We made sure to get some family shots right away, and then let the kids run wild.    Carson was on his way to five-years-old and MacKenzie was almost two.  While it wasn’t open at the time, we first took some pictures outside Lancaster Central Market.  I’d love to go back and visit the market sometime – I’ve heard great things about it!

Isn’t MacKenzie just a little doll?!  So cute with that light blond hair!

Cute little Crocs and baby fingers, with so much to explore.

Carson was quite silly at times!

In 2010, twenty custom-designed pianos were placed throughout the city.  What a fun idea!

And this area is Steinman Park.

Yes, Carson had enough. 

Eyes wide in wonder, looking in the window of a toy store.

Cute series with Carson and Kelly.

And the kids’ reward for a job well-done….ice cream!

MacKenzie was unbelievably cute as she was eating her ice cream.

Love this shot!

After their treats, we squeezed in a few more pictures.

ALL DONE, says the pirate!

Andrew and Kelly, thanks again for inviting me to take pictures of your sweet family!!!

Anyway, I’m still blogging some sessions from those lovely warm days last year and first up this week is a senior session.  I have known Jason’s family for many, many years.  In fact, I was the flower girl in Jason’s parents’ wedding long ago, and Jason was the ring bearer in my wedding, awhile ago too!  And here he is, all grown up and a senior in high school already – I just can’t believe it!  I hadn’t seen Jason and his mom in forever, so it was so nice to reconnect again.  We scheduled Jason’s session in the morning before his football practice, and thankfully, before most of the rain that day.  They invited me to their family’s farm for the session and we also took some pictures in town.  This first picture is one of my favorites at their farm.

The little town close by has lots of old stone and architecture.  I love the reddish tones of the sandstone and soil in this area.

A local man kindly allowed us to photograph by his two barns.

And you know my love of beautiful colors and old structures….

This is a former grist, flour, and saw mill.  The first structure was built in 1740 (destroyed by fire) and I believe that the first owners were actually ancestors of Jason!  And the buildings currently on site were in use until 1949.  Yes, just some fun history facts!

This image is so striking to me.

Then we went back to Jason’s house for the rest of the session.

Out in their yard is an old hay rake that was formally used on their farm.

By this time, the rain was starting to move in.

And finally, LOVE this old metal glider sitting by one of their barns, just waiting to be in some pictures.

Jason, thanks for being such a good sport and it was such a fun morning with you and your mom.  I wish you all the best in the future!

A mid-afternoon snack before the picture-taking fun begins….

Such cute t-shirts — “big sis” and “lil bro”!

And she’s off to explore!

Henry slept through most of the session, even when we put him in the basket.

LOVE this handmade ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ blanket!

So cute.

This was so funny….Henry kept peeking at us with only one eye.

Little toes everywhere in the late summer light.

Very sweet.  Marykate was so happy to feed her baby brother.

Oh look, a baby butterfly! 

A few pictures inside to end the session and Henry just kept on sleeping!

Love this picture too.

And believe it or not, Henry is already 5-months-old!  It’s amazing how fast little ones grow in their first year and there are so many fun milestones!

When the day of their session arrived, the weather did not look too promising….rain.  However, we all decided to go for it anyway and I’m so glad that we did.  Of course, it was definitely raining when I arrived to town, so we just went inside to talk more about their wedding first, and then the rain cleared by the time we were finished chatting.  Perfect!

Beth said that they are very happy, smiley people.  I agree and it was so fun to photograph them! 

Loved all of the colors and the interesting lines of the architecture too.

The sun even appeared for a couple of minutes.

This was a pretty little green space in the middle of the city.

An outfit change for both of them….Beth loves hats, and this one looked great on her!

Beautiful.

Love this little door found in an alleyway.

I can’t resist a bright yellow wall!

And some neat old doors too.

It looked like rain was going to be moving in again.  So we finished up the session and found a great place for dinner.  The food was delicious!  And then one last shot as the light started to disappear….

And then of course, on my way out of town, I had to make a stop at Georgetown Cupcake for some yummy treats to take home!  Beth and Steve, I can’t wait for your wedding in just a few months!

Love the color and texture of this red door.  Her mom later quickly looked around for a door with Molly’s sports jersey number on it, but couldn’t find anything that was a good fit. 

Molly has such pretty eyes!

Such great contrasting colors.

Love the light streaming in too.

And then we went out to the country setting.  Molly is definitely a star in sports and she wanted some shots with her jerseys.  I’m so happy with the way these turned out!

