Julia’s Blogfest

I had to email Jessica (mom) and complain to her for having such a cute family. I literally had a hard time editing their photos (and I’m still not done) down to a reasonable number!!! They all turned out so well b/c everyone was happy and relaxed. Sweet Declan is one of my Bebe Collection babies (shoots at newborn, 6 months and a year) and this was the 6 month mark. You may remember him from his shoot last winter.

I so love this age — I have said this time and time again — but really, when they are stationary, they are content with what’s around them, and it makes for a fun and easy shoot. Declan has one of those amazing gummy smiles that just makes me laugh.

So glad to have another great friend+family in my professional world — Jess is one of my faithful blog readers and I thank her for that!

I love learning and absorbing new information pertaining to the art of photography. I think I took my first class in 1991 right after college, and then formally (in a program) from 1995-2000 — then a year off and then a couple independent studies after that. I still feel I have SO much to learn and we’re almost in 2009! One of the classes I took and despised was studio lighting. It bored me, felt stale, and I didn’t like the lack of freedom enviromental photography offers. In looking back, I recall that working in a group was the problem. I had to work with 3 others who were BLAH! For lack of a better word. I had a couple friends in my program but geeeez, the others ones…You know what I’m talking about — group projects are never fun. So fast forward to today — I have studio space in my home that is ‘portable’ and enjoyable and I decide what to shoot and how to shoot it. I now have 3 lights, a few backgrounds and am learning how fun it can be thru other resources — books, forums and friends (right Liz?!). So in refining my ‘high key’ stuff, I asked my model, Harry, to help out. He has a hard time not being goofy but I did manage to get him to SIT STILL for a few.

For those of you that know her, my mom is otherwise known as “bita” — which is an abbreviation for Abuela, or Grandma, in Spanish. Even I call her Bita.

On this day (or tomorrow actually — Sept 19th) 75 years ago, my mama was born in Manila, Philippines! She doesn’t look a day over 74! Kidding mom — you are a rock star. I am so lucky to have such a great presence in my life with her loving me, my husband and my kids so much. And a constant prayer – person!

The following pix are of her and my dad (who passed in 1997) when she was prego with my brother in 1958. Aren’t they hot? And one of my absolute favorite photos of she and I in 1971 or so. Can we look ANY more different with our coloring?! You bet she got a lot of stares with me when I was little!

and I love this photo of her taken this summer with Harry!

(Not until I posted these photos together did I realize how much my Harry looks like me – aside from the blue vs. brown eyes. FINALLY. Even the goofy grin and the lack of eyebrows! It’s cool as I rarely think either of my kids look like me!)

I don’t know why I just said that but I did. These two lovebirds are adorable. I shot their wedding at Glenview Mansion in MD in late August (yes, am late AGAIN with blogging). They were the sweetest couple and their families were easy to be around which just makes my job that much more fun. One of MY highlights of their wedding was seeing an “Ace of Cakes” (aka Charm City Cake) wedding cake!!! I am smitten with that show and I don’t watch much TV! Anyway, not only did it LOOK amazing but it tasted amazing. (shhhhhhhh — am I allowed to indulge?). We ran out of daylight when doing formal portraits so I’ll be going back in a few weeks so do more portraits of them — yes, I successfully convinced them to don their attire again! A true wedding photographer is never happy until they get ENOUGH portraits of the bride and groom! I only had about 7 minutes with the two of them and the sun was going down fast. So more of them to come later! Until then, some shots of their big day….

How cute is she?

Love the level of emotion in the ceremony…

literally seconds before I had to stop shooting — I was pushing the limits of my camera and flash here….hard to tell but it truly was dark.

KILLER CAKE!

Helen’s babies…..I want one!

This year has been so fun with all my toddlers (12-24 months specifically) — they are one of the hardest ages to shoot b/c they are always on the go and rarely still for a few posed photos but if I can get a few, they are usually great shots. They are expressive, budding new personalities and often times hilarious and funny to be around. The simplest things make them happy. That was no exception for Miss Grace. She was a hoot. She has the cutest scrunchy nose and was a delight to photograph. Her parents were also so easy to be with and made for an awesome shoot. (thanks to Jane S. for sending Grace’s family my way!

and my favorite of the entire shoot!