Jen Lebo Photography

Fabulous New Friends... and A Fabulous Idea!

2012-03-14T13:57:00.010-04:00

I met the most wonderful, the most talented, the most friendly and fabulous group of ladies this past week, and they were all under one roof! Gwendolynn's Salon & Spa houses a collection of super skilled and super fun professionals who specialize in hair, makeup, skin, nails, and massage. I'm telling you, stepping foot inside this salon is like entering luxury at its finest!

I had the wonderful pleasure of working with these ladies in creating portraits of them in their gorgeous workplace. After two days, I left there having made a bunch of great new friends, and a ton of gorgeous portraits of gorgeous ladies.

After sharing a few on Facebook, Rebecca (my go-to guru at Gwendolynn's) and I were overwhelmed with the comments we were getting on the portraits, and were excited to see how many friends and friends of friends were enjoying them. We loved that friends of Jen Lebo Photography were connecting with the gorgeous faces of Gwendolynn's, and that friends of Gwendolynn's were enjoying my portraiture. We knew we had to do something with this.

And so we are!

Friends of Gwendolynn's Salon & Spa can now enjoy a special discount with Jen Lebo Photography! Simply book your portrait session with Jen (family, high school senior, engagement, maternity, whatever!) and mention Gwendolynn's.

You'll receive 50% off your session fee!

And...

Friends of Jen Lebo Photography can now enjoy a special discount with Gwendolynn's Salon & Spa! Simply mention JLP when booking your appointment.

You'll receive 20% off your visit!

How fantastic is that???

This is our way of celebrating this wonderful new friendship with our dear friends and clients! So celebrate with us and enjoy the treats!

Hurry and book by April 30th to enjoy this special!

New friendships, precious memories, and luxurious moments are waiting for you!

Jen

High School Senior Reps!

2012-03-06T14:27:00.004-05:00

High School Juniors!

Senior year is just around the corner. And you're gonna want fabulous portraits that show the world just how fabulous you are!

So why not get them for FREE!

Apply to be a Senior Rep for Jen Lebo Photography and your senior portraits will be free!

Plus you'll get a free styling session at Gwendolynn's Salon & Spa to get ready for your fabulous photo shoot!

Free rep cards to hand out to friends!

And more!

Simply comment here to learn how!

Or send me a Facebook note!

Or just email me at jalebo@gmail.com!

But do it now! Senior Reps will be chosen by March 16th!

You're sensational, so why not show it?

Let's celebrate YOU!

Jen

Calling The Class of 2013!

2012-02-28T13:33:00.004-05:00

Current high school juniors, you do not want to miss this!

Jen Lebo Photography is looking for super fun, outgoing, and friendly high school juniors to be 2013 SENIOR REPS for their high school!

What's in it for you? Free portrait sessions, a free styling at Gwendolyn's Salon and Spa for your fabulous photo shoot, rep cards to pass out to everyone, and more!

PLUS!

Share this on FB, tweet about it, or forward this to friends, and you'll be entered in a drawing for a FREE FAMILY PORTRAIT SESSION!

(be sure to let me know you did so you can be entered- simply comment below)

Reps will be chosen by March 9th so don't wait!

Class of 2013: Senior Rep Program

2012-02-15T14:47:00.008-05:00

Jen Lebo Photography is kicking of its first Senior Representitive Program for the Class of 2013!

If you are interested in becoming a Senior Rep for Jen Lebo Photography email me today!

Can't wait to hear from you!

Jen

True Beauty

2012-01-10T09:12:00.021-05:00

My niece and I have begun the most wonderful tradition. Every time we see each other (which is not nearly as often as I would like since they live in southern Florida and we live up here in PA) we have a special morning out together, just the two of us. We go somewhere new, have a super fun photo session, and then have breakfast together (or lunch if the morning passes us by). It is one of the highlights of our visits to Florida, and I'm not sure what I enjoy more, shooting this beautiful young lady out in the gorgeous Naples environment, or spending time talking and laughing with this amazing person who just yesterday was this little baby girl who called me "J".

Here are a few of my favorites from our most recent morning out last month. But first, a quick snap of who she once was! This was taken about 7 years ago. Too funny!

Thankfully, my photography has improved over the years to do justice to the beauty that she exudes.

This was the last shot we took, as I dropped her off at school for her basketball game. My guess is that this would be her favorite one, as it truly exemplifies the athletic, natural, simple girl that she is. The scripture seems to fit the image, and I hoped it would remind her of the promise of God's presence and power in her life.

Hannah, may you never doubt your beauty. It comes from your eyes, your smile, and your precious heart. You are one of the greatest blessings of my life. You make all those years of hanging out with your dad worth it! Hee hee!

(JK Billy!)

Keep smiling,

Aunt Jen

Fruit of the Spirit: JOY

2012-01-06T10:31:00.007-05:00

So I've been working on a personal photography project, as some of you might remember from a recent blog post. Each month, I am focusing on one particular fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). December's focus was on JOY. I figured that would be pretty easy as the month ended with my three kids tearing into tons of Christmas presents- surely I could capture tons of joy there, right?

However, God had something different to show me with respect to joy. And it came on the Monday morning after Christmas.

On this sunny morning, we took our little girl to get her ears pierced. It was one of her Christmas presents, and boy, was she excited! Talk about joy! This was something she'd been waiting a long time for. And she had a whole crowd of family to share in the joy with her. Of course, mom and dad were there, but also Grandma, Aunt Tara, and cousin Hannah who is just the coolest person in B's world! She was beyond excited, beyond joyful!

She sat as still as possible as the lady marked her little lobes, pre-determining the perfect spot for the pretty little earrings.

This was such a wonderful, joyful moment for our Brady girl. She was just seconds away from getting something so special, something that she'd been hoping for for so long. However, what Brady didn't know was that she was going to have to endure a little pain in order to enjoy having a life time of beautifully pierced ears.

The first earring went in with a little pop, and I saw her face crumble. We had not told her about the pain, knowing that she would have been too afraid to endure it. She would have missed out on the joy of having her ears pierced simply because she was too afraid of the pain. So instead, we chose to keep it from her, knowing it would be worth the pain.

And sure enough, after a few tears, and one more pop, my beautiful little girl was enjoying her beautiful new earrings. The pain had been worth it, as we knew it would. She was again filled with joy, sporting pretty little pink flowers in her ears, which sort of matched the color of her tear-stained eyes and cheeks.

That morning with my sweet B got me to thinking about God's joy for us, and it reminded me of the Bible verse that I chose for Brady's life verse years ago.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Our Father knows the plans that He has for His precious children, just like I knew the plans that we had for our precious little girl. And just like that morning and our plans for Brady, God's plans are never to harm us, but to prosper us, to give us hope and a future. His good plans for us sometimes mean enduring pain, physically, or otherwise. His good plans for us don't always feel good. Sometimes we even cry and wonder how any joy can come of this pain.

But we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, (Romans 8:28), and in the end, our tears bring forth great joy and great hope and great blessings. If we only choose to trust Him through the pain.

All that from a morning at Claire's getting a 6 year old's ears pierced? Really?

Yup. God has a wonderful way of teaching me through my precious children, as He whispers to me "See how much you love them? I love you and them so much more."

Have a blessed and joyful day.

Jen

Precious Portraits Contest... And The Winner Is...

2011-12-01T06:08:00.003-05:00

Many thanks to all who contributed to our Precious Portraits Fundraiser, be it through purchasing mini sessions, enjoying a mini-styling at Pride N Joy Salon, or casting vote after vote. Every single penny donated to Designing 4 Hope will help bring joy to a child who so desperately needs it.

And the winner is... Laren M! Laren and her family will receive a free family portrait session with Jen Lebo Photography! I'm already looking so forward to it!

