365 Project: Documenting Our Year ONE Daily Photo at a Time

Libby Hackett January 10, 2021

I started something annnd I’m super pumped about it! I’m calling it my “Three Sixty Five” project and I’m challenging myself to get my camera out daily to shoot SOMETHING, anything to help push me creatively.

The goal is to have a gallery of photos by the end of 2021 to remember our year by. My hope is to make each week have some sort of “theme” and I will be making these blog posts weekly (eerrr monthly if I get behind) to share each collection.

Week One: January 1st-January 7th (Theme: Hattie)

For those of you that don’t know, we had a beautiful bundle of joy join our family in October, Hattie. This week I tried to feature her in every photo but I’m sure you’ll see a lot of her as the weeks progress.

Want to follow along daily? Check out either of my Instagram accounts @LibbyHackettPhotography or @TryingtoHackett. Want to join in the challenge too? DO IT and tag me so I can follow your journey too!! :)

1/365: Hattie’s first Christmas ornament came a tad late.

2/365: A long day means not making it home before nap time!

3/365: Hattie loves when dad has a night off from work to do bedtime.

4/365: Middle of the living room, middle of our hearts.

5/365: Your days are numbered in the bassinet and it makes me sad, growing too fast.

6/365: January 6th was a pretty news worthy day.

7/365: Reflecting on our first week of the year. Buh-dum-tiss.

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Four easy camera hacks ANYONE can use to get better Christmas morning pictures with your DSLR!

Libby Hackett December 19, 2020

Do you want to take better pictures Christmas morning? Have you had a “fancy” camera but have decided it’s way easier just to take pictures with your phone? I’m here for you!

I’m going to lay out four quick, basic “hacks” to start taking better pictures with your DSLR. This is NOT a professional’s tutorial and I don’t claim to be a professional photography teacher. I won’t be diving into super technical aspects of photography and I won’t be using all the right “lingo” but if you’re a parent just hoping to learn a thing or two about your camera, you’ve come to the right place!

1.) Lighting

If you do NOTHING else and just improve your lighting I guarantee you will end up with better photos to show off to your loved ones!

Probably the most important and easiest tip to getting better pictures at home is bringing in as much natural light as possible into your space. Open up those curtains, doors, etc. and welcome in that beautiful light! If it's daytime and possible in your environment, avoid turning on lamps, overhead lights etc. It may seem dark in the room but your camera will thank you for letting the natural light from your window do the work.

Ditch the flash!

That little flash on your camera seems like your friend but it usually results in washing out your subject. A little "hack" if you don't have a lot of camera gear and still need that extra burst of light is to bounce the light off the ceiling by cupping your hand around the flash or attaching a piece of paper or index card in front of the flash! This creates a bigger, softer area of light as it showers back down off the ceiling.

2.)Keep that camera steady!

You don't necessarily need a tripod but try to keep that camera or your elbow rested to help control any extra shake of your camera.

3.) Don't be scared to try out those settings!

Instead of dumping a ton of information on you about the ins and outs of ALL the settings of your camera while in manual mode I’m going to challenge you to try just TWO new settings you may not have tried.

If you've always left your camera on “Auto Mode” you probably have had a mix of awesome photos annnnd not so awesome photos. While cameras these days are amazingly smart sometimes they need our help to get the settings just right for the environment we're in.

If you haven't tried out the different settings on your camera I really want you to try either S- Shutter Priority Mode or A- Aperture Priority Mode. (These may look a little different depending on your brand/model of camera.) These are super fun and easy ways to dabble with settings by telling your camera what you want by controlling ONE aspect and letting the camera do the rest.

Let's do a quick breakdown!

If your main goal is to capture the "speed" of a photo…

and you want to freeze time as your kids rip into their packages you will want to try S (Shutter Priority Mode). Locate which turn knob on your camera makes the “fraction number’’ go up and down. That is your shutter speed. On many camera models this will be the knob on the back of your camera near your right thumb. Making the number larger will "freeze" your photo while lower number will result in a "blur". Finding a good middle will help your camera do the rest to result in a well exposed photo.

Also something to keep in mind, the higher the number means the quicker the shutter is snapping, meaning less light… the lower number allows MORE light as the shutter clicks more slowly and will need to be held much more still.

So basically, HIGH numbers for bright rooms LOW numbers for darker rooms.

