Julia MacInnis Photography Blog

NEWS! My BLOG HAS moved!

2008-05-01T16:58:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let everyone know that I have moved my blog to a new, fancy-schmancy-super-duper-wild and wacky new URL!

Please make note of this if you subscribe via a reader -- or not.

here's the link to see it! If you subscribe to this blog via an email address, you shouldn't have to do anything as I have redirected my feed. Fingers crossed I did it correctly.

Please be patient as I tweak it and fix the typos and embellish it -- it's prettier -- let me know what you think.

Thanks!

Donna & Gil

2008-04-27T21:48:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: Okay, I was tired last night when I posted this. Donna & Gil are getting married at the Inn at Brookeville in Brookeville, MD!!! I just booked a wedding at Glenview for this summer and was mixing them up! But no worries as my contract was correct!!

After nearly having to scratch this engagement session due to an almost 90 minute delay b/c of a horrible accident on the beltway, Donna and Gil made it to Old Town from Rockville, MD for our session last week. Thankfully, it was in Old Town where I was able to grab dinner and kill some time waiting for them. These two love birds are tying the knot in early June at the fabulous Glenview Mansion -- that'll be my first time there and I am thrilled to add a new venue to my list as it's a gorgeous one at that. Gil and Donna met on Match.com and they are not my only couple to meet thru this means so for all you singletons out there, there is hope! This type of dating service wasn't even around (or maybe it was but it certainly wasn't as huge as it is now) before I got married (almost 13 years ago) so I'm fascinated with the concept. Aren't they cute?

Tag!!! You're it!!!

2008-04-25T14:52:00.012-04:00

I've been tagged!

This cracks me up b/c I feel too old compared to my loyal blogger friends and colleagues to be doing this. But Vicky, event planner extraordinaire from Event Accomplished, tagged me for this particular funny one.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others you like and tell why.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I'm actually 'dating' myself by disclosing these funny tunes and I could have picked a million funnier ones that are borderline "cheesefest" but do I change the channel when the song is on? nahhhhhhhhhhh.

1. Tragedy, Bee Gees. Who doesn't feel like grooving in a goofy way when they hear the Bee Gees?

2. Dream On, Aerosmith. It makes me laugh b/c he's so earnest when he sings.

3. Telephone Line, ELO. I'm not even sure why -- maybe it's the Dooo-whap lyrics...but I'm a kid of the 70s and 80s.

4. Violet, Hole. If I were a rocker in another life, I'd have to pick Courtney Love b/c of her crazy way on the stage. It's pure, raw entertainment.

5. Dim all the Lights, Donna Summer. Reminds me of ice skating with my girly and pretend boyfriends in 6th grade.

So there you have it my friends, consider yourself tagged.....Sarah Hodzic, Jessica del Vecchio, Erin Rexroth Sally Brewer, Rashmi Pappu, Mandi White, and Liz Vance.

Dani & Matt's Wedding

2008-04-24T15:29:00.008-04:00

This was an unusual wedding for me. Dani and Matt tied the knot at Kentlands Mansion on March 29th and had their party/reception at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town on April 19th. In-between those lucky dogs spent more than 2 weeks in South Africa for their honeymoon! Clearly one of the more exciting and exotic honeymooners I know!

The vendors Dani and Matt used were:

Kentlands Mansion (Ceremony + Dinner)
Torpedo Factory (Reception only)
The Black Tie Band
Windows Catering
Fiore Floral
Video Express

Dani was a superstar on the dance floor and I was cracking up taking photos of her with her friends cutting up the floor with the band! Her mom surprised her with a song too. It was a great touch!

I DO for Brides magazine contacted Kentlands Mansion about showcasing one of their weddings in an upcoming issue and Kentlands has asked Dani and Matt if they would want to show their images!! We don't know yet if it will be selected but our fingers are crossed!

NILMDTS and a response

2008-04-22T22:59:00.008-04:00

It's not very often that I talk about the charity I'm partnered with, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. For one, it's pretty personal, but more importantly, what can I say? It scares some folks off to hear about it and for others, they just can't listen for very long without getting upset so I talk about it in abbreviated terms or not at all. And frankly, I want to -- I want to raise awareness of this amazing charity and also to acknowledge all the families who have lost babies -- that's it real, frequent and shouldn't be ignored.

On Friday, last week, I got a letter from one of my November '07 families from Fairfax Hospital. It was a "Thank You" card along with a typed letter, a check (which I didn't and can't accept) and a Remembrance card using one of my photos for their son, Christian. I was shaking when I opened it. Not really sure why but partially worry for this family in terms of their mental health and maybe what they thought of my photos (knowing they would mention it), etc. The card (seeing how my image was used) nearly brought me to tears but the letter written by Bridget, the mom, did bring me to tears. I talked to her at length on Monday about it -- about her experience, how she was doing, about my experience, why I do this, about God's work for us -- and we talked for a good 45 minutes about so much. I really feel I have gained a friend in her now. She told me I could share her letter since I am always trying to recruit more photographers for this great cause, and know some are curious about what this charity is all about to begin with. This letter just confirms why I am doing this and will, no question, keep me going even stronger than before.

Plus, I thought it would be helpful to share a mother's perspective on it -- it's rare that I hear from any of my families. Here goes...

Dear Julia,

First I would like to apologize for taking so long to write this note to you. My little boy was stillborn on November 7, 2007. You came up to Fairfax Hospital to take pictures of us. Thank you so much! I can't put into words the deep gratitude I feel for what you did for me. Of all the people who helped me through that horrible ordeal, what you did helped me the most. I really can't thank you enough. You gave me a gift that I will always treasure. It must have been difficult to start your day by going on an unexpected trip to the hospital that morning. Thank you so much for saying YES and coming. I know it isn't easy to be with people who are feeling so much pain. I'm sure it takes a toll on you too. I want you to know that what you did for me and what you gave me is priceless. The pictures and the slideshow have helped my grieving process so much. There is so much I feel that I can't explain or put into words. Just know that you did so much more than just take a few pictures. Those pictures are the only physical things I have left of Christian. I can't imagine trying to get through this without them. My husband and I and the nurses took pictures of him, but they aren't anything like the ones you took. I used one of the pictures you took of Christian's hands to make a remembrance card, which I sent to my family and friends. Making that card helped my grieving process and I couldn't have done it without that beautiful picture you took. I've included one of those cards as I thought you might like to see it.

My family and I are doing well. I hope someday we will have another precious little baby. If we do, it would be an honor if you would take a family picture of us. Thank you so much for all that you did.

Sincerely,

Bridget

This is the photo they used and the scripture they had on the card.

Baby Sarah Catherine

2008-04-21T15:39:00.004-04:00

Little Miss. That's what I think about when I see Miss Sarah Catherine. She is 14 precious sassy months old and has, since this shoot last week, already moved to Texas! Her mom has started a new job down there and she is now ready to tear up Texas! We barely got this shoot in after having to reschdule earlier in the month.

Sarah Catherine kept me on my toes -- as do all toddlers this age. I always tell my parents to not expect many seated calm photos -- as these little tykes must explore and be on their new feet. She kept my word on that until snack time when I was able to get some tighter shots of her beautiful face. Sarah Catherine has been walking a few months now but showed no signs of slowing down for most of our hour session! When I chatted with her mom before our shoot to get an idea of her personality and demeanor, she said "she's super independent"! No question there. I had so much fun watching her go and just take in the spring air and her environment.

Maps

2008-04-18T20:43:00.006-04:00

Okay, this is so cool -- grabbed it from Facebook. When I sat here to think about all the cities I have been to in the world, it was a fun task! I have been to so many great places around the world -- see all the pins on the Map -- around 47 cities in 10 countries! And I hope to get to more in the near future now that my kids are getting bigger. I'd like to get back to Spain where I studied in 1991 or back to the Philippines to show my family where my mom grew up....but would love to see South America too. Too many choices!

These cities are my favs!

Marrakech, Morocco

Manila, Philippines

Alexandria, VA, USA

Florence, Italy

Salamanca, Spain

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Create your own travel map or travel blog

Visit TripAdvisor.com

Spring is here!

2008-04-18T09:40:00.005-04:00

Spring is here!! But the ironic thing is that I have been sick all week with a bad cold or something. And I made it thru the entire winter with NOTHING, yet here is it April and I have been down for the count -- the week when it's been warmest and sunniest! As such I'm behind on my work so if you're waiting for proofs or products, please be patient, they will be ready asap. Moreover my family and I went boating yesterday -- the marina opened this week and we were ready to go! Despite feeling ill, I couldn't disappoint the troops here and the sunshine was good for me.

We headed out of Woodbridge and headed up north to the Mt. Vernon area on the Potomac. We were just about ready to have our dinner when we noticed being approached by a boat with flashing lights. For the first time, we were 'boarded' by the Coast Guard for a random safety check. It was quite interesting and funny. It's akin to being randomly stopped by the police -- but that never happens. They were with us for a good 30 minutes and just checked life jackets, fire extinguishers, and other stuff I don't even know about but trust Jack does. The guys were actually quite nice and were in town from NJ providing water security around the Stadium during the Pope's Mass earlier in the day.

One of these photos is my favorite -- my youngest, Harry, is a comic. He is a happy kid with a wild imagination and always trying to make us and his friends laugh. When the boat was moving at full throttle, he was pretending to be blown by the wind so all you see are his feet as he's horizontal to the ground holding on to the rail. Jack, Jackson and I were cracking up.

Homemade Music - the "other" art

2008-04-12T12:04:00.012-04:00

For those of you who are blog stalkers and don't know me that well, I am married to a serious musician (studied at Berklee School of Music, he works at XM Radio by day running the Performance Studio as well as writing music for film/tv on the side from home). As a result, our wee offspring are showing signs of serious genetic duplication. I keep pushing the camera in hand but I'm losing out to the cooler music genre and specifically ROCK. Tho, as a Foo Fighters- Smashing Pumpkins-Radiohead-Muse-Silversun Pickups fan myself, it's hard for my kids to know anything else!

