Danielle McElhaugh Photography

#85 - Check

2011-12-21T21:16:00.000-05:00

Another off my 101 list (as I try to update my completed items by my "new" deadline). This time its #85...Visit Joey and Donna. Joey is my husband's older brother, who just happens to live in Florida. We were able to soak in the sun and create some memories.

#59 - Check

2011-12-20T20:52:00.000-05:00

This summer the girls and I went on a road trip to visit friends and family. Part of our trip was up to the Buffalo area to visit one of my closest friends from college. It was also on my 101 list. I haven't seen this friend since my baby shower, when I was pregnant with Grace. And the AMAZING thing about this friendships is the way we totally picked up like it hadn't been years since we had seen each other. And to see our kids playing together was such a wonderful experience.

Snow | Richboro Family Photographer

2011-12-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

So remember that crazy snow storm right before Halloween? Well, my cousin and his all his girls braved the cold and the roads for a QUICK photo session. And by quick I mean, like 15 minutes. But these girls are experts in front of the camera, I photograph them 3-4 times a year. Besides my own girls, they are my favorite girls to photograph. And SOOOO beautiful, right? My cousin is going be in trouble when his three gorgeous girls get older!!

Winner | Bucks County Family Photography

2011-12-15T08:07:00.000-05:00

So this family wins the award for being the most photographed family. This is my 4th family session with them and we had a newborn session for the youngest. I am so honored and appreciative that this wonderful family continues to ask me to capture their family each year. I love that I have been able to see the oldest grow from a baby, to a shy toddler and now a talkative, outgoing little girl. And its been just as fun to watch the youngest cutie grow also. I can't tell you enough how much I love what I get to do.

Autumn Family... | Bucks County Family Photography

2011-11-28T23:43:00.000-05:00

Its that busy, crazy time of year where I'm doing all I can to stay ahead. So, I'm going to be short with words and just let the photos speak for themselves. Here's another wonderful family, that I've been able to photograph several times. It was the first time I was able to photograph this little cutie and seriously, how adorable is he...

Fall Beauties | Bucks County Family Photography

2011-11-08T22:05:00.000-05:00

Another beautiful fall portrait session with a beautiful family...

Youngest | Bucks County Photographer

2011-10-19T16:06:00.000-04:00

Meet beautiful little Sophia. She was the youngest member of a recent family I photographed. The session included three generations...grandparents, thier sons and daughter-in-laws and three sweet grandkids. More updates and sneak peeks coming soon!

Mine | Bucks County Child Photography

2011-10-14T08:55:00.000-04:00

Five. How did five years go by so quickly? Its been so wonderful to watch you grow and become this amazing little girl. You are smart, sweet, funny and so beautiful. You are more than I could have ever wanted in a daughter. I love you more than you will ever know. Happy 5th Birthday.

Birthday Boy | Richboro Family Photography

2011-10-03T20:13:00.000-04:00

I had such a wonderful time this weekend photographing this cute little birthday boy and his family. As my girls get older and are involved in various activities, I so enjoy getting to meet and get to know other families. Big sister is on Grace's soccer team and was in her preschool class last year and she is such a sweet little girl. Enjoy your sneak peek!

Sisters | Bucks County Family Photography

2011-09-28T20:09:00.000-04:00

I love photographing sisters. I know, I'm biased, but I can't help it. And these sisters are almost exactly the same age as Grace and Lily (my girls are both one month older than these two). It was really such a pleasure to spend time with this wonderful family.

Stunning | Richboro Wedding Photography

2011-09-27T10:10:00.025-04:00

Here's a few favorite from a bridal portrait session from earlier this summer. I've know Laurie for a few years now and I was joking with her that I claim all responsibility for her marriage. You see, I selected Laurie as my summer intern at my previous job...if she hadn't come to this area, she would have never met her husband. Okay, okay, so I know its a bit of a stretch, but I like to think I had some small part in it.

Fall Update | Richboro Family Photographer

2011-09-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

Now is the time to schedule your fall and holiday portrait sessions. Because fall is an absolutely beautiful time for portraits, its important to schedule your session soon. Weekend dates fill up quickly, so be sure to email me at danielle@dmphotos.net.

Also, here are some important dates:

Last Day for Sessions: Sunday, November 13

Last Day for Orders: December 1st

And as I always say, its not a real blog post unless I post a photograph. So here is my beautiful Lily.

Hello | Bucks County Family Photography

2011-09-20T20:50:00.000-04:00

Hello. Please excuse me while I dust off this thing called my blog. I can't believe that summer has passed and it's mid-September. I have a few announcements coming up. I need to blog some of favorite summer sessions. And last, but not least, there are my beautiful girls. So stay tuned and be ready for the revival of this blog. And until more blog posts arrive, here is one last glimpse of summer....a beautiful field of sunflowers...

Sweetness | Richboro Family Photography

2011-06-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

Another wonderful family that I had the pleasure of photographing this past weekend. This little girl was just too sweet. I couldn't get over how dark and beautiful her eyes and hair are - so stunning. And all of these photographs were taken on their property...amazing, right?? I'm so lucky I get to do what I do.

Love | Lansdale Family Photographer

2011-06-20T22:44:00.000-04:00

This is one of my absolute favorite families to photograph. They make my job just so easy. Every time I'm amazed that I don't have to pose them or make my silly comment "pretend you like each other". They are just such a loving family and I think it comes through in their photographs. And I'm a bit partial, but if it was me, I would want those last images BIG in my house. Can't you just feel the love?!?!

Big Brother (Kinda) | Lansdale Maternity Photographer

2011-06-07T16:22:00.000-04:00

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I love maternity sessions. Its such a wonderful time for families. Plus moms-to-be are really beautiful and this one was no exception. It was my first time including and photographing a dog, but I must say he did a great job!!! Enjoy the last few weeks before the little one arrives.

