MILK BATH MATERNITY | MATERNITY SESSION | STAFFORD, VIRGINIA

OH goodness how I love a milk bath session! They are amazing for maternity, mama and baby, sitters, milestones, etc! I find them to be one of my favorite things to photograph. And a little secret about them is you don’t actually have to soak in a tub full of only milk. ;) AND there are even options for those who have a dairy allergy/sensitivity but still maintain that milky look.

This session was so much fun because this was our second maternity session together for this pregnancy. I had the pleasure of capturing this gorgeous mama and her husband and pup at the beach but this day was to celebrate mama and that gorgeous baby bump! She was STUNNING!

I purchased flowers that I felt would best capture Kelsey’s bright, positive, and friendly personality. But also wanted to make sure we had that girly flair! Shades of pinks and whites were perfect! The session was quick, simple and yet timeless. I think we should repeat this theme again when her baby girl is a little bit older <3 Here were my favorites :)

ilk bath

Vollbrecht Family Photos | Family Photographer | Stafford VA

The Vollbrecht family posing by a creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA

The Vollbrecht family have been with me since close to the beginning of my photography business. It's always a pleasure to be the family photographer for some of my favorite people, and we did the session at one of my favorite places too, Government Island in Stafford VA!

Jeremy, my husband, met Marlar Vollbrecht when they were both in diapers, and they basically grew up together! I've personally known them since I got married. She's been like another aunt to our daughter as well! The Vollbrechts have three kids, Evelyn, Brendon, and Danny.

The three Volbrecht kids posing near some foliage picture taken by a family photographer in Stafford VA

The first time we met these three kiddos they were all pretty young. Their family's session was one of the first photography sessions I did when I started my business! I love it when my clients come back for more, and it's even more amazing when someone has stayed with me since the beginning. As I've grown as a photographer and as a photography business, they've been right here with me, and that's so special!

Marlar and her husband kissing with the woods in the background taken by a family photographer in Stafford VA

The session was over Easter Weekend, and they traveled up from North Carolina. We went to Government Island near me for the photoshoot. I scheduled the session an hour earlier than I normally would so that they could come over for dinner afterwards. We all wanted to hang out!

The weather was warm and it was a full, sunny day. Since we started earlier in the day the light was a little different than I normally shoot, but am really trying to push myself creatively and stylistically. And I LOVE how their photos came outl!

Collage of Marler hugging her daughter and her husband dancing with their daughter by the creek photo taken by a family photographer in Stafford VA

We started with some family shots and then did some with the parents and the kids. My favorite part of any photography session I do here are the creek photos. Not all of my clients want to get into the water, but the Vollbrecht girls were all about it! We got some mommy-daughter shots in the creek and then some of just the girls, it was awesome!

We were just about done, but Brendon, their middle son, wanted to get up on this log over the creek. I've wanted to get someone on this log since I've used this location, but getting to it is no easy feat! It was a bit of a climb and though I wouldn't let little kids try to get out onto it, Brendon was able to get there. The pictures I got were amazing! I'm shooting through the trees framing the creek and soon the girls got involved too!

The three Volbrecht kids sitting on a look hanging over the creek shot by a family photographer in Stafford VA

I got some of the coolest photos I think I've ever shot at this location! From about 300 yards away I got a few pictures of the siblings snuggled up together on this log with the creek reflecting them below. They may not know how much this log has intrigued me, but I finally got a client out on it for some fantastic pictures!

The session went great and even though we started earlier in the day the lighting still worked amazing. We shot some great photos of these wonderful friends!

If you need a family photographer near Stafford VA (or other parts of North VA) please contact me, and check out other posts on my blog!

