Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Photographers and Teachers: The Art of Adaptation

If you’ve ever met a teacher or a photographer, you know one thing to be true—we are masters of adaptation. We thrive in unpredictability, live in the moment, and create magic out of chaos. As someone who is both a photographer and a teacher in a self-contained elementary emotional support classroom, I’ve seen firsthand how these two roles are more alike than one might expect. Whether I’m managing a classroom full of energetic students or capturing the fleeting moments of a family session, the skills I rely on are surprisingly similar!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Wedding Photography Myths Debunked: What You Really Need to Know (Part 1)

It’s May which means it’s the beginning of another year’s wedding season. Whether you’re just beginning to plan your big day or you have a detailed vision for your wedding, photography is one of the most important decisions and investments you’ll make. However, there are many misconceptions about wedding photography that can lead to unrealistic expectations. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths so you can be better prepared for your big day!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Mommy & Me Mini Sessions in Lehigh Valley

Mommy & Me mini sessions in Lehigh Valley, PA. Let’s celebrate moms! Mother’s Day is right around the corner and to celebrate I am once again offering Mommy & Me Mini Sessions! These short sessions focus on the bond between mom (and any woman who fulfills a mom role) and her babies (big or small).

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

AI Meets Photography: 3 Key Factors to Consider When Hiring a Family Photographer

Today I thought it would be fun to play around with AI. Like it or not, AI is used in many facets of our lives and is undoubtedly here to stay. I began using AI a bit to enhance my lessons at school and thought it would be interesting to challenge one of the platforms with a photography prompt. I asked AI to list the top 3 most important things to consider when hiring a photographer for a family photo session. Following are its suggestions and my feedback about the computer’s work!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

A Perfect Proposal with a Professional Photographer

Planning a wedding proposal is one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking moments of your life. You want everything to be perfect: the location, the lighting, your wardrobe, and, most importantly, the reaction of your partner when you pop the question. While some might consider capturing this moment with a smartphone or asking a friend to help, there’s no substitute for hiring a professional photographer to document this once-in-a-lifetime event. If you’re considering popping the question sometime soon, consider these reasons for why you might want to hire a professional photographer to capture the moment!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

A Local Treasure: The Ironton Rail Trail is the Perfect Spot for Your Photo Session!

It may be November but, as I sit here writing this blog, it’s still warm out and everything is blooming! The beauty around me has inspired me to write about one of my favorite places to visit for a photo session (or a bike ride or walk!), the Ironton Rail Trail!

Why might you want to consider the IRT for your next session? Here’s just a few of the many things I love about this location!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Lehigh Valley Holiday Mini Sessions: Studio Holiday Minis and Milk & Cookie Minis

The holidays are fast approaching and it’s the perfect time to start planning your festive family photos! This year, I’m thrilled to offer two special mini session options that capture the joy and magic of the season: Studio Holiday Minis and Milk & Cookies Minis. Whether you’re dreaming of a playful, cozy session for the kids or an elegant family portrait with a touch of holiday charm, I’ve got you covered. These mini sessions are all about celebrating your family’s unique spirit while creating beautiful images to cherish forever.

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

A Beautiful Wedding Day at Riverdale Manor

As a Lehigh Valley wedding photographer, I love getting the chance to photograph couples like Taryn and Cameron, whose love story is filled with sweet, personal touches. These two met on a dating app, bonding quickly over their shared love of animals, and their connection was clear throughout their entire wedding day.Their celebration took place at Riverdale Manor in Lancaster, PA—a charming rustic farmhouse turned wedding destination that provided a stunning backdrop for their heartfelt vows and beautiful moments. 

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

She Asked Me to Do What?!

Hi there and happy July! Today I want to be a little lighthearted and silly. Today I want to talk about the most common times clients give me a look that begs, “she asked me to do what?!?” Yes, you read that correctly. There are occasions during sessions when clients look at me like I’ve lost my marbles BUT I promise those moments are always well thought out and serve a purpose. Here are 4 of my most confused expression worthy directions that might make you feel a little silly, but always produce great results!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Wedding Timing Tips Part II

Today I am sharing several of my favorite post-ceremony wedding timing tips. If you remember from my first blog, I like to use your ceremony time as a benchmark for planning the rest of your day. This blog will focus on timing considerations after your ceremony is complete!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Through the Lens: Insights from My First Year in a Special Education Classroom

As many of you know, I decided to return to the classroom last fall after several years of focusing solely on my photography business. I took a position teaching in a special education classroom for children with social and emotional needs. This was a huge step out of my comfort zone, but it felt right to give it a try with my fresh start. Not only did I absolutely love my experience in the classroom this year, teaching in a kindergarten and first-grade special education classroom significantly enhanced my skills behind the lens. I’ve always considered myself pretty adept at working with children. I have two of my own and have taught hundreds of students over a decade plus in education. However, over the past year, I've come to realize that the lessons learned in this particular classroom have profoundly influenced my approach to photography, particularly when working with families and children.

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Lehigh Valley Mommy & Me Mini Sessions

Mommy & Me mini sessions in Lehigh Valley, PA. Let’s celebrate moms! Mother’s Day is right around the corner and to celebrate I am once again offering Mommy & Me Mini Sessions! These short sessions focus on the bond between mom (and any woman who fulfills a mom role) and her babies (big or small).

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Wedding Timing Tips

Today I am really excited to share some of my best tips for pre-ceremony wedding day timing with you. Not to worry, next month there will be a part 2 that includes all of my post-ceremony wedding day timing suggestions. This list includes just a few of the many tips I have gathered after years of shooting weddings for couples who want to make the most of their wedding day with their photographer. Let’s dive in!

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Client Interview with Elyse

Today I am thrilled to share an interview I had with one of my clients and dear friends, Elyse. Elyse and I met when she was a long term substitute in my school. We bonded right away over teaching and our children. She is an absolutely wonderful teacher and mom and an even better human.

I’ve been fortunate enough that Elyse has hired me for many sessions throughout the years for her family. I’m excited to share her experience with EK Photography with you today because I know many of you reading are also moms with children and families, just like Elyse

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

First Quarter Check-In with EK

Hi, friends! It’s the day before Valentine’s Day and a snow day which means it’s the perfect time to write this blog. Back in December I wrote a year in review as I usually do. I struggled through writing that blog post. I started plenty early. I remember staring at a blank page while I vacationed in Florida for Thanksgiving and the inspiration wasn’t there. I finally put something together and, when I look back on it now, I can read the reality I was hiding through the words. 2023 was a challenging year in my personal life and it was tough to find the silver lining to write an end of year recap

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Celebrating Aubry & Jonah at The Grove of Kempton

Aubry and Jonah’s wedding at The Grove of Kempton was the perfect end to the 2023 wedding season for EK Photography! Their celebration was just full of so many personal touches that made the day so unique and memorable; from the moment Aubry stepped out in her stunning gown from Kathy's Bridal, to the heartfelt vows exchanged under the canopy of trees, every detail reflected their personal journey together.

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Elizabeth Messerli Elizabeth Messerli

Mini Session FAQs

Today let’s talk…mini sessions! A while back a new client let me know she had been using the same photographer for almost ten years and was hiring me for the first time for her family’s holiday photo mini session. She had a bunch of really excellent questions about how I run my minis because she knew all photographers have their own twist on mini sessions. I thought her questions were so good I decided to make a set of FAQs specific to mini sessions. These FAQs will be sent to all future mini session clients as a part of the planning and preparation documents you receive to make the most of your session, but I also wanted anyone considering me for a mini session to know the answers to these important questions. If there’s anything you still have questions about after reading, let me know and I’ll be happy to help!

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