Keith & Mary Ann - Married | Bucks County Wedding

2011-06-01T23:59:00.001-04:00

Keith and Mary Ann were married this past Saturday in the Poconos. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, they dodged the rain the entire day! Mary Ann made such a beautiful bride. Her dress was designed and made by one of her very talented bridesmaids. Keith and his family are from Texas and it was so fun to see touches of Texas throughout the day. Congratulations KC & Mary Ann!!

365 Days

2011-05-16T06:28:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to my beautiful little girl.

Happy Valentine's Day | Doylestown Child Photography

2011-02-14T07:47:00.001-05:00

Hello? Is anyone here? I know, its been a LONG time since my last blog post. I won't bore anyone with my list of excuses. Instead, I'll just show you some recent photos of my girls from their valentine's Day photo shoot. And I'll promise to not neglect this blog again.

Happy 2011 | Bucks County Photography

2011-01-11T22:52:00.000-05:00

I know, its been awhile since I've posted and my "Happy New Year" post is a little late. But, I really enjoyed the holidays with my family and have had trouble getting bad into work mode.

I'm very excited and have so much to look forward to in 2011. I have numerous personal goals and projects, as well as some very exciting business goals. I'm working on lots of behind the scenes projects right now and I can't wait to share them with you.

Also, I think its about time I address my 101 in 1001 list. Bad news is the 1001 days ended sometime in October. Good news is its my list, therefore my rules. There were so many bug changes in my life in 2010, both good and bad and I lost focus on this list. So, I'm giving myself until the end of this year to accomplish so much more on the list. Like I said, my list...my rules.

So, in order to work on crossing something off my list, I am offering up a mentoring session (to "Teach someone a skill I know", #22). I'm looking for someone who maybe got a new camera for Christmas or a mom who just wants to take better photos of their children. The mentoring session would consist of 2 sessions: the first being more of a learn about the fundamentals of photography and the second would be a hands-on session with a model. If you are interested in this, please email me at danielle@dmphotos.net.

Beautiful Girl | Richboro Family Photography

2010-11-19T08:41:00.000-05:00

I've had the wonderful opportunity to photograph this beautiful little girl several times over the years. I love seeing kids grow. I think this might be the first year Reese has actually enjoyed having her picture taken. And if she didn't really like it, she humored me and allowed me to get some adorable portraits of her! She is really growing into a beautiful little girl. Enjoy your sneak peek.

And this is "Mommy's Belly", as captured by Reese! Not too bad, right? Very artistic. Maybe she has a future career as a fine art photographer?!?!?

Best Friend | Bucks County Child Photographer

2010-11-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

This is Gracie's best friend. They went to the same daycare for about 2 years. Lyndsie was all Grace would talk about. Even though neither of the girls go to that daycare anymore, I'm happy to say they still get together to play and they have such fun together! I really enjoyed photographing Lyndsie. She's quite different from Grace....more spunk and more energy. But seriously just as cute!!

Lovely | Bucks County Wedding Photographer

2010-11-16T22:32:00.000-05:00

Such a lovey, elegant, beautiful bride and friend. I'm so lucky I get to do this. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

Knock-knock | Doylestown Photographer

2010-11-08T23:15:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful family. These boys were so much fun. I learned a few new knock-knock jokes and had a quick lesson in what makes boys laugh. :)

Fall Beauties | Bucks County Family Photographer

2010-11-06T10:48:00.000-04:00

So excited to show the photographs of these two little beautiful girls. We met at Morris Arboretum while there were was still amazing fall color. I just love fall!!! Enjoy your sneak peek!!!

Superheroes | Bucks County Photographer

2010-11-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

I had such a fun session with this family. I didn't want to give away these little superheroes secret identities, but they were just too cute to not capture! Enjoy!

Brothers | RIchboro Family Photographer

2010-11-02T15:01:00.003-04:00

I'm going to be short with words today because I know mom is waiting patiently for this sneak peek (and I'm so behind on things). So here's some of my favorites of my two favorite boys!! Enjoy!

Hugs and Kisses | Bucks County Family Photographer

2010-10-26T22:27:00.001-04:00

This was the third year I've had the opportunity to photograph this family. I love being able to see families grow. Big sister Milan has gotten so big and baby Paloma is too cute. This session gave me so many favorite images. The type of images where you can just see the love mom and dad have for their kids. The "hugs and kisses" photographs. I love them. They are the type of portraits I want with my girls. I hope you love these images as much as I do!

Lily Lou | Richboro Child Photography

2010-10-23T12:19:00.000-04:00

Finally some portraits of my beautiful little Lily. No, her name isn't Lily Lou, but it has become her nickname. She's become such a happy little baby. Lots of smiles. But she can be so serious sometimes (just like her big sister was). She doesn't laugh very much yet. Instead she will do the full face smile. Its like she wants to laugh, but just gives you the huge smile instead. I LOVE it. And red hair, yup, I've got a little red head. We haven't figured out if her hair will stay that color or turn more blond. But red hair was something we were not expecting!!

Happy to be 2! |Doylestown Child Photographer

2010-10-20T17:50:00.001-04:00

This little cutie just turned 2! After the cake, ice cream and presents were done, it was time for portraits. I think he was shy for about three minutes, and then the giggles and fun started. Thanks to his mom and dad for working so hard to get him to laugh and smile. I think the hard work paid off because you can just hear the laughter in these images!!

Purplelicious| Richboro Photographer

2010-10-15T12:42:00.001-04:00

She LOVES the color purple.  It was her Grammy's favorite color also. Its a wonderful way to remember her.
She uses the word ouch like a verb...as in, "This boo-boo is ouching me". And she says "kajamas" (pajamas) and "belax" (relax). I don't correct her. She'll say it correct eventually, but for now I smile when she says those things, because I know she's still little.
She wants to be a mermaid. All summer she kept asking when she was going to become a mermaid. I don't have the heart to tell her mermaids aren't real.
She adores anything girlie...dresses, baby dolls, tea parties, princesses. Although at the same time, she loves to dig in the dirt.
She loves chocolate desserts, like Hershey's Kisses, just like her daddy. But she also loves sugary treats, like the frosting off a cupcake or fun dip, just like me. She's the perfect blend of the two of us.
She is an amazing big sister. Lily is lucky to have her. I hope they continue to love each other when they are 16 and 12.
She is perfection, all wrapped up in this little girl. She is mine and I'm so blessed to be her mom.

