You’re wedding day is quite possibly the most important day of your life. It’s no wonder that there’s so much stress leading up to the big day. If you have a million questions rolling around in your head, that stress can often intensify. If you’re not a wedding professional or photographer, odds are you have A LOT of questions about your wedding photography. Never fear, EmmiClaire Photography is here to help! Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions I receive from my wedding clients:

“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 […]

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.

Wedding planning is stressful, and never more so than when you’re discussing budget. According to theknot.com, in 2020 photographers accounted for the fourth most expensive wedding vendors for an average sized wedding of 131 guests. Only venues, catering, and live music ranked above photography in terms of expense. And yet, there are few details as important as photographing the cherished moments you’ll want to remember for the rest of your life. That’s why I advise my couples to consider hiring a second shooter for their wedding day…

While I love a big party, I can’t help but feel that COVID has brought many of us back to where we belong, shifting our focus from extravagant celebrations to intimate occasions full of meaning, and most importantly, the people we love. Few weddings have reminded me of that shift more than Mackenzie and Micah’s intimate coastal cottage wedding…

While I am a firm believer that the people who participate in your wedding day matter more than the stuff you choose to include, I understand that many couples today work diligently to curate special details to set their weddings apart. Whether it’s an heirloom ring box passed down through generations or a handkerchief you’ve had specially made for your mother to dry her tears during your ceremony, those details matter! And one of the things that sets EmmiClaire Photography apart is my ability to capture those heartfelt heirlooms so you can cherish them for years to come!

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.

When Christina and Preston described their wedding as “rustic,” I knew it was going to be full of fun, but I had NO idea how beautifully they’d infuse southern, romantic charm into every single detail. From the stunning rustic backdrop of the open air chapel and event barn at Alturia Farm to the wood flowers handmade by the bride and her sister, every detail of this southern wedding was dripping with personality!

A lot goes into planning your dream wedding. From the venue to the flowers, the menu to the dress, the details matter! But perhaps few things matter more than the work your dream wedding photographer does to memorialize your special day. After all, those images last forever. Choosing a wedding photographer whose style you love and who goes out of her way to get to know you and your love story will make the difference between photos that stay tucked away in a dusty attic and photos that will become cherished heirlooms.

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.

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!

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 […]

in this time of COVID, when personal interactions are limited, it’s important to have confident, authentic headshots, or even just some fresh, captivating photos to populate your social media and online dating profile. That’s exactly what my client, Joe, was looking for when he contacted me back in December – a mixture of professional photos and fun social media/online dating photos that would draw the right kind of attention.

Spring has officially sprung! In true form, March blew in like a lion and went out like a lamb, giving way to April’s warm, gentle breezes which have (sadly) swept away one of my favorite first signs of spring – the cherry blossoms. What better time to talk about some of my favorite Richmond locations to photograph (or even just enjoy during a lazy afternoon off)?

Every now and then, I get the opportunity to be a part of someone’s exciting new adventure. And that’s exactly what happened when I connected with Katie Christo! Katie, an ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologist, recently struck out on her own and opened Every Voice Speech and Language Therapy. With her private practice, she hopes to […]

Spring has officially sprung, and we all know what that means: wedding and engagement season is about to be in full swing! Spring is a wonderful time to shoot your engagement photos. Color is returning to the world, and soon enough fresh florals will be adding lively pops to the natural scenery around Richmond. But […]

When I got the opportunity to work with Higgins Center For Healing for their psychotherapy branding photography, I was thrilled to be able to put a spotlight on these amazing women who are working so hard to benefit the mental health of our community! As a Richmond business photographer, one of my favorite things to […]

Graduation season is just around the corner, and it’s unbelievable how quickly time passes! For those families who haven’t gotten them yet, now is the perfect time to get senior pictures done. Some of my favorite portraits to shoot are senior portraits, and Richmond provides so many amazing opportunities for seniors to display their personalities! […]

Breathtaking. I’m not one to use this word lightly, but when Meredith used it to describe her elegant, traditional black-tie wedding at The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, I couldn’t think of a better choice! Overcoming all of the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, these two celebrated their love in an intimate and heart-stirring […]

You may not know it, but my dad is a photographer himself and he inspired and encouraged career choice from a young age! With such a strong familial connection to photography, I absolutely love shooting family portraits and immortalizing those beautiful bonds. When I connected with the Donnellys about taking their family photos, I knew […]