The Hugo's are expecting their baby boy this December and are beyond excited!  I met Jenn and John about a year ago volunteering at the Very Merry Military Mini's for families who have loved ones who are deployed.  Since then we have had lunch dates, mentoring sessions, prop swaps, second shooting sessions, baby showers, baby shopping, and lots of conversations!  These two are both photographers and are used to either being behind the camera or taking pictures of each other, but they rarely have their pictures taken together, so I had lots of fun (through nervous jitters) posing these two!! Let me just say, they are a gorgeous couple and their little boy is going to be one handsome little guy!!  I can't wait to meet Baby H and watch out bouncing baby boys become fast friends!  

*Pictures taken along Freemason Ave, Norfolk and surrounding areas. I love the variety!

 

This beautiful family session at Oak Grove Lake Park in Chesapeake was absolutely perfect!  They were dressed in perfect coordination of navy, yellow, white, and khaki and were absolutely stunning!  We started at the field and then walked down to the docks while taking pictures along the way.  This session was a family session with a focus on the children, who are all gorgeous!  We chatted about everything from work to babies to strollers to school and I had such an enjoyable time!  Enjoy!

Yum! Toes are the best!

Daddy's Girls!

He's so handsome and I adore the plan prop that they brought for him!

Sometimes baby needs to feed!

Mom & Dad with their baby boy!

A little nautical element!

Family

Some pictures on the dock while the sun was setting!  I love the orange on the trees and reflection on the lake!

Mom & Dad deserve the spotlight too!

Hey!!  The holidays are rapidly approaching and I am booking up quite fast!  If you are interested in having pictures taken by me this fall, please contact me asap at [email protected].  I will only be booking sessions in the Hampton Roads area through November 17th and I will be booking sessions in the Philadelphia area from November 21st-November 28th.  I may or may not be in PA prior to Thanksgiving...if I am, I will be sure to let you all know!  Baby Nolan is due January 2nd, so I am hesitant to book heavily into December.  If Thanksgiving comes and goes and I still feel great and you still need holiday pictures, I will definitely be able to take your pictures, I'll just be waddling and squatting down for your little ones may be challenging :) 

Enjoy some family pictures that I have taken recently!  

 

 

In June, I attended an Amy & Jordan Demo Workshop here in Virginia Beach!  At the time I was 10 weeks pregnant and so exhausted it was insane, so I never blogged about it... It was a pleasure meeting and networking with local wedding photographers especially because wedding photography ins't my main focus, but I sure do love it more and more with each passing wedding!  I learned from Amy and Jordan and was also reassured that I am doing things correctly which is always an amazing feeling!   Part of the workshop was a styled shoot and it was gorgeous!  I hope you enjoy the images!!

 

One Fish

Two Fish

Red {Pink} or Blue Fish

~ Dr. Seuss 

This was such a fun 20 minute gender reveal session with the Bohac family!  I've photographed them on so many occasions and each one is always super fun!  Now that Calvin knows the camera and doesn't love it, we have to be speedy and make the sessions interactive!  This session was exactly that!  Big Brother Calvin loves Dr. Seuss and had a blast fishing for his little brother or sister!

It's a...BOY

He even let me take some close ups of him! Thanks dude!  

Candids are some of my favorite pictures from sessions and this session proves that to be true once again.  Never shy away from getting down on your kids level and interacting with them!  I love love love love it when parents do that and kiddos generally react positively!

Time for some family pictures, sniffing fish and giggling like crazy because your daddy is hilarious, and belly kisses!!!

Daddy is so funny!!

Calvin went in for the squeeze hug all by himself!  He's such a ham sometimes!

Belly Kisses or Roar Kisses as they call it because Calvin loves dinosaurs and it's his baby Roar!! :)

Much love.

 

 

Gorgeous! Stunning! Beautiful! Grand! Perfect! Precious!  Pretty In Pink! Princess! Classic!

These are all the words that come to mind as I walked into Miss Hayden's nursery.  Never have I seen a more classically beautiful, made for a princess nursery in my life.  I was in heaven! As I sit here and try to figure out the perfect nursery for my son, I keep thinking, when I have a girl, I'm going to refer back to baby Hayden's royal room!  Wonderful decorating!! 

The beauty did not stop there. All of the lifestyle pictures were taken in her nursery and I could not be happier with the love and emotion in all the images!  Hayden Darling, you are so loved!!

We had to stop for feeding during the lifestyle portion, but notice, that didn't take away from capturing amazing images.  While Hayden was feeding, I was taking detail pictures of the nursery and chatting with the family.  They are golf lovers just like us and their pup is very protective of baby girl!

The Posed Newborn portion of this session was touch and go in the beginning.  Miss Hayden wanted nothing to do with being asleep or being swaddled, so we took some wide awake images and then some detail pictures before feeding her again.

Once we were able to get Hayden to sleep, she slept like a baby and we took so many pictures with tutus, wraps, hats, headbands!  Oh it was perfect!  I didn't move her much because she wasn't super sound asleep and we really wanted to make sure we got certain images, but I think she still has a very well rounded gallery! 

Tommy was absolutely perfect whether is was wide awake or sound asleep!  This little guy didn't have much of an in-between!  He was either super alert or sound asleep and let me curl his little body for precious pictures!  He had to feed a couple of times, but fell asleep almost instantly afterwards.  All of these posed images were taken in the family's living room which was flooded with gorgeous overcast light! This natural light photographer's dream!!  

Posed Portion

{Details of toes, lips, fingers, ears, lashes}

{Posed pictures on backdrops and different wraps, hats, pants, etc. depending on parents' preferences}

{Baskets & Props & Backdrops} 

The lifestyle or family portion was precious!  Big brother didn't want to give me any smiles, but that's ok because I was still able to capture some adorable pictures of him and his curiosity!  We were able to step out onto the deck and capture some gorgeous family pictures with a stunning view!  This is a huge bonus if you have a summer baby!  I love taking outdoor newborn pictures and will probably get all bundled up for some newborn pictures of my own come January.  

Lifestyle Portion

{Family, Mommy & Daddy & Baby, Mom & Baby, Dad & Baby, Siblings & Baby}

{Nursery Details}

{Pets}

Don't worry, parents were on either side and helping big brother hold his little brother! He did so good though!

Boys will be boys and kids will be kids, especially when you want that "perfect" picture!  These brothers were such cuties and even though we didn't get the perfect posed picture of the boys together, we did get a lot of absolutely precious pictures of the two of them together and individually!  I was greeted at the door with little helping hands and a ton of interest in everything I brought, but sitting still for the camera wasn't nearly as fun as looking through the hats and playing peek-a-book behind the backdrop!  Luckily I had just as much energy and was able to get big brother to sit on the super cool bean bag and laugh and smile and be goofy!  Little brother was all smiles, let me wrap him, and even fell asleep for me!!!  I had never wrapped a 3 month old, but I will definitely try it more in the future because I am in love with these pictures!  Prepare yourself for lots of smiles because these two are absolutely precious and I cannot wait to get their cute faces and stunning eyes in front of my camera again!!  Thank you so much for asking me to photograph your handsome boys!!

And that's a wrap ladies and gentlemen!

Oh my heavens!  Miss Audri was so adorable during her first birthday cake smash session!! There was no shyness with this little lady, so we got right to taking pictures!  Her mom had a couple dresses she wanted her in and her dad had a special request (which I absolutely loved!) Side note:  When dad's have ideas, I jump at them because they are so few and far between!  

The first part of a First Birthday Cake Smash session is the Birthday Portraits!  I give the parents a choice between a couple backdrops (discussed ahead of time) for the Portrait portion and I recommend 1-2 outfits because little ones only have so much patience and that 2nd or 3rd outfit can be a bit challenging.  Miss Audri was a champ though and gave her parents great pictures for her entire session!

Outfit #1:

Blue and White Striped Dress on a Wooden backdrop with the letters ONE and there was something about that letter "O" that was calling her name!!  She LOVED it!!

Outfit #2: 

Beautiful White Dress on a Wooden backdrop 

Outfit #3 (Daddy's Request): 

University of Kentucky Wildcats outfit with a basketball on a white brick backdrop! She only gave us a couple smiles here, but they were worth it!!

Now on to the Cake Smash!!!  A new set that we have discussed in detail is used here, BUT it doesn't have to be this way.  You can use the same set the entire time or switch it up, but only one set is what I would call "elaborate."  I document the progression of the one finger in the icing and tasting it to the double fisting of cake!! 

Oh that look!!!

Now that she covered in cake icing and has had enough to taste, it's BATH TIME!!!  Most one year olds LOVE this portion more than the cake because what's better than being naked and splashing in water?!  Not much!! The "No. 1" bath tin is mine and I bring it to each session.  There is no set change at this time, I just put the tin right onto the "Cake Smash" set and snap away!!

Thank you so much for a fun and sassy session little miss!!  It was a joy photographing your Silver and Pink Princess themed Cake Smash!  You sure are a little princess!!

This is a glimpse at a Cake Smash Session with me, Sarah Nolan Photography! 

Provided by Photographer:

• Backdrops
• Bath Tin
• Crown (because I was adding it to my collection)

Provided by Client:

• Balloons
• Cake (this can be provided by me at an additional charge)
• Outfits

If you are interested in an in home cake smash session or have any questions, please let me know!

Much love

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Contact Me | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Are you a wife or mother who really wants to have pictures taken, but you just don’t know what to expect and are unsure that your child’s personality won’t be captured, your husband won’t be “in to it”, and you don’t feel like your fittest self?  Well, stop right there!  I love kids and they generally like me!  If they are a little shy at first, I will capture their shyness, but I will also capture daddy throwing them up in the air, mommy hugging and kissing them, and them showing me the coolest rock…err precious gem that they just found!  As for the husbands, I am pretty good at making them feel comfortable and when I tell them to kiss you or nuzzle you, they become totally natural and you’ll be blushing and smiling and hugging and kissing him right back!  I absolutely love to capture the walls come down and the sweet love escape!  I will gently pose you and interact with each other.  If you don’t feel super fit and sexy, don’t worry!  I will help you feel your best and believe me, your children want to have pictures of you to look at now and years in the future!!  I cherish the pictures of my parents and still love to see them when they were my age!  Photos are a gift that capture a moment in time and conjure up memories!

Every family session is complete with family pictures, portraits of each child, and husband & wife pictures!  There will be posed pictures, candid photos and lots of smiles!  Oh and pets are always welcome!  I know my little furbaby is part of our family pictures every year.  Yes, I get my pictures taken too and I have a husband and child that aren’t too keen on them, but once we get started, they love them!  My husband is notorious for the booty pinch!

Chloe Sherman-Pepe

Photo by Chloe Sherman-Pepe Photography

And here are the "kids"! The trick with this session was that I let Ryan and Jared wear clothing they were comfortable in - Jeans, sweater (my choice), and a knit hat.  My husband is a hat guy, but ball caps aren't good for photographing because of the shadow placed over the eyes, so we went with beanies.  I took it upon myself to add the "pop of color"! 

Chloe Sherman-Pepe Photo by Chloe Sherman-Pepe Photography

Here are some behind the scene pictures of me at an outdoor session! Thank you to Jenn Hugo of Simply BeYOUtiful Photography for these behind the scenes!!  

Thanks to Jenn Hugo of Simply BeYOUtiful Photography for these behind the scenes pictures at a recent newborn session!

Thank you to my amazing clients for these behind the scenes pictures!!  I love them all!!

An In Home 6 month session for the adorable Miss Andee Jo!

Miss Maddie's In Home Newborn Session!

Family Session at oak Grove Park for a fun family with two gorgeous girls!

Thank you to Chloe, Jenn, Kelli, Natalie, and Monica for the behind the scene pictures!  I love them and treasure them!!  

