Ever since I was little, my birthday has always been my second favorite day of the year. (If you don’t know my top favorite, you must be new around here!) So, after launching a business, I knew I’d want to celebrate my business birthday every year too! June 13, 2021 is the day I officially pressed ‘Publish’ on my website and Erin Thompson Photography has been growing ever since.

My first major business challenge came shortly after ETP’s first birthday. It wasn’t a surprise. In fact, it was the reason I almost didn’t launch a business in the first place! I’m married to an Air Force pilot and July 2022 brought a cross-country move for our family. We packed up our life in Albuquerque, said goodbye to the Sandias, and headed to our new home in Virginia. It was hard to leave my first clients who helped bring this dream to life, but I was excited for what was to come.

NOVA Family Photography

After an incredibly hot summer with lots of melted ice cream, I jumped right into a busy fall filled with family sessions. We explored Old Town and even checked a few locations off my DC bucket list. Hanging out with the McElroys and Colgans at the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol were two highlights of the season. Not only did I get experience shooting in these iconic places, but I learned the ropes for securing permits as well. While it takes some extra legwork, it’s 100% worth it. I don’t think shooting in downtown DC will ever get old!

As 2022 came to a close, I got to photograph two beautiful newborn baby girls with their sweet parents. These girls were the first babies in both of their families and had adorable nurseries. Ava’s little Christmas tree and all Rachel’s flamingos… just perfection! These lifestyle newborn sessions were the perfect lead up for capturing the Brays’ twin boys in early 2023.

An Unexpected Turn of Events for Erin Thompson Photography

Up until January 2023, I had been running ETP on the side. I’m a math teacher by trade and had spent the last decade teaching either in a classroom or virtually. On a random Thursday in January, I received news that my position was being eliminated due to some post-Covid financial concerns. I was completely caught off guard, but after some long conversations with my husband, we decided to take this opportunity for me to dive head first into ETP. Since then, I’ve flipped my roles and am mainly running this biz while teaching math on the side… and I’m so happy.

Cherry Blossom Season

With more time to dedicate to ETP, I began furiously researching all things cherry blossoms. I was so excited for my first spring in DC and couldn’t wait to create some magic with the stunning blooms. I had a lot to learn though and that, coupled with the unknown of when peak bloom would be, brought about another challenge. It was one I was excited to face though, as I knew the photos would be worth it. Not surprisingly, they were! I shot at the Tidal Basin, on the National Mall and in Old Town Alexandria, and am already counting down the days until next spring!

ETP Military Events

Without the time restraints from a full-time job, I now had the ability to shoot daytime military events. While I enjoyed serving families during their promotion and retirement festivities, the highlight of the spring was my Huey family mini sessions. I partnered with our squadron to take photos with our favorite aircraft and it was everything I wanted it to be. I even managed to get my own family in front of the camera for a couple shots too!

What’s Next for Erin Thompson Photography

As I enter my (hopefully!) not-so-terrible twos, I feel nothing but excitement for the future! My summer is almost fully booked with military events, family sessions and personal travel, and I’m getting ready to open up my fall schedule. Additionally, I am working on some new offerings that I can’t wait to share in the coming months. These will combine some of my biggest passions and are designed to serve future ETP clients really well. So, stay tuned, but in the meantime, thank you so, so much for supporting Erin Thompson Photography and making this dream of mine a reality. Cheers to year 3!