Again, thanks to all who donated, and a special thanks for all of our Precious Portrait Girls! Such beautiful girls, inside and out!

Jen

Fruit of the Spirit: Love

2011-11-25T05:07:00.020-05:00

I have decided to take on a monthly photography project, and have chosen to tie my love of photography to my love of the Lord and His Word. This project will be based on The Fruit of the Spirit and each month I will tackle a new Fruit, study what the Bible has to say about that given Fruit and then connect that with my photography somehow. This is the only direction I have given to my project. I am letting God lead in the rest.

For those unfamiliar with the Fruit of the Spirit they are:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

I have my work cut out for me as God pricks my heart and teaches me about these virtues.

I am beginning my journey with the first fruit- love- and in doing so, have been led to 1 Corinthians 13 (the famous "love chapter" of the Bible). Over the course of the month, God has used this chapter to remind me about true love, both in my home and outside of it, and He has especially convicted me of where I fall short in showing true love to those around me.

I have a feeling this photo project is going to be harder on my heart than on my camera.

And so this month I simply wanted to share some of my favorite verses from 1 Corinthians and connect them to some of my favorite "love" images. (one important note- the final image at the end is not my own, but a photo of my husband and me taken by my good friend Rebecca Cooper, another wonderful portrait photographer).

1 Corinthians 13

v4 Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

v5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

v6 Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.

v7 It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes, always perseveres.

v8 Love never fails.

v13 And now these three remain: faith,

hope,

and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Thank You Father, for loving me, for showing me what real love truly is through Your Son Jesus.

And thank you Scott, for being my greatest love on earth. I know some days I'm not the most lovable person, but there's no one else I'd rather love everyday than you.

Thanks for reading through and beginning this journey with me. I hope this has encouraged you to think about love today, as it has encouraged me all month. Next month, I'll tackle JOY! What a perfect time of year to do such a project!

Keep smiling!

Jen

Precious Portraits Contest! Let The Voting Begin!

2011-11-16T05:44:00.004-05:00

Earlier this month, I teamed up with Lori McHale of Designing 4 Hope, and Susan Malampy at Pride N Joy Hair Salon to launch the first annual Precious Portraits Contest, a fundraiser for Lori's nonprofit. The contestants were absolutely beautiful and I had the best time!

Here are a few portraits from our day together.

And now the portraits are up and ready for voting!

Voting is open to anyone and it's a simple process:

Go to www.jenlebophotography.com

Click on "the website"

Click on "clients" on the top menu

From there you'll be brought to a password protected page- the password is "contest"

This will bring you to the gallery of contestants.

Portraits are labeled by letters. You simply click on your chosen portrait and then select the number of votes you wish to place.

Vote as many times as you like! It's $1/vote and all voting proceeds go to Designing 4 Hope!

There are two easy ways to pay:

1. There is a paypal account set up in the gallery which will go directly to Designing 4 Hope.

2. You can opt to send a check made out to Designing 4 Hope (mail to PO Box 845, Royersford, PA 19468)

You have 2 weeks to vote and spread the word to your friends and family. The portrait with the most votes will win her family a free family portrait session with Jen Lebo Photography, which is a win for her, a win for me, and a win for a special child in need of a bedroom makeover! What could be better?

Remember, voting ends on November 30, so spread the word and start voting!

A special thanks to all who participated in our event! What a special way to use your children's precious smile to bring a smile to another precious child!

Happy voting!

Jen

Precious Portrait Contest- The Fundraiser Is This Weekend!

2011-11-02T13:54:00.003-04:00

Hope you haven't forgotten about this weekend's fantastic fundraiser for Designing 4 Hope!

Here are a few of the wonderful ways that you can donate to Designing 4 Hope through this event:

You can purchase a mini session with JLP for this event (call in advance to book a time that's convenient for you).
You can vote for you child's portrait on line (and encourage friends and family to do the same).
You can purchase accessories from Pride N Joy for your child's portrait that day (a percentage of all accessory purchases will go to Designing 4 Hope).
You can purchase the digital files from your child's session (50% of all purchases will go to Designing 4 Hope).
You can book a future family portrait session with Jen Lebo Photography while at the event (50% of all session fees booked that day will go to Designing 4 Hope)
You can simply donate your time or funds to Designing 4 Hope!

There are still a few slots available so call or email me today!

We're going to have a wonderful time!

Jen

Big Changes for JLP!

2011-11-01T13:03:00.005-04:00

The month of October has brought wonderful change to Jen Lebo Photography and I am so excited to share it all with you!

I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed photographing my clients like I did this past month. From the very first day of the month, I have felt my work evolving and changing and I have noticed a new look and style to my images- more candid and unposed, more bold and colorful, more authentic and more intimate. I am finding myself more excited with every upcoming session!

That said, I was also finding myself loathing every post session situation. I was spending hours and hours creating, processing, selling, ordering, delivering, packaging, and stressing. And each extra hour of stress meant one less hour with my family. I was spending less time with the people I loved and when I was there with them, I was not someone they wanted to be with anyway.

Something had to give.

I finally broke this past weekend, at the very end of the month. I told my husband I was giving up the business, and that I'd be fulfilling my current client obligations, then packing it up for good. He gave me the space I needed to digest all of this and work through it.

I spent much of the weekend crying. Every time I thought of putting my camera away I would burst into tears. I knew I'd have trouble even photographing my own kids like this. But I also spent a lot of the weekend praying, and I called on a few of my loyal prayer warriors to help me out. You see, I am a woman of faith, and I truly believe God when He tells us that He will show Himself to us and that we will find Him when we seek Him with all of our hearts. (Jeremiah 29:13) So I sought Him.

And in the midst of all of this I found tremendous answers and tremendous peace and I knew what I was being called to do.

I am a photographer. I know deep in my heart that this is a gift that God has given to me. Not a gift in the sense that "Oh I'm so gifted", but a gift in the truest sense. A gift that God has blessed me with to enjoy and savor and celebrate. A gift to glorify Him with. And I love doing that. I love photographing my beautiful family. I love photographing your beautiful families. I love spending time with wonderful people, creating wonderful memories. It is a joy that never ever gets old for me.

I also love taking those images and editing them to make them that much better. I shoot in a special way that makes my images "mine", but I edit in the same way. I put my touch on every image and I love the results. To me, editing each image is just as fun as taking the photograph.

And I feel great in knowing that this is what I'm called to do.

However, I have also been called to be mom. To be wife. To be family. My family means everything to me, and anyone who knows me can back that up. I have been blessed beyond compare to be able to spend my days at home with my kids as a stay at home mom. I'm there to drop them off at school, and I'm there to pick them up in the afternoons. I can help them with their homework, listen to their problems, bake them brownies on a whim, take them for walks on beautiful fall days, care for them when they get sick on a random Tuesday morning, and kiss them goodbye at their classroom doors everyday. I love every minute of it...well, almost. ;)

And I was losing it to the stress and busyness of my business. I was also losing the joy of photography to the business.

Let me get to the point already!

After a long weekend of prayer, tears, counsel, and more prayer, I have come to a wonderful and (I think) huge decision regarding my business!

Jen Lebo Photography is going 100% DIGITAL!

It's all about simplifying, about getting back to basics, getting back to what truly matters in my business and in my life- people and images.

So no more gift prints, no more canvas wraps, no more albums, no more packages. It's just the session and the image.

This goes against everything that I've read and studied about over the past few years regarding the business of portrait photography. Pros would scream at me for making this decision! How will you profit? How will you upgrade your sales? How will you get return orders?

My answer is simple. I don't know and I'm ok with that.

To me it's about honoring my Master Planner and letting the rest fall into place. It's about putting value on the hours I spend with my family and the hours that my work takes me away from my family.

My session fee will be straightforward and simple- $150 for 1-2 hours of photography and fun. A wonderful experience leading to wonderful images.

