Hi, friends!

About Alisandra Photography

Hey friends! My name is Ali, and welcome to my blog!

I am a Wedding Photographer based in Richmond, Virginia. I try to keep this baby as up to date as I can with recent shoots, personal thoughts, and the random, fun little things life brings. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to visit. I really appreciate it. Please make yourself at home and enjoy your time here!

Questions or Comments? ali@alisandraphoto.com

Archive: August, 2011



Claudia + TR | Harper’s Ferry West Virginia Engagement

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

I drove north to Harper’s Ferry to meet Claudia and TR for engagement photos. I think I might have been to Harper’s Ferry a long long time ago? Maybe? I definitely don’t remember it being this stinking cute! Everywhere you turn there is something to take a photo of. Thanks for suggesting the location, Claudia! We spent some time wandering around, shooting here, shooting there. It was a very relaxing time with the two of them. Their October wedding is sure to be a blast!

The definition of blue eyes. Yep. Gorgeous.


Sam + Jordan | Harrisonburg Virginia Engagement

Friday, August 26th, 2011

They met in the library. Sam asked Jordan a question about the computers. He knew the answer, but he needed an excuse to talk to her. Then he said she looked familiar, “Are you in intervarsity?” he asked. He knew she was. He had seen her before. Many times. Jordan had his attention long before she realized. Sam and Jordan’s relationship started and grew at JMU, which means when they told me they wanted to shoot on campus, I was SO excited. We spent most of our night out on the quad. A typical JMU activity even if you AREN’T taking engagement photos. We had the entire quad to ourselves. No students, bikers, or ultimate frisbee players, just light. Beautiful golden light. I can’t wait until their wedding! J-M-U… Duuuuukes…

I call this my earthquake picture because I was editing this when the ground began to twitch.

Uh oh… the KISSING ROCK :)

David + Adrienne | Washington DC Capitol Engagement Session

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

They walked up to the Washington Monument early in the evening. David happened to know the guard at the gate through work, and the guard said, “Hey! Do you want to go up?” Who could refuse a private tour of THAT big guy? So up they went. As they got to the top, Adrienne noticed some flowers and watched as David pulled out a ring. After 6 years of dating, YES was the first and final answer.

Adrienne, David, and Avery are my new best friends. I loved Adrienne the moment I heard her voice on my voicemail. She has the sweetest southern accent you’ve ever heard, and the way she says “Miss-ippi,” is so authentic. I loved how care free and mellow this couple is. [The same canNOT be said about Miss Avery, Adrienne's two year old Weimaraner.] They are planning their destination wedding [New Orleans, y'all!] but wanted to have engagement photos taken in the city where they work, live, and love. So off the the Capitol we go…

Adrienne. Your eyes are SO beautiful. Seriously.

Fisheye lens saves the day! How beautiful is the Capitol building?! I felt so American being there!!

EEE! I can’t wait to see photos of this girl as a bride!! 3.3.12!!

A little team spirit at the “smells so good” TruOrleans.

Charity + Chris | Central Virginia Marriott Ranch Wedding

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Sometimes I wonder if God tickles us.

Before you click away, just hear me out. Have you ever been so joy filled that you laugh? Out loud? You’re heart starts to pound, you smile, you’re wiggly, and you know that there is a higher power at work. Not because you can prove it, but because you know it and you feel it. I fell in love with Charity and her wedding. And was absolutely tickled. I don’t have much else to say about these two. They reek of mature spirituality, passion for Jesus, and love for each other and others. I don’t know them very well, but these are truths displayed and spoken about at their wedding. It’s serious storybook stuff, y’all. Anyway, LOVE to you, Charity and Chris. So excited for you!

Sepia Toned Loving

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Our dreams? They are made out of real things.
Like a shoebox of photographs with sepiatone loving.
Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart..
Like,
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it’s so hard?
It’s not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving.

I’ll tell you one thing;
it’s always better when we’re together.

