The Bowman Grandkids | Christmas Mini Sessions | Reading, Pennsylvania GoggleWorks Studio Photographer

I know with Halloween still a few weeks away, it's a bit early to start thinking about winter and Christmas.  The weather finally started cooling off to fall temperatures over the past few days, and where I live many of the leaves haven't even started changing colors yet.  However, due to a booked fall calendar, I had to offer my Christmas mini sessions a bit earlier than usual this year.  All of my sessions sold out for this past Sunday, and both repeat clients and new clients came to visit me from near and far.  (Some families were local, and some drove all the way out from the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas!)  I had six different backdrops to choose from, and each of my sessions turned out great!  All of the kids were so much fun to work with - I even had to dodge snow balls that made their way right to my camera lens!  (These kids had great aim!)

I'm so thankful for my clients who made the time to drive out and visit me at my GoggleWorks studio in Reading yesterday.  It was such a pleasure photographing your children and spending time with your families.  I hope you enjoy these previews from your session.

If anyone else wants to get in on the action, I still have some openings for my mini sessions being held on Friday, November 3rd!  Click here for more information or to book:  http://carriekizukaphotographyllc.bigcartel.com/product/winter-christmas-studio-mini-sessions

Up now - the Bowman grandkids!  Their grandma reached out to me a few days ago because the planets were aligned and they all happened to be in town at the same time I was offering my mini sessions!  I'm so glad they were able to find the time to stop by my studio for some photographs!

 

 

 

The McNeil Family | Christmas Mini Sessions | Reading, Pennsylvania GoggleWorks Studio Photographer

I know with Halloween still a few weeks away, it's a bit early to start thinking about winter and Christmas.  The weather finally started cooling off to fall temperatures over the past few days, and where I live many of the leaves haven't even started changing colors yet.  However, due to a booked fall calendar, I had to offer my Christmas mini sessions a bit earlier than usual this year.  All of my sessions sold out for this past Sunday, and both repeat clients and new clients came to visit me from near and far.  (Some families were local, and some drove all the way out from the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas!)  I had six different backdrops to choose from, and each of my sessions turned out great!  All of the kids were so much fun to work with - I even had to dodge snow balls that made their way right to my camera lens!  (These kids had great aim!)

I'm so thankful for my clients who made the time to drive out and visit me at my GoggleWorks studio in Reading yesterday.  It was such a pleasure photographing your children and spending time with your families.  I hope you enjoy these previews from your session.

If anyone else wants to get in on the action, I still have some openings for my mini sessions being held on Friday, November 3rd!  Click here for more information or to book:  http://carriekizukaphotographyllc.bigcartel.com/product/winter-christmas-studio-mini-sessions

Up now - the McNeil Family!  This is my 3rd year in a row photographing their family, and I had a great time, as always!  These kids rock, and always put a smile on my face and in my heart.

 

 

 

The Dibeler Family | Christmas Mini Sessions | Reading, Pennsylvania GoggleWorks Studio Photographer

I know with Halloween still a few weeks away, it's a bit early to start thinking about winter and Christmas.  The weather finally started cooling off to fall temperatures over the past few days, and where I live many of the leaves haven't even started changing colors yet.  However, due to a booked fall calendar, I had to offer my Christmas mini sessions a bit earlier than usual this year.  All of my sessions sold out for this past Sunday, and both repeat clients and new clients came to visit me from near and far.  (Some families were local, and some drove all the way out from the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas!)  I had six different backdrops to choose from, and each of my sessions turned out great!  All of the kids were so much fun to work with - I even had to dodge snow balls that made their way right to my camera lens!  (These kids had great aim!)

I'm so thankful for my clients who made the time to drive out and visit me at my GoggleWorks studio in Reading yesterday.  It was such a pleasure photographing your children and spending time with your families.  I hope you enjoy these previews from your session.

If anyone else wants to get in on the action, I still have some openings for my mini sessions being held on Friday, November 3rd!  Click here for more information or to book:  http://carriekizukaphotographyllc.bigcartel.com/product/winter-christmas-studio-mini-sessions

Up now - the Dibeler Family!  These two adorable guys are packed with personality.  I have the pleasure of hanging out with them and their awesome mom and dad all winter, because we share a mutual love for snowboarding!  Thanks for driving all the way out here from Harrisburg!

