Fun Places to Visit with Kids in Northern Virginia | Documentary Family Photographer

I would be stretching the truth if I said that I didn't consider photo opportunities at least a little when planning outings with my family.  There are times when I don't bring my camera (though I almost always wish I had!), but most days I have it with me just in case.  There are so many wonderful family places to go in Northern Virginia and, as I sit here greatly anticipating the return of warm weather, I thought I'd share some of our family's favorites. 

Udvar-Hazy Center National Air & Space Museum | Chantilly, Virginia

This place is amazing and though I love the Air & Space Museum in D.C., the Udvar-Hazy Center is so much better.  Admission is free, though there is a $15 parking fee (and no other parking options that I'm aware of).  This place is expansive, which is great for energetic children and there is just so much to look at - from the Space Shuttle Discovery to historic aircraft like an SR-71 Blackbird, a Concorde, and the Enola Gay. There's also an Observation Tower and an IMAX theater. You can easily spend an entire day here.  It's great for super hot, cold, or bad weather days.

Jones Point Park - Old Town Alexandria

Jones Point Park is located right at the edge of Old Town Alexandria.  There's usually plenty of parking, though it can get busy on the weekends.  We love it because there's so much to do and so much free space, which is great for energetic kids (notice a theme here?).  There are two playground areas - a large one for all ages and a smaller one on the other side of the bridge with some great climbing structures for older or more adventurous kids.

There are some great views of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and the river, as well as a couple of fishing piers.  There's also a lighthouse a short walk from there and some pretty garden plots back towards the entrance.

It's a perfect place for a picnic or a great tack-on to a trip to Old Town. 

Rocky Run Park - Arlington, Virginia

We happily discovered Rocky Run last year.  It is a climbing kid's dream, but there are also great areas for smaller kids too, including toddler swings and climbing structures, as well as a sand pit. There are also basketball courts and a soccer field.  But the massive climbing structure is the highlight for us.

We're usually able to find street parking here, though this park definitely gets busy on the weekends.  There are lots of places nearby to grab breakfast or lunch, including the Whole Foods (which has easy parking) hot bar.

Mason Neck State Park - Lorton, Virginia

Mason Neck is great for short family hikes.  Our favorite is the Bay View trail which goes right along the Potomac River, with some beach access, and also winds its way through some marsh areas, with some great bird viewing.  Mason Neck is dog-friendly, so we love bringing our lab for a hike too.

There are several other trails, lots of picnic areas, and a playground too.  There's a small entrance fee to the park, though there is one trail that is accessible (with parking) outside the park.

Are you in Northern Virginia or nearby?  Are there any places you would add to this list?

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 plan for documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

Around Our Clocks: 5PM | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

One thing certain about parenthood, and life in general, I guess, is that the only thing that stays constant is change. It's bittersweet, especially with kids. Watching them grow is so amazing and rewarding. It's like it happens in slow motion and fast forward at the same time.

And just when you think you have a piece of the puzzle figured out, they've moved on to the next stage.  I've found this especially true with little routines and habits. My son will fall into a pattern, doing the same thing for days or weeks, until one day he doesn't anymore. 

One of my favorite routines lately is him riding his scooter in our driveway as soon as we get home from school.  He'll hop out of the car and onto his scooter, making a few trips up and down the driveway before we go inside to make dinner. He's usually good about putting his helmet on and almost always asks me to watch him.  I usually put his brother down in his car seat to watch. Sometimes he'll stop riding to get the mail out of the box (which he still needs help to do) out to give his brother a hug. He's not so good about putting the scooter away and instead leaves it right in the way to be run over the next morning.  Thankfully, we've avoided this so far.  I know this little ritual will evolve or be replaced soon enough. 

Sometimes, I don't even notice the change immediately and it'll hit me months later when I see pictures like these and think, "Oh, remember when..."  And then I'm thankful for having preserved it and a piece of his story. 

This post is part of the Around Our Clocks documentary blog circle. This month we documented the 5pm hour. Continue the circle by visiting  Sincerus Photography, Fine Art Documentary Photographers, KC 

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 plan for documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

February 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

February was a full month.  So full that I still have three days of it left to edit. :-) We returned from vacation and I've yet to really catch up, although I've made some peace with it.  It's hard not to be mellow about life when the weather in Northern Virginia has felt more like early summer than winter.  It's kind of felt like winning the lottery - or what I imagine winning the lottery might feel like.  You just don't question the good fortune.  :-) The cold isn't quite gone for good, but we've tasted enough hints of spring to keep me going for a few more weeks.

We spent as much time as we could outside enjoying the warmth and made it out to Mason Neck State Park in Lorton, Virginia.  The park has a trail right along the Potomac River and is one of our favorite places to visit in this area.  I'll share more about it in a post to come about great places to visit in the D.C. and Northern Virginia area.

