Spring Family Portrait Session in Baltimore.

Meet Finn, Mia and their parents.  I went for a visit to their Federal Hill home on stunning day last week.  We spent a little time inside exploring their home, because I love to incorporate a family's home and world into the images.  We also ventured to Federal Hill Park , a favorite park setting up the street from their home, with baseball bats and tonka trucks in tow.

Lets meet the family!

This is Finn.  Amazing blue eyes and a ton of energy!

This is Mia.  She is very aware of her world.

I love gummy smiles!

It's fun being a big brother...for a minute or so.

Well, of course we had to break out the tutu.

Here's mom and dad.  Doing what they do best.

Being a kid rocks.

The whole family.

I cannot wait to help design their walls with these images.  They will look terrific in their very hip rowhome.

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"Community" is still alive and kicking.

I witnessed something special yesterday and it got me thinking... a lot.  As my family trudged through the snow covered landscape of our yard to rescue our cars and buy food, I saw a large group of folks across the way with shovels in hand ready to dig.  I figured they were doing what we were doing- getting ready to dig their own cars with the hope the salt truck, or even better, a plow would come through to give us access to our roads.  Almost two hours later we trudged back on foot from our cleaned off cars, bags of groceries in hand, and a shovel.  To my amazement my neighbors had done more than just cleaned their cars, they dug their entire street out of the snow...to the pavement.  I was so amazed and it enlightened me about what it really means to be neighborly and part of a community.

We've witnessed many catastrophic events this past decade, some occuring within our own families, many from our televisions in far away places, and some just a plane ride away. Sometimes we shake our heads in disbelief and think to ourselves "how aweful, I wish there is something I could do."  And more times than not, we do something about it.  Millions have heeded the call for "help" in Haiti using their own two hands or a donation.  It's these disasters, however big or small,  that get us out of our heads and out of our little incubated worlds.  Snowmageddan being one of them.  I have met more of my neighbors in a five-hour period of time shoveling snow this week than I have the three years I've lived in my house. 

I'm grateful, in many ways, for the snowstorms.  They got me out of the house, out of my car, away from my computer, and into the open arms of very kind people.  I feel like a neighbor now.

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Joy & Mark. A Holiday Season Wedding in Baltimore.

It's not very often you meet people from large families.  The way I met this couple was through a fantastic make-up artist, Amie Decker, that I work with often.  Her husband is one of eight kids whose sister, Joy, was getting married. Have I confused you, yet?  Mark, the groom, has a large family as well. So, this was truly a family affair. 

I was so thrilled to have been asked to document this wedding.  When you see all of the siblings in a room together, you can feel the energy of closeness.  It's so wonderful.  Not to mention how much in love Joy & Mark are.  I mean gaga love.  And they are both so beautiful inside and out. 

The theme of the wedding was feathers, gloves, and a bit of a vintage feel.  The Belvedere in Baltimore was the perfect backdrop for their event.

Many congratulations to this amazing couple and their lovely, big families.

A special thank you to Elisha, who helped create beautiful images of their day.

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Meet Jack. A Newborn Session with the Poray Family

I'm excited to start off the New Year with a New Life.  This is Jack Poray, little brother of Charlie.  Jack is basically a minature version of Charlie.  You can see it in his eyes and his tiny mannerisms.  He showed up earlier than planned.  This, of course, was a bit stressful for Paige who hadn't painted his room and was still in the midst of the Christmas rush. This is a good sign that Jack has plans, big plans, and nothing is going to stop him.

Look out 2010!

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Evan. Almost Walking!

Evan & his family are doing one of our Life Stages sessions.  This was Stage 5 of the 6 session package.  So, I've seen this little person grow since he was in the belly.  The change is amazing. This was Evan as a newborn. For this session Cassidy & I met at Cromwell Valley Park, a favorite place of mine, to let Evan see a few new sights and sounds and to see what happens.  He thoroughly enjoyed the leaves, the grass, the shadows, doing his little crab crawl and mommy!

Here are a few of my favorites.

I want that leaf!

Evan's crab crawl is so cute.  So innovative.

A little shadow chasing.

He's so close to walking!

Yummy light.

I just love his little tongue.  So cute.

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Jessica & Bobby. An E-Session in Fells Point, Baltimore.

Jessica & Bobby met in high school.  Yes, high school.  Think Breakfast Club.  And now they're getting married.  So cool.  They are doing a Baltimore MD-style wedding at the gorgeous Botanical Gardens in Druid Hill Park in early October.  To keep in tune with the Baltimore theme, they chose Fells Point as the place for their E-Session.  And it's where Bobby proposed to Jessica.

Bobby hid a bottle of wine with a card beneath the dock (see where the little ledge is) and proposed that way.  Jessica said she was complaining because they were walking around for a long while (he was waiting for the right moment) and she didn't know what was going on.  Isn't that always the case.

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Jill & Michael. A Love Story at the Tremont Grand in Baltimore.

Jill & Michael, NYC based lovebirds, are an amazing couple to work with.  And a little crazy.  Within a week of their wedding they are moving into a new apartment, taking care of the final wedding details from NYC, packing for their honeymoon and their stay in Baltimore, and working.  Crazy, no?  But, the final result was a simply beautiful wedding with stunning florals by JJ Cummings with catering & room design by Tremont Grand. They used a sophisticated color palatte of whites, off whites, and a hint of purple.  Their cake, by Pattisserie Poupon, was one-of-a-kind.  I had never seen a cake like this before.  Amazing. And Powerhouse had the guests on the dance floor all night.

Thanks Wendy Hickok for helping me document this very special event.

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