Author Archives: Brea

New on the Photography by Brea Menu!

My favorite thing about photographs? They help tell a story. 

And today, in a world where companies are using the internet and social media to tell THEIR stories to their current and prospective customers and followers, photographs have become a key component of a successful brand.

As a business owner whose success relies heavily on social media, I know the importance of a strong image.

Whether you are a blogger who uses images to accompany your posts, or an entreprenuer who is using a website/social media to draw an audience in to your brand … photographs MATTER in today’s marketing world.  And I want to help tell your story.

That’s why I’m so excited to announce the addition of Branding Storytelling Sessions to my menu of services.

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Pittsburgh Photography Sessions

Hello friends! I am so excited to officially be a Pennsylvanian again as my family and I have relocated to Pittsburgh!  I am SO looking forward to continuing to get to know a city I’ve always loved… and scoping out the beautiful backdrops for your family photography sessions!

I am not taking on a full photography schedule for the rest of 2018, but my creative heart is begging me to get behind the lens after a whirlwind last couple of months of transitioning our life from Ohio to Pittsburgh.  With that… I am offering the following fall sessions (first-come, first-served) at a SPECIAL NEW-TO-PITTSBURGH PRICE for a couple of families.

Before you reach out to me… for those who may not be familiar with me and my photography style… please take the time to check out my children and family gallery HERE... and you can also get to know a little more about me and my approach HERE.  It’s so important to me that what you love in family photos is what I love to capture… and this is a great place to start to see if we’re a fit!

Here are the details!

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Welcome to the World Baby E | Hudson, OH Newborn Photographer


I feel like I’m a huge Sappy McSapperton every time I go to write a blog about one of my families.

But YOU GUYS.  Please tell me how it would be possible to complete a THIRD newborn session in four years (that’s right!) for a Mom and Dad I knew before they were even husband and wife…  and not feel all of the feels.  It has been SO amazing watching this family dynamic evolve with each new little spirit that that has entered their tribe.

This session just felt so REAL.  A true documentation of their life at this exact moment… which is something that this family has always embraced.  Mom and Dad never force perfection in our sessions… but just simply let their kids be kids… which makes perfection happen anyways.  Personalities shining all over the place. Laughter in the room (because you have to laugh through this phase of parenting). And most importantly… love present among it all.

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Happy Mothers Day | Why Moms Changed My Why

Over the last several years, this photography journey has taken me to places and people that I never intended when I bought my first camera.  Clients who were once a name on a first-time inquiry in my inbox have now become friends that I care for dearly.  And I am so lucky for that.

But probably the biggest surprise is how my role behind the lens has inspired me to be such a relentless advocate for moms.

Because in doing hundreds of sessions over the last several years, there’s no question that every single mother who has been on the other side of my camera is beautifully unique from the other.  But she is also very much the same. And SO MANY OF US spend our time comparing our differences, instead of seeing that we all really just want the same things… and that we share in the same struggles.

We have days we have insecurities..  We can fear judgement.  We want a break.  We crave time with our family when no other life responsibility is tempting us in the back of our minds.  We just want to be able to let loose sometimes.  We would do anything for the well being of our kids, and we want them to remember us as being GOOD. We have days where we wonder if we can do it, and then will turn around the next and wonder how we ever existed without them.  We have a hard time with our changing bodies.  We struggle to find balance between being parents and being a married couple.  We want to just “be” and not worry how our parenting choices will be perceived by others, or if they are the best ones for our kids.

Most importantly, we just want to be the best mothers we can be in a world that is constantly trying to tell us we are not.

This was put in front of me EVERY time I photographed a family, and heightened by the fact that I was going through my own growth in motherhood. And that’s when I realized that I had a much bigger calling in this life than to just be a picture taker.

My camera had the power to show a family what exists when you peel away the stress and the social pressure. I had the ability to create a safe space for a couple of hours for them to just “be” who they were without housework, jobs and judgement in their way.   That shutter button could freeze dozens of pictures that a Mom could refer to on the days she felt like she was falling apart.

I have made it my life’s mission both through my lens and through my words on The Thinking Branch to continue to help us all see that it’s OK to be whoever we are.  That doing our best as mothers is enough. That loving our kids hard will trump any mistakes we might make along the way.

It has been an incredible privilege to get to know these mothers. I love hearing their stories. I love when they feel comfortable enough to unleash honesty on me.  I love watching their kids respond to them. I love when their authenticity is undeniable in a picture. I love learning from them. I love being inspired by them.

By YOU!  My beautiful, strong PBB Moms. Thank you for the privilege of being welcomed into your lives to help document these precious times and be able to SHOW YOU everything that is amazing about you and your family.  Let’s keep working together to build bridges between each other as mothers,  to accept ourselves for who we are… and to believe that we are more than enough for our kids.

Happy Mother’s Day, ladies. Keep shining.


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Happy First Birthday To Mr. G | Avon, OH Children and Family Photographer

We had a stunning night in Avon, OH to be the backdrop for my session with this crew of five to help celebrate the littlest dude’s first birthday!

Being a Mom myself usually allows me to bring a lot of patience and perspective to a session.  While I know everyone’s family dynamics are different and every kids’ personalities are unique… I’ve learned in my almost 6 years of photographing that there are a lot of things that are the same, too.   And so I’ll bring some of the techniques I use to engage my own kids with my client kids.  But with this session – I truly felt like I was engaging my own kids! ha!  The trio of personalities (and ages!) in these kiddos were hilariously similar to my three.  The loving, older one who follows the rules.  The middle one who is sweet, independent and an edge-walker.  And the baby… who loves life and goes with the flow.

SO MUCH family dynamics and personality awesomeness came pouring into my lens this night and I loved everything about the colors, the love and the connection that came through in these photos.  I’ve photographed these guys when they were a family of three and a family of four… and they make a pretty phenomenal party of five, too …

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