Collage of the Vollbrecht family all posing together and the one of just Marlar and her kids photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Mr. Vollbrecht posing with his three kids photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Danny sitting posed on a log by a creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Evelyn and Danny hugging on a log photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Collage of the Volbrecht sisters laughing together sitting on a log and one of just Danny photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Evelyn posing on a log by the creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Brendon sitting posed on a log by the creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
The Volbrecht siblings hugging and posing photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Black and white picture of Marlar hugging her youngest daughter photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Marlar kissing Brendon on the head photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Collage of Marlar and her husband posing with their oldest daughter
Collage of dad posing with his two youngest children photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Dad posing with his three kids by the creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Collage of Marlar and her husband hugging and mom and her three kids photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Marlar posing with her three kids in front of the woods
Black and white of the whole family posing by a creek
The Vollbrechts laughing together by the creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Collage of the whole family by the creek and of dad and Brendon in front of the creek
Daddy dancing with his eldest daughter by the creek photographed by a family photographer in Stafford VA
Marlar hugging Brendon and kissing his head in front of the creek
Marlar hugging Evelyn beside the creek
Collage of the Volbrecht parents kissing and hugging for a photo
Black and white photo of Mom and Dad eskimo kissing with trees in the background
Collage of Dad posing with his two girls beside the creek and Mom with her two girls in the creek
Evelyn posing sassily in the creek
Evelyn and Danny hugging while standing in the creek
Danny standing in the creek for a photo
Brendon sitting on a log overhanging the creek

HARRISON 6 MONTH SITTER SESSION | MILESTONE PHOTOGRAPHER | STAFFORD, VIRGINIA

I love sitter sessions!! 6-9 months is one of my favorite milestones from that first year, as babies start to really fill in with those chunky rolls and cheeks, and start to develop their personalities even more! They are starting to sit unassisted and really start to get so curious before they start getting mobile! I first met sweet little Harrison for his newborn session and couldn’t wait to see him again for this milestone. He is seriously the squishiest little dude ever and has brightest most gorgeous brown eyes! I also adore this kiddos parents, and man do they make a cute baby!!! Harrison was a little unsure of me at first, as my kid voice is obnoxious haha! But he gave me some incredible photos. He is truly a little model and loved getting to see him again!!

How I Choose Locations | Professional Photography | Virginia

I have been doing professional photography in and around Northern Virginia for a while now. There's a very specific and thought-out process to how I choose a location for my photoshoots. I feel that it's important for my clients to trust my judgement in choosing the perfect place to capture their memories.

Lighting

Hands down the most important thing I look for when picking a location is the sun's position. I want to see how and where the sun sets in each spot. I want a place that provides shaded areas but also areas with full sun. Having a consistent hour and a half to two hours of good usable light, regardless of cloud cover, is as good as gold to me!

Taking full advantage of the setting sun's unique light is vital to the style I want my work to convey. If there's too much shade in a location then I lose the sunlight way earlier than I'd like and I end up shooting in darker shade, losing that golden glow that I love to capture.

When scouting a spot I also look at the foliage. Will the surrounding natural backdrops work in every season and how does the time of year affect the sun set? If a certain spot has great foliage that catches the setting sunlight well in any season, then it becomes a top contender for a photoshoot location.

Space

I always try to find a location that has a versatile space, let me explain. Choosing a place that has multiple spots that have great texture, and dimension, as well as a variety of looks and feels is important. I want to make each session look a little different depending on the time of year so that each shoot feels unique! This even goes as far as each photoshoot looking different if it's the same family and location but during a different time of year.

Another question I ask myself is does a location have space to shoot long and short perspectives? I want those big "sky shots" but also to have visual interest, (details to draw the eye), close up!

Style

Sure, I can shoot some pictures on a median in a parking lot, and I do!! Often haha!! BUT ideally I look for well-rounded locations that cover all of the things I mentioned above in order to create consistent and quality work that my clients look for when hiring me.

I hope this gives a little look into my process for my clients. If you need professional photography done in North Virginia and the surrounding areas look me up!

Thanks for reading!

Jackson Is One | One Year Session | Stafford, Virginia

Sweet baby Jackson was my first newborn session in my new studio! He is also the little boy to a very dear friend of mine who I have known since college, so he really holds a special place in my heart. <3 PLUS he’s just a really cool kid! Smiley, happy, and full of personality. When we planned his one year session we opted for the creek instead of a traditional cake smash. I pulled out my little boat prop and we grabbed a few posed photos but then LOVED allowing him to splash and play in the creek. He def kept us on ur toes because he realllllly wanted to eat the rocks hahaha!! He really did such a phenomenal job for his session and gave me some of my favorite portraits of him to date! Jackson you are a doll and I love you so much!!! Cannot wait to continue capturing this adorable little boy as he thrives as a toddler. <3

Brady Extended Family Session | Government Island | Stafford VA

The Brady's and Zach's extended family posing in front of a creek during a family session on Government Island

I love photographing a good family session, and Government Island is one of my favorite places to photograph anything!

