Have you ever been to Rooted Farmstead? It’s a family-run kind of place with a cool, boho vibe with even cooler owners. Christie and her husband Mark have built this place up from the ground—quite literally. There you can buy gorgeous blooms, host a fun event while sipping wine and partaking in a fun floral craft, purchase gardening products and ‘90s-inspired motifs, or even visit their market or “you pick” events! Regardless, we’ve been wanting to photograph this property for some time and hope we’ll get a shot of photographing the venue in August in the sunflower field!

Carley is an all-out sunny, sweet girl who adores boho, in particular, country boho. Her moment to shine came one rainy afternoon. If you know Pennsylvania weather, you know one thing: it’s very unpredictable. Delete all the weather apps. PA weather is on a whole different level. It rained all day, even while Carley was in the hair and makeup chair. Talk about cutting it close!

But it must have been meant to be for this girl because the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we had the most gorgeous session.

The incredible style team sisters, Lexi and Alayni, knew exactly what we were going for. The sun-kissed glow and the boho braid were a perfect look under one of Rooted Farmstead’s wide-brim hats with dried flowers.

In the end, we took advantage of Rooted Farmstead’s shop, played in the greenhouse, and explored the wheat field. We may have started the day with storm clouds and worry, but we finished the night, radiated in the evening’s summer glow full of hope.

If you’re curious and need something to make you smile this week, check out Carley’s country boho session! But before you scroll, we mustn’t forget to thank all who were involved to make this happen…

Model: Carley Clarkson

Hair: Alayni Caprio

Instagram: @hair.by.alayni

Makeup: Lexi Rickard

Instagram: @northeastbeautyco

Website: https://www.northeastbeautyco.com/

Venue: Rooted Farmstead

Instagram: @rootedfarmstead

Website: https://rooted-farmstead.myshopify.com/

Wardrobe: Top and pants from Shein

Hat: Visit Christie’s Etsy shop!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/rootedfarmstead?section_id=40858255

Lighting/Post Production: Joel Knepper

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

The Rowland Theatre is a very special place. If you’ve never been there for an event or movie screening, we highly recommend visiting. It’s a Pennsylvania gem located in the heart of Philipsburg. The “caretaker,” Kevin, is an amazingly kind and generous person, who loves the theater like his own child and knows more about its history than anyone else around.

Hannah lives and breathes theater, performing both in plays and musicals. She even directs productions. This girl is BUSY. And get this—she moonlights on the weekends, portraying Cinderella and Rapunzel at kids’ birthday parties! My heart just melts. She’s the perfect embodiment of a princess with her kindness, grace, and inner and outer beauty.

Well, we wanted to make this princess’s dreams come true. Hannah has always dreamed of being photographed in an old theater. And even though we visited the Rowland for past photo shoots, we couldn’t deny giving this girl her dream photo shoot!

Because of the vintage look and feel of the Rowland, we went for a Hollywood glam session. Compliments to the talented hair and makeup team, Lexi and Alayni, for pulling this off and giving Hannah the perfect red carpet curls and lashes! Pair that with spotlighting and a showstopper ruby-red gown and bam—Hannah is ready for her movie star closeup.

We’ll cut to the chase and raise the curtain on the photo gallery. But before you scroll, a very special thanks to everyone involved!

Model: Hannah Bloom

Hair: Alayni Caprio

Instagram: @hair.by.alayni

Makeup: Lexi Rickard, owner of Northeast Beauty Co

Instagram: @northeastbeautyco

Website: https://www.northeastbeautyco.com/

Venue: The Rowland Theatre

Instagram: @rowlandtheatrephilipsburg

Website: http://www.rowlandtheatre.com/

Wardrobe: Shein

Lighting/Post Production: Joel Knepper

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

Beyoncé said it best, “Who run the world? Girls!” Yes, ma’am! And I love these fierce, smart, powerful, determined, and beautiful women who are stepping up to the plate and knocking their goals out to the park, no matter how hard and how long the journey takes!

Madisyn is one of those girls. She’s a diehard softball player with the grit to get the job done and the passion for playing and supporting her team! Because softball is a major part of Madisyn’s life, we leaned toward showcasing that in her stylized photo shoot. But as soon as we saw the photo of her dad’s big rig, that all changed. We figured for her regular senior photos we’ll get the softball shots, but this big rig idea was a unique diamond we’d never tackled before.

