Author Archives: Mina Habibi

Family Fun – Northern Virginia Family Photographer

Oct
01
2015
by Mina Habibi | 1 Comment

I met the Evanson Family back in April of 2013 when Mom was pregnant with baby #2. We started a Year in the Life series with some maternity and family photos, captured the new baby when she arrived in June and went from there. Right as it was time for their last session when the new baby was nearly one, the family moved to the Middle East. Well they made it back for a visit this year and we were able to finish the series out!

It was great to see the girls and how much they had grown. I loved how the little one mimicked big sister with so many things. In spite of the rain that afternoon (it poured just as we were about to start but it stopped after about 10 minutes leading to the cutest curls:) we had a great time. There was swinging with mom and dad, picking flowers, a performance of Frozen, hide and seek, getting to sit way up high in a special spot and then fun on the playground. We even got some of just mom and dad by themselves!

What a pleasure to see this family grow. Thank you and much love to the Evanson Family!

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Posted in Families, Kids

Maternity Goddess – VA, DC, MD Maternity Photographer

Sep
17
2015
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Megan contacted me for maternity photos from a referral from the wonderful Kelly Jett of iJett Photography. I worked for Kelly as a second shooter and we really hit it off. Megan and her husband are close friends with Kelly. Kelly referred me because she had moved to San Diego where she is taking stunning photos. Thank you so much Kelly!

Anyway, when Megan contacted me I was like absolutely, let’s do it. I then asked her if she would mind playing a little and showed her some of my Goddess work. I told her it would be great to get a little creative and have a pregnant Goddess in my portfolio. She was totally up for it. So I gathered up flowers, fabric, a tulle skirt and was ready to go. Little did I know, we wouldn’t have to play at all really, because she was already there, 100% Goddess.

I did some research to find some cool spots in Maryland and settled on Willow Oak Flower and Herb Farm and Jonas Green Park in Annapolis.  Flowers and water for a portrait session back drop? You can’t go wrong there. I met Megan at the flower farm and she was already dressed like a Goddess in the most absolute perfect white dress. It could not have worked out any better. Then the flowers and pathways and nooks. It was Goddess heaven. If you’re ever looking for a magical place for an afternoon check out Willow Oak.

Then we headed over to the park. Megan wanted to wrap a colored bow around her belly to reveal the sex of the baby and coincidentally I had the same color fabric. Serendipity? I think so. My vision with the fabric was to somehow get it to blow in the wind.  I didn’t know if there would be wind that day but I figured it would all work out. And did it ever. The wind on the water was PERFECT! It blew that fabric just the way I wanted and my vision became reality.

I’m certain Megan has had the baby by now since she was due in early September. Congratulations Megan and thank you again!


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Posted in Goddesses, Maternity, Portraiture

Badass Goddess – Northern Virginia Photographer

Sep
16
2015
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

If you look up the word badass you’ll find varying definitions. Often it’s associated with being male. Sometimes it’s about defying authority or not caring about consequences. My favorite definition is from the urban dictionary. “Awesome to an extreme level, thereby leveraging unquestionable authority.” There’s a few others that I like but this one describes a recent Goddess that I had the privilege of having in front of my camera.

Nancy  wanted a sexy shoot with her harley and her camaro. HERS. Not some dude’s. Did I mention badass? And sexy was no problem because well, you’ll see for yourself. What a great afternoon we had. As well as random people that just happened to be, for them, in the right place at the right time. I’m sure a couple of fellas are still talking about what they saw last week.

But let’s take the external out of the picture. Yes, Nancy is gorgeous. But you know what is even more sexy? Her confidence. She rides without fear. She sat on that bike, with people watching and let me photograph her, without fear. She wore what some people would consider racy, baring clothing, without fear. And that is hot. That is awesome to an extreme level. We should never let fear hold us back. We can listen to what lessons or advice it might have to offer, but we should never, ever, let it hold us back.

And now I present one badass Goddess!

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Posted in Goddesses, Portraiture

Ballet BFFs – Northern Virginia Dance Photographer

Jun
22
2015
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Remember when I mentioned that the Universe started sending me work that I was asking for? Well, here’s another one. I have lists and scrap papers and notes asking for specific types of photo sessions and a session with dancers was on those lists. I love movement, not only from the actual dance move or pose, but from the lines created in those movements and poses. Then put that with lines in your scene and background and there’s all kinds of fun happening.

Now, all this said, I have never photographed dancers before. I wasn’t sure which lens to use, what settings I would need, should I use the flash and umbrella. So not only was I getting something I asked for BUT I had to step outside of my comfort zone to actually do it. I’ve been doing a lot of stepping out of the comfort zone lately.

And just like all first times of doing something new, you learn things. Like if I want to do ballet dancers again, which I really, really, really want to, I need to learn some of the dance moves they do, so I can give them some direction and know in my head what the image will look like. Among other things!

Many thanks to these Ballet BFFs for letting me photograph them. We wanted to go for some urban ballet shots, so we hit the graffiti wall (I’ll be coming back here for sessions!) at Theodore Roosevelt Island, the Wilkes Tunnel in Old Town and then some neighborhood streets in Old Town. I hope the girls had as much fun as I did!
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Posted in Dancers, Portraiture

Victoria & Odir – A Garden Inspired Wedding Portrait Session | Northern Virginia Wedding & Portrait Photographer

Jun
13
2015
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Well hello middle of 2015! Wasn’t it just this time last year? I was about to 50, big party to celebrate, found a kitten. Oh, yeah, the kitten. He ended up passing away and things just kind of went into a funk. There was a lingering, underlying sadness for a long time. To put some closure to this I’ll be framing a little photo of him and placing it on the kitty altar to honor his short time with us.

