Fresh 48 Session

What is a fresh 48 session? This specific session is done in the first 48 hours of your new baby’s birth. Typically, these are done in the hospital you deliver at, or birthing center or home if that is the birth plan you followed.

When should I book my session?

Photographers tend to be booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead. I recommend that you inquire with your photographer by at least mid-pregnancy to have some kind of loose date scheduled. The date will be flexible and your photographer will know that. It just helps us to plan that in those few weeks we need to stay prepared for your call.

What can I expect during the session?

When I arrive the first thing I will do is wash my hands. After that it really depends on baby. Your baby will 100% run the show. I have certain images that I try to get for every session but it’s important to remain flexible with newborns. If baby wants to eat, we will take a break. Baby may get upset with being laid down in the bassinet, it may take some picking up and putting down and that is totally okay and normal.

We will try to work with as little of the overhead lights as possible. My camera can handle the natural light fairly well and if I feel like I need additional light I have a small flash I can use.

Some of the pictures of your newborn that we will get are any swaddles or gowns that you have brought (or borrowed from my closet), if you have any name boards or special announcements, we will be sure to include those. We will get any outfits that you may want pictures of, as well as some images of baby in just a diaper.

I love getting input from clients. Do you have a special Pinterest board? I would love for you to share. It helps me get a feel for the images that draw you in the most. We can also include feeding baby, whether bottle feeding or breast feeding there is a connection and bond that babies make while being fed. Remember I am here to document this special moment in your life. I want you to be pleased with the outcome of our session.

Ready to book your fresh 48 session?

Be sure to follow me on social media!

A fall wedding at The White House Weddings Venue

If you are planning a wedding or work around weddings, then there is no doubt that fall is the busiest time for wedding season. It is recommended that you book your vendors as early as possible for a fall wedding date. It is not uncommon for popular vendors to be booked 18 months in advance. I am going to give you a few tips for planning a fall wedding as well as a look into this beautiful venue located in Drakes Branch Virginia.

Planning a fall wedding from a photographer’s perspective

With fall being such a busy time in general, there are some things to consider when planning your perfect day. For example, do you have a dream of what you want your day to look like? Maybe you have been following a few of your favorite vendors on Instagram for a while. I always recommend booking your venue first. Especially if you have a venue that you really want to use. Once you have a venue booked you can book the other key parts of your day. Photographers are another to book early. Chances are you have an idea of who you would like to book with and to ensure they are available for your day; you should book those next.

The next thing I recommend is checking out the venue’s social media. Who has worked there? Are there any vendors that stand out to you? Did a florist do an excellent job or maybe you love the way a planner put the day together so perfectly. Always look into vendors social medias but also ask questions. Join some local groups and ask for experience from others. That first-hand experience can be so helpful in the decision-making process.

About the venue

The White House Wedding venue is located in Drakes Branch Virginia, about 1.5 hour drive from Richmond, just over an hour from Lynchburg, and just about an hour from the North Carolina line in the Clarksville Va area.

Set on 100 private acres, this venue offers a mansion with lodging for a few of your party, an indoor chapel, a courtyard gazebo, a pond, a rustic barn, and a wooded area.

The mansion offers plenty of space for your party to get ready and relax. While the barn makes for a great area for your reception. The location for your ceremony has several options here and they are all beautiful.

The gazebo is a literal dream. The sun filters through in the afternoon for such dreamy lighting.

There is also an arch at the pond, which makes for a beautiful setting for your ceremony as well.

An additional area for the ceremony is the wooded area.

There is plenty of parking for your guests. The venue also includes a list of local vendors to check out.

To learn more about this venue, please head over to their website here:

Other vendors at this wedding were:

mobile bar: Pull and Pour - @pullandpourrental

DJ: @Zachmckinneytech

catering: @anita_homemadee

An elopement at Ravens Roost Overlook

I recently had the pleasure of documenting an elopement at Ravens Roost Overlook. Let me just say, this is a stunning location! Located along the Blue Ridge Parkway with one of the best views, this overlook is a very popular spot and when you see it, you will totally understand why!

One of the services I offer as a wedding and elopement photographer is helping plan your elopement ( or wedding). This is something I love to do and offer. Be on the look out for a blog post all about how I help you with planning soon! This particular couple had a cute picnic along the river before heading up to the overlook.