From there, clients will have 3 options:

Buy a CD of 5 images for $225.

Buy a CD of 15 images for $550.

Or buy a Cd of all 30 or so images for $750.

That's it. You pay for the artist, the time, and the editing. You walk away with the images and the copyrights and total control over your photos. No printing costs, no shipping costs, no overhead costs. My prices reflect the value of my time and artistry(with minimum business costs), and those are prices that I know I can stand behind and I hope my clients can happily understand.

For all of my current or already booked clients, I will honor promotions of course, as well as give the option of prints and packages- after all, they booked before these changes came to be. But starting today, any new clients will find the new Jen Lebo Photography!

No more big promotions, no more contests, no more newsletters, or marketing attempts. From now on Jen Lebo Photography is simply the art and the artist. The mom with the camera. The woman with the gift and the joy and the peace!

One final note. After coming to this tremendous decision, I wanted to celebrate by photographing one of my favorite little faces, that of the youngest in my pride! I took these yesterday, and after seeing them, felt tremendous confirmation in the decisions that I have come to. I find such joy in embracing the blessings of my photography and my family... and your families.

If you've gotten this far, a million thanks for reading this entire post!

And thank you for joining me on this journey!

I'll be keeping this blog (and the website) for sure, as I absolutely love sharing all things photographic with anyone who will listen! I'll be blogging about great families I've photographed, great projects I've started (like one I'm beginning today- stay tuned!), and wonderful experiences I've had. And of course, I'll be hoping to hear from you too!

Stay with me! I have a feeling that the best is yet to come!

Jen

Share Hope! And Win Hope! A Giveaway

2011-10-26T05:40:00.005-04:00

Earlier this month I blogged about a fantastic contest that is coming up!

We are so excited about this contest! It's going to be a wonderful afternoon, we are looking forward to having lots of fun sharing our passions with you and your children, and best of all, we are hoping to raise enough money for this amazing non-profit so that Lori does not have to turn any of these wonderful little children away. These bedrooms bring hope to children who desperately need hope.

And now we want to bring that hope to YOU!

Literally!

We are so excited about this event, and so committed to helping these kids, that we want everyone to know about it. We want everyone in our area joining us in this, so we're offering a fantastic giveaway this week!

Enter our giveaway and receive this gorgeous HOPE bracelet from Michelle's Jewelry Studio!

Here's how easy it is to enter:

1. Share this blog post on FB (there's a link below)!

2. Tweet about this blog post (there's a link below)!

3. "Like" Designing 4 Hope, Jen Lebo Photography, and Pride N Joy Hair Salon on FB!

4. Share these FB pages with your FB friends by clicking on the "share" link on the bottom left of each FB page!

How easy is that!? You may enter up to four times simply by sharing this event with everyone! So get to it!

And let us know you've shared! Either comment right here on the blog, or post it on the Jen Lebo Photography page!

The drawing will end on October 30th at midnight! The winner will be chosen by www.random.org and will be announced on Monday morning, October 31st!

I can't wait to hear from you!

Jen

A Special Gift

2011-10-21T13:07:00.002-04:00

My mother-in-law is quite the gifted knitter! She's been knitting for over 40 years now and she has made some absolutely beautiful pieces. Yesterday I received one of these treasures and I have to say that I think it should be up there in her top 10 best creations of all time! This wrap is cozy, it's soft, it's intricate, and it's so chic and stylish! I just had to share it with everyone!

I decided not to attempt a self portrait with it on for now. I am planning to wear it for our family portraits next month and will gladly show it off again then!

I am so excited about this beautiful gift, but even more so, I am thankful for the woman who made it. This wrap is truly a wonderful gift. But it has been the precious knitter in my life who has been the real gift to me all these years.

So thank you, Mom, for the sweater and for the love behind it.

(And for the totally awesome husband you raised for me too!)

Jen

It's This Saturday!

2011-10-18T13:34:00.004-04:00

I'm so excited for this Saturday!

Custom Christmas Card Saturday is finally here and I am so excited to spend my day creating beautiful portraits for all the families signed up! It's looking to be another beautiful autumn day and I'll be photographing these families right here in my own back yard at The Hill School!

And I'm extending my specials for just TWO MORE DAYS! Remember, you can book two sessions for the price of one, so grab a friend and make your appointments!

There are just a few more time slots open and I'll only be booking appointments for TWO MORE DAYS!

And for those of you unfamiliar with the beauty of The Hill School, I can tell you that years of living on this campus have helped me find the most beautiful pockets of light any time of day and during any season. Here are a few faves to show you the variety found on just one campus!

And finally the reason we're doing it all! The Custom Christmas Cards! How fun to take your gorgeous family portraits and create cards that suit your family and your style so wonderfully! Here are a few samples from past clients. I cannot wait to create yours for you! You'll have the cards everyone will be talking about!

You only have 2 days and sessions are limited so contact me right now!

And I'll see you on Saturday!

Jen

Monthly Monday Mommy Playdates: One Lesson Leads To Another

2011-10-17T14:28:00.021-04:00

Yesterday I enjoyed another great morning sharing photography tips and letting my little guy explore a new playground. This month's Monthly Monday Mommy Playdate took us to Anderson Park in Collegeville. The little guy and I had never been there before, but we were not disappointed! Not only was there a wonderful play area for him to run around, climb, slide, and explore, but there was great opportunity for a wonderful lesson in open shade.

I had planned to talk to the moms about perspective and how to get at our kids from all angles. But before we went on our assignment to "think perspective" one mom asked a great question about light and how to escape those harsh contrasting highlights and shadows on her daughter's face. We talked a little about open shade, and then went off in search of fun perspectives.

I began climbing along side my little guy shooting him from crazy angles.

But I began to notice those harsh highlights and shadows. The light on the playground was just too bright.

There was no open shade near the playground, he was either in direct sunlight or running across crazy shadows. So even the fun perspectives I tried were overshadowed (pun intended) by the harsh light. Something had to give.

Then I noticed that Sedona had crawled underneath into some open shade. I shot, exposing for her face, and blew out the entire play apparatus. But it showed us something. Even at mid day hours, with harsh direct sunlight, if we can find open shade, like under a play set, we will get great exposures, and great images!

Here's the original shot, uncropped to show how harsh the light was from above compared with the nice even light in the shade.

And here it is cropped. Great image in that same harsh setting. Ah, the joy of open shade!

So I decided to go exploring and invited the others to join me. We found a wooded path with great open shade and we plopped our kids down on the path and saw the light!

After enjoying the lesson and the great images, we turned to head back to the playground. I snapped this shot just before we hit the harsh sun again. You can see where the shade drops off and the harsh light begins. Where would you want to be shooting?

Back to the playground we went and back to the harsh conditions. No matter where I took this little guy I could not find good light. It was hard enough to find the shade on this playground with no trees, but to keep a 2 year old seated in tiny pockets of shade for more than 5 seconds? Well, that's just downright impossible!

I tried and tried, but hated every shot on this playground. So I gave up on this spot, and let my little guy explore again, gently guiding him to another area with open shade, the west side of a great building, shown to the right of this image.

And there we found the light! It was gorgeous directional light, falling beautifully and evenly on us with no harsh spots. And there my little guy was able to plop down with his snacks and his choo choos and play in the grass for a while.

And there I was able to have fun with my perspective, getting down low with him, and enjoying his world for a little while.

I learned a few lessons during this hour. First, it truly is all about the light. You can work on perspective, or fun angles, or compositions all day long, but if you're not in the right light, you're just not going to get the shots you want. Second, I learned that sometimes the locations dictate the lessons learned on our mommy dates, and that is so fun for me! And that every location offers new places and pockets of light to explore if we just look around a bit. And finally I learned that sometimes, just sometimes, it doesn't matter if the light's great or not, that sometimes it's about the kids having a blast and a snapshot will do JUST FINE!

