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Key elements when choosing an Outdoor Photographer | Northern VA Family Photographer
Key elements when choosing an Outdoor Photographer | Northern VA Family Photographer
With indoor and outdoor studios near McLean, VA & Waterford, VA, we are extremely versatile as family photographers. We can do portraits either inside or outside in our private portrait park. Not everyone is equally versatile, so when you are choosing an outdoor photographer, there are several things to keep in mind.
Lighting
Photographers working outdoors need to have the correct professional equipment and know how to adjust exposure to meet the surroundings – whether indoors or out. It’s not as easy as it sounds! Outdoor natural lighting can be your best friend or your worst enemy if you don’t know how to manipulate it best. Be certain the photographer has plenty of experience shooting outdoors. Ask to see their portfolio of outdoor portraits. If you don’t like what you see, move along.
Personality
We always recommend working with a photographer you feel comfortable with, and you like. Talk to them before you book the appointment! We believe it’s important that everyone – photographer and client – feel comfortable throughout their session. It can make a difference in the results! If a client is uncomfortable during their photo session, they won’t relax, and that will come across in their portraits.
Specialty
Search for a photographer specializing in the type of photography you need. Look through their website, and you should see evidence of their specialty. Some photographers, like us, specialize in a particular genre such as family photography. Within that specialty, you’ll note we photograph various types of family portraits from engagements to maternity to baby photography to large families.
Take your time selecting an outdoor photographer or any photographer. Look through their website carefully as it’s a glimpse into their world, their style, their specialty. Don’t be shy about discussing their fees. A great photographer isn’t cheap but will be worth the investment and time.
We have built a regular clientele in the Northern Virginia area, including McLean, VA & Waterford, VA, through hard work, skill, and versatility as photographers. We will happily work with a client in our indoor studio or out in our private portrait park exclusively available to clients. Contact us to book your summer photo session!
Family Photographer
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!
Professional Photographer
When should you schedule Senior Portraits? | Northern VA Family Photographer
When should you schedule Senior Portraits? | Northern VA Family Photographer
High school tends to be a whirlwind of college entrance exams, tours, and applications. Somewhere in the midst of all that are the all-important senior portraits – one of the most memorable takeaways from any senior year. As a portrait photography studio in Northern Virginia near McLean, VA, we are seeing more families turning to having fine art senior portraits. But some are unsure as to when to schedule them. So, when is the best time to do your high school senior portraits?
Senior Portrait Season
The summer after your junior year is the start of the senior portrait-taking season. There are several good, practical reasons for this. Doing your portraits in the summer before your senior year means you’ll have them back in time for your last year of high school. Many families use them for various purposes including seasonal cards, presents for family and friends throughout the year, and, finally, for graduation invitations or announcements. Students tend to use their senior portraits for social media and other opportunities throughout their senior year.
When to Schedule
If you want to be one of the first to have your senior portrait in hand, you should plan early! Start looking for a photographer by March during the spring of your junior year and be prepared to select a photographer months before you want your actual appointment. Summer can be a very busy time for portraits of any kind especially if you want to do outdoor portraits.
The earlier you schedule, the more likely you are to have the pick of good time slots. Late spring or early summer can be a very good time to do outdoor portraits. Waiting until the end of the summer could mean battling summer’s heat and humidity.
Contact us!
If you’d like to discuss your senior portraits, contact our portrait photography studio in the McLean, VA area. We’d be happy to discuss our services, products, and pricing as well as any ideas you might have for your unique senior portrait.
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Family Photographer, Portrait Photography Studio
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!
Limited Edition Daddy & Me Portraits, Saturday, May 6, 2017! | Northern VA Family Photographer
Limited Edition Daddy & Me Portraits, Saturday, May 6, 2017! | Northern VA Family Photographer
We love our annual Limited Edition Daddy & Me photography sessions! These endearing Daddy and Child portraits are a beautiful way to document this special bond. We’re excited to announce that this year’s sessions will be just in time for warm weather here in the Sterling, VA & Waterford, VA area.
The Limited Edition Daddy & Me sessions will take place exclusively on Saturday, 5/6/2017! Schedule now for our limited bookings!
These Dad and Child portraits – whether baby, toddler or teenager – are a fun and memorable reminder of the special time in your family’s life. Childhood doesn’t last forever and capturing these moments today for tomorrow are priceless. These portraits will quickly become treasured heirlooms. A professional childhood portrait with each parent is a legacy you will enjoy now, and your child will appreciate it throughout their adulthood.