If your goal is a gorgeous portrait…

maybe the kids are sitting still for the first time today in front of the tree and you want them to be in focus but you want the tree to be in a beautiful, soft, creamy background, you’ll want to move your camera to A (Aperture Priority Mode). Locate which turn knob on your camera makes the “f” number go up and down. On many camera models this will be the knob on the front of your camera near your right index finger.

Put super simply this is what controls your "depth of field".

I’m going to put this one into a bit of an analogy. I want you to think about sitting at an elementary school musical and seeing the kids in rows on the stage. Now we’re going to use those “rows” as an example of how depth of field works.

This setting controls how many of those "rows" are in focus before it drops into a blurry background. The LOWER number you choose the less "rows" are in focus and bigger the number the more "rows" are in focus. (How low the number can go will be determined by the lens you are using so don’t freak out if it only goes down to 4, 5, 6, etc.)

So basically, HIGH numbers means MORE is in focus (and will also appear darker) while LOW numbers means less is in focus (and will appear lighter).

Smaller f number, more background blur, lighter image.

Larger f number, less background blur, darker image.

Add light to both of these settings by using “ISO”

If you’ve got your shutter speed or depth of field just right but it’s still a little dark. Try adding to your ISO number. You can do this by holding down the “ISO” button until the ISO sensitivity screen appears, and while the button is held rotate the knob near your right thumb. (Again, all camera models are different, check out your manual for your specific knobs and buttons!) Just beware that the higher this number goes the more grain will appear in your photos.

4.) PRACTICE and just have fun!

Get your camera out, don’t be afraid to mess up, and snap away! Adjust one setting at a time until you figure out what works best. Just have fun! :)

I hope this helped some of you or encouraged you to get your camera out!

If you take pictures using these tricks tag me in them so I can see!! Happy shooting!! :)

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A Colorful Gender Neutral Nursery

Libby Hackett August 27, 2020

Yes, we’re waiting to find out the gender of our baby and that usually raises this question:

“How are you preparing if you don’t know the gender?!”

The current trend is to keep the nursery neutral with beautiful blacks, grays, and whites… the result is always sweet, soft, and all around gorgeous. BUT we decided to go in a different direction.

We LOVE colors!

We wanted the nursery to be a variety of colors, a rainbow of fun, and a welcoming environment for creativity. So we did just that!!

We're Maine-ly Here For The Lobster Rolls - Our One Week Maine Coastal Road Trip

Libby Hackett August 14, 2018

Day 1 - Travel and THE Best Lobster Roll

We started our Maine adventure by flying into the Boston airport. This ended up being the best flight option for us considering time and cost. We had booked our first stay at a hotel in Bar Harbor to allow our leisurely trip back down the coast so we had a bit of a drive in front of us (Approximately 5 hours). We scooted to the rental car center and then we were on our way. Being late in the afternoon we knew we'd be getting hungry so we planned for our first stop to be a bit before our half-way point and I'm so glad we picked the town we did!

Sunday Afternoon, Stop #1 Kennebunkport

Roughly 2 hours from the Boston airport it was on our radar as being a touristy town with a delicious lobster roll at the well known Clam Shack. We were told the town is packed and the line for the Clam Shack is easily 30 minutes long. We LUCKED out. The start of our perfect timing throughout the week began with the town being fairly light and no wait at all for food! Parking in this town is limited. Be prepared to either pay or walk a good distance. Luckily I had done a little research ahead of time and had found the address to a perfect pay-by-the-hour parking lot a block from The Clam Shack. (The parking lot address is 11 Dock Sqaure, you'll see the blue parking sign.) Of course our first stop was The Clam Shack and OH-EM-GEE. That lobster roll was our first taste of Maine. Worth every penny. We even scored a cute "both" pin for getting our roll with both mayonnaise and butter. Cute little addition and a free souvenir!

The Clam Shack gave us a coupon for a free ice cream cone at Aunt Marie's, a stand around the corner so of course we had to stop for a couple cones too! We wandered around by the docks and shops a little while then it was back on the road.

Since we knew it'd be dark for the rest of our drive we bypassed the scenic Route 1 and just stuck with the highway. Be ready to slow down on the last hour of driving into Bar Harbor. After hours of flying down the highway that last hour of 30 mph felt daunting. Warning: You may think in such a rural area it isn't being patrolled but I promise, it is. (Just ask the Escalade that flew passed us only to be passed BY us while he was pulled over!)