Jackson, almost 8, is taking piano lessons and LOVES it....he spends just about everyday on the piano writing his own stuff rather than practicing his lessons! This past fall, he entered a composition into the PTA sponsored "Reflections" program open to all students nationwide. The program is aimed to encourage kids of all ages (thru high school) to creatively explore an area of the arts that they enjoy (music, photography, visual arts, film/video, dance and writing). He competed in the K-2 category for Musical Composition and took 'outstanding interpretation' (or 1st) at his school, again at the the cluster level, and ultimately took 2nd for Fairfax County. We are proud. Wednesday evening was a little awards ceremony for those who rec'd top recognition -- attached are those photos.

To augment the "piano-ness" here, I often walk into my house and hear roaring drums and blaring electric guitar from the basement below. I usually come down to find my husband with the boys jamming. It's great fun to see them develop their interest in music. Jack just became the happy new owner of a replica Les Paul 1959 guitar so it's quite often that I hear this now. I have to admit that while I am not well versed in the world of guitars, this one is gorgeous and sounds pretty rockin' and is admired by all guitarists amateur and pro. I had no idea this is the holy grail of guitars. For me, it would be like owning Nikon D3 (only $5000, body only) but better b/c of it's history.

Seahorse Designs

2008-04-05T16:23:00.005-04:00

I just wanted to give a shout-out to another local artist + mom, JJ Hogan, who does awesome personalized designs on elegant Crane's paper for gifts and special occasions. I just bought one of her pieces for my son's first communion later this month. She can incorporate just about any design with the name of a child, date of a birthday, baptism and then embellishes it with watercolor! Please take a look at her site to get a better idea of what I'm trying to explain! And not doing a very good job of it! Here's the one I had her make for Jackson. Click here to see her website:

(be sure to click on this image below to see it larger)

Heather & Sairam

2008-04-02T11:39:00.010-04:00

I did it again. I cried at another wedding. I don't even think Heather and Sairam know I'm admitting this! Last year when I met with them during the interview process, I was so excited to learn of their Hindu+Christian wedding and distinctly remember telling my husband as soon as they left, "I want this one". I don't normally vocalize that for fear of disappointment but I was so excited at the prospect of photographing their day, I couldn't contain it. So needless to say I was thrilled to have been their chosen photographer. Their event was at the beautiful, historic White Hall Manor in tiny Bluemont, VA -- near the mountains, out past Leesburg, VA. It was a chilly spring day but no rain! Their families were so much fun and it was a great day for me.

Heather wore a Saree for the Hindu ceremony, which was first, replete with all the fruit, incense, and ceremonial aspects of the traditional Hindu ceremony. An hour later, she changed into her grandmother's 1951 wedding gown for the christian wedding ceremony. And believe it or not, an hour after that, she changed again into another saree that was a gift from her husband given to her DURING the Hindu ceremony. It was so exciting to shoot and be a part of their day. I am grateful to have become friends with Heather and Sairam too. They are a fabulous couple, very loving, relaxed, and fun to be around.

Here is a slideshow that I created for their overseas relatives who could not be there for the event along with some photos.

ENJOY!

Of course it is.....

2008-04-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

What, you ask? Well, I apparently live in one of the top 5 most expensive (or as the article states, OVERPRICED) suburbs in the US! I knew Alexandria was pricey -- and real estate is ridiculously over the top here, but to have it confirmed by trusty FORBES magazine, then again on the Today Show is too much. I am grateful for having been here my entire life and having started my own foray into real estate here when I turned 24 because otherwise I couldn't afford it here myself!

Click here to see the clip from the Today Show!

Huge move (update on 4/9: this was an April Fool's joke)

2008-04-01T10:29:00.007-04:00

I am writing this note with mixed emotions -- we have huge news -- and no, we are not pregnant, but most everyone knows that Jack works for XM Radio which was just given the 'okay' to merge with Sirius last week. It's been a long time coming and in so doing, a lot of uncertainty loomed for Jack and our family wondering the future of his job there as well as our financial future. While he had a dreamy job there, the merge was just not something we are confident of. Consequently, he has just accepted a position north of San Fran near Sonoma at Skywalker Ranch, which is where Lucas Films is located. He will be the Director of Film Scoring studio at Skywalker Sound. Jack has dreamt of doing this and while I am a bit nervous about moving to the WRONG coast, we couldn't turn this down. My work can be done just about anywhere. We've already sold the house and will most likely rent when we first move out there. My mom has even agreed to come at some point! Jackson and Harry already have their tye-die wardrobe and I have my birkenstock's ready to go!

Please scroll down for more....

APRIL FOOLS! You believed me, didn't you? Just for 2 seconds!!! COME ON, admit it!

Glorious, Glorious!

2008-03-31T22:38:00.006-04:00

Just when I feel frustrated living in this town -- the politics, the changes, the weather, the politics (did I already say that?), I find something that renews my love for my hometown -- the beautiful downtown area.

Yesterday I spent a good hour or more with one of my hottie May couples, Thomas and Stephanie, up by the Capitol. I was lucky to not have been kicked off the grounds for snapping photos -- one of the reasons I rarely accept doing 'monument' shoots. Unfortunately, the Park Service requires permits for professional photography OR we can just push our luck and hope for the best, which is what I did yesterday and I'm thankful I did this. Aside from an overcast sky, the cherry blossoms were in full force this weekend and of course that meant insane traffic and crowds. But it also meant wonderful imagery. My wonderful husband was gracious enough to drive me and the boys downtown, dropped me off near the Capitol, then killed an hour or so of time with the boys so I could do this before coming back to get me.

I had a hard time narrowing down these shots b/c I rarely get downtown so I'm just excited to have a variety!

My cousin's McDonald's commercial in Australia

2008-03-28T14:28:00.003-04:00

This cracks me up -- my beautiful cousin, who lives in Australia, is in a McCafe commercial -- which is McDonald's new boutique coffee shop (I guess?). She's the one drinking the coffee with a very happy expression on her face! She certainly makes it look yummy!

Ben & Cameron

2008-03-24T17:11:00.003-04:00

Ben and Cameron are getting hitched in early May -- one week after graduating from James Madison University! How ambitious are they?! I love it. Their wedding will be at the fantabulous Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, VA -- gorgeous setting and I'm happy it'll be in full bloom then. What joy for photos!

We did their engagement session during their spring break in early March -- luckily we had a good day as there were many cold, snowy, gray days that week. We were at the historic Grist Mill in Alexandria - one of my favorite historic spots around here. I love Alexandria for all the great locales for shoots! They are cutie-patooties and I look forward to their big day.

Lent

2008-03-21T21:38:00.008-04:00

Today is Good Friday. One of the most sacred and sad days in the Church when Christ was crucified. I took my boys into my church for a bit during the 3 hour prayer vigil, which represents the 3 hours He was agonizing on the cross - between 12 and the hour of his death at 3pm. It was beautiful being in the church today -- quite moving in fact. Every 30 minutes one of the priests read the 7 last words of Christ with it ending on "unto your hands I commend my spirit." How powerful those words are. We didn't stay for the entirety but I took the kids for 2 readings -- at 130 and again at 3pm.

But my point here is to mention that Lent is supposed to bring about reflection on many things -- but one specifically is almsgiving -- the giving to the needy. Everyday I am thankful for my health, my kids, my husband, my mom and my family. I have a good life. I have a great balance of everything perfect -- health, spirituality, finances, home, friends, work and love. As I approach 40 in about 6 months I think to myself I have never had it better. What can I do to make it even better that is as fulfilling? Easy -- GIVE. Giving what others don't have is one little way I think helps me feel I am doing my part on this plane of existence to make a difference. Consequently, the LENTEN lesson today for my 7 1/2 year old, who is starting to be old enough to understand all this was to pick a charity for which our family could give a lump sum of $ to give to before Easter when Lent ends. We gave him 4 options -- ones I think of that have personal meaning or are just top-of-mind important:

1.Parkinson's Disease Association (my father passed of this horrible disease in 1997)
2.American Cancer Society (my father in law passed of melanoma 3 years ago)
3.St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (we do give to them at Christmas time)
4. Food for the Poor

Proudly, he was conflicted and wanted to give to 2, then added a 3rd once we explained what each charity strives to do. Ultimately, Food for the Poor will get the donation this year. It's hard to pick and there's a great website that helps you determine what makes the most sense for you to give called Charity Navigator

Also, as a CCD student, all the kids were given a little box to collect loose coins throughout Lent -- much like what we did as youngsters trick-or-treating taking our little UNICEF boxes along. So we did manage to collect around $15 in coins for the past 6 weeks. Not a lot but something -- hard to carry coins in a DEBIT world! So Operation Rice Bowl will also get a little money.

Finally, I did post something about another charity, Plan USA, about a year ago (click here) -- whereby one can contribute monthly to sponsor a child in a developing country who is in desperate need of food, housing, education. We've been doing this for almost 9 years and it's wonderful to get letters periodically updating us on the progress of our sponsor child. It does work.

Anyway, thanks for reading and Happy Easter!

Cute boys

2008-03-20T16:28:00.014-04:00

Now that I know how to post slideshows, here is one from a shoot last fall. These boys are scrumptious -- they are the same ages as my own so I love working with this family as I really relate to these smoochey boys. This is the 3rd shoot I have done with them in less than 2 years and it's so fun to see them grow.

Blue Angels Airshow in Annapolis 2006

2008-03-17T13:30:00.006-04:00

This slideshow has been on my website for a couple years but I just wanted to resurrect it in an attempt to post my first slideshow on my blog.

The story behind this is that my now 7 1/2 year old has loved the Blue Angels since he was a tiny soul. I believe his dad and I bought him a Blue Angels die-cast jet when he was around 2 on one of our MANY day trips to Annapolis. The obsession began at that point and since they perform at the Naval Academy's graduation every May, they also do a show for the public the day before. We try to go every year. This particular year we took a boat out and had the most amazing view in the Annapolis Harbour -- along with about 832,432 other boats. Honestly, the skies couldn't have been more beautiful and clear for this type of photography shoot. Naturally, the song is from my own obsession, Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl) singing MY HERO, which works really well, don't you agree? Take a listen and watch! The only drawback is this is so compressed that you cannot fully enjoy the beauty of this precision flying on a tiny screen!

