5,000 miles, 11 states and 3 cars

In light of my previous post, I think some family photos are needed.  My family and I recently returned from a cross-country road trip that took us from our home in the Washington, D.C. area to visit my parents in Tucson, Arizona.  Along the way we visited several national parks, slept in many motels, and drove three different cars in an effort to assist family members in a move. (We are thinking of starting our own auto-transport business as this was a more enjoyable part of the trip than we anticipated.)  While at times we felt like the Griswolds from National Lampoon’s Family Vacation, no serious high jinx occurred! And I am no Chevy Chase.

Will and Ben enjoyed sleeping in the motels and playing.

Will enjoyed the free continental breakfasts, as did my wallet.

In Vandalia, IL we MADE the boys visit the historic state capitol where Lincoln served time as a legislator.  You can tell the boys were thrilled.

Ben demonstrates how he and Will kept amused during the long days in the car:

In Arizona we visited the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

Will was not happy about hiking on this trail with a posted rattlesnake warning.  Perhaps children do have better judgement than their parents!

While visiting this National Park, Will and Ben earned their Junior Ranger Badge and certificate. Here they are being sworn in:

Before visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon we stayed at Jacobs Lake Inn.  I recommend both the inn and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon highly.

Jenny and I had previously visited the South Rim and found the North Rim as beautiful and more serene.

On the only road to the North Rim, we passed eerie evidence of recent forest fires.

We were all excited to finally arrive in Tucson, so we could swim and spend time with family.

While we were visiting Tucson the monsoon rains began and we were treated to some beautiful sunsets and a few rainbows!  That was our reward for enduring 105 degree temperatures.  (Though it is a dry heat. )

In all it was a wonderful vacation and we are happy to be home!

 

 

 

Genealogy and photography

My 85 year old father is a life-long genealogist and has been working hard to compile all his research on his family history into a book for publication.  Recently I agreed to assist him in organizing and scanning many of the photographs he has collected for eventual inclusion in his book.  Looking at old family photographs as a child first kindled my interest in photography.  It is magical to gaze at a photograph of an ancestor never met.  As a father I document my own family with copious photographs and I wonder at times about who might be viewing my photographs 30 or 80 or 100 years in the future.  As a photographer I wonder who years from now will be looking at photographs I create for clients of weddings and other family events.  In most cases the names of the people behind the camera of family photographs are forgotten, but the images can continue to resonate across generations.  Perhaps I am over sentimental, but that to me is the true gift of photography. 

The following photograph churned up these thoughts for me:

 It is a photograph of my great-grandfather’s family taken around 1885 in Mansfield, Ohio, the city I grew up in.  My grandfather, William, is the boy on the left; he was born in 1878 and died in 1970, with-in a year of my birth.  On the back of the photograph is information about the photographer:

His name was Theodore. H. Campbell.  According to Artists in Ohio, 1787-1900: A Biographical Dictionary

 By Mary Sayre Haverstock, Jeannette Mahoney Vance as found on books.google.com, Mr. Campbell was “active from 1883 to 1889 or later in Mansfield (Richland), where he was the partner of Albert N. Camp.  During the late 1890s he worked in Van Wert”, Ohio.  It would take a lot more work to discover what happened to Mr. Campbell.  I imagine Mr. Campbell was compensated for his work, but nonetheless I am grateful he made the photograph.  I am grateful to my great-grandparents for making the time to sit for a family photograph.  I am also grateful to members of the intervening generations for preserving this photograph.  I will now return it along with a digital copy to safe keeping where it will wait to be enjoyed, I hope, by other descendants of my great-grandfather, perhaps another 120 years in the future.

When was the last time you made photographs of your family and are they well preserved in an album, frame or on a back-up DVD or hard drive?

Florrie and Rick: Intimate and Elegant

When I met with Florrie and Rick to discuss the details of their wedding, they repeatedly emphasized their vision of an intimate and elegant afternoon.  Their wedding brought family and friends from east and west and from north and south to the beautiful and elegant Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C.  From the intimate Garden rooms of the hotel to Florrie’s elegant dress, the ceremony, reception and dinner created a wedding equally beautiful, joyous, intimate and elegant.

I couldn’t help but feel the love that radiated between Rick and Florie.  They are a fun, thoughtful, joyful, and, yes, elegant, couple.  

