Northern Virginia Wedding: Shelley & David

David was excited as he donned his vest and jacket, surrounded by his best friends.  It was a six degrees of Kevin Bacon story - one groomsman had been the cornerstone on which these friendships were built throughout the years.  I could sense their closeness as they shared stories of the past and joked around with one another.  And David couldn't stop smiling.  Not because of all the stories, but because he was overjoyed with knowing he would soon wed the love of his life.

Shelley was glowing as her mother pinned the veil in her hair, and tears came to both their eyes as her mom stepped back and looked at the woman before her who was about to become a wife.  Shelley's glow matched the loving look in David's face as she anticipated taking him as her husband.

Their ceremony at St. Veronica's was filled with loving glances and sweet smiles, and the reception was a true testament to who they are as gracious and generous individuals.  Throughout the evening they selflessly gave recognition and praise to those around them.  Because of their July 3rd wedding, they honored the current and former service men and women in the room and spoke lovingly of those that were stationed overseas.  And since David's birthday was the following day, Shelley surprised him by leading us all in a rendition of "Happy Birthday" to celebrate her husband's turning another year older.  And to top it all off...in spite of all the guests who wanted their time and attention throughout the night, they made time to insist that Christine and I eat dinner and were always asking how we were doing and if we needed anything.  They are incredibly thoughtful and so giving!  (And, P.S., the filet and chicken topped with crab meat were to die for!  Seriously, the best reception meal I have ever had.)

Shelley and David, you are both just as sweet as can be, and I feel so honored and blessed to have shared in your beautiful and special day!  Much love to you both!

Also, a HUGE thank you to Christine of Christine Gacharna Photography for allowing me to shoot with you that day.  I *loved* working with you and can't wait to shoot together again!

Pretty place cards from Wedding Paper Divas matched perfectly with Shelley's hydrangea bouquet....

The guys insisted on staging the Iwo Jima memorial pose on the golf course at Old Hickory Golf Club!

A special thanks goes to Bob Artman who kept Christine and me informed of every event throughout the evening.  You are a true professional and we loved working with you! Pin It

Just Because...

As I finished culling and editing my OneLight Workshop images, I came across this one that I decided I really loved.  And so I'm posting it, well, because I can....  :)

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OneLight Workshop with Zack Arias

I signed up for his workshop last November as soon as I read the email releasing the tour dates and locations.  The Washington, DC stop for OneLight sold out in one day.  I was super excited, and almost thought I'd never see the day...seven plus months of waiting seemed like an eternity.  But it was worth the wait!

If you don't know (and if you don't know, what rock are you living under?!), Zack Arias is an Atlanta, GA-based, nationally renowned, music and editorial photographer.  Over the course of a nearly 15-hour day, Zack took the ever-intimidating and often-frustrating subject of off-camera lighting and broke it down to a 2nd grade level.  (Apparently, I'm stuck in 1st grade, because my eyes glazed and my head spun a couple of times throughout the day.)  He reviewed his preferred equipment and explained what he would use in what conditions.  He then walked us through the relationship of shutter speed, aperture and flash power, and how they all work together to give you the results you're seeking. 

Two of the most important lessons learned: 
- Previsualize:  You can't set up a shot if you don't know how you want it to look.
- Know Your Numbers!  Know the relationships between the numbers and how changing one setting affects another.  This means you aren't sitting there fiddling with your gear while your client waits for you.  (i.e. - if you want to open your aperture 3 stops, you know you need to bring your flash power down 3 stops, and you know exactly what those numbers are.)  And........practice, practice, practice!

Zack setting up a shot to practice fill flash:

Sarah was one of our hard working models for the day...

Emma Saal is a certified yoga teacher and Thai massage practitioner...

She gave us some killer moves to photograph later in the night:

Flow is a DC-based hip hop artist from Senegal and is a member of the group Wagëblë.  He has a real presence about him, and my absolute favorite images from the day were of him.

One of my last images taken around 11 p.m., when I was barely functioning and on information overload.  Emma, you were awesome for hanging in there till the end!

Thanks to Stacey Vaeth Gonzalez for graciously hosting the workshop at Past Tense Studio in Mt. Pleasant.  And a big thank you to Zack for all the wisdom you imparted throughout the day, and staying until all of our questions were answered.  Also, a huge thanks to Meg and the kids for allowing us to borrow Zack for the super long day.

If anyone is considering this workshop, don't hesitate to sign up!  I just love this guy....

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Showit Freedom Tour

Can I just tell you how much DC rocked the house on Monday?  We packed the downstairs of Ebenezer's Coffee House to learn more about Showit and be inspired by some seriously talented individuals in the photography (and graphic design) industry!

After Kevin provided some one-on-one training, Molly Jenson entertained us all with her smooth sound as people trickled in, caught up with old friends, and made new ones.  And not only is Molly super nice, but the girl is funny as well.  Seriously.  She's got jokes.  I picked up her new album "Maybe Tomorrow" and I love it!

David Jay kicked off the line-up with some words of inspiration, and The Boudoir Divas took the stage.  I've never really considered doing boudoir before, but their work is so tasteful and beautiful that I may give it a second thought.  Maybe.  In the future.  The very distant future.

Jim Davis Hicks.  Not only is he a great photographer, but he also gives back to the world.  And he gives back big.  He founded Thirst Relief International, an organization that helps provide safe drinking water to thousands of families each year. To read more about this organization's efforts or make a donation, click here. 

And last, but certainly not least, was Promise Tangeman.  (Yes, that's her real name!)  She is super sweet, super fun, and super talented!  I hate to pick favorites, but I'm going to!  She was my favorite speaker of the evening.  Probably because she's a graphic designer (she speaks my language!) as well as a photographer.  So everything she talked about resonated with me.  I had a chance to talk with her at the end of the night, and I absolutely love this girl!

You always hear about how nice of a guy DJ is, but....  Okay, it's absolutely true.  I only talked to him for a minute, but he is one of the most down-to-earth, sincere guys I've ever met.  Thank you, DJ, for your constant inspiration and genuine love for others.  Also, thank you for bringing the Showit Freedom tour to DC!!

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Bridal Tea: Nairi

I love bridal showers.  They are intimate settings with the bride's closest friends and family.  And what I love even more is a themed bridal shower, complete with florals, place settings, and jaw-dropping details.  I recently had the pleasure of documenting Nairi's bridal tea, which was planned and flawlessly put together by the ever-amazing Karla Mitchell of Kelley Cannon Events.  I'm a details girl - I could document details morning, noon and night, every day of the week, twice on Sunday, and even in my sleep - and Karla's attention to detail never disappoints.  Nairi's bridal tea had a hint of Alice in Wonderland theme, and made for a beautiful backdrop to a fun and celebratory event.

I was captivated by Nairi from the first moment I met her, and if she didn't already have tons of loyal and wonderful friends, I may have just tried to make her my BFF!  She's beautiful, fun, and oh-so-sweet with a little touch of wild side.  This girl loves Madonna and used to entertain her family with renditions of "Like a Virgin" when she was a child. 

Thank you, Nairi, for allowing me to capture your special celebration, and thank you, Karla, for putting together such a beautiful event!

 I loved these monogrammed mugs from Anthropologie!

Ohmyword.  Nairi...you're GORGEOUS!

Nairi's nod to Madonna...

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