Baby Shower, Baby Shower!

I was recently lucky enough to spend some time with two girls that were my best buds EARLY in our lives. Stacy is a graphic designer (and soon-to-be party planner), and she was the hostess. The details were just ridiculous (in a good way). I'm pretty sure I'll ask her to plan my next party...which will be a shuper-hero third bday party for my oldest. Anyway, back to Stacy...the food, the decor, the games, the fun...wow! I was impressed! And, I can't stop before I mention Amber. Our parents were actually friends in high school, so we go WAY back, but I hadn't seen Amber in like more than a decade...like pre-college, pre-marriage, pre-baby, so it was so different. My memories of Amber go back to like playing on the slip-n-slide outside...now we ave kids! It's crazy how that works:) I was so happy to be able to surprise Amber (as a gift from Stacy) and photography her first baby's shower and do some newborn photos after the shower. Here are a few of the party details and some of Amber and her family. Enjoy!

Stella and Oliver

These guys were real troopers! Their session was rained out the night before, so they had to get up at 6 am to make the almost hour-long drive to this location. I was shooting back in my hometown, so I didn't have much time to work with. But, Stella and Oliver's mom pulled through...she was the real hero here. Brooke managed to get two kids up, mostly dressed, and out the door much more quickly than I could:) So, it was early...perhaps too early, but the kids gave me almost an hour before they'd had enough. Here are a few from the session.

Brock & Ali {and their families}

Ali and Brock both have the most amazing family. Ali's family holds a special place in my heart, and I'm really blessed to have them in my life. I see most of Ali's crew everyday, literally. Ginny, Mike, Ali, Lizzy, and Josh are some of my two boys favorite people! I'm sure if Brock could be around more, he'd be on their list too. Brock is a Marine, and he's heading back overseas for a few months. Ali and Brock wanted to do a shoot with their families before he left, and this is the result. I know everyone is ready for him to be home for good. In the meantime, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures of his baby boy while he's away:) Thanks you, Brock, for the sacrifices you make. Thank you to Ali's family for being my home away from home. I hope these pictures will provide you some great memories!

<3 Danielle

Welcome!

Hi everyone! I am a mom to two little boys, a high school English teacher, and a photographer. These days, life is crazy. Whether I'm watching my oldest (almost three-year-old) use his own money to buy a cherished rainbow sherbet ice cream cone...or watching that same little guy pull down his pants to he can pee on the lawn while the Richmond Symphony Orchestra plays on...I'm taking pictures. Life moves so very fast, and I find it's the only way I can be 100% sure I'll remember the moments. It's so cliche to say that photographs last a lifetime, but is there any other way to say it? So, that's what I've been doing for the last three years...making quick moments into permanent treasures. It's been quite a journey toward this life as a professional photographer. It's been long, short, hard, easy, fun, exhausting, non-stop...insert any adjective, and it's been just that...well, almost any adjective:) But, here I am. Somewhere between full-time teacher, stay-at-home-mom, and full-time photographer...and it feels good. I've recently switched from operating a part-time photography business under my namesake to a la mode. Sounds good, doesn't it? I think so. So, why a la mode? Well...a la mode is French for "in the fashion". Little ol' me...I don't know much about fashion, but I do know classic photography. That's what a la mode is all about. Whether I take your photographs today or ten years from now, I hope they always look "a la mode". Always current, always fresh, always right now. Have you ever seen one of those photographs that SCREAM 1988!!!!? Yeah, well my photographs aren't going to do that. They will be timeless. Check out my website to see some of my work. Oh, and check back here. I'll be posting clients' sneak peeks and other random stuff. Have questions? Please let me know!

Welcome to my new blog!

Welcome! I will be posting shortly. :-)