In May I had the privilege to photograph my friend Juliet and her beautiful family. We met in downtown Clifton on a grey Sunday morning – it was supposed to pour down rain that day, but we managed to sneak in a couple hours of wandering and play with the two little ones. I’ve discovered that I absolutely love photographing families, capturing special moments in time that can be cherished and remembered as children grow. I’ll never forget this magical morning, watching sisters play and their parents, who admire the girls that they love so much.
photography
Baby Orson
This time of year always reminds me of the importance of family, so I wanted to share some portraits of a family that is very near and dear to my heart. These were taken about a month after Orson was born, and he has grown even more since then! He is incredibly lucky to have such amazing parents, and they are just as lucky to have him. So much love for the Knox family.
Portraits with Maggie
Maggie is the founder of a financial coaching company and needed some fresh portraits for her business, so a couple weekends ago we would have been seen crisscrossing through Del Ray finding micro jungles and gardens for backdrops. It was a hot July day, so we started our adventure with coffee and tea from Swings and then I proceeded to put Maggie in flowers for the rest of the morning. And I’m so grateful that she did… take a look at her beautiful portraits for yourself!
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Bloomology Co.
My dear friend Michelle is in the middle of redesigning her website for Bloomology Co., and was in need of some refreshed brand photos so I naturally signed right up! I have been wanting to dig deeper into my photography skills and try out some portrait ideas, so our joint effort was the perfect thing to get our creative juices flowing. We spent an afternoon at the Botanic Garden in DC, which was the absolute perfect location for some natural mid-morning portraits. See for yourself, and be sure to check back to Michelle’s website to see the new look!
Senegal Part II: Latmingue
After a couple days in Thies, Natalie and I left for a 2-day trip to Koalack to visit her host family in the village of Latmingue. After a long drive, we were greeted with warm hospitality, attaya [the most amazing mint tea], and a cieb dinner. I’m pretty sure I’ve never eaten as much and as often as we did in Latmingue, but it’s difficult to refuse all of the delicious tea, yogurt drinks, fresh melon, and homemade sauces! Between meals, Natalie and I explored the villages in the area, the local mosque, and walked to the river. Sharing their home, food, and customs, in just two short days Natalie’s family showed me the beauty of their simple yet rich life in Latmingue, which will forever stay with me.
Be Bold
The name of the game is to be bold this season, from head to toe, and your eyeglasses should be no exception. Warby Parker’s new spring line is just that: bold and beautiful, boasting colorful hues and tortoise shell patterns. I walked around the corner to WP’s Shaw location in Washington, DC to check out some of their new line and immediately fell in love with the new frames. All of the frames are delicately placed on shelves in the bright corner store, neatly organized and just waiting for someone to lift them up and try them on for size. Chandni Sandhu, Store Leader, explained that the display is meant to resemble the inviting feel of library. You are supposed to pick up the frames and try them on as you would pick up a book and flip through the pages. The beautiful space, comfortable couches, and reading material all contribute to a pleasant experience while spending some time at the store.
I gravitated toward the straight brow line and blue fade of the Welty glasses, but I’m going to try some of the fun larger frames and tortoise patterns too when I choose 5 frames online! Our neighborhood is lucky to have a store, but in case you don’t have one nearby, the Home Try-On program is a great option to test out frames before making a larger commitment. I’m looking forward to getting mine in the mail, and to see what WP comes out with next! Sleek metal frames are next on their lineup, which are sure to stand out while complementing their blue and blush companions. Follow me on Instagram to see the frames I am trying, and which ones I pick! I’ll be back to the blog to share my experience with the Home Try-On program and how you can make an impact with your purchase.
