I’ve been so excited to reveal the project that I’ve been working on over the last couple months!
In January, some of the leaders of the Lake Anne Plaza Merchant’s Committee approached with me an idea that I loved instantly. Because most of the businesses at Lake Anne are owned and managed by women, the merchants proposed a photo series of those women as part of an upcoming celebration for International Women’s Day. This project would combine so many things that I love: creative portraits, courageous entrepreneurs, varied talents, and great stories. The best part of it all is that these businesses are located in my immediate neighborhood, and I’ve always been grateful for their contributions to the community. I got to work right away.
Over the next several weeks, I arranged individual portrait sessions with most of Lake Anne’s female business leaders. I knew many of them already, but some of them I met for the first time that day. I consider all of them friends now.
I chatted with the women to learn more about their personalities, businesses, and passions. Then I photographed them in ways that I thought best captured their unique stories. The diverse talents among these women are fascinating! We have restaurant owners, an art gallery owner, a veterinarian, a fitness trainer, a museum director, a children’s shop owner, a chocolatier, a chef, a book shop owner, a brewery owner, and so much more. These are people who share their talents with our community and help to make it such a special place to be.
On March 8, 2019, Lake Anne Plaza, the Reston Museum, and Reston Community Center hosted a celebration of International Women’s Day, which included an exhibit of this portrait series. I had released simple teaser images to the public via Lake Anne’s social media, but this was the first unveiling of the official portraits.
The response was even more heart-warming than I could have hoped. About a hundred visitors came over the course of the two-hour celebration, which was the largest crowd ever seen at such an event. Tons of my wonderful friends and family were there in support. I was honored to be asked to speak at the event as part of a panel of four women business owners of Lake Anne. The best part of the night, though, was seeing the reactions of the people I’d photographed as they saw their portraits in the exhibit and showed their families. My goal with this project was to make each person feel appreciated and celebrated, and I think I was able to do that. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to offer that to the people of my community.
The next day, I moved the photos to Reston’s Used Book Shop, where they will be on display throughout March.
If you haven’t been able to see the photos in person, here they are. In no particular order, may I introduce you to the Women of Lake Anne:
SUSAN BURWELL
Owner, Reston’s Used Book Shop
PAT MACINTYRE
Owner, Reston Art Gallery and Studios
DORIS TYLER
Owner and Chocolatier, Chesapeake Chocolates
ELIZABETH ARGUELLES
Owner and Veterinarian, Just Cats Clinic
VICKY HADJIKYRIAKOU
Owner, Kalypso’s Sports Tavern
MELISSA ROMANO
Owner, Lake Anne Brew House
Owner, Nordic Knot
MEAGAN THOMPSON
Executive Chef, Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar
BONITA PINES
Owner, Educator, and Product Creator, Jus B Hair Salon
EVE THOMPSON
Owner, Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar
Realtor, Reston Real Estate
Market Coordinator, Reston Market
LIZ KAMP
Owner, New Trail Cycling Studio
RESTON COMMUNITY CENTER
Bebe Nguyen, Director of Communications
Pam Leary, Customer Service Manager
Leila Gordon, Executive Director
Karen Brutsché, Director of Leisure & Learning
Renata Wojcicki, Finance Director
JENNIFER HEFFNER
Owner and Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Heffner Photography
ALEXANDRA CAMPBELL
Executive Director, Reston Historic Trust and Museum
SUSANN GERSTEIN
Owner, Small Change Children’s Consignment
WENDY MARTINEZ
Owner, Lake Anne Deli
ERIN GABLE
General Manager, Lake Anne Coffee House and Wine Bar
KATE NODA
Owner and Stylist, Top Style by Kate Noda
CHERYL TERIO-SIMON
Advocate and Friend
To everyone I photographed, thank you for trusting me with this project. It was a huge honor and I’m delighted with the results. Lake Anne, I love you all.
Related posts:
Exhibit and publication: My photo show made the cover of the local paper
My photos are now a museum exhibit!
A year of fascinating people: Some of my favorite portraits of 2018
Another gorgeous year: Some of my favorite scenic photos of 2018
Awards: Ten winning photos with the Lifestyle Photographers Association
Such an honor: My photo is featured at the annual gala for Public Art Reston
A project about the exquisite public art of Reston Town Center
This is so cool: My photos were chosen as the wall art for the new Lake Anne Brew House
The ultimate guide to outdoor things to do in the Reston area
Scenic photos of Reston available for purchase
My portfolio of small business commercial photography
