My own sweet boy recently turned four years old. While I was in Tahoe taking some winter baby portraits for my best friend, I also snapped some quick fall four year old portraits of Cooper. Below are a small selection of my favorites that I took in less than 10 minutes at Sugar Pine Point!
I am SO excited to share Alexis and Tyler’s absolutely stunning fall Twenty Mile House wedding! It was especially lovely to end my 2018 wedding season with such a fantastic couple & such an awesome wedding.
I was also THRILLED to be back at the Twenty Mile House. I could probably shoot every future wedding there and be completely stoked each time. It’s just an incredible place, period.
I love the brick, and old wood. The towering trees, the sound of the train rushing by. It’s so, so wonderful. But to photograph a couple there that is laid back, adorable and so completely in love? Well that is the BEST!!
Alexis and Tyler’s Twenty Mile House wedding was on a warm and sunny October day. As they prepared on the property, family could be seen walking back from their fishing trips, and the ring bearer and flower girl were running around being adorable (as kids are).
I was sooo happy that these two opted for a first look (my favorite!!) and seeing Tyler’s face as he saw Alexis for the first time that afternoon was a huge highlight of the day for me.
As the sun got lower in the sky, Alexis and Tyler exchanged vows, and walked across the train tracks for portraits by the river. It was the PERFECT time of day and I am in LOVE with their portraits during this time.
Soon it was time for dinner, toasts and dancing! Followed by cake cutting and the bouquet toss. Guests kept warm by visiting the hot chocolate bar (which is SUCH A GOOD IDEA). All you couples out there planning weddings – take note!
By the time the evening came to an end, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much behind my camera. It was such a perfect day – and a perfect way to close my wedding season of 2018. Congratulations Alexis and Tyler – you two planned an AMAZING wedding day that your guests (and I!!) will always remember!
Below is just a snippet of my faves from their day <3
Venue: Twenty Mile House
Hair & Makeup: Holly O’Brien
Floral: Gray’s Flower Garden
Dress: Blue Garter Bridal & Tux
Groomswear: Men’s Wearhouse
Bridesmaid Dresses: David’s Bridal
Catering: Southern Accent Catering
Dessert: Grandma Jane’s Place
DJ: Todd Reasor
Wedding Invites & Paperie: Shutterfly
Say hi to Jack, he’s new here! I photographed his mom and dad’s wedding just a little over a year ago, and I was THRILLED when they told me they were expecting! Jack was a total dream to work with while creating his in-home casual lifestyle newborn photos.
His eclectic nursery was a perfect backdrop for our in-home lifestyle newborn photos with him and his parents. Jack’s nursery is bright, and so beautiful with all the amazing handmade touches. His dad even made his crib!!
Holly had some wonderful ideas for his photos and I was happy to oblige! They turned out so cute, I can’t stand it. I also love how Jack has a full head of wonderful hair. Isn’t he absolutely precious??! Grandma was also there (props to all the grandmas and grandpas who help with the baby that first week or more!!), so I had the honor of taking a few photos of her with her brand new grandson!
Here are just some of my faves from Jack’s session 🙂
I had an absolute blast with Emily & Neeraj, plus their closest friends and family for their intimate Tahoe Tavern Properties wedding.
Emily and Neeraj chose to do a first look before heading down the pier for their lakeside ceremony, officiated by Rev. Christa Deane of Mountain High Weddings. And I’m so glad they did! Neeraj’s reaction was amazing and it was really fun to watch!
After the first look and some portraits among the beautiful scenery, Neeraj and Emily greeted their guests. Then they all walked down the end of the pier together in a march I’ll never forget!
Their ceremony was so beautiful and sweet – on the edge of Tahoe’s very blue waters. There was laughter and joyous cheers as Emily & Neeraj were wed…and although I didn’t include all the pictures in this blog post, we got many wonderful photographs with their friends and family.
Afterward, everyone headed back to the pool and patio for drinks, appetizers and a delicious dinner by As You Wish Catering.
As the sun set, I finished up my evening with this fabulous couple with a few shots of their lovely wedding cakes and desserts. I headed home with a happy heart – excited to edit these beauties!
It was so much fun to catch up with this wonderful family for their Galena Creek Reno fall portraits! It has been a little while since they’ve been in front of my camera, and I had a blast with them wandering around Galena Creek Park.
Galena Creek Park had a mixture of evergreen and yellow fall foliage going on, which made for some beautiful backgrounds! I love Galena for it’s variety of landscapes and color!
The Bradshaw family did a FABULOUS job choosing their wardrobe for fall portraits, too. They looked amazing, and I’m glad I got the girls to give me genuine happy smiles!
It’s probably my FAVORITE thing ever to see families again and again to create their portraits. I feel like I’ve watched these kids grow up a little and that makes my heart happy!
