Some people live their life without ties to places or things. They’re perfectly happy to be wherever they’re at, and they have this amazing ability to channel their energy and find their focus in any situation. That isn’t me. I find comfort and peace in my surroundings. I’ve put time and energy into my home, taking care to create a place that helps me relax, stay grounded, and shake off the worries of the world. And I’ve done the same to my office, creating a personal space filled with things that inspire and motivate me to do my best work. And when I’m on the road? I believe in the importance of creating a space wherever you’re at. The first thing I do when I get to my hotel - regardless of whether I’m there for two nights or a month - is to make it feel more like my own. I crave that sense of comfort, that touch of warmth, the sense of belonging I feel when I’m truly relaxed and at ease. I always try to travel with a few items that will help me easily personalize my space - things that hold meaning and bring me joy. It might mean I have to bring a slightly larger carry-on, but I know I’ll be much happier throughout my trip if I have my space to return to at the end of each day. The same applies to my work space. When it’s time to move offices, I can’t just sit down at my new desk, power up my computer and dive in. I need to get comfortable, which usually means finding some small ways to make it feel more like my own. They might seem like small details to some, but the personal touches I bring to my space completely transform it for me.
So, you might be wondering - how do you actually create a space for yourself? What does that look like? Well, there’s no easy answer, as it’s different for everyone. Think about the things that make you smile, bring you joy, and energize your spirit. For some, this might be a photo that captures a favorite memory shared with family and friends. For others, it might be a small vase of flowers, a cozy throw blanket, a fun coffee mug, a book of poems, a bar of dark chocolate - or something else entirely. Whatever steps you take to create your space, you’ll be amazed to see how much of an impact it can truly make on your creativity and your mental well-being. If this is something you already practice, I’d love to know what you do to create a space that feels like your own. Share in the comments below, I want to know! XOXO
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When the date night ideas in your relationship seem to dwindle, all it takes is a little creative thought to ignite a fresh spark. Here are a few fun date night ideas to help you reconnect with your loved one. 1. Plan a Games Night for Two Dust off your old board games for a fun night indoors with your partner. Think Scrabble, Chess or any other games that you’ll both enjoy. (Ticket to Ride is one of our favorites). A little healthy competition may be good for you both and help rekindle the flame! 2. A Sunset Picnic Pack a basket filled with your favorite treats and head outdoors for a romantic picnic for two. Find a scenic park or lakeside to enjoy the sunset or create your own intimate picnic right in the back yard! In the winter months you can plan an in car picnic at a scenic spot! 3. Join a Cooking Class Find an interactive cooking class in your area and put your culinary skills to the test. Alternatively, source a new recipe online and plan a cooking session together at home. You’ll get to work together to create a scrumptious meal, learn a new recipe and enjoy the fruits of your labor! 4. Visit a Comedy Club We all need some down time – especially in our relationships! Find a local comedy club and enjoy a night of banter with your partner. After all, laughter is good for the soul and can instantly help to relieve stress! 5. Plan a Couple’s Massage We could all do with a little pamper session to help us forget the worries of everyday life. Visit a local spa or salon and book a couple’s massage to relieve tension and help you both unwind. My personal fav is The Woodhouse Spa at The Greene! Tell Allen I sent you! 6. Get Active Get the heart racing and plan an active date such as a run or scenic hike. You could also rent bicycles and go for a ride or be brave and book a skydiving date to really get those endorphins flowing! 7. Book a Couple’s Photoshoot Capture beautiful memories together that you can cherish forever (you had to know that was coming!). Book a couple’s photoshoot to commemorate your love and reconnect as a couple. It’s a great opportunity to dress up and invest in some quality time together. Featured Engagement Gallery:
Jenna + Brad at Carriage Hills Metro Park, Ohio Engaged to be married in 2019 Rearing little minds and hearts takes great courage. As a mom, I know this well. From the moment our children are born, we become their most significant support system. Such an immense task and rightfully so! Of course, we want to take extra care as we navigate this incredible parenting journey and leave our mark on what will ultimately be our legacy. Here are five simple strategies to help you boost your child’s self-esteem & how I try to incorporate it in our home: 1. Tell your children that you love them Research suggests that a parent’s affection will help to shape a child’s sense of happiness and security for life. Kids who grow up without affirming words of affection at home often go on to look for love in all the wrong places. Even when my children upset or disappoint me, I reassure them that my love is unwavering. 