Crystal Reyns Photography \\ Head Shots \\ Photographer Friend

I guess I could say that starting a blog post about a session is really the hardest part for me. What do I say or keep to myself? Lets just say today I am having an even harder time telling you about my friend Crystal Reyns.

What more can I say than she is AWESOME!!!!! with a side of SAUCE!!!!! (she will find that hilarious!) I met Crystal last year in a Facebook Photographers group that I happened to stumble across one morning. Lets say we clicked right away! After arranging a shoot out meet up we continued to talk and grow as photographers together.

Crystal taught me some great lessons about LR3, Clients, and over all shoot basics. Lets be honest I know that I would not be as successful as I am today if Crystal had not smacked me around through the basics in 2012! I thought I could skip the basics and still rock as a professional photographer, WRONG!

Skipping ahead to more recent months Crystal & I are together on many shoots together, look up to and love the same photographers, and really have become all around best Photographer Friends. Which if you are a photographer you know you need a fellow professional friend to stay mentally healthy in this demanding industry, She's my rock in many ways!

Well a few weeks ago I had a drastic makeover that required new head shots for my clients to know what I looked like this year. (Blog Post coming soon) I asked Crystal would she be willing to snap a few for me. (Oh corse she said yes) BUT what shocked me the most is Crystal asked me... ME to snap a few for her! PEOPLE this is a big honor, that's right crystal has never had head shots taken before and she wants Erica Stanley of Hildebrandt Photography to hold that honor of photographing the first Head shots of Crystal Reyns Photography!!!

I almost cried!

So whatcha think, did I do her amazing beauty any justice? I love her!

Zombie attack Richmond! \\ Behind the Scenes \\ Richmond Styled Engagement Photographer

The Zombies have Attacked Richmond! RUN!

No really how many times can you say an engaged couple asked for a Styled Engagement Portrait Session which they wanted it to include Zombies? Well I can cross craziness with great friends off my Bucket list!

So here is how it all played out, Jay (the groom) has been best friends with my husband for ever! Really forever! Jay has been my roommate before and always been someone to count on when needed. Then there is the beautiful Vanna that lets admit WOW! Again she has been friends with my husband for many years. Long story short I told Jay about 5 years ago, long before he and Vanna started dating that she was the one, the one he would marry one day!

Nailed It! Really maybe I should start offering a matchmaking package... Maybe not I swear I don't sleep now as is. 

So I got the facebook announcement of their engagement like the rest of the world along with a special text message asking me to be their Wedding Photographer. Well Duh that was a no brainer! A few weeks later once the date was set I received another text message about Engagement Images, Jay wouldn't enjoy just regular images to announce their engagement. Yes a challenge! Then Vanna tells me about a Zombie Engagement she found on Pinterest!

That was all she wrote, it took about 4 months to plan out all the needed details from the costume make up artist, the needed zombies, back up photographers, outfit choices, location scouting, & most importantly the story board to this amazing once in a life time session!

Here is a peak into what the behind the scenes looked like on Sunday

My Camera

I had no idea they were there!

My Camera Again

My Camera View

My Camera View

My Camera View

Special Thanks to all my helpers

Costume MakeUp Artist : Kristi StMary

Zombies : Tyler & Colt

Back Up Photographers: Crystal Reyns (Crystal Reyns Photography) & Candice DeJesus (Storyteller Photography)

Bride & Groom: Vanna & James (Stanley)

Locations: Libby Hill Park

& The Canal Walk R&R Path (Downtown Richmond, Virginia)

Alright whats the next challenge? I'm ready!!!

McCorey Family \\ Forest Hill Park \\ Richmond Family Photography

Hello Monday! What a crazy busy weekend I had and let me tell you I am feeling it today. Birthday Parties, Luncheons, Head Shots, Family Portraits, Styled Zombie Engagement Portraits! Yep all in 2 days. So today I want to show off a few of the beautiful McCorey Family from Sunday Mornings Family Portrait session.

Sunday morning was such a beautiful morning just cool enough for shorts but not too hot that it requires mass amounts of water on hand. I have shot sessions at Forest hill park before but always down on the water with all the beautiful greenery along the water. Yesterday I wanted to break it up a bit so the McCoreys and I worked at the main house all alone from the other park patrons. Please enjoy a few of these images as I work to complete more in the coming days.

I told you they were too cute!