Happy 4th Birthday Grace!

Cathy & Adam - Married | Doylestown Wedding Photography

2010-10-11T16:26:00.001-04:00

Cathy & Adam were married last weekend. After days of rain, it was a beautifully perfect day for them. I adored the colors of this weddings...pink and brown! Cathy was a gorgeous bride, although I knew she would be! And the bridal party...to say they were a fun group doesn't even come close to describing them!!! This may be a record long blog post, but I really had such trouble narrowing it down!! Thank you to my wonderful assistant Heather for the great portraits of the guys!! Cathy & Adam, thank you for letting be a part of your day!!

One Year | Richboro Family Photographer

2010-10-05T23:13:00.001-04:00

This cutie turned one last month. It has been awhile since I photographed a one year old...and I had forgotten how hard it is. You can't reason with this age. Or bribe them. They have their own plan and don't really like to do exactly what you want them to (like stand in a certain location with really nice light). But on the flip side, this little boy was so much fun. He was such smilely little boy - and what an adorable smile he has!!

Becky & Lenny - Married | Bucks County Wedding Photography

2010-10-04T21:57:00.000-04:00

Becky & Lenny were married a few weekends ago. They are just so in love and it was so wonderful to watch them together. Their first dance was so romantic, one of the most romantic first dances I've seen. Becky & Lenny, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Catch Up | Bucks County Portrait Photographer

2010-10-03T21:01:00.000-04:00

Yup, its that time of year again. Busy, busy, busy time. So I'm playing catch up. Here's a quick look at what I will be posting through out this week...

Chunky Monkey - Bucks County Family Photography

2010-09-21T21:28:00.002-04:00

Here's a sneak peek for the cutest little chunky monkey. It totally cracks me up to see such tiny little moms with such big boys. Little Drew was so sweet, yet so serious. We got a few smiles and was lucky enough to capture a few. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Mine | Bucks County Child Photographer

2010-09-17T10:06:00.004-04:00

Before the fall session craziness starts and since I haven't posted photos my Gracie in a while, I thought I would today. Really, its just a whole bunch of random photos of Grace from the summer. I'll save photos of Lily for another post.

Smiley Little Man | Richboro Child Photographer

2010-09-08T15:42:00.004-04:00

This is Joey...and he is one smiley little boy. So stinkin' cute! Although I always feel like I struggle trying to get a little boy to smile and laugh. I worry my normal goofiness that works with Grace and other little girls just won't cut it with boys. Luckily, Joey was easy and so much fun!!

Pure Sweetness | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2010-09-07T14:07:00.002-04:00

Welcome beautiful Sophia. Such a joy to photograph. I hope she continues to be this calm for her parents.

Cuteness Times Three | Doylestown Child Photography

2010-09-02T10:23:00.009-04:00

These girls are truly are cuteness times three. I absolutely love to photograph them. It was my first time meeting new baby Cameron. Needless to say, she is just as adorable as her older sisters. The eyes that these girls have just kills me - so beautiful!

Dog Days of Summer | Newtown Kids Photographer

2010-08-13T13:07:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it is already mid-August and summer is slowly coming to an end. That means its time to start thinking about your fall portrait sessions. Here are some important dates and announcements:

No sessions will be schedule after November 15th. And the weekend dates available are limited, so call soon. The last date for holiday orders is December 1st.

I'm excited to have mini sessions schedule for September 11th (rain date of Sept 18th). Mini sessions start at $250. Call or email for more information!!

Judy & Jason - Married | Doylestown Wedding Photography

2010-08-11T06:09:00.005-04:00

My beautiful friend Judy married Jason last month. I took engagement photos of them twice last year and had been anxiously awaiting for their wedding. It was an amazing wedding, with no detail overlooked. Judy did a wonderful job planning the day and all of her hard work paid off, because really, it was a spectacular event. Here are a few of my favorite photos from her day...

The DELICIOUS champagne with strawberries (although my favorite had a raspberry in it).

The new Mr & Mrs...

Their first dance

And I think my favorite from their day...

Congratulations to you both and enjoys your honeymoons!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes | Richboro Children's Photographer

2010-08-11T06:06:00.004-04:00

Gracie got her hair cut. This was only the second time she even had any hair cut. The first was this January, where she really only got a trim. But the summer was wearing on us and the long hair was a hassle with being out side and swimming and all that stuff. So, we got it cut. She looks so much older and different, but she is still so adorable.
Here she is before...
And after...

Beautiful Love | Doylestown Wedding Photographer

2010-07-20T13:25:00.005-04:00

It was such a honor to be part of this beautiful wedding last month. I'm going to let these images speak for themselves.

Married....

Are you kidding me?!?! Could you be more beautiful?

I just love how they are looking at each other...you can just see how much they love each other.

8 Weeks | Richboro Newborn Photography

2010-07-08T13:46:00.004-04:00

8 weeks of little sleep,

8 weeks of tears and crying.

8 weeks of falling in love.

Here are some photos of my beautiful Lily...

Welcome Baby... | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2010-05-24T14:15:00.003-04:00

Welcome the newest addition to our family...Lily Sohpia has arrived.

She joined our family on May 16th at 9:20am. Grace has been an amazing big sister and is completely smitten with her little sister.

#52 Check

2010-04-15T17:19:00.003-04:00

This post could also be named "why I love being a photographer". Not only do I get the opportunity to photograph families and children and capture their special moments and relationships, but I get the chance to meet other photographers. Its great to have a network of peers who have the same passion and understand the ups and downs of having a photography business. I am fortunate to know Heather for about a year now and we have gotten together to have a photo shoot with our daughters. Well, as I've gotten more and more pregnant, I knew I had "Have maternity photos taken of me" on my 101 list. I asked Heather if she would be willing to photograph me and she oblige.

