Karli Predieri | Granville High School Senior | Bryn Du Mansion

Julie + Dustin | Granville Ohio Wedding Photographer | Fall 2019

Gabriella | One Year Portraits | Granville, Ohio Portrait Photographer

This beautiful little girl…

I have known Naomi for literally years and was so excited when she asked me to capture her little girl’s one year birthday portraits. Now Gabriella wasn’t exactly in the mood for portraits but, like always, we nailed it and got some beautiful shots!!

Do you need one year portraits for your precious baby? Shoot me an email!

Janessa Dawn

Lilly Snyder | Hilliard Bradley High School | Dawes Arboretum + Studio

Lilly was a dream to photograph. She was so photogenic. She really wanted different poses and so I was able to really step outside my box and try some new things and we got some FABULOUS shots!!!

It is clients like this who inspire me and keep pushing me. I dearly love the opportunities being a photographer has given me!

Need to book your senior portraits, slide into my inbox at jdawnphotography@yahoo.com!

Stay fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

Sara + Nick | Engagement Session | Downtown Newark, Ohio

Chandler | 2018 High School Senior | Columbus, Ohio Photographer

I'v known Chandler for a long time. I'v watched him grow up into an incredible young man. It was my honor to capture his senior portraits! We had a great time exploring downtown Columbus, Ohio around the Hilton. The architecture in this building is outstanding and made for beautiful backdrops!

Chandler also wanted the Columbus skyline in the background for some shots so we walked and explored around Cosi and found some great areas for some city-scape shots!

I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed taking them! I love when sessions take me outside of my normal realm of shooting locations to places where I can really let me creative blood flow freely!

Stay fabulous,

Janessa Dawn 

My Top Picks for Best Beginner Cameras | Newark, Ohio Photographer

I have people message me and ask me questions about cameras, lens, etc. Whether your a mom wanting to get better snapshots of your babies or an aspiring college student who has always loved photography but has no idea what camera to buy, this blog post is for YOU! It is for anyone who wants to get their toes wet but has no idea how far to stick them in! {I really need to come up with better examples! 😂

Now, on this list, you may notice that I don't have any Nikon recommendations. While I shoot with Canon, I am not a Canon snob. Nikon's are fantastic cameras and if you want to try one, go for it. I have found that students in my classes have a hard time learning on Nikons. They are  more complex with finding different settings. I actually had a student who had a higher end Nikon return it and purchase a Canon because the Nikon was so hard to learn on.

I would highly suggest learning on a Canon and then later, when you are ready to upgrade, look into purchasing a Nikon. I know some people will disagree with me but I have found this to be true with people I have taught.



Great Beginner Cameras:
1. Canon Rebel T7i body only $699.99 {Best Buy}
2.  Canon Rebel  SL2 body only $549.99 {Best Buy}
3. Canon Rebel T6 body only $399.99 with lens {Best Buy}
4. Canon Rebel SL1 body only $439.99 {Amazon} This is an older model.
5. Canon Rebel T5 body only $359.99 with kit {Amazon} This is also an older model but still a good beginner.

Any cameras in the Rebel line are a great starting point. If you don't have the money, don't be afraid to get the older models as a starting point! Just have fun with learning how to use it!

If you want to learn all about your new camera, you can sign up here for my Basic Photography Class!

Stay Fabulous 😘
Janessa Dawn

Maddoxx | Baby Mechanic Theme Photo Shoot | 1 Year Portraits

"We don't have failures; we have lessons". This is powerful. There are a lot of times I feel like a failure. These thoughts can bog me down so much that I lose sight of my true value. I love this quote. How can we start looking at our failures as lessons and move on to be even more success for having gone through that? It's hard and it sure takes a positive attitude to look at failures as lessons!

I wanted to share with you this baby mechanic themed photo shoot requested from one of my Mom's. I love when clients bring their own ideas to the table! It gives me a chance to add variety to my portfolio but also get away from my "normal" routine!

