1. It's fall, and that means Family Portrait Sessions! I decided to only take on a few family sessions this year, as my photography business is transitioning (stay tuned), and one of my favorite families also happens also to be a past NILMDTS client. While the details of our NILMDTS session are private and heartbreaking, it's these sessions when I have the amazing opportunity and great fortune to document them in their moments of pure happiness that reinforce my desire to keep photographing families.

    I had the honor of meeting and photographing baby G when she was just days old this past Christmas, so to see her now at almost one year old was pure joy! She is growing so fast! Baby G is beyond adorable. She is precocious, beautiful, and completely in love with her mommy and daddy, not to mention, quite comfortable in front of the camera. Through her I see also her brother, whom I only met once, but he left quite an undeniable imprint on me.
    This photoshoot, at Roosevelt Island happened to be on the anniversary of the first time I met mom and dad, and I love that they always choose to take this date to honor their son, but to also celebrate baby G's life and growth!






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    Labels: Fall Family Photos Family Portrait NILMDTS Washington DC Family Photography
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  2. While my main website/blog is down for repairs I had to find a way to be able to share a few sneak peek images from Lyndsey and Chris' garden style wedding from this past May!

    One of my favorite historic venues in Northern Virginia, Fort C.F. Smith - Hendry House was the most perfect setting for Lyndsey and Chris' wedding day vision. They did an awesome job of making the day relaxed, meaningful, and loads of fun for all their guests!

    Congratulations again you two!!









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    Labels: Arlington VA wedding photographer Hendry House Historic Wedding Venu NOVA Wedding NOVA Wedding Photographer Spring Wedding
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  3.   What people are saying,
    "Lauren creates an extremely nurturing atmosphere and I was really impressed with how she created this in the classroom. I appreciated the flow (working up to bigger challenges) of the day and the step by step process that she created. It was a great experience! "
    "I usually never do these types of workshops.  I always pick the technical or the business orientated one, so it was simply a great to step out of my norm.  Hard, but good."

    A workshop for artist, creatives, and wanna be creatives

    April 25th 2015
    11am-5pm

    WeWork Collaborative Dupont Circle
    1875 Connecticut Ave NW 10th Floor
    Washington, DC 20009
    Hosted by Sarah Hodzic of Blink Photography and ArtWorks Collective
    Finding and keeping a clear sense of your own creative voice is one of the most challenging aspects of living a career as a creative artist. This course is not about making the perfect photo, being a wordsmith, or creating gallery ready art. This session is about experiencing the practice of being an artist in a supportive and non-judgmental environment. We will begin with warm-up writing exercises to short circuit the inner critic that tends to filter through snap judgement and prevent examining areas that may feel vulnerable. Students should expect to be challenged to explore new ways of thinking about their creative life, face a few fears and perhaps meet their inner critic for a little heart to heart.
    The goal of this workshop is to explore new ways to connect ourselves to our work—whether that be our own personal work or what we do in our every day jobs—and to remain vibrant and inspired to create art that is deeply satisfying, meaningful, and full of heart.
    This workshop will create an environment that will allow you to reconnect with what drove you to choose your position in life and your career. What was it that made you take a leap, or settle in? We have all had a motivating factor; something that pushes us every day to make the choices we do. Typically, we make choices to imagine new possibilities, solve problems, and invent new ways of living. Why not make those decisions from a conscious, informed place? At its heart, creativity is about imagining, solving, and inventing. Let us learn to approach every day with a creative perspective.
    Who is this workshop for? Everyone!
    Do you need to be an artist of any kind? No!
    Do you need to know how to draw, write or paint? No!
    Do you need to come with a willingness to infuse creativity into an area of your life or business? YES!
    Exercises will include:
    Warm-up writing
    Sourcing personal histories for places to create a personal or creative work project
    Utilizing new art materials for visual journaling
    Timed exercises, including collage
    Making a book & re-purposing a book
    Committing to your creative practice

    So are you ready to unleash, explore or renew your creative spirit? Then click this link for tickets!

    Seats are limited to 12 participants, so get your tickets early. Questions can be directed to ArtWorksCollectiveDC@gmail.com, and please feel free to spread the word!

    Get your tickets on Eventbrite!

    Lauren Rutten is a certified Amherst Writers & Artists facilitator whose writing has been published in The Red Silk Anthology. She has been recognized as a Distinguished Teaching Artist by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in 2009 & 2012. Lauren leads weekly writing workshops and full-day combined writing and visual arts retreats in Washington, DC & Arlington, Virginia. She has a distinguished career as an assignment photographer in NYC, NJ & VA. Lauren’s art practice involves meditation, daily readings, contemplative walks, book arts, and daily photographic adventures that are shared via www.108daysofpractice.com. You can learn more about her work at www.milkhousearts.com

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    Labels: art art practice art workshop dc Artworks Collective blink DC Creative practice Creative workshop Lauren Rutten Milk House Arts Sarah Hodzic Writing workshop
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  4. Washington DC's National Building Museum was the backdrop for this December head shot photo session.