Originally it was going to be a traditional maternity session, you know...just me and my belly. But the more I thought about it, I decided I wanted more of a "mommy and me" sort of session. I was feeling anxious about how life is going to change for Grace and wanted to some portraits of the two of us. As the mom (and the family photographer), I'm normally not in many photos, so I decided to embrace this time and have Heather take photos of the two of us.

To say I love the photographs is an understatement. I adore the photos and so glad I decide to capture this time for Grace and I. I'm so truly lucky to know Heather and hope I can repay the favor for her and her family soon.

We Are Going Hawaii Again...

2010-04-01T18:51:00.003-04:00

someday. Okay, so that the closest I'm going to come to any sort of April Fool's joke. Its only three months later and I'm getting around to processing and posting photos from our vacation in Hawaii in December. It was a wonderful trip and we truly can't wait for the opportunity to visit again. Here are just a handfull of my favorites.

Blessed | Bucks County Newborn Photography

2010-03-18T20:13:00.003-04:00

Every new family I have the joy to photography is truly so blessed. A new baby is such a blessing. And Baby Caroline was no exception. She was an absolute doll and so precious. Every newborn I photograph just gets me more and more anxious to meet the our baby soon.

#56 - Check

2010-03-07T20:19:00.001-05:00

So its been a while since I've had any updates about my 101 list. And considering its less than a year until my time is up, I better get going on doing things and updating about them. For example, this 101 is from last summer..."Grow flowers from seeds".

See the thing is I don't have a green thumb, quite the opposite actually. I love flowers and have always wanted a beautiful flower garden, but I just don't know I'm doing. But last spring, I bought seeds, trays and soil pellets. It was definitely a experiment and I learned a bunch of things. But I did end up with flowers, so I guess it wasn't a completely failure.

Adorable Times Two | Doylestown Family Photographer

2010-03-06T06:51:00.003-05:00

The last time I photographed this family, it was just big sister A. Now the family includes little brother P. While big sis is shy and a little more reserved (you have to work for smiles), her little brother is so generous with his smiles. Both were a joy to photograph!

LOVE this one. You can just feel the mommy love!

Fall Engagement | Doylestown Engagement Photography

2010-02-13T09:09:00.000-05:00

This was my second session with this beautiful couple. Their first session was cut short due to rain, so we decided to wait for a perfect fall day. The location was wonderful, the light was wonderful...the session was wonderful. Here are some of my favorites.

Another Beautiful Baby Girl | Doylestown Newborn Photography

2010-02-11T08:53:00.004-05:00

Another beautiful baby girl...Baby Eillison. And this baby was a sleepy one. She slept the entire time I was there. I'm not sure I actually saw her eyes open for more then 2 seconds. She was so sweet.

I didn't want to leave out a favorite of big brother C. He was such a SWEET little boy. It was a complete pleasure to meet and photograph him!!

Precious Baby Girl | Bucks County Newborn Photographer

2010-02-03T18:34:00.002-05:00

Welcome this beautiful little baby girl...
She was tried to stay awake and enjoy the party, but she eventually fell asleep. And she was a perfect model! Look at those lips!!! I love it!

Happy New Year, Happy New Babies | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2010-01-06T10:36:00.003-05:00

Wow, really? Almost 2 months without a blog post. Seriously, that has got to be a record. I'm slowly climbing out of the piles of wrapping paper, decorations and cookies and getting back into actually updating my blog again. Lots has happened in the past month and lots of exciting things coming in the New Year, so expect some fun blog posts and updates soon.

To ring in 2010 (and in honor of passing the half-way point of my pregancy), I am having a model search. I am looking for two newborns who are due before the end of February.

Models will recieve a complimentary newborn portrait session, an 8x10 and 5x7 of their choice ($185 value). In addition, birth announcements will be discounted 15%. The session MUST occur before the baby is two weeks old and dm photography will have creative control over the session. Session must occur within 20 miles of Doylestown. Please email me at danielle@dmphotos.net, if you are interested.

She's so excited... | Doylestown Child Photographer

2009-11-19T18:31:00.003-05:00

Someone is pretty excited that she is becoming a big sister. Yup, that's right, Grace is going to be a big sister. We will have a new addition to our family in May. So, to all my clients, who have been waiting patiently for web galleries, orders and lots of other stuff, this baby is why things have been taking longer than normal. Morning sickness and exhaustion have really made my life difficult. I'm slowly starting to feel better, so I hope to be a little faster getting everything completed.

A few other photos of my favorite big-sister-to-be...

Growing | Bucks County Family Photographer

2009-11-17T20:38:00.004-05:00

These two boys have grown so much since I last photographed them. And such cute little boys they've become! I really love what I do and love that I get to see children grow up.

Here's Drew...
And Brett, who was just a newborn the last time I saw him!

LOVE this photo of Shana with her two boys!!

Almost Four | Bucks County Family Photographer

2009-11-05T19:09:00.002-05:00

This family of three will soon be a family of four. I photographed Milan and her parents last year, when Milan was turning one. She'll soon be two and a big sister. And I have no doubt she will be a great big sister, since she is such a sweet, kind little girl. Even at this "difficult" age to photograph, she did a great job.

I mean seriously, how cute is she...

Sweet Sisters | Doylestown Family Photographer

2009-11-01T09:02:00.002-05:00

It really is so hard to think of titles for my blog posts, so please excuse the cheesy title. But its true, these two little girls were so sweet. They were such good sisters. So loving and nice to each other.

Alison & Dan really wanted updated family photos, since its been a while. Here's one of my favorites...