But that’s not why I’m back. I’m back because I am now working for myself! And it’s absolutely mandatory that I market myself. And a great way to do that is blogging. Plus I love taking photos and creating stuff and I like to write about what doing that means to me.

I left the 9-5 back in May. I’m still doing design and one of my clients is my former employer but I’m working to make the transition to artist/photographer with maybe a wee bit of design.

So one of the things I’ve been doing and I feel like it’s made a huge difference and is working pretty darn well IS … asking for what I want. Yep, just asking the Universe, Angels, spirit, for what I want. Being specific about it. Now certainly the Universe sends you stuff you don’t ask for but after it’s all done and over there is always some gift from the experience.

One of the things I have been asking for is more clients (obviously:) but specifically clients with creative and inspirational projects. And I’ve been getting them. And here’s two, Victoria and Odir, my first clients as a self-employed artist and photographer.

I met Victoria through Pure Prana Yoga Studio where I teach (if you’re ever in Old Town on a Tuesday pm come get your yoga on with me) Tuesday evenings. She was getting married, a small courthouse type wedding with an officiant and a fiesta celebration on the weekend. This was something I had asked for. A small, intimate wedding and celebration. And her fiance suggested portraits at Meadowlark Gardens, Bon Air Rose Garden and the water park in Crystal City.  Perfect!

Being able to document their marriage and wedding day was such a great honor and privilege. I mean I spent their wedding day with them! It was simple, quiet, relaxed, meaningful. It wasn’t work at all.

Congratulations to Victoria and Odir. I hope the rest of their lives together are just like their wedding day.

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Posted in Couples, Nature, Weddings

Project 330 Something-ish

Jun
03
2014
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Well, so much for a photo every day. Or at least posting them every day. I have a TON of photos from the last month. But clearly no time to post daily. Oh well. C’est la vie, right? Not sure where this will head but like I said I have a ton of images to post.  But I’m going to have to turn off my Type A personality that needs things perfectly ordered from beginning to end and just go with the flow. And for now … how about an inch worm:)

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Posted in Macro, Nature, Random

Surviving | Project 365

May
03
2014
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Today was the annual traumatize the cats day also known as their annual vet check up. First I had to bribe them to get close to me by doling out some treats. Before Lucy was finished chewing her last one, I had to scoop her up and take her to the carrier that was already prepped and ready to go. Mind you, when I pick this cat up, she stiffens up like a piece of wood. So I try to get her into the carrier and she is fighting me every inch of the way. Claws everywhere. Wolverine claws, you know like the comic book character Wolverine. Trying to get her into the smaller carrier wasn’t working so I had to put her into the larger one. Success but she immediately started crying and throwing herself around the carrier. Good lord.

As I was scooping Lucy up I told Shawn to grab Lenny and follow me. Lenny is the exact opposite of Lucy and basically goes limp. So he was much easier to deal with. And off we went.

We go to a vet that’s about 30 minutes away. I’ve been taking my cats to this place for over 15 years. I like them, I like the vets and it’s worth the drive. Of course, not to the cats. Since Lucy loses her mind and starts panting, Shawn sits her carrier on his lap and opens the door so she can relax a little. Lenny sits quietly in his which is in the backseat. He’s such a good boy.

So they survived the trauma and are both in excellent health. On the ride home Lucy was quiet, defeated and broken. All her defiance, crying for help, just led to the same outcome anyway. A shot and a thermometer up her butt. When we got home she had been drooling which I’m not sure if that’s more pathetic than the panting or not.

Needless to say she was put out with us most of the afternoon. And of course we do feel a little bad. Well, here we are 5 hours later and they are taking full advantage of our guilt. At least Lucy is. Shawn found her lounging on his clean shirts on the bed. And of course he couldn’t move her. He’s guilt ridden. So there she stays.

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And then this guy is just enjoying life lounging in one of his favorite nap spots.

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I had just taken these shots of Lenny and was about to upload them to this post when Shawn said look at him now. And this is what I saw …

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We’ll continue to ease our guilty consciences of looking after their welfare by letting them do whatever the hell they want for the rest of the day. And then they will continue to do whatever the hell they want because that’s what cats do.

Posted in Cats, Hipstamatic, Project 365

Dramatic Sky | Project 365

May
02
2014
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

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Posted in Hipstamatic, Nature

May? | Project 365

May
01
2014
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

May? When did that happen? And I apologize to anyone who subscribes to this blog via email for the posting overloads! Not sure what it’s going to take to actually be able to post the photos I take on the day I take them. There’s definitely some other things brewing that are taking up time right now. Anyway … here’s what happened to the pink awesomeness after the monsoon of the last two days. A blanket of petals on the ground! Like it snowed pink petals!

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Posted in Nature, Project 365

Voluptuous Vixen | Northern VA Boudoir Photographer | Project 365

Apr
30
2014
by Mina Habibi | 0 Comments

Last weekend I transformed parts of the house into a studio for a boudoir shoot. Oo la la! Here’s an image that doesn’t give anything anyway other than I had one voluptuous vixen on my hands. And she rocked it!

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Posted in Goddesses, Project 365