Family Pictures in the Finger Lakes
This adorable little family visited the Finger Lakes for their first time as a family of four over the summer. They enjoy being outside and exploring nature, so they celebrated this trip with a family portrait session along Seneca Lake in Geneva, NY.
We wandered the walking path near the Finger Lakes Welcome Center, and found some nice shady locations for their family pictures.
Aren’t some of these little moments the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen?
Their annual fall family pictures took place around the time this kiddo turned 7. It began as soon as he got off the bus from school, with the dog waiting for them to walk up the long driveway.
Their family portrait session is full of candid, lifestyle family photography blended with posed portraits. It’s often a fast paced family session, which is so common with family pictures that include active kids!
There’s usually running, playing, jumping and leaf throwing involved. When they play, we photograph their big laughing smiles. At the end of the portrait session we’ll have added 2000 more steps to our fitbit.
These 3 (plus fur babies) are always worth every extra step.
How do you celebrate your anniversary and your baby at the same time? This adorable family chose to celebrate with family pictures!
They came to the area to spend time with their family at their cottage on Keuka Lake. That’s where Lori spent some time with them, photographing some fleeting baby smiles and little family moments.
What do you have coming up that you want to celebrate with family pictures?
New rule: Vacations with the ones you love most should always include an updated extended family picture.
I mean, these Finger Lakes views and your family portraits together on the dock like this? We can’t even.
Our hope is that your kids will look back at these family pictures and remember the laughs you shared together on this trip. These are the moments you’ll cherish for years to come.
Winter chills family pictures in Rochester NY, but the Lamberton Conservatory offers a vibrant escape. Lush greenery and adorable turtles create a natural backdrop for capturing genuine family portraits, real smiles and timeless memories.
Taking outdoor family pictures in Fairport NY, in December can be a unique experience. The chilly winter air added a refreshing crispness to the atmosphere, making it an ideal setting for capturing cozy and heartwarming moments with this fun family.
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of taking family pictures for this crew on a few occasions. When they came home for the holidays this past year, they were ready to update the extended family portrait.
It started with Lori - Over the course of the past year she has been in a constant state of decluttering. She followed along the lessons from the book below.
She inspired me to get my own photographs (and well, my life) better organized. So I've also been in the process of getting my own little house, a little less cluttered. With a two year old, their toys, and boxes of hand me down clothes piling up, things get more cluttered with every passing day. The struggle is real.
In the end, the biggest hurdle for both of us has been what to do with the boxes of pictures that were scattered all over the house.
I am my family's historian. I know that as time passes, I will inherit even more photographs from family. And that's ok with me.
Except, I already had a ridiculous amount of old photo albums, most of which made no sense. When I was younger I would just take prints I had and stick them all in one book randomly. On the same page of a cheap plastic album, I would put my own baby pictures alongside high school pictures (bad fashion and all).
So clearly, there was work to do. Someday I'll be leaving all of my history in the hands of my son and I can't leave that it in shambles.
Here's some of what I did to cleanup and a few tips that might help you with your own photo organization:
Gather. Start by collecting all of the pictures you find (from every room) and put them in one location.
Get photo boxes. Or something that works for you. My preference was the basic storage boxes (like these) you find at any craft store.
Start sorting. Use as simple or complex a timeline as you wish. Personally, I kept it simple as there were a lot of photos I couldn't be sure of their dates. So I sorted by "childhood, high school, college, etc."
Consolidate. If you can. I did, mostly for space reasons. I removed photos from old torn apart albums with the sticky plastic pages, and sorted them into boxes. I discarded photos that were too blurry, duplicates, or if they were people I just didn't remember. I kept any family pictures, ones that held special memories, or told a story about who I was. My thought process was simple: If I can't explain why that photo is important to my son, is that particular image worth keeping?
Don't dwell. So what happens if you just can't bring yourself to get rid of anything at all? Just organize them and move on. You'll drive yourself crazy wondering what to keep and what to toss. Don't let it get to that.
In my world, done is most of the time better than perfect. My kids won't care if I was 11 or 12 or 14 in any particular series of photos. So if you can set aside any potential OCDs, it will go faster than you think.
My final tip? Take your time, take breaks and enjoy the process. I found that it was actually fun to go through them, reliving moments and fondly remembering days gone by.
So whatever your process is, enjoy it, because this is your life - literally.
~ Erin
When you’ve got a dog that’s sweet and adorable, why not train her to be a therapy dog? I certainly wanted to take her home in my pocket, that’s for sure!
Say hello to Danielle and Ziva! Danielle is renovating a home on Keuka Lake with just a stunning view. We went down to capture her and Ziva in their happy place this Fall; it was so beautiful that I didn’t want to leave.
Thanks so much for inviting me to create portraits on Keuka Lake with you! I hope to see you again soon!
-Lori
Vacation, trip, getaway, adventure... whatever you call it, this family came from three different states to be together. They spent their time exploring the beauty of the Finger Lakes, pausing just long enough for me to capture some portraits outside their AirBNB. We had a cool overcast morning and two adorable littles to work with.