2. Teach them how to fail We all want our kids to be winners but there are even greater lessons to be learned through life’s failures. Teach them how to respond in times of disappointment and they will carry these values into adulthood. My daughter has a very competitive spirit. I try to remind her that it is okay to feel disappointed, but to enjoy the process of whatever she is doing and to celebrate for others. 3. Practice what you preach Kids are like sponges, easily sucking up what they see modeled to them daily. Be a positive role model and set the bar for expected behavior at home. According to the Illinois State University Child Care Center, credible adults inspire kids’ confidence and admiration while hypocrisy only works to disillusion children. I own up to my kiddos when I am less than my best self, communicating to them and even apologizing to them when I fall short is an important example I want to be. 4. Listen with purpose The simple act of listening to your child can help to build their self-esteem. Before you react or provide a solution, listen to your child intentionally and give them a safe space to openly express themselves. A child who feels ‘heard’ is more likely to grow in confidence. One small way we let our kiddos know we are listening is by giving them the floor every evening to tell us about their day. In my home, have a ritual of going around the dinner table and listing our favorite thing of the day. I just adore watching their faces light up as they relive the best parts of their day and have our full undivided attention. 5. Capture the good times Time is fleeting and before we know it, our kids will be grown and living their lives as independent individuals. It is so important to capture the good times and the precious memories of life at home with our kids. Frame family photographs and position this around your home. Not only will this be a constant reminder of the love shared in your home, but research also suggests that family photographs on display at home may help to reinforce your child’s position in the family. This can certainly work to boost your child’s self-esteem as they begin to acknowledge their worth as a valued member of the family. As a photographer, you know my home is filled with beautiful prints of our family. Not only from our professional family sessions but also events throughout the year. My children love to see their photos and proudly show them to visitors. Have tips and tricks of your own when it comes to raising self-confident littles? What other actions do you take daily to help boost your child’s self-esteem? Share it below and let’s work together to develop independent and confident little people in our homes today!
Outfits Featured: Jagged Little Edges Photography: Elisabeth Ashliegh / Elisabeth Ashliegh Photography Babies first year! *insert swooning* Arguably so, one could say that this is not just one session.... it is multiple. But for me it is not necessarily about the different sessions that pull me in to love everything about it... it is that sweet little baby and the opportunity to see them form from a mother's womb through the different developmental stages up to a cake smashing cutie. Being an emotional-heart-on-your-sleeve & relationships-bring-me-purpose type of lady, I get very attached to the mommies & daddies and their little peanut. I adore watching them wiggle&waggle through a newborn session, their little eyes just taking in all of this new life around them. They sleep softly with lullabies in the background and moms and dads watching with adoration and love written all over their faces. The baby fever... oh that baby fever is strong. When I see them again their tummy time skills are strong. I love watching their strength grow and those foreheads wrinkle as they try to look up - so interested in the world around them. Their smiles & coo's bring joy to everyone around, representing those milestones in every single photography. At six months these little angels are working on mastering those sitting up skills and this is when they start to find me funny. This could be one of my favorite times. They laugh, they play, they take it all in and they just sit there, kings & queens of the castle and demanding our undivided adoration. They are excited and all about seeing the world. Now the crawling has commenced and these busy bodies are all about touching (and tasting) everything they can get those cute puffy fingers on. It is non-stop-gotta-be-quick action with these little ones! Those little personalities are starting to shine through (and so are a couple teeth). The one year - a special time. It is a memory of the moment parents never forget - the birth of their little one. The first of the first birthdays with many more to come. They are really moving now & sometimes even walking. The joy and twinkle in their eye as they are trying to work out how those arms & legs really work is such a sight to be seen. And I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of it. It is always a little extra fun when a theme is involved - cake smash, doughnut smash, milk bath. Something special to commemorate that sweet darling baby. A beautiful journey. The day is filled with emotions.... nervousness, excitement, romance, laughter and tears. No two are the same. The details, big & small come together in one perfectly incredible moment when two people say "I Do". The joining of two people together and a celebration