This is now the OLD blog!

I will no longer be posting on this blog...

please visit the NEW BLOG @ www.bethmchenryblog.com

Exciting stuff!!

Everything will remain on this site that is currently here so you can refer back to past images...but the new blog is starting fresh!!

Go on over there now :)

Flea Market Finds

I love browsing through flea markets and the occasional garage sale...as the saying goes...one man's junk is another man's treasure. This Saturday we took the girls to Trax Farms to browse through the "treasures" at their indoor flea market.

2nd table in the door and I was a happy customer! I've been wanting to collect a few older polaroid cameras to put on display in my home office. I don't want a lot, but just enough that it makes a nice display on my wall....somehow...I haven't figured that part out yet.

$25 dollars later, this is my first find:

the manual reads "how to make good pictures with your land camera"...wonder if I can learn anything ?! hahaha

We also had some wonderful cheesecake, but we all ate that way to fast to take a picture. Hope ya'll had a nice weekend...

Christina & Mark | 2.7.09

What a week it has been! I'll be back with some exciting news...but first, I wanted to share some more from Christina & Mark's wedding. The ceremony was held at St. Francis of Assisi in Finleyville. The little church had such charm and it made a beautiful backdrop to their intimate ceremony.


Christina and Mark had a little secret about their honeymoon that I thought was extra special. They didn't tell their daugther that their honeymoon was a trip to Disney and not some sandy beach. They packed her bags for grandmas...but to her surprise they were really for Disney.


Thanks to DB for being my 2nd shooter!



wonderful image captured by David:



I love Christina's expression:

Gracie | Anytime

Winter blues no more! Well, at least not momentarily. Gracie and I set out on an all day outdoor adventure on Wednesday while the weather was gorgeous. Now that she wants to be in front of the camera I'm seizing every opportunity! I'm putting together a 5x5 album of her at the age of 3 and I plan to do one every year from here on out.

This one is going to get printed LARGE:


Grace: Mommy can I wear my sunglasses for a picture?
Me: that would be fun! What kinda pose do you want to do with them on?
Grace: how about one like this mommy?
Me: snapping this picture while in complete amazement she comes up with such funny stuff! (I love her feet)


Happy Valentines Day!

Sneak Peak

Just a quick sneak peak into the intimate wedding I photographed on Saturday...more to come later. Christina made such a stunning bride and her EYES are amazing...

Image Boxes | New Products!

These black leather image boxes open up like a book and look just like an album when on the shelf or coffeetable. Inside they can hold up to 10 mounted 5x7 images as shown below so you can display one at a time on an easle or just keep them tucked away. Also available with a 4x6 image matted to 5x7.

front opening:




inside with 5x7 mounted newborn set:





also great for maternity sessions:




or seniors!

She said Yes!

While waiting for Verizon to fix my cell phone yesterday (good times) I did a little shopping at Crazy8 for Gracie. I LOVE that store. They had a sale rack with $1.99 items...no so much after I was there! After getting home I asked if she wanted to model a little bit with her new clothes and sunglasses and she said YES! I couldn't believe it.

Visions of Earth | NGM

Upon entering the eye doctor's office today I walked up to the counter to check-in and glanced down at my feet to see a basket filled with magazines. Usually I take the opportunity to snatch up a copy of Glamour or Self so I can catch up on all the latest trends or read how to lose weight by eating chocolate cake. Under all those enticing titles I saw the yellow border that I immediately recognized as a National Geographic Magazine. See #10 below...

I came home (with another new pair of trial contacts!) and looked up the website, Visions of Earth, of which some images were published in the magazine. I loved the 2008 set.

Here's a screenshot from one of the amazing photographers, JCarrier.

25 Random Things About Me::

there's been a game of tag going on over at Facebook. I was tagged by a friend and asked to fill in 25 random things about myself. I thought I'd post it here as well...

Here goes:

1.I’m a patient and simple person

2.I love animals especially dogs. Someday I want to own a Great Dane. I’m happy with our lab for the next 8+ years though!

3.I graduated from Pitt with a BA in Communications which is weird because I’m not good at public speaking and I always get my mords wixed up. Just ask my husband who keeps a mental log of all my goofs.

4.I was a twin. My twin didn’t fully develop and the doctors told my mom I wasn’t going to make it either. Here I am world. My grandmother thought I was going to be a boy and I think my name was going to be Chad.

5.My imaginary friend growing up was “boy.” He went *everywhere* with me but I still got in trouble for everything he did.

6.I can’t write in cursive. My signature is never the same because I suck so bad at it.

7.My husband proposed to me at the bar where we met, but it had burnt down and we didn’t know. I pulled up, saw the burnt building, and put the car in reverse. He pulled out a ring so I stopped!

8.I love to be outdoors and want to get into hiking this year.

9.I showed a cow in the county fair when I was younger. I used to lead her around the farm on a rope halter, training her. I wasn’t very good at it and got my foot stepped on.

10.My fascination with photography I think began when I was around 12. My stepgrandmother had a subscription to National Geographic and I would flip through them just to look at the pictures. In highschool I was fascinated by the darkroom but never got a chance to take a photography class; I was on the yearbook and magazine staff instead. It wasn’t until I got married that I got my first camera and realized what I had been missing.

11.I can’t drive a stick. Never learned how.

12.I have allergic reactions to alcohol, bananas, and caffeinated coffee.