    Shoshanna is a real estate agent and attorney in the Washington DC metro area, and was in need of some new head shots for her real estate website.
    Our original plan was to meet in Old Town Alexandria for some outdoor portraits, but the bitter cold of December prevented this session from happening in Old Town. Fortunately, we had the great idea to meet at the National Building Museum in DC. I am a fan of the building museum for many, many reasons. Not only is it a fantastic and fun place to visit and tour, the indoor space is great for portraits of all kinds!

    Check out Shoshanna's website to see more about her and her business!  www.shoshannatanner.com








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    Labels: BlinkDC Corporate head shots Head Shot Photographer National Building Museum Real estate head shot Washington DC Portrait Photographer
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  5. Milltown Creek Tree Farm is not just great for Christmas trees; it was also the wonderful setting of one of my very first snowy engagement photo sessions!
    Katelyn and Pete met my husband Mike and I out at the tree farm this past week, just after the DC area got hit with its first snow storm of the winter! Katelyn and I had made an "on call" engagement session arrangement, ever hopeful that we might get snow for their shoot. When the snow came, it conveniently coincided with the day Mike and I had planned on cutting down our own tree, so lo and behold! Tree cutting and engagement photo session both happened the same day at this super fun location!

    Katelyn and Pete will be married next year in upstate New York, but are currently living in the DC area. As a result, I had the great pleasure of doing some pre-wedding portraits of them here before the big day next year. They brought along their adorable dog Riley, who was pretty ecstatic about the newly fallen snow. I think I would be too if I were covered with a thick fur coat! After a couple shots with the pup, away we went, traipsing through the snow, frolicking among the trees, and making general merriment on this gorgeous winter day!

    A big congrats to Katelyn and Pete! 

      



















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    Labels: Christmas Tree Farm McLean Portrait Photographer NOVA Wedding Photographer Snow Photos Snowy engagement photos Snowy portraits Snowy Wedding
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  6. I love when I get the chance to do a one-on-one fall portrait session with a fun client such as Kristen B! Kristen was in the market for both personal and professional portraits of herself for various social media and networking sites. We scheduled an outdoor photo shoot to take advantage of the last of the fall leaves, with their bright red and orange display.

    Kristen got "the works" from awesome makeup artist Sally Sagarese before we headed out to roam around the wooded backyard of my home/studio. Kristen was a natural in front of the camera, despite some initial camera nerves! I love the images we created together on this lovely fall afternoon!















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    Labels: Fall portraits Family Portraits Head shot McLean Portrait Photographer McLean Virginia Photography Outdoor portraits Portrait Session Simple head shots
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  7. Another fantastic part of my job is getting the opportunity to photograph my clients throughout all the exciting stages in their lives: marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth!

    I met little Ian for the first time on a crisp fall day. I guess I technically met him a year ago when I photographed him in his mamma's belly, but this time I got to play with Ian and have the awesome experience of seeing Susan and Steve as parents! Everyone has different parenting styles, and I feel that I learn so much by watching my clients as they make their way through the great adventure that is parenting. And Susan and Steve are great parents who work well as a team!

    Susan, Steve, Ian and I all met up at the National Building Museum in DC. Since it was a pretty brisk and chilly day I knew the Building Museum would be a fantastic place for Ian to move around inside. Luckily, as the weather warmed up we were able to take advantage of the grounds outside too! If you haven't been to the National Building Museum, it's such an amazing and, I feel, undervalued space in DC to meet up, learn, play, and explore. And while it's a fantastic place for children, it's also a great place for adults too!

    It truly is an honor for me to document a new family. I remember when I first started as a full time photographer all those many years ago. I was, for some strange reason, afraid to work with families and children. I know now that my comfort level comes from my own growth and maturity as a person and photographer, but my relationships with my clients have also evolved over the years to a point at which I feel, if even just for a day, like a small part of their families. I feel like I am on this adventure with them as they navigate and explore what it means to be in a marriage, have children, relocate to new places...all that learning and life experience trickles down to me when we meet for a session. I feel this experience has given me perspective, confidence, and connection, all of which I believe only enhance my work as a photographer.

    Anyway, enough babbling from me. Here are some ridiculously cute photos of little Ian and the whole Britton Family!




















    A big thank you to the Brittons. Meeting little Ian was such a joy! I am excited to see him grow!


