Smith Pumpkin Patch
Sept 24th-Nov 7
The Smith Pumpkin Patch is a wonderful place to spend a cool autumn day with young/pre-teenage kids. Bounce houses, a  maze, Noah's Ark play fort, and pumpkins galore are just a few of the fun activities for everyone. ​

Autumn Family Photo Sessions with Holly Ann Photography
October
Fall is the perfect time of year to have your family portraits taken. Its wonderful to be outside, hear the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and enjoy some laughter and family bonding time all while preserving your family heritage through beautiful images to be displayed in your home. October 20th and 27th we are offering mini sessions and there are 9 spots available. Book yours today. ​

Poplar Forest
October 20
Listen to some of Virginia’s best folk music and Americana bands in the backyard of Mr. Jefferson’s retreat house. Pair the music with local foods, shop for works by local artisans and explore Jefferson’s octagonal villa—considered his most perfect work of architecture—at a reduced rate. Bands include the Sons of Liberty, the Crooked Road Ramblers, The Wildmans, and Morgan Wade & The Stepbrothers. Tickets for the Poplar Forest Folk Festival are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. All advanced ticket sales end at 5 p.m. Oct. 19th.

May you and your family have a wonderful fall filled with special events and moments that you enjoy together. Time flies by so fast and we must be intentional because we only have 18 fall seasons with our children. 

Keep smiling,

​Holly

I'm so busy, I just haven't gotten around to doing it."
"I don't like how my hair looks, I need it cut."
"I'm scared how my images will look."

These are all concerns I've heard before having a headshot portrait session. It's a little nerve racking before the session because having your portrait taken professionally does require more thought about wardrobe, makeup and makeup than just a selfie or your old Christmas photo. It's a personal representation of YOU and wanting to look your best. 

This is why I help you through the whole process start to finish. I understand what is needed to go from "I need a headshot image" to "Wow, I love my photos! This was so much fun." 

A professional headshot speaks to your attention to detail, the demand for high quality and that you are willing to put your best foot forward in your area. 

Contact me today to setup your headshot portrait session.

In our very fast pace digital world, we often "meet" someone online before we ever extend our hand to say "Hello". We go to their Linkedin account to find out more about them or other social sites to help us understand more about them. 

The truth is, that is happening to you today as well. When your profile picture is pulled up, what are others thinking about you? Do you have a professional portrait that displays your friendliness, confidence or does it scream, I-grabbed-a-Christmas-photo-and-cropped-it-to-fit?

Don't let a 30 minute headshot session stand between you and meeting a great client! 

Victoria realized this fact and we were able to capture some beautiful portraits of her for her business profile and business cards. 

If you run a business by yourself, such a real estate agent or blogger, your values, your passions and interests all come through the service that you sell or make for your clients.

Their is a segment of the population who may have similar experience to you and will connect with you around those interests. This builds a powerful trust factor with YOU.

Trust is the first step towards someone being willing to purchase from you and that is why your in business right? 

When you begin to step out from behind your keyboard and show your face to your audience, this is powerful. 

You know what I mean, that random picture you post of playing with the kids at the park gets TONS more interaction on Facebook than the beautiful flat lay picture that you spent 2 hours creating.

Personal Brand Photography is valuable for every business owner. These can include a nice headshot image to be used on your business cards, website and social media sites.

They can also go more indepth. 

When I plan a Personal Brand Photography session I find out what your business is about and what makes you unique so you can share this most effectively with your ideal clients!

YEAH!! I'm so excited to share with you about the Photography 101 Class that I did this past month. 

Now, I have never taught a Photography class before so it was a big undertaking to actually organize my thoughts, bring together what I have learned and share my favorite skills. I wanted to create a class that gave beginners a jump start on their learning, a fun place to interact and ask questions as they learned. The class was hands on too, I always learn best when I see someone else demonstrate and then I am able to do the same thing myself. 

Learning the buttons and knobs is fun, but putting that into practice was even more fun with our model, who helped us out the very last night of the class. 
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The church was beautiful handcrafted stone. The old wooden pews lined with lights, ferns and magnolias. It say waiting in anticipation of a very nervous bride and an excited groom. Each having waited many years for the right one to come into their lives. It was almost time...

The alter was set with it's own stunning array of candles and towering centerpiece. 

"We want a small garden wedding with friends and family. It's going to be very relaxed, we have family flying in from Russia and we just want to be together." 

I love it when family matters and the wedding day is just a great big excuse to enjoy each others company and friendship. 
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So many details revolved around her guests. Even down to making a special birthday cake for her nephew who was celebrating his 13th birthday that day. Everyone sang Happy Birthday, clapped and cheered while he blew out his candles. It was really sweet.
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​Congratulations to both of you! 

