Certainly three of my favorite images from the year. Bree is a gorgeous bride and Bunny makes a stunning Dog-of-Honor. Or was it Best Dog? I’m not quite sure.

Ahhh, finally! It’s that time of year when I have just a wee bit of time for personal projects. Albums from last year’s weddings are pretty much designed and done. 2012 weddings and portraits won’t start for a couple of more weeks. Now is the time when I can do a few things that I’ve been putting off for a while.

This year I’m working on some books and the first one I want to get done is a jaunt I took to Asia back in 2006. I can’t even believe that it’s been over five years since that trip so I’m thinking it’s actually time to go back and visit a few places I missed.

I’ve started this project a couple of times. The cover is designed. A lot of the images have been prepared. But, there’s still some work to be done and then I have to put it all together. In going back through the photographs it’s kind of interesting how time changes your perspective on things. You forget some things and thankfully we have photographs to pull a little bit on the memory and bring things back. Forgotten but not gone so to speak. And then there’s the photographs that really didn’t speak much to me when I first edited them shortly after returning from the trip. I’m seeing some of them in a different way and I’m actually glad I let a little time go by before I finished this project.

Anyway, here is one of my favorites from that trip. It was taken in a market area in Hanoi, but this little area was tucked away from the craziness that exists in most of these markets. It was a quiet little courtyard with beautiful light and I’m sure that the vendor enjoys this little place where they prepare their foods for sale out on the street.

I love weddings with kids in them cause they will be sure to provide entertainment at some point during the day. This little guy was hard at work trying to get the ring bearer brigade ready for a quick exit. 

Is it any wonder why people love getting married at Sundara? Everything always seems perfect.

Wedding season is upon us and it is HOT and heavy. Especially HOT!

Here are a few more from the Liz and Matt’s eSession back in cooler times.

I love The Signing Book and at Saturday’s wedding I was reminded several times why they’re so special.

Earlier in the day I had asked the groom what he thought of it as only the bride and her mom came by the studio to pick it up and take a first peek. His comment….. “It was way beyond what I expected”. I get that kind of comment a lot from my clients. They’ve seen my sample albums and signing books. They’ve looked at a proof of their own before it goes to press. But, to see a finished album or book and hold it in their hands is something special. They thumb through the pages and see a portrait of their life,  a “forever” piece that captures a very, very special time.

It made me think of wedding albums, too. I feel sorry for today’s couples who forego the album for a “disc of images and copyrights please”.  They miss the real “art” of their day, the final piece that keeps it fresh forever. Sometimes it amazes me that they will drive around in a $ 25,000 car that will be a bedraggled heap of rust in 50 years. But, the wedding album which would have been loved by them, their parents, their children and their children’s children, never was. It just doesn’t make sense. It’s such a small investment in comparison.

Anyhoo, back to the Signing Book. It was the end of the day and the bride and groom had been sent off by all their family and friends. I wandered back up to the reception venue and to the table where the signing book had been for the evening. I thumbed through it and, despite the fact that I knew it intimately, the last time I had seen it it hadn’t been loved yet, at least not thoroughly loved. As I went from page to page, I noticed it was completely full. Not just signatures with “Best Wishes”, but messages of love, affirmation, encouragement, remembrance and  reflection.

So, there it was. The flowers were stunning and made for a spectacular day. But, soon they were to be no more. The food was amazing and everyone raved about it as they enjoyed the evening, but now there were only empty plates, balled up napkins, and ice melting in the glasses. The band was awesome and everyone danced the night away. Now they were packing it up to head home as the party was over. Yet, over in the corner the Signing Book was still there, better than ever; filled with beautiful photos, memories, and words that will last forever. And in my bag with used up batteries, sweat soaked napkins, lens caps strewn galore, were the photos that will be crafted into the story of their day. The beautiful custom wedding album awaits the rest of their life.

So worth it :)

Kemper

Today was the Festival Virgin del Mar, and they celebrated in Playa Sámara with a procession of ox carts on the beach.

It happens. But, most of the time it’s pretty cool.

Spent the weekend in a PATC cabin by Shenandoah National Park and we had a spectacular sunrise coming through the ice covered trees right outside the cabin on Saturday morning.

…..and here’s the totally freakin’ gorgeous panoramic view from the front porch of the cabin. Just incredible!

I went out for a bit yesterday after it stopped snowing.