Name: Ever After Portraits
Price range: $$$

Create a Portrait Legacy of Parents and Grandparents | Northern VA Family Photographer

As family fine art photographers in the Northern Virginia area, it is not often that we are asked to do professional photography sessions for older individuals or couples. For whatever the reason, it seems that as people age, there are fewer professional family portraits of them to treasure when they are gone. We wonder if it’s that as a society, we somehow lose confidence in our aging selves? Or, is it that we get busier and don’t prioritize family fine art?

We often write about the importance of family and children’s professional photography. However, we haven’t written much about fine art portraits of our aging parents and grandparents, the older generation. We thought we would discuss the importance of doing fine portraits of the older generations in our families. After all, they are loved and valued as much as other generations.

With almost two decades as family fine art photographers, we have learned so much about life, family, and portrait photography. We have also learned much about the family dynamics of family life and how to portray them through our craft. We have learned much about what to treasure, and we have learned about what to let go of in life.

We are sure you would agree that those we love are what we cherish most and rightly so. Nothing else matters quite as much. Family fine art photography is a beautiful way to capture what we will one day lose.

The Greatest Generation in Family Fine Art Portraits

Think about the family pictures you have of your grandparents. If you have any at all, we bet you have far more professional portraits from them as younger adults than as older adults! Not many people have professional fine art portraits of their grandparents as older adults, even if it’s important to document the lives of those we love while we still have them with us. We say this not out of self-interest for our studio or to be morose in any way. We say this because we know it from experience. We’ve all lost loved ones, and often memories are all we have left of them.

We know how much our memories fade as times goes by – no matter how beloved someone is in our life. So, if there is one thing we’ve learned through our work, it’s to prioritize family fine art portraits. We’ve learned not to wait to do portraits of the Greatest Generation in our lives.

A Legacy of Love through Family Fine Art

When a client asks us for multi-generational portraits, we look forward to taking them. They are among the most poignant and bittersweet pictures we take of clients because they highlight the love from one generation to the next.

We know that most professional family fine art portraits of elderly parents or grandparents are not from their final years with our clients or us. Those sepia-toned or beautiful black and white photographs are often (and sadly) a legacy of their youth. Rare is the portrait we see of an elderly grandparent in their final decades.

This is why we often urge clients to new legacies – ones that represent a life well lived by their parent or grandparents. If you are thinking of doing a family fine art portrait, please consider including your parents or grandparents. In fact, you can even include other older relatives with whom you are close. We promise that you won’t regret including them in your portraits, and they will be happy to have been asked.

Family Fine Art Portraits Create a Legacy of Love for Future Generations

While the memories of our parents’ and grandparents’ lives exist within us, memories also reside in their portraits. Therein lies the value of family portrait photography. Each time in the days and years to come, when you see their portraits, you will remember them. Their images will trigger a memory long buried deep in your mind until you glanced at their portrait. Suddenly, you’ll remember something about them. And, you will be glad to have had that picture of them.

Indoor Studio

We have both an indoor studio and an outdoor portrait park. Both are perfect for multi-generational family fine art portrait sessions.

We will be happy to discuss your vision for your pictures as well as what might be most comfortable for the older generation in the portraits. We are glad to work around them and what best suits them. We will try and accommodate their needs as best as possible. What matters most is that we find a way to shoot your family fine art portraits so that you and your parents can treasure these portraits for the heirlooms they will be in your family!

Below are portraits from a family session in our indoor studio of grandparents and grandkids together!

Outdoor Portrait Park

The family below preferred a portrait session in our outdoor portrait park. For this family, we had grandparents, parents and granddaughters, three generations of this lovely family together! It was such a pleasure to do their portraits, and they truly enjoyed themselves.

Not only did the background of our Outdoor Portrait Park work out ideally for this family’s portraits, but the portrait session itself created more memories for this family. Years from now when those granddaughters look at these portraits, they will remember their loving grandparents as well as the session itself. The portraits will serve as a symbol of this family’s intergenerational bonds.

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If you would like to schedule a professional photography session with your parents or grandparents, or even with great-grandparents, to create some beautiful family fine art at our studios or elsewhere in the Northern Virginia area, please contact us right away. We would be happy to discuss how we can create their portraits in the way that will be most authentic to who they are!

Family Fine Art Photographer, Professional Photography

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located in Sterling, VA, in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

Professional Photographer

Wall Art for Your Family | Northern VA Family Photographer

Without words, each portrait we take tells someone’s story. Each one is a reflection of a life or lives. Remembering that as a family photographer is critical to creating authentic portrait art.

Wall Art

It’s always exciting for us to see which portraits clients fall in love with and what products they select. We enjoy knowing where they decide to display the wall art in their homes or offices! In Jessica and Rod’s case, they loved their portraits so much they ordered a wall collection in Ice for their home. They created a stunning portrait gallery of their beautiful family of three. Their portraits are like windows to their personalities – as if they were standing there smiling at us!

