rachel dwyer photography
Last week I had a shoot with my friend Sydney Dauter on Grosse Ile in Michigan. This is my first real shoot in a month or so and it felt great. I was feeling very uninspired the last few months and decided to do a shoot just for me. I wanted it to feel “dreamlike”.
This shoot has inspired a project called Dream Sequence which I will continue throughout the next year.
The first thing I noticed about Richmond, VA was how many restaurants this little city has to offer. They seem to be endless. Every corner has a new restaurant, coffee shop, bar, or brewery popping up left and right. Below is a list of a few of my favorite spots.
Okay so you’re in Richmond and you need coffee? Whisk is your answer. Grab a latte and a big macaron or other delicious pastry to start your morning.
I happen to stumble across 10 Italian Cafe when I moved (pretty much) across the street. I absolutely love every coffee beverage I've ever ordered from this place. Like a true European cafe, you order at the counter and sit down. They barista will bring you your beverage when it's done. Their pastry section is deeply lacking, but their paninis and sandwiches are good.
On the weekends they usually have great live music playing. If you're not interested in drinking coffee, they also have plenty of wine to choose from.
Arguably my favorite sandwich place in Richmond. If you're downtown checking out the capital building or staying at the Hilton, this would be a great place to try for lunch. It can get very busy during the weekday lunch rush, but usually the wait isn’t too bad. All sandwiches are named after presidents.
My favorite: The Truman with fries + pimento cheese. There's something about the combo of turkey, blue cheese, apricot jam, and crunchy onions that is absolutely amazing. At first I was hesitant about the apricot jam, but the sweetness with the blue cheese is fantastic.
Two words. Smoothie bowls. They are so incredibly good. They also have an espresso smoothie that will wake you the fuck up. It is a little overpriced in my opinion and the staff can be less than friendly, but I still will go for an instagram-able smoothie bowl. It is the perfect summer lunch when trying to survive hot and humid July in Richmond.
One of the first places I had lunch in Richmond was Union Market in Church Hill. When you walk in the door there is a little market and to order you just go through the market towards the back. Union Market always has a new sandwich or soup of the day to try and has a bar. With plenty of tasty vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, this is a great spot to enjoy a fresh lunch outside.
A more recent addition to the popular Carytown neighborhood, Jasper's charm and craft cocktails are a great way to start or end an evening. Opening everyday at 5pm, it's a must for a great drink in Richmond. This darkly lit bar is great for a date night or drinks with friends.
If you're looking for a fancy craft cocktail in a low-key environment, this would be the place you should go.
The graduate is hands down the best rooftop in Richmond for having a drink. Some may argue that the Quirk hotel's rooftop is better, but I just don't agree. The view from the Graduate is unparalleled in the city. I highly suggest going right before sunset to catch an amazing view of the city.
Ardent is a big local favorite. You can bring your pup and sit outside to enjoy the weather. On weekends and nice days, Ardent can be pretty packed. Ardent is located in Scott's Addition. This is what I would consider the brewery district of Richmond. You can make a day of it and walk from brewery to brewery.
Right down the street from Ardent is Veil Brewing. Veil is one of the most popular breweries in Richmond. They have a great outdoor space as well as a fun interior. If it’s a busy day they will serve you with plastic cups, but if it’s a more low-key evening they pour their beer in big wine glasses which makes you feel fancy. Veil also cans their beer (and has fantastic packaging) so you can bring some home with you.
And right now the street from Ardent and Veil, you’ll find Vasen. Scott’s Addition has a ton of breweries which makes for an easy day of bar hopping/day drinking. Vasen also has kombucha on tap if that’s more your style. Inside you’ll find a large mural of a deer with long community tables. There is also an outdoor patio with corn hole. You can almost always find a few dogs on the patio too.
En Su Boca is my favorite Mexican place in Richmond. It's not your traditional Mexican restaurant. There are several “styles” or flavors to choose from. Then you pick if you want it to be a taco, burrito, or quesadilla. If you are going to En Su Boca you absolutely have to order the street corn. It’s fantastic. They have a cute patio and plenty of margarita options.