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Contact Me | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Welp, we officially have a teenager!  Jared's a handsome fella who has been acting like a teenager for a couple of years now, but this weekend his age caught up with his attitude!  hehe!  Anyone who has a preteen knows exactly what I mean!  He's a good kid with a kind heart and his father's quick wit!  He's living with his mom now, but this summer he will be back with us and if you know this family, you know that means lots of family golf outings, evenings at the beach and grilling out!  Since he's grown quit a bit over the past couple of years, he has outgrown his golf clubs.  That's a big old "No No" in this house, so we had to get him new clubs!  My husband did all the research and knew the exact clubs he wanted...Thrive Ping Junior set...and I found them in a local store, so together we got Jared a sweet set of clubs (pretty sure they are better than mine.)
Since we weren't able to be there with him when he opened them, I took pictures of them before packing them up.  And of course, Lira and Ryan had to be in the mini photo shoot! We stocked the bag with new golf balls, seeds, a sweet towel, a water bottle, tees, chapstick, jerky, and the list goes on!  He was a happy kiddo!  Now the waiting game until he is back with us.  Until then, I will be practicing so that I can beat him on the course!  It's all in fun of course, but we do totally keep a running tally which is normally really close!  We are pretty much on the same playing level and I have a feeling that this summer he is going to beat me good.  Fingers crossed I can give him a good run for bragging rights!!

Happy Birthday J-man!  Dad and I love you dearly, are very proud of the little man you are, and can't wait to have you back this summer!  Lira is excited too!!  She can't wait for extra snuggles, beach runs, and table scraps!  

Much Love

Sarah, Dad & Lira xoxoxo

Oh Brody!!  You are a precious baby boy and I had such a nice time photographing you!  You weren't a fan of being naked or on  your belly, so we kept you nice a toasty swaddled in different wraps while posed on your back!  You sure gave me some cute snuggly pictures that I absolutely adore!

Your tiny little toes were precious!  I love baby toes!  Look at this perfect little tootsies!

 His daddy loves fishing, so we did a little fishing set-up.  

Brody was my third newborn of 2015 and he was absolutely precious!  I love the blue backdrop and was so happy that his parents picked it!   I am so lucky to be able to work with adorable babies and their awesome families!  This family was so sweet to chat with and photograph.  They were brand new to the area, so I was able to tell them about local places to go (when it's warmer) and hopefully get them excited for summer!  

Such a gorgeous family and a sweet baby boy!!!  And that's a wrap!!  Being such a cute model is hard work!  Time for a nap!

I love a good baby yawn!!

Much love

Sarah

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Swooning over here!  I had the honor of photographing them in early February at the Hornsby House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Yorktown.  Nicollette had her wedding portraits taken here and since it was February, we wanted an indoor location with beautiful natural light.  This was the perfect setting!  It was romantic and classic which are two words that come to mind when I think of Nicollette and Andrew.  They are a gorgeous and passionate couple that I absolutely adored photographing!  Just look at them!  They exude love!   

​We took pictures all over the house, in the entrance way:

On the gorgeous stairwell {these were some of my favorite to photograph!}

Steamy!  I love the moment right before a kiss!  So much passion and love! These pictures make me want to have my own "love session" with my husband!!  

Upstairs was gorgeous as well!  I love all the different looks we were able to capture on one house!  It was perfection!

I just cannot get enough of this session!  

Maternity portraits are so special. They are a special moment between Mama and her baby and are perfect for hanging in baby's nursery!  Nicolette is simply glowing!  Her hair, her gorgeous bump, her sweet personality...she's stunning!

This room was neat!  I really loved all the light, but I also loved the glass windows and the texture they brought to the background!

Thank you so much for asking me to take your maternity and 3 year anniversary pictures!!  Happy Anniversary & Happy Birth of your Second Daughter!!  I cannot wait to photograph and snuggle her at 6 days new!  

Much love.

Sarah

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

 

This blog post is a long time in the making and most of you have seen pictures posted over the past two months and some have even asked about how Miss Lexi is doing.  Your caring words are deeply appreciated and I am happy to let you all know, she is doing great and keeping her parents up just like a good baby does!!
Over Thanksgiving break, I decided to take a couple maternity pictures of my best friend even though she was tiny as can be.  She pushed that belly out and in 15 minutes flat we got some great pictures down by the creek that we used to play in as kids! Our parents live exactly one mile apart and we met in the middle on this chilly morning!  The overcast skies and light snow on the ground made for the perfect setting!

Aren't they gorgeous?!  I'm very lucky to have such attractive models that pretty much let me take pictures whenever I want to!  Thanks for freezing with me!  I am really glad we got these pictures because the following Friday I was driving back home for her baby shower when I got a text from Kevin saying that Mom and Baby are doing well.  I burst into tears, pulled onto the shoulder and sobbed.  WHAT?!?  Lexi isn't due until January 22nd and it's DECEMBER 5TH.  Well, I called and learned that Jamie had to have an emergency and that both her and baby are doing great! Lexi made her debut weighing 3 lbs 5 oz. and she was breathing on her own from day one.  Well, that was a shock, but I was so happy that my best friend was a mommy to a beautiful baby girl!  There were definitely some concerns, but Lexi basically rocked her NICU stay and was home before Christmas! Jamie had to miss her baby shower which was the reason I was coming home, but I documented it and we saved all her presents and opened them together when she was released from the hospital.  I was happy there were tons of presents and her best friend to distract her from missing your baby. It wasn't easy, but I am glad I was there for her.  I will remember that day forever.

Jamie's mom did a beautiful job on her "Pretty In Pink" baby shower!  Maureen, owner of Batter By Reen, made the cake, cupcakes (which were delicious), and "Welcome Lexi" banner!  I made the diaper cake and it was so much fun!!  

Over Christmas, Lexi had her first doctor's appointment and since Jamie had a c-section and wasn't supposed to drive, I took them!!  I was so excited that getting up at 6am didn't bother me at all!  Lexi did great and I got to hold her!!  And then Jamie asked me to be her Godmother because it's tradition to ask the Godparent when they are holding the child.  I was so excitedand still am!  Then in true photographer fashion, I took pictures of little miss in her nursery!  She loved her crib! 

And when you have a gigantic pink stuffed unicorn, you have to take a picture with it! 

About a month later, I came home again for snow pictures and for little Miss Lexi's newborn pictures!  We did the whole shebang - posed pictures, lifestyle pictures, family pictures and of course baking pictures for her mama's My Little Cupcake baking business.  

Be warned. She has gorgeous parents. It's almost not fair.  I sure can't wait to snuggle Lexi in April for her baptism!!!  Keep growing little one!  I love you!!

Baby Reid was my first newborn of 2015!  His mama and I were both in graduate school at ODU together.  We weren't in the same program, but we had mutual friends and became friends ourselves!  I was flattered when she contacted me on Christmas Eve about taking her precious baby boy's newborn pictures!  It was definitely a wonderful present!  I did a little dance, hugged my husband and giggled when he laughed at me...he does that a lot.  I'm a wee bit goofy!

Baby Reid was simply perfect!  He gave me great smiles, big yarns, cute puckered lips, long stretches and cute curly poses!  Thank you for being my first newborn of 2015 and kicking this year off to a great start!

During your newborn session, I will rotate between various sets and take detail pictures like these.

The first set was a very neutral set which I always recommend because they are timeless and can match virtually everyone's home!  I swap hats, change the wraps slightly and move around your little one while I take pictures.  These are just some samples. 

Reid wasn't a fan of the second set.  He wasn't all about the diaper cover and bonnet, but he did give me a great full body stretch!! I love it!

Since that one wasn't his style, we put some adorable pants on him and he enjoyed that much more!  Some babies like to be swaddled or clothed regardless of how warm it is and he was one of them.  I always have a plan for each session, but that plan is adapted to each baby's preferences.  Believe me, they let me know when they are happy or not feeling a pose.  It's pretty amazing!  

Those were all beanbag poses.  I always try to do a couple basket pictures as well and Mom & Dad brought some great props for Reid, so we took advantage of them!

This basket set was a quick change over for a slightly different feel because after all, he was a Christmas baby!

Thank you for the yawns!!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE capturing a good baby yawn!

Finally, we did a neutral basket setup!  I love this little knit that he is snuggled in!  These are great for naked baby pictures when the baby isn't a huge fan of being on the belly or they are awake.  

Baby Reid, you are a handsome little fella and I thoroughly enjoyed photographing you, meeting your dad, grandparents and aunt, and catching up with your mom!  I can't wait to watch you grow!  You're a lucky little boy!!

Much love

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Email: [email protected] | FB: www.facebook.com/SarahNolanPhotography | IG: @SarahNolanPhoto

2015 Photography Goals with Updates, BUT FIRST SOME CUTENESS!!

•  Rebrand my business complete with a new label design and new website! This is already in motion, so stay tuned for some updates!

• My logo is done and my website is so close to being finished!  I'm extremely excited about this because everything will be so much smoother for booking sessions, paying deposits, viewing galleries and the list goes on! 

•  Upgrade my camera…again

• DONE!!! I upgraded to a Nikon d750 and I am quite happy with my decision!  It's so nice to have two cameras to toggle between and not have to switch lenses as frequently!!

•  Invest in a couple new lenses.  I really want another prime and a macro lens.

• I purchased a 60mm macro lens and LOVE it!  Those ring shots, those tiny little lashes, the minute details will be captured now!!  So happy with this investment! I still have at least one if not two more lenses I want to purchase this year, but I have to take baby steps!

•  Triple my number of newborn sessions!  It’s ambitious, but I think it’s realistic! 

• I have 15 newborns booked this year and am so excited about each and every single one!! I've been collecting new wraps, headbands, props, backdrops, baskets and knits for all my newborns!  If you have special requests, just let me know!

•  Photograph 4 weddings

• Three states and three beautiful couples!! Tara & Ian on Music Pier in NJ, Leia & Brian in the Outer Banks, and Tiffany & Nick at a winery in New York, are all part of the SNP Bride Family that is slowly growing!  So excited about their weddings!  They are each unique and special in their own way!  

•  Second shoot 5-10 wedding

• Thanks to Jami Thompson I am second shooting three weddings so far!  Two in April and one in September!  Can't wait to learn from you darling! 

•  Get to 1,000 likes on my Facebook page

• Well, I am up to 700 thanks to my amazing clients!!  All the shares, tags, referrals and likes are truly appreciated!  Word of mouth is my most powerful marketing tool!  You are all amazing!

•  Hold Mini Sessions that are not Fall or Christmas themed.  I have a couple of ideas that I am super excited about, but I am not quite ready to share them.  Let’s just say if you love your babies and you love your fur babies, you’ll be happy!

•  Restructure my session pricing structure to offer “package” options

• Done.  It was necessary since photography is my main source of income this year and not a secondary source.  

•  Get PUBLISHED!!  I have been hesitant to submit sessions, but I’m throwing caution to the wind and submitting away! 

•  Give back to the community.  

• I am proud to announce that I am the official photographer for Giovanni's 21 Gifts, a nonprofit organization supporting families who are welcoming precious little ones with an extra 21st chromosome! I cannot wait to photograph these amazing little ones and their families and I thank them for welcoming me into their home to snuggle and photograph their tiny bundle of joy!  
• Here are two examples of the baskets - Boy & Girl

Education is extremely important to me.  There is always more to learn and I absolutely LOVE to learn.  I could literally be a student for life…I know I’m a total nerd!  

•  Complete an 18-credit online photography course that I purchased.

• I have completed one credit so far and definitely need to get my booty in motion.

•  Read three photography books

•  Watch videos and read blogs to improve my workflow

•  Focus on editing and portfolio presentation

• I've definitely been getting much better at this (I think) that's to all of my sessions so far this year! I've been trying to make sure I capture all emotions and details to tell a story.  

Networking is extremely vital in this business.

•  Attend a mentoring session or two or three...but definitely one and I have a photographer in mind!

•  Mentor newer photographers – If you are interested in a mentoring session with me in the future or want to assist during a newborn session, please do not hesitate to contact me!  I love networking!

•  Meet up with photographers at least once a quarter for some social time, new head shots, and coffee!!