What are the benefits of meeting up with your wedding photographer? Well, lets talk about that today.

I always meet with my clients before their wedding or portrait session and I do it for a number of reasons. We select a cosy place to sit and chat, maybe Cao or Panera Bread, someplace that gives us an area to talk but not be talked over. Meeting up allows us to actually set aside some of the distractions in life and focus on one topic. Planning to create the best images for you! 

Have you ever had a friend tell you about someone they want you to meet? Someone they know you will LOVE but your paths haven't crossed. Well, that is how I feel about the albums, canvas wall art and enlargements that I offer. Everyone LOVES them when they see they. But it is just easier to understand fully what I'm talking about when you see them in person. 

Question. We all have questions when we are learning about something new. When we sit together and chat so many questions get answered quickly as we go over everything. Things like what to wear to engagement sessions, what time to schedule an e-session, how the timeline will flow for the wedding etc. It's much easier and more efficient than doing emails back and forth, back and forth. We have all had those e-conversations and then realized, "Why didn't I just call them!?" 

We all have a personality that mixes well with some people and then just clicks with others. Having that one-on-one with your photographer helps you know if you click. Because when you do, it's so rewarding! You are giving over the job and privilege to someone to be your eyes for your wedding day! It's a BIG deal. So when you click, you very often see life similarly and then their view of your wedding day is just like yours and you will LOVE your wedding images. It's win-win for everyone.

This is valuable time well spent, so call me when you begin planning your wedding or portrait session and we will sit down and chat. 

Today I was going through some of my files and came acrossed this portrait session. I still LOVE it. It was a stylized for the mall when I lived in TN. We had such fun doing makeup, hair and rockin' some really cool outfits.
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This is my favorite shot from the whole session. You are so beautiful my dear.
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Well, this one might be my favorite. I don't know...I can't decide!!
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Now, which one is your favorite? Comment below or I wont know which one you like the best!
Thanks for being here! Be sure to join our newsletter for all the latest info and happening around Holly Ann Photography. It always happens first through our newsletter! 

Today I'm going to do something a little more personal and I think some random facts are a fun way to do just that. They are in no particular order either. 

~ Eating Peppermint Patties is a real treat

~ I have LOUD Snowshoe's Siamese cat named Zorro.

~ Praying is very important to me and I have developed an awesome system to record my requests. Just ask me more.

~ People watching is a hobby of mine, anywhere I go, I love watching others interact.

~ Growing up on a farm taught be about hard work, long hours and the peacefulness of rising early in the morning.

~ The library is a favorite place of mine. I LOVE reading. 

~ Someday I would love to visit Ireland.

~ A Lamborghini is my all time favorite car and I have loved them since I was a kid.

~ Every vacation we take always includes finding the best Hibachi Grill. 

~ Hiking is something I enjoy but the view at the top is always my favorite part. 

~ I don't like the cold but I enjoy ice skating.

~ Traveling is always better with snacks. Someday I'm taking my husband back to see the Grand Canyon. My favorite place ever.

~ Listening to podcasts, audio books or the news is preferred over music. 

~ I'm loyal through and through. I keep my friends close even when distance separates us. 

~ High heels are part of my DNA. Even though I'm tall, I still enjoy them.

~ Pier 1 is my favorite store.

~ Cinnamon is the candle scent I enjoy the most.

~ Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best. Soft ones though, I don't like them crunchy. 

~ Not all I eat is junk food though. I try and eat healthy most of the time.

~ When I was young my best friend called me Holly "Paper" Switzer because I collected pretty stationary. To this day I have a hard time passing up elegant stationary or journals. 

~ It's better monogrammed. 

~ I still date my husband after 11 years of marriage.

So...that is just a little bit about me. Thanks for reading!

Be sure to join our newsletter so you can be the first to know when we open enrollment for our spring portrait sessions. Spots are limited. 

One Year. We learn so much about our spouse in one year. Life changes, we change and our hearts grow more entwined together. It's the working out of two hearts becoming one. I love seeing couples grow together. 
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Having come through boot camp with flying colors made her very proud of her husband. You can see it in her eyes. When he was finished, she wanted to do a 1 year anniversary session.
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If you have read many of my blog post's you will see a theme. The great outdoors. I love being outside and even though I grew up in the country of Upstate New York, nothing was like the Mountains of the Blue Ridge. I LOVE having them as my backdrop! 
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Isn't this a sweet image?!?! 
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A sense of adventure runs deep in their veins so we had to stop traffic for this cool shoot! 

May your future hold many new adventures, things that challenge you but also bring you closer and closer together. Congratulations.

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