute, "dip and kiss". Nailed it.

To see even more pictures from Gary and Andrea's Lancaster, Ohio wedding feel free to check out and share the slideshow below!

Ceremony location: Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church  Reception location & caterer: Lee's Banquet Haus DJ & photobooth: Master Mix DJ

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Just another girl with a camera

I like portraits. To me, a picture of a person is worth a thousand words and a picture of a landscape is worth one - "snore". I appreciate the genius of Ansel Adams and I know that mountains are pretty, but I'll still take the tightly framed black and white head shot by Richard Avedon any day. To make a long story short (and before I insult anyone else) I don't take many pictures of nature. But the other day I was dying to take my camera outside and shoot because the lighting was absolutely gorgeous, so I decided to accompany Blake to his favorite climbing wall with my camera.

That's where I discovered a second reason I don't take pictures of nature. When I'm at a wedding or on an engagement shoot it's obvious to everyone what I'm doing there. I normally have a camera with a huge lens on it and a giant bag of gear slung over my shoulder. The posing people part is also normally a big give away. But when I'm out in public with a nice camera and no one to pose - I get weird looks. I can hear everyone thinking, "Oh there's another girl with a camera taking a picture of a flower".

And I have nothing to say to defend myself because I'm out in the middle of a field taking a picture of a flower.

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Now it's my turn

He had a plan, he had worked up the courage, and I ruined it. I had spent the day editing pictures with Netflix on in the background and I was hungry. So on his drive home from work I called him and informed him that we were going out for steak. "Uhh... okay..." was his reply. Which should have thrown up red flags to me- he normally loves steak. But I ignored it and insisted we go out to eat.

He hid it in my roll (because you can't put a ring in steak) and asked me to marry him. We might have had an audience and it might not have been the night he had in mind, but it was still perfect. Because at the end of the night I had the ring on my finger and the privilege of calling him my fiancé (even if he hates the word).


Now all I have to do is find a photographer...

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

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Michael + Jayme: Pickerington, Ohio Wedding

Michael gave a quiet smile and looked down at his shoes when I asked about their story. It was a quick, whirl wind romance of two young people in love. They met on ChristianMingle.com when Jayme moved to Pittsburgh to pursue her education. They were instantly smitten with each other and he proposed on her 19th birthday at the same place they shared their first kiss. One of the most moving things about Michael and Jayme's relationship is their emphasis on their faith. It appears over and over again in their love story, their vows, and the way they live their lives.

Michael and Jayme- thank you so much for allowing me to capture your special day and get to know you two as a couple. I am confident that you two have something amazing in your future and can conquer anything life throws at you!

Keep smiling!
Kaylina

Michael and Jayme's day was full of black and yellow because "die hard" does not fully express their feelings about the Steelers. Jayme and her girls spent the three hours before the ceremony laughing, joking, freaking out a little, and of course making Jayme look like a princess.

The ceremony and reception were both held in the church Jayme spent time at in High School as part of the youth group. The ceremony was beautiful and after the brand new Mr. and Mrs. Fisher sealed it with a kiss, they went dancing back up the aisle to "Black and Yellow", as only true Steelers fans would.

After the ceremony we sneaked outside to battle gale force winds and grab some pictures of the happy couple. They were totally worth it though- isn't she gorgeous!?

Then the party could begin. Jayme and Michael shared a beautiful first dance and cut the cake (where Michael shoved it into his own face). Then, as the highlight of the evening, Michael sat Jayme in the middle of the room and serenaded her with a song he had written about her.

Their day was full of laughter and truly backed up my opinion that a wedding is really just a fancy party, because these two never stopped having fun.

If you'd like to see more from Michael and Jayme's wedding, check out the slideshow below!

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