I can't wait for our next Monthly Monday Mommy Playdate! Not quite sure where it will be next, or even if it will be on a Monday (I've had some requests to mix it up a bit), but I'll let you know! And until then...

KEEP SHOOTING!

Jen

Celebrating Autumn!

2011-10-17T12:41:00.013-04:00

I know that God's beauty is everywhere, but I think He has showered our area with a little extra this autumn. Perhaps it is a reward for all the rain we've had to endure, or perhaps it's the last hurrah before a long and cold winter, but whatever it is, I am enjoying it to no end!

The gorgeous temperatures and colors have been perfect for getting beautiful families out to celebrate the season with me Here are a few faves from the beginning sessions of what I'm anticipating will be a fabulous portrait season!

These were all taken at different locations, each one having a beauty all its own. Which location is your favorite? Where would you go for your family portraits?

Share with me, or better yet, call me and we can go there together!

As for me, I'll be heading to my new favorite location with my family next month. I've struck up a wonderful trade with my friend and fellow photographer, Rebecca Cooper. Her work is gorgeous and we'll be shooting each other's families. I cannot wait to share both sessions here next month!

Jen

Precious Portraits Contest! A Fundraiser for Designing 4 Hope

2011-10-13T12:50:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I blogged about a friend of mine, Lori McHale. Lori runs the non profit organization, Designing 4 Hope, which helps critically ill children by giving them beautiful bedroom makeovers. I had the privilege of photographing one of these makeovers this summer and was moved by the entire experience, from the volunteers who gave so much of themselves, to the extraordinary bedroom designs created by Lori, to the talented work of her contractor, Steve. And let's never forget the amazing spirit and heart of the little man behind the mission, Gavin, who is fighting leukemia at just 4 years old.

Lori has a wonderful talent and she is using it to bring hope to children who truly need a reason to hope and a reason to smile. As a portrait photographer who specializes in all things children, I have been looking for a way to join Lori in her work, to donate my time and services to an organization that I can stand behind. And so together with Lori, and our new friend Susan, owner of Pride N Joy Hair Salon, this is what we've come up with!

Join us on Sunday, November 6th from 1-5pm at Pride N Joy Salon in Chester Springs for this super fun fundraiser!

For just $29 you will receive a complimentary styling with Susan, and a 10 minute mini portrait session for your child with Jen. The portraits created from all mini session that day will then be displayed in a protected gallery (no names given out for the safety of your children). For $1 per vote (unlimited voting) you and your family and friends can vote for the most precious portrait!

The winner of the Precious Portraits Contest will receive a FREE family portrait session with Jen Lebo Photography!

The best part? ALL proceeds from these sessions and the voting will go to Designing 4 Hope so that Lori can continue to touch the lives of children in our area.

Please join us for this special event! Let us celebrate the beautiful smiles of your children in order to bring some smiles to other precious children.

Contact Jen Lebo Photography for more information or to book your mini session in advance. We're hoping that the sessions fill completely up and you'll want to make sure you get a spot!

610.504.6151

www.jenlebophotography.com

Lori, Susan, and I sure hope to see you there!

Jen

Experiencing Growth: Family Portraits

2011-10-10T15:05:00.013-04:00

One of the best things about being a portrait photographer is experiencing growth. Some days the growth I experience is on one side of my camera, that of the little ones growing up before my eyes. Like Sophia here. I first photographed Sophia when she was just 8 months old, not yet crawling away, just content to sit with me. Watching her grow from year to year has been so fun, especially during our past session as I watched her grow into the role of "big sister".

But sometimes the growth I experience is on the other side of my camera, like it was this very day. As I watched Sophia and Olivia interact with each other, and their parents with them, I began to enjoy photographing them just doing their own thing. I stopped instructing them, stopped forcing them into a connection with me, and simply photographed their connections with each other. It was a lesson I had already heard, and even shared with others. But this was the day I got it myself.

Of course I still love to connect with my families, and love to see them smiling back at me. But I think I've found that balance between interacting with them, and letting them interact with each other. And it's wonderful to be experiencing growth from both sides. Just goes to show you that you never stop growing.

I can't wait to see what the next few years with these beautiful girls will bring... for all of us!

Keep growing,

Jen

Treat Your Friend To The Holidays!

2011-10-10T06:11:00.008-04:00

This past weekend I enjoyed the most wonderful family portrait session! The colors were amazing and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of what gorgeous Christmas cards Joy would be sending out this year!

Let me do the same for you!

Join me for Custom Christmas Card Saturday on October 22. Remember to book this week to receive the special price on both flat and folded cards!

PLUS!

I'm offering extra incentive to share this with your friends!

1. Book together with a friend and SHARE ONE SESSION FEE! Both of you will receive half off your session fee if you book with a friend!

2. Share this on FB or retweet on Twitter and your name will be entered to win a session for FREE! (you must book to enjoy this! Winner announced on Monday, October 17th)

Don't wait! The season is beautiful, the cards are luxurious, and the opportunities are fantastic... but not forever!

Call or email me to book your session!

610.504.6151

jalebo@gmail.com

Can't wait to connect with you!

Jen

An Early Christmas Gift For You!

2011-10-04T18:01:00.006-04:00

I am so excited about Custom Christmas Card Saturday! What could be better than spending the day with wonderful families, creating beautiful portraits to go on beautifully custom designed holiday cards?

Well how about a special price for booking your session early?

These prices are only good this week, so book your session with me by October 12 to take advantage of it!

I cannot wait to hear from you!

We're gonna have a great time together!

Jen

Loving Autumn: A September Recap

2011-10-03T13:36:00.022-04:00

I hope your September was as wonderful as mine was. I spent my month celebrating newborns, goofing around with some great kids, and enjoying some quality time with some quality families! Here are a few of my favorites from the last month!

I was smitten with newborn Cecelia, just 4 days old here!

I hung out with some really cool kids, Graham, Sadie, Gracie, and Lucia... and their parents are pretty cool too!

Had the awesome opportunity to photograph Evan, and his sisters, Emma, and Elisabeth.

Was smitten yet again, this time with Colbie Grace, just 6 days old here!

And went out for a family session with Rich, Melissa, and their little dolls! I've been photographing this family since Sophia (now almost 3) was just 8 months old. Now she's big sister to Olivia, who turns 1 next week!

October is already booked and I'm looking forward to the great times ahead!

Happy autumn!

Jen

The Cherished Baby

2011-10-02T17:42:00.005-04:00

Is your baby a "Cherished Baby"?

3 Simple Joys: Yummy!

2011-09-29T13:54:00.004-04:00

Thinking about my blessings again and want to share 3 simple joys with you.

1. I love that my children spend their days in a classroom where their teachers love watching them learn, and do crazy fun experiments to make learning fun for them!

2. I love that my oldest has developed that good old Lebo competitive spirit, even when it comes to stacking cookies!

3. I love Oreo cookies! And apparently so does my little guy!

What are you 3 simple joys today?

Jen

Tis the season!

2011-09-27T14:30:00.002-04:00

Can you tell I'm excited about the holiday season?

Local News!

2011-09-26T13:44:00.002-04:00

My photos made the local paper! Last week the Pottstown Mercury featured an article on my friend, Lori McHale, and her nonprofit business, Designing 4 Hope. Through this business, Lori uses her talents as a professional interior designer to redesign bedrooms for children with terminal illnesses. Lori is truly someone using her extraordinary gifts to serve God and to serve others. She's fabulous!

The article featured my photo of her (shown here) as well as some of the images I took of one of the room makeovers she did- that of my new little friends, twins Gavin (who has Leukemia) and Dempsey (his awesome sister).

