Lisa Boggs Photography Launches New 2011 Website!

Hello beautiful people!  Well, it's officially official.  I have launched a new website for 2011!  Squee!  The new site is at the exact same web address (www.lisaboggsphotography.com), but looks a little different!  I'm very pleased with how it turned out (and that it's working!), but definitely let me know what you all like or dislike about it if you have any comments!   Many thanks to everyone who supported me throughout the website switcharoo process (you know who you are) and a thousand thank you's to my amazing clients who make this whole thing possible!  Thanks so much for looking, and I appreciate any and all feedback!  :)

Thanks!

Lisa

Lisa Boggs Photography Wins WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards 2011

Hey everyone!  I'm excited to announce that for a second year in a row, Lisa Boggs Photography has won a WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Award.™   Yay!  Here's the press release below: "Great Falls, Virginia, January 26, 2011

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Lisa Boggs Photography has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for wedding photography in the Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland area!  This is the second year Lisa Boggs Photography has won this award!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Lisa Boggs Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

'WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,' said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. 'With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Lisa Boggs Photography for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.'"

Yippee!  This means that Lisa Boggs Photography is among the very best of wedding photographers in the Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland area.  This is within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. Thanks to all of my wonderful clients who have given me 40 5-Star reviews and counting.  To see these reviews, visit the top left corner of this page, and click on the teal-colored reviews tab.

And here's my fancy certificate:

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Lisa

Kelly and Grant’s Historic Occoquan, Virginia Engagement Session!

I recently had the opportunity of photographing a super cute couple, Kelly and Grant! I met with Kelly and Grant back in the fall, and was so excited when they signed with me for their July 2011 wedding! But before their wedding, we had to do their engagements of course! And we happened to choose the opposite of what their wedding day will be: a chilly, windy day in Occoquan, VA! Kelly and Grant were super champs for braving it through the frigid temperatures and wind to get some incredible photos! One thing I love about being outside in some chilly air is getting those snuggling photos of a couple. What's more adorable than that? Aside from the snuggling photos, some of my favorites from the day are ones in front of a blue house we found. They both really love Zoolander and had to do their "blue steel" looks in front of the blue house! Ha ha ha! Kelly said she had a hard time portraying her "blue steel" look, and that she could do better, but I both think they did a great job!

Thanks so much to Kelly and Grant for a super fun time, and for also hanging out with me a bit afterward at a local restaurant! We all had lovely meals consisting of mostly potatoes and cheese. And yes, I ate a whole plate of cheese fries. :) Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Briean and Casey's Winter-Themed Engagement Session!

I met Briean and Casey a few months ago, and I have to say I really loved them straight off the bat! Not only are they a gorgeous couple, but they're just so nice and down to earth. Briean expressed a huge interest in photography and loves planning out a scene with little details in them! We emailed back and forth for quite a while about what we could do with a winter-themed engagement session, and we landed on spending time at an abandoned house in Leesburg. I knew plenty of huge pines lined the property and that we'd have a fun old house to work with too! Between Briean and myself, we brought a blanket, ornaments, a Christmas wreath, and a fun Christmas-colored bouquet! We took a variety of shots so it wasn't too Christmas-y, and I think they turned out beautifully! So, the question is, out of all these winter-themed photos, which is your favorite? I wish we had had some snow for the shoot, but alas...it wasn't in the cards! :D Thanks so much Briean and Casey for being such great sports in the freezing cold temperatures (and wind!) and for making this winter-themed shoot such a success! You rule! Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Brandy and Michael’s Wine-Tasting Engagement Session – Sunset Hills Vineyard – Part Two!

As promised, here's the follow-up post to Brandy and Michael's literary engagement session! Brandy and Michael decided to make their wine-tasting a little more formal, so Brandy wore a super cute purple dress (perfect to match the wine, obviously!) and Michael wore a business casual outfit. We marched into the Sunset Hills Winery (a fully restored 130-yr-old Amish barn) and made our way around the bar so Brandy and Michael could get some sips of delicious wine. The inside of this winery is just gorgeous! It is covered in buttery wood from wall to ceiling, and consists of two stories with two separate outdoor decks you can go out on to relax and take in the gorgeous view of the Blueridge and Short Hill mountain ranges. Brandy, Michael and I took advantage of all of those photographic opportunities, and I think really came out with some great shots! We were able to grab part of the sunset in the last few shots, and then I took one final photo from the entrance of the vineyard facing the mountains as I was leaving. It really was quite a spectacular sunset, so they're really not kidding about it being an ideal place to sip some wine and enjoy the view! Many thanks to Brandy and Michael for being such great sports during our time inside the winery! It's not easy with people watching you get your photograph taken, and I really think they did an incredible job! Also, many thanks to Jaclyn Slusher, the Events and Accounting Manger at Sunset Hills for allowing us to photograph wherever we liked. Enjoy the photos!