Rod, Jessica and Emma are a warm and loving family, and it was easy to capture that as an experienced family photographer. It’s that authenticity we seek in each picture. It’s important to us to produce portraits clients fall in love with the moment they see them.

Portrait Box

Jessica and Rod opted for the Contemporary Frameless Ice Finish for their portraits. It’s a modern style which coordinates well with most interior design styles. But, they didn’t stop there! They also chose a portrait box. The box allowed them to have more favorites portraits which they could safely store, while allowing them easy access for viewing.

If you would like to work with a family photographer in the Aldie, VA area, we’d love to hear from you. Authenticity is at the heart of all we do in our work. We think it’s evident in this family’s beautiful portraits!

Family Photographer

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Aldie, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

Professional Photographer

Can photography boost your child’s self confidence? Yes! | Northern VA Family Photographer

Children are fascinated by photography! As an Aldie, VA & Arcola, VA photographer, we see it time and again. Children love to see themselves in pictures! You can use that interest as a parent to help boost your child’s self-confidence.

Self-Portraits:

Selfies are popular because to some degree everyone enjoys seeing themselves. Children are no different. If you have ever taken a picture of a small child, then you’ll likely understand what we mean. The moment you snap their picture, these tech-savvy little people can’t wait to see themselves on your cellphone’s screen.

It frequently happens in our portrait photography studio, too. The joy a child feels at seeing themselves is evident in their giant happy grins. (By the way, we love seeing their joy!) They’re thrilled you have taken their picture, and they feel great about themselves! It’s a small gesture with profound impact on a child’s self-esteem.

Affirmation:

Portraits demonstrate how much you love and value your children. At some level, they understand that you have invested in portraits of them. And when you display those pictures in your family home, the effect is all the more powerful.

Children are happy and proud to see their portraits displayed proudly and with love on a wall or framed on a tabletop in their home. They feel confident that they are part of something bigger than themselves – a family! They feel empowered. They know their parents are proud of them and want the visitors to see their beautiful children’s portraits. Yes, they are loved, and they feel good about themselves!

Once again, photography has played a part in boosting your child’s self-confidence, in empowering them, in showing them they are part of a loving family.

If you live near Aldie, VA & Arcola, VA and would like to work with a leading family photographer in Northern Virginia, contact us to schedule your portrait session. It would be our honor to witness your child’s joy at seeing their picture on the screen of our camera and then later displayed in your home!

Family Photographer

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Aldie, VA and Arcola, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

Professional Photographer

What an Amazing Family! Stumvoll Family Portrait Session | Northern VA Family Photographer

Many of our clients are drawn to our charming wooden bridge and pier in our outdoor portrait park near Oakton, VA! As you can see, the Stumvolls were no different. As a family photographer, we were happy to make use of this idyllic spot for this wonderfully photogenic family.

Outdoor Family Portrait Session

When Sally reached out to us, her son Ryan was already out of college, two of her daughters (Ashley and Brittany) were getting ready to graduate college, and another daughter (Haley) was heading off to college! Like so many parents with kids this age, Sally knew it was an opportune time to contact a portrait photography studio before the four children began scattering to pursue their own lives. It meant so much to her to have a family portrait, a portrait where the whole family was together.

We’re so happy that Sally chose us as her family photographer. We loved getting to know this amazing family!

Sally and Dean are a lovely couple. Dean is more on the reserved side, but with help from the kids, he managed to have fun and give us some beautiful smiles. Sally is just so sweet and has such natural beauty. Laughter and kindness are such a part of her nature, that it shines through in everything she says. This couple truly loves their four kids and have worked hard to provide them all with a wonderful start into adult life.

When this lovely family came to us, big brother Ryan had recently graduated from Georgia Tech. Although the girls outnumber him, he managed to keep his sense of humor. Oh, and the “protective big brother” vibe is strong with this one!

Twins Ashley and Brittany, along with Haley, the youngest, were such a beautiful trio of ladies. These three are sisters in the truest fashion; they finished each other sentences and supported each other in the “Mom wants us to have portraits?!” experience with true humor. Enjoying teasing their older brother seemed to also be something they had in common! And Ryan bore it with a smile and a laugh.

This family is amazing, and seeing the family closeness they share was a privilege for us.

Choosing a Family Photographer? Experience Matters!