Brittany, Joe + Girls | Family Portraits | Newark, Ohio

This beautiful family 😍 Brittany + Joe are so sweet. It is another family that I have been able to capture and establish a sweet relationship with. How precious are their girls? They are clients that drive ONE hour to come to the studio for their shoots! 

Honestly, best. job. ever!

Stay Fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

Kenton Thomas | Newborn Photography | Ohio Photographer

I am trying my hardest to blog more this year. I promise. It just that a week goes by so fast and then I realized I haven't blogged for several weeks. Life gets hectic. Work gets hectic. Sometimes it's hard to keep everything straight and get creative. 

What do you do to stay inspired? Let me know in the comments!

I wanted to share this beautiful baby boy and his newborn session. He is SO precious! and absolutely adorable!

Stay fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

Luke + Ashley | Engagement Session | Coshocton, Ohio

It is almost July and I have only blogged ONE time this year! Guys, I stink at this! I am wanting to make this a weekly habit but for some reason it always slips to the back burner!

I shot Luke and Ashley's Engagement Session downtown Coshocton, Ohio and at The Historic Roscoe Village in Coshocton. It was my first time time shooting there! I love shooting in new locations. It allows me to be more creative and enjoy new spots. 

Be looking for their Wedding coming up on the blog soon! 

Until next time,

Janessa Dawn

What Camera Do I Shoot With? | Newark, Ohio Photographer

Happy June, Friends! Honestly, I can't believe the year is half over. Where did the first half go?! I feel like there aren't enough hours in a day, days in a week, and weeks in a year. Maybe because I am constantly busy pushing to grow my businesses, attending the many events I am invited too, and photographing portraits and weddings. All I know is I need more time and time isn't something you can get more of!

One of the top questions I get asked is what camera I use. I firmly believe that people think if they buy a fancy DSLR, their photos will be amazing. While the quality of the professional DSLRs are fantastic and highly needed as a professional, a lot of the quality comes from the person behind the camera. You must know how to use it properly or it won't work any better then a point and shoot camera.  Discouraging, right?! (If you want to take a class on the basics of learning how to use your camera, email me!)

Today, I wanted to share the camera I use for my photography. First off, I shoot only with Canon. I am not bashing or saying Nikons aren't good, I just find Canons have amazing quality and are WAY more user friendly. I had a photography student return her Nikon because it was SO difficult for her to learn! It is up to you to decide which brand works best for you :)

At the beginning of this year, I knew I wanted to upgrade. I had been shooting with the Canon 6D for about four years or so and I needed to make the splurge because I have booked more weddings this year then I ever have. I needed a new camera but also a good second camera for weddings so I most definitely kept my 6D. My dream had always been the Canon 5D Mark 3 but Canon released the Canon 5D Mark 4 and I immediately knew I was going BIG or going HOME!

So I did it. I bought the Canon 5D Mark 4 and let me tell you, it is FANTASTIC (I still love and use my 6D as well)! It is a powerhouse of a camera. The body alone if very pricey {around $3,000.00} but totally worth it. It has a 30 megapixel, full-frame sensor, touch screen, amazing High ISO performance, 4k video, and uses CF and SD cards (first time for me!).

I used it as my primary camera a couple weeks ago and it did not disappoint!

Now, I totally understand if you are a beginner, you probably have no need or desire or funds to buy a camera that big. Would you want me to write another blog post on cameras I recommend as a beginner? Comment and let me know!

Stay Fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

Hartsough Twins | High School Senior | Newark, Ohio | Columbus, Ohio

These sweet twins did a fantastic job at their High School Senior session! 

Paislee Akers | 6 month portraits | Newark, Ohio

Baby Hudson | Newborn Portraits

Baby Hudson is a bundle of baby. He has grown so much over the last 6 months and I wanted to blog the very beginning. He wasn't the happiness and all he wanted was to lay on his Daddy so we went with it and used his dad as a bean-bag! :) 

I love watching babies grow over there first year. They learn so much their first year and being able to watch them grow and become more alert is amazing!

