Family: Arlington, VA Golden Light Session.

On Sunday, I had the chance to photograph a family new to our area.  I'd been wanting to do a session at the Bel Air Memorial Rose Garden, and even though I knew the roses wouldn't be in bloom, the park is full of fun features.  Spring was in the air, and while the temperatures were bit chilly, the light was amazing.









Don't forget to book your family's spring photos!  Follow along on Facebook or use the form in the sidebar for more info.

Easter Photos in Old Town Alexandria/Announcement!

I love siblings.  And I love bright colors and spring days in February.

Last Sunday, Jessica and I headed to Old Town to photograph this beautiful family for Easter.  The day before was chilly and in the 40s, but we had sunshine and 60s.

Here are a few sneak peaks!






And this seems like a good time to share.

I'll be spending more time with my camera and my kids in the upcoming school year.  Instead of returning to full-time teaching, I'll be continuing to run this business and spend time with my two girls.  What does that mean for you?  Weekday sessions will be available and I'll be able to take on more sessions each month.

Remember to contact me to book photo sessions for spring and beyond!

Family: Arlington, VA to Sacramento, CA.

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently took my youngest to California with me to attend my grandfather's memorial service.

Yes, there was great sadness, because the world lost a fantastic man.  But there was also great joy as I saw my cousins for the first time in years and met their spouses and kids.

Here are a few shots of my cousin's youngest daughter.  Baby Caroline loved her, although I think she kept hoping big sister Ellie would show up.



I'm home now and back in the swing of things.  Spring sessions are quickly filling up - and I'm ready to get back to outdoor photography with flowers and golden light.  Dates available through April include March 13, March 19, April 2, April 3, April 9, April 10 and April 30, although most of those dates have limited time slots.  Weekday evening sessions are primarily reserved for high school seniors, and those sessions are very limited.  It's fun to think about joyful photo sessions coming off a sad couple weeks.  I've been back out with my camera photographing some headshots and stay tuned for a couple adorable families coming up!  

 For all the latest, follow along on Facebook.  

Print Your Pictures.

This post isn't sharing my work.  In fact, the only photo you'll see is a phone photo of a print from the 1990s.  This post is a plea.

 Print your pictures.  

My phone rang early on Valentine's Day morning. It was my dad. I live in Northern Virginia and my dad lives in California, meaning it was not a normal time for him to be awake, let alone calling. My heart skipped a beat and I answered the phone to learn that my 93 year old grandfather had passed away. 

A few hours later when my house was quiet, I reached into my closet for the four disorganized boxes of photos I store there. 

I have photos framed in my home, a selection of albums and photo books, and a Sticky9 collection that covers my entire fridge. 

But I also have random prints that aren't frame or album worthy (or that never made it into a frame or album) that sit in shoeboxes. It's kind of embarrassing to admit how disorganized those boxes are, but at least I know that my old photos are somewhere in there when I go searching. 
Me and Pops, my high school graduation, 1998.

I dug through the boxes to find pictures of my Pop. Most of the photos are still at my dad's I imagine, but I found a mini-treasure trove from my childhood up to my college graduation. 

I love working as a photographer.  It is convenient for me if you buy a digital package. But please, don't let the pictures live on your phone or laptop. Print them. Make a book. Invest in a few nice prints or a canvas. That's why my referral gift is prints.  I need to know you have photographs in hard copy.

Schedule a session with grandpa or grandma or great grandpa. Then print the photos. 

And while it was a sad event that prompted this particular post, I can think of other times I've searched through boxes for prints in celebration - anniversaries, birthdays, engagements and weddings.  When friends have moved or left jobs, I've dug through my photo boxes to create memory books and slideshows.

 I take pictures because I want you hold them, display them, pass them out to friends.  I love the ease of digital sharing, as my Facebook and Instagram attest.  But when I held an old Polaroid of my grandparents, I felt a peace that looking at a computer screen doesn't bring.

Baby E Turns One!

Baby E's mom reached out to schedule a session a few months ago.

When scheduling problems arose, I was able to switch baby E's family shoot to a mini-session to celebrate her first birthday.  That was no biggie.

But then there was the weather.

Flurries and wind chills in the teens do not a happy baby make, so we moved indoors to celebrate baby E.  In her Woodbridge home, she showed off an extreme love for Doc McStuffins and Minnie Mouse.  She was a super easy-going baby and didn't cry one bit!


Email me at meganlandmeier@gmail.com or message me via Facebook to schedule your 2016 photo sessions.  Spring time slots will fill up quickly!