Engagement Photos | The Ultimate Guide
Most likely you have never had professional photos taken before and are beyond clueless on what all it entails and how you should dress and act during your session. Let alone what kind of session do you have in mind. Welcome to the ultimate engagement guide to help you sort through some of that. Below I will try to ease your mind and give you a step by step guide to help create some masterful and emotive images that truly capture you and your love together.
Mountaintop Engagement | Virginia Shenandoah Valley Photographer| George Washington National Forest | Wolf Gap, VA
The wind was whipping, yet Marianna and Cody blazed the way up the mountain top for their mountain top engagement session in George Washington National Forest in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. We made some cool art and some cold puppies. Their love story takes them through multiple meetings, huge life changes and hardships, moving to separate coasts, coming together over their love of the outdoors and a trip to the PNW and a proceeding long distance relationship where they both racked up all the airline miles. I am so happy my first dual coast wedding is with this duo. They are divine and we just clicked, I can’t wait to travel with you both we are going to make some stunning things you can enjoy for life that tell your story.
Colorful Fall Deep Creek Elopement Microwedding | Deep Creek Lake | Swallow Falls State Park | Deep Creek Elopement Photographer
Mariah and Jen’s fall microwedding style elopement at Swallow Falls State Park in Deep Creek, Maryland was a wonderful and colorful affair. Mariah chose a pink wedding dress to match her pink hair and it was fabulous. The ceremony was done in a Native way to nod towards Jen’s heritage. It was beautiful to watch each element being represented and the traditional use of cornmeal and feathers in action was fabulous (I would post more of those, but the officiant didn’t wish to be published publicly). So hopefully the tidbits give you some of the vibe. Their friends and family surrounded them in so much love and were troopers as we popped through the park and hit each waterfall along the way. Thank you so much to Mariah and Jen for hiring me to capture your day. I had such a blast capturing your love.
Spooky Fall Elopement | Oldtown, MD | Paw Paw Tunnel | Western Maryland Elopement
Rebekah and Nova landed on the idea of a Friday the 13th Elopement at the Paw Paw Tunnel on the C&O Canal in Oldtown, Maryland and they proceeded to go all out. This Victorian Era and spooky inspired elopement featured lanterns, top hats, spooky tunes, the late hours of golden hour into sunset, a freshly renovated overlook ontop of the over 3,000 ft long tunnel, and more. The ceremony was inspired by the day and featured the duo breaking their own mirror in order to make their own bad luck together and have a sense of control over that. They decided to end the evening by taking a walk into the stagnant Canal water together in order to fully cement their union.
Swallow Falls Elopement | Deep Creek Lake | Swallow Falls State Park | McHenry, MD | Deep Creek Elopement Photographer
So this fall in Garrett County absolutely provided per usual. For example this adorable globetrotting duo and newest residents to Western Maryland got to enjoy a fabulous fall day at Swallow Falls State Park. Considering Alex first moved from Boston to Turkey and then met his lovely wife, Katie. I’m beyond happy they decided Mountain Maryland was the place to settle down and call home. We wandered around enjoying the lovely fall day in their wedding attire and did an elopement style shoot to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Harpers Ferry Engagement Couples Photographer | Harpers Ferry, WV Photographer
Melissa and Cory took the day and came down from PA to meet up with me in Harpers Ferry, WV to capture their engagement photos. We had a total blast wandering around town exploring and capturing their love.
Rainy WV Homestead Wedding | West Virginia Wedding Photographer | Hampshire County WV
Ivy and Ryan’s wedding was a total blast. But it was absolutely filled with all the things that were different than what was expected. We started the day hiding from the total monsoon outside inside Ivy’s family home, in Hampshire County, WV, which is absolutely stunning. Her dad has this lovely touch of nostalgia decorating that spoke to my soul, plus the staircase was rescued from another home in Cumberland, MD and transplanted here. I then realized I knew the majority of the wedding party already. So all the goofy energy flowed as the house filled up with people and I felt like I was in high school again. I also played a lovely game of I spy in capturing all the kitties of the day. Vows kicked all the booty, and we learned that Ryan is a total gentleman and took his sweet time in perusing Ivy. Which was adorable. Ivy and her dad kicked it with surprises. His tie featured a photo of them printed inside it. He made a ring she had lost ages ago magically reappear. The rest of the day was full of lots of rain, laughter, drinking, dancing, and joy ❤️
Green Ridge State Forest Microwedding Elopement | Flintstone, MD | Cumberland, MD Wedding Elopement Photographer | Western Maryland Wedding
Jenna and Blake decided to have their elopement style microwedding at Zumbrun Overlook at Green Ridge State Forest in beautiful Mountain Maryland. This duo decided to do the thing under the afternoon sun on a clear sky early September day. In attendance were all of their family, and a surprise audience of roughly +200 Hispanic hikers doing a team hike of the Great Eastern Trail . Thank you guys for being awesome and cheering Blake and Jenna on, and for hiding out and holding the team split while we did the thing. You all are fabulous❤️Congratulations to Blake and Jenna, May life always gift you good surprises ❤️**Nerd note for my hiking couples: Green Ridge State Forest is the largest continuous block of public land in Maryland. The park is 46,000 acres and spans two counties. On the side closest to 68 you are right against the PA state line as some trails continue into Buchanan State Forest. On the other side you are right near Paw Paw, WV and the Paw Paw Tunnel. During Covid lockdowns this is where you could find me every day. Finding different little gems throughout the park, or camping close to the best swimming holes. The park itself is definitely designed for serious outdoors people, with rough roads, and long steep hiking trails. It’s also a research first sort of space, some trails are nicely marked and easy to follow. Other ones… not so much.
