I used to study her hands, admire her hands. To match the rest of her entire being, she had the most exquisitely beautiful, artistic, strong, capable, intelligent, loving hands. I can still imagine how it felt when she ran her fingers through my hair and down my back, as I entered a zen-like state. She used to run her fingers around our faces and over our closed eyes to soothe us to sleep at night. Those hands taught me how to draw, paint, color....how to cook, sew, bake...garden, trim and tie grapevines. I can still see her beautiful fingers deftly scraping cookie dough off of the beaters or squeezing a Concord grape fresh off the vine.
I took the photos below about 3 years ago. I always loved to watch her make pie crusts from scratch and I thought I'd make a little montage of those extraordinary hands at their craft. Not only was she a master artisan at making the crusts, she was well-known for her pies...cherry, coconut cream, chocolate, apple, peach, grape, pecan.....and they were often requested as birthday gifts from family and friends. She made it look impossibly effortless and could whip a crust out in minutes flat. I can still hear her giggling at me, whenever I attempted to roll out the dough to imitate her perfect thickness, much less crimp the edges.
We used to joke about Grey Gardens, she'd be Big Edie and I'd be Little Edie, and we'd grow old and pleasantly demented together. My first blog post ever was the Mother's Day before she passed away and I am so happy she was able to see it. I never dreamt she'd be gone just a few short months later, when I wrote it.
God had other plans, but I love you, Mom, and you are forever in my heart. Thank you for giving me the gift of appreciating the little moments and the little things. I miss you terribly. A girl always needs her Mom...especially this one.
I also considered the legality of it and wondered if our 'production' would quickly be shut down by TSA, so I researched it and we were good to go! You will see the significance of incorporating the flag in the next post.
Happy viewing....
Can you tell I loved the vintage luggage? Thank you, Clark ;)
Isn't her ring a stunner?!
Dreamy.....
Fave....
They had fantastic ideas for locations and we couldn't choose...so, why bother....let's do all three! Annnnd they treated me to a yummy lunch at a place right around the corner from where I live actually, and had never been before. I was so in to it, and having such a good time, I didn't realize it was a total of 6 hours! Ahhh! Sooo, I think I may have to break this up into 3 separate blog posts.
All 4 of these guys are champs, lemme tell you...not to mention incredibly photogenic...or photogeeenic, Paddy? It will blow your socks off. (I mean, Brendan is handsome to be sure, but is Sarah not a dead-ringer for Rachel McAdams?)
Not sure how I am going to top this shoot. Ever. I seriously won the photoshoot lottery with this couple. In addition to being a stunning couple, they are both sweet, appreciative, considerate, accommodating, and generous. Your mamas raised you right.
As I've mentioned before, I often have songs pop into my head either during the photoshoot or during culling/editing, and yours was Real Love by John Lennon/The Beatles.
SARAH + BRENDAN
PART I:
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
16 JAN 2016
I arrived early...thanks to, Red Top Cab #89, Danny, Viet Nam vet (this is my second drive with him...I think it will become a regular thing.) I love me that dreamy, early morning light...but watch how much the light changed over the course of mere minutes....
Sarah and Brendan arrive and the sun came out...temporarily...(thank you film crew guy for giving me the puddle idea!)
This rest of this sentence may not make sense to most folks, but the clouds and mist came out and the light became completely amazing....
It became very dusky and moody, and very French, if I may say. Jess commented that you wouldn't even know what time of day it was...
You would think that we photographers would prefer a beautiful sunny day, but not this girl...look at this light! Yummy!
Bobbi Sheridan is one of my favorite photographers and inspired this shot....favorite for the day.
Wait...maybe this is my favorite. (Rachel McAdams....am I right?!)
And thennnnn, it got a little cooler, a little grayer, and she got a little more Brigitte Bardot....sassy Brigitte Bardot.... ;)
Sigh....can you feel the love? I know. I didn't want it to be over either...but t's ok, there will be two more post on them.
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And then a bit o' fun from the peanut gallery/stylist team: Hi-Five!...(what a fun group....and how adorable is Sarah...uh, such a natural!)
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October? Pumpkins? Yes, sigh, I am very behind in my blogging.
Photography is my part-time job, well, let's be honest, it's not a job, it's my fun! I have a big girl job that pays the bills and that's where I met this lovely couple, and their then deliciously huggable baby Jacob who I nicknamed 'The Cuteness." Chuck lost his leg in military service and I was his physical therapist. Megan was his dedicated wife who came everyday, unflappable, and was always armed with a smile and was quick to giggle, and also a quick wit, I might add. I thoroughly enjoy their humor.
When they moved back to the area, Megan asked if I'd do family photos and I was not only very flattered, but jumped at the chance to see them again. ( Also, a perk of this 'job' is hanging out with friends and family.) The Cuteness is now a long, lanky, handsome lad & there are two more cutenesses on board, Liam & Alexis....& one in the oven!
We met up in beautiful Old Town Alexandria, one of my favorite places & absolutely rife with picturesque nooks and crannies. Perfect day.
How would I describe the chaos that ensued? Herding cats, my friends.
