misty rodda photography

Melanie and Adam | Bluemont Vineyard Wedding

2012-01-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why I waited so long to blog this beautiful wedding! It was an absolute treat to second shoot for Lauren Gay on Melanie and Adam's big day. Their ceremony and reception were held at Bluemont Vineyard, a breathtaking venue any time of year. Melanie and Adam were married on an unusually warm November day, and there was just a dash of fall color left. I loved being part of this day and having the honor of capturing some of the special moments. And now I'm happy to share some of my favorite photos from Melanie and Adam's wedding celebration!

I arrived at Melanie and Adam's home that afternoon to spend some time with the guys before heading to the vineyard. Adam and his friends were a lot of fun and great to work with!

When I arrived at the venue, Lauren took me up to meet Melanie. She was an absolutely stunning bride! And there was a complete calm in the room. Now I just couldn't wait to see these two together!

Melanie and Adam chose to do a "first look". It was such a special moment.

Bluemont is a gorgeous venue, but it was made even better by all the special details Melanie and her family put together.

At the end of the night we went outside to capture the beautiful moonlight. I loved their lanterns! Such a beautiful way to capture the newlyweds!

The Gallers | Family Session

2011-12-30T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Gallers are friends of ours from New Life. They are such a fun family and, as it turns out, very photogenic! :) I just kept looking at the photos, amazed at how natural, and great, they all looked in each one! The boys were cracking me up with their GQ poses and just how much they actually enjoyed the session. We had a fun afternoon at Silver Lake. I'm excited to share some of my favorite photos from our time together!

I love getting some pics of just Mom and Dad. And I love the way these turned out!

Thanks for a fun afternoon, guys! See you soon!

Jachimski Family | Silver Lake Family Session

2011-12-30T15:20:00.000-08:00

Kyle is one of those boys you want your son to be friends with! He's sweet, smart, and very polite! He and my son Ashton were in the same kindergarten class last year and Kyle was one of the VIPs who attended Ashton's rock star birthday party in September! After posting some pics of the party, Jill (Kyle's mom) and I started chatting about a photo session for their family. We were able to meet late one afternoon at Silver Lake Park in Haymarket. The whole family is so sweet and we had a great time together! Even though Charlotte was sick (which none of us were aware of, at the time) she was a trooper through the session and we got some great shots! I'm happy to share some of my favorites with you.

Thanks Jachimski family! It was so much fun!

Lindsey and Brandon | Gainesville, VA Wedding

2011-12-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

It's always an honor to second shoot for Lauren Gay and this wedding was no different. I was so blessed to be able to shoot alongside her for Lindsey and Brandon's beautiful wedding at Heritage Hunt Country Club in Gainesville. Lindsey and Brandon are incredibly sweet and so much fun! When faced with a rainy (even a bit snowy) wedding day, they made the very best of it. In fact, not once did I hear a negative word from either of them. They had a blast and celebrated, surrounded by family and friends who obviously think the world of them!

I got to hang out with the guys prior to the ceremony. They were a lot of fun!

When I arrived to meet the girls, this is the scene I walked into...

Everyone was just so happy and excited. It was such a great environment! The weather definitely didn't put a damper on the day!

The reception was all smiles, too! From first to last dance, everyone was having a blast!

Loved the photos we were able to do inside...

But I was also thankful for the umbrellas, so we could get some fun outdoor shots, too!

And at the end of the night, the sky opened up so we headed out to get a few more!

Lindsey and Brandon, you were so positive and fun! I know that great spirit is going to be an incredible blessing in your marriage! Wishing you all the best!!!

The Mosers | Family Session

2011-12-05T19:52:00.001-08:00

The Moser family was an absolute JOY to meet and work with! In fact, joyful is just how I would describe this sweet family. The whole session was really just about having fun and enjoying their time together. Because Mom and Dad were so relaxed, the kids felt free to be themselves, which made my job easy! Here are some of my favorites from our time together, at Silver Lake in Haymarket.

This little girl has personality x10! What a sweetie!

The kids had fun playing in the leaves!

Talk about joy...

Someone was ready to be finished with pictures. (After all, there was so much to explore!) But she agreed to sit with her mama and that gave us the chance to capture these precious moments.

Ah, I love when the sun begins to set on the water!

Thanks Moser family! I was blessed to have met you and I hope we see one another again soon!

Lauren and Mike | Engagement Session

2011-12-05T18:48:00.001-08:00

When Lauren first contacted me, she wanted pictures of her and Mike before he was deployed to Afghanistan. About a week before our session I got an email from Lauren announcing that Mike had proposed! Mike's deployment was cancelled but we still had a great reason to get together for pictures! I met them on a very stormy day at the Amtrak station in Old Town Manassas for their engagement session.