How exciting to have my images and name in the paper! Even more fun was that the article came out on my birthday! But for me, the best part has been working with Lori, watching her serve those around her, and being a part of something this honorable and beautiful.

Kudos to you, Lori. You are a blessing to so many!

Jen

(click here to view the article)

Contemplating Races

2011-09-20T10:52:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I ran my first, and possibly last, big race- the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Philadelphia. It was an awesome experience and a tremendous accomplishment for a non-runner like me. My sister-in-law came up from FL to run it with me and we had a great time. I was so proud of us!

But even greater than that was celebrating a milestone of a race I'm still running. My little girl turned six this past weekend, marking another wonderful moment in the marathon of mommyhood.

Being mom to my three babies has been the most challenging and most rewarding experience of my entire life- and I'm sure all you moms know exactly what I'm talking about. It is truly awesome to watch as these precious little babies grow into little people, amazing little people who touch your heart like nothing else in the entire world.

But sometimes this amazing marathon brings us face to face with some hurdles, hurdles we wish never to face. Such is the case for another precious little boy I know and his wonderful parents. My friend Gavin is fighting Leukemia, something no 4 year old should ever have to fight. His race is filled with hurdles and obstacles, and his race has some pretty steep inclines right about now.

For much of my race this past weekend, I thought about Gavin and he inspired me to keep going. I wouldn't quit, I refused to stop and walk, because a brave and wonderful little boy kept me motivated.

I finished my race, and it was easy compared to the race that Gavin is still running. Please pray for Gavin, that God will supply him, his twin sister, and his dear parents with His love, comfort, peace, and power.

Gavin, keep running, buddy! You can do it! I'm cheering for you, praying for you, and I believe in you.

Jen

Amazing Gracie!

2011-09-14T06:49:00.007-04:00

Every so often, I'll photograph a family or a group, and a child will just take over. This past weekend, that child was Gracie. As the 3rd child in a family with 4 kids, I was struck by how easily and effortlessly Gracie stole the show. Older brother and sister were more concerned with each other or whether our session was over (they had better things to do than pose for portraits, they had friends to meet and games to play!). And baby sister was still too young to know who I was or why I was following her around. She just wanted mommy and daddy. But Gracie knew. And Gracie captivated me. She smiled for me, laughed with me, struck some poses, and showed me why even though she's 3rd out of 4, she will NEVER suffer from lack of attention! Gracie was simply amazing!

Her stunning beauty certainly helped too! Wow! Dad, you're sure gonna have your hands full with this beauty! Thanks Gracie for a wonderful portrait date! Like I already warned your mom, I may be borrowing you from time to time. My camera simply LOVED you!

Jen

Cawfee Tawk Tuesday! Fun Times!

2011-09-12T12:53:00.010-04:00

Yesterday was the first Monthly Monday Mommy Playdate! It was planned for 9:30am, this month at Mandarach Park, and I was so happy with the turnout! There were about 10 moms who came out to join me on what turned out to be a bright and sunny morning! And for a good chunk of the hour, we were the only moms at the park! It was great fun!

As I told the moms there, I see the purpose of our Monday Mommy dates as three fold:

1. It is a great way to meet and connect with other moms with kids who our the same ages as our own!

2. It is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time with our kids while meeting new moms. I'm not sure who had more fun during our hour together, we moms or the kids!

3. It's a great time and place to take a couple of select tips and try them out! New and old friends, quality time with the kids, and an hour of practicing our photography! A sure recipe for fun and success!

At our mommy dates, I will be focusing on compositional tips- tips that you can use immediately, regardless of whether you're using a point and shoot or a fancy DSLR, tips you can use whether you are a seasoned pro or a newbie (mom or photographer!).

Yesterday we started with 2 basic tips:

1. Get closer! This was the very first pointer I ever heard and put into practice and it is still my favorite. Getting closer removes outside distractions, and leaves no question as to who your subject is. And it allows you to get close enough to actually connect with your child! Which leads to...

2. Simply engage with your child. Forget "say cheese" and going for the perfect shot. Just follow him around, spend time with him, talk with him, play with him. Bring your camera along for the ride and just shoot him being him. The expressions are more genuine and you get more of them!

I followed my own pointers and am sharing my favorites from the morning. These were the few I got between great moments with great ladies, and multiple trips up and down the huge slide at Mandarach! Don't know who was more tired after our play date- Mikey or me!

Thanks for spending the morning with me, ladies! I've got a couple of great ideas for the next outing and I hope to see you all there!

Bring a friend!

And keep shooting!

Jen

Basic Photography Workshop

2011-09-08T13:59:00.010-04:00

Jen

3 Simple Joys

2011-09-07T12:43:00.004-04:00

I am trying to be more aware of the simple joys around me every day, and it might be particularly good for me to do so today, with all this dreary rain! I encourage you to join with me! It would take all of 2 minutes to come up with a list of 3 simple joys in your life. And I'm sure you'd agree, the more time spent on this challenge, the longer the list grows.

Here are my 3 simple joys today:

1. The joy of my children's faces as they start another year of school. It amazes me how Scott and I could create three kids who are so different! So wonderful, each in their own way.

2. The joy of day 1 at the school my children attend, Coventry Christian School, and the feeling it gives me to leave my children in such good hands, surrounded by such wonderful people!

3. The joy of knowing the One who has blessed me with three precious children and one special school- and so much more!

What are your 3 simple joys today? Share them with me. Share them with everyone!

Have a wonderful day!

Jen

Baby Steps for Mom: The eBook!

2011-09-03T14:56:00.004-04:00

Are you looking for ways to improve your photography? Do you live with the most beautiful children you have ever seen but have little idea how to capture their beauty on a day to day basis? Are you frustrated over how they do amazing new things every day but none of your images seem to show it? Well maybe you need some Baby Steps!

"Baby Steps for Mom" is my new eBook filled with simple but valuable tips on how to improve your day to day photos of your own kids. Get great shots of them between portrait sessions! After all, they are amazing every single day!

And the best part is... it's FREE! By simply joining our mailing list (enter your email in the subscription bar above), you'll gain access to the JLP newsletter, with the free download of this eBook!

You can start improving your "mommytography" today!

Enjoy the book, and let me know what you think!

Jen

Finally! A Reason To Love Mondays!

2011-09-02T13:59:00.002-04:00

Monday mornings just got better!

Join me on the second Monday of each month for

Monthly Monday Mommy Dates!

Each month we'll pick a different place to play. Kids will enjoy playing with new and old friends. Moms will enjoy chatting with other moms. And I'll be sharing a few portrait tips that you can use right then and there. The hope is to make connections and improve our "mommytography", all while spending time with our kids. What could be better?

So join me this month! Our first date is on Monday, September 12, from 9:30-10:30 at Mandarach Park. All you need is a camera and a kid!

And hey, bring a friend! The more the merrier!

Can't wait to get together!

Jen

Farewell, Sweet Summer Days

2011-09-01T13:32:00.016-04:00

I know you are experiencing it too. The school supply list is almost completely checked off, the kids are either already back to school, or headed back in a few days, and the long and lazy days of summer are pretty much behind us. If you're anything like me, you fluctuate moment to moment from feeling excited to be in a routine again to feeling your heart break at the thought of an empty house next week.

This summer was fantastic wasn't it? Did you spend it at the shore or did you head somewhere shady and quiet? Was it filled with summer camps and squeals at the local pool, or with hikes in the mountains and evenings under the stars? Our days were wonderful, filled with so much laughter!

We became fans of a new family sport! (the next Michael Phelps perhaps?)

We delighted in our patriotism!

And we enjoyed savoring our sweet teeth! (some more than others, ahem, Scotty boy)

We were captivated by the beautiful sights! (though we were, of course, too chicken to partake)

We took advantage of a great new hairstyle and a crazy photographer mom! (He's getting too old, don't you think?)