 

 

 

The Gumba Family | Christmas Mini Sessions | Reading, Pennsylvania GoggleWorks Studio Photographer

I know with Halloween still a few weeks away, it's a bit early to start thinking about winter and Christmas.  The weather finally started cooling off to fall temperatures over the past few days, and where I live many of the leaves haven't even started changing colors yet.  However, due to a booked fall calendar, I had to offer my Christmas mini sessions a bit earlier than usual this year.  All of my sessions sold out for this past Sunday, and both repeat clients and new clients came to visit me from near and far.  (Some families were local, and some drove all the way out from the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas!)  I had six different backdrops to choose from, and each of my sessions turned out great!  All of the kids were so much fun to work with - I even had to dodge snow balls that made their way right to my camera lens!  (These kids had great aim!)

I'm so thankful for my clients who made the time to drive out and visit me at my GoggleWorks studio in Reading yesterday.  It was such a pleasure photographing your children and spending time with your families.  I hope you enjoy these previews from your session.

If anyone else wants to get in on the action, I still have some openings for my mini sessions being held on Friday, November 3rd!  Click here for more information or to book:  http://carriekizukaphotographyllc.bigcartel.com/product/winter-christmas-studio-mini-sessions

Up now - the Gumba Family!  These guys always bring so much energy and laughter to my photoshoots!  I'm so glad they stopped by... and I LOVE that they wore matching Christmas pajamas!! 

 

 

 

The Shirk Family | Christmas Mini Sessions | Reading, Pennsylvania GoggleWorks Studio Photographer

I know with Halloween still a few weeks away, it's a bit early to start thinking about winter and Christmas.  The weather finally started cooling off to fall temperatures over the past few days, and where I live many of the leaves haven't even started changing colors yet.  However, due to a booked fall calendar, I had to offer my Christmas mini sessions a bit earlier than usual this year.  All of my sessions sold out for this past Sunday, and both repeat clients and new clients came to visit me from near and far.  (Some families were local, and some drove all the way out from the Harrisburg and Philadelphia areas!)  I had six different backdrops to choose from, and each of my sessions turned out great!  All of the kids were so much fun to work with - I even had to dodge snow balls that made their way right to my camera lens!  (These kids had great aim!)

I'm so thankful for my clients who made the time to drive out and visit me at my GoggleWorks studio in Reading yesterday.  It was such a pleasure photographing your children and spending time with your families.  I hope you enjoy these previews from your session.

If anyone else wants to get in on the action, I still have some openings for my mini sessions being held on Friday, November 3rd!  Click here for more information or to book:  http://carriekizukaphotographyllc.bigcartel.com/product/winter-christmas-studio-mini-sessions

First up - the Shirk Family!  I have been photographing Abbi since she was a newborn, and it's such a joy to be able to watch her grow up.

 

 

 

The Hobbs Family | Maui Hawaii Family Photoshoot | Pennsylvania and Destination Photographer

17 years ago, I decided to leave the snowboard industry (where I worked as a product engineer/snowboard boot designer) to become a math teacher.   Around that same time, I met Caroline (and her mom and brother), when I started tutoring her in math.  They are such a fun, loving family, and I'm so fortunate that our paths crossed all those years ago.  Caroline's mom helped us purchase our first home in Orange County, California, as well as our current home when we decided to pack up and move back to Pennsylvania!

Less than two weeks ago, I traveled to Hawaii to photograph a destination wedding.  While I was there, I met up with Caroline who happened to be vacationing in Maui less than a mile from where I was staying!  It was such a treat to see her again after all these years, and to meet the rest of the Hobbs Family!  Their family is growing by one in a few months, and I'm so honored that I was able to capture some memories for them during this exciting time in their lives.

Just as we made our way to the beach outside the Hyatt Regency, the sky decided to open up and pour on us for a few minutes.  They were such good sports about it all, and we got some great moments before, during, and after the rain - including a stunning Maui rainbow!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our brief time together.  Thank you again, Hobbs Family, for fitting me into your schedule!  It was such a pleasure seeing everyone and creating these photographs for you.  I hope we are able to meet up again in the near future!

ASHLIE + ERIC | WESTIN KA'ANAPALI MAUI WEDDING | DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

Emilia | Studio Newborn Photoshoot | Berks County Newborn Photographer

Last week, I had the honor of hanging out with the Wisotsky Family in my GoggleWorks studio!  We were there to document the arrival of their newest family member, 9 day old Emilia!  I had photographed Charli's newborn photos when she was born, and I was thrilled when they reached out and asked me to capture Emilia's, too.

This is such a fun family, and they were absolute troopers in my hot studio!  (I always crank up the heat for my newborn clients so that they stay comfortably warm during our time together.)  Thanks for sweating it out with me, and thank you for all the smiles and laughs!  Here is a small collection of some of my favorite photos from our morning together.  I'm throwing in some outtakes as well - they may not be the portraits that end up hanging on the wall, but they are the photos that capture the realness of the moment... and usually end up being my personal favorites!

