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Capturing the Pages of Our Lives Through Portrait Photography | Northern VA Family Photographer
Capturing the Pages of Our Lives Through Portrait Photography | Northern VA Family Photographer
If you display family pictures in your McLean, VA area home, then you understand and appreciate the power of portrait photography. Photography gives us a real picture to what we store in our memories. At times, it fills in the blanks created by time or loss.
The Pages and Chapters of Our Lives
Portraits are like the pages and chapters of our life stories. As a professional photographer, we understand that the work we do isn’t just a consumer product. It goes far beyond that. Our portraits document moments within our clients’ lives like pages within a story – their unique story. When viewed collectively, those moments just like pages create chapters. When a client regularly invests in portrait photography, they are visually writing their stories. Their children’s lives are played out in touching imagery to be enjoyed and appreciated well into the next generations.
Priceless Photography
Today’s portraits are priceless in the future. If you’ve lost someone in your life, then you understand this. Their portrait serves a far more touching role now that they are gone. The person you’ve lost lives on not just in your mind and memories, but in their treasured portrait.
Children and Grandchildren
If you are the parent of grown children, then you too understand the value of portrait photography. Your children’s childhood portraits remind you of just how small and precious they once were. And, in your grandchildren’s faces, you see or will see your adult child’s face. Your grandchildren’s portraits will one day remind you of what once was.
We are good at our work because we love and appreciate what we do and the role it plays in our clients’ lives. It isn’t a job for us. It is a passion. As a mother and daughter team, family photography has a personal meaning for us. That is to our clients’ advantage!
Contact us if you’d like to begin documenting those moments in your family’s life through portrait photography in the McLean, VA area. We know you won’t regret it decades from now!
Family Photographer, Portrait Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near McLean, 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
Photography Tips & Tricks: 6 Tips for Creating Memorable Disney Park Photos | Northern VA Family Photographer
Photography Tips & Tricks: 6 Tips for Creating Memorable Disney Park Photos | Northern VA Family Photographer
Portrait photography in McLean, VA isn’t quite the same as photography on vacation. With summer holidays upon us, we thought we’d offer a few tips on how to take memorable photos at somewhere as eye-popping as Disney World. (We love Disney!) But you can apply our tips to wherever you go this summer!
Camera settings!
1.Rather than a lesson on how to shoot on Manual, if you don’t already know how to do it, we’d advise you to shoot on Auto “A.” If you do shoot on manual, practice before you go if you haven’t shot in awhile and aren’t an expert. Whether you shoot on Manual or Auto, you need to feel comfortable with your camera’s settings including the flash. The lighting in Disney World could throw you off if you’re shooting into the light or your subject is backlit either from natural or artificial light. At a minimum, know how to turn on your flash even on Auto. You might need to override the Auto settings and activate the flash to ensure your subject is visible in the photo.
Batteries!
2. Make sure you charge your camera each night or carry an extra battery. You don’t want to run out of battery in the middle of the day! Remember, if anything goes wrong and you find yourself unable to use your camera, purchase a disposable one inside the park. It will do in a pinch.
Equipment!
3. Any professional photographer will always check their equipment before they head out the door. You should as well! Also, give some thought to how much equipment you really want or need to lug around on your vacation!
Think out of the box!
4. Portrait photography can be powerful, but it needs to be well thought out and clever. Don’t just pose your family in front of a pretty view and shoot! Get goofy along with Goofy! Do the unexpected in your pictures and with your pictures. Don’t just stand in front of the castle. Look for unusual angles from which to shoot. Look for quirky things which symbolize the spirit of the park, whether it’s a sign or an unusual or unexpected backdrop.
Think details!
5. We tend to get so excited in beautiful places that we forget that the devil is in the details. Some of the most beautiful pictures capture not the overall picture but the detail of something. Yes, the castle in Disney is stunning. But one feature of the castle, such as a grand turret, can give you an equally lovely photo.
Before you shoot…
6. Look through your lens and carefully compose the shot. A closeup can usually best capture someone’s expression. Imagine photographing your child’s face when they first see Mickey or on a thrilling ride. Those types of pictures can be the most memorable. Take your time composing the shot if you have the time or try to anticipate the shot. Most importantly, always be ready to shoot!