With almost 20 years as Northern Virginia photographers, our clients trust us with their family and their portraits. If you haven’t enjoyed one of our Limited Edition Sessions, there’s no better introduction to our work, our studio, and our portraiture. Contact us today to schedule your session.
DADDY & ME LIMITED EDITION SESSION
WHO:
Fathers (or grandfathers) who cherish their sons and daughters (or grandsons and granddaughters)!
WHEN:
Saturday, 5/6/2017
WHERE:
Our Outdoor Studio in Sterling, VA
WHY:
Because time moves so fast — photography stops it!
SCHEDULE TODAY!
Our Limited Edition Session photography offers just 12 slots in our private outdoor studio near Sterling, VA & Waterford, VA! You can book your appointment through our website, contact us to schedule your session, or call the studio at 571.434.0009.
Family Photography, Family Photographer
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
Choosing The Right Location For Your Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
Choosing The Right Location For Your Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer
Family portraits are a poignant reminder of a moment in your lives long after it has long passed. Families across Waterford, VA and South Riding, VA have entrusted us with their family pictures because they understand the thought we put into our work, whether inside our studio, in our private, outdoor portrait park, or another location. Choosing the right location of your portraits is always important.
Your family portraits are a marvelous gift, a legacy you give to yourselves to honor your family and your love for each other. While you’ll always enjoy looking at your family pictures, they become especially powerful and meaningful decades from now.
Location, Location!
Choosing the right location for each family matters considerably to us as family photographers because we know that it’s such an important part of your portraits. A background can set the overall tone for your family pictures and can say a lot about you and your family.
Here are some tips to consider.
Think Ahead
Often by the time a family reaches out to us, they have some thoughts already about where they would like to do their session. Some, but not all, have also thought about specific locations for their portraits. If you haven’t thought about it yet, we recommend you start giving it some thought. Search the Internet for places near you that you find appealing. Also consider what you want your family pictures to convey: seriousness, candor, nature, studio, urban, industrial, romantic, etc. If you’re stuck, we’re happy to provide some ideas and, of course, we always suggest you consider our scenic and very private portrait park which you will have all to yourselves for your family’s portrait session!
A Reflection of You
The best location for portraits can say something about you as a family. For example, are you drawn to the mountains or the ocean? Do you love the city? How about a setting that somehow reflects your interests as a family, whether it’s a local park or your own backyard? Are there any public monuments or historic buildings you’ve always admired? Don’t be afraid to think out of the box, and think creatively. The options are endless, so we suggest you keep a running list of places you love and are drawn to which might make a good background. We’re always happy to share some of our favorite locations!
Take Location Snapshots
Here’s a thought: How about snapping some pics of different places and see what you think of the background? You can have some fun snapping selfies or ask someone to snap a few pictures for you. Later you can compare the pictures and how the backgrounds look to you. It could help you pick a final setting for your professional family portraits!
If you live in the Waterford, VA and South Riding, VA or elsewhere in Northern Virginia and would like to discuss your professional family pictures, contact our studio. We offer all our clients use of our private, outdoor portrait park for their sessions. Whether you use our bucolic private park, our fully-equipped indoor studio, or a public site of your choosing, we’d be happy to create magical family portraits you’ll cherish for decades!
Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Waterford, VA and South Riding, 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
A Special Gift, Portraits with Mom! | Northern VA Family Photographer
A Special Gift, Portraits with Mom! | Northern VA Family Photographer
Have you thought about gifting your mom, wife or grandmother with a priceless portrait? To make your mom (or the mother of your children) very happy, here is an idea for a terrific gift: an Ever After Fine Art Portrait or a gift certificate for a portrait! Imagine your mom’s face when she unwraps a beautifully crafted museum-quality portrait of you and your children or a gift certificate toward a portrait of her choosing. Fine art family or children photography can make a treasured gift that will touch any mother’s heart! Our Sterling, VA area portrait studio is ready to work with you on a special gift this year.
Portrait
For a truly meaningful gift (not to say diamonds aren’t significant, of course) you can have a portrait done with us and have it back in time to give to your mom or wife.
Our upcoming Divas and Darlins Limited Edition Session on April 1, 2017, is a perfect opportunity for a mother and child portrait you could give to your wife, mom or grandmother. The Divas and Darlins Session is a beautiful celebration of mothers and children, and is a Limited Edition Session offered only once a year.