Welcome to the world, Emilia!  Congratulations again, Wisotsky Family!  I have a feeling that Charli and Emilia are going to be best friends as they grow up.

(Big thanks to my mom for assisting me, spotting for the froggy pose so I could create the composite image, and sweating it out along with us in the studio!)

If you ever happen to be in Reading with some extra time on your hands, stop by my studio at the GoggleWorks and say hi!

Cliff Mautner's Bootcamp | A Workshop Review | Pennsylvania and Destination Wedding Photographer

I am proud to be a lifelong learner.  This desire to constantly add to and refine my knowledge base was instilled in me from as young an age as I can remember.  Learning not only helps me hone my skills in whatever I am passionate about, but it truly feeds my brain and my soul.  I really am in my element when I am in an environment that allows me to apply and improve my passions.

I feel that you can never learn everything there is to know about any given subject.  Although I feel that I am a pretty decent photographer, I also acknowledge that I can always keep improving my craft.  My commitment to learning is not only beneficial to myself, but also to my clients who put their trust in me to produce the most beautiful art for them that I am capable of creating.  In order to continue to grow as a photographer, I try to attend at least one workshop or conference a year.  When I heard that Cliff Mautner was offering his Lighting Bootcamp only 1.5 hours from me, I knew that I had to attend this workshop.  Cliff is a renowned wedding and portrait photographer, and is also very real and down-to-earth.  (That can be a rare combination in the world of wedding photographers, especially for those artists who have won as many awards as Cliff has.)  So, I signed up!

Finally, that much anticipated August afternoon had arrived - I threw my camera gear and an overnight bag into my green VW bug, and headed to New Jersey for 2 1/2 action-packed days of learning.  The first night started off with an informal reception where Cliff got to know all 18 of us attendees (who had gathered from all over the world), and we all got to know Cliff.  Cliff promised to be an open book throughout the workshop, and he kept that promise!  No question was off limits, and Cliff personally made sure that everyone was made to feel heard and valued throughout the entirety of our time together.

The learning and sharing continued over the next two days, where Cliff gave us pointers, hands-on demonstrations, and assignments incorporating both natural light and artificial light.  We started early in the morning and worked long after sunset.  Cliff kept our bellies full and our brains working.  I left the workshop about 10 pounds heavier and with more insight and knowledge and inspiration than I could have hoped for.

I would do you a disservice if I gave away anything that Cliff taught us over those 2 1/2 days.  You really should attend one of his workshops if you have the chance.  So, instead, I'll just show you some of the photographs I created during my time at the workshop.  On the first full day of the workshop, we shot in a few hotel rooms in Haddonfield, New Jersey.  On the second full day, we ventured into Philadelphia and shot at a few of Cliff's favorite public parks.  We had every lighting situation thrown at us during our time together - from dreamy natural light, to harsh afternoon sun, to shade.  And Cliff helped us all gain confidence for creating stunning portraits regardless of the lighting challenges we faced.  He truly helped us learn to SEE the light.

Big thanks to Cliff, the amazing models that worked with us, and to my fellow artists who showed up and allowed themselves to be vulnerable and humble.  And thank you to his talented wife, Susan Stripling, for sharing him with us that week!  I knew that taking his workshop would be a game changer for me and my photography business, and I was right.

 

 

The Sperber Family | In-Home Newborn Photoshoot | Baltimore Maryland Family Photographer

Back in April, Jenna and Jeremy reached out to me to ask if I would photograph their son when he made his appearance.  I am always honored when I am asked to create portraits for people, but there's something extra special about photographing newborns.  It's such a joy and privilege to create photographs that you know will be cherished for a lifetime - if not longer!

After much anticipation, Aiden made his appearance on September 1st!  Last week, I drove to Jenna and Jeremy's home in Maryland to meet baby Aiden and to take his newborn portraits.  This was a hybrid lifestyle/posed session - I started off by capturing some photographs with Jenna, Jeremy, and Aiden together in their beautiful home, then finished with a few poses that Jenna had requested.

I met Jenna a few years ago, when my brother-in-law played football in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.  Jenna babysat my niece and nephew, and was always so patient, kind, positive, and fun!  I knew that she would make a wonderful mother one day.  As soon as I arrived at their home for this photoshoot, I witnessed her and Jeremy's strong connection with Aiden.  Baby Aiden was blessed with an incredible set of parents and role models.

Here are a few sneak previews from our time together.

Congratulations again, Jenna and Jeremy!  Welcome to the world, Aiden!  Big thanks to my mom for keeping me company on the ride, and for helping out during the photoshoot!