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Father Daughter Fine art photography in Gaithersburg

“One of the greatest things about daughters is how they adored you when they were little; how they rushed into your arms with electric delight and demanded that you watch everything they do and listen to everything they say. Those memories will help you through less joyous times when their adoration is replaced by embarrassment or annoyance and they don’t want you to see what they are doing or hear what they are saying. And yet, you will adore your daughter every day of her life, hoping to be valued again, but realizing how fortunate you were even if you only get what you already got.” – Michael Josephson

#familyphotography #familyphotosession #familyphotographerdc #familyphotofun


Father Daughter Fine art photography in Gaithersburg

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


Photography Ever After Portraits in Washington

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


Brother Fine art portraits in Dulles

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


Family Portrait in Germantown

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


Father Daughter Photos in Glenarden

Moments | Northern VA Family Photographer

Moments | Northern VA Family Photographer

Moments | Northern VA Family Photographer

It’s back-to-school time, and even though my daughter, Joriana, is no longer in school, this time of year fills me with nostalgia. The older I get, the quicker the milestones come and go. When my daughter was born I entered a whole new set of milestones: first smile, first laugh, turning over, crawling, walking, first tooth – the list of firsts seemed to go on and on. And the milestones just kept coming more quickly in what felt like a series of stop motion captures: feeding herself (talk about messy!), choosing clothes (some interesting combinations, to be sure), learning to ride a bike, going to the beach and HATING the sand (that was fun!).

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

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!

Professional Photographer