We made some wonderful new friends! (Everyone, meet Kit...

...and Monkey)

We goofed around doing some old tricks! (She's been doing this since she was two)

And wow! We learned some new tricks too! Go, Scotty, go!

We celebrated the birthday of someone very special! (Lord, please help us through the twos!)

But, best of all, we I savored the blessing of my beautiful children and my precious husband- even if he is a Sox fan!

What were the highlights of your summer? I'd love to hear your stories!

Farewell, sweet summer! Welcome, fantastic fall!

Jen

Cawfee Tawk is Back!!! And It's All About Perspective!

2011-08-29T13:29:00.008-04:00

Welcome back to Cawfee Tawk!! Did you miss it as much as I did? I am excited to be back on Tuesday mornings, and hope to bring to you some simple but great tips to improve your people portraits as soon as today. And today it's all about perspective.

Most of us tend to shoot the way we stand. So all of our shots come from the same vantage point. Kind of boring, don't you think? Plus, we get the tops of all the little heads that follow us around all day. Not their best sides.

One of the quickest, simplest fixes for better portraits is to just move! Change your perspective. Bend your knees. Get on your tummy, or lie on your back. See the world from your children's perspective or get the "bird's eye view" by climbing a tree. The possibilities are endless.

A few things to note about how perspective can effect what we see in our portraits. Sometimes (like here with Tatumn) it's great to shoot down on our subjects. In the right light (here we were in open shade, next to a large building), your subject can look up at you without going blind, and you can get great light in her eyes. And shooting down on your subject brings a feeling of innocence, and simplicity.

On the other hand, shooting up at our subjects creates a feeling of masculinity and strength. This is a great way to shoot teenage boys or men. Any moms out there with young boys in the house? I know my older son is only 7 and I still like to try to shoot up at him sometimes. He likes the way it makes him look older and stronger.

Sometimes shooting up at our subjects is just a fun alternative to the conventional and expected shot. Be bold, think outside the box and get creative. Having digital cameras frees us of having to save our film, so we can shoot all we want!

And often times, the best part of changing our perspectives, is the opportunity it gives us to connect with our subjects. By getting down on our tummies along side our kids, we get on their level, inviting lots of great giggles, or maybe a few moments of thoughtful conversation.

I challenge you to change your perspective. Look at the world, and your subjects, differently, and get creative with how you are shooting. You'll love the variety of shots you get, and your kids will love connecting with you in new ways.

As for Cawfee Tawk, I'm looking forward to connecting with YOU through our Tuesday morning lessons. CT will probably be a monthly or bi-monthly post, so I'll see you in two weeks or so. Until then, shoot me your comments and thoughts, and better yet, some photos too! I'd love to see your perspective!

Keep shooting!

Jen

It's The Holiday Season... Isn't It?

2011-08-28T13:08:00.006-04:00

OK, so it's still August, and some of us have spent the last weekend dealing with hurricanes, not blizzards, but it's there, right around the corner. The holiday season may be a few months away still, but the opportunity to have gorgeous family portraits taken for those holiday cards is right now!

Think about it. What better time to have portraits taken then at the end of summer, when you're looking healthy and tan, and well rested from weekends at the shore? If everyone you know receives a holiday card with your family photo on it, don't you want it to be you at your best?

And if the timing and tan are not enough, how about the new season of JLP greeting cards, or the special that's running for booking your holiday portrait session now? Yes, that's right, you're getting one holiday gift early this year!

(holiday cards from previous years shown below)

So what's the special you ask? Well, you've got to stay tuned to find out! Or better yet, shoot me a call or an email, and I'll let you in on my secret! I promise you, the deal will be as sweet as the new season's designs!

So enjoy the rest of August (hopefully hurricane free!) and stay tuned for the holiday special!

Jen

3 Simple Joys

2011-08-24T07:08:00.003-04:00

Recently I read a blog post that got me thinking. Titled "3 Simple Joys", the post expressed a few of the blessings in the writer's life. I loved it and want to do the same here. It's far too easy to get overwhelmed with the chaos and "busyness" of life and forget the many blessings, big and small. My hope is that by posting regularly here about 3 simple blessings in my life, I will remind myself (and maybe others) of all there is to be thankful for.

For today, my 3 simple blessings are:

1. An amazing husband who loves me despite our MLB rivalry!

2. Three beautiful children who let me chase them with my camera all day long!

3. The imminent promise of school days, routine, and order! I will miss my babies to be sure, but I will enjoy the routine again!

I challenge you today to think of 3 simple joys in your life, and as always, encourage you to share them with me here. Comment below and let me know what blessings are on your heart today. And let's make it a regular date!

Be blessed!

Jen

Good Luck College Girl: Samantha's Portraits

2011-08-21T10:44:00.010-04:00

Today is a very special day for a young lady I know. Today Samantha, a recent graduate of The Hill School, is packing the last of her things, and heading off to college at The University of Pittsburgh.

I'm sure today is going to be filled with all sorts of emotions for both her and her family. Surely she is excited and determined, but also nervous and uncertain. And I'm sure her mom is filled with pride and joy, and a little bit of sadness mixed in, since it probably feels like yesterday that Sam was learning to walk and talk. How do the days, the months, the years go so quickly?

In honor of this beautiful young lady on this wonderfully special day, I am sharing some images from our recent portrait session at Hill. Spending time with her was such a treat for me. Sam is truly beautiful inside and out and I have no doubt she will be an amazing success at Pitt.

Here are a few of my favorites from our session:

Best of luck Sam. Hill was lucky to have you, and Pitt will be too. Go out there and enjoy every second. Continue to make your family proud. Be true to yourself, and do what you love. I can't wait to hear about all the wonderful things you accomplish!

Jen

Share The Love (and The Contest!)

2011-08-15T14:38:00.001-04:00

Pssst!!! Have you heard about Jen Lebo Photography's latest contest?

You could be her SpokesMom!!!

Plus, if you share this contest on your FB page, or Tweet about it, you'll automatically be entered in a drawing to win a beautiful Ena bag from Threadpoets!

But you have to let Jen know you've shared, so be sure to comment below!

Hurry! You only have until August 31st to enter the SpokesMom and the bag drawing!

Enter here to be SpokesMom!

Oh Baby!

2011-08-15T12:40:00.017-04:00

I have recently had the wonderful treat of photographing some gorgeous moms-to-be. Since my "Watch Me Grow" package seems such a good fit for these moms, I've also been able to photograph their precious little newborns too! I have gone completely ga ga for maternity and newborn photography! After all, there are few things more beautiful than a pregnant mommy, only one of which is her brand new child.

Here are a few shots from recent maternity/newborn sessions.

Courtney and Junior were a beautiful couple enjoying the anticipation of their first child! They did not share baby Haiden's name until he was born!

Just a few weeks later, I was back in their home to photograph little Haiden, and I just fell head over heels for this little guy- just like his mom and dad, and everyone else who laid eyes on him! He was such a beautiful baby and so easy too! Hardly cried, slept through most of our shooting, and never even soiled my props! I was so smitten!

And finally, I shared an evening with Colleen and Chad, another beautiful couple awaiting the arrival of their first baby, a little girl they're naming Colbie (love it!). This session was extra fun as Colleen had once been a student and FH player of mine. When did I get so old? Ah well, it was great fun and Colleen was absolutely glowing!

Baby Colbie has yet to arrive, but I am looking so forward to photographing another little beauty! In the meantime, I thought I'd reach out to all you moms out there and ask if perhaps you might comment below and offer Colleen and Courtney (and any other new mommas out there) your favorite or best piece of advice for this wonderful and crazy challenge called mommyhood. Please pitch in and offer them a tip, something that helped you get through those first couple of months, those sleepless nights, those moments of uncertainty and panic.

