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Maternity + Newborn Lifestyle Interview

Post author:Laura
Post published:November 6, 2020
Post category:Maternity Newborn

Everyday seems to be a holiday when you are a photographer! One perk of the job is celebrating milestones with families. I met this kind, friendly, and creative family a couple of years ago. Every session feels like I'm invited to a play date in their beautiful home. It's possible that I tell them every time I'm in their home that they have the best windows! I love being there to watch this family celebrate a first birthday, bake and decorate cookies, trim their Christmas tree, read books, make music and play in the back yard. Most recently I was there to document the arrival of their second daughter. How did you and your spouse meet? My husband and I met at Carnegie Mellon when I was an editor for the newspaper as an undergrad and he was a master's student working on layout design. Describe how your life changed once…

Senior Pictures Interview – Pittsburgh Portrait Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:November 2, 2020
Post category:Senior Pictures

Sarah chose Hartwood Acres as her location for senior photos and the sunset compounded with gorgeous flowers made for an unforgettable portrait session! I recommend Hartwood Acres for Seniors with an appreciation for European architecture, grassy fields, and gorgeous gardens. Sara's bohemian dancer aesthetic met urban fashion and the results were drop-dead gorgeous. I loved the opportunity to photograph my long-time neighbor. I've known her since she was in pre-school! It's been a pleasure to watch her grow into a young lady and I'm excited so hear about all she'll accomplish in college and beyond. Now, on with the interview! What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? I’ve lived here my whole life that now every time I turn a corner it feels I have a memory associated with every place in the city. In your opinion, where is the best place to get coffee in Pittsburgh and…

Family Session Interview – Pittsburgh Family Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:October 23, 2020
Post category:Family

This family is everything you hope for as a family portrait photographer. They are kind, natural and adventurous! We met during golden hour on a beautiful evening, in a beautiful park near Sewickley. Evan recommended the park and I'm so glad he did. It has a convenient parking lot and varied options for natural/wooded backdrops. The light has stunning light during golden hour. In addition to the beautiful light, weather and location, it was also a special treat to celebrate Raphael's first birthday with the family during our portrait session! I hope you enjoy "meeting" this family through their interview and portraits below. How did you and your spouse meet? We met at work, which was at Nordstrom (Ross Park Mall) back in 2008 and started dating in 2009. We married in 2014 and welcomed Raphael in 2019. What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? The distinctive Pittsburgh…

Laura Mares Photography Awarded Best Portrait Photographer in Pittsburgh

Post author:Laura
Post published:October 21, 2020
Post category:Awarded | Published | Featured Portrait Studio

Laura Mares Photography Awarded Best Portrait Photographer in Pittsburgh It's an honor to share that Expertise has included me on the 2020 list of the 22 best portrait photographers in Pittsburgh, PA. Many thanks to Expertise for including Laura Mares Photography on their list in an artsy city with so such talent! I strive to make my clients feel at ease and confident during our time together. I love capturing portraits, but I also love photographing each aspect of what makes an individual uniquely beautiful: A senior girl picking flowers, a child snuggling with her parents, a business owner looking to update his/her profile/instagram images. An experience - that's what I strive to provide my clients. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a high school senior, a family with a newborn or excited kiddos and a dog or two in need of timeless, heirloom portraits - I promise to give you a fun…

Senior Pictures Interview – Pittsburgh Portrait Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:October 16, 2020
Post category:Senior Pictures

It was such a pleasure to meet Samantha at Hartwood Acres to capture her senior portraits. Hartwood Acres is a gorgeous location north of Pittsburgh perfect for senior photos. We took advantage of the blooming flowers and walked around the mansion during golden hour. Samantha is interesting to get to know. She enjoys art and traveling. I was surprised that she was born in Beirut, Lebanon! She and her mother encourage others to travel to beautiful and safe country of Lebanon! What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? I love living so close to all the museums, since I love art and history! I also love all the nature around here because it's easy to find somewhere to hike or take photos. In your opinion, where is the best place to eat in Pittsburgh and what do you order there? My favorite place to eat is Pitaland! I…