For these stylized shoots, we like to try new things, whether that’s a lighting first, a new location, or a different spin on something that’s already been done. So there we were one Sunday evening, photographing Madisyn with a brilliant jade big rig at a truck stop off Route 80. We wanted to be careful not feature Madisyn as one of those sexy pinup trucker girls. You know the ones—girls in short skirts or bikinis, posing provocatively all over the hoods. We girls are more than just our bodies! We told her, “Bring the softball bat and act like you’re about to break some stuff.” Cue the Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats” song. Well, Madisyn strapped on the heels, slung the bat over her shoulders, and gave us what we hoped for!

If you’d like to see for yourself, check out the photos below! But before you scroll, please appreciate the people involved.

Model: Madisyn Wian

Hair: Karey Walk from Bliss-A Full Service Salon

Instagram: @kdnaturalbeauty, @blissafullservicesalon

Website: www.blisssalon.us

Makeup: Kiyah Lugue

Instagram: @kiyahrainebeauty

Wardrobe: Shein

Truck: Scott Wian from Michael Stover Trucking

Lighting/Post Production: Joel Knepper

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

If you knew me back in college, then you knew I loved to dance and never left the dance floor. For clarification, I’m not a ballerina—not even close. Those early childhood tap and ballet dance classes and my lack of flexibility and grace certainly proved me right. But pop and hip-hop music will always have my heart. To this day, I have my own dance parties in the kitchen.

I love getting to know all our clients, working with teens, and seeing what makes them tick. Mia’s passion for dance is a strong part of her life, in particular hip hop. Of course, we wanted to incorporate that hip-hop flavor into this stylized session. Since her father owns Hot Styles Dance Company, we had access to the studios where’s learned the trade or taught dance herself.

We wanted to go for something edgy with lighting—a “find me at the club” vibe. We’ve been incorporating video lights more often with our indoor sessions, and quite honestly, I’m in love with them. Later, we went outside for a few downtown street shots. I like the grit, the metal, any graffiti, alleyway shots, or parking garages for an urban look.

All in all, this photo shoot was pretty cool, fly, dope, sick, off the chain, fire—whatever you want to call it (*insert your favorite catchphrase*). Lexi and Alayni, sisters with mad styling skills, never fail to impress! That hair and makeup were on “pointe.” Mia, I know I’ve missed my calling as a hip-hop dancer, but I’ll just live vicariously through you!

Check out all of Mia’s photos from her hip-hop photo shoot, but before you scroll, a special thanks to…

Model: Mia Roane

Hair: Alayni Caprio

Instagram: @hair.by.alayni

Makeup: Lexi Rickard, owner of Northeast Beauty Co.

Instagram: @northeastbeautyco

Website: https://www.northeastbeautyco.com/

Venue: Hot Styles Dance Company

Website: https://www.hotstylesdance.com/

Outfit Look: Shein

Lighting/Post Production: Joel Knepper

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

I didn’t follow the advice of my ‘90s TLC-loving self. Joel and I usually stick to streams, ponds, and lakes that we’re used to, but we chased a waterfall—a big one. And dang, this waterfall is spectacular to look at. It’s like cutting a piece out of Hawaii and pasting it in the middle of Pennsylvania. I’m sure you’re all wondering, “Where is this magical place, Andrea?”

Okay, I’m not going to be stingy and withhold that information. Actually, my friend, Jenn, waved her magical wand and revealed this place to me. If you’re familiar with Clinton County in PA, you’ll know there’s a waterfall less than half a mile from the parking area called Rosecrans Falls. To say it’s stunning is an understatement.

After meeting with our model, Grace, and her mom, Nicole, who also is our dentist at Centre Dental Care, we knew we had to find a waterfall that measured up without driving three hours away and hiking in the woods for miles. Being that this is our first waterfall photoshoot, I’ll give you the pros and cons.

Pros:

1. WOW! – The stunning view alone is worth it.
2. The Photos! – You will walk away with unique and beautiful photos.
3. Visiting a Waterfall! – Just to hike out in nature and physically be able to see something like this is pretty awesome.

Cons:

1. Watch your step! – The terrain is a bit tricky.
2. Cold – We were there in early May, and the water was COLD, cold.
3. Rain – A few days of heavy rain before your shoot, like in our case, can bring the rapids!

