What a better way to celebrate turning 10 than with a photoshoot? This session was so much fun because I usually photograph little kids who have no idea what I’m asking them to do, or seniors in high school. I just loved walking around with Audrey and listen to her talk. She decided to dye her hair for this shoot and I’m so glad she did- how cool is her hair? Pretty soon after this shoot that rainbow mural was removed so, I feel super lucky we were able to photograph with it.
We did this shoot last year, but it really made me think about how special it was. It would make the perfect socially distanced celebration for anyone’s birthday- especially if you couldn’t do the traditional birthday party!
To continue pride month celebration here at Jessica Miller Photography, I have Andrew and Joseph on the blog today! This shoot was so. much. fun. This was the very first time I had met Andrew and Joseph in person and it felt like I had known them my whole life. We got together last December on a temperate and sunny day downtown. There was just a light dusting of snow still on the ground and the sky was blue and clear, not the typical Columbus winter sky. There is such ease between these two. The way they are just silly and laugh really reminds me of the way my husband and I are with each other.
Our shoot started in downtown Columbus at the Main Street Bridge that connects the Scioto Mile to the COSI campus. From there, we just walked and talked and laughed. There are so many fun little spots in that area for an engagement shoot. If you’re a regular to the blog, you probably already know that I love this area. From the Scioto Mile, we hopped over to German Village, my other favorite spot for engagement photos. The rugged brick streets, the quaint little houses all piled on top of each other, and the immaculate landscaping makes this such a fun part of the city.
Andrew and Joeseph had to reschedule their wedding until early next year. I seriously can’t wait to get these two in front of the camera again and celebrate as they tie the knot! Thank you so much for coming into my life! I am so honored I get to document this journey for you both. Cheers until next year! XO Jess
I had the great honor of traveling to Hocking Hills last spring with the one and the only Shannon Goode from GoodeBeauty. She asked for a romantic and earthy vibe for the photos, and I said: “I’ve got the place for you!” I love it when people are up for anything. Together we ventured to Hocking Hills and when we arrived, it couldn’t have been more spectacular. There was a low-hanging mist around all the trees giving a creamy and soft feel to the photos. I just loved the outfits that Shannon picked. Bright and beaming colors were such a nice compliment to the romantic, earthy setting. Shannon has a soft and relaxed demeanor which makes her a very calming and grounded presence to be around. She is strong, stunning, and basically a force to be reckoned with both in life and in the beauty industry. Not only has she been in the beauty industry since 1997, but she is also a founding partner of the Midwest Beauty Summit. She has done my hair on three separate special occasions and each time has blown me away. I always consider my hair to be very difficult to tame, and Shannon has had the most effortless way of making it look absolutely spectacular.
I am so thankful for our time on this day. It was so great to get to know her, talk about life and business, and shoot some beautiful photos. I love you Shannon and hope I get to have you in front of my camera again!
Happy Snow day everyone! I have a new-found appreciation for the snowiest of days since my son is absolutely crazy about them! He literally started speaking in tongues this morning when he looked outside and saw the fluffy white stuff covering our entire backyard. It reminded of me of some of my other snow-loving clients who had their snowy portraits taken with me earlier this year. So many snowy snuggles and huge bursts of laughter. There were even some puppy kisses too!! I hope all of you are able to get outside today and build a snowman like we did. Or, just enjoy these winter nuzzles from the warmth of your home. XO Jess
Carly and Alexxa met me out on a late September afternoon with their beautiful baby Coby. For me, it was an hour that went by too quickly. It had been a few years since I had seen Carly.
Quite honestly, I’ve been avoiding writing this blog for the same reason I delayed writing about my friend Nicole’s wedding. I don’t want to sound like a creeper. But a superficially written blog won’t due for these two. So at the risk of sounding like a super fangirl, here it goes.