We moseyed into town about 11pm and finally checked into The Inn On Mount Desert. (The sweet inn keeper had even called on our way to make sure our travel was going okay!) We made our way to our beautiful, air conditioned room and with everything already closed up tight in Bar Harbor our only real option was to call it a day. (The bed was the most comfortable thing I'd ever slept on, or maybe I was just that tired?)

Day 2- Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park

Monday Morning, Breakfast and Adventure

The Inn On Mount Desert- Bar Harbor, Maine

Up early we opted out of the inns offering of complimentary breakfast and walked a few blocks to Jordan's Restaurant, advertised as being known for their blueberry pancakes. The pancakes were fluffy and perfect, service was fast and friendly, and the coffee was hot. Everything you want in a breakfast place.

With our bellies full it was finally time to explore. We hopped in the car and were on our way to the visitor center located in Acadia National Park to pick up a free park map. There was a very long line of folks eager to find out information or purchase a park pass for their vehicle. Save yourself the time! Acadia National Park's website is FULL of information about all of the cool sights within the park. Do your research and find out what stops you are most interested in. On the website you can also purchase your vehicle's park pass, print it off and have it with you so you are ready to go!

The first stop on our list was Cadillac Mountain, again, parking is limited but as luck would have it someone gave us their spot as we pulled up. Perfect timing. It also helped that we were to the top by 10am. Traffic in this area really starts to pick up around noon. Cadillac Mountain is GORGEOUS, the views are absolutely breathtaking. The twisty curvy road up and down the mountain also offers incredible views and a fun drive.

We continued down Park Loop Road (the main way around the park, and stunning all on it's own) in search for Sand Beach. They'll stop you here to check your vehicle's pass so be ready. This area was PACKED. If you find a spot along the road TAKE IT, the parking lot will most likely be full and you'll have to lap back around. (Many of the roads in the park are One-Way only, check your map!)

Sand Beach was crowded but as we walked to the far edge the mass of people lightened and we enjoyed letting our toes take a dip and soaking up some rays. After enjoying the sun we washed our feet in the provided foot showers and continued down the one-way to our next stop, Thunder Hole.

Again, parking is limited, take the spot as you find it. There are many opportunities to take a break and just take in all that's around you. We spent a lot of time simply sitting on the cliffs before making it to Thunder Hole. It's beautiful and there are many trails to choose from.

Unfortunately, while we were at Thunder Hole it wasn't "thundering" from the waves crashing, as it is famous for but it was still a cool sight to see. We hiked a little ways back to the car and continued around the curves to my personal favorite stop of our time in the park, Otter Point.

It was SO peaceful here. No big crowds of people. EASY parking. Spectacular views of the gorgeous water crashing into the cliffs. All around awesome.

“Honestly vacation is just filled with activities while patiently waiting to be hungry enough to eat again.”

Back on the curvy road we took our time cruising and checking out the gorgeous scenery. Tucker even caught a whale jumping in the distance! (I only caught the tale! Boo!) We chose to avoid the crowds and passed on a few of the "well known" stops in Acadia, Jordan's Pond being one of them, and headed back to home-base. Which was great because we were hungry, and eating is by far our favorite vacation activity. Honestly vacation is just filled with activities while patiently waiting to be hungry enough to eat again.

Monday Afternoon/Evening- Lunch, Downtown Bar Harbor, Dinner

Our conveniently placed inn was a short 10 minute walk to the heart of Bar Harbor. We chose a restaurant known for their lobster roll (well, duh!), Side Street Cafe. Fun vibe, laid back, cold drinks, awesome service, and of course, an amazing lobster roll. We then spent hours walking around Downtown Bar Harbor, lots of fun shops to explore. We walked the Shore Path and really enjoyed the harbor area. Beautiful boats, a few were offering sunset cruises and such. We also spent time just sitting on one of the park benches and doing some people watching.

As the smell of pizza lingered around us we knew we needed some so we walked into Rosalie's and placed our order. A quick 15 minute wait and we had our pizza. We decided to take it back to the inn and enjoy it there. Pizza was awesome and we were spent. We'd set a goal before we left to make sure we enjoyed a "famous" sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain and Tuesday morning was our last chance. Knowing we'd have to set our alarms for 3am to make it happen, we called it a night!