As for me, well, I have two. First, sleep when baby sleeps! Don't do the laundry, or vacuum, or catch up on chores. That can wait. Your rest cannot. And second, pat yourself on the back every day. What you are doing is hard, it's brand new, it's the greatest and toughest challenge you'll probably ever face. You're doing great. Give yourself lots of credit.

Hugs to all you moms out there! Including mine! ;)

Jen

Rosie and Lisandro: Engagement and Wedding

2011-08-09T13:40:00.015-04:00

Last month I went out to Philadelphia to photograph the wedding of Lisandro and Rosie, and the month before I met them at St. Peter's Village for their engagement session. As always, it was a treat for me to shoot at St. Pete's. I've come to love the variety of "looks" there. But even better was getting out of my comfort zone to head into the city for the actual wedding. I am SO NOT the city girl, but it was so worth driving on crazy streets to be able to spend time with these two and photograph their love. These two are just dream subjects! So romantic, so fun, so up for anything. They were getting honked at and waved at walking through Philly in their wedding attire, and they had a blast with it. It was so fun!

Here are a few of my favorites from the engagement session and wedding:

Congratulations Rosie and Lee! You deserve all the happiness in the world!

Jen

SpokesMom Contest

2011-08-07T20:55:00.012-04:00

CALLING ALL MOMS!

Are you looking for a fun and exciting opportunity to get beautiful custom portraits of your children just for exercising your voice? Do you enjoy socializing with your community and friends, spreading the word about great new finds? Are you the mom I'm looking for? Are you my next SpokesMom?

What's a SpokesMom?

A SpokesMom is a mom who loves her kids and realizes the importance of documenting their childhood with professional portraits. A SpokesMom is an active member of her community, an excited and passionate friend who likes to share great news with others, through social media, mommy groups, church, school, daycare, and other social gatherings. And she's a mom who thinks Jen Lebo Photography is something worth sharing!

What does she do?

The SpokesMom simply spreads the word for Jen Lebo Photography! She tells her friends and family about her sessions, and she shares her images with everyone she can. She tweets, chats, and maybe even blogs about JLP. She shares cards, flyers, and other printed pieces (provided by JLP). She becomes our greatest cheerleader and helps JLP grow by connecting us with her like-minded friends!

And wow, what she gets in return! First, she receives a FREE portrait session for her chlidren, a $150 print credit, and a set of 50 Mommy Cards with her child's image (perfect for scheduling playdates). She'll also get a cute JLP t-shirt, a car window decal, and a 30% discount on her second session (which takes place during her year-long term). Not to mention some serious bragging rights!

So don't wait! Apply right now, simply by clicking on the link below. This year's SpokesMom will be announced on September 1st and her year-long term will begin that day! It's a year promising to be exciting, fun, and filled with gorgeous photos!

Apply here by August 31st!

Spring Sessions... Better Late Than Never!

2011-06-27T14:13:00.022-04:00

How can it be that spring has come and gone? And how can it be that it's been over a month since I've blogged about any of the sessions I've been enjoying? Sorry for slacking over here! I've been having so much fun shooting, I forgot to tell you all about it! So rather than bore you now with the details, I thought you'd rather just see for yourselves. Here's a recap of what I enjoyed this past May.

I was smitten with Cullen and his three younger brothers early in the month.

I met Courtney and her husband, Junior, and had the best time photographing them for a maternity session! (Baby Haiden arrived just a few days ago and I am beyond excited to be photographing him this weekend!)

Made two awesome new friends this month- Shana and her little man, Logan. This little guy ROCKED, and his mom was pretty wonderful too!

Spent an afternoon photographing two beautiful sisters, Nancy and Mary. We shot right in the center of Pottstown and discovered some really cool new locations!

And of course, no spring is complete without a photo shoot with my "best girls", my Brady girl and her two best buddies. Spending the afternoon with these three, all dolled up for a funky photo shoot- it doesn't get any better than this!

June is in full swing (in fact, gee wiz, it's almost over isn't it?) and I've had some fun and exciting sessions already! Cannot wait to share them with you and I promise, it won't be a month before I post again!

Can't wait to share! We're talking huge high school reunions, wonderfully fabulous little ones, birthday girls, and beautiful brides! It's been too fun!

Jen

Father's Day Contest Winner

2011-05-23T07:44:00.002-04:00

And the winner is...

Courtney Neese!!!

(with winning entry #16)

Congratulations Courtney and thanks everyone for entering!

There were such wonderful blog comments. There sure are some amazing dads out there!

Mother's Day Contest Winner: Stephanie, Jason, and the Kids

2011-05-10T13:00:00.030-04:00

Last weekend I had the best session! Stephanie, Jason, and their three kids met me on campus at The Hill School to shoot some family portraits. Stephanie was the winner of my Mother's Day contest and she was excited to get her free mini-session!

It was such a delight! Older brother Evan was my big helper, finding me fun places to shoot and giving me great smiles. Middle sister Emma was just beautiful. She was a bit shy to start out, but that didn't last long and she may have had as much fun as I did! And baby sister Elizabeth was just precious. She was happy as long as she was in either mommy's or daddy's arms. I was so smitten with all of them.

Take a look at a few of my favorites and you will be too! Be warned though... this post is picture HEAVY!

Thanks so much Jason and Stephanie for a wonderful afternoon. It's obvious how much you cherish your babies, and after our session together, I can easily see why.

Don't forget everyone! I'm running a Father's Day Contest right now so you can win your own free mini-session! Check out the details in the blog post from yesterday!

Hope to hear from you so we can create YOUR special memories!

Jen

Father's Day Contest!

2011-05-09T13:12:00.002-04:00

Last month I offered a contest for Mother's Day. The lucky winner received a free mini session, framed gift print, and discount on her order. The results were awesome. Many of you wrote in telling great stories of the funny or sweet things your kids have said to you. You tweeted the contest, you announced it on Facebook, and you shared it with lots of friends. And last week, winning mom Stephanie and her family enjoyed that session almost as much as I did! (I'll be blogging on it this week).

So now it's Dad's turn!!!

This week Jen Lebo Photography is giving away a mini-session to one lucky Dad!

The winner will receive:

- A complimentary mini-session (30 minutes) at the location of your choice for up to 5 people!

- 10 edited images from which to choose!

- 1 8x10 custom framed portrait of your favorite image (great for Dad's office)!

- 10% off any other purchases from your session!

Enter to win:

Enter to win by leaving the answer to the following question in the comment section of this blog post:

Why is your husband (or dad, or son, or brother, etc) the best dad there is?

Get extra entries by:

1. Tweeting the following about this contest (must include the website link):

Enter to win a free mini session with Jen Lebo Photography! www.jenlebophotography.com

2. Posting on your Facebook profile about this contest (must include the website link):

Enter to win a free mini session for Father's Day with Jen Lebo Photography! www.jenlebophotography.com

3. Joining Jen Lebo Photography on Facebook!

Become a fan by clicking on the "Like" button. If you are already a fan, use the "Suggest to Friends" link on the Facebook page to send it to your friends.

Only 4 entries per person.

(you must leave an additional comment on the blog letting me know you did any of the above to receive the extra entries.)

Contest ends Sunday, May 22nd at midnight.

The winner will be announced on Monday, May 23rd here on the blog and on Facebook.

Session must take place before June 30, 2011.

Winner will be chosen through a random number generator at random.org

Good luck!

Jen

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-07T15:23:00.009-04:00

Mother's Day is my favorite day! It's not just because it's a day just for me in our house (well, maybe just a little!) but because it celebrates one of the all time greatest things about my life. There has been nothing in my life as challenging, as rewarding, and as wonderful as being mommy to my three precious babies.

