A first birthday celebration | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I write a lot about the value of what happens in the day to day and why documenting it is so important. But documenting milestones important too! 

Most of us have a few pictures of birthday celebrations from our childhood. Usually blowing out candles. If we're lucky, those pictures include our friends and family too and offer a glimpse into our lives during a time we probably don't remember all that well. 

That's why I love photographing birthday parties. And first birthdays are especially sweet. Even more so, when you're surrounded by family and friends. I see this little guy being doted on by his big brother, parents, grandparents, and aunts and I just love that he'll have these pictures to look back on and see how loved he is.

Also, I'm a mom too, so I know how much effort parents put into making their kids' birthday celebrations memorable. From party favors to cake and theme selection - all the little choices that represent family interests and personality. I loved all the photographs that decorated this Northern Virginia party. 

I’ve had the pleasure of documenting these little guys through several milestones - maternity, newborn, and family sessions. Getting to know and make long-term connections with my clients is one of my favorite perks of being a photographer. If you’ve got milestones coming up, reach out to me about custom multi-session packages today.

Nicole Sanchez Photography works with busy parents in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland to create stress-free photo sessions that take all the loving, fun, and chaotic moments of family life to make beautiful photos and films that families will love looking at year after year.  Contact me today to start planning a custom photography experience that's perfect for your family.

A casual birthday celebration | Washington, DC Family Photographer

Photographing a quiet morning with your family may seem like an unusual was to celebrate your child's first birthday. Birthday parties are awesome, but if you're looking to highlight what's unique about this special time in your family life, a casual day at home is the secret to success. That exactly what this Washington, DC family chose to do to mark their sweet son's first birthday.

Birthday parties can be stressful for parents and children alike. Extra people, missed naps, and mixed up routines can be a challenge no matter how carefully you plan. Parties are full of fun moments that make for great photos, but a normal day at home means sharing and capturing what you love best about your family in this fleeting time, from morning naps and breakfast together, to Skyping with Grandma and tickle attacks.

I loved this sweet family's routine of brushing their teeth together. This little guy may not always love brushing his teeth so much.  It's fun to see the things parents do (often over and over again) to entertain little ones and make life happen (like how it sometimes takes two people to put on a toddler's pants). It's those little things that are so easy to look past in the moment and forget as children move on to the next milestone or crazy behavior.

I love photographing the chaos that big family celebrations bring, but there is something equally special about simply showing parents and children with each other. The love they share and the home they create together is what makes childhood memories and celebrating each year so sweet.

Contact me today to learn about planning a session that's perfect for the milestone you're celebrating.

Celebrating the Bigger Story | Northern Virginia documentary family photography

"Life must be lived as play." - Plato

When Allison contacted me about documenting her family's celebration of her father's 75th birthday, I was excited.  Family celebrations are full of love and fun.  When she mentioned her Dad was a comic fan and the party would be super hero-themed with costumes, I was ecstatic.  How cool would this be? And it was!

It was a beautiful day for documenting an outdoor party in Northern Virginia - sunshine, warm weather - everything one could hope for on an early spring day.  And we got to take full advantage of it.  Allison's father, Neil, has lovingly cultivated his beautiful backyard to be the perfect place for gatherings.  And he took particular care to set up a special area for the kids to play too.

With every guest that arrived, you could feel the love and respect for this family patriarch.  He was definitely the man of the hour, and in high demand, but he took time to play with each of his grandkids in between telling stories and joking with his guests.

Getting together with extended family and friends is always a special time, whether we live close by and get together often or far away and get together only for special occasions. How often do we come away from these gatherings with maybe a few group selfies or quick snapshots on our phone that might get posted to Facebook, but most often get lost in the digital depths of our phone (or worse lost for good when the unexpected happens to our phone)?

Selfies are great for showing our smiling faces, arms around loved ones.  But what about the bigger story of the day?  Where we were.  What brought us together. What we did together that was so uniquely us - our family.  It's difficult to capture those in-between moments when you're busy living them.

Capturing these details help us remember exactly what it felt like to be there.  To experience life in that moment.  These images help us remember how heartwarming it was to watch our father captivate a crowd with his storytelling and easy laugh.  Or how proud we were to watch when our little one worked up the nerve to go down the slide on her own and how happy her smile was when we caught her at the bottom.  Sure, the birthday itself is a big deal, but the reason everyone is really there is to celebrate the love they feel and honor they have for someone special. 

Those feelings are what make life sweet and preserving them with images is what makes family documentary sessions worthwhile.  Pictures that tell the story of life lived - busy, perhaps, but always full of love.

Learn more about these sessions and see more examples of these in-between moments captured on my information and gallery pages.