Located in Richmond's Carytown neighborhood, Daily Kitchen has fairly diverse menu with great indoor and outdoor space. From sandwiches, to pizza, to stir-fry bowls, everyone in your party is sure to find something they will enjoy. My personal favorite from the Daily is their fish tacos. At $16, they aren't the cheapest fish tacos you'll have in RVA but they are fantastic. It's hard for me to order anything but the fish tacos when I go there. My second choice would be the Fig and Pig pizza.
Mekong is one of my favorite places to go if I'm craving pho. It is a little bit outside of what I would consider Richmond, but worth the drive. They also have an extensive beer list as all of the servers shirts say "Mekong is for beer lovers". Next door to Mekong is The Answer Brew Pub.
Located in Richmond’s Scotts Addition neighborhood, Brenner Pass is a modern style restaurant inspired by the Alpine region. I have eaten there a couple of times and highly suggest ordering their cheese plate. In all honestly, it can get very expensive but the cheese plate is worth it. First of all, they roll out a cheese cart. YES. An entire chart dedicated to showing off the cheese selection. The server goes through each each and then you pick the ones you want.
Although I haven’t been too impressed with the dinner, the cheese plate and cocktails are well worth the price. My suggestion would be to order drinks and a bottle of wine. If you’re looking for a cocktail, the Snow Bunny cocktail is my favorite.
Celebrating a birthday or significant event that should include cake? Go to Shindigs. Shindigs is a completely dessert based restaurant and there is almost always a wait for their amazing cake selections. Shindigs has two parts, one "to-go"/waiting area and the actual restaurant next door. Grab a slice of cake to go or wait to get seated at the restaurant. Word of advice, unless you really want your own piece, you can probably share. The cake slices are huge.
My favorite: The fruit cake. Sounds old fashion and kind of gross right? WRONG. Absolutely the best cake I've ever had and if I could use them for my wedding in Michigan, I would. The fruit cake is vanilla cake with vanilla icing and fresh fruit in-between every layer. Somehow it takes light for a massive pice of cake.
Looking for ice cream? Go to scoop in the fan district. It's cute neon signs and unique flavors are a great way to cool off from the hot Richmond summers while taking the perfect Insta-worthy ice cream photo. You can even get fun toppings like a macaron. They also have vegan options.
My favorite: Brown Sugar Cookie Dough. So sweet so you should get a scoop of coffee or another flavor to balance it out.
These are some of my go-to places in Richmond, however there are so many great restaurants and so many more opening every month. I am struggling to publish this article because I could keep typing for countless hours because I love so many places here. I always say that I have been pleasantly surprised with Richmond and its food scene is no different. Whether you are here for a day or live here there are so many places to try.
Happy Eating!
A few months ago Insta account @UOVirginia reached out to me and Tori Radday about a potential collaboration. Vanna from UO noticed Tori and I tagging her @UOVirginia account very regularly. She loved our work together and wanted us to create content for their Instagram.
After all expectations had been set, Tori and I met with Vanna at the UO in Shortpump a few days prior to the shoot to pick out three outfits. Vanna told us about some themes she would like to work off of and then let us free. From there Tori styled the outfits with her own accessories, while I planned out the locations.
The first outfit was my absolute favorite. I love clothing with texture and a bold pattern. Because of the complexity of this outfit, I wanted a plain urban/warehouse background. I actually have had this location picked out for a few months and was waiting for the right outfit. I also have been obsessed with these shiny wall hangings and wanted to use them for a shoot. Shoutout to Vanna for shaking them in the background while I shot.
For the second outfit we started with this green dress from Urban. One of the themes Vanna told us about was "cozy", so we grabbed this big sweater from Urban too. Since the outfit was focused around greens and shades of gold, I really wanted to go to the yellow wall in Carytown where Tori and I frequently shoot. Along the way we stopped at some white backgrounds. I also chose to quickly go to the overpass for the final location for this outfit to add some variety.
The third outfit was a cute, red dress that had a low cut back. The dress was more formal, so I really wanted it to feel like a holiday shoot. When I think New Year's Eve I think shiny, metallic, sequence, and anything along those lines. There is a metallic background in an alley near my house that I chose for the first location. Again, the goal of this shoot is to highlight the outfits, so I wanted the backgrounds to be simple, but with slight texture.