And one more outfit change….a pretty buttercup yellow-colored summery shirt that glowed in the sunshine.

We rushed out to this field before the sun set.  The light was so beautiful!

I wish you all the best, Molly!

We met them at their house where the girls were running around trying to coordinate their clothing, but not match too much!    The colors looked great together.  And the light was gorgeous on the morning of their session.  So Dabney, the girls, and us, first went down the road to a field perfect for pictures.  The background was just as stunning too.

The beautiful ladies of the family.

And three gorgeous sisters:  Joslyn, Heather, and Emily.

Of course, everyone loves to have some great pictures of themselves every now and then!  So pretty.

Love all of the colors.

And then we went back to the house, where Joe joined us for the rest of the session.  We started with some pictures with their beloved dog, Abby.

Abby did such a great job! 

Joe and his daughters.

And a few pictures with just Dabney and Joe.

Thank you all for a fun morning with your family!

Corrie contacted me about taking their engagement photos last fall.  So we planned to go to a tiny town in the Virginia countryside, and also to some fields.  The fun thing about the day of their session….it was the one-year anniversary of their engagement!  Corrie said that it must a sign.    And you wouldn’t know it by looking at their pictures, but it was absolutely freezing that day.  Even so, Corrie and Gus were so friendly and fun to work with.  And as you will see later, Corrie is willing to climb anywhere for great pictures!

Yes, so many lovely colors in this session.

Aren’t they just the cutest couple?!

I also love cool old doors, and the vines help to make this one perfect.

Corrie is gorgeous!

This old building was pretty amazing with so many neat textures and colors.

We had to get a picture on the cute old caboose!

I just love this picture every time I see it!  Yes, they climbed up there without a moment’s hesitation.

We finished up their session at a nearby field and I love all of these pictures too.

So pretty.

Lastly, this little “grove” of trees made for some stunning photographs.

Corrie and Gus, it was so wonderful meeting and working with you!  I wish you all the best!

Where’s Drew?

The light was gorgeous near the top of the mountain.

The picture below on the left shows how high we were — the road is way, way, down at the bottom of the mountain.  And the picture on the right just makes me laugh.  Drew’s dad was saying something funny.

Outfit change….I really like his shirt!

A little bit of sun left before the rain clouds started rolling in.

My absolute favorite image from the session.

Here’s their vineyard.  They offer pick-your-own grapes.

And one more outfit change….Drew’s suit.  I love the contrast of the formal suit and the rugged metal exterior of the building.

By this point, I think that it had started to rain and the clouds kept getting darker and darker.

And a few last shots, in the rain, with Drew’s vehicle.

This was a fun session….The only problem will be to come up with new ideas for Drew’s three younger brothers when it’s their turn for senior pictures!

I started off with just Ashley, as Adam was finishing up his school day.  At almost 3-years-old, Ashley was a bit shy at first, but then her sweet personality shone through.  She’s such a cute little thing with those big blue eyes, flyaway hair, and that happy grin!  And I love her pretty pink boots – her mom found them in Texas while on a business trip.

Hmm….Not so sure about this picture-taking stuff….

Almost, just a little smile….

And there it is!

So cute!

Then Adam arrived and it was his turn.  He was almost 6-years-old and is a big guy in kindergarten this year.  He was a pro at this!

And he was always ready with a big grin.  This was his attempt at a serious face. 

Brother/sister love.

Look closely at the picture below on the right.  It makes me smile.

Looking up to her big brother.

More cuteness.

Getting a little crazy.

Yay!  We’re all done!

Today is an extra special day for Ashley — she turns three!  Happy Birthday, Ashley!!!    Have fun today!

I just love that Shannon and Damian randomly met each other at the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden!  They both appreciate the arts — Shannon’s undergrad studies were in art history and Damian has his MFA of Art and is a university art professor — and it’s wonderful that our artistic photography style was just what they were seeking for their wedding!

The Clifton Inn was as exquisite as always (LOVE the color of the wallpaper) and UVA Chapel was beautiful in the morning light.  The gorgeous flowers were by Pat’s Floral Designs.  Shannon looked radiant….and her lovely sash….handmade by her aunt!  Enjoy a few pictures of our last wedding of 2011.

Shannon and Damian will soon be on their way to a honeymoon in Italy, an unforgettable gift from Damian’s father.  To everyone….enjoy this last day of 2011 and have fun and be safe as you bring in the New Year!  We’re so excited for what’s in store in 2012!