Check out this super handsome little man, Theo. He just turned one in October! To celebrate, his mom and dad asked me to create portraits of him this fall! And I was so happy to provide these adorable desert baby boy one year cake smash photos for them!
Theo had an absolute blast digging into his cake! It was so hilarious watching the whole thing that I actually shed a tear during shooting – haha! He did such a good job – and it was a beautiful time of year. I’m glad his birthday lines up with one of my favorite seasons to shoot! Cheers to being one, Theo!
When it comes to Reno family photographers, you have a lot of choices. In any budget or style, there is a multitude of people willing to serve you. I am grateful that you have found ME and you are interested in fine art portraiture for your family. Whether or not you select me to create portraits for you, I’d like to help you in finding a Reno Family Photographer that’s right for you and your family.
I have compiled a basic guide to making this important choice. I hope you find it helpful – whether I am that person or if another professional has caught your eye. Here are the main characteristics you want to think about when choosing your Reno Family Photographer:
Your Reno Family Photographer should be a good fit for you. At minimum, you want a Reno Family Photographer who is friendly and professional. But you also want to look for someone who is great with kids (if you have them). You also want someone who has a wonderful attitude to make the process of a family photography session FUN and not stressful. And finally, you need to be comfortable in front of the camera to LOOK comfortable in front of the camera. Your photographer should give you an experience that makes you feel good while their lens is pointed at you!
What good are your family photos if they sit on a hard drive as digital files, or only make a brief appearance on facebook? Part of a family photographer’s basic skills should include being able to professionally design an heirloom-quality photo album and/or other quality display items. These are some things to consider while looking at a family photographer’s sample products:
While searching for your Reno Family Photographer, you might be overwhelmed by the choices. If you rush while selecting your photographer, you could overlook an important aspect of their photography – their style.
A Reno Family Photographer’s style isn’t just about the technical aspects or the angles. It is about their unique perspective and creativity. It’s also the way in which they edit the images. And in fact, it is the WAY they take the images. You’ll notice that my photos are bright…light and “airy.” I love using backlighting techniques. I don’t shoot in direct sun and I make sure the light on your faces is soft and natural. That’s MY style, and if you dig through my portfolio, that is what you will see.
Is your Reno Family Photographer’s style a fit for you? Is it timeless? Or are they using a trendy one-click filter in a way that will fade with time? Will they meticulously edit your photos? Or will they rush your pictures to you without hardly glancing at their final product?
A quality Reno Family Photographer will take a beautiful photo on the day of your session and edit it to make it stellar. Professional family photographers should spend a considerable amount of time editing images. If they shoot your session on “auto mode” and give you the images straight out of the camera…that is not the work of a professional OR an artist.
These are the top things to consider carefully when choosing yourReno Family Photographer. But one more thing: although price is something you must consider, you may not want to make it THE deciding factor.
One day, family photographs are going to be the ONLY keepsakes you have left after time moves on. They are also one of the major things families hand down to their children. The value of your photographs is immeasurable.
Watch for red flags when selecting a photographer whose prices seem too good to be true. Reno Family Photography is an investment. I firmly believe that everyone deserves to be happy with their family photography at any price point, but below a certain amount, you are asking a hobbyist to create these lasting keepsakes.
No one deserves the feeling of regret when viewing their family photos after spending so much time preparing for them. We hope these tips will help you avoid that situation as much as possible.
Fifth and Chestnut Photo Co. is a Reno Family Photographer. We serve the greater Northern Nevada and Northern California areas. Contact us and find out how this Reno Family Photographer can create fine art portraiture for your family!
I firmly believe that you won’t regret investing in an heirloom photo album from your portrait session. This piece of your family history will forever grace your home, and you’ll be able to flip through it in good times and in bad. I highly recommend purchasing a classic, beautiful portrait album. Life moves so quickly and an album is a great “container” of memories.
Let me take care of providing a lovely keepsake from your portrait session by designing an incredible album. It will tell the story of where you were in life when those photos were taken.
Below are examples of my Heirloom photo album – my most popular album choice. It will last a lifetime because it’s hands-down the best hand-crafted photo album out there. Many of my wedding couples choose this album! However, it’s also a great choice for any type of portrait session. It’s especially wonderful for those REALLY special events, like a newborn session or high school senior session.
Our albums can be designed in leather or chic fabric. They can also come with or without a cameo and/or debossing options!
Have questions about albums or portrait photography in general? Please get in touch and let’s chat!
Fifth and Chestnut Photo Co. is a Reno Portrait Photographer & Reno Family Photographer serving Northern Nevada and Northern California. Contact us today by email or phone to discuss your portrait session plans and to see what makes us a unique portrait photographer!!
