Northern Virginia Photographer - New Beginnings

This little one had the honor of being my last session of the year and boy, did she make me work for it! She did not want to miss the party and had us wait almost two hours until she decided to take a nap. Even then, she would flinch at the sound of my camera clicking and I knew I only had a short window to get these shots. Our patience was worth it though. Look as how sweet she is, can you stand it?

This is the second time I have had the chance to photograph this little one. The first time she was all wrapped up inside her beautiful momma. You can click here to see that session.

Thanks Mom and Dad for turning up the heat and hanging out with me while we waited for Miss S to fall asleep. She is just precious and I can't wait to watch her grow!

Northern Virginia Photographer - Merry Christmas!

May you and your family have a wonderful holiday that includes the blessing of family, fun and memories.

If you are looking for a place to celebrate the coming of a baby savior, might I recommend McLean Bible Church. We have many services this afternoon and this evening. You can find out more on their website. Click here and look on the right hand side to find out times and information about our 5 Christmas Eve Services.

Merry Christmas!

Northern Virginia Photographer - Daybreak

Yesterday I had a wonderful opportunity to go into the inner city of DC and volunteer at DayBreak Ministries. DayBreak is an inner city ministry serving the community Lincoln Heights in northeast Washington, DC. Every year they take donations of new toys and have a Christmas Sale for the neighborhood residents. The toys are sold for 10% of their retail price and it gives residents who need a little help with the Christmas shopping a chance to pick up toys, clothes and other items for their children.

This Christmas Sale is one of the many things that Daybreak does for the community. During the year they are primarily an after school program that provides mentoring, tutoring, arts and crafts and even dinner to school aged children in the surrounding neighborhood.

I spent the day there taking pictures of the sale, our volunteers and the people who came to shop. Because this was a sale that was focused on providing toys for children, no children were allowed inside. So I, of course, found myself outside in the cold hanging out with some of the fun kids that live in that neighborhood. They were very willing to pose for my camera and I hope that they had a fun time while their parents and grandparents were given a chance to shop.

As with all non-profit organizations, Daybreak is always looking for donations and volunteers. If you are interested in helping out in some way, please visit their website or the website of
McLean Bible Church.

I took a ton of pictures yesterday, here are just some of my favorites.

Northern Virginia Photographer - Snow Day!

Well in case you haven't heard, we are having quite the snow storm around here. So far we have over two feet at our house and at the time of this post, it is still snowing outside. It has been quite a long time since we have had a snowstorm like this. So what happens when you absolutely cannot leave your house? How quickly a case of cabin fever develops and everyone is itching to get out! Never mind that earlier in the week we stayed in for three days straight without a thought but now, we can't get out and we NEED to get out! So we did, granted shoveling the long driveway isn't our usual idea of fun but it was something to do together and it needed to be done.

So we layered up in as many layers as we could. Funny how mommy and daddy weren't really prepared with proper clothes but the baby, she was set from head to toe and completely color coordinated. As soon as we opened the door she ran out, fell face first into the snow and started eating it. She loved walking, playing and rolling in it. It was so fun to watch her experience her first major snow storm.

Here is a dogwood tree in our yard. I could almost hear it screaming for spring.

What two feet of snow looks like next to a set of very long legs.

Now, here is what most of the people want to know about. On my facebook page I have been talking about the Cake Balls I have been making this holiday season. I made another batch today because we are supposed to be going to a party tomorrow night and I need to bring something yummy to share.

My good friend Christi over at The Sassy Ruffle got me hooked on these. She found them at www.bakerella.com and they are so yummy. Now don't be fooled, they are a pain to make and take a long time. But I guarantee if you do make them, EVERYONE who tries them will think you are a baking genius. There are a few tricks to this so if you are going to try making them, shoot me an e-mail and I will tell you a few things I have learned along the way that might ease some of your frustration.

Here are my "Cake Pops".

Here are my "Cake Balls"

They are no where near as pretty as what you will find on www.bakerella.com, but they sure do taste good. Enjoy!

Northern Virginia Child Photographer - Bows, Bows, Bows!!!

If you read my blog on a regular basis or if you are ever out and about and run into us, you know that I love bows! Specifically I love BIG bows on little girls and babies. Nothing is cuter than a little girl with a great big bow in their hair.