I met Carly working at a local production house here in Columbus over 5 years ago? I don’t know- time is more of a theoretical thing for me anymore. She was fresh out of college and super young, however, I’m at the age where I feel like most people are super young. What struck me about her right off the bat is how mature and true to herself she was. Those are two qualities it took me years and becoming a parent to accomplish. On her first day of work, Alexxa had sent her a huge bouquet of flowers. I remember everyone was pretty impressed by that. She had told me the story of how they met online very randomly and ever since had been inseparable. When I met Alexxa for the first time, I was struck by how similar these two are. They have a similar frame, same length and color of hair… same soft way of giggling at each other. They “look” like a couple. One time my husband and I did a face-swap and you couldn’t tell the difference (freaky to say the least). There’s a photo of my parents when they were in their 20s. They looked alike as well. You get it- sometimes you look like your spouse.
Fast forward maybe a year after meeting these two. Carly and Alexxa adopted their beautiful fur-baby Coby. We always bonded over our love of our dogs. My boy Rugby was my fur baby until I had human babies. Now sometimes I struggle to remember his name, LOL. I can say with 100% certainty that there has never been a more beloved puppers than Coby. I love when their Insata stories pop up- I always get to see some ridiculously cute photos or videos of Coby. * Rugby earmuffs for what I’m about to say* Coby might be the cutest dog I’ve ever seen.
Throughout the rest of my time working alongside Carly, I found her to be an incredibly talented graphic designer, patient with all kinds of personalities, laid back and super funny. It’s hard not to respect and admire her. So when she and Alexxa asked if I’d be their wedding photographer, I was beyond-words excited. I am so happy for these two as they tie the knot later this year. Until then, check out their engagement shoot. Their love for each other is palpable and extremely easy to photograph!
Welcome to the second annual Jessica Miller Photography Babypalooza week on the blog!! This year I’ve had the honor of photographing the sweetest families and I can’t wait to share them !! First up is a session that was almost like 5 mini-sessions rolled into one.
I knew there were going to be a lot of people at this extended family photo shoot so when I arrived I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. This family immediately made me feel so at ease and welcome. The whole session was a dream! They had the shoot on their parent’s property which was just a beautiful backdrop for the photos. We did one large family photo and then broke it down by each family. I even made sure to get some photos of just the parents together, as I feel like that’s an opportunity missed at most family shoots. Couples spend so much time thinking about the kids, it’s really nice to have a few photos (and moments) of just you and your significant other.
In all five family units, there were 9 grandchildren including one set of triplet girls! I was so impressed at how the kids were totally into getting their photo taken, as that can be a crap shoot sometimes.
Erin and Lindsay, thank you so much for having me out to photograph your incredible family!!
Elaine, Marcus and their adorable mini Goldendoodle, Lola, met me out on a hot summer day last month for a seriously fun engagement shoot. We started the session at the Topiary Park in downtown Columbus and wound our way around the city to all sorts of cool hidden little spots. Lola was with us every step of the way. She got so many hugs and snuggles in the photos. When she wasn’t in the photos, she was supervising from the sidelines making sure mom and dad looked perfect.
I left this shoot with a natural high, and not just because it was 90 degrees and I was becoming dizzy. These two are SO MUCH FUN to be around. They are both laid back and have great senses of humor. They are so goofy and don’t take themselves too seriously, which honestly makes for such refreshing photos. Elaine’s pink flowy skirt matched the well-manicured gardens of the topiary park and some of the late-blooming trees in the area. Lola’s tongue matched the skirt perfectly as well, so you can just see how great the color compositions were!
From the park, they changed outfits and we went and had some fun in downtown Columbus at the new-ish “COLUMBUS” mural. They brought out their sunglasses and we all had so much fun sweating our asses off in the direct sun. My favorite is the jumping photo. I usually don’t have people jump for photos, but this year I’ve done it twice. It’s pretty great when they work out. Elaine and Marcus look like they could be in a Mentos commercial from the 90s! Thank you guys for braving the heat with me! I seriously can’t wait for your wedding. Until then, I hope you love these photos as much as I did taking them! XO Jess
As some of you know, our son was born with Tetrology of Fallot, a series of congenital heart defects. Two weeks ago we watched as he had open heart surgery for the second time in his little life. Going through an event like that really puts everything in perspective. It gives you a new clarity on what it means to deeply love someone and the importance of cherishing every moment.