3 Years Already | Doylestown Child Photographer

2009-10-20T20:16:00.005-04:00

I know this blog has been neglected for some time now. Life has been busy and most of my time has been focused on my family. I'm slowly trying to find time again for blogging and other photography related activities. Grace, my precious Gracie, turned 3 last week. She so enjoyed her birthday and loved all of the birthday festivities. We didn't have a chance to go out for her 3-year old birthday photos before her birthday and well, the weather has been the greatest either. So when the sun and weather was beautiful this evening, I jumped at the chance to have a mini (I think it lasted for about 8 minutes) photo shoot. Here are a few of my favorites of my little girl. Happy Birthday Gracie! I love you more than you will ever know.

Nicki + Adam | Doylestown Wedding Photographer

2009-09-30T20:52:00.000-04:00

Nicki and Adam were married this past Sunday. Between clouds and rain all morning, it cleared with perfect timing for thier ceremony. And the sun even made an appearance in the evening.

Ceremony & Reception - Crossings Vineyards
Jazz Band - Bobby Newton
Florist - Newtown Floral Company

Vineyard bling...

Nicki as a beautiful bride....

Kiss the bride...

FAVORITE!

7 Pounds of Cuteness | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2009-09-30T07:00:00.005-04:00

Welcome Baby Luke. He's such a little peanut...reminds me a lot of Gracie when she a newborn. He was the perfect little model for me. You know, the kind of model that sleeps, doesn't pee on Mom and Dad and doesn't cry the entire time I'm there. Congratulations Kelly and Mike, your little boy is beautiful!

Sweet | Doylestown Family Photographer

2009-09-21T20:41:00.006-04:00

Sweet...yes, that's the one word that comes to mind when I think of this family. These three kids were so sweet and polite. Having grown up spending a lot of time with their grandparents and Aunt (their Aunt J and I were close friends in high school), its NO surprise at all how sweet these kids were. I had such a great time and have so many great photographs!

And for fun...

Shy | Doylestown Child Photographer

2009-09-20T08:00:00.003-04:00

Having photographed so many children, I see the whole gamut of personalities...outgoing & energetic to quiet & shy. This little girl feel more into the shy group. She really made me work for smiles! But those smiles are always very rewarding!

Fun Family of Four | Doylestown Family Photographer

2009-09-12T19:23:00.004-04:00

I had a great time with this family recently. It was an engagement session for Nicole and Adam, who also wanted to include their children, which was such a great idea.

Here is Adian...who was a bundle of energy, like most 5 year old boys. It was nice when I captured a quiet moment.

And little Preska (I so hope I'm spelling her name correctly). Such a beautiful name and beautiful little girl.

Can't wait to shoot their wedding. They are such a sweet lovey couple. So romantic and in love. And so easy to photograph!

My Girl

2009-09-05T08:35:00.003-04:00

Its been too long since I've posted photos of Gracie...and today is as good of a day as any.

What a Difference A Year Makes... | Doylestown Family Photographer

2009-09-05T08:05:00.007-04:00

Its so much fun to see this....

turn into this...

And just one short year later, you have this...

I love seeing little newborns grow up into cute little toddlers. Jack is such a happy, smiley little boy. He was just too cute. He loves teddy bears...and I loved that mom made sure that the bears she brought with them were color coordinated with their outfits!

Narrowed down to 2... | Newtown Maternity Photographer

2009-09-01T07:02:00.004-04:00

I'm sure I've said it before, but I love maternity sessions. All the talk of the little details preparing for the baby, the excitement and nervousness. I found out this couple had baby name choices narrowed down to two. They have just a couple weeks left to decide, although both of their choices would be perfect!

We went to Tyler Mansion on Bucks County Community College on an evening in between the days of rain and had a wonderful portrait session.

This is the gazebo where they got engaged. So sweet!!

Kelly and Mike - I can't wait to photograph your little baby boy!!!

Grown up

2009-08-30T21:19:00.003-04:00

This is my "little" cousin. Expect she isn't so little anymore. When did she grow up? She's now a beautiful, young women. I had a wonderful evening photographing Kate. As you can tell, she's a complete natural in front of the camera.

Adorable Sisters

2009-08-29T15:08:00.005-04:00

You might recognize these cuties...they are two of my favorite subjects to photograph. Kennedy and Caroline are adorable. They are growing up so quickly. Kennedy is starting kindergarden in this fall. And look at those curls on Caroline!! Love it! Here are a few of my favorites!

Jan & Joe - Married

2009-08-27T21:26:00.003-04:00

My cousin got married this past weekend and I had the pleasure of photographing their day. The weather cooperated and we had a great day...not a drop of rain! There wasn't a detail they over looked. Here are some of my favorite from their day.

Jan getting ready...

Her flowers were beautiful...so many gorgeous roses!

Big Poufy Dress

2009-08-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

As I set up the details for this bridal session, Alyssa said, "I'll be the one in the big poufy wedding dress." HA! Love it. Alyssa is such a fun, smiley person. She tries so hard to have non smiling serious faces, but she just can't. She cracks up laughing and smiles within seconds. Although I'm not going to complaing about her smiles...she's just beautiful. Here are a few of my favorites.

Something New

2009-08-19T20:36:00.006-04:00

This session was something completely different and new for me...three teenage boys! Talk about out of my element. Regardless, it was a great time. They all live in the same neighborhood and play on the same baseball team, so I think it would be fun to get some photos in the dugout at a local college.

And one more of the three of them together...laughing and having fun.

Baby Boy | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2009-08-14T07:00:00.004-04:00

Welcome Baby Nicholas. He was such an easy baby to photograph. Once he was alseep, he was out and so easy to pose! Here are two of my favorites...

Beautiful Sisters

2009-08-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

I had an amazing portrait session with two beautiful sisters last week. They were an absolute joy to work with and had so much fun. We had reschedule due to rain early this summer and almost rescheduled this time, but it ended up being a perfect evening. I had so many favorites, it was hard to narrow it down for the sneak peek!! But here they are....

