Welcome Aubrey Layne!

     I had the pleasure of photographing Matt and Jessie's engagement photos and then, their wedding on a sultry summer day.
     And now, I had the honor of photographing the newest love of their lives, Aubrey Layne. I have to say, as new parents, who just moved into a new home, they looked fantastic, not frazzled! And the house was fully arranged and decorated! They couldn't have been more patient as we moved through some "costume changes" and a feeding and went through many baby wipes during their session.  Aubrey was a good sleeper and a good sport about it all.
     For their idea to show Aubrey's growth, they had a beautiful great basket, topped with a blanket from Jessie's grandmother, which made it extra special. Can't wait to see Aubrey standing up in it by year's end.
Thank you Jessie and Matt for inviting me to photograph this chapter in your life story!

There is nothing more fleeting than a smile during sleep and nothing more precious.

Love, love, this "blossoming" baby

So tiny in Matt's arms now, but I predict one tall girl!

A beautiful family

I just love black and white for baby photos, you focus on the faces and the tiniest smile on Aubrey.

Kaya

I'm so fortunate to be able to photograph Kaya and her sister Aubrey every year for their birthday. Last year's session with Kaya was so amazing I didn't think we could get photos as good this year. But she did it! She picked out her own outfit which was very fashionable and spring like but it was windy and cold and she smiled anyway! An ice cream at Nutter's was the payoff for great photo session. Thanks Kaya for being such a trooper! And thank you Aubrey for being a good tag-a-long.

Profile Picture Party

How many times have you had to crop yourself out of a photo to come up with a head shot of yourself for use online? Wouldn't it be nice to have a well-lit, color corrected, sharply focused image taken by a professional photographer to use?

Need something fresh for Facebook, Linked-In or other virtual posting? Getting married soon? Need some images for your wedding blog? Updating your professional blog or website? 

There's no better time than now and no better value. For only $25, you get a mini photo session and a web sized digital file, copyright free, to use for any online purpose you desire!

Come to the The Organized Bride at 14 N. East Street, Frederick on March 25th, from 5-7, no appointment necessary. I will take your photo, editing your session to three of your best poses, then upload your images to an online gallery for you to see. You choose your favorite image and I email it to you. Easy!


You can come alone, you can bring your friends. You can be formal or fun. It's up to you.

Here's the fine print.
    
     Your special event price includes one free digital image sized for the web at 4x5 inches at 72dpi. .         Additional web sized digital images are $35 each. Prints will also be available for order online.
     If there is more than one person in the photo, each person is charged $25 which covers 3 poses each. So if there are 5 people in your photo, that's 15 poses for the group.
     There are no appointments so come at your convenience. You are photographed in the order you arrive.
     Cash or check only at the event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Here's Lucy!

I had the real pleasure of photographing Lucy in her first weeks of life. Annie and Nate were one of my favorite couples to photograph during their engagement photos and wedding day because of their easy going nature and sense of humor, so I was really pleased when Annie's mom gave Annie my "Baby's First Year" photo package as a shower gift, completing the photographic story of  their life changes from dating, to marriage to parenthood.

We were able to capture some real keepsake moments and have a good laugh in the process. Annie and Nate were sleep deprived, yet cheerful about it. Usually it's the babies that go through several clothing changes, but on this day, it was Annie and Nate changing out of shirts that had been "baptized" by little Lucy. At one point, Annie mentioned they might be running out of white shirts!

With the beginning of each baby session, I mention that the couple might want to include something that they would be keeping throughout the years, that we could photograph the baby with to show how they've changed and grown. Parents have come up with some really unique items like teddy bears and a police uniform. Lucy's room was decorated with an old baby scale which was perfect! Her tiny body fit perfectly and I think it was the best sleep she got during the session. I'm looking forward to seeing her sitting on it and probably lifting it up and running away with it as she changes this first year.

Thanks Annie and Nate for inviting me into your life and for the privilege of creating the tangible memories that you can view and tell stories over for the rest of your lives. 

The wedding of Julie and Chris

Julie looks amazing  in this wintry scene at her ThorpeWood wedding. One of the ringbearers said, "She looks like a princess!" and she did! Gorgeous!

 Julie and Chris were married on a chilly winter day in January at ThorpeWood near Thurmont. They must have had antifreeze in their veins as they managed warm smiles during our outdoor portrait sessions. In fact, the bridal party and family members also took turns posing and making it look like it was comfortable outside when it was anything but. However, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking and we all wanted to take advantage of that to create these images!
     I had so much fun photographing the couple, who are Ravens fans, at their portrait session in December. At the wedding, they used one of the images from that session for their guest signature frame. They used another to create a gallery wrap to hang above the drink station. I really enjoyed seeing the creative way they used the photos.

   Their wedding day was filled with even more memorable moments and images

Chris is a natural at posing and looking handsome.

Their first kiss as husband and wife in front of the fireplace at ThorpeWood.

A beautiful couple with a great sense of humor and fun.

The bridal party having their own fun at the reception.

The final photo of the evening framed in a stone archway of ThorpeWood.

 Thank you to Julie and Chris and their families for inviting us to be a part of their wonderful winter wedding.

 

Photos at the Fireplace... at ThorpeWood

I had a wonderful, chaotic, happy holiday season. I was having so much fun, it's taken me a few weeks to recover! So in a final look at the holidays, I wanted to post our fantastic fund-raising photo shoot at ThorpeWood.
     This was my first indoor holiday photo session and the venue could not have been more beautiful! The 18- foot Christmas tree was the favorite of two backgrounds for the photos. A roaring fire provided the other, equally magnificent backdrop and some warmth! Holiday music was playing, a light snow fell and Santa stopped by for a visit to make the day seem especially festive.
     The session fees from the families were donated to ThorpeWood whose mission is to serve at-risk youth and increase the likelihood of their success through long-term, outcome-based, customized academic support and personal development programs in partnership with their schools and youth organizations.
     Not only did we support a good cause, but we took some really fun photos, many of which were used to create holiday gifts and cards.
     I want to thank the staff at ThorpeWood for your hospitality and help in making this a great experience for me and my clients. I want to thank all the families who joined me at ThorpeWood for your generous donations and your smiles to make this a successful event. 

The wedding of Jeff and Christine

 

The thing that I loved about photographing Jeff and Christine's wedding was the amazing settings we were able to photograph them in and their fun spirit as they posed in those settings. 

There was a lot of talent displayed in singing and dancing at the ceremony and beyond. And I don't think I have seen a couple or their guests enjoy a reception more. Christine was truly the star of the show as she belted out "Sweet Caroline" to the music of the band and the cheering of her new husband and guests!

Thank you Christine and Jeff for inviting me to capture this truly joyous day!