I never used to like going to Government Island, even though it's pretty close to me. I've known about that spot since I started my business, but never really got into shooting there, I could never get it to work for me. Then one summer it just kind of clicked for me and now I love it! I love photographing by the creek because it's a great spot in any season! It's best during sunset when the creek has this wonderful golden glow.

Parker kissing his mom's cheek in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island

I first met Morgan and Zach, as well as their two kids Paige and Parker, about a year ago. I got to photograph Paige's newborn session and I actually get to do her one year session soon as well. I'm super excited! This past fall I took some pictures for Morgan's extended family, which was great! The session was a lot of fun and we actually got to do it at Government Island in a different spot.

This session was purchased for Zach's family as a gift. The family was awesome! We met on a week night and although the April weather has been all over the place and that night was a little chilly, everyone was amazing!

Zach and his mom smiling at each other in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island

We started with the big group and gradually narrowed it down to smaller groups. I was taking pictures as fast as I could to keep the kids from freezing! There was some ideal lighting and some insane cloud cover which was perfect; we got a lot of different looks and feels in one session! Everyone was super cooperative and I loved what we captured.

A collage of Zach's mom and dad posing in front of the creek and then eskimo kissing during a family session on Government Island

This family session was really fun and I'm glad we got to do it at Government Island. I was able to get some photos of Paige, Parker and the grandparents as well as some of Zach's brother and sister. It was cool because his sister is engaged so we got to do some fun little engagement pictures as well. Everything turned out amazing and loved getting to meet the other side of their fam!!

If you or your family need some pictures taken just look me up! 

Collage of the Brady's and their extended family on the left and grandma and grandpa with the grandkids on the right
Collage of the grandparents posing with the grandkids during a family session on Government Island
Grandma holding baby Paige during a family session on Government Island
Grandma laughing with Parker during a family session on Government Island
Grandpa posing and laughing in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island
The Brady clan adults posing front of the creek during a family session on Government Island
A collage of the Brady family posing in front of the creek on both sides during a family session on Government Island
Mr. Brady and his son hugging in front of a fallen tree during a family session on Government Island
Black and white picture of dad, mom, and Zach's brother
Mom, dad, and Zach's sister with her fiancé posing in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island
Black and white picture of mom, dad, and Zach's sister posing in front of the creek
Collage of Zach's mom and dad posing with and hugging his sister beside the creek during a family session on Government Island
Zach's sister hugging their dad beside the creek during a family session on Government Island
All of the Brady women posing beside the creek during a family session on Government Island
Zach hugging his mom and dad beside the creek
Black and white photo of Zach kissing his mom's head during a family session on Government Island
Collage of the Zach and his dad on the left and the Brady siblings on the right beside the creek
Zach posing in front of the creek with his sister during a family session on Government Island
Zach's siblings posing by the creek during a family session on Government Island
Zach and his brother posing with their hands in their pockets in front of the creek
Zach, his wife and his kids posing in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island
Black and white photo of Zach and his family kneeling by the creek side during a family session on Government Island
Morgan and Zach each holding one of their kids by the creek during a family session on Government Island
Morgan with Paige and Parker by the creek
Morgan holding baby Paige by the creek during a family session on Government Island
A collage of Zach posing with his two kids by the creek during a family session on Government Island
Zach holding Parker and smiling by the creek
Close up of Parker smiling while sitting on a log during a family session on Government Island
Black and white photo of Zach's mom and dad smiling at each other in front of the creek
Zach's sister and her fiancé looking at each other by the creek and smiling
Zach kissing Morgan's head in front of the creek
Zach's sister posing with her niece and nephew as well as with Morgan
Zach's sister and her fiancé posing with Parker in front of the creek during a family session on Government Island
All the Brady men posing in front of the creek
The whole Brady bunch posing together in front of the creek

Spivey Family | Family Photography Manassas Park | Virginia

The Spivey family all posing for their family photography session in Manassas Park

Doing family photography can be such a special thing, and the Manassas Battlefield offers quite the backdrop for it! Nature and Family blend in a beautiful harmony and I get to be there to take the pictures!