Monday's Must Have - Balance

2009-08-10T20:40:00.005-04:00

Balance...this is something I need desperately in my life right now. As most of my clients know, I have a full time job, in addition to this business. And of course everyone should know about my family. Its a lot to balance...job, business, family. And honestly I'm not doing the greatest job of it right now. I completely overbooked myself for July and August and the result has been very little sleep. To help me get caught up and regain some balance so that Gracie get more time with mommy, "Monday's Must Haves" will be taking a short hiatus. Its not going away completely, but I need to get through the wedding and three sessions that are waiting to be processed (and catch up on some much needed sleep). And for the families waiting on the client websites, sneak peeks and web galleries...I'm working hard to get them done!

And to prevent my life from getting unbalanced again in the fall, I will have limited availability. There are only a few weekend sessions still available. Once my available dates fill up, I will not be able to fit in or schedule any additional sessions.

Shauna & Dan - Married

2009-08-09T14:53:00.004-04:00

Shauna & Dan were married last Saturday at Rose Bank Winery in Newtown. It was a perfect day...warm, sunny and dry. This was such a relief in between days of rain. I was so happy that the weather cooperated for them and they were able to have the wedding they envisioned.

A few of my favorites from their day:

Beautiful!! Shauna was such a beautiful bride!

Sisters!

Husband & Wife - Congratulations!!!

Christmas in July - Winners

2009-07-31T19:39:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I decided to extend the deadline to leave a comment and I will donate a can of food. I definately want to donate more than 2 cans of food!! So I will extend it until Monday at midnight. For the two posters who did leave a comment prior to the first deadline, you will BOTH get an iTunes gift card!! For everyone else, be sure to leave a comment for http://blog.dmphotos.net/2009/07/christmas-in-july-giving.html. Any comments left before Monday at midnight, I will donate a can of food! Easypeasy!

Christmas in July - Giving

2009-07-30T07:00:00.002-04:00

Since we are all about the holiday season, its also time to think about giving.

The first and easiest way to give...leave a comment. For every comment that is left from now, until tomorrow (July 31st) at noon, I will donate one can of food to a local food bank (food bank is undetermined at this point...let me know if you have any suggestions). How easy is that? Leave a comment and a can of food is donated.

To encourage you to give, when you schedule a session, for every can of food or non-perishable food item you bring to your session, you will receive a $5 print credit (up to $25). So if you bring 5 cans of food, you will get $25 print credit to be used for that session. This offer is good for both regular sessions and the mini sessions. Session must occur before December 31, 2009.

One extra bonus, anyone who leaves a comment could also win a $10 iTunes gift card (you MUST leave an email address to be considered for the iTunes gift card).

Now let's start giving!

Christmas in July - 2009 Fall Mini Session

2009-07-29T06:30:00.003-04:00

My mini sessions were a great sucess last year and I'm excitied to offer them again this year. I recently bought a great chair that will perfect for these fall sessions.

Mini sessions are perfect for those who either had a session earlier this year (especially for babies who change so quickly) and want something more recent for holiday cards. Or its perfect for people who want to see what a session with dm photography is like.

The mini sessions will take place on Saturday, October 17th. They will be a half hour on-location session for children or a families. Sessions will occur in several location around the Doylestown area. Please see the flyer below...

Christmas in July - 2009 Card Preview

2009-07-28T07:15:00.002-04:00

I am lovin' the new holiday cards I have available to offer this year. First, there are the defined holiday collection. Such a wonderful, fun idea. As always, the cards are double-sided and completely customizable. The colors and text can be changed! Words like peace, jolly, merry, season and more. My second set of new holiday cards are more whimsical, with little drawings and cute details. I love them both and am so excited to offer this year.

Monday's Must Have - Christmas in July

2009-07-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

Its my 2nd annual (and today's Must-Have) "dm photography Christmas in July Event". Every day this week I'll announce holiday promotions, specials & previews (&probably a giveaway or two), so be sure to check back throughout the week.

I've said it before, but even though its only the end of July, it actually time to start thinking about scheduling your holiday sessions. Fall is my busiest time of year and my calendar fills up quickly. The final day for holiday sessions is Sunday, November 15th. I will have limited availability in the rest of November and December for maternity and newborn sessions.

Because I am a planner (its in my nature, I can't help it), today I'm announcing an incentive to get YOU to plan ahead. If you contact me to schedule your fall/holiday session (sessions would occur in September, October or November) before Aug 31th, you will receive....a 3x3 mini accordion. They are a great session keepsake and act like brag book. These are not available to purchase and are offered as a special incentive to my plan-aheaders!

Flowers, Gazebos, Fountains and More

2009-07-26T21:38:00.005-04:00

Cathy and Adam got engaged at Longwood Gardens in April and I meet them there yesterday for their engagement session. We had a perfect evening, which was especially nice in between the days of rain we've been having. I had a great time exploring the many beautiful locations.

Here are a few of my favorites...

The gazebo where they got engaged. They said it had changed so much from the spring, much more green and so many more flowers.

Love me some yummy backlighting!
A quick outfit change and off for more photos!

Are you kidding me!?!?! Gorgeous...Cathy, you look gorgeous!

Cathy and Adam already know how I feel about this one, but I LOVE this one. My favorite from the session! I wouldn't shut up about it after I took it.

Smitten... | Doylestown Newborn Photographer

2009-07-25T20:42:00.002-04:00

...as in, how her mom and dad feel about this new little baby girl, Ellianna. I'm behind on blogging, so I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves.

Carolyn & Pat - Married

2009-07-24T20:58:00.007-04:00

Congratulations to Pat and Carolyn, who tied the knot recently. The weather cooperated for them and they were able to have their ceremony outside like they planned. Although making the decision a couple hours before the ceremony was stressful. It was a wonderful wedding with so many fun details. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Carolyn getting ready...

Her beautiful dress...

The flowers were so pretty...I had never seen calla lilies in that purple-pink color.

Love this one of Carolyn as she is walking down the aisle.

