Ethereal Portraits

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Ethereal Portraits e·the·re·al :
1. extremely delicate and light.
2. heavenly or celestial.
18+ page - ⚠️ spice and spooky likely

09/29/2026

My toxic trait? I'm going to offer you a mini session and then pull out 60 photos I want to edit. ☣️

The thing about me is I'm going to make you kiss.
09/24/2026

The thing about me is I'm going to make you kiss.

The charm of these thumbnails is next level. 🖤
09/24/2026

The charm of these thumbnails is next level. 🖤

Perfection among the stars. 🖤 Andrea Schnaus #𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑦
09/16/2026

Perfection among the stars. 🖤 Andrea Schnaus

#𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑦

Can you fit two people in the moon? 🌜Yes. It is highly encouraged. 💘
09/15/2026

Can you fit two people in the moon? 🌜
Yes. It is highly encouraged. 💘

Why Paper Moon Portraits? 🌜 Gather 'round for a little history lesson about one of my favorite turn-of-the-century photo...
09/14/2026

Why Paper Moon Portraits? 🌜

Gather 'round for a little history lesson about one of my favorite turn-of-the-century photography trends.

Long before selfies and digital cameras, people loved having their pictures taken in fun and unusual ways. One of the most charming examples was the paper moon portrait.

Paper moon portraits became popular in the United States around the late 1800s and early 1900s. A person would sit or lean on a large crescent-shaped moon, usually surrounded by a painted backdrop of stars. The moon was often made from wood, cardboard, or another lightweight material and decorated to look whimsical and magical.

These portraits could be found in photography studios, traveling carnivals, county fairs, arcades, parties, and other celebrations. They were sometimes called “Man in the Moon” portraits.

At the time, traditional photographs were usually very serious. People sat perfectly still and rarely smiled. A paper moon portrait was different. It was meant to be playful, silly, romantic, and fun. Families, couples, friends, and children could climb onto the moon and create a photograph that captured their personality rather than simply documenting what they looked like.

Paper moon photographs also became popular as photography became more affordable. For many people, a photograph taken at a fair or carnival was a special souvenir that could be taken home or mailed to family and friends.

The tradition reached its height during the early decades of the 20th century, particularly around the 1910s and 1920s, although examples continued to appear into the 1940s. As inexpensive cameras, photo booths, and new forms of photography became more common, the paper moon gradually disappeared from everyday life.

The idea never completely disappeared, however. Vintage paper moon photographs are still collected today because they offer something that formal portraits often don't: a glimpse of ordinary people having fun. The moon itself became a symbol of imagination—a little bit of make-believe captured in a photograph.

Today, paper moon portraits are being rediscovered as a way to bring that old-fashioned sense of wonder, romance, nostalgia, and playfulness back to photography.

And that's what makes them so special: for a moment, anyone can sit on the moon. ✨🌝

(Photos below are from an exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago.)

Now Announcing...Message to book your 30 min mini session. 🌜
09/13/2026

Now Announcing...

Message to book your 30 min mini session. 🌜

Winter Senior Photo Shoot with my baby brother Jarren.
01/11/2026

Winter Senior Photo Shoot with my baby brother Jarren.

The Riggle Sisters
12/02/2025

The Riggle Sisters

Slay Queen - Ur a Teen. And what a cool teen you are. ☺️
12/01/2025

Slay Queen - Ur a Teen. And what a cool teen you are. ☺️

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Jasper, IN
47546

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+18123092718

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