The sky started to get really dark but we stayed optimistic! Lauren and Mike went to change clothes and while they were gone, the storm hit in full force! When they came back, they were completely soaked. I was thrilled when they agreed to make the best of it by taking some pictures in the rain. I think these images priceless!

Thanks so much for making the best of the rainy day, Mike and Lauren! I'm looking forward to finishing our session in some sunny weather!

And the award for best client goes to... | Battery Heights Family Session

2011-11-14T18:43:00.001-08:00

It is always a great feeling to get a referral from a past client. I love getting emails that begin with, "I was talking with my friend about family photos and she recommended you...". Honestly, word of mouth is the one and only form of advertisement for my business, so it's such a blessing when clients are willing to put my name out there. I'm quite sure if I could give an award to my most faithful client, it would go to Tiffany! I think 1/3rd of my fall family sessions were with families referred to me by her! Tiffany and the rest of her family are incredibly sweet. I always enjoy sessions with them so much! The boys are getting so big--I could hardly believe how much they had changed since last year! Here are a few of my favorites from our October session at Battery Heights in Manassas.

At the end of our time together, I realized that I had locked my keys in my van! I was so thankful that these clients were friends. They drove me all the way home, where I discovered my front door was locked, and then turned around and took me back the other direction to my husband. Thanks Paul and Tiffany--you guys definitely win the award for clients who've gone the extra mile! I hope to see you again very soon!

Here Comes the Sun! | Family Session

2011-11-06T18:07:00.000-08:00

After a week of rain, it was so exciting to finally see the sun on the morning I met Ted and Danielle and their two beautiful children! Their daughter, Sophie is incredibly charming. She is a very independent 19 month old and loves to explore! And little Ewan was only 11 weeks old when we met. He is such a laid back, content baby boy! I'm happy to share some of my favorite photos from the morning I spent with this beautiful family.

Thanks so much Ted, Danielle, Sophie and Ewan! Hope to see you again soon. :)

The Laymans | Family Session

2011-11-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

I met with the Layman family at Manassas Battlefield several weeks ago for an early fall session. It had been a very rainy week and this day was no different. It was drizzly and pretty chilly, but we decided to give it a go! I'm so glad we did because it was a great session. We enjoyed getting to know one another and finding out how much we have in common. Kent and Lissy are from Missouri and lived very close to where I grew up! Our families moved to Virginia about a month apart and we now live in the same neighborhood. It's definitely a small world! Not only did I enjoy talking with Kent and Lissy, their kiddos are also as sweet as can be! I felt so bad about the cold and spitting rain, but this family stayed positive and I think it paid off! Here are some of my favorites from our time together.

Thanks for braving the weather with me, Laymans! I'm sure our paths will cross again!

The Brassers | Family Session

2011-10-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

I met the Brasser family through a mutual friend, more than a year ago. They are fun and sweet and have three adorable little girls with their own unique look and personality! I was excited when Claire contacted me about a family session. We decided to meet at the Stone Bridge area of Manassas Battlefield. Their family was an absolute joy to work with! Here are some of my very favorites from our time together.

Thanks, Brasser family!

Taunya and Jake | Bluemont Vineyard Wedding

2011-10-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

Last month, I had the honor of accompanying Lauren Gay to photograph Taunya and Jake's beautiful wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful crisp fall day and Bluemont Vineyard is such a gorgeous venue! Throughout the ceremony and reception I was struck with, not only the beauty of the setting, but also just how much this couple loves each other. It was inspiring to watch and so much fun to photograph! Here are a few of my favorites from Taunya and Jake's special day...

Taunya, you are stunning!

Look at this view!

The newlyweds!

Such a gorgeous place for a reception! I'm crazy about the lanterns.

Last one--the big finale!

Congratulations, Taunya and Jake! I'm so thankful I was there to witness the beginning of your forever!

Audrey | World's Happiest One Year Old!

2011-10-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

Audrey just celebrated her first birthday! Right before her big day, I was able to spend some time with her around the stone bridge at Manassas Battlefield. This was my third session with Audrey. Each time I have been blown away at her sweet disposition. It takes about 5 seconds to fall in love with her! Check out this happy little girl...

This image was immediately my favorite and I couldn't wait to send it to Audrey's mom right away when it popped up on my computer!

Can you even believe these sweet cheeks are for real?

After a quick wardrobe change, we found some beautiful wildflowers to use as a backdrop. This outfit was just too much!