As luck would have it, a new bow store has opened near me and one day I went in there and started talking with the owner. I told her that I was a photographer and would love to photograph some of her products on my clients and daughter. Seeing that I do have one of the cutest little girls EVER ;), she readily agreed. These are a few of the bows and pictures that I was fortunate enough to provide for them to help promote their store and products. I am looking forward to working together with them to help them get the word out about their business in the future. We have lots of great ideas so keep a look out in the Spring.

So if you live in this area please go see my new friend Kristen at unBOWlievable in The Dulles Town Center shopping mall. She will take great care of you. Tell her Dorie sent you!

For this session we featured some of the great Winter and Holiday bows they have in stock.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, these little hats. They have a small loop where you can interchange the bows to match different outfits. SOOOO cute, I would have them in every color if I could.

Northern Virginia Family Photographer - LOVE!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing a session with my Sister-in-Law and her future husband. It was Halloween morning and if you live in this area you might remember that it was an exceptionally cold day. They were good sports and we had a fun time walking around one of my favorite places taking all sorts of pictures.

Thanks for braving the cold with me Cindy and Jon. It was so great to spend the morning with you and document the excitement you have for your future life together. Welcome to the family Jon!!!

If you know my Sister-in-Law you know that she LOVES to shop.

Northern Virginia Family Photographer - Adored

To say this sweet little girl is adored is an understatement. You could feel the love oozing from her parents during the whole session. I hardly had to lift a finger. Mom and Dad did all the lifting, positioning and were up for anything I wanted to try. She was so good and agreeable and didn't even make a peep when we stripped her down and put her on the hard wood floor.

Thanks for a great afternoon "E" family. I am so glad we were able to work it in on such short notice. She is adorable and so incredibly sweet. I would love take you up on your offer to come back in the Spring so we can capture her in that beautiful back yard with all the flowers in bloom. Enjoy your peak!

This little one didn't need any help with her accessories but the hair bows are from
Babymelons I love it when we actually have to take a bow off during a session because we risk being "over accessorized".

Northern Virginia Photographer - Growing!

The past month has been a crazy one around here. Trying to keep up with my editing and all the holiday card sessions has been a challenge. November is typically a very busy month for us photographers. Everyone wants to get that perfect picture of their family for the holiday card, we have to work around weather that can either be beautiful or tragically horrible, and we have all the personal responsibilities that mount around this time of year, just like everyone else.

Now, I am not complaining. The BEST part of my job is the chance that I have to see my clients grow and change throughout the year. I love being a part of that so much. So one Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, I had three sessions scheduled. Scheduling so many back to back like that is risky. We never know what the weather is going to be like and if they have to be rescheduled due to rain, it can be a nightmare. But this day was GORGEOUS! We could not have asked for more beautiful weather AND I got to see some my favorite clients. I have photographed these twins two times before and it is so fun to see all their new tricks and how they are growing.

Now they are 1, almost walking and cute as can be. An added bonus was that this time I spent a few minutes alone with their big sister. We had a few extra minutes so I took some pictures of them just for the fun of documenting this time in the kid's lives.

Thanks for crossing the river to spend some time with me. It was great seeing you, as always.

Mom and I were talking about the twins pants and I loved the fact that they were lined with flannel. She told me that she purchased them at Boden and went on and on about how great the customer service was for returns. They have some super cute stuff on their website that is in styles that aren't usually found in our mall stores.

Northern Virginia Photographer - Until...

I got an e-mail about a month and a half ago from a woman who wanted to book a session in honor of her and her husband's 30th wedding anniversary. I was so excited. I love working with adults. They actually listen to me, I don't have to bribe them with candy, AND I can have real grown up conversation with them during the session. Making animal sounds and singing "The Wheels on the Bus" is fun, but doing a session with adults is such a nice change of pace.

During this session we talked about a lot of stuff. I found out that both of them are lawyers. I also asked them what their secret was for a long, happy marriage. Here are their tips:
1. Have fun together
2. Have common interests
3. Don't go to bed mad
4. Don't hold grudges or get upset over the little things.