ENJOY!

Promos+Products

2008-03-14T19:49:00.006-04:00

I just received another addition to my product line-up. Images and/or storyboards mounted on 'standout' which is a 3/4" mounting surface that doesn't need framing and is ready to hang. It's like gallery wrap but less expensive -- primarily b/c it's NOT canvas and doesn't wrap! But it's still a nice way to showcase a storyboard or an image.

Also, just for fun, I put together a little bag of jelly bellies, in my logo colors of course, that has a little promo card on it. I will be a vendor at a local preschool later this month for their 'Spring Fling' where I'll be handing them out. Let me know what you think!

Rules are made to be broken

2008-03-14T17:27:00.005-04:00

Spring is here! For the past couple of days, we have had glorious weather -- upper 50s and 60s. I know it's too early to say spring is here to stay but I'll take it! I am happy to get outside and take photos -- feels great after being inside all winter!

I decided to mess around with a super old 50mm lens I have had for years yesterday. No zoom, just a fixed focal length lens. It's tricky to re-learn after having a zoom to adjust distance. In any event, it's a pretty lens and I decided to shoot INTO the sun to get the fun sparkle and flare. Normally, this isn't what one is supposed to do with shooting but it works for some fun shots. Jackson was hamming it up for me then asked for my camera and shot about 50 photos with this one of his mom and dad being indifferent! I SO DO NOT like having my photo taken!

Be sure to click on this one of jackson to see it LARGER!

My favorite song and film this year

2008-03-11T21:02:00.009-04:00

I just had to post this You Tube clip from Jack and my all time favorite movie of the entire year, Once. We saw it last summer and since we are a music family, we were especially moved by this great indie film. They did a performance at XM in the early summer before they were really on anyone's radar. Jack came home that night and talked them up. I listened to their music and was blown away. It was truly refreshing and authentic. Had I known they were this good, I would have gone in to see the show. Hate when that happens!

Anyway, I highly recommend seeing it. These guys won "best song" at the Oscars this year. We couldn't have been happier for this win! I never tire of listening to this song and their others are equalling smashing!

Handbags

2008-03-11T16:10:00.004-04:00

In a couple weeks I hope to have my first sample handbag to add to my collection of products. I have seen these adorable handbags in other photographer studios and I think they are quite cute. While they are not for everyone, some women really love these and I have heard that some women who have carried these have been chased down by other women to find out where they got them!

The vendor I work with is a wonderful mother/daughter team in the mid-west and they cater to photographers. They have about 17 bags at the current time -- some diaper bags, some beach bags, a backpack and even a couple little girls purses with tutu's around them. The images below show a sample of what they look like. They vary in style, size and you can customize the trim color. The best part is they are made in the USA!

(Please click on this image to see a larger version)

Harry's big #5!

2008-03-10T21:47:00.010-04:00

I am amazed to be talking about this already. 5 years. In some ways I think that it's just a couple years ago when I was in the hospital marveling at my new baby boy who I was convinced would be a girl -- named Eva Amalia. But at 9 pounds, 1 oz. he certainly was not. He looked like a fat, old man...stocky and meaty and lots of folds to smooch. Harry is proud to be 5 and as excited as he was, he was surprised and sad that he didn't FEEL any differently. He did try to show me, in a sneaky way, that he was taller. But after a cursory glance downward, I noticed he was on his tippy toes. He was defeated when I just stared at him with a smirk and then he retorted with, "Oh, mom" exasperated.

He was a lucky 5 year old. He tried to tell me he was 6 or 7 b/c we had 3 days of birthdays. Since his REAL birthday was on Thursday, of course we took him out for his chosen dinner of RIBS. Famous Dave's BBQ was his pick. They surprised him with a huge sundae with a massive candle/sparkler on top for dessert too. He was smitten. Ribs and ice cream and Harry is set for life.

On Friday, my mom baked cupcakes (at least that's what she called them but the icing was about 2mm thick and no kid thinks this is a true cupcake!) and his class sang to him. And finally, Saturday was his real party. I had it at his preschool b/c the large room afforded more running space for a winter birthday, and secondly, I had hired a magician to entertain the kids for the hour. With the intent of less work for mom in the planning process. Well, ever hear of Murphy's Law? Indeed this happened. Mr. Magician drove from MD and got a flat tire on the way...and would you believe was an HOUR late. Well, bday parties don't last more than 2 hours so by the time he got there, there was only 30 minutes left. He shortened the show but WOWed the kids nonetheless so I was a bit disappointed we couldn't have the full hour but he did do a great, great job. The company is called Jason Levinson and despite the bad luck, I highly recommend them for parties.

Harry's big birthday present was a new bike. He has been the 'hand me down' kid for 5 years and deserved this bike after riding his brother's old bike which was in bad shape -- dangerously so. Training wheels that never stayed on straight and wheel treads that were worn off b/c of my older son's SLAMMING on the breaks to show off his stops! So he's thrilled to have a cool, red bike!

Just for kicks, I will post a photo of Master Harry at the ripe young age of 5 months as well.

ENJOY!

More in-studio baby portraits!

2008-03-07T22:34:00.011-05:00

Jessica is a first time mom and brought her sweet baby boy in for his first photo session last week. Declan is 6 weeks old and I almost said no to Jessica b/c I have found that this age is hard to photograph. Not only are they still in that phase of a lot of involuntary movements with their arms (which get in the way of the photos) but they can get fussy pretty quickly too...esp when asked to model and pose a lot! I certainly don't mind being around this sweet, chubby phase but my goal is to get as many great shots of this newborn phase as possible for the parents and I have found that I have had to do re-shoots b/c of the quirkiness of their rapidly growing bodies. Consequently, my new 'rules' for baby shoots include the fresh-out-of-the-oven babies (less than 3 weeks old) when all they do is sleep, and then not again until they are about 3 months old, or holding their heads up while on their tummies.

I have learned a lot from my friend and colleague Liz Vance, who is a fabulous maternity and baby photographer as well as a colleague with NILMDTS. It's how I met her and I am thrilled about that connection. She has encouraged me to 'go for it' with in-studio shoots with maternity and newborns. It's been a fun learning curve and I am grateful to her for pushing me into an area where I have been very skeptical of my own skills (i.e. artifical light!) and just out of my comfort zone.

My little photography community of friends has been such a blessing. It can be a lonely job working solo, no office mates to chat and laugh with, hunkering down in the office/studio by oneself in the quiet of the night....but meeting up on occasion and talking 'shop' via email or chat is good enough to keep me going and it's certainly good enough for me to say "I will never work in the corporate world for 'the man' ever again"! I love having my own business and not having to report to anyone but myself (or my kids).

So check out Declan and his mom!

Real Simple Magazine + Professional Photography

2008-03-07T16:45:00.004-05:00

I am happy to share this very WISE article, entitled, "Get Professional Photos of your Children" -- found in Real Simple magazine, or at least on their website. It basically validates hiring a professional photographer to do quality photos of your children -- to not to miss out! I always acknowledge the fact that everyone can take photos in today's age of the digital realm -- making it accessible and easy to print from home, print books from online vendors and the like. But there is a reason we are pro's - many of us have invested many hours in school, conventions, trade magazine, forums, workshops, equipment, and more! So we can do this job for you! Click here to read it.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2008-03-05T17:07:00.010-05:00

Today has been a great day. I am still buzzing with excitement from the press the charity I am partnered with received today on The Today Show! It was the first national coverage the foundation has received since it's inception 3 years ago (this month!). There have been a few local stories done on the work we do across the US but nothing of this magnitude and nothing in the DC Metro Area (yet)! I think it was done with great feeling and clearly explaining the purpose of what we do. I know some people have a hard time understanding why people would want photos of their baby who has passed. It's a rare thing to hear that but I have read postings on forums from other photographers who have received scathing letters undermining their work for the charity. It's shocking, but true.

I personally love that I'm able to provide something for these families under their tremendous amount of pain -- to give them something they will forever have, validating the existence of their baby despite the short time they were together. I cry, I mourn, I grieve but I am filled with love for the baby and the family when I am there and truly believe that God has given me a gift to do this and he protects me from feeling too much in that I am able to move forward and not dwell on the reality of the situation. I do this as I want to give thanks to God for my life, my healthy children and my wonderful vocation.

Jennifer's belly

2008-03-04T22:43:00.004-05:00

What? 2 blog entires in one night? The madness! I'm getting worried that March is here! It means 2 weddings, spring portraits kick in, orders from late winter that are suddenly happening and Harry's 5th bday this week to plan for! Where did the slow days of winter go? It's a mixed blessing. Work=fun! So I'm trying to crank thru my 3 shoots from last week and get it done before spring really reveals itself to me with more work.

Jennifer is due in April with baby #2. Her other baby is 7 years old! So she almost has a built in babysitter! NICE. She found me, oddly, thru Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep as she met a woman recently who is having a baby this spring with Trisomy 13 and had contacted the charity for their services. No matter how often I hear cases that request our services, it still pains me to hear it. Jennifer wisely deduced that if I work for the charity, I must photograph babies. Love that.

We had a great time. Jennifer was very laid back and comfortable which just makes my job easy and fun. Since I still feel I'm on the learning curve for maternity, I shot a lot and she was patient. I shot with 3 fabric pieces, 2 backdrop colors and various lighting scenarios. I had a great time, she was a wonderful model and I think we ended up with some great belly-beauty shots!

Something different for me

2008-03-04T21:04:00.006-05:00

Well this is certainly not something I do regularly -- I save it for those expensive 'headshot' photographers who know what they're doing. I really didn't -- I was somewhat 'winging it' but felt my brain had enough technical know-how and creative thinking to execute this - and I'm referring to the indoor lighting challenges that come with properly exposing the outside light with the subject inside! Backlight presents enough challenges to explain.

