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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:Lifestyle + Travel Series

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…

Senior Location Series: Color Park

Post author:Laura
Post published:August 28, 2020
Post category:Senior Pictures Session Tips

Senior Location Series: Color Park Recently I went with a gorgeous senior to Color Park. It is a beautiful spot in the South Side of Pittsburgh. The grunge aesthetic partnered with the meaningful graffiti culminates to make an ideal spot for senior portrait photos. I created this series as a way to spotlight my favorite locations for high school senior pictures. I hope that by perusing the blog series you’ll be able to choose the perfect spot for you! In addition to having a portrait session at Color Park, there is also a colorful street nearby that adds a unique variety of vivid backgrounds to your gallery. 1). The first location we’ll focus on is the colorful area near color park. There is a very cool road that provides colorful backdrops that are the perfect place for those seeking an additional variety of backdrops to compliment the pops of color associated…

What to Expect at Your Lifestyle Studio Newborn Session!

Post author:Laura
Post published:August 14, 2020
Post category:Newborn Portrait Studio

What to Expect at Your Lifestyle Studio Newborn Session! Mi casa es su casa takes on a new meeting during lifestyle studio sessions! I love styling my studio to emulate homey vibes and with a detail oriented one-hour cleaning session before and after the shoot, there is no reason not to book soon! As we transition into a time of photoshoots in this new season, I wanted to take the time to give you an in-depth explanation on what to expect during a Lifestyle Newborn Session in the studio in order to alleviate as much stress as possible and to maintain an overly cautious atmosphere! We can start off covering my routine for cleaning the studio before, during and after the shoot. Next, I’d love to walk you through the most popular props I use during a shoot and the overall flow of the session. First, you enter the studio and…

Newborn Session Interview – Pittsburgh Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:August 6, 2020
Post category:Newborn Portrait Studio

During quarantine I had the opportunity to revamp the studio with a fresh coat of paint on the walls, update the floor, and new props. It was finished just days before I received an email requesting a newborn lifestyle shoot in the studio from a super sweet new mom. It was a wonderful experience photographing a newborn again, even if I needed to wear a mask and stay at a distance! How did you and your spouse meet? Bryon and I met at the gym while attending the University of Pittsburgh. What was your baby's height and weight at birth? Our newborn is 20 inches and 6lbs 15oz. Describe how your life has changed once you brought home your newborn baby. Our life has completely changed for the better! Bryon and I had been anxiously waiting 9 months to bring our little miracle into the world. While we are no longer…