The Journal

Tips, Guides & Stories

Everything I wish every client knew before their session. Outfit guides, honest advice, and the little things that make portraits feel like you.

Family in coordinated autumn outfits during a Charlottesville portrait session

Family

What to Wear for Family Photos in Charlottesville: A Season-by-Season Guide

Outfits make or break a family session. Here is exactly how I help Charlottesville families coordinate, season by season, so everyone looks like themselves and nobody fights over a shirt.

June 12, 20265 min read
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Professional headshot setup with neutral wardrobe options in a Charlottesville studioHeadshots

Charlottesville Headshots: How to Prepare for a Personal Branding Session

Your headshot is often the first impression you make before anyone meets you. Here is how I help professionals in Charlottesville prepare so they walk in nervous and walk out with images they are proud to use.

June 9, 20265 min read
Soft natural light and elegant fabric detail evoking a boudoir photography sessionBoudoir

How to Prepare for a Boudoir Session: An Honest Guide for First-Timers

Nervous is normal. Almost everyone who books a boudoir session feels it. Here is exactly what to expect, what to bring, and how I make sure you feel safe and beautiful the whole way through.

June 5, 20265 min read
High school senior in a scenic Charlottesville location during a portrait sessionSeniors

Senior Picture Ideas and What to Wear: A Charlottesville Photographer's Guide

Senior portraits should look like the actual person graduating, not a catalog. Here are my favorite Charlottesville locations, outfit ideas, and the timeline that keeps you from missing yearbook deadlines.

June 2, 20264 min read
Elegant portrait session celebrating a confident woman over 50Portraits

Fabulous Over 50: Why Portrait Sessions for Women Over 50 Are Having a Moment

For too long, the camera looked right past women over 50. That is changing, fast. Here is why this generation is finally booking the portraits they deserve, and what a session actually feels like.

May 28, 20265 min read