What a Temp Holiday Job Taught Me

Posted on December 11, 2018December 9, 2018 by Allison

My freshman year of art school was a shock to my wallet. Books are no joke, but art supplies are EXPENSIVE, y'all. I made it almost to the end of my first semester of college before I ran out of...Read More

Pictures of You

Posted on December 4, 2018December 4, 2018 by Allison

Pictures of you are not for you. Sure, sometimes it's nice to admire a *really* good photo of yourself, but for the most part, we're each our own worst critic, and we hide photos of ourselves in drawers or the...Read More

New Places, “Old” Faces

Posted on November 27, 2018November 26, 2018 by Allison

"Can we park here?" The sign at the flood wall canal walk parking area is confusing, and the meter asks for $8 for the day. We were only planning to be there for 30 minutes. "Uh, sure! Let's give it...Read More

The Return of Carter – Three Lakes Park

Posted on November 13, 2018November 12, 2018 by Allison

I find it wonderful that I have lived in Richmond for 18 years and can still visit a park for the first time. My return clients know that I suggest locations for sessions, but I also love when they ask...Read More

Richmond Small Business – Richmond Mural Tours

Posted on November 6, 2018November 7, 2018 by Allison

I met Kayla Diggs Brody at the Maggie Walker statue on a cloudy, cool autumn Saturday in October. I've known Kayla for a long time; she and her fiance' (now husband) were my first official clients, way back in 2011,...Read More

Pretty as a Georgia Peach: Monroe Park Family Photos

Posted on October 23, 2018October 30, 2018 by Allison

The last time I saw Georgia's family, she was 2.5 years old, playing the drums and toddling around the VMFA. So when I saw her skipping down the path of newly-renovated Monroe Park, wand ribbons fluttering in the breeze, I...Read More

Here Sweet There

Posted on October 16, 2018October 16, 2018 by Allison

"Wherever you are, do the best thing you know how to do right now, right there." - Anna Kunnecke The internet is a wonderous thing. Social media gives us the ability to keep up with those we love with minimal...Read More

How To Torture Yourself with What If

Posted on October 10, 2018October 9, 2018 by Allison

What's black, white, and red all over? A very cute, striped top that I wore once to work and promptly managed to get ink on (the white part, of course) during a meeting. It then sat in my closet for...Read More

Grandparents Day Is (Not) A Real Holiday

Posted on October 2, 2018October 2, 2018 by Allison

Back in January, I somehow had the wherewithal to pull out the camera when Asa first met his grandparents. (That awareness diminished greatly by the time he met his aunt and uncles, go figure.) I loved the images I took,...Read More

Lifestyle Photography: Nothing Lasts Forever

Posted on September 18, 2018September 18, 2018 by Allison

People ask me all the time what I wish I had known before I became a mother. My practical answer is always, "nobody told me about the laundry." Seriously, though. Why did no one tell me about the laundry? My...Read More

Allison Patel Photography

Family Photography and Maternity Portraits in Richmond VA