So, I'll be honest.  I've photographed siblings and families before, but not too many teenagers.  As most of you know, I shoot either couples, weddings, or actors.  The occasional maternity or family shoot is generally reserved for my own family and friends.  But when Sarah, an area actress, and I met a few months ago while I was shooting headshots for The Man Who Came to Dinner at FCT, we made a connection.  And she reserved my time to photograph her stepdaughter Marci and nephew David, rising seniors, at their farm in Virginia.  

Their farm is beautiful.  I scheduled an evening shoot so that I could take advantage of the golden hour for photography.  I had all these great ideas for their photos.  And then, just as we pulled into their driveway, the rain came.  Oh, we figured it would be brief.  Not the case.  For 2 out of 2.5 hours, the rain POURED down in spurts.  We hid in the garage and ran in and out shooting random photos when we could.  I even got a few shots of their goats and donkeys.  ;)  Marci's Dad Chris was super nice and he had fun sitting back and watching us be silly in the rain. :)

It wasn't my usual style or my aesthetic but we made it work.  I had fun playing with some vintage washes that are trendy right now and then my usual color saturated and classic black & whites.  Marci is beyond gorgeous and David is very handsome, even if we mostly only got his profile. ;)  They were both very nice (an unusual trait these days!) and clearly got along well, which was also nice to see.  We made the best of a crappy weather situation and I think we even had some fun. :)

On the slate for this week...a beautiful children's authoress photoshoot in Potomac and then headshots for a very lovely actress in VA this weekend.  Fun fun!  Have a great Tuesday! :)

I always get this guilty feeling when I'm editing.  I sit there going through hundreds of photos, picking one shot from three or four shots, then editing, utilizing 1-3 different software programs depending on what I'm doing.  It takes hours, sometimes days (especially for a wedding), to edit the photos not only for content and practicality, but choosing which photos will be displayed together, choosing the look the entire session will have.

And I have such a wonderful time that I forget it's my job!  Seriously.  I've been editing since we got home from the wedding late Saturday night, not doing anything else..and I look around me, waiting to be scolded.  But all I get is Brian beaming with every photo I post, happy clients, and my creative soul satisfied because I'm doing what I get paid to do...and more importantly, what I LOVE to do.

Ideal editing for me is not at a desk.  It's in bed.  But not a messy med.  I actually get out of bed and MAKE the bed.  And then I set up my laptop, open the windows to let in some sunlight, prop up the pillows, pop the top on an ice cold Diet Coke, and begin. :)  There must be bad tv or bad Lifetime movies (that's an oxymoron, I know) on in the background.    The dogs usually stay at my feet and let me work in peace, only occasionally coming up to me for a cuddle.  It's idyllic.  Sometimes I forget to eat, but eventually I get hungry enough to wander downstairs and fix myself something.

I'm loving this wedding.  Ashley was a stunning bride, her girls looked great, Hon and his men were handsome as all get out and it was a perfect day.  I felt terrible that we couldn't utilize the amazing grounds of Ostertag...I had all these plans laid out (they have streams and woods and lots of scenic beauty)...but because of the flooding from the torrential rains in the days leading up to the wedding, the grounds were far too wet and muddy to do any of that.  So we got creative on one little narrow road, with no big trees to hide the blinding sunlight...and made it work anyway. :)

It makes me so happy to see so many people from the wedding using my pics for their Facebook pages, feeling good about themselves.  Most bridesmaids end up hating the bride just a little bit for the ugly dresses they have to wear, but that wasn't the case here...Ashley picked gorgeous Vera Wang dresses that these ladies looked stellar in, and they had hair and make up that reflected their own best beauty.  

I have many more pics to sift through but I've posted all the important moments.

Saturday I am photographing the handsome Kevin D. for his new headshots.  He's a wonderful area actor and I love his face.  And on Sunday...I get to spend the whole day with my sweetheart as it's his birthday.  :)  We're having dinner with friends at a local Vietnamese place, and then I'm taking Brian into DC to see a show...he doesn't know which one, which makes it more exciting. :)

Happy Thursday, all! :)

My darling husband Brian is going to be my second shooter this coming weekend for Ashley & Hon's wedding!!!  Bri doesn't have any burning desire to be a photographer, and he's always been content to carry my bag and hand me lenses on shoots for the last year.  But for a wedding like this weekend when I don't have a second shooter (I have a photographer named Paige as my second shooter for the wedding at the end of the month)...it's wonderful to realize I have someone I can count on.  The most important shot Brian can get for me is the one of Hon (the groom) as he catches his first glimpse of Ashley coming down the aisle.  With my back turned to him and all my attention focused on getting Ashley in her gorgeous gown, I would never get that amazing expression on HIS face...but now I can.  Brian and I spent a few hours this weekend going over camera stuff.  He can certainly take a good picture with everything on auto, but he was interested in learning a little bit about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and manual focusing.  So I happily taught him and he soaked it up like the sponge he is.  He has a built in safety for that important photo, because even the most seasoned pro can miss a shot and Brian's just beginning, but he will still have free reign to be creative after that shot is taken.

He took some really nice practice shots and got familiar with the DSLR and the two lenses he'll be using.  It'll be such a relief to know that not only that all important shot of Hon will be taken care of, but that I can send him to capture any angle I might need when I'm otherwise occupied during the ceremony and/or reception...and trust that he will get the job done to the best of his abilities.

The pic above of our dogs...I took that one on the left, of Mr. Darcy, with my purpose on getting the face in focus and then a soft blur on the body.  Brian took the one on the right, of Whiskey, with the same intent.  Mission accomplished?  I vote yes. :)

My husband is amazing at pretty much everything he does, and I have no doubt that he will be great at this.  The nice thing is that he still lets me shine and never needs the spotlight...which is what I think makes his own talent burn the brightest, by letting it speak for itself.  His writing gift is luminous, a once in a lifetime kind of talent...yet you'd never know it.

I am so grateful for everything my husband is, the humble and helpful partner he is, the caregiver, the goofball, and of course, the amazing, sensational playwright.  I have no doubt that he will be recognized in a great and major way someday soon for his writing...not only for his clever plots and brilliant writing, but because of the man he is.  

Ashley & Hon also happen to be dear friends of ours, so we truly can't wait to see them get married this weekend.  We're blessed to be able to share in that with them, and I am so excited to be able to capture it.  I just hope I can see through my own happy tears to get some clear photos! ;)

Hope everyone had a terrific holiday weekend and that the week ahead is wonderful!  T minus 5 days till the wedding!!! :)