Until then, I hope you'll enjoy seeing these favorites of mine from February. 

Check out my free guide 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family.  It's a simple and fun plan for documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

How to Make a Wood Block Photo Display | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

I've had these blocks planned for months and thought I'd give some to family with prints as Christmas gifts, but I didn't get around to making them in time.  It turns out, they didn't take much time at all. And now, I have them ready in time for Mother's Day gifts (if I remember to mail them). :-)

Here's what you need:

• square wood blocks cut to size for your print (see note below)
• wood conditioner
• wood stain in your color of choice
• paint brushes
• rubber gloves
• old rags/cloths
• sand paper
• clips
• hot glue or super glue
• saw tooth picture hangers
• mineral spirits (or paint thinner for cleanup)

A note on the wood blocks. We had them cut at Home Depot.  I knew I wanted to use them for my 5x5 prints, so I asked (actually my husband was the one who went on the Home Depot run, so I had him ask!) for 6x6 blocks cut to be cut from a plank.  We ended up with 12 and a few of those were a bit oddly sized. 

Here's what to do:

1. First sand any rough edges on the wood and wipe away any dust. I went over all edges and corners with a sanding pad.  This isn't entirely necessary depending on how smooth the edges are on your blocks and whether you want a bit of an "aged" look.  I did, so I sanded all around.

2. Put on your rubber gloves to protect your hands and make sure you're in a well-ventilated area or outside (I wouldn't do the staining process inside because of the fumes.)

Use a paint brush to apply wood conditioner to the plaque. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, then wipe off any excess with a clean, dry cloth. In my case, I took the dog for a walk and by the time I got back there was no need for wiping.

3. Next, the staining. But first a note: It's useful to do a bit of testing on an extra piece of wood to determine how long to leave the stain on and how many coats you need to apply to get your desired color.  It lengthens the process, especially if you wait for the test piece to dry, but it's worth it to ensure your end result has the color you want.  I went with only one coat on these blocks, but any imperfections in the wood are fairly apparent, so if that's a concern for you, you might choose to go with a darker stain or more coats.

Apply a coat of stain with paint brush. I used one coat of Minwax Ebony and let rest for about 15-20 minutes.  Then, wipe away excess with cloth and let dry. (Mine rested for several days before I was able to get back to them.)

4. Apply wax coat. I wanted something a bit different than the sheen of varnish to finish the wood (see my vacation photo display tutorial). I loved the idea of a matte finish to work with the matte square prints, so I went with a finishing wax.

I scooped some of the wax into a double-folded cheesecloth and went over the blocks until they were coated.  After a couple of hours (though I think they were probably dry in about half an hour), I wiped down the wood with a clean cloth (okay, it was an old sock).  

5.  Next, attach the saw tooth picture hangers.

6.  Measure and attach the picture clips to the other side of the board.  I tried hot glue first, but the clips popped off too easily when I inserted the print, possibly from the wax finish, so super glue ended up a better option for me.

7.  Add your prints and display happily!  I'm looking forward to sharing these for gifts!

Did you enjoy this tutorial?  Check out my free guide 4 Steps to Stop Time and Savor the Moment with Your Family.  It's a simple and fun plan for documenting your family's life with beautiful photographs.

A Family Film: Before Three Became Four | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

This week I'm sharing a long overdue family film that highlights a fun outing at the Udvar-Hazy Center (or the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum in Northern Virginia) just before we had our youngest son last August. In fact, I took these images and video just hours before I went into labor (this outing quite possibly finally put me in labor as I was a week overdue at that point!), so it's extra special for me. I knew this day was likely to be the last time we'd venture out as a family of three. This might seem overly sentimental if you have one child (or none), but I was surprised by how emotional it was to anticipate the transition of adding another member to our family. I mean, we'd been through it once, and what could be more impactful than going from no baby to baby? But it's funny the things you worry about as a parent. Thankfully, it all turned out fine. ;-)

I've been wanting to incorporate films into my documentary family photography approach and set a goal for myself this year to create and share here at least one a month. I missed sharing in January, but done is better than perfect. :-)  Anyway, we had a great time marveling at the planes, watching an IMAX film, and eating Oreo McFlurries. If you haven't been out to the Udvar-Hazy Center, it's worth a visit. Thanks for having a look! 

And stay tuned, next month I have a guest post planned from a fellow documentary family photographer in Northern Virginia who is going to share how to document a year by filming one second a day. If you're not familiar with this type of 365 project, you're in for a treat!

