Muse: Pittsburgh wedding and portrait photography

An extremely belated (but no less important) post – Congratulations to Carisa and Ryan, one of our featured weddings from 2012, for being published in The Knot Weddings magazine!

I mean “news”!

Things might have seemed quiet lately at Muse… but the truth is, a lot has happened! As you might have known, Muse was owned by the wonderful Kimberly Reed of Kimberly Reed Photography and connected as a sister-studio.

Now the exiting news… as of a few months ago, Kim has sold me Muse and I am now the owner and principal photographer of the company!!

I’m so excited to call Muse my own and have big plans for it. I want to thank Kim for mentoring me and being such a fantastic friend. Thank you also to Kelly. It has been a fun year with you and I wish you much success and happiness in your new adventure.

To our clients that have helped with the transition, a million thank you’s. I’m looking forward to an exciting year with you all!

After a really fun year and a half with Muse, I have decided to move onward. I will continue to shoot, but in addition to that

I have accepted a design position at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. I'm very much looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

I've had a wonderful time with everyone that I have had the chance to work with through Muse. Thank you for sharing

your stories with me and welcoming me into your hearts and homes. Your stories have inspired me in many ways, and have

enabled me to grow as a photographer. So, for that I thank you!!!

Best Wishes and so long!

You can find me on facebook if you want to get in touch ;D

xoxo,

This is a much overdue welcome to baby Daniella Alexander! She is precious, and beautiful just like her mama – Eileen! Congratulations to you and Mike on this blessing. I’m sure you’ll be amazing parents!

Sorry, Dani for waking you up so many times with a camera in your face! You’re a trooper.

love to the three of you,

Ah, the winter months in Pennsylvania. This is usually a time when most photographers slow down a bit, clean their equipment, learn new skills, reflect on their past work, and get ready for the new year.

This past year was filled with awesome clients, gorgeous weddings, mountains of love, and beautiful portraits. I feel so blessed! Thank you to all our wonderful clients and friends. We hope to keep in touch with you and wish you a fantastic new year. For those we will be working with in 2011, we are so EXCITED to get to know you better and be a part of your lives!!

Now, for some news. Many of you may have noticed that I packed on some pounds near the end of the year… well it’s not a large breakfast… my husband and I are expecting a little girl any day now. We are thrilled and can’t wait to meet her! I will be on maternity leave until February but if you need to reach me, I will still be checking email (although it might be a few days before I respond). As always, you can reach our studio at studio@themuseisyou.com. And don’t worry, I will still be cleaning my equipment, learning new skills, reflecting on past work and getting ready for the new year.

I leave you with a picture (or proof, however you want to look at it ).

Until February, love and hugs!

It’s been quite a year for Muse. We’ve been busy with weddings, portraits, Femme Couture sessions, life (this one really keeps us on our toes), and BABIES!

Our very own Kelly had a sweet baby girl recently. You can tell she’s a great mom already!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baby so alert and aware of the camera. I see a future of modeling for her.

We played a little game of “guess where baby is”. Hee hee

Kelly, your daughter is such a doll. Congratulations! We’re so happy for you and she’s absolutely beautiful… just like her mom!

Love,

Hi!  I’m Kelly, one of Muse’s newest photographers.  I wanted to introduce myself, so here’s a little bit about me:

I’m left-handed.

I like art in all shapes and sizes – the art in everyday moments that can be captured by the click of a shutter, or the elegant assembly of colors, metals and minerals into a piece of jewelry.  I make art you can wear, hang on your wall, or fill with jellybeans.   I am happiest when creating something new. (I guess I could have just said “I’m an artist!”)

Of all my artistic endeavors, photography is my greatest joy – the thrill of capturing something special in everyday moments; of preserving some of life’s most beautiful memories for generations.

I was raised in the Pittsburgh area by two exceptional painters (my parents) who taught me to see that art is all around us. I love music, birds, my family, the outdoors, boats, plants, warm weather & traveling. And….I just got engaged to the most amazing man, and I couldn’t be happier!

(images of Kelly by Eileen)

A little Kelly Q&A session:

I love: color, art, photography, plants, fashion, travel, yoga, humor, learning, music…
I’m annoyed by: drama
On a summer day, you’ll find me: outside somewhere with friends
My friends would describe me as: honest, creative, funny
One of my quirks is: I have a really strong sense of smell
You could pick me out of a crowd by: what I’m wearing
I’m inspired by: my family, nature, people doing great things
I love photography because: It allows me to capture beauty & all it’s variables and share with other people my visual experience
When I was little, I wanted to be: famous
I would love to learn: about other cultures, another language, and more about myself

Hi! Welcome to the Muse blog. I’m Eileen (yes, I’ve heard the 80’s song with the same name in it). I’m a photographer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I grew up all over the world, living in three different countries and three different states. That’s probably why I love to travel, especially for photography!

I have to debunk that popular myth and let you know that not all artists are tortured souls. I LOVE what I do and I’m incredibly happy doing it. I believe the ability to capture the happiness at weddings, the bond between families, the gentleness between a parent and their child, or the beauty of this world- requires a certain joy. You can’t capture what you don’t see in your heart.

I am blessed beyond measure to be doing what I do. Growing up, I have always gravitated towards the arts; painting and photographing since I was in high school. Later as a video editor, a videographer, and an artist, I continued to be drawn to the beauty of everything visual. It was this fascination with the visual world that led me to be a part of Muse. In 2007, I married my amazing husband and Kim photographed the wedding! Kim and I remained friends after my wedding, one thing led to another, and we eventually started working together.

Every photographer and artist has their own unique point of view; it’s the foundation of their individual style and approach. I view the world with joy, and I delight in capturing it in the lives of other people.

(images of Eileen by Kelly)

A little Q&A:

I love: Jesus, my husband, family, sunflowers, kittens, that first warm day after the snow melts, shoes, the ocean, chocolate, seafood, PSU football games, random acts of kindness, fairytales, the color green
I’m annoyed by: long lines, bugs
On a summer day, you’ll find me: outside…doing pretty much anything as long as it’s outside
My friends would describe me as: artistic, sensible, cheerful, competitive
One of my quirks is: I talk to animals like they are little kids
You could pick me out of a crowd by: hmm I don’t think you can…I’m pretty stealthy
I’m inspired by: love, artists from the past (Van Gogh, Rembrandt), movies
I love photography because: a) it lets me capture a second of history; b) it lets me create art without a brush and canvas; c) it lets me see the world from a different perspective than others; d) it’s a medium that can capture emotions and allow someone to relive a certain feeling just by looking at the picture
When I was little, I wanted to be: an actress… it says so inside my 6th grade yearbook
I would love to learn: how to cook like my mom

I’m delighted to announce that Muse has officially been launched!

The idea behind Muse has been in the works for a while now, and I’m so excited to announce it’s debut. With the new studio launched, Eileen and Kelly will now be photographing out of  Muse, and Kimberly Reed Photography will go back to just yours truly.

Muse is a sister studio to Kimberly Reed Photography. Muse will be offering inspired wedding photography, baby portraits, maternity portraits, children’s portraiture, family portraits, and high school seniors. These will all be done in the fresh, fun, modern approach that is Muse’s style.

Of course, we will also continue to offer modern boudoir photography through our Femme Couture sessions.

If you’re already booked with Eileen or Kelly, there’s nothing to worry about, nothing has changed except their business cards.

More exciting news will be announced in the coming weeks, so check back soon for some specials and a contest!