Around Our Clocks: 8am | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Mornings have been fun, if a little chaotic, around here lately. Without the pressure (yet) of needing to be at work on time, I'm able to indulge a bit in the fun of trying to capture the messy, sometimes harried business of getting a three year old out of bed, with clean teeth and a somewhat balanced breakfast, to school on time. Pair that with a baby who doesn't have a predictable schedule yet and who's still not sure if he likes car rides all that much and you've got a mama who's ready to pull her hair out by 8am some mornings.  And that's saying nothing of remembering to feed the cats and let the dog outside.

In the midst of the chaos and sometimes constant urging to hurry, though, I'll get the sweetest nuggets of life. A glimpse into my older son's budding personality in the form of an observation that seems beyond his three years. Or in an unexpected, unconditional grin from my two month old, who doesn't hold a grudge even when I leave him fussing to tend to his brother. 

I don't know how I'll keep my sanity when maternity leave is over, though I know it will work out somehow. For now, I'll just keep trying to preserve these little moments of childhood and parenthood for as long as I can.

This post is the first of the "Around Our Clocks" documentary blog circle, which features a group of photographers documenting an entire day over the course of one year. Please continue the circle by visiting Petra Silie's blog to view her "8am" post.

These are real-life moments. Ones that I want to remember and ones that i love preserving for other families too. Learn more about my family documentary sessions here. And sign up for my newsletter below to receive tips for documenting your own family.

Print Your Photos! | Baby Mobile

I love writing posts here about the importance of printing your photos, because it gives me an incentive to come up with fun ways to display my own photos - like this fun baby mobile that doubles as a hanging picture display.  I came across it at an art museum gift shop awhile ago, but only remembered it recently when I was looking for ways to display my square prints.

It's really great for children's development to see pictures of themselves around their home environment.  I think it's great for parents too. ;-) I love that our son can look up and see pictures of himself and our family. And I love that I can change them out easily whenever I get new prints. I used two prints for each of the ten clips and taped the inside of the pictures together to keep them from spreading apart.

Now I just need to get a few more for other places in the house.  One of the funniest things I remember about when our first son was a baby was the random placement of mobiles in our house.  We had one above the dresser in our bedroom and one hanging from a light fixture in our dining room.  And at one point, we had one hanging above the dining table in the kitchen. We tend to use spaces in our house as the need calls for, with a couch or the floor usually serving as a diaper changing station.  Life just happens wherever we are. :-)

You can find the mobile on Amazon.  These prints are from Artifact Uprising.  Check out my earlier post about their prints (and how to get them for free!).  And stay tuned for a similar review of Parabo square prints.  I'm waiting for those to come in the mail. :-)

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Five Tips for Documenting Your Newborn | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I've always been interested in photography, but I finally decided to learn how to use my camera when I wanted to take pretty photos of my first-born son. After he was born, I found myself wishing I had hired a photographer to capture all those cute newborn details and squishy newborn poses. I tried (and failed!) to get the Pinterest-worthy baby pictures (although I have a ton of baby pictures I wouldn't trade for the world). 

I've had a lot of practice since then, and while I did hire a photographer to document our birth and time at the hospital this time around, I couldn't hire a photographer to live with us for the first month, so during my pregnancy, I made note of the ways I could document the newborn phase myself.  

Here are a few tips based on my experience:

1. Details - My photography interests and style have changed from traditional posed portraits to candid, documentary and lifestyle images, but capturing details is still a must.  Who doesn't swoon over baby toes? :-) But details go beyond baby toes and fingers. It's important to give attention to moments when you feel that little pang of sentimentality - when you know you're seeing something you will want to remember. Something that will be brief and forgotten if you don't capture it. Which brings me to my next tip.  

2.  Pay Attention to Moments - While the images above are indeed of details, the idea of paying attention to detail is important across all the images in this post. Determining which moments are important to you and making note (literally sometimes, in my case - hello, Evernote) if you aren't able to photograph a moment right away, is key to documenting this time in a meaningful way.  I'll talk more about planning for images in a follow-up post on getting in the picture with your baby.

