James River Family Photos

Posted on December 17, 2019December 16, 2019 by Allison

I pulled into the only vacant space in the Belle Isle parking lot on a cloudy, cool Sunday afternoon. I debated wearing my coat, decided it was warmer than originally forecast, and left it on the seat as Nicole, Olivia,...Read More

Gifts for Grandparents: A Photographer’s Guide

Posted on December 3, 2019December 6, 2019 by Allison

It's the time of year where you start racking your brain to find gifts for all of your family members. Your kids, if they're old enough, don't let up on the hints, but if they're itty bitty, you might have...Read More

Libby Hill Park Reunion

Posted on November 26, 2019November 26, 2019 by Allison

I dressed in layers and met Carter and Beth for our annual reunion at Libby Hill Park on the first FREEZING Saturday of November. I remembered Carter's first shoot when he was just 18 months old, when we played in...Read More

Five Tips for Frame Shopping

Posted on October 15, 2019October 29, 2019 by Allison

If you've ever shopped for picture frames to hang photos in your home, you may have balked at the price of said frames and gotten discouraged from creating your gallery. Discouragement due to lack of options or cost can stall...Read More

Years that Answer

Posted on October 1, 2019September 28, 2019 by Allison

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." - Zora Neale Hurston I first heard this quote when I had plenty of questions of my own: What am I doing with my life? Will we ever get out of...Read More

Self-Care with Small Children: Naptime Edition

Posted on September 10, 2019September 8, 2019 by Allison

It's Sunday afternoon and I have a laundry list of things I want to do during naptime... including laundry. There are a couple of things I want to buy online, there's football on TV for the first time in 8...Read More

Mid-August Blues

Posted on August 13, 2019August 12, 2019 by Allison

I wear many (figurative) hats in my life every day. As a married working mom who has a side job and a baby on the way, I can feel stretched (literally) pretty thin on good days. But when August hits...Read More

What’s Worth More?

Posted on August 6, 2019August 30, 2019 by Allison

What's worth more to you today, a download of 30 digital images or a canvas of your family in your living room? What if having the download means you also need to do the work of selecting, printing, prepping, and...Read More

An Important Announcement

Posted on July 16, 2019July 15, 2019 by Allison

I don't like to be in the center of attention. In case you didn't know, I much prefer to be behind the camera than in front of it. I was able to hide the fact that I was pregnant with...Read More

Family Pride

Posted on June 25, 2019June 24, 2019 by Allison

We're coming to the end of Pride Month, and I just wanted to share a little reminder. June is the month where we take the time to acknowledge and remember LGBTQIA+ history (namely the Stonewall Riots from 50 years ago)...Read More

Allison Patel Photography

Family, Maternity, and Newborn Photography in Richmond, VA