Though it wasn’t the easiest spot to carry our equipment, the pros certainly outweighed the cons. And Grace, who is a beauty and sweetheart all around, was more than willing to suffer the cold waters and give it her all for the photos!

Now, let’s get to the photos! But before you scroll, a special thanks goes out to:

Model: Grace Novitsky – You are our water goddess! And your mom Nicole rocks too!

Hair & Makeup: Codi Lee Clark, owner of Beauty and the Blush LLC

Website: www.beautyandtheblushllc.com

Instagram: @beautyand_theblush

Dress: Shein

Lighting/Post Production: Joel Knepper

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

Ever wonder if photographers run out of ideas for unique photoshoots? We do. It’s challenging to come up with new ideas again and again each year without feeling like we’re reinventing the wheel. But that’s beauty of the job, and it continues to hold our interest by keeping us on our toes. We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love it! 😉

Yet, it was refreshing to hear about Ceci’s idea for a styled photoshoot and her passion behind it. She had a clear vision from day one—an industrial, rundown scene paired with a vibrant dress and her tap shoes. At the time, we didn’t have a location in mind that matched the setting she described until that very location fell into our laps one day in Philipsburg, PA.

We were meeting with the owners of Shindig Alley, a vintage store located downtown Philipsburg, for a “groovy” photoshoot we had planned for another senior. While touring the store, we were introduced to the caretaker of the Rowland Theatre, and he offered to give us the grand tour, which happened to be across the street. Folks, it’s called being at the right place at the right time. Call it divine intervention or just incredibly friendly people who are kind and passionate about what they do.

Kevin led us through every nook and cranny of the Rowland Theatre, and we were amazed at how much knowledge and history he acquired about the place over the years. Aside from his family, this—this is his baby. The aesthetics alone are enough to make any artist or history buff drool. Towards the end of the tour, he asked if we wanted to see the old “ballroom” next door. We had already been away from the Shindig for probably over an hour, but something told us to check it out. And boy, were we glad we did! It was the exact location we were searching for!

Have I caught your attention? Is curiosity tempting you to scroll below to see the photos of Ceci’s vision? Go see for yourself and tell us what you think in the comment section.

But before you scroll, we need to give a huge thank you to everyone involved! 🙂

Model: Cecilia Mazzocco – She’s no stranger to the spotlight. This beauty is a very talented singer, tap dancer, and performer. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on  Broadway in the next few years.

Venue: Rowland Theatre – Kevin, thank you again and again for not only giving us your time, but you gave us a glimpse into history of the jewel of Philipsburg! You can visit the Rowland theater either for their movie nights, events (www.rowlandtheatre.com), and on social media. Instagram: @rowlandtheatrephilipsburg  Facebook: Rowland Theatre

Special Mention: Kevin & Ronni, the owners of Shindig Alley. If you’re curious about those photos, click here. Also go and visit their store in Philipsburg or check them out on Instagram! @shindigalley

Hair: Alayni Caprio – In the words of Ceci’s mother, “I didn’t know her hair could do that!” Yep, she’s a hair magician in our eyes! You can follow her on Instagram @hair.by.alayni and book an appointment with her at Portfolio A Salon in Boalsburg, PA.

Makeup: Lexi Rickard – She’s the owner and an amazing makeup artist at Northeast Beauty Co. You can find her on Instagram @northeastbeautyco or on her website, www.northeastbeautyco.com. Lexi also models for Lock Boutique in Bellefonte, PA.

Photographer: Andrea Knepper – Oh hey, that’s me! 

Lighting Expert: Joel Knepper

Walking in stilettos isn’t easy. Honestly, I wouldn’t know; I’ve never braved the task. But I’m sure to Jocelyn’s relief, strutting the catwalk wasn’t in stored for her that evening. She may have the natural beauty like a model, but she’s the type of girl who would rather go quad riding down a mudded trail in the woods than wobble down a runway in six inch heels. Though, not only did Jocelyn look great in heels, they gave her that edge we were shooting for in the photos.

