A Little Home Work

Last month I had the pleasure of shooting the Carr's beautiful country home on a sunny and intensely blue-sky day. The entire time I was there I was in a state of awe with a twinge of space, grass and country envy. And porch envy. The breeze came in one door and went out the other bringing with it the scent of honeysuckles, fresh cut grass and well, country. While the city is my home, I could see myself picking it all up and heading out there, but of course I'd have to kick Melissa and her family out to make room and that's not nice.

The dogs were not paid actors but they certainly wanted their share of the limelight. Every time I set up a shot they would mosey over in their relaxed country dog saunter and comfortably melt into the scenery. While I was editing I was playing 'where's Waldo' with the dogs, because they showed up in ALL of photos. But they were so perfectly color coordinated to their rooms that I left them, and kind of forgot they were even there.






Lee, the Art Director sent me the lovely behind the scenes photo below, and it only seemed fair to post it since I post photos of everyone else and, it makes me laugh. I was on the jeep to take the cover shot as I needed a higher vantage point so you could see more house, less driveway as it was on an incline. And yes, I look particularly dorky but I swear that's not how I focus. I was turning the polarizing filter and it's hard to do up there without sticking your fingerprints on the glass and working within the lens hood, while trying not to break the jeep. That I would never live down.

Enjoy the magazine, it's on newsstands this week!

Nathan and Leslie's Wedding

Rainy days get a bad rap, especially from sweet brides who have imagined their wedding day their whole lives in a golden sunny setting. I like blue skies and sunlight too, believe me, but of course we don't have a whole lot of control over that one little detail of the wedding.

So if you are planning your big day at, say, Keswick Hall, and you want to get married outside and the forecast looks ominous, you have hopefully hired the amazing women at Easton Events so they can execute Plan A or Plan B, and maybe even Plan C.

But most importantly, you do exactly what Leslie did. You smile, you laugh, you maybe peek out the window once or twice hoping for some clearing, but in the end you remember exactly why you're there and you enjoy every single minute of it.

As a photographer, I love a cloudy day. I know, you're going pffffft, but really, beautiful diffused light that makes greens pop and faces glow. Resort pools are clear of sunbathers and aside from actual rainfall, we are much less limited in what direction I shoot from based on lighting. And even better, no squinting or harsh shadows.

So if the skies open up a few minutes before your ceremony, and Plan A (full outdoors) gets dismissed. Then Plan B gets passed upon when the rain comes down sideways and into the tent, you simply glide down the stairs, just like Leslie did, a smile so heartfelt it could light up any room, and you marry the man of your dreams.

If you'd like to see Nathan and Leslie's Wedding Slideshow just click here.

Ted and Emily's Wedding

Hellooooo June.

Isn't it funny how at 3 am problems or to-do lists can seem amplified? Critical? Magnifiedx100? Like, how can I possibly sleep when I have SO much to do? But of course you're too tired to get out of bed and actually function, so you go back asleep and then when you do wake up in the morning, it's almost OK. It's... fine. "WHAT was I freaking out about at 3 am, blogging??", I say to myself, almost laughing at sleepy me, downing another cup of coffee and forming my action plan du jour. And yes, blogging is on my to-do list EVERY day. But the important thing is to keep the clients happy and their work flowing, the shooting going and the contracts a-signing. Right? And kids fed and heading the right direction, very important that one.

But I need a good nights' sleep so I'm ON it. As a matter of fact I'm making a note to myself right now to do it again tomorrow. Ha! Take that, you midnight problem amplifier thing that happens to me in June.

Besides, Emily and Ted's wedding is wanting to be shared. They had a gorgeous wedding at St. James' Church in Richmond, Virginia followed by a reception at the Country Club of Virginia on a gloriously sunny day. Rain had been threatening but Emily wasn't worried. From the get go Emily was so happy, so relaxed, enjoying family, friends and of course, Ted. She smiled through makeup and hair styling, laughed through the photo session while well-wishing folks passed by on the streets, and when it was time to walk down the aisle she gave her Dad one last look, a huge smile on her face, and never looked back.

A few of my favorite shots follow, but to see more just click on Ted and Emily's Wedding Slideshow.