All I can say is, I love what we do, and I hope you love the result. It was a pleasure working with you and I hope to see you next time you're in town!
-Lori
Summer is when families come together.
Well, we think anytime is a great time for a family to come together - but meeting at the family lake house also means there's time for cousins to have fun.
Oh and hey, while we're at it – it also makes the perfect opportunity for extended family photos! These kiddos were ready for fun and enjoyed hanging out with their grandparents, aunts and cousins. The morning rain made way for a lovely afternoon, and as soon as the last photo was taken, there was a mad dash toward the lake for a swim.
But really, could these kids get any cuter? Meet Hannah, Emi, Theo and family. Say hello!
-Lori
We used to have a tradition in our family called the Mother's Day wine tour. It is exactly what it sounds like. Both my and my husband's families would come together to tour and sample in the Finger Lakes. I think we were on about 6 years straight maybe? Well this year both our mom's were traveling on Mother's Day, so that didn't work out. Instead, I came up with two different photo gifts for each of them.
For my mom and grandma, I planned a girls only photo session. We all had significant birthdays this year, and it was something I had been thinking about for a while. I wanted to celebrate the women in my life with a special portrait, and hired my good friend Linda of Hayes Photography to help. She created a variety of images of us in a short period of time. They have that homey feeling and love... What more could you ask for?
For my mother-in-law, I created an interactive book with photos of all her grandchildren. I then sent it to the 3 siblings with kids and they each answered questions about grandma. What is grandma's favorite thing to do? Make dinner, according to two year old Dempsey. 7 year old Audrey would buy her a plane as a gift, and Elise would give a globe. The final product is the perfect blend of adorable and personal.
Coming up with unique gifts can be tricky, but I'm really proud of these ones and know they will both be treasures.
To my family reading this, I love you!
To Linda, thank you for making the drive and making the session special!
To everyone else, I hope I have given you some ideas to use in the future. Just let me know if I can help.
Cheers! -Lori
Interactive book example with my nieces and nephews writing in for grandma.
This wedding was brought to us by the word "relaxed." From my very first conversation with Chelsea, I knew that what she wanted was a relaxed and fun, but still beautiful wedding day. She knew the reason for the day wasn't about the tiny details but it was about her and Steve, getting married and having all of the people they love together in one place for one day.
I truly believe that everything about their wedding was perfect. We had a perfect setting, on Canandaigua Lake for not only a relaxing atmosphere, but a beautiful one as well. There was never a rushed moment, as we perfectly planned amount of time for everything. And to top it off, Chelsea and Steve themselves, are perfect together.
They compliment each other perfectly. From the first look to the last dance, their smiles never once faded. They were just so excited to finally be married to each other. They took their time, and soaked in every last moment of the day. Their perfect day.
It was the kind of day that didn't feel like we were working. Rather, we felt like we'd become part of their family, and they'd become part of ours as well. I just love it when that happens.
So I guess maybe, the word of the day should have been "perfect" instead. Steve, Chelsea, thank you for taking us in and making us part of your family on your wedding day. Thank you for being yourselves with us, and for letting us be ourselves with you. We are so grateful for you and your love for each other. Here's to a lifetime of beautiful sunsets together! ~ Erin
These wonderful vendors made this day perfect!
Hair & Makeup: Icon Salon
Venue: Inn on the Lake, Canandaigua NY
Officiant: Reverand Kris Miller
Florist: Stella's Flowers
Ceremony Music: Bagpipes by John Cartus
Reception DJ: Showcase Sounds
What a great vacation idea-- escape to the Finger Lakes and have all the family meet there. We worked with this amazing family last year, and were excited that they came back to town again. This time, we met at Belhurst Castle on Seneca Lake, whereas last years session was on Keuka Lake. Same two adorable cousins with another on the way! These girls are full of energy, laughter and love. They enjoyed running around the lawn, reading and playing with their toys. And the sunglasses! Too cute! Without further ado, meet Claire, Jane and family!
belhurst castle,family portraits,
belhurst castle,family portraits,
belhurst castle,family portraits,
belhurst castle,family portraits,
belhurst castle,family portraits,
belhurst castle,family portraits,
Until next time, Lori
Growing up in the Finger Lakes, it was easy to take them for granted. I thought everyone had easy access to beautiful views, waterfalls, and wineries on the lakes. Over the last few years, tourism in the Finger Lakes has grown by leaps and bounds, and so has my appreciation for what we are so lucky to have nearby. I mention this because this summer we had the privilege to work with some families from all over the states that came here on vacation. This family was one of them, and it was so much fun! Three siblings, their kids and their parents were all in one place. The two little girls, Claire and Jane are pretty adorable cousins, and everyone was so easy to work with. They had rented a beautiful house on Keuka Lake and thought it would be a great idea to get some photographs taken while everyone was together.
extended family
cousins in pink
bw girl
two cousins
sibling families
family on rocky beach
Erin and I enjoyed the drive down to the lake and hanging out while the sun set over the water. Ahh, I can still feel that warm sun now. So if you are vacationing here, whether at the ski resort or the lake, give us a call! We'd love to capture your Finger Lakes vacation photos.