Day 3- Cadillac Mountain Sunrise and Some Travel

Tuesday "Morning", sunrise, breakfast

3am comes pretty fast. We had to keep telling ourselves it'd be worth it. (Trust us, it is, fight through the sleepiness!) We snagged a cup of coffee from the lobby of the inn and we were out the door. Since we had already scoped out Cadillac Mountain the day before we knew exactly where to go, and we were also wise to the VERY limited parking. I didn't want to be there for just "the sunrise" I wanted to be there for it all. I wanted to watch the sky around us change colors, I wanted to watch the sky wake-up, and we weren't alone. When we rounded the corner to the parking lot there were about 6 other cars already in their spots. All with the same idea I'm sure, to beat the crowds and witness the beauty from the very start.

I snapped a few night, stargazing photos and we found a "comfy" spot to watch the event. The sunrise wasn't technically until 5:19 that morning but the sky really began to change around 4:00. It's magical and honestly something everyone should put on their bucket list! With Cadillac Mountain being the highest point along the North Atlantic coast (1,530 ft.) it's one of the very first places to see the sunrise during the summer in the United States. (The VERY first place to see it the other half of the year!) If you do this stop, it's chilly, bring a sweater or a blanket! As time crept toward 5:00 we could really start to hear the cars and the people hustling in. We could see the headlights of late comers circling for spots in the, I'm sure, already full parking lot. People were all around us by this point, hundreds gather hear daily for the event, but most had already missed the big part of the show an hour before!

The sun peaked and we hurried to our car to beat the massive line of traffic that would be headed back down the mountain. As we made our way through the parking lot we started to realize just HOW many cars were here. Cars were EVERYWHERE, in ditches, sides of the narrow road, and in turnoffs. We were so happy to have planned ahead and beat all of that craziness!

As we were making our way down the mountain we started to notice the amazing golden color of the sky and everything around us. As we rounded one of the many curves down we came around the corner to the most spectacular view. There was a small turn off big enough for a car or two and we just had to stop. In our haste down the mountain we almost missed one of the best views of the day! As cars flew by we just sat and enjoyed this spot for a few minutes. Then we scurried down the mountain in the hunt for breakfast!

Again, we skipped the inn's complimentary breakfast (which wouldn't have been served quite yet anyway) and instead walked into town. Our first option was Cafe This Way, but they weren't open yet! So we "scrambled", yep only thinking about eggs at this point, to find a place already open. And I think it was meant to be. We landed at Great Maine Breakfast and it is appropriately named to say the least. Prepare to have your mind blown with the most delicious homemade oatmeal bread french toast you will ever have. Service was fast, place is small so there may be a wait a little later in the morning. Staff was friendly, coffee was hot and the food was terrific all around.

With check-out time looming we decided the only rational thing to do would be to take a nap before heading on down the coast!

Tuesday Afternoon, Trip to Rockland

Checked-out of our gorgeous first hotel, car packed, and fully napped. We were ready to face the day! Before leaving Bar Harbor we walked downtown to scoop up a couple souvenirs and then we headed down Route 1 in "route" to our next stop of Rockland. This road is super fun. So many little towns, driving right along the coast, speed limits are low. With only 2 hours to our next hotel we had plenty of time until check-in so we were in no hurry. After an easy scenic drive we arrived at The Rockland Harbor Hotel. We parked our car and decided to stretch our legs. A quick google search of food around us and we were headed to Wasses Hot Dogs for "One of the best hot dogs in Maine!". A cute street stand, the line was pretty long at lunch which gave us time to decide what we wanted. Service was fast and friendly. A couple of very yummy cheese dogs and fries later and we were ready for a beer! We walked back passed our hotel and headed for The Rock Harbor Brewery. Being a red/amber fan I went for one of their Copper House drafts, super refreshing. Tucker enjoyed a Sprucehead Stout.

After check-in we discovered our hotel room had an awesome view of the harbor, even included a little balcony which was really nice! We relaxed for a little while then we were ready to explore again!

Tuesday Evening, Lighthouse, Dinner

I was so excited to visit our first official lighthouse!! We could see it from our hotel room but was too far to walk so we hopped in our car and headed to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. You first arrive at a nice parking area and small park. From there we walked the close to a mile long breakwater that stretches to the beautiful lighthouse.

