Name: Ever After Portraits
Price range: $$$

What do I look for to find a great photographer?! | Northern VA Family Photographer

As a professional portrait photographer in Northern VA, in Sterling, VA, we used to think a lot about what constitutes bad photography or a bad portrait photographer. Let’s just say that we have had personal experience with both. At some point in their career, every photographer has been too familiar with it! However, like most portrait photographers, we have grown a lot since our early years, and we have learned from our mistakes. We have also heard from colleagues about their mistakes and made it a point to learn from them, too.

Defining Photography

Simply put, photography documents or captures imagery. So, how can you get that wrong? How can it be “bad”? Well, there are many ways in which photography can go wrong or be considered bad. (We can say the same when it comes to bad portrait photographers!)

What Makes Photography Good or Bad?

We know that to produce good photography, we have to invest ourselves in the subject and the portrait. Without that investment, the photograph is likely to lack a certain level of depth and dimension which makes photography transcend ordinary to become good or even great. Without these, you’re likely looking at only average photography.

But, there’s more:

• A technically perfect picture (composition, balance, etc.) doesn’t always equal a good picture. There are several reasons why that is.

• We learned early on that there’s a lot more to good (or bad) photography than perfect composition.

• Bad photography falls flat (remember we mentioned the need for depth and dimension?). It doesn’t evoke emotion or capture depth – whatever its subject.

• A bad portrait doesn’t reflect its subject’s personality. There’s no authenticity about the subject, and it’s especially evident to those who know the subject but, in some cases, to the average viewer as well.

• Whether a portrait is of a building or a baby, a photograph should draw the viewer into the picture – an invitation to step closer and look more intently. It should feel as if there’s a connection of some sort – one that draws you in for a closer look. (Bad photographers don’t do a good job with this.)

• A good photograph should pull at you either emotionally or intellectually.

• A good photograph stops you in your tracks like a great piece of art.

• The subject doesn’t have to be looking at the camera for the shot to be good. Sometimes the best portraits are the more candid ones, without anyone looking right at the camera. That offers a certain level of intrigue or interest, and a good portrait photographer can accomplish this well.

• Good photography is a piece of art and could be and should be displayed prominently in your home. What better art than images of your family?

How to Choose a Great Portrait Photographer and Avoid Bad Photography

If you’d like to avoid bad photography, you need to start with the right photographer. There are some things to keep in mind when selecting a professional portrait photographer and portrait photography studio:

• A good portrait photographer should want to know at least a little bit about you before you arrive for your session. The more invested the photographer is with their client, the better the outcome. They should ask you some questions – including what your vision or goal is with the portraits you are commissioning from them; where will you display them; are there specific products or sizes you want; and even if there is a budget in mind. A good portrait photographer cares about their client and will want to connect with you at some level before you arrive for your portrait session, not only at the session.

• You should select a portrait photographer with which you are comfortable. You’ll be more relaxed, and your portraits will come out looking more natural and candid. If, when you call to schedule your session, you don’t feel at ease with the person on the phone representing the photographer, or don’t feel comfortable with the photographer (you can ask to speak with them), you might want to search elsewhere for a photographer.

• Experience, reputation, and style matter significantly when working with a portrait photographer. Feel free to ask them plenty of questions such as how long they’ve been in business. Review their website to ensure you like their style. Ask for references, if you have any doubts or questions. Just as they should ask you questions, you should feel free to ask their studio questions as well.

• Lastly, there should be full transparency with any photographer. If you feel they’re not forthright with you, consider going elsewhere. (We are as transparent as we can be with prospective and current clients. We believe communication is key to a successful client relationship, no matter what the business) Fine art photography is an investment and clients deserve answers to any questions.

Portrait Photographer, Northern Virginia

We enjoy working with new and past clients, and we’re always happy to answer any questions you might have before your portrait session. Great photography and a great portrait photographer are about more than just skill producing a product. It’s about creating family fine art through building relationships with clients.

If you’d like to work with a reputable and experienced professional portrait photographer in the Sterling, VA and surrounding Northern VA area, contact our studios for some great photography!

Family Photographer, Professional Portrait Photographer

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

Masterpiece Framed Black & White Fine Art Portraits | Northern VA Family Photographer

Fine art photography weaves the fibers of your story together as art. It elevates the quality of photography from ordinary to extraordinary. Working with the Laino family at our indoor and outdoor studios In Northern VA, not far from Bluemont, VA, has given us the opportunity to create beautiful artwork for this lovely family of three. It has been our honor to capture their memories and to stop time through portraiture for them.

The first time she came to us, Michelle knew that with both daughters in high school, empty-nester days weren’t far away. So, she turned to our portrait studio to help her capture memories she knew she would treasure for a lifetime. We have done family, individual, and senior portraits for this wonderful family of women. We are delighted whenever we hear from Michelle to schedule a portrait session! Getting to know these lovely ladies has been a lot of fun.

When it came time to order portraits following one of their sessions, Michelle chose two of our finest-quality professional products.

Masterpiece Framed, Rembrandt Canvas Finish

For the individual portraits of her beloved girls, Michelle chose our highest-quality framing option: Masterpiece Framed with a painted Rembrandt finish. It is a stunning frame option for these beautiful portraits of her daughters!

Multi-Portrait Collection in Steel Finish

For the multi-portrait collection she selected, Michelle chose the Contemporary Frameless Steel Finish. The sleek, gray-metal finish is an elegant but understated look. It brings out the best in the black and white pictures.

To see more on that collection, follow this link:
Laino Family Wall Art Collection, Steel

Both finishes coordinated with the portraits and her home’s decor. Even more, the frames and portraits are guaranteed to last for many decades to come. Michelle, and later her daughters, will have these portraits to enjoy for a lifetime.

If you would like to capture memories through fine art photography, please contact our portrait studio. We have indoor and outdoor studios not far from Bluemont, VA in Northern VA, and we work with families throughout Northern Virginia.

Family Photographer, Fine Art Photography

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy Belcher and Joriana Belcher Anderson, a mother-daughter portrait photography team located near Bluemont, VA in Northern VA. 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

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.

[show_if not_one=’Free Resource Member’]

[/show_if]

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

Professional photographer | Brambleton VA | Family Portrait Studio| Eryn and Travis

Are you searching for a Professional photographer near Brambleton VA or perhaps a family portrait studio?

Washington, DC is a very popular location for engagement, wedding and Day After Sessions with Ever After Portraits. As part of our wedding photography collections, you not only hire two wedding photographers, who specialize in wedding photojournalism or capturing the emotion of the moment, you are hiring wedding photojournalist who LOVE to work in DC.

It was a gorgeous fall day. The perfect type of weather that’s neither too hot or too cold. But the best part was that we got to spend part of our day with Travis and Eryn. There’s nothing better than getting to photograph a couple so in love. And that’s exactly what Travis and Eryn are. It was clear in the way Eryn looked at Travis. And the way Travis knew exactly what to say to make her laugh.

We can’t wait to see more sparks fly on their wedding day. Meanwhile, check out their engagement images!

Professional-photographer