Their wishing tree, which took the place of a traditional guest book. It was so pretty.

Monday's Must Have - Photography Meet-ups

2009-07-20T22:03:00.008-04:00

Today's must have is also some advice. If you are interested in photography, I would highly suggest going out to shoot with another photographer. Not only is a chance to go out and take some photos, its a great opportunity to get to know someone else who is as passionate about photography. Its nice to have someone to talk photography shop with, share some trade secrets and its really fun to see your children through the lens of someone else.

Tonight, I finally got to meet up with Heather. We've "met" on a photography forum and talked about meeting up for so long now. Gracie and Heather's daughter, Sam, were such great models and so cute together. I just love watching Grace play with other kids. Heather and I traded lens for a little while and I had fun with her wide angle lens. I'm not sure, but I think she liked my 70-200mm too!

Here are some of my favorites:

My favorite of Sam...

Taken with Heather's lens...such fun!

Hard to pick...

2009-07-16T21:40:00.006-04:00

...a favorite from this session from the weekend. I had a great time with this couple, Shauna and Dan over the weekend. There was lots of laughing and having fun. They did whatever I asked, including trespassing, I mean treking, through a field.

Shauna and Dan are getting married in a few short weeks and I can not wait to photograph them on their wedding day. Shauna is going to be a BEAUTIFUL bride and is going to be so easy to photograph. And I really just couldn't narrow my favorites down...so here's a big share.

I just love this one...I think it might be my favorite from the session.

You Say its Your Birthday

2009-07-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

Happy First Birthday to this little guy, Ethan. I photographed him on Sunday for his one year old portrait session. Seriously how do I get so lucky with such happy little ones? Ethan was no exception, he was full of giggles and smiles. One of my favorite parts about being a child photographer, is being able to see these little ones grow. I photographed mom's maternity photos and his newborn photos and it was great to see them again this summer.

It was hard to narrow down my sneak peek, but here are a few of my favorites...

I seriously ADORE everything about the photo...I loved it the moment I took it!

7 Months and 1 Day

2009-07-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

This little cutie was exactly 7 months and 1 day when I photographed her last week. She was such a happy baby and a joy to photograph! I love to photograph this age because usually they are starting to sit, but can't do much else. Well this little one is a mover!!! She is already starting the army crawl!! I couldn't believe it!

Her little pose she kept doing...it was too cute!

Are you kidding me with this cuteness!! LOVE IT!

Monday's Must Have - My Favorite Things (Summer Edition)

2009-07-13T21:00:00.004-04:00

Hard to believe that summer is almost half over. I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. I did this in the winter, and I thought it would be a good idea for this season. Here are a few of my favorite (summer) things.

1. Spray sunscreen...seriously, this stuff is awesome. It saves so much time if you have kids (or a really pale husband). It goes on so quick and the coverage and protection is great.

2. Berry picking...I love berries...any kind of berries. Strawberries, blueberries, black berries, raspberries. And it doesn't get any better picking fresh berries. We already went Strawberry picking earlier this summer at None Such Farm (photos of Gracie below). If you've never been berry picking with kids, expect them to eat more than they will contribute. I could barely keep up with how fast Grace was eating them! I hope to make it blueberry picking very soon. We love to go to Solebury Orchards.

3. Flavor Ice...I love Fla-vor Ice Pops. I could go through a whole box of 100 as a kid in a month. I lived on them. I've gotten a little more picky with age and now have a whole freezer of left over pink and blue ones.

4. Crocs...Yup, that's right. I love my crocs. And my feet love me for loving them. They are some of the most comfortable shoes I own. Until you actually try them out, you have no idea. That was me last summer. But I'm a convert. Seriously, just give them a try!! My favorite is the Mary Jane style.

5. Ritas...my other summer treat. And now they have the slenderita (fat free custard)...YUM!!! And in a Gelati, you really can't even tell its fat free!!

What are your favorite summer things?

Monday's Must Have - Vacation

2009-07-06T20:29:00.004-04:00

Back from a wonderful beach vacation. Had a great time and have returned home feeling well rested and refreshed. Here a just a few of my favorites of Grace having fun on the beach.

Monday's Must Have - Models V3.0

2009-06-29T09:36:00.003-04:00

My final model search for awhile, as I've been working hard to fill in the gaps to my portfolio...and my busy portrait season will be here before I know it.

I am in search of three recent brides for a evening bridal portrait session (all three sessions will take place the same evening). It is not a requirement, but it probably best that the wedding has already taken place, because we don't want to worry about the dress getting a little dirty. I'm not looking to do a "trash the dress" type of session, but I also don't want to be restricted. I will supply a bouquet. Professional hair and makeup is not a requirement, a simple updo or even a bun under the veil will do.

If you are interested, please send an image of yourself to danielle@dmphotos.net. Photo should preferable be from your wedding or you in your wedding gown. Models will recieve a complimentary 8x10 and 5x7 of images of their choice ($60 value). Session will occur on Monday, August 17th (rain date to be determined).

Classy

2009-06-24T07:15:00.001-04:00

This was engagement session #2 last Saturday in Philly. I was so excited when Judy and Jason showed up all dressed up and looking amazing!!! They attend formal galas often, so it was appropirate that they dressed to nines for their session. We had a great time, until the bad weather finally showed up and cut our time a little short. Hopefully we will find another date later this summer or fall and finish up our session!! Until then, I hope you enjoy this sneak peek!

I just adore how Jason is looking at Judy here...so sweet.

Young Love in the City

2009-06-23T08:00:00.010-04:00

Becky and Lenny have been engaged for a a whole three weeks!! Oh to be young and in love...there is nothing like it. We had a wonderful time on Saturday afternoon in Philly, walking around the city and stopping along the way to take photos. We made our way down to South Street, where the very color mosaics are and found so very cool alleyways. And we ended up in Rittenhouse Square, which I learned was where Becky and Lenny had their first date. I always love to take photographs in locations that are special and unique to the couple. Thank you Becky & Lenny for a wonderful afternoon! Enjoy your sneak peek!

