The Engagement of Shannon and Matt

Shannon and Matt were a fantastic couple to photograph. They have ties to the D.C. area and wanted their engagement session around the memorials on the Mall. They also wanted to have "Harley" their dog in some of the photos. With Shannon's mother helping by keeping "Harley" in the areas dogs were allowed, we moved from place to place on the windy, chill Mall area and took some really fun photos. After I looked at the take, you'd never know that we had to work with the wind, so Shannon's hair wasn't flying and that "Harley" needed warm-up breaks. Shannon and Matt interacted so naturally, they made it easy to get good photos. And Matt, without a doubt is the best dipper I've seen in a while! They made it out to Pictures in the Pines as well and I was able to be there for their first Christmas together. I loved that! I'm really looking forward to the wedding! 

Harley had to take frequent breaks to warm up. He looks adorable in pink!

Pictures in the Pines...Brrrrrr!

Okay! I am way behind on updating the blog. My family has been "renovating" a house and we finally moved in just days before Christmas. We call it indoor camping for now! But I have really taken a vacation from updating so I'm overdue. 

The Pictures in the Pines was terrific! We did it on the coldest day of the year to date. Unfortunately, you can't predict the weather as far ahead as you need to schedule. I don't think the temperature got above 25 degrees with the wind chill factor on the top of that mountain but the families came anyway and boy, were they hardy! Even the children tossed their jackets for a few brief moments and smiled to the max. I couldn't believe how well everyone did considering noses were running, eyes were watering and bodies were shaking! 

Thanks to everyone who came out! 

Everyone had a different look to their holiday portraits and we moved from antique sled to cutting the trees to posing in front of a giant Frasier fur tree. 

     I've been friends with Becky Chaney since second grade and have photographed her twins Rianna and Sheridan since they were babies. I followed the family around the tree farm and shot a mini story of their day. This was one of my favorites from the shoot!
I loved how so many of the families brought their dogs. The Beck family and "Charlie" used all my Christmas props for a festive photo. 
The Callan family used a little humor to make an original family portrait, going for the smallest tree on the farm. Don't worry, they spared it to grow another day! :) 
I've been photographing the Clark family for years. It's great to see how little Lucy has changed each photo session and I was so happy to see them. The peek through the pines was Joe's idea and I think it worked out great. Their cards really showed their personality as a family! 

I just love this photo. I don't think it made it on the family Christmas card but Emma couldn't resist a little fun and the look on her brother and father's faces, as if to say, "what are you doing?" is priceless. 

A candid moment during the shoot. I love these "real" moments between the more formal arrangements! 

The Maduschke family was a real hit at the tree farm. The handsome family in hats had heads turning as they searched for their Christmas tree complete with their antlered dog! 

Pictures in the Pines

Pictures in the Pines
I work part time for the local newspaper and I love it because I get to go places and meet people that I normally wouldn't. Well, this was the case with the South Mountain Plantation and it's owner, Gary. He has the greatest belly laugh and attitude and when he described to me what a family his customers were to him and how much they enjoyed coming to his farm for the Christmas trees, it sparked the idea for "Pictures in the Pines".

I remember fondly searching for hours for that "perfect" tree with my family and always ending up with the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.... bald on one side and sort of crooked, but the experience stays with you the rest of your life. Crisp air, fresh pine, red noses and cold faces and your family, each picking their own favorite tree until Dad finally says "it's time to cut".

Even though I've always loved to take photographs, I only remember documenting our tree hunting expedition two times and those images are precious to me. The holiday tradition, one moment, captured forever in a photo of my father holding the tree, my sister blowing her nose, my brother, dangerously swinging the saw and my mother smiling at the camera. Of course, I wasn't in the photo. The person behind the camera never is.

Because Gary was so likeable and enthusiastic about his business and because South Mountain Plantation is stunning with it's views of the valley and it's evergreen scent, I decided to offer other families the chance to have a remembrance of their Christmas tradition at the farm.

For two days, December 6th and 7th from 9a.m.-3 p.m.,I will stand out in whatever weather comes and photograph families in the pines for $25.00 so they have photos with the entire family to use to make holiday gifts or cards . South Mountain Plantation is located at 6138 Cleveland Drive, Boonsboro, Maryland. Hope to see out out there!

My neighbors, the Sherwood family, who are crazy photogenic and good sports, posed for me for some test shots. In fifteen minutes, we had some great pictures of them on the antique sled and in front of the trees and I created several Christmas cards from the shoot. Thanks gang, you were fantastic!