3. Go with the baby flow - Figuring out your baby is one of the earliest tasks of parenting and it isn't suspended while you're trying to get through your own personal photo shoot.  If your baby (or you!) just isn't feeling it, try again later.  It's helpful to make note of good areas of light in your house and when to find the best light in each area.  That way when you and baby are ready, you know where to go.

4. Happy and not - Not every moment is an easy one.  It wouldn't be parenthood without some stressful moments.  Own it.  Someday you'll look back on those moments and feel strength for having come through them.  It's part of the beauty of motherhood, so try to capture that in your images.

5. Remember family (but don't stress about it) - We were lucky to have many grandparents come to meet our new son and I knew I wanted to capture those special moments of them with our son. Especially in those early days, it was hard to balance caring for a new baby, engaging with family, and photographing it all at the same time.  So I made peace with the realization that I could not capture everything.  It's more important to just be present and take some down time to rest while others are there to help.  So put the camera down sometimes (or hand it over to someone else!) and don't feel bad about not capturing every moment.  

Another note on the family front, I found it so hard to document moments of my 3 year old and newborn together. For one, 3 year olds move fast.  And while newborns do not move so fast, when you're behind the camera your reflexes aren't so great. So it was hard to think about all the usual composition aspects and camera settings while simultaneously protecting my newborn from his big brother's love. I didn't get many of these, but that's one benefit to the newborn phase - they grow quickly and become less fragile. :-)

Finally, I can't leave off without saying it: get in the frame. I'll share more tips in a later post about how to get in the picture with your baby, but for now, here's one of my favorites from the early days. 

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A Fun Day with Mama | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

One of my favorite things about shooting family sessions is getting to connect with other parents, especially mothers. When I became a mom, I was pleasantly surprised to learn I'd unknowingly joined a special community of women that had always existed, but was invisible to me before I became a mother.  A community that brings an abundance of support, advice, and humor to one of the hardest and most rewarding jobs there is.  It was such a pleasure to get to know Sy and watch and learn from her with her two little ones, especially since I was due with my second soon after our session. :-)

There was also the added bonus that Sy is a small business owner herself, based in Northern Virginia. Like many parents, she finds inspiration in her children and family and channels that into koko's nest, which features beautiful blankets and accessories for nesting families. (You'll find one of her adorable blankets featured in my Instagram feed from time to time. :-) 

I hope you enjoy these photos from our session.  We spent a fun morning in home (with muffins!) and a trip to a neighborhood park in Old Town Alexandria. I have a special love for photographing moms with their children. So often, we're behind the camera making sure family adventures get documented and we often miss out on being in the picture.  It's so special to be able to provide moms with sweet moments like these that demonstrate their love and dedication and how important they are to their family.

Check out more from Sy and koko's nest on Facebook and Instagram.

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September 365 Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

One of the many benefits to shooting a 365 project is that, even though time still flies (how is it fall already?!?), when I look back at the month's images, I feel as though I've preserved pieces of our life that I might have otherwise forgotten.  September was filled with sweet newborn details and quiet time spent enjoying maternity leave.  Time marches on (is that too cliche?) and as I strive to relish the present, I'm also grateful to have documented these moments to savor months and years from now.   

Here are my favorites from September. For tips for starting your own 365 project, check out my post on documenting the long term. 

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Print Your Photos - Gallery Wall | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I've had grand visions for several years of beautiful gallery walls of pictures throughout my house. Pinterest-worthy galleries with various vintagey frames found in random mom-and-pop stores. Frames that, when asked, I could say, "Oh that one? I found it at the cutest little thrift store for $5." In my grandest of visions, these thrift store finds were made in some quaint beach town while on vacation...

In reality? I'm lazy. Gallery walls take time and lots of effort to look effortlessly put together. And while I adore beach vacations, vintage frame shopping with little ones is not something I've mastered. Heck, I'm still working on getting grocery shopping down. So when I came across gallery walls in-a-box, I thought, "Woohoo! A lazy lady's answer to home decor!"

While not quite effortless, for the price and time spent, these gallery in a box sets are perfect for our family. Here's how I put together our latest wall. Nevermind that it took me a year to get these pictures printed...