Sydney Walters | Watkins Memorial High School | 2018 High School Senior

I first met Sydney's family FOUR years ago when they came to get their portraits done at an Apple Orchard. I love getting to work with them and the relationship we have is what I cherish most with my clients. 

We met out at Dawes for the first part of her session. It was a gorgeous evening and as you can see the sun was just starting to set so we were able to get some of that "golden hour" lighting. 

Then, we drove to Watkins Memorial High School where Sydney attends school. Now, don't judge me but this was the first time I had been on a football field. I may or may not have had to take my sandals off to feel it. :)

I was able to get some fabulous shots of Sydney!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this special time with you, Sydney!

Stay Fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

Kelsey Wood | 2018 High School Senior | Newark, Ohio

The beautiful Kelsey Wood and her High School Senior session! 

Meldau | End-Of-Summer Portrait Session | Newark, Ohio |

Happy September Friends! I wanted to share this absolutely adorable family with you. We met at Dawes Arboretum for their family portraits. We got some STUNNING shots at their session and I am proud of my work on this shoot. 

I had been wanting a couch to take out on shoots with me and when my Mom found this bench, I snagged it. Yes, me and my assistant lug this thing to our outdoor shoots because it makes the shots WORTH. IT! 

Enjoy this beautiful family!

Janessa Dawn

Logan and Kyndal 1 year and 4 year Birthday Sessions {Newark, Ohio Photographer}

  August is quickly coming to a close and some of this cooler weather has me dreaming of Fall. I can't believe how quickly this year has flown by. Time passes so quickly and yet I fail every day to enjoy every moment and keep a positive attitude even when things aren't going the greatest. 

   Today I wanted to blog Logan's four year session and Kyndal's one year session. Logan does such a great job at his sessions. This lovely family is one of my loyal clients and I love getting to work with them. Kyndal was scared at her session and wanted nothing but for her mommy to hold her. So I went with whatever I could get and I was able to get a couple of cute shots of her. One year olds have a mind of their own and sometimes they just aren't up to the job of smiling! 

I hope you enjoy seeing Logan and Kyndal's birthday sessions!

Stay fabulous,

Janessa Dawn

3 tips to capture better photos on your iPhone {Newark, Ohio Photographer}

Happy Monday, Friends!
    Today I wanted to share with you something that would help you take better photos on your iPhone. You may not know all the things your iPhone camera is capable of doing. Almost everywhere you visit you can find all kinds of people holding up their iPhone trying to get that perfect shot. Whether its a family shot, a shot of your child, or you'd like to grab a shot of a beautiful flower, you can adjust and position your iPhone to get a pretty amazing shots. I will try to make it easy to understand and not say too many technical terms. :)



1. Using the exposure button to adjust the "brightness" of your image.
Have you ever taken a shot on your iPhone and found it was way to bright? Yep, it happens. If you bring up the camera on your iPhone and tap anywhere on the live preview, it will bring up the focus box which is yellow. If you hold down and adjust the exposure button up and down, it will adjust the brightness of your image {it looks like the Sun}. So in those bright situations or dark situations, this exposure button allows you to control the "brightness" of your image!

2. Leveraging natural lighting.
We all have those Instagram users that make us jealous every time we go and look at their feed. It's like they live in a perfectly lit world and can ALWAYS have their shots perfectly styled and lit. Trust me...I know the feeling! One tip I would give you is to always leverage the natural light around you. Always shoot pictures around windows and doors. This allows you to use beautiful, natural lighting to light your image instead of getting weird color casts that come from lights around your home.

3. Use the Rule of Thirds to get more creative shots.
Now, the term "Rule of Thirds" may sound way too technical but don't quit reading. It is actually VERY simple to understand. Basically, imagine your live preview as being divided into nine equal parts using two vertical lines and two horizontal lives. Don't position your subject in the dead center of these imaginary lines. The Rule of Thirds says that important elements in the shot should be places along these guides or intersection points. You can turn this grid on in settings under the camera app. Be creative and position your subject some "off-center".

Take these tips and try them out next time you are out with your family visiting the zoo or on your family vacation!

Stay Fabulous,

Janessa Dawn