Valley Forge Engagement: Monica and Josh 2012-05-23

Under some delicious light on Saturday, Monica and Josh recanted how their co-workers set them up and how they’re crazy excited to get married next year…

Any Given Tuesday: Them 2012-05-22

These two. The bookends of the tribal bunch at nine years apart. They are polar opposites in so many ways. But still, they manage to come together…I think it’s more to appease me than anything else. So, looking ever so cute today, I begged for a picture of each of them. His was taken in the morning. Hers was taken just a few minutes ago. And now that I have them both to stare at I realize that dispute their differences there are so many qualities that they share. Posing for the camera is clearly one of them

Today… 2012-05-20

I realized that I’m too impatient for film. I love it. It made me slow down and really think about the shot. It brought me back to my film days. But, I totally caught myself every time I looked at the back of the camera for the picture. I seriously love the instant gratification.

Here’s an image from this morning… I heart this kid. He’s so stinkin’ cool.

Four Years Ago… 2012-05-16

I found her on Facebook a few months back and sent her the most heartfelt thank you note I’ve ever written to anyone. Unbeknownst to her, she had changed my life and I will forever be in her debt. It was a rainy morning when we met. Band of Gold was playing on the iPod. Sandwiches and bridesmaids were scattered about the room. Champagne was flowing. Kristen stood by the window, flute in hand, looking at garden wedding set up she wasn’t going to have. She turned when we walked in soaking wet, camera gear draped across our bodies and smiled the widest smile I’ve ever seen. She exclaimed, “I’m getting married today!” I sheepishly extended my hand to her and introduced myself as her second photographer for the day. Then I stood in the corner…so quiet…so unobtrusive…I may as well have been the wallpaper on the walls of the Lake House Inn.

It was my first wedding ever and I was scared as…well, you can only imagine. I had bailed on work that Friday to help a friend out under the guise of getting wedding cake at the end of the night. I never had intentions of becoming a wedding photographer. I never had intentions of owning a business. I never had the dream of owning a studio. I never…well…I could never imagine anything being what it is today. Never.

The day went on. The rain poured on. Her happiness never subsided. There was something about the day that just instantly made me fall in love. There was something about the day that made me work extra hard. There was something about the day that made me realize that this was what I was destined to do. That this would make me insanely happy. That this would turn mediocre dreams into outlandish realities.

Four years ago today, I shot my first wedding…ever. I went home that night insanely tired. Insanely achy. Insanely happy. I laid in bed that night after a hard day and whispered to Mike, “I’m going be a wedding photographer.” He flopped his arm across my back, pulled me closer and whispered, “uh huh…” This morning as I prepared to come into the studio I reminded him of this day four years ago and he said, “It seems so long ago.” For me however, it seems like only yesterday. I pulled out the DVD from the wedding and laughed. How in the world I thought back then that I would make this work is beyond me. It certainly wasn’t about the pictures! All I can say is that there’s something magical about wedding photography. There’s something amazing about being part of day. There’s something exhilarating and scary and fulfilling and awesome about what I get to for a living. It’s been a long, winding road…one that I hope never to see the end of.

Four years ago today, I did something that has completely changed my life and I couldn’t be happier.

So…this picture. We had just shot their first glance and were on our way downstairs for family formals when the couple and I became locked in a tiny stairwell that was being blocked on the other side by a grand piano. As we waited for the piano to be moved and the door to opened, I shot pictures. 

Ridley Creek Engagement: Erin and Matt 2012-05-17

All it takes is a simple glance in each other’s direction and they instantly start to giggle. While I’m sure my horrible jokes played their part in getting them to relax, they’re just naturally calm when the other is near. Ever the perfect match, Erin and Matt spent their evening with me yesterday and together, we giggled our way around Ridley Creek Park.