Jacob arrived and jumped right up exactly where I wanted to start our first shot...Liam followed suit. I thought WoW! This is going to be easy! Then it started....you see the twinkle of mischief in Liam's eyes, don't you?
You know what Liam is thinking don't you? You can see the tension building in his legs, right?
And so it begins....
There it is again..that twinkle...
The place I chose was near a fun little retired loading dock, where there was already a chalked heart most likely from another photoshoot. It kept the kids engaged climbing and running around.
Jacob is such a sweet, watchful older brother...
Oh to be this flexible again!
Little Alexis wasn't too sure of me at first....but I was all about her outfit!
I eventually won her over and she gave me a leaf....
Alexis, you are pretty and sweet with a pinch of mischief, just like your mama...
Need I say more about those two? Exactly.
Because there is the twinkle again....
This is a perfect example of how photoshoots REALLY look with little rascal pups like these guys...and then you might get what you had in mind....
Favorite on left....
Close up on that twinkle....
In case you couldn't tell, it was "The Liam Show"....
I love me some hams...
Megan's request.....and well, maybe this one is my favorite! (we need an update because there are two more baby feet now!)
...but this really says family photo, don't you think? This was the very end, so mini person cooperation was at an all time low ;) Except Liam, of course. (Whaaa?)
I think this may help me develop a strategy for next time! LOL
The End!
First baby for Dan and Amy Beth.
First maternity shoot for me.
A little intimidating, but I was very much looking forward to it, and very flattered Amy Beth chose me...because they are adorable...all 3 1/2 of them. They are my neighbors and I had the good fortune to meet Amy Beth while we were walking our dogs one day. Dan is an excellent chef, Amy Beth the consummate hostess. I win. And ever since we met, Amy Beth says Olive has become my stalker, waiting and watching for me to come out to play. I refer to her as "All-Love". (Get it?) Can you see the love in her eyes? Or is it just obsession? Whatever. I should be so lucky.
I just LOVE this photo...is it the lush emerald green, the serenity, the sweet look of love...I don't know. It's my favorite.
These two made it so easy for me...beautiful...the camera doesn't lie...
And then the sun started setting...sigh...so lovely
Did I mention they have a great sense of humor?
And then the sun threw us this gorgeous warm glow...these two (and a half) are pros.
Thanks guys...you made this entirely too easy for me. I can't wait to meet the little one :)
Sorry about the ginormous watermark...it doth not mar your perfection.
]]>I am excited to offer a FREE senior photo session to a junior girl from North East High School in North East, Pennsylvania. Details in the flyer below. Please send your nominees and a quick blurb on why she should be selected to [email protected] Please feel free to contact me with any questions. (I also may or may not have a make-up artist donating her services if we can coordinate on the same day! Very exciting!)
The lucky girl will have me for 2 hours with 2 outfit changes and up to 2 locations of your choice. We can work together on recommendations as this is where I grew up and it is one of THE most beautiful places I have ever been. You will get at LEAST 10-15 professionally finished photos, a web gallery with options to buy professionally developed prints, and a DVD of the photos.
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A)It is normally hotter than blazes...and not just hot...muggy-wet-blanket-smothering-sweating-as-soon-as-you-walk-out-the-door hot;
B) It is either raining, just rained, or is getting ready to rain;
C) It occurs on a weeknight (I wake up at 430am for my 'grown-up' job); and
D) the utter madness of the crowds in the Metro following such an event...
....you would understand!
This year it just happened to come to a fortuitous confluence of NONE OF THE ABOVE and having my best friend/love along with me. So, I finally took the 5-10 minutes it takes to figure out my wireless remote (that had been sitting in my bag for months)...dug out my el cheapo Walmart tripod...yes, I took the following photos with it...and we traipsed on over to the (Virginia side of the) Potomac...which I think might be the best place to be!
I made poor Bill move a couple times because there was a plastic fence in the way..we crossed the GW and got a great spot. I was worried the lights from the traffic on GW and the cop car lights would impact the photos, but it really didn't...the only thing I'd wish I'd done was stay for some nighttime shots of the city afterwards...but I am pretty excited about what I shot anyway. Washington D.C., you are beautiful.
Hope you enjoy!
Happy Independence Day!
]]>While I myself do not have children...well, only the furry sort... I have always loved being around children who breathe life and wonder into little moments which happily takes me back to when everything was new and exciting. What is better than a child grinning at you, grabbing your hand to drag you somewhere, handing you flowers to "keep forever", and today, a little girl dressed as Supergirl saying, "You look beautiful!"? (images of said girl are to come)....and what could possibly be better than my 2 y/o nephew spontaneously saying a million dollar phrase forever etched in my heart, "I luz you, An Ky-ah!" *
*(translation: "I love you, Aunt Kyla")
Happy Mother's Day to all of the awesome mother's I know, thank you to Carrie for letting me photograph her beyond adorable family on her day of, ahem, honor, (even though you felt a little snubbed by the kids finding the park more exciting than having their photo taken with Mom and Dad)....and most importantly thank you to THE most wonderful, incredible, talented, warm, loving, generous mother a girl could ever have...I love you...and I luz you too! (photo courtesy of my Dad)