I was asked by my lovely and loyal friend, Heather, to help her father-in-law out with some shots in his downtown DC office. His office is moving in a couple weeks and wanted to document this location/view from his office. No doubt he did! Take a look at this! I mean, this is not something you see often in DC. At least I haven't. His office was as close to the Capitol as you can possibly get without being INSIDE the darn building. This is a true view from his office. I was stunned. To help it all -- we had a beautiful winter day with no clouds and the trees outside his office were still naked from winter. Perfect day, perfect time of year!

And I am throwing in a pix of Heather and me for good measure. She was my trusty photo apprentice holding the remote flash about 5 feet away to help with reflection in the office. Otherwise, I could not have done this.

A Proud Mom

2008-03-01T17:44:00.005-05:00

On a personal note, today was special. My "big boy" Jackson had his first 'confession' at church (I'm Catholic). His first communion will be in late April -- not to be confused with first confession! Anyway, he has been nervously anticipating this big day for weeks, if not months, now. And naturally, it's a pretty big deal to go in and admit your faults and wrongdoings -- even at 7 years old! He has been well prepared thru CCD and his parents and grandparents encouragement and hopefully wise words. I was quite proud and even shed a tear as I saw him stand in line and then come out with a smile on his face. My mom gave him a beautiful gold crucifix and gold chain she bought in Spain -- had it blessed by our priest this week. Jackson is wearing it and in one photo (my favorite one) he is looking down at it as he reflects before going in for his confession. I was trying to get the photo with the crucifix in the background but it didn't work too well. Also note the tears in my mom's eyes as she celebrates having my big, little kid journey his way to Catholic (and Christian) faith!

Baby Addison

2008-02-28T16:20:00.006-05:00

A few weekends ago I posted some images from Kim and Dan's maternity session at their home. Well I'm happy to present Baby Addison here today! She was born about 2 1/2 weeks ago and they brought her in for her debut photo session!

She was as I had hoped -- sleeping most of the session. The only time she opened her eyes was when we stripped her down to her naked skin! Then we got a few wails of protest. So most of these images are with her dressed and more comfortable. Even with my heat turned up to 75 and a space heater, it's hard to get these little ones to tolerate winter air! Nevertheless, she is divine clothed or unclothed. Her face is precious. Look at her lips. I am so happy for Kim and Dan -- they both were incredibly relaxed and it transferred to Addison since she was so content and sleepy the entire shoot! Again, I love this -- one of my bridal couples moving on to family photos! I'm so honored to be documenting these important milestones in their lives! What a great job I have.

Growing Christian

2008-02-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

Because I'm a perfectionist, I asked Janene to bring Baby Christian back for a 2nd shoot in January. They came in December the first time when Christian was about 6-7 weeks old along with his 2 older sisters...but as I have learned, working with babies who are in-between the newborn and holding-their-head-up phase, they are harder to shoot -- the involuntary 'flailing' movements make it hard. So for this round, I had Janene hold him for many of the photos and he did do well solo as he was stronger and even smiling this time.

Double take!

2008-02-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was such a blast for me. I went down to Atlanta to visit some of my best friends from high school -- I went to a boarding school in PA called The Mercersburg Academy and while I get jabbed from friends who think I went to 'reform' school b/c they think I needed it (wink, wink) -- to clarify, it was actually a prep school. So while the academics just about killed me when I was there, I did do exceedingly well in making friends and playing sports! That counts for something, right? My grandfather, was a class of 1915 graduate and my father was 1943. How cool is that? One went to Princeton and the other to Duke. I can't say that I followed in their footsteps when it comes to going to a prestigious college but hey, were they having as much fun running their own business before they turned 40?

Anyway, it was such joy for me. Julie and PJ are adorable -- dated starting in 11th/12th grade(!!!!!), through college, thru med and PT school and now married 10+ years with 4 gorgeous kids later! They live in the most beautiful house in the most beautiful suburb, Marietta. I love it there and am amazed at the reasonable housing prices after DC! Makes me want to move there for just the housing alone. As a bonus, we got to visit with another one of my best friends from Mercersburg -- Matt! I hadn't seen him in nearly 10 years so that was truly a bonus. We sat around and talked, laughed and reminisced about our teenage days for an entire morning and afternoon!

I was also able to visit yet another good friend, Carolyn Black, who just moved to Marietta from Alexandria this past summer. She was my boys preschool teacher and we miss her. I was crushed when she moved b/c she was another loving mama to my boys and also a great buddy to chat about photography. How lucky she moved to Marietta too!

Lastly, I attended a photo seminar as I mentioned in a previous post called "Babies & Bellies". Good stuff -- marketing, posing, lighting and tricks to working with pregnancy subjects and babies. Will try to implement some of her ideas this year!

So take a look at PJ and Julie's kids. I had such a ball photographing them. We have Madelyn who is 7, Charleton who is 4 1/2 and the twins, Kip and Kaden (2) who were obsessed with shooting water from water bottles all weekend -- you may see one in a photo! They are gorgeous children -- smiley and giggly.

Lifestyle/Maternity shoot

2008-02-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

Kim and Dan were one of my 2006 bridal couples and I'm happy to say they are about to embark on parenthood together now! I was honored when they asked me to do their maternity photos as well as their newborn photos which we have slated for mid-February after Kim delivers -- which is supposed to be this week! I love working with couples and/or families over time -- seeing children grow, babies change, or the couple becoming a family! What an honor for me to be their chosen photographer.

Kim opted for more of a 'lifestyle' maternity session instead of a studio shoot -- so I went to their home in Bethesda to photograph them together a few weekends ago. We did a lot in their nursery which made so much sense as Kim has always been one for details and this nursery is so beautiful and lively! I loved her pink top too and it's fitting as they are expecting a girl -- duh! Look at those walls!

I can't wait to see them in a couple weeks with their baby.

My first newborn shoot

2008-02-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

It's fitting I did this shoot on the day before I fly to Atlanta to attend a photo seminar called, "Babies & Bellies" on Saturday night, hosted and taught by the co-founder (Sandy Puc) of the charity I work with, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

I asked Jen to bring baby Whitney in as soon as she could after delivering. Whit is about 3 weeks old here and Jen came in for her maternity shoot about a week before her water broke!! Jen was such a trooper as these little ones pee and poop at will! And I'm all about naked baby photos so it's pretty much a guarantee. I have another newborn shoot in 2 weeks with one of my former brides in 2006. I did her maternity shoot at her home 2 weeks ago and still need to post those images. It's really fun doing this and I have a lot to learn so if you know anyone who is about to have a baby and wants newborn photos (within the first 2 weeks of delivering only), I'll be doing this at a 50% discount off my sitting free for a while.

Reptile-sitting -- meet Henry, Rock, Leaf (the turtles) and Dan (the dragon)

2008-01-27T21:57:00.001-05:00

So this is what happens when your kid is allergic to cats and dogs and most domestic pets -- you end up with reptiles to fill that void. In a strange way, I have come to love these funny and precious creatures -- yes, I sound like a Steve Irwin groupie but truth be known, some of these 'things' are beautiful!

This is our story.

A couple years ago we bought Jackson a bearded dragon for his 6th birthday -- why? how? Well, it stemmed from our vacation in St. John, USVI where there were tons of anoles (tiny lizards) on the island and he fell in love. So why not. We purchased the $60 thing from PetSmart and learned shortly after that decision that we needed another $200 in UV lights, heat lamps, bedding, a 20 gallon terrarium, things to crawl on and just bearded dragon 'stuff'. Sheesh. So fine. And just when I thought we were done spending so much, when I thought the hard pellets sold in PetSmart were enough food, I come to find out from the REAL experts on beardeddragon.org (yes, I ended up subscribing and reading the forums regularly for info) that they needed LIVE insects for proper nutrition!! Are you kidding?! Well therein lies the insane cycle of life. A couple weeks later I ended up buying a 66 gallon sterlite container and 500 crickets (the right size of course b/c the dragon could choke on them if they are too big) at a time! Jack patiently made the screen top for the darn things to breathe and I purchased them every few weeks from a cricket farm (oh, yes they do exist) in Tennessee. But wait -- it doesn't end there. The crickets needed to be fed too and dusted with calcium. OF COURSE THEY DID! So I had weird gelatin food in their container and water and geez, I could go on. So there you have it -- our little pet, became as expensive and time-consuming to maintain as any ordinary domestic pet! I even had an exotic pet vet who I visited 3x (at $100 a pop!) and a leash and hammock for our dear "Mac" as he was called. It became a slight obsession -- not b/c I don't like to do things well when I do them but b/c it required daily attention! He was a baby after all!

So sadly, fast forward about 9 months, he didn't make it. After antibiotics for a parasite infection (we know b/c I had to take a stool sample IN to the exotic pet vet) he was too small to fight the infection -- a common killer of the bearded dragon. It was crushing. All that attention, effort, love and madness. We buried him rightly in the woods behind our house and still think fondly of Mac.

So just when I thought we were done with reptiles -- our good friends found 3 baby box turtles last fall and when we were there over New years marveling at their tiny shells and heads, they ended up asking us if we wanted one. How could we say NO? The boys begged. And we didn't. So we have added "Henry" to our busy daily life. Heck, we had the terrarium and lights and I know reptiles, so it's been cheaper this time! I'm happy to report, they are much easier to manage than the dragon-fest world. Tho, they are much more boring to watch! An occasional mealworm (yes, I buy those and feed that to them too) gets them going and that 10 minutes is pretty exciting. So this weekend, we are turtle-sitting the other two while our friends ski for the weekend.

Ironically, an hour after our friend Steve called to ask if we could turtlesit, Jackson's best friend from school asked us if we would dragonsit his new bearded dragon. They knew we had all the know-how and confidence to take care of it, so we have "Dan" here too.

Meet them all and I know you're all jealous of my incredible ability to learn about something other than photography or cooking. I mean how many people do you know that can tell you details about dragons?

