Expecting Parenthood | Fairfax County Couple's Maternity Session

This Fall I was lucky enough to take a handful of maternity sessions and this Fairfax County couple’s was a favorite. Usually, Fall is reserved for all the mini sessions, tree farm minis and Studio Christmas mini sessions. I rarely am able to accept maternity and newborn clients these months, but I always do my best to find slots for prior clients.
These two came to me this past Spring as part of an extended family photoshoot. They announced to their extended family that they were expecting and I was so excited!
I was even more excited, and honored, when baby mama contacted me for a maternity shoot!

We met in Sterling and were lucky enough to get a warm Fall day filled with some gorgeous light.

These two were so natural. There really wasn’t any “posing” going on. I lifted my camera and they just did it (which is a photog’s dream!) We found the perfect light and started shooting.

They really are the sweetest and happiest. I had the most fun time during this session!

Incorporating baby shoes! I love when clients bring a little something personal to add to the shoot. For this shoot, they brought their first baby shoes and a sonogram image.

Fall leaves!

We did a quick outfit change to something a little more formal and caught the tail end of the sunset.

Thank you P family for choosing me as your maternity photographer! I wish you a safe and smooth delivery!

Fall Family Mini Session in Loudoun County, Virginia

Being a Loudoun County family photographer in the fall is a very busy time of year. I always joke that September through November can be compared to “tax” season for accountants. We are all just basically surviving. Maybe you have friends who are photographers. I’m sure you have seen the “burning the midnight” oil posts…relating to editing all night long. This is true.

For me, there is lots of coffee, lots of binge watching Netflix in the background, and lots of crossed eyes from sitting at the computer so long. But I love the final products. I love when my clients add me to their Christmas card lists…(hint, hint!)…and I love my Facebook newsfeed in November. The time of year when I start to recognize everyone’s Facebook profile and cover photos.

It’s a crazy, but beautiful, fun time of year.

One of the biggest compliments is when another local photographer reaches out and requests to have family photos done. Kristin and I have been “co-workers” for awhile. I contacted her to do a family session for me when she took some time off and gave her photog business a full time go. I love supporting new and upcoming photographers. She did a Christmas lifestyle session in my home. Those images remain some of my favorites and I put them up every year. Those images have become tradition in our home. (More on this later).

We were so blessed with GORGEOUS weather and BEAUTIFUL light this evening. I always say, “we have to work with what God gives us”. And he delivered. We were so blessed!

I think my mouth hurt from smiling so much. There is is just so much JOY between these 5. Laughing a playing games always produces some of the best smiles!

I had to laugh….Kristin was worried about this shy little one. How she was hard to photograph. School was still unable to have a successful photo shoot. I said “challenge accepted!” She ended up being the most fun, smiley, sweetheart….ever!

Mama’s favorite people.

Thank you Kristin for trusting me with your family photos this year. I had such an amazing time with you, and your sweet and joyful family!

For more of Kristin’s work, you can visit her here

Welcome to my world!

Hello Loudoun County, Virginia, surrounding residents and fellow photographers!! I’m so excited to welcome you to my NEW and IMPROVED space on the Internet. I’m super excited to be able to use this NEW blog to give you a little more insight on who I am, a little about what I do, and maybe some tips and tricks to help some of my fellow, possibly less experienced, photogs out. We were all once newbies….and empowering, lifting each other up is what this world SHOULD be about!

So….to dig deeper on me….I thought I would share a little of my family’s most recent trip to Costa Rica!

Confession…..when I travel….I don’t bring my camera. THIS IS SO SHOCKING! But here’s the deal…..I shoot about 6 out of 7 days a week for work. When I go on vacation….I want to enjoy VACATION. People always say, “you must have so many beautiful pictures of your kids!”…..NOPE! Confession…..I have so many beautiful pictures of OTHER PEOPLE’S KIDS! True story.

But….taking a trip to Costa Rica REALLY had me contemplating my rule of not bringing my camera. That gorgeous landscape. How could I NOT! Well…..at the advice of some of my fellow photogs across the globe….I left the Nikon safe and sound at home. I was told with all the high adventure activities I would be doing, I wouldn’t want to be lugging around thousands of dollars of equipment. And they were right.

When in Costa Rica, we started off in Guanacaste and stayed at an all-inclusive resort. We wanted a moment to just breathe….(and to be able to enjoy as much food and drinks as we wanted without even thinking about it! lol!! Keeping it real folks!). Well, what I didn’t realize (while sipping my Pina colada in the pool), was the hotel had staff photogs who would come around and take pictures.

You know the drill….they take your picture, you have to stop by the shop at the end of the day to view your pictures and decide if you like them…….and then spend a million dollars to purchase them. So…..here is me thinking (“I know this lightning stinks…this picture is going to suck”)…….And then when we went to the shop that night and say this, I thought…..wow! Was the lighting great? NOPE! But you know what?!?! It was a picture of my family…..of us…..and we ALL were SO happy. Genuine smiles loving every moment of this pool, with a volleyball net and Pina coladas. It was magic.

And then we saw this gem…..and I was SOLD. Because this is us! Silly, fun….us.

While getting ready to pay, I noticed you could set up a family shoot on property. Hubby and I looked at each other and said…”.YES! Heck yea. Let’s do it!”

Keep in mind….I brought bathing suits and yoga pants. I did not bring cute clothes for a photoshoot. So we headed to the hotel gift shop, figured out outfits that would work….paid a million dollars and got excited for our shoot the next evening.

The receptionist at the photo studio asked “Who would you like to do your family shoot”…..and I bluntly said….”I want your best photographer”……to which she rolled her eyes (because I’m sure everyone says that) and said “They are all great”

“Yes, ma’am…..I’m sure they are. But I’m a family photographer myself and I would really appreciate a seasoned photographer”

Here response…..”oh…..you got it”

The next day….in walks Brian. The same guy who took our pool pics. I politely explained that I didn’t want posed images. “Go ahead and take a few, but I would really prefer some action shots.”

Brian was up for the challenge. He quickly grabbed a New Year’s sign (as a surprise) and we went off on our shoot.

Y’all…..look at these pictures.

And then came the finale….Welcoming in 2019!

And lastly……the whole reason WHY we went to Costa Rica…..hubby and I were celebrating our 15 year wedding anniversary. (Yes we brought our kids….mainly because I wanted to give them the chance to experience such a beautiful country….and….we pretty much love our little family!)

So…..you may ask….

Laurie….why are you posting another photographer’s pictures on your blog?!?! Well….

1. Because this is me.

2. Because I learned something from this trip that I wasn’t expecting. Whenever you have a chance to get family pictures…..DO IT! These images turned out WAY better than I was expecting and we now have PROOF of our trip outside of an iPhone.

3. Family pictures aren’t about having the best Christmas cards or coordinating outfits. They are about freezing time….so one day 10/20/30 years from now….you can remember. You can remember the laughing, or how my youngest daughter wouldn’t wear a dress when she was 10 years old to save her life….or how my oldest daughter wouldn’t cut her hair when she was 12 years old…..and how truly lucky Chad and I are.

So…..in closing….

Welcome to my blog! Welcome to my life! I look forward to sharing with you more about me, my photography and amazing clients….and maybe some tips along the way to make sessions easier AND MORE FUN for YOU!

xoxo,

Laurie