And so I wanted to take this time to celebrate all of you moms out there, to say "Happy Mother's Day" to all of you. I have put together some of my favorite "mommy moments" from past sessions to celebrate all of you, to share with others why I truly love what I do!

Isn't it amazing how beautiful a woman looks when she is sharing moments with her babies?

Isn't it wonderful to be witness to such transparent love and beauty?

Isn't it amazing what a mother's love can do for her children?

Isn't it such a special blessing from God to be a mommy?

Isn't it true that there is no one more beautiful and precious than your own little one?

Isn't mommy beautiful?

And on this day, I want to celebrate three special moms in my life.

First, my sister-in-law who is more like a sister, who shows me daily how to be a godly mother and who encourages me with lots of laughter and lots of love.

Second, my mother-in-law, who treats me more like her own daughter, showering me with love, and making me feel so blessed to have married into this family.

And of course, my own mother, who has made me feel like the joy of her life for as long as I can remember. She has taught me how to be mommy to my babies, and has guided me with great love and care all the days of my life. She is the greatest mom, and I am forever grateful for all she has given me. Love you, Momma.

Being a mom has been the greatest job I have ever taken on. I am sure all you moms know exactly what I mean.

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms. May your day be as special as you are.

Love,

Jen

I've Got Senioritis!!!

2011-04-21T06:38:00.017-04:00

Well, I didn't think it could be done, but I did it! Me! A thirty-something year old grown woman, mom of three. And I've got it. I've got senioritis!!!

If I focus and think hard enough I can vaguely remember my senior days in high school and all the excitement I felt over the amazing future that I had in front of me. A decade or so later, as a high school teacher, I can vividly remember loathing that same feeling, as my seniors where checked out by April, more concerned about the weather and their senior formal than they were about the test right in front of them!

And so imagine my surprise when another decade or so later, here I am excited about high school and spring again! This time though, my senioritis is not about being a senior, but about shooting seniors! It's not about hanging out at prom, but photographing portraits at prom! It's a whole new kind of excitement, seeing high school seniors looking ahead to their own futures, feeling scared and uncertain, yet excited and confident. And capturing all that they are during this amazing time, giving them something precious to remember forever.

It's an amazing time, that senior year. And I love sharing it with these beautiful kids. Recently, I've had the chance to photograph some amazingly talented and gorgeous high school seniors and juniors. Below are a few of my favorites from the sessions:

I've got major senioritis and I'm looking for next year's senior class!

Juniors, book your portrait session with Jen Lebo Photography now!

Book for a spring session (before June 1st) and get 20% off your order!

Book for a summer session (June 1- September 1st) and get %15 off your order!

Book for a fall session (September 1- December 1) and get 10% off your order!

(Be sure to mention this blog post when booking.)

I can't wait to hear from you! Until then, though, keep those heads in those books and TRY to contain your own senioritis!

Jen

Mother's Day Contest!! And The Winner Is...

2011-04-18T06:48:00.005-04:00

STEPHANIE TRAUNER!!!!

(entry #53, selected at random by www.random.org)

Stephanie, you win a free mini session (with up to 5 people) during the month of May, along with:

-10 edited images from which to choose.

- 1 8x10 custom framed portrait of your favorite image.

- 10% off any other purchases from your session.

Let's make a date soon! Cannot wait to celebrate your Mother's Day with you!

Thanks so much for all who entered!

I was so touched by all of your entries and stories, all the ways in which your children melt your hearts. It reinforced to me (and hopefully to all of you) how very blessed we are to be called their mommies. There's nothing like it in the whole world!

Happy Happy Mother's Day to you all!!!

(stay tuned for a similar Father's Day contest... it's right around the corner!)

Jen

Happy Anniversary to Jen Lebo Photography!

2011-04-14T13:24:00.015-04:00

I can hardly believe it, but it's been one whole year since Jen Lebo Photography became official! And what a great year it's been!

Early last April, when I first "hung up my shingle", a good friend told me that the first year would be "a tremendous learning curve". Wow, was she right! For those amazing families who have been with me through this first year, you can surely relate this truth! But despite the myriad of mistakes I made, and the hours of uncertainty, fear, and trepidation I experienced over beginning this crazy journey, this year has been filled with the most wonderful and exciting blessings a person could ever enjoy with a camera!

And so I wanted to share a few of my favorite memories from this last year. A year in portraits!

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

This post is really just to say thank you. Thank you to my family and friends who encouraged me to go out and pursue my dream despite the fear and uncertainty. Thank you to the wonderful families who took a chance with a new photographer and trusted me with your precious portraits. And thanks to my wonderful Father and God, who gave me a passion for people, for children, and for photography, and then led me slowly but surely down the path to fulfill His purposes with these passions.

Thank you for sharing this first year with me! I sure hope we get many more together!

Jen

Rockin' Out With Mallory!

2011-04-10T10:52:00.011-04:00

Last weekend I headed out to do a special photography session. Cathy contacted me to photograph her daughter in a sailor's outfit that had been through four previous generations of women in her family. Her daughter Mallory would be the fifth. I was so excited to shoot this beautiful little girl in this precious outfit, and we had a great time replicating the setting and the shot, and then heading outside for some extras.

However, the real fun started when Mallory changed out of the outfit and into something that seemed to suit her personality a little better. Sporting a fabulous pink jacket and her awesome little guitar, we headed outside for some fun. I had no idea just how much fun we would have! Mallory truly rocked!

Eventually, we were forced to come back down from center stage to get mom and dad in some shots. Still though, Mallory rocked throughout the entire session. She was a bundle of wonderful energy and her bubbly personality was infectious to both her parents and to me.

Mallory, you were such a blast to hang out with! Thanks for hangin' out with me and for showing me an awesome time! You rock, girl!

Mother's Day Contest!!

2011-04-07T05:56:00.006-04:00

God has blessed me threefold in my life. First, I grew up with a mother who made me feel loved and cherished every single day of my life. She was (and is) the most caring and wonderful mom I could have ever asked for. Then I married my husband and gained a mother-in-law who treats me like her very own. She is kind and generous and offers her love, support, and encouragement to me on a daily basis. I am very lucky to have her (and her son!). And then finally, God blessed me with the three most amazing kids EVER! There is absolutely nothing on earth as challenging and rewarding as being their mom. And there is nothing as beautiful as their little faces.

And so, of course, Mother's Day is very special to me. And probably to you too. Maybe you're a mom yourself, or maybe your mom has been a special blessing in your life. Maybe you're married to a special mom, or maybe you just know one. No matter what though, we've all been touched by special moms.

And so, this Mother's Day, Jen Lebo Photography is giving away a mini-session to one lucky mom!

The winner will receive:

- A complimentary mini-session (30 minutes) at the location of your choice for up to 5 people!

- 10 edited images from which to choose!

- 1 8x10 custom framed portrait of your favorite image!

- 10% off any other purchases from your session!

Enter to win:

Enter to win by leaving the answer to the following question in the comment section of this blog post:

What's the best thing your child has ever said to you?

Get extra entries by:

1. Tweeting the following about this contest (must include the website link):

Enter to win a free mini session with Jen Lebo Photography! www.jenlebophotography.com

2. Posting on your Facebook profile about this contest (must include website link):

Enter to win a free mini session with Jen Lebo Photography! www.jenlebophotography.com

3. Joining Jen Lebo Photography on Facebook!

Become a fan by clicking on the "Like" button. If you are already a fan, use the "Suggest to Friends" link on the Facebook page to send it to your friends.

Only 4 entries per person.

(You must leave an additional comment on the blog letting me know you did any of the above to receive the extra entries.)

Contest ends Sunday, April 17th at midnight.

The winner will be announced on Monday April 18th here on the blog and on Facebook.

Session must take place during May 2011.

Winner will be chosen through a random number generator at random.org.

Good Luck!