The day before their wedding I touched base with Ellie just to check in since they had traveled to Roanoke from Texas and were taking care of some last minute details. Ellie did have a special favor to ask. It seems that Bryan REALLY wanted to have an old fashioned straight razor shave just to make this day a little more special. He had spent a good part of the week just trying to find a place that still did them since it appeared the straight razor shave had gone the way of a two bit haircut.

Well, he finally found Esquire Barber Salon, an old-fashioned barber shop on 11th Street that still did them and he really wanted this part of his day photographed. Could I possibly oblige? Seemed like fun to me, so I prepared for the day a little earlier than usual and headed over to the shop just as the groom’s entourage was arriving.

The shave went really well, and Bryan seemed to enjoy a bit of groom pampering. That is, until the end when he got a little wake up call from the alcohol rub on his freshly shaven face. As for me, I loved photographing this little ritual. I was just a wee bit nervous at the beginning when I looked down as the straight razor was about to start its glide right above Bryan’s jugular. It was apparent that Bryan’s barber was just a wee bit shaky being photographed on the job. Nevertheless, he insisted that we continue to document this special part of the day and he did a stellar job. Bryan lived to tell with minimal blood loss.

I was over at a shoot for my friends at Firefly Media who were having a grand opening at their new digs in Grandin Village. Of course, no eventness on Grandin Road would be complete without James Tarpley and James was there to help cut the ribbon. I never really had the privilege of meeting James, but he came over to me just to say how much he appreciated how hard I was working and we struck up a little chat. At the end, he eagerly agreed to a little portrait shoot and I thought this was the shot that captured him best. What a wonderful person, and a such a handsome guy. I loved the hat.

It was a gorgeous day way back in the spring when I photographed Abby and Jack’s beautiful Primland wedding, and it was a family affair. All three of the kids were ready to show everyone how to have a good time and each had their place in the wedding party, just slightly anxious to take their role in the ceremony. And so it was, on a cliff overlooking the beautiful expanse where Primland commandingly reigns as far as the eye can see, Abby and Jack were married with a gentle wind and the setting sun.