Sneak Peek: The Strong Family | Virginia Family Photographer

I had a great time with the Strong family yesterday! I just LOVED that they dressed up for their session, and we could not have had a better location than the Jefferson Memorial for their formal wear. Believe it ir not, although they have spent the past several years in DC, they had not been to the Jefferson Memorial! They all braved the cold, misty morning weather (little Pierce was especially brave, with some help from his mom's shawl), and we spent our time discussing our mutual love for DC and exploring the memorial. Here's a sneak peek into our session!

Heather and Aaron's Winter Wonderland Wedding | Virginia Wedding Photographer

Tonight's post is quite personal and holds a very special place in my heart :) My dear, sweet, beautiful younger sister, Heather, married Aaron yesterday at Seven Springs resort in Pennsylvania.  Seeing the unquestionable love that Heather and Aaron share just fills me with joy: they so clearly build each other up and rely on one another to protect and strengthen the new family they have created. I couldn't ask for a better husband for my wonderful Heather, and I was honored to be able to document the joy of their wedding day!

After growing up as an avid skier, Heather could have no wedding other than a winter wonderland wedding. Our family worked tirelessly all day on Friday to transform the room into just that, with twinkling lights, white trees, and the rustic wood surroundings of the ski lodge. As a wedding day surprise, the weather gods gave Heather her ultimate wish and it snowed all day! The snow did force us to get a bit creative with the portraits, but we found an arcade and an indoor mini-golf course at the resort for some fun and quirky bridal party shots :)

I'd like to extend a special thanks the standby friends, family members, and the event photographer at Seven Springs for taking over my camera for a bit so I could fulfill my double duty as a bridesmaid and join in on a few of the photos!

Carlyle House Family Session with the Jewsburys | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I met the Jewsbury family at the gorgeous Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria for a family session yesterday afternoon. Though it was a little chilly, we lucked out with gorgeous fall colors and beautiful skies. Kudos to poor little Graham, who is getting over a cold, for being such a trooper for the afternoon. He had a great time in the piles of leaves! Here's a sneak into our session:

The Whitehurst Family | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I had a great time with the Whitehursts at their beautiful home last night! They were super laid back, and managed to fill the session with a fun energy that helped keep our minds off of the cold weather setting in. The love for laughter that this family shares was pretty obvious when the little ones broke out their best rockstar poses for me! The kids were full of jokes, and their goofy antics were a joy to capture. To top it off, we even got Gracie, the family dog, to join in the fun! Here's a peek into our session.

Uva | Allegany HS Senior | VA & MD Senior Portrait Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing Uva's senior portraits on Sunday evening! We got REALLY lucky and were able to squeeze the session in before Hurricane Sandy intensified the rain and wind, which is all the better since Uva wanted her session to capture the beautiful fall colors in western Maryland! If we had rescheduled, Hurricane Sandy surely would have stripped the last remaining leaves from their branches and we would have been left with twigs for her backdrop.

Despite the impending rain and wind, Uva and I had a great time. We braved the elements (you can see the rain starting in her final photo below!) and found some gorgeous backdrops full of the rich fall colors.  I really enjoyed getting to know Uva a little more as we chatted through her session. She's got ambitious plans that include following her mother's footsteps through med school -- and beyond. I know she's got the smarts to make it, and she proved during our session she can really endure anything that's thrown at her. I can't wait see her develop into the talented and successful doctor I know she'll be!

Family Portraits at Meridian Hill Park | Northern VA Family Photographer

If you haven't noticed lately, the leaves are all sorts of shades of orange, yellow, and red, and the sky is a crisp, bright blue. It's fall photo season, and it's my absolute favorite time of year! :)

I had a great time with the Patterson family at Meridian Hill Park - and luckily we got our session in before Hurricane Sandy hits the area! This family was so fun to work with - upbeat, energetic, and wonderfully nice. It was clear from the get-go that these guys had a great goofy streak and love to laugh. Lauren and Aiden spent their time running up and down the fountain stairs, jumping on dad, and squeezing in a few family portraits between hide-and-seek sessions. Here's a peek into our session!

Wendy and Jake Welcome Baby Jack! | Northern Virginia Newborn Photographer

I am so pleased to help Wendy and Jake announce the arrival of their new little one, Jack! He is such a sweet, easygoing little guy, just like his parents. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with him and his squooshy face and curious eyes! His big "brother", the family dog Max, also made an appearance for us. Max was quite the attention-grabber, and made sure we knew who was the real star of the show. He was definitely curious about his new brother, and I have a feeling that these guys will have a long and energetic friendship!

Divya and Badri are Engaged! | National Harbor Engagement Session

I had a great time with Divya and Badri last night at National Harbor! We lucked out with fabulous weather and a gorgeous sunset. I really enjoyed getting to know them during our session: they're so cute together, and had the most adorable engagement story! Their relaxed and fun-loving attitude was such a joy to be around. Plus, I have to hand it to Bud for coming out for the session on a football Sunday!

Wendy and Jake are Expecting! | Northern Virginia Maternity Photographer

I can't tell you guys how excited I have been for this session with Wendy and Jake. From my first phone conversation with Wendy in May, I knew we would be a great fit. As we continued to plan over the summer, our styles really meshed, and we worked out some great ideas for this session in Old Town! We kept our fingers crossed for no rain tonight, and had a wonderful session. Wendy and Jake are so obviously crazy about each other - and crazy about little Jack on the way! They radiated a calm excitement that is so wonderful to see in expecting parents. It was great to get to know them tonight, and I can't wait to meet little Jack in a very short while!