• Breakfast with Jenn of Simply BeYOUtiful Photography at the Handsome Biscuit was amazing!  She's such a great lady and I really enjoyed just chatting about life and photography!
• Since I do a lot of newborn photography, I haven't gotten together with as many photographers as I'd like because this winter has been nasty for colds and I don't want to risk getting sick.  I've actually started using essential oils to help keep healthy.  

2015 Personal Goals

•  Read 14 books!  

• I'm almost done "Paper Towns" by John Greene and since we are a month into 2015, I am behind already.  Yikes!  I need to get my read on!

•  Land a college level teaching position as an adjunct professor.

•  Get my dance on again

• I'm back at my ballroom dancing.  There's nothing like a good tango to destress and mambo to feel sexy and sassy!  

•  Drink more water.  It sounds silly, but I am horrible at drinking enough water and my body hates me for it.

•  Do more yoga.  It keeps me balanced, calm, fit, and improves my circulation (which I need badly because I am always freezing).

Be confident and daring!

The year has only just begun and I definitely feel confident in how the year is progressing already!  I have 11 months ahead of me to knock out the rest of my goals and I am excited for them!  Please let me know if you are interested in helping me meet some of these goals.

Here's some cuteness for you!

Much love

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Email: [email protected] | FB: facebook.com/SarahNolanPhotography | IG: @SarahNolanPhoto

Wow, it's already February!!  Yikes!  January just flew on by.  I had newborn, milestone, maternity, and family sessions!!  There was beautiful white snow, sweet sleepy babies, giggling little ones, lovey dovey sweethearts and lots of smiles and laughs! I could not have asked for a better January!!  I loved each and every session and cannot wait to see what the rest of the year brings!  

The snow was amazing!  I love the cool coloring of these pictures and their outfits match perfectly!  Oh and the goofy smiles of little boys always make me chuckle!  They think they are so cool and one day in the future their parents will pull out these pictures and remind them of the little boy they used to be...hopefully at their wedding!  hehe!  

And when you have gorgeous rings and snow, you take pictures just for the fun of it!!  I cannot wait to photograph this gorgeous bride to be's wedding in June!!
Snow doesn't make for great pictures of littles who can't quite enjoy it yet, so we headed inside and too fun furry rug and bare toes pictures!  He was a total ham!  Just look at those eyes!  Swoon!

Oh Jackson, you are such a handsome little man!  It took a little while to get him to sit in that chair, but when he did, he gave me the million dollar smile we had been waiting for!  Thanks buddy!  You made your mama very happy!  Oh and the hands in the pockets, such a little ham!  LOVE LOVE LOVE taking his pictures!!  He's too cute for words! Romancing in the snow!  When you wake up to 6 inches of snow and the roads are clear, you jump for joy that your sessions will go on!!  These two love birds are engaged and totally rocked this mini love session!!  I couldn't have asked for a better backdrop!

The new year started off with this romantic farm session!  It was a family session, but I just had to get some of these two against the barn!  I don't care how long you've been married, if you book a session with me, I will take a few sweetheart pictures!  

Milestones...Mason is ONE!!  And getting cuter by the minute!  I love this little dude!!  Happy Birthday Mason!  I had a blast at your Mickey Mouse Club House themed Birthday!  You were a little stud!

Lily is 6 months old and cute as a button!  Look at those big brown eyes! We did a pretty in pink theme and she had a blast hanging out in a basket with pearls!!  Who needs a teether when you have pearls to chomp on?! This sweet family is getting ready to welcome their baby boy soon!  Rachel is glowing!  Oh and little miss was a little shy, but she loved kissing her little brother which made for some precious pictures!  I love documenting these moments!

Oh and my January babies!  Look at these cuties!!  Miss Kaya, Miss Lexi, Mr. Brody, Mr. Luke and Mr. Reid. Oh my Lord I am one lucky photographer! I loved snuggling and photographing these babies this month! 

2015 is off to a great start!  Thank you to all my wonderful clients for your faith in me!  

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Email: [email protected] | Facebook: facebook.com/SarahNolanPhotography | IG: SarahNolanPhoto

I've decided to write a little bit about me and answer any questions you want answered!  They can be photography related or personal or totally off the wall!  I'm an open book...I think :)

Words that {I think} Describe Me

​{Wife ~ Stepmama ~ Friend ~ Daughter ~ Passionate ~ Total Daddy's Girl ~ Emotional Sap ~ Stubborn ~ Determined ~ Obsessed with my Puppy ~ Student for Life ~ Happy ~ Gap Toothed ~ Squinty Eyed ~ Faithful ~  Lover of Coffee & Sunshine & Gardening & Dancing & Date Nights & a Good Book & the Outdoors & Babies ~ Smiley ~ Corny ~ Honest ~ And according to my husband "Sooo Sexy"}

Feel free to add some words in the "Comments" section!

What TV shows do I watch?

Normally I watch whatever my husband is watching because I am more of a music girl than a TV girl. So, I know an insane amount about the Golf world, what tournament is being played, who is playing well and if the cute golfers are winning...swoon Adam Scott!  I've also seen every episode of "Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives" because Guy just so happens to be from near my husband's hometown and because my husband is a total foodie!  BUT, right now, we are totally on a Sons of Anarchy kick!  Oh My Heavens!  It has totally and utterly consumed our evenings.  We literally stay in on Friday nights to watch it instead of going out.  We are such an old married couple...and we love it!

Milk, White or Dark Chocolate?

Dark Chocolate all the way!!  I absolutely LOVE dark chocolate and eat way too much of it.  It's an addiction.  I seriously think if I stopped eating chocolate I would drop 5 lbs instantly.  Eh, my husband likes the 5 extra lbs, so maybe I'll stop eating chocolate next month. hehe

How many siblings?

I am one of six children!  And it's pretty awesome!  There are 27 years between the my oldest brother and my youngest sister.  I am the middle oldest which is a pretty cool place to be!  I am a younger sister and an old, wise and super cool big sister, but I am also close in age to my middle younger brother.  I consider myself a lucky sister to say the least!  I have three brothers and two sisters that are different as the wind blows.  We all have our own quirks and very different paths in life, but we all value our family and respect our parents and the love they have for us and for each other.

What do I shoot with?

I'm a Nikon gal, but I totally 100% respect Cannon.  As most photographers, the choice was between Nikon and Cannon.  My husband bought me my first dslr camera and it was a Nikon d5000.  From there I bought a lens and then another lens and then upgraded my camera to a full frame and then bought another lens and now I am so invested and so in love with my camera that it would take a huge amount of capital to make me switch.  I love my camera because I know my camera.  When a camera feels good in your hand, you never really want to give it up.

So that's a little about me, but definitely not even close to scraping the surface, so let me know what you want to know!  I'm an open book...for the most part :)

Much love

Sarah

E: [email protected] | facebook.com/sarahnolanphotography | IG: @SarahNolanPhoto 

 

Miss Raylighn Noreen is a little ray of sunshine to her parents!  I walked into their home and was welcomed by smiles, Christmas Music, a cute little baby girl and a house full of sunshine!!  I absolutely love how bright their house is!  It instantly made me happy and was the perfect location for an in home newborn session!  I even came back a second time to test out a prop!  When you have amazing clients who let you invade their home and photograph their baby girl with a couple hours notice, you know you are a lucky lady!  {Thank you so much!!} Enough of my talking, let's look at an adorable little lady and her beautiful mama and papa!

{Pink and Lace}

{Earthtones & Christmas}

{Lifestyle: Nursery} {Lifestyle: Christmas PJs}

It was so nice to photograph this beautiful family in their home!  Anytime I walk into someone's home my goal is to make them feel as comfortable as possible about having me there.  I never want the family to be uncomfortable and this family not only welcomed me into their home, they helped make the environment perfect!  We played music, kept the room nice a toasty, played with props, snuggled my Raylighn and chatted about life!  It was such a nice experience with a precious family!  I am grateful to have a fellow photographer ask me to photograph her baby girl! 

Much love

Sarah |Sarah Nolan Photography

[email protected] |facebook.com/SarahNolanPhotography | IG: @SarahNolanPhoto

I am proud to announce that Sarah Nolan Photography is partnering with

Giovanni's 21 Gifts is a Non-Profit organization designed to raise awareness for expecting and existing families who have a child with Down Syndrome. When this opportunity was presented to me, I literally screamed with joy and started dancing around the living room!  I had been praying for the perfect way to give back to the community and this is absolutely the answer to my prayer!  If you know me on a personal level, you know I have a very special place in my heart for all babies!  Each and every child is absolutely perfect and the newborn phase is fleeting; I am honored to be able to capture all their tiny details from their precious toes to their chubby cheeks to their plump little lips!

Here's the "About" portion of Giovanni's 21 Gifts:

Congratulations and welcome to our family! Giovanni's 21 gifts is a Non-Profit Organization founded by Antonio and Crystal Mauro. We are designed to raise awareness for expecting and existing families who have a child with Down syndrome. The journey for us started twenty weeks into pregnancy when we learned of the news that would change our lives forever. The phone rang one evening and it was the doctors confirming Giovanni would be born with Trisomy 21/Down syndrome. This was a very emotional time for us and for three straight days we felt alone and empty. We didn't know where we should go from here, how are we going to do this alone, why us? From what we had seen on the ultra sound with regard to high risk markers we were kind of expecting the call, but we were not anymore prepared to receive it. We spent the following weeks researching and studying Down syndrome.  We focused on what we thought we should have focused on, spending a lot of time reading medical studies and what could go wrong, and how our road ahead was going to be spent in and out of hospitals. We learned how one little tiny extra chromosome could make such a difference with everything.

 

We share this with you because we want you to know we made a mistake, probably a common mistake, but hopefully our story will prevent you from making the same one. We focused on the negative only because we didn’t know any better, and after a quick glance back over our shoulder we should of really been spending our time on the countless other stories from parents who had a child with Down syndrome. Over time we found ourselves addicted to the good news stories, the support groups, multiple Facebook pages, all the while realizing that we are about to be given a gift.  Our outlook on the situation changed immediately after reading how truly amazing these kids are and all they can accomplish, it all made us realize that everything is going to be ok.  The support from other parents was phenomenal; I cannot begin to explain how close this extra chromosome family is.  We had visits from families to our home and we were invited to theirs, and all they wanted to do was help. We realized quickly that our children are just like you and I, but they are actually stronger, more patient, better mannered and a LOT more love resides in their bodies, something you will learn quickly.  I’m telling you this now because these are the stories you should be reading.  Our son has forever changed our lives and we would not have it any other way.  Giovanni has opened our eyes to a new world, a world we had never seen before and probably never would have. Will there be challenging times, of course, but trust us the love these children will bring to your home will make every step worth it. For now, give your child a hug, kiss and love them and let the doctors worry about the rest.

 

Giovanni's 21 Gifts was started as our way of giving back to a community of people that gave us hope, support and friendship.  They ensured we never felt like we were alone, and we want to do the same for you.  We believe we are able to understand and address the needs of people with Down syndrome and their families in a unique way.  We want to bring families together in order to raise awareness and most of all show the world that our children have a place in today’s society. Our goal through generous donations is to deliver gift baskets filled with LOVE and 21 Gifts to local hospitals. We want expecting families who have yet to receive their amazing news know that they are not going to walk this walk alone. We were blessed with an amazing support group and want others to know where to find us for support and to let them know what resources are available to them. Remember, FRIENDS DONT LET FRIENDS COUNT CHROMOSOMES!

 

Please visit their website and head on over and like their Facebook page!

Website: Giovanni's 21 Gifts

Facebook: Giovanni's 21 Gifts

I'm super excited to see how many beautiful lives this organization can touch this year and the years to come!