As a portrait photography specialist in McLean, VA we love working with our clients in and out of the studio. Our blog serves as a way to stay in touch, provide helpful tips for photography, and provide information about our work and how we can serve our clients. We hope you’ll follow us here on our blog! Contact us is you would like to discuss our photography or schedule an appointment.
Other posts in this series:
Photography Tips & Tricks: Lighting tips for family snapshots
Photography Tips & Tricks: Get natural smiles from your kids!
Photography Tips & Tricks: Underwater Pictures
Photography Tips & Tricks: Pets
Photography Tips & Tricks: Confidence is key
Family Photographer, Portrait Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near McLean, 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
Ashley & Brian, Wall Art from Their Engagement in the Park | Northern VA Family Photographer
Ashley & Brian, Wall Art from Their Engagement in the Park | Northern VA Family Photographer
A pop of color, fun poses, and the wooded backdrop of our outdoor portrait park near the Hamilton, VA and Tysons Corner, VA area is the setting for this portrait session. An experienced family photographer and a beautiful young couple celebrating their engagement — the result is “picture perfect”!
We knew that our portrait park would be ideal for Ashley and Brian’s engagement portraits. The secluded park’s natural beauty seemed to embrace these two in a way that made this couple the highlight of every shot. It was to showcase their mutual love and respect for one another. We also captured their playful sides. As photographers we had so much fun doing their portraits!
Engagement Session
For a slideshow of other portraits from Ashley and Brian’s Engagement Session, click here.
Wall Art Collection
For their wall art, Ashley and Brian selected the very popular Contemporary Frameless Steel Finish. This frameless finish highlights and perfectly captures the vibrant colors. Our proprietary software showed them how their portraits would look on their wall at home.
You too will be able to envision what your wall collection will look like before we even have you in front of our cameras. We make it easy for you to walk out of our portrait studios with a fully finished product ready to hang in your home. As fine art custom photographers, a quality finish product is important and is part of our customer service at Ever After.
If you – or someone you know – live near the Hamilton, VA and Tysons Corner, VA area and are searching for an experienced and trusted family photographer, Ever After Portraits is it! We would enjoy meeting you and doing your portraits!
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Hamilton, VA and Tysons Corner, 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
The Difference between a Portrait and a Picture | Northern VA Family Photographer
The Difference between a Portrait and a Picture | Northern VA Family Photographer
Is there a difference between a “portrait” and a “picture”? As fine art family photographers, we certainly think there is a difference! And, our savvy clients across the McLean, VA & Waterford, VA areas appreciate that difference.
Difference Between Portrait and Picture
As professionals, we do portraits. The only time we do pictures or snapshots, honestly, is when we are with our own families and pull out a cell phone with a camera to do some quick shots. To us, that’s a picture. It can turn out beautifully and be a good representation of someone or something, but it’s still not a portrait. Why?
A portrait can be a picture, but a picture isn’t a portrait.
A portrait is the likeness or representation of someone whether through sculpture, painting, photograph or other artistic media. A picture is a photograph.
If a portrait sounds like it has more depth than a picture, it’s because it usually does have more depth and tends to offer a story better than a picture does.
A portrait is like a book expressing itself through imagery rather than words. A portrait’s story flows from its canvas evoking intrigue or emotion like a book might.
While pictures can evoke emotion and can be as engaging as a portrait, they don’t have the same “finished” feel as a portrait. Pictures don’t often convey the same richness as a portrait nor tell a story as eloquently. We could say a portrait is 3-D and a picture is more one-dimensional.
This is why we say that we don’t do pictures. We don’t do “cookie-cutter” photography. We do fine art portraits to tell your unique story – whatever it might be.
So, yes, there is a difference between a picture and a portrait. Just browse our website, and we think you, like our McLean, VA & Waterford, VA area clients, will appreciate the distinction and difference between the two. If you would like to work with a family photographer whose goal is to craft your story through portraits rather than pictures, contact us to schedule an appointment. We would be happy to help you!
