When I photographed Tiffany and Mike's wedding back in the spring, I happened to spy something in their garage. A pretty blue classic car! I'd always wanted to have a photoshoot featuring a classic car, and luckily, they were game for it. The car was a classic Volvo that Mike has had for 20 years. He's spent a lot of time lovingly restoring this car to the beauty it is today.[...]
Did you just get engaged? Congratulations! You're in such an exciting time of your life! Enjoy the thrill of it, maybe even throw a party to celebrate, and get ready to plan out your big day. One aspect of planning your big day is going to be picking your wedding photographer. There are TONS of photographers to choose from. Throw a stone any direction, and you'll hit a photographer. 1. You'll Get to Know Your Photographer Picking a photographer for your wedding day is an impo[...]
Months before Courtney and Richard's wedding, they did an engagement photoshoot at Pearmund Cellars in Warrenton, Virginia. Pearmund was where Richard proposed to Courtney, so it was the perfect meaningful backdrop for photos. It was a cold, brisk day, but we had so much fun and it was an amazing way to celebrate their engagement![...]
Tiffany and Mike were celebrated their wedding in their hometown of Warrenton, Virginia. The ceremony was hosted by Cia Bella Celebration, in a unique venue of a stone hallway. They said their vows in an intimate gathering with just their closest around them. While a thunderstorm stayed away during the ceremony, it showed up in full force during the bride and groom's photo session, so we took cover in the nearby courthouse entryway. Despite the small space to work in, we managed to get some[...]
Although it's been a while since this wedding, I still think back at how lovely it was! The bride and groom were such wonderful people, and naturally their families were warm and welcoming as well! Courtney and Richard married in an intimate ceremony with their family at St. John's Church in Warrenton, VA. The love of the families was evident in their excitement in the union. While a thunderstorm rolled in during the ceremony, it cleared out quickly enough for us to get photos in the lovely[...]
I recently saw a post on Reddit that made my heart break. It made by a mother of young children, and she was asking, "How can I get more photos of myself with my kids?" Of course the main suggestions revolved around berating her husband for not taking photos of her, but I don't really think it was his fault. Most people aren't thinking of taking good photos of their partners, they are just thinking of their day to day life. Speaking from my own experience, the main times my husband takes pho[...]
A while back, almost a year ago, I had one of those moments that's really just a small interaction, but you end up dwelling on it forever. You might have responded in the moment, but later on you think back on all the things you could have said, and as time goes on, you have your perfectly worded, eloquent response ready, if only you could go back in time to before the interaction happened, because you'd be ready. Well, I had one of those moments almost a full year ago, and I still think abo[...]
Chances are, when you first picked up your camera, you had it set to Auto. Auto does the heavy lifting, it decides the exposure, focus and white balance, and you just get your shot, right? It's simple, and easy. You actually could keep shooting like that, if you prefer. There's no rule saying you have to do anything other than what you want to do (despite the title of my post). BUT if you want to take it to the next level, you need to start shooting manual. Let me explain why. Une[...]
The Black Sand Beach at Reynishverfisvegur in Iceland is breathtaking. The stark black sand creates a moody backdrop, and the basalt columns are a fascinating example of nature's strange architecture. It is an incredible place to take photos - in fact it would be a great place for an entire photoshoot! I was just in Iceland and had the opportunity to photograph here, and if you get the opportunity, here are a few tips to help you get the best photos. After all, photos are the best souvenirs[...]
Last fall, I participated in my first styled shoot. It took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, and I got a lot of great images out of it. A styled shoot is a a photoshoot that you are paying to participate in. The organizer finds a scenic location, dresses, models, makeup artists, florist, and anything else needed to make a perfect scene for a photographer to shoot. Fun fact: Many of the photos in bridal magazines are styled shoots. After the shoot, the organizer or photographer submit[...]