Baby Leah -- Session #2 of three

2008-01-27T17:55:00.000-05:00

I have been slack! I have stuff to post but it's funny how the more work I have the more work I do, the faster I do it and the more I blog. And the same (or would it be opposite?) is true with the less work I have! I am enjoying more time to read novels, getting in bed earlier, watching TV (which I don't normally do) such as American Idol auditions and just not having pressure to turn my edits around as fast after my fall. But I know this is only for the months of January and February as once march rolls around, I have 2 weddings that month and portrait inquiries are already starting for spring in addition to other weddings. So it's fleeting!

Baby Leah is now about 7 1/2 months old and was crawling by the time she came in for her 2nd portrait session of her 3 -- as part of my "Bebe Collection" (3 portraits sittings at various intervals/milestones in the first year for $400). Leah's mom, my friend Amy, is planning on putting together a little 5x5 book of selected photos from each session after the 1 year portraits. In any event, I told Amy that she needed to bring Leah in AFTER she started sitting up but BEFORE she started crawling! We all know that window of time is short, but KEY for indoor portrait photographers!!! Naturally, it was hard to schedule that session b/c of the holidays and Leah was indeed crawling when she came in! She was all about crawling left, right or towards us and all we could do was laugh b/c we were sweating, picking her up and putting her back, coaxing her to stay still, everything possible! And I'm happy to report that despite that, we succeeded after reviewing the images! I did shoot a lot and have a bunch of fun photos so there is plenty for Amy to pick from. I am posting a lot here -- maybe making up for the time that has elapsed since my last posting! Or because Leah is a peach!

Post a comment here and let me know what you think!

Not looking 9 months prego!

2008-01-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

About 2 weeks ago I did a maternity session with Jen. She is a colleague of Jack's from his former CNN days and currently at XM Radio. While I don't do maternity sessions frequently, I have done enough to know I love doing it and want to do more! So here's to the future of big bellies! Jen's water broke about a week after our shoot -- talk about great timing, but Lord if she doesn't look 9 months prego here! And for those of you who are looking at her and saying "must be her first" -- well, it's not. This is her 2nd pregnancy. She just had her 2nd girl last weekend. Congrats Jen!

I had so much fun with this shoot b/c Jen was uninhibited and was self-confident enough with her figure to bare her skin! These postings are G (okay, PG) rated but I promise you the others not posted are gorgeous too! Her skin was luminous and smooth -- tho she may disagree, but there was very little editing here. No stretch marks and just a beautiful pregnant body.

This weekend I'll be doing another maternity session. The gal who has hired me was one of my 2006 brides so it's fun to move from weddings to portraits with my clients. She is less interested in showing skin so we'll be doing more of a lifestyle session -- at her home, photos in the nursery, with her husband and the like. Stay tuned for those images.

The Corrado Kids

2008-01-06T23:18:00.000-05:00

The holidays put me behind schedule as the Corrado Family came to me for their shoot in early December! Normally I would have posted this sooner but they knew I was under the gun to get holiday orders out and they were not in need of products before so I have been able to take more time with editing their shoot. Moreover, Alexandria Hospital has now called me twice in the past week for my NILMDTS shoots in addition to Arlington the week of Christmas. I try to crank out those photos for the families given their unspeakable circumstances. And with that, it puts my other work on the back burner for a bit.

In any event, Christian was 4 weeks old for this shoot. Welcome to the world Christian!! He has 2 big sisters who were doting on him the entire time. Additionally, they were quite the posers for me on their own. No attitudes here. I enjoyed them immensely and enjoyed my time getting to know them!

Twins!

2007-12-30T21:17:00.000-05:00

It's been over 2 weeks since my last posting and while my work is slowing down, thank goodness, it's certainly not stopping! Between my usual shoots and my charity work for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which is becoming a more regular thing, I have work to do almost every day.

In the past, I haven't had many shoots in Dec or Jan but this year I have had several mostly b/c I can now do indoor studio portraits during the colder months of winter. I'm delighted and surprised at the same time.

A few weeks ago one of my good friends brought her 7 month old twins over for their first photo shoot. I wasn't sure how this would go b/c I have never had the opportunity to shoot twins but in a short period of time (I always want more!) I was able to capture some fun shots of them together -- as well as individually. They are scrumptious!

Pride & Joy

2007-12-16T21:03:00.001-05:00

First of all -- I am playing around with my blog colors and title graphics. So yes, you have found my blog even tho it looks slightly different.

This weekend was a great one. I had minimal work for the first time in about 10 weekends. That was truly an odd feeling. I did some work but didn't really HAVE to -- it was more habit but I don't have any true deadlines right now. Feels great.

In any event, as today's blog title says, this weekend was one of Pride & Joy. First JOY -- I finally felt the Christmas spirit for a lot of reasons but one of them resulted from seeing some amazing decorated homes in our area. I just LOVE when people spend countless hours decorating the outside of their homes for purely the sake of others to see and enjoy. That is true selflessness to me! These two homes are striking and very different. One of them is so elegant and high-end -- this family, whom I do not know, started broadcasting music to their light show last year. There is a sign that tells you where to tune in on FM. There are about 5 or 6 songs for the entire 'show'. It's amazing. The grass is covered in green lights and every tree, bush, border has color....it's so hard to convey this in my 2D photos. And it's a very stately home so they way they have done this is very elegant. But you get the idea. There is always a line of cars sitting waiting to get a closer view -- and folks come in from all over the area just to see it.

The other home is close to us as well and a tiny home that is literally covered with inflatables, lights, toys, candy canes on the trees...every inch -- you cannot even see the house! And with this one -- the owner lets folks walk thru his front porch and yard so you can get close to everything! My boys thought they were in the North Pole -- they didn't want to leave! I chatted with the owner/decorator who said he's been doing this for 40 years and starts decorating the weekend of Thanksgiving! I had no idea and I grew up here. He even decorates for Halloween and invited us to come back for that next year. This year he said he had over 400 trick-or-treaters! Where have I been? So if you are in the area, you must take an evening drive to these two homes which are only about 2 1/2 miles from each other.

Lastly, my PRIDE. My sweet Jackson performed his first piano recital this weekend. After 3 months of lessons, he did it. It was not easy -- lots of angst all week. Even for mom and dad. He kept telling me, "I am SO not happy about my piano recital". It was so funny yet I remember that feeling after 8 years of lessons myself of having to perform and not wanting to. He was the youngest there out of 11 students and did great -- I don't even recall one mistake. But here's the thing. This is one of those life-moments you'll never forget as a parent or only hear about before you're a parent. How cool is that? Molded in my brain forever. So proud.

(remember to click on an image to see a larger version)

Happy Advent to all! It is for me now!

Thanksgiving at my mom's

2007-12-13T20:08:00.001-05:00

For a change, I have a personal post here. I actually forgot to post these a couple weeks ago. My family spent Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's house -- a whole 2 miles from where we live. The day started in the low 70s and by dinnertime had dropped to 40s! It was pretty cool to see the cold front move in during dinner -- windy, dark, rain, leaves falling like snow. Yes, I realize this is an odd thing to think is 'cool' but this comes from someone who wanted to be a meteorologist!

In any event some of these shots were from the earlier part of the day -- clearly, when we were outside. Aren't the colors great? And finally, the one photo of the 4 ladies is my mom and her 3 sisters (my mom is 2nd from the right). This was a special Thanksgiving b/c 2 were visiting from Australia and the other from LA so this was the first time they were all here at my mom's for Thanksgiving -- ever! My mom grew up in the Philippines and is 3/4 Spanish - 1/4 Filipina which is why they are SO exotic looking! I get funny stares when I tell people where she is from b/c I certainly don't look the part and reactions are always priceless! Anyway, it's so fun to be around them as they laugh, make fun of each other, can't make up their minds which langauge to speak (including tagalog) and play mahjong -- a Chinese game they have played for decades. Like Gin Rummy but cooler and with words like "kong" and "pong"!

Dani & Matt

2007-12-10T22:03:00.000-05:00

The first two words that come to mind are "cutie pa-tootie's" when I see this couple. Maybe it's because of the slight (okay, huge) disparity in height! Dani is about 5'2" (I'm going to err on the taller side!) while Matt is at least 6'4"!!! So we have to be creative with shooting! I love how striking Dani's eyes are and both have radiant smiles. Dani booked me in early November and I was barely able to squeeze their session in but we did, and had to, as their wedding will be in March -- AND April! They are having a ceremony/dinner at Kentlands Mansion in March and then a full on dance and cocktail reception in April at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town. How cool is that? I have some very cool weddings to shoot in '08!!

The Golden Family

2007-12-06T13:58:00.000-05:00

Well I am about done with the last of my 22 portrait sessions since mid-September....no small task with a part time work schedule. OH! How much easier it would have been with a full time work schedule! I was able to squeeze in a couple last minute families after Thanksgiving unsure if I would be able to get orders done in time for Christmas but I will. The Golden family contacted me a couple years but we were never able to schedule a shoot for various reasons. Finally, we got it done! This is one hot family and I love their outfits which I was surprised to learn they are from Hanna Anderson. I always think of them as having colorful clothing primarily for girls but now am proven wrong! I love how the red tree behind them just adds that extra element of Christmas!

Kari & Brian

2007-12-02T14:57:00.000-05:00

Now here's a couple I adore. From the moment I met with them to discuss their wedding, we all hit it off. I love that instant chemistry and I'm really lucky b/c all my 2008 couples are so fun.

Kari and Brian are getting married in October 2008 out at White Hall Manor -- I look forward to that venue in October as I hear the grounds are beautiful. Our engagement shoot was so easy and quick. They were so comfortable and carefree in front of the camera -- totally affectionate and fun and didn't appear to be self-conscious (which isn't unusal when you're suddenly thrust in front of a camera for any length of time!). They really didn't require much of my usual 'floor directing'. We were able to do their shoot in about 20 minutes at the fabulous Roosevelt Island. I met Brian at Keli & Danny's wedding we both worked at last spring (on my april blog) -- he's a DJ (among other talents) so if you're getting married and are undecided about music, please check out his work!