We came right before sunset and the views were nothing short of amazing. After spending time at the lighthouse and walking our way back to the car we were hungry... of course... in hunt of a lobster roll. We had passed a restaurant on the way so we decided hit it up out of convenience. We walked up to Claws excited to try one of their "award winning lobster rolls". Unfortunately the service wasn't that great, seemed to be some confusion in the kitchen. Lobster roll was okay, clam chowder was pretty good BUT the views from their outdoor seating area were beautiful! All and all it was a nice stop. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and taking a nice nighttime walk around the water. Most things in Rockland close up pretty early so we ran out of things to do which was okay because we were ready to call it a day.

Day 4- Headed Down The Coast, Georgetown Pit Stop

Wednesday Morning/Afternoon, Lunch in Georgetown

Five Islands Lobster Co. Georgetown, Maine

Again, we opted out of the offered complimentary breakfast because... well.. we're obsessed with breakfast spots. We walked across the street to the Rockland Cafe. No open tables so we had to wait a bit, to be expected. Again, the service ended up being just okay. Seemed to be some good ol' restaurant drama taking place. The food was still good, my omelette was bangin', coffee was good, and we had a blueberry muffin that was as big as my head. We hit up some shops for souvenirs, loaded up the car, and checked out. One last stop in Rockland was Jess's Market, we got road bevs and were ready to go! Probably one of the stops I was most excited about, Georgetown, was just about an hour away.

More Route 1 driving lead us to the turnoff for the small harbor town. Our main-e reason for stopping you ask? Lobster Roll. This time at the highly recommended Five Island Lobster Co. We spent some time walking around the little town, visited their general store, took in the pretty Five Islands views, and had fun watching the lobster boats bringing in loads n' loads of lobster, awesome experience even on the overcast day we had. Then at last it was lobster roll time! As said by all the reviews the lobster roll is amazing, we got some onion rings too, yum! Full of lobster it was back to Route 1 in search of Portland!

Wednesday Evening, Portland

The shortest drive of the trip, under an hour, got us to our Portland Hotel. Right in the heart of downtown Portland, cobblestone roads and adorable brick everywhere you looked. Parking on the same block in a parking garage put us a short walk to check-in with our luggage in tow. We rounded the corner to see the Hyatt Place Portland, our stop for the next couple nights, the sweetest front desk attendant of our trip made us feel right at home! When we entered our room my mind blew. The view from our window was incredible! Floor to ceiling windows, super comfy bed, amazing bathroom. The perfect place to relax.

Floor to ceiling windows in The Hyatt Place Hotel

We explored around downtown for a while it rained a little off and on, we stopped at a bar called Rosie's because the sign outside invited us in with beer specials. Again, hunger was striking and a new town calls for a new pizza. We picked the closest one which happened to be Anthony's Italian Kitchen. We walked a few blocks to the basement restaurant nestled between Bull Moose Records and Casablanca Comics, seemed right up our alley. We walked to the counter to place our order, pizza was ready maybe 10 minutes later. When we got back outside rain was looming. About three minutes into the walk it started pouring! We ran, pizza in hand, doing everything to protect the precious cheese covered deliciousness. We succeeded! That ended up being arguably my favorite evening of the whole vacation. Just sitting in our hotel room, watching the rain and people on the street, eating awesome pizza on a comfy couch with Food Network playing in the background. Another early night to prepare for a fun morning!

Day 5 - Fort Williams, Cape Elizabeth, Portland Head Lighthouse, Two Lights, Crescent Beach, Bug Light

Thursday Morning/Afternoon, Hotel Breakfast and Exploring

Our first complimentary breakfast, Hyatt Place knows what's up! Good coffee, hot food, good selection. Honestly it was just chosen as a time savor but it ended up being pretty darn good for a hotel complimentary breakfast! We were ready for a full day of sightseeing. First stop of the day was to Fort Williams Park (about 20 minutes from the hotel) to see the Portland Head Lighthouse! I was so excited about this stop and it certainly lived up to the beauty I had seen in pictures while planning our trip. The scenery is just down right gorgeous here. We spent a bit of time wandering around the lighthouse then headed down the road into Cape Elizabeth to the western part of Casco Bay, Two Lights. The lighthouse here isn't the coolest view but the coast around it is AWESOME! We trekked along the rocks and enjoyed the ocean crashing around us.