I'll note that I took each of these behind-the-scenes pictures on a different day, so this was not a done-in-one-afternoon job.  The gallery wall kit takes some of the guess-work out of how to place frames, but it's not foolproof.  I always end up cutting up the suggested templates to make my own to better fit the pictures I choose to print.  And in the ones I've purchased, the hardware for hanging the frame doesn't allow you to adjust them for leveling once you've placed the screw/nail (although they thankfully seem to have changed this in their latest frame sets).

So, it's still not as easy as I'd wish it to be, but it's easy enough that I'll actually get it done.  And I love walking by these pictures in my hallway every day.  

I still have two sets left to hang before maternity leave is up.  I remain optimistic, but I count getting this one up as a big win. :-)  How do you display your prints?  Any framing tips?

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Tips for Maternity Self-Portraits | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I don't necessarily mind having my picture taken, although I'm not exactly comfortable in front of the camera. (I wouldn't have room to list all the ways I looked goofy in my school portraits growing up.) But when it comes to my family, and especially my kids, I want to exist in our photos, even when I'm not wearing makeup (and perhaps still in my pajamas.)   

Self portraits were not on my list of things to learn when I started my photography journey.  I wanted nice pictures of my son and that naturally included my husband. But as I learned more and got to know other women photographers, I saw the beauty of self portraiture and especially that of women with their children.  I didn't take many bump photos when I was pregnant with my first son, so I resolved to do better when we got pregnant again.  

If you've never tried self-portraits (beyond the selfie feature on your phone), getting in the picture with your kid(s) is a great place to start.  Being with someone else takes away some of the awkwardness and you're naturally most relaxed (and looking your best) when you're with your family.  Once you've done a few self-portraits with your kids, you may find it easier to take some by yourself.

Here are a few tips I learned after nine months of maternity self-portraits (and some of my favorite images). And for a primer on self-portraits, check out these earlier posts on reasons to get in the picture with your kids and tips for getting in front of the camera with your family. 

1. Find the light.  Inspiration, for me, is the one of the hardest parts of taking self-portraits. Coming up with unique ideas can be difficult.  I found that starting with the light can be the easiest way to get inspired.  Find a place with pretty light and go from there.  This could be the morning sun coming in through the bedroom window. Or softer, mid-afternoon light, perhaps in the very same window.  You can change up the perspective to make the images unique.  

Or, it may not even be natural light at all.  You can get creative with artificial light as well.  It helps to have your camera and tripod ready to go any time inspiration strikes.  There were many times I wasn't even planning to take a shot, when I saw the light and just went for it.

Start observing the light in your house throughout the day.  Notice where you see it and how it changes, which brings me to my second tip...  

2. Keep a notebook.  You may not always have the time to stop what you're doing and take a picture, so keep a notebook (I also love using the Evernote app on my phone) and write down ideas as they come to you.  It's especially helpful to note the time of day you see especially nice light. It can change quickly during the day (and with the season too).  Pay attention to others' images you see as well, whether you follow any photographers on social media  (Alice Che is wonderful at self-portraiture) or you're thumbing through a magazine.  Inspiration doesn't have to come from strictly maternity shots, or even self-portraits.  Just look for images that you find appealing and try to make them your own.

3. Be flexible.  You may have an idea for the perfect shot in your mind, but it's just not happening.  Maybe your cat keeps getting in the frame.  Or your child just isn't interested.  Go with the flow.  With my son, I often started with whatever activity he was interested in doing at the time and asked him to do it in a place with good light.  Whether it was reading on the bed or on the couch, or playing Legos on the floor, he was much more interested in (and sometimes not even aware of) taking pictures when we were doing an activity that he was interested in.

4. Keep trying. Not every idea for a shot works out. Sometimes it's a matter of adjusting (waiting for better light or changing the perspective). And sometimes it may not work no matter what you try. I took a lot of shots that I didn't include in this post.  While they may not be share-worthy, they're still keepers and were worth the effort. Because I know my kids will appreciate them despite any flaws I see.

Now that I've had my second son, I'm having fun getting in the picture with him too. I'll be sharing more self-portrait tips in a few weeks, so come back to visit or join my mailing list to receive tips on documenting your family life straight to your inbox.. 

