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How should you light your family portrait artwork? | Northern VA Family Photographer
As family photographers in Dulles VA, we create beautiful and emotional professional pictures of your family. We know you treasure your family portraits and wanted to provide you with tips regarding lighting of your family portrait artwork.
If you’ve ever visited a museum, you’ll notice that the artwork is lit well so as to highlight the beauty of the art. You can employ this same technique in your home and light your family portraits. But should you?
The answer is yes! Artist Claude Monet said, “Form only exists through light, and our perception of the world around us is totally dependent on it.”
Lighting your family portraits properly helps to create a dramatic effect in your room and puts the focus where it should be: on your cherished family. A well-lit portrait will be admired and appreciated by all who see it.
Art Lighting Tips to Light Family Portraits
In deciding how to light your family portraits, consider these few art lighting tips:
- You need enough light that your artwork is shown to its best advantage but not so much light that your artwork is harmed. As beautiful as natural light looks on your original artwork, UV rays can damage it and cause pigments to fade. Therefore, don’t display your artwork in direct natural light.
Why Experience Matters When Hiring a Family Portrait Photographer | Northern VA Family Photographer
As family photographers located near Brambleton VA in Northern VA, we specialize in family photography and creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come. We know how very much a special family photo means to you!
In today’s world, where everyone has a camera on them constantly, it seems as though the value we give to professional photographers trained and knowledgeable in portrait photography has inexplicably begun to decline. While there is certainly nothing wrong with expressing creativity and artistry on your smart phone, there is definitely something to be said for hard-earned experience, time-tested methods, and knowledge of the medium.
When you’re looking for a photographer to capture the family memories you hope will last a lifetime, it is important to find the right family portrait photographer; a professional who knows how to capture the joy, pride, and tradition of your loved ones in all the right ways.
Ever After Portraits, family photographers in Northern Virginia, has all of the experience and know-how to bring out the very best in your family portraits.
Why Is Experience So Important When Choosing a Family Portrait Photographer?
A photograph speaks a thousand words and when that photograph is of you and your family together, you want every word said to be a crystal clear testament to the love shared between you. Simple attributes in photography like lighting, shadows, position, and image quality can deeply affect the emotional statement and sentimental ambiance of your family portraits. With such an important position of providing your family with the iconic image that will come to define the love and affection between you, don’t trust just anyone with a camera to deliver you the quality results you’re looking for.
Hire a family portrait photographer who has the professional and artistic command to know exactly how to get all aspects of portrait photography to work together to provide a lasting and timeless image of your family come together.
What Can Ever After Portraits Do for You?
The excellent and professional photographers at Ever After Portraits know that, when doing portrait photography, capturing the love and emotion between family members is truly what it’s all about. read more…
Image of the Week | Studio Family Photography| Northern VA Family Photographer
As family photographers located near Broadlands in Northern VA, we specialize in family photography and creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come.
Studio Portraits
As winter is now upon us, we wanted to share a special studio family portrait with you. This couple chose to have their engagement portraits taken in our studio. We feel this particular image shows the love Curtis and Malinda share. The simplicity of the image highlights the emotions the couple feel for each other.
Family means so many different things. To some, “family” doesn’t happen until there are children. But to us, “family” begins when two people love each other and become part of each other’s lives. Through all of the significant moments in the lives of a family, portraits which capture those moments become precious and treasured, a moment read more…
Frozen-Inspired Limited Edition Children’s Session | 02.05.2016
As professional photographers located in Northern VA, near Broadlands, VA, we know how you treasure family pictures! We specialize in family and children photography and in creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come. As we have both a 2.5-acre outdoor portrait park and a fully-equipped indoor studio, we provide both indoor and outdoor studio photography. Our Frozen-Inspired Children’s Limited Edition Sessions will give you the perfect opportunity for precious fairytale-like portraits of your lovely little girl!
FROZEN Inspired Children’s Portrait Sessions
Do you have a little Snow Queen or Ice Princess? Join us for a special Limited Edition Frozen Inspired Children’s Portrait session and watch as your little lady transforms into Elsa or Anna and steps into a winter wonderland!
WHO: For the little princess in your life! These sessions are best suited for little girls between the ages of 3-9.
WHEN: Friday, February 5, 2016
Best Way to Make Coffee At Home | Portrait Studio
As a family photographer with a portrait studio located near Leesburg in Northern VA, Ever After specializes in family photography and creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come.
Enjoy these helpful hints!
We’re all coffee drinkers here — except for a rogue tea drinker! When I saw this article on the best way to make coffee at home, I just had to share it.
A lot of us have tried different ways of making our coffee, but this is a cool experiment with several different kinds of coffee drinkers as participants: An espresso lover; an all-day-long drinker; an old-school cream and sugar type; a non-coffee drinker; a champion barista; and a budding coffee nerd, the writer himself. The results just might surprise you!