The headband Audrey wore was custom made by a friend of her Mommy. Isn't it unique and perfect?

Somebody knows how to blow bubbles!

Audrey's Mommy brought her a cake. It was so fun watching her try it for the first time! She wasn't quite sure just how it worked or whether or not she really liked it!

Audrey, I'm so thankful I got to watch you grow during your first year of life! Tell your Mommy and Daddy thanks for sharing you with me. I hope to see you again soon!

Matt & Andy | Georgetown Couple's Session

2011-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Matt and Andy are friends and fellow "New Lifers". We've bonded over music and Mexican food! They are a seriously cool couple and I was thrilled when Andy asked if I could do some photos of them. She had explained that they clearly had a lack of photos of the two of them since they had to use a cell phone pic on their Christmas card last year! We definitely needed to remedy that. Andy is an incredibly talented graphic designer (check out her blog) which put a little pressure on me in the creative department. :) But I think we were able to get some fantastic shots in an ideal location. Georgetown could not have been more perfect. GU's campus is incredible!

This blue wall was amazing! Andy actually spotted it on google maps street view and sent me the link. I knew we had to use it!

Honestly, we could not go wrong with this location. Everywhere I looked there were great spots for photos. The hard part was deciding which to use. We couldn't pass up the great texture on this wall!

I was so glad Matt brought his guitar along for some shots!

The sun was going down and as we walked back to the car, I noticed the street lamps and asked if we could stop for just a few more.

Thanks so much, Matt and Andy! I hope you got some shots to use in your home and I can't wait to see this year's Christmas card!

Jane and Terry | Milton Ridge Wedding

2011-09-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of accompanying Lauren Gay to photograph Jane and Terry's wedding at Milton Ridge in Frederick, MD. It was such a great venue, with a beautiful chapel and the reception hall, all on site. The wedding details were vintage and elegant. It was great getting to know Jane and Terry and their family and friends! Here are some of my favorite photos from the day...

Isn't Jane's hair piece completely unique and amazing? I loved it!

On to the reception!

And the last two--my favorites...

Congratulations, Jane and Terry!

Alyssa

2011-08-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

This sweet little angel visited my house for photos when she was only a couple of weeks old. I had been waiting anxiously to meet her, like so many others! Her Mommy and Daddy had chosen not to find out if they were having a boy or a girl, so her arrival was extra exciting. She was so peaceful and sweet during the entire session. But before I share more photos of her visit, take a look back at her family while she was still growing inside her momma...

I've kept you waiting long enough. Meet Alyssa...

I could hardly believe how incredibly peaceful and sweet she was for the entire session. It was hard to pick only a few favorites!

Last one. I love the look on Alyssa's face. True love.

I'm very excited that I'll be capturing more moments from Alyssa's life during her first year. She is already growing so much! Thanks Arlene and Los, for allowing me to photograph your beautiful princess!

Katie and Roy :: Gainesville, VA Wedding

2011-07-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

The day Katie and I met in person to discuss her vision for wedding photography, I knew we would be a good match--not only in terms of style, but also in terms of organization! Katie was on top of her game! She had questions answered before I asked them, lists made before I needed them and a very clear picture of how she wanted her wedding day to look. She was calm, cool and collected! When the wedding day arrived I sensed no nervousness, no stress, just love--from their families and their friends and best of all, love between Katie and her groom, Roy! And this amazing group of supportive people made me feel welcome and at ease. I was absolutely honored to be a part of this special wedding day and I'm happy now to share with you a few of my favorite photos from the occasion.

Katie and Roy were married at Virginia Oaks Country Club. This venue is right in my back yard, but I had not been there prior to the wedding day. It's a beautiful location and we could not have asked for better weather, or a more inviting sky!

Katie's dress was timeless, with gorgeous beading. Her bouquet was full of colorful roses, and she carried her Grandmother's rosary around the base. It was a lovely touch!

Katie, you were so easy to photograph. Your fun loving attitude and inner beauty shine through in all of the photos!

The ceremony was held in front of the lake on the golf course. It was a gorgeous setting!

Katie and Roy's friendship was so evident to me. They are definitely very in love and have a great chemistry. They are fun and so sweet to one another!

This wedding party was wonderful! They were so great to work with!

The first dance was just incredibly sweet. Despite some issues with getting their song playing, Katie and Roy were just totally into each other. I loved every single photo from that dance!

The whole reception was full of dancing and laughing and hugging. It was an absolute blast. I honestly had a hard time not putting down my camera and just joining in the fun!

Katie dancing with her Grandpa...FANTASTIC!

Katie's family has a tradition. Everyone gathers in a circle around the bride and groom and sings, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." It was adorable!