LOVE this one. A absolute favorite!!!

This umbrella wasn't just a prop, it was actually raining a little bit!! I adore everything about this one too!

Monday's Must Have - A Nap

2009-06-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

Yeah, so it was a busy week last week with lots of late nights which results in the lack of sleep. So today, I'm taking it easy. I probably won't actually get to take a nap, but I will get to bed early instead. Just in case you weren't aware of the benifits of a nap...

There seems to be a biological readiness to fall asleep in the mid-afternoon which coincides with a slight drop in body temperature and occurs regardless of whether we eat lunch.

Research on napping suggests that an afternoon nap as short as ten minutes can enhance alertness, mood, and mental performance, especially after a night of poor sleep.

So enjoy your afternoon and take a nap!

Blog Party - Day 5 - WINNERS!

2009-06-19T09:30:00.002-04:00

And the winner is....

I now have the fun job of announcing all my winners!

Monday: Favorite Kids Portrait
First....the "favorite kids portrait" The winner is #11...Ashley. The first prize winner is an 11x14 of the winning image and a second 11x14 from a future paid session. With #4 in second and #6 in third.

And here is the winning image...

Tuesday: Favorite Relationship Portrait

Congratulations to Carolyn and Pat who won this by a landslide. The votes between the following three were really close and the ranking changed quite a bit throughout the week. At the end of the voting, #7 ended up in second place and #8 in third.

The winning image:

Wednesday: dm Gift Certificate

As always, this was a difficult decision to make. I received some very heartfelt entries. The most touching (and the one I have chosen as the winner) is from a husband who wanted to recognize his wife and everything she does for their family. He wrote: "My wife is a selfless, caring person who works long hours inside and outside of our house.....I would like very much for her to get something nice for a change." Congratulations to this wonderful, deserving mom! All winners will be contacted by email.

Thursday: iTunes Gift Card
Congrats to Jason (commenter #5) on winning the iTunes gift card.

Thank you to all of my blog visitors, friends and especially the wonderful families, children and couples that I've had the opportunity to photograph over the past year. As I have said previously, it means so much to me that I have been trusted to capture your special moments!

Blog Party - Day 4

2009-06-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Here's an easy contest...all you need to do is leave a comment.

It doesn't matter what you say in your comment. You can say "Hi", tell me your favorite color, tell me that I rock...it doesn't matter (and don't worry the actual comments won't impact the winner...its selected at random!).

What can you win by leaving me some blog love? An $10 iTunes gift card. You do need to leave an email address in the comment so I can get in touch with the winner. Because I am a blog comment junkie and want lots of comments, if there are more than 20 comments, two winners will each receive a $10 iTunes gift cards! Comments left by midnight tonight will be included. Winner announced tomorrow.

Blog Party - Day 3

2009-06-17T06:00:00.003-04:00

I'm repeating this contest from last year's blog party. Today is also known as "big prize day". Its when I give away a gift certificate, well, to me! Just like last year you need to tell me why you deserve a portrait session. Or, tell me why someone you know deserves one. Again, I'm looking for anything...heartfelt words, a photo, a poem, limerick, anything you want.

What do you get for your creativity? A gift certificate for Danielle McElhaugh Photography worth $300! This can be used for yourself or be given as a gift. This gift certificate can used as your heart desires (session fee, reprints, art products). Beacuse I know I'm going to get so many wonderful entries, I will have runner up prizes. Two additional entries will recieve a free 10x20 gallery mount collage from a future paid session ($150 value). Its a brand new product that I will be offering and its beautiful! It comes ready to hang and doesn't need to be framed. (I'm waiting on my sample and as soon as I get it I'll post photos!)

Entries need to be email to danielle@dmphotos.net and must be received by Thursday at 11:59 PM. Of course the winner will be announced on Friday! I can't wait to see them...Good Luck!

Blog Party - Day 2

2009-06-16T06:00:00.002-04:00

Its another favorite portrait contest today. I photographed so many wonderful children, families and couples over the past year so it was hard to narrow it down. Instead, I decided to include everyone and break it up into 2 groups. Yesterday category was kids (contest is still open until Thursday evening, so there is still time to vote) and today's category is "relationships." This includes the unique relationships between a mom and her newborn baby, a newly engaged couple, siblings and the relationship of a family.

Prizes are the same...The winner will get an 11x14 of the winning image AND a 11x14 from a future session ($120 value). Second place will win an 8x10 and third place a 5x7. Voting will be open until Thursday, June 18th at 9:00PM. Winner will be announced on Friday.

Small print & Details...Please vote only once. If a tie occurs, 5 photographers will vote to break the tie. No substitution of image will be allowed, unless image has already been ordered larger than an 8x10. Additional 11x14 is from a future paid session. Future session must occur prior to Dec 31, 2009.

Monday's Must Have - A Blog Party

2009-06-15T00:30:00.001-04:00

Its my second annual BLOG party. My blog is now 2 years old. Happy Blog Birthday! And just like last year, I'm having a week long party to celebrate. That means contests, prizes and more!! There will a chance to win something fun everyday this week, so be sure to come back and visit often!

Today, is a contest for "Favorite Kids Portrait". I'm gathered my favorite 16 images of kids. Vote for your favorite. Get your friends, families, coworkers, strangers, whoever to vote also. I'm changed the voting procedure, so it should be easier and less complicated to vote. So get your votes in!!

The winner will get an 11x14 of the winning image AND a 11x14 from a future session ($120 value). Second place will win an 8x10 and third place a 5x7. Voting will be open until Thursday, June 18th at 9:00PM. Winner will be announced on Friday.

Small print & Details...Please vote only once. If a tie occurs, 5 photographers will vote to break the tie. No substitution of image will be allowed, unless image has already been ordered larger than an 8x10. Additional 11x14 is from a future paid session. Future session must occur prior to Dec 31, 2009.