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What is Documentary Family Photography? | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

There's a lot of jargon to sort through when it comes to finding the right photographer for your family. Studio. Portraits. Posed. Unposed. Lifestyle. Candid. Natural. Authentic. Documentary. What does it all even mean? And does it matter? Not really, in my opinion. At least the words don't matter much. What really matters is that you find a photographer whose images make you think, "I want to see my family in those photographs." 

For me, this happens when I see real moments captured in a beautiful way. I want to experience an emotional connection with the pictures. Whether that's the unbridled joy of childhood or the all-encompassing love of motherhood, I want to feel something when I see an image.  I get this emotional connection and experience from documentary style photography.

I first experienced documentary style photography when searching for our wedding photographer in New Mexico. As soon as I saw the images from Kitty and Craig Fritz of Twin Lens Images, I knew I'd found something timeless and evocative. I knew I would look back on their photographs years from now and see not just the smiling faces of my husband and myself and our family, but a glimpse of who we were in that moment in time. These were photos I'd want my children and grandchildren to see decades from now and feel they could relate to.  These images hang in my hallway and living room and are in a digital frame in our kitchen that my son loves to watch. I often glance at an image and catch myself right back there on our wedding day, joyous in the love and support of family and friends, laughing at my husband having a blast dancing with the kids, or smiling to myself remembering the quiet moments waiting with my dad before the ceremony. 

These were unscripted, beautiful, and real moments and are so very treasured.  And when I later started taking pictures of our family for myself, this is the ideal I strove to achieve. Because memories of our days, even big ones like wedding days, are eventually paved over with new memories. And that's the beauty of photography, especially documentary photography.  We can preserve those moments and memories in time. 

I believe that every day matters. Not just wedding days, birth days, and birthdays. And not just every day, but the everyday. Our everyday matters. All the little things we do that make up our lives. To invoke the oft quoted Annie Dillard, "How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives." 

It's easy to get caught up in the monotony of parenthood, which makes documenting it all the more important. Kids change so quickly. And so do we as adults and parents (though not so quickly ;-) ). What we're doing in the day to day is part of who we are and who we'll become. Documenting these moments in photographs is like journaling with images instead of words.

So while the jargon isn't necessarily important, celebrating what really matters is. I see value in honoring the love and connection of family.  This is what I look for in making pictures and what brings the greatest joy when I share images like these with the families I work with.

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AROUND OUR CLOCKS: 12PM | NORTHERN VIRGINIA FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

Winter in Northern Virginia has seen our family building a lot of blanket forts indoors. I'd like to think I have a bit of skill in this area since I spent a lot of time using blankets and sheets to make little hideaways growing up, but I suspect most kids do. :-) I have fond memories of my mom teaching me how to build blanket forts when I was a kid. And I remember making them in my basement with my best friend using hair scrunchies (remember those?) and rubber bands to secure the corners of sheets around door knobs or chair backs (not a successful tactic, as I recall!). But mostly I remember them as a quiet, cozy place to curl up and read.

My son isn't quite at the independent reading stage yet, but I'm glad to have caught him quietly at play recently under one of his blanket forts (although he calls them "tents"). We tend to spend more time building them (and making them bigger and bigger, using every blanket and throw we have!) than actually playing in them, but I imagine that'll change as he gets older. 

I wish I had pictures of myself making them as a kid with my mom or best friend. I'll have to get creative and try to capture some moments with my son that include my husband and myself before winter is over, but for now I'll treasure the ones I have.

Do you build blanket forts with your children? I'd love to hear your tips for making them awesome. 

This post is part of a collaborative documentary photography blog circle called Around Our Clocks. We're documenting a day in our life over the course of one year.  Continue the circle by visiting Stephanie Bryan Photography, Raleigh, NC Lifestyle Photographer.

January 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

In looking over my 365 photos for January, I noticed a bit of a theme. Our family seems to stay in our pajamas a lot on the weekends. I'm okay with this. In fact, I kind of deem the day a success if I never get out of my pajamas. Maybe not every day, but, at least in the winter, we're kind of home bodies and it's nice to see how much I can get done before getting dressed. And I really enjoy capturing images of my son in his pjs. Soon enough, he'll be too old for dinosaur prints and cute catch phrases. There's something playful and innocent about a child in pajamas. It brings whimsy and imagination to whatever activity they're engaged in and it's fun to bring that to my pictures as well.

I can't believe we're already so far into February. The year has gotten under way with a flurry of activity, some planned and some unexpected.  Just when I think I have it all figured out, I'm reminded that life ebbs and flows.  Nothing really stays the same for too long. And while I can appreciate the excitement and lessons that change (or disruption) brings, I'm also appreciative of the value of downtime and days where I can stay in my pajamas and recharge.

