Maternity | Weddings & Portraits

How to Include Your Dog in Your Photos | The Dogs of C&Co

How to Include Your Dog in Your Photos - Carrs Photography

At C&Co we know that dogs are part of the family and we love when clients include them in their engagement sessions, wedding photos, or family portraits. Photoshoots are best when they represent who you are and even where you are at this time of your life, and your pet is a huge part of that. Plus, dogs add so much personality to your photos and by including them you will ensure you have some special shots to keep with you forever. So, why not include them in your next session?

If you are ready to snap some photos with your dog (or dogs!) here are a couple of tips:

Pick a dog-friendly location for your shoot. A park, dog-friendly brewery, and in-home shoots are all great ideas. You know your dog best, so make sure it is a place they will feel comfortable.
Bring an extra set of hands. Especially if you want to snap a few photos without your pup, having someone there to hold their leash while that happens is a must.
Give them a good groom or bath before the shoot. That way they look their best for their camera debut! Got a cute outfit or fun accessory for them to wear? Even better!
Get the energy out beforehand. This is especially helpful for puppies or high-energy dogs. A tired dog will be easier to work with.
Be flexible. You can’t always predict how dogs will behave in new situations. Go with the flow, trust your photographer, and you will be sure to get some shots you love.
Don’t stress about them moving around, it’s ok. The photographer will keep snapping.

Now bring on all the dogs!!

Vogue Inspired Maternity Shoot | Dayton Maternity Photographer

Nothing makes us happier than former brides returning for a maternity session. We loved shooting Rachel’s wedding, so when she emailed us she was expecting and wanted to do a Vogue inspired maternity shoot, we were so excited.

The looks that Rachel chose were classic and chic – a sleek black turtleneck, a white button down shirt, and a pair of hoop earrings. It created such a Grace Kelly meets Audrey Hepburn vibe. The simplicity allowed this mom-to-be to really shine. She looks elegant, timeless, and completely stunning.

If you are planning a maternity session, it helps to have some sort of theme in mind. Maybe you have an outfit you love or a place you know you want to shoot. Start there! Feel free to bounce ideas off us! We would be more than happy to help you brainstorm. And it doesn’t have to be local. Want an amazing session in the mountains or along the beach? Hit us up and find out about our travel schedule. Whatever location or style you choose, we recommend scheduling around the 7 month mark unless you have a specific season or idea that just won’t fit in that time frame.

We love a creative maternity shoot, so let us help you create something amazing!

Glamorous Studio Maternity Session | Dayton Maternity Photographer

When your client is the bridal stylist behind Stylish Little Mrs, you get pretty excited about photographing her maternity session. Alex absolutely blew us away with her glamorous studio session ideas. Is high fashion fairytale an aesthetic? Either way, she nailed it.

Alex brought in one of Dayton’s best, Sherwood Florist, to create a bright and whimsical backdrop. She was stunning in a pink tulle dress by Manually Props, a fantastic Etsy shop based in Hungary. Her second look was a purple, one shoulder gown that was just as chic. Both looks were the perfect balance of soft and dramatic. Alex was absolutely in her element and that shows in every photo we snapped. It’s safe to say she can add a maternity stylist to her resume.

As you are thinking about looks and themes for a maternity shoot, we recommend going with something that is representative of your style. Is your vibe warm and cozy? Maybe a casual in-home shoot is for you. Do you like moody and shadowed? Let’s create a dramatic, vogue style shoot with looks to match. The possibilities are truly endless. Remember, you don’t need to recreate what is popular on Instagram at the moment. What matters most is allowing your personality to shine. We are ready to capture the authentic you, wherever that takes us!

Carrs Photography | Carrs Photography Studio | Stylish Little Mrs | Sherwood Florist | Manually Props

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Clients for Life | Alberto & Anne

Carrs Photography Client for Life Minnesota Family Photographer

Since the day we started Carrs Photography almost 15 years ago we have told our clients that we want to be their photographer for life! We love shooting engagements and weddings, but that is just the beginning. Your life will be full of adventures – new homes, new babies, new jobs, birthdays, graduations – and they all deserve to be documented with beauty, style, and rockstar photography!