of that love is such a beautiful thing. As the photographer I am tuned in to the moments. I see her hand shake as she opens a special note to her as she is getting ready, I see the look of his face when he sees her for the first time, I hear the whispers of the guests commenting on how beautiful the flowers are and I smile with their laughter together, I might tear up a little with a heartfelt toast, and I sigh at the beauty of a special father daughter dance. I am in the moments and I love the feeling. One of my favorite things about photography is not necessarily just throwing a few heads together and making a pretty shot. It is more than that. It is about telling a story. It is about evoking emotion. A reminder for when the details have fade away or a moment is forgotten until they look through them down the road. And a wedding Is filled with memories of family, of friends, of a time when things were different than they will become. It is a powerful reminder of the vows in which they have given to one another. And I do not take it lightly. Photographing these memories is a true joy and I have a hard time putting in to words exactly why. Maybe it is because I love to say I was there to witness such a beautiful event, maybe it is because I know these photos will be treasured, maybe it is because I want everyone to find their happiness and maybe because I love creating beautiful art of people at their most beautiful moments. Maybe it's all of it combined. All I know is that this is something special. This is something to be treasured for a lifetime and for the future generation to cherish. This is a celebration of love. For the world can always use a little more love in it. Featured Wedding Gallery:
Deric + Lauryn at Willow Tree, Tipp City, Ohio Wed on September 17, 2017 I, much like the rest of those romantics love a good proposal story. The confession & commitment of two lovers is such a beautiful thing. Engagement sessions are a symbol, a period in time where two people have committed to intertwine their lives with the promise of walking down the aisle. A promise for forever. What is better than loving love? Who wouldn't love it? The world can be a dark and dreary place at times. A little ray of sunshine... an aura of love surrounding them is a candle in the darkness. This session is truly about them, for them, a proclamation to the world that the two of you have found each other and will never let go. And I adore it. I adore tailoring a session to capture the most beautiful things about them individually and together. I adore capturing them look lovingly in to each other's eyes. I adore snapping a moment of laughter, of intimacy, of the symbolism of their love. I just adore love. Featured Engagement Session:
Lauren + Conor at George Rodgers Clark Park, Springfield, Ohio Lauren and Conor are scheduled to wed on December 28, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland Photography is pure art. It is not only about capturing a moment that represents a time in our lives but also a purposeful creative expression of style. There are many photographers with many different styles. The art of digital photography has opened a world of capabilities beyond our dreams... To me the post processing is just as (if not more) important than having the right settings at the right moment & snapping that button at the right time with the right frame { lots of rights that could go wrong}. I spend hours perfecting the look... bringing great to perfect. I spend hours taking courses & watching tutorials to learn. to create. to perfect. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as "knowing enough." This is why we hire the professionals, right? For all that expertise and time committed to perfecting our memories? In my free time I love to photograph everything from sunset, the moon, random home objects (even selfies) and my beautiful children. Surprisingly they still love to model for me (bribery is a complimentary service). This is how I try out new techniques in camera and through editing to enhance my skills and continue working to offering the very best. Here is a little progression to see where my art takes me --- behind-the-editing. My perfect model. My love. My daughter, My Quinn.
Canon 5D Mark III 50mm F/2.8 ISO 250 Coat: #OCKidsCloset Have you ever received a digital file from your photographer (or you took it yourself) and then you excitedly went to get it developed... only to have someone or something cut out of the final image? I have heard this before (and ashamed to say it has happened to me on accident in my early years.) All crops are not created equal. The crop. Let's talk about how this plays a huge role in printing your images and what the difference is to the image. Although all images are created by the camera at a 2:3 ratio (a 4x6 print) many print sizes do not have this same ratio. Because of this, depending on the size of your final print, part of your image may be cropped out. Below is a little handy guide to help... but really it is best to decide on your image size based on where you plan to display the print! It is important to note that different crops will affect how your photo is printed. These examples do not show the actual size of the prints, but rather how each crop ratio will impact the amount of space around the subject of the photo. For canvas gallery wraps it is also important to note that even more image could be lost as the image actually wraps around the edges.