What do I need to elope at Ravens roost?

There are things the state of Virginia requires to elope. This state is referred to as a no wait state. So essentially you can go to the courthouse to get your marriage license ( You both must be present), and locate an officiant that is recognized by the state. The marriage must take place within 60 days of obtaining the license.

The National Park Service also has their own set of requirements to be married at any of the stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway. All weddings ( includes elopements, vow exchanges and micro weddings) require a Special Use Permit. There is a non-refundable application fee of $60 due at the time of application, as well as a non-refundable fee of $40 due once a permit is issued. They only accept electronic forms of payment. The application for the Special Use Permit will take an average minimum of 30 days and on the NPS website it mentions they require at least a 30 day notice prior to the event.

Can I have guests?

At Ravens roost overlook you are allowed up to 25 guests. Keep in mind this includes your officiant, photographer, bridal party etc. It is important to remember that you can't block off any area for your ceremony and parking is limited. It is also important to note the NSP's leave no trace policy. They have a list of what they allow and restrict on their website but I am also perfectly happy to help you plan your special day while staying in accordance to the rules they have in place.

A few other details

Ravens Roost is easily accessible. There is no hiking necessary to enjoy this majestic view. October can be a very busy time of year with the leaves changing so timing your ceremony around busy times can be helpful. Another reminder there is no releasing of balloons, or throwing of anything such as rice, or confetti.

Are you ready to book your elopement? I would love to help you plan the perfect day for you! Use the wedding inquiry link on my website if you would like to chat.

Why should I have an engagement session?

I’m engaged! What do I do now?

So, you just got engaged! Congratulations. You may be asking yourself “ Now what?” I would recommend starting your search for a photographer. Engagement sessions are important for several reasons and we will go over a few here.

Couple showing off an engagement ring during their engagement session.

Finding the right photographer

When it comes to photography, there are many styles. Knowing what style speaks to you is the most important tool for your search. There are different editing styles to consider, some edit in a true to life color, and others may be light and airy, bold and colorful, dark and moody, and many other combinations. Each photographer also runs their session differently. Some use nothing but poses and will direct you from the top of your head to which way your toes should point while other photographers are strictly candid. Knowing what you need from your photographer can save you some misunderstanding and disappointment.

Okay, but why?

Planning a wedding has so many intricate pieces. Generally, you will want to send out save the dates. These are usually generated from your engagement session. Many couples also choose to create a wedding website and you will want some images for that as well. Another important part is that this will give you a chance to trial a photographer you would like to use for your wedding. It is so important to work with your photographer beforehand to ensure you like working together. Another plus is that you can try out a hair and makeup artist as well.

Newly engaged couple during engagement session

Are you ready to book your engagement session? Let’s chat!

L & J - Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains Engagement Session

L & J inquired about doing an engagement session. They spend a lot of time visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains and I was so excited to incorporate that into their engagement session. We started the day at the beautiful Old City Cemetary in Lynchburg, Virginia. This is a stunning location for photos. They offer a beautiful pond full of fish, the grounds are full of beautiful trees and flowers. There are a few historic buildings that add great character to the scenery.

The next portion of this session was located in various stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are so many great spots to use for photo opportunities. For this session we stopped by Otter Lake Waterfalls and Thunder Ridge. Otter lake Waterfalls is such a great spot. Be prepared to for a crowd though. This is a heavy traffic area that everyone loves to visit. For this reason, I suggest this location early in the morning, or later in the afternoon. When you arrive to the parking lot there is a stairway down to the view of the waterfall, and then many little spots to jump in the creek. Just a short walk from the waterfall is steppingstones. Of course, as a photographer we have to get pictures on the stones.

After getting a few photos at the waterfall, we drove up to Thunder Ridge Overlook. If you have never heard of this spot, it is a very popular spot along the Blue ridge parkway. You arrive and have a choice. There is a short loop hike that is very beginner friendly to the left side of the parking area. To the right is the entrance to the overlook. While hiking anywhere, I encourage a leave no trace policy ( may see the abbreviation LNT policy.) Leave no trace simply means leave things the way you found them, keep your garbage contained, but even more so, not introducing things to an area that it is not previously found in. This helps aid in keeping the local ecosystem healthy and intact. If you are ready to chat about a session in the Blue Ridge Mountains click below.