Carlyle and Elijah

We had a second day of fall family shooting, this time in Cunningham Falls State Park manor area. I love this park! It has beautiful foliage, a picturesque stream running through it with plenty of big rocks for posing on and the best yet, a tire park! The entire playground area is made with recycled tires. I've taken my son there many times and we have a blast! So, when the formal posing is over, it's fun to run around the park and photograph kids being kids.

This was my first year to photography Carlyle and Elijah and their mom, Diane. These boys lit up the world when they smiled, trouble is, they rarely smiled at the same time! Last year, Diane tried having a friend photograph the family for their Chrismas card with little success. So, it was time to call in a professional! I had lots of help from their family friends who coached from the sidelines and held my secret weapon, the singing chicken! It gets a smile from most kids.

With a little sweat and a lot of running around, we had success!

Fall Family Photos

For the past three years, I have offered special half price photo sessions called Fall Family Photos. Not a very catchy name but it fits. Families come to some gorgeous outdoor locations and for 1/2 hour we play and laugh and get some really good pictures. I usually start out with the more formal looking poses with the whole family smiling at the camera. These seem to be the most popular pose to send out on the family Christmas card. Then as time allows, we get more casual with the shoot and that's when the real character comes out, especially in the children. But I wish I had a photo of the craziness that some of the parents display to get the kids to laugh.

What a hoot.

These photos are from the first shoot of the day with Georgi, Robie, Jake and their parents. Gretchen and Michael. I met this family about a year ago and photographed them as a family and then was invited to make images and memories of the boys and their sister on Jake and Robie's first birthday. Now they are two and we combined some photos of the whole family with some that will capture what they were like around their second birthday. It was so much fun!! They are full of personality and really were sports about getting their little toes in some very chilly sand! Georgi, as big sister, has learned the art of smiling through anything and helps make the best pictures!

Thanks!

A woman's best friend

Who says a dog is a man's best friend? Beth just adores her Boxer puppy, Riley. Although he looks much bigger than a puppy, he still had that puppy playfulness and she wanted to get photos of him at this stage. We took advantage of fantastic weather to photograph the two of them in a local state park. A pair of rubber boots, a camera and some patience was all it took for me to get great shots of a pair who are obviously "family". 

Riley still has too much puppy in her to sit still for long. The secret to photographing pets or people who have no patience for formal portraiture is to let them be themselves... in this case, a water loving, world exploring Boxer puppy. The instructions for Beth were to smile, not to look at Riley or worry about what she was doing, and just have fun with it.... and she did.  Beth got Riley to sit for a few "portraits".  Most of the time, Riley was just eager to move and she was strong! I grabbed hold of her leash once when she slipped away from Beth and nearly got dragged into the stream.

When I asked Beth if Riley was pulling her arm out of  her socket, Beth would just laugh and say "that's Riley!" 

Finally, a quiet moment. Is it my imagination, or is Riley finally wearing out!?

This is the kind of image you get when you put a french fry in your lens hood to try to get an "up close" photo of  Riley! 

Brothers! Oct. 12

Two years ago I photographed Aiden and he has been the poster child for many of my marketing materials. His adorable dark curls and striking green eyes made making photos easy and he was the first and only child of Jim and Amy. So the poses were easy and both parents could help make him smile. Fast forward to two years later when Amy's birthday present was to come out and photograph Aiden and recent addition, baby brother, Morgan. Also a beautiful child who was only too happy to smile and suck on his toes to my delight. Aiden, on the other hand, a full throttle two-year old was hard to hold down. It took a bit more running around breaks, some bribery with candy and finally, the brilliant idea to put him in a tree where he couldn't run away. ( Dad made sure both boys were perched securely!) We got some really precious images and a lot of exercise! Can't wait to photograph them again.

The Wedding of Stacy and Tony, October 4

Stacy and Tony were married in Tony's family church near Monrovia. There couldn't have been a more perfect weather day for a wedding. Stacy's gown was breathtaking but she realized that she would be stepping on it if she wore her shoes so she's become my first barefoot bride! I wish I could have gotten a photo of her at the alter in her bare feet, but the dress covered them. After a simple, yet beautiful service full of happy tears, we took some fun photos outside on the lawn. Tony and Stacy were up for anything! Stacy, a former basketball player, even shot a few hoops after all the formal pictures were finished. They finished their evening with a reception at Martin's in Westminister. Not only were                                  the couple and the guests talented dancers, but I have never heard so many people singing the words to every song! Thanks to Stacy and Tony for including me in their special day.