With these type of styled photoshoots, we like to explore new location options for potential senior shoots for the upcoming season, and we like to test and experiment new lighting techniques or styles. Penn State is far from new. Sure there are new buildings added on campus each year, but the university itself is rather old and historic looking in comparison. What I wanted was strong architectural elements—straight lines, massive structures, and a modern appeal. Being that we’re located in central PA, those cityscapes are miles away. So the challenge with our chosen location, Penn State’s Pattee and Paterno Library, was how do we make a relatively known, old structure look unidentifiable and modern? Now, I’m not going to lie; we did take a few shots showing the entire building. But with select cropping, moody lighting, and edgy styling, I think we accomplished a series of photos that could potentially hold their own in a fashion magazine. What do you think? Scroll through the photos and give us your opinion in the comment section.

But before you scroll, we need to give a huge thank you to Jocelyn and our stylists!

Model: Jocelyn Weaver – She’s sweet as can be and can rock any look, but this is not her first time modeling! Recently, she modeled as a prom promoter for Formalities.

Hair: Alayni Caprio – She nails each coveted hair inspiration every time! You can follow her on Instagram @hair.by.alayni and book an appointment with her at Portfolio A Salon in Boalsburg, PA.

Makeup: Lexi Rickard – She’s the owner and an amazing makeup artist at Northeast Beauty Co. You can find her on Instagram @northeastbeautyco or on her website, www.northeastbeautyco.com. Lexi also models for Lock Boutique in Bellefonte, PA.

Photographer: Andrea Knepper – Oh hey, that’s me! 

Lighting Expert: Joel Knepper

Do you remember the stereotypes from the 80s teen classic, The Breakfast Club—the nerd, the princess, the jock, the rebel, and the outcast? Depending on who’s reading this, you may be nodding your head right now or doing a Google search. But each character was a representation of a social group in high school. Honestly, I’m one for individuality. Why must we fit into a box? Can’t we be a mixture of two if not all of them at times? Though I have to remember, this was from the 80s, and our world is not so black and white anymore. It’s become more fluid these days.

So why not take a spin on social troupes and play it up photographically. From this, we took a cheerleader and turned her into a goth/emo chick. How’s that for blending two worlds together! But if you think of it, when we focus on the person rather than the label, you can appreciate their inner beauty. The whole concept was like our location choice, the Scotia Barrens—a place where graffiti and industrial ruins meets the lush greens of nature. Again, it’s a blending of worlds that we’re exploring here. 😉

Though you may normally see Cassidi in her cheer uniform in competitions or school events, she’s also drawn to that bad girl, vampiric vibe, making her perfect for this project. Apart from her ocean eyes, she completely transformed into another person. I’m sure her regular senior photos will look more true to herself, but it’s fun to play another character or step into someone else’s world. I feel I do that with each senior that I photograph. Show me your world, your playground. What makes you tick?

Scroll below to see the photos and tell us what you think. But before you do, let us appreciate the people involved!

Model: Cassidi Greendoner – A real down-to-earth beauty who is so cool and go with the flow, you feel like you’ve known her for years. 🙂

Hair: Alayni Caprio – Give the girl some colored hair pieces, and she’ll turn your do into a styled masterpiece! You can find her on Instagram @hair.by.alyani or book an appointment with her at Portfolio A Salon in Boalsburg, PA.

Makeup: Lexi Rickard – When you don’t see her modeling for Lock Boutique, she’s the makeup artist and owner of Northeast Beauty & Co. Her typical makeup applications usually aren’t in the gothic realm, but Lexi has an eye for creating and a knack for making every girl feel beautiful. Follow her on Instagram @northeastbeautyco or visit her website, northeastbeautyco.com

Photographer: Andrea Knepper – Oh hey, that’s me! 

Lighting Expert: Joel Knepper 

I read somewhere that dogs are somewhat color blind—maybe it was from Facebook “news” or perhaps during one of my late night internet rabbit holes. But how sad is that, right? Apparently, blue is the only color that is a true blue to both humans and our canine companions.

Why am I bringing up dogs? Though I love them and think they are always effortlessly adorable, their vision predicament reminded me of an Instagram reel that I did when I first rolled out a few of Ruby’s photos. It was a classic “what you see versus what we see” comparison. To the viewer, you see Ruby, a girl who’s beautiful and bright, styled to the nines against a basic white background. Aside from Ruby, one would assume the photoshoot to be nothing quite spectacular or unique. But in a quick change up from video to the finished photos, you see an array of colors jumping out from your iPhone. It’s like they were invisible until you put on the magic pair of glasses.

