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! 

Little Miss Model and her sweet sweet brother | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

Please forgive me for being SO behind in blogging.  My session with the vG Family from a few months ago was so much fun that I just had to share, even if it's a bit late.  This was the second year that I've done a photo session with them and they are such lovely people with so much energy (The kids are always full of smiles and friendly greetings, and always want to play chase with me when I see them at the park).

The little girl is beautiful and full of personality, and LOVES LOVES LOVES the camera.  She's a natural model - she would pose for me for hours if we let her.  And the camera loves her too - I have so many fabulous shots of her, it was so hard to choose which ones to put on the website and the blog.  After a while, I actually had to make an effort to turn my camera away from her to make sure I gave her younger brother just as much attention.  I still remember when he first got glasses as a baby - he was the most adorable little Harry Potter.  Now he's such a handsome little boy who just loves his mama.  So sweet!  He also has a special place in my heart, as he shares a birthday with my daughter.

I always enjoy spending time with the vG Family, with or without my camera.  I can't wait to do another session with them!

Looking back on warmer days | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

I am very hopeful that Punxsutawney Phil is correct in his prediction this year and that spring is indeed around the corner.  We haven't gotten much snow this year, but it sure has been consistently cold for months! Having just had a couple warm days and a few more in the forecast, I have been looking back at photos from last fall and remembering how much fun it was to frolic outdoors.  I cannot wait to shoot outdoors again without having to be all bundled up!

So on a beautiful Saturday morning last October, I had a great time photographing the "C" Family with their two lovely boys.  The younger one was so outgoing and engaging.  He just oozed personality and loved the camera. The older boy was a bit shy at first, but eventually realized how much fun it was to romp around the gardens with his brother and forgot all about me and my camera, which is exactly how I like sessions to go.  There was so much love in their family, I thoroughly enjoyed capturing their interactions on camera.