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Today we celebrate life! And I want everyone out there who has a beautiful loving family to celebrate with us! That’s why I’m offering a free 1 hr family session in the Columbus, OH area to one of my facebook or instagram users! To enter, like my page and tag two friends who you think have a beautiful loving family worth celebrating in the comments below. Winner will be announced April 2nd! In addition to the contest, I’m also offering $150 off any family sessions booked for April, May and June (only $350 for an hour session including all edited images!)
Please help us welcome our new beautiful daughter, Finley Roux! She was born with 1/2in. of strawberry blonde hair, blue-grey stormy eyes, and a cute button nose. She is calm and patient and almost never cries. We are so blessed!
It’s rare when you can pinpoint an exact moment that changes your entire life. What you feel in those moments is such raw emotion and after only a few seconds its past. I’ve had a heightened sense of everything- every feeling for everything and everyone I hold dear. I also feel a little sadness in that this is our last baby because I know how quickly they grow up. I find myself staring at her, trying to memorize every little feature and nuance of her face and little body. My heart feels like its going to overflow at any minute.
She is our second child, so we’ve been through this stage before. It’s been so overwhelming to have her snuggle up to me. You go on with your day to day and you forget- you forget the way their little head rests right up to your cheek so you can smell their fresh baby scent. You forget the deep relaxation that you feel in your soul when you hold them. You forget how little and vulnerable they once were. You forget how much they needed you. It’s entrancing. It’s euphoric and its nothing short of magical and miraculous. And, its a little scary. Life all of a sudden feels fragile, vulnerable and uncertain. And when they lay on you, the world stops, even just for a moment.
Finley failed her in-hospital hearing test in her left ear and had some follow up testing two weeks ago. We were praying it was just liquid in the ear that needed time to dry up. To our shock, there wasn’t liquid in there and she actually does have a mild hearing loss in her left ear. I’m not going to lie, this left me feeling deflated and scared of the unknown as it relates to our daughter’s health- a feeling I had prayed I’d never have to experience with her. We have to go back for more definitive testing next month (to know what kind of hearing loss) when we’ll already be in the hospital with Caddie for his open heart surgery, how convenient! *sarcastic voice implied. Scott nor I have any family history of congenital hearing loss or heart disorders, so I think the main feeling through all of this has been confusion. One of my personal goals for 2018 was to trust more in the universe and the unknown. I didn’t know I’d be tested on this goal so soon in the year. We are anticipating her possibly needing a hearing aid, but my prayer is that the mild hearing loss she does have is not progressive and will be a minor factor in her life. Caddie has blessed our lives with the gift of perspective. Even though Finley’s hearing is less than perfect, she has a healthy heart, healthy organs, and the sweetest disposition, and for that, we’re so thankful.
Little Finney has helped us take time to be a family. It’s been so fun discovering the differences between the two kids. Caddie was a very relaxed baby, or so we thought until we met Finney. She grunts a lot and kind-of sounds like an old man who’s smoked for years. She deals with her brother’s temper tantrums like a champ! She loves eating, snuggling, and being held. Caddie has surpassed any realistic expectations with how he’s adjusted to a family of four. He loves her so much! He kisses her on the head each and every time he walks by her. He’s so empathetic as well. When she cries, he gets upset. Scott and I feel like he’s shown us a whole new side to himself, as he doesn’t seem to be jealous at all.
Thank you so much for the outpouring of love we’ve received in the last couple of months. Scott and I have felt very humbled by all of the congratulations, gifts, and cards. Life is such a beautiful and magical journey. Always hug your family so close! XO Jess
Happy Holidays everyone! I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone who’s chosen to work with Jessica Miller Photography this year with a special 25% off coupon code for any professional prints purchased in your photo gallery. All 2017 expired galleries have been re-opened just for this event! This code can be applied when you check out from your shopping cart.
25% off any prints purchased from December 4 – December 10th!
COUPON CODE: Holiday2017
When checking out, please confirm crop sizes are to your liking if the option presents itself. All sales are final. Please contact me to re-open any 2016 or earlier galleries.
Please help us welcome our new beautiful daughter, Finley Roux! She was born with 1/2in. of strawberry blonde hair, blue-grey stormy eyes, and a cute button nose. She is calm and patient and almost never cries. We are so blessed!