~ Jack Johnson, Better Together


Elizabeth + Phil | Georgetown Engagement Session

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

They wanted to know how involved of a shooter I was–if I was a fly on the wall with a camera, or the opposite. I told them I got involved when I needed to. If I saw good light, someone was chewing gum, or had a hair tie on their wrist. I’d speak up then. But Phil said, “She’s not asking because she doesn’t want you involved. She’s asking because she hates it when people are left out. She is going to talk to you.”

And that sums up this couple. They are like the college friends you always wanted. Elizabeth is so engaging and silly; mature, but giggly. And Phil knows her so well. He comes to life around her. It is so fun to watch them interact. Elizabeth and Phil grew their relationship at The Tombs, in Washington, DC. So that is where our session started. We slowly made our way around Georgetown’s campus, and finished with a little Hoya tradition…

SO excited for their October wedding!

Sneak Peek | Charity + Chris

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Pure country elegance. I can’t wait to share more!

Birthday Cake

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

Last Friday, my friend J and I were talking about boys. Our husbands, to be specific. What do you get for a 20 something old boy’s birthday who doesn’t want anything? I need specifics. Like, “Socks.” That is what is expected in my Christmas stocking because I am in dire need of new little white gym socks. But Chad doesn’t really have anything he wants. And, being newly married, we don’t NEED anything! That is what registries are for, right? [Thanks, again, wedding guests!] Chad made me a birthday cake for my birthday: funfetti + a beach scene in icing. Complete with brown sugar sand and different shades of blue for the sky and water. Ah-mazing.

J encouraged me to make Chad a cake. So off to the recipe books I went. And found it. BIRTHDAY CAKE. That’s what it was called. I had to make it. Luckly, it called for everything that I keep in my pantry. Being that I am not a baker, that isn’t a whole lot. So I made Chad a cake :) And I was going to blog it. But, sadly, it was terrible. [In my opinion]. I brought it to my parents house [and left it]. My dad joked that we should have a cake blowing contest off the back deck. We didn’t but not because it wasn’t possible.

So last night, 4 hours before Chad’s birthday was officially over, I started a new baking project. Make cinnamon rolls in 2 hours; lucky for me, I again had all of the ingredients! And? SUCCESS! They were 1000000 calorie filled, but so delicious!

1 cups of warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 package of dry yeast
1 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/6 cup oil
3+ cups of flour

Butter and Cinnamon Sugar Mixture… I just figured this part out myself.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit for a minute, then add the sugar and salt. Mix. Add the cooking oil, egg, 1 cup of flour and beat until smooth. Stir in 1 more cup of flour. Begin kneading the dough, adding the final cup of flour. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in more flour, a quarter to a half cup at a time. Let the dough “rest” for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s 24 to 30 inches long by about 12 inches wide. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Starting at the wide end, roll into a log. Cut the cinnamon rolls into equal sized slices (approximately one inch wide each or slightly more) and place into two greased 9 x 13 pans. Put in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes (or until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown).

Then I made an icing with Powdered Sugar and Milk. The results:

Happy Birthday, Chad! I love you!

Scott + Melissa | Second Shooter

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

I love Kristen Finn. Like, a lot. I met her about two years ago at CDIA. Kristen has a love for good design and food; two things she photographs with PASSION. And I think that is one thing she and I have in common, and why I love second shooting with her. She loves the little things. In fact, we usually have several pow-wows through out the evening where we comment on the look the bride gave the groom during the speech, or the beautiful necklace on the mother of the bride, etc. It really is the small things that make wedding photography fun.

Kristen and I shot Melissa and Scott’s Ashburn, VA wedding [click on the link to see her images!] together a few months ago. It is so beautiful there–golf courses galore. Here are some things I took away from shooting with Kristen

  1. Just Try It. Kristen is awesome at trying new ideas in portraits, lighting, and posing.
  2. Be Friendly. I learned this about Kristen much earlier–she is just so friendly. Melissa wasn’t her just client, she was her friend she made while shooting her wedding!
  3. Take Time. When she shoots, she makes sure she takes the time to get the shot right.

Here are a few of my shots from our portrait session:

Kristen in action. Work it, girl!

 

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