Chester County, PA photographer — from West Chester out to Kennett Square.

Chester County is home ground for me. My base is Pottstown, just over the county line, and my family is in Chester County — so when I meet you in West Chester or Kennett Square, I'm not somebody who looked the place up on a map.

Two of my favorite engagement sessions happened right here, at Longwood Gardens. I photograph weddings, engagements, senior and family portraits, and branding sessions for small businesses, and I keep all of them relaxed. I'm a romantic about the couple photos and cheerfully bossy about the group ones. Both of those work in your favor.

Allie and Luke embracing among the roses at golden hour during their Longwood Gardens engagement session
Laura and Tyle at their Longwood Gardens engagement session, a quiet forehead kiss in front of stone arches

What I photograph in Chester County

  • Weddings — full-day coverage, told like a story.
  • Engagement sessions — the easiest way to find out whether we click before the wedding day.
  • Senior and family portraits — golden hour, real laughs, no stiff posing.
  • Branding sessions — for small businesses that need photos that look like actual people.

Chester County spots I love

  • Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square — formal gardens and fountains that will carry a portrait in any season. Sessions here run by permit: it goes in at least four weeks ahead, at a set start time, in the outdoor gardens, with a staff member along, and there's a fee. Check the current terms with the Gardens directly before you settle on a date.
  • Marsh Creek State Park, Downingtown — 535 acres of lake with meadow and woods around the edges. This is the county's big-sky spot. I check in with the park office ahead of time.
  • Hibernia County Park, Wagontown — over a thousand acres of meadow and woodland, with a 19th-century ironmaster's mansion up on the hillside and Chambers Lake below it. The lake trail is level and wheelchair accessible, with two overlooks. Chester County Parks ask professional photographers to apply for a Special Event Permit, so I do that part.
  • Springton Manor Farm, Glenmoore — a working county farm park: barns, fence lines, open pasture, open daily from 8am to sunset. Same county permit as Hibernia.

Somewhere else in mind — Phoenixville, Downingtown, Malvern, your own back field? Name it. The spots people pick for themselves are always the ones that photograph best.

Portrait session beside a fountain terrace, ivy climbing the stone arcade behind
Young woman in a floral dress sitting on the edge of a fountain basin in a formal water garden

Recent Chester County work

Both of these were shot at Longwood Gardens, which is right here in Kennett Square:

More on the blog, and a few kind words on my testimonials page.

Chester County questions, answered

Do you travel to Chester County?

Yes, and it's an easy yes. Pottstown is my home base and Chester County is right next door, so this is close to home for me. I also travel further for the right session, so ask even if you're outside the county.

Do I need a permit for photos at Longwood Gardens or a county park?

For Longwood Gardens, yes. Portrait sessions there run by permit, applied for at least four weeks ahead, at a set start time, in the outdoor gardens, and there's a fee — so check the current terms with the Gardens before you pick a date. Chester County parks like Hibernia and Springton Manor ask professional photographers to apply for a Special Event Permit, and I take care of that part.

When's the best light?

The hour before sunset, nearly always. It's soft, it's warm, and it makes everybody look like the best version of themselves. Sunrise is the quieter option if you'd rather have a park to yourselves. We'll plan around the season when we pick your date.

How does booking work?

Send me a note through my book me page with the kind of session you want and a rough date, and I'll reply with what's open — usually with more enthusiasm than you were expecting. Session length and the rest of the details are something we go over when we talk through your shoot.

Let's get your Chester County date on the calendar

Dates are limited — I book out early, so reach out sooner than you think you need to.

BOOK YOUR SESSION

Nearby: Lancaster County sessions · photography in Berks County · Delaware County, PA · weddings in Montgomery County

More on how I shoot weddings and portrait sessions.

One more thing, in case it's useful: I'm a Liberty University student, so I photograph in Lynchburg, Virginia through the school year as well. That's the Lynchburg, VA side of my work.