Much love

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.facebook.com/sarahnolanphotography | IG: SarahNolanPhoto |Email: [email protected]

This Thanksgiving while we were at my parent's house outside of Philadelphia and Jared, my stepson, was with us, we had family pictures taken!  Since several of them were given as Christmas presents, I didn't want to share them right away!  Now that all the presents have been opened, I can write a little blog post and give a major shoutout to a phenomenal photographer and friend!  Chloe Sherman-Pepe Photography (website and Facebook) did a phenomenal job once again!  I've had portraits, boudoir and family pictures done by her and I've loved them all!  If you are in the Philadelphia/Montgomery County area and need pictures, definitely check her out!  

Here are some of my favorites from the session!

And you can't have a session without some "love" pictures and booty pinches!!  

This little guy is the apple of our eye!!  We were so lucky to be able to spend Thanksgiving with him!  Can't wait until he is back with us this summer!!  Lots of fun planned!

IMG_0064

Here are a few more family photos that I love!  My parents' property is gorgeous!  

And when your dad collects and cleans deer skulls from the back woods, you have to have to put them on your head and give your best serious face!  

Thank you so much Chloe!  This summer I am planning on another session that has something to do with a sequin dress and the creek! Pretty stoked! Love ya lady!!

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.facebook.com/sarahnolanphotography | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

I have BIG plans for 2015, some of which are already in motion, others that are still floating around in this crazy head of mine, but will definitely come to fruition because I am one determined lady!  Starting the year as a full-time photographer alone is a HUGE accomplishment for me!  Now it’s time to make sure this year is successful and rewarding from a professional and personal perspective, but first, a BIG HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY 2014 CLIENTS!  You have made this year a huge success for me and have given me the confidence to pursue my dream! Thank you for letting experience many firsts - first maternity session, first Fresh 48 session, first wedding, first newborn - it's been phenomenal and I cannot wait to see what 2015 holds for me!

2015 Photography Goals

• Rebrand my business complete with a new label design and new website! This is already in motion, so stay tuned for some updates!
• Upgrade my camera…again
• Invest in a couple new lenses.  I really want another prime and a macro lens.
• Triple my number of newborn sessions!  It’s ambitious, but I think it’s realistic!  I have 4 sessions booked so far.  In 2014, I had the pleasure of photographing 12 precious babies {Kenndey, Aiden, EmmaKate, Noah, Emma Lovisa, Andee Jo, Alistair Charles, Madeline Lorraine, Stone, Tessa, Raylighn Noreen, and Luke}
• Photograph 4 weddings!  So far I have two booked and I am so excited about them!  Thank you Tara and Leia! 
• Second shoot 5-10 weddings!
• Get to 1,000 likes on my Facebook page
• Hold Mini Sessions that are not Fall or Christmas themed.  I have a couple of ideas that I am super excited about, but I am not quite ready to share them.  Let’s just say if you love your babies and you love your fur babies, you’ll be happy!
• Restructure my session pricing structure to offer “package” options with “add-ons”
• Get PUBLISHED!!  I have been hesitant to submit sessions, but I’m throwing caution to the wind and submitting away! 
• Give back to the community.  I have something very special to my heart in the works, but I can't share quite yet.  Last year I volunteered as a photographer for Military Mini Photo sessions for families with deployed loved ones during the holidays.  This year I want to do that along with a bit more volunteering with children in particular. 

Education is extremely important to me.  There is always more to learn and I absolutely LOVE to learn.  I could literally be a student for life…I know I’m a total nerd!  

• Complete an 18-credit online photography course that I purchased.
• Read three photography books
• Watch videos and read blogs to improve my workflow
• Focus on editing and portfolio presentation

Networking is extremely vital in this business.

• Attend a mentoring session or two or three...but definitely one and I have a photographer in mind!
• Mentor newer photographers – If you are interested in a mentoring session with me in the future or want to assist during a newborn session, please do not hesitate to contact me!  I love networking!
• Meet up with photographers at least once a quarter for some social time, new head shots, and coffee!!

2015 Personal Goals

• Read 14 books!  I love to read, but I go through spurts and I really want to make sure that I read on a consistent basis and not just “popular” books, but historical, religious and political books as well.  I am open to suggestions!
• Land a college level teaching position as an adjunct professor.
• Get my dance on again!  I used to ballroom dance 2-4 times per week and since August I haven’t even put my shoes on.  It’s sad.  I need dance in my life.  It’s in writing. I’m coming back Arthur Murray family! 
• Drink more water.  It sounds silly, but I am horrible at drinking enough water and my body hates me for it.
• Do more yoga.  It keeps me balanced, calm, fit, and improves my circulation (which I need badly because I am always freezing).
• Be confident and daring!

May 2015 be your best year yet!!

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

[email protected] | www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto  

 

This precious little angel stole my heart at her newborn session and again during her Christmas session!  She reminds be a perfect porcelain doll with her perfect little lips, her big stunning eyes and her gorgeous skin and rose cheeks!  I could snuggle her and tickle her all day long!  She definitely brings bundles of joy to her parents and this Christmas is going to be extra special with her!  

I love baby hands!

We did a couple outfit and set changes!  Here she is in her little green elf onesie laying in a basket under the tree!  She loved grabbing the tree!

Merry Christmas!

Much love.

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

Miss Vivian came to Virginia Beach for her 6 month pictures which were fall themed, but we also took some Christmas pictures while she was here and in a phenomenal mood!  I didn't share them because I wanted her Christmas card to be a surprise to family and friends!  Now that it's Christmas week (and I received her Christmas card in the mail), I thought what better time to share her cuteness!  Miss Vivian is going to make this Christmas extra special for her parents!  Kids have a way of making the holidays more magical!! 

This one is my favorite!!  She's so pretty!!

I cannot wait for her One Year Cake Smash pictures!! 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

This is the first blog post of my Christmas sessions!  Since it's Christmas week, I thought what better time to share all the cheer that I've been seeing  through my lens! Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!  

Back in November, when the cotton fields were coming to an end, but still in bloom, I had three mini session.  It was my first time taking pictures in cotton fields and I am definitely going to make it more of a regular occurrence next year (and earlier in the season so it's warmer and the cotton is s little lower).  Being a norther girl, I had no idea that cotton grew on "trees" and they were prickly!  Luckily I wore boots and the nice farmer mowed a little patch for us to use for some pictures because we had babies and puppies along for the ride.  

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

Baby Stone's posed newborn session was a pleasure.  He was such a well behaved little guy and he let me do so many different wraps, hats and poses!  Plus he was a total cutie.  If you know me, you know I love to capture tiny little baby features!  This is one of my favorites!  Stone was snug as a bug in a rug! Oh and something about his hair just captured me!  

Upon special request by his mom and dad, we had to take some football pictures!  

During feedings and in between sets, I captured some nursery details and crib pictures!  I love seeing such a tiny little baby in their big crib!

Here are some of the many pictures from the rest of his session!  We switched out hats, took some detail pictures and made sure he stay warm and cozy!  He was such a good sleeper for me!

Look at these little lips!  Ahh baby faces make me giggle!  (Yes, I will giggle during your session too!)

Oh that hair :) Much love.

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

 

 

When Joy contacted me about photographing her husband's homecoming a few months ago, I was really excited, but really nervous because this was the first homecoming that I would be photographing.  While it ended up being the second homecoming for me, it was my first ship homecoming and it wasn't just any ship.  It was the USS George H W Bush, aircraft carrier.  Joy and I immediately hit it off!  It was their first deployment, so I was able to guide her through the process.  I felt more like a friend than a photographer and it was a really nice feeling!  I absolutely loved watching her go from calm, to giddy, to tearing up, to smiling so much her eyes disappeared to complete shock that her husband was in her arms!  It was such a wonderful day!  The weather was perfect and love was abundant!  I think these pictures capture her morning beautifully!

From the first moment we saw the ship round the corner until they were in each other's arms there were nerves!  

Her nails were absolutely stunning!  Super classy and festive!!  I absolutely LOVED them and just had to take a picture of them!

It's getting so close!  The ship is docked and the scanning of the rails has officially begun! 

Ahh!!!!  She got the call!  She sees her man!!!!  Probably my favorite moment of the day!!  I love how her entire face is smiling!!  

Next step, jump into each other's arms!!

Ahh the love, the relief, the nerves, the pure and utterly uncontrollable happiness and peace of this moment is breathtaking!  Welcome Home Abe!

Oh wait, that's not the end.  They have two little boys who thought there daddy was coming home in a couple of day and they thought I was taking some pictures for their daddy.  Little did they know that he was walking up behind them!  What a surprise for them!!!

These two cuties were super excited about having their dad home and they immediately started wrestling and showing their dad EVERYTHING they learned during his long deployment. It was adorable!

Welcome Home and Merry Christmas!  Enjoy each other!

Much love.

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: @SarahNolanPhoto |  Email: [email protected]

 

 

Baby Stone was born on Election day and I had the pleasure of photographing him within a couple hours of being born.  It was amazing to see his sisters hold him for the first time, his grandmothers dote on him, his mama love him and admire every little detail, and his father give him his first bath.  It was my first "Fresh 48" session and I fell in love!  When I have babies, I will definitely hire a photographer to capture all of the candid moments because I look at these pictures and smile so I can't image how I will feel looking back at pictures of my baby and our first hours together.

Baby Stone was loved on by all!  He's one lucky little boy to have three amazing big sisters to watch out for him! 

Since he was born on Election Day and his daddy is a huge football fan, we had to take some pictures with the newspaper (and sports section).  It was a neat idea that his mama had!  

Stone's first bath was a success!  His dad was a pro at it...even the nurse commented on his ease while giving Stone his first bath.  

While baby Stone was warming up after his first bath, I took some detail pictures of the room.

Happy One Month Birthday Baby Stone!

Much love,

Sarah of Sarah Nolan Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | [email protected]

Sometimes you meet someone and instantly think "Thank God!  This is the exact person I need in my life right now."  That is exactly what I thought about Jami Thompson of Jami Thompson Photography.  She is true, honest, and basically told me exactly what I needed to hear from another woman who was in similar shoes as mine a year prior.  Having spent time and money on my undergrad in Finance and my masters in Economics and landing a corporate job, being promoted to manager and then realizing that what you really love is Photography is scary.  My husband is my constant supporter and has been encouraging me to leave my corporate job and pursue photography, but fear and my stubborn nature was holding me back.  I was so close, but just couldn't take the leap.  Meeting Jami at her "Anything Goes Social" and hearing her story made me extra confident in my decision to follow my dream.  Sometimes you need to hear what you've been hearing for so long from another woman who did it and is successful.  Also hearing that you aren't alone is such a blessing.  (Thank you Jami!  And Thank you Babe! Sorry it took me so long.  You married a stubborn lady who loves you unconditionally!  Believe me, my stubbornness comes in handy sometimes. Muah!) I am such a lucky lady to have a husband that supports me and the financial stability to take such a risk.  

As of Monday, November 17th, 2014 I transitioned from full-time financial analyst and part-time photographer to part-time financial analyst and full time photographer!!  I am so excited to really get my photography business off the ground!  My list of goals is never ending!  I am so excited to see where this new road takes me and my family!  Weekday sessions are now available! 

Photos by Jami Thompson Photography

I'm a squinty-eyed, gap-toothed smiling photographer & I'd love to capture you and your loved ones!

Being in front of the camera isn't 100% natural for me, but I think it's definitely important for photographers to know what it feels like and how to make it fun and make you feel beautiful!

Smiles everywhere!  I am very happy about my decision!

Oh and I am a Nikon lady.

Thank you so much for the new headshots Jami Thompson Photography!!  You rock lady!!

Much Love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | Email: [email protected]

One more year and I'll be the BIG 30!  I'm not a big birthday celebration kind of girl, but my family is, especially my husband, so I let him plan the evening away!  I love him for it and I love to do it for him, but I definitely don't need it.  I always put stipulations like "No presents," "I'm making my own cake," "It has to be casual and cheap," etc.  If you know me, I'm way better at giving gifts than receiving them and boy-o-boy do I love finding the perfect present for some!  Oh and I love to eat cake!!  This year I am making a naked strawberry cake with homemade buttercream icing and fresh fruit!!  The cake inspiration cake to me while rocking out to some classical music after a stressful afternoon.  I think I'm going to listen to more classical music (3Cellos!) this year.  It's obviously good for my creative juices!  