13.I played tennis throughout highschool and still love to play. I used to get up at 4am to play before school. I had dreams of becoming a tennis instructor.

14.I own a $1000 vacuum cleaner

15.I’m not a superstitious person, but I find horoscopes entertaining.

16.The ocean scares me. I love the beach but you will never find me more than ankle deep in the ocean. Needless to say a cruise is not a dream vacation of mine.

17.If I was stranded on an island I would want 3 things: my daughter, my husband, and Bear Grylls.

18.I talk to myself a lot. Especially if I’m doing math or cooking.

19.Plants don’t like me. I’ve killed enough for everyone.

20.I’ve never broken or sprained anything.

21.I hate scary movies.

22.Being a mom has made me a better person and given me a new perspective on life.

23.I feel naked if my toenails aren’t painted.

24.I’m not a spender. I enjoy nice things but can usually talk myself out of them (unless it's photography related!). My husband keeps me balanced.

25.I have dreams of living on a big piece of property with some sheep (and perhaps a Great Dane).

And I can't post without a picture. Meet Uniqua (named after Backyardigans) our dwarf hamster, added to the family on Monday!

Yours Truly

I pulled this one out of hiding...I wish I could wash my dog like this sometimes.

Future American Idol

I posted this video to my Facebook page and thought I'd share it here with the rest of ya'll! I continually take little videos of Gracie, it's so addicting. Vic got me the Nikon Coolpix S52 for Christmas and I carry it everywhere. This video certaintly doesn't do it justice, but it's not bad considering the room was very dark.

Anyways, after watching a Crossroads episode with Sara Evans and Maroon 5 Gracie became a huge fan of this song. I love Crossroads and this was my absolute favorite one yet. You can watch it from the link above...or just watch this ;)



that strange noise was my dog telling me he wanted outside ;).

A Day in the Life

Gracie was cracking me up this morning over breakfast and I decided to document it-keeping up with my 09 resolution. I hope ya'll don't mind me posting more pics of my girl while I'm sure you'd rather I'd post about recent weddings and portrait sessions! I've been working behind the scenes (website, new blog, album designs) a lot lately and I'm definetly falling behind in my blog posts as a result!

Step into my Friday morning:

she's the funniest 3 1/2 year old I know!

her favorite place to sit...

I'm Back

I've neglected my blog recently, but I've got lots of posts & catching up to do. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!


I met with Rachel of BrandID in Mt. Lebanon to get her some headshots for her new website. I can't wait to see the final result of the site! I love the vibrant color and logo design. Rachel is a delight to chat with and I'm excited to watch her business grow.

I made it

...in an image!

A while back David came over and took some images of Vic and I together. It was way overdue. The last professional image of Vic and I was taken when I was 3 months pregnant with Grace. Before that, I think it was our wedding day...yikes. I vow to not let it go that long again.

Thanks DB for putting up with us! (Get used to it!) ;)

taken in our backyard:






I just got this one framed up and ready to hang:

N.Y.R | 2009

I'm a bit premature to post what my New Years Resolution is going to be, but what the heck...

Overtime I've gotten away from taking simple snapshots, forgetting the technical and just shooting. Looking back in Gracie's scrapbook one of my favorite images was taken the day after she was born. I just wanted the moment captured and did exactly that.

taken on our 2005 Sony cybershot and scanned in which probably explains the strange lines:

this is another favorite taken after a morning of minnow fishing:

Last night I snapped this moment between Gracie and Miao. It felt good to just take a picture and throw a little bit of my perfectionism out the window. Taken on my Nikon D700.

For 2009 I want to refocus on what made me fall in love in photography in the first place: capturing a moment & creating a memory. I'll always strive to become better and better as a photographer and I'm excited to see what 2009 has in store...

Reindeer in Training

For those that didn't get our Christmas card this year, here is my e-card to you...




And when he had enough, he played dead.

I declare a snow day!

It's about time all that rain turned to snow!

Wall Art

Before I deliver this canvas (tomorrow, J!!) I had to share a few images. This is a 20x24 with a 1.5 inch frame.

Curious what size you need for a wall space? Use masking tape or painters tape to mark the corners or border of the size you think you want. Seems like common sense, but a friend just mentioned this to me and I had one of those "ah, ha" moments! Just don't blame me if the paint comes off your walls in the process :)...I haven't tried this yet!!

little moments

Gracie has crossed into the land of imaginery lately and sometimes doesn't come out for quite some time! Tonight our loveseat was a castle, the swiffer was decorated with a Christmas bell and served as the tower, and the dog was a dinosaur protecting the land. ( I think the Backyardigans is to thank for all this). I love these little moments when I can sit back and quietly watch her.


But, I couldn't take it any longer and picked up my camera (my NEW D700-more later!!).


we started with some upside down giggles...




and ended with a very bubble filled bath!


Gracie, you rock my world. love, mom.

Family Time

We took a quick trip to Akron this Thanksgiving and had wonderful food and family time. My sister did such a great job I'm off the hook for several years ;).

My nieces sweet talked Vic into getting up on black Friday for some *early* morning shopping. He said if all 3 got up, he'd go. An hour or so later they came back with Webkinz they purchased for a penny each at the Family Christian Bookstore! While waiting in line outside in the cold my youngest niece discovered she put her pajama pants on backwards...memories.

They have a lot of snow up north so the girls suited up and headed outside...I suited up with my tennis shoes and bare hands. that's love.

this is before she face planted in the snow :)