Family Photographer, Family Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near McLean, VA and Waterford, 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!
Cuppernull Family Slideshow | Northern VA Family Photographer
Cuppernull Family Slideshow | Northern VA Family Photographer
We recently posted about Carolyn and Gary’s multigenerational Family Portrait Session held here in our outdoor portrait park near Great Falls, VA. We had the privilege of being their family photographer, and we enjoyed their session immensely! We thought we’d share a slideshow of portraits from their session with you.
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Great Falls, 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
Cuppernull Family, Multi-Generational Portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer
Cuppernull Family, Multi-Generational Portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer
Some of the most precious moments we experience are with our families. You could say that capturing a few of those moments is what we do as a family photographer near Great Falls, VA and Tysons Corner, VA.
The Client
Last year, Carolyn reached out to us. Her family, including her parents, would all be in one place for the Thanksgiving holiday. She saw a window of opportunity! Carolyn asked if we could do multi-generational portraits for them. Can you guess our answer?
We understand how difficult it can be to gather family members – especially multiple generations – in one location long enough to take portraits. We were happy to work with the Cuppernull Family! As a family photographer, we know that today’s photographs are tomorrow’s precious memories.
The Portraits
In discussing the portraits, Carolyn mentioned that her mom Peg had strongly hinted at the idea of doing a family portrait during an upcoming visit. (Way to go, Peg!) Carolyn ran with the notion! She contacted us, she and Gary met with us at our studio for a consult, and arranged for a portrait session. Carolyn had never done professional photographs with her parents. She wasted no time in making arrangements to change that.
As family photographers, we love multi-generational portraits, and we were ready for:
* two busy and gorgeous young-adult daughters: Courtney and Caylee;
* two grandparents: Peg and Dave;
* two parents: Carolyn and Gary;
* and (last but certainly not least!) two beautiful Labradors: Amstel and Stella!
Courtney and Caylee are close to their grandparents, having vacationed with them every year. It was wonderful to see the closeness Peg and Dave share with their granddaughters. Capturing them together was poignant and our pleasure! These amazing girls have such a bright future ahead of them, and, oh, the places they’ll go!
Carolyn and Gary are a lovely couple and a true pleasure to photograph together. This couple is amazing and deal with all things, big and small, with such grace and graciousness. It was a such a pleasure to meet them and to photograph their family.
Carolyn’s main request was for outdoor fall portraits of the family and that we capture all of those family faces. Not a problem for us! Manipulating nature’s kaleidoscope of fall colors and muted light is one of our specialties.
We discussed the importance of coordinating outfits for a larger group, and Carolyn and Peg incorporated our suggestions perfectly. (We’ve blogged about this before because well-coordinated colors in a group portrait can have a significant impact on the final result.)
The Results
The results, as you can see, speak for themselves. The three generations of this family look stunning, loving, and joyful – just as in real life. Oh, yes, and the doggies look great, too! (Amstel had an especially great time as he jumped into the pond before the session; he looked so happy afterward, mud and all! But a little mud wasn’t going to hold any of us back, and after a bit of a cleanup, both he and Stella were perfectly poised for the spotlight!)
Working as a family photographer in the Great Falls, VA and Tysons Corner, VA area is truly an exercise in satisfaction for us. We treasure the opportunity to document memories for our clients through portraits. We would love to hear from you if you would like to work with a fine art photographer in Northern Virginia.
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Great Falls, VA and Tysons Corner, 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
How to Dress for a Black and White Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
How to Dress for a Black and White Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
Let’s talk black and white portraits! This style of family photos can be an excellent way to obtain a more dramatic portrait. If you know that you would like your wall art to be black and white, then we can offer you some tips for how to dress to maximize the look of this style. Almost two decades of photography work in the Waterford, VA area have taught us a bit about picking outfits for this particular style of portrait.
Contrast
In black and white photography, contrast rather than color is what adds depth and interest. Creating the right balance between light and dark is important. If the background is dark, it’s usually best if you wear something lighter, so you don’t disappear into the background. The reverse goes for a light background. We can discuss in advance the best background to use depending on where we plan on doing your portraits.