Senegal Part I: Thies
I’m finally getting back to some blogging after a long break! After a busy fall and holiday season, I’m now editing and sharing photos from the trip I took to Senegal at the end of December. My sister Natalie has been a Peace Corps volunteer for the past two and a half years, so we decided to spend Christmas together in Senegal. She was with a host family in Latmingue for two years, but is now living in the city of Thies. We spent the first couple of days of my trip exploring her neighborhood and nearby city, walking through the markets to buy fabric for dresses, eating local beignets, and taking in the culture. The colors and patterns in the city are incredible, from fresh fruit, to spices, to long swaths of fabric hanging in shops and women dressed in vibrant gowns and headdresses.
Natalie and I are also in the process of launching a new business – Fulla&Fayda – so we took the opportunity of being together to do some planning and to visit the artisanal village where our handbags are made. It was so exciting to finally meet Tapha and his brothers, who are incredibly talented. Their shop is one of many in the village, among woodworking studios, jewelry shops, and textile galleries. After touring the village, Tapha invited us to have lunch in the workshop – my first (of many!) ceebu jen meal. Ceebu jen is a traditional Senegalese dish of rice, (usually) fish, and vegetables. The proteins and vegetables vary, but the dish is always flavorful and spicy! It is usually presented in a large bowl that everyone eats from communally, and with incredible thoughtfulness. The Senegalese are known for their hospitality and I have never felt so welcomed and included than when eating from a bowl of ceeb.
To round out our business ventures with some pleasure, Natalie and I took one afternoon to explore the mangroves of Saly. We found a car pool to take us most of the way to the beach, but ended up getting out to walk the rest of the way. It was a gorgeous 80 degrees and a great way to explore the area, which was more tropical than Thies with its palm trees and bright flowers. Once at the beach, Natalie found a guide who would take us on an hour-long boat tour. The water was quiet and still, letting us drag our feet as we weaved along the edge of the mangroves. We stopped on a small beach with a baobab tree decorated with shells and were told to choose a shell and make a wish as we added our own to the branches of the tree. Toward the end of our tour, we came upon a happy island with a string of restaurants and bars, so we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in the sun with fresh seafood and ice cold beer. It was a relaxing day, and a great way to end our time in Thies before heading to Kaolack!
Copp Family Portrait Session
I was so fortunate to take some portraits of the Copp family a couple weekends ago, on a gorgeous November afternoon at Green Hill Winery. The venue was absolutely beautiful and we picked the perfect day to catch Virginia’s fall foliage in its prime! This family is full of warmth, silliness, and fun, which was such a pleasure to photograph.
Costa Rica Part II: Poas Volcano Tour
After the wedding in San Jose, we had a couple of days to explore the surrounding landscape. If you ever find yourself in San Jose, there are some great tours to take advantage of. We decided to make the most of our free day and opted for the “combination tour,” consisting of Doka Estate coffee, Poas Volcano, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It was a full day of sight-seeing and walking, but it was totally worth it.
We started the tour at Doka, where we had a traditional Costa Rican breakfast (and coffee, of course) and walked through the roasting process. Almost a century old, this estate still produces some of the best coffee in Costa Rica. After the tour, we made a couple stops along the way to Poas, one being a rest stop selling fresh cheese and coffee and where we met the sweetest mountain dog.
It was an incredibly misty morning, so we only got a few glimpses of the volcano as the wind blew the clouded cover. The national park was gorgeous, though, and we took an hour-long walk through the forest and saw some amazing plants and flowers. The beautiful scenery continued on our drive to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where we encountered orchids, butterflies, tropical birds, wild cats, and a series of majestic waterfalls – the perfect end to our day.
Photos also taken by Bryan Wallace
Costa Rica Part I: San Jose
At the end of March, B and I and a couple friends embarked on an amazing trip to Costa Rica. Our reason for the trip was our friends’ wedding in San Jose, but we decided to make a little vacation out of it. We stayed at the Coutyard Mariott San Jose Escazu, walked to Bulali for breakfast, explored downtown San Jose, and drank a lot of coffee.
Photos also taken by Bryan Wallace
Jackie Tara 
