Family Archives | Laura Mares Photography | Award winning Pittsburgh Family + Newborn Photographer

7 Family Friendly Activities in Pittsburgh

Post author:Laura
Post published:January 21, 2021
Post category:Family

7 Fun Things to do with Your Family in Pittsburgh (safely even during COVID) Below, I’ve included some of my family’s favorite activities to do in Pittsburgh, even during COVID. During the shut down, we’ve been able to spend a lot of quality time together. These are some of the things we’ve done as a family before and during the pandemic. 1. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Our family purchased a membership for Phipps as it was one of the only places we could visit with the COVID-19 restrictions in place. I love how diligent they have been about being safe and following guidelines. My family also enjoys visiting all the different exhibits. It feels different every time we visit! Some of our favorites include the Winter Flower Show, Van Gogh exhibit, and Tropical Forest Cuba. Taking your family to Phipps is a beneficial, educational experience that’s great to teach your kids…

Family Interview | Pittsburgh Lifestyle Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:January 4, 2021
Post category:Family

Pittsburgh is a beautiful city with amazing families! Last summer, I received a call from a then Pittsburgh mom asking to schedule a golden hour family lifestyle session featuring their backyard tree deck built around two hundred-year-old sycamore trees. Honestly, I could have pinched myself. I think being a photographer must be the best job in the world! Together we spent two hours laughing and participating in fun activities like dancing, snuggling and even climbing on dad to keep the children engaged. How did you and your spouse meet? Through friends in Miami, Florida where we were both living at the time. What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? Snow in May. lol j/k.... Safe, family-friendly, great schools, and the cost of living is low. Write 3 adjectives that describe your family. Energetic, silly, and curious. Describe your children. Emily is 8 and is sweet, caring, shy, and…

Family Interview | Pittsburgh Family Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:December 16, 2020
Post category:Family

As soon as I met this gorgeous and outgoing family I knew it was going to be a blast! The black and white color scheme was such a classic but the best part about this family was their collective sense of humor! We spent the majority of the photo session laughing and smiling....(at one point Luke was dangling upside down followed soon after by his sister!) The weather and sunset were absolutely gorgeous and coupled with the amazing location, it was a session to remember. How did you and your spouse meet? We met at work. Tell us about your family. We moved to Pittsburgh from Minneapolis in January. We have loved having family visit and showing them around Pittsburgh. We have a bernedoodle dog named Bruce. What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? It has been almost a year since we moved so we still love exploring…

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…

Pittsburgh Portrait Locations – Frick Park in Point Breeze

Post author:Laura
Post published:July 20, 2020
Post category:Family Session Tips

Pittsburgh Portrait Locations - Frick Park in Point Breeze Today I'm excited to write about Frick Park, it is another beautiful outdoor location for portraits in Pittsburgh. Isn't truly an iconic Pittsburgh location? Situated in the heart of the Point Breeze, Frick Park is Pittsburgh’s largest historical regional park. Frick Park is a wonderful place to photograph seniors, families and children. The park is large and offers plenty of space for seniors/families to move around. I love the beautiful lines in the architecture and as well as the landscaping. Frick Park offers many highlights for a portrait location: It is conveniently located, easily accessible and presents a large variety of background for your portraits. For this particular session we parked near The Frick Museum and walked to the picturesque stone arch at the park entrance. After capturing a few family portraits near the entrance, we continued to walk toward the open…

Differences between Lifestyle and Portrait Photography Sessions

Post author:Laura
Post published:June 14, 2020
Post category:Family Lifestyle Photography Session Tips

Differences between Lifestyle and Portrait Photography Sessions I’ve received this query from a few of my clients over the years, so I decided to share my thoughts on this common question. At-Home Lifestyle What is a Lifestyle Session? The basic outline of a lifestyle family session is an at-home, personalized photo shoot. I often tell families to explain it to their children as a friend coming over to visit and she'll take photos as well. I have the opportunity of experiencing one day of your family’s life and you have the freedom of choosing how to spend it! This can be anything from making a pizza, a tie fashion show, or a tickle fight! Not sure what your family should do for the photo session? Hold a family meeting with the kids and get some creative input! However, if you want the feel of a lifestyle shoot, but don’t want your…

Our Quarantine Lifestyle in the South Hills of Pittsburgh

Post author:Laura
Post published:April 10, 2020
Post category:Family

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GiXmOCfiTU Making the Most of our Family Time at Home Through technology we can now bring the world into our home to explore with our family. I've been joking with my husband that our home has turned into a one room schoolhouse! We have a high schooler, middle schooler and kindergartener. It is not uncommon to quickly transition from a conversation about politics to comics. Although it can be crazy in our home at times, it provides our family with a unique perspective of "home schooling" with such a span of ages in our children! National Geographic K-12 Learning National Geographic states, "Schools are closed. Learning is open." Your children can choose lessons based on subjects or grade level. My kids have been checking out the storytelling and photography section. Bringing the Zoo to You The Pittsburgh Zoo is able to bring the zoo home to you. Check out the Penguin…

Family Spotlight – Pittsburgh Family Photographer

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

How did you and your spouse meet? We met in Philadelphia through a mutual friend - and he never lets us forget it! What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? Pittsburgh always lands on those liveable cities lists - and we agree! We consider ourselves very lucky to be able to live in an area where we have access to both the city and a variety of outdoor activities. Being able to drive places in a short period of time - or being able to walk! - is a real win when you have little kids. What are your family's favorite things to do in and around Pittsburgh? If it's nice outside, we love to go to South Park for hikes and picnics, or the Arrowhead Trail for biking. Our kids are also now at an age where we can take advantage of Pittsburgh gems like the Carnegie…

Family Spotlight – Pittsburgh Lifestyle Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:January 2, 2020
Post category:Family

Every year I set 10 business goals. One of my goals for 2019 was to find more laid back and adventurous clients. This family was exactly what I had in mind! We had fun hanging out in this beautiful location and I enjoyed getting to know them and photographing their joy. How did you and your spouse meet? We met in college, however it turned out Wayne played hockey with my brother when they were younger, so our families knew each other already. What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? We enjoy the people, the seasons, and things to do in Pittsburgh. Write 3 adjectives that describe your family. Our family is laid back, fun, and adventurous. Describe your children. Ty is the happiest little kid, always smiling and telling jokes. He’s also very sensitive and smart. Tristan is very laid back. What are your family's favorite things…

Family Spotlight – Pittsburgh Family Photographer

Post author:Laura
Post published:December 26, 2019
Post category:Family

To be honest, some families are easier to photograph than others. Although toddlers are adorable, they aren't always agreeable! Even though I'm almost always up for a challenge, it was a treat to photograph this family with two "big" girls who really enjoyed having their photos taken and even came up with different ideas for unique photographs! The icing on the cake was realizing these loving parents were also up for any of my off the wall suggestions! I hope you enjoy reading this interview and viewing highlights from their urban family portrait session. How did you and your spouse meet? We met our senior year of college while attending The Ohio State University. What do you enjoy about living in the Pittsburgh area? Ketih and I were both born and raised in Ohio. We moved to Pittsburgh 10 years ago for Keith's job. We were newly married and thought it…