Deep Creek Lake Engagement Photos|Deep Creek Lake|Boating Engagement Photos| McHenry, MD |Deep Creek Couples Photographer
Heidi and Dan were absolutely amazing and shared their love of boating with me for their Deep Creek Lake engagement session. We met up at the boat and sped out just in time to catch the most beautiful sunset on the lake and had the most fun snuggling up on the boat for the sunset.
Gettysburg, PA Couples Session | Gettysburg, PA Photographer
Amber and Jason decided in order to celebrate their second wedding anniversary we should all go to their favorite date night spot in Gettysburg, PA and take photos. To which we had a total blast and they treated me to dinner as well. It was lovely in the height of my busy session to take the evening to explore and hang out with some lovely human beings and aid in their celebration.
Rocky Gap State Park Wedding|Flintstone, MD|Cumberland, MD Wedding Photographer| Western Maryland LGBTQIA Microwedding
Angela and LaDonna decided to have a Viking themed microwedding at Rocky Gap State Park where they met in Western Maryland with their lesbian camping group. They were surrounded by all of their friends and their children, They decided to do an elemental themed ceremony around a giant fire pit once the sun had set. So we worked in reverse, starting with couples photos, then dinner, then once the sun set the ceremony began.
Deep Creek Wedding |Brodak's Banquet Hall| Deep Creek Maryland Wedding Photographer
Harley and Nicole tied the knot with their friends at family at Brodak’s Banquet Hall in Oakland, MD in Deep Creek. It was a full Garrett County shin dig, with everyone chipping in to help out, from a close friend making the wedding cake, to another being the DJ, to the boys riding their motorcycles around before the got dressed. Thank you so much to Harley and Nicole for picking me to capture their day and for being fabulous.
Deep Creek Family Session | Deep Creek Lake | McHenry, Maryland | Deep Creek Family Photographer
The G Family came together at Deep Creek Lake in the summer and I got to capture all of their goofy energy in an extended family photo session!!
Davis, WV Blackwater Family Session|Lindy Point|Davis, West Virginia |WV Family Photographer
The T family came home from Colorado and took their kids to the spot where their love story began years ago with a proposal. I was able to join them and capture this lovely walk down memory lane and capture their family in Davis, WV at Lindy Point in Blackwater Falls State Park.
Deep Creek Family Session | Deep Creek Lake | McHenry, Maryland | Deep Creek Family Photographer
The M Family came together at Deep Creek Lake in the summer and I got to capture all of their goofy energy in an extended family photo session on Wisp Mountain!
Deep Creek Family Session | Deep Creek Lake | McHenry, Maryland | Deep Creek Family Photographer
The B Family came together at Deep Creek Lake in the summer and I got to capture all of their goofy energy in an extended family photo session on Wisp Mountain!
Deep Creek Family Session | Deep Creek Lake | McHenry, Maryland | Deep Creek Family Photographer
The W Family came together at Deep Creek Lake in the spring and I got to capture all of their goofy energy in an extended family photo session!
Deep Creek Family Session | Deep Creek Lake | McHenry, Maryland | Deep Creek Family Photographer
The S Family came together at Deep Creek Lake in the spring and I got to capture all of their goofy energy in an extended family photo session!
Cumberland, MD Lifestyle Newborn Family Session | Cumberland, MD | Maryland Family Photographer
Avannah, Ryan, and S welcomed a new member into their family. Baby R came into the world spring of 2023. I came over to their home in Cumberland, MD and captured all the energy of having a new baby in the house who refused to be sleepy. From baby snuggles, to big brother zoomies, to the puppies living their best lives, and the lovely new mural by Chablis
Cumberland, MD Family Session | Cumberland, Maryland | Maryland Family Photographer
Sarah, M and I had a lovely evening playing together in the Spring weather at their home near Gordon Lake in Cumberland, MD. Robert came home and joined us all after he got home from work.