Scoping out Green Spring Gardens | Alexandria, VA Child Photographer

While my son was at his first day of summer camp, I went to check out Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria, VA.  I had heard that it was a great spot for photos, so I had to see it for myself, and of course take along my favorite little model. The weather was quite pleasant with some cloud cover, which would have been perfect if I was doing a real shoot, but I had been hoping for some glaring sun so that I could assess how much shade would be available on a hot and steamy summer day. The grounds were vast and there were several areas of tall trees, so I am confident that I could find some good spots to use on a sunny day.

We had a great time exploring - around every corner were lovely flowers to smell and cute benches to climb onto. Some of the bigger flowering plants were perfect for hiding and playing peek-a-boo. And there was lots of open green space to run around on and pretty stone and brick paths to skip down. There were a bunch of other areas that I wanted to check out, like the historic house, gazebos, children's garden, and ponds, but we were running out of time and energy. So we'll just have to go back sometime soon. But most definitely, the highlight of our morning was seeing a deer as we were leaving the gardens!

Beating the heat and humidity with the "M" Family | Alexandria, VA Baby Photographer

I had photographed little "O" back in 2009 when he was only 3 weeks old and have had the pleasure of watching him grow through his parents' many Facebook posts and pics.  I was excited to get to see him again in person, this time as an active toddler, and to meet his baby sister who is 5 weeks old. 

I met the "M" Family early in the morning down in Old Town Alexandria, but it was already super hot and humid and the clouds looked like they would open up at any minute.  Definitely not ideal weather for a photo session, but we stayed positive and tried to do as much as we could before we all started to melt.  At least the baby was comfortable, as she had the pleasure of being mostly unclothed for much of our session.  She was as sweet as could be, barely made a peep, and was mostly awake the whole time.  Big brother got hot and tired quickly, but I did catch a few glimpses of what a wonderful and gentle brother he will be.

And of course, it was wonderful to see the proud parents again.  They are so excited to have a little girl.  I look forward to keeping up with their adventures through Facebook.  And I hope to see them all again soon, but under much cooler circumstances!

Frolicking at great-grandmother's cottage | Alexandria, VA Child Photographer

I was excited to do a spring session with the "J" kids after having had a great time with the whole family during last year's holiday photo shoot.  The kids are loads of fun to work with, as they are wonderfully interactive and silly with each other and with me and my camera. This time, their mom wanted a session devoted to just the kids, to capture this special time in their lives, before the addition of a new sibling in the fall.

I met up with them at their great-grandmother's cottage, nestled in a charming old neighborhood in Alexandria, VA.  I couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting, as it has so many great texturey things that are fun to include in photographs - tons of greenery, flowers, old bricks, cast-iron chairs, and even decorative gnomes, frogs, and other little creatures. But best of all, the kids are super comfortable there, as it is essentially their extended backyard where they spend many summer days running around and swimming in the pool.  

 

As soon as they arrived, the kids were in a fabulously playful mood, and I knew that I was in for a treat. They certainly didn't need much urging from me before they started singing and dancing together and being their typically silly selves.  They made the session so easy and enjoyable for me that I was reminded of how much I love my job.  

These two truly have a special relationship. The new baby will be so fortunate to have such wonderful older siblings.

 

Fond Farewell to the "B" Family | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

This post is dedicated to the "B" Family, as they depart Alexandria, VA for exciting adventures across the pond.  They are a lovely family full of big smiles and laughs and have been a fixture in the neighborhood.  Their kids are adorable and are always beaming. They will be sorely missed by all of us who have had the pleasure of their friendship.

Safe travels, best wishes, and please keep in touch!