Tamara, Matt and Brodie (the dog)

2007-12-02T14:47:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of shooting Tamara, her mom who was visiting from the mid-west over Thanksgiving, as well as her husband, Matt, and their dog, Brodie. I met Tamara when I was volunteering with Junior Friends over the past few years. She lives close by and when she called to do a shoot, I was delighted. As I've said before I enjoy the mix of shoots I get to do -- babies, families, siblings and couples. And this fall I have had an inordinate amount of pets in my shoots as well! I agree they are family so naturally SHOULD be included in the family portraits! I was cracking up with Brodie as he was the most spirited little dog I have had to shoot yet! He was not really the type of pet that wanted to squish himself on your lap -- his interests were more about the ball they were throwing and just galavanting on the property where we were taking photos! Check them out!

The Condon Family #2

2007-11-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

So here's the 'other' Condon family I mentioned a while back. Heather and her family have been coming to me for 3 years now for their holiday card portraits. This year we have Finn (who's newborn photos are somewhere on my blog!) making his family-photo debut! We had a glorious day last week after having to cancel one in late October for a rain-out. Leaves were still on the trees which is unusual for late November around here. I took a LOT of photos as I usually have to do when I'm working with a toddler. And as such, I am very pleased with the results which I wasn't totally feeling confident about after the shoot. Isn't Logan's hair awesome? And Finn's lack of hair? And look at their eyes! I am hoping these pass inspection with mom?!

Also, I have to say that Heather is one of my biggest fans and I'm so, so grateful. She essentially could be one of my PR reps. Always promoting my website and my work and I have received several referrals b/c of her. Thanks Heather!

The Holmes Children

2007-11-25T21:55:00.000-05:00

I'm so pleased with the results of this shoot. The Holmes kids live near my mom and I have known Susan since she and her husband moved here about 4 years ago. This was the first time I photographed them and I just love how each of them look different yet the same! I love their eyes and each are totally expressive in their own way. The weather was finally cooperative after having to cancel at least one other shoot due to rain but despite some slightly muddy grounds, they did great and all of them look so happy here!

The Gillette Family

2007-11-25T17:50:00.000-05:00

About a week ago I met the Gillette family for the first time -- mom, dad, Will (3 1/2) and Sidonie (8 months). Georgia came to me via the DC Urban Moms website and I'm thrilled my name is circulating! We had a cold day to deal with -- lots of runny noses and cold fingers but they were great sports and we kept the session active to keep warm. This is no small problem for a preschooler -- Will was up for anything while Sidonie just smiled the entire time! This family was so fun to work with b/c of their dynamic together and I just sensed a lot of love between all of them!

Heather & Sairam

2007-11-25T14:25:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy November with 3 engagement shoots on top of my normal fall portrait schedule with children and families! Heather and Sairam are one of my spring 2008 wedding couples and I always enjoy these sessions as I get a chance to see couples starting their lives together as well as get to know them better. These 2 love birds are adorable and their story is too. I am thrilled to be a part of their March wedding as they will be celebrating with both an Indian and a Christian ceremony back to back at the beautiful White Hall Manor in Bluemont, VA. This will be a first for me as Heather will wear Indian attire for the first ceremony then change into a wedding gown for the 2nd ceremony. I feel so honored to be a part of their extra special day next spring!

The Bulsons

2007-11-19T11:24:00.000-05:00

So if you'll remember, this summer I shot my friend Amy's daughter, Leah, who at the time, was about 3 months old. Last weekend I met them at Great Falls park for their fall family shoot which included Zach, their 3 1/2 year old. We had a glorious fall day with beautiful foliage and temperatures. Zach is a spirited preschooler with stunning green eyes. Considering I was with them for an hour or more, he did extremely well with me bossing him around. No small task for a preschooler. Leah just hung out and took it all in!

Megan and David

2007-11-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I had my last wedding of the fall to shoot. One of my friends from Alexandria tied the knot with her handsome groom! The wedding was at the Fairfax Old town Hall which is a lovely venue, however, I was working in zero daylight for the first time which made for challenging shooting conditions -- hence, the BW conversion of many of my photos. Because of the short time I was at the event, as well as the lack of daylight, we didn't do many formal portraits. I'll be meeting Megan and David for their 2nd session next weekend outside! And yes, they have agreed to get dressed again. I'm so excited to hang out again.

In any event, both families were pure delight to work with -- and Megan's 3 girls were the affection of my camera that evening so they are highlighted here. Their dimples and smiles are to die for. If you grew up in DC you may recognize one of the faces who was Captain 20 in the 70s and 80s on WDCA. Megan's brother, also my friend from prep school, insisted I take their photo. I was loving it! Captain 20 (sadly, I don't know his real name) was the DJ for the evening! Captain 20 graduates to DJ-ing. What a trip!

Tammy and her boys!

2007-11-17T14:32:00.000-05:00

I'm so delighted with the shots from this shoot. Tammy and her boys have been coming to me for the past 3 years now and as I always say, I love seeing my kids grow!! Jacob and Logan are so photogenic and always ham it up for me. I also love photographing them b/c they are the exact same ages as my boys so I can relate to their relationship together as well as to their mom. And of course Tammy is a stunning model -- great features, great hair! She never takes a bad photo.

Running on a cold morning

2007-11-17T13:32:00.001-05:00

It's only 130pm on a Saturday afternoon and my day has been full already. I woke up this morning at 7am to frigid temps only to think that in less than 2 hours I'd be outside running with hundreds of kids and parents. Today was the 'Thanksgiving Fox Trot' for my son's school along with a few others in the area. This little race was a culmination of 6 weeks of training with a weekly running club after school on Wednesdays for Jackson. I joined him today b/c I knew this would be one of those parent-child memories I wouldn't forget. For one, I never did anything like this with my parents and loved the idea. Heck, I never ran 1 mile until I was in high school so I wanted to make sure my kid did this with me! Moreover, after a 7 year hiatus from running, due to medical reasons, I have just started back in early Sept and I wanted to challenge myself. Yes, I realize it's only a mile but again, as I near 40 and mentally prepare myself for that I had to try it. This was the first time I ran on pavement as well as outside in well over 7 years. And I'm happy to say I did it without stopping, as did Jackson and we weren't in the back of the crowd (eh-hem, but not in the front either). I loved it and look forward to more of the same thing! Thanks to Jack and Harry for cheering and smiling us on -- photos taken by our #1 fans.

Maddie and Megan

2007-11-12T22:21:00.001-05:00

I'm wayyyy behind on my blog entries. There is NO way I'll be able to keep up with every shoot I have here this fall so I'll be brief! One of my favorite spots in Alexandria is River Farm Gardens or the American Horticultural Society off of the GW Parkway in Alexandria. It's gorgeous all seasons of the year. I have shot weddings here and numerous children as well as picnicked with my own kids here b/c of the amazing Children's Garden. Last week I met up with my good friend Kim and her 2 daughters. Megan wasn't feel totally herself but I did seem to get a few smiles out of her sweet blondie face. Maddie is at that age where exploration is most important, not having your photo taken. Nevertheless, she cracked a smile for me as well! See for yourself! I love how kids from the same gene pool can look so totally different!

Beautiful Cecelia!

2007-11-07T17:21:00.000-05:00

Look at those eyes! Are they not gorgeous!? Cecelia's mom and I had been trying to schedule our shoot for a couple months. Normally, I do not take crawling babies for indoor shoots b/c I just don't have room for that since I'm using my basement as my studio space (also the kids playroom!). So when Cecelia's mom contacted me we were all set but then had to cancel b/c of illness and then scheduling conflicts so by the time she came in, Cecelia was already crawling! I did my best and poor thing was sleepy when she got here so it took her a while to wake up. But her mom certainly knows how to make her smile!

Condon Family #1

2007-11-02T21:28:00.000-04:00

I say #1 b/c I'll be shooting another Condon family in a couple weeks so stay tuned! And yes, they're related!

This was one of my "almost" cancelled shoots last weekend -- unsure if the grounds would be conducive to shooting, sitting, moving around given the 6 inches of rain we had just received and the muddy grounds. So the sun was out and we went for it! Thank goodness!

I went to high school (my first one) with Pat and have shot him, Michelle and their lacrosse-playing daughter, Madison before. They are always relaxed and fun to shoot. And I love seeing the kids grow and how they change. Maddie is great with the camera and giggly so that always makes it fun for me too. And Jake (arf!) joined us a second time around as well. He's a GUUUUUUD boy!

Happy Halloween!

2007-11-01T15:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was jammed packed for us. Harry's preschool had a halloween parade and songfest in the morning, then we picked up Jackson from school and headed to our favorite Centreville, VA farm, Cox Farms, for their fall festival, then we got home at 6pm, ate dinner and went Trick or T'ing. I think Halloween is a weird holiday frankly. I just don't get kids coming to our door and begging for candy...but we do it too. Granted it's a Holy Day in my faith so there is more meaning and I appreciate that. But I just have to say I'm getting a little jaded of 14 year olds that come knocking with NO costumes and asking for candy. I actually told a couple kids "no costume, no candy" and said I'll give it to you this year, but don't come back next. I'm a witchy lady sometimes!

The Veatch Fam

2007-10-29T15:37:00.001-04:00

This weekend I had 4 scheduled shoots and was able to do 2 of the 4. It rained here nonstop for 3+ days last week after many, many months of NUTTIN. It's a great thing to finally have MOISTURE but ironically, this was one of my busiest weekends, so I'm trying not to complain b/c I know we need this rain! In any event, Saturday I met up with the Veatches who hired me last year for the first time (I love my returning customers and am grateful for their loyalty!). All of them are so photogenic and have great expressions for the camera. We met in Old Town and despite the muddy grass and huge puddles, we had a successful shoot utilizing the gravel pathway near the Potomac as well as the pavement in some areas against the brick wall.

One Perfect Portrait -- Giving Back

2007-10-22T22:16:00.000-04:00

Now here's something near and dear to my heart! Giving back! On thanksgiving weekend, I will be helping my colleague Liz Vance of Oh Baby Photography, along with a couple other photographers I have yet to meet, with an annual charity/fundraiser Liz hosts to benefit a few of her favorite charities in her community of Arlington, VA. I met Liz through the charity Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep of which we are both a part -- as photographers and area coordinators for INOVA hospitals. We love what we do, feel blessed to be mama's to our healthy children, and honor those who can benefit from our services.