I'll end with where the evening ended--saying goodbye to Katie and Roy with a shower of bubbles!

Thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of your celebration! All my best to you...

austin and nora

2011-07-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

Kira and I have a mutual friend who I have done several sessions with. She contacted me and was anxious to get some pictures of her new baby girl while she was still new! At the time I was swamped and wasn't sure I could fit another session in, but Kira was very persistent! She even drove all the way to my house, from Maryland, to have the photos taken! I was so glad she did. Her beautiful girl Nora just melted my heart and Nora's big brother Austin had such a great personality and sweet disposition. It was a fun and relaxed session and I'm happy to share some of my favorites with you!

Nora was a bit too old for the newborn sleepy baby pictures you typically see. But as I was editing I realized how fortunate we were that she did want to keep her eyes open. Look how beautiful they are! We wouldn't have wanted to miss those eyes!

Austin had fun playing with my kids until it was his turn. He is such a handsome little guy!

And just like his sister, I could not get over his eyes!

Austin was so patient and sweet as we tried to get Nora to sit with him for some pictures. We did get a few!

(I'm fairly certain the above photo is a preview of what's to come! It just cracks me up!)

Last one...

Thank you for not giving up on me, Kira! I'm so glad I was able to spend time with you, your mom and your two beautiful children!

Tom and Kelly | Reston, VA Wedding

2011-06-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

What an amazing privilege it is to play a part in a couple's wedding day. I have yet to photograph a wedding that didn't cause me to tear up at one point or another. Watching two people commit themselves to each other is such a deep spiritual and emotional experience. Tom and Kelly's wedding was no exception! I was so thankful to photograph their ceremony at Reston Bible Church. It was so touching to witness their love for one another and also their love for God. I was wiping tears between shots! I'm happy to share a few of my favorite photos from the day.

Kelly was an incredibly beautiful and poised bride. She definitely had a peace that day and it made everyone around her feel calm!

Tom and Kelly's reception was held at Ida Lee in Leesburg, VA.

Their first dance was so beautiful!

The toasts were very sweet as well!

I stole them away from the reception for a little while to get a few shots of them as a newly married couple!

Love.

Tom and Kelly, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day. Capturing your love for one another was so special!

Baby Kennedy

2011-04-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Seeing a hope become a prayer and then that prayer become reality is incredibly beautiful. That's how I feel when I look at Miss Kennedy. We prayed that God would send her to Travis and Amanda and He was faithful. And she is beautiful! I had the honor of photographing her family while she was still growing inside her momma.

This one is my favorite. Keegan is such a sweet boy and loved his sister, even before she was born.

And then I was thrilled when Amanda asked me to do a newborn session with her. She is an angel, don't you agree?

Her big brother touched her cheek and she gave us this smile.

This dress was Amanda's when she was a baby.

Thank you Travis, Amanda, Keegan and Kennedy! I am so thankful that I could watch your prayers be answered and blessed that I could capture the joy in photographs!

Beautiful People

2011-01-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite things about being a photographer... (Am I really? Seriously? That's so awesome!) ... is that I get to meet all these amazing people. For an hour or so people share their families with me and I get a glimpse into what normal, everyday life is like for them. These beautiful people inspire me and I'm honored to share the story of their love through the photos I take.

I'm terribly behind on the blog. Honestly, it's because I was busy taking and editing photos! So that's good, right? So consider this a catch up blog. I just want to share some of my favorite photos from the end of 2010. Check out these beautiful people. They all deserve their own special blog, but that might take me until 2012. :)

Thank you to all of the amazing families who trusted me with their memories in 2010. I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!

Here Come the Brides!

2010-12-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

My poor blog has been so neglected. As a perfectionist, once I get so far behind, the tendency is to give up. You know, if I can't do it perfectly, I just won't do it at all. (When I say it...or type it...it makes no sense, but this is how my mind works!) I am going to do my best, over the next few weeks to play catch up, but there are a lot of sessions to catch up on, so it will be a process. Thankfully, the reason I've gotten behind is because I've been working at doing what I love--taking photographs! I'm excited to share them with you here.

I had the privilege of photographing two weddings late in the summer. Both were small, back/front yard weddings that were beautifully done. The brides were radiant, as all brides are, and the setting was intimate and full of sweet details. I'll start my "back to blogging" crusade by posting some of these wedding photos.

Amanda and Lonnie were married at Amanda's mother's home, under a beautiful tent in the front yard, surrounded by close family and friends.

Heather is the friend of a friend of mine. She and Corky were married in his family's back yard. They only
shared their day with their immediate families. The love between the two of them just radiated, which made taking their photos incredibly fun!