So, I am 29 and feeling great!  My husband is just excited because now we are back to being "5 years" apart instead of the "6 years" that we for a couple of months every year.  Oh and he informed me that I'm still smoking hot and he still loves me, so that's good! hehe! In all seriousness, I really think this year is going to be one to remember!  I have big plans personally and professionally.  Some of them have already been put into action, others are on my never ending list, but that list is going to get completed this year and I am super excited about it!! I'm in Superwoman mode! 

This is me a couple months shy of 29 and for those of you that asked, this is my lazy hair that looks hard to do!  I put my hair in a pony, don't pull it through all the way, flip it forward and bobby pin it.  That back looks a little messy, but who cares!  It looks cute and sassy from the front!  Easy peasy!  It's definitely my go to these days and my husband likes it!  Happy Day!

Photo by Jami Thompson Photography

So, I've never done this before, but I'm going to offer a little birthday promo to any potential Newborn clients!  

Must schedule and pay deposit with me between November 21st and November 24th

Session Date must fall in the 2015 calendar year

Newborn Sessions: Complimentary Maternity Session

 

Much Love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

Email: [email protected]

 

 

This is the posed portion of Maddie's newborn session.  Her lifestyle session can be seen here. I also photographed Miss Madeline Lorraine's beautiful parents on the Yorktown beaches 6 weeks before she made her beautiful debut!  You can see the maternity images here.

Newborn sessions that combine both lifestyle and posed sessions are a little longer (approximately 4 hours), but they are so worth it!  I absolutely LOVE the lifestyle portion where I capture your beautiful baby with your family!  Whether it's new parents loving on their baby or it's siblings smitten over their newest sibling, I can't help but smile (and sometimes tear up) because yes, I am that happy!  

Miss Maddie was an absolute joy to photograph!  Just look at her cuteness!  

The tiny details are so important to capture!  Her tiny lips, precious feet, baby fingers, tiny lashes!  Oh the tiny details that change so quickly are so sweet!

Oh she's a precious little lady! 

Much love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotograph.com | Email: [email protected] | IG: SarahNolanPhoto

Sometimes you meet two people and just like them instantly.  Natalie and Aaron are two of those people.  They are a relaxed, confident, genuine couple that welcomed me into their world to capture them as new parents and to photograph their perfect little angel!  Their vision married with my ideas created a beautiful lifestyle and posed newborn session!  I cannot stop looking at these images, there’s so much love! And who doesn’t love an adorable Golden Doodle?!  He’s a proud older brother and was so proper during the entire session!  I absolutely love it when family pets are included in sessions!  I sure know that my little black fluffball makes an appearance in the majority of my pictures!  

Lifestyle Session:osed Session:

Daddy kisses

Mama snuggles

Thank you for a beautiful session!  

Much Love.

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | Email: [email protected] |  IG: SarahNolanPhoto

Hello Gorgeous!  Just look at those eyes! Miss Vivian drove EIGHT hours to have her 6 month pictures taken (and to fly to Italy to visit her Auntie & Uncle).  We didn't know how this session was going to go, but she was an absolute dream!!  She was calm, happy and really loved just being outside!  It was so nice to snuggle her and capture her many expressions!  

She's so happy and the grass at this overgrown golf course was the perfect backdrop!  She loved her tummy time and I loved capturing her smile!

You can only get away with putting your baby in a wagon and a wooden box for so long!  Pretty soon she will be running around and climbing into the wagon and box!  I can't get over her adorable face!!  

Hanging out in her rocking chair with her "6 month" sign!  

This may be one of my favorite pictures!  She is so relaxed.

Having your picture taken is hard work and she was such a good sport, so nakey time was a must!!!  Miss Viv loved hanging out on this gorgeous blanket her mama made for her!
Much Love,

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto | [email protected]

Homecomings are amazing, I know from experience.  You are so strong and so determined to do everything on your own for months – you keep the house clean, pay bills, do the shopping, learn how to fix washing appliances, take care of the lawn, keep in contact with family, live and breathe with your phone on you at all times, write copious amounts of emails, take pictures to document everything for the love of your life, and stay strong until…

...until you see that smile, those eyes, that sexy body and all you can do is run and cry and kiss and completely let every emotion out that you held bottled up inside you.  It is a feeling that washes away all the struggles of deployment in the blink of an eye.  It’s amazing! Welcome Home!

I was really nervous about this session because it was my first homecoming that I was photographing and it was for another photographer.  Pressures on and it turned out wonderful!  I freakin love LOVE!!!  So happy that this lovely family of four is reunited before the holidays!  Treasure your time together and enjoy the little things!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Much Love.

Sarah

Sarah Nolan Photography | www.TurnaroundPhotography.com |www.facebook.com\turnaroundphoto |IG: SarahNolanPhoto

On a gorgeous Sunday morning, I drove up to Yorktown for a maternity session.  When I got there, I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful location, morning or mama-to-be (again)!  There was a dew hanging in the air that reflected the sunlight perfectly,  the hills were rolling, the grass was majestic, Rebecca was stunning in her long grey dress, beautiful blond curls and perfect baby bump, and there was a calmness to the morning.  I instantly knew this was going to be a perfect session and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!  I love meeting my newborn clients before their precious baby is born and maternity sessions are the perfect opportunity.  We can interact, chat about your baby's nursery, your style and become comfortable with one another before I come to your home to take pictures of your perfect little angel.  I am in falling more and more in love with maternity sessions, so I really hope that my future newborn clients consider maternity sessions with me.  I am in love with these pictures and I am so excited to meet Rebecca’s baby boy in less than a month!!  

 

It’s that time of year again where we start thinking about everything we have to get done before the holidays!  I know I for one am swamped with working fulltime, doing photography part-time (and anytime I can squeeze it in because I LOVE IT and it feeds my soul), soon to be teaching a GMAT class (starting this Thursday!), and then all the day to day stuff…cleaning, shopping, yard work, and then all the fun stuff…date nights, girlfriend time, painting my toenails, and then all the healthy stuff…working out, getting fresh air, sleeping, oh and by the way, Christmas is a couple months away and I have a HUGE family to shop for!  While this all seems like a lot to have on your plate, it’s pretty normal for me and totally doable IF and only IF, I stay organized!  While I haven’t had any double bookings or missed events yet, I have this sick feeling that if it’s going to happen, it’s going to be soon and I am not OK with that. So, I finally decided that those little bubbles on my iPhone that tell me I have something (could be my daily note to use good posture) just weren’t going to cut it anymore. I bought my first big girl planner since college and Oh Lawdy it’s amazing!!  It’s cute too! Thanks to Kate Spade, I can now plan the next 17 months of my life in this classy, cute and super practical planner! 

I sat down about a month ago and put in every single session, family birthdays, volunteering events, GMAT teaching, due dates, follow-up reminders, my husband’s busy golf schedule, etc. and I instantly felt calmer! What can I say, I’m a list girl and I freakin love to have everything written down.  Why I didn’t do this earlier, I have no idea.  Oh and I still have all of my events on my phone, so the bubbles are still there as daily reminders that I have a long list of things to do!  You can never be too prepared!  It’s also really exciting to see all the sessions I have booked and know that the openings can still be filled, but if they aren’t, I’ll have plenty to keep me busy this fall!  Positive thinking! 

Oh and these sweet notes at the beginning of each month just make me smile!!

Much love,

Sarah

Sarah Nolan Photography

E: [email protected] |www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto

Big changes are coming to my photography business in the coming weeks and months and I want you all to know before the changes actually occur!  I will be changing my name from "Turnaround Photography" to "Sarah Nolan Photography" for a couple of reasons.  First of all, I want everyone who books with me to know my name is Sarah and that's who they will be contacting.  I have had potential clients contact me and not know how to address me.  It was uncomfortable for both of us and I definitely do not want that to happen if I can avoid it.  I also really want to connect to my name, my brand, and what better way to do that then by using my actual name.  I hope you like the change because I am really excited about it!

Along with a name change, I will be working with a branding specialist to help design my logo, website, Facebook banner, business cards, etc. so that everything coordinates with one another.  There's a good chance I will need your help voting on logo designs, so keep your eyes peeled!!  I have a vision, but bringing that vision to life and having it match my personality and photography style will be an interesting journey for me.

I am very excited for all the changes that are coming and I thank you in advance for growing with me.  Each and every client has inspired me to be better and see life a little differently!  I love hearing how much you love the pictures, how I captured your children's personalities perfectly, how I made you feel beautiful!  I remember you all and smile when I think about your session and your images! I really do!

The decision to change my name and rebrand was not spur of the moment.  I have mentored with other photographers, attended the CLIC conference for women in photography who want to "brand" themselves, and I have done a ton of research on my own. This is a major change for me and I am confident in it.

Stay tuned!  The wheels have been set into motion, my name will be changing and my logo is in the works!  I'm so excited!  

Much love.

Sarah | Sarah Nolan Photography

 

Fall and Halloween Mini Sessions

When: Saturday, October 19th from 3:30-5:30

Where: Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Park

What: 20 minute session & 10-15 edited digitals with downloading and printing rights

Investment: $75.00

​Costumes are welcome and encouraged!

If the 19th doesn't work for you, please email me at [email protected]

Here are some pictures of the set-up:

Much Love 

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com/TurnaroundPhoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto

April is a spunky, fun, super energetic 5 year old who worked that camera like a champ!!  I love photographing children, especially when their parents tell me to “Capture Her Personality”!!  It’s a challenge and super fun for me to break a kiddo out of their shell and really capture who they are!  Luckily for me, April was out of her shell from the moment we met, and she gave me all the sass and smiles that I wanted!  It was so much fun!  We were literally running around, spinning, jumping off chairs, blowing bubbles, talking to fishermen, and enjoying a beautiful morning together!  

We hopped around a few locations that were all close together, changed outfits between cars and took pictures at the sped of light!

And of course we had to have some fun at the end!  Bubbles and rolling down hills make for one happy kiddo!!
Thank you for asking me to capture April’s personality as she turns 5^th beautiful years of age!

Much Love 

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com/TurnaroundPhoto | IG: SarahNolanPhoto

I grew up outside of Philadelphia and visit often, so when I am in town, I try to schedule a few sessions if possible.  I am lucky enough to have friends refer me (and I thank them dearly) and that’s how I was connected with this beautiful family!  Mom and Dad are absolutely stunning and their children are simply darling!  

We found a little shaded cove with the sun shining through in the back and we camped out!  I took family pictures, mother-daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, and father-son.  I really love to take pictures with parents and children because I see myself gravitating towards pictures that my parents are in the older I get and I want children to have those pictures to look back on too. 

Couple pictures are always super sweet too!  It's important to take pictures together and  be all lovey dovey!  

Sibling pictures and just fun!  These two never looked at the camera at the same time, but capturing their interactions was a blast!  I really love the black & white of brother going in for a cheek kiss and sister's reaction. 

Just look at these eyes!  Oh heavens he is a cutie!

Sister wasn't into having her picture taken, but she still gave me some sweet faces!

This picture makes me smile so much!  Little sister doesn’t want to get her feet dirty and little brother is looking at her with a silly face, just how my brothers still look at me!  

 

Much love

Sarah of Turnaround Photography |www.turnaroundphotography.com | www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto

The skies looked they were about to open up and traffic was horrendous "Friday afternoon Hampton Roads traffic", so I was a nervous mess heading to this session.  It was my first official couple’s maternity session and I had high hopes (I have high hopes about all my sessions, but firsts are always a wee bit more nerve-wracking for me).  Luckily, Natalie and Aaron had told me to take my time and drive safe and just had a sweet vibe about them, which calmed my nerves a bit.  As I was entering the Yorktown Riverwalk area, a road was closed that I didn’t know about (because a text didn’t come through from Natalie), so I turned down a road I had never been down and a little boy ran right in front of my car.  I slammed my brakes on so hard and fast that my car stalled out.  He was completely fine, his father was sobbing and I could barely breathe. Thank God those texts didn’t come through and I was completely focused on the road.  A split second of distraction at that moment could have made for a horrible evening. Praise the Lord that everyone was ok.  I said a little prayer in my car to calm my beating heart before heading over to meet Natalie and Aaron for the first time!  It was only when I started apologizing for being a little late and explaining that I had to park across the way that Natalie realized none of her texts had come through. I’m handing that one to the Big Man Upstairs; he knew what he was doing!  