Alberto and Anne are one of those clients who immediately captured our hearts. You know when you just have a connection with someone? When things feel easy, light, and comfortable? That is exactly how we feel working with Alberto and Anne! They live out of state so we didn’t meet face to face until their engagement shoot, but from our first FaceTime call we just knew that they were special people.

For their engagement shoot, they graciously hosted Michael in Minneapolis providing a tour of the city, taking him to some of the best food spots in town, and serving up some amazing looks for their session. This is a couple that epitomizes grace and style. Their outfits were inspired by a recent trip to Europe and everything about this shoot gave us a romantic Parisian vibe. It was also one of the most acrobatic shoots we have done at Carrs Photography with Michael hanging off the edge of a bridge to snag this epic canoe shot. But the resulting image was 100% worth it.

Not surprisingly, their wedding was just as perfect. This couple always looks good! And their first look might be one of our all-time favorites. You can’t fake the emotion on Alberto’s face when he saw Anne – pure happiness and joy. It doesn’t get any better.

Fast forward a few years and many visits and meals together, we got the news that they were expecting. I know that we always say pregnancy makes you glow, but seriously, Anne was radiant.

When Avalyn arrived, we were immediately smitten. We know our little Posy and Avalyn will be great friends. And check out her amazing mop of hair! I think we have another natural in front of the camera.

It has been such a gift to walk along Anne and Alberto in each of these life stages. It is a reminder of what we love about our job so much. Each time we pick up a camera we get to tell a piece of a story in someone’s life, the more pieces the better in our opinion.

Did you work with us for a wedding? We have special Client for Life pricing for you as you move through new stages of life… don’t forget about us!

Carrs Photography Client for Life Minnesota Wedding Photographer — The Carrs Photography is an editorial wedding & portrait photography studio specializing in documenting fine weddings and storytelling portraits in Dayton Ohio, Chicago and Worldwide

The Carrs Photography is an editorial wedding & portrait photography studio specializing in documenting fine weddings and storytelling portraits in Dayton Ohio, Chicago and Worldwide

Carrs Photography Client for Life Minnesota Maternity Photographer

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Timeless, Elegant Stories In An Uncertain Time: The Best of 2020

It’s hard to overstate the challenge that 2020 was for all of us. It was a year full of uncertainty, instability, and unrest. For a lot of our friends and couples that meant postponing important life moments, or preparing for conditions they had never expected on the biggest days of their lives. For others it meant facing incredible tragedy and hardship.

As photographers it is years like 2020 that we feel the weight of our jobs most clearly. Photos can be so dear, and sometimes their importance is only understood long after they could be replicated or repeated. We’re so grateful that you trusted us with those moments this year. It is hard to overstate what that means to us, and it’s our prayer that these are photos that you carry with you for a lifetime.

We got to hear so many of your stories in 2020! And despite the conditions: It was a year full of bold love, joyful bonds, and beautiful creativity! Check out our favorite shots of the year below!

In Memory of Aidan Clay

In February I had the amazing opportunity to take some photos of a local musician and artist: Aidan Clay. Aidan was one of the nicest, most generous, people I have ever met. We connected over music and songwriting and he gifted me the beautiful 1920’s grand piano we used for the shoot.

In December of 2020 Aidan passed away. It’s hard to overstate the light that the world lost with him. I experienced a great deal of joy over the course of our brief friendship and I know that so many others felt the same. I was blessed with the chance to do a session with him and his fiancé a few weeks prior to his passing.

Sharing in Aidan’s story for those few months highlighted, to me, the importance of being a person of grace and generosity. His was a life well lived and I look forward to the chance to pick up where we left of on the other side.

-Alex

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Tender & Romantic Maternity Shoot | Inniswoods Metropark | Maternity Photographer

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One of the best parts of being a wedding photographer is getting to follow up with clients as a maternity photographer. We can’t get enough of Sarah and Ryan’s tender romantic maternity shoot at Inniswoods Metropark in Dayton, Ohio. Our team of photographers really is amazing. Not only do they take great pictures, but they […]

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Cozy In-Home Maternity Session | Cleveland, Ohio Maternity Photographer

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Rachelle and Pat’s cozy in-home maternity session in Cleveland, Ohio will give you all the feels. Ask me for a reason why being a photographer means so much, this session would be my answer. It is about the relationships we develop, the friends we make along the way, and the memories we share with two […]

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