Make sure you carefully review how images will be cropped before printing (Most printing companies have cropping tools available so you can adjust where & how your image is cropped or print through a professional and let them ensure that perfect crop). * Another helpful hint - a lot of labs also "color correct" your images. You will want to ensure this is turned off. I carefully edit color & lighting on every image through a calibrated true-to-color monitor. Color correcting can degrade the quality I pride myself on, which can also happen through various printers as well (((reference this amazing blog post: http://www.clickinmoms.com/click/blog-print-lab-comparison-pro-lab-versus-consumer-lab/ ))) A little history of what has been happening for Elisabeth Ashliegh Photography – New Year’s Resolution {GOALS} to continue this journey to fit the needs of my amazing clients! What does this mean? A few little changes – one of which is fully taking this responsibility of a memory-collector to heart… I believe in excellent customer service, creating beautiful finished products (albums & wall art) as well as educating clients on options and helping with final selections. I want to see you walk out of a photography experience with beautiful luxury products in your hands or on your walls. So this year to truly set this experience apart, I am introducing carefully curated collections and a la carte options to every photography service & package. I have spent the end of 2017 seeking high&low for those unique items to launch this year.just.for.you. LET ME TELL YOU – This is exactly what I was looking for and I am so excited about it. DRUMROLL please… Vintage {HANDMADE} glass heirloom photo boxes Let us all marvel at this beauty. Coupled with 10 beautiful mounted memory prints – it is a must have item. I love how simple, modern & perfectly imperfect it is, truly bringing forth that vintage décor style.
These handmade photo boxes are perfect for holding all of your special memories. Display the box proudly in your living room to show off your love with visiting friends & family, keep privately stowed away in your bedroom for those special tender moments, OR (my plan) hold those precious items that you plan to pass down to your daughter on her wedding day. Nestled in to various collection options, top wedding packages & available for a la carte, this box is luxury.beauty.&forever. The boxes are available in 5x7 (Rose Gold, Silver or Distressed Black) or 8x10 (Antique Gold only). And did I mention you can add on custom engraving? Also coming – crystal usb for your digital files In my younger years I am certain that a good deal of my day dreams consisted of being a mermaid (yes, being a Springfield/Dayton Photographer was not my only aspiration.) - The Little Mermaid was after all one of my all-time favorites! My two sweet daughters similar love of Ariel inspired this summer's Styled-Petites! I just knew that I had to find a way to create a magical moment for little dreamers just like us to treasure! Mermaids mermaids mermaids! (((If I could fit in those tails, I would totally do it too.))) It took weeks to mentally plan out my vision! I knew that the locations and the quality of the tails were imperative to create that beautiful image these ladies would treasure through their childhood and beyond! Unfortunately Southwest Ohio is short on those beaches but we do have some gorgeous Dayton Metro-parks. Cox Arboretum was the spot! This session might be one of my most popular and spots filled up quickly! Little Miss Harper was one of the lucky ladies that snagged a spot. I will never forget the quick smile and sparkle in her eye when I pulled out the options for her to choose: blue tail or green tail. She quickly picked the blue and just basked in the glory of her new tail. (((mermaid tail&top by The Mertailor))) Her delight and joy are the reason I love to do what I do. Creating art, beautiful memories and moments that bring a little more joy and fun in to the lives of other people is exactly what I strive to provide with each and every session. Your memories are my passion. And this sweet face, this beautiful mermaid will most definitely be one of my favorites. Be sure to follow me on Facebook & Instagram to see more future sneaks or special sessions!
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Hello There.
I am Elisabeth. |