Blog - Fifth and Chestnut

Little Forest’s Forest Themed Baby Portraits by Reno Newborn Photographer

January 25, 2020 In Newborn No Comment

I am the luckiest Auntie in the WHOLE WORLD to have been able to photograph my new nephew, little Forest.

As some of you may know, I have pivoted my newborn work towards lifestyle newborn photography (casual documentary-style sessions in my clients’ homes). I could go into why (for those of you who don’t know) but this post is about this awesome baby!! And this baby got some special treatment because he’s family <3

With a name like Forest (his Grandpa’s name, by the way), I just HAD to do a studio-style woodland forest themed session (with the blessing of his mama of course). So, I happily transformed my dining room into a studio just for Forest’s very special newborn session.

It is definitely times like these that make me really miss my studio. I LOVE (and I mean LOVE) studio newborn photography. It’s something I’ve worked hard to get better at through all TEN years of running this photography business of mine. And I feel like just when I hit my stride with it, I had to give it up. So I will count myself very lucky to have had an opportunity to create these photographs…especially for family.

Forest Themed Baby Portraits | Studio Style

Forest was the definition of Rockstar Baby Model Extraordinaire. Ladies and gentlemen, he didn’t even poo or pee on me. Everyone give this guy a round of applause!

He was very soundly asleep when I worked with him in the prop shots, and woke up for a short period where we did the classic swaddled photos. You’ll see an image with him looking straight at me – my heart!! Then he fell back asleep and did so well on our fabric backdrop. It was so seamless, which makes me a happy photographer.

So let’s let his portraits do the rest of the talking, shall we?! Check out my favorites from his session…which were insanely hard to narrow down! I can’t wait to capture more images of this guy as he grows!

Romantic Disney Wedding in Glenshire by Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographer

January 17, 2020 In Weddings No Comment

Jessica & Jonathan’s romantic Disney wedding in at Serenity on the Rocks will have you smiling ear to ear!

Serenity on the Rocks

Their wedding was the first official wedding at Serenity on the Rocks in Glenshire, CA (as a new wedding venue available for bookings) and I feel so lucky to have been a part of that!

Serenity on the Rocks was the perfect mountain setting for Jessica and Jonathan’s end-of-summer Disney themed wedding day. This wedding site has it all – waterfalls, paths weaving throughout the property, a beautifully landscaped ceremony area and amazing views of the surrounding Sierra Mountains.

Romantic Disney Wedding

I absolutely adored the meticulously executed Disney details! When you walked into the reception area, it felt romantic – red roses and green garlands…gold mercury glass. But when you looked closer, you realize the very detailed, yet subtle, touches of Disney magic.

I was so blown away by the table naming & decor. And the signature drinks? Seriously…just SERIOUSLY.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

I love chatting wedding decor & details, but what makes every wedding special are the connections that the couple shares with the people who arrive to celebrate their special day. From the very moment I began capturing moments alongside my second photographer, I felt the love – bigtime!

This couple truly cares about their people. And it really shows. It was amazing to capture special moments between Jessica and Jonathan, and also with their friends and family.

Capturing Once-in-a-lifetime Moments

During dinner time, the sun was setting FAST and lighting up Mt. Rose in a LITERAL shade of Rose. We set up one light off-camera, brought J & J in and BOOM – I got the shot. Several, actually – but I got THE ONE. And that always makes my day as a wedding photographer.

The reception toasts were hilarious and heartwarming. One of the toasts especially had a TON of entertainment value as the MOH and the bride’s sisters serenaded the entire reception with Disney songs with the lyrics changed to tell J & J’s love story. It was amazing. AMAZING.

Oh, and did I mention the bounce house for the kids? SO FUN. Their day was filled with fun touches like that – that made it special for everyone.

I could honestly talk on and on about this incredible wedding, but I should really let the pictures do most of the talking – so enjoy just a few from J & J’s day…it was incredibly hard to narrow down my favorites for a blog post!

CONGRATS, Jessica & Jonathan, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for including me in your unforgettable wedding day!

Wedding Vendors

Venue: Serenity on the Rocks
Photographers: Fifth and Chestnut Photo Co. (Main: Jentry Dryden | 2nd: Kendall Price)
Day Of Coordination: A Beautiful Events Planning
Ceremony Arch: Manzanita Glow
Tent & Party Rentals: Eventmasters
Floral: Blake’s Floral Design
Catering: The Grille at Sawtooth Ridge
Hair: Aimee K Makeup
Makeup: Jennifer Ergut Kiss & Makeup, Makeup Studio Tahoe
Band: Bay Music – Wine Country
DJ: D. B. Weddings
Videography: BlackOpal Rose Photography
Dessert Bar: Unrefined Reno

Elegant Red and Black Reno Fall Family Portraits | Reno Family Photographer

December 15, 2019 In Uncategorized No Comment

I photographed the beautiful Bernat family last Spring when Denisia was only pregnant with her newest baby girl. So it was an absolute pleasure to see them again in November for their Reno fall family portraits at Rancho San Rafael. On a perfect fall afternoon for family photos, too!

