This was the second time I had photographed Gene, but my first time meeting his 9-year old daughter, Lizzy. When Gene and I had first talked on the phone, he told me that he and Lizzy had never done any professional family photography before, and that Lizzy was getting more excited by the day about the prospect of being photographed by a professional photographer. And on the day of our portrait session at the historic Gunston Hall in Lorton, Virginia, oh my gosh, Lizzy just blew me away with her creativity! She kept coming up with new ideas for photographs. We went on for 1 1/2 hours, and at the end, Lizzy still hadn’t lost a speck of energy! Gene told me later that though she had been excited before our portrait session, he had no idea that she was going to get so into being photographed, and that our portrait session would be a highlight of her summer vacation!

And on the subject of Gunston Hall, the home of George Mason, a founding father of the United States, this was a location that Gene had suggested – a place that he and Lizzy enjoy visiting. At the time of our pre-portrait consultation, I had never been to Gunston Hall, but as coincidence would have it, I was scheduled to visit the following week for a meeting of the Washington DC chapter of the National Association for Catering and Events. After my visit, I was definitely on board with Gunston Hall as the venue for Gene & Lizzy’s father-daughter family photography. And boy, was I glad that we went there. Beautiful architectural details, lots of shady tree cover in addition to wide open areas, a super-photogenic, sand-colored pebbly pathway up to the house, and an incredibly kind and helpful staff are just a few of the things that make me as a DC family photographer want to return to Gunston Hall for more!

Enjoy Gene & Lizzy’s family photography below, and check back in a few weeks for a peek into how Gene decided to display their family photography in his home!