R.L. Heller Photography

Have you ever experienced YOLO and FOMO at the same time? Yeah, me either... until now. I'd love to go to the Era's Tour with my daughter (as it sadly wraps up its last few shows). But I just helped throw a wedding for said daughter, so I can't justify it currently. Unless........

For ONE lucky person, I will offer my HIGHEST wedding package WITH ALL THE DIGITAL FILES at the price of my LOWEST package! This is a $2500 savings!!

Here's the deets:

-Must be able to pay in full at time of booking to receive discount
-Cannot be used on previously booked wedding
-First come, first serve
-Travel fees may be added if more than 1 hour from Lancaster

MESSAGE ME ASAP. AND DON'T LAUGH AT ME BEHIND MY BACK PLEASE - DO IT TO MY FACE 🤣

Feel free to share if you feel so inclined to help out this swiftie 💖🎙

Let's take a vote: Raise your hand if you want fall colors year round...

Ashley was willing to travel a little to find these gorgeous leaves, and I think it paid off!

When you want chilly-looking fall photos, but it's 80 degrees out... you turn into a model AND an actress ;) I'd say Charlotte accomplished the fall look :)

These ladies have been so patient as I struggled through strep, got knocked out by covid, traveled, and dealt with my own daughter's upcoming wedding...

But ladies, it's your time to celebrate! Your gallery is uploading!

Today was the PERFECT fall{ish} day for senior photos! And Lily embraced the crisp air, threw on a sweater, then popped it off and slipped into a sundress to wade in the chilly river!

Having a daughter who is getting married in just 2 months, being a wedding photographer has become even more meaningful. Saturday was no exception. I'm fascinated by all the tiny details that came together to make Jolene and Kristie's wedding so uniquely them. And while I marveled at the details - hand chosen flowers, homemade cookies (by Jolene!), fans for the guests, signature drinks - it was not lost on me that while those things are amazing, even without them Jolene and Kristie have the love needed to make their wedding absolutely spectacular! I was honored to hear their story and document this new beginning.

ICYMI

This is what I've been upto over the last few months :)

Two weekday evening dates:

Tuesday June 4
Thursday June 13

ONLY 6 sessions total available.

Book now :). 50% due to book.

Congratulations to all the grads of 2024, but especially these two right here: Somers and Leandra. You've basically won the lottery when you enter school seeking out a law degree and come out with both that AND the perfect partner. Wishing you both the best with the BAR and the rest of your lives :)

Please invite me to your campus to document your accomplishments. Please.
Even if I have to do the following things (which I did for this shoot), I'll gladly do it:
1. Provide medical care along the shoulderless side of the turnpike to an older woman who was trapped in her destroyed Acura after being side swiped by a hit-n-run tractor trailor.
2. Drove into and got stuck in an insanely large crew regatta at boathouse row for an hour while I had to p*e desperately.
3. Got a flat tire in King of Prussia while headed home after a UFO flew onto the highway exploding my tire... and had to ride with the tow truck driver for an hour home (and have a $1000 car bill looking at me LOL)
4. Cannot walk the day after the shoot (today) after tweaking my back trying to deal with the flat tire... oof.
Bonus points if you can give me the official tour guide account of the campus like Jacqueline Ketels did!

"A smart business owner leaves their politics and opinions out of it." Then I guess I'm stupid. You can call me dumb if it makes you feel better, but certainly don't call me complacent. Here at R.L. Heller Photography, we believe in equality, equity, and LOVE. So keep your hateful rhetoric and hypocritical bu****it out of Lancaster. "But Renee, you might lose clients!" So be it. My financial bottom line is quite literally the most miniscule detail when it comes to basic human rights and safety. Do better. I'm out and about in Lancaster City every single day in both jobs I hold... I LOVE this city and EVERYONE in it. If you don't, why are you here? If your ideology allows you to rectify in your head that kids are safer being threatened by bombs than being read to by Drag Queens, please please see yourself out.

I definitely had a "I knew her when" client in the studio today! Someday we will see her on billboards! As Madonna said, "she has style, she has grace." Gianna, I'm claiming your first autograph when you make it big! Huge thanks to Lionel Adriano for the epic makeup :)

Did you miss out on my head shot marathon over the weekend? Don't fear! I'm holding another one when the holidays are over... keep your eyes p*eled!

I love it when a family is willing to have fun and be GOOFY during their session 🤪🤪. Don't worry Melissa, we got some normal ones too haha.

Welp, that escalated quickly 🤣

Sweet June was a delight to have in studio this evening. Happy Birthday!

Outdoor sessions are fun. But this year we took winter mini sessions inside and I don't regret it at all! No cold and miserable kids, no crazy fly away hair, easy to corral pets, and no need to reschedule due to rain! 10/10 recommend!
If you are feeling like you missed out, do not be dismayed! Next Friday the 1st of December, I could do a session at 5:30, 6 and 7 pm. Hit me up!

I know everyone loves a nice warm day for their photos, but nothing makes a better session than weather that's chilly enough to cuddle. Kyle and Carlos stayed warm for their session with laughter, movement, and tons of LOVE!

Let's go!! My most requested sessions! Bedroom set up, in studio. Think Valentine's Day gift! Albums available too :)

First gig at the new studio! Who wants to take advantage of this awesome deal? Headshot marathon on December 16th! During your 20 minute session, you'll get shots on a studio backdrop and outside in natural light! You'll get to choose three fully edited final images once your gallery is prepared. More are always available for purchase 🙂 50% due at time of booking, balance due on day of service. These will sell out quickly, so message me ASAP! Held at Devon House Studios in Lancaster.

Me (about 2 minutes into last week's session)" "Have you modeled before?"

Sarah: "No, but I'm a theater kid."

AAAAAHHHHH! The expressions! So much fun!

After a few reschedules, we finally got a gorgeous night for Kendall's senior photos. I could've photographed her for hours... she has such natural beauty and an ease with posing. Lititz, as usual, did not disappoint either!

ICYMI. My last several weddings have been epic. Great couples, fantastic venues, and supportive families! I hope the love is palpable in these photos!

I've been reviewing my business model and coming up with a plan since I'm starting my Masters program November 1st of this year. While reviewing I noticed that I haven't raised my prices in nearly a decade. Now this was mostly intentional and slightly lazy. The intentional part comes in that when I started my own business 20 years ago, I vowed to never price myself out of a session that I could personally afford. I don't believe photo memories should only be for the wealthy, and I will hold tight to that vow. That having been said, inflation and equipment prices have gone up quite a bit in the last ten years. And my free time has decreased drastically. For those reasons, ALL session prices will be increasing starting Nov. 1. All sessions booked and gift cards purchased before then will be honored at 2023 pricing regardless of when they take place. On November 1, the increase takes effect. So if you'd like to lock in the current prices, reach out ASAP! Peace and love to you all!

Because I’m terrible at keeping up with this page (and just to prove I’m still out here documenting the world) here’s some fun sessions I’ve done since my last post:

First come first serve! These will be held the morning of May 6, at Overlook Park. They are micro mini, 10 minutes long. They will come with five digital files of your choice. They are only $100! Message me now to book, these will fill up very fast! Have your photos back in time for Mother’s Day 😍