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    Labels: Baby Portraits Family Portraits McLean Family Photography National Building Museum Washington DC Family Photography
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  8. Oh my gosh, where do I begin? Cali and Dan, Cali and Dan... you are just super fly! 
    I love my clients because they introduce me to the coolest places, like the Cylburn Arboretum! We loved it there so much that it has earned a place on our list of day trip destinations for the spring, or heck, maybe even this winter. Cylburn was a fantastic setting for Cali and Dan's geeeorgeous fall wedding. I almost fell over with excitement when I saw how the creamy fall light was dancing among the jewel tone colors of the trees and plants that were all over the grounds of the arboretum. It got chilly fast as the sun began to dip below the horizon, but Cali, Dan and the whole wedding party braved the chill and helped me create some great, nay... super beautiful images!!  I could have stayed outside all day whisking Cali and Dan all over the grounds for portraits, but the day wasn't about me; it was about the pretty dagone cool relationship that Cali and Dan have, and the new adventure of marriage they were about to embark upon!

    I think out of all the great moments of the wedding day, one of my favorites was listening to the maid of honor's speech. She said a lot of things that rang true for me in my own marriage, but the line that got me right in the ole heart was that she just knew Cali and Dan were a true match after she watched them cook together in their kitchen while hosting a dinner party for their friends. This is something near and dear to my heart because the first time I saw my now husband hosting a dinner party was the moment I began to fall in love with him, and day dream about all the fun gatherings we could have together!! 

    So, needless to say, I feel a kinship with Cali and Dan, and I know that any couple that can work well together in the kitchen is pretty bitchin' (see what I did there?)! The theme of the maid of honor's speech was reiterated by others throughout the night: Cali and Dan are a team. They complement each other so well. And while I realize that phrase gets tossed around a lot in reference to couples, I don't hesitate to use it here. Cali and Dan's partnership, their balance, has been evident to me as I've gotten to know and spend time with these two over the last several months.

    Anywho... I could go on and on, but this is a photo blog after all! Here are some of the images that make me happy when I look back on Cali and Dan's marriage celebration! And please be forewarned, Cali and Dan had some AH-MAZING guests at their wedding. These people could DANCE...and it was just too hard for me to narrow down all the amazingness on the dance floor, so you're in for a treat! 

    Enjoy!































































































    And big applause to all of Cali and Dan's wedding day vendors!

    Clementine - food and drink
    Cylburn Arboretum, venue
    Kristen Foster - hair
    Lisa Buckleman - makeup
    Plants Alive! - interior landscaping/plant rentals
    Maggie McMannus, MyDeejay - music
    Fleur de Lis -  florist





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    Labels: Baltimore Maryland Wedding Photographer Baltimore Wedding Photography blink DC Clyburn Arboretum Fall Wedding Fleur de Lis Florist MyDeejay Plants Alive Sarah Hodzic
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  9.  

    Greer and Joe made it official! Their love is no joke, but man do they know how to make each other laugh! These two fantastic folks had their lovely intimate nuptials at the Barcroft Community House,  and then celebrated with a larger gathering at the Carlyle Club, a super old timey, swanky supper club in Alexandria, VA. The Carlyle was the perfect spot to showcase Greer and Joe's celebration with friends and family. I dug this venue! From the decor to the dramatic lighting to the jazz pianist ushering in the cocktail hour, the 1940s vibe permeated the whole place. Plus the bartenders knew their stuff and the staff was super friendly. What a fun setting to have a wedding reception!

    As I believe photos can speak volumes, I'll let the images do the rest of the talking! I am thrilled to be able to share Greer and Joe's wedding story with you. Here are some of my favorites from the big day...



    I loved getting the chance to do the getting ready photos at Greer and Joe's home. They have the most adorable two pups, both of whom were ever-present with Mama Greer as she put the final touches on the dress and wedding ensemble. Love love love it!





    The Barcroft Community House is the cutest little space to have an intimate gathering for a wedding ceremony celebration. As most of you (I'm sure) have been able to tell over the years, I LOVE old buildings. I love the history, I love the look and feel of the imperfect structure, and I love to see how time has washed over these places. Even more, I love the juxtaposition of old and new!
    Greer and Joe did such a great job of keeping their ceremony simple and meaningful, and the setting just enhanced it all.







    Post-ceremony time brought snacks of yummy cookies from Pastries By Randolph, and what better way to start off the rest of the wedding day than feed your bride some delicious confections? I could have taken up the entire blog post with the series of images and moments from the "cookie" feeding! 






    The Barcroft Community House also has some really great garden areas around the house. The fall light was killing it, as were Joe and Greer in our post-ceremony portrait time. Watching them together was really a joy for me. The best part of my job is the time alone with the bride and groom and letting them just interact with one another.









    Most jovial family portraits in my 9 years of photographing weddings. Loved every moment of this!






    Details, details, such fun details!





    It was all about the Facinators at the reception! How fabu! This gal LOVES a good facinator, and more so, the occasion to wear one. Hats off to Greer and Joe for making their wedding reception just the perfect venue for such facinator fabulousness!


