Welcome to the Little Story Studio blog! There's something here for everyone: for the lifestyle or documentary photographer searching for online photography education or tutorials, and for the mom and dad with a camera trying to beautifully document their son or daughter's childhood.
Andrea Moffatt is a Pittsburgh PA family photographer, serving Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas through family photography sessions and photography education workshops.
Today I was in my glory! It was going to be a baking day, but then miracle of miracles, it snowed! And not just any snow, but the sticky kind that coats every. single. branch. Not to mention, it was the first real snow of the season, and that comes with it's own magic.
In the way a sunny cloudless summer day refreshes some, days like today revive me. And when I'm feeling gratitude, I always reach for my camera.
Here are some of my favorites from the day:
Read MoreOnly a couple week until the Winter Solstice, and you know what that means! Time to put away your camera till spring? No way! Time to get creative with your indoor light sources.
If you were stranded in Alaska during the winter with only your camera, could you survive? Ask yourself, how can I become an indoor photography survivor like Kristina? What light sources could I take advantage of this winter?
Read MoreFrom trees bursting with vibrant leaves to bare branches and the first snow, November lived up to its name. I know many dread this slow march toward winter, but November is one of my favorite months for its direct shafts of fall light, warm colors, indoor coziness, and quiet anticipation of the approaching season.
It's also the official month of gratitude, and focusing on that never fails to make my heart full. At the end of this post, I'll share with you a little about how shooting from a place of gratitude can free you up to create images that mean something to you.
Here's my November gratitude list, in pictures...
Read MoreMy family and I stopped at the playground one chilly evening after daylight savings. The sun set much more quickly than we were prepared for, but it made for gorgeous fall skies. I had my Lensbaby Edge 50 on my camera because I was playing- mostly shooting sky and nature pictures. In case you're not familiar, Lensbaby lenses are completely manual focus and produce interesting, surprising effects, but the learning curve is a bit steep if it's not something to which you're accustomed.
Read MoreMeet the easy-going, friendly Ruttenberg family. When they suggested doing their mini Story of a Day session at Phipp's Conservatory near their Pittsburgh home, I was excited to shoot in that location. I loved tagging along as their exuberant toddler led me through some of his favorite rooms and exhibits in the historic greenhouses. The flowers, colors, and light were to die for that morning; together, they made the perfect backdrop to capture the Ruttenberg's special family bond.
Read MoreUsually by this time in early November, I'm mourning the last of autumn's big show. Typically, at the beginning of November, the only leaves left to fall are our brown crunchy oak leaves. But not this year! We've enjoyed fall's vibrant colors throughout October and still have plenty on the branches to be thankful for now. As I culled through October's memories looking for my favorites, I told myself a story about this past month....
Read MoreWhen is the last time you took your camera out to play? When was the last time you shot for yourself? Not for your wall. Not for your family's memory book. Not for a client. When I spend some time shooting playfully, I feel like I just had a good belly laugh-- lighter, happier. Kind of the way I think my kids must feel when they play peacefully all morning in their pjs.
No time, you say? Nothing to shoot, you say?
Try these 3 tips for playful shooting:
Read MoreWelcome to my October Storytellers Blog Circle post. Since we are in the thick of fall, pumpkin-everything, and soccer every weekend, I decided to pick this image of my youngest son, entertaining himself during his older brother's soccer game a few weeks ago. I picked it because I like the story it tells about our Saturday mornings right now, but I also picked it because it's sort of a rule breaker in the way I exposed him. Let's talk about it!
Read MoreEven though Little Story Studio specializes in documentary, unposed imagery, I still offer more traditional family photo sessions. These Family Portrait Sessions are a mix of lightly posed/photographer guided and unposed, playful photos that capture your family's unique personality. While I'm shooting, my aim is to tell the story of how you are when you're together.
Every session is different and customized to you, but here are some of the shots that all sessions have in common.
When you book a Family Portrait Session with me, you get:
Read MoreHave you arrived at that point in your photography journey where you find yourself confident in your technical skills, but not consistently happy with your artistic skills? Good composition is a skill you must strengthen by daily practice. But it can be stressful to practice it during a paid photo session or when you are in a familiar, cluttered environment, such as your house.
In the past, I've recommended photo walks for relaxation, breaking out of a rut, and new learning. (Yes- I really like photo walks!) Now, I'm going to suggest another reason to take your camera and hit the road.
Read MoreHalloween is one of those holidays that makes me happy I'm a photographer. The photo opportunities abound - before, during, and after the big night. My oldest especially loves to make his own costume, which makes it especially meaningful for me to capture.
Here are 3 of my very best Tricks and Treats for capturing Halloween!
Read MoreI thought I might make a quick and easy blog post to give you a peek at some of my favorite shots from September. I wanted to choose 30 images for each day in September. But as I was searching among all my September photos for the diamonds in the rough, I felt sad I couldn't show you all of it.
Every mistake.
Every missed focus.
Ever blah composition.
Because there were a lot of them. These are some of my best:
Read MoreI met the most easy-going, friendly family a couple weeks ago. We hung out at home, fed the ducks a few blocks away, and played in the front yard- all while entertaining some out of town family! Even though I only was there for a few hours, I feel like I know them well enough to say that these pictures are probably pretty representative of their life at home with two little ones. (And can I just say, I LOVE a house filled with books, and this house was one of those!)
Here are some of my favorite shots from the afternoon:
Read MoreI shot this image at my father in law's birthday celebration a few weeks ago. The goal was to get a shot of the way the three little ones "help" with the birthday candle tradition. I'm always drawn to photographing the things in my kids' childhoods that are becoming traditions and/or things they'll certainly remember when they grow up and have kids of their own. And I'm pretty sure this is one of them, because I remember sitting on laps and offering my expert assistance to my own aunts, uncles, and grandparents... perhaps more than blowing out my own!
Read MoreAt your next family function, consider hiring a documentary photographer. Preserve your family's bond as it is today, because it will never be exactly the same. Time is continually moving forward. Tell your little story!
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