I am excited about the possibility of photographing more engagements and weddings in the coming months! Please let me know if you, or someone you know needs a wedding photographer!

Joseph and Kendy | Couples Shoot

2010-10-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

I met her 12 years ago. She was in 8th grade. Sweet, smart and a daddy's girl... I liked her right from the start. Not just her, but her whole family. It was actually her brother I was particularly interested in. It was just a bonus that his family was so wonderful! Now, that sweet girl is my sister in law and also my best friend. And she married a great guy who we are so proud to call family as well. Kendy and Joseph came to stay with us in August and I took the opportunity to take photos of them, since they just happen to be some of my favorite people and are also very photogenic!

When Kendy and Joseph come it always means football in the front street, lots of extra snuggles and playtime for our kids (who adore their aunt and uncle) and late night Spades at the kitchen table. It always feels more like home when they are here. We live so far from our families. It's such a comforting feeling when they can be with us.

And we have fun...so much fun!

Okay, back to the pictures...

I remember when Kendy met Joseph, and the chat we had in front of the computer, as we looked at his student ID picture on the college website. :) I had a hunch, and I was right. They are a GREAT couple. And great really is a lame adjective for just how completely cool and fantastic they are. (It's late, so I'm grasping for words...especially adjectives.) Just trust me, they're amazing. :)

We have these high hopes...dreams...that one day we'll live near one another...maybe even down the street. And our kids will play with one another. Well, maybe OUR kids will babysit. :) And we'll serve in a church together and have weekly Spades games and monthly date nights. And every time I watch "Parenthood" I am more convinced that this needs to happen.

But for now we settle for visits a couple of times a year, phone calls, facebook messages and such. I'm so grateful for airplanes and technology.

We are just incredibly blessed to have such wonderful families. Kendy and Joseph, we love you! (And I miss you WAAAAY too much after writing this blog.)

Andrea and Andrew | Sky Meadows State Park Photo Shoot

2010-10-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Andrea contacted me about doing a shoot with her and her 6 week old son, Andrew. She had photos taken with her daughters at this age and has them framed in their home, and wanted to do the same with her little man. We met at Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA. Here are some of my favorites from our time together...

I love his sweet smile in this one. :)

Flowers, mountains, a rustic fence....only a few of the things that make Sky Meadows an awesome location for photos.

Andrea is such a beautiful mom and Andrew cooperated so nicely in the August heat!

It was great to meet Andrea and Andrew! Looking forward to photographing their whole family in a couple of weeks!

Dave, Carlene, Cameron and Grace

2010-10-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

How long has it been since I blogged? Too long! I promise not to let that happen again. I have lots of shoots to catch you up on...beginning with this great family...

Meet Grace, Dave, Carlene and Cameron...

We did these photos back in July. Their back yard was decorated beautifully with crepe myrtle blooms.

Dave and Carlene are great parents, who have so much love for their children. I think you can see it in their eyes in these pictures.

And Dave and Carlene also have a deep love for one another. Many of my favorite pictures from the day were of the two of them...this one being one of them...

I'm so thankful to know them and grateful that they let me spend some time with them, doing photos. I'm just sorry it took me so long to share them with you!

After our backyard time, I headed down to the basement, which is full of music equipment and instruments. This family has no shortage of talent and it was fun for me to catch them in their element.

When I headed back upstairs, I found more musical beauty!

Thanks for sharing some time with me and allowing me to capture the love and talent in your wonderful family!

Devin, Cameron and Beckett :: Northern Virginia Infant and Child Photography

2010-08-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how adorable these boys are? They are serious rock stars! I got to photograph them at their beautiful home last month. It's taken me forever to post these, partly because I had such a difficult time narrowing down which pictures to use!

Beckett is such a sweet baby and behaved so nicely for our photo shoot. Isn't he dreamy?

Devin and Cameron really love their baby brother. In fact, their Mom told me that, for the birth announcement picture, she didn't want either of the boys to hold Beckett, so there wouldn't be any jealousy over who held him the most! So much love!

Devin and Cameron are naturals! Honestly, I have never known boys their age who were so good in front of the camera.

So handsome!

When Beckett fell asleep, I went crazy taking pictures of him! Sleeping babies are so precious.

The last is my favorite. Pure sweetness.

Thank you Devin, Cameron and Beckett (and Mom and Dad, too). It was an absolute treat spending time with your gorgeous family!