 

So, here I am with an absolutely stunning Mama-to-be and her handsome husband and skies start to clear up as we head over to the secluded Yorktown beaches!  It was perfect!  We took candid pictures, posed pictures, prop pictures and stunning maternity pictures all while getting to know one another and chatting about their little bundle of joy and their vision for her newborn session!  I felt so relaxed with these two!

 

 

Natalie tagged me in a post with this picture thanking me for making her feel beautiful!  I literally did the happy dance with  tears in my eyes!  She is beautiful and I am so beyond blessed to be able to help people feel beautiful through the pictures I capture while doing something I love! 

 

 

And finding out that this is Aaron’s favorite picture of his wife was just as sweet!  I always wish I could see myself from my husband’s eyes because I think I would be much more beautiful than I see myself.  Knowing which pictures husbands love the most of their beautiful wives makes my heart melt! 

 

 

I cannot wait to photograph your baby girl next month!!  I’m thinking about you three!

 

Much Love,

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

www.TurnaroundPhotography.com | www.facebook.com\TurnaroundPhoto | IG: @TurnaroundPhotography

I absolutely LOVE newborn session, but I was even more excited than normal about this newborn session for multiple reasons…  First of all, I was reconnecting with my freshman year roommate who just so happens to be from Trinidad (yes the island!) and she is gorgeous.  I was also meeting her husband, her parents (which I was really excited about), and her handsome baby boy for the first time. Oh and,  she knew what colors she wanted and she told me months ahead of time, so I was able to plan and put in special requests for colors of the sea, whites and uniting two countries!  

I pulled up to their row home in Philadelphia, walked in and immediately felt at home!  It was cozy, airy, welcoming with all the windows, colorful couches, and smiling faces!  Mr. Alistair was wide awake for the first part of the session, so we focused on the baskets and he was all about that!  He let me wrap his cute little body up and place him in buckets and baskets for all of us to drool over!  He was soo cute!!

His mama is Trinidadian and his papa is American, so we brought two countries together through their flags.  Little Alistair held a handmade Trinidadian flag while wrapped in an American flag.  He was starting to get hungry during this setup, but he was still cute as a button!

While his mama was feeding him, I set up the beanbag and various backdrops and then I chatted with the family! It was so nice to meet Melanie’s parents and hear all of the stories that Mel told them about me (and they remembered)!  I never realized how much I helped her that first Philadelphia winter by teaching her to layer her pants and wear a scarf!  And knowing that her dad recognized my face from the picture I sent her as a nervous-soon-to-be-freshman reaching out to her roommate with a letter and a picture made my day!!  I guess I really haven’t changed that much!  And Mel, your husband is extremely nice!  I really enjoyed chatting with him and tell him thanks for the peppers!  We couldn’t handle too many of them, so we shared with our friends who have a much higher tolerance for heat!  

For the beanbag portion, little Alistair slept most of the time.  We started out with whites and slowly added colors and hats as we pleased.  He was quite content to let me switch out colors.

Finally, we had a little fun and brought out a Rasta hat!  He’s a little Rasta baby and rocking those dreads!  I absolutely love having some fun and really personalizing the pictures!!

Much love,

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto | www.turnaroundphotography.com | IG: @TurnaroundPhotography

August was a hot one, but we were spared on this beautiful Sunday Morning! These kiddos were excited to take their shoes off, walk on the beach, jump off benches, climb rocks and hang in trees!  Yes, it was a fun session with lots of candid pictures!  I love capturing personalities and I think I definitely did that for this family!  Big brother was cool, calm and collected!  Middle brother was a little hesitant at first, but then became a crazy little monkey!  Little sister was all sweetness and sass!

They were so much fun to photograph both together and individually!   When taking family sessions, I like to take photos of the siblings together, alone and with their parents.  I also really enjoy the Mother-Son, Father –Daughter, Mother-Daughter, Father-Son pictures and the couple’s pictures!  Without mom and dad and the love they have for each other their beautiful family wouldn’t be here!  And I strongly believe that children LOVE to look back at pictures and see their parents!  I know I thoroughly enjoy seeing pictures of my parents together and with me and my siblings!  There are so many memories attached to those prints.  I sure hope I was able to capture personalities and treasured moments for this beautiful family! 

Much love,

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

www.turnaroundphotography.com

www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto

San Diego is August is absolutely stunning and I was fortunate enough to be able to photograph Kelly Dollinger for her new website launch!  She wanted everything from sunset ocean pictures to early morning bay pictures to products to working from home (and the perks), so it was a whirlwind weekend of flights, photographing, editing sneak peeks, meeting new people, and lots of coffee!! 

This was the first session that I ever did for a business, so I approached it slightly differently because there is a marketing element that needs to be addressed.  Kelly wants to appeal to a variety of people who live across the country, so as opposed to focusing on San Diego, I focused on moods and a general calmness and happiness that life brings when you are healthy and well balanced.  I tried to bring seasons – cooler weather and warmer weather - into the pictures and I think it worked!!  I feel a chill and the need for some hot tea! 

Much love.

Sarah of Turnaround Photography

 

I’m from Pennsylvania and am very used to traditional biblical names, but absolutely LOVE super girly names for girls and more masculine names for boys.  So, when I heard that my friend was naming her baby girl Andee Jo, I nearly jumped out of my shoes!  I absolutely love the sweet, southern, girly ring of her name and let me tell you, she lived up to it in every way!!!  She was the perfect little angle during her session with me!  Her perfect skin, love of being swaddled, easy going personality, bright eyes, sweet little lips and ability to sleep through anything, was so impressive! 

We started off the session in Andee Jo’s nursery where I set up my floor drop and baskets.  

She was awake at this point, so it was super easy to have everything we could possibly need in one room.  We took some pictures in baskets and different wraps, mama fed her a bit more while I took some lifestyle images of mom & dad with Andee, Mother-daughter, Father-daughter, Baby & Fur Baby, some crib pictures, and some detail pictures of the nursery.  Oh and her nursery is absolutely stunning!!  I walked in and immediately wanted to document every little detail!  It was all handmade with love by grandma!  Simply perfect!!

After being a rockstar model, she was exhausted (and rightly so), so we were able to get a few more of her sleeping peacefully in the baskets before heading downstairs to where I had my beanbag and drops set-up. 

She slept the entire beanbag portion!  Mom and I had fun picking out wraps, headbands, bonnets and backdrops for this cutie!

Much love,

Sarah

Wowzers!  I have been super busy and I feel super blessed to be writing that because it only means that people like my photography and want me to capture their memories!  That alone makes me so happy!  I was contacted by a military wife and service member herself to capture pictures of her and her precious daughter!  I literally did a little dance because I’ve been wanting to do a Mommy & Me session for quite some time now and the opportunity just fell in my lap!  When she told me that she barely has any pictures of her and Lillian and that she was so excited to finally had some, it was like the cherry and whip cream on top of a delicious bowl of ice cream…and who doesn’t absolutely LOVE ice cream?!?!

 

We met at the Botanical Gardens, one of my favorite places in Norfolk, and just wandered around, took pictures, laughed, chatted and enjoyed a gorgeous morning before the heat sunk in.

 

I love headbands and I really love little pink and blue anchor headbands!! Doesn't she just melt your heart?!  She sure melts mine!  I could just cuddle her all day, but instead I captured her cuteness with her mama!!

And for a mama who loves bridges, we took super cute pictures on this little bridge!  Gosh I love the Botanical Gardens for all their cute little areas, abundance of flowers and trails and awesome shady spots!! We had to take some pictures at the fountain!  It was the perfect way to cap off a wonderful session!  

Much love.

Sarah 

 

Oh my heavens!!  When Nick called me and told me his grand plan to propose to his girlfriend during a “family” photo session, my heart exploded!  Between the giddiness in his voice and the absolutely adorable and well thought plan, I couldn’t contain my smile!  It was perfect!  Not only was Nick planning on proposing, but he was also committing to being a stepdad and he planned to have her family and friends there to celebrate with them!    To top it all off, he kept the secret and so did everyone else, so Tiffany was completely and utterly taken by surprise!!

Oh and someone very important approves!  Great Job Nick!

We took pictures at Lake Nockamixon near the marina which offered several different backdrops!  The sailboats were colorful and contrasting, the lake was like glass, the sun was shining strong & true, and the trees were a bright and happy green!  We couldn’t have asked for a better morning to celebrate the love these two have for each other! 

Little man wasn’t too thrilled about having pictures take, so we took lots of candid pictures!  He was all about being swung and throwing rocks!  The rocks were a HUGE hit!  I love capture little ones doing things they love and this little guy let me snap away while he found the best rocks and chucked them into the lake!

 

 

 

Every Father’s Day my husband and I head to Northern California to visit his dad so they can play a “Father-Son” Golf Tournament.  Golf is a huge part of their lives and they are both pretty handy players.  This year they WON!!  My husband wins fairly frequently, but this one was so exciting for me because it was the first time I’ve ever seen him win!  It was so neat to see him and his dad fighting for the win together! 

It was a two day tournament.  The first day I rode with my grandma and was able to spend some quality time with her.  The second day I walked with Vicki, Ryan’s stepmom.  The walking, talking and ball finding was quite nice!  I was able to take some pictures and see the golf course from a completely different perspective.  Plus I absolutely love to walk and get fresh air! 

Holy Cow those views are just insane and the guys are pretty handsome too!! Especially the guy in the blue! *wink wink*  There really is something grand about being in the Redwoods of Humbolt County.  Growing up on the east coast just doesn't offer trees like these in your backyard.  I've seen some big trees, but not like these.

For the Fourth of July weekend, Ryan and I traveled to Iowa for some family time. We are pretty good travelers, but recently we have been traveling and ton and it’s starting to take its toll on us. I think we are still catching up on sleep over a week later. It is nutty how a couple of years can make such a difference with how well you recover from traveling, but I digress… The family time was wonderful! We haven’t seen Ryan’s mom’s side of the family in a few years now and it was great to reconnect with them, meet my new baby nephew and just hang out with family. Oh and Jared was there and came back with us! It’s so nice to have him for part of the summer. We miss him dearly and can’t wait to have him with us fulltime. For now, we are enjoying the summer with lots of beach time, golfing and gelato! Jared is such a good big cousin! He pampered his little niece so much! She loved her Jared and told him often! My heart melted every single time I heard my nieces little voice say “Jared, I love you!” and then bebop right alongside him!

All these pictures were taken at the little family zoo trip we took before the "official reunion" started.  It was really nice to have some quality family time and the little zoo in Des Moines Iowa was pretty good and perfect for the kidlets!

Talk about some cute kidlets!! I absolutely adore the way Jared is with his niece and nephew and can't wait to have little ones for him to dote on all the time! 

Noah, oh Noah!  I am sitting here and words cannot explain how happy I was to take your newborn pictures!  What can I say?  You were the sweetest baby boy and I absolutely adore your red hair, your sweet little nose, your strong toe stretching, your big blue eyes, and your super cuddly personality!!   My heart skipped a beat when I saw that hair of yours!  You have no idea how happy it made me!  My husband was a red headed baby, so I have a huge soft spot for little red headed baby boys like you!  You were so well behaved whether you were sound asleep or staring at me and your mama with your big, beautiful blue eyes!  It was such a joy photographing you!

My friend Heather made all of the hats in the following pictures!  Thank you so much, Heather!  I absolutely adore them and was so happy Noah's mommy selected hats you made!  You rock lady! 