For the second location we wanted to the Byrd Theater in Carytown. It has a lot of old charm and Tori radiates vintage, so it was a great fit. The first challenge was that we were chasing the sun. The second challenge was shooting in Carytown on a Sunday around the holidays. So many people were out in the streets and it was very difficult to get a good shot. I bumped up the ISO and had to wait for my opportunity to shoot between crowds of people.
Overall the collab was very successful and a lot of fun. Big thanks to Vanna from Urban Outfitters for being a fantastic partner. She really let Tori and I take over creatively and offered assistance where ever she could. I love creating Instagram content and it was a dream come true to work with @UOVirginia. I would say that you can expect at least one more collaboration between us three.
BTS: I used my Canon 6D Markii and my 2.8 24-70mm lens. I kept my aperture at 2.8 for all of the photos.
Photographer: Me, Rachel Dwyer - Website - Instagram
Model: Tori Radday - Website - Instagram
Partner: Urban Outfitters Virginia - UO's website - Instagram
Usually when I run into people that I haven't seen in a long time, the first thing they say to me is, "OMG I LOVE YOUR INSTAGRAM!" After a some quick small talk, we bid adieu and I immediately go on Instagram to see if I even follow them. When I look at their feed, I think to myself that their Instagram could look amazing if they just did a few things differently.
Below are seven simple tips that will help turn your Instagram into a cohesive feed. Although these tips are basic, they set a foundational knowledge for editing. All of the photos below are either screenshots from my iPhone or photos taken on my iPhone 6.
One easy way to make your feed look better is to stop using Instagram's filters. Yeah, I get it. You want to make the picture "your own" by adding the yellow-tinted, weird focused, super contrasty filter that thousands of people have already used. Thankfully there is a way to make it unique to you without sacrificing the image.
Download an app that is primarily used for editing, such as VSCO or Afterlight. I prefer VSCO, but I have used Afterlight in the past. I use VSCO because I already edit with them through Lightroom for my actual photography. Purchase is required for Afterlight and their are in app purchases for VSCO. However, both are under $5.
I suggest sticking with one filter or a few filters within the same range (if you are using VSCO). Although repeating a filter removes the *waste 15 minutes picking out the PERFECT filter* part of your day, it does create a uniform look for your feed.
The first image below is edited with Instagram's Slumber filter. The second image is edited with a VSCO filter. The first image is overwhelmingly yellow and dark. The second image is much truer to the original image while still having its own personality.
This is something that drives me crazy, but once you see it you can't unsee it... straight images. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen photos on Insta that have EXTREME slants. This of course is not a absolute truth, but unless you are a professional photographer shooting fine art or fashion photos, you need to straighten your images.
In the first photo below, the image is tilted to the right. If you look at the car on the road, you can see that the left tires are up hirer than the right tires. A simple adjustment (and a VSCO filter) on the image and it looks less disorienting.
In order to do this, try to make your horizon perpendicular to the right or lefthand side of your screen or parallel to the top or bottom of your screen.
Another huge pet peeve of mine is when people post a photo where the subject is surrounded by trash, junk, dirty clothes, charging cords, open doors, etc. Do not take photos with a huge mess in the background. Clean up your space! This does not mean you have to spend hours cleaning your apartment to shoot one image. You just need to make sure what is in the frame is clean.
This rule also applies when you are outdoors. Think about the frame of your photo. This photo was taken in Florida while I was on vacation. I loved the colorful titles and thought they would be a fun, simple background for my ice cream.
Because there were so many people walking around, it was extremely hard to not get anyone in the frame. The first image was my best attempt. However, no one wants to see someone's feet near food. I simply cropped out the "clutter" of the image.
Natural light for Instagram is key, especially if you are just learning about photography. When you use non-professional indoor lighting, you will get a harsh yellow glow similar to the crappy Instagram filter I just told you not to use.
Try to get close to a window. When I take photos indoors, I open all of the shades/curtains and turn off all of the artificial light. You might have to move your furniture around a little bit, but it's worth it. If your place has horrible lighting, go outside. Bring a poster board board for a white background and take the photo with the outdoor light, usually the shade works best.
I can't tell you how many people think a small, yellow lamp light is going to make the picture have "better lighting". If you notice in the first picture below that the light is very yellow on the left hand side. The light on the right is very blue. This is because I took it in between a artificial and natural light. The uneven light and the yellow glow make this photo... not so good.
