Award Winning Images | Ingram Portrait Design

The Story Behind the Image

Please hover over and click on an image to read the story behind it.

Wide Eyed Wonder

This little one was so full of energy the day of our portrait session. He raced around and around his oh so patient Mom. I asked her to scoop him up in her arms every now and again. He blessed me with this beautiful image.

My Natasha

I was commissioned to photograph business portraits of this lovely client. We decided to use the opportunity to create a beautiful, timeless, romantic image of her for her husband and family.

Farewell to Oxford

I captured this image in the courtyard of Oxford University in Oxford, England during a trip I was enjoying with one of our children. I love the story-telling-ness of the subject walking away from me with his umbrella in hand, wearing a dapper hat, and his head down. I don't know that he was discouraged, but his manner seemed so to me.

I do

This sweet couple were parents of a friend of mine. We placed them near a window in their home and augmented the ambient light with a softly filtered studio strobe from outside of the window. We put their framed wedding portrait near them to complete the visual story of lives well-lived and enduring love.

Adieu á L'eté - Farewell to Summer

I captured this image at the beach on the California coast during a holiday trip with one of our children. These two little girls were shaking out the sand from their family's picnic blanket. They had clearly enjoyed a wonderful afternoon and evening.

After Hours Grit

I photographed this young hockey player from Sewickley Academy. We arranged the shoot with the Moon Ice Arena as practice ice time for him. We placed a studio strobe to the skater's left to act as a spotlight. I asked him to scrape up some ice as he skated away from me.

Cool Contemplation

I met this young man through a friend of one of our high school senior clients. Thinking he would be comfortable in front of the camera, I asked him if he would model for me. He agreed. I wanted to create an image of him that conveyed his poise and self-confidence. I am very pleased with the results. The judges must be too, because it is one of my highest scoring Competition Prints ever.

Departed Friends

This gentleman, a decorated Vietnam veteran, was the keynote speaker for the Memorial Day ceremony at the historic landmark Old Log Church in Schellsburg, PA. Following his moving speech, as the crowd dispersed, my husband noticed him looking out the window of the small historic church into the graveyard. The man patiently worked with me as I maneuvered him around so as to get beautiful light on him, his medals, and the stones in the foreground reflected in the rippled glass of the vintage windows. I especially appreciate the depth of emotion many of our Vietnam Veterans carry with them every day. It has been my joy to have this image in my collection. It is one of my favorites.

Full House

I have had the joy of photographing this is precious family over the past two decades. This image, Full House, was so fun to create for them. I arranged them on the carpeting in their family room, then climbed a ladder to create the final shot. We used two studio strobes to put beautiful light on their faces.

Promises Kept

These dear people have been friends of ours for nearly 30 years. The husband, though usually reluctant to pose for me, finally agreed to have a portrait made of him with his wife of nearly 50 years. A precious image and memory for me.

Salute D'Amour

This lovely young lady came to me for her high school senior photographs. She loved playing her violin and we wanted this to come through in this portrait of her. She and I worked well together to bring about this warm, compelling composition. I love the strong diagonal line of the strings of the instrument leading up to her beautifully lit face.

One Last Time

This elderly gentleman is a dear friend of mine. We go way back, as they say. He loved to tinker in his shop, and he was an avid fisherman. He took our young son fishing many times. I wanted to use the beauty of the natural light streaming through the old window in his garage as it played upon him and his surroundings. I gave this image a wistful title to enhance the story.

Dreaming of the Dance

This ballerina image is of a beautiful high school senior. We wanted to create an image that would be dynamic and show her love of dance. This image was crafted at the Mellon Institute in Oakland, Pennsylvania near the Cathedral of Learning. We timed her session to happen as the sun was setting so we would have beautiful cast shadows by the enormous handsome pillars.

Holding On

These dear people discovered me at one of the Sewickley Academy Auctions at the Allegheny Country Club. They had been married for many decades, and the wife was in the last year of her life. I am honored to have been commissioned to photograph this precious couple.

Little Boy Blue

This image is one of my favorites - portraying the sheer joy of childhood. The little fellow is seated on the running board of an antique truck that I rented from Iron City Garage. I had it placed strategically in a field. Then lit the scene with strobes. The t-shirt, jeans, and bare feet complete the look. And oh, yes - the hat he scrunched down over his head makes this one irresistible.

The Beauty of Tradition

This portrait capturers the warmth of this lovely young lady in her senior year of high school. Wearing a beautiful silk traditional Indian shirt, I had her lift her eyes to me as I stood at the top of my ladder. We augmented the natural light with studio strobe.

Yes. Yes. A Thousand Times Yes.

This is an engagement portrait of a young couple I met through our church. The set up for this image: we chose a perfectly lovely, romantic scene at Station Square, Pittsburgh with the Smithfield Street Bridge in background, and a stormy sky above. Natural light with studio strobe. The groom-to-be literally swept her off her feet. I asked his fiancée to kick up her heels, and the emotion of the moment was wonderfully conveyed in the captured image. Truly one of my favorite images.

Making Mama Proud

This darling young lady posed for me at her mother's request. We coordinated the colors of the lilies on the grand piano with her satin dress and the soft green of the trees in the background. Barefeet, always a favorite of mine for portraits of children, express her youth and playfulness as she is poised on the cusp of young adulthood.