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Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Brandy and Michael’s Literary Engagement Session – Sunset Hills Vineyard – Part One!

I met Brandy and Michael earlier this year, and knew straight away that they were going to be a great couple to work with! In speaking with them both about their ideas for their engagement session, it was clear that they loved 1) reading great books and 2) sipping delicious wine. So, we decided to combine both of their loves for a gorgeous engagement session at Sunset Hills Vinyeard in Purcellville, Virginia! I had been to the vineyard before, and knew I wanted to work with the weeping willow tree that sits back below a hill. It was the perfect private area for Brandy and Michael to relax and pose with their awesome books that they bought specifically for the shoot! I loved how Brandy coordinated everything and the colors just completely popped up against the green of the grass and willow tree! Brandy and Michael did such a great job of posing and hanging out that I really didn't have to give too much direction...they were naturals! We also got some shots along side the old stone house on the property, and a shiny Chevy truck that now sits by the front of the winery (of which the colors looked incredible too!).

I hope you love the photos below as much as I do, and stay tuned for part two of Brandy and Michael's engagement session, where we get a little more formal and go in the winery for some wine tasting! Enjoy!

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Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Katie and Brandon’s Mount Vernon Engagement Session!

I met up with Katie and Brandon recently to photograph their lovely engagement session at Mount Vernon! I had not been back to Mount Vernon since middle school (I know, for shame, I live near it now), so I jumped at the opportunity to photograph Katie and Brandon there! We met up in the morning right when it opened so we could get some great shots without huge crowds completely taking up all of the photos. It was an absolutely gorgeous day to take these, and Katie and Brandon knew exactly what to do for these shots! I just love when a couple can just laugh and be goofy with one another...which is exactly how they were! There's a sequence in these photos when Katie and Brandon are straddling a bench, and I mentioned how they should do "Miss Mary Mack" (cute video here for anyone who isn't familiar). Now, it wasn't a huge surprise that Brandon didn't know how to (as he's a dude), but Katie remembered and attempted to show him! What transpired was just really hilarious, and that's why I created the sequence.

I had so much fun on this shoot, and I really think we got some great shots walking around the grounds of Mount Vernon! Thanks so much, Katie and Brandon, for being such troopers and spending your morning with me! Enjoy the photos!

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Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Allison and Ryan’s Engagement Session at Manassas Battlefield!

I recently photographed Allison and Ryan at one of my favorite places, the Manassas Battlefield!  I used to stomp around in this battlefield back when Mike and I lived close by in Haymarket...it really is one of the most beautiful, calming places to visit...even if you're not taking photos! On the day of the engagement session, Allison and I were communicating back and forth because the weather was calling for rain, but more toward the evening and nighttime.  So, we decided to give it a go in the afternoon and hoped the rain would hold off for us!   Allison and Ryan were a delight to photograph with, and they really embraced my ideas for places to go and poses to try out.  I'm always surprised when couples admit they might not be the best at posing, but then they really find their inner model during the shoot.  Allison and Ryan rocked it!

If I had to choose a favorite of shot of the day, it might be the one where they're sitting in the grass with the sun going down in the background (be it a cloudy sunset!).  But, you decide!

Thanks so much to Allison and Ryan for braving the weather and photographing with me!  You guys did a great job, and I'm so glad we got the photos in before the rain.  :)  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Jacqueline and Chris’ Georgetown Engagement Session

I was recommended to Jacqueline and Chris by recent clients (and awesome people), Rachel and Ryan! Jacqueline and Chris are very good friends with Rachel and Ryan, so I knew straight out of the gate they would be a great couple to work with! I was overjoyed when they booked with me and am excited to show off their recent engagement session in Georgetown! Jacqueline and I emailed back and forth about a few ideas for where to go and what we could photograph. We landed on Dumbarton Oaks Park as our first location to shoot at, as Jacqueline and Chris went on their first date there! The park is quite a gem in the middle of Georgetown, and I don't know that I ever would have found it on my own. It is massive and has garden upon garden, and I seriously could have shot there all night if it hadn't closed on us!

