hi! i’m emily!
I am the photographer behind Emily Rau Photography, a full-time, Central Ohio based family and newborn photography business. A little about me… My family and I live in Lancaster on our family farm. In my spare time I love to renovate and decorate our old farmhouse, spend time outside, eat endless amounts of tacos, and of course hang out with my three kids!
Speaking of my kids, I launched my professional photography career in 2016 after spending over a decade as a hobby photographer. What started as me photographing and sharing images online of my sweet new baby somehow organically grew into a fun “side hustle”, which continued to grow when I opened my first commercial studio in 2017. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to photograph over 600 sessions (with families driving from across the state and even across the country!), as well as receive multiple international awards and recognitions for my work. I’ve even been blessed to teach and mentor budding photographers both in person and online through renowned educational programs such as the Rachel Vanoven Collective.
At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to create a laid-back and comfortable experience where families can be themselves, to capture each baby and family just as they are, to serve them to the best of my ability, and share Jesus’ love in a practical and tangible way. I am constantly thankful for this career and the opportunity to serves families during such a special stage of their lives.
What Clients Are Saying…
“Emily has done 3 different sessions for our family, including family/1 year pictures, maternity, and newborn photo shoots. I could not be more pleased with her work! Not only is she accommodating, but she provides you with an abundance of photos for a really great price. The images she captures are just gorgeous! Her photography skills have exceeded my expectations, and I would recommend her to anyone. Although I love ALL of our pictures from Emily, I especially love the newborn pictures of our daughter. Emily is very talented and experienced in this area. I will continue to use Emily for our family photos for years to come.”
-Angela B
“Wow. My heart is so full. I just recently had my first child, my sweet son. I'm a photographer so of course you'd think I'd just photograph my child myself but there are so many things that go into newborns and I knew that G would be in much SAFER hands if someone who specialized in babies did them. Emily went above and beyond. I birthed the most fragile sleeper and also the most stubborn and he stayed so calm, happy, and sleepy the entire time. I was amazed. I knew she could do it, but I figured he would be somewhat a challenge, but nope... surrendered to her magic immediately. The photos truly speak volumes as to the type of person Emily is. She's so kind, gentle, and puts the baby first... but also makes mama feel good when getting photos with the tiny tot. And her studio... wow. So many options for every kind of family. It was so inviting and relaxing. Overall a perfect experience. I couldn't recommend her enough.”
-Victoria T
“Emily has taken maternity photos, newborn photos, and family photos for my family and I couldn't ask for better pictures or a better experience! She is so patient and really works hard to get the right photo without my husband (who doesn't love taking photos) getting overwhelmed. I'm always blown away when I get photos back because they are simply so amazing. Everyone I show pictures to remarks how great the photos are. I highly recommend her to anyone wanting a great overall experience!”
-Lydia B
“Emily is an amazing human being as well as an amazing photographer! She photographed our family of 7 and was so patient even with all of our chaos. (Our 5 kids are Newborn to 9 years old!) I highly recommend her for your photography needs! You won't be disappointed.”
-Savannah W
“Emily somehow turned my sons temper tantrum into the most beautiful pictures! She is amazing! I didn't expect to get anything we could actually use and display so we are pleasantly surprised! Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us!”
- Stacie W
“Emily was absolutely amazing !!! She did my sons newborn pictures back in November and they are everything and more that I could have imagined! She is SOO good with babies ! She took some amazing pictures that I now get to cherish forever of my little man ❤️❤️!! I highly recommended using Emily for your photographer if you are looking for one!”
- Melissa K
