Julia’s Blogfest

I completely forgot to blog about a belly session last month and since then these new parents have come in for their newborn session.  I am so honored to have been selected to be their photographer.  Little Miss “C’s daddy owns and is one of the instructors for my boys thrice-weekly TaeKwonDo classes at Capitol Martial Arts Academy.  I have fallen in love with this place as have they since last August when we started.   Unfortuantely, we’ll have to move on later this summer once we get into a routine in our new community which isn’t as close to the school as we are now.  But at least we got a year in!

Congrats on baby “C”!!

Again, another December shoot that I’m just now blogging.  Heather is a good friend whom I have done MANY shoot for — families, her babies and now her 3rd pregnancy!  She was a sport in that we did all sort of clothing changes and messed with accessories and fabrics.  Had a great time!  Doesn’t she look amazing?

First of all, I have updated the look and feel of my blog a bit and I hope you like it!  So do let me know.  I am tweaking it a lot so if you see something off, please alert the forces as this will be a work in progress as I have time.

Secondly, Happy New Year to all my loyal blog subscribers and blogline readers!  I adore all of you and am grateful to know I am not blogging in vain!   I had a terrific 2008 personally and professionally.  Professionally, my work skyrocketed, somehow, and I’m blessed and overjoyed with the direction it has taken.  I have also met so so so many wonderful photographer-friends along the way and love that aspect of my work as well (you know who you are!).  I feel that between clients and colleagues, my heart and soul are filled and I’m doing the right thing!   To that point, I will be co-hosting a photographer get-together/learning session/social afternoon in a few weeks (my good buddy Armin deFiesta is the organizer) and from the looks of the invite, there will be over 25 attending — only a handful of which I know personally.  So here’s to more networking and friends – and if you have not been added to his growing DC networking list, let me know and I’ll be sure he adds you to all communication.

Now on to business!  Little Miss Ainsley was born 3 weeks early and here’s her photographic debut!  Her mom purchased my Bebe package and came in for her maternity session in the nick of time!  Look at how gorgeous mom is too!!  We did the session around the 2nd week in December.  Then,  just days before Christmas mom emails to inform me of Ainsley’s early arrival — the week after our maternity session.  With the holiday madness, I had to figure out a way to get them in asap and we were able to do the shoot earlier this week.  And we did manage to get her little buns in at the 2 week mark.  Whew!  She cooperated FULLY for this session as you will see.  And because I am still behind on December sessions for my blogfestworld, I am finally posting mom’s maternity pix as well as the newborn session photos here.

It’s so refreshing to ‘mess around’ and paint with light! I had the magnificent mom-to-be, Claire, come in for her first baby’s maternity session this week. I have not edited the photos yet but have some favorites that I must show! It renewed my interest in these ‘belly sessions’ and I hope to do more this winter when environmental sessions are non-existent in this part of the country! Time flew — Claire was here nearly 2 hours and I had no idea! She was a superior subject and to think, days before, called me panicked — thinking she would cancel as she thought she was too big and unattractive for this type of session! HOGWASH! Kudos to you Claire for going for it!

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What? 2 blog entires in one night? The madness! I’m getting worried that March is here! It means 2 weddings, spring portraits kick in, orders from late winter that are suddenly happening and Harry’s 5th bday this week to plan for! Where did the slow days of winter go? It’s a mixed blessing. Work=fun! So I’m trying to crank thru my 3 shoots from last week and get it done before spring really reveals itself to me with more work.

Jennifer is due in April with baby #2. Her other baby is 7 years old! So she almost has a built in babysitter! NICE. She found me, oddly, thru Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep as she met a woman recently who is having a baby this spring with Trisomy 13 and had contacted the charity for their services. No matter how often I hear cases that request our services, it still pains me to hear it. Jennifer wisely deduced that if I work for the charity, I must photograph babies. Love that.

We had a great time. Jennifer was very laid back and comfortable which just makes my job easy and fun. Since I still feel I’m on the learning curve for maternity, I shot a lot and she was patient. I shot with 3 fabric pieces, 2 backdrop colors and various lighting scenarios. I had a great time, she was a wonderful model and I think we ended up with some great belly-beauty shots!