Happy Friday! Can’t believe Friday is already here… the weeks just fly! Although I am excited for wedding season to start.. .I am loving the time to work on the business and behind the scenes stuff… b/c that is just as exciting to me.  :)

Speaking of business… some things to come on the blog next week…. The awesome marriage book that I am reading and have to share with you, another room from the Pittsburgh house tour, perhaps another recipe, and some pics of the new displays that we will have hanging as of tomorrow! I am so excited. I have been totally obsessed with the tracking b/c I can not wait to hang up some new client displays!  On top of that…. there are a few new projects in the works that I am hoping to share news of in the coming months!

And, I know I mentioned on FB that my new website should be launching soon…Well, I really hope that is the case…. It has been such an incredibly long road. Some folks have told me that that is typical in working with designers….I don’t know…. I think a year and a half is pretty awful, but I CAN”T WAIT! It has been way, way too long….

On a brighter note, I wanted to share some images of my beautiful sister in law! These are actually from August…when she came in town for Ainsley’s birthday party…. shortly before she and I moved to Pittsburgh (Josh was already there). The day she was getting ready to leave we decided to go on a super mini photo shoot… and when I say mini I mean, about 10 minutes, if that. We loaded the car, ready to drop her off at the airport…. drove down a random road on the way to the airport…. jumped out of the car when I spotted some pretty light…. and then I put Ainsley in the Baby Bjorn… and we had a few minutes of fun!

Allison lives out in LA…. She used to live in NYC and worked at Laura Geller while doing freelance makeup on the side (like MTV Music Awards & Rachel Ray makeovers….yup, she is pretty awesome!)….. Then she moved to Redding, California and went to Bethel for a few years, and is now in LA… probably for a long time. We miss her lots… but California stole her heart, and I can’t blame her. She is amazing! Check out her website!

Ps… single guys… She is an Ah-mazing woman….incredibly gorgeous…. and she just happens to be single.

Ok… so here goes our 10 minutes…. We just did a nice little series…

Love you Allison!

m.e.

Follow us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

Last weekend in Baltimore, I was so excited to take photos of Megan, Mike, and Baby Cooper (in utero….). I met Megan and Mike shortly after moving to Baltimore. I actually led Young Life for a little bit with Mike, and then met Megan through a women’s Bible Study….  They are some of the nicest people that you will ever meet. Mike is incredibly funny and kind hearted and Megan is one of the most sweetest, transparent people that I know.

It was so exciting to hear that they were pregnant, because they will be amazing parents! I was really hoping that we would be able to do their session… but I am not going to lie… I didn’t think it would pan out. Megan is due on New Year’s Day, however, she has been walking around 100% effaced, 3 cm dilated, and Cooper is at 0 station. Before I had a baby, I had NO IDEA what that all meant…. so if you are like I was…it just means that Cooper is super ready to make his appearance!

We did their session at Loch Raven Resevoir. It was pretty stinkin’ cold, but we had a blast, and Megan was a trooper for being incredibly pregnant!!!

Megan is ALL belly!

Had to share this…. so cute! This whole little series we shot was super funny! I laughed out loud when I went through them

My friend is Beautiful….

This is one of my favorites of the day!

The sun decided to come out for about 2 minutes…..  Yay!

Thank you Megan and Mike for an awesome session! It was so good to spend the morning with you to laugh… and catch up….and capture such a precious time in your lives!

Can’t wait to meet Cooper!

m.e.

We’ve had some really great weather here in Pa, and so I figured I would share a few pics of Ainsley enjoying Pittsburgh.

This was in our front yard one afternoon….. Just enjoying the warm weather before it is gone. Ainsley had fun checking out all of the fall leaves….

Right now she loves to show you what she has….. Sometimes she even gives it to you. She holds it out and says “this.”

Last week she just wouldn’t nap for me and since it was so nice outside, I figured we might as well take a half hour and try to go get some photos… So that we did! We drove around, found this little gem of a spot, and spent about 10 minutes there….

She had a lot to say!

Yup. Eating her scarf….  She just got her 4th tooth over the weekend…and I think that just might have been why she wouldn’t settle for a nap late last week.

I had a hard time getting smiles out of her…. She had lots to say to me in between putting EVERYTHING she found in her mouth…..  :)  And she was so interested in everything around her I could barely even get her to look at me!