Brian and Camille :: Northern Virginia Family Photography

2010-07-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

I was incredibly excited when Camille contacted me about doing more photos for them. I photographed their family back in April, when I was just getting started. This time she wanted some photos of just her and the hubby. I was glad to oblige! We had to reschedule our original shoot, which actually worked to our advantage. In rescheduling, we also decided to find a new location. I was thrilled when I pulled into Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane, VA. Wow, it is gorgeous! There are so many options there for pictures. I highly recommend you contact me today to set up a shoot there! Seriously, do it....NOW! :)

It was fun trying to decide where we would take the pics. Honestly, there were so many options, it was almost overwhelming. (Kudos to Camille for suggesting this location!) The whole place is gorgeous and we only used about half of it. Here are some of my favorites...

These are my favorite from the day! Fairly sure they could do some modeling.

And since the kids came along, we did squeeze in a few of the whole family, too! (Aren't they adorable?)

Thanks, Brian and Camille, for trusting me with your photos again! You have such a beautiful and sweet family!

Emily and Andrew :: Northern Virginia Family Photography

2010-07-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am playing catch up big time this week! Our wonderful impromptu beach vacation left me a week behind on everything. (And honestly, I was already probably a week behind before that, so...you do the math!) I have 3 photo shoots to blog and would also like to do a 4th of my family's beach pictures. So get ready for an onslaught of photo blogs. Are you ready?

I. love. these. kids. They are full of personality and energy and were so easy to photograph naturally.

Emily loves frogs and is a star swimmer. She's sweet and spunky and, as you can see, VERY photogenic!

Andrew is so much fun. He's got a full tank of personality and gobs of energy. I also hear he's quite the soccer player!

And even better than these kids individually, is these kids together. They bickered and teased, just like all siblings, but there was a closeness I could see as they joked with each other. They were having a ton of fun with one another! It's sweet when you can see the love between siblings, even in the midst of normal rivalry!

So thankful I got to do photos for this family. Hoping to do more in the future!

In case you didn't notice, I have changed the logo up a bit. Okay, so I've totally changed it. I'm also almost 100% sure that I'll be changing the name of my business. I was certain I had chosen something original, that fit me perfectly, but in the short time I've been taking photos, I'm finding my name is not unique. It's difficult to find me when you search for Small Wonders because that is apparently a common name for a photography business! I also don't want to convey, through my name, that I only do infant and child photography. It looks like using my name will be the best route I can take. (I'm still playing with the look of the logo, what form i'll use on photos, etc. That should explain the inconsistency in the photos above!) So, look for announcements to come about a different domain for my website and a new blog name. Feel free to share your opinion on this change. I'd like to hear people's thoughts.

Singing off for now...

06.20.2010 :: Northern Virginia Family Photographer

2010-07-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Carmen asked me to do pictures for her family, as a gift to her husband for Father's Day. Carmen is in my Life Group and I just love her! She and her husband Joe are so great with their kids...patient and loving. It was my pleasure to do their photos!

Allie and Lucas are so sweet. They are both little adventurers...curious spirits with bundles of energy!

Lucas stayed by his Daddy's side most of the time. So sweet!

Allie is just a little doll. She was really enjoying searching for rocks, but we did convince her to pick a flower just for this picture!

Mom and Dad may have little ones, but they've still got it! :)

We just let the kids play and explore while I snapped pictures. Lucas brought his butterfly net and was determined to catch a bug. I'm sorry to say he didn't catch one, but he and Dad had a lot of fun searching!

We did happen to spot the most beautiful butterfly, under the bridge.

Thanks for sharing your family time with me! It was my pleasure!

The Wilsons :: Family Photo Shoot

2010-06-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

When I met with the Wilsons at the beginning of the month, we were doing pictures for the second time. Unfortunately, it wasn't because they had loved the first shoot I did for them! It was because when our computer crashed, I lost their whole shoot! They were so kind and understanding and allowed me to redo their shoot. We had better weather and light so I think the pictures turned out even better than the first round. (And I learned a valuable lesson about saving photos in more than one spot and backing them up..twice or three times!)

Ben graduated this year so we did some photos with his cap and gown! (Congrats Ben!)

It's really not a teenage boy's dream to have his photo taken, not once but TWICE in the same month! I was thankful that Ben and Chris were forgiving and that we were able to get some great individual shots of the two of them. :)

I loved the light coming from behind these trees! Made for a really beautiful shot!

Thank you Wilsons, for letting me do your photos AGAIN! You are a great family and I hope you are double pleased with the pictures. :)

Brock Family :: Father's Day Shoot

2010-06-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

My friend Marty is a nanny for the Brocks. She is super sweet and set up a photo shoot to have pictures taken of the kids for their Dad for Father's Day! I had never done photographs of teens so I was definitely a bit nervous. They were so funny--always messing with one another and laughing. It really worked out well and made for some fun candid shots. :)

This is one of my favorites. These two were messing around...fighting really! But I told them to keep it up because it was making for great pictures!