Once the park closed, we hung out just outside of the park and decided to incorporate something else Jacqueline loves...signs! She had purchased a calendar chalkboard sign for their wedding, so we used that, and I also brought a chalkboard for them to draw on. I think the series speaks for itself in terms of hilarity!

Our last location of the evening was down in the heart of Georgetown on M Street, and as the happy couple was getting us a snack, I was watching the sun go down in awe. Once they were done purchasing, I called them over to grab a few quick shots with the absolutely stunning sunset, and I couldn't have been happier! It looked just as amazing in person as it did in the photo! After the sun was down we headed over to a main intersection for some action shots of M Street, and I think those turned out just as well too!

Thanks for being such troopers, Jacqueline and Chris! You were fantastic models, and I'm looking forward to your wedding in March! Hurray! :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lisa Boggs Wins Accolade of Excellence in the 2010 WPPI 1st Half International Photography Competition

I'm not a person who typically enters competitions. In fact, I haven't entered a real competition since college, when I was competing with my peers in fine art. But, this year I thought I'd take a stab entering 2010 WPPI 1st Half International Photography Competition. I was pleased to find out recently that I received an Accolade of Excellence in the competition for a portrait I had taken! I entitled it "Laura B." and it's from the shoot I did of my cousin-in-law for her band, The Mynabirds. Here's the release from WPPI about the win: Lisa Boggs Wins Accolade of Excellence  in the 2010 WPPI 1st Half International Photography Competition

Lisa Boggs of Great Falls, VA, has received special honors in the WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS INTERNATIONAL 2010 WPPI 1st Half International Photography Competition.  Designed to recognize outstanding photographers, the judging was held in Culver City, CA on September, 2010.

"Laura B." received an Accolade of Excellence in the Individual category.

Boggs competed against an international field of photographers to win such honors.

The WPPI 1st Half International Photography Competition awards are presented each year at the largest trade show, educational platform and convention in the United States for professional photographers.  The 2010 competition included 2511 images in 17 different categories submitted by photographers from all over the world.

Aaaaaaaand here's the photo!

You can also view the blog post I did on Laura's photo shoot here and if you would like to explore her ridiculously awesome music (she's been on tour with David Bazan!), please go here.

Hurray! Thanks for reading!

Lisa

Lindsey and Daniel's Washington, DC Engagement Session

I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with Lindsey and Daniel in Washington, DC for their engagement session! The day of our shoot was originally scheduled as hot and sunny, but we realized the day before (and on the day of) that we were going to be dodging some stormy weather. Luckily, by the time I arrived in DC, the huge storm that plagued most of the afternoon was on its way out, so we hit the jackpot! Lindsey and Daniel were interested in hitting up one of my favorite locations in DC, the World War I Memorial. This is an awesome location, because although it's on the mall and very close to the WWII Memorial, it's tucked away just enough to lend itself to some privacy. Not to mention, it's just a really cool memorial! We took quite a few shots there and then tried a few different shots near the WWII Memorial on our way out. You can tell by the first photo that the storm was leaving, and everything was becoming a nice glistening gold as the sun was going down. By the time we left, the sky was so blue and gorgeous (with a few storm clouds approaching in the distance)!  I couldn't be happier with the photos that we got! Many thanks to Lindsey and Daniel for a super fun session! I can't wait for your wedding next year!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lauren and Ryan's Nashville, Tennessee Engagement Session!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Nashville, TN and getting to photograph a very old friend of mine, Lauren! Lauren and I were friends in elementary school...we had classes together, had slumber parties, and even made Snoopy snow cones in the summer! We lost touch out of high school, but reconnected eventually through the powers of Facebook! Lauren shares a love for photography like myself, so we correspond about it frequently...and when she recently became engaged she contacted me about shooting her wedding! I was super excited as Lauren is seriously one of the sweetest people on the planet and I knew, without a doubt, her fiance Ryan had to be as well! I was totally right when I met she and Ryan down at the Capitol building in downtown Nashville for their engagement shoot! We started off at the War Memorial and worked our way around the side of the Capitol and eventually on one of the Capitol's lawns. Lauren and Ryan are incredibly detail-oriented, and had some of the best ideas for what they wanted in their shots. They even brought signs announcing their engagement and noting their soon-to-be married names! I loved it! Their shots turned out pretty incredible, and I am just so elated to shoot their wedding come December. Thank you to Lauren and Ryan for an incredible shoot! Enjoy the photos below!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Rachel and Ryan's Washington, DC Engagement Portraits

