Hello friends of the farm! I'm Seana Shuchart (formally known as Seana McCroddan). I’ve worked alongside Deborah and Edith Williamson at Seven Oaks Lavender Farm for four years, helping out with everything from A to Z. If you are a regular, there's a good chance you've seen me following clients around the field with a camera or helping out in the Lavender Shop.

This past year has brought many changes in my life. After living in Colorado for awhile, I moved back to my home state of Virginia, got married, re-branded by business, and am now prepping for our 2018 Lavender Season and the first Lavender Festival! So many exciting changes called for a blog post! :)

Marital Status Change: The Wedding

I met Brian, my best friend and now husband, during our freshman year of college. As the years progressed, so did our relationship and so did my love for photography. We dated through school and after graduation, started our first jobs. His field is technology while my first love is photography. It didn't take long until Brian popped the question and I said "YES!"

After a year of planning, our wedding was held last August. Brian is originally from Pennsylvania and I am from Northern Virginia, so we decided to meet in the middle and have our wedding on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay at Kent Island.

Brian has always dreamed of having his wedding by the water with a big, messy seafood boil, and I always pictured mine outside on a warm summer day. So, that is exactly what we did. I wore sandals under a spaghetti-strapped dress, we chose beautiful muted ivories, blushes and grey-blues for our décor, and our guest count expanded at least three times during our planning process :) It was a perfect evening full of family, friends, delicious seafood, laughter and gorgeous sunsets.

I wish we could relive it every day!

Business Change: Re-branding my Photography Business with My New Name.

You don’t’ realize how much work goes into a brand until you have to come up with one from scratch! My photo company was turning four, and with everything I'd learned, larger goals, and a name change -- it was time for an upgrade. I transitioned from Seana McCroddan Photography to Seana Shuchart Photography on the first of the year.

My talented sister, Rachel, of Rachel McCroddan Design and Photography, and I, spent six months creating the re-brand. While I excel at "the big picture" and photography, of course, she is fantastic at moving things along and the finer details that can make all the difference. We worked carefully to choose the perfect set of colors, fonts, images and words to fill a design board that would accurately convey the experience I offer clients. Because I predominantly shoot outdoors using natural light, we chose relaxed but elegant fonts and beautifully muted tones you typically find in nature (blue-greys, sage-y-greens, burnt pinks and muted golds). And this design board informed our choices for the new website.

It was very exciting to launch my new website recently and it was a blast to work with my sister on this creative project. We are proud of how it turned out! Please take a look for yourself by visiting www.seanashuchart.com or my Facebook business page at Seana Shuchart Photography. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you might want to share! You'll find details for booking Farm and Field Portraits there and below.

The Upcoming Lavender Season: Field & Farm Portraits 2018

Seven Oaks Lavender Farm is the perfect destination for families and couples looking for a rustic, down-to-earth location for their photos. We call them Field & Farm Portraits because not only do we use the lavender fields for our sessions, but also include many of the unique settings on the sixteen acre historic property. Between the purple blooms, golden grassy fields, white-boarded shed, large oak trees, old growth boxwood bushes and rustic outbuildings…there is a great variety of backdrops. It is my absolute favorite place to hold portrait sessions!

As I have been working and shooting at the farm for years, I know the property well and have mastered all of the best spots and angles at specific times of day. It is such a fun place for pictures, especially for younger children, because our large farm gives them plenty of space to run around, be themselves, and explore. And adults will find themselves relaxing while they enjoy the sights and aromas of the lavender field. These things all contribute to getting naturally appealing, casual and beautiful portraits.

You may sign up now for our limited weekend spots. They fill up fast! Choose a 30-minute Mini Session or 1-hour Standard Session. They are held between June 10th -24th before and after hours when the farm is closed to the public. When you contact me, I will ask for your preferred dates, times and a deposit to hold your spot. And then I will be in touch a few times before your session to go over specifics (rain dates, parking, attire, etc.).

All are welcome here. I look forward to helping you make beautiful, lasting memories here at Seven Oaks Lavender Farm!

Things Change: Farm Photographer, Seana Shuchart