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9 Things Your Photographer Wishes You Knew | Northern VA Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is a family photographer located in Sterling, VA, in Northern VA. Providing you with gorgeous family portraits of the ones you cherish is what we do as professional family photographers!
Here are 9 Things Your Family Photographer Wishes You Knew – but will never tell you!
There are some easy little things that parents can do to make a big difference in their relationship with their photographer, as well as with their annual family portraits.
9. Let me be in charge. Your portraits will turn out much, much better if you do.
Most likely, you chose Ever After to be your family photographer because you loved the images you saw on our website. When you tell me how to pose you or your children, or try to micromanage the session in other ways, it makes me feel like you don’t trust me at all. All of the pictures you see on my website were taken without any help or direction. I know where the best light is, and I know what a real smile is. I’m not going to let that random car show up in the background of your portraits. This is what I do and I’ve had a lot of experience with photographing families. Trust me.
8. Every kid is wacky. Even yours!
Misbehaving children or those acting a little crazy always excite parents faster than anything else. Don’t get wound up! All kids get a little wacky or misbehave. I like to play with them and get them a little excited so I can get a genuine connection with them. I’ll also calm them back down and get their attention on the camera when it’s time for that. They’re not “bad.” They’re just being kids!
7. Mom, take a breath and relax.
New Product, Artist’s Finish for Framed Canvas Portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer
Ever After Portraits is a professional photographer, located in Sterling (Potomac Falls), Virginia. As family portrait photographers in Northern Virginia, we offer you the very best in quality and options for your family portraits. To that end, we’d like to introduce you to a high quality product we now offer, our “Artist’s Finish” for your framed family portraits.
Artist’s Finish for Framed Canvas Portraits
Our ARTIST’S FINISH for framed canvas portraits meets the highest quality standard for printing. Our Giclée canvas is archival and, unlike low quality canvas, contains no optical brighteners. Your portrait is printed directly onto the canvas, and it goes through a multi-step process to ensure the quality and the protection of the canvas.
Giclée printmaking meets the highest quality standard for printing pieces on canvas. The process sprays microscopic dots of ink onto fine quality canvas. On canvas, this process yields prints of stunning vibrancy and realism. Our canvas media uses no optical brighteners, which can degrade image quality over the years.
The canvas used for your portrait goes through a multi-step process in order to ensure the beauty and longevity of your portrait artwork. Please take a few moments to watch this short video regarding that process.
read more…
Decorate Home Entryway with Family Portraits as Wall Art | Northern VA Family Photographer
As a professional photographer located near McLean in Northern VA, we specialize in family photography and creating beautiful portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come. As we have both a 2.5-acre outdoor portrait park and a fully-equipped indoor studio, we are both an indoor and outdoor studio photographer.
Family Portraits as Wall Art in Your Home Entryway
Imagine opening your front door to friends and family. Would you rather the first thing they see as they enter your home be a landscape or a gorgeous display of your family in portraits? Family portraits as wall art give you the perfect opportunity to show anyone who visits your home how very much your family loves each other.
Whether your entryway opens up to stairs or a hallway, a series of family portraits is a beautiful centerpiece to your home.
What’s a Headshot, and Who Really Needs One? | Northern VA Headshot Photography
As professional photographers located near Tysons Corner, in Northern VA, we specialize in family photography and creating beautiful family portraits which you’ll treasure for years to come. However, we also provide professional headshot photography. After all, you work because you love and want to provide for your family, and a well-done professional headshot can go a long way in accomplishing that.
What’s a Headshot?
It’s a photograph of a person’s head. Pretty simple, right? If it’s a great one, then yes. But getting a great headshot isn’t simple!
In the past, professional headshots have really only been used as a promotional image by actors, models, artists, authors, bank presidents, and other famous — or infamous — persons, building their image in the eyes of their fan base, or to rise through the ranks against their competitors. We’re now in the 21st Century, though, and headshots are no longer just for supermodels and CEOs! The growth of the technology age and the breadth of the internet has forever altered the way headshots are used.
Who really needs one?
Today anyone can join a social network or build a website and promote themselves practically worldwide. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many others are very visual. For each of these social networks, you’ll be asked for a photo when setting up your profile. The image you choose to use will be the first impression others have of you. As we all know, a bad first impression is difficult to overcome.
We’ve all seen some truly bad headshots. Be honest here: How likely would you be to hire or work with someone if your very first impression was an image that had obviously been cropped from a group photo? How about a very casual photo of a guy playing with his dog? Or the worst of the worst, no photo at all, just that grayed-out head?!
In this day and age, you’re already ahead of the pack if you simply have a headshot that’s actually of you, one that hasn’t been cropped from a group shot. But you don’t want to merely be ahead of the pack; you want to completely separate yourself from the pack! To do this, you need a really great headshot.
Why do I need a really great headshot?
