Christmas 2010 Portraits - Lynchburg, Va.

This past Christmas season I had the pleasure of taking the photos for a few clients' Christmas cards. One photo shoot was completed at the client's home and was such fun to do. The boys dressed in their PJ's and sat by the Christmas tree. I was able to get lots of shots of them with their presents, reading to one another, and of the entire family by the fire place. Another Christmas photo shoot was held at the Snowflex Ski Lodge on Candlers Mountain in Lynchburg. The ski lodge was a dream to shoot in and was already decorated with trees, stockings, and Christmas decor. Here are some of my favorite photos from each of these different photo shoots. Enjoy!

Reagan Fall Photos - Downtown Lynchburg, Liberty University

Last week I tricked Reagan into posing for some photos by disguising the photo shoot as an "outdoor adventure." First we ventured downtown and found secret passage ways, waterfalls, trains and cool abandoned buildings. All the while along our adventure I snapped away catching Reagan at times when he wasn't expecting it. Day 2 after picking Reagan up from school at LCA, we took another adventure to the new tennis courts on campus. Reagan searched for left behind tennis balls, while I watched through the camera lens. We also got to see a few trains pass by behind us. And although, we didn't find any lost tennis balls, I did find a few great shots of my favorite little boy. Here are some of my favorite photos from our adventure. Enjoy!

Summer Photo Shoot with Allie and Amy - Downtown Lynchburg, Va

Recently I met Amy and Allie in downtown Lynchburg, Va for a special photo shoot. This shoot was a secret because the photos were a birthday present for Amy's sister, Stephanie. Stephanie bought Allie this beautiful dress before Allie was even born. And what a perfect dress it is. Allie wore it well. Allie was such a joy to photograph. This little one-year-old was all smiles and happy to pose for me. After taking several shots downtown, we moved on to the Old City Cemetery which has a pond, tree swing and beautiful landscape. I hope you enjoy viewing some of my favorite pictures from the photo shoot.

Pet Photo Tip: Get Close and Get Light

When photographing your pet, get close and get light. Fill the frame with your pet, and leave out the clutter of the house in the background. Use natural light outside, or use the light from large windows or an open door.

Some examples:

Advice for Taking Unique Birthday Photos

Have a birthday coming up? Here's a Tip: Focus on the Details. When you zoom in close on the party details you add interest to your photographs. Fill the frame with the birthday cake, balloons, candles, ribbons, and other decorative elements of the party. When you put your party album together, these shots look perfect mixed with photos of partygoers.

Here are some examples:

Business As Usual

During the time I worked for local publications like the Blue Ridge Business Journal, I had the opportunity meet many local businesspeople and photograph them for use in news articles and advertisements. I always enjoyed the days my editor would call me up and ask me to go out and do a spur of the moment photo shoot. I love meeting new people, and the field of photography definitely provides that opportunity. Below are just a few of the photos I took of local businessmen and women.