RVA Summer Session: Libby Hill Park

Posted on August 4, 2020August 3, 2020 by Allison

I first met Cassie when she was two days old, during a different RVA summer. Holding her in the hospital, she gave me a glare through one half-opened sleepy eye and I lovingly nicknamed her Sassy Cassie. The name has...Read More

I Want You to Kick It Old School

Posted on July 21, 2020July 20, 2020 by Allison

I shoot digital photography. Like 99% of my colleagues, I use current technologies, not old school methods, to run my business. I use a digital camera to create photos of you and your family. Then, I use software to edit...Read More

Read Me: Diversity Books for Kids

Posted on July 7, 2020August 2, 2020 by Allison

Way back in November of 2017, before I was a mom, I walked into Little Nomad on Broad Street and bought this book. The illustrations are gorgeous and the message is simple and easy to understand. Home looks different for...Read More

I Can Do It Later

Posted on June 30, 2020June 29, 2020 by Allison

While in COVID quarantine, with the days blending together and no end in sight, it became really easy to start saying "I can do it later." Born first out of necessity and self-preservation in the overwhelm, it sustained itself through...Read More

Rundown of a Family Session

Posted on June 16, 2020June 15, 2020 by Allison

I don't know about you, but whenever I have to do anything for the very first time, I get super nervous. If I don't know what to expect, I imagine the worst. What if all my worst fears (or even...Read More

Education Against Ignorance

Posted on June 2, 2020June 1, 2020 by Allison

It's not enough to not be racist. It's important to learn how to be anti-racist. The difference is in the action. Simply being "not racist" doesn't imply any action. It allows you to sit back, make a statement, and then...Read More

Chesterfield Family Porchraits

Posted on May 26, 2020May 25, 2020 by Allison

We're almost there, friends. We're almost to the point where we can do some normal things, like pick up coffee that we didn't make at home, or get a Mrs. Yoder's doughnut at the South of the James Farmer's Market...Read More

Photos From a Distance

Posted on May 5, 2020May 4, 2020 by Allison

Happy Tuesday, fellow humans. Congratulations - we've made it to May, and what's even better, today is Cinco de Mayo. So, read up on your Mexican history and join me in a distance toast to the underdog. Cheers! *clink* Mother's...Read More

Behind the Scenes: Shoot Around

Posted on April 28, 2020April 27, 2020 by Allison

I've mentioned before that I'm working on a "shoot around the house" project this spring. I actually started this 100 day project on Valentine's Day, a whole month before we went into isolation procedures, and I had no idea when...Read More

Session Prep: Get Your Head in the Game

Posted on April 21, 2020June 28, 2020 by Allison

I've been around the same three people day in and day out for the last 5ish weeks. I'm an expert in toddler-speak and I am fully embedded in the culture of my house. My occasional zoom meetings mean I need...Read More

Allison Patel Photography

Family, Maternity, and Newborn Photography in Richmond, VA