Red and Black Color Scheme for fall family photos at Rancho San Rafael

I adore the color scheme and outfits that Denisia put together! Don’t you?

The elegant colors of red and black provide for a beautiful contrast against the fall scenery. Bold and dark colors are perfect to set apart the evergreens and fall foliage at this gorgeous park in Reno.

And check out how cute the girls were with their leopard print purses!

I had a blast throwing leaves and catching smiles with this wonderful family. And it’s been amazing seeing them grow together! I can’t wait to see them again soon!

Western Fall Lake Tahoe Family Portraits by Lake Tahoe Family Photographer

December 12, 2019 In Family No Comment

I had the honor of creating fall Lake Tahoe family portraits for the wonderful Ringnes family again this year! It’s always so fun to see families as the years go by. To see how the children grow and to watch their personalities blossom from behind my lens!

Fall Lake Tahoe Family Portraits at Sand Harbor

Sand Harbor is such a beautiful spot for fall family portraits, and I always love shooting in this location! It’s a very personal location for this family as well. This is our 3rd time doing family portraits here together.

I adore the western themes & color tones that these guys chose for their fall Lake Tahoe family portraits. The colors mesh so well with the beautiful blues of Lake Tahoe. The fall colors at Sand Harbor also played very nicely with their wardrobe!

It was such a pleasure to see these guys again and I can’t wait to see them again soon!

Gorgeous Fall Thomas Creek Trail Family Photos by Reno Family Photographer

December 10, 2019 In Family No Comment

I was so happy to see this family in front of my lens again for their GORGEOUS fall Thomas Creek Trail Family Photos. Patti and Jeff first stepped in front of my camera when Patti was pregnant with Keegan. And I have been absolutely honored each time they’ve asked me to take portraits of their beautiful kids & family together.

Fall Thomas Creek Trail Family Photos

The vibrant leaves that were at the Thomas Creek Trail the week before decided to drop to the ground by the time of our shoot. Even still, it’s a gorgeous spot! And I think the boys were excited about the leaves on the ground. After all, they had a ton of fun throwing them AT me, haha!

In fact, some of my favorite laugh-out-loud photos from this session are the ones where Keegan and Jackson are just having a blast with leaves. Leaf throwing is one of the reasons that fall photoshoots are so great, isn’t it?! I think so, anyway!

Also, gotta just say that this family did such an amazing job with their wardrobe. The colors really set them apart from the background, which I love. I could probably talk forever about how much I love these photos and this family!! Enjoy just a few of my faves from the Zimmerman’s fall family portraits!

How to Deliver Digital Images on USB Flash Drive | USB Memory Direct USB Drive Review

November 23, 2019 In For Photographers No Comment

As a Reno photographer with over a decade of experience, I often get asked about the business side of photography. Up and coming photographers have asked me about everything from branding to photography techniques to client management and customer service. So, I’m here today to share a popular question about how to deliver digital images.

Given the technology today, we have two basic options; deliver digital images via download link, or provide a USB flash drive. While some clients prefer a download link, some enjoy receiving a USB flash drive.

USB Memory Direct USB Flash Drives

USB Memory Direct sent me a bundle of USB flash drives to test out for my clients. Their account manager helped me decide what style & finish would mesh well with my brand. In my case, their tower style USB flash drive in the walnut finish with an imprint of my mint-colored logo suited my brand best.

Upon arrival, I was very pleased with the aesthetic of these USB flash drives. My logo is vibrant and beautiful against the walnut finish. And there is just something so pleasant about the feel of natural wood – which I have always used in my branding.

I also love that the USB flash drives have a magnetic snap closure. It’s super sleek.

The tower style USB flash drives come in a variety of natural wooden finishes: pine, maple, mahogany, walnut, bamboo, maple bamboo and fiber wood. SO many fantastic options.

Seriously these things look amazing when I package up my client orders. I also use one of these for transferring files to and from my iMac and MacBook – don’t ya just hate it when AirDrop refuses to work….or when the internet goes down!? I have honestly found these USB flash drives to be extremely useful in many situations as a business owner.