The second photo is taken next to a window. For reference, both of the photos were edited with the same VSCO filter. The white balance is even across this photo. The natural light makes the image crisp and clean.
If you look at some of your favorite bloggers on Instagram, you notice that not only do their individual pictures look good, but their feed as a whole looks good. This is not an accident. Bloggers download apps that help them plan their feed. UNUM is an app that allows you to see what your new photos will look like with your current feed. It also tells you the best time to post and the best hashtags to use.
In order to make your whole feed look uniform, you need to think about the color theme of your feed. Below is a picture of my Instagram from a few months ago. There are strong pink, blue, and pastel themes throughout these images which allows the feed to look cohesive. None of the images have an overwhelming amount of dark colors. Some of the images have darker clothes, but this is balanced within the image and within the feed by lighter images.
You do not have to have pastel colors for your theme. Many people use black/gray and white for a very modern look. Some people use darker images overall which works when it is consistent. Some people have wood and plants frequent their feed which makes it look cohesive and others have crazy colors throughout. It doesn't matter what you want to go with, as long as you are conscious of how the image you post will look next to the last few images you posted in your feed.
If you are at all interested in how your feed looks, please don't post a photo collage. Sure, they are cute for someone's birthday or whatever, but they look like crap on your feed. If we are expecting to see big square images and then in reality see one which is actually a bunch of smaller squares/rectangles, it messes up the flow. Believe me. If you want to make a photo collage, post it on Facebook. See the image below.
Instagram released a new tool this year where you can add multiple photos to a single post. This allows you to incorporate all of the photos you want without sacrificing the overall feed. Please utilize this.
One of the biggest issues I have seen on Instagram is poor exposure. Even if you are not a professional photographer, exposing the photo properly can be easy. When you are editing your photos, just try to make sure that the whites are truly white. If they are dark or dull, brighten them up a little bit. If they are completely washed out, you will need to rein them back in.
In the first image of the sunflower, the overall feel is very dark. When you lighten it up so that the house is much closer to a true white, the image is much brighter and looks a lot better.
In the second set of images, the comforter that my suitcase is on is supposed to be white. You can also tell this is under exposed because it is hard to see what is in my suitcase. The blacks tend to run together and it's hard to distinguish my purse from my boots. Once we lighten this up and add some contract back for the darker closers, we can see the boots and purse distinctly.
In the last pictures the sun was setting. The original picture is a little too heavy for me so I lightened up the building to be closer to a true white color. It still looks like the sun just set because you can see the ferris wheel lit up, but is a brighter image overall.
These are just a few of the most basic ways to improve your feed. You don't need to be a professional photographer or blogger to make your Instagram stand out. Be mindful of these 7 tips and you will be able to create a more cohesive and balanced feed.
All photos are taken by me, Rachel Dwyer.
Rachel Dwyer Photography - Website - Instagram
You can check out the apps I mentioned here:
Instagram - Download Here
VSCO - Download Here
Afterlight - Download Here
UNUM - Download Here
Best, Instagram Worthy Photo Locations for Fashion Bloggers in Richmond VA
Read MorePhotographers worst nightmare: thunder and lightening an hour before your 8am shoot is scheduled.
Yup. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was kind of nervous for this shoot. It was scheduled at 8am at the Ford Yacht Club on Grosse Ile in Michigan. At about 5am and then again at 6am I woke up from the sound of thunder roaring through my window. Great.
As I got up and looked out side, I noticed that the ground was soaked. So Great. Well... it's time like this where you really become a professional photographer and you just have to make it work. The rain stopped, but became this misty wetness in the air, aka a hair nightmare. Good lighting is everything... or so they say. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
It worked. I met Erica and Terry shortly after 8am and the rain had (for the most part) stopped. We immediately starting shooting at the beach front of the Ford Yacht Club. Cute Fact: Erica and Terry met here, so it is a very symbolic place for them. I love when couples add their own personal touches like this to the engagement shoots. There are no signs or props, but just a place. This to me is the best way to really love and connect with your photos. Can you tell I'm not a fan of props?