Before & After: A Motherhood Self-Portrait | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Life has been full lately, in a good way. Over the coming weeks, I have some tutorials to share on what I've learned about taking motherhood self-portraits, as well as some fun new client sessions to share. But for this week, I'll keep it short and sweet, so I can go spend some more time with this little guy. ;-)  

I thought it would be fun to post a "before & after" edit. When I began pursuing photography in earnest, I was surprised to learn how much of a difference post-processing an image can make.  Learning to get an image right in-camera is the first step to making a great picture. Developing a style of editing that speaks to you and reflects the story as you see it is the rest of the fun (and work).

I generally love color in the images I take in this room.  (It's one of the few rooms in my house where I like the paint we chose for the walls. ;-) ) But for some images, like this one, I choose to convert to black and white.  In this case, I prefer black and white because I want my son's face to be the emphasis.  Converting an image to black and white is one way to eliminate distractions that aren't important to the subject.  In color, I feel the walls and my hair draw the attention away from his face. But in black and white, the eye is drawn right to the light highlighting his face and arms. 

The rest of the edits involve a bit of experimenting.  Aside from converting to black and white, I've straightened the lines, increased the contrast, bumped up the clarity, and brought down the shadows for more depth.  The majority of my indoor images are shot in low light, so I generally increase the luminance a bit to reduce noise/grain. I edit almost exclusively in Lightroom and use Photoshop occasionally when needed.  

Check back in the coming weeks to learn more about getting in the picture and taking self-portraits with your children.  And sign up for my email list to receive tips about documenting your family!   

A Day in the Life of a Preschooler | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Ever wonder what your child's day is like at school? My son attended the same preschool from the time he was four months old until his last day last week.  He started a new school after Labor Day and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to shoot a Day in the Life session at his preschool before he left. 

One of my favorite things about documentary photography is showing parents aspects of their lives that they don't usually see. Usually that's because they're the ones taking the pictures or living the moment. That's why hiring a photographer is a wonderful way to capture meaningful parts of your life that you live but don't necessarily see.

In this case, I get to show parents an aspect of their children's lives that they don't usually see because they're not there. And it was doubly fun for me because this is the second documentary session I've done at this school, so seeing the children's growth after a year was really a pleasure. 

Longer documentary sessions like this one (an eight hour session) can be hard to schedule around, especially for busy families. One solution is to break the session up into multiple days. For a family session, this could be shooting a morning routine or midday activity one day and then a bedtime routine in the evening the next day. This allows for a more complete story, and may be easier to schedule for families for whom an eight hour stretch is difficult to fit in.

For this preschool session, I was able to document a morning lesson, outdoor play, naptime, lunch time, and free play for multiple classrooms over the course of several days. The result is a full story of the children's day that gives parents a glimpse into a special part of their child's life. Any parent who has to spend time away from their children knows how it is to wonder what your child is up to while you're apart.

These are wonderful moments to have documented not just for parents but also for children. At this age, they often don't remember their time at preschool. But the love and dedication from their teachers is a wonderful thing to show to them as they get older. This time goes by so quickly and the care and lessons they receive now lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and social interaction. 

Learn more about documentary sessions here. And sign up for my email list below to receive tips for capturing your own family's everyday. 

August 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

How is it September already? August was a whirlwind of waiting it seemed. The month flew by despite the weeks of patient and not-so-patient waiting for new baby Sanchez to arrive.

I found myself savoring our last moments as a family of three and documenting my son's last days as an only child. The pregnancy hormones had me extra sentimental, but I'm so grateful for the story all the images from August tells. And I have some fun video projects in the works as well to share later!

My mother in law graciously came to stay with us in early August and we enjoyed many special outings with her and our son. An extra pair of hands, especially ones that come with grandmotherly love, is a wonderful thing to have in the last month of pregnancy. It was a lovely mix of lazy days, activity-filled ones, and bored, anxious, climbing-the-walls ones too.

And towards the end of it all, we got to come home with a healthy baby boy. We're thrilled at the promise of two rambunctious, loving, adventurous boys to run after.

Here are my favorites from August. For tips for starting your own 365 project, check out my post on documenting the long term. 

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