SUNSET CREST MANOR ENGAGEMENT: SARAH & JOEY

Sunset Crest Manor is a beautiful venue in Chantilly. Like the name implies, the house sits on a hill overlooking the Virginia countryside that the sun sets over every day. Joey, Sarah and I wandered the property on a mission to find the best autumn-colored trees we could find to use in our photos. The trees will likely be a bit greener for their September wedding so we'll get a whole new look for those photos.

I've photographed a few weddings for this couple's group of friends. I love the challenge of getting new and different photos that fit each couple's style and push my creativity. And I love that I will know some of the people coming to Sarah and Joey's wedding—seeing as how fun they all are together.

Speaking of fun, I'm loving creating giant panorama images like the square ones in the post. Both were stitched together from 20+ images to make ultra high-resolution, ultra depth of field photos. It takes my computer a long time to process but ends up being worth it!

GEORGETOWN ENGAGEMENT: ERIN & WILL

Erin and Will took an afternoon off to meet me in Georgetown for this engagement session. Their first date was at a restaurant on M Street and then a long walk along the C&O Canal so this spot made a lot of sense to come back to. We took full advantage of the afternoon sunlight and the fall colors up in the neighborhoods, along the waterfront, and beside the canal. This couple made it easy on me—being up for anything and just enjoying the experience. I'm looking forward to their wedding next year.

PORTRAITS: PIERSON REAL ESTATE

This was a quick shoot with Pierson Real Estate to create some photos for their website and brochures. The outdoor shots with Rosslyn (and the sun!) in the background were made by blasting speedlights, to fill in the shadows. A simple technique used to great effect when big lights and big modifiers are not possible.