Carytown

I love trying new locations.
When one senior suggested we ditch the usual landscape for something a little more gritty and architecturally focused, I said absolutely.  And I love our city, so any chance to head into RVA is terrific!

Carytown rocks and so does this senior!

We can make it work.

One challenge of being a photographer with limited equipment and no studio is finding locations to meet families and capture photos worthy of displaying. Being an optimistic person, I like to turn a tough situation into something that works. Often what begins as a potential challenge can be the best option in the long run.

For instance, at a recent photo shoot, a client had me meet them at their home to get a few family shots and lots of sweet baby photos. We climbed the stairs to the baby's room and were able to use the light from the nursery window and baby things from around the house to create a fun photo environment. I enjoy those opportunities to take what is comfortable to a client and use it as a part of their experience. Taking a newborn out of her home for a photo shoot could have been a stressful experience for the whole family.

So, my answer to someone who wonders how to make a photo session with a baby successful is...

no worries, we can make it work.

Here are some of the pictures from that home.

I love babies

I really love babies.
I love making them smile and watching them play and grow. I love taking their pictures and capturing the sweet little moments. I have been blessed to have two beautiful little boys.
But those little stinkers do not like to have their pictures taken. Not easy for an aspiring photographer.
Sometimes Josh will give me a "cheese" but he is usually off before I can even focus my camera. Danny gives me the grumpy face and so far I haven't found the perfect bribe item for him. But I am still searching! This one was a recent quick moment in cute outfits.


But thankfully I have friends that let me pull out the camera and practice on them! I just love the progression of photos that I have recently taken of our friend's new baby.













Babies and sweet friends are awesome!

The Final Year

Senior photos were my starting point when I lived in Atlanta. So many people that I knew were tired of the same old poses sitting on a stool or posing in front of giant numbers. They were looking for something fresh but not wanting to use all of their upcoming college budget on photos. I was able to meet them at various outdoor locations, let them do a few outfit changes, and catch them in poses that were comfortable to them.

Here are some samples.

I really enjoy working with teenagers, because they have so much energy! My goal is to catch them in natural poses. I encourage them to tell me what feels comfortable. One of my favorite compliments I ever got was from a mom looking through her photos and laughing joyful as she said that I truly captured her daughter's personality.

Time for Prom?

While living in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to do quite a few senior photo shoots. Through those connections, I was asked to attend many sending off parties for Prom and homecoming night. My job was to take photos of all the couples and of the large group posing, putting on corsages, smiling with their dates, etc. How many times have you been at an event like that and had to hold a pose for 5 minutes waiting for each parent to get the desired photo?

The parents were able to relax and focus on their children!

Here are some samples photos:

Sweet little babies

Trying to find the right time to take your child to the picture studio can be a tough job. Planning around naps and being in a strange environment can put stress on you and your family. I would love to meet you in your home or another comfortable location and capture those early years. As a mom, I understand working around feedings, naps, and fussy times. I want to make this a fun and easy experience!