{Northern Virginia Photographer} Winner!

Yesterday morning I met with the grand daughter of my latest session winner at the US Botanic Gardens on Capital Hill in downtown Washington, D.C. I had never done a session down there and was looking forward to finding great little areas that I could use location ideas in the future. Capital Hill is a beautiful place and we couldn't have asked for nicer weather. You see, we had previously scheduled our session for the evening before but we were rained out. My family was only in town for the weekend and we had to try and make this happen before they got in the car for their two and a half hour ride home.

I expected a little ball of energy and that is exactly what I got. Little Miss "L" is exactly one day younger than my little one and it was so fun to see the similarities in their behavior. I got lots of "no's", shaking of heads, running in the opposite direction and a few tears. But in between it all I also got some really great shots. And true to form, a little candy can also work wonders in getting a little cooperation from an almost two year old.

Thanks for a great morning "C" family. Enjoy your sneak peak.

(Oh and dad, sorry your team got spanked by the Nationals. :)

Giving is AWESOME!!! {Northern Virginia Photographer}

Follow Up {Northern Virginia Family Photographer}

I recently had a session with Little Miss K and posted one picture from that session here on the blog. I promised you a few more, so here they are. Aren't those lips to die for???

I never would have had this session if it wasn't for the referral of a dear friend of mine and fellow photographer, Stephanie Johnson. I have known Stephanie for years. We were roommates back in the day and I even sang in her wedding. It is great to have friends in the same industry who can look out for you and refer client when appropriate. Thanks Steph!

The Winner is..... {Northern Virginia Child Photographer}

This past weekend I had a contest listed on my Facebook page. I like to do that occasionally. It is fun for me to photograph new people and I hope that in return they have an experience that they can share for years to come with friends and family.

Congratulations to MaryBeth for winning the free session!!!
I am looking forward to it.

Amazing {Northern Virginia Photographer}

Today was a special day. It isn't often in our household that we can greet a Saturday with absolutely no plans. Usually one of us is going in one direction or another while the other one stays home with our Little One. So before we went to bed last night we planned out our morning. We made a trip to the Farmer's Market, the computer store, the park, and drove by a few garage sales. One of the garage sales was right around the corner from our house and as we were pulling away we saw the most amazing sight. A HUGE wasp nest was hanging up in the tree right by the side of the road. This thing had to be over a foot long and almost a foot wide. I immediately knew that as soon as someone went down for her nap that I would be back with my camera to take a few pictures of it.

When I came back I was standing in the middle of the road when the owner of the house drove up. He got out of his car and said something like, "I'm glad someone else has an appreciation for that like I do." I asked him a few questions about when it was started and how long it took to get so big. He told me that he first noticed it in July and it was the size of his fist. He had been tempted to come and spray it but because the wasps weren't anywhere near the house or bothering anyone, he couldn't bring himself to take it down. I had to agree. The pictures do not do it justice. It is beautiful in it's own way.

Happy, Happy! {Northern Virginia Photographer}

Imagine my surprise when my husband decided this week that I was due for a camera upgrade. Now don't get me wrong, I had been hinting, no blatantly asking, for this particular camera for quite sometime. In fact we had discussed on numerous occasions that I would be getting this camera but the time line was uncertain because, well, we all know that money doesn't grow on trees and once you get to a certain level, this stuff gets WAY expensive. So this week the stars aligned and off he went to the store during his lunch time on Friday and came home with my new very best friend. (He is sneaky and didn't tell me he was going to do this for sure. I found out about his purchase when I logged into Facebook and was greeted by a picture of the box that he put on my page.)

Now before I continue let me say this. I believe that photography is a skill and a creative talent. Many photographers out there are pure artists with the equipment that they use. My photographer friends and I often chuckle at how many times we get asked: "Wow, you take really great pictures, what kind of camera do you have?" I have no problems saying the I am a Canon girl. I have had Canon Cameras ever since I can remember and have always been very pleased with them. But asking a photographer what kind of camera they use is like asking an accountant what kind of calculator they have or Helio Castroneves what kind of car he drives. I think we all would agree that those professions require great equipment but more importantly skill and talent. An expensive camera won't make a great photographer any more than a set of vocal chords makes someone a great singer.

So with all that said, do I feel that this new camera will make me a better photographer? I'm not sure. But, now do I feel like I truly have the equipment to do my job to the best of my ability? ABSOLUTELY!!! I look forward to my sessions now knowing that the limitations that I experienced with my old camera will no longer be an issue.

PS - For those of you who have asked me what kind of camera I use, I take that as a compliment. I have no problems with you asking me anything you want about photography, cameras, post-processing techniques, etc... I love talking about this stuff and hope that what I have learned on my journey can be passed on to someone else.

And because no post is complete without a picture. One of the cutest faces ever! (Courtesy of the new camera :)

Slideshow {Northern Virginia Family Photographer}

I know on this blog I usually only show a few images from the sessions that I hold with my clients. I thought it would be fun to show a slide show of a completed gallery. This was one of my favorite sessions to date. This gives you a little glimpse of what I see behind the lens during a session with some very lively, beautiful children.

Peek {Northern Virginia Photographer}

Today I met Keira, a sweet 17 day old. She wasn't too sure about this whole picture thing and wanted to try and stay up the whole time. I know that made momma nervous wondering if we would get anything done. But never fear, little one, we wore you down and pretty soon you were sound asleep, peaceful as can be. Here is one to tide you over until I can get to the whole session. Thanks for having me in your home today. It was great meeting you!