I put this FAQ together to prepare my clients and clients-to-be for a portrait session with me. I have tried to answer the common questions I receive (and some not-so-common). I know that choosing me as your Reno family photographer isn’t a decision you take lightly – if you are reading this, I know that you are looking for the best of the best and you love my work. That’s why I want to educate my clients and potential clients about the Fifth and Chestnut Photo Co. experience.
Session Information
My portrait sessions are made up of two parts:
1) A session fee that covers my creative camera time & culling, editing, preparing your images for viewing and other behind-the-scenes stuff I do for your session.
2) A $249 minimum product order (pre-tax) at an in-person ordering appointment (or via the online gallery for non-local clients) per session. If you book my Milestone Baby Program or a maternity/newborn bundle, you have a $249 minimum purchase to make for each photo session in your program/bundle. Although I allow you to use images from multiple sessions in an album, images from multiple sessions can not be combined into one digital purchase.
How would you describe your style?
I describe my style as authentic and heartfelt. I don’t use trendy filters in my editing process, nor do I fall into the hype of other trends because your photos should stand up to the test of time. Over the years, I have developed my own unique editing process to give my images the look and feel that they have.
What kind of investment should we be prepared for?
I offer three product collections per session type, starting at $249. I also have an extensive a la carte menu and added discounts to families who purchase a collection. Most families invest $729 or more in their photo products and display items. Some go all out and purchase my collections that are $1299+. Very few families invest only the $249 minimum.
Ordering Appointment
If you live in the Reno/Sparks area – your ordering appointment is a required part of the photography process. If you aren’t a local, I make ordering via my online gallery easy! My goal is for you to display your portraits in your home via wall displays or albums (or other photo products) and this ordering appointment is pivotal in achieving that goal.
Digital Images
At the time of writing this FAQ (9/27/18), the download of all the hi-res digital images on my a la carte menu is priced at $499. Singular digital images may be purchased individually at $39/ea a la carte. My goal is always to create professionally produced photographic products for you, and although I love digital images for sharing with friends and family (and for long term safe-keeping) – they most often get stuck on a hard drive or lost when you get a new computer and forgotten. I am very passionate about providing prints, canvases and other physical photographic display items!
Will you travel for my session?
I am happy to travel around northern Nevada & northern California for an additional fee of $50 per 50 miles outside of Reno/Sparks.
Can we book you for more than 1 hour?
Yes, and in fact, I recommend that family groups of more than 6 people book a 2 hour shoot. I also recommend more time if you want more than one outfit. I can shoot for a max of 2 hours for a portrait session.
What if our session is going over time?
I don’t necessarily keep my eye on my watch, but I tend to know when our time is almost up, and I will check to see how we’re doing so that our session ends on time. I don’t want to keep my clients from the rest of their day’s plans by shooting past what has been discussed, and I often have other commitments to attend to.
Can we wear more than one outfit?
In a one hour session, I recommend one outfit for families. Individual subjects can safely get away with two outfits in one hour (high school seniors, baby’s one year session etc). Outfit changes (especially for an entire family) take a considerable amount of time away from shooting time, which seriously impacts your photo results. If you would like more than one outfit for your family, I’m happy to schedule a 2-hour shoot to accommodate that! And if you’d like to change into your clothes once you arrive at the location (rather than wrinkle them during the car ride), plan accordingly and arrive 10-15 minutes early to get dressed and ready.
Speaking of outfits, what should we wear and bring to our session?
I have this whole blog post dedicated to answering this question about wardrobe and props!
Can you shoot in a certain style that I want or use a certain backdrop at a location?
I trust that you have looked through my portfolio and have chosen me as your photographer because you like what you saw! I use soft, natural light and backlighting techniques to get the beautiful portraits shown in my portfolio. I photograph my clients within certain landscapes at specific directions because I am looking at the LIGHT. I can’t control the light (sun), but I can control where I place you! Occasionally I will take photos in the bright sun, but it’s not often and I usually reserve that for candid shots. If you are wanting something that you don’t see in my portfolio, I encourage you to discuss what you’re looking for before selecting me. You get the best portraits when you trust my locations, backdrops, poses and methods.
Can you photograph us in front of Lake Tahoe?
Everyone loves Lake Tahoe. It’s a fact! But if you’re more interested in getting that beautiful blue lake & mountainous skyline with blue sky above it in the background than you are in having soft, beautiful light on your family’s faces, that’s just not the type of photos I offer. I am a natural light photographer (meaning – I don’t bring off-camera lighting with me to my shoots), and simply can’t get that gorgeous blue lake & sky in all it’s glory unless I photograph you with your face TO the sun. That means squinty/unpleasant expressions and sometimes drips of sweat running down cheeks. It’s not my style. I will happily photograph you walking down the beach candidly and get some beautiful lake scenery that way…but I am not a fan of photographing people looking into the sun. It’s not even possible at every location. Some spots are just not situated appropriately to get the pristine Tahoe blue background – there may be shadows caused by mountains or trees in the way, or we just can’t physically shoot in the proper direction due to the shoreline. Although a beautiful landscape can be part of your family portrait (and the Tahoe examples in my portfolio ARE gorgeous the way I shoot them), it is not the focus.
