Yes, the title is correct. This is a ‘mini’ session, meaning the session was only 30 minutes in length. And yes, that’s the family pictured below with 21 (twenty.one) smiling faces. I don’t typically work with this large of a group in such a short time frame but this gathering of families from as far as Florida was a moment I wanted to help them capture. I arrived on this extra chilly and windy afternoon to catch them just before their Christmas meal. They managed to look completely content through their cold chills and hunger pangs for lots of loving photos. Happy Holidays everyone!
Tag Archives: trees
Amanda
I first met Amanda at The Lady Jane during her First Friday exhibit. I walked in expecting wall art but was pleasantly surprised to see her little floral masterpieces. Arrangements that spruced up used food jars and donned a price tag labeled with a mere $5! The jars were modestly personalized with a ribbon or decorative string and each bouquet had a little birdie, a sparrow. Amanda owns a small floral business called Sparrow’s Floral Design and she has been keeping herself very busy lately. One look at her work and you’ll know why. I was thrilled when she asked me to do a session with her because she “just really needed some headshots” …nothing fancy. But after a few moments with her, the room softened. As the sun stretched it’s evening light, her personality poured out through laughter and all her awesome facial expressions, many of which, I have reserved just for her viewing pleasure. Ha! I really enjoyed my evening with Amanda and I look forward to working with her in the future!
Hughes Family {mini}
When Ashley asked me to do photos of her family for a second time, I was pumped! The first session was last spring and involved massive storm clouds and chickens. Now, here it is fall and her babes have grown so much! We met at the park for a mini-session filled with beautiful sunlight, homemade cookies and a warm blankie for Daddy. Haha! What fun these guys are!
The kids took off to play with their Dad so I grabbed Ashley for a few solo shots in the remaining sunlight. What a beauty she is!
Sydney & Alison {mini}
It took all of about five clicks of my shutter for these two sisters to get used to me and my camera. As the session went on, they became more and more comfortable being their silly self in front of me. So many giggles echoing through the branches. What fun it was to watch their unique personalities shine through! 
Roberts Family {mini}
The Roberts have the kind of love that’s contagious. Watching them interact with positive attitudes, genuine care and affection was inspiring. I left their session smiling on that cool crisp day. And those girls….future models! Ha! I’m just glad I got them in front of my lens before Hollywood finds them.
Moyers Boys {mini}
These two brothers have a unique relationship that swings from hugs to hits much the same as two tussling puppies: nipping and yapping with tail happily wagging. So full of joy and life! Prepare for many angles of their personalities as you scroll through our session below. I had just as much fun that day as they did!
Lucas Family {mini}
I am not (completely) losing my mind. I know that I just posted a Lucas Family session last week but if you know the Lucas’s, you know that there is absolutely no way I could fully capture them in a thirty minute time frame. So naturally, we set up a second session. These people are like family to me and it’s such a great feeling to have reciprocated support from fellow hardworking community members. Below you will see the side of them I love so much: pure silliness. What started as a photo session by the river turned into a laugh-fest on the train tracks. Never a dull moment.
Kinman Family {mini}
I love photographing families more than once. It’s such a pleasure to help them document the stages of their lives. I photographed sweet Noah and his mom and dad about a year ago and good grief has this boy grown! My afternoon with the Kinman Family was filled with the bright Sunday sunshine and lots of warm smiles. 
Moyers Kids {mini}
A morning mini-session filled with cool breezes, warm smiles, leaf throwing, bunny-eared parents, and a sweet brother and sister.
Sumner Wedding
May the wind be at your back. …and in your face and up your nose and through your hair and…well, you get it. The day was windy, to say the least. When I arrived at the scenic Barn at Kline’s Mill, to the view of rolling hills and 360Ëš blue skies all around me, the breeze grabbed a hold of me and nearly gave me whiplash – jolted me right into photo mode quicker than my morning coffee. Good thing, too, because I was in for a photographic treat of a wedding!
This wedding marks a record for me. It was just held on November 2…which means I cranked this sucker out in a whopping two weeks! That never happens…but I couldn’t help it really. The joy of the day was so contagious it followed me home. Plugging in my camera was like opening a really awesome gift. Catie and Daniel hosted their wedding like it was their job and everything was hand touched and personalized. From the homemade wedding arch to the table settings to the wedding dress worn by Catie’s mother and grandmother to the veil that has been worn by every female in Catie’s family to the superhero undershirts worn by the groom and his men. And from the white daisies in empty chairs representing the absence of beloved family members to the superman pin on Catie’s bouquet to memorialize her father to the soil ceremony combining soil from Catie’s hometown (Sterling, VA)/Daniel’s hometown (Blacksburg, VA)/and the town they met and married (Harrisonburg VA). The ceremony included communion served to guests by the almost-bride-&-groom and the wedding cake itself was made by Catie’s aunt!  And if that’s not personal enough for you, even the meal was catered by their local favorites such as Mr. J’s Bagel and Deli and Italian Touch which also happened to be the spot of their first date. AND they had a Kline’s Dairy ice cream station with singing and dancing dippers!  Their family and friends relaxed and mingled in place of the usual pre-wedding hustle bustle almost as if they were hired to show up and look happy and help out. Talk about a good group of people to be around…I was in the right place. It was great fun to watch this day unfold through my lens and I’m excited to share these images with you.
Brandy Somers Photography 