We ended January outside Northern Virginia with a vacation at Disney World and I'm excited to share those photos in a later post (though I took a lot less than I planned!).  I've been pretty easy on myself with missed days in my 365 project lately, and I'm looking forward to some spring weather (is it too soon to be hopeful?) that brings a bit more motivation with all the new growth and longer days. 

How's your 365 project coming along? If you haven't started one or need some motivation, check out this post. And while you're at it, sign up for my newsletter below to receive tips for documenting the beauty in your family's every day.

How to Decide Where to Have Your Family Photo Session | Alexandria, Virginia Family Photographer

A lot of thought can be given to details when you're planning a photography session for your family. Where should you have your session? When should you schedule it? What should you wear? Will the weather be nice? Will your children be cooperative? Will your spouse/significant other/pet be cooperative? ;-) In many ways, choosing to do a documentary session can ease these typical concerns.  So over the next few months, I'll be answering some common questions about session planning and sharing how awesome (and easy!) a documentary session can be for celebrating and preserving a part of your family's story.  First up - where should you have your session?

What's the best location for a family documentary session?

The simplest answer is wherever your family feels most at home.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, this may indeed be in your home.  Or it may be out and about adventuring, where you find yourselves in your element.  The most important thing is that everyone is comfortable, having fun, and engaging with each other.  Does that mean there won't be toddler meltdowns or teenage attitude? No, probably not.  But that's okay.  And I'll photograph it happily, because that's the season of life you're in and it's worth remembering (and showing your kids!). 

You might worry when choosing an in-home session, that you'll miss out on beautiful, seasonal outdoor images.  But documentary family photography can really be the best of both worlds.  And in Northern Virginia, where the weather can be mild even in the winter, taking photographs in both your home and outdoors can be a great way to keep kids engaged for the entire session. 

Documentary sessions are typically longer than a traditional portrait session, so there's no pressure to fit everything in.  The session just naturally flows at whatever speed your family goes at.  Even my shortest session, at two hours, allows for plenty of time to capture a range of activities at a leisurely pace.  

In home documentary sessions are unposed and unscripted, but that doesn't mean you can't plan ahead a little too. Some families plan for certain activities, like making breakfast or playing a game. Others let the kids take the lead and just go with the flow of the day. Flexibility is key to making the session fun and allowing for real moments and connection. 

Working in an outdoor activity can be a natural part of a documentary family session, especially if it's your own backyard or a nearby park. For this session in Alexandria, VA, mom is a yoga teacher, so it was only natural that she and her sons worked in some yoga while they played in the backyard. I loved that their family dog was always nearby and a part of so many of the images.

You may worry that your home is messy or your kids won't cooperate. And why would you want to remember that? I say, because that's life lived.  I try to embrace the mess, unpredictability, and the chaos in my photographs because that's real and real is beautiful. Life changes and kids grow so quickly and I want my photographs to put you right back there in that moment years from now when this time is a distant memory.  And what's more, I want your children to be able to see this part of you and themselves that they may be too young to remember.  Those parts of early life later become an important piece of figuring out who we are and where we belong.  

Learn more about documentary family sessions here.  Do you have questions about documentary photography?  Let me know in the comments or send me an email.  I'd love to answer them!  Next month, I'll provide some answers about when to schedule your family session (Spoiler Alert: there's never a bad time. :-) ) and more ways to keep kids engaged.

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December 365 Project Faves | Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Last month we enjoyed lots of time at home, but also had some adventures.  We had some unseasonably warm weather in Northern Virginia and made it out to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.  I also swallowed my fear (!) and took my 3-year-old (and our baby too!) to the library.  One of my favorite places.  And to my delight, he loved it too.  The little one slept through the visit. :-)  I'm looking forward to going back.  

Many people have embarked on a new 365 photo project this January. Some for the first time. Some starting a second, or third, or __ project.  I still have about 100 days left in mine.  This is my third year doing a 365 project and I'll likely continue after a brief break.  I shared some of the lessons I learned and tips for completing a 365 here.  In December, I went easy on myself when I missed a day.  Although, this week I have renewed motivation for being more "on it."  

Looking through my favorites from December reminds me of why documenting our family's life and lifestyle is so important to me.  I want to have images to remind me of these everyday moments.  These quiet times for reading and snuggling.  These times of childhood magic and wonder and adventure.

One of the best things that a 365 project can do for your photography (aside from preserving moments for your family) is force you out of your comfort zone.  When you're struggling to find something interesting to take a picture of or it's the end of the day and there's no light left in your house, you have to get creative in making images.  Sometimes they're successful and sometimes not.  So this month, I'll be reminding myself of this when I realize I haven't picked up my camera and I'm tempted to just go to bed.  I look forward to sharing my results with you next month.

Have you started a 365 project this month?  What tips do you have for making it a fun experience?

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