Fun BTS (Behind the Scenes) fact #1: It was almost rained out. Fun BTS Fact #2: There was Goose poop everywhere. When I say everywhere. I mean e v e r y w h e r e. Romantic, right? As Erica and Terry got into their first outfits I went over to the beach and literally moved sand around with my feet to clear a spot for them to stand and move a little bit. You don't see it in the photos because that is editing magic. Big props to Erica and Terry for being such troopers. Without their good humor and spirits, this would have been a lot harder. New Lightroom ad campaign: Remove Goose Poop and Much, Much More! New RD Photography campaign: I literally will remove Goose Shit for you.
Anyway, back to the not-so-gross stuff. Erica and Terry's beach outfit is a great example of how you can still wear patterns in photos as long as both outfits are cohesive. I absolutely hate photos where everyone is wearing khaki pants and a white tee shirt. You do not have to match completely. The colors just need to work together.
This is also a great example of using your space. GET CREATIVE. This space was not big. The beach itself was only about 15 feet wide. So minus the goose poop area, we only had about 4 feet to work with. As a photographer, move around your subjects. Take it from all different angles to add variety to the shots. This makes 4ft radius sans goose poop look bigger and more interesting. We moved over again and I had them stand on a rock because it was the only part not covered in poop. IT WORKS. The best part of digital photography is that you can take a lot of photos and just delete the ones that don't work.
Overall, this shoot challenged me to be creative and work with what I've got. This is the key to all photo shoots and it's great to have this struggle every now and then to remember how to adapt. If I can do it, you can too.
I finally took a break from editing all of my weddings and engagement images to do a shoot with Tori Radday. Tori and I have been working together for a while now and she is always one of my favorite people to photograph. As a blogger, you really should know the importance of good photography. If you want to make your blog look profession, it has to have quality images.
Tori and I work together once or twice a month doing about 2 or 3 outfits every time. This is a great way to optimize time and your money with a photographer. She also switches out different glasses for looks which really creates a nice diversity in her Instagram posts while wearing the same outfit.
This is one of my favorite looks she has done. It is such a retro and frankly, a much more sexy look, than I am used to shooting. She rocks it too. I always say my job would be too shoot for Free People or Urban... or really any female-based brand. I think these last few images really show that off.
Model/Stylist - Tori Radday
Photographer - Me! Rachel Dwyer
This was my first international (if you can call it that? My mom is from Canada. When I'm back on Grosse Ile, we go all of the time. International sounds fancy, so I'm going to use it... but honestly I think most people assume that I mean far away, when I mean 35 minutes from my parent's house in the USA) photoshoot. I have known Michelle for a while now. I used to go to Canada to get my hair cut and colored because she did a great job and charged the right price. She moved to Toronto a few years ago and studied hair and makeup at a really well known school. She works on TV shows, weddings, and anything you can think of that needs hair or makeup.
It is so easy to shoot a couple that is passionately in love. Michelle lives in Toronto and Kevin lives somewhere in Indiana. It's notable feature is that it is an hour away from Chicago. Just kidding, I'm sure it has other notable features... But I was very impressed by Kevin. He owns two (or three?) stores that create hearing aids. He also works for the corporate office in Phoenix. So basically he lives on a plane between Indiana and Phoenix, Phoenix and Toronto, Toronto and Indiana. Because of this, Michelle and Kevin don't get to see each other as half as much as they want to.
Michelle drove in from Toronto for this shoot and Kevin flew in from Phoenix the night before. I'm so honored to have photographed this shoot after all of the traveling to make it happen. Michelle grew up in Windsor and wanted to go to Reaume Park. I had never been and the gardens were amazing. We got there around 6:30/7pm and the lighting was perfect. This a great place and it's FREE! It's a public park and absolutely beautiful.
Next we went to Riverside and Parent streets and pulled into the park there to get the photos of the Detroit skyline at sunset. This is kind of a special picture features both an American and a Canadian, while standing on Canadian soil before they get married and move over to the US.
Location: Windsor, Ontario
Couple: Michelle and Kevin
Photographer: ME! Rachel Dwyer
After my trip to Georgia and Michigan, I got together with Richmond's own Tori Radday. When she first sent me a picture of this dress, I immediately thought of this pink... I want to say barn door? but that's not right.. this big pink door, whatever its nature may be. After taking some full length shots at this location we just walked around Church Hill, RVA.
