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Welcome to the blog, a place for RECENT weddings,  inspirING portraitS, BranD SHOOTS, tips, and MORe.

hi, I'm EMILY

find me elsewhere:

hi, I'm EMILY

Katy and Will’s wedding day unfolded like a fairy tale amidst the stunning fall foliage of Smith Mountain Lake. EmmiClaire Photography had the pleasure of capturing every magical moment, from the heartfelt ceremony to the lakeside bliss that followed. A Celebration of Love and Fall Colors In the heart of fall, Katy and Will celebrated […]

The vibrant fall colors painted the celebration, adding warmth and beauty to Katy and Will's special day.

A Timeless Love: Katy and Will’s Wedding Day

Planning a wedding can be both exciting and overwhelming, but creating a well-organized timeline will ensure that your day runs smoothly and provides ample time for capturing stunning photographs.

How to Create a Wedding Photography Timeline: A Stress-Free Guide for Couples

Caroline and Justin’s Love Story: From Coffee Dates to Forever Caroline and Justin’s love story began at Virginia Tech, where they met as swimmers on the swim team. As fate would have it, they had been swimming at the same meets for years but only crossed paths in college. Caroline started inviting Justin for coffee […]

Caroline and Justin's Intimate Couples Portrait - Radiating Love and Happiness

A Magical Winter Wedding at The Estate at River Run: Caroline & Justin’s Love Story

Explore the best photography locations in Richmond, Virginia with EmmiClaire Photography’s guide. Discover stunning spots and expert tips to capture amazing images.

girl running through tulips

Discover Richmond’s Top Photography Locations: A Guide by EmmiClaire Photography

Discover the importance of proposal photography and why you should choose EmmiClaire Photography in Richmond, Virginia, to capture your special moment.

A surprise proposal captured by EmmiClaire Photography in La Jolla, California

Why You Need a Proposal Photographer: Capturing the Magic with EmmiClaire Photography

I was over the moon when Justin contacted me about photographing his proposal at Libby Hill Park in Richmond, VA.

Justin and Caroline sit cuddled up under the gazebo immediately following their proposal at Libby Hill. Behind them, a luxury picnic experience. by RVA Picnics They gaze smilingly at one another.

A Picnic Proposal at Libby Hill Park in Richmond, VA

Everyone has that location that lives eternally in their minds. You know the one – it’s the place that instantly transports you back in time. That’s one of the things I truly loved about capturing Hilary and Griffin’s William & Mary engagement session. They chose the location for their session because it’s where they had their first date, shared their first kiss, and fell in love.

Hilary & Griffin: A William & Mary Engagement Session

thief, friends. Never moreso than this year. If pregnancy flies by as fast as it has over the past six months for me, I can only imagine how quickly time will pass when baby arrives. This simple recognition – the passage of time – has inspired me to take an inordinate amount of pleasure in photographing families.

Time is a Thief: Photographing The Cannon Family

With COVID still looming overhead, any reason to celebrate is a good one. So it’s no surprise that now, more than ever, folks are choosing to hire professional photographers to capture their proposal stories. Let me tell you, friends, I’m a fan! In fact, proposals have quickly become one of my favorite events to photograph. There’s just something so thoughtful about the forethought it requires to hire a photographer to capture this momentous occasion. So when Mike contacted me about capturing his and Jordan’s proposal story, I jumped at the chance.

Mike & Jordan: A Proposal Story

We all know that couple – the ones who can’t stop smiling when they’re together. They’re the couple who walk into a room and unwittingly fill the space with laughter. Somehow when they’re together, an ordinary day running errands turns into a grand adventure. That’s what Annie and Patrick have together, and it made photographing their engagement session a delight!