Little outfit change….

And a trip to the park to play!

She LOVES the swings….

Sweet.Pea.

m.e.

Last year I had the joy of photographing this sweet little girl Ava and her parents, and was super excited to see them again this fall! It is so much fun to watch families grow… and I can’t believe how big Ava got in just 1 year! They grow too fast!

It was fun to watch her run around and explore…. and her dimples melt my heart!

Her mom, Stacy, found this awesome little gem of a location one day when she took a wrong turn…. it is a beautiful little spot! Ava agreed….

L.O.V.E. this.  This is family…. love and hugs…. and pure sweetness.

I brought you a stick….

This leaf is literally the size of her head!

She was so cute jumping… Made the cutest little faces!

We went to the house for a few pics in her Christmas dress…. played a little peek-a-boo….

There she is!

Thank you Stacy and Adam, and of course Ava for such a fun session! Loved seeing you guys and can’t wait to share more of your images with you!

m.e.

So this makes me sound really old…. but I am about to blog my nephew, b/c he is a SENIOR in high school!!

A few things on that…. yes, I am old, however….. my sisters are 10 and 11 years older than me…. so putting that out there helps reduce the sting a little bit.  :)

And…. they both started their families on the earlier side….  just to lessen the sting a little bit more.  

I remember Jeremy when he was a smiley little babe the size of our babe Ainsley…  He was a super happy baby…. smiled all of the time…. In fact…. let’s go back in time for a minute…

But first… a ground rule to establish:

You can’t make fun of me. This includes how unphotogetic I am, that my eyes are closed, that I have bangs, braces, an oversized columbia ski jacket on and dumpy pants. This was about 16 years ago….  I wish I could say that I was the tree, but that is just not the case. I grabbed it off of FB. Didn’t have a lot of options to go with….  :) So, for my clients who say they are not photogenic….. this should make you feel much, much better!

Isn’t he the cutest little thing?!?! This is his preschool graduation:

Fast forward a few years….

And now, here he is, a senior at General McLane High School.

C.R.A.Z.Y.

He is one of the smartest kids you’ll meet… a ridiculous musician….he is genuine…. mature….and he is an all around sweet kid. I know he is going to go on to college and be SUPER successful. He is looking at Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon, Penn State, and Michigan State….  Of course I vote for Penn State b/c it is one of the best places on earth…. but I also vote Carnegie Mellon b/c I will be living in Pittsburgh so that means I can see him, and offer a quiet place for him to study when he needs to get off campus…. I can drop off cookies…. or be there if he needs anything…. and if perhaps I become a domestic goddess, he can always come over for a home cooked meal.  And about Michigan State….

So here he is…. all grown up!

Soccer stud…..

And amazing musician…..

A few more of my favorites….

Jeremy… you are an awesome “kid”…. and I had an awesome time with you!

Have a BLAST in your senior year!

m.e.

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

In May Staci at Baltimore Bride asked if I was available for a dessert shoot….

What woman wouldn’t be available for a dessert shoot?  :)

I had to wait to share these images with you until Baltimore Magazine published it. So, if you haven’t picked up a copy of Baltimore Magazine, check it out. Not to see the pictures I took, but because it is a fabulous magazine and there are all sorts of goodies to read about!!

Some fabulous vendors participated in the shoot… And the credit goes to:

Cupcakes: Caroline’s Cupcakes

Flowers: Jake Boone Flowers

Pastries and Petits Fours: Bonjour French Bakery & Cafe

Fruit Tarts and Macaroons: Patisserie Poupon

Labels & Invitations: Petal and Print

Beverages: The Wine Market

Check out the beautiful tablescape! The design was done by Shabdiece Esfahani & Jessica Hargest

Here are a few more details that I put together…..

LOVED the little lemonade stand. So cute… and the perfect refreshment in the summertime!

And a few close ups of some of the amazing desserts!

Happy Weekend!

Have a few sessions to share next week. Sarah and Freddie got married, and baby Annabel is 3 months.

m.e.

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Hey there brides to be…or all ready married ladies… If you are looking for something special to do for your man for your wedding day present, for your first anniversary, or just because….. just wanted to put a little reminder out there that a boudoir session might be just the thing!

