This little girl lit up with a huge smile when she felt her little brother kick in mommy’s tummy! She can’t wait to meet her new sibling.

I love it when families bring their dog to their photo session. Some dogs can use up a lot of shooting time to get position correctly amongst the family members. I like to start the session with a handful of photos taken with the dog. I recommend that a family friend come and watch the dog for the remainder of the session.  

I recently did a newborn session in Leesburg, Virginia for a family who welcomed their first son home to meet his big sister. Capturing the bond and creating magic moments is what I love to do! We did a mix of lifestyle portraits as well as some creative newborn poses. This family lives in a beautiful equestrian community and we were lucky to have a beautiful day to take some images outside in one of their fields.

My client had a beautiful window recess. I turned it into a cozy area for this older sister to bond with her new baby brother. We also captured the family dog in this portrait.

I love the high-key look and the innocence captured in this image of the sister snuggling with her new baby brother.

The baby boy was awake for much of our portrait session but we managed to get a few images of him sleeping soundly.

I love capturing the connection between mom and daughter.

The whole family is engaged with the new baby. The older sister is playing with her brothers baby toes.

The fence in this equestrian community made for beautiful lead in lines that draws your eye across the image.

Sometimes its the simple artistic portraits that are the most beautiful.

I love to watch new parents interact with their newborn baby.

I enjoyed photographing this beautiful family of five at their historic home in Loudoun County. The barn and silo made for a perfect backdrop for a family portrait. Being a boy mom, I know how important it is to make the photo session carefree and fun! We got some lifestyle moments of dad wrestling with the boys and some posed shots of the family.

I always love this pose taken from behind the family as they walk into the sunset.

This would make a great holiday card

Which do you prefer the posed portrait…

or a moment captured in time. Also known as lifestyle session.

It was important to the mom to highlight the character of the historic stone home.

You can feel the joy in these smiles.

I enjoy touring my clients property because I am able to identify great spots for portraits. I am always looking for

lead-in lines. This old tree is a great example. See how your eye is drawn across the image by following the trunk.

I brought some vintage suitcases to use as props with the youngest boy. Don’t you just love his teddy bear!

I had the pleasure of attending the Warrenton horse show for a few equine portrait sessions with a black background. Here is a portrait of Chance who won many ribbons at the show.

I bring lots of props to help draw the horse’s attention to the camera and the ears forward.

I like to focus on the details that make artistic shots. This horse was show ready with perfect braids.

Here is a different look with a warm linen textured background.

You don’t have to be a genealogist to appreciate the importance of a multigenerational family portrait. Everyone should celebrate the importance of family particularly in these days and times. Documenting a family portrait is a time-honored tradition.  It is a way to honor the elders while highlighting the path ahead for the next generation. Families are constantly evolving, welcoming new members and saying goodbye to others.  

Some families are fortunate to own an heirloom family portrait tracing back four to five generations. These images provide a glimpse into our family’s past. Not only will you notice the style changes, but you’ll also identify and distinguish the characteristics or traits inherited from one generation to the next.

Most families have the “photographer” of the family. Although sometimes unappreciated this person documents your memorable milestones either on a smartphone or a point and shoot camera. Many family members don’t enjoy stopping in the moment for a photo but they are grateful when they come across that moment years later. My question to you is how many photos of that person, the “photographer”, do you have? This is one of the reasons to hire a professional photographer. A multigenerational family portrait includes everyone! If you are fortunate enough to have four or five living generations then you should make it a priority to book a session sooner than later.

Scheduling

Finding a day to come together can be the most challenging part of booking a generational family portrait.  To be honest it can be overwhelming but trust me it is so important. You will have to find a date that works with everyone’s schedule. Sometimes it’s good to set aside two dates in case of inclement weather.  Some of the common obstacles include: work, sports, vacations and younger generation’s naptime and bedtime schedule. Trust me it can be done.

Attire

It is always good to decide on a color scheme for your portrait session. You do not have to be “matchy matchy” but you should have colors that are harmonious amongst the group and setting. Staying away from busy and bright patterns are highly recommended. These tend to detract from the face. Solid colors or textures are a safe bet.

Posing

My focus during a generational family portrait is to highlight your family and who they are. It’s important to capture multiple poses of the family unit in a variety of settings. Some examples of the variety include: grandparents with the grandchildren, parents with their children, each family unit, couples, siblings, individual portraits and the family dog. I like to provide my clients with a mix of poses and lifestyle moments. My goal is to create happy tears when you see your memories come to life during our ordering appointment and to create joy when later shared with family and friends.

