If you grew up with pets, then you probably know what it’s like to lose one. Lacey and Stephen, a sweet, newly engaged couple, had just received the unfortunate news that their sweet old pup Buddy has a terminal illness. They were also just gearing up to move out of the Roanoke apartment complex they’d inhabited for over six years. When Lacey contacted me to do a sort of “family” photoshoot with her, Stephen, and their pets to capture them together at home while Buddy is still alive, I jumped at the opportunity…
Read MoreKehoe Family // Explore Park, VA
On a beautiful spring evening, I met the Kehoe family at Explore Park just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Chauncey and Nick arrived with their two little girls, Penelope and Lucille, and Chauncey’s parents as well. They were immediately friendly, upbeat, and ready to do some exploring. I knew we would have a great time…
Read MoreMaternity Portraits // Roanoke, VA
This sweet couple is expecting their first baby (a boy!) and I just loved capturing their excitement. We met near the Blue Ridge Parkway in the late afternoon, and the sunlight glowed warmer with each passing minute. The wind was intense, but these two were great sports about it as we wandered around the fields and the woods. It was a beautiful evening for a photoshoot…
Read MoreTinker Cliffs // Troutville, VA
I don’t know about you, but this pandemic has exacerbated the wanderlust that I usually end up feeling this time of year. Most summers I travel someplace completely new to me, and obviously this has not been possible to do. It seems everyone else is feeling the itch, too. And so, we go outside.
Read MoreCarol & Erron // Salem, VA Engagement
Carol and Erron (how cool is that spelling!) are an adorably sweet pair of humans. Before they hired me to photograph their wedding, we “met” via FaceTime, peppering each other with questions and telling tales. Their humor is quirky. They both devote themselves to helping others in their jobs, what with Carol being a Unitarian minister and Erron teaching adult education. Their love for each other is so evident, so delightfully shining on their faces. I fell in love with them on that call.
Read MoreKristin & Holli // Mountaintop Wedding, VA
There’s nothing more quintessential southwestern Virginia than mountain views, and Kristin and Holli’s wedding was full of them. Their venue, Silver Hearth Lodge, sits atop Bent Mountain and looks out across the Roanoke valley. Tucked away in the woods at the top of a mountain, these two tied the knot on a cool autumn day.
Read MoreMorela & Derek // Boones Mill, VA Wedding
Stories like Morela and Derek’s just strengthen my belief in fate – the idea that just some things are meant to happen. They met one night in Miami while they were each out with their friends, and here they were getting married. It’s proof that you just never know what each day has in store. Little did these two know that on that night they’d meet their future spouse. The more time I spent around them during the wedding day, the more obvious it was that…
Read MoreDonahue Family // Roanoke, VA
This family photo session was, more than anything, a chance to document the arrival of the Donahue family’s newest member. Tori and Andrew had just welcomed their first baby, Pearce, into the world. At just one month old, he was wonderfully patient with the rest of us as we changed his outfit and had him striking different poses. As long as he could eat, he was up for anything…
Read MoreEmily & Michael // Roanoke Lifestyle Session
Emily and Michael wanted to capture some photos in their sweet Roanoke home that they’ve cultivated for over six years. Living on the fringe of downtown, these two have lovingly styled and designed their home over the years to be personal and yet also wonderfully trendy. I walked in and was instantly impressed by…
Read MoreThe Dead Zone // Pocahontas County, WV
It’s ironic to me that we call places with no cell service “dead zones.” Oftentimes, these places are rural or wild areas far away from blocks upon blocks of concrete, steel, and consumerism. If it’s a place full of nature, how can we call that place “dead” when in fact, more species can thrive there than in any city? If it’s a rural neighborhood, could we consider the fact that existing with less might make more room for life?
Read MoreForsythias // Roanoke, VA
Forsythias are some of the earliest bloomers. Because they are a shrub rather than a small flower, it’s impossible to miss their explosion of yellow at the start of each spring. They are big plants and they have something to say. That unabashed burst of color heralding the coming of warm sun and lilting birdsong makes me smile. It’s the start of my favorite…
Read MoreVaish // Downtown Roanoke Birthday
On Vaish’s birthday last April, we meandered the streets of Roanoke as we waited to meet more friends for a celebratory dinner. The afternoon light was so gorgeous that I knew I had to bring my camera. I grabbed it on my way out the door, talking to Vaish about where we should meet…
Read MoreCherry Blossoms // Roanoke, VA
If there’s one advantage to this insane global pandemic, it’s that more people are spending time outside. Not just outside their home, because there are a lot of places beyond the walls of our homes that we are not supposed to go, but…
Read MoreEliana // Roanoke Senior Portraits
Senior photo shoots always make me nostalgic. The last year of high school is such a huge turning point in life! I remember feeling so many things when I was that age – feeling impatient about what was to come, sad that I could never again relive what I was experiencing. That combination is what makes senior portraits so special. I was lucky to capture…
Read MoreKayla // Roanoke Senior Portraits
When Kayla asked me about doing a double senior portrait session with her friend Eliana (stay tuned for a post with her photos!) at Roanoke’s Explore Park, I was so excited. With the water, woods, and beautiful views I knew it would be a perfect location for a fun and relaxed photo shoot…
Read MoreKelsey and Cody // Vineyard Wedding
Cody and Kelsey are so wonderfully kind and sweet. They are the kind of couple that asks a photographer to take a spontaneous photo of them with a loved one during their reception and then says “Thank you so much!” with true appreciation. Many couples don’t show such gratitude because they are (understandably) so busy enjoying their day and just figure that the photographer is simply doing their job. But, Kelsey and Cody are not most people…
Read MoreHeather & Josh // Peaks of Otter Engagement
It was before sunrise, and I had the road to myself as I wound along the mountain-hugging curves. Light started to seep into the sky as the clouds clung low in the hills. Out of sheer compulsion, I pulled over a few times just to get out of the car and breathe in the cool, still air as the heavens warmed from navy to pink. It was probably the most peaceful I’d ever felt on the way to a photography job….
Read MoreMichaela & Colby // Grandin Engagement
I adore in-home engagement sessions. Capturing engagement photos is already intimate, but doing it inside a private living space is even more so. Beyond just getting to know the couple and their dynamic with each other, I also get to step into their lifestyle and see what they choose to surround themselves with every day. For Michaela and Colby, we extended this personal experience out to…
Read MoreTouching the Sky
I had been missing New England so much, especially the White Mountains. I missed the sweet scent of evergreens tall and dense, lining the pulpy earth with their needles. I missed the special quiet that comes with breaking treeline and entering the alpine zone. I missed trails that will simultaneously break your heart with…
Read MoreStephanie and Will // Blue Ridge, VA Wedding
I pulled onto the dirt road and wound around a neighboring orchard before I came into view of Diamond V Farm with its rolling pastures and mountain views. The barn sat atop a little hill, the last stop on the road. It was the perfect setting for Stephanie and Will’s July wedding…
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