Documentary Style Wedding, Family, and Portrait Photographer
Serving the Eastern Shore of DelMarVa & Mid-Atlantic Cities
So let's get to know each other. Don't worry...I'll go first!
Choosing your photographer is such a personal experience -
When hiring me to capture something personal for you I think its nice to know a little bit about me too! By knowing what we might already have in common will help you feel more comfortable when we start to interact.
As your photographer I will make sure to include a few formal photos of hopefully everyone looking at the camera, but the majority of our time together will consist of candid moments. There is a beautiful balance of both ways of capturing a story. Still giving you direction if you are feeling uncomfortable but also letting you fall completely into the moment if you feel comfortable doing that! Remember these moments are for you!
You want the emotion, the touch, the memory. You want to think about how much fun you had or be reminded of the adventure that you did together! Think of our time together as the time we are capturing your family heirlooms. We are creating memories together - Memories that will be cherished, the laugh that will still heard, & the love that will always reflect in your eyes.
"I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.” ― Helena Bonham Carter
Hello! I'm Lana - Vintage Lover, Animal Lover, People Lover.
One of my "whys" in photography is making sure people capture those moments. Those memories. When a diagnosis might put your memories on hold I want to encourage in making sure it doesn't. Getting a life altering illness can look different for all of us... Illnesses that steal our minds. Illnesses that steal our bodies. Or illnesses that steal your sense of safety in life. I feel passionate about acknowledging and honoring each of these life altering moments.
Compassion Portraits was created in an effort to give back to my community in a way that I knew how - After personally being diagnosed with cancer, after losing family members from cancer, Alzheimer's, and ALS, after seeing friends battle with the same or additional illnesses like Parkinson's or MS. We all want nothing more than to try to help our families, our friends, & our neighbors.
This is my way of doing this is.
They say it takes a village...
Each day is a gift. Live Happy.
Kind people are my people. Love and kindness are never wasted.
Grow your own way. Mermaids don’t lose sleep over the opinions of shrimp.
The good you do, will never go to waste. Even if unnoticed…do good anyway.
When you stop to look around…this life is pretty amazing.
Stay close to people that feel like sunshine. When you can’t find the sunshine…be the sunshine.
my business (and life) values
Being in nature and around music. They both have such healing qualities!
My loving family - John and Maryn! And of course my editing team! Our two cats - Luna Gray & Sunflower, our handsome beardie - Lyzard Skynard and new boy Harvey Arvey!
my greatest loves
able to fall back in love with cooking as my child grows/explores flavors.
a following of clients that share their light and emotion with me.
Turkish caves, Swedish friends, and midwest family.
the world…why limit it?! Stateside I have the Grand Canyon on my list!
how to stay present in life and not always be chasing the next step.
a foundation for my daughter to see the beauty in all people and places. It’s all special. We just have to know how to appreciate it.
build
learn
see
visit
create
be
my bucket list
Take a peek inside my personal scrapbook
get to know me better
Meet the Editing Team!
Sunflower
Luna Gray
Harvey Arvey
LYzard Skynard
I cannot write a good enough review for Lana. She was AMAZING! It was the first time either me or my husband had ever had professional photos taken and Lana made the process so seamless. She put us both at ease and had such a calming presence, everything felt so natural. She was so kind and patient and not to mention incredibly talented! She will most definitely be taking our pictures for life, I will never go to another photographer.
"I will never go to another photographer!"
- Moriah
- Jenna
We put Lana to the challenge & had our photo session on one of the coldest days of the year with 15 mph winds, & a shy, freezing cold toddler...and Lana was still able to make the session SO fun, easy going, and the outcome was absolutely amazing. I had tears in my eyes looking at the moments she was able to capture with our growing family. She provided some professional direction, yet let us be "us" and connected with all of us so well. I left our session feeling like we were old friends. Also - I can't say enough about her communication - very prompt with her responses, easy to get ahold of, and always helpful."
"Lana is pure magic, both professionally and personally!"
- Phoebe
Lana is AMAZING. A truly talented, kind, and professional individual, she went above and beyond for our wedding. We met her ahead of time, and we figured out what photos we’d like and our timeline for our wedding day. She communicated extremely well, keeping us in the loop about everything! We had a blast shooting with her on our wedding day. She even prepared a sneak peek album that was ready ON our wedding day! We are so excited and happy with our photos. Thank you Lana!!!
"Truly talented, kind, and professional - She goes above and beyond!"
- Lauren
Lana has such an eye for detail and captures our family in different stages of life with such elegance and professionalism. She is always a dream to work with and somehow manages to catch the perfect pictures even when sessions feel chaotic with small children.
"She is always a dream to work with and has such an eye for detail!"
- Sarah
Lana is not only an incredibly talented photographer, she is an artistic, creative, skilled and compassionate professional. She advises and encourages each person photographed to show their unique personality; and truly connects with everyone involved. Her heart shines through everything she does, which is truly what allows her artistic skill to flourish in each work of art that she creates!