Can I give you a shot list from Pinterest? I really love some images I found there.
I don’t accept shot lists of any kind other than your specific portrait grouping requests such as Kid 1 solo, Kid 2 solo, Kid 1 & 2 together etc (which I honestly don’t need because I will get those shots anyway). Pinterest is a fun tool for planning your session wardrobe and props, but asking me to recreate a shot by another photographer is asking me to copy someone else (aka copyright infringement – yikes). Also, I can’t recreate things like the time of day in which a photo was taken, or a particular landscape that just doesn’t exist at your chosen location. If I attempt to recreate something purposely, you may be disappointed – and I aim to take your breath away with unique imagery. I will photograph you in a way that is true to my artistic vision and style. I enjoy working with families who completely trust me to create amazing images that are authentic to their individual family dynamic. That level of trust is paramount in our relationship.
What happens if my family is late to the session?
Sessions are cut short when clients are late. I totally feel for families who run behind due to extra diaper changes, spills on outfits or naps running off-course (been there!!!) – however, I can not extend the session time. Sessions are scheduled at the perfect time of day to achieve my style of portraiture…and when the light goes away, there is no bringing it back! And of course I also have a schedule of my own at play. PS. Do bring an extra set of clothes & shoes for your kids (and maybe even you) because they could come in handy.
What if the forecast calls for rain/snow?
My inclement weather procedure is to wait until the day of our scheduled shoot to see how the area’s weather is doing about 3 hours before the session start time (our weather in Northern Nevada can be unpredictable despite the forecasts). If anyone in your group is getting hair/makeup done and 3 hours notice is not enough, please let me know so I can plan for more advanced notice! In the case of rain forecasted, a reschedule is usually needed. In the case of snow, a light snow can be beautiful in photos, so clients have the option to go ahead with a snowy shoot (unless it’s so snowy & wet that my equipment is at risk of damage) or reschedule at a later date.
When will our photos be ready?
Portrait photos are typically ready to view in 3 weeks. I don’t post “sneak peeks” prior to your ordering appointment. I also don’t send out online galleries to local clients until after your ordering appointment.
Can you rush my images?
Since I am a mom of twins, a toddler and a teenager, I can not rush images at this time. To do so, I would have to miss events or other things that are important to me and my family.
Can we have your RAW images?
I don’t transfer my RAW files under any circumstances. Any outtakes, out of focus images or images I just decide not to include in your collection hit the cutting room floor and are deleted prior to your ordering appointment.
Do you have proper business credentials and insurance?
You bet I do! Fifth and Chestnut Photo Co is a Limited Liability Company, and I am insured and carry state and city business licenses. I also pay taxes – including the state sales sax that I collect when you make your product purchase. In addition, I carry a Washoe County Parks Permit which gives me permission to photograph you in our lovely local city parks.
Tell us more about you, the woman behind the scenes!
Although I breathe, sweat and bleed (mostly because I’m clumsy and will do almost anything for the perfect shot) for my photography business, I also do all of those things for my beautiful family. My motto is “family is my heart” – which has helped me shape my business into something that brings a work-life-balance to our lives. It offers me flexibility to be with my family at important times, and to spend precious time with my kids…helping them grow and learn. It keeps me passionate about what I do. My photography business is such a personal part of myself that it’s sometimes hard to separate, but I am always striving for the perfect balance between being an artist/entrepreneur with being a great wife and mommy. To that end, my availability is limited, and when you book with me, you have a LOT of my attention because I am not working on 30 other jobs simultaneously. I have a toddler, twin babies and a thirteen-year-old stepson. My husband works for the magnificent City of Sparks, where we also live!
I also have graphic design and illustration skills, and one of my dreams is to write and illustrate a children’s book. My work experience has taken me from political marketing to graphic design to the music industry to the corporate world (phew!!) and now my passion for photography since my graphic design days has taken over my life!
If you have any questions about me or how I can provide an amazing Reno portrait photography experience for you, please get in touch. I want to know you, and I want to create portraits you’ll treasure your whole lifetime!
Holly & Mike’s October wedding last year was on a warm and gorgeous day, and we got similar amazing weather for their sunny September maternity photos!
One of my favorite parts about shooting Reno weddings is being able to see my couples again when they start a family. And it was so amazing seeing Holly and Mike in the process of transforming into parents. They also brought adorable props, like books and onsies, which I love! It’s fun to add personality into maternity photos with props.
I am SO lucky that I get to photograph their newborn baby soon, too. Check out my favorites from their adorable maternity session. Of course, stay tuned for newborn photos when their new bundle is born!
