Yes, many people know me as a family photographer serving Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles.  However, I like to create beautiful pictures for many other genres of photography.  Like the photograph below, meet Crystle Poge - owner of Crystle Elegance Events LLC.  

We meet at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria for portraits.  As many of you know that live in the DMV area, Old Town Alexandria has many scenes for amazing portraits similar to the picture below.  

Senior portraits is a milestone many high school seniors look forward to each year.  It means the point of graduation is almost near.  With that being said, senior portraits are a highlight and marks the closing in of the  graduation.  Prior to scheduling a senior portrait session, I like to speak with the family and the senior to determine what the senior enjoys most in life at this point to highlight each individual senior's likes.

Many of up may not know, but I'm an adoptive parent.  My husband and I adopted our youngest son thirty years ago.  We went through the adoption process during our last assignment here in Los Angeles.  The process was long.  It entailed lots of paperwork, home visits by representatives of the State of California, attending parenting courses, and more.  

Covid has impacted our lives in so many ways...good and bad.  I'm not I'm not the only one, I went into 2021 thinking things were going to be a lot better than 2020.  However, the year ended just as crazy as the previous year.  Many families were hesitant to have their family pictures taken because of the unknowns dealing with Covid.  

However, once I announced a family model call, things began to take off!  Because of Covid, many families were wanting and in need of new family pictures in the area.  
​

​First, congratulations on your military promotion!  Regardless of which branch of service you are getting promoted, your success is an amazing achievement and worth being commended.  Did you know nearly 50-70 percent of the people qualified for promotion (based on rank) are promoted to the next rank (according to the Balance Careers)?

​That means several military officers aren’t able to celebrate the great achieve of obtaining and becoming a Field Grade Officer, no parties, no photographs, and more.  However, as a new promotee, you have several things to consider and prepare for your upcoming military promotion.
​

Did you happen to see the live announcement made last Friday on Facebook?  I will be traveling to Northern Virginia/Washington DC to photograph all the beautiful families that have been wanting to be photographed by my studio this spring.  Washington DC and Northern Virginia is such a beautiful location in the spring for family pictures.  With the Cherry Blossoms and other beautiful blooms it's a great location for that magical picture.   
​

Have you been wanting to get your family's picture taken, but you've been hesitating or resisting because you've picked up a few pounds during the Covid-19 quarantine?  I got you!  As a Mom, myself, I understand we can be insecure about our appearance and weight.  So, I'll pose you so you'll be comfortable in your skin and ready to let your inner self shine through.  
​
​

When a military member first enlists or receives a commission, retirement isn't the first thing that comes to mind.  It's usually how am I going to get through Basic Military Training (BMT) or Officer Field Training.  However, retirement seems to sneak up on military members; especially when you're having such a great time and enjoy serving and protecting the country you love.

​Earlier this week the National Park Service and The Cherry Blossom Festival released the peak bloom date for the blossoms in Washington D.C.  April 3-6, 2019 are the projected peak bloom dates for this year.  I can see spring in our near future, can you?  During this week’s Friday Fives, I want to share with you the top five tips and most important things to do and visit during the festivals. 
 
1.  Plan
Plan as much of your visit as possible.   Although the blossoms are projected to peak April 3-6, 2019, the weather makes it difficult to plan the exact date until 10 days out.  The National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 – April 14) is schedule from mid-March through mid-April every year with a full calendar of activities.  If you’re wanting to see the Cherry Blossoms with less crowds, I highly recommend visiting during the weekday.  The weekends are filled with locals as well as out of towners who have traveled to the area for a day trip.  The Tidal Basin has a lot more wiggle room during the weekday because many people are at work and children are at school. 

​If you decide to visit the Tidal Basin during the weekend, it’s better to plan visit early in the morning or later in the day.  No matter what day of the week you visit the earlier in the morning the better.  Wandering around the Tidal Basin at 7am can be delightful, even on the weekends.  However, as the morning progresses, the crowds will significantly increase; especially after 9 a.m.  If you’re wanting to take pictures of the monuments with the blossoms the light for pictures shortly after sunrise is stunning.

​

Christmas season is a popular time of year for many families to send out holiday cards to their friends and family.  This is a perfect time of year to share updated family portraits as well.  This past fall, I received a telephone call from Donnie wanting more information about scheduling a family portrait.