Who saved who?

     I swear, I could fill a pillow with the hair shedding off this dog!  This dog, this smelly, hairy, amazing, intuitive, nearly perfect dog! Whenever I freak out about all the hair, I look at his sweet face and know that he is the best thing we have done as a family in a long time.
     Last September, we decided it was time to take the plunge and get a dog. We visited several shelters and viewed the online websites of shelters and rescues for months, looking for the perfect dog... the right fit. My husband found a skinny, stray, black Lab that the Washington County Humane Society had named "Sir Lancelot".
     I have to give a shout out to those folks. They really do their homework on the animals, running them through a series of "tests" so that they can tell you any quirks the animal might have. After walking him and talking with the staff, we all decided he was "the one". Well, my husband and son decided, I was still not completely convinced but, if they liked him, then I was good with it. I was honestly thinking to myself, I could live without a dog for the rest of my life because I'm the one who's going to feed him and walk him and clean up his messes and figure out who he stays with when we go away and worry about staying somewhere too long because I have to go home and let the dog out.
     Well, can I tell you.... I'm in love. We renamed him Boomer and he has been a friend to everyone in the family. He wakes my son in the morning, giving him a tongue bath on his face, the only thing peeking from underneath the covers. He calms my husband, who comes home stressed from work to an excited welcoming, tail wagging, hand licking friend. And the two of them proceed to tug on either side of a frisbee until one wins and my husbands stresses are forgotten. I will frequently find Boomer lounged out next to one of them on the couch or laying on their feet under the table.
    He keeps me company, has given me unconditional love, gets me walking in the morning and makes me laugh. 

Civil War Boomer, dressed in my son's civil war hat.

Sleeping in.

There's always room for one more on the couch.

Fighting for the frisbee.

BFFs

What a pretty boy!

     All those little inconveniences don't mean a thing compared to the friendship and joy he has brought to our lives. We saved him but he saved us as well. 
     I'm giving him a scratch right now.... oh, man, will you look at all this hair on the floor!!! 
     

The wedding of Heather and Michael

Heather and Michael had a gorgeous day for their wedding in May. I had photographed their engagement session nearly a year before and was so happy to see this day arrive. Their enthusiasm for sports, which we highlighted in their e-session, was sprinkled throughout the day with everything from Hokie cuff links, garter and socks, to game tickets decorating the tables. They stayed true to their relaxed and fun nature, showing a sweet goofy side as well as their obvious love for each other. It was a fantastic day all around. Thanks Heather and Michael for sharing your incredible day with me!

Kaya is Six!

I had a really fun!! photo session with Kaya in honor of her birthday.
Knowing it would be cold, her Mom and I discussed outfit options and location that would make a successful shoot. Her outfit was amazing but most important, it was warm, I felt like we were having a mini fashion shoot!
Earlier in the year, I had photographed her sister near Loy's Station covered bridge, using the natural landscape and water to create images that evoked her sister's personality. Knowing we wouldn't have any natural flora, we decided to go urban with Kaya's photos. And there is no better place than downtown Frederick. Not only did about two city blocks provide an ample variety of backgrounds, but constantly moving kept Kaya from getting bored and kept the smiles coming. We were so excited to find some jazzy purple doors ( Kaya's favorite color). We played peek-a-boo, "honked" her braids and invented little games to keep her smiling. She did a fantastic job.

Frederick Magazine! We're the cover!

I was so incredibly excited that Tosha and Brad's wedding was chosen for the cover and a generous photo package inside of the June issue of Frederick magazine www.frederickmagazine.com.
I photographed their wedding last summer and we focused their portraits in areas that highlighted the fact that they loved downtown Frederick. They were a fantastic couple to work with and their photos show it!