Family Session Interview – Pittsburgh Lifestyle Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:October 2, 2020
Post category:Lifestyle Photography

Today's blog features a recent Lifestyle family session. I loved photographing this wonderfully unique family for a myriad of reasons. The dad is Irish so his go-to technique for getting giggles was to do an Irish jig! The mom fostered a loving home environment for the family. How fun! I loved visiting their beautiful home and hearing their many travel stories. I enjoy being a lifestyle photographer because it allows me to meet families like this and capture raw, authentic moments from their daily life. An added bonus during this family's session, was that I got to hear the family speak a little Gaelic! How did you and your spouse meet? We met in Green Harbor, MA, outside of Boston. I was living there at the time and Micheal was visiting friends. Describe your family. Micheal is from the West Coast of Ireland and I'm from all over the East Coast…

Personalized Party Invites – Pittsburgh Family Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:September 25, 2020
Post category:Personal Work

I am excited to share about a new company I came across called Basic Invite. As a photographer, I'm always looking for great card companies from which to order our family's Christmas cards and party invites. Every fall I start looking for beautiful card designs to feature our family's photos to send during the holidays. I not only want great design from our cards, but I also want the colors to mesh with the colors in our family portraits. It's usually a frustrating experience because I typically find either great design or coordinating colors. That's what I love about Basic Invite, I can customize the colors to any design! If you are like me and order a lot of cards, you may also want to check out Basic Invite for Christmas cards, wedding invitations, 1st birthday invites for your child or 70th birthday invitations for your parents. My Top 5 Features…

Senior Pictures Feature – Pittsburgh Senior Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:September 18, 2020
Post category:Senior Pictures

Two years ago I joined an L3 Leadership Mastermind for business owners in the South Hills. At my first meeting I met Krista, a friendly realtor with curly red hair. During the meeting the leader asked us to give a number from 1-10 to rate our week. I immediately decided my week was a 10. The group members informed me that it's not realistic to live at a 10. Krista turned to me and explained that she agreed but realized that although she also had a great week, some weeks could be even better, like if she were on vacation or if it was her birthday! I'm so glad Krista took the time to explain her thought process and teach me that a nine is a more realistic way to live from week to week. Every encounter that I have with Krista is always full of fun, laughs and high energy.…

Senior Pictures Feature – Pittsburgh Senior Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:September 11, 2020
Post category:Senior Pictures

The fenced garden at Hartwood Acres is full of colorful blooms every summer making it a favorite location for high school seniors. I had the pleasure of capturing Paige's senior pictures in the gorgeous garden and around the mansion. It was a fantastic evening because Paige is a natural in front of the camera, her and her mother are interesting to talk to and the weather was perfect for exploring the park! Any session that features a friendly high school senior, golden hour hues and rich colored flowers is a pleasure to photograph and this senior session was a dream! Congratulations on your senior year, Paige and thanks again for choosing me to document it! In your opinion, where is the best place to eat in Pittsburgh and what do you order there? Mediterra Cafe in Sewickley, PA is delicious! I always order the avocado toast with a poached egg. They…

Laura’s Interview with Camera Geeks

Post author:Laura
Post published:September 4, 2020
Post category:Awarded | Published | Featured

What is Camera Geeks? Camera Geeks is a new site that interviews professional photographers. They aim to know the person behind the camera. I was recently interviewed for their website. Their mission is based on Ansel Adams' famous quote, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” Terry and Danielle, of Camera Geeks, are curious what exactly it takes to make a great photographer if it isn't the gear. “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it. - Ansel Adams My Experience with Camera Geeks I first met Danielle when I photographed her beaufiul family in my home studio for their holiday portraits. Months later a new mom was requesting recommendations on Facebook for newborn photographers. Danielle recommended me by writing, "Laura Mares is phenomenal with baby photos. I didn't find her until my kids were a little older…