All very good points. I could tell that they truly do have fun together. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Congratulations Aimee and Bernie on 30 years together! Enjoy your peek.

Northern Virginia Family Photographer - Hawt Momma!

This morning I was scheduled to meet with this great couple at 9:00 for their maternity session. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the thermometer and it read 31 degrees. I don't know about you, but this California girl was sooooo not interested in going outside in 31 degree weather for any period of time, let alone, for over an hour for a session. So I called my clients and we agreed to postpone our session for an hour so it could warm up a bit outside. Thankfully it did warm up quite a bit (not enough for dad though) and we had a great time and got some great shots.

I brought this book along as a little something to do for dad as he waited for me to work with mom. It is a great book for future dads. It is a super quick read. Dad liked it so much he asked if he could keep it so he could finish it. Of course I said yes. If you want to pick it up you can do so here. This is a must for all new and future dad's. Mom's you won't regret getting him a book on child birth that he will actually read.

After spending some time outside we went inside and did a few things that are a bit different in style for me. Mom was such a good sport and let me try anything. I especially liked the way this one turned out.

Thank you so much for a fun morning! I can't wait to meet your precious little girl in December so we can have her first photo session. Enjoy your sneak peek!

Northern Virginia Child Photographer - Secrets

Living here in Washington D.C. if you believe what you see in the movies, you would think that everyone here is involved in some sort of secret agency working undercover in dangerous jobs that protect our freedoms and that we are all keeping secrets from everyone and living double lives. Well, I'm not to sure that is true but I am becoming very good at keeping the secrets of my clients and am honored that they trust me enough to do so.

I have had a session with an FBI agent that couldn't be blogged in order to protect him and his family. It was great too, I wish I could have shown it to you. :) We held it downtown with the Washington and Lincoln Monuments in the background. I had an engagement session where the couple didn't want to be blogged because they hadn't announced their engagement yet. They want to use the pictures we took on their engagement announcement and didn't want the news to leak out. I have also had sessions with a couple of moms who didn't want the name of their future little one leaked out but wanted the name featured in some of the pictures we took to share at a later date. So I had to walk around knowing the name of their little one for weeks, I almost burst!

In any case, in the next few days I have four sessions scheduled for Holiday Cards and again, I know I will have to keep some secrets. After all, who wants the best family picture of the year leaked out over the internet before it arrives in the mail? I will blog these sessions but I won't show any pictures that are close to the final product. Those will be shown after the holidays and after all the cards have been sent out, ooh'ed and aaahh'ed over, and the decorations have been put away.

It is truly an honor to hold these secrets close. Thank you to my clients for allowing me to capture such intimate portions of their lives.

No post is complete without a picture, right? Here is my little one today in the leaves with the one thing that made her sit still for longer than a half a second.

And as promised:
Her vest is by Carter's
shirt by Gymboree
Jeans are by Children's Place
Boots are from (dare I say) Wal-Mart

Northern Virginia Family Photographer - Boys!

Today I had such a great time hanging out with this family. I come from a family of two girls and I have one daughter. Being with boys is something totally different, especially two young ones that are as fully of energy as these two. Don't let the angelic faces fool you. As beautiful as they are, I have many shots with tongues sticking out, funny faces, etc... Some people might think that is a bad thing. I truly believe that it is my job to capture people as they are, not how we think they should be. Part of the fun of working with children is that even though they are all different, in most ways they really are the same. Full of energy, accepting of others and beautiful no matter what stage they are in. They were being themselves and I loved it.

Thanks "C" family for a great session. Enjoy your sneak peek.

(don't worry mom, there is a full gallery of beautiful non-tongue sticking out pictures as well. :)

Northern Virginia Family Photographer - Awesome Winners!

I am so happy to announce that Anna, Dan and their precious daughter are the recipients of a free photo session and more prints than they will know what to do with as winners the of my "Giving Is Awesome" campaign.

Many thanks to Allison for submitting their names and telling me their story. As the nominator, Allison also won a free session and discounts on prints.

I received some great nominations and want to thank everyone who took the time to send in the stories of their friends and loved ones. It was a hard decision that is for sure!

Can't wait for our sessions in the near future.

Northern Virginia Child Photographer - Two!

