July Photo Favorites | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I can't get over how fast summer flew by.  We ventured out of Northern Virginia to meet up with family at the beach and were also lucky to have two visits with grandparents in July. Nothing brings out my camera more than seeing my kids with their grandparents and other family members.  Because we live so far away, I want to relish all the moments of us together and create something for us all to look back on when we're apart.

Lately, I've been taking a few less photos and a lot more video and working on more personal films for my family.  I'm so far behind on printing photobooks and I like to think this makes up for it a bit.  I have plans to email (I'm far too disorganized for paper letters or journals at this point!) each of the films to my sons with a little note about their adventures.  Assuming email is still a thing in the years to come, I like to imagine they'll have a whole library of fun films to look back on as they leave home and start their own families. 

I'll be sharing films from our summer as I get them finished as well as some sweet client films as the busyness of summer winds down and the routines of fall pick up.

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.

June Photo Favorites | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Have I mentioned how summer is my favorite? I try hard to reserve all my weather-related complaints for the winter months and bite my tongue in the summer whenever I start to voice my annoyance at the humidity or mosquitoes (I often fail because they are no joke here in Northern Virginia).

There's no shortage of things to do when the weather is warm. Even the rain isn't so bad when you can jump in puddles and play in the mud.  We spend a lot of time adventuring in our backyard, digging for creatures and jumping on the trampoline. I really love how the kids bring about experiences that I would never had had otherwise (hello, giant grub!).  This Eastern box turtle showed up in our garage one day and we kept her for a few days, learning all about turtle habits and habitats, before setting her free again.

It's fun to imagine what childhood characteristics these guys might carry with them into the rest of their lives.  Like my eldest's love for nature and my youngest's propensity to do everything sooner than his brother did.

I'm also so excited to practice some underwater photography this summer.  These were so fun to take at our local Fairfax County RECenter pool.

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.

August Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Summer is my favorite. Even when it's at its hottest and most humid here in Northern Virginia. I think I must like the heat because it reminds me of my childhood summers in the Mississippi. Anyway, every August, as school starts back up and people start getting excited about fall, I have a personal mantra. “It's okay,” I tell myself, “it'll stay warm until at least November.”

But something happened this year. Around the end of August, the summer heat broke. I let our dog outside one morning around 6am and it was…chilly. The moist warmth of summer dawns was gone.  The days have been pleasant and mild. But gone is the sticky humidity and heat of summer. I thought for a couple of weeks that it was just a spell, but it's gone. I was not ready for summer to end. I love the colors and crispness of fall, but it's always tinged with sadness at the cold to come and days spent inside, trying to ward off the chill.

I'm still hopeful for a few more warm days in the weeks to come, even if the cool mornings are here to stay.  As a farewell to summer, here's a few of my favorites from last month.

Want to learn how to document your own family's day-to-day?  Check out 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family.  It's a simple and fun guide to documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

Relaxed Summer Session | Washington, DC Family Photographer

It's been a baby bonanza this summer. Besides my own littlest (who's going to be a year old this week!), I've gotten to photograph several other babes in their first year this summer in Washington DC and Northern Virginia. The first year is such a fun time as a parent, getting to watch baby's personality develop (and take guesses at which parent is responsible for specific character traits ;-) ).  It's also a time of learning to adjust to a new family dynamic - a whole new person with new and different needs and wants. Oh, and who happens not to communicate in easy to understand words yet.

One of the things I always marvel about over parenthood is our seemingly never-ending capacity to adapt. Less sleep. Less time. But we make room in our lives to love and nurture these little ones. Adaptability is just what we need. Especially as we learn that just when we think we have things figured out, our little one changes.

One of my favorite things about documentary family sessions with babies is embracing that adaptability and going with the flow. Maybe baby’s schedule is completely off track. Maybe you skipped a nap or are still finishing breakfast at noon.  Taking in the chaos in the context of this tiny human who's changing so fast you want to capture every minute of it is one of the best parts about documenting family life.

It may be hard to see it now, but what you're doing is meaningful and important. And hard work. Your kids may not remember this time. And considering your lack of sleep, you may not either. But these pictures of everyday life tell your family's stories. Of tender care and coming up with endless ways to entertain. Of elation and exhaustion.  It may seem like chaos.  Or maybe you're lucky and it seems just as smooth as you're planning it to be (If so, what is your secret??).  Either way, it's beautiful and it's love.  And you'll want to remember that.

Stay tuned later this week, I have a family film to share from this sweet session in Washington, DC.

Want to learn how to document your own family's day-to-day?  Check out 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family.  It's a simple and fun guide to documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

Puppy Love Adoption Story | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I recently spent a (hot!) summer evening in Alexandria, Virginia with this busy family and their two dogs, Chex and Champ.  It was a special session with the kids to mark the adoption of their new puppy, Champ, to the family. The family recently lost their precious older dog, Chili, and Chex took the loss of his companion pretty hard.  So it was especially sweet to see the immediate bond not only between both dogs and the kids, but also between new friends, Chex and Champ.