Clothing
While contrast is necessary, we prefer that the color of your clothes contrast slightly – rather than dramatically – from your skin tone. If there is a lot of contrast, then we lose your face as the focus of the picture.
Does the color of your clothing really matter?
Color takes on a very different meaning in a black and white portrait. It becomes more about hues or shades of gray. We usually recommend you do not wear solid white or black unless we’re going for a particular look, but we will discuss that in greater detail when you schedule your portrait session with us.
Lines and Texture
With black and white photography, the lines and texture of your clothes can add interest. Texture works much better than bold or strong patterns in black and white photography.
What to Wear
Deciding on what to wear for a group picture can be tricky, but don’t be dissuaded. The results can be priceless. Select similar but not the same colors and styles! As photographers, we recommend coordinating outfits rather than perfectly matched outfits.
Ideas
Lastly, we’re always happy to provide ideas and suggestions for your next black and white family portraits.
Below are a few examples of different Black and White Sessions, from the relaxed to the dramatic.
If you would like to do black and white family photos in the Waterford, VA area, contact our studios. We have almost 20 years of experience working with Northern Virginia families. We enjoy meeting new clients and building relationships with all of our clients.
Family Photographer, Family Photos
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Waterford, 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
Top 10 Family Activities in Fairfax County for Summer 2017! | Northern VA Family Photographer
Top 10 Family Activities in Fairfax County for Summer 2017! | Northern VA Family Photographer
You don’t have to be a family photographer in the Hamilton, VA & Tysons Corner, VA region to know that there’s an abundance of things for families to do in Fairfax County!
So, if you’re not at a portrait session with us, here are some fun things to keep you busy.
TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Activities in Fairfax County
1. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the companion museum to the Museum on the National Mall. Address: 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA 20151-3002.
2. Mount Vernon. Address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121. Once home to the father of the country, visitors can tour the estate, gardens, tombs, farm, slave memorial, and education center. Photographers should bring their cameras to this bucolic estate!
3. Great Falls Park. Address: 9200 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22102-1019. Explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park only 15 miles from the Nation’s Capital.
4. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Address: 1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, VA 22182-1643. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is a majestic natural setting for performances across all genres every summer. Home to the Filene Center and the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, the 117-acre Park offers dining and hospitality amenities throughout the summer season, and year-round recreational opportunities, including hiking trails, picnic areas, and sledding.
5. Meadowlark Botanical Garden (Vienna). Address: 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna, VA 22182-1992. Explore 95 acres of ornamental display gardens and unique native plant collections at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna.
6. Tysons Corner Center (McLean) On a bad weather day head over to Tysons Corner with its more than 300 shops, restaurants, and department stores, the Hyatt Regency, VITA Apartments and Tysons Tower.
7. George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill (Mount Vernon) Address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, VA 22121. This is a fully functioning reconstruction of George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill located 2.7 miles from the estate’s main entrance
8. Burke Lake Park (Fairfax Station) Address: 7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039-1929. A 218-acre lake with fishing, boating, rowboat rental, camping, a miniature train, a carousel, outdoor volleyball courts, open fields, an 18-hole par 3 golf course, clubhouse with snack bar and driving range, disk golf, horse shoe pits, an ice cream parlor, picnic areas with grills, 3 playgrounds, trails, amphitheater, and miniature golf course. Swimming and windsurfing are prohibited.
9. Frying Pan Farm Park (Herndon). Address: 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon, VA 20171-3807. Frying Pan Farm Park is part of the Floris Community in western Fairfax County, known as Frying Pan from 1726 to 1892 when the name was changed to Floris. Today, the park preserves and interprets a 1920s through 1950s farm, agricultural process, rural community life and landscape for the educational, cultural and recreational enrichment of citizens and visitors of Fairfax County.
10. Reston Town Center (Reston). Address: 11900 Market St, Reston, VA 20190-5614. Reston Town Center is a community destination, offering more than 50 shops, 30 restaurants, an 11-screen cinema and open-air pavilion, luxury residences, and a four-diamond Hyatt Regency hotel.
We hope this list has given you a few ideas for the summer!