The individual photos are the ones I love the most. They are little windows into the personalities of these kids. I love it when I can capture personality!

Marty said she didn't think she had any pictures of her with the kids so we definitely had to remedy that!

Although the kids messed around with each other and picked on one another, I really saw a closeness between them. All that "fighting" was just their way of interacting as siblings. I think this crew will stay really close into adulthood. It was fun to be able to capture their playfulness at this stage of their lives. I think they'll look back as adults and laugh!

This last shot reminds me of an album cover. Very fun!

After the shoot, Marty sent me this kind note about their session:

"There are big changes coming up for the Brock Family. Getting all of the kids together for a photo shoot in the future may be difficult. So I thought this would make a special Father's Day gift for them to give their Dad. Misty was offering a special, so I asked her to take the pictures for us. She suggested we go to the Battlefield outside of Manassas, VA for some unique and beautiful backgrounds. My hat was off to Misty, for the kids were in top form by picking on one another (they are kids after all!). But Misty was persistent and quick. Some of the moments she captured on her camera actually look like the kids were having fun together instead of fighting! Well done! The pictures are great moments of "real life" and give glimpses into each of their characters and personalities. I highly recommend Misty Rodda and Small Wonders Photography for your Family pictures! Thanks Misty!"

Thank you, Marty!!! And thanks to the Brock "kids" (is that appropriate language for pre-teens and teens?). I really had a great time!

Announcing Mini Shoots!

2010-06-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

To kick off summer, I am offering mini shoots this Saturday, the 26th! Here are the details:

Time :: 8-10:30 am, 6-8:30 pm
**Sign up for a 20 minute time slot within these hours

Place :: Manassas Battlefield

Investment :: $45 for a 20 minute session (you, your kiddos, your family, your friends...you get the picture)
10-15 high resolution portraits on DVD for you to print and use as you choose

Contact me for more information and to set up a time!

And speaking of kicking off summer....and things that are "mini"....

Here's my baby girl, who is quite mini, kicking off summer with her favorite fruit. :)

Keegan is 2! :: Birthday Shoot

2010-06-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Meet Keegan! I had the privilege of photographing his family and his birthday party last month. Keegan is our buddy and a born entertainer. He's got some of the best dance moves and is always cracking us up with his funny faces! He had his 2nd birthday party at the park. Perfect location for toddler fun!

Before the party began, I got some shots of Keegan with his parents. They are a really special family! Travis and Amanda couldn't love their boy more and it's evident in everything they do.

As guests arrived, I started taking pics of all of Keegan's friends. It was very hard to choose which ones to use here. They were all absolutely adorable! Here are a just a few of Keegan's buddies.

My son, Ashton, adores Keegan! He even asked if he could have a copy of this picture for his room. So sweet!

Keegan barely stopped the whole morning. He was busy on the playground, running around and playing soccer! Some of my favorite pictures of the day are of him kicking the ball around. He was so focused!

After lunch, it was time for cupcakes! The party theme was My Friends Tigger and Pooh, which meant Super Sleuth cupcakes. Yum!

After cupcakes and a little more play time, it was goody bags and goodbyes. I'm fairly sure all the kiddos slept well that afternoon!

Leaving you with my favorite shots of the day. When I picture Keegan, this is how I see him in my mind! Here's to the terrific 2s!

Beth, Olivia and Carly :: Father's Day Shoot

2010-06-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Beth is a friend of a friend and contacted me about six weeks ago about photographing her and her girls as a gift for her husband for Father's Day. The amazing part was, her second daughter, Carly, hadn't been born yet! Those who know me understand just how excited I was about photographing a newborn! I was even more excited when these lovely ladies showed up on my doorstep!

Beth looked so beautiful and no one would have ever guessed she had just given birth to a baby! Her girls, Olivia and Carly, are precious and remind me of little porcelain dolls! Beth's Mom, who I got to know as "Nana", came along to help.

Olivia is a busy, busy girl! I set up some books and toys for her, and she wasted no time getting down to business! Her favorite things were reading in the rocking chair and looking for birds out the window. Made for some great pictures!

Little miss Carly had a bit of a tummy ache, but we were still able to get some sweet shots of her. I was amazed at how wide eyed she was at such a young age! I had prepared to do sleepy pictures but she was ready for her close-up!

