Jessica Riehl Photography Blog

Dreaming In The Sunlight: Keith and Nicole

Jessica — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:04:50 +0000

All I have ever wanted to do since I met Keith was just get him a new mug shot for his website. It sort of looks like he’s in jail.

Well, we have definitely upgraded! Keith and Nicole are getting married at the Williamsburg Winery in November, so we spent one afternoon a couple of weeks ago romping through the vineyards. Did you know they wrap this black netting around the grapes to protect them? We did not…

While in the vineyard, we only photographed in one particular row…the one where Keith proposed to Nicole. Swoon. Yes, that will be our studio. No other row would be work for them. The sunlight was absolutely gorgeous and we dreamed a little dream of everlasting love.

Keith and Nicole are so much fun; they are fabulously funny and bursting to the seams with joy. November is going to be so much fun.

Floating Softly…Danny and Jaime

Jessica — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:58:24 +0000

One day towards the end of May, I photographed Danny and Jaime’s small intimate wedding at First Landing State Park. We had just an hour of the softest light as the clouds rolled in.

Danny and Jaime joined their two families into a big ole house of love. All the kids were game and room sharing and beds had already been worked out. When Danny wrote their initials in the sand, he about about four more to write.

I don’t Danny and Jaime that well and we had only exchanged a few emails and quick phone calls before the day of the wedding. But I think they have a quiet, strong and powerful love. Their children seemed to float softly around them, smiling.

Happy 1st Birthday Caroline

Jessica — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:04:44 +0000

It went something like this…

“I know you are super crazy busy, but could you come by next week to photograph Caroline’s birthday?”

“Yes, that’s seven days from the movers, I think I will still know where everything is. Absolutely!”

I am so glad we were able to hook up. It’s sessions like these that remind you why you do what you do! Caroline is eat me up cuteness!!! Her big brother even told me he was all grown up.

Oh Lolli Lolli Lolli Lollipop

Jessica — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:02:10 +0000

It’s all about the lollipop. Can give a child a big ole lollipop, but you just can’t take it away. We all learn this sooner or later.

Meet Scott’s kiddos. Scott is an extremely talented graphic designer I met a while back and he wanted to photograph his kids at the Chesapeake Arboretum. We had one of the loveliest days in May. (I know this post is way late). We smelled the flowers, found some bugs, danced on the tables, had lollipops, cried about lollipops, wiped up lollipop faces, you know the whole fabulous bit.

Play Date With JRP

Jessica — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:32:50 +0000

These wonderful kiddos came over to the studio for a play date with me. We had so much fun! Their mom even signed up for private photography lessons and she’s on her way….

{Liz and John}

Jessica — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:49:53 +0000

I photographed Liz and John back in December on honest to goodness the coldest day ever!!!! John is in the Navy, so this was a wonderful and special session. Photographs of my hubby have helped me cope so much when he is away. Liz is the manager at Bean There Cafe, my all time favorite coffee shop ever!!! Liz is is a wiz at latte art and can tell you all sorts of fabulous stuff about coffee.

Liz and John are the cutest married couple ever. Don’t you agree?

Cheers,
Jessica

{Thrift Store Fashion Show}

Jessica — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:34:53 +0000

I recently did a piece for Alt Daily called Thrift Store Fashion Show to promote the environmentally friendly shopping and using the area thrift stores. I was inspired to do this piece after seeing ie and Hannah’s post of their recent thrift store adventure on Alt Daily. My models were Jason and Lacy Kuller who own Signs By Tomorrow in Greenbrier and Jaime Krapf owner of JSK Interiors in Virginia Beach. Jason, Jaime and I are partners in art crime. We have shown our art together at aLoft and have donated pieces together to the Southwest Area Red Cross. We all also donated to Love For Haiti fundraiser at the Granby Theater. In April Jaime and I will be featured on the art wall at aLoft.

If you would like to read more about the clothes, check the story on Alt Daily.

So the rules:

#1: Top spending limit: $30
#2: Must shop at a thrift store
#3: Bring your own shoes, underthings, and bling-bling

Thrift Store Fashion Show will be a regular feature on Alt Daily, so stand by for our next great adventure. If you are interested in throwing your own banging Thrift Store Fashion Show, just let me know!

Cheers,

Jessica

{Catching Up…Happy Love Day}

Jessica — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:53:55 +0000

It’s been a while since I have posted! I’ve been super busy since the beginning of the year figuring out what I want to be when I grow up, reworking pricing, a new business venture, doing photography work for Alt Daily.com, a shoot for a national magazine and enjoying the refresh of a new year. I am just going to update everyone all at once! My February resolution is to blog at least once a week and keep you updated on my fabulous clients.

This Valentine’s Day I hit the concrete. Well, my concrete anyway. My hubby was out to sea, so I decided to entertain myself and explore some graffiti art. I even hit my next door neighbor’s sidewalk. I hope you enjoy it. The FedEx man gave me a big huge smile yesterday, must be all the love.

Have a Fabulous Year Of Love,

Jessica

For My Mom and Dad...

My self portrait, which I sent to my hubby.

{Jess and Hawley :: The Wedding}

Jessica — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:36:58 +0000

Jess and Hawley are hitched! I had a fabulous experience photographing their wedding in Williamsburg. The wedding was beautiful, but what I loved most was Jess and Hawley’s desire to share this special day with everyone who has made their lives special. From their 30 attendants (I know…they get the award) to their 4 ring bearers and 4 flower girls. It wasn’t about the details or the decorations or the flowers. It was about hugging, catching up, dancing and sharing. They were surrounded by the most wonderful people in their lives. In photographing everyone, I felt all there had a special connection to the bride and groom. It is overwhelming to be in a barn with 400 people who genuinely love and cherish their hosts.

I am little at a loss for words as how to tell you more about their wedding. I guess I will let the photographs do the talking for me. If you would like to take a look at the guest album I designed for them, visit this link. The words on the pages are from the journal that Hawley kept from the time he decided to marry Jess until he proposed.

I need to give a huge shout out to my assistant, Seth. Seth is a senior and photo editor at the JMU newspaper (James Madison University) and together I think we made an amazing team! It was truly a pleasure to work with him and I can’t wait to see what greatness he will get into!

Cheers,

Jessica

Jess's Dad and Grandfather waiting to escort her down the aisle.

Getting the stink eye from one of the ring bearers!

If you are curious about my weddings…I am by referral only at this time.

{Katy and Adam}

Jessica — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:03:42 +0000

I had a fabulous time photographing Adam and Katy! Katy and Adam called me because they wanted to celebrate their anniversary this year with photography. They haven’t been photographed professionally since their wedding and it was time for a little update! After much discussion and many weather cancellations, we met in Williamsburg at the Legacy of Williamsburg Tavern Inn (and B and B). This is where Katy and Adam honey mooned, when like my husband and I, circumstance prevented them from going too far. Every year on their anniversary, they have celebrated by going back to the Inn.

We had such a beautiful day to celebrate their love story and capture what is special about this wonderful couple. After doing much kissing and cuddling in front of the camera, we had dinner at the Green Leaf. They love good food, we love good food, they love photography, we love photography…a perfect ending! I feel like we are old friends now.

Cheers,

Jessica

P.S. My little plug? If you’ve been married for five years or more and the last time you were photographed was your wedding…it’s time to do a photography session. It doesn’t matter whether you have children or not. We all change every year, grow into our relationships and continually write our story.