Sam IS the man!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting Sam Glick and his mother, Millie. Millie had seen another blog posting of family photos and thought she would like Sam's senior photos shot in the same relaxed style. Sam very graciously posed in any spot I chose, endured a brilliant reflector on his face ( held very professionally by Millie!!) and held that smile for an hour! You did great Sam! The "real" Sam in his John Deere cap.

Sometimes, amateur photographers will take photos that cut off part of their subjects body. And sometimes, as with this photo, it is intentional. This kind of photo really focuses on the eyes and face. There's a lot of personality in the eyes. Most of my favorite photos of my own son are very tight crops to his eyes and smile. I mean, we all know what the top of a head looks like... more hair!

My favorite!

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

You're A Good Man Charlie Brown

Whew! We just completed a whirlwind week of rehearsals and four performances with the members of the cast of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". Cast members are part of the Walker Performing Arts, Hagerstown Children's Theater and Brady, my son, has been taking classes and performing with them since last summer when he was the lion in the "Wizard of Oz"! I was yet again impressed with the level of talent and professionalism of students no older than twelve. They rock!
Brady was Snoopy! He was the absolute cutest! and learned to contort his face into many different expressions as he pantomimed to his lines.... after all, Snoopy doesn't talk! but he sure does think! You could almost see the little thought bubbles percolating out of his head. Of course, the Hahn, Johnson and extended family and friends took up a lot of seats in the theater to see our little "star"!
I put together this slideshow to highlight the actors during the performance. I wonder how long it will take to get those songs out of my head.....

Jessie and Matt (and J.D. too!)

Jessie and Matt ( and J.D. too!)

Jessie and Matt (and J.D. too!)

A big shout out to Jessie and Matt who gave me my first opportunity to shoot an engagement portrait session downtown. The two are big fans of Frederick so we shot all their photos within a short distance along Carroll Creek despite the graying skies and the threat of rain at any minute. I had so much fun trying angles and environments I hadn't shot in before,I could have spent at least another hour photographing throughout our urban setting but we all would have been exhausted!
They brought J.D., their dog as well and he was like a big dog in a little body, scrambling and tugging hard to get to his "mom and dad" for every shot.

They are also big photo fans and are putting some photographic touches in their wedding. I won't say what so I don't spoil the surprise for their guests, but I'm really looking forward to seeing everything at the wedding. They both have an eye for photos and Matt had a cool suggestion for a background in one of their photos. (Look for the writing on the brick behind them).

At one point, I told Jessie to look serious like she was thinking, "yeah, I'm hot" and then she cracked up laughing. I told her she was made to smile so we let that natural joy come out in her and even in the few where she's not smiling, her eyes are!
Check out their session slideshow!

"That Face!" is over for it's first year. Thank you to those who are helping to support Breast Cancer Cumberland Valley with their booking and to those could not book a session but who have pledged a donation in honor of their mother. I hope this was the first of a growing fundraiser for a wonderful organization.
It was a beautiful day, thankfully, as this weather has forced me to cancel more than a few portrait sessions. :(
My first portrait session was with a lovely couple expecting their first child. Bill and Samantha couldn't have been any better models as they scaled rocks, got a little wet ( sorry Bill!) and posed all over Hagerstown City Park. Here are a few of my favorite pics. Thanks guys!

Aren't they going to have a beautiful baby!

Peyton Revisited

I went for my second visit to see Peyton for his "The First Year" photo odyssey. He is now four months old and a smiley cutie! Between bottles and binkies, Peyton, his mother, aunt and I coaxed some really adorable smiles out of him. My favorite photo of the day was one of him smiling up at his mother. The connection between mother and child is tangible in the image. Babies are REALLY cute but the photos have so much meaning when is shows the relationship, even at this young age, between them. I'll be going back for his six month and one year photos. He should be sitting up all by himself for the next session and this time, we're including Daddy!

Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness

There is a fantastic organization in Hagerstown, Breast Cancer Awareness Cumberland Valley, that raises funds for free early detection and after surgery support programs for breast cancer patients.
I wanted to create a photo campaign that would celebrate mothers and their children and create a lasting memory as well as benefit this wonderful local organization.
I'm an evangelist when it comes to frequently photographing families. Again and again, you read that people's first thought when seeing their homes being destroyed by some natural disaster, is to find their photo albums and framed images of loved ones. These photos are priceless!
How much more priceless an image of your mother, family and children, especially if they have survived their own natural disaster through a diagnosis of breast cancer.
My hope is that this is a start of a significant fundraiser for BCA-CV as well as an opportunity to capture the most precious moments and feelings in the life of a family. Please join me, bookings are still available. The details are below.


That Face! Photographic fundraiser for BCA-CV

This Mother’s Day, give the gift that gives back! Honor your mother by donating $50 or more to Breast Cancer Awareness Cumberland Valley and receive a free portrait session and an 8x10 gift print ($120 value) to be treasured for years to come. Proceeds donated to BCA-CV benefit FREE early detections and after-surgery support programs for breast cancer patients in the Cumberland Valley.
Award winning photographer, Kelly Hahn will be hosting the event amid the beauty of Spring on April 18th at Hagerstown City Park. Surprise your mother with the photo or bring her along as families will receive a half-hour professional photo session that captures your formal and fun sides!
Opportunities to purchase additional photos online will be available with 20% of all proceeds donated to BCA-CV. Gift cards (to be used by May 9th) will also be available for those who can not make the April 18th date. Photos ordered within one week will be ready in time for that special Mother’s Day gift. To reserve your photo session time, call 240-285-3677. To view the work of Kelly Hahn go to www.kellyhahnphotography.com .

Dressed for the occasion?

I absolutely love to meet new people and tell their stories. This is the reason I got into photojournalism and still work for editorial publications like magazines and newspapers. There is something about living vicariously through other peoples lives. I've learned about jobs, clubs, sports, hobbies, interests, missions and quests (among other things) that I never even knew existed. Not only learned about them, but experienced them for a few short minutes to weeks.
This was the case for a few hours while covering an event for Maryland Life Magazine (to be published in 2010) This event, sponsored by the Barony of Highland Foorde, of the Society for Creative Anachronism was an all day event celebrating life during Medieval times.

Now check this out, I have covered many events over the years, but have never been asked to dress in garb so that I don't "stand out in the crowd"! I'm don't know about you, but I think all that gear hangin off me is a dead giveaway that I didn't belong in Medieval times!
There were plenty of lords, ladies, some barons and baronesses a bunch of bards and assorted common folk, like me, singing, eating, laughing, game playing and socializing.

I had to have help tieing my sleeves so that I could work the cameras! It was a hoot! The people couldn't have been nicer or more serious about their "foolishness. I had a great time! Just another day of adventure in the life of a photographer! :)

Winning some awards! yeah!

Learned that I placed in the Wedding Photojournalist Association contest in the silhouette category for this photo from Stacy and Tony's wedding. I enter at least one image from each of my weddings in their quarterly contest as there is alway some amazing moment or emotion that happens. That is one of the reasons weddings are such a joy to photograph and no two are alike.
This little flower girl was so adorable and she did a great job! It's tough walking down the aisle to all the ooh's and aah's! Maybe she's looking a what she has yet to become?

I also found out I won an award for my editorial work at the Hagerstown Herald-Mail newspaper which I work for on a part-time basis. The award is from the MDDC (Maryland Delaware D.C area) which judges the entries from newspapers of similar sizes in those states. They keep the photo you won for and the place a secret until the awards banquet so I won't know until after that. I have a feeling it was a photo of a bear vaulting a fence in downtown Williamsport! Not your typical photo.....