Catie emailed me in January to book a spring session, and she was excited to work with me! The booking for the session was super quick, which is always great with new clients. Catie had seen one of her friends' photos from working with me about a year ago and decided to look me up. For me that is huge! I love it when people are excited to book their session with me!

Collage of the Spivey family all together in the woods on the left and one of Kaity and her kids in the woods on the right

We started in the woods in the Manassas Battlefield Park. I started the session (like I do), with the super posed shots. Whenever a family has younger kids I try to get these out of the way so that the family can get their yearly "updated photos". So we took some of the family together, and then dad and the kids, mom and the kids, and individual shots of each kid. Those are the types of photos that'll probably end up in Christmas cards and frames!

Jack, their little boy was a complete model and did so, so well! Lily, on the other hand was cracking me up because she made me work for it. We did so many ridiculous tricks to get her to smile! We took a lot of photos of Lily with her mom, and those ended up being some of my favorites for the session! And don’t worry she totally warmed up for me ;)

Jack leaning against a tree and smiling during a family photography session in Manassas Park

After we took the pictures in the woods we headed down to the creek. I always love the posed photos, but there's something special about letting the family play around and be in their element. Not stressing out about too many structured photos and being natural with each other. We got a lot of amazing photos! The light was great and Lily really enjoyed splashing in the water and taking pictures with her dad.

Black and white photo of Lily's dad kissing her cheek by a creek during their family photography session in Manassas Park

The session was just about over, but the sunset was phenomenal so I had to get a few more! We drove up into a field in front of one of the monuments in the Battlefield to take full advantage of it. I think I took some of what might be my favorite photos before we left!

All in all the session was very successful! The weather was beautiful and the Spivey's and their kids did so well. I'm glad that they chose me to take some pictures for them and I hope they love the pictures!

The Spiveys walking hand-in-hand towards the sunset in a field during their family photography session in Manassas Park

If you need someone to do some family photography in Manassas or somewhere else in the Virginia area, look me up! 

The Spivey's posing as a family in the woods during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Black and white photo of dad and mom kneel down with the kids and smiling in the woods during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Kaity holding her two kids while they smile at the camera during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Collage of Dad and Jack posing standing on the left and him holding Jack on the right
Collage of Kaity holding Lily while sitting on the forest floor on the left and her holding Lily up on the right
Kaity kissing Lily's cheek with the trees in the background during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Collage of Jack leaning against a tree on the left and Kaity holding Lily sitting on a log on the right during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Collage of Lily looking at the camera and then posing by the creek during a family photography session in Manassas Park
The whole family posing by the creek during their family photography session in Manassas Park
The Spivey's posing by the creek during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Dad hoisting Lily in the air by the creek during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Jack posing by the creek bed during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Collage of Kaity holding Jack while sitting on a log and one of Dad and Jack posing in the creek
Black and white picture of Kaity kissing Jack's cheek during a family photography session in Manassas Park
Black and white of Dad kissing Lily's cheek by the water during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Jack playing in the water while Kaity holds Lily and Dad watches during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Lily reaching towards the water by the creek while Kaity holds her hand during their family photography session in Manassas Park
Dad kissing Lily's cheek while he and Kaity hug her
Dad holding Lily back while she looks at the creek
Black and white of Jack hugging his dad while he holds Lily
Collage of the Spivey family posing by the creek on the left and just mom and dad hugging by the creek on the right
Kaity and her husband kissing by the creek
Dad kissing mom's cheek by the creek bed
Lily and Jack enjoying the water in the creek
Lily playing in the water while her big brother watches over her

Kayla's Senior Session | Leesylvania Park | Senior Photography Session Virginia

Kayla standing on a beach during her senior photography session

This senior photography session is very special to me. I've known Kayla's mother since she was in third grade and we even grew up together! We went to different high schools but reunited after I finished grad-school and was working again.

At the time I was trying to figure out my future plans and toying around with the idea of starting my own photography business. I wasn't sure at the time where to start and that's when I ran into Kayla's mom, Lauren, again! Lauren had recently started her own photography business and she was able to point me to resources. She was also one of my biggest supporters from the very beginning!