 

 

 

Keely is an amazing newborn photographer.  Heck, she is an amazing photographer all around and she has a huge heart!  She is moving to Iowa and will be dearly missed by her photography family in Virginia Beach.  Through her time here, she shared her talents with a wide group of photographers of all levels.  Her sense of community and willingness to share her knowledge is astounding and extremely refreshing!  I absolutely love her approach to the photography community and my only regret is that I did not meet her sooner.  People like her make this world a wonderful place and gently remind me that success takes time, not every client is right for you, and never stop learning.

Keely, Thank you so much for the community that you have created and welcomed me in.  I cannot wait to watch you continue to grow your business and enjoy the new relationships that you've helped me form!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!  You will definitely be missed, but always remembered.  Every time I pose a newborn, wrap a newborn, coo a newborn, I will think of you and the twin models!!  I learned a ton and will forever cherish the lessons you've taught me!  Thank you!  

Much love & Safe Travels ~ Sarah

Anna and I met soon after I moved to Virginia and recently I had to say farewell to her, but luckily before she left, we were able to sneak in a quick couple’s session at First Landing State Park. Anna and Sean were super cute the entire time!  I have more pictures of Sean making funny faces and Anna smiling perfectly than I would like to admit.  That boy made me chuckle for sure, but editing was rough.  Thank God I took a bunch of pictures to out number his funny faces (and thank God for digital photography because the “delete” button came in handy while editing this session)!  I love when couple’s relax and are goofy!  I’m a huge fan of capturing moments, not just poses.  Between Sean being a goof and Chubby being an adorable pup that his parents are smitten over, I was able to capture some adorable moments.  

 

Thank you for letting me take pictures of you three!  Have an awesome time in your future travels and best of luck!  You will be missed for sure, but I’m so excited for you and your future!  Enjoy every second of it.  You deserve it!

Much love.

Oh EmmaKate and your precious little smiles!  You are one happy baby!  Your mama and papa are very lucky parents to have you as their daughter.  EmmaKate's many smiles still have me in awe!  Never in my life have I seen such a happy baby. I keep looking at this tiny, peaceful, happy face and thinking "Who's wishing sweetly to her?! What's going on in that little head of hers?  Whatever it is, it is beautiful and I am happy for her!"

Photographing this little one's newborn pictures was a dream!  She came into this world a few weeks early and gave her mama a run for her money, but this little face made all of that disappear in an instant!  When you are gently posing a brand new baby and you hear the new mama sweetly say, "She's just so beautiful.  I can't stop staring at her." and your heart bursts into a million pieces from the love in her voice, you know you're witnessing something special.  I adore the love new parents have for their precious and perfect babies.  

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Pinks and Purples with a few neutrals were the perfect for this little princess!  Mama loves those colors and I had those colors in abundance!  In between set-ups babies can stretch and get nice and comfy!  Little EmmaKate took advantage of not being swaddled and gave me this beauty!  I adore candids just as much as I adore the perfect, sweet pose. 

​Miss EmmaKate, I cannot wait to see you grow up, but stay little and sleep lots for you mama and papa!  You were a perfect little model over Memorial Day and I'm so happy I met you and snuggled you!! Happy Belated Memorial from this little Marine's Daughter.

If you are expecting and interested in newborn pictures, I'd love to hear from you!

Much love.

Sarah of {Turnaround Photography}

Pink was the color of the day for these adorable siblings on Mother’s Day!  They were so quiet and so well behaved the entire time.  I always try relate to kiddos and be fun, but these two were completely content posing together and smiling for the camera!  I normally capture a ton of candids, but not this time.  These two were so cute! 

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I really love when outfits are coordinated, not too matchy-matchy, but color-coordinated so that the picture isn’t too busy and there is a cohesiveness about the picture.  These two and their mama did that beautifully!  The pink golf shirt matched the watermelons on his sister’s shirt and the slightly different shade of pink in his mama’s dress.  It worked so beautifully!

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mothers that walk this earth and watch over us from heaven!  You are all a constant inspiration to me!  I am a step mama who loves and adores her stepson.  I'm an extremely lucky lady to have been gifted with an instant family when I married the love of my life.  While little man was with his mama on Mother's Day, I feel the love we have for each other every day.  We can talk and talk and talk like we've known each other our entire lives.  That's one of crazy connections that people always comment on.  Personally, I love it!  

While my Mother's Day was not spent with little man, he was in my heart and I received sweet text messages from him and from other mothers in my life telling me "Thank you for being such a wonderful step mama and loving him so passionately."  Oh and my husband spoiled me, as always!  He gave me the funniest card:

Front:

Happy Mother's Day to My Wife.

When I think "Terrific Mom" I think you.

When I think "Adorable Wife" I think you.

When I think "Sexy Babe" I think you.

Inside:

When I think "Luckiest Guy On the Planet," I think ME!  

This pretty much summarizes our relationship (and I love it)!!!

So, my day.  Well, it started with sleeping in.  Ahh, I love to sleep!  I rarely get "too much" sleep or even "enough" sleep, so it was really nice to sleep in with my honey!  Then he got up and made me and a few mommy friends the most amazing breakfast!  Fresh fruit and whip cream, veggie & bacon frittata, french toast made from homemade bread, and hash browns!  Oh and mimosas!!  Yes, he's that awesome!  The french toast from homemade french bread was out of this world!  

LZHS_236 He's really really good in the kitchen!  I don't really cook anymore because his meals just dominate mine.  I'm the baker of sweets that result in either growing waste lines or more workout time.  But isn't he so handsome in an apron!  hehe!

After we all enjoyed a nice relaxing breakfast, we lounged around on the floor and C-man used his mama as a jungle gym!  

And he made sure to tell us that he is "SOOO BIG" with an adorable grin on his face!  Oh heavens!  This child makes me want babies so badly!  if you have baby fever stay far far away from this cutie pie unless you want that fever to grow even stronger.  Mine grows stronger with each passing day I spend with this little guy and believe me, I spent a lot of time with him and his mama!

Look at those eyes.  They are stunners.

One of my favorites!  I just love how sweet he can be so sweet (and I am really glad I captured this moment).  Happy Mother's Day Mama!  You are a wonderful mother and C-man is a very lucky little dude!!
After a morning of fun, little dude needed a nap, so they headed home and Ryan gave me my Mother's Day present!  A gift card to Stienmart (Yes, I wanted this because there are throws there that are perfect for newborn photograph), a dark chocolate bar, and this awesome fedora!  I'm a hat lady!    Thank you honey for taking this picture of me!  And thank you for the lovely gifts!  You know me so well!  Love them and Love you!!

Much love.

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

I wanted to share a taco recipe that my husband and I love!  It's super healthy and yummy! Pulled Chicken Tacos in Butter Lettuce Wraps! Oh my heavens! They were amazing!

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

You Never Go Back.  I have never been a Mac girl and I've even said things along the lines of "they aren't worth the money" blah blah blah.  Well, I fully admit that I was 100% WRONG.  Macs are worth every single penny.  I am a thrifty person by nature, but boy o boy I will never buy a computer that isn't a mac as long as I am taking pictures, which means I will always buy macs.  

They aren't cheap, but I made the decision about a year ago that I was going to save specifically for this computer and last weekend I hit my target and handed my credit card over with a huge smile on my face.  It's a great feeling to work your booty off to save money and then to watch that purchase come to fruition.  For the past year, I have been tutoring and teaching a GMAT class on top of working full-time as a financial analyst and doing photography, to earn the "extra" money to buy this computer.  At times it was extremely stressful on me and my family, but when push comes to shove, it's a lesson I learned long ago and it's a lesson that I am thrilled I have inherently in me: work hard for what you want and the success is so much sweeter.  I truly love that things don't always come easily to me because I have learned to work hard and enjoy the work.  Being a hard worker has helped me through this life from getting my masters to some serious personal development to being a strong and loving step mama to being a better woman.  I'm not sure how buying a mac turned into a "hard working" post, but it did. 

Basically, I am super stoked that my hard work paid off and that I am now a proud owner of a macbook pro!  This computer is a beast! It was a wonderful purchase, that's for sure!  

Thank you to all of the wonderful photographers who shared their experience and opinions about the best computers to get.  I read tons of blog posts and was able to figure out what fits my needs best.  Thank you so much for being open, honest and extremely supportive of your fellow photographers!  I love this community that I am becoming part of!

Much Love.

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

 

 

 

 

 

You know that feeling you get when you think you hit the jackpot?!  Well, I had that feeling all Sunday and pretty much all week because I attended an amazing "Mock Wedding Photography Workshop" for a great price and the quality was out of this world!!  Judith of Fresh Look Photography was the Instructor/Event Designer/Photographer and she is one spunky lady!  Holy Cow!  I freakin love that lady!  I had heard wonderful things about her, but I hadn't met her, so I wasn't sure we would jive.  Why do I ever doubt that I will jive with another fun loving, awesome lady with a dose of spunk and edginess?!  

All in all, she was awesome, the workshop was phenomenal and the other photographers were a joy to meet!  I really enjoyed observing the other photographers at the workshop.  I'm constantly striving to improve and I am eager to learn through doing, observing, networking, formal technical work, etc.  I really just strive to improve my photography day in and day out.  This workshop wasn't very technical, but it was extremely beneficial in terms of posing, interacting with your bride and groom, appreciating vendors, building relationships, capturing the details, etc.  I had a wonderful time and am extremely happy that I put my name on the waiting list!  

Major props to these awesome vendors!!  Thank you so much for your hard work!! You all rock!  Please feel free to use any of these pictures for your personal use, but please leave my watermark on the picture.  If you would like a watermark-free copy, please email me and I will send you one. Thank you!

Venue: Virginia MOCA
Instructor, Event Organizer, Photographer: Judith Chauvette, Fresh Look Photography
Wedding Planner / Event Designer: Carla Walker, Touche' Weddings & Events (VA Wedding Planner)
Florist/Linens: Tanya Seay Frazier, Graceful Designs
Cake Artist: Cakes by Crystal
Stationery: RSVP Stationery in Virginia Beach
Female Attire – Maya Couture on Main: A Bridal Boutique
Male Attire – Miguel's Custom Clothiers
Hairstyling/ MUA: Krystal Lane, Your Beauty Your Location 
Models: 
Jules and Gabe, Bride and Groom 
Stephanie Arcangelo & Jen Burnett, Bridesmaids
Luke Arcangelo & Vasile Raicu, Groomsmen, Red Star Modeling Agency

Oh sister!  I wish I was closer to her in distance, but since that isn’t possible given that we live in different states, I am extremely happy that we have such a close relationship.  We chat on the phone frequently and share similar viewpoints on how to live life and when we are at a loss for words, books and music replace them.  We constantly suggest books for each other!  She’s 13 and I love “simple minded” books.  I read because I enjoy reading and I absolutely love to escape in a book.  I don’t enjoy reading books that I have to reread or take notes to keep everything in line.  Some of our favorite books of late that we highly recommend reading:

A Fault In Our Stars by John Greene

Be prepared for tears, happy and sad ones, and a new perspective on children/people with terminal illnesses. This book was suggested to me by my sister and I read it in two days while on vacation in Jamaica.  Yes, I cried on the beach.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

This book brings out the childhood imagination that we all have inside of us! 

Room by Emma Donoghue

Room is written from a little boys perspective of the world...a room.  It's a story about abduction, but since it's written from the little boy's perspective, it isn't gruesome.  I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more by Emma in the near future.

On my "To Read" list:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Looking For Alaska by John Greene

Frog Music by Emma Donoghue

Do you have any suggestions?  We always love a new books suggestion!

Much Love.

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

Every Friday I am going to write about my little sister and our almost daily chats!  You see, my sister was born when I was a freshman in high school, so I am lucky enough to be a big sister, but still cool enough to not be the "second mom type big sister".  It's pretty awesome!  Now that she is 13 and headed to high school next year, we can have legit conversations and I love it! 