Location

Always trust your photographer if they tell you the setting you have chosen is not ideal for the goals you have set. Think of places that are beautiful but also personal to your family. If my client wants a portrait taken in their backyard, I like to scout out the location prior to the session to ensure that it meets the expectations and requirements set in our pre-consultation phone call.

Archiving 

Many people think that keeping files on their phone or computer is safe. They do not understand how to archive these electronic negatives. It’s critical to remember files are not a permanent option for archiving your memories. Even backing them up multiple times does not guarantee they will survive. One of the best ways to archive your images is by having them professionally printed. Some families prefer their memories scattered throughout the home on their walls and tables while others prefer an album of images that tell a visual story.

Ordering/viewing appointment  

After the session is complete, decision makers attend the ordering/viewing appointment. This is when the images are first revealed to you. There are many samples to touch and feel. You will also view a variety of ways to display your memories with wall art and albums. Clients are able to view numerous custom frames and with our software actually see what it looks like on the walls of their own home in the size and medium they choose. This takes the guesswork out of it if something is too big or too small. Sometimes images are similar but there is a slight difference in the smile between them. Doing side by side comparisons up close provides my clients with the confidence that they have chosen the best image.

I conduct a pre-consultation phone call with all of my clients prior to their scheduled portrait session. There are many beneficial reasons to do this. First, I like to understand the personalities of the people I am photographing. Not everyone wants to get their portrait taken and it is helpful to know this ahead of time. I also like to discuss their style and where they envision displaying their art. Some people have a modern style while others prefer more traditional. My product line suits a wide range of artistic styles. During the pre-consultation phone call, we discuss possible settings and locations. Lastly, we touch on outfits and colors that are harmonious to the environment. 

During this client’s pre-consultation phone call for a horse and rider session, I learned that my client had a young boy. I told her I had an idea for some portraits of her son with her horse. I asked for her to find a bunch of carrots with the greens still attached. When I arrived for our session, I noticed that he got dressed up for the occasion.  How handsome is he!

This image reminds me of my childhood. All children want to do is feed a beautiful horse a lovely bunch of carrots!

I just love when I capture the moment of joy!

 If you are pregnant and thinking about scheduling a newborn session, make sure you book it within the first two weeks of the baby’s life. The reason photographers like to photograph baby’s when they are less than 14 days old is because they are still use to the womb. This makes the newborn more flexible and easier to pose into many adorable positions.  Another reason is baby acne after two weeks of life many baby’s get acne. It can range from a few red blemishes or your baby could be covered with to head to toe with white heads. Sometimes if a baby has acne like this, we need to reschedule the session. The older a baby gets the less flexible they become and the more alert they are. Newborns sleep all the time during their first two weeks of life. Some parents have to try hard to wake their baby up to feed them.

The smallest details like your baby’s delicate eye lash can be such a sweet image.  

Everyone always loves a newborn baby’s toes!

The simplest shot can sometimes be the most heartwarming. Father holds his son’s head in his hand and I focused on the beautiful pattern that appears in the flow of his son’s hair.

This lifestyle portrait was taken in baby’s home. Sometimes this is the easiest for parents because the photographer comes to you.

Mother and dad cradle their new baby boy in their nursery.

The challenging part of equine photography is to make sure that the horses’ ears are pointed forward. There are many tricks that photographers can do to make this happen but it is all dependent on your horses demeanor and the setting. Horses tend to do better when they are photographed in a familiar environment. We took this portrait in a nearby field in Purcellville that was filled with summer buttercups.

Summer moments between horse and rider

I adore photographing equine portraits now that we are based in Virginia. I was introduced to this young lady who is a competitive rider in Warrenton, Virginia.  She was excited to have a portrait taken with her pony Jackpot. We wanted the session to be magical and dressed her for the occasion in a beautiful tulle pale pink dress. I met them just before sunset and we toured their property to find areas to photograph.

The hint of the moonlight provides a magical effect.  

While touring their property I found this dirt path in the woods. It was lined with ferns which were illuminated by the beams of the sun. I asked for brother and sister to walk together down the path. This enchanted image is one of my favorites from our session. It captures the innocence of childhood and the bond between siblings.

Its not always easy to look relaxed on a horse during a photo shoot. This young lady nailed this shot as she laid down on her pony’s back.  

I pride myself with making each session fun and unique. I have been known to make some interesting animal noises to change things up. I am happy to make a fool of myself if necessary. Anything for the shot!

This young lady looks like princess in this beautiful gown.

“All horses deserve, at least once in their loves, to be loved by a little girl.” -unknown