Annie and Patrick’s Adventurous Engagement Session

Their eyes lock across the room. She reaches up and caresses his face. He reaches for her hand in the car. Whatever the gesture, grand or small, every once in awhile I photograph a couple and I’m immediately filled with a sense of their chemistry. That’s what it was like when I met Sweta and […]

An Engagement Session with Sweta and Pareen

The dog days of summer a melting away into what I can only hope will be a crisp autumn full of crunching leaves, apple cider, pumpkin patches and cozy sweaters. Another thing that brings me joy in this upcoming season? FALL MINI SESSIONS!

Fall Mini Sessions

Falling For Fall Mini Sessions

Is there anything more romantic than a picnic proposal to your sweetheart? When Carsen contacted me at the beginning of August and told me about his plan to propose to his boyfriend Uly with a cozy, over the top picnic, I was thrilled. A little rain dampened our original plans, which forced us to reschedule and change locations. But I think the end result was a morning full of blue skies, delicious food, and an abundance of love.

A Cozy Picnic Proposal

It’s hard to believe that the dog days of summer will soon give way to crisp autumn days, crunchy leaves, all things pumpkin, and back to school season. But for now, I’m reveling in all things summer, including an abundance of opportunities to photograph family portrait sessions. This Holyers family portrait session is particularly dear to my heart. They had their hearts set on gathering their extended family together to enjoy a memorable afternoon in front of my camera.

A Large Family Portrait Session with the Holyers

“I hate my arms.” “I have a double chin.” “Can you edit my acne/rosacea/scar out of the photo?” I hear these kinds of comments all the time from my clients. The truth is that the most beautiful people on earth are plagued with insecurities too. We all struggle with it at one point or another […]

How to Boost Your Confidence for a Photoshoot

ou’ve gone out of your way to book a photographer, either to photograph a special occasion or to capture an ordinary but intentional moment that you want to treasure forever. So why haven’t you taken the time to print those photos? You’re not alone, my friend. About half of my clients never take the time to have photo prints prepared. While the digital age has done so many amazing things for our world, this lack of photo printing hurts my photography-loving heart. Why? I can’t imagine growing up without these photos. To this day they’re my treasured keepsakes that represent memories of my childhood and the people I love.

The Importance of Photo Prints in the Digital Age

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but there truly are no words to describe the lasting magic of a family portrait session. Why? Because family portraits are still-framed memories captured for you to cherish for the rest of time. Whether you look at your family portraits 1 year or 50 years down the road, you’ll be transported to that place, that time, those people you love, and that morning spent together as a family.

Edgar Family Portrait Session

Styled shoots can be a bit of a crapshoot in terms of how they develop. Sometimes one vendor has a vision for the shoot and they execute that vision to a tee. Other times, that original vision morphs into something entirely different thanks to collaboration with talented vendors with style and design visions of their own. And sometimes, there is no overall concept for a styled shoot, just the knowledge that you want to work with specific vendors who you trust to create a beautiful concept and execute it flawlessly. And, yes, sometimes styled shoots are a combination of all three – a vision, a collaboration, and a desire to work with specific industry professionals. The latter was much the case for Tatiana Sizemore, owner of Simply Charmed Weddings and Events, for her most recent styled shoot at Avonlea Farms.

A Styled Shoot at Avonlea Farms

Popping the question is one of the biggest moments in a person’s life, and one most couples don’t ever want to forget. While I’m a fan of proposals in any form – spontaneous, semi-planned, meticulously planned surprises – I LOVE when I’m brought in to capture that moment! Luke reached out to me this April because he was planning to propose to his lovely girlfriend (now fiancée), Ashley. Ashley’s only request for the proposal was that a professional photographer be there. I’ve got to give Ashley props on communicating that desire to Luke. While proposal photography has become popular in recent years, hiring a photographer may not immediately come to mind, especially with so many other details to consider and plan!

A Proposal Story

Waiting for Spring to Burst Into Bloom Every year, I anticipate the blooming of the cherry blossoms here in beautiful RVA. It’s one of the first signs of spring after what is inevitably a long, dreary winter. But this year, with COVID still looming heavy in the chilly air, winter was particularly isolating. So I […]

Spring Mini Sessions are in Bloom!