I’m grateful to live in a neighborhood where our children can walk to school. Every afternoon, we stay at the playground for a while so that the kids can get fresh and sunshine, run and play, and see their friends. Many other families do the same. My kindergartener loves to play with his best buds in the adjacent woods, where they build forts from branches and have imaginative adventures. It feels like how childhood should be.

While the kids play, I get to chat with the parents and make friends of my own. I was honored when one of them recently asked if I would make engagement portraits for her and her fiancé! They are planning a simple spring ceremony, so even though it was late fall, they wanted to do their portraits soon.

Raine & Phil are an outdoorsy couple and spend every weekend outside, so it was important to find a beautiful outdoor location for them. Northern Virginia is home to hundreds of beautiful parks, many of which are easily overlooked. For this session we went to Cabell’s Mill in Chantilly, adjacent to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. Cabell’s Mill is home to a late 1700’s stone mill house, meadows, hills, forests, streams, scrambling rocks (the kids love those!) bridges, and a pond. It’s a beautiful location for a hike, bike ride, or portrait session. The December afternoon light was beautiful, and I love how these came out. Congratulations, Raine & Phil!