Florrie’s daughter Laura served as her mother’s Maid of Honor:

Florrie and her mother presented each other with a strand of pearls:

 

Florrie’s son escorted his mother down the aisle:

 

The courtyard of the Mandarin Oriental was a beautiful backdrop for photographing Florrie and Rick after the ceremony:

 

Florrie and Rick had the Mandarin Oriental divide the Garden Room in a creative fashion to accommodate an intimate reception as well as dinner site:

 

I want to thank Florrie and Rick for allowing me to photograph their wedding and to share the day with them.  I wish them all the happiness in their married life.

Canon 5D

I have spent the last several days acquainting myself with my new Canon 5D and lenses.  My family has become resigned to being overphotographed whenever I get new equipment.  

Here is my youngest son playing outside, photographed with the 80-200 f2.8 IS:

Here my youngest again after swimming, phtographed with the 24-105 f4 IS:

Using the 50mm 1.4, I photographed one of our dogs, Bailey; Bailey with my oldest son Will; and my youngest son again.

After three days, I have grown to enjoy using the 5D and the above Canon lenses. While, I had read for several years about the great image quality of the 5D, seeing has made a believer of me.  In addition all these lenses work great in combination with the Canon 580 EX II flash.  I look forward to photographing more with this wonderful equipment.

Jenny’s Quinceanera

Jenny turned 15 and her parents hosted a beautiful, traditional Quinceanera for her on May 9th at the Rockville Glenview Mansion.  She was surrounded by many friends and family who helped her celebrate in style.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fancy Cakes by Leslie crafted a beautiful and delicious cake!

 

Laura and Rich

Allison Britton has been keeping me busy assisting her photographing the weddings of many wonderful couples.   Earlier in April, I had the pleasure of assisting her at Laura and Rich’s wedding in Virginia.  The weather this spring has been great and this day was no exception; the rain held of until after dark.  The ceremony was held at the historic Aquia Church.

 

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont proved a lovely setting for the reception.  And what a fun reception it was! Laura, her family and friends were joined by Rich’s family and friends, most of whom travelled all the way from England to attend.

 

 

 

Allison and I were joined by Jamie from Borrowed Blue Photography, who gave me some fresh ideas and perspectives on wedding photography.  Thanks Jamie!

I wish Laura and Rich all the best in their new lives together.

Lindsey and Devin

Allison Britton asked me to photograph as her second during the wedding of a member of her extended family.  The wedding was beautiful, the bride was radiant, and the weather was perfect.  Though late in beginning, the ceremony and reception were worth the wait as family and friends gathered to celebrate the marriage of a couple who radiated their love for each other.

I had the privilage of photographing both Devin getting ready and Lindsey before she came down for the ceremony.  Allison made more beautiful images of Lindsey getting ready, but I enjoyed the opportunity to take a few as well.

 

The ring bearer and flower girl were about the cutest children I have seen!

The ceremony itself was very moving.

After the ceremony, Allison did a wonderful job of flow posing.  I made these two images over her shoulder.

Back inside, Devin and Lindsey took several turns around the dance floor looking very in love and happy.

Here are a few other scenes from the day.

I want to extend my best wishes to Devin and Lindsey for a happy and healthy life together.  And as always, my thanks to Allison for allowing me to assist her in photographing.

 

Peaceful Dawn

I recently spent some time with my god-daughter, Jane.  Her given Chinese name translates to “peaceful dawn.”  Her name suits perfectly her delightful, sparkling personality.

Scenes From Spring Vacation

As spring vacation draws to an end, I wanted to share some photographs.  For his birthday Ben got his own Nintendo DS so he and Will could both play Pokemon for hours at a time.  

I managed to pry the boys away from their games to take a hike at Carderock with some friends.   

When not hiking, playing outside, or playing on the nintendo, the boys were busy looking after their webkinz.  

Love = Joy

Last weekend I had the pleasure of assisting Allison Britton photograph a wedding in which the couple’s love for each other and their family and friends was clear and beautiful.  The world would be a better place if we all loved each other as fully and unconditionally. Allison Britton, the photographer I shoot for, is incredibly gifted and talented; she has more photographs from the day posted on her blog under the post, Christine and Sylvia’s Wedding.Here are a few of the photos I made for Allison:   

 

      

 

       

During this wedding, I was the third photographer.  Allison’s second photographer was Paige, a talented photographer out of Richmond, VA. Here is a photo of Allison and Paige [back at you, Paige:)]