Ending the year on a high note with the sweetest baby ever | Washington, D.C. Baby Photographer

As 2011 comes to a close, I look back and am so thankful for all of the wonderful families that I had the pleasure of working with this year. Some were repeat clients, but many were new this year and I had a fabulously fun time getting to know them all. I am especially thankful to the families who allowed me to photograph them more than once during the year to capture different moments in their lives.

One such family was the 'F' family from Washington, D.C. with their darling baby girl. I met them back in September when Baby 'A' was 6 months old. At the time, she was very comfortable propped up on her arms but was not yet moving around on her own (see the session again). I was excited to return to their lovely home for her 9 month session and to witness Baby 'A' in her early stages of mobility.

She was absolutely adorable, dusting the floor with her pretty dress as she pulled herself around on her belly. And so amusing to watch her parents spin her around on her tummy to redirect her from dangerous objects and attempt to guide her towards the camera. She continues to be a wonderful little model, with her abundant smiles and super sweet nature. And it was great to catch up with her parents too. Such a lovely family, I truly enjoy my time with them.

So I look forward to seeing them again in the new year to celebrate Baby 'A's 1st birthday. Can't wait to see if she's standing and walking by then! Such a treat and privilege to be able to capture these big milestones.

Here's a sneak peak from our 9 month session:

Surprisingly Successful Session with MY OWN Kids! | Alexandria, VA Child Holiday Photographer

For years, I've subjected my poor kids to countless desperate attempts over multiple weekends to get the perfect shot for our holiday cards (SO much harder to take photos of my own kids than other people's kids!) This year, on a random October afternoon when there was a break in some rain clouds, I wrangled my kids into some nicer-than-normal clothes and took them down to a favorite cobblestone alley in Old Town Alexandria for a super quick session. To my surprise, with some candy help, not only did I quickly get THE shot for our holiday card, but I also got a several great runner-ups! I've never felt so accomplished (or relieved!) after a session. I've been waiting forever to share some of my favorites!

Happy holiday wishes from my family to yours!
And a big thank you to my clients for making 2011 such a wonderful year.
Nancy =)


The first one is our official holiday photo.
The last one is our favorite, but didn't think it was quite holiday card appropriate.

        

Little Miss 'S', full of Skips, Spins, and Smiles | Alexandria, VA Child Photographer

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, I squeezed in a mini-session with a little girl from our neighborhood playgroup. I had done a holiday session with her and her parents last year, but this year we kept it simple and just focused on portraits of her.

Miss 'S' is a joy to work with, as she is sweet girl, very playful, full of energy, and very cooperative with me and my camera. Being so pretty and photogenic also helps! Mini-sessions are perfect for kids like her, as it really doesn't take much to get great shots. Her mom and I just gave her some space to be herself, and off she went, skipping and twirling up and down the block, laughing all the way. 

Thank you Miss 'S' for letting me capture the simple joys of being a happy kid!

Supporting a Cause with a Deserving Duo | Alexandria, VA Family Photographer

Back in the spring, I had donated a session to a fundraising event organized by friends to support the Northern Virginia Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders of Children's National Medical Center. The fundraiser organizers, who are also past clients, were so happy that the winner of the session was a hard-working single mom who didn't have any good photos of herself with her adopted daughter. The mom wouldn't have otherwise thought of working with a photographer, but was excited to have the opportunity. Support a good cause AND benefit a deserving family! What a wonderful way to spend my time!

We started our morning session together in the cobblestone alleyways in Old Town Alexandria. It took a while for Miss "I" to warm up to me, and to literally warm up. We eventually moved to a fun pile of red leaves in a nearby garden where she finally loosened up and started having a good time. Nothing like being given the green light to dump leaves on mom to make a kid laugh hysterically.

Thank you 'G' Family for supporting a great cause and for spending a lovely morning with me.

Here is a sneak peak of our session:

Making new friends from the neighborhood | Alexandria, VA Child and Family Photographer

I live in a fabulous little neighborhood in Alexandria, full of families with small children. I recently had the pleasure of meeting and photographing the 'M' Family, who live only a few blocks away. I was kinda surprised that we hadn't met before, considering that we have mutual friends and likely frequent the same playgrounds with our kids.

On a beautiful November afternoon, we met at the Carlyle House Gardens in Old Town, which was a perfect location for their active and excitable older boy. He was thrilled to have benches and a gazebo to climb on, paths to run around, bushes to hide in, and leaves to play with. And all in a very contained space, so we never had to worry, but he definitely kept me on my toes! Meanwhile, his baby brother was super cute with his fuzzy baby hair and big smiles. And the parents were wonderfully fun and easy-going, allowing their boys to be themselves, which is exactly how I like to capture them. They were all such a pleasure to work with.

Thanks again to the 'M' Family for another fun-filled session. I sure hope to see you again in the neighborhood!

Here is a sneak peak from our session: