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Photography Ever After Portraits in Washington
“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”- Henri Cartier-Bresson
#familyphotography #studioportrait #FamilyPhotoshoot #portraitartist #familyphotos
Mother Daughter Photography in Upper Marlboro
“No matter how old she may be, sometimes a girl just needs her mom.”
#familyphotography #studio #sterlingportraits #motherdaughterphoto #motherdaughterphotowardrobe
Brother Fine art portraits in Dulles
“The younger brother must help to pay for the pleasures of the elder.” – Jane Austen
#happybrothers #brothersthatmatter #everafterbrothersbaby #everafterbrothers #brothersforreal
Family Portrait in Germantown
“I think people that have a brother or sister don’t realize how lucky they are. Sure, they fight a lot, but to know that there’s always somebody there, somebody that’s family.” – Trey Parker
#familyphotography #studio #familyphotographer #familyphotographyjsterlingva #familyphotowardrobe
Father Daughter Photos in Glenarden
“He is my most beloved friend and my bitterest rival, my confidant and my betrayer, my sustainer and my dependent, and scariest of all, my equal.” – Gregg Levoy
#brotherlylove #brotherlove #brothersforlife #brothersinarms #brotherslove
CoronaVirus Precautions
At Ever After Portraits, we take the CoronaVirus seriously. Please see our Safety Precautions here: https://www.everafterportraits.com/coronavirus/
Moments | Northern VA Family Photographer
Moments | Northern VA Family Photographer
First Day of School
Then the big milestone came, one I was simply not prepared for: the first day of school. I still remember crying while taking Joriana to her very first day of school, and I can hear her telling me, “Mommy, it’s okay. Don’t cry!” She couldn’t wait to go to kindergarten, and I couldn’t stop crying. I was realizing she was growing up. Through the years, each new “first day of school” meant a bit of sadness for me. How had yet another year gone by? It wasn’t all sadness, of course. It was amazing to watch the changes my daughter made through the years, from simple things like her love of recess to her “love” for a little boy in her class. For weeks, we heard a lot of “Elvis said” and “Elvis did.” As time passed and school became more involved, it was hating homework and wanting to learn a musical instrument. She was growing and changing. It snuck up on me, to tell the truth! She was becoming a young woman. Soon she was making more decisions of her own and striving for independence. More moments flashed by in an instant, and suddenly middle school loomed, and new challenges were met and overcome. Before I knew it, years had passed and my daughter (who I couldn’t help but still see as my little girl just starting kindergarten) was graduating from high school! All of the moments that passed by had added up to days and months and years. How did that happen so quickly?! Next it was learning that she had an affinity for photography. Working with her in that way was a new experience, although a welcome one.Getting Married
And then came what felt like a pinnacle milestone to celebrate: She was a grown woman. She fell in love with a wonderful man. She got married! How did my little girl, the one I cried over, become this beautiful young married lady? Being a photographer, I’ve been able to visually capture many precious moments to look back on through photography. I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Families change as the years pass, even if the amount of family members doesn’t change! Children grow into their independence, and parents look back with an almost melancholy smile thinking, “Where did the time go?” Sometimes it feels so easy to remember her “big” milestones: Walking, talking, school, riding a bike, graduating, working, wedding and marriage. But it’s a little more difficult to hold tight to the in-between moments, the little ways in which she changed: a change in the way she smiled, or the way in which she held herself tall, or when she learned to use logic when discussing what she wanted (I stared open-mouthed at this one). Sometimes those little moments are the most precious. We all go through life collecting precious moments in time, the moments that truly matter. These moments are the reason why, as a photographer, I say: Don’t wait on scheduling a family portrait! Do it now! If you don’t, “I’ll do it tomorrow” will become next week, then next month, and then next year, and you’ll look back and realize you’ve missed out on capturing “this moment” in your family’s lives! Today is the day to schedule your Family Portrait Session. Call us at 571.434.0009 and book it now!
Family Photographer, Family Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
Professional Photographer
Headshot and Branding, what’s the difference? | Northern VA Headshot Photographer
Headshot and Branding, what’s the difference? | Northern VA Headshot Photographer
Did you know that there is a difference between headshot photography and branding photography? One is a business picture. The other is a business story. A lot of people tend to conflate them, but the fact is that they are two distinct types of portrait sessions. As a headshot photographer in Sterling, VA, we like to make the distinction for clients when they call us asking about our work for business professionals.
Headshot Photography
A headshot is a professional portrait of you meant to promote you or your business. Your headshot photo represents you as a professional. You can use it for a website, marketing material, or social media. It can be one element of branding photography. However, branding photography is more than just your headshot.
Branding Photography
Branding photography is more holistic than headshot photography. Business owners and other professionals use branding photography as a way to build their online presence, reputation, and brand. It often includes multiple outfit changes, to represent different aspects of your business, especially for entrepreneurs who sometimes wear many hats. Sometimes it includes a more casual look, something that tells your prospective clients who you are and lets them get to know you a little more personally through your portraits. A branding session may include you at work in your office or “doing” your job. In general, it gives you a variety of portraits which show an overview of what you do and what you can offer your clients.
So, which one is right for you?
Both kinds of photography – headshot and branding – can help you build your brand, capture and tell your story, and promote you and your business.
Which type of portrait session you choose depends on your needs and goals. If all you need is a picture of you to put on a website or printed program, then a headshot would probably suffice.
If, however, you have a vested interest in professionally promoting yourself or your company in a more comprehensive and detailed manner, then branding photography would be the way to go! Strategically done headshot photography, along with additional images, can help you build a strong brand image – one that can transform your career or company. Branding usually requires several pictures strategically taken to develop your story or narrative.
Working with a Headshot Photographer at Ever After
That picture your friend took of you on vacation isn’t going to work if you want others to take you seriously as a professional. You need a high quality, professional-looking image, at a minimum.
When you call to reserve your portrait session, we will ask you some questions about your photographic needs and goals for your pictures, including your goals for your session and your vision for outcomes. We’ll also ask what you plan to do with the photos as well as what potential needs you might have for them.
Because a branding session is a more involved process than a headshot session, we want to know what you’d like to say through your branding, and we use our photography and marketing skills to help you get there. We’ll likely recommend professional hair and makeup and discuss wardrobe styling to make the most of your session. We can provide a lot of guidance and recommendations to ensure you get exactly what you want out of your session.
We will also discuss venue selection. We can do your branding photography in our studios or at our outdoor portrait park. We can also go on location to your office if that’s what you want.
Contact our studios if you have any questions about branding or headshot photography. As an experienced headshot photographer in Sterling, VA, we are happy to guide you toward the one which best suits your needs.
Headshot Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits. In addition, we do headshot photography.
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
You too can be photogenic EVERY TIME! | Northern VA Portrait Photographer
You too can be photogenic EVERY TIME! | Northern VA Portrait Photographer
Very few of us are born naturally photogenic, but we all know someone who can’t seem to take a bad picture! Whether it’s fine art portrait photography or a snapshot, that person always looks great – maybe even a tad better than in person! How do they manage it? Being photogenic is a skill, and it’s one you can learn.
As Sterling, VA photographers, we can offer you some useful tips on how to look good in pictures. After all, who doesn’t want to look great in print?!
Practice makes perfect!
• You should practice these tips in a mirror.
• Try these tips every time you’re posing for pictures.
• Everyone is already beautiful in some way, and we all looked bad in photos at some point in our lives!
Hair & Makeup
None of us are camera ready when we get out of bed in the morning – despite what Hollywood would have us believe! If you know you’re going to be doing professional portraits or even a snapshot, start with your hair and makeup.
Ideally, you should have professional hair and makeup done if you’re having a portrait session and you know it. If that’s not possible or you’re just caught in a “let’s take a snapshot!” moment with your girlfriends, then follow these tips:
• Be certain your teeth are clean and that your face isn’t shiny (that shine will appear in print).
• Add lipstick or lip gloss and add some volume to your hair (hair looks flatter in pictures).
• Don’t have time for all of that? Then quickly fluff your hair and add lipstick (or at least lick your lips for a little shine).
Light Matters
If you’re doing professional portraits, then the photographer will ensure the lighting is nothing but flattering. If you’re doing pictures yourself, then keep in mind that light matters.
• A good rule of thumb for knowing where to stand in relation to lighting is always to point your nose toward the source of light.
• An excellent source is natural light from a large window if your indoors.
• If you’re outside, the photographer should stand between you and the light source.
Camera Distortion
As you probably know, the camera distorts things more than anyone would like. If you’ve ever taken a selfie by holding the camera at arm’s length, you’ve probably seen some distortion.
• To resolve that, take the picture in the mirror or, even better, have your friend take the picture!
Camera distortion also means that the closer you stand to the camera, the larger you will look.
• To make (at least) your bottom half not look bigger, step back, and lean your head in slightly toward the camera.
Posing
Posing has a great impact on how flattering your pictures turn out!
• Turn one hip slightly toward the camera and the other away without turning entirely sideways to the camera.
• Shift your weight to that back foot and cross the knee in after raising front foot on tip-toe.
• Then pull the rear arm toward the outside of your body while resting it on your hip. The other arm should pull slightly away from your body or rest that hand on your hip.
• Remember to stand tall and push your head just slightly forward (like a turtle). Feels awkward but if done right, it looks wonderful in a portrait!
Laugh, Don’t Smile
Fake smiles are pretty darn apparent on camera – and in print. We prefer to see a laugh – even if it’s fake. Fake laughs lead to natural-looking smiles, so we’d rather have you force a laugh than a fake smile! A fake laugh can turn into a real smile once you relax!
After so many years of doing portrait photography in Sterling, VA, and meeting a countless number of clients, we know that being photogenic is a learned skill. Practice these tips before your next pictures and tell us if you see a difference!
Family Photographer, Portrait Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!
When’s the best time to have Maternity Portraits? | Northern VA Maternity Photographer
When’s the best time to have Maternity Portraits? | Northern VA Maternity Photographer
The final weeks or months of pregnancy can mean different things to different women. But to us as Sterling, VA specialists in maternity photography, those last few months of pregnancy are when you are at your most beautiful!
Your curves are symbolic of the life you are carrying. It’s an ideal time to capture that beauty through maternity portraits. These are portraits you will cherish for what they represent and what they capture of those last months of your pregnancy.
So when is the best time to have Maternity Photography done?
As a portrait photographer, we typically recommend doing your maternity portraits sometime between your 32nd to 36th week of pregnancy. However, we can work with you if you prefer another time to create the very best portraits possible.
How far in advance should you schedule with a photographer?
To schedule maternity portraits, we suggest calling us at least 30 days in advance. That way it’s on your calendar and you won’t have to rush around at the last minute looking for a photographer to capture those beautifully pregnant curves!
What can you expect before and during your Maternity Portrait Session with Ever After?
Before your Maternity Portrait Session, we’ll have a conversation with you to make your session personal and custom to you, including how you feel about this wonderful time in your life.
We also typically do a Design Session to discuss the details and styling of your session. During the design session, we’ll discuss your clothing, the look that you want for your session, colors you want to incorporate, and any other details. We want you to always be comfortable with your session, so we like to get to know you!
There are several styles of maternity portraits we can take including Timeless (a soft and dreamy look), Belly Boudoir (show off that belly with some sexy lace!), Natural (bare that lovely belly), and Modern (whatever style you like).
We strive for a relaxed atmosphere during your Maternity Session. You’ll have a wonderful time and the portrait session itself will be a great memory – not to mention the beautiful portraits you’ll have from it!
Daddy-to-Be is welcome too!
We welcome you to include Daddy-to-Be in your Maternity Session! Some of the best portraits are one in which the joy and pride is apparent on Daddy’s face when he’s looking at your belly!
Indoor or Outdoor Portraits? It’s your choice!
We do these portraits in both our indoor studio and in our beautiful, private, outdoor portrait park. It’s your choice! Both offer complete privacy. We are happy to discuss with you any ideas you have for your maternity photography. Tell us what you want!
You can see more examples of maternity portraits we’ve done in our Maternity Gallery.
If you have scheduled a Newborn Session with us, ask us about adding a Maternity Session as well!
As skilled professionals, we know how to work with you on poses and to arrange lighting artistically. We know you will be thrilled that you chose to document this amazing time in your life. One day, your child will see themselves in your tummy through your maternity portraits. We’ve no doubt that your child will notice just how beautiful you were when she was carrying them!
To schedule your maternity photography with one of the best in the Northern Virginia area, contact us today!
Family Photographer, Maternity Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.
Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.
Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!