She sweet, sassy, smarty and super fun to hang with these days!  She is way cooler than I was at 13!  Luckily little punk. :P  But seriously, she is WAY cooler than I ever was at her age...or pretty much ever.  I don't think anyone would classify me as "cool"... feel free to chime in siblings.  I know I'm not cool, but you know you like me just the way I am because I know I use like all of you just the way you are!!  Oh yea, I am one of 6 crazy siblings, there are 27 years between the oldest and the youngest, and are all very different.  Bonnie is the youngest and the one I talk to almost daily.  She cracks me up, suggests books to read, talks about school, dances, sports, and still has that innocence that I love!

Pansies are simple, little flowers that throw a punch of color in early Spring!  They are a sign to most of us that spring is coming and it’s time to get excited!  Well, these sweet little pansies also have another meaning for me, a heart-wrenching and heartwarming meaning…if that makes any sense at all.  They remind me of my best friend and her mom. Her loving mother no longer tends to the pansies every spring, but her memory is alive and well.  Every spring she sends magnificent pansies to remind her daughter that she is proud of her, loves her dearly, and is watching over her.  This year, the pansies are exceptional!  It’s almost like a mama knows when her baby girl needs a little extra pizzazz and love in her life.  After all, a Mama knows best.

Enjoy these flowers and say a little prayer for a wonderful young lady, my best friend, and her mom.  They are very deserving ladies!  Thanks!

  Much Love

Sarah

Sometimes you’re just lucky and it’s awesome! 

The wind is blowing the right way. 

The toddler is looking at you.

Mom is stunning and glowing and looking at the camera.

Flowers are blooming!

And the bubbles…

Oh the bubbles…

Yes, they are floating at just the right spot when you snap the picture!

There were lots of things that had to go right with this picture and they did!  Upon getting home and looking through the first few pictures, a happy dance in the middle of my living room was performed, and a goofy look from my husband was received!  Oh and an immediate text to the mama was sent!  She is just as happy with this picture as I am!!  We both just keep looking at it!  Maybe because we know just how hard it is to get this little guy to look at the camera these days or maybe because we just freakin LOVE this picture and everything about it!  The colors, the people, the bubbles, the moment!

Literally, this was a quick little mommy & me Mother’s Day session at the Botanical Gardens and luckily dad was there and decided to blow bubbles!  Originally, dad wasn’t going to be there, no bubbles would have been blown, and this gorgeous picture would have been missed, so thank you to the wonderful dad that blew the awesome bubbles to make this picture possible! Oh and last year on Mother’s Day weekend there wasn’t a single flower to be seen.  Not so this year!  Oh happy Spring!   

 

Much love.

Sarah

Aiden, oh Aiden!  Could you be any cuter?!?!  You're so tiny in every way!  Your little coos, your tiny smile, your sweet baby smell, your gentle snuggles...you are a darling to cuddle and photograph!  And Katie, thank you so much for asking me to photograph your baby boy.  I absolutely loved catching up with you, meeting your wonderful family and capturing moments!

This was an in home session and it was so relaxing!  We set up in the nursery because natural light was streaming through the windows and everything we could have possibly needed in case of a “surprise” was handy!  Oh and we had surprises alright!  We laughed and even documented a few for good measure.  I will not be sharing them publicly, but mama will enjoy them along with a good laugh and hilarious memories!  Let’s just say he’s all BOY!  This brings me to a good point, being easy going is key during newborn sessions.  “Surprises” happen and I expect them to happen, so never worry about me, I have two changes of clothing with me just in case! 

Wow, I know how to go on tangents.  So, we set up in the nursery and it was perfect!  Great natural lighting, a smallish room that could easily be heated for baby Aiden, all the necessities for “surprises” and a room that was out of the way, so that there were few distractions and the rest of the family could go on with their daily lives without feeling like they had to act any differently.  I took all the “basket” pictures and the family pictures in the nursery.  The only pictures that occurred elsewhere were the red wagon pictures that we bundled him up for and took outside!  It was amazing!

By the way, Katie’s entire family was amazing!!  I thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them!  They were so sweet with Aiden and they were so welcoming to me!  The tuna sandwich was amazing!! Thank you! Aiden is one loved little boy!! 

Mr. C-man turned ONE in February!  He was an active little guy and made the cake smash portion of the session a little challenging because sitting still was not on his agenda.  He did however, absolutely LOVE the water basin at the end!  He's a little water baby!! 

In honor of little Calvin, we put together a Calvin & Hobbs themed cake smash!  That you to "Yorktown, VA - Creative Cake Designs" for the wonderful cake!

The sessions started off with a little flannel and some candids of this cutie!  He has the best blue eyes and an adorable little face!  I simply love capturing his personality!!

Just look at that tongue!  Oh he has big plans on taking that ONE and running with it!  It's quite suitable for this little guy because he is always on the move, or kissing puppies.  Running in circles is a talent on his and he definitely had me running around during this session!

Luckily phones and paper tend to keep kids focused. 

Now onto the cake smashing!!  He didn't attack the lovely sweet green cake like we thought he would, but he definitely enjoyed taking tiny tastes of it!

Much love.

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

On Sunday I had the pleasure of photographing one of the cutest baby girls I have ever seen.  Kennedy was 16 days old and was an absolute doll to photograph.  She loved to be swaddled and her mama wanted pinks and purples, so pinks and purples is what this little princess got!  I don't have any babies of my own, but this little one made me want a baby so badly!  She was beyond precious in all her tininess, calmness and complete love of being swaddled!!  There is something so heartwarming about a baby sleeping in your arms.  I could have documented her entire day and loved every moment of it. 

Look at those tiny hands & tiny nose and sweet little ears!  Oh heavens I am in love!  Babies change so quickly and I am blessed to be able to capture all her tininess!

The hair swirl only last so long, so I had to capture it. Oh heavens look at those little lips and that tiny nose!  I cannot get enough of her! Yawn!!  I love capturing "action" shots! She's thinking about something... This is one of my favorite pictures.  She is a self-soother. Much love,

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

Wow!  Friday was an absolutely gorgeous day that made me crave spring and summer more than I ever thought possible.  After the horrible winter that seems to never end, this spring will be the sweetest spring!  I don't know a single person who isn't ready for winter to be over and spring to be here in full force.  Just look at these dogwoods! Ahh!  Spring is coming!

When we saw the dogwoods, we immediately stopped the car and knew that we had to take advantage of their beauty!  Cynthia of Cindy Cahoon Photography, and I were at the CLIC Conference in Raleigh at the the time  and we were full of renewed vigor and inspiration from all of the amazing women photographers that we had just spent the day with!  Needless to say, we were beaming!  Just look at this beauty!  She is rocking those salmon pants!  The camera loves her!  Thank you, Cindy for having me photograph you!  You are a dream to work with! 

  Much Love.

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

I had the pleasure of attending a Newborn workshop with Keely of Kiwi Marie Photography last weekend and we had 6 week old TWINS for models!!  The little boy was very calm and slept most of the time, but little miss was not too happy to have her picture taken, so the bulk of these pictures of the sweet little boy.  When you photographing babies, you have to be flexible and realize that they aren't always going to cooperate for you.  I've had last minute cancellations because babies were sick or irritable, sessions that weren't "smooth" because baby only wanted to be held or because the baby was too old.  Yes, there is a tiny window for newborn photography...5-10 days old is preferable, but definitely before 17 days old is optimal for me.  The newer a baby is, the more he or she sleeps and the more flexible their little bodies are.  With twins, the window is little different because they are generally early and have to spend some time in the hospital.  Once they are both home, the window is within 2 weeks, but preferably within 1 week of being home. 

Much love

Sarah {Turnaround Photography}

Some kids have the power to melt you heart and little Miss is one of those kidlets!  She is full of spunk and wanted nothing more than to “help” me take pictures!  I promised her that if she behaved during our little photo session that I would let her take some pictures.  Well, she was a complete doll the entire time even though it was chilly and wet.  The rain had stopped, but the cold front was moving in with a vengeance.  It definitely was not ideal weather for a photo shoot, but especially one with kidlets.  Needless to say, we snapped pictures quickly and got them all bundled as quickly as possible!

This family is hilarious and I love that about them!  We were able to get a decent amount of great pictures in a very short amount of time thanks to the cold weather kicking us into high gear!  Little Mr. had just learned how to walk, so I snapped a few of him tottering along.  Little Miss loves her daddy so much, so I snapped an adorable Father-Daughter picture that melts my heart to this day! 

This was one of my first “posed” family sessions and during the process I learned a few things.  First of all, you need to be prepared for bad weather.  Luckily we were in a location that offered alternatives – it was a city center.  Second, always have something near or on your camera to keep the children’s attention.  Third, it’s not always the children that you need to worry about looking at the camera; a lot of times it’s the parents because they are focused on getting their kids to look at the camera.  Lesson learned – I’ll handle the kids; parents just smile and look at me! 

With each session I learn my style a little bit more.  I am much more of a natural/lifestyle/candid photographer.  I really love capturing moments. It’s just my thing and I learn to embrace it with each passing day. 

I hope you enjoy the photos!  If you do, please like my facebook page: www.facebook.com/turnaroundphoto and do not hesitate to contact me!

{Turnaround Photography} by Sarah Much love!

{Turnaround Photography} by Sarah

In Virginia Beach, from November through March you never know if Mother Nature will send 8-inches of snow, which we are experiencing now, or 80 degrees and sunshine, which we experienced on a lovely weekend in December for this beautiful maternity session.  As I think back on this session, I cannot help but remember the love that this family has for one another.  Their tenderness, patience and general sweetness made this one of my most memorable sessions.  I am a feeler.  I love meet beautiful people and capture their love.  This session didn’t have the best light because it was a midday session on a day that was supposed to be overcast, but on my drive there, the sun decided to make a grand appearance for the entire session.

Mama J is pregnant with baby number two and is absolutely glowing!  This little baby is extremely lucky because her mama loves her dearly.  The emotion on her face and in her voice when she talks about her is heartwarming.  It’s a feeling I yearn for and absolutely love to witness!  Thank you so much “B” Family for letting me capture you all on a sunny December afternoon!  I am beyond excited to capture your little one when she makes her debut.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful family maternity session! 
These big beautiful eyes!  Ahh my heart melts!

Such a beautiful couple!  They are so in love!

Much love!

{Turnaround Photography} by Sarah

My Saturday afternoon was spent with two wonderful ladies who like myself, love photography and yearn to constantly learn.  We chatted about struggles and strengths which ranged from new techniques to finances to personalities. It was quite refreshing to see that we all have our struggles regardless of how long we have been in the business and that there are always things to be learned.  As a new photographer, I know I have a lot to learn, but lucky for me, I absolutely love to learn.  I am a student at heart and challenge myself daily.  This journey is a beautiful one and I am excited to know that I am not alone and that there is a world of supportive, enthusiastic and extremely talented photographers to guide me and challenge me. 

Instead of being behind the camera,  for once I was the subject...and I liked it!  I just love pictures and memories.  I think it is good to get in front of the camera and remind yourself that not everyone is comfortable being photographed, not everyone knows how to naturally pose or place their hands, some of us think far too much me included.  I find that my favorite pictures are candids, even of myself.  I love laughter, squinty eyes, huge smiles, natural expressions, and moments.

I truly had an amazing time networking with such wonderful ladies!  Their enthusiasm, phenomenal personalities and sense of community really resonated with me.  I consider myself blessed to have them in my life and I look forward to many more get togethers!  I am a friends kind of gal and with each new friend my happiness gauge gets higher!  You ladies rock! Thank you for inviting! 

Here are a few pictures that Cynthia from Cindy Cahoon Photography took of me this weekend!  Thank you pretty lady for sharing these with me!  I'm really happy there was snow on the ground and that I wore my blue pants!  Can't wait for next time!

Cindy Cahoon Photography Cindy Cahoon Photography Cindy Cahoon Photography Cindy Cahoon Photography Cindy Cahoon Photography