If you are interested in a session, send me an email: meaghanelliottphotography@gmail.com

If you are interested in a session I will link you to a private gallery to view sample images. I do not put these images out on the web b/c I respect your privacy as a woman. These images are a gift for your loved one…not for the world wide web.  ;)

Here is one image from one of my sweet brides who just did a session for her fiance for a wedding day present. She rocked it!

The session took place at the Hotel Monaco in Baltimore…

Makeup by Megan @ Baltimore Bridal Hair and Makeup. She is awesome!!!
Happy Friday!

Have an amazing weekend!

m.e.

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Meet Brittany!

We shot her senior session in good ole’ Ellicott City…. such a fun place to shoot! Brittany is a senior at Atholton High School….and is getting ready to G-R-A-D-U-A-T-E!

Here is some info on Brittany:

I’m graduating from…

Atholton High School class of '10

I plan to…

attend HCC for two years studying architecture and transferring to a university to finish my degree. And I'm going to pick up a minor in photography [:

My dream job is…

being a successful photographer :]

My favorite part of high school was…

the last days. coming up fastttt

Favorite movie…

I can't pick ONE favorite

Your idea of a perfect day…

Hanging out with my boyfriend Logan, playing WoW (World of Warcraft), actually doing pretty much anything with him is a perfect day

Favorite music/artist…

I'm not TOO picky about my music, so I don't necessarily have a favorite, but right now I love Fireflies by Owl City, and I'm still loving I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

Artist: I don't have one favorite artist, I enjoy going to art museums and I like various different works by various artists, but I don't think I like enough of any ONE artists works to say that they’re my favorite. :]

Photographers: Ansel Adams, Cecil Beaton (i LOVE his pictures of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, they are two of my favorite stars EVER, pretty much my only favorite actually.) and Twiggy

If you had to live off of two kinds of food what would they be…

sushi and salad

Favorite place to hang out…

my boyfriends

Favorite season…

summer

Flip flops or sneakers…

flip flops. though I'd much rather be barefoot

Favorite ice cream…

chocolate chip cookie dough

Favorite job you’ve had/have…

well I've only had one job and its working at Subway, and I don't really like it much to be honest :]

As you can see….Her boyfriend Logan came along!

Hobbies…

playing WoW(world of warcraft)with my boyfriend, photography

Neat or messy…

messy. I wish I was a tidier person, but I'd say I usually have an organized mess, I know where everything is, but its pretty messy.

Movies or books…

movies:

Grease, Dirty Dancing, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Nightmare Before Christmas (Tim Burton is one of my favorites), Boondock Saints, pretty much ANY Disney movie, but Finding Nemo is my favorite, with Wall-e at a close second. :], American History X, the Harry Potter movies, The Hangover, I'm not too much for girly movies, but I do like: The Notebook, Titanic, and Serendipity. and I could continue but I think thats enough :]

Books:

Harry Potter Series, Twilight Series (pretty much all of stephanie meyers books are on my favorite list) but The Host is my second favorite by her.William Faulkner books, and The Great Gatsby

Favorite TV show…

Weeds, House, Heroes, Tosh.0, South Park, Chowder, Flapjack

& I'm not sure if many know what these are, but I watch three animes, theyre actually in Japanese with English subtitles

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Bleach, and Naruto

Favorite place traveled to…

I LOVE San Diego, CA.

Facebook or myspace…

I use Facebook more now. But, I miss myspace and being able to customize my layout and whatnot though.

Favorite color…

pink and green, teal is a close third

Beach or lake…

beach

If you won the lottery what would you do with the money…

buy a house (if I dont have one at the time already) and pay it off. pay off any debts I have at the time, if any. Buy a few nice cars. Buy a LOT of photography equipment that i wish I could afford now, and probably build myself a photo studio. Go on a major shopping spree. Donate some to a charity. and then put the rest away and let it gain interest I suppose :] OH and travel to all the places in the world that im dying to go like Paris, Australia, Britain, etc.

What’s something crazy that you have or want to do in your life…

I want to go skydiving when I turn 18.

If you could have dinner with any 3 people from past or present, who would they be…

Audrey Hepburn- because I love everything about her

Ansel Adams- his photography is breathtaking

I can only think of two right now. :]

I added a few too :]

Fears:

Sharks, Clowns, im afraid of the dark :[, Spiders

Favorite Flower(s):

Daisies and Sunflowers

Random:

I've moved a lot throughout my life. I've lived in Texas, Oklahoma(where I was born), Iowa, Maryland, Georgia, California

I went to three elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. And the longest i lived in one place was five years, from third grade until the summer before my freshman year of high school, and that was when i lived in Georgia.