USB Flash Drives to the Rescue

Once, I met with a client who purchased the digital files but expressed the fact that they needed to send a print IMMEDIATELY to their mom. I had one of these USB flash drives in my laptop bag and uploaded the photos for her – the transfer was so quick and my client was on my way to the lab to make her emergency print.

I really can’t say enough good things about these USB flash drives. They are so beautiful and most importantly, RELIABLE. So if you are in the market for a new way to deliver digital images, I highly recommend that you check out USB Memory Direct and peruse their awesome styles of custom USB flash drives!

That’s it for now – I’ll be back to share more photography/business tips soon!

Adorable 6 Month Baby Portraits at UNR by Reno Baby Photographer

November 18, 2019 In Babies & Kids No Comment

I am so excited to share Alyssa’s adorable 6 month baby portraits with you this afternoon! She is one of my beautiful Milestone Baby Program babies and I was so happy to see just how much she’s grown in the last few months.

Fashionable 6 Month Baby Portraits

You may remember Alyssa’s sweet face from her newborn session. She has grown so much, but she is still quite the fashionista! Her mom and dad brought the CUTEST outfits for her, and I loved their cute picnic setup!

We also incorporated some items from her newborn session for this milestone, which is a fun way to tie the sessions together. And we grabbed some updated family portraits during our time together this September, too.

I’ll be seeing her again when she turns ONE – which will happen so fast, I know. I can’t wait to see these guys again in the winter!

Boho Chic Reno High School Senior Portraits at Galena Creek Park by Reno High School Senior Photographer

November 18, 2019 In Senior Portraits No Comment

I had a total blast creating Emilee’s AMAZING boho chic Reno High School Senior portraits at Galena Creek Regional Park! I had the honor of creating her brother’s senior portraits a few years back, and I was SO EXCITED when I was asked to photograph Emilee, too.

Emilee’s wardrobe and accessory choices were absolute perfection. Her red dress stood out PERFECTLY from the golden aspens. Her black books and plush ivory sweater for outfit number two looked so cozy on a chilly fall afternoon as well.

And let me tell you – it was CHILLY.

Boho Chic Reno High School Senior Portraits

The colorful aspens at Galena Creek Park created a wonderful contrast to Emilee’s red dress for the first part of our session. The sun peering through the leaves created the most beautiful golden light. Thank goodness for that bit of sun, because it was an unseasonably cold October afternoon. I was freezing, even in a heavy sweatshirt and long leggings! She was such a good sport – powering through the chill in the air.

For the second half of her session, Emilee got to warm up with a cozier ensemble. Always another reason why bringing a wardrobe change is a good idea! The colors and textures for her second outfit meshed perfectly with our fall setting.

Being a High School Senior Photographer

It means the WORLD to me when I’ve photographed a senior and the parents ask me to do so again. I truly feel like high school senior portraits are my calling. I love photographing families and children – always. But I find myself feeling on cloud nine when I’ve finished a senior session. It’s such a fun & rewarding experience to be part of the moments before a young adult starts their journey of independence. It’s just so cool!

Join me in congratulating Emilee on her senior year, and wishing her luck as she decides where to go and what to do in the future!

Emmitt’s Summer Lifestyle Newborn Portraits by Reno Newborn Photographer

November 3, 2019 In Newborn No Comment

Emmitt was such a dream for his in-home lifestyle newborn portraits this Summer. He gave me such a great mix of sleepy and awake shots. His eyes were so locked on the camera at times!

Mr. E & His Cozy Summer Lifestyle Newborn Portraits

You’ll see how precious Emmitt is below – it was so hard to leave out any of his portraits for the blog! Isn’t the dimple in his chin just absolutely perfect?! I love how cozy he looks swaddled up so warmly, but he posed perfectly for his nakey shots, too!

It was an honor to photograph this little dude – thank you Mieka & Daniel for asking me to create his newborn portraits!

Welcome to the world, Emmitt!

Fun Meadow Truckee Engagement Photos by Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographer

September 4, 2019 In Uncategorized 1 Comment

Jessica and Jonathan are getting married at Serenity on the Rocks (Hall’s Property) in a few short weeks. And I am SO excited to share their Truckee engagement photos with you!

HWY 267

I was thrilled when these two picked the meadow off HWY 267 between Truckee and King’s Beach for their Truckee engagement photos. I absolutely LOVE this little spot. Except the mosquitos – holy moly! There are so many aspen trees, flowers and lots of grasses to waltz through. Also, there is a cute little wooden “cabin” although it’s just the bones. It’s just so peaceful and lovely.

Can’t wait to photograph their September wedding at Serenity on the Rocks! Please join me in wishing them a happy wedding!