In family photography, experience matters. It matters technically, but it also matters because you should be comfortable with your family photographer. Also coordinating family sessions and group shots can be complicated. However, as an experienced family photographer, we know how to:
* advise the clients on coordinated outfits for a cohesive and complementary look
* how to make the most of the striking landscape as a backdrop
* how to relax a group so that they look natural and relaxed in their portraits
* and, how to watch for those candid moments so we could capture them

Portrait Style

Before we schedule an appointment, we take the time to speak to a client about their family, their lifestyle, and their ideas for a portrait. For example, in our consult with Sally, she told us that she wanted a candid-style look and she wanted portraits taken outside. She wanted to display these portraits in her home, too. We kept all this in mind when styling her family’s portrait session.

Additionally, we use proprietary design software to show clients how a portrait will look on any wall in their home. It’s simple: a client sends us an iPhone snapshot of the wall where they intend to hang the portrait. We can then show them a mockup of how a portrait collection will look on that wall. Once their portrait session is complete, we use the software to show them exactly how their very own portrait collection will look on that wall! This process helps clients select the perfect portraits in the correct size for their wall.

As a family photographer near Oakton, VA, we want to make the professional portrait experience as smooth as possible for our clients. Our reputation depends not just on our skill as a photographer, but on an excellent customer experience. We believe in building lifelong relationships with our clients.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call our studio. We would be happy to speak with you.

Family Photographer

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Oakton, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

Professional Photographer

The Kids are Home! Fall Family Portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer

Sometimes a little inspiration is useful! Our online portrait gallery as well as the other portraits throughout our website could be just the thing you need to see to help you decide it’s time for family portraits! Our client Wendy found inspiration and motivation from many of the family pictures taken in our outdoor portrait park in Sterling, VA near Arcola, VA and shown on our website. Like others before her, that was the catalyst she needed to schedule a session with us!
When a visit home turns into an opportunity!
Wendy wanted to take advantage of having both of her adult children home, her daughter Tori home on a break and her son Mike not yet left for college, to do a special family portrait. As a family photographer, we understood, so we worked with her to find a suitable date within her time frame. Voila! We got it done!

As you can see, her October session took full advantage of the great autumn hues of our outdoor portrait park. We also incorporated in their family pictures our wooden bridge and dock to add more interest and depth. Their beautiful family dogs, Saba and Rex, joined the fun too!

However, it wasn’t all about group shots! As an experienced family photographer, we know that when adult children are home at the same time, and a mom strategically plans portraits for those dates, we needed to take full advantage of their visit. We took the opportunity to do individual portraits of each member of the family, as well as lovely shots of Wendy and her husband Michael, and other combinations of family members.

Tori and Mike’s sibling relationship was so much fun to photograph! They laughed their way through the session, and we loved capturing that laughter in their portraits.

The love Wendy and Michael share for each other shined through brilliantly. This is a couple who love each other and their children very much.

Our online gallery of portraits:
We are proud of our work which is why we post a selection of client portraits. But we also do it as a way to thank them for their faith in us as their family photographers!

So, if you would like your family pictures taken at our outdoor portrait park or indoor studio conveniently located in the Arcola, VA area, give us a call. Fall is a popular time for family portraits because that’s often when the whole family is together – which is delightful for us as a family photographer!

Family Photographer, Family Pictures

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Arcola, VA in Northern Virginia. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

Professional Photographer

Fall is Coming, Book Your Fall Family Portrait NOW! | Northern VA Family Photographer

When it comes to fall portraits in the Arcola, VA area, it’s best to book early with us! Outdoor photography is hugely popular at that time of the year. Savvy clients know to take advantage of the rich autumn colors.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

When

It’s best to have your portraits done on the early side of leaf-changing rather than later (although we can make later work, too!). Take advantage of the changing colors earlier in the season rather than later. Sometimes, all it takes is a cold snap to find the trees have shed their leaves. However, if that happens, don’t fret! We can get some equally dramatic shots with bare branches in the background. (We’ve posted in the past about the beauty of winter portrait sessions.)

Where

Anywhere outdoors! We’re happy to do your portraits in our outdoor, private portrait park or another venue of your choice. When you call us to discuss your appointment, we’re happy to share ideas based on your vision for your portraits. Northern Virginia doesn’t lack for beautiful landscapes!

Venue

Some trees drop their leaves early, some later. Within reason, we can be flexible about the venue. It might be that one park has already shed its leaves while another remains colorful on the date of your session. We can discuss this further during our initial discussion. Also, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, we can change the date and time as needed.

Outfits

Layers! Fall, especially early in the season, could mean cool mornings and warm afternoons. Plan accordingly. We recommend wearing layers you can discard as the weather warms up – if it does! The beauty of fall portraits is that you have a lot of options when it comes to outfits and layers.

Lastly

Relax and trust us. We have almost two decades of experience shooting family portraits. We know what we’re doing and have experienced various scenarios. We got this, and you do too!

If you’re interested in scheduling some gorgeous outdoor photography in the Arcola, VA area, contact our studio to discuss our openings for the fall. Book early! Slots do fill up for that very popular time of year.

Family Photographer, Photography

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