Puppies grow so fast, so this family wanted their session to document this fleeting time with their newest addition.  After lots of play in the back yard, these guys needed a break!  It turns out puppies are like babies in other ways too.  Great daytime nappers, but not a lot of uninterrupted sleep happening at night, especially for a hound dog puppy. ;-) 

Sweet dreams, Champ!  And I hope you guys are getting some rest, Catherine!  

And if you'd like to support a budding young author and animal welfare advocate, check out Lindsay's story of Chex and Chili! Lindsay will donate 50% of profits from her book to charities benefit animal welfare.  I hope to see a sequel featuring Champ, Lindsay!

Learn more about a documentary session for your family here.  And stay in touch!  Sign up below for my newsletter to receive tips for documenting your family's story.

July 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I made a lot of pictures in July.  And even though I missed shooting a couple of days, I made up for it on others.  With baby number two almost here, it suddenly became really important to me to document these last days of our being a family of three.  It's such an exciting time, if still a bit nerve-wracking even though we've been through it once. :-)  Here are a few of my favorites from this month.

Despite the heat (and pregnancy!), I love summer in Northern Virginia.  There are so many things to do outside and plenty of respite from the heat inside or in the long evenings as well.  

We love our local parks and access to the Potomac River.  The variety at Jones Point Park in Old Town Alexandria (first three images) is fantastic, as is the family-friendly hiking at Mason Neck State Park in Lorton (last image).

Other than these mini adventures, it's just been nice to enjoy some leisure time at home and in our own neighborhood park.

Interesting in starting your own 365 project?  Check out my tips or see previous 365 shares here and here.  And please keep in touch!  Sign up below for my newsletter to receive more tips on documenting your family!

Photographing Summer at the Playground | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Even though my son isn't in school (and doesn't have a summer break) and my husband's and my work schedules haven't changed, there's still something magical about summer.  Maybe it's carryover from my own childhood - a sense that when the weather is hot and the days are long, life is just different.  A little more carefree and spontaneous.  A little less scheduled and serious.

Summer brings an abundance of life.  In Northern Virginia, we're graced with green and growth everywhere. Towering trees, vibrant wildflowers.  Even the thunderstorms that roll through are welcome, bringing restorative rain and a bit of respite from the heat.  Summer just seems to ooze childhood and fun and evoke calls for dripping watermelon and melting ice cream. Sprinklers in the backyard and walks to the playground.

The playground is one of my favorite places to document family life.  Play is such a vital part of childhood and the playground is a perfect place for imagination, social interaction, and physical exertion.  From new games to new friends, it's been fun to track my son's growth as he masters more complex equipment like going down the "big" slide for the first time or graduating to successfully climbing up the big slide using well-practiced muscles and sheer will after weeks of trying.  These are things I want to look back and remember.  Things I want my son to look back on and be able to see glimpses of himself at such a young age.

This summer I've made an effort to document more time at the playground.  Here are a few of my favorites so far with some tips I've found useful for making images that unique to your family.  In each case, it's all about perspective and choosing an angle that best frames the story you want to tell.

1. Get far.  Often the neighborhood playground is a special place for families.  In our case, it's within walking distance from our house and a place where we can make impromptu visits and catch up with neighbors and friends.  Showing that context can be a powerful way to tell the story of your family's playground.  

In this image, we were visiting family who've lived next to this playground since their teenage kids were very small.  The playground is on the school property where they've attended all their lives.  So I knew I wanted to capture part of the environment as a reminder that this wasn't just any playground, but their playground.  

It can be a challenge to incorporate all the equipment and activity in a way that isn't cluttered and chaotic.  Using lines to frame your subjects or draw the eye into the image can be a good way to minimize the distractions.

2. Get low.  With the variety of platforms and places to climb, it can be fun to play with perspectives at the playground.  One easy way to do this is to get low to the ground and shoot up.  This can minimize distractions like playground equipment or random people in the frame.  

Summer sun can be bright, especially mid-day, but it can also be fun to play with sun flare at this angle.  To combat the harsh light and shadow during the middle of the day, I exposed for the sky here and brought up the shadows in post processing.

3. Get high.  Similar to getting low, climbing up to look down is an easy way to show a unique perspective and minimize distractions.  With all the angles and lines at a playground, it can be fun to use them to frame your subject.

What are your tips for capturing summer?

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June 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

June was a fun month with lots of time spent both outside and staying cool inside.  I can't believe summer is already passing by so quickly!  And even though it's been hot and humid here in Northern Virginia, I'm still relishing the longer days, pretty light, and carefree fun that comes along with it.  :-)

These are my June documentary faves from my ongoing 365 project.  Find tips for starting your own long-term photography project here and come follow along with me (and share yours!) on Instagram!