I drink a lot of Monster energy drinks. too many to be honest

I have a LOT of stuffed animals.

I love interior design and architecture.

I just got a tattoo and love ittt <3

Oh and I’m still a little kid at heart, I love blowing bubbles, drawing with sidewalk chalk, playing on playgrounds, watching cartoons (almost all the time) etc. :]

I played softball from the time I was 4, and last summer was the first summer I haven’t played since.

Thanks Brittany for an awesome session!!!

m.e.

So last week I got to spend some time with Tara and David who got married last September… We took some photographs around their new house in Hampden and along the Avenue… and let me tell you, if you are looking for some of the best places to eat, shop, or hang out in, Tara and David are the folks to ask. They eat, sleep, and breath Hampden and can tell you all of the best spots!

Had so much fun hanging out with them…. and just love their style! All of their sessions have been super fun and vintage themed… I think it is great when your photoshoot totally embodies who you are.

So we started with a few at the house… a few inside….. 

And a few on the porch. It was the most PERFECT weather! So glad that spring has finally come…It has been looooooong awaited.

I love how Tara and David interact… They have such a sweet, genuine, connection. Love this photo!

If you haven’t ventured to Hampden, you definitely should. Take a walk along The Avenue and check out all of the fun shops!

Something I just love about a headless shot…. I don’t know if part of it is just being a girl and loving shoes…. and so this is a way to capture that? Maybe I love to read body language and the posture of a couple….. but for whatever reason… these are  fun shots to take and usually end up as favorites…

Sometimes I think about Josh and I having a session together…. I really think we should! I actually am slightly embarrassed to say that we have not done that, and I am a photographer!!! I love moments like these… would love to have some captured of Josh and I…. although I am willing to bet that we would have a lot of laughing photos… and probably less tender moments… or I suppose they would be a different kind of tender. I LOVE that Josh makes me laugh…a LOT. Even when I want to be mad at him… he makes me laugh. Just one of the things I love about him…

And I have gone on a tangent…

Back to the tender moment:

Cute!!!

Thanks Tara and David for an AWESOME session!!!

m.e.

Right before I left for WPPI, I got together with a few of my favorite local wedding  vendors, Carla David, of Carla David Design, and Amie Decker of Amie Decker Makeup…. for a mini photoshoot of Carla. She has been in need of some headshots, so we got together for a quick little session. Amie, of course, did her hair and makeup.

This was actually kind of hard for me… in part because I have a really stiff view of “headshots.” I totally envision super boring, black backdrop, turn your head this way and smile shots… Not to say there is not a time or place for those… it is just not how I tend to shoot.

So, this was a good shoot for me to break the stereotype of what headshots “should” be.  It was hard to try and photograph from the waist up…. I had to keep reminding myself that that was all she needed…. Although we are planning another shoot in April.. that will be a super fun styled shoot…. and so I can’t wait for that session!

So here are a few favorites of the day… Love her laugh and smile! So cute!

Wouldn’t you know that as soon as we had pulled away to drive down the road for a few shots it started drizzling? It was actually almost like hail….  But, we had postponed this shoot so many times for numerous reasons one of the biggest being all of the snow that we got this year… that we would not cancel this shoot! So, Carla and I (frozen and a smudge wet) continued on… 

We stopped inside for a quick minute to warm up and get out of the wet…

I had so much fun on our short adventure Carla…and am super excited for our shoot in April!

If you are a bride (or not a bride) and are looking for someone to work on your invitations and all of your paper goods for your wedding or event, you should totally check out Carla! She does amazing work, and specializes in branding events. She is also working on my branding now…. we are meeting again on Tuesday for the next set of concepts. Can’t wait!

Check out her website here: http://www.carladaviddesign.com/

And her blog here: http://carladaviddesign.blogspot.com/

And if you are looking for hair and makeup for your wedding (or any other photoshoot or occasion) check out Amie Decker. We have several weddings together again this year and I am so excited!!

Check out her website here: http://www.amiedeckermakeup.com/

And her blog here: http://amiedeckermakeup.blogspot.com/

Have an amazing day!!!

m.e.