When I met Kayla she was nine years old and I've had the joy of seeing her grow up over the past nine years! I blinked and Kayla went from being a little girl to graduating high school. I'm so glad I got to be the one to capture it!

A collage of Kayla posing in a sunray on the left and a black and white of her smirking for the camera on the right during her senior photography session

Lauren was there at the beginning of my photography business and now I got to share this milestone with her and her family!

We split Kayla's senior photography session into two parts, the first was at Leesylvania Park in Woodbridge Virginia. We photographed some in the woods and I got some great pictures on the beach and some on those fun rocks by the water that I love so much!

Kayla posing on a rock peninsula in a white dress during her senior photography session

It was a fun day - the weather was beautiful and sunny. It did get a bit chilly towards the end but Kayla was a trooper and didn't complain about the wind or the chill. I recommended three outfits for her, a fun casual outfit and two cute little dresses. I wanted to highlight her personality with the outfit choices!

The second part of Kayla's senior photography session was a couple of weeks later. Kayla's cap and gown had finally arrived so we met in downtown Fredericksburg to get some city photos. The city portion of the session was much warmer so Kayla did have to freeze! Seeing Kayla in her cap and gown made this moment finally feel so real!!

Kayla sitting in her graduation cap and gown during her senior photography session

I feel so blessed to have had the chance to capture this special milestone for Kayla. It was also great to catch up with Lauren as well as her family celebrates their high school senior!

Please check out my blog for more and give me a call if you need a photographer for your special moments!

Kayla crossing her arms and smiling for the camera during her senior photography session
Kayla standing in a woody bower during her senior photography session
Kayla posing in some tall grass for her senior photography session
Kayla posing sassily in some undergrowth during her senior photography session
Kayla sitting in some tall grass during her senior photography session
Black and white picture of Kayla sitting on a grassy tussock
Collage of Kayla posing in the woods in a black dress and a cowboy hat
Kayla posing in the woods wearing a cowboy hat and black dress during her senior photography session
Black and white collage of Kayla posing and smiling during her senior photography session
Black and white picture of Kayla posing on a bridge during her senior photography session
A close-up of Kayla's hands with her painted nails and a fancy ring
Kayla posing on the rocks during her senior photography session
Collage of Kayla sitting on the rocky shore on the left and standing by the water on the right
Kayla standing by the shore and looking out over the water during her senior photography session
A collage of Kayla posing sassily in front of pink flowers on the left and on a sidewalk in the city on the right
Kayla posing in front of a stairway on a city sidewalk in her gown during her senior photography session
Kayla sitting on a curb in front of some bushes while wearing her graduation gown
A collage of Kayla sitting and standing in her graduation cap and gown during her senior photography session
Close up of Kayla holding her graduation cap with its "class of 2022" tassel during her senior photography session

Baby Maggie | Newborn Photography | Stafford, Virginia

Meet Maggie!! This little girl is very special to me!! Her mama and I are great friends and I have spent the majority of her maternity leave with them! Maggie even became my daily walking buddy along with her mom and I have been SO lucky to see her grow and change over the last 3 months. For her newborn session we went ALL out. Bonus of having a friend photographer haha!! Born on valentines day, this little rockstar had her first mini photo shoot at just 2 days new!! We had a gorgeous February afternoon and we were able to capture a prop shot outdoors in her backyard! Such a rare thing to have a warm enough day in Feb but it was meant to be!! Then we had her normal studio session around 9 days new. She slept like a champ and we flew through her session. We grabbed beanbag and prop shots and Maggie was a PRO! By the end I just enjoyed holding her for another hour while her mom and I just chatted away!

Then a few days later Maggie came back to see me for a very special photo! One where we used my little pup as part of the setup! I have always wanted to incorporate my pup again in a newborn session and I do believe this is one of my favorite photos of all time! By week 4, I really wanted to see her again for a little easter setup and it was so much fun because she was WIDE awake and gave me the best open eye bunny foo foo photo and I could not be more in love! We certainly spoiled this little beauty in her first month of life with all the photos and I could not be happier. She is such a perfect little model and I cannot wait to continue to watch her grow and change over the next year.