Next stop was a little bit of BEACH TIME!! Crescent Beach is a public beach but be prepared to pay here. $16 dollars got the two of us a day-pass in case you wanted to come and go for lunch and such. We were there before noon so the crowds weren't unbearable. The beach is clean, sun was hot, water was pretty warm. It was nice to just soak up some vitamin D for a while! (A cute crepe stand was in the parking lot too "Crepe Elizabeth"... I'm a sucker for a good pun.)

Old Orchard Beach was on our list for the day but we decided to head back toward the city instead. On the way we looked up another popular Lobster Roll stop, which happened to lead us right back into Fort Williams to a little food truck called Bite Into Maine. The lobster rolls just never stop being awesome in Maine but this was one of my faves! They had really good potato salad and we snagged a caprese sandwich too. One last out of city stop on the list was another little lighthouse, Bug Light. Cute little park, short walk to the lighthouse, cool views of the city, nice stop. From there, after an already full day, it was back to Old Port.

Thursday Evening, More Walking, More Eating

A little hotel relaxing, a lot of walking, and a couple beers at Rosie's. When dinner time came we were on the hunt for a burger, we struck out at a couple stops including a "restaurant" called Fore Play (It's on Fore street and I'm a sucker for puns.) To keep it short, I'm not sure if they knew they were a restaurant so we moved on. We ended up at a chain that is new to us called Elevation Burger. Sort of like Five Guys but SUPER good! A little more walking around and checking out some cute boutiques lead us back to the hotel. Some people watching on our comfy couch and some much needed rest on our super cozy bed!

Sunset view from our hotel window, Portland, Maine

Day 6- Odds and Ends in Portland

Friday, The Whole Day In One Section Because We Were Pretty Lazy

Friday morning started the latest of all the days. We walked about 15 minutes to an adorable looking breakfast place called The Miss Portland Diner, it's a train-cart-turned-restaurant and we got to sit at the cute counter! Awesome french toast, hot coffee, good service!

We filled the day with a lot of random activities starting with visiting a neighborhood called Libbytown, for obvious reasons, and enjoyed a couple donuts there at a spot called Tony's Donuts. Met some friendly locals. We stopped at Len Libby Candies, again, obviously. They have a life-sized moose, bear, and bear cubs made entirely out of chocolate. It's ridiculous and smells delicious. (The mama bear's name is Libby, sooo again.) We wandered back into the city and decided to drive around to the outer parts. We drove through the Eastern Promenade. Walking paths, parks, and beautiful harbor views. The perfect place to waste some time and take in some fresh air. We even stumbled upon the graffiti wall located along one of the paths.

Lunch time brought us on the hunt for a classic, down to earth, fish and chips and a, do I need to even say it at this point, lobster roll. We landed on a spot we had already scoped out, The Porthole. Terrific outdoor seating right on the water. The fresh air and smell of the sea complimented a delicious meal.

Our Lunch View, Porthole, Portland, Maine

More walking, shopping at Bull Moose, Casablanca Comics, and some more souvenir places. Back to the hotel to relax and take advantage of the pool to cool off. This was the hottest day we were in Maine. Hours wasted lounging around the hotel brought us to dinner time. Last night in Portland, we couldn't leave without trying Otto's Pizza, right? Delivered right to our-lazy-selves for more hotel lounging. As most people go for a night cap, we went for night gelato. Next door at The Gelato Fiasco Old Port. A night stroll down to the harbor to see street lights on the water. (Turns out Fore Street turns into a super packed, loud club scene after 11pm. Totally for you, if you're into that sort of thing.)

With rain setting in again we opted for more lazy lounging until we dozed off for the night.

Day 7- Donuts and Traveling Home

Saturday, Holy Donut, A Last Minute Re-stop

The last day. We were flying back out of Boston but had about eight hours to complete the two hour drive so of course pit stops were in order. First we hit up the free hotel breakfast, a few last minute souvenirs, and last but not least some road donuts from Holy Donut! (Standing in line, in the rain, was worth it!)

