Shaping Community, One Frame at a Time
At Ivory Tree Portraits, children and their parents find a photography studio devoted to preserving memories that last a lifetime.
Communities are defined by their children, all of whom are inquisitive, bold, and ever-changing.
In addition to capturing and preserving memories for families throughout the Philadelphia area and beyond, the Ivory Tree team takes a vested interest in supporting the communities in which those families live. That’s why Lara Aman Mattey, Studio Owner, has committed Ivory Tree to selecting multiple charities to support each year through events at the studios.
“We carefully select the charities we support, ensuring they resonate personally with our team members or clients,” Mattey says. “For example, our studio embraces a kid-led philosophy, and many of our clients are on the spectrum. With that in mind, we not only offer sensory-friendly sessions year-round, but also organized a special charity event where all proceeds benefited the Eagles Autism Foundation.”
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) has been a recent beneficiary, with proceeds from “puppy sessions” benefiting the organization. After all, as Mattey, who has several Labradors herself, says, “Furry family members are family, too.”
Kisses for Kyle Foundation, a Willow-Grove-based organization that supports local families who are battling cancer, has particular significance to Kaeleigh Butynskyi, Ivory Tree’s Creative Director. Butynskyi made Kisses for Kyle her charity of choice in honor of a young family member who is celebrating being cancer-free.
Creating a culture of inclusion is incredibly important to Mattey; the studio is a safe place where everyone is loved and celebrated. They host confetti sessions to benefit The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
“We love to partner with local charities as much as possible,” Mattey adds, “which is why we’re so excited to offer ‘Mommy & Me’ sessions this spring to benefit the Kin Wellness & Support Center, a nonmedical retreat that offers care and support to all who battle cancer in Bucks County.”
When asked why she dedicates so much time and effort to the community through their charity events, Mattey pauses before answering.
“We started our charity events in partnership with Main Line Fertility,” she says. “We host ‘Meet The Doctor’ sessions where parents get to bring their miracle babies in to meet their fertility doctor. The family’s stories are incredible to hear, and the connection they have with the doctor is undeniable.
“Having the opportunity to capture that moment is an incredible honor,” she continues. “The sessions are so emotional and rewarding. Capturing and celebrating milestones is what we do. Our charities events are just such a natural progression of that. They are designed to celebrate everyone’s journey or to honor those we love.”
It fits, considering the tenderness, empathy, and joy embodied in all of Ivory Tree’s photos. More than anything, Mattey hopes clients can feel the love and support a community can offer.
“I’m incredibly lucky in my personal life to be surrounded by a supportive and loving village,” she says. “This is my way of ensuring that all our clients feel that same support on their journey.”
Letting Each Child Shine
At Ivory Tree, the team specializes in working with kids, which means they use fun games to draw out a kid’s true personality and lots of giggles. They also use lighting in a way to naturally highlight a kid’s best feature rather than relying on postproduction editing. To Mattey, this is an important distinction.
At Ivory Tree, the team specializes in working with kids, which means they use fun games to draw out a kid’s true personality and lots of giggles. They also use lighting in a way to naturally highlight a kid’s best feature rather than relying on postproduction editing. To Mattey, this is an important distinction.
“It’s about letting each kid shine for what makes them unique,” she says. “By doing so, it reinforces the philosophy that what makes you different makes you special. And that’s at the core of building self-confidence.”
The philosophy of building self-confidence is evident in everything the studio does. It informs posing, backgrounds, how the Ivory Tree Team talks to and engages with kids during each session, and how they work with parents after the session when selecting images.
As an award-winning newborn and family photography studio, Ivory Tree Portraits, specializes in working with kids and busy parents. Ivory Tree’s kid-led philosophy creates a fun experience for kids and easy experience for parents. Ivory Tree has a firm belief that portraits have the power to instill self-confidence in kids and capture memories for parents.
With so much love for their clients, it’s no wonder the community feels the same for these studios, which are dedicated to the craft of capturing happiness and preserving some of life’s most moments, one frame at a time.
Ivory Tree Portraits
(610) 710-4330
ivorytreeportraits.com
Main Line
21 West Avenue
Wayne, PA 19087
Bucks County
35 S. State Street
Newtown, PA 18940
(610) 710-4330
ivorytreeportraits.com
Main Line
21 West Avenue
Wayne, PA 19087
Bucks County
35 S. State Street
Newtown, PA 18940
Photo courtesy of Ivory Tree Portraits
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, March 2025.
