Ariel Hawkins Photography

Ariel Hawkins Photography Location and Studio Photography by Appointment only Proudly Serving Western New York and the surrounding areas for over 13 years.

My life lately... For those of you who know me, it's been a mix of BMX, family shoots, weddings, traveling, content crea...
06/04/2026

My life lately... For those of you who know me, it's been a mix of BMX, family shoots, weddings, traveling, content creation and study! Always an adventure. Love these kids 🥰

June & July into August are going to be the busiest months of my career this year, please if you've been meaning to hop on the schedule don't wait! LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨

One thing I’ve noticed as a photographer…Moms are almost always the ones taking the photos, organizing the photos, booki...
06/03/2026

One thing I’ve noticed as a photographer…
Moms are almost always the ones taking the photos, organizing the photos, booking the photos & making sure everyone looks nice for the photos....etc.

But somehow THEY end up missing from the memories themselves.
And years from now, your kids are not going to care if you were waiting to lose 15 pounds or wanted your hair done first, they’re going to care that you were THERE.
That they have photos with you in them.

That matters way more. When was the last time you were actually IN the photos?

LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨

06/02/2026

Ending the night with some fireworks!

Love seeing fireworks, in life and between people 🎆 Such a lovely day ✨

Almost every senior says some version of the following: “I’m awkward in photos.”And then 15 minutes later they’re absolu...
06/02/2026

Almost every senior says some version of the following: “I’m awkward in photos.”
And then 15 minutes later they’re absolutely crushing their session!
You do NOT need modeling experience to get good photos! (That’s literally my job.)
I’ll guide you the entire time so you’re not standing there wondering what to do.
Also… half the magic is just getting comfortable and having fun!
That’s when people actually start looking like themselves in photos.
LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨
Did you love senior photos when you graduated or were you nervous for them?

PSA: Your kids do not need to behave perfectly for family photos.Actually… the more parents stress about “perfect behavi...
06/01/2026

PSA: Your kids do not need to behave perfectly for family photos.

Actually… the more parents stress about “perfect behavior,” the harder sessions usually become. Kids are kids. They're wiggle worms, have so much energy, and just want to do what they want to do. They make weird faces, & if I'm being honest, legit so do I, it's part of the whole experience!

Sometimes they want absolutely nothing to do with photos for the first 10 minutes and honestly... that’s TOTALLY normal. In all of the years I have been shooting this is a truth. Here comes this lady they don't know and she's got this giant camera in their face and well, to be frank, it can be overwhelming. But this is why I love the challenge. This is why I'm laid back, relaxed and know how to get the kiddos enjoying the session.

Some of my favorite family photos happen in the in-between moments anyway.
The soft snuggles, the chaos and their tiny little hands grabbing for yours. It's just pure bliss.

I’m not expecting perfection from your family. I’m just there to document you all together. But by being "there" and experiencing each little moment, the story unfolds and it's always so dang beautiful.

If you've been thinking about it, what are you waiting for?
LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨

Some of the best wedding photos can happen organically in between the poses.And honestly, I’ve noticed that those are us...
05/29/2026

Some of the best wedding photos can happen organically in between the poses.

And honestly, I’ve noticed that those are usually the photos my couples end up emotionally attached to the most too.

Not necessarily the perfectly posed portrait where everyone is looking directly at the camera, although these are REQUIRED haha.

It’s the nervous laugh right before the ceremony starts or your grandma hugging you a little tighter than usual when you see her for the first time of the day. Your best friend fixing your veil while trying not to ugly cry. The quiet few seconds alone together after the ceremony when everything finally sinks in, and bam. You're married!

Unintentional moments are fantastic too. I had one wedding where we had just finished family photos and everyone walked off toward cocktail hour. The couple thought I had stopped shooting already, but they stayed behind for a second just holding hands and laughing because they were both so relieved the nerves were over.

It wasn't dramatic, posed & didn't' come from a Pinterest checklist. It was just a real moment between two people who had waited a LONG time for that day.
That one ended up being one of their favorite images in the entire gallery!

I’ll always give guidance during portraits because nobody magically knows what to do with their hands 😂 but I never want wedding photos to feel overly stiff or performative and I want you to ENJOY your big day.

I want them to feel honest. What’s your favorite kind of wedding photo?
Candid or posed?

LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨

05/28/2026

Here’s another little peek into Hannah & Jake’s beautiful wedding day at the Timberlodge!

We definitely laughed a lot, goofed around, had some serious moments & shed some tears. I love grabbing a scene of the crowd right before the ceremony starts!

I enjoyed this day so much! Hope you like the little sneaks!

Sneak peek time for Hannah & Jake from their wedding day at The Timberlodge at Arrowhead Golf Course on Sunday!It was su...
05/27/2026

Sneak peek time for Hannah & Jake from their wedding day at The Timberlodge at Arrowhead Golf Course on Sunday!

It was such a beautiful day!

Their ceremony was so heartfelt and personal. The pouring sand ceremony was one of my favorite parts of the day. Watching them combine the sand together as a symbol of joining their lives was such a meaningful moment and really reflected the tone of the entire wedding.

I also loved how intimate everything felt without a bridal party. The entire day centered around Hannah & Jake and their story together. Every detail felt intentional and personal to them without distractions or pressure to make the day into something it wasn’t.

H&H Entertainment did such a great job throughout the reception. The DJ kept people out on the dance floor all night and the Photo Booth was such a fun addition for guests.

Later in the evening, The Pink Cow stopped by with ice cream which was such a perfect touch after dinner and dancing. They also had late night snacks with pretzels, cheese and wings which everyone was excited about by the end of the night.

To top everything off, they ended the evening with a fireworks show in the rain, which somehow made the whole moment even more romantic!

So thankful I got to be there to capture this day for them. Buffalo weddings always remind me that the best days are the ones that feel the most genuine.

Hannah & Jake, I hope you both enjoy this little sneak peek into such a special day.

LIVE.LAUGH.PHOTO. Love, Ariel 📸✨

05/26/2026

Hannah & Jake 5-24-26
Timberlodge at Arrowhead
Such a fun day!

We had such a good time! Here’s a little look a the beginning of the day! More to come.

Address

1798 Parker Boulevard
Tonawanda, NY
14150

Website

https://ariellhawkinsphotography.hbportal.co/public/inquiry, https://www.instag

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