We had time to either stop in one new town OR revisit Kennebunkport to see if the Clam Shack's lobster roll lived up to our week of delicious rolls along the coast. We couldn't pass up that lobster roll so Kennebunkport we went. The town was about DOUBLED in crowds from our first stop, parking was next to impossible, and the line at the Clam Shack was that famous 20 minutes long. I dropped Tucker off to hop in line and as I drove up to "our" parking lot from trip number one the "Lot Full" sign loomed. To my luck, as I was about to drive by, the lot worker took the sign down, perfect timing! Made it in time to order our legendary lunch (scored another "Both" pin, now we each have one!) and dug into our, now without a doubt, FAVORITE LOBSTER ROLL of the week!!

Wasted a little more time, did a little more shopping, and then headed back down the road towards Boston. Easy airport, we got there early just in case. Took the time to chill and enjoy the last of our rightly named, Holy Donuts, heavenly. Plane was delayed and then it wasn't, a little mix up at the in-airport Johnny Rockets, and just like that, it was time to head home!

The Wrap Up

The BEST vacation we have ever been on. Highly recommend. A fun, easy road trip.

Gorgeous views, perfect weather, friendly people all around.

Highlights? Otter Point, Cadillac Mountain Sunrise, Hyatt Place Hotel

Could have skipped? The stay in Rockland. (Just make a pit stop for the lighthouse!)

Best lobster roll we tried? The Clam Shack, Kennebunkport

The Wright Family Session// Spencer, Ohio

Libby Hackett June 24, 2017

I was contacted by Tiffany in hopes of squeezing in a family session with her husband, children, and in-laws. I was SO happy that I had availability in my schedule and was able to make this session happen for them!! We were a little short on time with one of the family members being home for a very short time and one of the families needing to get to a wedding, but we MADE IT HAPPEN!! We were even able to squeeze in a couple shoot that will be featured in the next blog post. (I felt like we should have ended the session with hands in a circle shouting... "GO TEAM!!!") I loved getting to know this sweet family (their adorable dogs too!!) and was able to get a TON of pictures for them to love, I hope they cherish them forever. If you have family in town, or a tight schedule, contact me!! I will always try my best to fit into your schedule. Click through the photos below for a sneak peek of the Wright family's session!!

Sami and Curtis Couple Session// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett June 22, 2017

I had SO MUCH FUN with Sami and Curtis during their couple session!! There is so much apparent love between the two of them, it's hard to not smile when they're with you. Not only are they super adorable they brought their two dogs along, can we get any cuter?? I can't put into words how awesome their session was so I'll let their photos do the talking. Click through the photos below for a sneak peek!

Feierabend Family Session// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett June 20, 2017

This session was a photographer's DREAM! When Kristin contacted me in hopes of getting some updated portraits with her husband, Karl, and TWINS, Cora and Alec, I was immediately excited!! I LOVE working with kids. Of course kids can be a little "distracted", they usually have their own plan which hardly ever includes getting their picture taken, but they're so much fun!! With a little bit of patience, skittles bribery, and mom's secret weapon of bubbles, we made it happen. I just love their energy and had so much fun meeting this family!! (Click through the photos below for a sneak peek!!)

Brinley Six Month Session// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett June 19, 2017

Where do I begin with this little girl? I'm lucky to be a part of her family! Her dad is my husband's brother which makes little Brinley here my niece!! I've really enjoyed getting to know her mom and dad over the years and now I get to watch this little girl grow! Her amazing parents allowed me to take her newborn photos and now I had the opportunity to get her six month photos captured too!! She already has quite the personality and did such a great job at her session. It was a little windy that evening so we couldn't venture far but we made it work!! I'm so happy to be a part of your lives Jesse, Jenny, and Brinley!! (Click through the photos below for a sneak peek!)

Tish Family Session// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett June 18, 2017

Recently I had the joy of meeting one of the sweetest families ever, the Tish family!! I'm a little behind on blog posts but I wanted to be sure to share about our experience. Erica and Colton have the cutest little boy, Hunter!! he was super inquisitive, smart, polite, well behaved, and a natural in front of the camera!!

We had an easy going session which you can just feel through their photos. So much love shared between these three and I hope they enjoy their photos for years to come. Click through the gallery below for a sneak peek!!