Well, I’d love to say that our studio is magical—blessed is a better word for it. But what we did to create all those colors came from a series of gelled flashes. I was definitely out of my element with this one, so being that he’s more technology inclined, I relied on Joel to lead this photographic experimentation. RGB (red, green, blue) creates CMY (cyan, magenta, and yellow) light. Yes, we are going back to Art 101, kids, and thinking in terms of color opposites. Confusing is putting it lightly, but once we got the hang of it, it turned out to be pretty fun with brilliant results!

See for yourself below and tell us what you think! If you’re a photographer, have you tried something similar? But before you scroll, we mustn’t forget to thank everyone involved!

Model: Ruby Bjlame – Like her name, she sparkles with her vibrant beauty, kindness, and bold personality.

Photographer: Andrea Knepper – Oh hey, that’s me!

Lighting Expert: Joel Knepper – What would I do without you—truly?!

Hair: Alayni Caprio – If I want to talk magic, I think of this hair magician. Follow her on Instagram @hair.by.alyani or book an appointment with her at Portfolio A Salon in Boalsburg, PA.

Makeup: Lexi Rickard – When you don’t see her modeling for Lock Boutique, she’s the owner and makeup wizard of Northeast Beauty & Co. She just moved into a beautiful studio with a big window. We’re all after that gorgeous light in the biz! Follow her on Instagram @northeastbeautyco or visit her website, northeastbeautyco.com

Wardrobe: The jacket and pants are from shein.com

Props: Thank you Eric Brinser, the theater director from Bellefonte Are High School, for letting us borrow a few colorful phones from your production of Bye, Bye Birdie!

Rain—is there anything more frightening to a photographer when you have a photoshoot scheduled for the day? I stood at the window inside Shindig Alley, watching the raindrops pummel the streets of downtown Philipsburg. With permission from the store owners, Kevin and Ronni, we planned on doing indoor photos, but we hoped to venture outside as well.

Yet, if our only option was to work indoors, Shindig Alley is not a bad consolation prize! Within its glass walls, gorgeous vintage clothing can be found, ranging from the early 60’s to the 80’s. A plethora of shoes, accessories, and decor are displayed on shelving, and the furniture is every collector and Hollywood movie set designer’s dream! Joel and I were like two kids in a candy store, giddy with excitement over every selection. Ronni, a vintage lover and down-to-earth kind of gal, truly knows her stuff and styled our high school model, Willow, from the 60’s mod era, head to toe—all the way down to the go-go boots. I immediately thought of the Austin Powers film series—“Yeah, baby!”

Conveniently, the hair salon, Leslie & Co. Downtown, resides next door to Shindig Alley within the old, historic building. Art lover and hair stylist, Sam Martell, created the perfect 60’s bump and sleek hairdo like something out of a vintage Vogue. And Samantha Garcia, a highly sought makeup artist within the community, drew inspiration from the fashion icon,Twiggy.

Eventually, the rain died down, and after photographing inside the store and a quick clothing change, we took to the streets and alleys with Willow’s 60’s purple Mustang. It’s such a sweet ride—way better than the beater I drove around in high school! We finished up Willow’s photoshoot, blocking North Front Street for an epic car shot and playing around the backside of a dilapidated building.

Despite the rain, it truly was the perfect day! And you know what? We couldn’t have asked for more perfect timing either. You could say it was a divine gift from above. Thank the Lord! But before you scroll down to see the photos, we also need to thank everyone involved:

Model: Willow Phillips (Cool name, huh?) And this isn’t her first modeling/Instagram influencer gig! She regularly models for Shindig Alley and is a prom promoter for Formalities by Tracina Fisher.

Venue & Wardrobe: Shindig Alley – Find them online www.shindig.com, Instagram @shindigalley, and Facebook. Owners Kevin and Ronni are AMAZING people and have an eye for vintage and fashion! Visit the store in person:

Shindig Alley
200 N Front St. Suite 101
Philipsburg, PA 16866

Makeup: Samantha Garcia (Instagram @samanthajgarcia)

Hair: Samuel Martell, from Leslie & Co. Downtown (Find them on Facebook and ask for Sam!)

Leslie & Co. Downtown
200 N Front St. Suite 105
Philipsburg, PA 16866

Photographer: Andrea Knepper

Lighting & Post Production: Joel Knepper