    Oh god... the pies! So many amazing pies by Heather Sheire of The Pie Life!



    Comedy troupes in the house! Incidentally, improv comedy is how Greer and Joe met years ago. They are both members of two different comedy groups, and lordy was it fun to document them all together. I cracked up so much while editing these images, and I so wish that these photos had audio as well. I am a huge fan of subtle (and not so subtle) humor, and it was in abundance that night.







    Another favorite time for me as the photographer, watching my clients' friends and family celebrate the bride and groom! I love seeing the excitement and interactions between people. It really is pretty cool how we celebrate one another in these big moments of our lives!


    A super big hearted CONGRATULATIONS Greer and Joe! You did it, and you did it with such style!

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    Labels: Alexandria Virginia Wedding Photographer Arlington VA wedding photographer Barcroft Community House Carlyle Club Fall wedding photography Pies Small wedding ceremony Small wedding venue The Pie Life
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  10. The experience I had photographing Dana and Alex's wedding day at Linganore Winecellars in Mount Airy, MD is difficult to summarize... I want to share it all! First, the setting was out of a story book. I get the opportunity to photograph a lot of lovely vineyards, and Linganore was exceptionally beautiful. Its rolling hills were plush with bursting grape vines and gorgeous sunsets, and we were permitted to take photographs in their super cool wine cellars to our hearts' content!

    While the location was stunning in its own right, it was the energy between Dana and Alex that moved me to tears for much of the day. I think I cried as much as Alex, our sweet and awesome groom! When he saw Dana walking up the hill towards him, his eyes welled with such love, wonderment and excitement--not to mention you could hear Dana laughing with joy, which was so priceless to hear wafting over the hill as she took her wedding day walk to the altar. I truly was a total mess, but all because I was bursting with happiness for these two!

    As you can probably tell, I have a severe crush on Dana and Alex and feel a kinship with them in many ways, including how they decided to set up their wedding day. It was important to them that the ceremony be intimate, and inclusive. Dana and Alex asked only that immediate family be in attendance for the wedding ceremony. Both sets of parents spoke, sharing with Dana and Alex wonderful, poignant and fitting words of wisdom. Alex and Dana also had their siblings stand and give meaningful readings that so perfectly fit who Alex and Dana are. After the readings, everyone got to be a part of the wedding ring blessing! I loved how warm and inclusive the officiant was for this special ritual. She blessed the rings and then passed them from hand to hand, family member to family member, to imbue them with love for Dana and Alex. Finally, the rings passed to the bride and groom to put on each other fingers. Amazing!

    Even more amazing: Dana and Alex also did a very sweet hand-fasting ceremony, which is especially close to my heart because it was a very important part of my own wedding day. Oh! And the breaking of the glass. I'll never forget that! As Alex did the groom's ritual of stomping the glass, Dana's arms flew up with a hoot of celebration as Alex's manly shattering obliterated the light bulb in the silk bag. Then, the officiant announces that in solidarity and equality, DANA gets to break her own glass as well!! I almost fell over in laughter at Dana's response, which was just SO Dana--lots of hooting and several "Yeah, Yeah, YEAHs!" Smash that glass she did (with a loving, helping hand from Alex). All in all, it was just ridiculously magical and I cried like a baby!

    I felt so fortunate to be witness to this special and sacred ceremony of marriage, and I was equally excited that Dana and Alex blessed me with over an hour and a half of photography time with JUST THEM! I was over the moon knowing I had all that time in this stunning location! We had time to play in the barns, frolic along the hill top, and bury ourselves in the ripening grapevines, all while about 100 or so of Dana and Alex's closest friends and family started to gather for the reception in the super fantastically awesome "barn" on the wine-cellar grounds. It was just the MOST PERFECT day!

    I am gushing at this point, so I am going to stop here and just say that I really feel quite honored to have been able to witness Dana and Alex's wedding. Here are just a few of the images we made together that day.



















     
























     


































    This magnificent day couldn't have happened without all of Dana and Alex's awesome vendors:

     Wedding Coordinator - Lucy Mullineaux - Hello Events
     Officiant - Heather Saul 
     Florist - Fiore Floral  
     Cupcakes - Nikkie Byrd -The Buttercream Shoppe

     And last but not least, the super fly funk and soul band... Superland Stage Band 


    Alex and Dana, you two were amazing to work with, and I know that the love, respect and admiration that you have for one another will continue to serve you well through the years of your marriage!
    CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

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    Labels: BlinkDC Fall Wedding Linganore Winecellars McLean VA Photographer Mt. Airy Maryland. McLean Wedding Photographer Rustic Wedding Sarah Hodzic Vineyard Wedding Wedding Photography NOVA
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