Pro tip for bloggers: Same outfit, different glasses or accessories. This can go a long way in creating diversity throughout your shoot, especially if you only get one outfit with the photographer. Photos are expensive, so make all of them count! This little bit of variety is great for Instagram feeds. They change just enough to make the photos new and interesting. Another great tip is to scout out a few different locations within walking distance. Changing the background and accessories can make it look like a whole new outfit or a completely different day in which you shot this "new" look.
Model: Tori Radday
Photographer: Me! Rachel Dwyer
On Memorial Day weekend I went home to visit my parents on Grosse Ile. I reached out to Alba (Instagram - @albaslyf) via Instagram to see if she wanted to collaborate on a shoot while I was there. She was down and we decided to meet up at my old high school. Lately I've been feeling very uninspired and feeling like my shoots have been very similar. The only images that I could find that I found interesting were at a tennis court. I'm not usually one for chainlink fences, but I'm very happy with the results.
I graduated from this high school in 2008 and I really haven't been to the property since. I'm happy to see that not much has changed and that I was able to remember where to go for these separate locations. With such a sporty location, we wanted to go for more a relaxed look. We did not want to use gym clothes, but we wanted the attire to look appropriate in the location. Alba woke up early and ran to Target and bought the clothes. She kept the tags on so she could return them after. LOL
I had originally planned the shoot to be around 9:30am, but it didn't start until about 11:00am. This made it extremely difficult to shoot. The light was almost directly above us so I had to make sure she was turned away from the light in a lot of the photos to get the right lighting. Always shoot in the morning or at night. Even 11:00am in late May is too harsh. (Yeah, I know, I can put the model in the shadows, but it's way more fun to play with the light)
I teamed up with Tori Radday from Fashion Trends & More to collaborate on a fashion inspired photoshoot. This was my first real shoot in Richmond, VA so I was very excited to see what Tori had in mind. She suggested that we meet up in Carytown. This was such a great idea. Carytown is filled with murals and colorful walls that make the perfect backdrop for any fashion shoot.
Tori was so great to work with and I'm so excited to work with her again on future shoots. She has such an inviting personality and feels very comfortable in front of the camera. I believe our styles blended perfectly together.
DIA engagement photos.
Read MoreI am in love with Instagram and having the "look away" photos is a must. However, when you're having a professional photographer take photos of you, how do you tell them what you are looking for? What do you wear?
Read MoreHere a few photos from Shelby and Joe's Wedding. The ceremony took place at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Grosse Ile and the reception was in Wyandotte, MI. We took getting ready photos at Shelby's parent's house and went to Elizabeth Park for photos.
I have known Heather since high school and when she asked me to do her engagement photos, I was so excited. Heather always had unique style and I used to love the photos she took back in high school. She inspired me to venture further into photography, so it was quite the honor when she asked me to take these photos.
We took the photos at Centennial Farm on Grosse Ile, MI. I grew up riding horses here and it is also the park right behind Heather's house.
The were married just a few weeks ago with a small ceremony at a Zingerman Farm.
Gina and Patrick's wedding took place August 28, 2015 at Stoney Creek Metro Park in Shelby Township, Michigan. The ceremony was lined with trees that reached all the way to the sky and greenery everywhere. The pictures speak way more than words.
It's fun to attend a wedding as a guest and not have to worry about the pressure of being the photographer. Although sitting at a table of my college friends and their exes was a little weird, it was nice to reconnect with so many people.
My friends and I arrived to the ceremony as the bride was just about to walk down the aisle. I almost walked down the aisle myself, but then was soon directed to get out of the way. We ran and took our seats in the beautiful, but very hot church. One thing to remember, in old churches there is no air conditioning. It's hot. It's stuffy. The family was nice enough to provide fans to the guests while we witnessed the marriage.
The reception took place at The Baker Lofts just outside of downtown Holland, MI. It was truly a gorgeous reception space. We were first greeted by a tall moss divider which was the background for our escort cards. Just behind the the mossy wall lay a beautiful space lined with lights strung across the ceiling. The colors were muted tones and the center pieces were succulents.
The overall beauty of the reception space dulled the reality of the cash wine bar and the dueling pianos. Also, they brought their dog. So it was a win.