Olivia was very timid toward me and wasn't going to give up a smile easily. But, after I assured her we were two of a kind (both of us loving to read and all...) she did give me a beautiful shy grin! What a pretty girl!

I love this sleepy shot of Carly on her momma's shoulder. Just had to include it!

Am I posting more pictures than usual? Well, that's because I had such a terribly hard time narrowing them down! I absolutely can't wait to hear how Beth's husband responds to these photos of his girls. I hope he enjoys them as much as I have! I'll leave you with one last set....two of my favorites.

Thank you Beth, for allowing me to spend time with you, your Mom and your girls. It was a joy!

05.29.10--Family Shoot

2010-06-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

Since I am a beginner, almost 100% of my clients have been personal friends. This has made my job both easy, and hard. Easy, because these people are friends...people who are rooting for me and who I am sure will be patient with me. Hard because these are families I care about and want to do my very best for. I agonize over getting just the right shots...pictures that capture how very wonderful these people are! But overall, I've absolutely loved having the opportunity to take pictures of the very people who have made me feel so welcome and cared for, since making the move out east. :) (No need to adjust your monitor...this family really is as beautiful as they appear!)

Driving home from this shoot, I couldn't WAIT to get home so I could look at the photos. I just had so much fun and knew there would be some precious pictures for me to share with the family. Some of my favorites were those we took with these rocking horses, which are family heirlooms. (Please, please, please include special items in your family pictures. Whether it's a rocking horse, rocking chair, rocking guitar...a portrait is so special when it includes an item that matters to your family.)

At one point the kids ran off to play and Dad yelled "quick! we're alone!". I laughed because, having three kids of my own, I completely understood what he meant. We were able to get some great shots with just Mom and Dad. It's incredibly beautiful to see couples with kids who are still very much in love.

And again, most of my favorite pictures are candids. I am especially excited to get photos of families playing together, laughing, enjoying time with one another. My hope is that they can look back on these and really remember what life was like at that special moment in time.

Yes, I know I am sharing TONS of photos, but how in the world was I supposed to choose only a few? Plus, I know you're enjoying them!

It was a privilege to work with this family. Happy kids, loving and patient parents, beautiful sunshine...all around fantastic morning!

05.19.2010 :: Family Shoot

2010-05-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

There are few things more precious in this world than small babies. Everything about them is special and new and magical. I was incredibly excited when this great family asked me to do their family portraits. I think you'll understand why when you see what a beautiful family they are...and how precious their baby girl is!

It was incredibly hard to choose favorites to post, since all of them were my favorites! When I was editing these, I could hardly stop myself. It is just so exciting to see little memories captured as photos!

This little girl is such a princess. I'm so excited to watch her grow and hope I'll get to do more photos of her in the future. She's so beautiful!

And last, my very favorite. All because two people fell in love...

The Grupacs :: Family Shoot

2010-05-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Camille and Brian and their 3 sweet kiddos were a joy to photograph! They are such an adorable family and are all very photogenic. Their family will always be special to me since they were my first "official" family to photograph!

The kids were posing for me before I even asked them to. Made my job SO easy! And the sunlight was perfect for this shot. I was excited looking through the lens, and even more excited when I saw the finished product. :)

You guys belong in a magazine!

Sweet kids with sweet faces.

Thank you Grupacs for trusting me to capture your memories! Can't wait to do it again!

The Mendenhalls :: Family Shoot

2010-05-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

I tagged along with Lauren Gay last weekend, to meet the Mendenhall family. (HUGE thanks to Lauren for letting me learn from her. She is awesome!) We met in Vienna, VA at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. This place is take your breath away beautiful and a perfect backdrop for family pics!

The Mendenhalls are such a sweet family. Rob and Jess are a true team and handle their adorable kiddos with such grace.

Little Mister Rowen is 2 1/2 and is such an explorer! He reminded me of my oldest son, Grant, never missing a detail, picking up every rock and stick and studying it with intensity. He surely didn't want to sit around and have his picture taken! There was exploring to do, after all! But, thankfully, while Lauren photographed the rest of the family, I had the privilege of following Rowen's exploring and captured a few sweet photos of him.

And then there's Brynlee... laid back, smiley, lovable, huggable Brynlee. This little girl is about as sweet as they come. :) She loved having her picture taken and the camera loved her right back!

Brynlee was about to celebrate her first birthday so her momma bought her a special outfit, complete with fancy tutu and lovely headband. Oh my gracious, I love these pictures!

Probably my favorite thing to photograph is families just interacting...doing their normal thing. And that's why I love these shots...

Thank you Mendenhalls! It was a joy to work with your family. Oh, and Happy Birthday Brynlee! :)