Big News - A New Blog!!

I'm super excited to announce jan michele photography has a new blog home! From now on you'll want to check www.janmicheleimages.com for all the new pictures of my fabulous clients! So add the new address to Google Reader and I'll see you over there!

Belmont Country Club wedding featured on d.c. wedding spot!

Melissa and Matt's beautiful cherry blossom wedding at Belmont County Club was featured today on d.c. wedding spot! Thanks to Cherry Blossom for submitting them!

Old Town Alexandria Engagement Photography - Karen and Paul

This engagement shoot embodies why I love my job as a wedding photographer! Karen and Paul are a super sweet, fun and fabulous engaged couple who were trusting enough to follow me around Old Town, a little off the beaten path, as I looked for interesting colors and textures, and beautiful light. And I think the walking paid off. :) Aren't they adorable!? Their smiles are contagious and it makes me smile just looking back at their pictures. I can't possibly pick a favorite picture, so below is a sampling of images from their Old Town Alexandria engagement shoot. They are planning a lovely fall wedding at River Farm and I can't wait!








Contact Jan today to shoot your engagement pictures or wedding!

Northern Virginia Baby Photographer - Quinn

After my visit to the Lewis Ginter Gardens, I headed over to Maymont to meet up with my little subject for the day's shoot. I have to pause to first put in a plug for Maymont. The house and land were donated to the city in 1926 by Mr. and Mrs. Dooley. The true jewel of the park and gardens is the 1893 Victorian home, full of the Dooley's furnishings. One of a kind priceless pieces that are a treat to see. The house itself is stuffed full of details from the patterns in the hardwood floors, to the stained-glass that's different in every room, to the amazing ceilings. The glass front book cases were one of my favorite elements, but the stained-glass windows over the stairs were gorgeous too. It was way too much to take in one visit. If you're ever near Richmond, I highly recommend a tour of the Maymont house!

Little Quinn is the nephew of wedding clients Courtney and Saul and I can see why the family is so smitten with baby Quinn and his big blue eyes! It was a pleasure to meet and photograph this precious boy and to reconnect with Courtney and Saul's family. Here are a couple of favorites photographs of baby Quinn and his parents.



Contact Jan today about photography for your family.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Photography - Richmond VA

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA. I love flowers and gardens and had been waiting for a chance to explore these grounds. Usually when I'm in Richmond I'm on my way to Florida without time to stop.
Lewis Ginter Gardens was so pretty with lot of blooming flowers from iris to roses to foxglove to azaleas to peonies and more. It's also a prime wedding venue with multiple ceremony and reception locations including the rose garden and the beautiful, historic Bloemendaal House (I peeked in the windows). There is an enormous ginko tree outside the Bloemendaal house that I know is an amazing golden yellow in the fall. How pretty would that be for a late October or early November wedding?? I'd love to be a wedding photographer here anytime!
This year the gardens is displaying Glorious Glass in the Garden: The Art of Hans Godo Frabel, which you'll see in some of the pictures. Can you see the little glass men crossing the stream on a log?

Springfield Virginia Wedding Photographer - Congratulations Meghan and Patrick!

On a warm (OK, it was hot!) May day, Meghan and Patrick went from high school sweethearts to husband and wife. Meghan has the cutest twinkle in her eye and the most infectious giggle, it's easy to see why she's loved by so many friends and family - and most importantly, Patrick.

My two favorite parts of the wedding day were the ceremony - because the priest had become an old family friend over the years and so the ceremony was sweet and personal - and then we had an hour in Occoquan, VA for pictures, which is a wedding photographers dream! It was hot, but Meghan and Patrick were troopers and I think it was well worth the effort for so many fun and beautiful pictures. :) These are the portraits every couple wants to display for years to come and it's well worth building time into the wedding day to get them.

From the time they book me, I'm happy to help my clients with the schedule to make sure there is time for pictures without adding any stress to the day. I'm also happy to suggest locations for portraits to fit within the time we've planned. Some ceremony and reception venues are great for portraits and other times we'll need to travel to another location. Something to consider both when booking venues and creating the time-line.

Back to Meghan and Patrick and a few of my favorite wedding day pictures. Congratulations you two!















Reception Venue: Waterford at Springfield
Florist: Maryam Flowers
Photographer: jan michele photography

Occoquan VA Wedding Photographer - Meghan and Patrick Wedding Slideshow

Belmont Country Club Wedding Photographer - Melissa and Matt's Wedding Story

Contact Jan to be your wedding photographer (click then choose contact tab).

Washington DC Photographer - Azaleas - National Arboretum

Have I mentioned how much I love spring? In the DC area one thing after another blooms, it's such a beautiful time of year! Coming a little early this year are the azaleas. Being from the south, I have a fondness for azaleas which are often accompany my favorite tree, the live oak (those trees that are usually "decorated" with Spanish moss). The main difference is that in the south you almost always see the largest of the azalea flowers and they are color coordinated much better - you don't see reds and pinks and oranges planted next to each other like you do here!
The azalea collection at the National Arboretum is just stunning with colors and sizes not found anywhere else. Here are a few pictures from last week in case you haven't been able to go visit them in person. Enjoy!

Northern Virginia Photographer - Meghan and Patrick

Engaged high school sweet hearts, Meghan and Patrick will be tying the knot very soon. After many years together, Meghan still gives Patrick the cutest look - it's so adorable! Being able to capture a moment of happiness is my goal as a wedding and portrait photographer so working with these was a joy. Their wedding should be full of fun with many more adoring looks and playful laughs, I can't wait!