Gorgeous fall colors. Glowy sunshine. Love, warmth, and smiles all around. Sometimes everything clicks into place for a portrait session, and this beautiful family session was definitely one of those times!
I’ve known Angelina since our Cornell days, and she has always been true to her name: generous, kind, gentle, funny, and a true angel. She and Grover met while studying at the Canada Institute of Linguistics and Trinity Western Seminary, and Manuel and I were very fortunate to attend their beautiful wedding in Virginia a few years back. I was very curious to meet the man who had successfully wooed Angelina over, and Grover did not disappoint!! They are quite the dynamic duo and currently work together for Wycliffe Bible Translators, which basically means that they win all the cool couple awards. 😉
As excited as I was to see Angelina and Grover again, I was even more pumped to meet their daughter, Valerie, for the first time. Though she was quiet and pensive in the beginning, she soon brought out the most adorable smiles and giggles as we made our way through the gardens. Some of my favorite photos from the session include her soaring through the air as Angelina and Grover led her along the boardwalk, pure joy radiating from her little face.
For Valerie, I’m sure the real highlight of the session was when we found a giant pile of leaves under a grove of trees, right next to the flower gardens. The lighting under the trees was perfect, so we took some traditional maternity portraits and also had some good, old-fashioned leaf-throwing fun. I loved seeing Valerie’s eyes light up as she chased the leaves through the air. It’s safe to say that she stole my and Manuel’s hearts, and I can’t wait for these three to welcome #4 into the family in just a few short months!
Enjoy~!
<3,
Jocelyn
Jocelyn Bravo is an Alexandria family photographer who specializes in creating joyful and luminous images for families and couples. While you will usually find her in Northern VA, she loves meeting and working with clients all across the DMV area.
