What I Did This Summer

In the spirit of back-to-school time I thought I'd write a "what I did this summer" essay. I'm trying to relive the good old days of 5th grade here...humor me :)

The recent months have been extremely busy, but extremely awesome. Tom and I moved into a new home. We weathered a seemingly endless remodel that had the fridge in the family room and the toilet on the balcony (no, we didn't use it out there), and boxes that still need to be unpacked. We've traveled across states for concerts, workshops and weddings.

The last few months have whirled by and mostly I'm just trying to keep up. But when I stop and take a moment to look back I am so grateful. My life has been enriched by each place I've taken in and by each unique person I've shared the moments with. Sometimes I can't believe how fortunate I have been.

Once the dust settles (literally) I will be back to blogging. In the meantime here's a few cel phone pics I've snapped along the way.

under construction

enjoying the new view

Andy, Mike and me reflecting with Tom at Phish, Darien Lake

Pittsburgh roadtrip to see the The Decemberists play "Hazards" in full

Kenny Kim's shot of us modeling at the Davis Love Story Workshop in MD

golden

Tom's view of the Tahoe wedding

I Have The Best Job

I have the best job. It's true. Every photo session is a new experience. Peeking into people's lives and the bond they share as a family. It's an opportunity for me to connect with new people and capture their spirit to be looked back upon for years to come. Each family is beautifully unique and I always take so much away from every experience. I had so much fun taking pictures with Annemarie, Jeff and their two adorable daughters. Emily is at the stage where she sticks her tongue out at everything...it's so funny and adorable at the same time. Makayla has boundless energy. She's spunky and carefree; just like a 4 year old should be. I had to sneak my shots in between playing with her dollhouse and a few rounds of zingo, which of course she beat me at fair and square! I'm looking forward to a rematch at our next session, and hopefully more fun pictures of this beautiful family.

Homecoming

When I received an email from Theresa months ago, I was so excited. She and her husband Jim were in the process of adopting a baby from Ethiopia and wanted to have someone at the airport to take pictures of a small gathering of friends and family that would be there to welcome them. I knew it would be unlike any other job I've had and was thrilled to be a part of it. I didn't want to miss a second of such a monumental event so I asked Tom to come along too. Neither one of us had any idea what was in store.

When the date finally arrived, we got to the airport early. I pulled a few strings and got to the gate to wait for them while Tom stayed on the other side of security waiting with the small group of friends and family that had already gathered. When Theresa and Jim got off of the plane they were excited to show off their beautiful little angel. They were all smiles and definitely had no idea of the reception awaiting them. None of us did. As we approached the exit we could see rows and rows of friends and family, balloons and banners, it was unreal. When the doors opened there was an explosion of cheers, crying, laughter, and hugs. I wasn't prepared for how hard that would hit me. Overwhelmed by emotion I fought back tears while I tried to catch every smile, every hug, every once in a lifetime moment. This was the beginning for them. After a long road of paperwork and trip around the world...they were finally home together, and their friends and family made sure they had the warmest welcome home ever. It was one of the most beautiful moments I've ever witnessed.





































I will forever remember Luca's excited smile...and the way Jim and Theresa beamed as she carried him around and introduced him to all the people that will be a part of his new life here. Several weeks later and I still get choked up thinking about it. It was amazing; and unforgettable and I am so honored to have been a part of such a monumental event in their lives.

Many thanks to Tomas Flint for coming along and catching some fantastic shots of this incredible day. For more information on BFAS Ethiopian Adoption click here.

Art for Art

A while back Kerry contacted me looking for headshots for a project she's working on. A super talented glass bead artist, she was looking for some pictures of herself at work in her studio for a book she's writing. I of course was jazzed about seeing her in action. She's an artist with a talent I wanted to know more about, and I was going to watch her work her magic! When the day finally came, I was as fascinated as I thought I'd be. Kerry was so cool; she made my job easy! She excitedly welcomed me into the studio, showed me all of her 'gear' and chatted with me while she demonstrated her skills. With a rainbow of glass rods, torch, steady hand, and her incredible talent she whipped up little masterpieces. In between snaps I found myself in awe of the glass, their brilliant colors and her ability to meld them into beautiful, wearable pieces of art. I'm telling you, she is amazingly talented. Don't take my word for it though, check out her site and her blog to get the full impression.

I had so much fun watching Kerry in action and now that I've seen her stuff first hand, I know more than a few people that will love to have one of her creations for themselves, myself included (hint, hint). If you're ready to own a beautiful piece of jewelry that will wow people you have to talk to Kerry. Be on the lookout for news of her book coming out...I for one am definitely psyched to see it!

Songs At Home

There are so many reasons I love sharing a home with Tom. He doesn't mind doing the dishes. He's not that much of a sore loser when I beat him at Wii bowling and doesn't gloat too much when he wins. He makes me tea in the morning. The list could go a mile long but one thing I'm particluarly grateful for is the music he fills the house with. Guitar in hand and full of passion he'll belt out favorites from Pearl Jam, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, or one of the many beautiful songs he's written. He can make me laugh, warm my heart, or bring me to tears with the sounds and songs he makes. I can't imagine living in a house without music and thanks to Tom I won't ever have to.

Here he is after some songs at home with his much loved guitar.





Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. - Plato

A Mind of His Own

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with David and his parents Steve and Mary.  From the moment I got there David was only interested in one thing, play time.  The images I caught were stolen in between bribes of time with his toys...in just one more minute.  Thankfully we were able to distract him long enough to catch him being his charismatic self.  David has quite a big personality for such a little man.  He took over the room...where he sat, how he sat, and who he sat with... it was all up to him.  Pictures with mom and dad weren't enough.  We HAD to take some with his green dinosaurs too.  He is sweet, funny, and clearly knows what he wants.  A little man with a mind of his own for sure.

A Bond For Life

I have the best job. Really. I have been so lucky to work with the most wonderful people that always add more joy to my day. This session was no exception. These kids teased each other, drove tractors around, joked with me, made snowballs and even started an attack on dad! In spite of all the mischief that's typical to kids at this age you can tell they have a special bond. It was awesome to spend some time with a family that so clearly enjoys their time together. It reminded me of how thankful I am for my family; for my sister and brother. The bond siblings share is unique and one that I am extremely grateful for. I love to think that these kids will only grow closer as the years go on. Aren't they a beautiful bunch?

How They Grow!

I will never stop being amazed by the little hands and tiny fingers, spontaneous giggles and extraordinary light that comes from little ones. I often wonder how it's possible that I was ever that size, how any of us were that small once. So innocent and so full of wonder. During photo sessions I often find myself standing in awe of these fascinating little creatures. Their innocence and wonder makes me wish I could remember who I was when I was that small. How it felt to be so wide eyed and unaware of myself. The younger years fade away too fast and before we know it these moments become memories. For my part, I just keep trying to stop time for families with babies that are growing way too fast. The last time I saw Ella she was just 3 months old. It's 3 months later...she's changed so much, and surely too fast for her parents!