Brianna and Eric Couple Session// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett May 17, 2017

I had the joy of spending a beautiful Ohio spring evening with Brianna and Eric! These two are incredibly adorable and thankfully put up with me and my "Oh wait, I have one more idea" that was spoken about a million times that night. I LOVE doing all types of couples sessions; newlyweds, engagements, anniversaries, or maybe just because. There's something so special that comes through in photos when it's with the person you love most in the whole world. I'm a hopeless romantic through and through and nothing makes me happier than seeing two people madly in love! My goal is to capture what makes your relationship special and I think we made that happen with Brianna and Eric. These two are FUN and we had a blast together! I hope they love these images for years to come!

(Click through the photos below for a little sneak peek!)

Holly Business Mini// Wooster, Ohio

Libby Hackett May 12, 2017

Holly contacted me in need of some fresh headshots to use for her new business! We set-up a mini session and ended up with a nice selection. Click through the photos below for a sneak peek!

Easton Newborn Session // Apple Creek, Ohio

Libby Hackett May 5, 2017

I recently had the joy of visiting the home of brand new Easton and his big sister Taylor! I love doing in-home sessions for many reasons. Being home with a newborn is enough work as it is, this way I get to do the traveling and do the "heavy lifting" while you relax! Not to mention members of the family tend to be much more comfortable at home which comes through in the photos. Easton was a little dream at just 11-days-new and his big sister is completely in love!!

(Click through the photos below for a little peek!!)

A Saturday Mini Adventure in Ohio, Dave Grohl Alley

Libby Hackett April 16, 2017

Yesterday we took a little road trip to Dave Grohl's hometown of Warren to check out David Grohl Alley! Despite getting a speeding ticket on the way it was a cool little adventure on a beautiful Saturday evening. The alley features lots of fun local artists and the World's Largest Drumsticks! The drumsticks are typically mounted and displayed under the mural but are currently moved due to gas line work. If you are in the Warren area it is definitely worth the stop. A really nice gentleman came out from one of the local businesses and explained why the sticks were moved and that they were having a re-dedication of the alley soon! Would love to go back!!

Dave Grohl Alley, World's Largest Drumsticks

Shaping Sound in Cleveland

Libby Hackett March 13, 2017

Playhouse Sqaure, Cleveland. Shot with a Samsung Galaxy s7.

Saturday we had the amazing opportunity to see Travis Wall's Shaping Sound perform at The Connor Palace Theater, Playhouse Square in Cleveland! (If you get the chance to see this show in a city near you, GO!)

The performance was an amazing combination of different dance styles, gorgeous music, emotion, and artistry. A play without words. I wish we could see it again! I am a HUGE fan of both Travis Wall and Gaby Diaz so watching them perform live was a dream come true! The entire cast was unbelievable and left us with a mutual feeling of love and happiness.

Never underestimate the amount of story and emotion that can be shown through dance.

Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Amazing. Well done, Travis Wall and all of Shaping Sound Company!!

Playhouse Square, Cleveland. Shot with a Samsung Galaxy s7.

A Blog Post... With an Ocean View

Libby Hackett March 1, 2017

It's a cloudy, yucky, stormy day here in Ohio.

Has me thinking of this view we had last Summer in Oregon at Ecola State Park. The sun was so bright that afternoon you couldn't get around without sunglasses on! (I could barely look through my camera to take pictures because it was so blinding!)

Our entire trip was unforgettable but I will always cherish this bright, sunshiny day we spent at the beach. When we arrived in the morning and had our first ever look at the Pacific Ocean, there was a slight fog laying right at our feet, and the water was too cold to stand in. As the day progressed it turned into this gorgeous, not too hot, perfect day.

TAKE ME BACK!!

Old Hobbies Die Hard

Libby Hackett February 27, 2017

Had the chance to work on a letter art project a friend had asked about months ago!

She moved out of Ohio and was feeling a little homesick. Isn't is amazing how something as simple as a photograph can make us feel at home?

These letter art projects are always so much fun to work on. A great way to practice camera settings, angles, lighting, editing, etc. Will definitely be something I always enjoy making!

Ready or Not, Here I Come!!

Libby Hackett February 22, 2017

Today has been an amazing day!! I got my notice from The Secretary of State office and I am officially open for business!!

I can't even begin to explain how excited I am. I'm a little nervous but EXTREMELY happy. Thanks for all of the support so far!!

Chasing Waterfalls

Libby Hackett February 12, 2017

I've been spending a lot of time looking through photos while getting my website running. I stumbled across this photo of my husband, Tucker while hiking in Oregon last summer. I'm so thankful for this wonderful man!