I can't believe that two years ago today our lives changed forever when a cute little bundle of joy arrived. What an absolute blessing it has been to watch her grow, change, learn and develop into one of the greatest little girls I know. (If I do say so myself :) She is funny, happy, bouncy, and loving. Words can hardly express how much her daddy and I love her and we are looking forward to watching her grow.

Happy Birthday sweet little girl! Mommy loves you soooooooooo much!

And one from a little session we did about a month ago that I never shared. One of my favorite pictures of her to date.

I often get asked where I get certain items that are seen in my photographs. From now on I will try and reference the vendors that have items in my pictures.

Tutu by Gymboree
Birthday shirt by Carters
Bow by Unbowlievable
White Dress by Old Navy

Northern Virginia Child Photographer - Update

Ok, so I know this isn't going to be the update that most of you will really be interested in but I wanted to show it off again. The HUGE wasp nest that is near our house is still intact and has even grown a bit larger. I have taken some pic's to show it's progress but today I had a little bit of fun. Thankfully the wasps were well behaved as they have been every other time I am out there standing right under it. I am sure the neighbors think I am crazy but it won't be the first or last time that happens. I still think this is an amazing creation and will be sorry to see it eventually fall or be torn apart. It looks like the side is starting to come apart a little bit so it is probably just a matter of time.

The sun was in just the right spot for me to get some incredible flare. Usually photographers don't want too much of this in their photos. I happen to think it looks pretty cool in these.

These shots are pretty much straight out of the camera with very little post processing done to them. You can create this effect in Photoshop but that is not the case here.

Northern Virginia Child Photographer -- Talent

Every person has a talent. Something that they excel at. I have many talented friends but today let me tell you about my good friend Christi. Christi and I are friends through the wonderful invention of the internet. She lives in Oklahoma and I am in Virginia. We "chat" almost daily through Facebook and if we lived closer to each other we would probably get in trouble for shopping too much, laughing too loud and would love every single minute of it. Christi is talented. She makes these AMAZING handmade children's clothes and quilts. Christi suggested to me a few months ago that in exchange for a camera lens that I had, she would make me a 1st year quilt. Leave it to a mom to be creative in getting what she wants. :) Well long story short, the UPS man dropped of a box this past Friday of the most beautiful quilt I have ever seen. It is covered with clothes that my little one wore during her first year. Included on it is a hair bow, socks, her first Easter outfit, 3 and 6 month picture outfits, her first pair of jeans, my favorite onesies that she wore, all put together in a gorgeous creation. Words cannot express how much I love this quilt. I cried when I opened the box. Only a true friend could create something like this that will be treasured for a lifetime and only take a simple camera lens in exchange for it.

If you would like to see about getting one of these for your little one, look Christi up at www.thesassyruffle.com. You will not be disappointed.

Northern Virginia Child Photographer - Happy Fall!

What a beautiful weekend we had here in Northern Virginia. I don't think the weather could have been any nicer. Our family took advantage of this and headed off to do some fall apple picking. I, of course, took this as a sign that we must do a little photo session in the middle of the apple grove. So with her cute dress and hair bow on, we ventured out into the orchards of High Hill Farm in Winchester, VA. We have visited this farm every year for the past 4 years and have always come away with a tons of apples that are so good to eat and cook with.

After a great lunch in Old Town Winchester at the Village Square Restaurant we stopped at Veramar Winery where my husband and father enjoyed a wine tasting given by the owner of the vineyard. It was a fun filled day.

I hope everyone had a chance to get out and enjoy the weekend. Before we know it winter will be here and we will be all bundled up. Happy Fall!

Outfit by Gymboree
Shoes by Target

Northern Virginia Photographer - Getting Big!

Today I had the pleasure of going to photograph one of my best clients. She is so sweet and is just the best baby model ever. I think you will agree, if you look at her past two sessions that she is growing perfectly. We met today for her 6 month session, we were a few weeks late but I wanted to make sure that we could document her sitting up in order to show the next phase in her development. We all know that babies do things in their own time so I was happy to wait a week or two so she could perfect her sitting skills. I think you will agree that she has it down. Can't wait to see you when you crawl little one.


Her 3 month session

Her Newborn Session