If you know a mom-to-be and would like to give her a priceless gift, you can give her a gift certificate toward a Newborn Portrait Session or an even more precious and generous gift would be our Bebe Coterie plan. Both offer a new mother (and father) a priceless gift they will enjoy for many years.
If you prefer, you can instead schedule a portrait session for an individual or a family portrait. It’s entirely up to you. As your family photographer, we are here to collaborate with you on what works best for your family and what you think your mother will love most!
Gift Certificates
There are a couple of possible scenarios when it comes to an Ever After Portrait Gift Certificate.
Let’s say you do portraits with us but aren’t sure which one your mother would like as wall art. Giving her a gift certificate allows her to select the one she prefers.
You can present her with a gift certificate for a portrait session so that she, rather than you or your family, can do a portrait. This way you will have a beautiful, archival-quality portrait of her. Or perhaps a portrait of a grandmother with her grandchildren surrounding her would be just perfect!
Our gift certificates are available in any denomination.
This year, as a special gift you can opt for one of our fine art portraits created with archival-quality materials or a gift certificate toward a portrait in our Sterling, VA area studio. We will be happy to discuss what best meets your needs if you have any questions. We have almost two decades of experience as trusted family and children photography experts in Northern Virginia.
Family Photographer, Children 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
Sweet Family of 3, Portraits in Our Portrait Park | Northern VA Family Photographer
Sweet Family of 3, Portraits in Our Portrait Park | Northern VA Family Photographer
When Scarlett called us about doing family pictures in the Waterford, VA area, we were happy to chat with her about portraits. When new clients call, we like to chat with them to better understand what they want in their pictures. We also like to simply get to know them a bit prior to their session.
We soon learned that Scarlett and her hubby Terrell and baby Dahlia had never done family portraits! They had individual portraits but none collectively as a family. It was time to change that! Scarlett wanted a family portrait she could display above their fireplace. As family photographers, we were happy to oblige this wonderful family and work with them on creating a poignant portrait.
The day of their session was beautiful with bright sunshine and brilliant colors across our portrait park. We knew things were going to go spendidly and we found it easy to work with this sweet family.
Baby Dahlia with her lovely little curls reflected her parents’ bright smiles and disposition throughout their portrait session. The three looked like a magazine ad and were great models throughout their session. The cream colors of their smart outfits coordinated well and capitalized on the golden hues of the background. This family’s outfits are a great example of well-coordinated clothes both within their group and with the background. Their portrait came out with perfect color balance and composition.
We strive to make family pictures an equally memorable experience resulting in portraits as lovely as these turned out. Our private outdoor park near Waterford, VA offers all our clients the perfect backdrop for outdoor portraits. Contact us today to schedule your family pictures!
Family Photographer, Family Pictures
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
What Families Are Saying, Megan & Larry | Northern VA Family Photographer
What Families Are Saying, Megan & Larry | Northern VA Family Photographer
As a family photographer in Northern Virginia, with a studio near Waterford, VA, we specialize in family and children photography. We had the privilege of photographing Larry and Megan’s wedding, and then they chose us as their family photographer as well!
Megan sent us a quick note, and it meant so much to us. It’s what we want all of our clients to feel, that joy of seeing their family portraits on the walls of their home, something to enjoy every single day.
Megan’s Review of Ever After
“We love it as does everyone who walks into the house! Thank you again. It’s the first thing I see when I walk down the stairs in the morning – and no matter what ungodly hour our children have awakened us, they (the portraits) bring a smile to our faces.” ~ Megan Peacock, Falls Church, VA
Family Photographer, Children Photography
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!
Creating Portraits, More Than Just Pictures | Northern VA Family Photographer
Creating Portraits, More Than Just Pictures | Northern VA Family Photographer
“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.” Paul Caponigro, Photographer. This is one of our favorite photography quotes because it captures the essence of fine art portraiture. As we often say to our clients around the Waterford, VA and South Riding, VA areas, family pictures are beautiful because of what they capture. Family portraits, however, are photos elevated to an artistic quality. Simply stated, portraits can equal art.
Think about what that means.
As a family photographer specializing in fine art portraits, we don’t just usher you into our studios and snap away. We build relationships. We get to know you so that we can take a portrait of who you truly are – not just an image on paper. Anyone with a camera can do that.
The more comfortable you are with us as your photographer, the more comfortable you will be in front of our cameras, and, ultimately, the better you will look in your portraits. When you are relaxed, the “real” you is reflected and captured candidly. We work hard to capture that honest reflection of you.