• There will come a time when a prospective employer, a potential business partner, or a future client will see a photograph of you, either on social media, on your website or through some other platform. You want to make a wonderful first impression with just that one photograph!
• People tend to do business with those they feel they can trust. Having a professional headshot will help people feel like they know you before you’ve ever even met. So make it a great one!
• Whatever your business, you’re a professional. Whatever you’re selling or service you’re providing, you are the master of it! You want to convey that mastery and professionalism through your headshot.
• Face it: In general, people spend more time looking at images on your website than at the text! We live in the visual age, so it’s important that a personal element be introduced immediately by having some of those images be of the people involved in the business. If you are the business, this means there should be an image of you!
• Lastly, you want to maintain the sense of trust you’ve built. So use the same headshot across all your social media, on your website, and any other platform you use to represent you and your business.
• To sum up, a great headshot from an expert in headshot photography is now a must for anyone in business!
How do I get a truly great headshot?
So now you know why you need one, but is any headshot okay? If not, how do you get the very best one?
Headshots come in all kinds of sizes and shapes. However, to get a truly great headshot, you need to hire a professional photographer, one who is an expert in headshot photography.
You first need to put some thought into this process. What do you want your headshot to say about you? Do you want it to communicate confidence? Business acumen? Trustworthiness? Compassion? Humor? Warmth? No matter what it is, let your photographer know in advance what you feel exemplifies your brand or your field. A professional headshot photographer can pull these feelings out of you and capture them in your headshot.
How do I ensure I get the best headshot photography and headshot for me?
To ensure that everything comes together to give you a perfect headshot, keep these things in mind both for yourself and in choosing your headshot photographer:
• Lighting: This is first on the list because a professional photographer knows how to use lighting to highlight the good — and disguise the rest! Let’s be frank here: We all have something we don’t want to “stand out” in a photograph! The way lighting is used is integral to making your headshot the best it can be.
• Inside or outside: There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your headshot a little differently than most people. Even as simple a change as having your headshot be taken outside against a backdrop of trees can make you stand out. If the weather isn’t conducive to that, discuss with your photographer using an atypical backdrop in the studio instead of the usual solid color or black or white backdrop. This can make a huge difference and set your headshot apart from the rest.
• What to wear & styling: Choose an outfit that works well with your body, reflects who you are style-wise, and connects you to your profession. Your outfit, hair, grooming, makeup and even jewelry “speak” about you, so spend thoughtful time on this. If you’re a suit-wearing professional, now is not the time to choose a laid-back, casual style of dress. However, if your business is Bohemian style jewelry-making, then a boho-chic, flowing dress is practically perfect. Discuss this with your photographer. A good photographer will guide you through this styling process.
• Body positioning: The relationship between your head and your body is very important when it comes to a headshot. Positioning is key. Work with a professional who knows how to guide you into the best position for your body type.
• Expression: Arguably, the most important part of your headshot is your expression. You want your image to radiate sincerity, to emit that feeling that allows the viewer to connect with you. Many of us are not comfortable being photographed, though, so this can be the hardest step of the entire process. Relax and be yourself! Work with a photographer with whom you’re comfortable.
The visual age is here to stay! Set yourself apart from all of the rest by taking these tips to heart when considering your headshot.
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Headshot Photography and Portraits
Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy and Joriana Belcher, a mother-daughter professional photography team located in Northern Virginia, near Tysons Corner. They specialize in candid, emotional and artistic images. We also provide professional headshot photography to clients throughout Northern Virginia.
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!
View Our Portfolio | professional photographer
New Product, Rembrandt Finish | Portrait Studio | Northern VA Family Photographer
As portrait photographers with a portrait studio in Northern VA, near Fairfax, we offer you the very best in quality and in options for your family portraits. As professional photographers, we choose the products we offer very carefully and with the highest quality in mind. To that end, we’d like to introduce you to a high quality product we now offer, our “Rembrandt Finish” for your framed family portraits.
Rembrandt Finish for Portraits
Our REMBRANDT FINISH for framed canvas portraits mixes photography and painting and is enhanced with oils, painted with the love and talent of a portrait painter, creating depth and dimension. The result is exquisite, amazing and, above all, priceless as it has the realism of a photograph but the beauty, style and feel of a free-hand painting. The painting style is customized to the look and feel of the image.
The Rembrandt Finish is available with our Masterpiece Framing line. It is the marriage between the realism of a photograph and the richness of an old world oil painting. These “old world” artistry methods are used to create an original piece of artwork for each portrait client.
Once your portrait has been printed to the highest standards, it is then turned over to one of our talented artists, who applies lavish layers of oil-based, hand-finished artistry to your portrait. This brings out the subtle details of the portrait. Desirable enhancements are added along the way. The artist carefully awakens each highlight of the portrait, bringing it to its fullest grandeur and beauty, similar to an exquisite oil painting.
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