Ok…. I’m fortunate enough to have the best clients possible who are some of the most gracious people you would ever want to meet. I get lots of love from them raving about their photos and most importantly their photography experience. That means so much to me because I put everything I’ve got into making a wonderful photography experience that they will remember forever forever.

But, yesterday I got an email from someone who was simply attending a recent wedding and wanted to pass along a compliment to the photographers. I suppose they weren’t quite sure that Kemper was there (she called me cute!), but as long as this business has my name on it…..I WILL be the photographer.

I was getting ready to go to lunch with a bunch of friends when the email came, and I suppose I was just a tad giddy after I read it. This email meant so much to me. Someone who doesn’t have a dime invested in my product took the time to make sure I felt appreciated. How huge is that?

So is this bragging?? I suppose it is. But I don’t have a bulletin board to hang all my nice cards and letters on for all my customers to see. So here it is…..my bragging wall-blog.

To all my clients (and really, everyone I come in contact with IS my client) thank you so much for all you give to me. Your trust me with one of the most important days of your Life, or maybe just an order for a 4×6 from the wedding. I appreciate it all. And, I certainly appreciate all the emails and comments that I get. They can really make a person feel good when they try so hard to please.

Oh….. and the pretty girl with the long brown hair holding the flash in the air for 5 hours…..thank you, too!

Kemper :)

Dodging raindrops is a challenge, but a downpour is cause for Plan B. A bit tough getting outdoor shots when the weather doesn’t cooperate, so you quickly take advantage of those windows of opportunity and keeps a towel handy to mop up the equipment. Weddings are full of beautiful things and all your friends and family, none of which require sunshine to enjoy and celebrate with anyway.

Michele and Dan were troopers when the skies started to cloud up. Not a complaint one. Nothing much to fear since all the plans were indoors anyway, but by the end of the day, the skies were blue, the sun was bright and they were headed for a fantastic extended honeymoon that I was pretty envious of.

Best Wishes Michele and Dan as you settle in to a new Life together! May a little rain on your wedding day provide all the fortune that fable promises.

Hey, I’m diggin’ that awesome sky and trippy shadow action for Kim and Brett’s esession. It was really kind of a fluke cloud cause the evening was pretty wide open sky for the most part. You never know when some background lovin’ will come your way.

This is a great couple and I’m really excited about their wedding ’cause the reception is right downtown on Market St and we can just trip out any time we want to for a mini-shoot. Maybe we can even get a little penthouse view for a few! It will be a blast.

Exciting things are ahead for Courtney and Chris! Just graduating from JMU and moving to Alexandria to start out Life.

So let’s see….what would make a nice wedding gift for these two? Perhaps a free months rent for those who might want to lavish them a bit (really, really, really lavish them!). Or, for their peeps just getting out of school, perhaps a Metro card and dinner for two at Jaleo would be a nice gesture. Or there’s always the IKEA gift card where they can get those really cool things that help you fit 1200 sq ft of stuff in 750 sq ft of space.

Despite the price tag on Life inside the beltway, you really can’t beat DC Living when you’re young…… and the world is yours…..and all you really have….are your dreams.

I had a great time with you guys and I hope you have a fantastic summer. See you soon!

Kemper

Here’s a little slide shizzo to celebrate the first eSession of the year with Lindsay and Josh. I always give a little “kissing lesson” before we hit the road and I do believe that Lindsay and Josh were very good students. A+ for both of you!

Everyone’s usually a little nervous at first, I think. Except for me:) It’s a little scary being in front of the camera and not really knowing what to expect. But, after a few minutes, everyone is in the groove and having fun. Sometimes, after a little chimp (chimping in photog speak for looking at the lcd to check the shot) I’m loving what I see. Sometimes what I see isn’t at all what is in the LCD. I think you can see what I mean as there is a little before and after that will be evident in the show.

Also, check out that last shot. I really think that is one of my faves ever. We were racing to get to my secret spot and were just a few minutes too late to get the sunset. So we worked the twilight and I really think we got some cool stuff.

