A lot has changed since the last time I got together with this family. I originally met Tori (Mom) when my son and her daughter Colette were both just a few months old. We had joined a playgroup of moms and babies who lived in the neighborhood and she even became one of my very first clients. In fact, I have beautiful photos of Colette before she was even crawling yet. One of my favorites is this one of Colette with the tiny red heart pillow on a sheepskin run.
The Fishers now live in Virginia Beach, but Tori and I have kept in touch a bit over the years. Last year, Tori had another beautiful daughter, Alexandra (Lexi), and she got in touch wanting to do a photo shoot with the new baby and big sister. The session itself had a deeper meaning, too. Tori’s husband, Mike, is a Navy pilot and is slated to be stationed overseas for a year on an unaccompanied tour (which means, unfortunately, the family can’t go with him). As a special birthday present, Tori wanted to make sure they had photos of the whole family that Mike could take with him. In an interesting side note, Mike and I are both graduates of the US Naval Academy and I used to be a Naval aviator, too. It was cool to be able to relate with him on this and I’m thrilled he’ll be able to go away having these gorgeous photos of his daughter and step-daughter while he’s away.
Even though Tori comes up to Washington DC often for work, it’s no small feat to bring the two young girls with her. The couple owns a second home in Arlington, which is actually the location of this shoot, and it’s a huge compliment and honor that they choose to come out this way so they could work with me. Tori and the girls plan to move out to the Arlington house while Mike is stationed overseas and right now, the home is a blank slate. I’m looking forward to helping them plan out how to show off their precious photos and make the most out of their wall space.
The grounds of the Arlington home were absolutely gorgeous as a backdrop, as you can tell. After some winter-esque days, spring finally emerged from its slumber just days before the photo shoot. The temperature was warm enough to enjoy being outdoors amongst all the blooming flowers and plants. I love the photo of the sisters together in front of the bright splash of pink, As a funny side note, the couple had no idea when they bought the Arlington property, just how beautiful the grounds were. They’d bought it in winter, so all the blooms were a pleasant surprise and perfect for photographing the family around the property.
Little Lexi was a joy to work with as well as her big sister. As you can tell, both have those beautiful, big blue eyes that sparkle with joy and curiosity. You can see all the love and happiness seeping out of them in these images. Of the ones inside, Lexi shows off just how cute she is with her Mommy and Daddy by her side–and I know all of the images are ones Mike will treasure not only while he’s away, but for years to come. In the meantime, mom and I will be consulting soon on where to put the artwork when Tori and the girls move to Arlington this summer.
About the Photographer and Author:
Julie Kubal is a child and family portrait artist and photographer serving Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. She is passionate about creating warm and meaningful artwork through modern portraits and lifestyle photography at a location of your choice!