Before you even arrive at our studios, we will ask you a few questions. These help us to understand more about you and how you hope to use your portraits so that we can better serve you as your family photographer. Again, building relationships with our clients helps us to create portraits rather than pictures.
If you’d like to work with us in the Waterford, VA, South Riding, VA and surrounding area for your next family portraits, please contact our studio. We’d be happy to discuss your vision for your portrait art. Building legacy through family portraiture rather than family pictures is something we know and do well!
Family Photographer, Family Pictures
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Waterford, VA and South Riding, 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
Mother/Child Portrait Sessions, April 1, 2017, Divas & Darlins | Northern VA Family Photographer
Mother/Child Portrait Sessions, April 1, 2017, Divas & Darlins | Northern VA Family Photographer
The relationship between mothers and daughters cannot be easily described. The bond between mothers and daughters is something visceral and timeless – something that you only fully experience once you have a girl. Sons hold a very special place in the hearts of their mothers, a bond which is indescribable. Our Limited Edition Divas and Darlins portrait sessions are the perfect way to stop time and capture in a fine art portrait the love your daughter/son and you have for each other! As a mother and daughter team specializing in family and children photography in the Sterling, VA and Waterford, VA areas, we feel uniquely qualified to do these Mother/Child portraits!
Our Diva and Darlins Limited Edition session allows you and your child to spend some time together for a fun and memorable portrait experience you will appreciate and enjoy for many decades. As a family photographer, we enjoy these sessions as much as our clients!
Whatever your daughter’s or son’s age, whether a toddler, teen or adult, these unique sessions produce legacy portraits. One day, these portraits will be a cherished legacy for your child. You can’t stop the passage of time and the years to come, but you can certainly capture your bond and love for your child with portraits from one of our Divas and Darlins Sessions!
WHO:
Mothers and Daughters/Sons wanting to preserve their love and bond through fine art portraiture.
WHEN:
Saturday, April 1, 2017, ONLY!
WHERE:
Our private, outdoor portrait park studio
Join us on April 1, 2017 for a very special portrait celebrating the love you feel for your beautiful child. We are a trusted family photographer – a mother and daughter team specializing in children’s photography in the Sterling, VA and Waterford, VA areas. We look forward to commemorating and honoring your Mother/Child bond through our fine art portrait work! Contact us today at 571.434.0009 to reserve your time for a session, or contact us from our Divas and Darlins Limited Edition Session page.
Family Photographer, Children Photography
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA, 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
Why spring is the best time of year for family portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer
Why spring is the best time of year for family portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer
We might be in the midst of winter’s short, dark days, but it’s time to start looking ahead to the splendor of spring and its opportunities! The winter landscapes of Fairfax, VA & Sterling, VA blossom into a perfect color palette for portraits, making spring one of the best seasons for outdoor pictures!
Our Outdoor Portrait Park
Winter’s chilly cloak will soon lift, and our 2.5-acre Outdoor Portrait Park once again welcomes our clients. You will have the entire park for yourselves without the interruption or hordes of strangers typical of public spaces.
Our idyllic park has been designed and groomed as an idyllic location for portraits. You can take advantage of our creek, ponds, rustic barn, charming rail fence or wooden bridge. The portrait park is decorated by nature’s bounty and draped in natural light. It is the perfect place to take outdoor photos!
Nature’s Stage
As the colors return to trees and flowers burst into bloom, spring offers photographers a fabulous stage and palette of colors. We love the warming temperatures and colors, and we know just how to take advantage of them for our clients. The dramatic browns of the forests give way to the richness of spring with lush foliage!
Spring Weather
After several months of winter, children are ready to head outdoors! The milder days of spring haven’t yet given way to summer’s heat and humidity. The fresh air and warmer temperatures make it the perfect time to candidly capture the joy and smiles of families but, especially, of your wee little ones!
We suggest that you reserve your spot now for your spring portraits. (Our appointments start to fill up very quickly for spring and summer.) Booking early gives us time to discuss your portraits with you and answer any questions you might have. We also encourage you to check out our Pinterest boards for lots of advice on outfits, colors, and ideas. You can also check out the products we offer. We promise, you’ll be excited to get started with you portrait session when you see them.
If you’d like to head outdoors for your portraits in the Northern Virginia area, including Fairfax, VA, and Sterling, VA, contact us today!
Family Photographer, Portraits
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA, near Fairfax, 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