Good times…good times!!!

I kept kidding Lindsay that I may have to just barter out the wedding photography for some tax assistance. But, I did manage to complete my taxes just in the nick of time, so I’m safe from that scariness and drudgery for another year. Of course I have made a commitment to self….be more organized! Maybe I can still work out a deal. Hmmmm.

This is a great couple, very much in love, so made for each other, and WAY easy going. Josh the musician and artist, Lindsay the CPA. Amazing how the right people find each other in this great big world!

We had originally scheduled this session for March, but the weather was just not right (although you can do some cool stuff in the winter months). So here we are a little over a month later and the weather is beautiful, the leaves are coming out, the grass is green (wow is it ever!) and there is still just enough of winter left to make for one of the most beautifully colored shots I’ve done.

Thanks for coming out and playing with me guys, I had a great time!

Now……. where’s MY CPA?

Calm, cool and collected

I love this image…..what a beautiful bride.

A truly beaming bride…..

You have to love a bride who will jump out of an airplane. No matter how involved I am in the job at hand, I always love listening to the toast because there is usually some little delicious nugget that makes me laugh or smile. So, it really wasn’t a huge surprise to hear that Annie is a bit of a dare-devil and leader of the pack.

It’s never a party ’til someone takes their shoes off…

And finally, from my Hokie Bride and her Hokie Photographer, a tribute to every one who ever wanted to have all of Lane Studium stand up and cheer as they took to the field.

Of course all of lane stadium was only three people….but whose counting :)

Annie and Trey, thanks for making me a part of your very special day. Many happy landings in all you do!

Kemper

Ok….so we’re about to get our first winter storm and I’m posting fall eSession pix of Jenni and Josh. But I thought this was another really great session with a super couple and I wanted to show them off a bit.

I really enjoyed hanging with both of them and getting to know more about their plans for a life together. With Jenni and me in the same area there is never going to be a lull in conversation but Josh managed to get a word in here and there. It was a gorgeous evening and I think the images show a beautiful couple that are so happy they found each other.

See you guys in June ! Ahhhh….with an ice storm around the corner that sure sounds nice and warm!

Kemper

A February wedding at the VT War Memorial Chapel, with black and white all the way. Awesome! I’m hoping for a little beautiful snow, but not too much to bog things down. Maybe it’s going to be 70 degrees in Feburary, too.

Started at the War Memorial Chapel for this session and by the time we had walked around to Burrus Hall, there were EMS helicopters landing on the Drill Field. What?? Of course that got Trey a bit distracted since he is in the Fire/EMS biz down near Raliegh. But what was going on? Just minutes before not a soul on the Drill Field seemed concerned like there was something up. I

Turns out that Carilion and Lifeguard 10 were landing for a photo op. By the time we were done and walking back from the duck pond, there were a ton of EMS personnel with helicopters and ambulances all arranged for a group pic.

So here’s to Annie and Trey. You are a great looking couple and I’m pretty sure this is going to be an awesome wedding. Have a great holiday season, nice long winter naps, and we’ll see you guys in February.

As I predicted several blogs ago, despite the dry weather this summer this fall has been spectacular, not to mention the longest on record I would expect! I mean we have had almost a month of great fall colors and it hasn’t stopped yet. This is November for crying out loud. Thanksgiving is next week!

I really don’t spend much time in Tidewater during the fall, but I was there for Shannon and Kurt’s wedding on the 27th. As I was driving down the Colonial Parkway towards Yorktown, I spotted this splash of color on a bridge as I was crossing a tributary near the Chesapeake Bay. I stopped and captured this panorama of fall color which is not done justice on a little computer screen. Ever since I read James Michener’s Chesapeake I have this very romantic view of the bay’s natural areas. I would be willing to bet that, standing on the edge of this river bank or one like it 400 years ago, things looked just about the same.

Here’s to a very beautiful lack of progress. Save the Bay!