Rain+Barrel Photography

04/06/2026

Some weddings are big and extravagant. Others are simple, intimate, and centered on what matters most.

Seth + Maresa were married surrounded by their closest family in a backyard celebration at their home, where their love for each other was on full display for everyone there to see. It was an honor to capture not only the way they cared for one another, but also the way their family gathered around them with so much love, support, and joy.

Here are a few sneak peeks from their day that was meaningful, relaxed, and full of the moments that matter most.

Congratulations you two lovebirds!

03/04/2026

There’s something really special about stepping into a family that already knows how to love well.

Little August joined a home that was ready for him — not just mom and dad, but a big sister finding her way into this brand new role. The curiosity. The softness. The quiet pride as she leaned in closer to her baby brother.

That’s what I loved most about this session — not just the tenderness with their newest little one, but the becoming. A family of four learning their new rhythm in real time. Comfortable. Playful. Certain. The kind of love that grows right in front of you.

August, you are surrounded. And to this beautiful family — thank you for trusting me to capture this chapter exactly as it’s unfolding.

12/04/2025

12/02/2025

FINAL HOURS TO ENTER!
ENDS @ MIDNIGHT!

2 families will win a full session for any 2026 date.

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag friends or family (each tag = an entry)
4️⃣ Bonus: Share to your stories for an extra entry

12/01/2025

To be exhausted by the journey is a privilege—proof that we invested our energy in people, moments, and stories that outlive the day.
This year, that truth hit me over and over again—and I’m grateful for it. This year has been such a gift to pour myself into the cross-crossing journeys of families moving through life just as I’m moving through mine.

I’m thankful for the chance to keep growing in this season, to keep learning, and to keep showing up with a camera and a little more grit than the day before. I can’t wait to see what memories we’ll capture together in the year to come!

Giveaway reminder (ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER!!!)

2 families will win a full session for any 2026 date.

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag friends or family (each tag = an entry)
4️⃣ Bonus: Share to your stories for an extra entry

11/29/2025

Trust…

One thing I’m especially grateful for this year is the trust people put in me — inviting me into their stories, their homes, their chaos, and their quiet moments. It’s not something I take lightly, and it’s a big part of what keeps me showing up with my whole heart.

This Small Business Saturday, don’t forget that my free session giveaway is still open through Tuesday! Don’t miss out on this opportunity that comes by once a year!
Two families will win a full session to use on any date they choose in 2026.

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow
2️⃣ Like the original post
3️⃣ Tag friends or family (each tag = an entry)
4️⃣ Bonus: Share to your stories for an extra entry

Thank you for trusting me with your memories — it means more than you know.

11/28/2025

🖤 BLACK FRIDAY IS HERE 🖤
Thank you for an incredible first year — here are my biggest and ONLY discounts of the year:

✨ 1/2 off any 1-hour session in 2026
✨ $250 buy a session, gift (or keep) the second session (2 full sessions for this price!)
✨ $150 sessions between now and the end of the year!

This is my “thank you” for the support, encouragement, and trust you’ve shown me in year one. I wouldn’t have been here without each of you- thank you!

Deals run all weekend — grab your spot while they’re available.

Don’t forget our giveaway entry is open until Tuesday (see previous post for details!)

Tag someone you’d love to do a session with next year and may the Black Friday shopping adventures be ever in your favor. 🤍

11/27/2025

📸 FAMILY SESSION GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!
(see below for details!)

From my family to yours…

🦃 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 🦃

I’m so grateful that families of all sizes have been at the center of so many moments I had the opportunity to shoot this year — There’s something about knowing what it takes to get everyone moving in the same direction (relatively speaking) that makes me feel right at home behind the camera. In the middle of chaotic moments, our kidsgrow fast, life moves quick, and these small moments end up freezing the beauty of it all in those times everyone can be together.

This thanksgiving, I’m grateful for every family who trusted me to capture a piece of their story — and grateful for my own family, who’s been my steady place through all of this.

✨ Thanksgiving Giveaway

Two families will win a full session to be used on the date of their choice in 2026.

To enter:
1️⃣ Follow
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag family or friends (each tag = one entry)
4️⃣ Bonus: Share to your stories for an extra entry

Winners announced on Tuesday, December 2nd!

11/26/2025

Freedom…

It’s in places that feel wide open and unfiltered, where the world makes sense in its own quiet way. There’s a freedom out there that’s hard to put into words. It’s the same kind of freedom you see in a kid who’s still trying to figure out how the world works… curious, unafraid, taking everything in for the first time.

That connection — that mix of wonder and openness — is what pulls me toward adventure as a photographer. You show up, stay present, and respond to whatever the day brings. Nothing forced. Nothing perfect. Just real moments unfolding on their own timeline.

The wind, the movement, the unplanned laughs — that’s the stuff I always look for.

This year reminded me that the best photos come when we give things room to be what they are. When we climb the hill, chase the light, let the kids explore, and don’t try to edit the world while we’re still standing in it.

Share your favorite place(s) to find freedom during this busy season in the comments.

And keep an eye out — big announcement coming Friday for anyone wanting a session like this in the year ahead!

11/26/2025

Connection Matters…

This year taught me something big: people don’t just hire photographers for photos — they hire someone to help freeze the moments that slip away way too fast.

Sessions like this reminded me why I started. Real connection. Real emotion. Right in the middle of real life. I’m grateful for the families and couples who let me lean in close, slow the moment down, and tell their story as the beautiful art that it is.

If you know a family or couple who deserves photos like this next year, tag them below.
And if we’ve worked together this year, leaving a quick 5-star review on any of my socials would mean the world — those little words make a huge difference for small businesses.

If the idea of creating your own art stirs something in you, reach out today! I’ve got some great surprises coming your way — you aren’t going to want to miss our Black Friday deals! And did someone say giveaway opportunity?!?!?!

11/25/2025

THANKFUL FOR — New Beginnings

My love for photography didn’t start with people—it started in the national parks, in the quiet of dew-filled mornings where the world stood still just long enough for me to breathe it all in. That’s where I learned to chase light, to slow down, and to notice the beauty tucked into ordinary moments. Nature was my first canvas.

Stepping into photographing humans felt like a whole new world… and honestly, it came with its fair share of doubts.

I don’t know if I can do this.
What if I’m not that good?
What if no one wants to book me?

But with every session and every person who trusted me with their story, something shifted. My confidence grew. I began to see that the art stayed the same, even when the subject changed—the same light, the same emotion, the same desire to capture something real and fleeting.

And those early emotions—the uncertainty, the wonder, the rawness—are the very things I hope you feel in every image I take. Thank you for being part of this first year… for trusting me, supporting me and teaching me along the way!

Tag someone who encouraged you to take a leap this year.

Big things coming Friday…stay tuned!

09/17/2025

I had the chance to connect with Betsy’s incredible family on a beautiful evening in the fields of Walnut Woods. The bond between these siblings was obvious from the start—lots of laughs, lots of care, and full of fun and adventure. I’m having a hard time choosing my favorites!

🍂 Fall sessions are filling quickly—don’t wait to get on the schedule. The best light of the year and the changing colors won’t last long. Let’s get out there and make it happen!
+barrelphotography