As a leading and trusted family photographer near Hamilton, VA & Tysons Corner, VA, we’d love to work with your family to preserve your memories through fine art photography. Contact us today!
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Hamilton, VA and Tysons Corner, 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
Getting to know Mindy! Personal Life Experience and How it Affects Her Photography | Northern VA Family Photographer
Getting to know Mindy! Personal Life Experience and How it Affects Her Photography | Northern VA Family Photographer
Our photography work in the Sterling, VA area and across Northern Virginia is extremely important to us. It is a big part of who we are but, of course, there’s more to both Joriana and me than our passion for photography. While we want to get to know our clients, we would also like to share a bit about ourselves through this blog as we’ve done in previous posts.
We decided that one of us would answer the question, “Is there a personal experience in either of our lives that we can say has profoundly affected who we are today and how we tackle our profession as photographers?” I volunteered to answer this powerful and personal question.
I’m a cancer survivor. At the age of 34, I went to get the all-clear to try for a second child only to find out that I had to have a radical hysterectomy because of a rare and aggressive cancer.
It is quite sobering to reach a point in your life where you have to come to terms with the idea that you really might not BE there in the future – like seriously, might not be there. The survival rate for the type of cancer I had was 11 percent.
My world came to a stop.
You begin to think of what is important, of what is REALLY important. You realize how important relationships are with those you love. And, you wonder how you would be remembered if you are gone. My daughter was six years old. How would she remember me? How would anyone remember me?
My Family’s Love Helped Me
I got through those difficult times because of love. The love of friends and family during difficult times suddenly becomes almost tangible. Things that are difficult to experience make you appreciate life because you take the time to examine what really matters.
Love is important.
Using My Work to Reflect Love
Today, I hope that through my work I can in some way help families remember the love that they rarely think of and even take for granted. When they carpool their kids to and from school, do laundry, clean the house, or stress over the bills – these are all things they don’t love doing but do every week because they love their family so very much.
Because of my experience with cancer and the love I experienced while I was going through it, I want to create emotional portraits that showcase the love families share. I want to showcase our clients’ love in such a way that their families and others won’t ever forget the close bond of love that joins that family forever.
I hope that if you live in the Sterling, VA area, you will contact us so we can discuss how our photography can convey your family’s love in a way you will cherish for decades. Don’t wait! Life happens, and sometimes those things mean the real possibility of running out of time.
Get to know us a little better in the posts below!
Family Photographer, 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
Tanvi, Bubblegum Princess Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
Tanvi, Bubblegum Princess Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
This year’s July 1, 2017, Bubblegum Princess Limited Edition sessions remind us of Tanvi’s adorable pictures taken in our outdoor portrait park near Hamilton, VA. As a family photographer who loves working with children, we offer a limited number of themed sessions each year. We recommend you book soon for your little Bubblegum princess as July is just around the corner!
Bubblegum Princess Portraits
Check out these fun portraits from a previous Bubblegum Princess session! As you can see, the adorable Tanvi enjoyed her session thoroughly! As photographers we did as well!
Tanvi’s mom, Shwetha, carefully chose a large Gallery Wrap portrait of her little princess. The portrait is something her family will cherish for years to come!
Bubblegum Princess Limited Edition Sessions
Our Bubblegum Princess Limited Edition sessions are influenced by the delightful book of the same name written by Julie Gribble and inspired by the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. The book’s heroine is a princess who so loves bubblegum that she can’t stop blowing bubbles! Our sessions are adorable and fun for any princess, and you will be thrilled with the results. It’s a winning and loving combination to be treasured.
About our limited sessions:
* Limited sessions are a unique theme.
* Each theme is only held once a year.
* We offer unique props and background, and for some sessions, special costumes.
* Costume clothing suggestions are provided when needed.
* We offer special package pricing for limited sessions.
* Special products are available.
* Availability for these limited sessions is on a first come basis. We recommend you book early!
If you live near Hamilton, VA, and would like to work with a leading family photographer, please contact us to schedule your session. We have limited availability for each limited session, but we are happy to schedule regular sessions too!
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Hamilton, 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