Please consider this event or pass it along to those who may be interested...

One Perfect Portrait

Thanks for checking it out and for passing this link along!

Moe Family -- Take 2

2007-10-21T21:16:00.000-04:00

A few weekends ago I met up with the Moe family at Great Falls Park for their family shoot. In mid summer I did indoor portraits of little Charlotte and a few of her big brother Robbie, but this time it was outdoors and with mom and dad. The weather was nearly perfect for our shoot. The park was super crowded and we learned it was FREE admission that day for some random park appreciation day. So we did our best to stay away from the crowd and pretend we were the only ones there. This family is extremely photogenic! I have had so much fun getting to know the Moe family.

Alumni Weekend at Mercersburg Academy

2007-10-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was a riot -- bittersweet and hilarious. I spent about 24 hours at my high school/boarding school in PA, The Mercersburg Academy, for an alumni weekend gathering. Technically speaking, this was my 21st reunion so yes, I happily crashed '87s reunion...well, I DID pay so I didn't really crash it other than inviting myself and my best friend from '86 as well....right Paige? While the weekend didn't provide the technicolor of a normal glorious mid-October weekend in PA, thanks to the drought here in the Mid-Atlantic, the weather was crisp, sunny and festive and frankly, who cares when you're spending hours with some of your best friends from high school and laughing harder than you can remember. The environment there was unique, I know we all agree there's just something about boarding school friends that just never happens again for us in college or later.
It was just too short.

(click on an image to see a larger version - and i think this takes the cake for the largest number of images posted!)

Cheers!

Cool Boating Pix

2007-10-15T21:51:00.001-04:00

So about a week ago, Jack, Harry and I went boating on the Chesapeake for the afternoon. Trying to get in ONE more afternoon on the water before the weather gets cool -- will it ever? Master Jackson decided to forgo a lovely afternoon on CHOPPY water so he's not part of this particular blog moment.

In any event, I wanted to post a few photos that I thought would be fun to share. First, and I think quite funny, we had two different photographer-services take photos of us that afternoon (a first for us) -- one guy was standing on his own boat on the Severn River by the Annapolis Harbour taking random photos of boats passing by with a huge advertising sign and website enscribed -- his service then posts the photos online that evening and you can purchase the hi-res image for $9.95. We did and it's the photo you see of Jack, Harry and me on the boat. About 20 minutes after that, we saw this helicopter flying WAY too low on the Bay almost doing some aerobatic moves. Couldn't figure it out...as we got closer, it TOO got close to us and sure enough, another photographer was leaning out a door with a huge lens taking many photos of us....they circled once and came back nearly attacking us (like in a James Bond film) and I acted like a total idiot showing him my rock-star pose. The photos are purchased thru boatpix.com and are only $250 (yeah, right) for a 16x20 with no mention of copyright of the image. We have to decide if we'll go for that but what stinks is we can't preview the photos. But to have an aerial would be amazing. Anyway, lastly, the few other photos are taken from my new iphone. Not bad for a camera phone!

Enjoy!

Caixia & Ben

2007-10-09T14:37:00.000-04:00

Caixia and Ben tied the knot on Sept 8. Ben is the brother of Cathy (of Cathy & Mike ) who's wedding I shot last June in Middleburg. It's been such a treat to get to know the Zeigler family. They are all so fun and outgoing. Caixia and Ben's ceremony was at St. James Catholic Church in Falls Church followed by their reception at Dominion Valley in Haymarket, VA. Caixia is Chinese and had a Lion Dance performed at her reception which is a traditional dance to summon good luck and fortune! It was so cool to see!

Fall portrait shoots

2007-10-06T21:02:00.000-04:00

I just thought I'd post something quickly here for those of you who are browsing my site and blog to see my work and/or thinking about making an appointment for a fall shoot. Right now, I only have one available slot for October which is Monday, October 29th -- unless I have a cancellation, that's it for this month.

November is booking quickly too. Many of you know that I'm a part-time photographer as I'm a full time mom so my schedule is very limited and consequently, my calendar books fast. And for November, right now, I have these dates free:

Thursday, Nov 8
Sunday, Nov 11 (2 slots)
Sunday, Nov 18 (2 slots)
Monday, Nov 19

If you are thinking about a shoot and are serious about booking me, email me asap. thanks!

The Kennedy Family

2007-09-25T21:52:00.000-04:00

One of my silent auction winners from last year was the Kennedy Family. They were a family at Harry's preschool and have moved on to a new school as their girls are now in elementary school. Their girls were always smiling when I saw them walking in or out of school last year. I seriously don't know many children their age who are as happy and as smiley as these two stunning girls and it was so easy to take their photos!

The Trumbo Family

2007-09-22T09:05:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I met up with the Trumbo family for their photo shoot which was a gift from their sister-in-law last Christmas. It was a humid day but everyone held up well and seemed to have a great time. Mom and dad were so cute with the boys allowing for many great candid shots. And that's almost all we are able to do with a toddler b/c posing is nearly out of the question! These boys are gorgeous!

(be sure to click on any image to see it larger)

Low Key Lighting - Charlotte and Robbie

2007-09-21T11:22:00.000-04:00

So this is something I don't do very often but it turned out okay considering. The mom of these perfectly behaved gorgeous children had low-key (another word for black backdrop in simple terms) portraits done of her son when he was 6 months old when they lived in Chicago. She wanted to replicate that with her 6 month old daughter this time. I was hesistant to accept the job, lacking confidence to do this right for her, but she convinced me and was very flexible with what I did. I told her I would do some of the low-key portraits but wanted to add in some high-key (white) as well. So here are the results. And her children were two of the easiest and most obedient I have ever worked with! That always helps with the final result!

Austin and Reese

2007-08-25T17:20:00.000-04:00

A couple weekends ago I spent an hour or so with my good friend, Lisa, her husband Joey and their two handsome, vivacious boys, Austin and Reese who I have known since they were babies! We went to Old Town Alexandria for their photos and SOMEHOW the DC July heat spared us of its wrath and we were comfortable doing the shoot. The boys were total champion posers for me! Check them out!

Baby Leah

2007-08-18T21:17:00.000-04:00

Meet Leah. Oh, and her mom, Amy, my good friend from my past life doing corporate work for Discovery Channel. This is baby #2 for Amy and Leah's big brother Zach is 3 1/2. He gets to star in front of the camera later this fall for their family shoot so stay tuned. Leah was not exactly in the mood for her first modeling gig when they arrived. After some tears, a good feeding (or 4), and a solid nap, she was ready to go. Thankfully, we were able to 'transfer' (all you mom's know what I'm talking about) her to an advantageous place in front of the camera as you'll see during the nap! I love my babies! Thanks for trekking out here Amy, I had so much fun!

(click on an image to see a larger version)

Visiting my best friend

2007-08-15T22:08:00.000-04:00

Summer is nearly over and I can't believe it. Before it's over and before my good friend Paige heads back to the classroom to teach, I headed out to spend a couple days visiting her and her family on the Eastern Shore of MD. I took my boys while my dear husband stayed home and worked. Her 2 kids and mine immediately connected and had a ball together. Our visit was too short but at least we got it in before the madness of back to school and holidays.

Here we all are!

Finley James

2007-08-02T17:20:00.001-04:00

I have the pleasure of introducing Master Finn here. I have had such fun editing Finn's photos b/c he is adorable and reminds me so much of his sister at the same age. Finn's mom is a friend of mine and a couple years ago I photographed her daugher around the same age -- 6 weeks old. I was pretty new to shooting newborns but we got some good shots out of that session and I'm trying to top that now with Finn's shoot! I say this with the utmost respect, but Finn's mom chickened out of doing a maternity session, unfortunately, so I don't have pre and post baby photos! **wink, wink** But it's remarkable to me how much Finn looks like his sister at the same age! That Condon gene pool is pretty dominant.

We wore Finn out pretty well that session as you'll see in these images...by the end of our shoot, he was snoozing pretty happily on my couch.

Enjoy! (remember to click on an image to see it larger)

Jerome Austrie - musician extraodinaire!

2007-07-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure (finally after several years of talking about it) of photographing our good family friend, Jerome Austrie, the other day for his new website, in development. He is a musician with whom my husband has known and worked since they were teenagers!!! They met in an airport in New England and just started talking music.

Jerome hails from beautiful Dominica in the Carribbean but has lived in the US for most of his life. He is a gifted musician focusing on gospel and jazz and some reggae. But can sing just about anything. On our shoot, he sang a few times and the people passing us stopped and were blown away. I wish I could post some audio!

But here are some fun shots -- I tried to capture a variety of images utilizing the cool, urban feel of what was around us to the natural setting along the Potomac River.

Suzanne & JP

2007-07-20T21:41:00.000-04:00

I am way behind on my postings for my clients! In any event, here are several photos from my last wedding on the infamous 7/7/07 date! Suzanne and JP were terrific to work with and their families were so much fun and easy to be around. Suzanne and JP had some great moments throughout their reception -- their families LOVE to dance so there are a ton of dancing photos and they are hilarious! Also, Suzanne and JP each wore one of their grandparents rings which i photographed along with theirs. I love when my couples have something significant to mark their wedding with a true personal touch.

JP's parents were cutting up the floor!

Here is Suzanne and her dad doing their father/daughter dance to the slow-dance of Kenny Roger's "Through the Years" with a surprise break-out into Billy Idol's "White Wedding". They blew away their guests! It was hilarious!

Smashing Pumpkins!

2007-07-20T20:40:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to post this b/c I'm not one for being totally wowed by celebrity but I had the distinct pleasure to see the Smashing Pumpkins at XM last week -- for those of you who don't know, my husband is the Director of the Performance Studio and consequently, I am able to sneak in and attend any and all shows which I don't do nearly enough. The Studio is tiny so it's always a great, intimate show -- with music and in-depth interviews. I have been a fan of the Smashing Pumpkins since their Adore and Siamese Dream days -- early 90s or so -- and finally saw them live. They are touring for their latest release "Zeitgeist". It has received mixed reviews but I love their style and they are keeping with their normal SP sound while staying fresh.