Spring is here!  On the official first day of spring, I was fortunate enough to take some lovely engagement photos of Rachel and Ryan in downtown Washington, DC!  We seriously couldn't have asked for a better day.  I had originally scheduled to shoot Rachel and Ryan's engagements back in February, right when the blizzards decided to strike the greater DC area!  So, we really had to wait for the great-melt-of-2010 to take place and before we moved forward, and boy did we make the right decision!  I could not be happier with the images we came up with!  We made a circle around a park (with the weeping willows), up to the WWII Memorial (new and old), then up through the West Potomac Park to the Lincoln Memorial.  Below are my absolute favorites from the day, but there are obviously lots more!  Hope you enjoy the images as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!  Also, wanted to point out that the really cool rusty door (shot number two) was actually at the very bottom of the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial.  What an awesome, hidden gem, right?

Love,

Lisa

Kimberly and Dan's Riverbend Park Engagement Session

This past weekend I photographed Kimberly and Dan at Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA, a lovely little park on the calm side of the Potomac.  I go there all the time, as it's a great place to hike, bring the dog, and even go on the beaches and wade in the water.  So much fun!  Kimberly and Dan saw a series I did with a friend here, and really wanted to create some images similar to those.  I was certainly up for the challenge, even though we had fewer leaves on the trees!  However, the day turned out really lovely!  It was in the 70's that day, and splashing around in some water wasn't entirely crazy, even though it's November!  Below are some images from the occasion.  It's hard for me to pick out favorites, but I really do love the weeping cherry photo (number two) and the last photo with the geese flying in the background!  Thank you to Kimberly and Dan for a super fun time...and a big shout out to Dan (effing-a!).  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

A Walk in the Park with Karla, Kevin and Taz - Engagement Session!

Last weekend I was able to photograph Karla, Kevin, and their beloved dog, Taz, in Bowie, Maryland!  Karla and Kevin are getting married in July and wanted to get some engagement shots underway at a nearby park to them...and who better to join us then their dog!  I for one am a dog owner, so thought it was smart to incorporate Taz in some photos, while also get him out of the house and sniffing through some fall leaves!  We had a great time relaxing at the park, walking and talking, and every once in a while snapping some photos!  I hope you enjoy the series below!  Thanks to Karla, Kevin and Taz for a lovely walk in the park!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Brandy and Chris' Annapolis, Maryland Engagement Session!

Last weekend I was able to photograph Brandy and Chris in one of my favorite spots, Annapolis, Maryland!  Annapolis is located on the Chesapeake Bay, northeast of Washington, DC.  I've been many times visiting friends and just relaxing near the harbor, and it is such a treat each time I go!  So needless to say, I was so excited to do their engagements in such a gorgeous spot!  Chris actually attended the U.S. Naval Academy, so he knew exactly where he wanted to go, and I was more than happy to follow him and Brandy around and snap along the way.  I had a hard time narrowing these photos down, so please enjoy the plethora of them to follow.  Thanks Brandy and Chris for such an amazing time!

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Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Libby and Matt's Old Town Alexandria Engagement Session!

I've been waiting for a while for a couple who would embrace some rain, and I finally met my match with Libby & Matt!  I met them both down in Old Town, Alexandria this past weekend, with my awesome new assistant, Mr. Mike Boggs.  Libby & Matt came complete with wellies and an umbrella (as did Mike and I), and we braced ourselves for what could have been some major rain.  Luckily, the heavy rain and storms didn't come through until after noon that day, so we just got some cloudy skies, with a lot of puddles!  As you'll see below, Libby and Matt were an amazing pair to work with, and totally embraced the atmosphere we were in.  Engaged couple + rain + wellies = magical.  Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for looking!  And many thanks to Mike Boggs for second shooting and taking some killer shots!

Love,

Lisa

P.S.  Stay tuned for some non-welly photos of Libby & Matt, and more engagements from the weekend!