September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Go Gold! More than 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and sadly 20% of them will not survive it. One of those affected by childhood cancer is my friend Abigail. Her spunky, sweet toddler started to walk around 11 months, as many kids do. However, about […]

Tricia and I met in an online photography class years ago, and it has been so fun following each other’s lives from far away, learning and growing in photography, and watching our kids get bigger and bigger! She and her family live hours away from me, but when they had plans to be nearby, we […]

Charleston quickly won my heart with its pastel houses, Spanish moss, and cobblestone streets, and I loved getting to meet Ashley, Matt, and their three girls at Waterfront Park. I was amazed that this downtown park was just steps from the bustling city life as well as the ocean. It had incredible views of the […]

It was the perfect spring evening for a family session at Cox Arboretum in Dayton! The flowers were blooming and smelled absolutely amazing. The sun gave us that unbeatable magical evening glow as it set through the trees. And most importantly Cassidy, Adam, and Bennett were so much fun! Bennett swung through the air like […]

Motherhood can be beautiful, messy, exhausting, funny, and most of all worth it! With Mother’s Day in a couple weeks, I can’t think of a better time to celebrate and honor all the amazing, strong mamas out there. And so, I’m sharing 35 Photos of mothers that have inspired me and allowed me the privilege […]

This week I’m celebrating 2 years since I launched Karen Schanely Photography! It has been such an honor and privilege to be invited into so many wonderful homes and families to capture such special moments! The past two years have also taught be SO much more than I could have imagined. Here are just 5 […]

This newborn session with SIX boys was such a fun way to start my Newborn Sessions of 2019! Because it’s definitely a party with a bunch of brothers! It was so much fun to watch them go from wrestling and tickling with Dad to calmly holding and kissing their new baby brother. Baby Judah will […]

The last days of summer are always some of the best – wildflowers making their last blooms, golden sunlight filtering through the trees, and cheeks warm and rosy from exploring outdoors. This sweet family loves to be outside – hiking and biking, and I loved soaking up the sun and playing in the park with […]

We had a slow start to spring here in Dayton, Ohio, but it was worth the wait when the flowers and trees started to bloom. And the rows and rows of apple blossoms at Stevens Bakery & Orchard in Springfield, Ohio were absolutely beautiful and the perfect setting for a photo session. The Anthonys had […]

Last February I traveled to Amelia Island to attend the Click Away conference with Clickin Moms. It was beyond amazing to learn from various speakers, meet up with friends I’ve gotten to know through the last few years, and soak up the beautiful Florida beach! This sunset beach session was definitely one of the highlights. […]