In this photo, I joined the photo at the last minute and there was NO more room for me to stand next to Jack so I was placed in front of him and seem to be hogging the camera space and appear a foot taller which I'm not!

4th of July and Jackson's 7th birthday

2007-07-06T10:16:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos from this week -- special reptile visitors to our home, Jackson's birthday, and 4th of July celebrations!
(click on any image to see it larger)

This is Georgie the kitten whom we had for the weekend. Harry attended a camp that allows kids to take pets home for the night or weekend. This one clearly doesn't like being held!

Happy 7th Birthday to Jackson!

It's all about the popsicles in the summertime around here.

Happy 4th!

Our Family Vacation -- Virgin Gorda, BVI

2007-07-03T14:44:00.000-04:00

I have literally been putting this posting off for more than a week b/c i wanted to scan my, oh, 1000 or so images, for the best ones to post here. But i cannot decide and I keep putting this off so I'm just going to post some of my favorites for the time being.

My husband and 2 boys and I took a 10 day trip down to Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. We flew thru San Juan and took a smaller plane (25 minute flight) into Tortolla (the Capital/main island of the BVI) and then ferried over to Virgin Gorda. I cannot express what a paradise this little island is. The natural surroundings, the birds, vegetation, flora, water, fish, etc were just eye candy. We stayed in a 2 bedroom house in Spring Bay on the southern part of the island next to the infamous Baths. The island is about 8 miles north to south and about 1/4 mile wide on the smallest part and 1 or 2 miles wide on the widest (I think). We spent every day snorkling on our beach and one day chartered a boat for 8 hours to see about 3 other islands. It was truly a great experience for us and the boys. I highly recommend it.

So here are a select group of images since several of my friends have been asking......and click on an image to see a larger version.

Baby Campbell

2007-06-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I had the pleasure of shooting 7 month old Baby Campbell and his parents! I met Campbell's mom thru Junior Friends, a local charity we volunteer with. We had a great time and while Campbell was 180% fascinated with the grass he was sitting on rather than looking at the photographer (wink, wink) or his parents -- believe me, we tried -- we did manage to get some sweet shots of his gorgeous face along with some great ones of his fun parents playing with him. He has an infectious laugh and responded to his mom's awesome fake laugh best!

Cathy & Mike

2007-06-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

What a great time I had at Cathy and Mike's wedding. Middleburg was the location for both the ceremony and the reception and it was picture perfect. Cathy was able to get permission to do some wedding photos at the local Swedenburg Estate Vineyard which proved picturesque! Yes, it was 90 degrees but they were great sports for these photos -- no thanks to a good bottle of wine given to them by the owner! The reception was at the local Community Center which was beautiful with wonderful high ceilings and nice architectural accents. They are off to the Western part of the US for a driving tour on their honeymoon! Have a great time guys!

Be sure to click on an image to see a larger version!

Caroline and Grace

2007-06-04T19:38:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I traveled to Illinois to attend a fabulous photography workshop hosted by PPA (Professional Photographers of America). I learned loads and met some amazing friends and photographers! I stayed with my sister-in-law and her wonderful husband and 2 gorgeous little girls in Peoria for several days while attending the workshop. Shortly before I left, we went outside and did a spontaneous shoot with the girls. The lighting was ideal and the girls were in great spirits in the spring air.

Heather and Gary at River Farm Gardens

2007-06-04T19:23:00.000-04:00

Heather and Gary tied the knot at the historic Alexandria River Farm Gardens on the Potomac Memorial Day weekend. This was my first wedding there and I was totally excited to take advantage of the flowers in full bloom as well as the beautifully landscaped gardens. Despite the crazy heat, everyone made it thru the day. Heather was a radiant bride and Gary was equally handsome! I love when I am hired by a wonderful couple who has extra wonderful families and friends.

Jeannie & Dave

2007-05-31T17:46:00.000-04:00

I'm way behind on my postings but wanted to share a couple photos of Jeannie and Dave from their wedding a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful Baptist service in Alexandria. What a great Christian family they were surrounded by!

Baby Hayden

2007-05-05T21:49:00.000-04:00

I love the variation I do in my work shooting brides and grooms, children, pregnant women and especially babies! A few months ago I photographed mom-to-be (2nd round) Heather -- it was so much fun. Baby Hayden was born in January and I photographed him at around his 3 month birthday last week. Check him out!

Heather & Gary

2007-04-30T20:51:00.000-04:00

The end of last week was busy with a newborn shoot, an engagement shoot and a wedding back to back! Hence, the tardy postings! Heather and Gary are getting married Memorial Day weekend at the beautiful River Farm in Alexandria. I look foward to this b/c it's a gorgeous site and I've never had a wedding there plus they are a fun couple and that always makes my job easy. When I woke up Friday morning for their e-shoot to rain, I thought DARN it, for the third (yes, third!) time, we will have to reschedule but within an hour or so, it stopped raining and we went for it despite the gray clouds! They are a gorgous couple, aren't they? We met in Old Town Alexandria by the docks and had a great time.

Carlos & Eunice

2007-04-19T18:47:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday was a beautiful love-filled day. This was an unusual wedding for me in that I booked it without ever meeting the couple. They're fabulous wedding planner Samara of BY DESIGN EVENTs, showed them my website/portfolio and that's what they used in their decision-making process in hiring me -- I was flattered! They are the sweetest, most easy-going couple and it was PURE pleasure meeting and working for them. Their ceremony was so moving that I was in tears. It was truly a sacrament of God's loving grace.

Here is Eunice in the beautiful vintage car before going into the church....

Sponsoring a child thru Plan USA

2007-04-12T17:07:00.001-04:00

I'm so glad I now have this blog as not only do I get to talk about my fun brides and portrait clients, but b/c I get a chance to talk about things that are near and dear to my heart outside of photography and hopefully raise awareness among my readers to these important things.

About 7-8 years ago, Jack and I began sponsoring a child in the Philippines thru Plan USA -- a non profit that helps children around the world grow and prosper thru monthly donations made by a sponsor family. Our little sponsor child, Jean-Mae, was 3 at the time and we just ended our sponsorship last month -- she is now 10 or 11 and the community is doing so well that they no longer need Plan USA's aid. As their website states...."Today, Plan works in 49 developing countries and is one of the world's largest development organizations. Child sponsorship is the foundation of our organization. We have about one million sponsors in 17 donor countries helping over one million children all over the world, together with their families and communities." For a small amount each month, you can sponsor a boy or girl in virtually any developing country of your choice worldwide. For those of you who do not know me, my mom is spanish-filipina and naturally, this country has significant importance to me. I have been there twice, once when I was 9, the other time when I was 13 and I was struck to the soul, even at that age, on how impoverished so many communities are...the impossibly poor people and the conditions they live in were shocking to me.

Last week, we were informed our new sponsor child is another girl, this time 11 years old, named Jay-ann. Her parents are my age and are very, very poor. Their family lives in a house made of cardboard with a thatched roof! For water, they obtain it from a public stand pipe 1 KM from their home. And believe it or not, their latrine is an open field or public area. The live in an area called Masbate South which is a very remote island somewhere in the middle of the Philippines 7000 islands.

I feel so so fortunate that my kids are growing up in a developed country where their lifestyle does not revolve around finding water or food.

A link to Plan's website is on the left side of my blog.

Here is Jay-ann and her mom! Thanks for reading!

A visit to York, PA

2007-04-04T21:37:00.000-04:00

This week is spring break for my boys so my mom, the boys and I drove up to York, PA on Monday for an overnight trip to 1) visit friends of my mom, 2) visit my best friend from childhood who I had not seen in about 8-10 years and 3) visit the grave of my father who passed 10 years ago Feb 22 from Parkinson's Disease. We had glorious weather both days and it made for a nice, relaxing trip.

My friend Barbara and I camped together for 8 consecutive years at Camp Glenkirk in VA from 4th grade thru high school. My boys and her girls met for the first time and everyone had a great time chatting and catching up and even coloring Easter eggs. Her husband took us on a tour of one of the downtown York firestations late Monday night. Talk about a treat for my kids! On Saturday, he was awarded "Firefighter of the Year" at his station out of nearly 85 firefighters! Congrats Dave!

Be sure to click on an image to see it larger!

Keli & Danny

2007-04-03T21:14:00.000-04:00

Saturday I had the honor of photographing one of my favorite couples, Keli & Danny. Their wedding was amazingly beautiful and full of moving music as Keli is a elementary music teacher and knows how to put it all together! She even wrote a song for her new husband and had it played for their first dance! You don't see that often!

Here are some of my favorite photos from their big day that I have looked at so far! Aren't they a gorgeous couple!?

Jeannie & Dave engagement session

2007-03-25T17:18:00.000-04:00

So far I'm off to a bad start with this blogging thing! It's been over a week since my last post but I wanted to share a couple images of one of my May couples from our e-session yesterday. Jeannie and Dave are tying the knot May 12 in Alexandria. Dave lives in California so he was here for the weekend and we squeezed in a shoot after an attempt to do this in February in sub-zero temps! They are a very sweet couple and I look foward to their wedding!

My first blog entry!!!

2007-03-17T07:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, so this is a first. I honestly never thought I would do this -- become a blogger but at the advice of many in my industry, I have relented and will do this occasionally! As long as it doesn't take too much time, I'm game. My hope is to allow my customers and potential customers to get to know me better as well as see some photos from their shoots. And/or for my family here and overseas to check out photos and read what's up on our end. For those of you experienced bloggers, any and all advice is welcomed! wish me luck!

Since I don't like to have my OWN photo taken, I'll post some of my kids. My oldest son learned to ski for the first time a couple weeks ago up in PA. He told me he only cried twice! Once, from falling, the other time from pure fear of the 'big' hill! But otherwise loved the experience.

The other milestone is that my youngest turned 4 on March 6. He's quite proud of himself and b/c we celebrated his birthday twice, once on the day of, and then that weekend with friends, he thinks he's actually 5.